No more blind dates with calcite: Fluid-flow vs. fault-slip along the Očkov thrust, Prague Basin

Nick M. W. Roberts; Jiří Žák; František Vacek; Jiří Sláma

doi:10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101143

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Nick M. W. Roberts, Jiří Žák, František Vacek, Jiří Sláma. No more blind dates with calcite: Fluid-flow vs. fault-slip along the Očkov thrust, Prague Basin[J]. Geoscience Frontiers, 2021, 12(4): 101143. doi: 10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101143

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Nick M. W. Roberts, Jiří Žák, František Vacek, Jiří Sláma. No more blind dates with calcite: Fluid-flow vs. fault-slip along the Očkov thrust, Prague Basin[J]. Geoscience Frontiers, 2021, 12(4): 101143. doi: 10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101143

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No more blind dates with calcite: Fluid-flow vs. fault-slip along the Očkov thrust, Prague Basin

doi: 10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101143

a Geochronology and Tracers Facility, British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK;
b Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, Prague 12843, Czech Republic;
c Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, National Museum, Václavské náměstí 68, Prague 11579, Czech Republic;
d Institute of Geology, Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Rozvojová 269, Prague 16500, Czech Republic

Funds:

k) and by the Charles University through Centre for Geosphere Dynamics (UNCE/SCI/006) and project PROGRES Q45. We also acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic through project DKRVO 2019-2023/1.IV.b (National Museum, 00023272). Robert Holder is thanked for providing the chip of Duff Brown calcite. We thank Stijn Glorie and an anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments, and Prof. Santosh for efficient editorial handling.

Nick Roberts publishes with the permission of the Director of the British Geological Survey. This study was supported by the Czech Science Foundation through Grant No. 16-11500S (to Jiř

Received Date: 2020-10-28
Rev Recd Date: 2020-12-31
Publish Date: 2021-07-17

Abstract

Abstract

Dating of fracture-filling calcite with U-Pb geochronology is becoming a rapidly adopted technique for determining the absolute timing of brittle deformation in the upper crust. Slickenfibre calcite is a desirable target, as it precipitates between individual fault slip displacement events, and provides additional kinematic information. Here we present a case study of slickenfibres formed on the Očkov thrust in the Lower Palaezoic Prague Basin, Bohemian Massif, utilising a combination of petrographic and in situ methods. We demonstrate that slickenfibre external textures can be preserved, whilst internally primary textures are removed by fluid infiltration and recrystallization, leading to variable U and Pb mobilisation. One slickenfibre yielded a date of ca. 250 Ma, which we interpret as recording fault slip along the Očkov thrust. Another cross-cutting slickenfibre yielded more scattered U-Pb data, with an imprecise apparent age around ca. 95 Ma. This slickenfibre is recrystallised, destroying the primary textures, and exhibits element mobility. The meaning of this younger apparent age is therefore questionable; whereas it likely reflects Cretaceous U and Pb mobility assisted by fluid-flow along the fault plane, it may not reflect a period of fault slip. Our results demonstrate that slickenfibre-based U-Pb dates do not unequivocally relate to fault motion, and that petrographic and elemental analyses are important requirements for interpreting calcite U-Pb data.
- U-Pb geochronology,
- Calcite,
- Fault dating,
- Fluid-flow,
- Prague Basin,
- LA-ICP-MS

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References(82)

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