U-Pb geochronology of granitoids in the north-western boundary of the Xolapa Terrane.

Abstract

The Sierra Madre del Sur, a Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatic arc in southern Mexico, was studied using U-Pb zircon geochronology. Undeformed to slightly deformed plutons from two transects were sampled at the limit between the Guerrero and Xolapa terranes, in order to constrain the magmatic history, nature of the basement and terrane boundaries. Four samples from the Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, transect within the Guerrero terrane, yielded crystallization ages of 41.8 ± 1.4, 43.4 ± 1.6, 40.8 ± 1.4 and, 41.8 ± 4.6 Ma. No inherited zircons were detected in these plutons indicating that pre-existing zircons from continental basement or sediments are not a signifi cant component in these rocks. Five samples from the Atoyac, Guerrero transect within the Xolapa terrane, yielded crystallization ages of 53.5 ± 1.9, 52.7 ± 1.9, 57.3 ± 2.2, 54.4 ± 1.7, and 57.0 ± 2.1 Ma, analogous to the ages reported for the Acapulco intrusive.