Geochronology of the metamorphic basement, Transdanubian part of the Tisza Mega-Unit

Abstract

The results of seven new 40 Ar/ 39 Ar analyses and two K/Ar analyses of mineral separates of metamorphic rocks from the Transdanubian part (west of the Danube River) of the Tisza Mega-Unit is presented, and a review of the geochronological data available in the literature is given. Investigated rocks come from boreholes and include amphibolite facies rocks, mainly containing garnet, staurolite, kyanite, andalusite and sillimanite as index minerals. The investigated area covers 120 × 85 km in Transdanubia, including all tectonic units distinguished by previous authors. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar spectra of the muscovites yielded fairly well-established plateau ages ranging from 307 Ma-312 Ma in all units. Similar muscovite Ar/Ar cooling ages of ca 310 Ma were obtained from other parts of Tisza Mega-unit east of the Danube, e.g. from the kyanite-sillimanite-bearing metapelites of the Villany-Bihar Subunit (Great Plain; Lelkes-Felvari et al. 2003).