3.96 Ga gneisses from the Slave province, Northwest Territories, Canada
Research Article| November 01, 1989 3.96 Ga gneisses from the Slave province, Northwest Territories, Canada S. A. Bowring; S. A. Bowring 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, Campus Box 1169, St. Louis, Missouri 63130-4899 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar I. S. Williams; I. S. Williams 2Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 4, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. Compston W. Compston 2Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 4, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1989) 17 (11): 971–975. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0971:GGFTSP>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation S. A. Bowring, I. S. Williams, W. Compston; 3.96 Ga gneisses from the Slave province, Northwest Territories, Canada. Geology 1989;; 17 (11): 971–975. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0971:GGFTSP>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Ion microprobe U-Pb analyses of zircons have identified the Acasta gneisses, from the westernmost Slave province, Canada, as the oldest known intact terrestrial rocks. Zircons from two samples indicate that the tonalitic to granitic protoliths of the gneisses crystallized at 3962 ±3 Ma, confirming earlier indications, from conventional zircon and Nd analyses, of the rock's antiquity. The U-Pb analyses indicate that in addition to recent Pb loss, the zircons underwent an early episode of Pb loss and that new zircons crystallized ca. 3.6 Ga. The gneisses were derived from a source that had a long-lived enrichment in light REE, possibly from even older rocks that may be present in the Slave province. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.