Tectonic controls on sediment provenance evolution in rift basins: Detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotope analysis from the Perth Basin, Western Australia

Abstract

The role of tectonics in controlling temporal and spatial variations in sediment provenance during the evolution of extensional basins from initial rifting to continental breakup and passive margin development are not well established. We test the influence of tectonics in a rift basin that has experienced minimal uplift but significant extension throughout its history: the Perth Basin, Western Australia. We use published zircon U-Pb and Hf isotope data from basin inception through to continental drift and complement this with new data from samples deposited synchronously with the continental breakup of eastern Gondwana. Three primary source regions are inferred, namely the Archean Yilgarn Craton to the east, the Paleo-and Mesoproterozoic Albany-Fraser-Wilkes Orogen to the south and east, and the Mesoproterozoic and Ediacaran-Cambrian Pinjarra Orogen underlying the rift basin and comprising the dominant crustal components to the west and southwest. From mid-Paleozoic basin inception to Early Cretaceous breakup of eastern Gondwana, drainage in the Perth Basin was primarily north-to northwest-directed as evidenced by the dominant Mesoproterozoic detrital zircon cargo, paleodrainage patterns and paleocurrent directions. Thus, provenance was primarily parallel to the rift axis and perpendicular to the extension direction, particularly during periods of thermal subsidence. During episodes of mechanical extension, detrital zircon ages are polymodal and consistently dominated by Paleo-and Mesoproterozoic grains derived from the Albany-Fraser-Wilkes Orogen, but with significant Archean and Neoproterozoic inputs from the rift margins. It is inferred that during mechanical extension the rate of subsidence exceeded sediment supply, which generated basin-margin scarps and enhanced direct input from the rift shoulders. Detrital zircon spectra from temporally-equivalent samples at the rift margin and in the rift axis reveal that distinct sedimentary routing operated on the flanks. In summary, sediment provenance in the Perth Basin (and probably other rift basins) is tectonically controlled by: (1) extension direction, (2) episodes of mechanical extension (rift) or thermal subsidence (post-rift), and (3) proximity to rift axis or rift margin.

Changing of the guards: Detrital zircon provenance tracking sedimentological reorganization of a post‐Gondwanan rift margin

“…Collectively, the geochronology and Hf‐isotope data imply that NDR014 received significant detritus derived from the Esperance Supersuite of the Albany–Fraser Orogen (1,170 Ma peak with inherited Archaean ages from the Yilgarn Craton). Although large areas of Gondwana exhibit 700–500 Ma zircon grains with similar 176 Hf/ 177 Hf isotopic values (Veevers et al, ), the NDR014 grains of this group are defined by two distinctive ~510 and ~690 Ma age peaks and fall within the envelope of Hf‐data available for the Leeuwin Complex of the Pinjarra Orogen (Olierook et al, ). These subordinate late Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic zircon grains therefore support significant derivation of the sample from the west via long‐shore drift and lowstand aeolian systems over ~1,700 km.…”

“…This rifting is thought to have radically modified sedimentary environments on a global scale (Vavrek, ), with Mesozoic to Cenozoic separation of Australia and Antarctica in the former East Gondwana, ending over a billion year connection between these continents (Cawood & Korsch, ; Huston, Blewett, & Champion, ; Johnson, ). However, limited studies have specifically explored the expression of rifting on sediment supply and routing via detrital mineral tracking despite the significance of these processes (Olierook et al, ).…”

“…In recent decades, advances in both the speed and precision of in situ geochronology and geochemistry have enabled analyses of detrital mineral grains to reconstruct their ultimate source regions and therefore improve understanding of denudation histories, sediment routing and depocenter connectivity (Barham, Kirkland, & Danišík, ; Barham et al, ; Fedo, Sircombe, & Rainbird, ; Fielding et al, ; Mason et al, ; Olierook et al, ; Xu, Snedden, Stockli, Fulthorpe, & Galloway, ). The mineral zircon has been most commonly analysed to constrain important source to sink relationships due to its (a) crustal abundance, (b) physical and chemical robustness, (c) incorporation of U but exclusion of Pb during crystallization (excellent geochronometer), (d) preservation of Hf‐ and O‐isotope characteristics (ability to resolve crustal evolution and the degree of mantle input/crustal re‐working), and (e) capturing of distinctive trace elements into the crystal structure (Belousova, Griffin, O'Reilly, & Fisher, ; Fedo et al, ; Grimes et al, ; Grimes, Wooden, Cheadle, & John, ; Hawkesworth & Kemp, ; Roberts & Spencer, ).…”

“…The mineral zircon has been most commonly analysed to constrain important source to sink relationships due to its (a) crustal abundance, (b) physical and chemical robustness, (c) incorporation of U but exclusion of Pb during crystallization (excellent geochronometer), (d) preservation of Hf‐ and O‐isotope characteristics (ability to resolve crustal evolution and the degree of mantle input/crustal re‐working), and (e) capturing of distinctive trace elements into the crystal structure (Belousova, Griffin, O'Reilly, & Fisher, ; Fedo et al, ; Grimes et al, ; Grimes, Wooden, Cheadle, & John, ; Hawkesworth & Kemp, ; Roberts & Spencer, ). Given that the geochronological, geochemical and even grain morphological characteristics of zircon minerals from crystalline source regions are becoming well established in southern Australia, refined sediment tracking of primary and recycled components, as well as basin correlations, are becoming increasingly possible (Barham, Kirkland, & Danišík, ; Barham et al, , ; Cawood & Nemchin, ; Cawood, Nemchin, Freeman, & Sircombe, ; Haines, Wingate, & Kirkland, ; Lloyd et al, ; MacDonald et al, ; Makulini, Kirkland, & Barham, ; Olierook et al, ; Sircombe & Freeman, ; Veevers, Belousova, & Saeed, ; Veevers, Saeed, Belousova, & Griffin, ). Although the geology of East Antarctica is largely inaccessible due to ice‐cover, extended Australia‐Antarctica connection prior to rifting means many of the major Australian crystalline basement elements are shared with the pre‐rifted adjacent Antarctic margin (Aitken et al, ; Barham, Kirkland, & Hollis, ; Fitzsimons, ; Morrissey, Hand, & Kelsey, ; Morrissey, Payne et al, ).…”

Early Cretaceous subsidence of the Naturaliste Plateau defined by a new record of volcaniclastic-rich sequence at IODP Site U1513

“…3B). Thirdly, sediment provenances and distribution paths trending parallel to the rift axis are observed in rift basins (e.g., Perth Basin; Olierook et al, 2019a). In the case of the Naturaliste Plateau, the trend points to the southern volcanic terrain as the provenance source.…”