Provenance evolution and sedimentary records in a rift basin: U-Pb Detrital zircon and petrography of sandstones of the Volta Redonda Basin (central segment of the Continental Rift of Southeastern Brazil)

Abstract

This study traces the evolution of provenance, paleodrainages, and sedimentary records across the Paleogene tectonic stages of the Volta Redonda Basin (central segment of the Continental Rift of Southeastern Brazil) by integrating sandstone petrography, detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology, and field observations. The basin's evolution is recorded in three tectonostratigraphic units: pre-rift (Ribeirão dos Quatis Formation), which records a high-energy gravel-bed braided fluvial system; rift I (Resende Formation), deposited by an immature, sand-bed braided fluvial system with alluvial fans; rift II (Pinheiral Formation), featuring a mature braided fluvial system. U-Pb detrital zircon analyses reveal similar provenance for all units, with Neoproterozoic ages predominating (54–69%), followed by Paleoproterozoic (22–40%), Mesoproterozoic (1–14%), and minor Archean and Paleozoic contributions. Archean ages are linked to metasedimentary rocks of the Paraíba do Sul Group and orthogneisses of the Quirino and Campinho complexes. Paleoproterozoic ages are associated with orthogneisses of the Quirino, Campinho, Taquaral and Juiz de Fora complexes, and metasedimentary rocks of the Paraíba do Sul and Embu groups. Mesoproterozoic ages derive from the Embu Group. Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic ages are linked to intrusive granitoids, primarily the Rio Turvo Suite. Provenance reflects two main sediment dispersal routes: (1) from the inland side of the Bocaina Plateau, parallel to the rift axis, controlled by NE-SW-trending Precambrian basement structures, predominant during the pre-rift stage and active during the rift II stage; (2) from the Resende−Volta Redonda interbasin basement, transverse to oblique to the rift axis, controlled by NW-SE-trending transcurrent faults, predominant during rift I stage.