Mineral chemistry and petrogenesis of metabasites of metamorphic - igneous Shotor-Kuh complex (SE Shahrood) an indicator for evolution of intracontinental extensional basins of late Neoproterozoic

Metamorphic - igneous Shotor-Kuh complex is located in the 80 km of SE Shahrood and in the northern edge of the central Iran structural zone. This complex includes a wide lithological composition range such as metapelite (micaschists and gneisses), metapsammites, metabasites (amphibolite and garnet amphibolite), metacarbonate (limestone and dolomitic marbles) and metrhyolites. Protolith of metabasites have been basaltic lavas, diabasic swarm dikes and small scale gabbro-dioritic intrusions. With respect to abundance and importance of metamorphosed basaltic intercalations and diabasic swarm dikes in comparison to the other basic rocks, this article specially advocated to investigation of their evolution. Based on the field evidence and petrography, increasing the degree of metamorphism of metabasites resulted in producing of amphibole schist, amphibolite, garnet amphibolite and eventually amphibolitic migmatites. Thermobarometery based on the chemical analysis of garnet, amphibole and plagioclase of the metabasites indicates that the thermal range of 602-711 °C and 9-11 Kbar pressure for their formation, stop of exchange and final equilibrium, which accommodate with P-T condition of amphibolite and upper amphibolites facies. From the geochemical points of view, the magmas forming of these metabasites have tholeitic to calc-alkaline nature. These magmas originated from the subcontinental lithospheric mantel source. Submarine basaltic lava flows and diabasic swarm dikes originated during extensional tectonic regimes which affected Late Neoproterozoic Iranian Gondwanan terrains. These extensional tectonic regimes are associated with producing of intracontinental sea to oceanic basins (riffitic or back arc). The mentioned basins closed in a short time and lead to generate tectonic melange or accretionary prisms on the continental crust. Based on the U- Pb age dating of the Zircons extracted from these metasbasites, these metamorphism event occurred in the interval time of 526-577 Million years (corresponds to the late Neoproterozoic and Cadomian orogeny in the Iranian Gondwanan landforms).