The U–Th–Pb Age of Detrital Zircon from the Riphean Sandstones of the Volyn–Orsha Paleotrough, Belarus

Geochronological U–Th–Pb LA-ICP-MS study of detrital zircon grains extracted from Riphean sandstones of the Sherovichi and Belarusian series of the Orsha part of the Volyn–Orsha Paleotrough (Korma and Bykhov boreholes, Belarus) was carried out. The U–Th–Pb geochronological data obtained indicate that crystalline rocks of predominantly Early and Middle Riphean, as well as Early Proterozoic and Archean age, were the primary sources of zircon. The presence of detrital zircon grains with an age of 1 Ga in the sandstones of the Sherovichi and Belarus series, which were previously considered Middle Riphean, indicates that these sequences are of Late Riphean age. A representative population of zircon grains with an age of about 1 Ga was found only in the rocks of the Korma borehole, whereas it is absent in sandstones from other boreholes located within the Volyn–Orsha Trough (boreholes 70, Vilchitsy 1, and Bykhov). This indicates that a possible primary source of zircons could have been located both within the paleotrough and at a considerable distance, within the Grenville Sveconorwegian orogen.