Pre-Alpine thermal history recorded in the continental crust from Alpine Corsica (France): evidence from zircon and allanite LA-ICP-MS dating

The pre-Alpine history of the Venaco-Ghisoni Unit, a continental unit belonging to the Alpine Corsica (France), was reconstructed on the basis of U–Pb dating of zircon and allanite. Zircon was separated from a metagranitoid and an epidote-bearing metagabbro and analyzed by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Magmatic ages ranging from 291 to 265 Ma were obtained for the metagranitoid samples and 276.9 ± 1.1 Ma for the epidote-bearing metagabbro. This geochronological dataset, combined with field observations, microstructural and cathodoluminescence analysis demonstrate that in the Early Permian, the Variscan basement of the Venaco-Ghisoni Unit was intruded first by the granitoid and then by the gabbro. Allanite was identified in the metagranitoid and exhibit an U–Pb age of 225 ± 8 Ma. We interpret this age as reflecting metamorphism associated to the Late Triassic rifting predating the opening of the Piemonte-Liguria Ocean. The absence of middle Eocene—Oligocene zircon and allanite overgrowths is compatible with the low metamorphic conditions (< 350–400 °C) recorded by the Venaco-Ghisoni Unit during Alpine metamorphism.