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 TECTONICS, VOL. 26, TC3014, doi:10.1029/2006TC002083, 2007
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Full
Article
Tectonic evolution of the Mogok metamorphic belt, Burma
(Myanmar) constrained by U-Th-Pb dating of metamorphic
and magmatic rocks
M. P. Searle,1 S. R. Noble,2 J. M. Cottle,1 D. J. Waters,1 A. H. G. Mitchell,3 Tin Hlaing,3
M. S. A. Horstwood2
Received 17 November 2006; revised 15 February 2007; accepted 20 March 2007; published 21 June 2007.
[1] The Mogok metamorphic belt (MMB) extends for
over 1500 km along the western margin of the Shan-
Thai block, from the Andaman Sea north to the eastern
Himalayan syntaxis. Previous geochronology has
suggested that a long-lasting Jurassic–early Cretaceous
subduction-related event resulted in emplacement of
granodiorites and orthogneisses (171–120 Ma) and a
poorly constrained Tertiary metamorphic event. On the
basis of new U-Pb isotope dilution thermal ionization
mass spectrometry and U-Th-Pb laser ablation –
multicollector–inductively coupled plasma mass spectro-
meter geochronology presented here, we propose two
Tertiary metamorphic events affected the MMB in
Burma. The first was a Paleocene event that ended
with intrusion of crosscutting postkinematic biotite
granite dikes at
59 Ma. A second metamorphic event
spanned late Eocene to Oligocene (at least from 37,
possibly 47, to 29 Ma). This resulted in the growth of
metamorphic monazite at sillimanite grade, growth of
zircon rims at 47–43 Ma, sillimanite + muscovite
replacing older andalusite, and synmetamorphic
melting producing garnet and tourmaline bearing
leucogranites at 45.5 ± 0.6 Ma and 24.5 ± 0.7 Ma.
These data imply high-temperature sillimanite +
muscovite metamorphism peaking at 680°C and
4.9 kbar between 45 and 33 Ma, to around 606–
656°C and 4.4–4.8 kbar at 29.3 ± 0.5 Ma. The later
metamorphic event is older than 24.5 ± 0.3 Ma, the
age of leucogranites that crosscut all earlier fabrics.
Our structural and geochronological data suggest that
the MMB links north to the unexposed middle or
lower crust rocks of the Lhasa terrane, south Tibet,
and east to high-grade metamorphic core complexes
in northwest Thailand. Citation: Searle, M. P., S. R. Noble,
1
Department of Earth Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.
2
NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, British Geological Survey,
Keyworth, UK.
3
Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Ltd., Sanchaung Township, Yangon,
Myanmar.
Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.
0278-7407/07/2006TC002083$12.00
TC3014
J. M. Cottle, D. J. Waters, A. H. G. Mitchell, T. Hlaing, and M. S. A.
Horstwood (2007), Tectonic evolution of the Mogok metamorphic
belt, Burma (Myanmar) constrained by U-Th-Pb dating of
metamorphic and magmatic rocks, Tectonics, 26, TC3014,
doi:10.1029/2006TC002083.
1. Introduction
[2] The collision of India with Asia occurred at equatorial
latitudes approximately 54 –49 Ma ago [Dewey et al., 1989;
Zhu et al., 2005]. Since then India has indented northward
some 2000 km into central Asia creating the Himalaya and
enhancing crustal thickening and the whole scale uplift of
the Tibetan Plateau (Figure 1). A large geochronological
data set now exists for the Himalayan region leading to a
reasonably detailed knowledge of the metamorphic and
magmatic consequences of the collision along the Indian
plate (see, e.g., Searle et al. [1999a, 1999b, 2006] and
Godin et al. [2006] for reviews). However, the metamorphic
and magmatic consequences of collision on the Asian side
are less well known, partly due to the fact that very few
deep crustal metamorphic rocks are exposed along the south
Asian margin in Tibet. Prior to the Indian collision, the
southern margin of Asia was an Andean-type plate bound-
ary, dominated by calc-alkaline, subduction-related gran-
itoids and volcanic rocks, with continental red bed
deposition. It is likely that, prior to Indian plate collision,
the Lhasa Block of south Tibet had a similar crustal
thickness and altitude to the present-day Andes [England
and Searle, 1986; Leier et al., 2007]. The 2000 km long
Kohistan-Ladakh-Gangdese batholith, stretching from NW
Pakistan to SE Tibet, is composed of diorite, granodiorite
and hornblende-biotite granite, intruded between circa 103 –
49 Ma [Honegger et al., 1982; Schärer et al., 1984;
Weinberg and Dunlap, 2000].
[3] Whereas the postcollisional thermal history of the
south Asian crust is not well known in Tibet, it is reasonably
well constrained in the far west, in the Hindu Kush
[Hildebrand et al., 1998, 2000, 2001] and Karakoram
[Fraser et al., 2001] ranges (Figure 1). In these areas, deep
crustal rocks have been extensively exhumed due to ex-
treme rates of rock uplift and erosion, resulting in 7 – 8 km
high mountains and deeply incised glacial and river valleys
[Searle, 1991]. In the Karakoram, sillimanite-grade meta-
morphism occurred along the south Asian margin both
before Indian plate collision, and more or less continuously
after the collision from circa 65 to at least 5.4 Ma [Searle et
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TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 1. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) image of the Indian plate and South Asian
margin region from the Hindu Kush and Karakoram Ranges to Burma and SE Asia, showing the main
zone of collision and major faults.

al., 1999a; Fraser et al., 2001]. Lower crustal xenoliths in
3 – 2.5 Ma shoshonitic volcanics in central Tibet [Hacker et
al., 2000] and 57– 11 Ma ultrapotassic volcanic pipes in the
southeast Pamirs [Ducea et al., 2003; Hacker et al., 2005]
include ultrahigh-temperature felsic granulites and both
felsic and mafic eclogites. These xenoliths attest to the
protracted and probably still active HT-HP metamorphism
of the lower crust under the Karakoram-Pamir ranges and
possibly also along strike in the unexposed lower crust of
southern Tibet.
[4] Along the northeastern margin of the Indian plate,
ophiolitic and associated rocks of the Indus – Yarlung
Tsangpo suture zone continue around the eastern Himalayan
syntaxis (Namche Barwa region) southward along the Indo-
Burma ranges to the Andaman Sea (Figure 2). The plate
boundary shifted from the Paleogene suture zone to the
Neogene Sagaing fault, a 700 km long N-S aligned right-
lateral strike-slip fault that connects south to the active
spreading centers in the Andaman Sea [Curray, 2005]. East
of the Sagaing fault, the Mogok metamorphic belt (MMB)
extends from Moulmein north to Mogok, then along an
arcuate belt that connects north directly to the eastern
Himalayan syntaxis [Mitchell, 1993; Mitchell et al., 2007],
south of the Jiale fault (Figure 2). Although poorly exposed,
the MMB in Burma has long been of interest because it
contains some of the world’s best quality rubies and sap-
phires [Chhibber, 1934; Iyer, 1953; Searle and Haq, 1964;
Bender, 1983; Mitchell, 1993].
[5] Geochronological data along the MMB are limited.
Metamorphism in the Mogok belt was originally interpreted
as Precambrian [Chhibber, 1934]. After the most compre-
hensive field study of the MMB to date, Searle and Haq
[1964, p. 154] concluded that the protolith rocks of the
MMB spanned Precambrian to Late Paleozoic and that the
metamorphism was ‘‘post-Paleozoic and almost certainly
related to the Himalayan orogeny.’’ A range of Rb-Sr and
K-Ar ages from rocks in the Mogok belt were reported by
Brook and Snelling [1976], and Cobbing et al. [1992]. On
the basis of these radiometric data, combined with strati-
graphic evidence, Mitchell et al. [2004, 2007] inferred three
orogenic events resulting in metamorphism and granite
emplacement in Burma: an early Permian event, an early
Jurassic event and early to mid-Tertiary event.
[6] Garnier et al. [2006] reported Miocene 39Ar/40Ar
ages between 18.7 ± 0.2 and 17.1 ± 0.2 Ma from phlogopite
micas in marble hosted ruby deposits in the MMB. Bertrand
et al. [1999] reported late Oligocene to early Miocene
39
Ar/40Ar ages ranging from 26.9 ± 1 Ma to 16.6 ±
0.3 Ma on biotite and muscovite from rocks along the Shan
scarp. They interpreted these as ages of metamorphic

2 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 2. Geological map of SE Asia, Burma, and the Andaman Sea region north to southeastern Tibet,
showing the major suture zones, faults, and terrane boundaries.

3 of 24
 TC3014

4 of 24
SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT

Figure 3. Geological map of the Mandalay-Kyanigan area, modified from Mitchell et al. [2007].
TC3014
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 4. Geological map of the Belin-Kyaukse area, modified from Mitchell et al. [2007].

events. Because metamorphism reached kyanite and silli-
manite grade, the 39Ar/40Ar method will, however, only
reveal later cooling, not timing of peak metamorphism.
These cooling ages may also not be related to motion along
the Sagaing fault, because the Mogok rocks were clearly
metamorphosed prior to shearing along the Sagaing fault.
[7] Barley et al. [2003] reported the first sensitive high-
resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb age data from
the MMB. These authors reported zircon ages of Jurassic,
mid-Cretaceous and early Eocene time, confirming that
Andean-type granite magmatism was widespread along the
Burma margin throughout the precollisional period [Mitchell,
1993]. Zircon rim ages of
43– 30.9 Ma suggest that new
zircon growth occurred during a postcollisional high-grade
metamorphic event in the late Eocene –Oligocene [Barley et
al., 2003].
[8] In this paper we describe the central part of the MMB,
in particular two regions centered on the Mandalay hills –
Kyanigan region, north of Mandalay (Figure 3), and the Belin
quarry – Kyaukse region, south of Mandalay (Figure 4). We

5 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
present new U-Pb isotope dilution thermal ionization mass
spectrometry (ID-TIMS) and U-Th-Pb laser ablation – multi-
collector – inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
(LA-MC-ICPMS) geochronological data to constrain the
timing of metamorphism and granitioid magmatism. We
combine these age data with structural and thermobarometric
constraints to determine P-T conditions and timing of major
structural, metamorphic and melting events along the MMB.
Finally, we use these new data to compare the evolution of the
MMB to regional tectonic provinces across Tibet and South-
east Asia.
2. Geology of Burma
[9] The geology of Burma, together with eastern Ban-
gladesh and eastern India has traditionally been divided into
three terranes, the Indian plate to the west, the Burma
microplate west of the Sagaing fault and the Shan-Thai
block, east of the Sagaing fault (Figure 2). The presently
active Indian plate boundary is the east dipping Andaman
subduction zone that continues onshore along the western
margin of the Indo-Burman range accretionary prism. The
eastern margin of the Burma microplate is the right-lateral
Sagaing fault that has accommodated some of the northward
motion of India subsequent to the collision.
2.1. Burma Microplate
[10] The Indo-Burman (Arakan-Yoma) ranges are com-
posed mainly of Late Cretaceous –Paleogene marine sedi-
mentary rocks unconformably overlying Upper Triassic
flysch-type sediments and associated ophiolitic rocks,
thought to be the southern continuation of the Indus –
Yarlung Tsangpo suture zone [Mitchell, 1993]. These rocks
are in tectonic contact with a belt of mica schists (Mount
Victoria-Kawlun belt) to the west. The western part of the
Indo-Burman ranges are dominantly Eocene to Quaternary
molasse conglomerates and sandstones, part of a pile of
sediments, up to 20 km thick beneath the Ganges delta, that
were eroded from the Himalaya [Curray, 2005]. The Paleo-
gene sediments are continuous south to the Andaman –
Nicobar Islands where they overlie ophiolite complexes
and form the forearc sediments to the active volcanic arc
to the east (Barren Island – Narcondam volcanoes, the north-
ward continuation of the Sumatra – Java volcanic arc).
[11] To the east of the Indo-Burman ranges a series of
sedimentary basins (Chindwin, Minbu and Pathein basins)
show intermittent subsidence from mid-Cretaceous to Mio-
cene time followed by basin inversion and east-west com-
pression during the Pliocene-Pleistocene [Pivnik et al.,
1998]. Beneath these basins the Burma seismic zone shows
a narrow, east dipping, steeply inclined subduction zone
revealed by recent earthquakes extending down to at least
200 km [Ni et al., 1989; Guzman-Speziale and Ni, 1996].
Above this seismic zone two large calc-alkaline andesite-
dacite stratovolcanoes (Mounts Popa and Taungthonlon),
and the smaller Mount Loimye, were active from Pliocene
to recent times [Stephenson and Marshall, 1984] suggesting
that the seismic zone may represent a thin slab of subduct-
6 of 24
TC3014
ing Indian oceanic lithosphere that extends north from the
Bay of Bengal beneath Bangladesh [Rao and Kalpna, 2005;
A. Bally, personal communication, 2005]. A belt of Late
Cretaceous granodiorites and diorites and Cenozoic vol-
canics (with associated porphyry and epithermal copper
deposits) extending north of Mount Popa [Mitchell, 1993]
suggests that this subduction zone may have been relatively
long-lived.
2.2. Sagaing Fault
[12] The MMB follows the eastern flank of the Sagaing
fault to about 80 km north of Mandalay where it is displaced
to the east and follows an arcuate trend north toward the
eastern Himalayan syntaxis (Figure 2). The N-S striking
Sagaing fault is a 1200 km long right-lateral strike-slip fault
that runs most of the length of Burma and cuts the western
margin of the Mogok belt (Figure 2). It connects south to
the active back-arc spreading center in the Andaman Sea via a
series of short transfer faults [Vigny et al., 2003; Curray,
2005]. Right-lateral displacement has been estimated
at
330 km [Curray, 2005], or less than 100 – 150 km
[Bertrand and Rangin, 2003]. Mitchell [1993] proposed an
offset of
450 km based on the displacement of pre-Albian
ophiolitic rocks from the Mount Victoria belt in the west to
the Tagaung-Myktyina belt, north of Mogok, in northern
Burma (Figure 2). Morley [2004] mapped a series of strike-
slip duplexes in a region 250 km wide east of the Sagaing
fault. The major strike-slip fault systems in Thailand include
the NW-SE striking left-lateral Mae Ping (or Wang Chau)
fault and the Three Pagodas fault [Lacassin et al., 1997;
Morley, 2004]. Apatite fission track ages show evidence of
late Oligocene – early Miocene cooling and exhumation
extending along the Thai-Burma border [Upton, 1999;
Morley, 2004]. The 40Ar/39Ar mica ages from Mogok rocks
adjacent to the Sagaing fault range from 30 to 18 Ma, with
ages younging to the north [Bertrand et al., 1999]. Together
with some older apatite fission track ages of 40 –36 Ma
along the Mae Ping fault zone [Upton, 1999; Morley, 2004],
these data suggest that not only do the metamorphic and
magmatic ages predate strike-slip motion but also that most
of the exhumation and cooling occurred prior to movement
on the Sagaing fault [Bertrand and Rangin, 2003].
2.3. Northern Burma and the Jade Mines Belt
[13] Three metamorphic belts splay off from the Sagaing
fault in northern Burma, the Jade Mines belt, Katha-Gangaw
belt and the Tagaung-Myitkyina belt (Figure 2). High-grade
gneisses of the Katha-Gangaw ranges pass eastward to the
schists of the Tagaung-Myitkyina belt, which are thought be
to the northern continuation of the MMB [Mitchell et al.,
2007]. The Katha-Gangaw belt south of Myitkyina, may be
the offset equivalent of the Mount Victoria – Kawlun belt
in the west [Chhibber, 1934; Mitchell, 1993]. All of
these metamorphic rocks are low-/medium-pressure – high-
temperature rocks whereas the Jade mines belt has been
subjected to high-pressure metamorphism. Serpentinized
peridotites occur as boulders in alluvial deposits together
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
Figure 5. (a) Xenoliths of sillimanite schist within K-
feldspar augen gneiss from Kyauskse. Sample M54 came
from the sillimanite schist at this locality and indicates
the metamorphism and high grade were Oligocene in age
(29.3 ± 0.5 Ma). (b) Biotite granite dike (sample M33)
showing flow banding intruding and crosscutting earlier
biotite granite sills, migmatites, calc-silicates, quartzites, and
pelitic bands from Belin quarry. (c) K-feldspar augen gneiss
(sample M4) showing in situ melts of quartz + tourmaline
leucogranite (sample M5) from Kyanigan quarry. Melts
seams percolate through the preexisting fabric of the augen
gneiss.
7 of 24
TC3014
with pure jadeite, amphibole jade and kyanite-bearing
omphacite jade. Goffé et al. [2002] determined eclogite
facies P-T conditions P > 14 kbar and T
550– 600°C
overprinted by
8 kbar and 500 – 550°C amphibolite facies
conditions. Jadeite + quartz and omphacite + zoisite +
kyanite blueschists record similar high pressures but lower
temperatures around 400– 450°C [Goffé et al., 2002]. We
speculate that late Mesozoic ophiolitic rocks obducted onto
the Burma microplate were later metamorphosed during east
dipping subduction, and then exhumed to the surface prior to
dextral shearing along the Sagaing fault.
[14] The relationship between the Jade Mines belt and the
MMB is not clear, partly because they are separated by
strands of the Sagaing fault. Although both belts contain
high-grade metamorphic rocks there are some fundamental
differences between the two. Ultramafic rocks including
harzburgites, dunites and wehrlites, are common in the Jade
Mines belt, but rare in the Mogok belt. Gem-quality pure
jadeite within peridotite is present only in the Jade Mines
belt. Sapphire-bearing nepheline syenites are not present in
the Jade Mines belt, but are present in the Mogok belt where
the host rock phlogopite– diopside marbles contain gem-
quality rubies and spinel [Iyer, 1953; Kane and Kammerling,
1992; Waltham, 1999].
2.4. Shan-Thai Block, Eastern Highlands
[15] The Shan-Thai block is continuous with the Qiang-
tang and Lhasa blocks of central Tibet to the north and the
Malay Peninsula, including the central granite belt of
Cobbing et al. [1986, 1992] to the south. The Shan-Thai
block is bounded to the east by the Sukhotai-Lao fold belt
and the Nan-Uttaradit suture [Barr and McDonald, 1987]
separating the Shan-Thai block from the Indo-China block
of eastern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Final suturing
occurred during the Late Triassic [Mitchell, 1977]. The
Shan-Thai block east of the Sagaing fault includes the
metamorphic rocks of the Mogok belt, Jurassic-Cretaceous
granites that are continuous south to the western Thailand
Sn-W-bearing granite belt (western granite belt of Cobbing
et al. [1986, 1992]), and Late Carboniferous– Lower Perm-
ian Mergui Group sediments [Mitchell, 1992, 1993].
[16] Most of the Shan-Thai block is composed of Cam-
brian to Triassic sedimentary rocks structurally overlying
metamorphic rocks (Chaung Magyi Group of Mitchell
[1992]), and overlain by Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous
red beds. Apatite fission track dating of these red beds in
northern Thailand indicate maximum burial between 70 and
50 Ma [Upton, 1999] suggesting that metamorphism was
older than this. The Mergui Group is a distinctive unit of
sedimentary rocks comprising Upper Carboniferous
and Lower Permian mudstones, slates and rare limestones
that bounds the eastern margin of the MMB and extends
from Mandalay at least as far south as Phuket [Mitchell,
1992, 1993] and into Sumatra [Barber et al., 2005]. The
metamorphic rocks (Chaung Magyi Group of Mitchell et al.
[2007]) may be structurally continuous with the MMB
and possibly also with some major metamorphic core
complexes in NW Thailand, the Doi Inthanon and Doi
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 6a. Photomicrograph of part of the M54 probe section, showing the typical mylonitic
sillimanite-bearing domain at top right, but primarily showing the coarse white mica and andalusite-
bearing domain that may reflect a zone of late high-T fluid infiltration. Garnet 2 is in the center left,
andalusite is the pale gray moderate relief phase in the lower right.

Suthep core complexes [Dunning et al., 1995; Barr et al., phism, calculated with the Grt-Bt geothermometer of
2002; MacDonald et al., 1993]. Holdaway [2000] (calibration 5AV) in combination with
THERMOCALC 3.25 in average P mode for the assem-
blage Grt (inner rim) + Bt + Ms + sillimanite (Sil) +
3. Mogok Metamorphic Belt (MMB)
[17] The MMB includes a variety of paragneisses,
orthogneisses and migmatites with at least two, possibly
more, generations of tourmaline + garnet (Grt) + biotite (Bt) ±
muscovite (Ms) leucogranites. The main lithologies ex-
posed are diopside + phlogopite + spinel + tremolite
marbles and calc-silicates that host gem-quality rubies.
Some marbles are exceptionally pure. Micaceous quartzites
are common and pelitic rocks relatively rare. Sillimanite,
kyanite, and staurolite-bearing schists and gneisses occur
around Kyanigan and elsewhere along the MMB. One
sample of highly deformed sillimanite gneiss, also contain-
ing garnet, biotite and earlier relic andalusite, partly
replaced by late muscovite, was collected from Kyaukse
(sample M54; 21°3602500N; 96°903300E; Figures 4 and 5a)
for U-Th-Pb dating. This sample contains weakly zoned
garnets, where Mn decreases slightly toward the rim, then
shows a sharp increase at the rim itself (Figures 6a and 6b).
Mg shows a similar but inverted pattern. These features are
characteristic of almost homogenized garnet that has un-
dergone late retrograde resorption. We infer that the rock Figure 6b. Compositional zoning profile across the largest
was intensely deformed at high temperatures, in the silli- analyzed garnet in sample M54. Error bars are 2 sigma
manite stability field. The best estimate for peak metamor- uncertainties on the cation mole fraction.

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TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Table 1a. Microprobe Analyses From Sample M54

Mineral

Grt Bt Ms Pl

Location location 2 inner rim location 2 mean location 2 mean location 2 mean
SiO2 36.72 35.02 45.72 60.45
TiO2 0.00 2.02 0.73 0.01
Al2O3 21.09 19.35 36.37 25.19
Cr2O3 0.01 0.03 0.03 0.05
FeO 32.45 20.27 0.92 0.10
MnO 6.57 0.18 0.03 0.00
MgO 2.31 8.17 0.50 0.00
CaO 1.61 0.10 0.01 6.35
Na2O 0.26 0.29 0.56 7.77
K2O 0.00 9.22 8.92 0.02
ZnO 0.00 0.05 0.03 0.02
Total 101.03 94.69 93.83 99.96

Number of oxygens 12 22 22 8
Si 2.960 5.391 6.108 2.689
Ti 0.000 0.234 0.073 0.000
Al 2.004 3.512 5.727 1.320
Cr 0.001 0.004 0.003 0.002
Fe 2.187 2.610 0.103 0.004
Mn 0.449 0.023 0.003 0.000
Mg 0.278 1.874 0.099 0.000
Ca 0.139 0.017 0.002 0.302
Na 0.040 0.085 0.146 0.670
K 0.000 1.811 1.521 0.001
Zn 0.000 0.005 0.003 0.001
Sum 8.058 15.566 13.787 4.989
Mg/(Mg + Fe) 0.113 0.418 0.491

plagioclase (Pl) + quartz (Qtz) is 625 ± 25°C and 4.8 ±
0.9 kbar. Garnet-biotite temperatures for the retrograde
equilibrium of garnet outer rims are 550 ± 25°C (Table 1a).
[18] In Belin quarry (21°4005800N; 96°074400E) a quartz +
plagioclase + K-feldspar + biotite granite dike 1 – 1.2 m
wide, with a weak flow banding fabric cuts across diopside +
spinel marbles and calc-silicates interbanded with layered
felsic gneisses, sillimanite gneisses, migmatites and early
biotite granite sills that contain xenoliths of the metamorphic
rocks (Figure 5b). Ductile fabrics in the gneisses are trun-
cated at the margins of the dike and therefore must be earlier
than the dike. Sample M33 was collected for U-Th-Pb dating
from this locality to constrain the minimum timing of
metamorphism and associated ductile fabric development
(see section 4).
[19] K-feldspar augen gneisses represent metamorphosed
intrusions of biotite granodiorite– granite that have been
subjected to high-temperature metamorphism and postcrys-
tallization ductile deformation. Sample M4 (22°0501400N;
96°0901300E) is a heterogeneous granitic gneiss (K-feldspar >
plagioclase) from Kyanigan quarry containing bands of
rounded, millimeter-sized garnets, sillimanite-rich stringers,
scattered biotite, some tourmaline and relic andalusite.
Unzoned garnets are presumed to have been in equilibrium
with Bt, Sil, Pl, Kfs and Qtz at the maximum metamorphic
temperature reached. Garnet-biotite geothermometry com-
bined with THERMOCALC 3.25 in average P mode gave a
relatively poorly constrained result of about 680°C at 4.9 ±
1.7 kbar (Table 1b). In situ quartz + tourmaline + garnet
leucogranite melts (sample M5) are seen emanating from
the augen gneiss (sample M4) and intruding along the
dominant fabric in the gneiss (Figure 5c). Field relations
in Kyanigan quarry supported by geochronological data
suggest that the leucogranites were derived from in situ
melting of the augen gneiss, a protolith not usually thought
to be a suitable source rock. Another tourmaline + garnet +
two-mica leucogranitic gneiss (sample M52; 21°3602.900N;
96°0805900E) was collected from Kyaukse (Figure 4), also
for dating.
[20] In the northern MMB around Mogok town the
youngest phase of magmatism appears to be a suite of
nepheline syenites that contain gem quality sapphires in-
truding marble, gneiss and cutting metamorphic fabrics. In
the southern part of the MMB, a biotite syenogranite from
Yesin Dam yielded a U-Pb zircon (SHRIMP) age of 22.6 ±
0.4 Ma, interpreted as the magmatic age [Barley et al.,
2003]. The youngest igneous phase in the MMB in the
Mandalay area is a suite of undeformed biotite granites and
syenogranites that crosscut all earlier lithologies and ductile
fabrics. Similar late granites include the Nattaung granite
sheets to the south [Mitchell et al., 2007]. Others form large
plutons that may be part of a regional batholith. These
include the undeformed Sedo granite and the Kabaing
granite in the Mogok area; the latter has an 40Ar/39Ar age
of 15.8 ± 1.1 Ma [Bertrand et al., 2001].
[21] Deformation fabrics along the MMB are variable and
there are at least two phases of ductile fabric formation,
each cut by crosscutting undeformed granitc dikes. Early,
ductile metamorphic planar fabrics have also been subjected
to subsequent clockwise rotation and dextral shearing along

9 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Table 1b. Microprobe Analyses From Sample M4

Mineral

Grt Bt Pl Pl Kfs

Location core with Sil with Bt with Grt mean

SiO2 36.18 35.27 63.01 63.08 65.48
TiO2 0.00 2.54 0.01 0.00 0.02
Al2O3 20.68 19.53 23.43 23.06 18.98
Cr2O3 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.03
FeO 34.81 21.39 0.10 0.08 0.06
MnO 3.85 0.22 0.01 0.00 0.01
MgO 3.01 6.85 0.02 0.00 0.00
CaO 0.86 0.01 4.12 3.79 0.05
Na2O 0.20 0.17 9.22 9.35 1.84
K2O 0.00 10.22 0.22 0.22 14.83
ZnO 0.00 0.10 0.04 0.02 0.07
Total 99.60 96.33 100.23 99.64 101.36

Number of oxygens 12 22 8 8 8
Si 2.956 5.390 2.783 2.800 2.976
Ti 0.000 0.292 0.000 0.000 0.001
Al 1.991 3.518 1.220 1.207 1.017
Cr 0.001 0.003 0.002 0.001 0.001
Fe 2.378 2.733 0.004 0.003 0.002
Mn 0.266 0.028 0.000 0.000 0.000
Mg 0.366 1.561 0.002 0.000 0.001
Ca 0.075 0.002 0.195 0.180 0.002
Na 0.032 0.050 0.789 0.805 0.162
K 0.000 1.991 0.013 0.012 0.860
Zn 0.000 0.011 0.001 0.001 0.002
Sum 8.066 15.579 5.009 5.009 5.025
Mg/(Mg+Fe) 0.134 0.364

the Sagaing fault [Bertrand and Rangin, 2003]. Kinematic
indicators, such as rotated porphyroclasts and C-S fabrics
are common, but do not give a consistent sense of shear
along the belt. It is clear, however, that all the ductile
deformation fabrics were imposed prior to shearing along
the Sagaing fault. Later NNW-SSE aligned stretching line-
ations related to regional NNW-SSE transtension are prom-
inent along the length of the MMB [Bertrand and Rangin,
2003].
[22] Chhibber [1934] originally considered the metamor-
phism as Precambrian age. Searle and Haq [1964], Thein et
al. [1998] and Mitchell et al. [2004] regarded the diopside –
tremolite marbles of the MMB as metamorphosed equiv-
alents of Permian and Ordovician limestones exposed in the
Shan Plateau to the east. On the basis of stratigraphic and
structural analysis, Mitchell [1992] concluded that rocks of
the Mogok belt consisted of both Precambrian metamorphic
rocks, and Paleozoic units of the Shan Plateau metamor-
phosed in the Late Triassic– Early Jurassic and possibly a
final early Miocene event. Barley et al. [2003] dated a suite
of hornblende-biotite granodiorites from Yebokson, and
orthogneisses from the Mandalay hills and Kyanikan as
Jurassic – Early Cretaceous (
170 –120 Ma). These orthog-
neisses were recrystallized during an Eocene (
43 Ma)
high-grade metamorphic event and intruded by a final phase
of synkinematic leucogranites and hornblende syenites
between 35 and 23 Ma [Barley et al., 2003].
[23] In order to constrain the ages of peak metamorphism
and magmatism along the MMB in more detail, we ana-
lyzed samples of schist, gneiss and leucogranite for petrol-
ogy, thermobarometry and U-Th-Pb dating.
4. Analytical Methods
[24] This study makes use of two complimentary analytical
techniques, isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrom-
etry (ID-TIMS) and laser ablation–multicollector–inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICPMS) to
obtain U-Th-Pb isotopic data. All geochronology analytical
work was undertaken at the Natural Environment Research
Council Isotope Geoscience Laboratories (NIGL) at the
British Geological Survey. Zircon, monazite, xenotime and
thorite were separated by standard crushing, heavy liquid,
and isodynamic magnetic separation techniques. Dated min-
erals were handpicked under ethanol, and only the highest
quality crack-free grains were selected for analysis. Ages
were calculated using the U decay constants of Jaffey et al.
[1971], and the Th decay constant of Le Roux and Glendenin
[1963] and Amelin and Zaitsev [2002]. Pbdat [Ludwig, 1993]
was used for TIMS raw data reduction and an in-house excel
spreadsheet for LA-MC-ICPMS data processing. Calculated
ages and data plots for both TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS data
were generated using Isoplot [Ludwig, 2003]. Tables 2, 3a
and 3b contain the full data set. All errors in data tables and
concordia plots are quoted at the 2s confidence level.
4.1. ID-TIMS
[25] Prior to dissolution selected monazites, zircons,
xenotimes, and thorites were washed in distilled 2N

10 of 24
 Table 2. Mogok Belt U-Pb TIMS Data

Concentrationsb Atomic Ratios Ages, Ma

TC3014

Common
Weight, U, Pb, Pb,
a 206 208 206 207 207 206 207 207
Fractions mg ppm ppm pg Pb/204Pbc Pb/206Pbd Pb/238Ud Error Pb/235Ud Error Pb/206Pbd Error Pb-238U Pb-235U Pb-206Pb rhoe
Sample M4
1. mo,1:1, eu, ye, ci, 250 mm (1) 12.9 20702 209.2 37 2517 1.085 0.005443 0.25 0.03312 0.40 0.04414 0.31 34.99 33.09 103.1 0.64
2. mo, 1:1 eu, ye, ci, 300 mm (1) 18.4 14220 346.9 55 2096 3.018 0.006889 0.16 0.04291 0.35 0.04518 0.31 44.26 42.66 45.95 0.46
3. mo, 3:1, eu, ye, 100 mm (2) 7.7 16839 262.1 18 3168 1.530 0.006966 0.15 0.04387 0.19 0.04568 0.11 44.75 43.60 19.34 0.81
4. mo, 3:1 eu, ye, ci, 8.3 14602 222.8 17 2858 1.795 0.006193 0.16 0.03883 0.21 0.04547 0.13 39.80 38.68 30.55 0.79
70 – 90 mm (5)
5. mo, 2:1 eu, ye, 70 mm (6) 2.1 7758 119.4 3.0 2050 1.941 0.005951 0.26 0.03763 0.28 0.04587 0.11 38.25 37.51 9.45 0.93
6. mo, 2:1 eu, ye, 70 mm (7) 2.6 4693 65.02 2.7 3196 1.675 0.005888 0.31 0.03737 0.32 0.04603 0.07 37.84 37.25 0.67 0.98
7. mo, 2:1 eu, ye, 110 mm (1) 4.4 7180 107.6 3.8 3704 1.950 0.005781 0.19 0.03657 0.21 0.04588 0.09 37.16 36.47 8.65 0.91
8. mo, 2:1 eu, ye, 130 mm (1) 3.5 15609 180.1 4.6 4148 1.328 0.005609 0.15 0.03486 0.18 0.04507 0.10 36.06 34.79 51.98 0.84

Sample M5
9. mo, 1:1, eu, ye, 80 mm (4) 4.6 5032 63.90 2.4 3019 1.823 0.005103 0.15 0.03116 0.20 0.04429 0.14 32.81 31.16 94.42 0.74
10. mo, 2:1, eu, gr, oi, ci, 4.1 30852 176.6 100 371.8 0.2866 0.004375 0.21 0.02702 1.77 0.04479 1.76 28.14 27.07 67.21 0.10
80 mm (1)
11. xe, 2:1, eu, gr, ci, 80 mm (1) 5.5 19566 74.94 1.4 19043 0.01322 0.004203 0.11 0.02707 0.13 0.04672 0.07 27.03 27.12 34.80 0.86

Sample M33
12. th 2:1 – 3:1 eu, dg, oi, 9.0 133683 2029 73 8878 1.024 0.008460 0.14 0.05472 0.16 0.04691 0.07 54.31 54.10 44.83 0.88
80 – 100 mm (2)
13. zr 3:1 – 5:1 eu, cl, ci, 16.0 1960 171.0 24 692.9 0.1164 0.008266 0.34 0.05381 0.67 0.04721 0.58 53.07 53.21 59.84 0.51

11 of 24
200 – 400 mm (4)

Sample M52
14. mo 2:1 – 3:1 sub, ye, 5.7 2446 143.5 14 424.6 9.123 0.006626 0.92 0.04040 1.07 0.04422 0.54 42.57 40.21 98.70 0.86
60 mm (8)
15. mo 2:1 – 3:1 sub, ye, 3.6 1595 99.70 4.1 568.8 10.24 0.006366 0.59 0.03825 0.81 0.04358 0.55 40.91 38.12 134.5 0.73
60 mm (9)
16. mo 2:1 – 3:1 sub, ye, 5.1 3544 224.7 12 639.0 10.15 0.006524 0.73 0.04034 0.77 0.04485 0.24 41.92 40.15 64.09 0.95
60 mm (11)
SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT

Sample M54
17. mo 1:1 – 3:1 sub, cl, oi, 6.6 2824 56.37 10 550.6 3.931 0.004571 0.51 0.02943 0.82 0.04669 0.64 29.40 29.45 33.45 0.62
30 – 40 mm (48)
18. mo 1:1 – 3:1 sub, cl, oi, 13.2 2159 41.14 14 601.7 3.643 0.004657 0.65 0.03019 0.74 0.04701 0.35 29.95 30.20 49.93 0.88
30 – 40 mm (50)
19. mo 1:1 – 3:1 sub, cl, oi, 19.6 3095 58.60 30 613.2 3.544 0.004681 0.33 0.03050 0.81 0.04726 0.74 30.10 30.51 62.48 0.40
30 – 40 mm (50)
a
Fraction abbreviations are mo, monazite; zr, zircon; th, thorite; xe, xenotime; l:w aspect ratio; abr, air abraded; eu, euhedral; sub, subhedral; ye, yellow; gr, green; dk, dark green; cl, colorless; oi, opaque
inclusions; ci, colorless inclusions; length (mm); (x), number of grains analyzed.
b
Maximum errors are ±20%. Weights were measured on a Cahn C32 microbalance or calculated from grain dimensions measured on binocular microscope photos.
c
Measured ratio corrected for mass fractionation and common Pb in the 205Pb/235U spike.
d
Corrected for mass fractionation, spike, laboratory blank Pb and U, and initial common Pb [Stacey and Kramers, 1975] (calculated at 30 Ma, with an uncertainty of 2% propagated through calculations).
The laboratory blank Pb composition is 206Pb/204Pb:207Pb/204Pb:208Pb/204Pb = 17.46:15.55:37.32. Quoted errors are 2 sigma (% for atomic ratios, absolute for ages).
e
The 207Pb/235U – 206Pb/238U error correlation coefficient is calculated following Ludwig [1993].
TC3014
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Table 3a. U-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS Data

Uncorrected Isotopic Ratios Uncorrected Ages

a 207 207 206 238 207 235 b 206 238 207
Name U, ppm Pb/ Pb 2s, % Pb/ U 2s, % Pb/ U 2s, % Rho Pb/ U 2s, Ma Pb/235U 2s, Ma
Sample M5 Xenotime
004-1 8999.81 0.05 3.27 0.00 2.51 0.03 4.12 0.61 30.87 0.78 31.20 1.30
004-2 8788.20 0.05 3.45 0.00 2.51 0.03 4.27 0.59 30.93 0.78 31.46 1.36
005-1 2727.78 0.05 7.75 0.01 2.52 0.04 8.15 0.31 35.21 0.89 35.39 2.93
005-2 2389.79 0.05 6.59 0.01 2.54 0.03 7.06 0.36 34.58 0.88 33.92 2.43
009-1 17097.54 0.05 3.08 0.00 2.50 0.02 3.97 0.63 24.61 0.62 24.31 0.98
009-2 19557.67 0.05 2.60 0.00 2.51 0.02 3.61 0.70 24.37 0.61 24.63 0.90
003-1 12629.68 0.05 2.80 0.00 2.51 0.03 3.76 0.67 25.01 0.63 25.43 0.97
003-2 16817.97 0.05 2.86 0.00 2.54 0.02 3.82 0.66 23.89 0.61 23.91 0.92

Sample M33 Thorite

005-1 79941.47 0.05 6.63 0.01 3.13 0.06 7.33 0.43 59.55 1.87 59.50 4.48
005-2 72605.58 0.05 6.64 0.01 3.18 0.06 7.36 0.43 58.48 1.87 58.93 4.45
005-3 82615.32 0.05 6.63 0.01 3.09 0.06 7.32 0.42 59.39 1.85 58.87 4.42
015-1 80845.68 0.05 7.00 0.01 3.25 0.06 7.72 0.42 57.91 1.89 61.41 4.87
015-2 85196.17 0.05 6.67 0.01 3.14 0.07 7.38 0.43 60.07 1.89 63.97 4.86
006-1 72864.14 0.05 6.65 0.01 3.27 0.06 7.41 0.44 56.35 1.85 57.18 4.35
006-2 92129.50 0.05 6.65 0.01 3.10 0.06 7.34 0.42 58.88 1.84 58.85 4.43

Common Pb Corrected Isotopic Ratiosd Common Pb Corrected Ages

c 207 207 206 238 207 235 b 206 238 207
f206% Pb/ Pb 2s% Pb/ U 2s% Pb/ U 2s% Rho Pb/ U 2s (Ma) Pb/235U 2s, Ma

Sample M5 Xenotime
004-1 1.04 0.04 15.68 0.00 2.48 0.03 15.88 0.16 31.24 0.78 28.38 4.56
004-2 0.48 0.04 14.03 0.00 2.50 0.03 14.25 0.18 31.40 0.79 28.53 4.12
005-1 3.38 0.04 50.04 0.01 3.11 0.03 50.13 0.06 35.04 1.09 27.79 14.03
005-2 2.43 0.04 53.83 0.01 3.28 0.03 53.93 0.06 34.78 1.14 27.34 14.83
009-1 0.67 0.04 10.81 0.00 2.46 0.02 11.09 0.22 24.93 0.61 21.44 2.40
009-2 0.81 0.04 9.30 0.00 2.46 0.02 9.62 0.26 24.67 0.61 22.31 2.17
003-1 0.85 0.04 13.31 0.00 2.54 0.02 13.55 0.19 25.41 0.65 23.30 3.19
003-2 0.29 0.05 10.36 0.00 2.49 0.02 10.66 0.23 24.34 0.61 24.71 2.66

Sample M33 Thorite

005-1 0.09 0.05 3.37 0.01 3.42 0.06 4.80 0.71 60.05 2.06 58.12 2.87
005-2 0.09 0.05 3.70 0.01 3.46 0.06 5.07 0.68 59.10 2.05 59.34 3.09
005-3 0.10 0.05 3.34 0.01 3.39 0.06 4.75 0.71 60.03 2.04 60.51 2.96
015-1 0.45 0.05 4.09 0.01 3.50 0.06 5.39 0.65 58.11 2.04 58.77 3.25
015-2 0.38 0.05 3.44 0.01 3.44 0.06 4.87 0.71 60.42 2.09 61.10 3.06
006-1 0.17 0.05 4.83 0.01 3.52 0.06 5.98 0.59 56.57 2.00 55.86 3.43
006-2 0.11 0.05 3.43 0.01 3.38 0.06 4.82 0.70 59.75 2.03 60.03 2.97
a
U content in ppm accurate to approximately 10%.
b
Rho is the error correlation defined as err206Pb/238U/err207Pb/235U.
c
Percentage of 206Pb that is common.
d
Isotopic ratios are corrected for common Pb. Common Pb correction based on a single-stage model [Stacey and Kramers, 1975] and the interpreted age
of the crystal.

HNO3 at
60°C followed by ultrapure water. Monazites
and xenotimes were then spiked with a 205Pb/235U tracer,
dissolved in 10.5 N HCl at 180 C for 3 days in Parrish-type
PFA Teflon microcapsules [Parrish, 1987], dried down and
converted to chloride form with 3.1 M HCl at 140 C for
12 hours prior to chemistry. Zircon and thorite dissolutions
were performed with 29M HF trace HNO3 for 3 days at
240 C, and converted for chemistry as with xenotime and
monazite. U and Pb chemical separations followed [Krogh,
1973] with modifications [Corfu and Noble, 1992]. Data
were obtained on a VG 354 mass spectrometer with an ion-
counting Daly detector following [Noble et al., 1993] and
on a ThermoElectron Triton fitted with a modified Mascom
high linearity ion-counting secondary electron multiplier
(SEM) [Noble et al., 2006]. Procedural blanks were <10 pg Pb
and <0.1 pg U. All data were reduced assuming a maximum
of a 10 pg procedural blank, the remainder being allocated
to common Pb intrinsic to the mineral. The common Pb
isotope composition was estimated using the two-stage
model of [Stacey and Kramers, 1975].
4.2. LA-MC-ICPMS
[26] Separated grains were mounted in 25 mm epoxy
resin discs, doubly polished to reveal equatorial cross
sections and carbon coated. Backscatter electron (BSE)
images were acquired for all grains using a scanning
electron microscope (SEM) (Figure 7). Grains that dis-
played complex BSE patterns were further imaged for Y
and Th using an electron microprobe (EMP) in order to gain
information on the internal compositional zonation and

12 of 24
 Table 3b. U-Th-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS Data
TC3014

Uncorrected Isotopic Ratios Uncorrected Ages Common Pb Corrected Isotopic Ratiosd Common Pb Corrected Ages
Th,a
206 208 206 208 206 208 206 208
Name ppm Th/Ub Pb/238U 2s% Pb/232Th 2s, % Pb/238U 2s, Ma Pb/232Th 2s, Ma f206%c Pb/238U 2s, % Pb/232Th 2s, % Pb/238U 2s, Ma Pb/232Th 2s, Ma
Sample M4 Monazite
0.0062 8.75 0.0018 5.19 40.1 3.5 36.8 1.9 0.9 0.0063 7.73 0.0018 6.05 40.5 3.1 36.4 2.2
A 020-1 31726 4.0 0.0102 8.76 0.0031 5.20 65.1 5.7 62.4 3.3 0.2 0.0103 7.25 0.0030 5.49 65.9 4.8 61.5 3.4
A 017-1 43727 4.1 0.0065 8.75 0.0019 5.20 41.7 3.7 37.7 2.0 0.6 0.0065 7.30 0.0018 5.68 42.1 3.1 37.0 2.1
A 017-2 45001 3.9 0.0061 8.75 0.0017 5.30 39.1 3.4 33.4 1.8 0.3 0.0061 7.22 0.0017 5.53 39.1 2.8 33.4 1.8
A 005-1 42607 3.8 0.0063 8.74 0.0016 5.20 40.6 3.6 33.2 1.7 0.5 0.0064 7.28 0.0016 6.11 41.1 3.0 33.1 2.0
A 003-1 30134 3.1 0.0060 3.77 0.0018 3.06 38.5 1.5 36.2 1.1 0.2 0.0061 4.36 0.0018 3.79 39.4 1.7 35.6 1.4
A 007-1 34690 8.7 0.0093 3.81 0.0030 3.06 59.7 2.3 59.8 1.8 1.3 0.0095 4.61 0.0029 3.43 60.8 2.8 59.4 2.0
A 004-1 32367 4.8 0.0063 3.76 0.0020 3.09 40.7 1.5 39.7 1.2 1.9 0.0063 4.38 0.0019 3.67 40.2 1.8 38.6 1.4
A 010-1 38409 3.7 0.0058 3.75 0.0017 3.06 37.4 1.4 35.1 1.1 0.3 0.0060 4.20 0.0018 3.78 38.3 1.6 35.4 1.3
A 012-1 39931 3.5 0.0055 3.79 0.0016 3.07 35.4 1.3 32.4 1.0 0.8 0.0056 4.23 0.0016 3.70 36.2 1.5 31.7 1.2
B 015-1 115887 13.5 0.0100 3.78 0.0029 3.15 63.9 2.4 58.9 1.9 0.6 0.0102 4.13 0.0029 3.14 65.2 2.7 59.0 1.9
B 015-2 104227 12.9 0.0096 5.16 0.0029 3.15 61.4 3.2 58.4 1.8 0.1 0.0096 4.27 0.0029 3.17 61.9 2.7 58.3 1.9
B 013-1 46209 4.1 0.0064 5.06 0.0020 3.07 40.8 2.1 39.5 1.2 0.5 0.0064 4.16 0.0019 3.40 41.3 1.7 39.1 1.3
B 004-1 22829 3.4 0.0069 2.99 0.0019 3.97 44.1 1.3 39.2 1.6 1.2 0.0069 3.62 0.0019 5.36 44.1 1.6 37.7 2.0
B 010-2 58879 5.6 0.0062 2.95 0.0019 3.98 39.7 1.2 38.4 1.5 0.6 0.0063 3.13 0.0019 4.17 40.4 1.3 38.5 1.6
B 013-2 49077 4.0 0.0062 3.04 0.0018 4.02 40.1 1.2 36.7 1.5 0.7 0.0063 3.04 0.0018 4.11 40.5 1.2 36.2 1.5
B 016-2 43854 3.8 0.0061 2.95 0.0019 3.98 39.4 1.2 38.7 1.5 0.5 0.0062 3.07 0.0019 4.37 40.1 1.2 38.7 1.7
A 005-2 30341 4.3 0.0064 2.92 0.0020 4.04 41.2 1.2 39.6 1.6 0.3 0.0066 3.36 0.0020 4.53 42.4 1.4 40.2 1.8
A 012-2 42895 4.2 0.0062 2.95 0.0018 3.98 39.6 1.2 37.2 1.5 0.8 0.0062 3.37 0.0018 4.44 39.8 1.3 36.6 1.6

13 of 24
Sample M5 Monazite
L 001-1 30150 0.8 0.0036 2.27 0.0012 2.61 22.9 0.5 24.3 0.6 0.2 0.0036 2.09 0.0012 4.04 23.3 0.5 23.9 1.0
L 001-2 32605 0.8 0.0037 2.14 0.0012 2.63 23.6 0.5 24.8 0.7 0.2 0.0038 1.81 0.0012 4.01 24.2 0.4 24.6 1.0
L 003-1 31945 5.1 0.0051 2.23 0.0016 2.66 32.9 0.7 33.3 0.9 0.4 0.0051 3.12 0.0016 3.73 32.6 1.0 32.8 1.2
L 005-1 33072 0.9 0.0036 2.21 0.0012 2.64 23.5 0.5 25.2 0.7 0.4 0.0037 1.90 0.0012 4.16 23.8 0.5 24.5 1.0
001-3 13108 0.9 0.0039 2.35 0.0013 2.78 25.1 0.6 25.9 0.7 0.2 0.0040 2.60 0.0012 8.47 25.4 0.7 24.1 2.0
L 006-1 33906 1.0 0.0037 2.19 0.0012 2.68 24.0 0.5 24.9 0.7 0.4 0.0038 1.94 0.0012 3.45 24.5 0.5 24.3 0.8
R 011-1 22827 6.3 0.0053 2.27 0.0018 2.68 33.8 0.8 36.2 1.0 1.9 0.0053 3.24 0.0018 3.57 34.0 1.1 35.6 1.3
R 001-1 21716 0.9 0.0037 2.18 0.0012 2.65 23.7 0.5 25.1 0.7 0.4 0.0037 1.97 0.0013 4.13 24.1 0.5 25.3 1.0
R 001-2 20470 0.8 0.0037 2.17 0.0012 2.69 24.0 0.5 25.1 0.7 0.2 0.0038 1.95 0.0012 5.77 24.4 0.5 24.3 1.4
SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT

R 002-1 19543 1.0 0.0038 2.18 0.0013 2.62 24.7 0.5 26.4 0.7 0.8 0.0039 2.05 0.0012 4.52 24.9 0.5 25.0 1.1

Sample M52 Monazite

004-1a 29687 11.9 0.0072 1.71 0.0023 1.20 45.9 0.8 46.6 0.6 1.3 0.0073 3.05 0.0023 2.26 47.0 1.4 47.3 1.1
031-1 57865 36.2 0.0081 2.02 0.0023 1.38 52.0 1.1 45.7 0.6 4.9 0.0079 6.30 0.0023 1.58 50.8 3.2 45.9 0.7
002-1 33747 26.9 0.0072 1.91 0.0020 1.38 46.0 0.9 40.3 0.6 2.7 0.0068 9.19 0.0020 2.79 44.0 4.1 40.0 1.1
025-1 70684 24.5 0.0074 1.77 0.0023 1.29 47.8 0.8 45.7 0.6 0.0 0.0073 3.65 0.0023 1.54 47.1 1.7 45.8 0.7
018-1 66773 24.2 0.0074 1.64 0.0022 1.35 47.3 0.8 45.0 0.6 1.4 0.0078 3.82 0.0022 1.72 50.0 1.9 45.4 0.8
027-1 80775 21.4 0.0075 1.65 0.0023 1.21 47.9 0.8 46.3 0.6 2.5 0.0076 3.15 0.0023 1.42 49.0 1.5 46.9 0.7
032-1 22670 33.2 0.0072 3.12 0.0020 2.14 46.3 1.5 40.4 0.9 8.4 0.0068 17.25 0.0020 3.44 43.8 7.6 39.6 1.4
032-2 36888 30.9 0.0065 2.62 0.0022 2.10 41.5 1.1 45.1 0.9 4.9 0.0073 8.25 0.0023 2.68 46.7 3.9 46.6 1.3
028-1 80465 30.5 0.0072 1.54 0.0024 1.91 46.1 0.7 47.6 0.9 5.8 0.0068 4.11 0.0023 2.21 43.4 1.8 46.9 1.0
015-1 43631 33.6 0.0072 1.57 0.0022 1.84 46.2 0.7 44.0 0.8 4.7 0.0067 7.45 0.0021 2.49 42.8 3.2 43.0 1.1
007-1 41255 23.0 0.0081 1.65 0.0023 1.73 51.9 0.9 46.3 0.8 2.9 0.0088 5.86 0.0023 2.51 56.5 3.3 47.0 1.2
TC3014
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Pb/232Th 2s, Ma
growth history. BSE, Y and Th images were also used to

1.7

1.8
1.6
1.6

1.8
2.3
1.7
select spot locations for analysis. U-Th-Pb isotope spot
Common Pb Corrected Ages
analyses (35 mm diameter  20 mm deep for monazite,
50 mm diameter  15 mm deep for xenotime, and

52.3

52.2
52.3
51.8

49.9
51.4
49.9
208 10 mm diameter  5 mm deep for thorite) were obtained via
a laser ablation – plasma ionization multicollector mass
spectrometer (LA-MC-ICPMS). The method employed here
U 2s, Ma

2.0

2.0
2.1
2.1

2.0
2.1
2.0
modified from Horstwood et al. [2003] uses a pseudosi-
multaneous static acquisition with an extra static acquisition
to collect 232Th.

Isotopic ratios are corrected for common Pb. Common Pb correction based on a single-stage model [Stacey and Kramers, 1975] and the interpreted age of the crystal.
238

60.0

59.7
60.0
59.1

58.1
60.4
56.6
Pb/
206

5. U-Th-Pb Geochronology
Th 2s, %

3.16

3.41
3.10
3.10

3.60
4.50
3.39

5.1. M4 K-Feldspar Augen Gneiss, Kyanigan Quarry

Common Pb Corrected Isotopic Ratiosd

[27] Monazites separated from Kyanigan augen gneiss

0.0026

0.0026
0.0026
0.0026

0.0025
0.0025
0.0025

(M4) are translucent yellowish-green squat subhedral

232
Pb/

prisms with long axes typically ranging from 100 to

208

180 mm in length. BSE images (Figures 7a – 7c) reveal a

complex chemical petrography with the majority of grains
U 2s, %

3.39

3.38
3.42
3.46

3.50
3.44
3.52

displaying patchy zoning where significant portions of the

grain have been recrystallized. Some crystals preserve a
multidomain (in BSE) core mantled by a thick, relatively
238

0.0094
0.0092
0.0094
0.0091
0.0094
0.0088
0.0093
Pb/

homogeneous rim. Remnant oscillatory zoning is also

206

preserved in a few crystals. All of the grains examined

contain abundant microinclusions predominately of quartz
c
Th 2s, Ma f206%

0.1

0.1
0.1
0.1

0.5
0.4
0.2

and K-feldspar with rare zircon and thorite also present.

Sample M33 Thorite

5.1.1. ID-TIMS
[28] Eight single and multigrain flawless subhedral mon-
1.6
1.5
1.6
1.7
2.3
1.6
1.7

azite fractions were analyzed by ID-TIMS with the results

Normalized to Th/U ratio of the standard and is therefore corrected for Th-U plasma fractionation.

shown in Figure 8a. All analyses are reversely discordant

and form an array above and parallel to concordia with
232
Uncorrected Ages

52.5
51.9
52.2
50.4
51.9
50.1
52.1

207
Pb/235U ages ranging between 33.1 and 43.6 Ma. As the
Pb/

end-members of the ID-TIMS data array have not been

208

replicated, the maximum and minimum ages of metamor-

U 2s, Ma

phic monazite in this rock cannot be determined with any

1.9
1.9
1.8
1.9
1.9
1.8
1.8

degree of confidence. In an attempt to resolve the age of this

rock additional grains were analyzed by LA-MC-ICPMS.
238

59.5
58.5
59.4
57.9
60.1
56.4
58.9

5.1.2. LA-MC-ICPMS
Pb/

[29] Nineteen analyses were obtained from 13 grains via

206

the LA-MC-ICPMS method (Figure 8b). The majority of

Th 2s, %

2.99
2.96
3.04
3.35
4.41
3.28
3.28

analyses display minor reverse discordance, as noted in the

TIMS analyses, which we attribute to the incorporation of
Uncorrected Isotopic Ratios

excess 230Th leading to an excess of 206Pb [Schärer, 1984;

0.0026
0.0026
0.0026
0.0025
0.0026
0.0025
0.0026

Parrish, 1990]. With this in mind we take the 208Pb*/232Th

232

Th content in ppm accurate to approximately 10%.

Pb/

(where Pb* represents the radiogenic Pb, the total Pb minus

208

common Pb) dates as the most reliable estimates of the ages

U 2s%

3.13
3.18
3.09
3.25
3.14
3.27
3.10

of these grains. The data show two distinct clusters, one at

31 Ma to
40 Ma and the other at
59 Ma. On the basis
Percentage of 206Pb that is common.

of good agreement between the youngest ID-TIMS and LA-

238

0.0093
0.0091
0.0093
0.0090
0.0094
0.0088
0.0092

MC-ICPMS analyses our best estimate of the cessation of

Pb/

monazite growth recording high-grade metamorphism in

206

M4 is 31– 33 Ma. We interpret the oldest age component in

b
Table 3b. (continued)

Th/U

2.6
2.9
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.8
2.6

the younger group of analyses (at
40 Ma) to represent the

earliest phase of monazite growth associated with this
208769
214016
225184
220815
229921
206420
235009

metamorphic event.. In the light of the ICP data, the two

ppm
Th,a

> 40 Ma TIMS monazite analyses are interpreted as

representing mixtures of 31– 40 Ma and
59 Ma domains.
Name

The remaining 4 analyses define a 208Pb*/232Th weighted

005-1
005-2
005-3
015-1
015-2
006-1
006-2

d
a

mean age of 59 ± 1 Ma with a mean squared weighted

14 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 7. Backscatter electron (BSE) images of minerals analyzed. Circles represent positions of LA-MC-
ICPMS spot analyses with the ages (208Pb*/232Th ages for monazite and 207Pb/235U ages for xenotime and
thorite) for each analysis. Prefixes M, X, and T refer to grain type: monazite, xenotime, and thorite,
respectively. Note that gray scale intensities are not necessarily directly comparable between images. Sample
M4, K-feldspar augen gneiss, Kyanigan quarry: (a) image of grain M-A22 which comprises a thick
homogeneous rim surrounding a complex multidomain core that contains inclusions of K-feldspar, (b) image
of grain M-B15, an older grain that preserves patchy zoning where portions of the grain have been
recrystallized; (c) image of grain M-B10, this grain preserves a multidomain core mantled by a thick, relatively
homogeneous rim. Sample M5, Tourmaline quartz leucogranite Kyanigan quarry: (d) image of grain X-R3,
displaying oscillatory zoning with large ovoid zircon inclusion, (e) image of grain X-R4, internally
homogeneous grain with a thin
24 Ma(?) rim; (f) image of grain X-R5, surrounded by a rim of
24 Ma(?)
xenotime; (g) image of grain M-L1, an example of a typical monazite from M5, a large homogeneous grain
with little internal structure evident; (h) image of grain M-R2, a homogeneous grain with faint oscillatory
zoning toward the center of the grain; (i) image of grain M-R1, a homogeneous grain with rare microinclusions
of quartz and K-feldspar. Sample M52, Tourmaline 2 mica leucogranite Kyaukse hills: (j) image of grain M-
25, an equant grain with patchy zoning; (k) image of grain M-32 a homogeneous core surrounded by a thin
rim, the core contains numerous inclusions of quartz; (l) image of grain M-4, in which an equant core has been
partially resorbed prior to overgrowth of a thick, and in places oscillatory zoned, rim. Sample M33, Biotite
granite dike, Belin quarry: (m) image of grain T-006; (n) image of grain T-005; (o) image of grain T-015. The
three images show evidence of alteration, in the form of hydration along cracks and near inclusions. Outside
the altered areas the grains are internally very homogeneous. Sample M54, Kyanite staurolite schist, Kyaushe
north: (p) and (q) image of representative monazite grains showing inclusions of muscovite, quartz, and
ilmenite; (r) field of view showing typical textural setting of monazite (arrowed), occurring as elongate grains
subparallel to foliation within mica-rich pods: bt, biotite; ms, muscovite; qz, quartz; kfs, K-feldspar.

15 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
deviation (MSWD) of 0.98 [Wendt and Carl, 1991]. We
tentatively interpret this age to record an earlier syncolli-
sional(?) metamorphic event. The presence of an older
monazite population along with relic andalusite suggests
that these rocks have undergone at least two metamorphic
events: an initial event at >59 Ma (equivalent to the Belin
quarry metamorphic rocks, see section 5.4) that was subse-
quently overprinted by a further, protracted metamorphic
event ranging in age from
40– 31 Ma.
[30] Prior to our work Barley et al. [2003] used a
SHRIMP ion microprobe to obtain U-Pb zircon ages from
a sample of biotite augen gneiss (UB 055A), collected from
the same locality as our sample M4. Their data indicate that
the zircon protolith age of the gneiss is 171.2 ± 2.9 Ma with
43.4 ± 0.8 Ma recrystallized overgrowths which they
interpreted to record the timing of high-temperature meta-
morphism. Our new data suggests that zircon recrystalliza-
tion occurred between 2 and 4 Ma earlier than monazite in
the same rock. We suggest that the youngest zircon and
monazite ages record slightly different periods during the
same high-T metamorphic event, highlighting the need to
use multiple chronometers to fully assess the timing and
duration of high-grade metamorphic events.
5.2. M5 Tourmaline Quartz Leucogranite Kyanigan
Quarry
[31] A sample of garnet-tourmaline leucogranite (M5)
was dated in order to establish both the timing of in situ
melt generation and the minimum age of metamorphism in
the Kyanigan area. Monazite and xenotime were separated
from M5 and three reconnaissance analyses obtained by
TIMS, and more extensively analyzed by LA-MC-ICPMS.
BSE imaging of xenotime indicate that they either have
well-developed oscillatory zoning throughout or comprise a
compositionally homogeneous core surrounded by a thin,
higher (relative to the core) Th rim (Figures 7d – 7f).
Monazites are relatively homogeneous with numerous
microinclusions of quartz and K-feldspar (Figures 7g– 7i).
Faint oscillatory growth zoning is occasionally evident.
5.2.1. ID-TIMS
[32] The three TIMS analyses of xenotime and monazite
are illustrated in Figure 8c. Xenotime and monazite grains
have 207Pb/235U ages of 27.1 ± 0.1 Ma and 27.1 ± 1.0 Ma,
while a second single monazite grain is older at 31.2 ±
0.1 Ma. The 27.1 ± 0.1 Ma monazite grain is unusual in that
although it is reversely discordant its 208Pb/206Pb ratio is
significantly lower than other monazites analyzed in this
study. This low ratio, coupled with the high U content and
presence of opaque inclusions suggests that some of the
inclusions may have been a uraniferous mineral such as
uraninite. The spread in ages obtained warranted further
detailed study using LA-MC-ICPMS.
5.2.2. LA-MC-ICPMS
[33] Ten U-Th-Pb monazite (Figure 8d) and eight U-Pb
xenotime (Figure 8c) analyses were obtained from 7 and
4 grains, respectively. Eight concordant U-Th-Pb monazite
analyses yield a weighted mean 208Pb*/232Th age of 24.5 ±
0.4 Ma (MSWD 0.79) which we interpret to reflect the
crystallization age of this leucogranite body. This interpre-
16 of 24
TC3014
tation is corroborated by four U-Pb xenotime analyses that
give a 206Pb/238U – 207Pb/235U concordia age of 24.5 ±
0.3 Ma (MSWD of concordance 0.41, probability of con-
cordance 0.52) [Ludwig, 1998]. These ages are slightly
younger than the
27 Ma ID-TIMS xenotime and monazite
data, indicating the two ID-TIMS analyses are probably
mixtures of 24.5 Ma overgrowths with minor older inher-
itance. LA-MC-ICPMS data indicate that both monazite and
xenotime preserve older age components at
31– 32 Ma
and
35 Ma. One of the ID-TIMS monazite analyses is in a
similar age range also reflecting an older age component,
although it cannot be discerned whether this age is a mixture
of 31– 35 Ma domains or reflects a single discrete age. We
thus interpret these ages to reflect inheritance from at least
two distinct age populations, either from the melt source,
(equivalent to M4) and/or xenocrysts that were entrained
from wall rocks during emplacement.
5.3. M52 Tourmaline 2 Mica Leucogranite Kyaukse
Hills
[34] South of Belin quarry the Kyaukse ridge exposes
augen gneisses and sillimanite + garnet gneisses intruded by
discordant dikes of tourmaline + muscovite + biotite leu-
cogranite, which have undergone later deformation and
metamorphism. A sample from one of these deformed dikes
(M52) was analyzed by both ID-TIMS and LA-MC-
ICPMS. Monazites separated from M52 are 180 –250 mm
long subhedral prisms that are light yellowish green in
color. All grains contain abundant micro inclusions of
quartz and K-feldspar and minor zircon. BSE images reveal
a complex chemical petrography. A few grains preserve
remnant oscillatory zoning, but the majority display lobate-
cuspate recrystallization structures on the 10 mm scale and
have no consistent core-rim relationship either within single
grains or within the grain population (Figures 7j– 7l).
5.3.1. ID-TIMS
[35] Three reconnaissance single grain monazite analyses
were obtained, illustrated in Figure 8e. Although reversely
discordant, the 207Pb*/235U ages of two grains overlap
within error, giving a mean age of 40.2 ± 0.3 Ma. The
third analysis is younger at 38.1 ± 0.3 Ma. In order to refine
these age data we utilized the higher spatial resolution of
LA-MC-ICPMS to obtain further analyses.
5.3.2. LA-MC-ICPMS
[36] Eleven U-Th-Pb analyses were acquired from ten
monazite grains (Figure 8f). Eight analyses define a reversely
discordant linear array on a 208Pb*/232Th– 206Pb*/238U con-
cordia plot and give a weighted mean 208Pb*/232Th age of
46.3 ± 0.6 Ma with an MSWD [Wendt and Carl, 1991] of
2.7. Two near-concordant analyses are significantly younger
than the main population with a mean age of 39.9 ± 0.9 Ma.
A further single spot analysis has an age of 43.0 ± 1.1 Ma.
[37] We interpret the 46.3 ± 0.6 Ma age to reflect the age
of intrusion of the granite dike and the youngest ages of
38.1 ± 0.3 Ma (ID-TIMS) and 39.1 ± 0.8 Ma (LA-MC-
ICPMS) to record the timing of subsequent metamorphism.
These data also indicate that an earlier metamorphic episode
occurred prior to emplacement of the M52 dike (see next
section). On the basis of simple modeling of U and Th data
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 8

17 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

along with further BSE observations we infer that the

43 Ma LA-MC-ICPMS spot analysis is a mixture of
39 Ma and 45 Ma components. The overlap between the
age data from M52 and the age of metamorphic monazites
from M4 suggest that this dike is the result of a partial
melting episode that is temporally coincident with, and
possibly genetically related to high-T metamorphism of the
Kyanikan augen gneiss.
5.4. M33 Biotite Granite Dike, Belin Quarry
[38] Thorite and zircon were extracted from M33 and
analyzed by ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS. Most M33
zircons are colorless to pale brown, euhedral, 40– 200 mm
long crystals, >50% of which have pitted surfaces (pits 5 mm),
and many of the latter zircons contain colorless to opaque
inclusions. Those chosen for analysis were euhedral, color-
less squat prisms, 80 – 200 mm long, with unpitted outer
surfaces. These selected zircons were moderately air abraded
[Krogh, 1982] to reduce Pb loss. (Urano)thorites (17 wt %
SiO2, 56 wt % ThO, 20 wt % UO, 0.4 wt % PbO) are doubly
terminated, euhedral green translucent crystals that range
from squat (2:1) (length: width aspect ratio) to elongate (5:1).
The majority of grains examined contain inclusions of zircon,
quartz, and K-feldspar. Along some cracks, at the rim, and in
the vicinity of inclusions the crystals are darker in BSE, lower
in Si, Pb and U and higher in P, Ca, Fe, Y and (OH) suggesting
that these regions have undergone hydrous alteration. Away
from the altered areas the crystals are internally very homo-
geneous in terms of their appearance in BSE (Figures 7m–7o)
as well as U, Th and Pb concentrations.
5.4.1. ID-TIMS
[39] A single grain zircon fraction gives a 206Pb/238U–
207
Pb/235U concordia age of 53.1 ± 0.2 Ma, MSWD (of
concordance) = 0.93, Probability (of concordance) = 0.33
(Figure 8g) [Ludwig, 1998]. A single grain thorite fraction
also analyzed is slightly reversely discordant, yielding a
207
Pb*/235U age of 54.1 ± 0.1 Ma.
5.4.2. LA-MC-ICPMS
[40] Seven U-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS spot analyses were
obtained from five grains. Five of the analyses are entirely
concordant, one is slightly reversely discordant and one
subconcordant analysis is significantly younger than the rest,
suggesting a small amount of Pb loss has affected this analysis.
Taking the five concordant analyses gives a 206Pb/238U–
207
Pb*/235U concordia age of 59.5 ± 0.9 Ma, MSWD (of
concordance) = 0.98; probability (of concordance) = 0.32
(Figure 8g) [Ludwig, 1998]. We attribute the
5 Ma discrep-
ancy between the ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS ages to
variable Pb loss affecting the ID-TIMS zircon and thorite
fractions. This interpretation is consistent with BSE observa-
tions (Figures 7m–7o), in which all 15 thorite grains imaged
contain altered regions, and the 59 Ma 207Pb/206Pb age of the
zircon fraction. The higher spatial resolution of the LA-MC-
ICPMS technique allowed us to avoid areas of alteration and
obtain analyses free from significant Pb loss, whereas the
thorite fraction analyzed by TIMS was not air abraded to
minimize Pb loss. As a result we take the 207Pb*/235U LA-MC-
ICPMS thorite concordia age of 59.5 ± 0.9 Ma as our best
estimate of the magmatic crystallization age of this rock.
5.5. M54 Sillimanite Gneiss, Kyaukse North
[41] A sample of sillimanite gneiss from Wei Bu, on the
north side of the Kyaukse ridge (M54) contains abundant <
50 mm equant monazite grains. The vast majority of monazite
occurs within mica-rich pods along biotite grain boundaries
and was dated to further constrain the timing of metamor-
phism. SEM examination of the monazites reveals that
they contain muscovite as well as quartz and ilmenite
(Figures 7p–7r).
[42] Three single grain monazite fractions were analyzed
by ID-TIMS. One analysis is entirely concordant and two
are slightly normally discordant (Figure 8h). A regression
line through all three data points yields a lower intercept age
[Ludwig, 2003] of 29.3 ± 0.5 Ma, MSWD 0.4 which is our
best estimate for the timing of high-grade metamorphism
affecting this rock. The normal discordance of two of the
data points indicates that there is a component of inheri-
tance, but because the data are all close to 29 Ma no age
significance can be placed on the calculated upper intercept.
6. Suggested Chronology for Mogok Belt
[43] Combining our data with zircon SHRIMP data of
Barley et al. [2003], we conclude that the rocks from the
Mandalay and Kyanigan areas show a protracted period of
sillimanite-grade high-temperature metamorphism lasting
from at least 43 to 29 Ma (possibly from 45 to 24 Ma)
with intermittent periods of crustal melting producing
leucogranites at 45.4 Ma and 24.5 Ma (Figure 9). These
ages may correspond to the regional Sedo-type granites
(plus Yesin dam, Nattaung granites) which crosscut all
earlier rocks and fabrics along the Mogok belt.
[44] Mitchell et al. [2007] inferred two pre-Tertiary
orogenies in Burma based on stratigraphic and structural
arguments, an Early Permian event and an Early Jurassic
event. Mid-Permian limestones overlie a regional unconfor-

Figure 8. Concordia diagrams showing U-Th-Pb ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS isotope data. (a) U-Pb ID-TIMS
monazite data from sample M4, K-feldspar augen gneiss, Kyanigan quarry. (b) U-Th-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS monazite data
from M4. (c) U-Pb ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS monazite and xenotime data from sample M5, tourmaline quartz
leucogranite Kyanigan quarry. (d) U-Th-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS monazite data from M5. (e) U-Pb ID-TIMS monazite data
from M52, tourmaline 2 mica leucogranite Kyaukse hills. (f) U-Th-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS monazite data from M52. (g) U-Pb
ID-TIMS zircon and thorite and LA-MC-ICPMS thorite data from M33, biotite granite dike, Belin quarry. Dashed ellipses
are those rejected from the final age determination, see text for details. (h) U-Pb ID-TIMS monazite data from M54, kyanite
staurolite schist, Kyaushe north.

18 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
mity above strongly folded Carboniferous Mergui Group
and older rocks, some of which are metamorphosed. A
second major regional unconformity separates Lower Ju-
rassic deformed turbidites from overlying Middle and
Upper Jurassic clastic sedimentary rocks. Mitchell et al.
[2007] tentatively related this deformation phase to the
eastward emplacement of ophiolite thrust sheets across
western Burma. Although the geology does suggest these
older metamorphic episodes, our data presented here shows
no evidence of a Permian event. Our new data suggest that
high-grade metamorphism in the Mogok belt was Paleocene
and late Eocene – Oligocene in age (Figure 9). Structural
data, combined with U-Th-Pb geochronology from the
Mogok metamorphic belt in Burma, suggest that the chro-
nology of deformation, metamorphism and magmatism can
be summarized as follows:
6.1. Jurassic – Early Cretaceous I-Type Granite
Intrusion and Metamorphism (171– 120 Ma)
[45] Widespread I-type calc-alkaline magmatism oc-
curred along the Burmese margin during the Jurassic and
Cretaceous, as suggested by a suite of hornblende-biotite
granodiorites and K-feldspar augen orthogneisses. These
rocks are similar to the precollisional granitoids of the
Ladakh and Gangdese batholiths in south Tibet [Honegger
et al., 1982; Schärer et al., 1984; Weinberg and Dunlap,
2000] and are interpreted as forming along an active
continental margin above an oceanic subduction zone.
Barley et al. [2003] dated zircons at 171.7 ± 2.1 Ma from
the Mandalay hills granodiorite and 120.9 ± 0.9 Ma from
Yebokson granodiorite. There is some older inherited mon-
azite at about the same age in the M4 augen gneiss sample
from the Kyanigan quarry. Zircon cores from a similar
sample of augen gneiss from Kyanigan hills have a mean
age of 170.1 ± 1.1 Ma [Barley et al., 2003] interpreted as
the magmatic age of the orthogneiss protolith.
6.2. Paleocene – Early Eocene Metamorphism
[46] The main evidence for Paleocene metamorphism
comes from Belin quarry where a series of highly deformed
metamorphic rocks (calc-silicates, amphibolites, migmatites)
are cut by late biotite granite dikes that show only a weak
magmatic flow foliation (Figure 5b). The deformation and
metamorphism in the gneisses clearly have to be older than
the magmatic age of the biotite granite dike (M33) which is
59.5 ± 0.9 Ma. Other evidence for Paleocene metamorphism
includes the 58 ± 1 Ma inherited component to the K-
feldspar + sillimanite + biotite + tourmaline orthogneiss at
Kyanigan. Protolith rocks could include Carboniferous
slates, Permian-Triassic limestones, and Triassic, Jurassic
and early Cretaceous granites and granodiorites.
6.3. Late Eocene – Oligocene Metamorphism
[47] Considerable geochronological evidence now exists
to support a late Eocene – Oligocene phase of metamor-
phism that lasted at least from 37 to 29 Ma and possibly as
long as 45 to 24 Ma (Figure 9). The K-feldspar augen gneiss
from Kyanigan gives a metamorphic age of 37.4 ± 1.3 Ma
19 of 24
TC3014
with an inherited component at 58 ± 1 Ma. The garnet –
tourmaline leucogranite sweat from adjacent to this sample
at Kyanigan gives a crystallization age of 24.5 ± 0.7 Ma,
with inherited metamorphic(?) components at 30.9 ± 0.5 Ma
and 34.9 ± 0.6 Ma. The deformed leucogranite dike from
Kyaukse north has a 208Pb*/232Th age of 45.5 ± 0.6 Ma.
This dike is very different composition from the older
biotite granite dike at Belin quarry and probably relates
more to the postcollisional late Eocene metamorphic event
rather than the earlier, precollisional Paleocene event.
[48] Additional evidence for this metamorphic event
comes from the SHRIMP ages of Barley et al. [2003]. They
reported late stage zircon overgrowths from both the Man-
dalay hills orthogneiss (47.2 ± 1.3 Ma) and the Kyanigan
hills orthogneiss (similar to our M5 sample) of 43.4 ±
0.8 Ma. The youngest growth zone reported from the
Mandalay hills samples has a mean age of 33.1 ± 0.9 Ma.
Finally, our sample of sillimanite gneiss from Kyaukse
north (M54) gives a U-Pb monazite age of 29.3 ± 0.5 Ma.
The puzzling factor in this analysis is why the Oligocene
sillimanite-grade metamorphic event seems to have had no
influence on the older Belin quarry rocks only 6 km north
of the Kyaukse locality. We propose that our Oligocene
ages of metamorphism also provide the best estimate for the
age of rubies in phlogopite marbles and calc-silicate rocks
of the MMB.
6.4. Late Oligocene– Early Miocene Granite
Magmatism
[49] This is probably the youngest thermal event recorded
from the Mogok belt, producing mantle-derived syntectonic
hornblende syenites (35–23 Ma [Barley et al., 2003]) and
crust-derived leucogranite melts (24.5 ± 0.7 Ma age of tour-
maline leucogranite from Kyanigan quarry). Cobbing et al.
[1992] and Barley et al. [2003] described a suite of strongly
peraluminous potassic syenogranites that crosscut all regional
fabrics and appear to be the youngest phase of igneous
intrusion. These rocks occur along the entire MMB and include
the Sedo leucocratic biotite granite batholith. A sample from
the Yesin dam area gave a mean SHRIMP age of 22.6 ± 0.4 Ma
[Barley et al., 2003]. Ar-Ar cooling ages from the Mogok belt
span 22 to 16 Ma [Bertrand et al., 1999], postdating the high-
temperature metamorphic and magmatic events.
6.5. Pliocene-Quaternary Volcanism (6 –0 Ma)
[50] Three major calc-alkaline stratovolcanoes occur at
Mounts Loimye, Popa and Taungthonlon in central Burma
(Figure 2). Latest Miocene – Pliocene latites, rhyodacites
and ignimbrites are interbedded with arenaceous sediments
and overlain by Pleistocene to Recent basaltic andesites and
pyroclastic flows at Mount Popa [Stephenson and Marshall,
1984]. The composition and geochemistry of these lavas
suggest that magmas were derived from hydrous melting
above an oceanic subduction zone. This has major impli-
cations for the Burma seismic zone, along which deep
earthquakes down to depths of 250 km have been recorded
underlying central Burma [Ni et al., 1989]. It remains
unclear how far north the old oceanic lithosphere extends
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 9. Time chart showing all U-Th-Pb age data from Burma. Our ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS
data (crosses) and SHRIMP ages (squares) of Barley et al. [2003] are compared with the U-Pb data from
the NW Thailand metamorphic core complexes [Dunning et al., 1995; Barr et al., 2002] and U-Pb ages
from granites along the Red River Shear zone in Yunnan and Vietnam (age data from Schärer et al.
[1994], Zhang and Schärer [1999], Gilley et al. [2003], and Chung et al. [1997, 2005]). Timing of
shearing along the Red River shear zone is from Searle [2006].

beneath the Bay of Bengal but if the Burma seismic zone is
an active subducting slab of oceanic lithosphere, it must
extend northeast across eastern Bangladesh.
7. Wider Tectonic Implications
7.1. Northwest Thailand
[51] Metamorphic core complexes in NW Thailand have
similar lithologies and age relationships to the MMB
(Figure 9). The Doi Inthanon complex has protolith
206
Pb/238U zircon ages of circa 211 ± 4 Ma and 203 ±
4 Ma from 2-mica K-feldspar orthogneisses, reflecting the
original ‘‘I-type’’ plutonism, and monazite ages of 84 ± 2
and 72 ± 1 Ma, interpreted to represent timing of peak
metamorphism [Dunning et al., 1995]. The Doi Suthep
orthogneiss near Chiang Mai has U-Pb zircon and monazite
ages of 40.0 ± 0.5 Ma, interpreted as the age of metamor-
phism and mylonitization [Barr et al., 2002]. The youngest
magmatic phase in NW Thailand appears to be the Mae

Figure 10. Time chart comparing all the published U-Th-Pb age data from the southern margin of the Asian plate. The
Lhasa block of southern Tibet does not expose deep crustal metamorphic rocks, but the along-strike rocks from the Hindu
Kush and Karakoram are compared to those of the Mogok belt in Burma.

20 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT TC3014

Figure 10

21 of 24
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
Klang biotite granite – leucogranite which has 206Pb/238U
zircon and monazite age of 26.8 ± 0.5 Ma [Dunning et al.,
1995], similar to the youngest tourmaline leucogranite from
Kyanigan in Burma. The geology of NW Thailand seems to
have an overall analogous evolution to that of the MMB
with older Triassic (211 – 203 Ma), Jurassic and Early
Cretaceous, mainly I-type granites overprinted by strong
metamorphism up to sillimanite grade and ductile deforma-
tion during the Late Cretaceous (84 –72 Ma) and also during
the late Eocene – early Miocene (40–21 Ma).
7.2. Red River Shear Zone, Yunnan and Vietnam
[52] Interesting comparisons can also be made father
afield to exhumed metamorphic rocks along the Red River
shear zone in Yunnan and North Vietnam (Figure 9). Older
Triassic metamorphic rocks have been exhumed along the
Red River fault zone with regional garnet growth and
metamorphism during the Oligocene – early Miocene (34 –
21 Ma [Gilley et al., 2003]) and overprinted in metamorphic
core complexes away from the fault at around 26 Ma [Nagy
et al., 2000]. An important phase of metamorphism and
localized leucogranite melting occurred between 35 and
22 Ma [Schärer et al., 1990, 1994; Zhang and Schärer,
1999]. Alkali granites in North Vietnam (FanSiPan granite)
have a U-Pb age of 35 Ma and are related to a regional high-
alkali magmatic event producing hornblende syenites and
volcanics across central Tibet, Yunnan, Laos and North
Vietnam. This may be related more to a very large scale
Tibetan-type mantle anomaly during the period 40– 30 Ma
[Chung et al., 1997, 2005], which may have extended west
to Burma. Searle [2006] suggested that all the metamorphic
complexes along the Ailao Shan– Red River shear zone in
Yunnan and Vietnam were formed prior to left-lateral
shearing along the Red River fault, and only the younger
Ar-Ar ages might be related to transpressional exhumation
and uplift. We suggest that metamorphism along both the
Red River and Sagaing faults is prestrike-slip shearing and
cannot be directly related to strike-slip generated shear
heating as proposed by Leloup et al. [2001] and Lacassin
et al. [1997].
7.3. South Asian Margin
[53] The geological location of the MMB is analogous to
the Lhasa Block and Karakoram – Hindu Kush terranes
along the southern margin of the Asian plate. Although
few metamorphic complexes are exposed in the Lhasa
block, the Karakoram and Hindu Kush terranes have been
well mapped and there are numerous U-Th-Pb ages from
metamorphic and magmatic rocks (Figure 10). The MMB
mirrors the thermal chronology of the Karakoram and
Hindu Kush in several ways. The precollisional granodio-
ritic rocks from the MMB [Barley et al., 2003] have similar
Jurassic – Early Cretaceous ages as similar rocks in the
Karakoram [Searle et al., 1990; Fraser et al., 2001] and
Hindu Kush [Desio, 1964; Gaetani et al., 1996; Hildebrand
et al., 2001]. Paleocene metamorphism in the MMB as
recorded by our age data here mirrors that in the Karakoram
[Fraser et al., 2001]. A U-Pb monazite age of 63.3 ± 0.4 Ma
22 of 24
TC3014
from sillimanite gneisses in the Hunza Karakoram [Fraser
et al., 2001], and our pre-59 Ma Paleocene metamorphic
event in the Mogok belt might suggest that initial India-Asia
collision (
50 Ma [Zhu et al., 2005]) and the crustal
thickening that followed was earlier than previously
thought. Alternatively, this Paleocene metamorphic event
was unconnected to India-Asia collision. Postcollision Mio-
cene metamorphism and crustal melting known from the
MMB is also apparent from across the southern Karakoram
[Parrish and Tirrul, 1989; Schärer et al., 1990; Fraser et
al., 2001] and sporadically along the Hindu Kush range in
Pakistan [Hildebrand et al., 1998].
8. Conclusions
[54] Our field and structural data, combined with thermo-
barometry and U-Th-Pb geochronology, indicate that the
MMB represents a middle to lower crustal section exhumed
during the Tertiary by compressional deformation, prior to
dextral strike-slip motion along the Sagaing fault. The
Burma microplate was probably continuous northward to
the Lhasa block, which formed the southern margin of the
Asian plate with semicontinuous Andean, I-type magma-
tism (diorite-granodiorite-granite magmatism and associated
calc-alkaline andesitic volcanism) from at least Early Juras-
sic to Early Cretaceous time. Calc-alkaline magmatism in
the Lhasa block probably extended from the Early Creta-
ceous to circa 50 Ma, the timing of India-Asia collision,
whereas similar I-type magmatism in the MMB extends as
far back as the Middle Jurassic (circa 170 Ma [Barley et al.,
2003]). These granites can all be linked to the northward
subduction of Tethyan oceanic lithosphere beneath the
southern margin of the Asian landmass prior to the collision
of India during the early Eocene.
[55] A significant phase of I-type granitoid magmatism
along the Mogok belt has been dated at Middle Jurassic to
Early Cretaceous time (171 – 120 Ma; Kyanigan augen
gneiss protolith, Mandalay hills, and Yebokson granodior-
ites and Yepanung-Kalaw hornblende granodiorites [Barley
et al., 2003]). Regional metamorphism, migmatization,
biotite granite sill injection and ductile deformation in the
Belin and Kyaukse areas occurred prior to 59.4 Ma, the age
of the crosscutting Belin dike. This metamorphic episode
occurred before the early Eocene India-Asia collision. A
second, postcollisional high-grade sillimanite metamorphic
event occurred between 37 and 29 Ma and may have lasted
as long as 47– 24 Ma, when metamorphic zircon over-
growths and metamorphic monazites crystallized. Localized
partial melting resulted in in situ tourmaline + garnet
leucogranite melt pods (24.5 ± 0.7 Ma) and crosscutting
garnet, muscovite + biotite leucogranite dikes (45.5 ±
0.6 Ma). Right-lateral motion on the Sagaing fault must
have initiated after circa 22 Ma and probably after 16 Ma by
which time the MMB had cooled through 350°C (the
nominal 40Ar/39Ar muscovite closure temperature). These
data strongly suggest that shear heating on the Sagaing fault
cannot be responsible for metamorphism and melting within
the MMB.
TC3014 SEARLE ET AL.: U-TH-PB AGES OF MOGOK BELT
[56] Striking similarities exist in the structural, metamor-
phic, magmatic and temporal evolution of the MMB and
‘‘core complexes’’ in northwestern Thailand suggesting that
these two areas may be genetically linked.
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