Island Arc 2017; 26: e12160

Research Article
Diverse protolith ages for the Mindoro and Romblon Metamorphics
(Philippines): Evidence from single zircon U–Pb dating
ULRICH KNITTEL,1,5,* MONIKA WALIA,1 SHIGEYUKI SUZUKI,2 CARLA B. DIMALANTA,3
RODOLFO TAMAYO,3,† TSANYAO F. YANG,1,† AND GRACIANO P. YUMUL JR.3,4
1
Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, 2Department of Earth Sciences,
Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan, 3Tectonics and Geodynamics Group, National Institute of
Geological Sciences, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines,
4
Apex Mining Company, Inc., Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines, and 5Clay and Interface Mineralogy, RWTH
Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany

Abstract Within the north-eastern part of the Palawan Continental Terrane, which forms
the south-western part of the Philippine archipelago, several metamorphic complexes are
exposed that are considered to be rifted parts of the Asian margin in South-East China.
The protolith age(s) and correlations of these complexes are contentious. The largest
metamorphic complex of the Palawan Continental Terrane comprises the Mindoro
Metamorphics. The north-eastern part of this metamorphic complex has recently been
found to be composed of protoliths of Late Carboniferous to Late Permian protolith age.
However, meta-sediments exposed at the westernmost tip and close to the southern
boundary of the exposure of the Mindoro Metamorphics contain detrital zircons and with
U–Pb ages, determined by LA–ICP–MS, in the range 22–56 Ma. In addition, zircons as
young as 112 Ma were found in a sample of the Romblon Metamorphics in Tablas. As the
youngest detrital zircons provide an upper age limit for the time of deposition in meta-
sediments, these results suggest that the Mindoro and Romblon Metamorphics comprise
protoliths of variable age: Late Carboniferous to Late Permian in NE Mindoro; Eocene or
later in NW Mindoro; Miocene at the southern margin of the Mindoro metamorphics; and
Cretaceous or later on Tablas. The presence of non-metamorphic sediments of Late Eocene
to Early Oligocene age in Mindoro (Lasala Formation), which are older than the youngest
metasediments, suggests that metamorphism of the young meta-sediments of Mindoro is
the result of the collision of the Palawan Continental terrane with the Philippine Mobile
Belt in Late Miocene. Similarities of the age spectra of zircons from the Eocene to Miocene
metamorphics with the Eocene to Early Miocene Lasala Formation suggest that the
protoliths of the young metamorphics may be equivalents of the Lasala Formation or were
recycled from the Lasala Formation.
Key words: detrital zircon, Mindoro metamorphic rocks, Palawan continental terrane, U-Pb
dating.

INTRODUCTION presence of accreted terranes or the presence of

At Pacific-type plate boundaries, the occurrences
of metamorphic rocks typically suggest either the
*Correspondence: Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan Univer-
sity, Taipei 106, Taiwan (email: knittel@rwth-aachen.de).
†
Deceased
Received 26 November 2014; accepted for publication 30 April 2016.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
older subduction complexes, the latter typically
being of high-pressure/low-temperature (high-P/T)
type. Such high-P/T metamorphics have been
studied particularly well in Japan (e.g. Banno &
Nakajima 1991; Aoya et al. 2009; Aoki et al. 2011).
Despite the intense study of the Japanese meta-
morphic belts for many decades, the application of
new dating techniques has resulted in new
doi:10.1111/iar.12160
2 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
insights. For example, dating of detrital zircons
from the well-studied Sanbagawa high-P/T meta-
morphic belt has revealed that this belt appears
to be composed of two belts having different
protoliths and different metamorphic ages (e.g.
Aoki et al. 2011; Tsutsumi et al. 2009; Wallis et al.
2009; Endo et al. 2009). Likewise, dating of
detrital zircons from the Tananao Schist of
Taiwan, considered to be derived from Late
Paleozoic protoliths (e.g. Jahn et al. 1984; Yen
1953), shows that these schists have, at least in
part, Late Mesozoic protolith ages (e.g. Yui et al.
2012 and references therein).
A similar case apparently exists in the Philippine
archipelago, where metamorphic rocks crop out
over wide areas within the so-called Palawan
Continental Terrane (PCT). This terrane is
considered to have been a part of the Asian
margin that drifted from its initial location at the
South-East China coast to its present position as a
result of the opening of the South China Sea at
about 32–16 Ma (Taylor & Hayes 1980; Holloway
1982; Li et al. 2012a). In the Miocene the PCT
collided with the Philippine Mobile Belt, a complex
arc system (e.g. Hamilton 1979; Yumul et al. 2003)
and now forms the southwestern part of the
Philippine archipelago (Fig. 1).
The metamorphic rocks exposed on most islands
comprising the PCT were initially considered to
form a pre-Permian basement (e.g. Gervasio 1967;
Hashimoto & Sato 1968; Hashimoto & Sato 1973;
Wolfart et al. 1986) as non-metamorphic sediments
of Permian to Jurassic age also occur on these
islands. Subsequent work has shown that the
metamorphic rocks and the non-metamorphic
Fig. 1 (a) Tectonic setting of the Palawan Continental Terrane (PCT), Mindoro and Tablas are shown in gray shading (left). (b) Setting of the
northeastern part of the PCT (modified after Sarewitz & Karig 1986a,b). Dash-dot line indicates the approximate boundary between PCT and PMB.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Late Paleozoic to Mid Mesozoic sediments are in
tectonic contact (e.g. Karig 1983; Sarewitz &
Karig 1986b; Suzuki et al. 2000; Yumul et al.
2009a), hence their presence could not be used to
constrain the age of the metamorphics.
On the island of Palawan, the metamorphic
rocks were then interpreted to be of Late
Cretaceous age based on a fossil found in very
low-grade clastic sediments (Suzuki et al. 2000).
This age assignment was subsequently confirmed
by Walia et al. (2012) and Suggate et al. (2013), who
found detrital zircons as young as ca 80 Ma in
these meta-sediments.
On the other hand, Knittel and Daniels (1987),
based on the Sr isotopic composition of marble in
the Puerto Galera area (Fig. 2), which forms the
north-eastern part of the metamorphic complex in
Mindoro, suggest a Carboniferous to Early
Permian age for the protoliths of the Mindoro
Metamorphics, hence providing solid evidence for
the initial age assignment. Determination of the
magmatic age of the protolith of the Camarong
Gneiss (251 ± 3 Ma, Knittel et al. 2010), a meta-
quartz diorite thought to be intrusive into the
Mindoro Metamorphics (e.g. Caagusan 1966),
supports this conclusion. There is thus clear
evidence that the metamorphics of the PCT
comprise the protoliths of different ages.
The metamorphics exposed on the small islands,
such as Tablas, Romblon, and Sibuyan, have
collectively been referred to as the Romblon
Metamorphics. Several authors, including Faure
et al. (1989) and Yumul et al. (2009a), suggest
that these Metamorphics might be correlated to
the Mindoro Metamorphics or the Palawan

Fig. 2 Geologic maps for Northern Mindoro (left) and Tablas (right) showing sample locations. Map of northwest Mindoro is modified from Canto et al.
(2012) for the area west of the line Abra de Ilog–Mamburao and from MMAJ (1983) for the area east of the line Abra de Ilog–Mamburao. The map of
Tablas is modified from Dimalanta et al. (2009).
Metamorphics, and hence might have similar
protolith ages, but given the age difference between
the metamorphics in Palawan and Mindoro their
protolith age remains unknown.
The present study was undertaken to confirm
the areal extent of the Late Paleozoic protoliths in
Mindoro and to investigate whether metamorphics
exposed on Tablas (Romblon Metamorphics) might
be correlated with either of the dated meta-
morphic complexes in terms of protolith ages.
Surprisingly, we find that some Mindoro Meta-
morphics are of post-Cretaceous age. In addition,
we find evidence that the Romblon Metamorphics,
exposed in Tablas, have protoliths that were
deposited in the Late Cretaceous (or later) and
might be correlated to the metamorphic rocks of
Palawan.
REGIONAL GEOLOGY
The Central Philippines are the site of conver-
gence between the PCT, a rifted part of the Asian
continental margin, and the island arc system of
the Philippine Mobile Belt (PMB; e.g. Yumul et al.
2005, 2009a). The PCT comprises the islands of
Palawan, Mindoro, the Romblon Island group
(including the islands of Tablas, Romblon, and
Sibuyan) and Western Panay (Fig. 1). Recent data
collected from the Romblon Island Group and
Panay Island (Dimalanta et al. 2009; Gabo et al.
2009; Walia et al. 2013) show that the collision
Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 3 of 17
boundary between the PCT and PMB lies farther
east of where it was previously drawn, i.e. across
the island of Mindoro (e.g. Karig 1983; Yumul et al.
2009a, 2009b). To the north and south of this
collision zone, subduction of the South China Sea
remains active along the Manila and Negros
Trenches.
Relatively extensive occurrences of metamor-
phic rocks have been reported from the PCT – on
Palawan, Mindoro, Lubang, Tablas, Romblon,
Sibuyan (e.g. Gervasio 1967; Faure et al. 1989;
Dimalanta et al. 2009; Payot et al. 2009). Taken
together, these units comprise a relatively
extensive deformational region which is ascribed
to different collision events that are variably
given ages between Late Oligocene and Middle
Miocene (McCabe et al. 1982; Karig 1983; Rangin
et al. 1985; Queano et al. 2007; Yumul et al.
2008).
Mindoro represents the northernmost part of
the PCT. Metamorphic rocks on this island form
the mountainous backbone of the island and are
separated from the East Mindoro Basin by the
East Mindoro Fault (e.g. Karig 1983). In this
paper the metamorphics are referred to as the
Mindoro Metamorphics (Caagusan 1966) rather
than the Halcon Metamorphics, as suggested in
the Lexicon of Philippine Stratigraphy (Pena
2008), because in the Metal Mining Agency of
Japan (MMAJ 1983), where this term derives
from, the term “Halcon Metamorphics” was
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
4 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
restricted to “higher grade metamorphics”, ex-
cluding “lower grade metamorphics” that MMAJ
(1983) correlated with the Jurassic sediments of
the Mansalay Formation, a correlation that subse-
quent workers did not accept (Sarewitz & Karig
1986c; Concepcion et al. 2012; Canto et al. 2012)
because the Mansalay Formation is not metamor-
phosed. The metamorphics comprise mostly
chlorite-, quartz mica-, talc-, and graphite-schists
with minor intercalations of phyllitic
metasediments and marbles (Caagusan 1966;
Faure et al. 1989). Recent mapping revealed that
blocks of extremely sheared and pervasively
serpentinized harzburgites, isotropic gabbros,
dikes and pillow basalts also occur within the
Mindoro Metamorphics (Concepcion et al. 2012).
The metamorphics are overlain by the Lasala
Formation, a sedimentary sequence consisting
largely of interbedded quartz arenite and dark
gray shale (e.g. Sarewitz & Karig 1986b,b;
Concepcion et al. 2012; Canto et al. 2012).
However, the contact is rarely observed and might
be in places a tectonic contact. Based on the
sandstone petrography and geochemistry and the
nature of nanofossils, the Lasala Formation is
considered to have formed at a passive or active
continental margin (Sarewitz & Karig 1986a;
Concepcion et al. 2012). This ambiguity in tectonic
assignment reflects the transition of the SE China
margin from an active to a passive margin just
prior to the formation of the South China Sea at
about 32–16 Ma (Taylor & Hayes 1980, 1983; Li
et al. 2012a).
The age of the protoliths of the Mindoro
Metamorphics was initially thought to be late
Paleozoic based on the assumption that they are
overlain by the Jurassic sediments of
the Mansalay Formation that is exposed in south-
ern Mindoro (e.g. Gervasio 1967; de Guzman
1975). This relationship was questioned by, for
example, Karig (1983), who identified a suture
zone between northeastern Mindoro, where the
metamorphic complex is exposed and southwest-
ern Mindoro, where the Jurassic Mansalay
Formation is exposed. Subsequently Knittel and
Daniels (1987) found that the Sr-isotopic
composition of marbles in the Puerto Galera area
is compatible with a Carboniferous to Early
Permian age of their protoliths, but not with a
Mesozoic age. In addition, Knittel et al. (2010)
obtained an U–Pb age of 251 ± 3 Ma (weighted
mean of single grain zircon analyses) for the
Camarong Gneiss that is thought to be intrusive
into the Mindoro metamorphics (e.g. Caagusan
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
1966). Analysis of detrital zircons separated from
the sediments of the rivers, which drain the
metamorphic complex, suggests an extended
period of intrusive activity between 270–250 Ma
(Knittel et al. 2010; Knittel 2011). This suggests
that all or at least most metamorphic rocks in
the northeastern part of the PCT are of late
Paleozoic age.
In the Romblon Island Group, metamorphic
rocks have been mapped in the islands of Tablas,
Romblon and Sibuyan. They comprise largely
plagioclase-quartz-mica schists with subordinate
chlorite schists, talc-chlorite schists and phyllites
and are altogether referred to as the Romblon
Metamorphics (Dimalanta et al. 2009; Yumul et al.
2009a). Based on compositional and textural
characteristics, Dimalanta et al. (2009) consider
the plagioclase–quartz–mica schists to have orig-
inated from silica-rich sedimentary protoliths,
whereas the chlorite and talc–chlorite schists and
phyllites represent metamorphosed mafic sedi-
mentary deposits.
K–Ar ages of 12 ± 0.2 Ma obtained for micas
extracted from a quartz-mica schist from Tablas
and from a mica-schist from Romblon (Dimalanta
et al. 2009) are considered to date the youngest
metamorphic event, probably related to the
collision of the PCT with the PMB. This conclusion
is supported by fission track cooling ages in the
range 14–8 Ma from the vicinity of the suture zone
in Panay that could be correlated with specific
events related to the collision (Walia et al. 2013).
SAMPLES
MINDORO METAMORPHICS
Samples MIN-35A, MIN-36B, MIN-37A, and
MIN-37B come from the southeastern edge of
the metamorphic complex of northern Mindoro
(Fig. 2). The samples were taken from outcrops
on the banks of the Ibalo River, a tributary of the
Magasawang Tubig River (the Bucayao Silonay
River on Google terrain map), about 3 km west of
the confluence of the rivers, just north of the
exposure of the Ogos Ultramafic Complex (MMAJ
1983). The latter is commonly associated with the
so-called Mangyan Ophiolite (e.g. Yumul et al.
2009a; Fig. 4). The Mindoro Metamorphics north
of the Ogos Ultramafic Complex (and probably
underlying the ultramafics) form a well-bedded
sequence of meta-sediments. Where these are rich
in carbonate (and frequently also in organic
material) they are tightly folded, whereas layers
 Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 5 of 17

dominated by quartz show no folding at a
cm-meter scale.
Sample MIN-36B (13°5′49.3′N, 121°8′44.4′E) is a
meta-graywacke with clearly distinguishable
quartz clasts that are not or only moderately
flattened. Besides these, clasts of plagioclase
(Fig. 3a) occur. Patchy carbonate occurrences are
distributed throughout the rock. Layering is
produced by thin beds of mica associated with
opaque carbonaceous material (Fig. 3b).
Sample MIN-37A (13°5′46.9′N, 121°8′39.6′E) is
also a regionally metamorphosed meta-graywacke.
In contrast to MIN-36B, the quartz and plagioclase
clasts are enveloped by a fine grained sericite–
quartz matrix which together with the pressure-
shadows gives the rock an “augen-gneiss”-like
texture which is amplified by growth of mica in
the pressure shadows of the larger clasts (Fig. 3d).
Most clasts are distinctly elongate in shape, that is,
this sample experienced significantly more strain
than MIN-36B though the samples were taken only
a few tens of meters apart. Carbonate is virtually
absent from this sample, whereas tourmaline is a
conspicuous accessory mineral (Fig. 3d).
Sample MIN-37B comes from the same outcrop
as MIN-37A, but from a distinctly folded part of
this exposure. The sample is very rich in carbonate
(Fig. 3c). Quartz clasts exhibit relatively little
deformation. Layering is produced by thin layers
of muscovite associated with opaque carbonaceous
material. Tourmaline is the most abundant acces-
sory mineral, though it is far less abundant than in
sample MIN-37A.
Sample MIN-35A (13°5′47.0′N, 121°9′8.0′E) is a
recent sediment collected from a small, dry
tributary creek of the Ibalo River, about 100 m
away from the sampling points of the above
samples. It serves as a proxy for the sediments
of the Ibalo River that could not be sampled (only
a coarse grained sample could be obtained which,
however, did not contain zircons).
Sample MIN-14B comes from the Calavite
Peninsula that forms the northwestern tip of the
Mindoro Island (Fig. 2). This peninsula, which is
dominated by the 1521 m high Mount Calavite, is
largely underlain by the Mindoro Metamorphics.
Only along the southwestern coast, a narrow strip of
the Lasala Formation is exposed (Faure et al. 1989;

Fig. 3 Microphotos of the samples studied. (a) Sample MIN-36B. Plagioclase and quartz aggregate clasts set in a matrix composed of quartz grains and
carbonate. (b) Sample MIN-36B. Graphite-muscovite layers in matrix composed of quartz clasts. (c) Sample MIN-37B. Quartz clasts set in a matrix of
medium-grained carbonate. (d) Sample MIN-37A. Elongated quartz clasts (white) and tourmaline (brownish green) set in a fine grained matrix composed
of quartz and sericite. Growth of mica in pressure shadows produces the “augen-gneiss” structure. (e) Sample MIN-14. Penetrative schistosity cut by
crenulation cleavage; clastic components, largely quartz, are rotated into the planes of schistosity but show no deformation.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
6 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
Concepcion et al. 2012). These sediments are
considered to have been overthrusted by the
Mindoro Metamorphics in this area (Faure et al.
1989; Concepcion et al. 2012). The sample was
collected at Calangignan Point, the mouth of the
Binuangan River at the northwestern tip of Mindoro
(13°28′13.0′N, 120°18′50.5′E). The locality is under-
lain by very fine-grained greenish phyllite, which,
however, did not yield any zircons. Therefore, its
protolith age remains unknown. Sample MIN-14B is
a float and thus, its relationship to the phyllite is not
clear. Nevertheless, the sample is derived from the
catchment area of the Binuangan River, which is
completely underlain by the Mindoro Metamorphics
as shown in all available maps. The sample is a
quartz–sericite schist with abundant carbonaceous
material that, on the microscopic scale, is traversed
by crenulation cleavage and exhibits well developed
micro-folding (Fig. 3e). Large clasts, that show little
deformation, indicate that the rock originally was a
clastic sediment, perhaps a muddy sandstone. The
rock closely resembles the graphite schist
described by Caagusan (1966).
Sample MIN-14A, a river sand, was collected at
the same locality to obtain further insight into the
zircon inventory of the Calavite Peninsula.
ROMBLON METAMORPHICS
The Tablas sample ERCD-04-41 comes from the
northern outcrop of the Romblon Metamorphics on
Tablas (there are two major outcrops of metamor-
phics on Tablas). It was collected near San Agustin,
northeastern Tablas (Fig. 2; 12°34′15.6′N, 122°7′
37.2′E). It is a well-recrystallized impure quartzite
or mica-schist containing small amounts of both
biotite and muscovite. The latter is, at least in part,
post-kinematic. Elongate polycrystalline quartz
aggregates probably represent former clasts.
Where grain boundaries are not coated by mica
flakes, the quartz grains are intergrown along
sutured boundaries. The presence of some
K-feldspar is suspected, but could not be confirmed
by microscopic study, whereas some plagioclase
could be positively identified. The most common
accessory minerals are tourmaline and zircon.
SAMPLE PROCESSING AND ANALYTICAL
PROCEDURES
As a first step, rock samples were carefully rinsed
and cleaned with a brush under running water.
Then all exterior parts of the samples were
removed in order to discard altered, leached or
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
contaminated parts of the samples. The samples
were then crushed and small aliquots were taken
for chemical analysis. Zircon separation was done
using a shaking table (except for sample ERCD-
04-41, which was too small for panning) followed
by magnetic separation, heavy-liquid separation,
and handpicking. All equipment was carefully
cleaned after each sample processing to avoid
cross-contamination.
The zircons were analyzed in 2009 and 2010 at
the Department of Geosciences of the National
Taiwan University using an Agilent 7500s
quadrupole inductively-coupled plasma mass
spectrometer (ICP–MS) equipped with a New
Wave UP213 laser ablation (LA) system. The laser
beam had a diameter of slightly less than 30 μm.
The system was calibrated using the GJ-1 zircon,
whereas standard zircon 91500 and Australian
Mud Tank Carbonatite zircon (MT) were used to
control the quality of the data in 2009 (MIN-14B).
In 2010 (ERCD-04-41, MIN-36B, MIN-37A, MIN-
37B) the MT standard was replaced by a zircon
from Plešovice (Sláma et al. 2008). Average
values obtained with this instrument were 1067.7
± 4.2 Ma (207Pb–206Pb age, 2σ error), n = 100 for
91500 (recommended value 1065 Ma; Wiedenbeck
et al. 1995), 728.9 ± 4.6 Ma (206Pb–238U age), n = 44
for Mud Tank zircon (recommended value 732 ± 5
Ma; Black & Gulson 1978) and 337.3 ± 1.6
Ma (206Pb–238U age), n = 76 for Plešovice (recom-
mended value 337.1 ± 0.4 Ma; Sláma et al. 2008).
Additional details of the analytical procedures are
given in Chiu et al. (2009). All U–Th–Pb isotope
ratios were calculated using the GLITTER 4.0
(GEMOC) software, and common lead was
corrected using the common lead correction func-
tion proposed by Andersen (2002). For zircons
younger than 1 Ga, 206Pb/238U-ages are considered
due to the smaller statistical error compared to
207
Pb–206Pb ages which is due to the slow growth of
207
Pb in young zircons, whereas 207Pb–206Pb ages,
which are independent of the quality of the
determination of the U/Pb ratio, were preferred
for zircons older than 1 Ga. As we found only very
few zircons for the period 0.8 to 1.6 Ga, a clear-cut
division exists between data sets for which ages were
calculated in different ways. Analyses for which the
2σ error is >5 % of the age were rejected, except for
very young samples, which sometimes have 2σ
errors of up to 6 %. We consider zircons as
concordant, if the error ellipse falls on the
concordia. We also accepted analyses plotting off
the concordia, if the degree of discordance (calculated
as {1 – (206Pb–238U age)/(207Pb–206Pb age)}*100 [%])
 Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 7 of 17

was less than 15 % (note that this value can be very

large for young zircons, even if they plot on the
concordia, hence we adopt the location of the
analysis on the concordia plot as our prime
criterion). The weighted mean U–Pb ages were
calculated and concordia plots were produced using
Isoplot v. 3.0 (Ludwig 2003).
All zircons were imaged by cathodoluminescence
(CL) at Academia Sinica, Taipei (samples MIN-
14B) and the Department of Geosciences of the
National Taiwan University (samples MIN-14A,
MIN-35A, MIN-36B, MIN-37A, MIN-37B, and
ERCD-04-41). At Academia Sinica a thermal
emission, low-vacuum type scanning electron
microscope (JEOL W-LVSEM: JSM-6360LV),
equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spec- Fig. 4 Concordia diagram for zircons younger than 100 Ma
trometer and a cathodoluminescence (CL) image
detector (Gatan mini-CL) was used. At the
National Taiwan University, a Quanta 200F were dated at 250–259 Ma (Fig. 6). All Phanerozoic
scanning electron microscope equipped with a zircons analyzed have Th/U = 0.5–1.9, typical for
MiniCL was used in low vacuum mode. On the magmatic zircons. The oldest grains gave ages of
basis of the CL pictures and examination under 1.62 Ga, 1.87 Ga, 2.17 Ga, and 2.54 Ga, respectively
reflected light, care was taken to avoid inclusions (Fig. 7). Except for the slightly discordant 2.17 Ga
during analysis. grain, the Precambrian zircons fall on the
Concordia. The Th/U ratio of the 1.87 Ga grain
(MIN36B-09) is rather low (Th/U = 0.20) but still
RESULTS
in the range of magmatic zircons and this is
supported by slight oscillatory zoning visible in
MINDORO METAMORPHICS
CL. The other Precambrian zircons have
Only 19 zircons could be separated from sample Th/U = 0.6–0.8. No grains were found in the age
MIN-36B for U–Pb dating (Tables 1, S1; supple- range between 0.37 and 1.62 Ga.
mentary data), two grains plot slightly off the For sample MIN-37A, 40 zircons could be
Concordia and have discordance of 28–29 % and analyzed (Tables 1, S1; supplementary data).
are thus excluded from the plots. The youngest Three grains were excluded from further consid-
zircon (MIN36B-10), which provides an upper limit eration, as they plot off the Concordia; the oldest
for the protolith age, was dated at 92 ± 4 Ma (2σ grain also plots off the Concordia, but its degree of
error) (Fig. 4). This zircon is bright in CL and discordance is only 10%, hence it is considered in
exhibits distinct oscillatory zoning (Fig. 5), the the plots. The youngest grain (MIN37A-5) was
latter feature is typical for magmatic zircons. It dated at 58 ± 2 Ma (Fig. 4). It is rather dark in CL
has the highest Th/U ratio of all zircons of this and shows broad zoning with a very dark rim
sample (Th/U = 1.86). A number of grains (n = 4) (Fig. 5), but was, however, too small to be analyzed
cluster in the range 108–114 Ma and three grains separately. Unfortunately, only one grain of this

Table 1 U–Pb isotope data for zircons younger than 100 Ma of metasediments MIN-36B, MIN-37A, and MIN-37B from the
southeastern margin of the Mindoro Metamorphic complex

Analysis U Th Corrected isotopic ratios Corrected ages (Ma)

207
(ppm) (ppm) Pb/235U 1σ 206
Pb/238U 1σ 207
Pb/206Pb 1σ 206
Pb/238U 1σ
MIN36B-10 127 236 0.10738 0.00585 0.01432 0.00033 388 78 92 2
MIN37A-05 469 390 0.05797 0.00222 0.00896 0.00019 46 46 58 1
MIN37A-30 315 229 0.09975 0.00331 0.01359 0.00028 339 37 87 2
MIN37B-15 304 221 0.02385 0.00200 0.00365 0.00009 69 123 23.5 0.6
MIN37B-18 243 122 0.11401 0.00414 0.01360 0.00030 633 46 87 2
MIN37B-31 272 317 0.02335 0.00921 0.00339 0.00013 194 502 21.8 0.9

© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

8 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
Fig. 5 Cathodoluminescence photos of zircons in the age range 22-92 Ma. Circles indicate the spots analyzed, where the pit is not visible (picture
taken before analysis); errors given are 1σ errors.
young age was found; the next youngest grain has
an age of 87 ± 4 Ma, is bright in CL and shows
zoning (Fig. 5). A significant cluster exists for the
period 126–140 Ma (n = 7; Fig. 6); these zircons
have Th/U ratios in the limited range of 0.5 to 1.3.
No other significant cluster was observed for the
other zircons younger than 1 Ga. However, given
the relatively small number of grains analyzed,
this may be the result of the small number of
analyzed grains. Besides Phanerozoic zircons, the
sample contains four grains in the range 727–841
Ma and 13 grains in the range 1.3–2.8 Ga. Of these,
five grains cluster in the range 1.81–1.86 Ga
(Fig. 7) and have relatively low Th/U of 0.2–0.6.
The oldest grain (MIN37A-02, 2.82 Ga) is also
concordant and is characterized by very low Th/U
of 0.09, whereas all 2.03–2.65 Ga zircons exhibit
variable degrees of discordance and have more
variable Th/U of 0.2 to 1.2.
In all, 37 grains were analyzed for sample
MIN-37B; four analyses were rejected due to high
discordancy. This sample yielded the most surpris-
ing results obtained in this study as two zircons
were dated at 21.8 ± 1.8 and 23.5 ± 1.2 Ma,
respectively (MIN37B -31, MIN37B-15;
Tables 1, S1, supplementary data; Figs 4,5a),
implying that the meta-sediments are younger
than the non-metamorphic Late Eocene to Early
Oligocene Lasala Formation (ca 30–40 Ma;
Concepcion et al. 2012; Canto et al. 2012).
Both grains plot well on the Concordia hence, in
all likelihood, these dates represent the true age of
the grains. A third grain was dated at 87 ± 4 Ma,
comparable to the youngest grains of samples
MIN-36B and MIN-37A. The 33 older grains
exhibit a cluster of seven grains dated at 101 to
126 Ma (Fig. 6) and another cluster exists for the
period from 249 Ma to 272 Ma (9 grains).
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Five grains are of Paleoproterozoic age, three of
these are highly discordant (discordance 10–42 %)
but together with the fourth grain, which is
concordant and has an age of 1870 ± 36 Ma, they
line up on a discordia with an upper intercept of
1877 ± 32 Ma and a lower intercept of 287 ± 100
Ma (mean square weighted deviation
(MSWD) = 0,40), Hence we assume that all four
grains have an age of about 1.87 Ga and include
them in the plots.
Sample MIN-35A, a river sediment, yielded 45
datable zircons (Table S4; supplementary data).
Two analyses were discarded as they plot off the
Concordia and have high degrees of discordance.
The youngest grain has an age of 30 ± 4 Ma
(MIN35A-27), close to the 22 Ma and 24 Ma ages
of the youngest zircons in sample MIN-37B. 29
grains are younger than 1 Ga, 14 grains are older
than 1 Ga with seven grains in the range 1.83–1.88
Ga. Most (n = 18) grains younger than 1 Ga fall
into the range 108 to 311 Ma.
Of the zircons separated from sample MIN-14B,
51 grains were analyzed (Tables 2, S2; supplemen-
tary data). Eight analyses had to be discarded, as
the data did not plot on the Concordia. In general,
the cores of the grains were analyzed; in three
cases, cores and rims were analyzed separately. Six
grains have ages of less than 100 Ma (41–97 Ma;
Figs 4, 6). These young grains are short prismatic
crystals (length/width ~2, Fig. 5). The youngest
crystal (41 ± 4 Ma) exhibits a dark core and
perhaps some sector zoning in the CL picture
(Fig. 5). The second youngest grain (56 ± 2 Ma)
shows distinct oscillatory zoning typical for
igneous zircons (Fig. 5). The next youngest zircon
(62 ± 4 Ma) is bright and essentially featureless.
Thirty-two grains yielded ages in the age range
100–800 Ma (Fig. 6) and 11 grains yielded
 Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 9 of 17

Fig. 6 Probability plot and histogram for analyses younger than 400 Ma.
Light gray bands indicate significant episodes of zircon production at
Fig. 7 Histograms and probability density plots for all zircons studied
110–130 Ma and 250–270 Ma. Data for Palawan and Panay comes from
(supplementary data). Data for Palawan and Panay comes from Walia
Walia et al. (2012, 2013), data for Lasala sediments is unpublished data of
et al. (2012, 2013). Gray bars indicate significant periods of zircon
the authors (available upon request).
production at 650–850 Ma and 1.85–1.9 Ga.

Paleoproterozoic (dated at 1.7–2.2 Ga) or even except for the 102–113 Ma period, which is repre-
Neoarchean ages (dated at 2.5–2.7 Ga; Fig. 7). sented by eight grains and the period 251–265 Ma,
Altogether, the data exhibit very little clustering which is represented by four grains (Fig. 6).
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
10 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
Table 2 U–Pb isotope data for zircons younger than 100 Ma from black schist sample MIN-14B from NW Mindoro (z04 and
z05 refer to different blocks, on which the zircons were mounted)

Corrected isotopic ratios Corrected ages (Ma)

U Th
207 235 206 238 207 206 206
Analysis (ppm) (ppm) Pb/ U 1σ Pb/ U 1σ Pb/ Pb 1σ Pb/238U 1σ
MIN14-16 (z04) 291 201 0.05622 0.00403 0.00869 0.00021 44 112 56 1
MIN14-18 (z04) 263 136 0.09314 0.00365 0.01370 0.00031 162 51 88 2
MI14B-43 (z05) 1163 2569 0.11501 0.00302 0.01360 0.00029 651 26 87 2
MI14B-47 (z05) 113 192 0.11235 0.00820 0.01513 0.00038 365 112 97 2
MI14B-49 (z05) 166 166 0.04232 0.00782 0.00645 0.00024 80 294 41 2
MI14B-51 (z05) 58 47 0.07412 0.01511 0.00960 0.00033 452 366 62 2

Only seven grains could be analyzed for sediment
sample MIN-14A; for four of them, ages were
obtained for both core and rim (Table S5; supple-
mentary data). One grain had Neoarchean core and
rim ages of 2.80 and 2.65 Ga, respectively. The
analyses may define a discordia with an upper
intercept of about 2.95 Ga. Two grains have
Paleoproterozoic ages of 1.77 Ga and 1.70 Ga; the
latter has a rim age of 0.78 Ga. Other grains have
ages of 625 ± 24 Ma, 249 ± 10 Ma (rim 230 ± 10 Ma),
150 ± 6 Ma (rim 145 ± 6 Ma), and 112 ± 8 Ma.
ROMBLON METAMORPHICS
Fifty-two zircon crystals could be separated from
the small (fist-sized) sample ERCD-04-41 from
Tablas (Table S3). On these, 57 spots were
analyzed. Two analyses were excluded from
further discussion as they plot off the Concordia
and have discordance > 15 %. Two other grains,
which are likewise discordant, together with two
concordant grains, form a discordia and thus
included in the data set (see below). A number of
grains were big enough to allow separate analyses
of the core and rim, but CL images suggested that
this was useful only for five grains (Fig. 8). In
three cases, core and rim had identical ages, in one
case, the core was about twice as old as the rim
(but the rim analysis is highly discordant) and in
the oldest grain, the rim was about 200 my
younger than the 2.6 Ga core (Fig. 8). In one
grain, areas with different CL brightness were
analyzed separately but gave the same age
(1.86–1.88 Ga; Fig. 8).
Thirty-one grains have ages between 103 and
758 Ma (Fig. 6) and 19 grains were dated at 1.73
to 2.67 Ga. Significant clustering is observed for
the periods 112 to 125 Ma (5 grains), 152–164 Ma
(4 grains), 1.86–1.88 Ga (6 grains), and 2.41–2.46
Ga (4 grains) (Fig. 7). All 112–125 Ma zircons
exhibit distinct oscillatory zoning (except grain 7),
typical for magmatic zircons, and have Th/U ratios
of 0.66–1.52. The 1.8–1.9 Ga zircons are typically
relatively featureless in CL and are characterized

Fig. 8 Cathodoluminescence pictures of zircons from sample ERCD-04-41, on which two spots were analyzed.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

by Th/U ratios of 0.43–0.81. Two of the 2.41–2.46
Ga grains, together with the two other, concor-
dant grains, define a discordia with an upper
intercept upper intercept age of 2.43 ± 0.03 Ga
and a poorly defined lower intercept at 130 ± 280
Ma (MSWD = 0.36).
DISCUSSION
AGE OF THE PROTOLITHS
Dating the deposition of meta-sediments is a
notoriously difficult problem because metamor-
phism and deformation may completely destroy
all fossil evidence, in particular, where such
sediments are largely devoid of fossils. Dating
detrital zircons contained in such meta sediments
may be the best method to obtain an upper age
limit for such rocks.
In sediments, zircons are clastic components, i.e.
they went through a cycle of initial formation,
erosion, transport and deposition. Hence, their
formation ages predate the time of deposition of
the sediment and thus, the analysis of detrital
zircons provides only a maximum age for the
deposition of the sediment (in rare cases, where
the zircons are fall-out from volcanic ash-clouds,
the zircons date the sediment). In meta sediments,
zircon growth may occur under certain circum-
stances, depending on the metamorphic grade and
the availability and composition of fluids (e.g.
Rubatto & Gebauer 2000). In the case of ERCD-
04-41, for two of the youngest grains, we could
analyze both the cores and the rims (Fig. 8) which
yielded identical ages, thus excluding the possibil-
ity that our age data is related to a post-
depositional event.
Analyses of detrital zircons collected from rivers
draining the Mindoro Metamorphics to the north-
eastern coast of Mindoro cluster in the range 240–
270 Ma (134 out of the 173 grains analyzed = 83 %)
(Figs 6,7; data as supplementary data in Knittel
et al. 2010; Knittel 2011). These zircons are all of
magmatic origin and represent the intrusions in
Late Permian time. The schists and limestones
(which are of Carboniferous to Early Permian age)
are older as they form the host rock of the
intrusions.
Given these results, the samples investigated in
this study yielded surprisingly young ages. The
youngest ages (two grains dated at 22 and 24 Ma,
MIN-37-B) were obtained for zircons separated
from a meta-sediment exposed along the southern
border of the Mindoro Metamorphic Complex,
Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 11 of 17
north of the Ogos Ultramafic Complex. In the
other two samples collected from this vicinity,
MIN-37A and MIN-36B, the youngest zircons
analyzed were dated at 92 Ma and 58 Ma,
respectively. Since samples MIN-36B, MIN-37A,
and MIN-37B were collected from an essentially
continuous outcrop along the Ibalo River, we would
not expect to find different deposition ages for
these samples; hence we suggest that the whole
sequence was deposited after 22 Ma and ascribe
the lack of correlation among the young zircons
ages in the three samples (Fig. 6) to the paucity of
these young zircons.
In view of this unexpected result, it appears
necessary to investigate whether the young ages
measured might be explained in other ways. In
addition, the paucity of young zircons likewise
requires some explanation, as in an arc setting a
continuous and abundant production of zircons
could be expected as shown by the study of the
Sanbagawa Metamorphic Belt (e.g. Aoki et al.
2007; Tsutsumi et al. 2012; Knittel et al. 2014).
Our sample processing procedures virtually
exclude significant contamination. Among 173
zircons from river sediments, which were separat-
ed by the same procedures using the same
equipment (except for the crusher), we did not
find any zircon younger than 81 Ma. In addition,
we find that the zircons in a river sediment (MIN-
35A), taken downstream of the sampling points of
MIN-36 and MIN-37, exhibits an age spectrum
comparable to that of the metamorphics (Figs 6,7).
As for the scarcity of young zircons, we note that
Knittel et al. (2010) and Knittel (2011), in recent
sediments in north-eastern Mindoro, did not find
any detrital zircons younger than 81 Ma (173
zircons analyzed) despite the proximity of expo-
sures of the Lasala Formation which, based on
paleontological evidence, was deposited at about
30–40 Ma (Canto et al. 2012; Concepcion et al.
2012). In addition, analyses of 228 zircons extract-
ed from samples of the Lasala Formation yielded
only four grains younger than 80 Ma (Fig. 6) i.e.
there is a gap of 40–50 Ma between the 80 Ma
zircons (except the four grains mentioned) and the
actual deposition age (Fig. 6).
The paucity of young zircons may be explained
by the geological history of the area. Prior to the
opening of the South China Sea between 32–16 Ma
(perhaps even earlier; see review in Li et al. 2012a
and references therein), the PCT was part of the
continental margin of south-eastern China. This
area was the site of abundant rhyolite volcanism
that came to an end at about 80–75 Ma (e.g. Chen
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
12 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
et al. 2008; Zhou et al. 2006) with some minor
activity extending to about 67 Ma. Upon formation
of the South China Sea, the PCT drifted south,
seemingly without developing an active margin
(see reconstructions in Hall 2002; Queano et al.
2007). Only upon approaching the Philippine
Mobile Belt, an active arc system, the PCT came
into reach of active volcanism and hence an area
with active production of new zircons. Various, not
well constrained estimates exist for the timing of
that approach (ca 22–8 Ma) but recently, Walia
et al. (2013), using multiple radiometric dating
methods, developed a scenario for the collision of
the leading edge of the PCT with the PMB
between 14 and 8 Ma. Hence the period between
about 75 Ma and about 14 Ma was a period of low
zircon production in the PCT. This also explains
the scarcity of zircons younger than 80 Ma in the
Lasala Formation, which, based on paleontological
evidence, was deposited in the Late Eocene to
Early Oligocene (ca 40–30 Ma).
A potential source of the zircons dated between
80 and 40 Ma is the so-called Pagbahan Granodi-
orite described by MMAJ (1983) that yielded K–Ar
ages of 30–40 Ma (MMAJ, 1983). However, we did
not find any zircons of corresponding age in the
recent sediments of the Pagbahan and Amnay
Rivers, which should drain exposures of the
Pagbahan Granodiorite, which casts some doubts
on the reliability of these K–Ar ages and the
nature of the Pagbahan Granodiorite in general.
Considering the sheared nature of most samples
(Fig. 3), another potential explanation for the
presence of the young zircons in the
metasediments is their derivation from younger
sediments in a shear zone, as the samples were
collected near the boundaries with other rock units
(Fig. 2). However, the homogeneity of the outcrops
along the Ibalo River does not support the idea
that the sequence contains various slivers that
were juxtaposed in a fault zone.
Thus, the presence of 22–24 Ma zircons in the
metamorphics exposed north of the Ogos Ultra-
mafic Complex, in our view, suggests that their
protoliths were deposited later than the non-
metamorphic Late Eocene to Early Oligocene
Lasala Formation (ca 30–40 Ma; Canto et al.
2012; Concepcion et al. 2012), hence they are
unrelated to the metamorphics in north-eastern
Mindoro, which have protoliths of Late Carbon-
iferous to Late Permian age. The metamorphic
and tectonic overprints are likely related to the
late Miocene collision between PCT and PMB at
14–8 Ma.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Sample MIN-14B, collected at the north-western
edge of the outcrop of the Mindoro Metamorphics
likewise contains surprisingly young zircons. The
occurrence of a grain dated at 41 ± 4 Ma implies
that the protolith of this schist was deposited not
earlier than the Late Eocene and could have formed
contemporaneously with the Lasala Formation. The
question, whether or not the protolith of sample
MIN-14B is as young as the metamorphics at the
south-eastern margin of the Mindoro Metamorphic
Complex cannot be answered at present, as our
estimate for the maximum deposition time depends
on the presence and analysis (!) of accidental zircons
and, as discussed above, the period from ca 80 to
about 15 Ma has been a period of very low zircon
production.
Though sample MIN-14B is only a float we
believe that it is of local origin as discussed above.
Evidence for the origin of the metamorphics on the
Calavite Peninsular different from those in north-
eastern Mindoro (i.e. between Abra de Ilog and
Puerto Galera) comes also from the analysis of
zircons from a sample of recent sediments (MIN-
14A) taken at the sample locality. Though we could
analyze only seven grains, these exhibit an age
distribution that is completely different from the
age distribution observed in the sediments from
the northeastern coast, i.e. four out of the seven
grains have ages of 1.7–2.8 Ga, whereas such ages
are found for only two out of 173 detrital zircons
from the northeastern coast analyzed to date
(Figs 6,7; Knittel et al. 2010; Knittel 2011). In
addition, ages of 240–270 Ma, which account for
134 out of the 173 grain analyzed from the
northeastern coast (83 %) are represented by only
a single grain in sample MIN-14A. This would
suggest that the Mindoro Metamorphics exposed
east of the Mamburao River may differ significant-
ly in age, origin and composition from those that
are exposed in the northeastern part between
Abra de Ilog Harbour and Puerto Galera.
In the Tablas sample, the youngest zircons have
ages of 112 Ma to 125 Ma with a single grain
having an age of 103 Ma. Since the 103 ± 4 Ma age
was obtained from the core of a grain with a rim
dated at 112 ±4 Ma, we cannot rule out that this is
a spurious result that might be the result of lead
loss of the core. Assuming a maximum deposition
age of around 110 Ma for the protolith of this
meta-sandstone, the protolith was deposited in the
late Cretaceous. Clearly, deposition also might
have occurred much later, if there was no supply of
younger zircons in the period between the actual
time of deposition and the 103–125 Ma age

markers, in particular in view of the paucity of
young zircons in the other investigated samples as
already discussed. Besides, the small number of
zircons that could be separated from the small
sample may bias the picture.
SOURCES OF DETRITAL ZIRCONS
If we try to understand the origin of the protoliths
of the young metamorphics, it is useful to
summarize the general age patterns of the zircons
from these rocks.
All samples, except ERCD-04-41 from Tablas
contain one or more grains dated at 80–92 Ma.
These zircons are probably derived from rhyolites
erupted in SE China at that time (e.g. Chen et al.
2008; Zhou et al. 2006) and also found in Mindoro
(Knittel 2011). This episode is also represented in
the sediment record of north-eastern Mindoro (8
out of 173 zircons have ages of 81–92 Ma; Knittel
2011; Knittel et al. 2010).
All samples of the Mindoro Metamorphics
investigated in this study contain abundant zircons
in the range 100 to 130 Ma though in individual
samples the clusters occur at slightly different
times (108–114 Ma, n = 4 in sample MIN-36B;
102–113 Ma, n = 8 in sample MIN-14B; 101–126
Ma, n = 7 and 112–132 Ma, n = 9 in sample MIN-
37B and the Tablas sample, respectively). A cluster
about 10 to 20 my older (126–140 Ma; n = 7) was
found in MIN 37A. Based on the record in detrital
zircons from the Pagbahan River, where a
continuous spectrum of ages covering the period
109 to 137 Ma is observed, samples MIN-14B, and
MIN-37B then may contain a record of the late
part of this period, whereas MIN-36–36B and
MIN-37A contain a record of the early part of this
period. Hence, all young metamorphic rocks
investigated here contain relatively abundant
zircons in the age range of 100–140 Ma (Fig. 6),
though the whole period is not represented in any
single sample. Most of these grains have Th/U
ratios >1, in particular those younger than about
125 Ma. The period ranging from about 80 to 130
Ma is a major period of magmatic activity in
coastal South-East China (e.g. Li & Li 2007; Zhou
et al. 2006). Our preliminary work suggests that
granites that occur in the Puerto Galera area
(Caagusan 1966; Knittel & Daniels 1987) could
represent this activity in Mindoro and could be the
source of these zircons.
Most samples also contain zircons in the range
250–270 Ma, though in the Tablas sample, they do
not form a significant cluster. These zircons were
Protolith ages of Mindoro Metamorphics 13 of 17
formed during a period of quartz diorite intrusion
(Camarong Gneiss) into the old schist sequence in
the north-eastern part of the Mindoro Metamor-
phic Complex (Knittel et al. 2010). As mentioned
before, about 83 % of 173 zircons from four
sediment samples from the northern coast fall into
the age range 240–270 Ma. Zircons of that age are
also abundant in the Jurassic Saboncogon Forma-
tion on Panay (Walia et al. 2013) and attest to the
widespread distribution of zircons of that mag-
matic episode, which is only sparsely represented
in SE China (Li et al. 2006, 2012b).
Another common feature of all metamorphic
rocks with young protolith ages is the presence of
detrital zircons clustering around 1.8 Ga and
2.4–2.5 Ga (Fig. 7). Such ages are observed in
many populations of detrital zircons from SE Asia
including Japan (e.g. Tsutsumi et al. 2003) and
Borneo (van Hattum et al. 2006) and represent two
major episodes of crustal growth in the SE China
Craton (e.g. Xu et al. 2007; Yu et al. 2010).
The presence of these zircons implies that the
protoliths of the young Mindoro Metamorphics and
the Romblon Metamorphics in Tablas were depos-
ited in close proximity to the Asian continental
margin of southeastern China in agreement with
the accepted tectonic model of the region. Alterna-
tively, these zircons were ultimately derived from
such sources but were recycled. As already
discussed, such zircons are not found in river
sediments draining the northeastern part of the
Mindoro Metamorphic Complex between Abra de
Ilog and Puerto Galera. This suggests that in this
area, the young metamorphics are either not
exposed or not present and that these old meta-
morphic rocks are derived from different sources.
If we compare these patterns with our unpub-
lished data for the Lasala Formation, we note a
surprising similarity (Figs 6,7). In our sample
comprising 228 analyses, we find clusters at 112–
143 Ma (11 %), 254–267 Ma (5 %), a broad cluster at
740–850 Ma and a major cluster at 1.83–1.89 Ga
(20 %, Figs 6,7). Hence, the protoliths of the young
metamorphics may be derived from the Lasala
sediments or from re-deposition of Lasala sediments.
Published data for detrital zircons exists for
northwestern Panay (Walia et al. 2013) and for
Palawan (Walia et al. 2012; Suggate et al. 2013).
The Saboncogon sandstone of Panay, deposited in
Middle to Late Jurassic time, is not a metamorphic
rock and contains for obvious reasons no zircons
younger than 150–160 Ma. However, it also lacks
zircons in the age range around 400 Ma and
700–900 Ma (Fig. 7), which are present in all our
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
14 of 17 U. Knittel et al.
samples, though generally only a few (often
discordant) grains occur. The period around 1.86
Ga is represented in the Panay sandstone, but
zircons of this age are ubiquitous all over South-
East and East Asia as mentioned above.
The zircon age spectra of the metamorphic rocks
from Palawan (Walia et al. 2012; Suggate et al. 2013)
exhibit a great similarity to the young metamor-
phics of Mindoro as all major and minor clusters are
also found in the Palawan samples (Figs 6,7). The
greatest similarity exists between the Palawan
samples and our Tablas sample in that neither
contains post-Cretaceous zircons and both have no
significant peak at around 250–260 Ma. Both have
major peaks at about 115 Ma and about 170 Ma and
a minor peak at about 800 Ma. Hence it appears that
these metamorphics can be correlated.
GEOLOGIC EVOLUTION OF THE METAMORPHIC
COMPLEXES OF THE PCT
The results of this study in no way invalidate the
conclusions of our previous studies concerning
the Carboniferous to Permian age of the Mindoro
Metamorphics in North-East Mindoro (Knittel &
Daniels 1987; Knittel et al. 2010), because the Sr
isotopic composition of the marble gives a direct,
though imprecise clue to the age of the marble
and because the U–Pb age of the quartz diorite
provides the actual emplacement age of the
intrusive rocks. We consider the Late Carbonif-
erous metamorphics to be a Late Carboniferous
accretionary wedge (Canto et al. 2012;
Concepcion et al. 2012) located at the Asian
margin in South-East China. In the Permian, this
wedge became the site of an active magmatic arc
that was intruded by arc magmas (Li et al. 2006,
2012b) which in Mindoro are represented by the
Camarong Gneiss (Knittel et al. 2010). The
accretionary wedge corresponding to this
magmatic arc then could be the Permian to
Jurassic sediments observed in northern Palawan
(Hashimoto & Sato 1973; Zamoras & Matsuoka,
2004) and northwestern Panay (Zamoras et al.
2008; Walia et al. 2013). Subsequently, the area
shared the evolution known for the South-East
China margin, that is Cretaceous magmatism
(Knittel 2011). The Lasala Formation was depos-
ited at a passive margin, as subduction below
South-East China stopped sometime in the Late
Cretaceous. After a stage of rifting and drifting
(formation of the South China Sea) the PCT
collided with the PMB in Miocene, probably
around 14–8 Ma (e.g. Walia et al. 2013).
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
We thus tentatively suggest that metamorphism
of the younger protoliths is related to this collision
event as previously suggested by Yumul et al.
(2009a), who relate deformation in the PCT largely
to the collision event, whereas the metamorphics
east of Abra de Ilog Harbor might be
polymetamorphic rocks as already suggested by
Faure et al. (1989), who recognized pre-Miocene
deformation in these rocks.
The observation of Paleoproterozoic zircons in
all our samples of young metamorphics suggests
that these rocks probably are derived / recycled
from the Lasala sediments which contain zircons of
that age (data available upon request to Knittel or
Walia).
Our findings suggest furthermore that it is
worthy to have a fresh look at the subdivision of
the metamorphic rocks in northern Mindoro
proposed by MMAJ (1983), to subdivide the
Mindoro Metamorphics into two units based on
the metamorphic grade of the rocks. While the
suggested correlation with the Jurassic Mansalay
Formation in all likelihood is wrong, it can be
speculated that the lower grade metamorphics
correspond to some extent to the younger meta-
morphics found in this study. Clearly, more
detailed work, in particular with a more extensive
regional coverage, is required to understand the
pre-collision history of the PCT.
CONCLUSIONS
The metamorphic rocks exposed in Mindoro and
Tablas (and several other small islands including
Romblon and Sibuyan) are derived from
protoliths that are not uniform in protolith age.
While a good case can be made that the schists
and marbles in the northeastern part of Mindoro
(between Abra de Ilog Harbour and Puerto
Galera) are of Carboniferous to Early Permian
age (Knittel & Daniels 1987) and were intruded
by the protoliths of the Camarong Gneiss in the
Late Permian (250–270 Ma) time (Knittel et al.
2010), younger protoliths are identified in north-
western and central Mindoro and in Tablas. While
the Tablas quartzite has a maximum age of ca 112
Ma and might be correlated to the Palawan
metamorphics, a maximum age of 41 Ma is
suggested for a black schist from northwestern
Mindoro. Protolith ages of <22–24 Ma are
suggested for metamorphics in central Mindoro.
The young metamorphics might be derived from
(recycled) Lasala Sediments.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was supported by grants of the National
Science Council, Taiwan (NSC grant 97-2811-M-
002-040) to Knittel, which permitted him to carry
out this research at the National Taiwan Univer-
sity and grant NSC 97-2116-M-002-011 to Yang. It
is again a pleasure to thank Chien-Hui Hung and
Huang Lin Chen for their friendly and efficient
help during ICP–MS analysis and acquisition of
CL pictures, respectively and Sun-Lin Chung for
generous access to the LA–ICP–MS facility. We
also wish to express our gratitude to our
reviewers; their constructive reviews led to a
considerable improvement of the manuscript.
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SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Table S1. U–Pb isotope data for metasediments
MIN-36B, MIN-37A, and MIN-37B from the
southeastern margin of the Mindoro Metamorphic
complex.
Table S2. U–Pb isotope data for black schist
sample MIN-14B from NW Mindoro (z04 and z05
refer to different blocks, on which the zircons were
mounted).
Table S3. U–Pb isotope data for quartzite sample
ERCD-04-41 from Tablas.
Table S4. U–Pb isotope data for zircons from
sediment sample MIN-35A.
Table S5. U–Pb isotope data for zircons from
sediment sample MIN-14A.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd