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A Associação Shoshonítica de Lavras do Sul (ASLS), situada no extremo sul do Brasil, tem idade neoproterozóica e hospeda ocorrências importantes de Au-Cu-sulfetos, relacionadas por alguns autores a depósitos do tipo Cu-Au pórfiro. Dados de campo, petrográficos, mineralógicos e geoquímicos permitiram identificar e classificar os diques que ocorrem na ASLS cortando os monzonitos hipabissais, andesitos e lamprófiros, em três tipos principais: diques compostos autoclásticos, diques latíticos e diques latíticos com anfibólio. Sua grande variedade litológica e textural é resultado da diferenciação magmática, segregação mineral e processos de mistura de magmas. Os diques mostram afinidade shos- honítica, com teores de K2O > (Na2O –2), acompanhados de conteúdos elevados de Rb, Ba e Sr e baixos a moderados de Nb, Zr e ETRP, assinatura típica da Associação Shoshonítica de Lavras do Sul. Os dados obtidos permitiram identificar dois trends composicionais: um alto-Ti, enriquecido em Fe2O3t, P2O5, HFS, LILE e ETR, com razões K2O/Na2O < 0,8; outro baixo-Ti, que predomina na ASLS, com menores teores dos elementos anteriormente citados e razão K2O/Na2O > 1,4. Os diques alto-Ti, com menores razões K2O/Na2O indicam uma evolução das fontes e processos no sentido da produção de magmas alcalinos saturados em sílica mais sódicos, como é comum na evolução do magmatismo pós-colisional. A cristalização dos magmas e o progressivo enriquecimento dos voláteis e de complexos de Au-S-Cl geraram uma supersaturação do sistema, causando o segundo ponto de ebulição e a vesiculação de porções dos diques. Admite-se que o magma lamprofírico pode ser a fonte principal do ouro e enxofre do sistema. A mistura dos magmas latíticos ou traquíticos com os lamprofíricos, pode ser responsável por um aumento do potencial de oxidação e dos voláteis no sistema, desencadeando assim a separação da fase volátil, a desestabilização dos complexos e a precipitação dos sulfetos magmáticos portadores de Au, além da própria formação das soluções hidrotermais. The Neoproterozoic Lavras do Sul Shoshonitic Association (LSSA) is situated in the southernmost Brazil, and hosts Au-Cu-sulphide mineralizations, that, according to some authors, could be related to porphyry copper-gold deposits. Field, petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical data led to the identification and classification of late dikes, which crosscut the hypabissal monzonites, andesites and lamprophyres of LSSA, in three main types: authoclastic composite dikes, latitic dikes, and amphibole-bearing latitic dikes. Their large lithological and textural variation is attributed to magmatic differentiation, mineral segregation, and, magma mingling processes. The dikes show shoshonitic affinity, with K2O > (Na2O – 2), contain rela- tively high amounts of Rb, Ba, and Sr, and low to moderate contents of Nb, Zr, HREE, features that are characteristic of the LSSA. Two main compositional trends were observed: (i) an high-Ti trend, with higher contents of Fe2O3t, P2O5, HFS, LILE and REE, and lower K2O/Na2O ratios( < 0.8); (ii) low-Ti trend, which is predominant in the LSSA, with lower contents of the cited elements and K2O/Na2O > 1.4. The lower K2O/Na2O ratios of high-Ti dikes indicate an evolution of magma sources and processes towards more sodic, silica-saturated alkaline compositions, like is usually described in the post-collisional magmatism. Magmatic crystallization and, the concurrent volatile enrichment, together with Au-S-Cl complexes formation, led to the fluid oversaturation of the magma system and to the second boiling point, which caused the dike vesiculation in the late magmatic stages. The lamprophyre magma is admitted as a possible source of Au and S in the magmatic system. Comingling between the trachyte or latite magmas with the lamprophyre one, can have caused the increase of volatiles and the consequent oxidation of this system, so, promoting the fluid phase separation, the breakdown of complexes, and precipitation of Au-bearing magmatic sulphides, as well as the hydrothermal fluid phase generation.

O Maciço Sienítico Piquirí, situado no extremo sul do Brasil, é parte do magmatismo pós-colisional neoproterozóico relacionado ao Ciclo Brasiliano-Pan-Africano. O maciço tem em torno de 12 km de diâmetro e é composto de sienitos, granitos, rochas monzoníticas e lamprófiros. Diopsídio-flogopita, diopsídio-biotita-augita- anfibólio cálcico são as principais paragêneses ferromagnesianas nas rochas sieníticas. As rochas sieníticas e graníticas são co-magmáticas e relacionadas ao magmatismo ultrapotássico saturadoemsílica. Seus padrões de elementos traços indicam fontes mantélicas previamente afetadas por metassomatismo relacionado com subducção litosférica. Os granitos ultrapotássicos deste maciço foram produzidos por cristalização fracionada a partir de magmas sieníticos e podem ser considerados como representantes de um grupo particular de granitos subsolvus e hipersolvus, ultrapotássicos, do tipo A. Evidências texturais, estruturais e geoquímicas indicam que as rochas do maciço, principalmente os tipos de granulação fina, representam líquidos magmáticos, embora mostrem abundantes feições de acumulação e segregação magmática, como schlieren, fragmentos de cumulados precoces e bandamento composicional. A maior parte das amostras estudadas é metaluminosa com razões K2O/Na2O superiores a 2. Os magmas sieníticos e lamprofíricos que originaram o maciço são interpretados como provenientes de fontes mantélicas enriquecidas, do tipo OIB, como admitido para a maior parte do magmatismo pós-colisional shoshonítico, alcalino sódico e toleítico alto K do sul do Brasil. Essas fontes são provavelmente porções do manto venulado, com abundante flogopita + apatita + anfibólio que refletem o efeito de um prévio metassomatismo causado por fluídos relacionados com subducção litosférica. The Piquiri Syenite Massif, southernmost Brazil, is part of the post-collisional magmatism related to theNeoproterozoic Brasiliano-Pan-African Orogenic Cycle. The massif is about 12 km in diameter and is composed of syenites, granites, monzonitic rocks and lamprophyres. Diopside-phlogopite, diopside-biotite-augite-calcic-amphibole, are the main ferro-magnesian paragenesis in the syenitic rocks. Syenitic and granitic rocks are co-magmatic and related to an ultrapotassic, silica-saturated magmatism. Their trace element patterns indicate a probable mantle source modified by previous, subduction-related metasomatism. The ultrapotassic granites of this massif were produced by fractional crystallization of syenitic magmas, and may be considered as a particular group of hypersolvus and subsolvus A-type granites. Based upon textural, structural and geochemical data most of the syenitic rocks, particularly the fine-grained types, are considered as crystallized liquids, in spite of the abundance of cumulatic layers, schlieren, and compositional banding. Most of the studied samples are metaluminous, with K2O/Na2O ratios higher than 2. The ultrapotassic syenitic and lamprophyric rocks in the Piquiri massif are interpreted to have been produced from enriched mantle sources, OIB-type, like most of the post-collisional shoshonitic, sodic alkaline and high-K tholeiitic magmatism in southernmost Brazil. The source of the ultrapotassic and lamprophyric magmas is probably the same veined mantle, with abundant phlogopite + apatite + amphibole that reflects a previous subduction-related metasomatism.

The chemical composition of detrital minerals in sediments has become a powerful tool for provenance studies, particularly in the last decades with the improvement of analytical techniques for mineral grains. Major and trace element contents of igneous and metamorphic minerals can reveal the characteristics of their original sources, mainly with respect to their geochemical affinity, geotectonic setting and the physical parameters that controlled their crystallization. The proportions of major elements in pyroxenes and amphiboles can be used for the identification of their igneous or metamorphic origin, for the definition of their magmatic affiliation, and for the discussion of the probable tectonic setting where they were generated. Metamorphic and igneous zircons can be distinguished by REE patterns or U and Th contents. Magmatic zircons from different geotectonic settings can show different concentrations of REE, Nb, Hf and Y. Magmatic garnets from granites typically show high Mn contents, and can be distinguished from metamorphic ones or from garnets of ultramafic rocks mainly through their major element composition. Compositional zoning of garnets are indicative of their metamorphic or igneous character. Magmatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal epidotes can be distinguished by their chemical composition, as well. Several other minerals, such as apatite, tourmaline, rutile, titanite, and feldspars can indicate, through their chemical composition, the probable rock that could have produced them. The integration of geochemical data on detrital minerals with other usual tools of sedimentary petrology is certainly the most efficient approach for investigating the provenance of sediments.

Volcanic deposits can be included in two main groups: coherent and volcaniclastic. The former results from volcanic and sub-volcanic (syn-volcanic intrusions) effusive events, excluding autoclastic portions, and the second group, which is related to deposits constituted by volcanic fragments, encompassing primary deposits (pyroclastic) generated from fragment dispersion through gases and hot vapour, syn-eruptive resedimented deposits, besides volcanogenic sedimentary deposits. Clast transport processes are separated in three broad categories: mass-flow, traction and suspension. Basic concepts that are used in the study of volcanic rocks, classification and characterization of the main subaerial pyroclastic deposits are discussed in this paper, considering lithological and genetic aspects. Lithological aspects are mainly related to composition, components and grain-size of the deposits, while genetic aspects and interpretations are based on clast-forming and depositional processes, allowing understanding about eruption and emplacement conditions. Emphasis is given to pumiceous pyroclastic flow deposits, describing their main textural features and the post-depositional modifications associated to them. The discussed concepts are applied in the reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic pyroclastic flow deposits of two plateaus in the Sul-rio-grandense Shield, southernmost Brazil. The main characteristic of the Taquarembo Plateau is the occurrence of stratified/partially welded ignimbrites and high-grade welded deposits, while massive and crystal-rich ignimbrites are more common in the Ramada Plateau. The facies association of both plateaus suggests a fissural volcanic regime in a subaerial setting, associated to the post-collisional stages of the Brasiliano-Pan African Orogenic Cicle.

The Taquarembo Plateau, situated in the southwestern part of Sul-rio-grandense shield, is part of Camaquã Basin, that was formed at the end of the post-collisional stage in Brasiliano/Pan-Africa event, Neoproterozoic in age. This plateau is composed of volcanic and shallow intrusions, related to a silica-saturated alkaline series, ranging from alkaline metaluminous basalt to comendiitic flows, known as Taquarembo Volcano-Plutonic Association. The faciological identification leads to the reconstruction of the volcanic pile, formed from the base to the top by: particulated flows (ignimbrites and reo-ignimbrites); ressedimented syneruptive deposits; surge and fall horizons, closely associated with alkaline metaluminous lava flows (basalts, mugearites, rhyolites); and peralkaline lava flows (comendiites), and shallow intrusions of quarz monzonite and syenite that crosscut the volcanic pile. The facies identification suggests a highly explosive volcanic regime, under sub-aerial condition, in a close association with the feeder necks.