The whole-rock geochemical data in tectonic discrimination and multielement diagrams show that the volcanic rocks of the MNGB formed in island arc and back-arc basin settings related to the oceanic crust.

The 2106 ± 71 Ma and 1975 ± 36 Ma U-Pb zircon crystallization ages for the Areia Branca and Jequitibá metagranites, respectively, which are both interpreted as derived from crustal protoliths based on high 87Sr/ 86Sr i values (0.744 and 0.730, respectively) and negative values of Ɛ Nd(t) (-7.7 and -6.5, respectively), record a Rhyacian-Orosirian tectonothermal event that affected the MNGB and the adjoining region. The 2595 ± 21 Ma U-Pb zircon crystallization age of the metadacites allowed the determination of the timing of volcanism in the middle sequence of the MNGB. U-Pb zircon data from the Miguel Calmon and Fazenda Coqueiro metagranites in the Gavião Block yield crystallization ages of 3355 ± 16 Ma and 3227 ± 23 Ma, respectively, and both metagranites were derived from the lower continental crust based on low 87Sr/ 86Sr i values (0.699 and 0.705, respectively) and negative values of Ɛ Nd(t) (-3.7 and -3.6, respectively).

Additionally, two Rhyacian-Orosirian granitic plutons occur in the area, the Areia Branca and Jequitibá metagranites. The MNGB is divided into three lithological sequences: (i) the lowermost unit is composed of metakomatiites (ii) the middle unit is composed mainly of metabasalts, metadacites and metasedimentary chemical rocks and (iii) the uppermost unit is composed of metasedimentary siliciclastic rocks. The basement of the greenstone belt corresponds to the Gavião Block, which comprises tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite orthogneisses, migmatites and subordinate metarhyolites and metagranites. Field, petrographic, lithogeochemical, LA-ICP-MS in situ U-Pb zircon geochronology, and Nd and Sr isotopic data were used to determine the geologic evolution, timing of volcanism and tectonic setting of the Mundo Novo greenstone belt (MNGB) including nearby units, such as the basement and younger granitic rocks in the eastern São Francisco Craton (NE Brazil).

Pb 2019 high compressed