U–Pb zircon (SHRIMP) ages for the Lebombo rhyolites, South Africa: refining the duration of Karoo volcanism

U–Pb SHRIMP ages are reported for three rhyolite flows from the Lebombo rift region of the Karoo volcanic province. Two flows are interbedded with the Sabie River Basalt Formation and a third sample is from the overlying rhyolitic Jozini Formation. The interbedded rhyolites yield ages of 182.0 ± 2.1 and 179.9 ± 1.8 Ma, whilst the overlying Jozini Formation rhyolite yields an age of 182.1 ± 2.9 Ma. Combined with existing ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology, the new SHRIMP data fine-tunes the chronology of the Karoo volcanic province and indicates the 12 km succession of volcanic rocks in the Lebombo rift were erupted in 1–2 million years and lends considerable support to the links between the Pleinsbachian–Toarcian extinction event and the global environmental impact of Karoo volcanism.