Age and Provenance Areas of Terrigenous Rocks of the Dzhida Terrane: Results of U—Th—Pb (LA-ICP-MS) Geochronological Study of Detrital Zircons

The results of U—Th—Pb (LA-ICP-MS) geochronological studies of detrital zircons from terrigenous rocks of the Dzhida terrane of the Central Asian Fold Belt (CAFB) are presented. The data obtained allow us to distinguish the following age maxima (Ma): 578 and 634 (Vendian); 720, 823, and 919 (Late Riphean); 1922, 2090, 2225, and 2321 (Early Proterozoic). A number of zircons have Late Archean age in the interval of 2670–2980 Ma. Taking into account Late Cambrian age (504–506 Ma) of intrusive rocks that intruded the Dzhida terrane, a possible sedimentation period of sequences of this terrane is estimated to be in the interval of 580–510 Ma (from Vendian to Late Cambrian). The possible provenance areas of terrigenous sediments are proposed and the previously proposed models of geodynamic evolution of the Dzhida terrane are correlated with new geochronological data.     

Structure,composition, and depositional environments of the lower cretaceous rocks of the Zhuravlevka terrane,Central Sikhote Alin

The structure, mineralogical-petrographic composition, and formation settings of the Berriasian-Albian terrigenous rocks of the Zhuravlevka terrane (Central Sikhote Alin) are considered. The rocks are interpreted as sediments accumulated in a virtually nonvolcanic basin along the transform plate boundary. Judging from the composition of terrigenous rocks, the main sources of clastic material were represented by the eroded granitic-metamorphic rocks of a mature continental crust, and, possibly, granitoid intrusions of ancient arc roots. Genetic features of the sediments suggest their accumulation on the shelf, underwater slope, foothill, and the adjacent basin plains of an oceanward-open marginal sea.     

Pb-Nd Isotopes Indicate the Origin of Island Arc Terranes in the Early Paleozoic Pacific

The Takaka Terrane in New Zealand is one of the best exposed arc fragments of the early Paleozoic Australian-Antarctic convergent margin and constitutes one of the most outboard terranes of this margin in paleogeographic reconstructions. Pb-Nd isotope compositions of clinopyroxenes from the Cambrian Devil River Volcanics of the Takaka Terrane enable identification of the location of the terrane in the Paleo-Pacific Ocean. The Devil River Volcanics, a suite of primitive arc and back-arc rocks, are interbedded with the partly continent-derived Haupiri Group sediments. Extremely radiogenic Pb and unradiogenic Nd compositions in the arc rocks cannot be explained by assimilation of the Haupiri Group sediments or a continental basement of such a composition. Pb isotope compositions of the Takaka Terrane sediments are much less radiogenic and overlap with crustal compositions of the Lachlan Fold Belt in Australia, suggesting that both units are derived from one source, the Australian-Antarctic Pacific margin. Pb-Nd isotope compositions in the Devil River Volcanics reflect contamination of their mantle sources by subducted sediments derived from Archean provinces in either Antarctica or Laurentia. Both provinces show characteristically high 207Pb/204Pb500 and were located at the Pacific rim in the Cambrian. Mixing between mantle and Proterozoic continental material from present western South America or eastern Laurentia cannot explain the high 207Pb/204Pb500 in the New Zealand rocks. As in New Zealand, extreme spreads in Pb-Nd isotope compositions in other Cambrian volcano-sedimentary sequences in southeast Australia and Tasmania can be explained by the same model, suggesting that all these fragments originated along the Australian-Antarctic Gondwana margin. Pb isotope compositions of arc rocks, therefore, provide a new tool for terrane analysis in the early Paleozoic Pacific ocean.     

First data on age of metarhyolites from the Turan Group of the Bureya Terrane, eastern part of the Central Asian Foldbelt

The U-Pb geochronological studies showed that metarhyolites from the Turan Group of the Bureya (Turan) Terrane to the east of the Central Asian Foldbelt are Middle Cambrian (504 ± 8 Ma), not Neoproterozoic in age, as was suggested before. Metarhyolites are younger than the Early Cambrian terrigenous-carbonate sediments from this terrane characterized by the Atdabanian archaeochyatid. Considering that volcanic rocks have features of intraplate origin, it may be assumed that their formation corresponds to the breakup of the Early Paleozoic passive continental margin.     

Early Precambrian high-grade metamorphosed terrigenous rocks of granulite-gneiss terranes of the Sharyzhalgai uplift (southwestern Siberian craton)

We present results of geochemical and Sm-Nd isotope studies of high-grade metaterrigenous rocks of the Kitoi and northwestern Irkut terranes of the Sharyzhalgai uplift on the Siberian Platform in comparison with paragneisses of the southeastern Irkut terrane. The metasedimentary rocks of the first region are high-alumina garnet-sillimanite-cordierite-bearing paragneisses; their protoliths were mostly mudstones and pelitic mudstones by major-element composition. The low-alumina biotite gneisses of the Kitoi terrane formed, most likely, from magmatic protoliths similar in petrochemical features to intraplate volcanics. The major factor controlling the composition of the studied high-alumina paragneisses is precipitation of most of incompatible trace elements in the clay fraction of sediments, as evidenced from the positive correlation between trace-element and Al₂O3 contents. The Cr and Ni contents, showing a positive correlation with MgO and no correlation with Al₂O3, are an indicator of the contribution of the mafic-source material to the formation of high-alumina rocks. The contribution of a mafic source-derived material to the formation of terrigenous rocks increases in passing from Kitoi to northwestern Irkut terrane. The high-alumina and garnet-biotite paragneisses of the southeastern Irkut terrane are similar in trace-element patterns to the analogous rocks of the Kitoi terrane and northwestern part of the Irkut terrane but show higher Th contents and a distinct negative Eu anomaly related to the change in the composition of the felsic source. The participation of felsic potassic igneous rocks in the formation of the southeastern terrigenous sediments is consistent with their deposition after the Neoarchean collision processes (metamorphism and granite magmatism), whereas sedimentation in the Kitoi and northwestern Irkut terranes preceded them. The Sm-Nd isotope characteristics indicate that the latter sediments formed mostly as a result of the erosion of the Paleo-Mesoarchean crust, whereas the metasediments of the southeastern Irkut terrane formed with the participation of Paleoproterozoic juvenile rocks. Thus, the variations in the trace-element and isotope compositions of the high-grade metamorphosed terrigenous rocks reflect recycling and growth of the continental crust of the Sharyzhalgai uplift during the Neoarchean-Pa- leoproterozoic transition.     

Recycling of Proterozoic crust in the Andean Amazon foreland of Ecuador: implications for orogenic development of the Northern Andes

The retro‐arc foreland Andean Amazon Basin records sedimentary infill from the South American craton and the emerging Northern Andean chain from the middle Cretaceous until Present day. The U/Pb ages of detrital zircons indicate significant reworking of Archean‐Proterozoic (max. 2.9 Ga) and Paleozoic crust and sediments, which were eroded on both sides. Heavy mineral associations show that the material derived from Proterozoic craton was supplied by Cretaceous reworking of non‐metamorphosed (unannealed) Paleozoic and older sedimentary rocks, which cover the Amazon Craton. Following latest Cretaceous switch of the dominant sediment source to the Andean cordillera, the influx of Precambrian zircons persisted, and these zircons were derived from the metamorphosed basement and Paleozoic sediments of the Cordillera Real (Loja terrane). Re‐evaluation of existing detrital zircon fission‐track record proves that the rise of the Cordillera Real at the Cretaceous‐Tertiary transition was initiated by the collision of Caribbean Oceanic Plateau and associated arc elements from 75–65 Ma. A further important exhumation event also occurred in the Late Oligocene, which is correlated with the break‐up of the Farallon plate.     

江南古岛弧浙赣段基底地壳演化

双溪坞群、双桥山群等为江南古岛弧浙赣段的前寒武纪基底地层。依据基底地层建造的差异及蛇绿岩套和碰撞花岗岩等的分布,可将浙赣段江南古岛弧沿赣东北断裂划分为怀玉地体和九岭地体。怀玉地体基底地层建造以火山岩占主导,10—13亿年是该地体的重要成壳时期。九岭地体基底地层建造以浊流复理石占主导,14—16亿年为该地体的重要成壳时期。距今9亿年左右两地体相互碰撞拼接,与此同时,华夏古陆向江南古岛弧碰撞,至～8亿年、完成碰撞对接,开始震旦系盖层沉积。     

LARGEST ALTYN TAGH LITHOSPHERIC SHEAR FAULT IN CENTRAL ASIA

LARGEST ALTYN TAGH LITHOSPHERIC SHEAR FAULT IN CENTRAL ASIA     

Brunovistulian terrane (Bohemian Massif, Central Europe) from late Proterozoic to late Paleozoic: a review

The Brunovistulian terrane represents a microcontinent of enigmatic Proterozoic provenance that was located at the southern margin of Baltica in the early Paleozoic. During the Variscan orogeny, it represented the lower plate at the southern margin of Laurussia, involved in the collision with the Armorican terrane assemblage. In this respect, it resembles the Avalonian terrane in the west and the Istanbul Zone in the east. There is a growing evidence about the presence of a Devonian back-arc at the margin of the Brunovistulian terrane. The early Variscan phase was characterized by the formation of Devonian extensional basins with the within-plate volcanic activity and formation of narrow segments of oceanic crust. The oldest Viséan flysch of the Rheic/Rhenohercynian remnant basin (Protivanov, Andelska Hora and Horní Benesov formations) forms the highest allochthonous units and contains, together with slices of Silurian Bohemian facies, clastic micas from early Paleozoic crystalline rocks that are presumably derived from terranes of Armorican affinity although provenance from an active Brunovistulian margin cannot be fully excluded either. The development of the Moravo–Silesian late Paleozoic basin was terminated by coal-bearing paralic and limnic sediments. The progressive Carboniferous stacking of nappes and their impingement on the Laurussian foreland led to crustal thickening and shortening and a number of distinct deformational and folding events. The postorogenic extension led to the formation of the terminal Carboniferous-early Permian Boskovice Graben located in the eastern part of the Brunovistulian terrane, in front of the crystalline nappes. The highest, allochthonous westernmost flysch units, locally with the basal slices of the Devonian and Silurian rocks thrusted over the Silesicum in the NW part of the Brunovistulian terrane, may share a similar tectonic position with the Giessen–Harz nappes. The Silesicum represents the outermost margin of the Brunovistulian terrane with many features in common with the Northern Phyllite Zone at the Avalonia–Armorica interface in Germany.     

松潘-甘孜地体内花岗岩锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年及其构造意义

松潘-甘孜地体总体上是一个三角状褶皱带,其北侧、东南侧及东侧分别与东昆仑-西秦岭构造带、金沙江构造带及龙门山构造带相邻。地体内几乎全部被三叠系浊积岩所覆盖,其中侵位了很多花岗岩体。显然,这些花岗岩的岩浆特征、来源与侵位时代,对研究松潘-甘孜地体基底性质、构造演化等问题具有重要意义。本文报道利用SHRIMP定年技术对一些花岗岩岩体锆石所进行的精确测年数据。测试结果表明:(1)松潘-甘孜地体内的花岗岩体主要形成于晚三叠世,但岩浆活动可延续到早侏罗世晚期;(2)早期花岗岩浆活动与三叠纪系褶皱变形大致同期,指示这一时期的花岗岩浆的形成可能与三叠系下部大型拆离滑脱构造相关;(3)花岗岩结晶锆石普遍具有浑圆状或不规则状较老的继承锆石核,这些核部继承锆石可能代表花岗岩浆在上升过程中从不同地层内捕获的碎屑锆石,或者是下地壳岩石深熔残留锆石。根据SHRING U-Pb定年,这些继承锆石的年龄分别为二叠纪、加里东期、晚元古代和早元古代。元古代碎屑锆石的存在也可能指示松潘-甘孜地体具前寒武系基底。     

Petrogeochemical typification of the ultramafic rocks from the Idar greenstone belt,Kan block,East Sayan

The ultramafic rocks of the Kan block, East Sayan, are confined mainly to the Idar greenstone belt. In terms of formational affiliation, they are subdivided into two groups: magmatic (Kingash Complex) and residual (Idar Complex) ones. The magmatic ultramafic rocks compose hypabyssal and subvolcanic bodies, which are represented by rocks of dunite-wehrlite-picrite association with cumulate textures. Uninterrupted chemical variations of the magmatic ultramafic rocks indicate subsequent magmatic differentiation of parental picritic melt in the intermediate deep-seated chambers and emplacement of its derivatives in the crystallization site. Differentiation leads to proportional increase of all rare-earth and other incompatible elements. The residual ultramafics occur as boudined dunite-harzburgite bodies showing metamorphic granoblastic textures. They have more homogenous chemical composition close to those of ophiolite complexes, which represent strongly depleted mantle rocks brought to the upper lithospheric levels via deep-seated thrusts. Residual ultramafics differ from magmatic rocks in notably lower contents of some trace and rare earth elements.     

Iron in Precambrian rocks: implications for the global oxygen budget of the ancient Earth

Banded iron formations (BIF) are prominent in sediments older than 2 Ga. However, little is known about the absolute abundance of BIF in Archean and Early Proterozoic sediments, and the source of the Fe is still somewhat uncertain. Also unknown is the role that Fe may have played in the maintenance of low oxygen pressures in the Archean and Early Proterozoic atmosphere. An analysis of the chemical composition of Precambrian rocks provides some insight into the role of Fe in Precambrian geochemical cycles. The Fe content of igneous rocks is well correlated with their Ti content. Plots of Fe vs. Ti in Precambrian sandstones and graywackes fall very close to the igneous rock trend. Plots of Fe vs. Ti in Precambrian shales also follow this trend but show a definite scatter toward an excess of Fe. Phanerozoic shales and sandstones lie essentially on the igneous rock trend and show surprisingly little scatter. Mn/Ti relations show a stronger indication of Precambrian Mn loss, perhaps due to weathering under a less oxidizing early atmosphere. These data show that Fe was neither substantially added to nor significantly redistributed in Archean and early Proterozoic sediments. Enough hydrothermal Fe was added to these sediments to increase the average Fe content of shales by at most a factor of 2. This enrichment would probably not have greatly affected the near-surface redox cycle or atmospheric oxygen levels. Continued redistribution of Fe and mixing with weathered igneous rocks during the recycling of Precambrian sediments account for the excellent correlation of Fe with Ti in Phanerozoic shales and for the similarity between their Fe/Ti ratio and that of igneous rocks.     

High-pressure mafic granulites of the South Muya Block (Central Asian Orogenic Belt)

Mineralogical, petrographic, and geochemical studies of mafic granulites of the South Muya Block (Central Asian Orogenic Belt) have been carried out. The granulite protoliths were olivine- and plagioclase- rich cumulates of ultramafic–mafic magmas with geochemical affinities of suprasubduction rocks. The isotope–geochemical characteristics of the granulites indicate the enriched nature of their source, associated with recycling into the mantle of either ancient crust or oceanic sediments, or intracrustal contamination of melts at the basement of the ensialic arc. Formation of garnet-bearing parageneses has occurred during high-pressure granulite metamorphism associated with accretion in the eastern part of the Baikal–Muya composite terrane.     

中天山东段中元古代晚期—古生代构造-热事件:SHRIMP锆石年代学证据

星星峡杂岩是中天山构造带东段出露的最老岩石,主要岩性为斜长角闪岩和各种副变质岩,并被中—新元古代花岗片麻岩和古生代片麻岩所侵位。文中利用SHRIMP定年方法,对星星峡杂岩的一个片岩和侵入其中的一个花岗片麻岩样品进行了锆石U-Pb测年。其中片岩样品中的碎屑锆石给出1800、1530和1200Ma3组大约年龄,表明其源区不仅包括古元古代和中元古代早期还含有中元古代晚期的地壳物质。在这些碎屑锆石中,最年轻的年龄为(1189±65)Ma,与该区中元古代大约1200Ma岛弧岩浆活动相近,可代表其沉积时的最大年龄。同时获得约910和470Ma的两组较年轻年龄;前者解释为变质年龄,后者为岩浆扰动年龄,与花岗质片麻岩样品的侵位时代相一致。中天山构造带东段的中元古代晚期岩浆(大约1200Ma)和变质作用(大约910Ma)的发生时间与华南、南极洲东部、澳大利亚南部和北美西南部所报道的格林维尔期增生-造山事件在时间上接近,表明中天山构造带东段与Rodinia超大陆的汇聚过程密切相关。     

The mafic and ultramafic rocks of the Mocksville complex of Central North Carolina: Petrogenetic and tectonic implications

Located in the northwestern part of the Charlotte terrane of the Carolina zone in central North Carolina, the Mocksville complex is a tabular body which trends NE-SW and covers an area of approximately 500?km². It consists of late Proterozoic to early Paleozoic, moderately metamorphosed and variably deformed, mainly plutonic ultramafic, mafic and felsic rocks. The ultramafic rocks are pyroxenites, wehrlites, and hornblendites; the mafic rocks are metagabbros and amphibolites; and, the felsic rocks are granites and diorites. Field, geochemical, and geothermobarometry studies suggest that the igneous and metaigneous rocks of the Mocksville complex are likely to be genetically related, formed by calc-alkaline differentiation of mafic magma, and originated in a moderate pressure environment (~8?kbar). Based mainly on the study of volcanic rocks, the terranes of the Carolina zone have been interpreted as magmatic arc terranes in most tectonic models concerning the evolution of the southern Appalachian orogen. The geochemical features of the mafic and ultramafic plutonic rocks of the Mocksville complex corroborate the arc origin of the Charlotte terrane.     

Geochemical features,depositional settings,and provenances of Lower Paleozoic rocks in the Mamyn terrane,Central Asian Fold Belt

New data on geochemical features of the Lower Paleozoic terrigenous rocks in the Mamyn terrane (eastern Central Asian Fold Belt) and U–Pb geochronological studies of the detrital zircon from these rocks are presented. The obtained results suggest the following conclusions. 1. At present, the Kosmataya sequence includes different age Lower Cambrian terrigenous–carbonate and Lower Ordovician terrigenous rocks or represents Lower Ordovician olistostromes including limestone blocks with the Lower Cambrian fauna. Lower Ordovician terrigenous rocks were formed in an island arc or active continental margin, mainly, owing to the erosion of Cambrian–Early Ordovician plutons and volcanics that are widespread in structures of the Mamyn terrane and weakly reworked by the chemical weathering. 2. The Silurian Mamyn Formation was developed at a passive continental margin. The main sources of clastic material for this formation were the same Cambrian–Early Ordovician igneous rocks as for the Cambrian sequence, with the participation of Early Silurian and Vendian igneous complexes. The obtained data significantly refine concepts about the geological structure of the Mamyn terrane, which is a member of the Argun Superterrane, one of the largest tectonic structures in the eastern Central Asian Fold Belt.     

Geochemistry,origin, and nature of metamorphic rocks of the Batomga granite-greenstone terrane (Aldan Shield)

Two series of volcanic rocks with different petrochemical affinities-calc-alkaline and komatiitetholeiitic series-were identified as protoliths for the Early Proterozoic metamorphic rocks of the Batomga granite-greenstone terrane. The metavolcanic rocks of the calc-alkaline series comprise metabasalts, metaandesites, metadacites, and metarhyolites. The distribution of the trace element abundances in the felsic metavolcanic rocks is similar to that of the Archean grey gneisses from the platform basements, thus suggesting a similar petrological mechanism for the formation of their protoliths. The protoliths for the komatiite-tholeiitic metavolcanic rocks include komatiite and tholeiite basalts. The chemical behavior of the tholeiites tends to support the fractionation of primary high-Mg basaltic magmas in a transient magma chamber at low pressures. The variations in the Nb, Y, and Zr contents of the metatoleiites indicate the derivation of their parental magmas from a plume-related source.     

The Pre-Sinian Basement and Mineralization on the Western Margin of the Yangtze Paraplatform

The pre-Sinian basement on the southwestern margin of the Yangtze paraplatform consists of threemetamorphic rock series of different ages. Being products of different tectonic events and environments, theydiffer markedly in original rock sequences, metamorphism. tectonic style and characteristics of granitoids andmineral deposits. The Late Archean Kangdian cration mainly comprises the Kangding and Julin Groups with ametamorphic age of nearly 2500 Ma. They are supracrustal rocks dominated by mafic volcanics enclosed introndhjemitic rocks The craton is believed to represent a granite-greenstone terrane of Late Archaean age.There occur mineral deposits such as graphite and kyanite deposits of metamorphic origin, muscovite depositsin pegmatites and gold quartz veins in gneissic granites, banded hornblende-magnetite mineralization and cop-per and zinc mineralizations related to felsic volcanics. Large V-Ti-bearing magnetite deposits were also formedin the mafic. ultramafic stratiform intrusions emplaced on the margins of the craton during the MiddleProterozoic. Copper and nickel deposits are found in several ultramafic intrusions. Extending in a north-southdirection, the Proterozoic mobile belt consists mainly of the Early Proterozoic Hekou Group and MiddleProterozoic Huili and Kunyang Groups. and they are thought to be accumulations in a Proterozoic rift troughor aulacogen. During the Early Proterozoic, the rift trough was characterized by intense volcanism and pres-ence of iron ore deposits of volcano-magmatic type, iron-copper deposits of exhalative-sedimentary type. TheMid-Late Proterozoic of the rift trough mainly witnessed the formation of sedimentary stratiform copper de-posits and submarine sedimentary iron deposits. In the wake of the emplacement of the Jinningian andChengjiangian granites in the Late Proterozoic, skarn-type tin and tin-iron ore deposits were formed.     

Composition, sources, and mechanism of continental crust growth in the Lake zone of the Central Asian Caledonides: I. Geological and geochronological data

Data on the composition, inner structure, and age of volcanic and siliceous-terrigenous complexes and granitoids occurring in association with them in the Caledonian Lake zone in Central Asia are discussed in the context of major relations and trends in the growth of the Caledonian continental crust in the Central Asian Foldbelt (CAFB). The folded structures of the Lake zone host basalt, basalt-andesite, and andesite complexes of volcanic rocks that were formed in distinct geodynamic environments. The volcanic rocks of the basalt complex are noted for high concentrations of TiO₂ and alkalis, occur in association with fine-grained siliceous siltstone and siliceous-carbonate rocks, are thus close to oceanic-island complexes, and were likely formed in relation to a mantle hotspot activity far away from erosion regions supplying terrigenous material. The rocks of the basalt-andesite and andesite complexes have lower TiO₂ concentrations and moderate concentrations of alkalis and contain rock-forming amphibole. These rocks are accompanied by rudaceous terrigenous sediments, which suggests their origin in island-arc environments, including arcs with a significantly dissected topography. These complexes are accompanied by siliceous-terrigenous sedimentary sequences whose inner structure is close to those of sediments in accretionary wedges. The folded Caledonides of the Lake zone passed through the following evolutionary phases. The island arcs started to develop at 570 Ma, their evolution was associated with the emplacement of layered gabbroids and tonalitetrondhjemite massifs, and continued until the onset of accretion at 515–480 Ma. The accretion was accompanied by the emplacement of large massifs of the tonalite-granodiorite-plagiogranite series. The postaccretionary evolutionary phase at 470–440 Ma of the Caledonides was marked by intrusive subalkaline and alkaline magmatism. The Caledonides are characterized by within-plate magmatic activity throughout their whole evolutionary history, a fact explained by the accretion of Vendian-Cambrian oceanic structures (island arcs, oceanic islands, and back-arc basins) above a mantle hotspot. Indicators of within-plate magmatic activity are subalkaline high-Ti basalts, alkaline-ultrabasic complexes with carbonatites and massifs of subalkaline and alkaline gabbroids, nepheline syenites, alkaline granites, subalkaline granites, and granosyenites. The mantle hotspot likely continued to affect the character of the lithospheric magmatism even after the Caledonian folded terrane was formed.     

PRINCIPAL GEOLOGIC AND METALLOGENIC FEATURES OF THE MOUNTAINOUS TAYMYR

Within the mountainous Taymry the oldest formations are highly metamorphosed sedimentary and extrusive rocks of Proterozoic age, overlain by less altered rocks of the Sinian complex. These in turn are overlain with angular unconformity by Lower Cambrian deposits, whose age has been determined on the basis of fossils. Paleozoic rocks are widespread, and all systems of the era are represented. Proterozoic rocks occur on the northern coast of the peninsula. The younger Sinian and Paleozoic formations are south and southeast of these. Mesozoic rocks constitute small areas in depressions. Quaternary sediments, consolidated by permafrost, are widely distributed throughout the area. Magmatic activity is well developed. The lower Proterozoic magmatic cycles began with intrusion and extrusion of basic rocks, and ended with granitoid injections accompanied by formation of pegmatitic zones. In the upper Proterozoic, magmatic activity is again characterized in early stages by extrusion and intrusion of basic rocks, and later by the formation of granitic intrusions and their facies, as well as by extrusion of felsite porphyry towards the end of the era. Intrusions of granitoids appeared in the middle Paleozoic. The upper Paleozoic was marked by the formation of traprock and sulfide mineralization. In the early Mesozoic, the occurrence of small subalkaline intrusions resulted in the formation of ores of various types.