华北克拉通南缘太华杂岩组成及演化

太华杂岩位于华北克拉通南部,其组成复杂,记录了几乎所有早前寒武纪各阶段重要的地质事件;此外,由于其所处特殊地理位置,研究太华杂岩对于华北克拉通早前寒武纪地壳形成和演化、构造单元划分和基底拼合等都具有举足轻重的科学价值。本文综合已有的岩石学、变质作用、地球化学以及同位素年代学等诸多研究工作,得到以下阶段性结论和认识:1)将鲁山地区太华划分为以深成侵入岩为主的片麻岩系和以变质沉积-火山岩为主的表壳岩系;前者形成于中太古代晚期-新太古代早期,后者形成于古元古代晚期。而小秦岭地区太华杂岩中变质深成侵入岩形成时间跨度较大,为中太古代晚期-古元古代早期;而其上覆的火山-沉积岩可与鲁山太华杂岩的表壳岩类比,形成时间亦为古元古代晚期。2)中太古代-新太古代(2.91～2.50Ga)为华北克拉通南部大陆最主要的地壳形成时期。提出太华杂岩在太古宙经历了两期明显的地壳生长时间,一期发生在2.85～2.70Ga,以鲁山太华片麻岩系中的深成侵入岩和斜长角闪岩为代表;另一期发生在～2.50Ga,以小秦岭华山和崤山地区太华杂岩中各类花岗质岩石为代表。3)太华杂岩在所谓的全球陆壳生长"沉寂期(2.45～2.20Ga)"岩浆活动异常发育,推测这一时期的岩石形成于古元古代俯冲-汇聚环境,可能是与华北克拉通南部太古宙陆块和其他陆块汇聚-碰撞相关。4)太华杂岩在古元古代晚期普遍遭受了强烈的变质和变形,其变质程度主体为高角闪岩相,局部可达麻粒岩相,且记录了包含近等温降压退变质片段的顺时针变质作用P-T轨迹,经历了一个漫长的变质演化过程(1.97～1.80Ga),变质作用的时限跨度可达150Myr。5)提出华北克拉通南部曾经为一个统一基底,称之为"南部太古宙地块",此地块形成时间为新太古代末期(～2.5Ga)。该古老陆块经历了如下5个构造-演化阶段:(1)冥古宙-始太古代初始陆核形成;(2)中太古代-新太古代陆壳快速生长;(3)古元古代早期(～2.3Ga)岩浆活动异常活跃;(4)古元古代(2.30～1.97Ga)陆内拉伸-破裂;和(5)古元古代末期(1.97～1.80Ga)陆块最终拼合。     

Provenance and Evolution of the Guarguariiz Complex, Cordillera Frontal, Argentina

The Guarguardz Complex, basement of the Cordillera Frontal, included in the proposed Chilenia Terrane, consists of metasedimentary rocks deposited in clastic and carbonatic platforms. Turbiditic sequences point out to slope or external platform environments. According to geochemical data, the sedimentary protoliths derived through erosion of a mature cratonic continental basement. Volcanic and subvolcanic rocks with N and E-MORB signature were interbeded in the metasedimentary rocks during basin development. A compressional stage, starting with progressive deformation and metamorphism, followed this extensional stage. Continuing deformation led to the emplacement of slices of oceanic crust, conforming an accretionary prism during Late Devonian. The Guarguardz Complex and equivalent units in western Precordillera and also in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera share common evolutional stages, widely represented along the western Gondwana margin. These evidences imply that Chilenia is not an allochthonous terrane to Gondwana, but a portion of its Early Paleozoic margin. Regional configuration indicates that the Guarguardz Complex and equivalent units represent the accretionary prism of the Famatinian arc (Middle Ordovician-Late Devonian).     

青藏高原东北缘早古生代造山系中前寒武纪微陆块的再认识——兼谈原特提斯洋的起源

在青藏高原东北缘的祁连-阿尔金-昆仑早古生代造山系中,夹杂有一些前寒武纪大陆块体,这些地块的组成、性质和演化既蕴含有超大陆聚散的重要信息,也对原特提斯体系的洋陆格局、造山类型和造山机制有重要启示意义.本文综合近年来这些前寒武纪微陆块的研究进展,结合我们所获得的新的研究资料,梳理了这些前寒武纪微陆块变质基底的岩石组成、构...     

藏北羌塘早古生代岩浆作用及其地质意义

藏北羌塘早古生代岩浆作用及其构造演化对研究青藏高原早期演化历史以及羌塘盆地基底性质结构等具有重要科学意义.本文在综述前人研究基础上,系统总结了藏北羌塘地区早古生代岩浆岩的时空分布特征及年代学格架,初步探讨了青藏高原早古生代构造-岩浆事件对冈瓦纳大陆北缘构造演化以及羌塘盆地基底属性的约束.羌塘地区早古生代岩浆岩主要分布在...     

Cretaceous extensional and compressional tectonics in the Northwestern Andes,prior to the collision with the Caribbean oceanic plateau

The Cretaceous units exposed in the northwestern segment of the Colombian Andes preserve the record of extensional and compressional tectonics prior to the collision with Caribbean oceanic terranes. We integrated field, stratigraphic, sedimentary provenance, whole rock geochemistry, Nd isotopes and U-Pb zircon data to understand the Cretaceous tectonostratigraphic and magmatic record of the Colombian Andes. The results suggest that several sedimentary successions including the Abejorral Fm. were deposited on top of the continental basement in an Early Cretaceous backarc basin (150–100 Ma). Between 120 and 100 Ma, the appearance of basaltic and andesitic magmatism (~115–100 Ma), basin deepening, and seafloor spreading were the result of advanced stages of backarc extension. A change to compressional tectonics took place during the Late Cretaceous (100–80 Ma). During this compressional phase, the extended blocks were reincorporated into the margin, closing the former Early Cretaceous backarc basin. Subsequently, a Late Cretaceous volcanic arc was built on the continental margin; as a result, the volcanic rocks of the Quebradagrande Complex were unconformably deposited on top of the faulted and folded rocks of the Abejorral Fm. Between the Late Cretaceous and the Paleocene (80–60 Ma), an arc-continent collision between the Caribbean oceanic plateau and the South-American continental margin deformed the rocks of the Quebradagrande Complex and shut-down the active volcanic arc. Our results suggest an Early Cretaceous extensional event followed by compressional tectonics prior to the collision with the Caribbean oceanic plateau.     

拉萨地块西段尼雄地区拉嘎组物源示踪：来自碎屑岩地球化学的制约

拉萨地块西段缺失晚古生代岩浆岩,造成不能从岩浆岩角度探索其晚古生代地质演化,因此沉积岩的对比研究对理解拉萨地块晚古生代的差异演化过程至关重要。本文通过对尼雄地区上石炭统—下二叠统拉嘎组碎屑岩地球化学特征分析,试图揭示其物源特征及源区构造背景,提供拉萨地块晚古生代沉积岩对比分析的基础信息。尼雄地区拉嘎组一段和二段主量和微量元素特征略有差异,二段较一段CaO、Na_2O含量更高,V、Cr、Ni、Co及轻稀土含量也更高,反映二者沉积源区有一定差异。拉嘎组物源区的构造背景兼具被动大陆边缘与活动大陆边缘特征,并且二段较一段显示更强的活动大陆边缘亲缘性。结合区域地质资料,认为拉嘎组碎屑岩主要来自成熟的大陆源区,为冈瓦纳大陆北缘基底岩石及早古生代沉积岩的再旋回沉积,二段源区的少量酸性及基性物质组分对应于冈瓦纳大陆北缘泛非期及寒武纪岩浆活动。     

West African provenance for Saxo-Thuringia (Bohemian Massif): Did Armorica ever leave pre-Pangean Gondwana? – U/Pb-SHRIMP zircon evidence and the Nd-isotopic record

Neoproterozoic rocks in the Saxo-Thuringian part of Armorica formed in an active margin setting and were overprinted during Cadomian orogenic processes at the northern margin of Gondwana. The Early Palaeozoic overstep sequence in Saxo-Thuringia was deposited in a Cambro-Ordovician rift setting that reflects the separation of Avalonia and other terranes from the Gondwana mainland. Upper Ordovician and Silurian to Early Carboniferous shelf sediments of Saxo-Thuringia were deposited at the southern passive margin of the Rheic Ocean. SHRIMP U/Pb geochronology on detrital and inherited zircon grains from pre-Variscan basement rocks of the northern part of the Bohemian Massif (Saxo-Thuringia, Germany) demonstrates a distinct West African provenance for sediments and magmatic rocks in this part of peri-Gondwana. Nd-isotope data of Late Neoproterozoic to Early Carboniferous sedimentary rocks show no change in sediment provenance from the Neoproterozoic to the Lower Carboniferous, which implies that Saxo-Thuringia did not leave its West African source before the Variscan Orogeny leading to the Lower Carboniferous configuration of Pangea. Hence, large parts of the pre-Variscan basement of Western and Central Europe often referred to as Armorica or Armorican Terrane Assemblage may have remained with Africa in pre-Pangean time, which makes Armorica a remnant of a Greater Africa in Gondwanan Europe. The separation of Armorica from the Gondwana mainland and a long drift during the Palaeozoic is not supported by the presented data.     

Isotopic constraints on crustal architecture and Permo‐Triassic tectonics in New Guinea: Possible links with eastern Australia

New U–Pb zircon ages and Sr–Nd isotopic data for Triassic igneous and metamorphic rocks from northern New Guinea help constrain models of the evolution of Australia's northern and eastern margin. These data provide further evidence for an Early to Late Triassic volcanic arc in northern New Guinea, interpreted to have been part of a continuous magmatic belt along the Gondwana margin, through South America, Antarctica, New Zealand, the New England Fold Belt, New Guinea and into southeast Asia. The Early to Late Triassic volcanic arc in northern New Guinea intrudes high‐grade metamorphic rocks probably resulting from Late Permian to Early Triassic (ca 260–240 Ma) orogenesis, as recorded in the New England Fold Belt. Late Triassic magmatism in New Guinea (ca 220 Ma) is related to coeval extension and rifting as a precursor to Jurassic breakup of the Gondwana margin. In general, mantle‐like Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of mafic Palaeozoic to Tertiary granitoids appear to rule out the presence of a North Australian‐type Proterozoic basement under the New Guinea Mobile Belt. Parts of northern New Guinea may have a continental or transitional basement whereas adjacent areas are underlain by oceanic crust. It is proposed that the post‐breakup margin comprised promontories of extended Proterozoic‐Palaeozoic continental crust separated by embayments of oceanic crust, analogous to Australia's North West Shelf. Inferred movement to the south of an accretionary prism through the Triassic is consistent with subduction to the south‐southwest beneath northeast Australia generating arc‐related magmatism in New Guinea and the New England Fold Belt.     

大别山北大别杂岩的大地构造属性

北大别杂岩主要由花岗质片麻岩及斜长角闪岩组成 ,含有不同类型、大小不等的麻粒岩岩块和变质超镁铁质岩块 ,侵入有大量白垩纪花岗岩和辉石 -辉长岩类。其中的花岗质片麻岩、斜长角闪岩具有岛弧环境的岩石地球化学特征 ,代表拼贴于扬子陆块北缘的新元古代古岛弧。北大别杂岩北可与庐镇关群相连 ,南俯于超高压变质岩之下 ,在三叠纪扬子陆块与华北陆块的碰撞过程中 ,曾与超高压变质岩一起俯冲到地幔深度并经受榴辉岩相变质作用 ,然后在折返过程中叠加了麻粒岩相及角闪岩相变质作用 ,是扬子陆块北缘陆壳俯冲基底的一部分     

安徽北淮阳构造带基底变质岩的构造属性

安徽北淮阳构造带的基底由一套变火山沉积岩建造 (即原称庐镇关群 )所组成。岩类学、岩石地球化学、年代学的研究表明 ,这套火山岩属碱性玄武岩系列、拉斑玄武岩系列和钙碱性玄武岩系列 ,分别形成于中元古宙陆内裂解 (扩张 )带和晚元古宙岛弧两种构造环境 ,其中以岛弧环境火山岩为主要部分 ,由此可以证明北淮阳构造带是在中元古宙陆内裂解带基础上发展起来的古弧系 ,具有大陆型基底性质     

The Tandilia System of Argentina as a southern extension of the R��o de la Plata craton: an overview

The southernmost outcrops of the Río de la Plata cratonic region are exposed in the Tandilia System in eastern Argentina. The geological evolution comprises mainly an igneous-metamorphic Paleoproterozoic basement named Buenos Aires Complex, which is covered by Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic sedimentary units which display subhorizontal bedding. The basement of calc-alkaline signature consists mainly of granitic-tonalitic gneisses, migmatites, amphibolites, some ultramafic rocks, and granitoid plutons. Subordinate rock-types include schists, marbles, and dykes of acid and mafic composition. Tandilia was recognized as an important shear belt district with mylonite rocks derived mainly from granitoids. The tectonic scenario seems related to juvenile accretion event (2.25?C2.12?Ga) along an active continental margin, followed by continental collision (2.1?C2.08?Ga) after U?CPb zircon data. The collisional tectonic setting caused thrusting and transcurrent faulting favouring the anatexis of the crustal rocks. The tholeiitic dykes constrain the time of crustal extension associated with the last stages of the belt evolution. The basement was preserved from younger orogenies such as those of the Brasiliano cycle. After a long paleoweathering process, the Sierras Bayas Group (c. 185?m thick) represents a record of the first Neoproterozoic sedimentary unit (siliciclastic, dolostones, shales, limestones), superposed by Cerro Negro Formation (c. 150?C400?m thick, siliciclastics) assigned to Upper Neoproterozoic age. The final sedimentary transgression during Early Paleozoic was the Balcarce Formation (c. 90?C450?m thick) deposited over all the mentioned Precambrian units. Based on all the geological background, a tectonic evolution is offered.     

Tracking the birth and growth of Cimmeria: Geochronology and origins of intrusive rocks from NW Iran

New geochronological and geochemical data for Late Neoproterozoic to Mesozoic intrusive rocks from NW Iran define major regional magmatic episodes and track the birth and growth of one of the Cimmerian microcontinents: the Persian block.After the final accretion of the Gondwanan terranes, the subduction of the Prototethyan Ocean beneath NW Gondwana during the Late Neoproterozoic was the trigger for high magmatic fluxes and the emplacement of isotopically diverse arc-related intrusions in NW Gondwana. The Late Neoproterozoic rocks of NW Iran belong to this magmatic event which includes intrusions with highly variable εHf(t) values. This magmatism continued until a magmatic lull during the Ordovician, which led to the erosion of the Neoproterozoic arc, and then was followed by a rifting event which controlled the opening of Paleotethys. In addition, it is supposed that a prolonged pulse of rift magmatism in Persia lasted from Devonian-Carboniferous to Early Permian time. These magmatic events are geographically restricted and are mostly recorded from NW Iran, although there is some evidence for these magmatic events in other segments of Iran. The Jurassic rocks of NW Iran are interpreted to be the along-strike equivalents of a Mesozoic magmatic belt (the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone; SaSZ) toward the NW. Magmatic rocks from the SaSZ show pulsed magmatism, with high-flux events at both ~176–160 Ma and ~130 Ma. The SaSZ magmatic rocks are suggested to be formed along a continental arc but a rift setting is also considered for the formation of the SaSZ rocks based on the plume-related geochemical signatures. The arc signatures are represented by Nb-Ta depletion in the highly contaminated (by upper continental crust) plutonic rocks whereas the plume-related signature of less-contaminated melts is manifested by enrichment in Nb-Ta and high εHf(t) values, with peaks at +0.6 and +11.2. All these magmatic pulses led to pre-Cimmerian continental growth and reworking during the Late Neoproterozoic, rifting and detachment of the Cimmerian blocks from Gondwana in Mid-Late Paleozoic time and further crustal growth and reworking of Cimmeria during the Mesozoic.     

STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE VORONEZH CRYSTALLINE MASSIF

The Late Precambrian through Silurian tectonic evolution of east-central South China is modeled in terms of a history of rift, drift, and collision during Late Proterozoic, Sinian, and Late Ordovician-Early Silurian times, respectively. We review the regional stratigraphie development of this area, focusing particularly on north-central Hunan province, and argue from our observations and those of others that the Jiangnan, Xuefeng, and Jiuling ranges of the Nanling realm approximately demarcate the paleogeographic transition in Sinian to Ordovician times of shelf to off-shelf environments developed along a passive-type continental margin that started rifting in the pre-Sinian Late Proterozoic. The rift sequence is recorded by the Penhsi (= Banxi) Group, which rests unconformably above an older-presumed Middle to early Late Proterozoic-low-grade metamorphic basement. The Penhsi varies markedly in thickness but is everywhere characterized by nonmarine to paralic clastic facies. The Penhsi conformably to disconformably underlies the Sinian through Lower Paleozoic sequence throughout central South China, which developed along an E-facing, passive-type continental margin. This passive-type margin was destroyed by the Guangxian Orogeny. The Guangxian Orogeny was marked initially by the northwestward progradation of deep-marine turbidites of Late Ordovician age in the most off-shelf regions, progressing to earliest Silurian age on the shelf to the northwest. Folding and concomitant thrusting in the off-shelf regions, and subsequent erosion beneath the unconformably overlying nonmarine Middle Devonian strata, truncate the stratigraphie record of the orogen within the Early Silurian. Farther northwest, in regions undisturbed by the Guangxian Orogeny, Silurian foreland-basin sedimentation included the entire Lower Silurian succession, which grades rapidly upward from basinal to inter-tonguing marine and nonmarine elastics. This reflects a change from flexurally induced subsidence first outpacing local sedimentation, followed by sedimentation outstripping and then keeping pace with subsidence.     

Orosirian (ca. 1.96 Ga) mafic crust of the northwestern São Francisco Craton margin: Petrography,geochemistry and geochronology of amphibolites from the Rio Preto fold belt basement,NE Brazil

The bulk of the Atlantic shield basement in the eastern South American platform is made of Rhyacian calc-alkaline magmatic rocks (∼2.2–2.15 Ga) affected by granulite-facies metamorphism at around 2.06 Ga, as part of a Paleoproterozoic orogenic system which joined Archean crustal fragments together. Orosirian (2050–1800 Ma) rocks, on the other hand, are scarce in all four major provinces of eastern South America (the Borborema, São Francisco, Tocantins and Mantiqueira provinces). Recently, however, sparse occurrences of Orosirian-aged rocks have been described, particularly in the northern São Francisco Craton margin and adjoining fold belts that compose the Borborema Province further north. In this paper, we present new geochemical, geochronological and isotopic data of amphibolites which compose the basement of the Rio Preto fold belt, in the northwestern São Francisco Craton margin. Geochemical data suggest tholeiitic gabbro protoliths intruded in a subduction-related setting, as suggested by tectonic discrimination diagrams and differentiation trends. U–Pb analyses of magmatic zircon crystals yielded a 1958.3 ± 16 Ma Concordia age. Slightly negative to positive εNd_(1.96) = (−0.3 to +1.0) and εHf_(1.96) from −0.76 to −4.55 suggest variable mixing of a depleted mantle source and older continental crust. We interpret the amphibolite body as a remnant of a subduction-related crustal fragment developed in the Orosirian, around 1.96 Ga ago, possibly in a continental back-arc setting. This crustal fragment was further reworked as part of the basement of the Rio Preto fold belt during the Brasiliano Orogeny (∼600–550 Ma). The Cristalândia do Piauí Complex gneisses further north might represent fragments of a coeval continental magmatic arc. These rocks could be the first well documented representatives of an Orosirian tectono-magmatic event which has been, up to now, broadly ignored within this portion of West Gondwana, and thus present major implications for the Proterozoic crustal evolution of South America and for Paleoproterozic supercontinent reconstructions in general.     

Age and geotectonic setting of Late Neoproterozoic juvenile mafic gneisses and associated paragneisses from the Ribeira belt (SE Brazil) based on geochemistry and Sm–Nd data — Implications on Gondwana assembly

Mafic gneisses and associated paragneisses from the Cabo Frio Tectonic Domain in the southeastern part of the Ribeira Belt, along the coast of Rio de Janeiro State in southeast Brazil, were subjected to a geochemical and Sm–Nd isotope study. Four lithotypes are distinguished: aluminous paragneisses (mainly sillimanite–kyanite–garnet–biotite gneiss), calcsilicate lenses, quartzo–feldspathic metasedimentary gneisses and mafic–ultramafic lenses. The whole-rock major and trace, including rare earth element distributions in the mafic–ultramafic intercalations indicate that derivation from subalkaline basalt/gabbro of tholeiitic affinity with E-MORB signature from a non-subduction environment. These mafic rocks have positive ε_Nd(t) and T_DM of 1.1 Ga. The metasedimentary rocks have negative ε_Nd(t) and T_DM of 1.7 Ga. A Sm–Nd whole rock isochron of mafic rocks yielded an age of 604 ± 38 Ma for the crystallization. This matches with the age of some detrital zircon grains from the paragneisses. The depositional basin, named Buzios–Palmital, was active at least until 620 Ma (age of the youngest detrital zircon) and was subsequently deformed and metamorphosed at ca. 525 Ma (age of metamorphic zircons) during the Buzios Orogeny. It is interpreted as a back arc basin with relation to the 630 Ma magmatic arc of the Oriental Terrane in the Ribeira Belt to the NW. However, after 600 Ma, the Buzios–Palmital basin changed to an active margin setting because the arc collided with the continental margin and the subduction shifted to the back arc environment. By 610 Ma, most of the Brasiliano belts registered collisional events related to multiple convergent blocks. The stress fields and paleocontinent shapes would have allowed the occurrence of extensional areas with not only sedimentary deposition but also ocean floor spreading. Its remnants are preserved in this Brazilian coastal region as an ancient suture, reworked intensively during the Mesozoic rifting events. The reconnaissance of Late Neoproterozoic basins in the Brasiliano–Pan-African belts is of major importance to partially unravel the final amalgamation events of SW Gondwana. Considering that the Buzios–Palmital basin rock units are mostly covered by the marginal Atlantic basins, it is possible that other evidence could be preserved in the coastal regions of SW-Africa and SE-South America.     

From Cadomian arc to Ordovician passive margin: geochemical records preserved in metasedimentary successions of the Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome in SW Poland

The chemical composition of metamorphosed siliciclastic rocks in the Orlica-?nie?nik Dome (Bohemian Massif) identifies the main sources for the Neoproterozoic [the M?ynowiec Formation (MF)], Early Cambrian [the Stronie Formation (SF)] and Late Cambrian/Early Ordovician [the Goszów quartzites (GQ)] sediments. The MF developed from erosion of a Cadomian magmatic arc along the northern Gondwana margin. The variegated SF, with supra-subduction affinities, shows chemical characteristics pointing to erosion of the freshly exhumed Cadomian orogen and detritus deposition in the back-arc basin. The very different chemical features of the GQ indicate deposition in a basin sited on a passive continental margin. The explanation proposed for the observed changes in chemical composition involves three main stages: (1) The pre ~540 Ma evolution of an active continental margin and related back-arc basin ceased with the collision and accretion of the magmatic arc to the Gondwana margin; (2) Early Cambrian rift to drift transition (540–500 Ma) and development of a depositional basin filled with detritus derived from remnants of the magmatic arc; (3) Peri-Gondwana break-up leading to the formation of shallow-water passive margin depositional basins filled with quartz-rich detritus resembling Early Ordovician Armorican quartzites known from other parts of the Variscan Belt.     

Petrography and major element geochemistry of the Permo-Triassic sandstones, central India: Implications for provenance in an intracratonic pull-apart basin

Detrital mode, composition of feldspars and heavy minerals, and major element chemistry of sandstones from the Permo-Triassic succession in the intracratonic Satpura Gondwana basin, central India have been used to investigate provenance. The Talchir Formation, the lowermost unit of the succession, comprises glacio-marine and glacio-fluvial deposits. The rest of the succession (base to top) comprising the Barakar, Motur, Bijori, Pachmarhi and Denwa formations, largely represent variety of fluvial depositional systems with minor fluvio-deltaic and fluvio-lacustrine sedimentation under a variety of climatic conditions including cold, warm, arid, sub-humid and semi-arid. QFL compositions of the sandstones indicate a predominantly continental block provenance and stable cratonic to fault-bounded basement uplift tectonic setting. Compositional maturity of sandstones gradually increases upwards from the Early Permian Talchir to the Middle Triassic Denwa but is punctuated by a sharp peak of increased maturity in the Barakar sandstones. This temporal change in maturity was primarily controlled by temporal variation in fault-induced basement uplift in the craton and was also influenced by climatic factors. Plots of different quartz types suggest plutonic source rocks for the Talchir sandstones and medium-to high-rank metamorphic plus plutonic source rocks for the younger sandstones. Composition of alkali feldspars in the Permo-Triassic sandstones and in different Precambrian rocks suggests sediment derivation from felsic igneous and metasedimentary rocks. Compositions of plagioclase in the Talchir and Bijori sandstones are comparable with those of granite, acid volcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Precambrian basement suggesting the latter as possible source. Rare presence of high-K plagioclase in the Talchir sandstones, however, indicates minor contribution from volcanic source rock. Exclusively plagioclase-bearing metasedimentary rock, tonalite gneiss and mafic rocks are the probable sources of plagioclase in the Upper Denwa sandstones. Quartz-rich nature of the sandstones, predominance of K-feldspar over plagioclase and albite rich character of plagioclase in the sandstones is consistent with deposition in an intracratonic, pull-apart basin like the Satpura Gondwana basin. Composition of garnet and its comparison with that from the Precambrian basement rocks suggests mica-schist and amphibolite as possible sources. Predominance of dravite variety of tourmaline in the Permian sandstones suggests sediment supply from metasedimentary rocks. Presence of both dravite and schorl variety of tourmaline in subequal amount in the Triassic sandstones indicates sediment derivation from granitic and metasedimentary rocks. However, schorl-bearing rocks are absent in the basement complex of the study area. A-CN-K plot suggests granites, acid volcanic rock and meta-sediments of the basement as possible sources of the Talchir sandstones and metasedimentary rocks for the Barakar to Pachmarhi sandstones. The Denwa sandstones were possibly derived from K-feldspar-free, plagioclase-bearing metasediments, mafic rocks and tonalite gneiss. Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values suggest low intensity source rock weathering for the Talchir sandstones and higher intensity source rock weathering for the others. Various bivariate plots of major oxides composition of the sandstones suggest passive to active continental margin setting and even arc tectonic setting for a few samples.     

Petrofacies,provenance, and paleocurrent analysis of Pachmarhi sandstone (Early Triassic), Satpura basin,Central India

The Satpura Gondwana basin hosts a ～5 km thick siliciclastic succession that unconformably overlies the Precambrian basement. The Gondwana sequence in this basin starts from Early Permian (Talchir Formation) to Lower Cretaceous (Jabalpur Formation). The aim of this study is to (1) identify the source rock (provenance) for Early Triassic Pachmarhi sediments in the Satpura Gondwana succession and (2) to understand the relative role of tectonics and climate in determining the sandstone composition. These sandstones are medium to coarse-grained, moderately to moderately well sorted, subangular to subrounded, of moderate sphericity, and composed of several varieties of quartz, feldspar, rock fragments, and micas. Petrographically, the Pachmarhi sandstones are mostly quartzarenite and subarkose. The petrofacies in Qt–F–L and Qm–F–Lt triangular diagrams show that the bulk of the Pachmarhi was derived from continental (cratonic) source, especially from craton interior. Petrofacies, together with paleocurrent data, suggest that Pachmarhi Formation was deposited by a network of braided river system, which flowed dominantly from southeast to northwest. The study suggests that the sediments were mostly derived from Precambrian granites, gneiss, and metasedimentary basement rocks straddling the southern margin of the basin. Paleocurrent data also corroborates this contention.     

Structural evolution of Vendian and early to Middle Paleozoic complexes in Uraltau Zone and Sakmara allochthons,Southern Urals

The structural evolution of the Late Precambrian and Early to Middle Paleozoic complexes is considered for the southern part of the Uraltau Zone and its extension in the Ebeta Antiform, as well as for the northeastern and northwestern frameworks of the ophiolitic Khabarny Allochthon, where the Late Precambrian and Paleozoic complexes of the continental margin in combination with ophiolites are drawn together in packets of tectonic nappes. The formation of the regional structure took place during several stages in various geodynamic settings. Five deformation stages have been recognized in the regional structural evolution from new data on mesostructural parageneses, which consist of folds that developed within outcrops and their relationships in rocks differing in age. The first stage is related to the Late Precambrian Timanian, or Cadomian Orogeny, and four subsequent deformation stages characterize Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the region. The geodynamic nature of the second stage remains unknown; the third stage is related to overthrusting of ophiolites in the Early Devonian; the fourth stage of deformations marks Late Paleozoic continental collision. The fifth stage of postcollisional strike-slip deformations completes the regional structural evolution.     

Crustal growth stages in the Songino block of the Early Caledonian superterrane in Central Asia: I. Geological and geochronological data

The Early Caledonian folded area in Central Asia (Early Caledonian superterrane) hosts micro-continent fragments with an Early and Late Precambrian crystalline basement, the largest of them being the Dzabkhan and Tuva-Mongolian fragments. Their junction zone hosts exposures of crystalline rocks that were previously thought to be part of the Early Precambrian Dzabkhan microcontinent. The Bayannur zone in the southern part of the Songino block hosts the Baynnur gneiss-migmatite and Kholbonur metavolcanic-terrigenous metamorphic complexes. The former is believed to be the Early Proterozoic crystalline basement, and the latter is thought to unconformably overly the Late Riphean cover complex of the Songino block. Various rocks of the tectono-stratigraphic complexes in the Bayannur zone were studied geologically and geochronologically (by the U-Pb technique of zircon). Regional metamorphism and folding in the Bayannur Complex were dated at 802 ± 6 Ma. The Nd model ages lie within the range of 1.5–2.0 Ga and thus preclude the correlation of these rocks with those in the Archean and Early Proterozoic basement of the Dzabkhan microcontinent. The upper age limit for folding and metamorphism in the Bayannur zone is marked by postkinematic granites dated at 790 ± 3 Ma, and the lower limit of the volcano-sedimentary complex is determined by the Nd model age of the sandstone (1.3 Ga). The upper age limit of the volcano-plutonic rocks in this zone is set by the gabbroids and anorthosites: 783 ± 2 and 784 ± 3 Ma, respectively. The complex of island-arc granitoids in the Bayannur zone is dated at 859 ± 3 Ma. The age constraints make it possible to correlate crystalline rocks in the Bayannur Complex of the Sangino block and the Dzhargalant Complex in the Tarbagatai block. Currently available data testify that the Precambrian Khangai group of blocks in the Early Caledonian Central Asian superterrane includes continental crustal blocks related to the processes of Early Precambrian, Late Riphean, and Vendian tectonism.