Origin and interaction of mafic and felsic magmas in an evolving late orogenic setting: the Early Paleozoic Terra Nova Intrusive Complex, Antarctica

The Abbott Unit (∼508 Ma) and the Vegetation Unit (∼475 Ma) of the Terra Nova Intrusive Complex (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica) represent the latest magmatic events related to the Early Paleozoic Ross Orogeny. They show different emplacement styles and depths, ranging from forcible at 0.4–0.5 GPa for the Abbott Unit to passive at ∼0.2 GPa for the Vegetation Unit. Both units consist of mafic, felsic and intermediate facies which collectively define continuous chemical trends. The most mafic rocks from both units show different enrichment in trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic signatures. Once the possible effects of upper crustal assimilation-fractional crystallisation (AFC) and lower crustal coupled AFC and magma refilling processes have been taken into account the following features are recognised: (1) the modelled primary Abbott Unit magma shows a slightly enriched incompatible element distribution, similar to common continental arc basalts and (2) the modelled primary Vegetation Unit magma displays highly enriched isotope ratios and incompatible element patterns. We interpreted these major changes in magmatic affinity and emplacement style as linked to a major change in the tectonic setting affecting melt generation, rise and emplacement of the magmas. The Abbott Unit mafic melts were derived from a mantle wedge above a subduction zone, with subcontinental lithospheric mantle marginally involved in the melting column. The Vegetation Unit mafic melts are regarded as products of a different source involving an old layer of subcontinental lithospheric mantle. The crustal evolution of both types of mafic melts is marked by significant compositional contrasts in Sr and Nd isotopes between mafic and associated felsic rocks. The crustal isotope signature showed an increase with felsic character. Geochemical variations for both units can be accounted for by a similar two-stage hybridisation process. In the first stage, the most mafic magma evolved mainly by fractional crystallisation coupled with assimilation of metasedimentary rocks having crustal time-integrated Sr and Nd compositions similar to those of locally exposed metamorphic basement. The second stage involves contaminated products mixing with independently generated crustal melts. Petrographic, geochemical and isotope data also provide evidence of significant compositional differences in the felsic end-members, pointing to the involvement of metaigneous and metasedimentary source rocks for the Abbott granite and Vegetation leucogranite, respectively. Received: 31 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 May 1999     

Geochemistry of late Paleozoic mafic igneous rocks from the Kuerti area,Xinjiang, northwest China: implications for backarc mantle evolution

The composition of Kuerti mafic rocks in the Altay Mountains in northwest China ranges from highly geochemically depleted, with very low La, Ta and Nb and high ε_Nd(t) values, to slightly enriched, arc lava-like composition. They display flat to light rare earth element (REE)-depleted patterns and have variable depletions in high field-strength elements (HFSE). These mafic rocks were most probably derived from a variably depleted mantle source containing a subduction component beneath an ancient intra-oceanic backarc basin. Together with the slightly older arc volcanic rocks in the Altay region, the Kuerti mafic rocks display generally positive correlations of their key elemental ratios (e.g., Th/Nb, La/Yb and Th/Yb). These indicate that the more mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) component was contained in these magmas, the less arc component was present in their mantle source. Therefore, we propose a two-stage melting evolution model to interpret the compositional evolution of the Kuerti mafic rocks and associated arc volcanic rocks. First, arc basaltic melts were extracted from the hydrated arc mantle wedge beneath Kuerti, leaving behind a mantle source that is variably depleted in incompatible trace elements. Then, mafic rocks were erupted during seafloor spreading in the Kuerti backarc basin from the upwelling asthenospheric mantle. The variably depleted mantle source produced mafic rocks with composition ranging from arc lava-like to more geochemically depleted than MORB. The recognition of Kuerti mafic rocks as backarc basin basalts (BABB) is consistent with the proposed tectonic model that an active backarc basin–island arc system along the paleo-Asian ocean margin was formed in the Altay region during Devonian–Early Carboniferous. New data further indicate that the final orogenic event in the Altay Mountains, i.e. the collision of the north and south continental plates in the region, most probably took place in Late Carboniferous and Permian.     

Re-interpreting the Devonian ophiolites involved in the Variscan suture: U–Pb and Lu–Hf zircon data of the Moeche Ophiolite (Cabo Ortegal Complex,NW Iberia)

New U–Pb zircon data of a mylonitic greenschist from the Moeche Ophiolite, one of the mafic units involved in the Variscan suture in the Cabo Ortegal Complex (NW of the Iberian Massif), yielded an age of 400 ± 3 Ma. Consequently, this unit can be considered one of the Devonian ophiolites, the most extended group of oceanic units in the Variscan belt. The mafic rocks show transitional compositions between N-MORB and island-arc tholeiites, although Lu–Hf isotope signatures of its zircons clearly indicate contribution from an old continental source. εHf values in the analysed zircons are negative (generally below εHf = ?5), and thence, they are not compatible with their generation from a juvenile mantle source. Accordingly, the igneous protoliths were generated in a setting where juvenile mafic magmas interacted with an old continental crust. The Devonian ophiolites from the Variscan suture have been repeatedly interpreted as remnants of the Rheic Ocean. However, the presence of a continental source in the origin of the mafic rocks of the Moeche Ophiolite allows discarding an intraoceanic setting for their generation, at least for the NW Iberian counterparts. The tectonic setting for the Devonian ophiolites of NW Iberia is very likely represented by an ephemeral oceanic basin opened within a continental realm. Herein, the real Rheic Ocean suture could only be located west of the terrane represented by the upper units of the allochthonous complexes. Apparently that suture is not represented in NW Iberia.     

Extensional to compressive Mesozoic magmatism at the SE Eurasia margin as recorded from the Meratus ophiolite (SE Borneo,Indonesia)

The Meratus ophiolitic series (SE Borneo) present a specific assemblage that have recorded (1) a continental extensional episode mostly seen within the peridotites and 2) later subduction-related magmatic events marked by the emplacement of calc-alkaline magmas. These events relate the magmatic activity and geodynamic evolution of the SE Eurasia margin in Mesozoic times. The ophiolitic series comprise ultramafic rocks with minor metavolcanic rocks. The ultramafic rocks include dominant lherzolites and pyroxenites with rather scarce harzburgites and dunites. Spinel peridotite, mineral chemistry data and bulk rock Rare Earth Element (REE) abundances show that most rocks underwent a low degree of partial melting. However, a few samples display significant depletions in Light REE (LREE), which are interpreted as the result of fractional melting under shallow conditions. Plagioclase-bearing peridotites are characterized by high REE abundances which also point to a very low degree of melting followed by reequilibration in the plagioclase facies, as seen from phase chemistry data. These peridotites are locally crosscut by dikelets containing high-temperature K-and Cr-rich amphiboles. Lavas closely associated with the Meratus peridotites have REE compositions ranging from the ones typical of enriched MORB (E-MORB) to normal MORB (N-MORB) types. We believe that the Meratus peridotites represent a fragment of subcontinental lithospheric mantle that locally suffered a low degree of fractional melting during the last stages of a continental rifting phase, in agreement with the presence of metamorphic K- and Cr-rich amphiboles in the peridotites. The E-MORB basalts might result from the melting of an enriched subcontinental lithosphere thermally eroded during the rifting phase by rising asthenosphere which might have produced N-MORB volcanic rocks. Back-arc basin basalts (BABB) now associated with E-MORB and N-MORB have also been found in the metamorphic soles of the peridotites. These rocks would have formed in a back-arc basin now accreted to the eastern margin of Eurasia. The latter are partly covered by calc-alkaline magmatism (Alino Formation). The ophiolitic series was later crosscut by calc-alkaline melts (Manunggul Formation). The Meratus ophiolitic series hence displays a dual origin. They witness 1) a continental episode mostly seen within the peridotites. and 2) later subductionrelated events marked by the emplacement of calc-alkaline magmas.     

微量元素和Pb同位素对西藏雅鲁藏布构造带日喀则蛇绿岩形成环境的制约

西藏南部雅鲁藏布构造带分布有一系列蛇绿岩体。人们对这些蛇绿岩体的形成环境仍然存在较大的争议。雅鲁藏布构造带中段日喀则蛇绿岩路曲和大竹曲岩体镁铁质岩石的微量元素和Pb同位素特征指示其母岩浆起源于亏损地幔源区。这些镁铁质岩石的La/Sm和Sm/Yb比值显示其岩浆产生于尖晶石二辉橄榄岩地幔经过大约10%部分熔融作用。综合岩相学和全岩主量元素特征暗示这些镁铁质岩石形成于无水玄武质岩浆。而且这些镁铁质岩石的微量元素和REE元素配分模式均非常相似于N-MORB,除了弱Nb-Ta负异常。这些特征表明路曲和大竹曲岩体形成于大洋中脊环境。此外,路曲和大竹曲镁铁质岩石的Pb同位素结果指示其地幔源区与印度洋MORB地幔域具有相似的地球化学特征。这些镁铁质岩石N-MORB标准化微量元素模式显示弱Nb-Ta负异常可能是由于其地幔源区交代了古老的俯冲带物质。     

Geochemical Features of a Subduction Initiation Ophiolite Type in Habana-Matanzas Region (Western Cuba)

We present new geochemical data for the upper mantle and crustal sections(whole-rock major and trace element compositions)as well as mineral chemical data,from the Northern Carbibbean ophiolites in the Habana-Matanzas region in Western Cuba.These ophiolites are part of the Northern Cuban Ophiolitic Belt(NCOB),extending for more than 1000 km along the island.The upper mantle peridotites are composed mainly of refractory harzburgite with tectonite textures,and show convex-downward patterns depleted in MREE normalized to chondrite values(Mc Donough and Sun,1995).These geochemical trends are characteristic for depleted mantle wedge peridotites metasomatized by slab-derived,LREE enriched melts.The NCOB also includes abyssal peridotites having lower LREE/HREEratiosanddisplayingrelativelyhomogeneous and flat patterns from MREE to HREE.These peridotites represent fragments accreted into the continental margin from a subducted oceanic lithosphere.Gabbro and dolerite units in the NCOB are systematically depleted in High Field Strength Elements(HFSE:Nb,Ta,Hf,Ti)and REE with respect to N-MORB(1 X N-MORB).Their melt evolution was affected by subduction input.Spatially associated granitic rocks have a volcanic arc geochemical affinity.Some mafic extrusive rocks within the NCOB exhibit boninitic signatures,and may represent the products of subduction initiation magmatism,whereas other extrusive rock occurrences display N-MORB to E-MORB geochemical fingerprints,slightly modified by subduction derived fluids.Using these geochemical data and constraints,we present a tectonomagmatic model for the evolution of the NCOB within the framework of the Caribbean geology.     

Jurassic igneous rocks of the central Sanandaj–Sirjan zone (Iran) mark a propagating continental rift,not a magmatic arc

Jurassic igneous bodies of the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone (SaSZ) in SW Iran are generally considered as a magmatic arc but critical evaluation of modern geochronology, geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes challenges this conclusion. There is no evidence for sustained igneous activity along the ~1,200 km long SaSZ, as expected for a convergent plate margin; instead activity was brief at most sites and propagated NW at ~20 mm/a. Jurassic igneous rocks define a bimodal suite of gabbro‐diorite and granite. Chemical and isotopic compositions of mafic rocks indicate subcontinental lithospheric mantle sources that mostly lacked subduction‐related modifications. The arc‐like features of S‐type granites reflect massive involvement of Cadomian crust and younger sediments to generate felsic melts in response to mafic intrusions. We conclude that Jurassic SaSZ igneous activity occurred in a continental rift, not an arc. SaSZ igneous rocks do not indicate that subduction along the SW margin of Eurasia began in Jurassic time.     

华北陆块南部元古宙熊耳群火山岩的成因与构造环境：事实与争议

位于华北陆块南部的熊耳群形成于古元古代1.80~1.75 Ga,以火山熔岩占绝对优势,沉积岩和火山碎屑岩仅占地层总厚度的4.3%。熊耳群火山岩是华北陆块结晶基底形成后规模最大、涉及范围最广的火山活动产物,基岩出露面积约7 000 km2,地层厚度3 000~7 000 m,以玄武安山岩、安山岩为主,次为英安-流纹岩,SiO2=60%±的岩石较少,显示双峰特点。中基性熔岩的主要造岩矿物是斜长石和辉石,几乎没有角闪石和黑云母。其岩石化学成分的突出特点是高Fe,K,而低Al,Ca和Mg,火山岩显示富集大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素、相对亏损高场强元素的岛弧型地球化学特征。Nd同位素和微量元素特征表明,这种地球化学特征是地幔源区遭受地壳组分改造及少量岩浆上升过程中的地壳混染造成的。熊耳群中的沉积岩主要分布在大古石组及马家河组。沉积岩的岩石学和地球化学特征表明熊耳群形成于被动大陆边缘的构造环境,结合火山岩的结构、构造特征,表明火山喷发的主体环境是海相,经历了陆相到海相再到陆相的演变过程,即：伴随着裂谷的发育、地面沉降和海水的侵入,以及随着火山喷发的进行最后又高出海面暴露于地表的全过程。熊耳群形成后,海侵范围更广、海水逐渐加深,表明地壳逐步向更大的凹陷发展。熊耳群形成于夭折的三叉裂谷环境,其火山岩所具有的岛弧型火山岩的地球化学特征是继承于受俯冲组分改造的陆下岩石圈富集地幔源区。熊耳期岩浆活动在华北陆块广泛分布,除了陕西宝鸡附近及山西吕梁地区的火山岩,还广泛分布1.75 Ga前后的基性岩墙群、A-型花岗岩以及比熊耳群稍晚的斜长岩、奥长环斑花岗岩等（1.75-1.70 Ga）和碱性花岗岩类（~1.65 Ga）。这些岩浆岩和熊耳群火山岩在源区性质、岩石 成因及其形成的构造背景等方面,可能存在必然的联系。上述岩浆岩的发育,说明华北陆块在1.80 Ga后处于地壳拉伸、减薄,很可能沿早先拼合的薄弱部位最先发生破裂,是华北陆块裂解的产物。     

Tectono-sedimentary evolution of the External Liguride units (Northern Apennines,Italy): insights in the pre-collisional history of a fossil ocean-continent transition zone

In the Northern Apennines, the External Liguride (EL) units are interpreted as derived from the domain that joined the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin to the Adriatic plate continental margin. The EL units can be divided into two different groups according to the lithostratigraphic features of the basal complexes underlying the Upper Cretaceous–Lower Tertiary carbonate flysch (e.g. Helminthoid flysch). The first group includes the western successions characterized by Santonian–Campanian sedimentary melanges where slide blocks of lherzolitic mantle, gabbros, basalts, granulites, continental granitoids are represented. The second group is represented by the eastern successions where the Cenomanian–Campanian basal complexes mainly consist of sandstones and conglomerates where the mafic and ultramafic rocks are scarce or completely lacking. Their original substrate is represented by the Middle Triassic to Lower Cretaceous, mainly platform carbonate deposits, found as slices at the base of the eastern successions.The stratigraphic features shown by the basal complexes allow the reconstruction of their source area that is assumed to be also representative for the pre-Upper Cretaceous setting. The proposed reconstruction suggests the occurrence in the EL domain of two distinct domains. The eastern domain was characterized by a thinned and faulted continental crust belonging to the Adriatic continental margin. The western domain was instead floored by subcontinental mantle associated with lower and upper continental crust, representing the ocean–continent transition. This setting is interpreted as the result of the opening of the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin by passive rifting, mainly developed by simple shear, asymmetric extension of the continental crust.     

A Neoproterozoic hyper-extended margin associated with Rodinia's demise and Gondwana's build-up: The Araguaia Belt,central Brazil

The Araguaia Belt encloses a poorly constrained Pan-African (Brasiliano Cycle) continental suture marked by a series of (~750 Ma) ophiolitic units which, when properly characterized, could provide important informations on its geological history, closely linked with the Rodinia demise and further western Gondwana amalgamation. We present new bulk-rock and mineral major and trace element compositions for these ultramafic and mafic units. They mainly consist in fully serpentinized harzburgite, scarce dunite lenses and chromite pods, tectonically overlain by basaltic pillow lavas. Low Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratios (0.01 to 0.06), rather high MgO concentrations (42.28 to 45.29 wt%) and spinels' Cr# and Mg# ratios comprised between 0.36 and 0.51 and 0.59 and 0.72, respectively, indicate a depleted oceanic-like protolith. MORB-peridotite interactions are evidenced both by pyroxenite, olivine gabbro and diabase occurrences in the serpentinites and by high TiO₂ (up to 0.42 wt%) contents in spinels from some Serra do Quatipuru serpentinites. These observations support that the Araguaia Belt ophiolitic bodies are the remnants of the upper mantle section of a MOR or subcontinental lithosphere. The serpentinites whole-rock REE content can be modeled as resulting from a dry partial melting involving 14 to 24% of melt extraction, coupled with refertilization by fertile melts, generated deeper in the mantle. Such an oceanic-like setting is also supported by the N-MORB signature of Serra do Tapa and Morro do Agostinho pillow lavas basalts. All together, these results tend to infirm the supra-subduction zone (SSZ) setting previously proposed for these ophiolitic units. Important LILE, B and Li enrichments in the serpentinites likely result from a metasomatic event involving sediments-derived fluids that occurred during the obduction of the units on the Amazonian Craton. Our results combined with (1) the apparent scarcity of igneous crustal rocks, (2) the proximal nature of the metasedimentary rocks hosting the ophiolitic units, and (3) the occurrences of Amazonian Craton fragments eastward of the ophiolitic bodies, allow us to propose that the Araguaia Belt comprises a fossil ocean-continent transition (OCT) accreted on the eastern border of the Amazonian Craton.     

Petrogenesis of basalts and gabbros from an ancient continent–ocean transition (External Liguride ophiolites, Northern Italy)

Remnants of a fossil continent–ocean transition similar to that of the modern non-volcanic continental margins are preserved in the Jurassic External Liguride units. They consist of fertile lherzolites of subcontinental origin, MOR-type basalts and rare gabbroic intrusives, together with continental crust bodies exhumed during the rifting phases preceding the oceanization. The gabbroic rocks include troctolites, (olivine) gabbros, Fe–Ti oxide-bearing gabbros and diorites. Trace element and Nd isotope compositions indicate that these rocks were derived from N-MORB melts variably evolved through fractional crystallisation. In the gabbroic rocks, high-temperature ( 900 °C) shearing along ductile shear zones is locally overprinted by amphibolite-facies recrystallization (T  650 °C), which was most likely assisted by seawater-derived fluids. Basalts crop out as lava flows and as dykes crosscutting mantle lherzolites and gabbroic rocks. They display nearly flat REE patterns and high Y/Nb values (5–14), similar to modern N-MORB. Basalts are also characterised by weak Zr enrichment relative to neighbouring REE (Zr/Zr = 1.1–1.7) and high (Sm/Yb)_DM ratios (1.5–1.8). Their Nd isotope compositions are close to typical depleted mantle (initial _Nd = +7.6 to + 9.4). The geochemical features of parental melts of basaltic and gabbroic rocks may be attributed to melting of a MORB-type asthenospheric source. Trace element modelling shows that low-degree (≤ 6%) fractional melting of a depleted spinel peridotite cannot account for the elevated Sm/Yb ratios of basalts. Low-degree melting of a mixed source of spinel peridotite with small amounts of garnet pyroxenite has been proposed to explain the trace element signature of basalts.     

北京西山地区髫髻山组和东岭台组火山岩的地球化学特征与岩浆起源

北京西山地区分布着大量的髫髻山组火山岩,区域上髫髻山组被东岭台组角度不整合覆盖。西山地区火山岩样品的主要氧化物含量变化范围比较大,如: SiO2=51.94%～77.30%,Al2O3=12.85%～19.17%,Na2O=1.65%～5.82%,K2O=0.83%～4.52%,Fe2O3 =0.95%～9.30%,CaO=0.13%～7.08%,且主要氧化物的含量与SiO2具有线性相关关系。同时,这些火山岩具有LREE富集、HREE明显亏损、Eu异常不明显、高的Sr,Ba 含量和Sr/ Y,La/Yb 比值等特征。火山岩的钕同位素成分变化大,且相当富集(εNd＝-11～-17),都分布在古老下地壳和富集地幔之间, 因此推断北京西山地区髫髻山组火山岩和东岭台组火山岩的形成与富集地幔起源的基性岩浆与古老下地壳组分相互作用有关。     

桂东北牛庙闪长岩和同安石英二长岩:岩石学、锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年代学和地球化学

桂东北牛庙和同安岩体分别由闪长岩和石英二长岩组成。锆石的SHRIMP U-Pb年龄分别为163±4Ma和160± 4Ma。岩石以富铝、富碱、高钾、富含Rb、Ba、Th、U、Pb、Sr等大离子半径亲石元素(LILE)及富含REE、Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf等高场强元素(HFSE)为主要特征,属富钾系列或钾玄岩系列。其不相容元素的分布特征为亲OIB型,主要来源于富集的岩石圈地幔的熔融。两岩体的常量元素、微量元素和Sr-Nd同位素组成特征,反映了它们的原始岩浆经历过相当充分的分离结晶和相当程度的地壳混染,即通过AFC方式而形成。岩体中广泛分布的微细粒状暗色包体是共存的更偏基性的岩浆与寄主岩浆不完全混合的残留,其成分的多样性和相互过渡关系,反映了不同包体母岩浆在形成和演化途径等方面的差异性。岩体形成于燕山早期华南后造山阶段大陆地壳拉张减薄的构造环境,软流圈地幔沿超岩石圈深断裂的上涌和底侵,是造成富集的岩石圈地幔和中下地壳熔融并形成本区闪长质和花岗质岩浆的主要机制。     

西藏日喀则蛇绿岩镁铁质岩石Re-Os同位素特征及意义

通过对日喀则蛇绿岩的镁铁质岩石进行岩石学和地球化学研究,探讨其岩石成因及源区性质,同时根据Re-Os同位素的地球化学约束来探索雅鲁藏布蛇绿岩的形成机制。研究表明,日喀则蛇绿岩镁铁质岩石微量元素的标准化配分型式与洋中脊玄武岩类似,又具有岛弧玄武岩的地球化学特征。结合微量元素和同位素特征,均表明岩石的形成与俯冲作用有关。日喀则蛇绿岩产出于远离大陆地壳的SSZ环境,其形成过程未受到陆壳的混染;同时,Re-Os同位素体系受蚀变作用的影响也不明显。日喀则蛇绿岩镁铁质岩石的Re、Os含量低,¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os同位素比值较高,主要是源区性质和俯冲作用影响的结果。特提斯洋早期发生的多次俯冲作用造成地幔源区不均一。新特提斯洋壳俯冲过程中,上述不均一地幔发生部分熔融产生的镁铁质岩浆上升,经过遭受了早期熔体/岩石作用的纯橄岩通道,发生强烈的Re-Os同位素分馏,使熔体与地幔残余Os同位素组成表现出明显的解耦现象,进而形成现今的日喀则蛇绿岩。     

Mesozoic high-Ba–Sr granitoids from North China: geochemical characteristics and geological implications

Abstract Mesozoic magmatism occurred extensively in the North China block (NCB) and the Dabie–Sulu orogen (DSO) post-dating the North–South China collision, resulting in abundant intrusive and volcanic rocks ranging from basic to acidic compositions. The intermediate-acidic intrusive rocks can be grouped into two types, namely high-Ba–Sr granitoids and low-Ba–Sr granitoids that both have distinct geochemical characteristics. The high-Ba–Sr granitoids are similar in most of the incompatible trace element systematics to the associated basic rocks, which probably originated from melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle, indicating significant mantle contributions to them. Geochemical similarities are observed between the basic rocks from the NCB and DSO, implying a regional-scale magma-generating mechanism and that mantle enrichment beneath the DSO was independent from the Triassic deep continental subduction in the region. We therefore interpret that the Mesozoic magmatism resulted from delamination of the ancient lithospheric mantle beneath the eastern part of North China.     

Tectono-sedimentary evolution of the External Liguride units (Northern Apennines,Italy): insights in the pre-collisional history of a fossil ocean-continent transition zone

Abstract

In the Northern Apennines, the External Liguride (EL) units are interpreted as derived from the domain that joined the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin to the Adriatic plate continental margin. The EL units can be divided into two different groups according to the lithostratigraphic features of the basal complexes underlying the Upper Cretaceous–Lower Tertiary carbonate flysch (e.g. Helminthoid flysch). The first group includes the western successions characterized by Santonian–Campanian sedimentary melanges where slide blocks of lherzolitic mantle, gabbros, basalts, granulites, continental granitoids are represented. The second group is represented by the eastern successions where the Cenomanian–Campanian basal complexes mainly consist of sandstones and conglomerates where the mafic and ultramafic rocks are scarce or completely lacking. Their original substrate is represented by the Middle Triassic to Lower Cretaceous, mainly platform carbonate deposits, found as slices at the base of the eastern successions.

The stratigraphic features shown by the basal complexes allow the reconstruction of their source area that is assumed to be also representative for the pre-Upper Cretaceous setting. The proposed reconstruction suggests the occurrence in the EL domain of two distinct domains. The eastern domain was characterized by a thinned and faulted continental crust belonging to the Adriatic continental margin. The western domain was instead floored by subcontinental mantle associated with lower and upper continental crust, representing the ocean–continent transition. This setting is interpreted as the result of the opening of the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin by passive rifting, mainly developed by simple shear, asymmetric extension of the continental crust. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS     

Cretaceous A-type volcanic–intrusive rocks and simultaneous mafic rocks along the Gan-Hang Tectonic Belt,Southeast China: petrogenesis and implications for the transition of crust–mantle interaction

ABSTRACT

Abundant evidence points to the Cretaceous crust–mantle interaction and plate subduction in the Gan-Hang Tectonic Belt (GHTB), southeastern China, but the evolutionary process remains poorly constrained. Here we conduct a comprehensive study on Daqiaowu granitic porphyry and diabase dikes in the eastern GHTB, in conjunction with previous studies on simultaneous felsic and mafic rocks along the GHTB, to demonstrate their petrogenesis and geodynamic evolutionary process. The Daqiaowu granitic porphyry (125 Ma), as well as the coeval granitic rocks, exhibits high zircon saturation temperatures, alkalis, 10⁴*Ga/Al ratios, and Zr + Nb + Ce + Y contents, concluding a distinctive belt of the Early Cretaceous (~137–125 Ma) A-type volcanic–intrusive rocks in the GHTB. Their ε_Nd(t) and zircon ε_Hf(t) values gradually increased through time from approximately ?9.0 to ?1.0 and ?10.0 to +4.0, respectively, implying increasing contribution of mantle-derived components to their formation, and hence progressively intensified crust–mantle interaction in an intra-arc rift environment (a geodynamic transition stage from continental arc to back-arc) during the Early Cretaceous. This plausibility is further supported by the Early Cretaceous Daqiaowu diabase dikes and coeval mafic rocks which exhibit arc-like magmatic signatures and were derived from mantle wedge. In contrast, the Late Cretaceous mafic rocks show ocean island basalt-like geochemical characteristics, reflecting a depleted asthenosphere mantle source. This discrepancy of mantle sources concludes that the geodynamic setting in the GHTB may have basically transferred to back-arc regime in the Late Cretaceous. Thus, the Cretaceous geodynamic evolutionary process in the GHTB can be defined as the Early Cretaceous gradually intensified crust–mantle interaction in a geodynamic transition stage (from continental arc to back-arc extension) and the Late Cretaceous back-arc extensional setting.     

Petrology and geochemistry of Early Permian volcanic rocks in South Tian Shan,NW China: implications for the tectonic evolution and Phanerozoic continental growth

Situated in the southwest of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), the South Tian Shan (STS) Block is a key area for understanding the final accretion of the CAOB. A suite of volcanic rocks interbedded with continental sediments from the Xiaotikanlike Formation lies along the southwestern edge of the Tian Shan orogen. Laser-ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer U–Pb dating provided a crystallization age of 295.0 ± 2.8 Ma (MSWD = 1.3), suggesting an Early Permian magmatic event. The volcanic rocks show a variable composition, with dominant rhyolites and dacites, subordinate basaltic andesites and few basalts. The felsic rocks are enriched in K and exhibit remarkably negative anomalies in Ba, Sr, Eu, P and Ti. These anomalies associated with their high negative ε _Nd(t) values and old Nd model ages suggest that they are most likely sourced from ancient lower crustal rocks. The mafic rocks are characterized by high Mg#, Cr, Ni contents, negative Nb, Ta anomalies and pronounced enrichment in light rare earth elements as well as mild enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements. The mafic rocks are thus inferred to derive from enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle. The petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the Xiaotikanlike Formation volcanic rocks indicate that they were generated under a post-collisional regime. Therefore, the final collision between the Tarim Craton and the Kazakhstan–Yili terrane took place before Early Permian, most probably at Late Carboniferous. Differing from other tectonic units of the CAOB, the recycling of ancient lithospheric crust played a significant role in the continental growth of the STS Block.     

Gabbro-derived granulites from External liguride units (northern Apennine,Italy): implications for the rifting processes in the western Tethys

In Santonian-Early Campanian sedimentary melanges of the External Liguride units (northern Apennine), slide blocks of subcontinental mantle and MOR basalts are associated with lithologies derived from the continental crust. One of these sedimentary melanges, the Mt. Ragola complex, is characterized by the close association of mantle ultramafic, mafic and quartzo-feldspathic granulites. Mafic granulites show a wide compositional range. They generally display a marked metamorphic layering, but undeformed rocks which preserve a gabbroic fabric are found locally. The most frequent lithologies are Al-spinel gabbronorites, generally containing minor olivine, and Fe-Ti oxidebearing gabbronorites. Troctolites, olivine gabbronorites and anorthosites were also recovered. Relics of primary textures as well as mineral and bulk-rock compositional variations indicate a comagmatic intrusive origin for the protoliths of the mafic granulites. This intrusive mafic complex underwent a subsolidus reequilibration under granulite facies conditions, at 0.6–0.9 GPa and 810–920°C, and was derived from crystallization at intermediate levels of tholeiite-derived liquids, possibly affected by crustal contamination. Its primary features are similar to those of the upper zone of the Ivrea layered complex. The gabbroic protolith for the granulites of External Liguride units were probably crystallized into the extending Adria lithosphere in relation to the initial stages of the opening of the western Tethys.     

Seismic image of undercrusted serpentinite beneath a rifted margin

During the continental rifting the upper mantle was unroofed, and the mantle rocks were transformed into serpentinite at the ocean-continent transition of the west Galicia margin (Spain). The serpentinite layer, several km thick, extends probably eastwards, beneath the highly thinned continental crust of the margin.
The serpentinite layer was recently imaged by seismic reflection. It is discontinuously and deeply layered. As serpentinized peridotite can have densities and seismic velocities comparable to those of the lower continental crust, we suggest that undercrusting by serpentinite can play a part in building the lower seismic crust in highly stretched continental rifted areas.