Geochemistry and provenances of the Jurassic terrigenous rocks of the Upper Amur and Zeya–Dep troughs,eastern Central Asian fold belt

This paper reports the results of complex geochemical and Sm–Nd isotope-geochemical studies of terrigenous rocks of the Upper Amur and Zeya–Dep troughs, as well as U–Pb geochronological studies of detrital zircons. It is established that the studied troughs have orogenic nature, which is of key significance for understanding the geodynamic evolution of East Asia in the Mesozoic. Such interpretation is consistent with structural features of the troughs (migration of basin axis inward the continent with time, stratigraphic rejuvenation in the same direction), which are typical of foreland basins regarded as analogues of foreland (marginal) troughs. Obtained data indicate that orogenic processes responsible for the formation of the Mongol-Okhotsk fold belt began in the Early Jurassic.     

Minerals of the Bournonite–Seligmannite Series in Ore of the Beresitovoe Deposit,Upper Amur Region,Russia

New data are presented on segregations and compositions of bournonite-seligmannite series of minerals in gold-bearing veinlets of the Beresitovoe deposit located in the eastern part of the Mongolia–Okhotsk Orogenic Belt. It was established that these minerals represent a discrete series of stoichiometric solid compounds with As formula coefficients varying from 0.2 to 1.2. It is shown that minerals of this series are characteristic of ore deposits that undergo high-grade metamorphism, the P–T conditions of which are sufficient for melting of primary sulfides.     

Major ion composition and carbonate equilibrium in the sediment pore water of the Razdol’naya River estuary of Amur Bay,the Sea of Japan

The complex study of the river water and pore solutions from the bottom sediments in the lower reaches of the Razdol’naya River was conducted in February 2010. The major ion composition of the waters indicates the submarine origin of the near-bottom and pore waters in the lower reaches of the Razdol’naya River in the winter. The river estuary extends upstream for more than 20 km. It was established that the studied sediments are reduced oozes containing pyrite, hydrotroilite, and iron monosulfide, which is direct evidence for sulfate-reduction in the sediments. The diagenesis of organic matter is the main reason for the considerable decrease in the amount of sulfates and the increase in the alkalinity of the sediment pore water. The sedimentary pore water sampled from the deep river pits is characterized by excess alkalinity that cannot be explained by sulfate-reduction and methane genesis. It was suggested that the chemical weathering of silicate minerals and the bacterial mineralization of salts of organic acids could result in the excess alkalinity of the sediment pore water.     

The 3d relief models and structure of the Earth’s upper crust in the Amur region

The analysis of 3D relief models of the lower Amur region and several adjacent areas suggested that the structure of the region is related to the horizontal tectonic layering of the upper part of the Amur plate. When it was dislocated to the northwest at the terminal Cretaceous, some fragments of the upper layers were displaced not strictly synchronously but with some lag relative to the whole plate. This scenario was responsible for the formation of the main morphostructural elements of the region: river valleys, mountain ranges, and graben series. These inferences are supported by field observations and some geological data. The proposed hypothesis can also be applied for several other regions.     

The age and geochemistry of volcanic rocks on the eastern flank of the Umlekan–Ogodzha volcanoplutonic belt (Amur region)

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating yielded the reliable ages of andesite from the Unerikan complex (102.1 ± 1.4 Ma) and basaltic andesite from the Burunda complex (107.3 ± 2.4 Ma). The established age of volcanism is close to one of the stages of formation of the Khingan–Okhotsk volcanoplutonic belt. The petrography and geochemistry of basic, normal-basic, and normal rocks point to their dual character: They combine features specific for tholeiitic and calc-alkalic rocks. Most likely, these rocks formed in the setting of transform continental margin.     

Tectonic model of seismicity for the northeastern segment of the Amur Plate in the Earth’s two-phased rotation

The spatial distribution of the epicenters and hypocenters is analyzed for earthquakes of 2 ≤ M < 6 that occurred in the northeastern segment of the Amur Plate in two phases of changes in the angular speed of the Earth’s rotation. Groups of seismic events in the magnitude interval of 5 ≤ M < 6 are distinguished in the form of NE-trending seismic clusters regularly alternating along the plane of latitude. The seismic clusters are up to 1500 km long and 180–240 km wide and cover the seismic zones with different geodynamic and seismotectonic conditions of seismicity origination. In terms of the epicentral distributions for earthquakes with 2 ≤ M < 4, seismic activity zones are distinguished; these zones are seen as seimolineaments coupling the Tan Lu seismic zones and the eastern flanks of the latitudinal seismic zones. A scheme of distinguishing the compression and extension zones from the spatial clusters of earthquakes with 5 ≤ M < 6 in two phases of changes in the angular speed of the Earth’s rotation is proposed. This scheme satisfactorily agrees with the model of seismotectonic reconstructions of the compression–extension fields and axes.     

Teсtonophysical conditions of main fault activation in the Lower Amur region in the Cenozoic: Origination and evolution of conjugate basins

The reconstruction of stress fields in the Lower Amur region allowed us to subdivide them into four groups. Two groups are related to the fields of the strike-slip fault type and others to the reverse and normal fault types. As a result of structural analysis, it has been established that the stress fields differ in age and correspond to different stages of deformation. It has been shown that origin and evolution of the Cenozoic basins in the Lower Amur region were related to the paleogeodynamics of the faults, which served as a northeastern continuation of the Tan-Lu Fault System, as well as of the NW-striking faults at the lower reaches of the Amur River. Based on the data obtained, a new model of the origin, formation, and evolution of basins in the Lower Amur region is proposed.     

Platinum potential of mafic–ultramafic massifs in the western part of the Dambuka ore district (Upper Amur Region,Russia)

New data on the Pt potential of mafic–ultramafic massifs of the Khani–Maya, Uldegit, and Dzhalta complexes in the western part of the Dambuka ore district are discussed. The Khani–Maya Complex is represented by metamorphosed gabbro, gabbronorites, gabbro anorthosites, subordinate pyroxenites, hornblendites, and peridotites. The Uldegit Complex is composed of pyroxenites, hornblendites, gabbro, gabbronorites, norites, troctolites, peridotites, dunites, actinolite–tremolites, serpentinites, anthophyllites, and tremolite–plagioclase rocks. The Dzhalta Complex is formed of peridotites, gabbro, eclogitized gabbro, hornblendites, cortlandites, and pyroxenites. All these complexes differ from each other by the concentrations of Ni, Cu, Co, Au, and platinoids depending on the composition of the constituting rocks and the presence of sulfide minerals.     

Geochemistry of О, Н, C,S, and Sr isotopes in the water and sediments of the Aral basin

The paper presents original authors' data on the O, H, C, S, and Sr isotopic composition of water and sediments from the basins into which the Aral Sea split after its catastrophic shoaling: Chernyshev Bay (CB), the basin of the Great Aral in the north, Lake Tshchebas (LT), and Minor Sea (MS). The data indicate that the δ¹⁸О, δD, δ¹³C, and δ³⁴S of the water correlate with the mineralization (S) of the basins (as of 2014): for CB, S = 135.6‰, δ¹⁸О = 4.8 ± 0.1‰, δD = 5 ± 2‰, δ¹³C (dissolved inorganic carbon, DIC) = 3.5 ± 0.1‰, δ³⁴S = 14.5‰; for LT, S = 83.8‰, δ¹⁸О = 2.0 ± 0.1‰, δD =–13.5 ± 1.5‰, δ¹³C = 2.0 ± 0.1‰, δ³⁴S = 14.2‰; and for MS, S = 9.2‰, δ¹⁸О =–2.0 ± 0.1‰, δD =–29 ± 1‰, δ¹³C =–0.5 ± 0.5‰, δ³⁴S = 13.1‰. The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the groundwaters are similar to those in MS and principally different from the artesian waters fed by atmospheric precipitation. The mineralization, δ¹³С, and δ³⁴S of the groundwaters broadly vary, reflecting interaction with the host rocks. The average δ¹³С values of the shell and detrital carbonates sampled at the modern dried off zones of the basins are similar: 0.8 ± 0.8‰ for CB, 0.8 ± 1.4‰ for LT, and –0.4 ± 0.3‰ for MS. The oxygen isotopic composition of the carbonates varies much more broadly, and the average values are as follows: 34.2 ± 0.2‰ for CB, 32.0 ± 2.2‰ for LT, and 28.2 ± 0.9‰ for MS. These values correlate with the δ¹⁸O of the water of the corresponding basins. The carbonate cement of the Late Eocene sandstone of the Chengan Formation, which makes up the wave-cut terrace at CB, has anomalously low δ¹³С up to –38.5‰, suggesting origin near a submarine methane seep. The δ³⁴S of the mirabilite and gypsum (11.0 to 16.6‰) from the bottom sediments and young dried off zone also decrease from CB to MS in response to increasing content of sulfates brought by the Syr-Darya River (δ³⁴S = 9.1 to 9.9‰) and weakening sulfate reduction. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio in the water and carbonates of the Aral basins do not differ, within the analytical error, and is 0.70914 ± 0.00003 on average. This value indicate that the dominant Sr source of the Aral Sea is Mesozoic–Cenozoic carbonate rocks. The Rb–Sr systems of the silicate component of the bottom silt (which is likely dominated by eolian sediments) of MS and LT plot on the Т = 160 ± 5 Ma, I₀ = 0.7091 ± 0.0001, pseudochron. The Rb–Sr systems of CB are less ordered, and the silt is likely a mixture of eolian and alluvial sediments.     

Niobium Minerals As Indicators of a Genetic Link Between Tin-Bearing Zwitter and Lithium–Fluorine Granite of the Verkhneurmiysky Massif in the Amur River Region

Geology of Ore Deposits - Niobium minerals in zwitter and lithium–fluorine granite of the Verkhneurmiysky granitic massif in the Amur River region—fergusonite-(Y), euxenite-(Y),...     

The Early Precambrian Rocks,Their Ages,Division and Correlation of the Taihang-Wutai Region, the Yanshan Region and the Eastern Sector of the Yinshan Mountains

According to differences of the protolith formations, the early Precambrian strata in the northern part ofthe North China platform may be divided into the stable stratigraphic region in the west and the mobilestratigraphic region in the east. Based on unconformities, either stratiragphic or tectonic, as well as significantmetamorphic thermal events, the two regions may be stratigraphically defined as follows: 1) the middleArchaean Fuping Supergroup composed of the Chenzhuang and Wanzi Groups (stable areas), and the middleArchaean Qianxi Group (mobile area), whose upper limits are all dated at 2800 Ma; and 2) the upper ArchaeanWutai Supergroup composed of the Longquanguan, Shizui and Taihuai Groups (stable areas), and the upperArchaean Zunhua, Dantazi and Zhuzhangzi Groups (mobile areas). whose upper limits are all dated at 2500Ma. A correlation of the above-mentioned units is also made. The lower Proterozoic Hutuo Group of the sta-ble region is adjusted to comprise the Gaofan, Doucun, Dongye and Guojiazhai Groups. The upper limit of theGaofan Group is placed at 2350 Ma, Dongye 1850 Ma and Guojiazhai (the lower limit of the Changcheng Sys-tem) 1700 Ma.     

Sources of the Jurassic terrigenous rocks of the Upper Amur and Zeya–Dep troughs of the eastern part of the Central Asian fold belt: Results of Sm–Nd isotopic–geochemical and U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS) geochronological studies

The results of U–Pb geochronological studies of detrital zircons and Sm–Nd isotopic–geochemical studies of terrigenous rocks of the Upper Amur and Zeya–Dep troughs indicate that the beginning of orogenic processes, which led to the formation of the Mongol–Okhotsk fold belt, occurred in the Early Jurassic.     

Timing of low-temperature metamorphism and cooling of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic formations of the Bükkium,innermost Western Carpathians,Hungary

K-Ar ages of illite-muscovite and fission track ages of zircon and apatite were determined from various lithotypes of the Bükkium, which forms the innermost segment of the Western Carpathians. The stratigraphic ages of these Dinaric type formations cover a wide range from the Late Ordovician up to the Late Jurassic. The grade of the orogenic dynamo-thermal metamorphism varies from the late diagenetic zone through the anchizone up to the epizone (chlorite, maximally biotite isograd of the greenschist facies). The K-Ar system of the illite-muscovite in the < 2 m grain-size fraction approached equilibrium only in epizonal and high-temperature anchizonal conditions. The orogenic metamorphism culminated between the eo-Hellenic (160-120 Ma) phase connected to the beginning of the subduction in the Dinarides, and the Austrian (100-95 Ma) phase characterized by compressional crustal thickening. No isotope geochronological evidence was found for proving any Hercynian recrystallization. The stability field of fission tracks in zircon was approached using the thermal histories of the different tectonic units. A temperature less than 250°C and effective heating time of 20–30 Ma had only negligible effects on the tracks, whereas total annealing was reached between 250 and 300°C. Apatite fission track ages from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic formations show that the uplift of the Bükk Mountains occurred only in the Tertiary (not earlier than ca. 40 Ma ago). Thermal modeling based on apatite fission track length spectra and preserved Paleogene sediment thickness data proved that the Late Neogene burial of the recently exhumed plateau of the Bükk Mountains exceeded 1 km.     

Mineralogy and Mode of Occurrence of Gold, Silver and Bismuth of the Caijiaying Lead-Zine-Silver Deposit, Hebei Province

The deposit under study is a hydrothermal filling-metasomatic vein type lead-zinc-silver deposit, in whichgold and silver can be recovered as by-products. These metals mainly occur as microgranular native gold,electrum, stephanite, acanthite, pyraragyrite, freibergite, and native silver. Gold minerals tend to be associatedwith galenobismutite, native bismuth and unnamed Bi_2Te. They are either enclosed in pyrite, marmatite,iron-bearing sphalerite and galens or fill the microfissures of these minerals. Silver minerals usually occur incleavages or fissures of galena, marmatite and pyrite, but are not associated with gold and bismuth minerals.Gold and silver mineralizations occurred later than lead and zinc, while the silver mineralization was precededby that of gold.     

Origin, Evolution and Mechanism of the Jehol Fauna

This paper deals with the geographic distribution and geological setting of the Jehol (northeastHebei-southwest Liaoning-southeast Inner Mongolia) fauna, and discusses the origination and the evolution ofits major biological groups. It is demonstrated that the Yan-Liao (northern Hebei-western Liaoning) area is theprovenance for the fauna. Why the fauna originated and developed in the area was intimately related to suchfactors as the palaeoclimate, palaeogeography, crustal movement, volcanism and frequent reversals of magnet-ic polarity at that time, in addition to the internal factors of the organisms themselves.     

Radiolarians,foraminifers, and biostratigraphy of the Coniacian–Campanian deposits of the Alan-Kyr Section,Crimean Mountains

Data on the distribution of radiolarians and planktonic and benthic foraminifers are obtained for the first time from the Alan-Kyr Section (Coniacian–Campanian), in the central regions of the Crimean Mountains. Radiolarian biostrata, previously established from Ak-Kaya Mountain (central regions of the Crimean Mountains) were traced: Alievium praegallowayi–Crucella plana (upper Coniacian–lower Santonian), Alievium gallowayi–Crucella espartoensis (upper Santonian without the topmost part), and Dictyocephalus (Dictyocryphalus) (?) legumen–Spongosaturninus parvulus (upper part of the upper Santonian). Radiolarians from the Santonian–Campanian boundary beds of the Crimean Mountains are studied for the first time, and Prunobrachium sp. ex gr. crassum–Diacanthocapsa acanthica Beds (uppermost Santonian–lower Campanian) are recognized. Bolivinoides strigillatus Beds (upper Santonian) and Stensioeina pommerana–Anomalinoides (?) insignis Beds (upper part of the upper Santonian–lower part of the lower Campanian) are recognized. Eouvigerina aspera denticulocarinata Beds (middle and upper parts of the lower Campanian) and Angulogavelinella gracilis Beds (upper part of the upper Campanian are recognized on the basis of benthic foraminifers. These beds correspond to the synchronous biostrata of the East European Platform and Mangyshlak. Marginotruncana coronata-Concavatotruncana concavata Beds (Coniacian–upper Santonian), Globotruncanita elevata Beds (terminal Santonian), and Globotruncana arca Beds (lower Campanian) are recognized on the basis of planktonic foraminifers. Radiolarian and planktonic and benthic foraminiferal data agree with one another. The position of the Santonian–Campanian boundary in the Alan-Kyr Section, which is located stratigraphically above the levels of the latest occurrence of Concavatotruncana concavata and representatives of the genus Marginotruncana, is refined, i.e., at the level of the first appearance of Globotruncana arca. A gap in the Middle Campanian–lower part of the upper Campanian is established on the basis of planktonic and benthic foraminifers. The Santonian–Campanian beds of the Alan-Kyr Section, on the basis of planktonic foraminifers and radiolarians, positively correlate with synchronous beds of the Crimean-Caucasian region, and beyond. Benthic foraminifers suggest a connection with the basins of the East European Platform.     

Lithology,Biostratigraphy, and Geochronology of the Late Pleistocene–Holocene Sediments on the Coast of Onega Bay of the White Sea

Doklady Earth Sciences - This paper reports on the lithological, micropaleontological, and chronometric data (radiocarbon dating) for one of the areas of the White Sea coast. The sedimentary...     

Trilobites,scolecodonts and fish remains occurrence and the depositional paleoenvironment of the upper Monte Alegre and lower Itaituba formations,Lower – Middle Pennsylvanian of the Amazonas Basin,Brazil

This study aims to characterize the scolecodonts, trilobite pygidium fragments and fish remains of an outcropped region in the southern Amazonas Basin, comprising the uppermost section of the Monte Alegre Formation and the basal section of the Itaituba Formation. These, correspond to part of the marine portion of the Tapajós Group, related to an intracratonic carbonate platform. The Monte Alegre Formation includes a deposition of fluvial-deltaic and aeolian sandstones, siltstones and shales of interdunes and lakes, intercalated with transgressive carbonates of a shallow restrict nearshore marine environment. The Itaituba Formation comprises a thickest deposit of marine carbonates, representing the establishment of widespread marine conditions, and is the richest interval containing organisms of shallow marine environment in the Pennsylvanian of the Amazonas Basin. The associated fauna includes brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, crinoids, echinoids, bryozoans, corals, foraminifers, sponges, ostracods, trilobites, scolecodonts, fish remains and conodonts, mainly in the packstones, and subordinately in the wackestones and mudstones. Conodonts Neognathodus atokaensis, Diplognathodus orphanus, Idiognathodus incurvus, and foraminifers Millerella extensa, Millerella pressa, Millerella marblensis, Eostaffella ampla, Eostaffella pinguis and Eostaffella advena characterizes a predominant Atokan age to the analyzed profile. The fossil association herein presented is taxonomically diversified and biologically interesting, comprising an important and well preserved, for the first time occurrence of two molds and two fragments of Proetida trilobites. Well preserved Eunicida and Phyllodocida scolecodonts and paleonisciform fish remains. These fossils help in the paleoenvironmental establishment of the studied interval in the Amazonas Basin and as a potential biostratigraphic and paleoecological tool to correlate regionally and globally the Pennsylvanian.