Early Carboniferous volcanic rocks of West Junggar in the western Central Asian Orogenic Belt: implications for a supra-subduction system

The paper presents new U–Pb zircon ages and geochemical data from early Carboniferous volcanic rocks of the Wuerkashier Mountains in the northern West Junggar region, NW China, and of the Char suture–shear zone in East Kazakhstan. The study included analysis of geological setting, major and trace elements, and rock petrogenesis. Both localities host early Carboniferous volcanic units dominated by plagioclase-porphyry andesites and dacites. A West Junggar dacite yielded a ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 331 ± 3 Ma. The Junggar volcanic rocks are tholeiitic, and the Char samples are intermediate between tholeiitic and calc-alkaline. Both the Junggar and Char volcanic units are characterized by LREE enriched rare-earth spectra (La/Sm_n = 1.1–2.4) with Eu negative anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.12–1.0) and Nb-Ta minimums (Nb/Th_pm = 0.15–0.35; Nb/La_pm = 0.3–0.7) on multi-element spectra. The Junggar andesites and dacites have higher REE and HFSE (Ti, Nb, Zr, Y, and Th) compared with the Char rocks, suggesting their derivation from a different mantle source. The melting modelling in the Nb-Yb system showed that the Junggar volcanic rocks formed by low- to medium- (2–5%) degree melting of depleted mantle harzburgite and spinel lherzolite. The Char volcanic rocks formed by high-degree melting (15–20%) of spinel lherzolite and garnet-bearing peridotite. The regional geology of West Junggar and East Kazakhstan and the geochemical features of the rocks under study (i.e. depletion in Nb, Ta, and Ti and enrichment in Th, and combination of LREE enrichment and HFSE depletion) all suggest a subduction-related origin of both Junggar and Char volcanic rocks. The early Carboniferous volcanic rocks of West Junggar possibly formed by subduction of the Junggar-Balkhash ocean beneath an active margin of the Kazakhstan continent, whereas those of East Kazakhstan formed by subduction of the Irtysh-Zaisan Ocean beneath an intra-oceanic arc at the active margin of the Siberian continent.     

Neoproterozoic nascent island arc volcanism from the Nubian Shield of Egypt: Magma genesis and generation of continental crust in intra-oceanic arcs

The Neoproterozoic Wadi Ranga metavolcanic rocks, South Eastern Desert of Egypt, constitute a slightly metamorphosed bimodal sequence of low-K submarine tholeiitic mafic and felsic volcanic rocks. The mafic volcanic rocks are represented by massive and pillow flows and agglomerates, composed of porphyritic and aphyric basalts and basaltic andesites that are mostly amygdaloidal. The felsic volcanic rocks embrace porphyritic dacites and rhyolites and tuffs, which overlie the mafic volcanic rocks. The geochemical characteristics of Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks, especially a strong Nb depletion, indicate that they were formed from subduction-related melts. The clinopyroxene phenocrysts of basalts are more akin to those crystallizing from island-arc tholeiitic magmas. The tholeiitic nature of the Wadi Ranga volcanics as well as their LREE-depleted or nearly flat REE patterns and their low K₂O contents suggest that they were developed in an immature island arc setting. The subchondritic Nb/Ta ratios (with the lowest ratio reported for any arc rocks) and low Nb/Yb ratios indicate that the mantle source of the Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks was more depleted than N-MORB-source mantle. Subduction signature was dominated by aqueous fluids derived from slab dehydration, whereas the role of subducted sediments in mantle-wedge metasomatization was subordinate, implying that the subduction system was sediment-starved and far from continental clastic input. The amount of slab-derived fluids was enough to produce hydrous magmas that follow the tholeiitic but not the calc-alkaline differentiation trend. With Mg# > 64, few samples of Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks are similar to primitive arc magmas, whereas the other samples have clearly experienced considerable fractional crystallization.The low abundances of trace elements, together with low K₂O contents of the felsic metavolcanic rocks indicate that they were erupted in a primitive island arc setting. The felsic volcanic rocks are characterized by lower K/Rb ratios compared to the mafic volcanic rocks, higher trace element abundances (~ 2 to ~ 9 times basalt) on primitive arc basalt-normalized pattern and nearly flat chondrite-normalized REE patterns, which display a negative Eu anomaly. These features are largely consistent with fractional crystallization model for the origin of the felsic volcanic rocks. Moreover, SiO₂-REE variations for the Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks display steadily increasing LREE over the entire mafic to felsic range and enriched La abundances in the felsic lavas relative to the most mafic lavas, features which are consistent with production of the felsic volcanic rocks through fractional crystallization of basaltic melts. The relatively large volume of Wadi Ranga silicic volcanic rocks implies that significant volume of silicic magmas can be generated in immature island arcs by fractional crystallization and indicates the significant role of intra-oceanic arcs in the production of Neoproterozoic continental crust. We emphasize that the geochemical characteristics of these rocks such as their low LILE and nearly flat REE patterns can successfully discriminate them from other Egyptian Neoproterozoic felsic volcanic rocks, which have higher LILE, Zr and Nb and fractionated REE patterns.     

Eocene magmatism(Maden Complex) in the Southeast Anatolian Orogenic Belt: Magma genesis and tectonic implications

The origin and geodynamic setting of the Maden Complex, which is situated in the Bitlis-Zagros Suture Zone in the Southeast Anatolian Orogenic Belt, is still controversial due to lack of systematic geological and geochemical data. Here we present new whole rock major-trace-rare earth element and Sre Nd isotope data from the Middle Eocene volcanic rocks exposed in Maden Complex and discuss their origin in the light of new and old data. The volcanic lithologies are represented mainly by basalt and andesite, and minor dacite that vary from low-K tholeiitic, calc-alkaline, high-K calc-alkaline, and shoshonitic in composition. They exhibit enrichments in large ion lithophile and light rare earth elements, with depletions in high field strength elements. Basaltic rocks have uniform Sr and Nd isotope ratios with high εNd(t) values varying from t5.5 to t6.7, in contrast to, andesitic rocks are characterized by low εNd(t) values ranging from à1.6 to à10. These geochemical and isotopic characteristics indicate that two end-members, a subduction-related mantle source and a continental crust, were involved in the magma genesis. Considering all geological and geochemical data, we suggest that the Eocene Maden magmatism occurred as a post-collisional product by asthenospheric upwelling owing to convective removal of the lithosphere during an extensional collapse of the Southeast Anatolian ranges.     

Intra-continental back-arc basin inversion and Late Carboniferous magmatism in Eastern Tianshan,NW China: Constraints from the Shaquanzi magmatic suite

The Yamansu belt,an important tectonic component of Eastern Tianshan Mountains,of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt,NW China hosts many Fe-(Cu)deposit.In this study,we present new zircon U-Pb geochronology and geochemical data of the volcanic rocks of Shaquanzi Formation and diorite intrusions in the Yamansu belt.The Shaquanzi Formation comprises mainly basalt,andesite/andesitic tuff,rhyolite and sub-volcanic diabase with local diorite intrusions.The volcanic rocks and diorites contain ca.315-305 Ma and ca.298 Ma zircons respectively.These rocks show calc-alkaline affinity with enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements(LILEs),light rare-earth elements(LREEs),and depletion in high field strength elements(HFSEs)in primitive mantle normalized multi-element diagrams,which resemble typical back-arc basin rocks.They show depleted mantle signature with ε_(Nd)(t)ranging from+3.1 to +5.6 for basalt;+2.1 to+4.7 for andesite;-0.2 to+1.5 for rhyolite and the ε_(Hf)(t)ranges from-0.1 to +13.0 for andesites;+5.8 to +10.7 for andesitic tuffs.We suggest that the Shaquanzi Formation basalt might have originated from a depleted,metasomatized lithospheric mantle source mixed with minor(3-5%)subduction-derived materials,whereas the andesite and rhyolite could be fractional crystallization products of the basaltic magma.The Shaquanzi Formation volcanic rocks could have formed in an intracontinental back-arc basin setting,probably via the southward subduction of the Kangguer Ocean beneath the Middle Tianshan Massif.The Yamansu mineralization belt might have undergone a continental arc to back-arc basin transition during the Late Carboniferous and the intra-continental back-arc basin might have closed in the Early Permian,marked by the emplacement of dioritic magma in the Shaquanzi belt.     

大别造山带前陆阳新盆地古近纪玄武岩地球化学特征与成因研究

大别造山带前陆阳新盆地古近纪玄武岩的成分从石英拉斑玄武质到橄榄拉斑玄武质,以相对较高的大离子亲石元素(Rb、Ba、K、Th、U等)丰度和弱到中等亏损高场强元素(Nb和Ta)为特征,岩石地球化学的总体特征类似于初始裂谷的拉斑玄武岩,而与大陆拉斑玄武岩所表现出的强烈亏损高场强元素Nb和Ta的地球化学特征明显不同。该拉斑玄武质岩浆喷发前曾经历过较小程度(约4．5％)的以橄榄石为主的矿物分离结晶,玄武岩的母岩浆则是源区物质经过约15％的部分熔融形成的,源区物质可能包含了来自下地幔的FOZO和富集型大陆岩石圈地幔两种组分。大别造山带内及前、后陆地区古近纪拉斑玄武岩的地球化学特征具有可比性,意味着随着大别造山带山根的拆沉,来自下地幔的FOZO岩浆(可能以地幔柱的形式)上涌,对大陆岩石圈的地幔部分发生了大规模的改造,使得原性质明显不同的两大岩石圈地幔在会聚带附近其地球化学分区性变得模糊。所形成的玄武岩总体具有较多的FOZO特征,但(除造山带内部)也不同程度地保留有岩石圈地幔的性质。     

Geochemistry of the Yandal belt metavolcanic rocks,Eastern Goldfields Province,Western Australia

Archaean felsic metavolcanic rocks occur throughout the Yandal belt in the north of the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia where they are most abundant in the higher parts of the stratigraphy. With the exception of the Spring Well Sequence at the southern end of the belt, these rocks are typically dacites showing geochemical affinities with Archaean high‐Al trondhjemite‐tonalite‐dacite (TTD) suites. They have high Sr, Al₂O₃, and (La/Yb)_N; low Y, Nb, Zr and heavy rare‐earth elements (HREE); and lack a significant Eu anomaly. In contrast, broadly coeval mafic volcanic rocks have flat REE patterns and trace‐element compositions more typical of modern backarc basin basalts. The Spring Well Sequence is readily distinguished lithologically and geochemically from the remainder of the Yandal belt. Spring Well basaltic andesites are geochemically similar to modern calc‐alkaline arc magmas, i.e. negative Nb–Ta anomalies and enrichment of both large‐ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare‐earth elements (LREE). Andesites and rhyolites, both abundant in the Spring Well Sequence, have elevated LILE relative to high field strength elements, and moderate to strong negative Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti anomalies. Rhyolites have low Sr/Y and relatively flat REE patterns ((La/Yb)_N = 4.2–5.0). The chemistry and lithostratigraphic associations of the Yandal belt, with the exception of the Spring Well area, suggest a similarity with the Kalgoorlie Terrane, which is supported by published geochronological data. In contrast, the abundance of rhyolite, distinctive calc‐alkaline chemistry and ca2690 Ma age of the Spring Well Sequence suggests a possible association with ca2692 Ma bimodal calc‐alkaline arc‐rift sequence at Teutonic Bore and similar rocks at Melita and Jeedamya, 150 km south of Spring Well. The abundance of TTD dacite and tholeiitic basalt throughout the Yandal belt suggests magma generation from both decompression partial melting of mantle peridotite to produce backarc tholeiitic magma, and partial melting of subducted oceanic lithosphere to produce high‐Al dacite‐tonalite magma. Based on field relationships of the lithological associations, spatial geochemical patterns and published geochronological data, a shallow, west‐dipping subduction model is postulated for the Yandal belt. In this model, widespread tholeiitic basalt and TTD dacite volcanic sequences are thought to have formed in a backarc basin west of a predominantly submerged continental margin volcanic arc. The dominance of dacite in the upper stratigraphy of the Yandal belt could indicate the development of a secondary volcanic ridge or arc in this basin. The Spring Well Sequence is interpreted to occupy the northern preserved portion of the primary arc, remnants of which now extend south through Teutonic Bore to the Melita and Jeedamya volcanic centres. South of Spring Well, volcanic sequences become distinctly bimodal with basalt and high silica rhyolite suggesting an increasing influence of arc extension toward the south.     

Geochemical constraints on the tectonic setting of basaltic host rocks to the Windy Craggy Cu-Co-Au massive sulphide deposit,northwestern British Columbia

Windy Craggy is an approximately 300 Mt Cu-Co-Au volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The Windy Craggy deposit is hosted by the Middle Tats Volcanics (MTV), a Late Triassic volcano-sedimentary sequence of intercalated mafic pillowed to massive volcanic flows and sills and calcareous argillite that are part of the Alexander terrane. The host footwall and hangingwall flows and sills are predominantly alkalic basalts (Nb/Y > 0.70). MTV alkali basalts at Windy Craggy are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) >100X chondrite compared to chondrite, have steep REE patterns [(La/Yb)_cn = 7.1–25.4], and generally lack the Ta and Nb depletions relative to primitive mantle (e.g. [Nb/Th]_pm = 0.68–1.94) characteristic of arc environments, although most have [Nb/La]_pm < 1. By contrast, volcanic rocks away from the deposit (and regionally; Lower Tats Volcanics, LTV) as well as late dikes that cross-cut all lithologies including metamorphic and deformational fabrics are sub-alkalic tholeiitic to calc-alkaline basalts and basaltic andesites that are less enriched in the LREEs (10–100X chondrite), have less steep REE patterns [(La/Yb)_cn = 0.41–10.6], and show well-developed Ta and Nb depletions (arc signatures; [Nb/Th]_pm = 0.20–0.79), consistent with formation in an oceanic arc environment. The co-occurrence of tholeiitic/calc-alkaline arc rocks with alkalic rocks indicates that the LTV (former) and MTV (latter) formed from melts that were influenced to varying degrees by subducted oceanic crust, and likely formed within a back-arc basin setting formed on a rifted oceanic arc. There is no geochemical or isotopic evidence for major involvement of continental crust. The LTV basalts likely were produced by progressive depletion in the source by partial melting of mantle overlying the subducting oceanic crust. The presence of the MTV alkalic Windy Craggy rocks overlying the LTV is consistent with the presence of a slab-window, perhaps related to subduction of a spreading centre, which allowed more enriched magmas to reach the surface with only minimal interaction with subduction-modified mantle. The presence of this slab-window might have provided the mechanism for the generation of anomalously high heat flow close to the seafloor, which initiated and sustained vigorous, long-lived hydrothermal activity necessary for the precipitation of large accumulations of massive sulphide. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a large VMS deposit associated with a slab-window.     

Eocene mafic volcanism in northern Anatolia: its causes and mantle sources in the absence of active subduction

Eocene mafic volcanic rocks occurring in an E–W-trending, curvilinear belt along and north of the Izmir–Ankara–Erzincan suture zone (IAESZ) in northern Anatolia, Turkey, represent a discrete episode of magmatism following a series of early Cenozoic collisions between Eurasia and the Gondwana-derived microcontinents. Based on our new geochronological, geochemical, and isotope data from the Kartepe volcanic units in northwest Anatolia and the extant data in the literature, we evaluate the petrogenetic evolution, mantle melt sources, and possible causes of this Eocene volcanism. The Kartepe volcanic rocks and spatially associated dikes range from basalt and basaltic andesite to trachybasalt and basaltic trachyandesite in composition, and display calc-alkaline and transitional calc-alkaline to tholeiitic geochemical affinities. They are slightly to moderately enriched in large ion lithophile (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE) with respect to high-field strength elements (HFSE) and show negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies reminiscent of subduction-influenced magmatic rocks. The analysed rocks have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) values between 0.70570 and 0.70399, positive ?_Nd values between 2.7 and 6.6, and Pb isotope ratios of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_(i) = 18.6–18.7, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_(i) = 15.6–15.7, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_(i) = 38.7–39.1. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar cooling ages of 52.7 ± 0.5 and 41.7 ± 0.3 Ma obtained from basaltic andesite and basalt samples indicate middle to late Eocene timing of this volcanic episode in northwest Anatolia. Calculated two-stage Nd depleted mantle model (T_DM) ages of the Eocene mafic lavas range from 0.6 to 0.3 Ga, falling between the T_DM ages of the K-enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle of the Sakarya Continent (1.0–0.9 Ga) to the north, and the young depleted mantle beneath central Western Anatolia (0.4–0.25 Ga) to the south. These geochemical and isotopic features collectively point to the interaction of melts derived from a sublithospheric, MORB-like mantle and a subduction-metasomatized, subcontinental lithospheric mantle during the evolution of the Eocene mafic volcanism. We infer triggering of partial melting by asthenospheric upwelling beneath the suture zone in the absence of active subduction in the Northern Neotethys. The geochemical signature of the volcanic rocks changed from subduction- and collision-related to intra-plate affinities through time, indicating an increased asthenospheric melt input in the later stages of Eocene volcanism, accompanied by extensional deformation and rifting.     

Review Section

ABSTRACT

The petrology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the early Permian volcanic rocks from Houtoumiao area, south Xiwuqi County in central Inner Mongolia of China, are studied to elucidate the early Permian tectonic setting of the region. The volcanic rocks, which are interbedded with sandstone, feature both mafic and felsic compositions and show a bimodal nature. Zircon U–Pb dating reveals that the volcanic rocks formed at 274–278 Ma, similar to the ages of bimodal magmatism in neighbouring areas. The mafic rocks are composed of tholeiitic basalt, basaltic andesite, basaltic trachyandesite, and trachyandesite. They are rich in Th, U, and LILEs, depleted in HFSEs Nb, Ta, and Ti, and have positive ε_Nd(t) values (+3.6 to +7.9). Geochemical analyses indicate that the mafic rocks originated from metasomatized lithospheric mantle. The felsic volcanic rocks are mainly rhyolite, with minor trachyte and dacite. They have different evolutionary tendencies of major elements, chondrite-normalized REE patterns, and isotopic compositions from the mafic volcanic rocks, which preclude formation by fractional crystallization of mafic melts. The ε_Nd(t) values of the felsic rocks are similar to those of the Carboniferous Baolidao arc rocks in the region. It is suggested that Permian felsic melts originated from the partial melting of Carboniferous juvenile arc-related rocks. By comparison with typical Cenozoic bimodal volcanism associated with several tectonic settings, including rift, post-collisional setting, back-arc basin, and the Basin and Range, USA, the bimodal volcanic rocks in central Inner Mongolia display similar petrological and geochemical characteristics to the rocks from back-arc basin and the Basin and Range, USA. Based on the analysis of regional geological data, it is inferred that the early Permian bimodal volcanic rocks in the study area formed on an extensional continental margin of the Siberian palaeoplate after late Carboniferous subduction–accretion.     

吉林省长白山地区新生代火山岩的特点及其成因

长白山地区新生代火山岩是一套玄武岩、粗面岩和钠闪碱流岩的双峰式火山岩组合。玄武岩类分别属于碱性玄武岩系列和拉斑玄武岩系列。奶头山期玄武岩是幔源原生岩浆直接喷发于地表的产物,其他各期玄武岩是幔源原生岩浆经历了一定程度分异作用的产物。粗面岩和钠闪碱流岩与玄武岩有成因联系,可能是玄武岩浆通过分离结晶作用而形成的。本区新生代火山岩是大陆裂谷构造环境下的产物,是在地幔增温和底辞上升过程中形成的。     

Petrology of the Rainy Lake area,Minnesota, USA-implications for petrotectonic setting of the archean southern Wabigoon subprovince of the Canadian Shield

The Rainy Lake area in northern Minnesota and southwestern, Ontario is a Late Archean (2.7 Ga) granite-greenstone belt within the Wabigoon subprovince of the Canadian Shield. In Minnesota the rocks include mafic and felsic volcanic rocks, volcaniclastic, chemical sedimentary rocks, and graywacke that are intrucded by coeval gabbro, tonalite, and granodiorite. New data presented here focus on the geochemistry and petrology of the Minnesota part of the Rainy Lake area. Igneous rocks in the area are bimodal. The mafic rocks are made up of three distinct suites: (1) low-TiO₂ tholeiite and gabbro that have slightly evolved Mg-numbers (63–49) and relatively flat rare-earth element (REE) patterns that range from 20–8 x chondrites (Ce/Yb_N=0.8–1.5); (2) high-TiO₂ tholeiite with evolved Mg-numbers (46–29) and high total REE abundances that range from 70–40 x chondrites (Ce/Yb_N=1.8–3.3), and (3) calc-alkaline basaltic andesite and geochemically similar monzodiorite and lamprophyre with primitive Mg-numbers (79–63), enriched light rare-earth elements (LREE) and depleted heavy rare-earth elements (HREE). These three suites are not related by partial melting of a similar source or by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma; they resulted from melting of heterogeneous Archean mantle. The felsic rocks are made up of two distinct suites: (1)low-Al₂O₃ tholeiitic rhyolite, and (2) high-Al₂O₃ calc-alkaline dacite and rhyolite and consanguineous tonalite. The tholeiitic felsic rocks are high in Y, Zr, Nb, and total REE that are unfractionated and have pronounced negative Eu anomalies. The calcalkaline felsic rocks are depleted in Y, Zr, and Nb, and the REE that are highly fractionated with high LREE and depleted HREE, and display moderate negative Eu anomalies. Both suites of felsic rocks were generated by partial melting of crustal material. The most reasonable modern analog for the paleotectonic setting is an immature island arc. The bimodal volcanic rocks are intercalated with sedimentary rocks and have been intruded by pre- and syntectonic granitoid rocks. However, the geochemistry of the mafic rocks does not correlate fully with that of mafic rocks in modern are evvironments. The low-TiO₂ tholeiite is similar to both N-type mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB) and low-K tholeiite from immature marginal basins. The calc-alkaline basaltic andesite is like that of low-K calc-alkaline mafic volcanic rocks from oceanic volcanic arcs; however, the high-TiO₂ tholeiite is most similar to modern E-type MORB, which occurs in oceanic rifts. The conundrum may be explained by: (1) rifting of a pre-existing immature arc system to produce the bimodal volcanic rocks and high-TiO₂ tholeiite; (2) variable enrichment of a previously depleted Archean mantle, to produce both the low- and high-TiO₂ tholeiite and the calc-alkaline basaltic andesite, and/or (3) enrichment of the parental rocks of the high-TiO₂ tholeiite by crustal contamination.     

The Neoproterozoic Kolet Um Kharit bimodal metavolcanic rocks, south Eastern Desert, Egypt: a case of enrichment from plume interaction?

Neoproterozoic metavolcanic rocks of Kolet Um Kharit (KUKh) in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt have been traditionally regarded as a bimodal island-arc sequence. However, geological and geochemical arguments presented here make this interpretation doubtful. Geochemically, these rocks are classified into mafic (tholeiitic basalts) and felsic (high-K rhyodacites to rhyolites) groups. Both the KUKh mafic and felsic metavolcanic rocks show similar geochemical characteristics, implying a genetic link. They have comparable trace element ratios, such as Zr/Nb (27–30 vs. 20–36), Y/Nb (5.44–6.25 vs. 5.05–5.9), K/Rb (577–1164 vs. 573–937), Ba/La (4.29–25–9 vs. 11.4–16.2), Nb/Yb (1.82–2.03 vs. 1.76–1.99). Similarly both groups have parallel LREE-enriched patterns (La/Yb_CN=2.37–2.81 vs. 2.55–3.17); and negative Nb and Ta anomalies (Nb/La_pm=0.51–0.58 vs. 0.45–0.52 and Ta/La_pm=0.51–0.62 vs. 0.49–0.55). The observed negative Nb and Ta anomalies in the KUKh metavolcanic rocks cannot be attributed to crustal contamination or fractional crystallization. These rocks could represent either a remnant of break-up LIP or were derived from an enriched mantle source containing subduction components beneath an intraoceanic back-arc basin. The recognition of the KUKh rocks as derived from an enriched mantle source revives interest in models that involve enrichment from “plume” interaction during the evolution of the Arabian-Nubian Shield.     

Geochemical Constrains on Petrogenesis and Tectonic Setting of Volcanic Rocks from the Baimianxia and Sanwan Formations in the Northern Margin of the Yangtze Plate

On the basis of petrogeochemical data, the volcanic lavas of the Baimianxia Formation can be classified into two units: high TiO2 and low TiO2. The TiO2 concentration of the former is generally higher than 1%, which occurs in the lower part with high-grade metamorphism, but the latter is less than 1% and crops out in the upper part with low-grade metamorphism. The high-TiO2 unit is dominated by tholeiitic lavas showing high rare earth element (REE) contents (ΣREE?=?83.4–180.8?μg/g), high light/heavy REE (LREE/HREE) ratios (LREE/HREE=2.17–5.85) and weak negative Eu anomaly (Eu=0.79–1.01). Its trace element patterns display weak Nb-Ta anomalies with respect to Th, K, La, Ce, showing within-plate basalt affinities. In contrast, the low-TiO2 unit is characterized by low REE contents, low LREE/HREE ratios, and pronounced Nb-Ta anomalies, indicating typical arc or continental arc signature. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of basalts and andesites from the Sanwan Formation are flat or LREE depletion, which is very similar to normal mid-oceanic basalt. Therefore, we suggest that these lavas should be formed in a back-arc basin setting. Sr-Nd isotopic data of the basalt in the lower part suggest that the rocks would have been formed in ~1144?Ma. Based on the geochemical and isotopic features of the basalts, we suggest that these rocks in the low part of the Baimianxia Formation should originate from an asthenospheric oceanic-island basalt-like mantle source, which may be produced by partial melting of garnet lherzolite, and significantly underwent fractional crystallization and crustal or lithospheric mantle contamination en route to the surface. However, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry zircon U-Pb dating of the basalt sample from the upper part of the Baimianxia Formation gives a 437 Ma, indicating a Early Paleozoic age. The geochemical analysis in this paper suggests that they may originate from an arc or continental arc in response to aqueous fluids or melt expelled from a subducting slab, and the partial melting occurred in the garnet stability field. The samples of basalts and andesites in the Sanwan Formation show they are derived from depleted mantle source similar to normal mid-oceanic basalt. Finally, we can conclude that the lavas in the lower part of the Baimianxia Formation represent the geological records of rift-related volcanism in the middle Proterozoic, which is commonly considered to be the precursor of continental breakup and followed by oceanic basin forming from Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic. Whereas, the lavas in upper part of the Baimianxia Formation and Sanwan Formations may have been generated by the oceanic and continental conversion that occurred in the early Paleozoic.     

Zircon SHRIMP U–Pb age of Late Jurassic OIB-type volcanic rocks from the Tethyan Himalaya: constraints on the initial activity time of the Kerguelen mantle plume

This work presents zircon U–Pb age and whole-rock geochemical data for the volcanic rocks from the Lakang Formation in the southeastern Tethyan Himalaya and represents the initial activity of the Kerguelen mantle plume. SHRIMP U–Pb dating of zircons from the volcanic rocks yielded a ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 147 ± 2 Ma that reflects the time of Late Jurassic magmatism. Whole rock analyses of major and trace elements show that the volcanic rocks are characterized by high content of TiO₂ (2.62 wt%–4.25 wt%) and P₂O₅ (0.38 wt%–0.68 wt%), highly fractionated in LREE/HREE [(La/Yb)_N = 5.35–8.31] with no obvious anomaly of Eu, and HFSE enrichment with no obvious anomaly of Nb and Ta, which are similar to those of ocean island basalts and tholeiitic basaltic andesites indicating a mantle plume origin. The Kerguelen mantle plume produced a massive amount of magmatic rocks from Early Cretaceous to the present, which widely dispersed from their original localities of emplacement due to the changing motions of the Antarctic, Australian, and Indian plates. However, our new geochronological and geochemical results indicate that the Kerguelen mantle plume started from the Late Jurassic. Furthermore, we suggest that the Kerguelen mantle plume may played a significant role in the breakup of eastern Gondwanaland according to the available geochronological, geochemical and paleomagnetic data.     

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.     

U–Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks in the Tarim Block of northwest China: implications for the breakup of Rodinia supercontinent and Neoproterozoic glaciations

As the lowest volcanics-bearing unit of the Neoproterozoic succession, the Beiyixi Formation is the key to understanding the early response to the breakup of the Roninia supercontinent in the Tarim Block. The SHRIMP analyses of zircons from the volcanic rocks at the bottom of the Beiyixi Formation yield a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 755 ± 15 Ma. This is interpreted as the eruption age of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks. The Beiyixi volcanic rocks consist of bimodal basalt and dacite-rhyolite with a SiO₂ gap between 55% and 65%. The mafic rocks display negative ɛ_Nd (755 Ma) values (−9.9 to −10.8), moderate enrichment in LILE and variable depletion in Nb, Ta and P, resembling those of the tholeiitic basalts in continental rift. Geochemical and Nd isotopic characteristics suggest that the mafic rocks were derived from partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle reservoir. The felsic rocks show negative ɛ_Nd (755 Ma) values (−7.9 to −9.2), negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies, very high La_N/Yb_N (62–92) ratios and LILE abundances, and may be generated by melting of eclogites or garnet amphibolites in the lower crust, as a result of basalt emplacement into continental crust during continental rifting. The age of 755 ± 15 Ma indicates that the Beiyixi glaciation took place later than 755 Ma and it could be correlated with the Chang’an glaciation in the Yangtze Block and the Sturtian–Rapitan glaciation in other Rodinia Blocks. The geochemical characteristics of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks resemble those of the rift-related magmatism in other Rodinia Blocks, suggesting that the Beiyixi volcanism was a part of global magmatism during the breakup of Rodinia supercontinent. The age and geochemical features of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks also reveal that the mantle plume activity spread to the northwestern margin of the Rodinia supercontinent and probably resulted in the breakup between Australia and Tarim Blocks.     

Trace and Minor Elements in Smithsonite from Huoshaoyun Nonsulfide Zinc Deposits in Southwest China: A LA–ICP–MS Study

The geodynamic setting of the Xigaze ophiolite has long been debated. Structural and geochemical evidence suggest the Xigaze ophiolite was formed at a slow‐spreading ridge (Nicolas et al., 1981; Liu et al., 2016). Based on incompatible element concentrations, the Xigaze ophiolite volcanics are consistent with the ubiquitous subduction signature in suprasubduction zone (Bedard et al., 2009; Hebert et al., 2012; Dai et al., 2013). It is noteworthy that the Xigaze ophiolite is different from the Geotimes and Lasail and Velly units from Oman ophiolite, respectively. The mafic rocks of the Xigaze ophiolite generally resemble typical N‐MORB and Geotimes volcanics in composition except for slight depletions of Th and Nb (Fig.1a). Although the Xigaze rocks have similar Th and Nb concentrations to Lasail and Velly rocks, most incompatible elements in the Xigaze rocks are comparable to N‐MORB. Petrography in gabbro of Xigaze ophiolite shows that euhedral plagioclases are enclosed by clinopyroxenes suggesting that these minerals have crystallized from an anhydrous magma (Sisson and Grove, 1993). Although the Xigaze volcanic rocks are slightly depleted in Th and Nb, they have MORB‐like trace element characteristics implying that they are derived from an anhydrous MORB magma at spreading centre. Godard et al. (2006) suggested that the mantle source of the Oman ophiolite have element and isotopic characteristics similar to Indian Ocean MORB, where the mantle preserved some older slab materials. A negative Nb anomaly of Oman Geotimes volcanic rocks may be resulted from contamination of the slab materials via decompression melting of the convecting mantle. Moreover, the Xigaze rocks have 1.27–3.18 of (Th/Nb)_N ratios similar with those of Geotimes volcanics ((Th/Nb)_N =0.51–2.77) and lower than those of Lasail and Velly units ((Th/Nb)_N =2.12–6.35). These features suggest that the Xigaze ophiolite may have formed at the spreading centre.     

川西新元古代双峰式火山岩成因的微量元素和Sm-Nd同位素制约及其大地构造意义

系统的微量元素和Sm-Nd同位素分析表明,川西地区早震旦世苏雄组双峰式火山岩中的大多数玄武岩具有高的正ε_Nd(T)值(+5～+6)、大离子亲石元素和LREE富集,与现代典型的洋岛玄武岩和大陆溢流玄武岩省中的碱性玄武岩有非常相似的地球化学和同位素组成特征。酸性火山岩的ε_Nd(T)值较低(+1.1～+2.6),地球化学特征总体上与A₂-型花岗岩相似,它们是受地壳混染的OIB型玄武质岩浆在地壳中部的一个“双扩散”岩浆房通过结晶分异形成的。苏雄组双峰式火山岩形成于典型的大陆裂谷环境,非常类似于现代与地幔柱活动有关的高火山活动型裂谷火山岩,扬子块体西缘 800Ma前的裂谷作用和火山活动应是约825Ma前的华南地幔柱活动引发的结果。     

The Neoproterozoic volcanic complex of the Boumalne inlier (Saghro massif,Eastern Anti-Atlas; Morocco): petrological and geochemical characteristics

Neoproterozoic volcanic series are exposed in the northern edge of the Saghro massif (Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco). Four volcanic rock types (basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite) were distinguished in the Boumalne inlier within the so-called Saghro volcanic sequences based on petrographic and geochemical observations. Boumalne volcanic rocks contain high Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Ba, Sr, Zr, Rb, and Nb contents, including calc-alkaline affinity in composition. Boumalne volcanic rocks are similar to other lower-Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks such Agouiniy formation in Sirwa inlier and in other parts of Bou-Azzer inlier. Indeed, they indicate an active subduction signature. The geochemical data show a LREE enrichment compared to HREE. The fractional crystallization has played a major role during the evolution of the magma. The less-siliceous dacitic rocks could have been formed after a low degree of partial melting of mafic parental magma source, whereas the rich-siliceous rhyolite may have been derived from dacitic magma source by a higher degree of fractional crystallization.     

Petrological and mineralogical features of volcanic rocks from the central Kuznetsk Basin (southern Siberia)

The Kuznetsk Basin volcanic rocks are close in age (from 252.3 ± 0.6 to 246.2 ± 1.4 Ma) to the traps of the West Siberian Plate and Siberian craton, which formed as a result of the Permo-Triassic plume activity. The geologic and petrographic features evidence that the andesitic basalts exposed in the Karakan and Elbak quarries are effusive rocks; most of them are andesitic basalts, and the rest are trachyandesitic basalts. The mineral composition is as follows: olivine Fo_59–66, plagioclase An_47–60, and clinopyroxene En_47–42Fs_25–12Wo_42–33; Mg# = 82–63. Using the COMAGMAT 3.5 program, the magma crystallization conditions during the andesitic-basalt formation were determined: 1109–1105 ºC, buffer QFM-NNO. The studied rocks are enriched in LREE ((La/Yb)_ch = 4.7–7.5) and are depleted in HREE ((Sm/Yb)_ch = 2.0–2.8). A specific geochemical feature of the rocks is strong Nb, Ta, Ti, and Eu negative anomalies ((La/Nb)_PM = 4.5–1.6, (La/Ta)_PM = 3.2–2.0, Eu/Eu? = 0.7) and a positive U anomaly on their normalized element patterns; ?_Nd(T) varies from +2.3 to +3.1. The HREE depletion of the Kuznetsk Basin volcanic rock points to the presence of garnet in the mantle source during their generation. The low Mg# indicates that the parental melts are not of the primary-mantle genesis but are probably the product of differentiation in deep-seated intermediate magma chambers.