Detrital zircon and monazite track the source of Mesozoic sediments in Kutch to rocks of Late Neoproterozoic and Early Palaeozoic orogenies in northern India

Detrital zircon and monazite dating of clastic rocks in the Mesozoic Kutch Basin at the western continental margin of India reveals predominant sediment derivation from rocks of Neoproterozoic Pan-African orogeny, followed by those of Cambro-Ordovician Bhimphedian (or Kurgiakh) orogeny and 850–1000 Ma rocks, with subordinate input from rocks of 700–800 Ma, 1500–1600 Ma, 2400–2500 Ma and 2800–3300 Ma. This finding refutes the existing idea regarding the predominant Mesoproterozoic source inferred for this basin. The dominance of southwesterly palaeocurrent data of Mesozoic rocks in Kutch Basin rules out sediment supply from south or west. Th/U ratios of detrital zircon grains indicate predominantly magmatic and subordinately metamorphic source rock. Petrographic data, particularly the QFR plot supports this interpretation of source rock. Rocks belonging to the Pan-African orogeny are poorly exposed in northwestern India while isolated outcrops of peralkaline granites in the Himalayan region bear testimony of the Bhimphedian orogeny. While the paucity of records of the Pan-African orogeny in western India possibly relates to either burial under the Deccan Flood Basalts or extensive erosion during Mesozoic greenhouse climate, the dearth of rocks of Bhimphedian orogeny results from its occurrence along the present-day Himalayan thrust belt. The absence of detrital zircon grains younger than 458 Ma indicates that post-Ordovician tectono-thermal events skipped the source area. The large gap between youngest detrital zircon and the depositional age of the Mesozoic sediments, suggests long-distance sediment transport as well as sediment recycling. This study, therefore, indicates the existence of widespread younger magmatic rocks to the north during the deposition of Mesozoic of Kutch.     

Mineral chemical and geochronological constraints on the age and provenance of the eastern Circum-Rhodope Belt low-grade metasedimentary rocks, NE Greece

In north-eastern Greece the mid-greenschist facies Makri Unit and the anchizonal Melia Formation belong to the eastern Circum-Rhodope Belt that forms the uppermost tectonostratigraphic unit of the Rhodope metamorphic nappe pile. The two metasedimentary successions had different source areas, although they now lie in close proximity in the Rhodope Massif. The U-Pb isotopic ages of detrital zircons from a metasandstone of the Makri Unit analysed using LA-SF-ICP-MS and SHRIMP-II gave age clusters at ca. 310-290 Ma and at ca. 240 Ma for magmatic zircons, which may have been derived from Carboniferous-Permian basement rocks of the Thracia Terrane (Lower Tectonic Unit of the Rhodope Massif) that subsequently underwent Triassic rifting. The youngest detrital zircon grains found so far indicate that the metasedimentary succession of the Makri Unit, or at least parts of it, cannot be older than Late Triassic. By contrast, clastic sedimentary rocks of the Melia Formation contain the primary detrital mineral assemblage of epidote, zoisite, garnet, and phengitic mica, which is absent in the Makri Unit, and clearly points to metamorphic rocks being the major source for these sediments. U-Pb analyses of detrital zircons gave a prominent age cluster at ca. 315-285 Ma for magmatic zircons. Inherited cores indicate the involvement of Pan-African and Late Ordovician-Early Silurian crustal sources during Late Carboniferous-Early Permian igneous event(s). Moreover, U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology indicates that the Melia Formation cannot be older than latest Middle Jurassic. We suggest that the Melia Formation was deposited in front of a metamorphic nappe pile with Rhodopean affinities in Tithonian or Cretaceous times. Both the Makri Unit and the Melia Formation have been tectonically juxtaposed from different sources to their present location during Balkan and Alpine orogenic processes.     

Conventional and ion-microprobe U-Pb dating of detrital zircons of the Tentudía Group (Serie Negra,SW Spain): implications for zircon systematics,stratigraphy, tectonics and the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary

Conventional multi-grain and ion-microprobe dating of detrital zircons from a very low grade metagraywacke of the Tentudía Group (upper part of the Serie Negra, Ossa-Morena Zone, SW Spain) reveals an uppermost Vendian age for the deposition of the metagraywacke. The youngest detrital zircon grain provides a maximum depositional age of about 565 Ma. Thus, these data contradict earlier Middle to Upper Riphean (ca. 1350-850 Ma) estimates on the age of the Tentudía Group and favour a Precambrian/Cambrian boundary falling into the range of 540 to 530 Ma. The presence of about 20% of Pan-African detrital zircons ranging from about 700 to 550 Ma indicates the derivation from Gondwana. From the upper intercept ages of the fan-shaped data field defined by conventionally determined zircon fractions, it can be deduced that 2.1 Ga old zircons as well as Archean zircons existed in the provenance(s) of the Serie Negra sediments. This mixing of crustal components of different ages is in line with the Nd crustal residence age of 1.9 Ga. The latter value, as well as other model ages of the Iberian Massif, indicates unusually high amounts of ancient crust to be present in the strata. This is different to other (meta)sediments of the European Hercynides and suggests that the Iberian strata of uppermost Precambrian age may contain the detritus of more internal, older parts of Gondwana than other European strata of comparable ages. Geochemical data on the analysed sample and further metagraywackes of the Tentudía Group argue for a deposition in an arc environment. Such a scenario would conform with the syn- to post-orogenic shallow marine deposition of the studied sediments. Furthermore, an upper time limit for the pre-Lower Cambrian deformational history, including two phases of regional deformation, is given by the maximum age of deposition, implying a very short time interval for deposition and deformation of the Tentudía Group. Concerning the U-Pb systematics of detrital zircon fractions, it is probable that numerous, previously published conventional multi-grain zircon data on (meta)sedimentary rocks of the European Hercynides readily can be explained by the presence of up to 20% of Pan-African detrital zircons and later Phanerozoic lead loss during metamorphic transformation of the sedimentary protoliths. Moreover, this implies that such metasediments originated from post-Pan-African sedimentary precursors.     

北祁连北大河沉积物碎屑组成及物源正演分析

开展现代河流沉积物的物源分析正演研究,对厘清河流搬运分选过程对不同碎屑成分的影响、不同源区对汇区沉积物的贡献机制以及物源定量分析具有重要意义。对北祁连北大河与洪水坝河现代河流沉积物的物源开展了正演研究,结合砾石成分统计、重矿物分析和碎屑锆石U-Pb测年方法,分析了流域内不同物源对现代河流不同碎屑成分贡献的差异性。结果表明,两条河流沉积物的特征显示汇区不同碎屑成分对物源区岩性的反映各有侧重。其中砾石岩性能够反映整个流域的主要岩性;砂粒中的重矿物组合也可以反映源区主要岩性,且对重矿物含量较高的岩体或地层（如铁矿）十分敏感;碎屑锆石年龄谱反映了整个流域物源端元锆石的综合贡献,各年龄峰锆石占比与源区各年龄峰锆石贡献呈较好的正相关关系,其中源区沉积岩碎屑锆石的贡献比较显著。通过河流物源正演分析进一步建立现代河流源汇模式是实现物源量化分析的一个可行方向。     

Single zircon ages of migmatitic gneisses and granulites in the Obudu Plateau: Timing of granulite-facies metamorphism in southeastern Nigeria

A single zircon geochronological study of gneisses from the Obudu Plateau of southeastern Nigeria, using the evaporation technique, indicates that zircons recorded several Precambrian high-grade metamorphic events (Eburnean and Pan-African). Igneous and multifaceted metamorphic zircons yielded ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of 2062.4 ± 0.4 Ma, 1803.8 ± 0.4 Ma and 574 ± 10 Ma, respectively and confirm for the first time that granulite-facies metamorphism affected the basement of southeastern Nigeria, resulting in the formation of charnockites and granulitic gneisses. The Pan-African high-grade event was coeval with the formation of granulites in Cameroon, Togo and Ghana and resulted from collisional processes during continental amalgamation to form the Gondwana supercontinent. The sources of the sediments, which were deposited at ≈605 Ma and metamorphosed at 574 Ma, comprise older igneous and metamorphic protoliths (including inherited xenocrystic zircons up to 2.5 Ga in age). The Palaeoproterozoic zircons seem to have survived Pan-African melting.     

构造活动区特征源汇体系及古地理重建:以塔里木块体北缘记录“泛非”事件的碎屑锆石分析为例*

完整认识盆山沉积系统,这是古地理重建研究的必然趋势,其中从构造稳定区到构造活动区的特征源汇体系解析是重要环节。塔里木块体北缘活动区存在与“泛非”造山事件有关的岩浆和变质记录,但与这一特征构造-热事件有关的碎屑沉积记录以往在塔里木块体北缘及邻区却鲜有报道。主要针对塔里木块体北缘泥盆纪-石炭纪砂岩样品,文中开展了碎屑锆石原位地质年代学分析,结果表明下石炭统野云沟组砂岩碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄以新元古代中-晚期为主体,与“泛非”造山事件的持续时间较为一致,且此类沉积记录在该地区也是首次大量发现。相应的碎屑锆石的ε_Hf(t)值几乎全为负值,是古老陆壳熔融的产物。而野云沟组之下和之上的砂岩碎屑锆石均无“泛非”造山事件的明显信息。研究认为,泥盆纪南天山洋向南俯冲,导致塔里木块体北缘发育岛弧体系;至早石炭世维宪早期南天山洋盆闭合,相关块体拼贴-碰撞作用致使该区构造古地理转变,与“泛非”造山作用有关的结晶基底隆升和剥露,并成为野云沟组主要物源。晚石炭世随海平面上升和沉积超覆,塔里木块体北缘与“泛非”造山事件有关的结晶基底剥露终止。综合对比区域碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学数据发现,研究区其他显生宙地层中(除上奥统桑塔木组外)均未记录到明显的与“泛非”造山事件物源相关的碎屑沉积,可能说明现存的塔里木块体受“泛非”造山构造-热事件影响的范围有限,另一方面也说明相关基底岩石的剥露主要出现在早石炭世以及晚奥陶世。这些信息的揭示对于认识塔里木块体北部古生代古地貌、碎屑源汇体系与构造古地理具有重要意义。     

老挝西北部二叠纪砂岩碎屑锆石U-b年代学、地球化学特征及其构造意义

老挝西北部的沉积演化历史一直未能很好地界定.因此,在老挝西北部地区出露较好的二叠纪地层中采集了4个砂岩样品,并系统开展了岩石学、地球化学和碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学的研究.岩相学表明该套样品主要包括了长石石英砂岩、岩屑砂岩和杂砂岩.全岩地球化学结果显示这些砂岩样品以高SiO₂（64.9%~91.2%）、高Al₂O₃（5.0%~17.4%）和高CIA（59.6~89.9）为特征,说明它们经历了中等至强的风化作用.另外,样品的微量元素地球化学特征也暗示其物源主要为来自岛弧环境和活动大陆边缘的长英质岩石,并伴有少量再循环沉积物.碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学结果显示出这4个样品具有1 880~1 870 Ma、1 470~1 450 Ma、890~860 Ma、450~415 Ma和275~252 Ma的5个主要年龄峰,其中275~252 Ma为最大的沉积年龄,因此,可以将研究区地层时代限定在不早于晚二叠世.综合前人研究及与邻近盆地碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄谱系的对比,认为前志留纪的锆石大多来自于扬子板块古老基底的再循环沉积物,志留纪至二叠纪的碎屑锆石主要来源于长山带、昌宁-孟连带、临沧-素可泰岩浆岩带和邻近金三角地区,证明了印支板块北缘与思茅地块在古特提斯演化时期为一个整体,在二叠纪时期具有扬子板块的亲缘性.      

大兴安岭中段乐平统-中三叠统沉积物源分析:来自重矿物组合及碎屑锆石年代学证据

黑龙江西部龙江地区位于中亚造山带东段,黑河-贺根山缝合带与西拉木伦缝合带之间,地层记录了两大古板块之间古亚洲洋闭合过程的信息。本文对龙江地区乐平统林西组和下-中三叠统老龙头组的砂岩样品进行碎屑重矿物和碎屑锆石U-Pb同位素年代学研究。碎屑重矿物组合以锆石+磷灰石+金红石+角闪石+绿帘石+重晶石的组合为特征,表明物源主要来自于中酸性岩浆岩,并有少量变质岩及沉积岩组分。林西组样品最年轻的锆石年龄为278±3Ma,老龙头组样品最年轻的锆石年龄为247±3Ma、243±4Ma及237±3Ma,结合前人的研究,限定了林西组沉积于乐平世,老龙头组沉积于早三叠世-中三叠世。碎屑锆石年龄谱明显分为五组:237～258Ma、270～329Ma、357～558Ma、680～1633Ma及1893～1966Ma。其中237～258Ma的碎屑锆石主要来自与古亚洲洋洋壳消亡前的俯冲增生过程相关的火山活动,270～329Ma的碎屑锆石主要来自大石寨组火山岩及其同期侵入岩,357～558Ma的碎屑锆石来自早古生代-晚古生代早期岩浆弧,680～1633Ma的碎屑锆石可能来自兴安及额尔古纳地块的变质基底,而较古老的～1800Ma的锆石年龄暗示了华北克拉通基底的物源信息。通过研究发现林西组及老龙头组样品前30%年轻的碎屑锆石年龄与地层沉积年龄之差都小于100Ma,结合对砂岩碎屑组成、重矿物组合及盆地与火山弧位置关系的研究,认为研究区乐平世-中三叠世沉积盆地具有汇聚背景,为弧前盆地。     

The influence of geology and land use on arsenic in stream sediments and ground waters in New England,USA

Population statistics for As concentrations in rocks, sediments and ground water differ by geology and land use features in the New England region, USA. Significant sources of As in the surficial environment include both natural weathering of rocks and anthropogenic sources such as arsenical pesticides that were commonly applied to apple, blueberry and potato crops during the first half of the 20th century in the region. The variation of As in bedrock ground water wells has a strong positive correlation with geologic features at the geologic province, lithology group, and bedrock map unit levels. The variation of As in bedrock ground water wells also has a positive correlation with elevated stream sediment and rock As chemistry. Elevated As concentrations in bedrock wells do not correlate with past agricultural areas that used arsenical pesticides on crops. Stream sediments, which integrate both natural and anthropogenic sources, have a strong positive correlation of As concentrations with rock chemistry, geologic provinces and ground water chemistry, and a weaker positive correlation with past agricultural land use. Although correlation is not sufficient to demonstrate cause-and-effect, the statistics favor rock-based As as the dominant regional source of the element in stream sediments and ground water in New England. The distribution of bedrock geology features at the geologic province, lithology group and map unit level closely correlate with areas of elevated As in ground water, stream sediments, and rocks.     

Implications of erosion and bedrock composition on zircon fertility: Examples from South America and Western Australia

Isotopic analysis of zircon has been useful in charting our planet's geological history from the Holocene to the Hadean. Zircon is present in a range of lithologies, yet its yield in sedimentary systems is governed by the zircon fertility of the source rocks and their denudation rate. This interplay is illustrated in South America where rocks exposed in the Amazonia craton have higher Zr concentrations (i.e. greater zircon yield) than the Andes; however, the detrital zircon population of the Amazon River catchment shows more zircon from the Andes given the higher erosion rate. Nonetheless, the observed zircon frequency can be corrected for erosional and fertility biases. Additionally, detrital zircon in fluvial sediment in Western Australia, previously interpreted as quantifying differential erosion, can alternatively be explained as an effect of Zr content (therefore zircon fertility) of the sources. Understanding the variables controlling zircon yield will facilitate accurately interpreting detrital zircon signatures through deep time and their application to crustal evolution questions.     

Evolution of the Palaeotethys in the Eastern Mediterranean: a multi-method approach to unravel the age,provenance and tectonic setting of the Upper Palaeozoic Konya Complex and its Mesozoic cover sequence (south-central Turkey)

ABSTRACT

Siliciclastic sediments from the Upper Palaeozoic Konya Complex and its Mesozoic cover were studied by a multi-method approach combining thin-section petrography, bulk-rock geochemistry, mineral chemistry of rutile, and U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons. Provenance sensitive data of samples from the Upper Palaeozoic Hal?c? Formation indicate sediment supply from mainly low- to medium-grade metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of felsic character, while the contribution from volcanic rocks was rare. The detrital zircon record of sediments from the Hal?c? Formation documents sediment supply from different sources and excludes a similar provenance. Some samples show great similarities with Palaeozoic sandstones from the cover sequence of the Saharan Metacraton and the Arabian–Nubian Shield, while the other samples indicate a provenance that must be sought in units with a southern Eurasian affinity. The upper limit for sediment deposition in the Hal?c? Formation is mostly constrained by Early Palaeozoic zircon populations; however, sediment accumulation in Pennsylvanian–Cisuralian time is more likely, contemporaneously with the Upper Palaeozoic succession on the Karaburun Peninsula (western Turkey). The provenance of sediments from the Upper Triassic Ard?çl? Formation remains enigmatic, but the source should be sought nonetheless in units close to the depositional site. In any case, detrital zircon age spectra and compositional data exclude recycling of underlying rock units (i.e. Hal?c? Formation). Overall, our new provenance data reveal great similarities between the Konya Complex and comparable units (Chios, Karaburun) but also highlight distinct differences in terms of sediment composition and provenance.     

Detrital zircon provenance evidence for an early Permian longitudinal river flowing into the Midland Basin of west Texas

ABSTRACT

Collision of Gondwana and Laurentia in the late Palaeozoic created new topography, drainages, and foreland basin systems that controlled sediment dispersal patterns on southern Laurentia. We utilize sedimentological and detrital zircon data from early Permian (Cisuralian/Leonardian) submarine-fan deposits in the Midland Basin of west Texas to reconstruct sediment dispersal pathways and palaeogeography. New sedimentological data and wire-line log correlation suggest a portion of the early Permian deposits have a southern entry point. A total of 3259 detrital zircon U-Pb and 357 εHf data from 12 samples show prominent groups of zircon grains derived from the Appalachian (500–270 Ma) and Grenville (1250–950 Ma) provinces in eastern Laurentia and the peri-Gondwana terranes (800–500 Ma) incorporated in the Alleghanian-Ouachita-Marathon orogen. Other common zircon groups of Mesoproterozoic-Archaean age are also present in the samples. The detrital zircon data suggest throughout the early Permian, Appalachia and Gondwana detritus was delivered by a longitudinal river system that flowed along the Appalachian-Ouachita-Marathon foreland into the Midland Basin. Tributary channels draining the uplifted Ouachita-Marathon hinterland brought Gondwana detritus into the longitudinal river with headwaters in the Appalachians or farther northeast. This drainage extended downstream westward and delivered sediments into the Permian Basin near the west terminus of the Laurentia-Gondwana suture. Estimated rates of deposition and proportions of zircons from more local (Grenville) versus more distal (Pan-African) sources indicate that river strength decreased throughout early Permian time. Primary sediment delivery pathway was augmented by minor input from the Ancestral Rocky Mountains and wind deflation of fluvial sediments north and east of the basin. Slope failure associated with early Permian deposition in the southeastern margin of the Midland Basin triggered gravity flows leading to submarine fan deposition.     

米仓山地区早寒武世仙女洞组沉积物源新认识：沉积学、重矿物和碎屑锆石年代学的证据

长期以来,一直认为米仓山地区早寒武世地层主要由汉南古陆和/或摩天岭古陆提供沉积物,实际并非如此。米仓山地区早寒武世仙女洞组主要由鲕粒灰岩以及角砾灰岩等组成。本文根据沉积相时空展布、交错层理恢复的物源方向、重矿物以及碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb测年,综合探讨仙女洞组的物源方向以及物源区。沉积相时空展布和古流向表明,仙女洞组的物源主要来自西北和西南方向,非前人判断沉积物来自东北和/或西北方向。碎屑重矿物锆石、磷灰石、白钛石、铬尖晶石和磁铁矿组合表明物源主要来自于岩浆岩,部分为基性岩浆岩。对仙女洞组3件样品碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄分析,获得172组U-Pb有效年龄。碎屑锆石的谐和年龄表明,物源主要集中在744~896Ma和1755~2493Ma。综合相展布、古水流、重矿物组合以及碎屑锆石测年,仙女洞组的物源主要来自:(1)西北方向,摩天岭古陆的碧口群、横丹群和鱼洞子群的火山-沉积岩以及新元古代侵入岩;(2)西南方向,主要为康滇古陆的花岗岩、流纹岩、辉绿岩等。     

Identifying granite sources by SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology: an application to the Lachlan foldbelt

The potential genetic link between granites and their host sediments can be assessed using zircon age inheritance patterns. In the Lachlan fold belt, southeastern Australia, granites and associated high-grade metasedimentary rocks intrude low-grade Ordovician country rock. This relationship is well-exposed in the Tallangatta region, northeast Victoria (part of the Wagga-Omeo Metamorphic Complex). In this region granites (two I-types and two S-types) have intruded during the mid-late Silurian between approximately 410–430 Ma based on the ages of magmatic zircons. The age spectra for inherited zircons from the granites have been compared with those of detrital zircons from the enclosing low- and high-grade metasediments. In broad terms, both for detrital zircons in all four sediments and for inherited zircons in three of the four granites, the dominant ages are early Paleozoic and Late Precambrian, with sporadic older Precambrian ages extending up to 3.5 Ga. The ages of the youngest detrital zircons from the low-grade Lockhart and Talgarno terranes limit the time of sedimentation to ca. 466 Ma or younger. The youngest detrital zircons from two samples of the high-grade Gundowring terrane are 473 Ma, making these sediments Ordovician or younger, not Cambrian as originally suggested. However, the individual age spectra for the four selected metasediments are not well matched when closely examined. The age spectra of the inherited zircons in the granites also do not adequately match those in any of the metasediments. Thus, the metasediments might not be representative of the actual source rocks of the granites. While the exact source of the granites cannot be identified from the analysed samples, the existence of a large population of ca. 495 Ma inherited zircon grains in the S-type granites requires that the granite source contains a significant proportion of Cambrian or younger material. This does not preclude the existence of a Precambrian basement to the Lachlan fold belt but indicates that at the level of S-type magma generation, a Cambrian and/or younger protolith is required. Received: 28 August 1998 / Accepted: 7 July 1999     

西藏拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩中继承锆石的物源区示踪及其古地理意义

富含继承锆石的过铝质花岗岩一般来源于富铝质岩石(如变泥质岩)的部分熔融,因而分析这些继承锆石的U-Pb年龄可以像分析沉积岩碎屑锆石的U-Pb年龄一样,提供过铝质花岗岩源区物质中碎屑沉积物物源区的丰富信息。本文报道了中部拉萨地块早侏罗世过铝质花岗岩的全岩地球化学和锆石U-Pb年代学数据,结合拉萨地块已有二叠纪和晚三叠世过铝质花岗岩的继承锆石年代学数据,总结了目前已有的拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩的继承锆石U-Pb年龄特征(共199个谐和测点)。这些过铝质花岗岩属强过铝质S型花岗岩,其中的继承锆石定义了1250~1100Ma(峰值1181±14Ma)和550~450Ma(峰值494±7Ma)2个最突出的年龄群,分别可比于拉萨地块古生代沉积岩的碎屑锆石年龄峰值(约1170Ma)和寒武纪火山岩的侵位时代,明显不同于西羌塘、安多和特提斯喜马拉雅新元古代-古生代沉积岩中的碎屑锆石年龄频谱。拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩中约1181Ma的继承锆石,可能与拉萨地块古生代沉积岩中的同期碎屑锆石一样,都来自澳大利亚南西部Albany-Fraser造山带和东南极Wilkes等地,而约494的继承锆石,既可能来自澳大利亚西部,也可能来自拉萨地块本地。本文提供了拉萨地块与澳大利亚大陆北缘具有古地理联系的过铝质花岗岩继承锆石U-Pb年龄证据。拉萨地块的研究实践表明,采用过铝质花岗岩继承锆石和古生代沉积岩碎屑锆石相结合的锆石U-Pb年代学方法,可为重建冈瓦纳大陆北缘其它微陆块的古地理和构造岩浆演化提供重要约束。     

False drainage anomalies (?) in a granite area, Kvalöya in Troms, Norway — a case study

An anomalous area (100 km²) revealed by a previous regional overbank sediment sampling survey by the Geological Survey of Norway was followed-up for Ti, Nb, Y, Zr, La and Ce by drainage and lithogeochemical sampling and analyses. The drainage samples were anomalous in the same elements as in the overbank samples and contained similar concentrations. The lithogeochemical results did not indicate mineralization and showed only a small enhancement of Ti, Zr, La and Ce in mylonitic rocks.Mineralogical studies of the drainage samples revealed, apart from proportions of quartz and feldspars, that stream sediments and heavy mineral concentrates are similar in mineralogy, with epidote predomination and several vol% of fine-grained titanite and zircon. Drainage samples contained amounts of Nb, Y, and Zr up to ten times larger than average contents of rock samples. Enhanced light REE (La and Ce) and Nb reflect host minerals, titanite, and enhanced Y possibly zircon and/or allanite.Anomalies in both media do not relate to mineralization. The overbank samples and the drainage samples provide comparable geochemical data.     

辽东弓长岭—岫岩地区古元古界辽河群变沉积岩的物源及构造背景

辽东弓长岭—岫岩地区位于胶—辽—吉造山带东段,区内发育厚层古元古代变质沉积岩系,本文对这些变质沉积岩进行了岩相学和U-Pb年代学等方面的研究。岩相学特征显示这些岩石变质程度普遍偏低,多为绿片岩相变质条件,未发现高级特征变质矿物。岩石中主要矿物颗粒为石英,其中北辽河群碳酸盐矿物较为发育。根据辽东弓长岭-岫岩地区古元古代变沉积岩碎屑锆石阴极发光（CL）图像,这些锆石普遍具有清晰的振荡环带和较高的Th/U值（>0.3）,表明其原岩来自岩浆岩。结合LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学,得到里尔峪组、高家峪组、大石桥组和盖县组碎屑锆石分别呈现出2 159、2 500、2 189/2 530和2 044/2 197 Ma的年龄峰值,表明其沉积物来源于古元古代花岗质岩石和相邻的太古宙杂岩。结合前人资料,本文认为南、北辽河岩群形成于相同的环境并经历了相同的构造演化过程,古元古代弧-陆碰撞模式可能更适用于胶—辽—吉造山带的构造演化。     

Late Triassic sedimentary records in the northern Tethyan Himalaya:Tectonic link with Greater India

The Upper Triassic flysch sediments(Nieru Formation and Langjiexue Group)exposed in the Eastern Tethyan Himalayan Sequence are crucial for unraveling the controversial paleogeography and paleotectonics of the Himalayan orogen.This work reports new detrital zircon U-Pb ages and whole-rock geochemical data for clastic rocks from flysch strata in the Shannan area.The mineral modal composition data suggest that these units were mainly sourced from recycled orogen provenances.The chemical compositions of the sandstones in the strata are similar to the chemical composition of upper continental crust.These rocks have relatively low Chemical Index of Alteration values(with an average of 62)and Index of Compositional Variability values(0.69),indicating that they experienced weak weathering and were mainly derived from a mature source.The geochemical compositions of the Upper Triassic strata are similar to those of graywackes from continental island arcs and are indicative of an acidicintermediate igneous source.Furthermore,hornblende and feldspar experienced decomposition in the provenance,and the sediment became enriched in zircon and monazite during sediment transport.The detrital zircons in the strata feature two main age peaks at 225-275 Ma and 500-600 Ma,nearly continuous Paleoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic ages,and a broad inconspicuous cluster in the Tonian-Stenian(800-1200 Ma).The detrital zircons from the Upper Triassic sandstones in the study area lack peaks at 300-325 Ma(characteristic of the Lhasa block)and 1150-1200 Ma(characteristic of the Lhasa and West Australia blocks).Therefore,neither the Lhasa block nor the West Australia blocks likely acted as the main provenance of the Upper Triassic strata.Newly discovered Permian-Triassic basalt and mafic dikes in the Himalayas could have provided the 225-275 Ma detrital zircons.Therefore,Indian and Himalayan units were the main provenances of the flysch strata.The Tethyan Himalaya was part of the northern passive margin and was not an exotic terrane separated from India during the Permian to Early Cretaceous.This evidence suggests that the Neo-Tethyan ocean opened prior to the Late Triassic and that the Upper Triassic deposits were derived from continental crustal fragments adjacent to the northern passive continental margin of Greater India.     

Provenance variations in the Late Paleozoic accretionary complex of central Chile as indicated by detrital zircons

We present detrital zircon UPb SHRIMP age patterns for the central segment (34–42°S) of an extensive accretionary complex along coastal Chile together with ages for some relevant igneous rocks. The complex consists of a basally accreted high pressure/low temperature Western Series outboard of a frontally accreted Eastern Series that was overprinted by high temperature/low pressure metamorphism. Eleven new SHRIMP detrital zircon age patterns have been obtained for meta-turbidites from the central (34–42°S) segment of the accretionary complex, four from previously undated metamorphic complexes and associated intrusive rocks from the main Andean cordillera, and three from igneous rocks in Argentina that were considered as possible sediment source areas. There are no Mesozoic detrital zircons in the accretionary rocks. Early Paleozoic zircons are an essential component of the provenance, and Grenville-age zircons and isolated grains as old as 3 Ga occur in most rocks, although much less commonly in the Western Series of the southern sector. In the northernmost sector (34–38°30′S) Proterozoic zircon grains constitute more than 50% of the detrital spectra, in contrast with less than 10% in the southern sector (39–42°S). The youngest igneous detrital zircons in both the northern Western (307 Ma) and Eastern Series (345 Ma) are considered to closely date sedimentation of the protoliths. Both oxygen and LuHf isotopic analyses of a selection of Permian to Neoproterozoic detrital zircon grains indicate that the respective igneous source rocks had significant crustal contributions. The results suggest that Early Paleozoic orogenic belts (Pampean and Famatinian) containing material recycled from cratonic areas of South America supplied detritus to this part of the paleo-Pacific coast. In contrast, in the southern exposures of the Western Series studied here, Permian detrital zircons (253–295 Ma) dominate, indicating much younger deposition. The northern sector has scarce Early to Middle Devonian detrital zircons, prominent south of 39°S. The sedimentary protolith of the northern sector was probably deposited in a passive margin setting starved of Devonian (Achalian) detritus by a topographic barrier formed by the Precordillera, and possibly Chilenia, terranes. Devonian subduction-related metamorphic and plutonic rocks developed south of 39°S, beyond the possible southern limit of Chilenia, where sedimentation of accretionary rocks continued until Permian times.     

Indo‐Antarctic derived detritus on the northern margin of Gondwana: evidence for continental‐scale sediment transport

Provenance studies from Cambro‐Ordovician sediments of the North Gondwana passive margin typically ascribe a North African source, a conclusion that cannot be reconciled with all observations. We present new U‐Pb ages from detrital rutile and zircon from Late Ordovician sediments from Saxo‐Thuringia, Germany. Detrital zircons yield age populations of 500–800 Ma, 900–1050 Ma and 1800–2600 Ma. The detrital rutile age spectra are unimodal with ages between 500 and 650 Ma and likely represent, together with the 500–800 Ma and 1800–2600 Ma zircon populations, detritus sourced predominantly from North Africa. In contrast, the c. 950 Ma zircons, which are persistently found in Cambro‐Ordovician sediments of North Gondwana, have no obvious African source. We propose that these zircons are sourced from the Rayner Complex–Eastern Ghats regions of Antarctica and India. An Indo‐Antarctic source indicates either continental‐scale sedimentary transport from central Gondwana to its peripheries or multiple cycles of sediment reworking and redeposition.