Mid–Late Triassic metamorphic event for Changhai meta-sedimentary rocks from the SE Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt,North China Craton: Evidence from monazite U–Th–Pb and muscovite Ar–Ar dating

The precise constraints on the timing of metamorphism of the Changhai metamorphic complex is of great importance considering the prolonged controversial issue of the north margin and the extension of the Sulu–Dabie HP–UHP Belt. While the monazite U–Th–Pb and muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar techniques are widely accepted as two of the most powerful dating tools for revealing the thermal histories of medium–low grade metamorphic rocks and precisely constraining the timing of metamorphism. The Changhai metamorphic complex at the SE Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt, North China Craton consists of a variety of pelitic schist and Grt–Ky-bearing paragneiss, and minor quartzite and marble. Analyses of mineral inclusions and back-scattered electric (BSE) images of monazites, combined with LA–ICP–MS U–Th–Pb ages for monazites and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for muscovites, provide evidence of the origin and metamorphic age of the Changhai metamorphic complex. Monazites separates from various Grt–Mus schists and Grt–Ky–St–Mus paragneisses exhibit homogeneous BSE images from cores to rims, and contain inclusion assemblages of Grt + Mus + Qtz ± Ctd ± Ky in schist, and Grt + Ky + St + Mus + Pl + Kfs + Qtz inclusions in paragneiss. These inclusion assemblages are very similar to matrix minerals of host rocks, indicating they are metamorphic rather than inherited or detrital in origin. LA–ICP–MS U–Th–Pb dating reveals that monazites of schist and paragneiss have consistent ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages ranging from 228.1 ± 3.8 to 218.2 ± 3.7 Ma. In contrast, muscovites from various schists show slightly older ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 236.1 ± 1.5 to 230.2 ± 1.2 Ma. These geochronological and petrological data conclude that the pelitic sediments have experienced a metamorphic event at the Mid–Late Triassic (236.1–218.2 Ma) rather than the Paleoproterozoic (1950–1850 Ma), commonly regarded as the Precambrian basement for the Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt. Hence, the Changhai metamorphic complex should be considered as a discrete lithotectonic group.This newly recognized Mid–Late Triassic metamorphic event (236.1–218.2 Ma) for the Changhai metamorphic complex is coeval with the HP–UHP metamorphic event (235–220 Ma) for Sulu–Dabie rocks. This leads us to speculate that the metamorphism of the Changhai complex belt along the SE margin of the North China Craton was genetically related to the Mid–Late Triassic collision of the North China and South China cratons. By the same token, the Sulu–Dabie HP–UHP Belt may have extended through Yantai, and the southern Yellow Sea, and to the southern side of the Changhai metamorphic complex.     

Determination of Early Paleozoic metamorphic event in the Longshan Complex and its geological implicationSCIEI北大核心CSCD

长期以来,陇山杂岩的归属问题一直存在争议。本文对出露于秦岭-祁连山结合部位的陇山杂岩中石榴黑云斜长片麻岩和石榴斜长角闪岩进行了详细的岩石学、P-T温压计算、独居石和榍石U-Pb年代学研究。通过详细的岩相学观察,石榴黑云斜长片麻岩的变质峰期矿物组合为石榴子石+黑云母+斜长石+石英;石榴斜长角闪岩中则识别出了以石榴子石+单斜辉石+角闪石+斜长石+石英为峰期的变质矿物组合。通过传统温压计计算,石榴黑云斜长片麻岩(样品21LS40)和石榴斜长角闪岩样品(样品21LS42-1)的峰期变质P-T条件分别为700℃、0.72GPa和710℃、0.74GPa。激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb数据表明,石榴黑云斜长片麻岩中独居石的206Pb/238U的加权平均年龄为407~435Ma。石榴斜长角闪岩中榍石的下交点年龄分别为410±7Ma、409±5Ma和426±10Ma,榍石中Zr含量温度计的计算结果分别为750℃、751℃和748℃(假定压力为0.7GPa)。本文从变质作用的角度出发,将陇山杂岩与秦岭杂岩进行温压条件和变质时代对比研究,认为陇山杂岩与东秦岭杂岩高压-超高压岩石的最后一期退变质作用和西秦岭天水地区的秦岭杂岩麻粒岩相变质作用类似,可能为北秦岭造山带的西延。     

Metallogenic age and fluid evolution of the Kangshan Au-polymetallic deposit in the southern margin of the North China Craton: Constraints from monazite U-Pb age,and in-situ trace elements and S isotopes of pyriteSCIEI北大核心CSCD

小秦岭-熊耳山金矿集区位于华北克拉通南缘,发育众多伴生铅锌银等金属的金矿,成为揭示克拉通破坏型金矿成因的天然实验室。产于小秦岭-熊耳山金矿集区内的康山金多金属矿床受控于北东向的中生代脆性断裂,赋存于新太古代变质岩和中元古代火山岩中。成矿过程可分为4个热液阶段:石英±黄铁矿阶段、石英-黄铁矿-黄铜矿-自然金阶段、多金属硫化物-自然金-石英-铁白云石阶段、石英-方解石±萤石阶段。本文获得康山金多金属矿床金成矿阶段热液独居石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄为131.7±4.6Ma,与晚中生代华北克拉通破坏有关的岩浆热液成矿作用时代一致。本次研究开展的各阶段黄铁矿原位微量元素单点和扫面分析,发现第2阶段Au与Co、Ni、As呈正相关关系,且有明显的振荡环带,Cu、Ag、Sb、Pb、Bi这几种元素从黄铁矿颗粒的核部向边缘含量逐渐降低,且黄铁矿颗粒中出现富含这些元素的矿物包裹体,说明该阶段发生流体沸腾作用;而第3阶段黄铁矿中各微量元素含量为所有阶段中最低,黄铁矿无振荡环带且裂隙中有富含各微量元素的硫化物充填,说明各种元素在该阶段均得到充分卸载,且成矿流体的化学性质较稳定。结合前人关于该矿床各阶段流体包裹体分析结果,表明流体沸腾是Au的主要沉淀机制,而流体混合是Pb、Zn、Ag的主要沉淀机制。黄铁矿中微量元素含量指示,从第1阶段到第3阶段流体温度依次降低;第2和第3阶段流体fO2比第1阶段高且后两者相差不大。根据黄铁矿Co、Ni含量及比值的计算,认为第1和第2阶段黄铁矿为岩浆热液成因,第3阶段黄铁矿受围岩物质影响。黄铁矿原位S同位素分析得到第1至第3阶段黄铁矿δ34S分别为+6.6‰-+8.9‰、+5.0‰-+7.2‰和+6.0‰-+8.7‰,均与区域花岗岩类的S同位素值类似。综上所述,本文得出康山金多金属矿床形成于早白垩世与华北克拉通破坏有关的岩浆热液成矿作用。     

海南石碌铁矿独居石的成因类型、化学定年及地质意义

海南石碌铁矿是我国最大的富赤铁矿矿床,同时伴生有钴、铜等多金属矿产。轴向北西-南东向的复式向斜是石碌铁、钴铜矿体的主要控矿构造,富铁矿和钴铜矿的形成与该褶皱变形及伴随的韧性剪切和高温塑性流动有着密切的关系。为获得该构造变形的年代学信息和证实构造变形对成矿物质的富集影响,本文开展了石碌铁矿近矿围岩—石碌群第六层透辉石透闪石岩中独居石的显微结构观察和电子探针化学Th-U-Pb定年(CHIME法)。显微结构观察发现独居石往往沿岩石面理定向分布,且具典型的球冠结构,表现为围绕独居石核部向外依次出现磷灰石、褐帘石、绿帘石同心环。电子探针分析结果表明这些独居石为Ce-La-Nd磷酸盐[(Ce,La,Nd,Th)PO4],具富钍独居石端元组分。ThO 2含量范围(0.78%~4.61%)、稀土特征以及独居石的产出特征均暗示了其为同构造变质成因。电子探针CHIME化学定年结果表明独居石的年龄变化范围为614~397Ma,并具有两个峰值年龄:即主峰值ca.455Ma和次峰值ca.564Ma。低的ThO 2(0.78%~1.65%),PbO(0.02%~0.04%)和CaO(0.50%~0.97%)含量,以及高的Th/U比值(23.06~53.11)暗示了构成ca.564Ma的独居石是早期剪切变形事件的产物。而在随后剪切变形过程中独居石在低角闪岩相变质条件下以及碱性变质流体诱导下发生了溶解-再沉淀,形成了具ca.455Ma年龄的补丁状成分区。该过程引起了U-Pb体系的局部重置,形成的独居石具有变化较大的ThO 2(0.92%~4.61%)、PbO(0.01%~0.08%)和CaO(0.28%~1.58%)含量范围以及Th/U值(24.83~52.86)。在剪切变形之后,早期变质成因的独居石在绿片岩相退变质作用过程中及富Ca、Fe、Si、Al流体参与的条件下,经不平衡反应形成了磷灰石-褐帘石-绿帘石球冠物,反应机制以独居石和球冠矿物间的元素扩散动力学为主。该反应暗示了REE、Y、Th等元素发生了迁移,并可能引起边部独居石的部分Pb丢失。结合华南的构造演化,年龄谱主峰值455Ma代表了与华南加里东造山运动有关的区域变质和动力变质作用事件年龄,是加里东运动在海南岛的响应;次峰值年龄564Ma对应着冈瓦纳泛非事件,暗示了华南在晚新元古代-早古生代与冈瓦纳大陆具有亲缘性,华南加里东运动引起陆内造山过程可能与冈瓦纳大陆的聚合碰撞事件有关。因此,晚新元古代-早古生代造山事件对海南岛构造演化历史具重要影响。此外,该构造运动使石碌群发生褶皱变形,伴随产生的变质流体使铁、钴铜成矿元素进一步活化和富集,对石碌铁、钴铜矿的富集有着重要影响。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114001601

Data from a migmatised metapelite raft enclosed within charnockite provide quantitative constraints on the pressure-temperature-time[P-T-t) evolution of the Nagercoil Block at the southernmost tip of peninsular India.An inferred peak metamorphic assemblage of garnet,K-feldspar.sillimanite,plagioclase,magnetite,ilmenite,spinel and melt is consistent with peak metamorphic pressures of 6-8 kbar and temperatures in excess of 900℃.Subsequent growth of cordierite and biotite record high-temperature retrograde decompression to around 5 kbar and 800 C.SHRIMP U-Pb dating of magmatic zircon cores suggests that the sedimentary protoliths were in part derived from felsic igneous rocks with Palaeoproterozoic crystallisation ages.New growth of metamorphic zircon on the rims of detrital grains constrains the onset of melt crystallisation,and the minimum age of the metamorphic peak,to around560 Ma.The data suggest two stages of monazite growth.The first generation of REE-enriched monazite grew during partial melting along the prograde path at around 570 Ma via the incongruent breakdown of apatite.Relatively REE-depleted rims,which have a pronounced negative europium anomaly,grew during melt crystallisation along the retrograde path at around 535 Ma.Our data show the rocks remained at suprasolidus temperatures for at least 35 million years and probably much longer,supporting a long-lived high-grade metamorphic history.The metamorphic conditions,timing and duration of the implied clockwise P-T-t path are similar to that previously established for other regions in peninsular India during the Ediacaran to Cambrian assembly of that part of the Gondwanan supercontinent.     

Do extrusion ages reflect magma generation processes at depth? An example from the Neogene Volcanic Province of SE Spain

The high-K calc-alkaline volcanic rocks along the Neogene Volcanic Province of SE Spain represent crustal anatectic melts mixed with mantle components during the opening of the Alborán Sea. Partially melted metapelitic enclaves, along with the geochemical signature, provide evidence of their crustal source. U–Pb SHRIMP geochronology on monazite and zircon from enclaves and their hosting lavas in the localities of El Hoyazo, Mazarrón and Mar Menor reveals variable delays between the melting at depth and the eruption of the volcanics. These data indicate that: (1) the most important event of anatexis in the Neogene spanned at least the 3 m.y. interval between 12 and 9 Ma; (2) there is no trend in age of crustal melting; and (3) the delay between magma generation and extrusion varies from more than 3 m.y. at El Hoyazo to ~0.5 m.y. and possibly 2.5 m.y. at Mar Menor, with no significant delay measurable at Mazarrón. The variable time delay between anatexis and lava extrusion indicates that radiometric ages of volcanics may provide misleading information on the timing of magma genesis occurring at depth. This highlights the pitfall of basing detailed geodynamic models on volcanic extrusion ages alone. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

New constraints on UHT metamorphism in the Eastern Ghats Province through the application of phase equilibria modelling and in situ geochronology

High Mg–Al granulites from the Sunki locality in the central portion of the Eastern Ghats Province record evidence for the high-temperature peak and retrograde evolution. Peak metamorphic phase assemblages from two samples are garnet + orthopyroxene + quartz + ilmenite + melt and orthopyroxene + spinel + sillimanite + melt, respectively. Isochemical phase diagrams (pseudosections) based on bulk rock compositions calculated in the chemical system Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–TiO₂–Fe₂O₃ (NCKFMASHTO) and Al contents in orthopyroxene indicate peak UHT metamorphic conditions in excess of 960 °C and 9.7 kbar. Microstructures and the presence of cordierite interpreted to record the post-peak evolution show that the rocks underwent decompression and minor cooling from conditions of peak UHT metamorphism to conditions of ~ 900 °C at ~ 7.5 kbar. In situ U–Pb isotope analyses of monazite associated with garnet and cordierite using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) yield a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U age of ca. 980 Ma, which is interpreted to broadly constrain the timing of high-temperature monazite growth during decompression and melt crystallization at ~ 900–890 °C and 7.5 kbar. However, the range of ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U monazite ages (from ca. 1014 Ma to 959 Ma for one sample and ca. 1043 Ma to 922 Ma for the second sample) suggest protracted monazite growth during the high-temperature retrograde evolution, and possibly diffusive lead loss during slow cooling after decompression. The results of the integrated petrologic and geochronologic approach presented here are inconsistent with a long time gap between peak conditions and the formation of cordierite-bearing assemblages at lower pressure, as proposed in previous studies, but are consistent with a simple evolution of a UHT peak followed by decompression and cooling.     

Electron microprobe U–Th–Pb monazite dating of the Transamazonian metamorphic overprint on Archean rocks from the Amapá Block, southeastern Guiana Shield, Northern Brazil

The Amapá Block, southeastern Guiana Shield, represents an Archean block involved in a large Paleoproterozoic belt, with evolution related to the Transamazonian orogenic cycle (2.26 to 1.95 Ga). High spatial resolution dating using an electron-probe microanalyzer (EPMA) was employed to obtain U–Th–Pb chemical ages in monazite of seven rock samples of the Archean basement from that tectonic block, which underwent granulite- and amphibolite-facies metamorphism. Pb–Pb zircon dating was also performed on one sample.Monazite and zircon ages demonstrate that the metamorphic overprinting of the Archean basement occurred during the Transamazonian orogenesis, and two main tectono-thermal events were recorded. The first one is revealed by monazite ages of 2096 ± 6, 2093 ± 8, 2088 ± 8, 2087 ± 3 and 2086 ± 8 Ma, and by the zircon age of 2091 ± 5 Ma, obtained in granulitic rocks. These concordant ages provided a reliable estimate of the time of the granulite-facies metamorphism in the southwest of the Amapá Block and, coupled with petro-structural data, suggest that it was contemporaneous to the development of a thrusting system associated to the collisional stage of the Transamazonian orogenesis, at about 2.10–2.08 Ga.The later event, under amphibolite-facies conditions, is recorded by monazite ages of 2056 ± 7 and 2038 ± 6 Ma, and is consistent with a post-collisional stage, marked by granite emplacement and coeval migmatization of the Archean basement along strike-slip shear zones.     

Long-lived Nb-Ta mineralization in Mufushan,NE Hunan,South China: Geological,geochemical, and geochronological constraints

The Mufushan Complex (MFSC), located in northeastern Hunan, is a significant producer of Nb-Ta-Li-Be rare metals in South China. The present study examines the genetic relationship, material provenance, fluid evolution, and metallogeny of the co-developed ore-free pegmatite (OFP) and ore-bearing pegmatite (OBP) in granite-related pegmatite-type Nb-Ta rare-metal deposits in MFSC. Three minerals (columbite-tantalite (coltan), zircon, and monazite) were chosen for analysis. The coltan grains display both primary crystallization structures (crystal homogeneity, oscillatory zonings, and primary growth rims) resulting from equilibrium and disequilibrium reactions due to localized changes in the physicochemical conditions and environment, as well as later replacement structures (alteration rims, patches, irregular zonations, and complex zonations) from metasomatic replacement processes related to hydrothermal fluid activity. The coltan yielded two weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 138.1 ± 2.1 Ma and 125.3 ± 2.0 Ma corresponding to magmatic and hydrothermal Nb-Ta mineralization ages. For the OFP, zircons also yielded two weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 138.4 ± 0.8 Ma and 131.5 ± 0.7 Ma, whereas monazite gave a weighted mean U-Pb age 142.9 ± 1.2 Ma. The ages of 142–138 Ma and 131 Ma represent the early and late stages of OFP crystallization and barren pegmatites in the MFSC, respectively. Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic compositions link rare-metal metallogenesis to the Lengjiaxi Group, which was the source material to the Mufushan composite batholith. Calculated ε_Hf(t) values and T_DM2 ages from the OFP (?7.6 to ?3.6 and 1676–1418 Ma, respectively) and the OBP (?14.1 to +4.9 and 2976–1548 Ma, respectively) are akin to those of schists and metasandstones of the metasedimentary Lengjiaxi Group. We propose a long-lived (ca. 13-Myr) event involving two metallogenic episodes of Nb-Ta mineralization in the Mufushan region. This study demonstrates the potential of zircon, coltan, and monazite for fingerprinting minerals and classifying the mineralization potential of pegmatite veins.     

Electron microprobe dating of monazite substantiates ages of major geological events in the southern Brazilian shield

To obtain the chemical Th^*–Pb isochron ages and surface maps of monazite crystals in igneous and metamorphic rocks from the southern Brazilian Shield, we employ Th–U-total Pb dating by an electron probe microanalyzer. The ages of two Trans-Amazonian metamorphic events are given by a felsic, garnet-bearing granulite from the Santa Maria Chico granulitic complex. The age of the first event, at approximately 2.35 Ga, was obtained by surface mapping in a grain included in garnet. The dating of the second event, 1899±43 Ma, is in agreement with previous data obtained in zircon crystals with sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe. Other determinations belong to the Brasiliano cycle. In the São Gabriel block, an age of 643±129 Ma was obtained on monazite from a staurolite-garnet schist of the Cambaizinho Formation, whereas a staurolite-bearing schist from the Passo Feio complex yielded a 510±68 Ma age. Several units in the Dom Feliciano belt were dated, including the biotite-sillimanite gneisses of the Várzea do Capivarita complex (552±90 Ma), the sillimanite-garnet gneisses of Camboriú complex (565±77 Ma), the Três Figueiras granite (558±57 Ma), and the Plaza Itapema granite (545±55 Ma). The ages presented in this study, obtained through monazite chemical dating, are confirmed through comparison with previous data regarding zircon crystals from the same geological units.