The Montalet granite, Montagne Noire, France: An Early Permian syn-extensional pluton as evidenced by new U-Th-Pb data on zircon and monazite

Dating the magmatism in the Montagne Noire gneiss dome in the southern French Massif Central is a key point for understanding the Late Palaeozoic evolution of this part of the Variscan belt, which is characterised by compressive tectonics during the Carboniferous and extensional tectonics during Stephanian-Permian times. The Montalet granite crops out in the north-western part of the dome and was first considered as an early syntectonic intrusion related to compressive deformation. More recently, it has been dated at 327 Ma and considered as contemporaneous with the diapiric ascent of the Montagne Noire gneiss dome before the Stephanian-Permian extension. We show that in fact, this pluton was emplaced 294 ± 1 Ma ago and is therefore contemporaneous with the Stephanian-Permian extension. This age is consistent with the interpretation of the Montagne Noire Massif as an extensional gneiss dome.     

A note on radioactive riverine placers around Midtul,Bastar craton,Central India

Reconnaissance survey in the Midtul area (toposheet no. 65F/1; 18°52′30″N: 81°09′55″E) of the Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, revealed well-developed, 1 to 4 m thick riverine placers, derived from granitic terrain in the environs of the Mari River. The sediments comprise largely unconsolidated, cross-stratified gravels, sands, and silts, with low flat-topped surfaces which, at places, correspond to the morphology of terraces that are preserved on convex banks of the present day meanders, indicating their deposition by fluvial processes as channel bars. Available field data suggest deep-seated secular weathering of granites of the area, extensive reworking of such weathered products by fluvial processes, and their deposition as riverine placers in the vicinity of the streams draining the area. The granitic rocks of the area record radioactivity of 0.01–0.02 milli Roentgen per hour (mR/hr), with spots of higher radioactivity of 0.04–0.08 mR/hr, whereas riverine placers derived from them show radioactivity up to 0.25 mR/hr. Hand-panned polymineral concentrates from such placer deposits, analyzed by wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometry, showed 0.006–0.67 (n = 47; av. 0.092) % Y₂O₃ and 0.019–4.729 (n = 46; av. 0.834) % Ce₂O₃, with low values of Nb (41–467; n = 15; av. 197 ppm), Ta (115–598, n = 13; av. 230 ppm), and Sn (17–468; n = 14; av. 104 ppm). From the observed heavy mineral assemblage of monazite, zircon, ilmenite, epidote, hematite, and magnetite, as revealed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, it is clear that the radioactivity is contributed by cerium, besides monazite (a phosphate of La, Ce, Th), and yttrium, possibly by zircon. Small amounts of niobium, tantalum, and tin are considered to be associated with ilmenite, epidote, and biotite. An occasional higher value of cerium (∼5% Ce₂O₃), together with restricted higher radioactivity, indicates only localized and uneconomic concentration of light REE-bearing mineral, monazite in isolated patches in such riverine placers.     

新疆西南天山木扎尔特河一带低压泥质麻粒岩岩石学特征、独居石U-Th-Pb定年及其地质意义

古南天山洋闭合过程中,由于洋壳俯冲产生的岛弧岩浆作用加热大陆地壳,在新疆西南天山木扎尔特一带形成了一套低压高温泥质麻粒岩相变质岩石.本文用Theriak-Domino热力学软件对该套岩石中的堇青石榴夕线石黑云母片麻岩和含夕线石堇青石榴黑云母片麻岩进行了岩石学相平衡计算研究,得到它们峰期变质的温压条件分别是：T=630～674℃,P=5.2～5.5kbar和T=645～684℃,P=5.4～5.7kbar.并采用独居石Th-U-Pb电子探针定年方法,对样品WQ006中的3颗独居石进行了原位年龄测定(38个分析点),得到2组等时线年龄,分别是376±8Ma和280σ8Ma(2σ).结合独居石的岩相学特征,提出了新疆西南天山低压高温麻粒岩相峰期变质作用的时代为280±8Ma,而376±8Ma(2σ)可能为原沉积岩的原岩/成岩年龄.表明西南天山洋壳开始俯冲发生在晚古生代,进一步证明了西南天山造山带俯冲碰撞发生在晚二叠纪之后的观点.     

Timing of metamorphism and deformation in the Swat valley,northern Pakistan:Insight into garnet-monazite HREE partitioning

New metamorphic petrology and geochronology from the Loe Sar dome in the Swat region of northern Pakistan place refined constraints on the pressure, temperature and timing of metamorphism and deformation in that part of the Himalayan orogen. Thermodynamic modelling and monazite petrochronology indicate that metamorphism in the area followed a prograde evolution from ～525 ± 25 ℃and 6 士 0.5 kbar to ～610 ± 25 ℃ and 9 士 0.5 kbar, between ca. 39 Ma and 28 Ma. Partitioning of heavy rare earth elements between garnet rims and 30-28 Ma monazite are interpreted to indicate coeval crystallization at peak conditions. Microtextural relationships indicate that garnet rim growth post-dated the development of the main foliation in the area. The regional foliation is folded about large-scale N-S trending fold axes and overprinting E-W trending folds to form km-scale domal culminations. The textural relationships observed indicate that final dome development must be younger than the 30-28 Ma monazite that grew with garnet rims post-regional foliation development, but pre-doming-related deformation. This new timing constraint helps resolve discrepancy between previous interpretations,which have alternately suggested that N-S trending regional folds must be either pre-or post-early Oligocene. Finally, when combined with existing hornblende and white mica cooling ages, these new data indicate that the study area was exhumed rapidly following peak metamorphism.     

白云鄂博矿床白云石型矿石中独居石单颗粒U-Th-Pb-Sm-Nd定年

使用交换树脂TRU Spec同时分离REE、U、Th、Pb及其他的元素,然后用阴离子交换树脂纯化Pb并用萃淋树脂分离纯化Sm和Nd,Sm、Nd、U和Pb的定量测定借助同位素稀释法,Th的定量测定则用ICP-MS分析,Nd和Pb同位素组成分析用质谱法(TIMS),从而实现独居石U-Th-Pb-Sm-Nd联合定年。用这种方法可以在同一样品上,同时得到U-Th-Pb和Sm-Nd同位素年龄记录。白云鄂博矿床白云石型稀土矿石中12个单颗粒独居石的U-Th-Pb-Sm-Nd同位素联合定年给出Sm-Nd等时线年龄为1008±320 Ma,其中8个独居石的Th-Pb等时线年龄为1231±200 Ma,此二年龄在误差范围内相似。在同一组独居石样品上得到一致的Th-Pb与Sm-Nd的中元古年龄,表明白云鄂博在中元古代的稀土成矿作用是可能的。本文独居石的Th-Pb 和Sm-Nd年龄与以前报道的独居石加里东期Th-Pb年龄差别很大,此问题尚需进一步研究。     

Electron microprobe dating of monazite from high-T shear zones in the São José de Campestre Massif, NE Brazil

The easternmost domain of the Borborema Province, northeastern Brazil, presents widespread, extensional-related high-temperature metamorphism during the Brasiliano (=Pan-African) orogeny. This event reached the upper amphibolite to granulite facies and provoked generalized migmatization of Proterozoic metapelitic rocks of the Seridó Group and tonalitic to granodioritic orthogneisses of the Archean to Paleoproterozoic basement. We report new geochronological data based on electron microprobe dating of monazite from metapelitic migmatite and leuconorite within the high-T shear zones that make up the eastern continuation of the huge E–W Patos shear belt. These data were also constrained by using the Sm–Nd isotopic systematic on garnet from a syntectonic alkaline granite and two garnet-bearing leucosomes. The results suggest an age of about 578 to 574 Ma for the peak of the widespread high-T metamorphism. This event is best recorded by Sm–Nd garnet-whole rock ages. The U–Th–Pb isotopes on monazite of the metapelitic migmatite show a younger thermal event at 553 ± 10 Ma. When compared to the Sm–Nd garnet-whole rock ages, the U–Th–Pb electron probe monazite ages seem to record an event of slightly lower temperatures after the peak of the high-T metamorphism. This may reflect the difference in the isotopic behavior of the geochronological methods employed. Otherwise, the U–Th–Pb ages on monazites could indicate an event not yet very well defined. In anyway, this paper reveals the partial or even complete re-opening and resetting of the U–Th–Pb isotopic system produced by the action of low-T Ca-rich fluid.     

Evolution of the REE mineralogy in HP–LT metapelites of the Sebtide complex, Rif, Morocco: Monazite stability and geochronology

REE mineralogy was characterized at the micrometer scale (using scanning electron microscopy) in the four tectono-metamorphic units of the Beni Mzala window, Sebtide Complex, Internal Rif, Morocco, which sample a HP-LT metamorphic gradient from subgreenschist to blueschist/eclogite facies. These tectonic units are composed of garnet-free metapelites (and associated synmetamorphic veins) from the same homogeneous aluminium-rich and calcium-poor protolith. In that context, mineralogical differences between units are assumed to result from contrasted pressure and temperature histories. Light REE-bearing Al-phosphates of the crandallite group with florencite-rich composition and variable goyazite content are the dominant LREE minerals in the lowest-grade units, Tizgarine (300 °C, 3 kbar as peak conditions) and Boquete de Anjera (350 °C, 10 kbar). In the latter unit, metamorphic florencite is associated with MREE-rich monazite. In the schist of the highest-grade units, Beni Mzala 2 (420–450 °C, 12 kbar) and Beni Mzala 1 (550 °C, 16 kbar), associations of allanite-rich epidote and synchisite (a LREE-fluorocarbonate) are found whereas florencite and monazite are no longer observed. At the wall of the quartz–kyanite veins, retrograde monazite-(Ce) with grain size of 20 to 50 μm is the only LREE-bearing mineral. Th–Pb and U–Pb SIMS data on some of these grains yield ages of 21.3 ± 1.7 Ma and 20.9 ± 2.1 Ma, respectively, consistent with previous K–Ar ages obtained on retrograde clay–mica mixtures in rocks from the same locality. The identification of a stability field for monazite in high-pressure aluminous metapelites with an upper thermal-limit below 450 °C as well as the derivation of meaningful U–Pb and Th–Pb SIMS ages demonstrates the monazite potential for dating HP-LT metapelites. However, since, under these conditions, monazite growth occurs below its admitted closure-temperature, these ages must be interpreted on the basis of monazite textural relationships.     

Metallogenic age and metallogenic dynamic setting of the Boziguoer super-large rare-rare earth metal deposit in Xinjiang: Insights from monazite U-Th-Pb dating and graphite Laser Raman spectroscopySCIEI北大核心CSCD

波孜果尔碱性岩型Nb-Ta-Rb-Zr-REE矿床位于塔里木克拉通北缘与南天山造山带的接合地段,是近年来在塔里木北缘碱性岩带中发现的规模最大的稀有-稀土综合性矿床。本文通过对含矿岩体中的独居石和晶质石墨包体开展成矿年代学和岩浆形成条件研究,结合含矿碱性岩全岩成分,揭示波孜果尔碱性岩型稀有-稀土金属矿床的岩石地球化学特征、晶质石墨对成岩/成矿的指示、稀土成矿时代和成矿动力学背景,并进一步总结区域成矿指示意义。研究发现,波孜果尔碱性岩以富含碱性暗色矿物(钠铁闪石和霓石)为特征,岩性以正长岩为主,有较高的稀土总量,富集轻稀土元素和高场强元素(Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf、Th、U等),亏损重稀土元素和Ba、Sr等大离子亲石元素,显示强烈的负Eu异常。通过对晶质石墨的研究发现,不同岩相组中石墨的拉曼谱峰相似,显示具有较高的结晶程度,岩浆演化从细晶到伟晶阶段,石墨的无序度增大,可能与烧绿石和锆石等含放射性元素矿物增多使得辐射加强的影响有关。估算石墨的结晶温度介于700~800℃之间,其形成早于碱性岩浆,指示碱性岩浆早期为还原环境,晚期趋于氧化。独居石LA-ICP-MS U-Th-Pb结果显示波孜果尔稀土矿化时代约为280Ma,结合前人已获得的锆石U-Pb年龄,表明波孜果尔碱性岩浆活动时间从~290Ma到280Ma,持续了至少10Myr。进一步研究发现,从时间和空间上,波孜果尔含矿碱性岩所在的碱性岩带形成与塔里木地幔柱有关。地幔柱就位诱发被先前俯冲物质交代富集稀有-稀土元素和挥发性成分的岩石圈地幔低程度部分熔融形成富成矿元素的碱性岩母岩浆,随后在岩浆演化晚期富集成矿。     

Cambrian metamorphism of the Qaidam block:Constraints from phase equilibrium modeling and monazite U-Pb datingSCIEI北大核心CSCD

柴达木地块位于青藏高原东北缘的祁连-阿尔金-昆仑早古生代造山系之中,它的西段出露一套(超)高温变质岩组合:变泥质岩、长英质片麻岩、基性麻粒岩、钙硅酸盐岩、含橄榄石大理岩及少量Mg-Al麻粒岩。本文以相平衡模拟和独居石U-Pb年代学为主要手段,限定柴西缘变泥质岩的变质作用P-T-t轨迹。变泥质岩记录了顺时针P-T轨迹,其中,压力峰期条件约为0.89GPa和800℃,温度峰期条件约为0.64GPa和825℃,退变质条件为0.58GPa和800℃至0.37±0.05GPa和702±50℃。变泥质岩的独居石U-Pb年龄集中在517~496Ma之间,三个样品的加权平均年龄分别为508±2Ma(MSWD=2.0)、506±1Ma(MSWD=1.7)、506±1Ma(MSWD=1.3)。本文将其解释为独居石的形成年龄,并认为独居石主要形成于退变质过程中的残留熔体结晶阶段(0.58GPa和800℃左右)。结合已有的工作可以得出,柴达木地块西段麻粒岩相变质作用具有顺时针P-T轨迹和1000~1300℃/GPa的峰期T/P值,并且在高温变质条件(>800℃)持续了超过30Myr。该类高T/P型变质作用最有可能发生在大型碰撞造山带内,可以与冈瓦纳大陆内部的晚泛非期的高T/P型变质作用对比,很可能是与冈瓦纳大陆最终拼合有关的晚泛非期造山事件的体现。     

EPMA and PIXE dating of monazite in granulites from Stary Gierałtów, NE Bohemian Massif, Poland

Chemical Th–U–total Pb (CHIME) dating of monazite by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) and proton microprobe (PIXE) was carried out on felsic granulites from Stary Gierałtów, Poland, which represent part of the Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome in the NE Bohemian Massif. Analyzed monazite is characterized by mosaic zoning rather than simple core-to-rim growth, and strontium contents of up to 750ppm. An isochron age of 347 ± 13Ma represents timing of amphibolite-facies metamorphism, in agreement with previously published estimates.