First finds of Late Tithonian and middle-late Albian radiolarian assemblages in volcanogenic-siliceous rocks of the Amur River right lower reaches and their tectonic significance

The lithological-stratigraphic study of volcanogenic-siliceous rocks developed on the left side of the Machtovaya River, a right tributary of the Amur River, yielded the first radiolarian assemblages of the late Late Tithonian, the late Late Tithonian-early Valanginian, and the middle-late Albian age. It is established that the stratigraphic succession of volcanogenic-siliceous rocks in this area is composed of upper Tithonian-Valanginian dark red to red-brown cherts with basalts in the lower part of the section and Albian dark gray clayey cherts, olive-gray siliceous-tuffaceous argillites, and tufaceous siltstones in its upper part. The replacement of cherts by their clayey varieties likely occurred in the Aptian. The composition, structure, and age of these strata and the rocks constituting the Kiselevka-Manoma accretionary complex are different, which indicates their different tectonic origin.     

New data on the geology and age of the Koreyskaya River area (south Sikhote-Alin)

Abstract The geological structure of the Koreyskaya River area exhibits a complex combination of turbidite—olistostrome deposits making up a matrix and synsedimentary tectonic enclosures represented by allochthons of formations different in age and genesis. Three tectono-stratigraphic units can be distinguished, that have been combined into a single section by accretion. New data on radiolarians have been used to date the tectonic enclosures and matrix. Abundant Mesozoic radiolarians (from Triassic to Late Jurassic) and also Late Permian radiolarians were found in cherty and siliceous mudstone olistoliths and cherty allochthons.     

Comparative geochemical study of the cherty rocks of the Taukha terrane (Sikhote-Alin) and its paleogeodynamic significance

Acta Geochimica - The article presents the results of a comparative geochemical study of cherts and siliceous–clayey rocks composing the tectono-sedimentary complexes of various structural...     

Siliceous-clayey rocks of the Jurassic accretionary prism, Khekhtsir Range, Sikhote Alin: Stratigraphy and genesis

Lithologic-stratigraphic aspects of siliceous-clayey rocks forming the Khabarovsk terrane of the Jurassic accretionary prism were studied in western spurs of the Bol’shoi Khekhtsir Range on the left side of the Ussuri River (Ussuri-Khekhtsir section). Two defined types of the examined section differ in the composition, age, and origin of their constituting rocks. The northern segment of the section is composed of middle Bajocian red-brown siliceous-tuffaceous silty and olive-gray silty mudstones that accumulated in the hemipelagic domain under the influence of continental provenance. Its southern segment is represented by lower Bathonian olive-gray siliceous mudstones, mudstones barren of any admixtures, and yellowish brown tuffaceous mudstones deposited far away from the continent in waters with abundant radiolarians. It is shown that these rocks are elements of two tectono-stratigraphic complexes that reflect different stages in the accretionary prism formation.     

Structure and age of lower structural unit of Taukha terrane of Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous accretionary prism,southern Sikhote–Alin

Specific data is presented on structure and age of the sedimentary formations within the lower structural unit (Erdagou Formation) in the Taukha terrane, southern Sikhote–Alin, Russia. According to lithological research of this unit exposed in the Benevka River area, the Erdagou Formation represents a deformed fragment of so‐called Oceanic Plate Stratigraphy sequence. The Erdagou Formation includes all lithological varieties of rocks from pelagic (cherts and clayey cherts) and hemipelagic (siliceous mudstones) up to oceanic‐margin (mudstones, siltstones, and turbidites) deposits. Based on the results of radiolarian biostratigraphic research of the rocks, the age of the cherts is from middle Oxfordian to the beginning of Berriasian. Transitive layers between cherts and terrigenous rocks (turbidites), namely siliceous mudstones, are early Berriasian in age. The lower part of the terrigenous section is characterized by late Berriasian–late Valanginian radiolarians. Taking these data into account, it is plausible that the accretion of the given part of the paleo‐oceanic plate occurred post‐Valanginian.     

Clastic Rocks from Permian and Triassic Cherty Sequences in Sikhote Alin and Japan

Specific structural–textural and mineralogical–petrographic features of clastic rocks, which make up sparse thin layers within Permian and Triassic cherty sequences in Sikhote Alin and Japan, are discussed. The cherty sequences were retained in the Jurassic accretionary complex as fragments of sedimentary cover of an ancient oceanic basin. They were mainly formed by turbidity currents that originated on intrabasinal uplifts composed of tholeiitic basalts in the Permian. In the Triassic, the currents originated on uplifts consisting of ocean-island alkali basalts along with Permian and Lower Triassic cherty and cherty–clayey rocks. The compositional difference of provenances was apparently caused by tectonic events in the oceanic basin at the Permian/Triassic boundary.     

Comparative characteristics of the Samarka (Sikhote-Alin) and Ultra-Tamba (Japan) terranes as grounds for correlating fragments of the Jurassic accretionary prism in two regions

Comparative data on tectono-stratigraphic complexes of the Ultra-Tamba terrane (Inner Zone of Japan) and upper structural level of the Samarka terrane in the Jurassic accretionary prism of Sikhote Alin are considered. Structural, lithological, petrographic data and age constraints characterizing rock associations of the terranes show that the latter are similar to a great extent, and consequently the Ultra-Tamba terrane can be regarded as an element of the Tamba-Mino-Ashio accretionary prism of the Jurassic but not Permian age, as it was thought earlier. The considered data substantiate confident structural correlation of both fragments of the Jurassic prism and of two regions in general.