Zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic study of gneissic rocks from the Chinese Altai: Progressive accretionary history in the early to middle Palaeozoic

Gneissic rocks in the Chinese Altai Mountains have been interpreted as either Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks or Precambrian basement. This study reports geochemical and geochronological data for banded paragneisses and associated gneissic granitoids collected along a NE–SW traverse in the northwestern Chinese Altai. Petrological and geochemical data suggest that the protoliths of the banded gneisses were possibly immature sediments with significant volcanic input and that the gneissic granitoids were derived from I-type granites formed in a subduction environment. Three types of morphological features can be recognized in zircons from the banded gneisses and are interpreted to correlate with different sources. Zircons from five samples of banded paragneiss cluster predominantly between 466 and 528 Ma, some give Neoproterozoic ages, and a few yield discordant Paleoproterozoic to Archean ages. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate that both juvenile/mantle and crust materials were involved in the generation of the source rocks from which these zircons were derived. In contrast, zircons occur ubiquitously as elongated euhedral prismatic crystals in the four samples of the gneissic granitoids, and define single populations for each sample with mean ages between 380 and 453 Ma. The general absence of Precambrian inheritance and positive zircon ?Hf values for these granitoids suggest insignificant crustal contribution to the generation of the precursor magmas. Our data can be interpreted in terms of a progressive accretionary history in early to middle Palaeozoic times, and the Chinese Altai may possibly represent a magmatic arc built on a continental margin dominated by Neoproterozoic rocks.     

Behavior of Pile Groups under Lateral Load

Based on investigation and model tests, and in combination with the research work on group effect for pile groups under lateral loads relating to the code of fixed offshore platforms, a series of studies have been performed on the behavior and failure mechanism of laterally loaded pile groups, critical pile spacing inducing group effect, lateral bearing capacity of pile groups and its main influence factors, the stress-strain relationship for single piles and pile groups and so on. Some new laws about non-uniformity of load distribution in the longitudinal direction of pile groups and load-deflection (p - y) curves for pile groups have been discovered, and an empirical formula is presented in order to remedy the defect of current calculating methods at home and abroad. These results can be used for reference in the design of pile foundation under lateral loads.     

Microbial production of CO2 in red soil in Stone Forest National Park

Lunan stone forest is a kind of typical karst in China, which is mainly developed under red soil. In the winter of 1999, three study sites were chosen in stone forest national park according to vegetation cover, geomorphologic location and soil types. CO2 concentration was measured with Gastec pump at different depths of soil (20, 40, 60 cm) and at the same time soil samples were gathered and soil properties such as soil moisture, pH, soil organic content were analyzed and the total number of viable microbes were counted in laboratory. In the study, dependent variable was chosen as the mean soil log (PCO2), and soil properties were chosen as the independent variables. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the total amount of microbes and soil moisture are the best indicators of the CO2 production, with the equation LOG(PCO2) = - 0.039(TNM) - 0.056(Mo) + 1.215 accounting for 86% of the variation of the soil CO2 concentration, where TNM is the total number of microbes in the soil and Mo is the moisture of soil sample.     

Accurate U-Pb Age and Trace Element Determinations of Zircon by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

Various zircons of Proterozoic to Oligocene ages (1060-31 Ma) were analysed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Calibration was performed using Harvard reference zircon 91500 or Australian National University reference zircon TEMORA 1 as external calibrant. The results agree with those obtained by SIMS within 2s error. Twenty-four trace and rare earth elements (P, Ti, Cr, Y, Nb, fourteen REE, Hf, Ta, Pb, Th and U) were analysed on four fragments of zircon 91500. NIST SRM 610 was used as the reference material and ²⁹Si was used as internal calibrant. Based on determinations of four fragments, this zircon shows significant intra-and inter-fragment variations in the range from 10% to 85% on a scale of 120 μm, with the variation of REE concentrations up to 38.7%, although the chondrite-normalised REE distributions are very similar. In contrast, the determined age values for zircon 91500 agree with TIMS data and are homogeneous within 8.7 Ma (2 s ). A two-stage ablation strategy was developed for optimising U-Pb age determinations with satisfactory trace element and REE results. The first cycle of ablation was used to collect data for age determination only, which was followed by continuous ablation on the same spot to determine REE and trace element concentrations. Based on this procedure, it was possible to measure zircon ages as low as 30.37 0.39 Ma (MSWD = 1.4; 2 s ). Other examples for older zircons are also given.     

天然花岗岩块的熔融实验及其岩石学意义

本文详细论述了马兰峪中生代脉状花岗间长岩固体块样品的熔融实验结果,并据此讨论了部分熔融过程中的结构与成份平衡问题。实验表明,最初熔体产生于不同矿物的接触边界上,而且石英—碱性长石之间的熔体量较石英—斜长石间熔体多,而同种矿物之间一般不出现熔体。当熔融程度增高时,两种长石间也开始出现熔体。熔体成分的研究表明,初始部分熔融过程中,局部体系的平衡起着控制作用。     

吉林省太古宙TTG岩类固结的温度压力条件

吉林省太古宙ＴＴＧ岩类型成于变质上壳岩系麻粒岩相变质作用晚期阶段。详细的岩相学研究表明，ＴＴＧ岩类中存在岩浆结晶的绿帘石，角闪石和黑云母等。绿帘石的出现标志了一定的压条件。     

吉林南部太古宙英云闪长质片麻岩类的特征及成因

吉林南部太古宙英云闪长质片麻岩类主要由石英闪长质、英云闪长质、花岗闪长质和奥长花岗质片麻岩组成。地质学、岩相学、地球化学研究表明，它们是同源岩浆通过结晶分异作用形成的，最主要的分离矿物相是角闪石和斜长石。岩浆来源于下地壳角闪质岩石的部分熔融作用。     

花岗岩定位机制研究进展

近20年来，由于新理论、新方法和新技术的引入，使花岗岩定位机制的研究取得了很大进展，具体表现在复合定位机制的提出，定位机制控制因素的多样性，研究方法的更新等方面。在花岗质岩浆上升定位过程中，不仅肯定了浮力等作用的重要性，而且特别强调了构造通道、构造空间和构造应力作用方式的重要地位。花岗岩体构造研究的新进展，也为花岗地质岩浆的生成、运移、定位以及构造变形等一系列问题的解决提供了新的思路和有效的方法。     

东太平洋CC区多金属结核物质来源和分布规律

对东太平洋CC区(Clarion-Clipperton Zone)多金属结核丰度、品位、多波束地形测量、深拖光学覆盖率探测、地震勘探等一系列调查资料综合研究表明:①东区和西区结核在其化学成分和形态上有差异,但是聚类分析结果表明不能按区域断然分开;②因子分析得出东、西两区结核4种主因子是Mn组元素Mn、Cu、Ni、Zn,Fe组元素Fe、Co、Ti、Sr,岩源组元素Si、Al、K,生物元素Ca、P;③西区结核成矿物质主要来源于上覆海水中金属元素的化学沉淀,火山成矿作用使结核富集和丰度增加,趋势面和人工神经网络分析表明结核主要分布在海底坡度≤5°地区,该地区的结核量占总结核量的89.62％,坡度>5°地区结核量占10.38％;④东区结核丰度、覆盖率、地形三者变化一致,重大相变距离为10～15km,来自地幔成矿物质通过玄武质洋壳裂隙和断层,为多金属结核的形成和生长提供了丰富的物质来源,地球深部地质作用过程如基底岩浆房活动可能对结核分布产生重要影响;⑤东太平洋CC区多金属结核矿带的形成应归于海底板块扩张活动的一种资源效应和经后期表生地质作用改造的结果。     

U-Pb Age and Hf Isotope Study of Detrital Zircons from the Wanzi Supracrustals： Constraints on the Tectonic Setting and Evolution of the Fuping Complex, Trans-North China Orogen

Located in the middle segment of the Trans-North China Orogen, the Fuping Complex is considered as a critical area in understanding the evolution history of the North China Craton （NCC）. The complex is composed of various high-grade and multiply deformed rocks, including gray gneiss, basic granulite, amphibolite, fine-grained gneiss and marble, metamorphosed to upper amphibolite or granulite facies. It can be divided into four rock units： the Fuping TTG gneisses, Longquanguan augen gneisses, Wanzi supracrustals, and Nanying granitic gneisses. U-Pb age and Hf isotope compositions of about 200 detrital zircons from the Wanzi supracrustals of the Fuping Complex have been analyzed. The data on metamorphic zircon rims give ages of 1.82-1.84 Ga, corresponding to the final amalgamation event of the NCC, whereas the data for igneous zircon cores yield two age populations at -2.10 and -2.51 Ga, with some inherited ages scattering between 2.5 and 2.9 Ga. These results suggest that the Wanzi supracrustals were derived from the Fuping TTG gneisses （-2.5 Ga） and the Nanying granitic gneisses （2.0-2.1 Ga） and deposited between 2.10 and 1.84 Ga. All zircons with -2.51 Ga age have positive initial εHf values from ＋1.4 to ＋10.9, suggesting an important crustal growth event at -2.5 Ga through the addition of juvenile materials from the mantle. The Hf isotope data for the detrital zircons further imply that the 2.8 Ga rocks are important components in the lower crust, which is consistent with a suggestion from Nd isotope data for the Eastern Block. The zircons of 2.10 Ga population have initial εHf values of-4.9 to ＋6.1, interpreted as mixing of crustal re-melt with minor juvenile material contribution at 2.1 Ga. These results are distinct from that for the Western Block, supporting that the Fuping Complex was emplaced in a tectonic active environment at the western margin of the Eastern Block.