Surface temperature differences between minerals in crystalline rocks: Implications for granular disaggregation of granites through thermal fatigue

Thermal expansion differences between minerals within rocks under insolation have previously been assumed to drive breakdown by means of granular disaggregation. However, there have been no definitive demonstrations of the efficacy of this weathering mechanism. Different surface temperatures between minerals should magnify thermal expansion differences, and thus subject adjacent minerals to repeated stresses that might cause breakdown through fatigue failure. This work confirms the existence of surface temperature differences between minerals in granitic rocks under simulated short-term temperature fluctuations so as to discriminate their potential for initiating granular disaggregation. The influence of colour, as a surrogate for albedo, and crystal size, as a function of thermal mass are specifically identified because of their ease of quantification. Four rock types with a range of these properties were examined, and subjected to repeated short-term temperature cycles by radiative heating and cooling under laboratory conditions. Results show that while albedo is the main control for overall and individual maximum temperatures, crystal size is the main factor controlling higher temperature differences between minerals. Thus, stones with large differences of mineral sizes can undergo magnified stresses due to thermal expansion differences.     

新疆额尔宾山花岗岩侵位年龄和成因及其对南天山洋闭合时代的限定

额尔宾山花岗岩岩体位于南天山晚古生代侵入岩带,对该花岗岩进行锆石U-Pb定年获得296.1±1.8Ma的年龄,为早二叠世。岩石主量元素分析结果表明,该花岗岩的Si O2含量为66.96%~67.3%,富碱(Na2O+K2O=7.53%~7.97%),K2O/Na2O1(1.15~1.27),属高钾钙碱性系列岩石;Al2O3为15.56%~15.62%,Al2O3K2O+Na2O+Ca O,属于过铝型。岩石稀土元素配分模式呈现轻稀土元素(LREE)富集((La/Yb)N=27.03~30.62)、重稀土元素(HREE)亏损((LREE/HREE)=18.2~20.1)、具有中等程度的负Eu异常(δEu=0.64~0.68)。微量元素判别结果显示,其具有I-A型花岗岩过渡的特征。结合区域地质背景综合分析,初步认定该岩体可能形成于南天山同碰撞向后碰撞构造体制转换时期,据此可以推测南天山洋盆闭合时限至少应该在早二叠世以前。     

Long-term erosion on granitic roadcuts based on exposed tree roots

Exposed roots were used to estimate soil and bedrock erosion on the cut slopes of a 45-year-old road constructed in granitic soils of the Idaho Batholith. The original roadcut surface was defined by projecting a straight line from the toe of the cut past the end of the exposed root to the intersection of a straight line projected along the surface of the hillslope. A cross-sectioning technique was then used to determine erosion to the present roadcut surface. A total of 41 exposed root sites were used to estimate erosion on a 1350 m-long section of road. Average erosion was 1·0 and 1·1 cm/year for soil and bedrock respectively. Buttressing by tree roots caused lower erosion rates for soil as compared to bedrock. Both soil and bedrock erosion rates showed statistically significant correlations with the gradients of the original cut slope. The bedrock erosion data provide a reasonable estimate of the disintegration rate of exposed granitic bedrock exhibiting the weathering and fracturing properties common to this area. The road is located in a study watershed where long-term sediment yield data are available. Sediment data from adjacent study watersheds with no roads were compared to sediment data from the roaded watershed to estimate the long-term increase in sediment yield caused by the road. The increase amounts to about 2·4 m³/year. This figure, compared to the average annual on-site road erosion, provides an erosion to sediment delivery ratio of less than 10 per cent. Based on study results, road construction and maintenance practices are suggested for helping reduce roadcut erosion.     

Two-dimensional geostatistical modeling and prediction of the fracture system in the Albala Granitic Pluton, SW Iberian Massif, Spain

We use a fracture index distribution method of geostatistical modelling and prediction to characterize quantitatively the fracture system in two-dimensions (2D) in the Mina Ratones area, located in the Albalá Granitic Pluton (SW Iberian Massif). The fracture index (FI) is a quantitative estimate of the fracture density in discrete domains. To validate the results of geostatistical modeling a detailed structural map of the area was also made on a scale of 1:1000. The resulting grids, expressed as pixel-maps, describe the continuous value of the FI in 2D for the whole Mina Ratones area. Based on the modelled distribution of the FI and their correlation with mapped faults, we distinguish two structural domains in the studied area: elongated bands of fracture zones with high FI values and romboidal blocks located between them with low FI values. The separation between both domains is gradual. Though a threshold value of the FI that separate both structural domains is not clearly defined, the fracture zones generally present FI>1 and the individualized blocks FI<0.50. As a consequence, the obtained grid of the FI permits the quantitative structural classification of the granitic massif in 2D and understanding fault zone architecture in the Mina Ratones area.     

大别山超高压榴辉岩和花岗片麻岩中锆石Lu-Hf同位素研究

对大别山超高压榴辉岩和花岗片麻岩进行了锆石Lu-Hf同位素分析,结果为原岩来源提供了制约,表明扬子陆块在Rodinia超大陆裂解时的裂谷岩浆活动中发生了显著的陆壳生长。对这些锆石的不同区域进行的U-Pb和Lu-Hf同位素分析和比较表明,不同成因的锆石在~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄、初始Hf同位素组成、Th/U及Lu/Hf比值等方面具有明显的差异。与年龄较老的岩浆核部和幔部相比,年轻的变质增生边具有低的Th/U和Lu/Hf比值但高的ε_(Hf)(t)值。不同成因锆石的Th/U和Lu/Hf比值存在着正相关性,表明变质作用对锆石的U-Th-Pb和Lu-Hf同位素体系有着相似的影响。高级变质作用有时能够引起岩浆锆石增生边~(176)Hf/~(177)Hf比值的显著升高,导致变质新生颗粒或增生边类似于新生地壳的高ε_(Hf)(t)值假象。对榴辉岩和片麻岩锆石核部的分析发现,镁铁质和长英质原岩在大约750Ma左右形成一个双峰式火山岩套,另外包含少量的年龄约为2.15Ga的陆壳。初始Hf同位素组成可分成两组:第一组具有正的ε_(Hf)(t)值,为5.9±0.9～12.9±0.7;第二组ε_(Hf)(t)值在零左右,为-4.3±0.5-2.3±0.3。正的ε_(Hf)(t)值与较年轻的模式年龄相对应,负的ε_(Hf)(t)值与古元古代模式年龄相对应。前者表明,在扬子陆块北缘裂谷岩浆作用将亏损地幔物质加入到大陆地壳中,同时在新元古代中期的裂谷构造带中存在同时期的壳-幔相互作用。因此,在扬子陆块北缘新元古代中期裂谷岩浆活动中,既有新生地壳生长和即时再造,也有古老地壳再造。     

多覆盖地区花岗岩接触带及其控矿特征的遥感研究

本文主要介绍应用TM图像对西秦岭地区的中川岩体进行研究的成果,即研究在多植被、多黄土覆盖的复杂条件下,如何依据接触带蚀变岩的遥感图像像元亮度值及实验室测得的光谱曲线特征,区分不同的岩体接触带类型,并探讨它们对金矿的控制作用。     

U–Pb dating of the end of the Pan-African orogeny in the Tuareg shield: the post-collisional syn-shear Tioueine pluton (Western Hoggar, Algeria)

The Tioueine pluton intrudes the Neoproterozoic series of the Iskel terrane, located in the Tuareg shield, western Hoggar. The consistency of the internal structures as well as the nature and organization of the associated microstructures demonstrate that the Tioueine pluton was emplaced syn-kinematically while N–S strike–slip shear zones were active. The syn-tectonic emplacement of the Tioueine massif implies that this pluton, although belatedly crystallized, entirely belongs to the concept of post-collisional magmatism. In order to date precisely the late Pan-African tectono-metamorphic event in the studied area, an U–Pb age of 523±1 Ma was obtained from abraded zircons of a late quartz–syenite from the Tioueine pluton. This early Cambrian age is younger than the other plutons of the Tuareg shield, which were mainly emplaced between 630 Ma and 580 Ma. This dating also shows that the Tuareg shield was not a single coherent block at 525 Ma, but rather an amalgam of active terranes moving each other along major shear zones. Finally, the Tioueine massif represents probably the final welding of the Tuareg shield assembly of terranes and consequently the end of the post-collisional orogenic episode in the whole Pan-African belt.     

花岗岩构造研究及花岗岩构造动力学刍议

花岗岩可以视为一种很好的构造标志体,犹如褶皱、断裂一样。从花岗岩浆的形成、融体分离、岩浆上升到岩体定位以及变形改造的全过程都蕴含着丰富的构造动力学信息。研究花岗岩浆上升、迁移和定位可以探讨构造块体抬升及区域构造动力学。岩体生长方式与构造块体的运动学、动力学有密切的关系,极性生长揭示了上、下构造块体或岩石圈之间的相对的近水平方向剪切运移。变形花岗岩体是一种区域尺度的应变标志体,可以进行岩石有限应变测量和流变学参数估算,为分析区域构造变形特征提供应变参数。以对不同期次、不同变形程度花岗岩体为间接标志体,通过锆石定年可以限定变形的时间,特别是有可能确定早期变形的时间。岩体定位深度的系统研究有利于了解构造块体的抬升和深部构造作用。花岗岩构造与花岗岩成因类型特别是其演变研究的结合是判别构造块体动力学背景以及其转换的有效途径。通过这几方面的系统研究和有机结合,可以提供丰富的构造动力学信息,是否可能发展成较系统的花岗岩构造动力学值得探讨。     

东天山伊吾二叠纪花岗质杂岩体的锆石定年、地球化学及其构造意义

伊吾花岗质杂岩体主要由二长花岗岩和碱长花岗岩构成。锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年分析得到二长花岗岩和碱长花岗岩的侵位年龄分别为284.6±1.4Ma和284.0±1.1Ma。结合地质证据,此年龄表明该杂岩体形成于碰撞之后的二叠纪早期挤压-伸展转折阶段。岩石学、地球化学和同位素等方面的对比研究表明这两种岩石为同一岩浆演化的产物。与二长花岗岩相比,碱长花岗岩表现为硅、碱的含量较高,而铝的含量较低;富Th、U、Nb、Ta,贫Sr、P、Ti、Sm;DI和Rb/Sr升高,Nb/Ta和Zr/Hf下降,从二长花岗岩到碱长花岗岩表现出连续分异演化的趋势。计算得到二长花岗岩和碱长花岗岩的模式年龄(t_(DM))分别为693Ma和763Ma,ε_(Nd)(t)分别为+4.53和+4.64,(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)_i分别为0.703858和0.703855,表现出高ε_(Nd)(t)低(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)_i的特征。这些特征表明,伊吾岩体的岩浆来自新元古代时从亏损地幔分离出来的初生地壳源区。二长花岗岩岩浆是这种初生地壳岩浆演化的产物,而碱长花岗岩形成于二长花岗岩母岩浆经斜长石、磷灰石、钛铁氧化物、榍石、独居石、褐帘石和锆石等矿物分离结晶后的残留岩浆。     

甘肃礼县中川地区金矿成岩和成矿年龄的SHRIMP厘定

甘肃省礼县中川地区属于礼（县）岷（县）金矿带的东段,成矿作用与中川花岗杂岩体有密切的关系。运用高分辨率和高灵敏度离子探针（SHRIMP）测试技术,获得了中川花岗杂岩体形成的精确年龄,主侵入时代为210～160 Ma（可信度95%,MSWD=1.4）,该花岗岩体属于燕山早期-印支期造山运动的产物;3颗锆石（4个测点）的SHRIMP测试结果表明,中川地区金成矿的年龄为197～162 Ma,证实礼县中川地区金成矿于中川花岗岩体形成及稍后的时间段。年龄测试和地质剖面测量资料都证实,中川花岗岩体南部地层应该划在中石炭统地层中。与中川花岗杂岩体地质情况类似的碌础坝、 柏家庄、 闾井、 教场坝、 温泉等岩体外接触带仍然有很大的找矿前景。