The status of geological dredging techniques

Scientific sea-floor dredging is currently used in marine geology primarily by the hard-rock community interested in the recovery of basement rock samples from the unsedimented deep ocean floor. The technique has generally been eclipsed by ocean drilling for recovery of sedimentary rocks, because of perceived uncertainties in the location of sampling and in the representativeness of recovered material. This contribution reviews dredging equipment currently in use by marine geological institutions and refers to pinger attachments that allow precise information on the behaviour of the dredge to be telemetered back to the ship. We argue that improvements in ship navigation and transponder navigation at the seafloor, when used in conjunction with surface and/or deeply towed sidescan and swathemapping surveys, now allow for considerably less uncertainty on the location of dredge sampling. Refined sorting criteria for dredge hauls are now also available. Recent comparisons of regional sample recovery by ocean drilling and by dredge sampling indicate that the dredge hauls can usefully supplement the drilling data in the construction of sedimentary and tectonic histories of seafloor areas.     

The Paleoproterozoic carbonate-hosted Pering Zn–Pb deposit, South Africa: I. Styles of brecciation and mineralization

The Pering deposit on the Ghaap Plateau, Northwestern Province, South Africa, was the largest of several Zn–Pb occurrences hosted by Neoarchean platform dolostones of the Transvaal Supergroup. With a Paleoproterozoic mineralization age, these occurrences are widely regarded as the oldest representatives of Mississippi Valley-type Pb–Zn deposits. Hosting an initial resource of 18 Mt at an average grade of 3.6 wt% Zn and 0.6 wt% Pb, the Pering deposit was mined from 1984 until its final closure at the end of November 2002. In this study, available geological and grade distribution maps were evaluated and complemented by the examination of mining-related outcrops, drill core, and a large set of ore and host rock samples. Four different styles of brecciation can be distinguished at the Pering deposit: (1) pyritic rock matrix breccia; (2) chemical wear breccia; (3) mosaic breccia; and (4) crackle breccia. Geological and mineral paragenetic observations on these different breccia types suggest that the formation of the Pering deposit commenced with an initial stage of hydrothermal karstification. Large volumes of pyritic rock matrix breccia formed by wall rock collapsing into the open space attributed to carbonate dissolution. This stage of hydrothermal karstification acted as ground preparation for the subsequent mineralization event. By the upward advance of the hydrothermal karstification process, fluid reservoirs in the previously undisturbed dolostone host rock succession were tapped, ultimately leading to fluid mixing. Hydrothermal sulphides are the most abundant where fluid mixing was most effective, i.e. along the outer and upper margins of the breccia bodies, and in stratabound zones along permeable host rock units. Chemical wear brecciation and formation of large volumes of fine-grained replacive sphalerite mineralization mark the early stage of hydrothermal Zn–Pb mineralization associated with this fluid mixing. The fine-grained stage of sulphide mineralization was succeeded by very coarse-grained open-space-infill mineralization. The latter is very uniform across the entire deposit and typically cements mosaic and crackle breccia, but also fills remaining open space within chemical wear brecciated portions of the deposit.     

Geomechanical model for the post-Variscan evolution of the Permocarboniferous–Mesozoic basins in Northeast Germany

The Permocarboniferous basins in Northeast Germany formed on the heterogeneous and eroded parts of the Variscan orogene and its deformed northern foreland. Transtensional tectonic movements and thermal re-equilibration lead to medium-scale crustal fragmentation, fast subsidence rates and regional emplacement of large amounts of mostly acidic volcanics. The later basin formation and differentiation was triggered by reversals of the large-scale stress field and reactivation of prominent zones of weakness like the Elbe Fault System and the Rhenohercynian/Saxothuringian boundary that separate different Variscan basement domains in the area. The geomechanical behaviour of the latter plays an important role for the geodynamic evolution of the medium to large-scale structural units, which we can observe today in three dimensions on structural maps, geophysical recordings and digital models. This study concentrates on an area that comprises the southern Northeast German Basin, the Saale Basin, the Flechtingen High, the Harz Mountains High and the Subhercynian Basin. The presented data include re-evaluations of special geological and structural maps, the most recent interpretation of the DEKORP BASIN 9601 seismic profile and observations of exposed rock sections in Northeast Germany. On the basis of different structural inventories and different basement properties, we distinguish two structural units to the south and one structural unit to the north of the Elbe Fault System. For each unit, we propose a geomechanical model of basin formation and basin inversion, and show that the Rhenohercynian Fold and Thrust Belt domain is deformed in a thin-skinned manner, while the Mid-German Crystalline Rise Domain, which is the western part of the Saxothuringian Zone, rather shows a thick-skinned deformation pattern. The geomechanical model for the unit north to the Elbe Fault System takes account to the fact that the base of the Zechstein beneath the present Northeast German basin shows hardly any evidence for brittle deformation, which indicates a relative stable basement. Our geomechanical model suggests that the Permocarboniferous deposits may have contributed to the structural stiffness by covering small to medium scale structures of the upper parts of the brittle basement. It is further suggested that the pre-Zechstein successions underneath the present Northeast German basin were possibly strengthening during the Cretaceous basin inversion, which resulted in stress transfer to the long-lived master faults, as indicated for example by the shape of the salt domes in the vicinity of the latter faults. Contrary to this, post-Zechstein successions deformed in a different and rather complex way that was strongly biased by intensive salt tectonic movements.     

用Pg波走时重建华北地区结晶基底速度及时间项图像

应用层析成象以投影方法，对华北地区２８条深地震剖剖面地震测深剖面Ｐｇ波走时进行处理，作出该区结晶基底速度及时间项成像。并作了方法的数值模型合成数据的敏感性分析，证明所采用有效性及成象结果的可靠性。计算中应用ＬＳＱＲ算法求解大型稀疏超定方程。并采用只存储矩阵非零元素技术，使存储量减小到原矩阵百分之一，同时零元素不参数加计算，提高了运算速度。华北地区结昌基底速度为５．９－６．３５ｋｍ／ｓ，时间最大为２     

华南（东）变质基底特征、古构造型式及铀、金矿化远景

华南（东）变质基底由杨子及华夏两块不同特征的地质体组成，中元古代之后，该地区分别经过了碰撞对接、拉开、再拼贴的演化过程。碰撞对接带和在古裂谷系基础上成型的陆内推覆及平移、剪切型拼贴带构成了本区基底构造主要型式。铀及金矿远景与基底特征关系密切，铀矿主要产于基底裂隆带部位，金则主要产于裂凹（裂陷）带部位。古基底构造交叉部位是中新生代构造活动活跃部位，受其控制的早期横向火山裂谷盆地，在晚期拉张条件下形成的岩浆杂岩带是铀、金、多金属成矿最佳远景区。     

Sedimentary environment and development controls of the hydrocarbon source beds:Middle and Upper Proterozoic in northern North China

Problem on development control of marine source bed hold in Chinese petroleum industry progression. The Hongshuizhuang Formation,Tieling Formation and Xiamaling Formation in the Middle and Upper Proterozoic are important hydrocarbon source beds in northern North China, and investigation of their sedimentary environments and the controls has great significance for petroleum exploration in North China. Based on sedimentology (sequence stratigraphy), palaeoecology, sedimentary geochemistry, and sedimentary palaeogeography, their development pattern is discussed. All these studies indicate that the development controls of the hydrocarbon source beds include a favorite palaeogeographic location, exceeding propagation of biomes in low and middle latitudes, anoxic environments, enrichment of phosphorus element and the adsorption of clay minerals during the preservation of organic matter in the marine carbonates.     

浙江花岗岩类地球化学与地壳演化——Ⅱ.元古宙花岗岩类

浙江元古宙花岗岩类包括神功期（1．8－1．9Ga）和晋宁晚期（0．6—0．9Ga）。研究了浙江元古宙花岗岩类的主元素、微量元素、稀土元素和Rb、Sr同位素组成特征及岩石成因，探讨了浙江地壳的演化。浙江地壳形成于太古亩和元古宙，地壳增生的时期为2．6－2．7、0．8-1．1和0.1－0.12Ga。随时间演化浙江地壳组成有变化，但分异演化不明显。沿江-绍断裂分布的晋宁晚期慢源和壳幔混合中酸性岩是普宁期俯冲碰撞的证据。加里乐和印支期是两次规模不大的构造运动。     

中国西部元古代蓝片岩带——世界上保存最好的前寒武纪蓝片岩

阿克苏附近所发现的元古界阿克苏群为一完整的蓝片岩-绿片岩系列,我们通过野外调查肯定了这一认识,并认为它是高压-温相的变质块体,长40km,宽约2.5km.该变质岩由强烈片理化的绿泥石-黑硬绿泥石石墨片岩、黑硬绿泥石-多硅白云母片岩、绿片岩、蓝片岩及少量石英岩、变铁质岩组成.原岩包活泥质岩、砂岩、基性玻屑凝灰岩、块状熔岩、枕状熔岩及少量深海沉积物.蓝片岩的矿物组合:青铝闪石-绿帘石-绿泥石-钠长石-石英-阳起石.阿克苏群为世界上真正的前震旦纪蓝片岩之一,其变质年龄至少有800Ma.     

黑龙江东南部穆棱地区“麻山群”的特征及花岗岩锆石SHRIMPU-Pb定年——对佳木斯地块最南缘地壳演化的制约

通过对佳木斯地块南缘穆棱地区常兴村-新兴村剖面的研究,认为这里是“麻山群”和“黑龙江群”的结合部位．具有古大陆边缘的性质。穆棱地区的“麻山群”为佳木斯地块南缘的陆壳基底,其南侧的“黑龙江群”为包括洋壳残片在内的增生-碰撞杂岩。对“麻山群”混合岩的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年结果表明：佳木斯地块存在中-新元古代的结晶基底,并遭受到约500Ma变质作用的影响。侵入“麻山群”杂岩的花岗岩的岩石学、地球化学研究表明,这些花岗岩具有S型花岗岩的特征;其SHRIMP锆石U—Pb分析表明,其形成年龄为486Ma＋3Ma,略晚于前人确定的“麻山群”杂岩约500Ma的麻粒岩相变质作用,为同碰撞或碰撞后花岗岩。这些资料进一步证明,该地区可能经历了晚泛非-早加里东期的碰撞造山作用。