SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the Neoproterozoic Penglai Group and Archean gneisses from the Jiaobei Terrane, North China, and their tectonic implications

Archean basement gneisses and supracrustal rocks, together with Neoproterozoic (Sinian) metasedimentary rocks (the Penglai Group) occur in the Jiaobei Terrane at the southeastern margin of the North China Craton. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of an Archean TTG gneiss gave an age of 2541 ± 5 Ma, whereas metasedimentary rocks from the Neoproterozoic Penglai Group yielded a range in zircon ages from 2.9 to 1.8 Ga. The zircons can be broadly divided into three age populations, at: 2.0–1.8 Ga, 2.45–2.1 Ga and >2.5 Ga. Detrital zircon grains with ages >2.6 Ga are few in number and there are none with ages <1.8 Ga. These results indicate that most of the detrital material comes from a Paleoproterozoic source, most likely from the Jianshan and Fenzishan groups, with some material coming from Archean gneisses in the Jiaobei Terrane. An age of 1866 ± 4 Ma for amphibolite-facies hornblende–plagioclase gneiss, forming part of a supracrustal sequence within the Archean TTG gneiss, indicates Late Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. Both the Archean gneiss complex and Penglai metasedimentary rocks resemble previously described components of the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt and suggest that the Jiaobei Terrane has a North China Craton affinity; they also suggest that the time of collision along the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt was at 1865 Ma.     

辽河茨榆坨潜山太古界裂缝型储层特征及其控制因素

运用岩心观察、薄片鉴定、物性实测、裂缝统计、包裹体分析、裂缝分形等技术方法,研究了茨榆坨潜山太古界裂缝型储层特征及其控制因素。结果表明:茨榆坨潜山太古界4类变质岩中,黑云母二长片麻岩是最主要的储集岩,裂缝最为发育;黑云母钾长片麻岩次之,裂缝较发育;蚀变煌斑岩、黑云母角闪变粒岩均为非储集岩。茨榆坨潜山储集空间主要是裂缝和微裂隙,太古界储层主要发育北东向和北西向两组裂缝,以高角度张性裂缝为主,形成于中生代中、晚期;部分张剪性裂缝形成时间不晚于古近纪晚期。潜山储层的裂缝以细、微缝最发育,其宽度和面孔率之间存在着正相关性。控制研究区太古界储层裂缝发育的因素有岩性、断层、深度、古风化作用、溶解作用、岩浆侵入、裂缝组合等。     

内蒙古大青山地区新太古代晚期岩浆作用:来自锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年的证据

本文报道了华北克拉通西部大青山地区新太古代晚期变质深成侵入岩的锆石SHRIMP年龄。本文涉及的3个样品取自大青山的石拐南部,岩性为黑云母二长花岗质片麻岩、紫苏石英闪长质片麻岩和闪长质片麻岩。根据矿物组合,黑云母二长花岗质片麻岩和紫苏石英闪长质片麻岩遭受高角闪岩相-麻粒岩相变质,闪长质片麻岩遭受角闪岩相变质。锆石具核-幔-边或核-边结构。岩浆锆石年龄为2484±7Ma、2494±12Ma和2495±10Ma,考虑到岩石遭受后期构造热事件强烈改造,岩浆锆石发生不同程度变质重结晶,振荡环带变得模糊,年龄很可能偏年轻,岩浆锆石真实的形成年龄应更大一些,形成于新太古代晚期。2个样品记录早期变质锆石年龄为2441±7Ma和2481±10Ma;2个样品记录晚期变质锆石年龄为1847±35Ma和为1919±73Ma。结合前人工作,可得出如下结论:1)石拐地区存在新太古代晚期二长花岗岩、石英闪长岩和闪长岩等不同类型变质深成侵入岩。新太古代晚期岩浆作用在整个大青山地区很可能广泛发育,古元古代晚期孔兹岩带是在太古宙基底之上或其邻区发展起来的。2)与大青山地区其它古元古代早期以前的地质体类似,新太古代晚期变质深成侵入岩普遍遭受古元古代早期和晚期构造热事件叠加改造。     

辽宁红透山铜锌矿床含矿岩系地球化学特征及找矿指示

红透山铜锌矿床是产于太古宙绿岩带中的块状硫化物矿床。含矿岩系为角闪斜长片麻岩、角闪斜长(石英)片麻岩、黑云斜长片麻岩、黑云斜长(石英)片麻岩、黑云石英片麻岩。通过对变质岩原岩进行恢复及构造环境判别,得出变质岩原岩均为火山岩,其中角闪斜长片麻岩与角闪斜长(石英)片麻岩的原岩为基性火山岩,黑云斜长片麻岩、黑云斜长(石英)片麻岩与黑云石英片麻岩的原岩为中酸性火山岩,岩性组合为双峰式火山喷发的产物。为探讨含矿岩系地球化学参数作为找矿指标的可能性,对含矿岩系的主量元素、稀土及微量元素进行分析,发现红透山铜锌矿床角闪斜长(石英)片麻岩的Cu元素含量(290.82 μg/g)、SiO₂含量(57.24%)、稀土元素总量(53.78 μg/g)、LREE/HREE比值(4.29)及黑云斜长(石英)片麻岩和黑云石英片麻岩的Cu元素含量(88.09 μg/g)、SiO₂含量(70.50%)可作为重要的找矿指标。     

冀北中低级变质表壳岩的年代学特征及其对华北克拉通构造演化的约束

华北克拉通在新太古代末期发生克拉通化,形成了现今规模的古陆,大量的太古宙岩石均经历了~2500Ma左右的区域高级变质作用(高角闪岩相-麻粒岩相)。而华北克拉通北部冀北地区出露一套中低级变质(绿片岩相-角闪岩相)的火山-沉积岩系,主要包括胡麻营地区红旗营子表壳岩和大阴山地区单塔子表壳岩中变质程度较低的部分。胡麻营地区红旗营子表壳岩系主要岩石组合为变基性火山岩、绿帘角闪岩、斜长角闪岩、含石榴石斜长角闪岩、角闪斜长片麻岩、黑云斜长片麻岩、黑云角闪斜长片麻岩、黑云二长片麻岩、石英片岩、磁铁石英岩等,SIMS锆石U-Pb定年结果表明斜长角闪岩形成于2486±18Ma(MSWD=1.4),而黑云斜长片麻岩形成于2507±37Ma(MSWD=2.0)。大阴山地区单塔子中低级变质表壳岩系主要由浅变质火山岩、云母石英片岩、斜长角闪岩、磁铁石英岩和大理岩等组成,SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年结果显示,浅变质火山岩中的变玄武岩形成于2490±19Ma(MSWD=2.0),而变英安岩形成于2502±8Ma(MSWD=0.83)。因此,冀北中低级变质的表壳岩系主要形成于新太古代末期,形成年龄为2507~2486Ma;结合冀东青龙地区新太古代末期(2511~2503Ma)的浅变质火山-沉积岩系(青龙表壳岩),我们认为新太古代末期,中低级变质表壳岩系广泛分布于华北克拉通的核部和边缘地区,此套岩系覆盖在太古宙高级变质杂岩之上,代表华北克拉通化之后的稳定盖层,是克拉通化的主要标志之一。     

High pressure-low temperature metamorphism in the Gran Paradiso basement, Western Alps

The Gran Paradiso basement complex of the French and Italian Alps is composed of metasediments, termed the gneiss minuti, and metabasic rocks, both of which are intruded by a late Hercynian granite. The Bonneval gneiss, which crops out at the western edge of the complex, is composed of highly deformed metasediments, volcanics and volcaniclastic rocks. Eclogites, now highly altered, occur in the metabasic rocks. Kyanite and blue-green amphibole are locally present in the gneiss minuti and aegirine plus riebeckite occur in the Bonneval gneiss. A moderately high pressure - low temperature metamorphic event of probable Alpine age occurred in the basement complex. This metamorphic event differs from that in the overlying Sesia unit and ophiolites of the Schistes lustrés nappe in being at lower pressures (below the ab = jd₁₀₀+ qz transition) and post-dating the major (D2_A) deformation. The origin of the metamorphism is discussed and interpreted as a probable consequence of the overlying nappe pile which was emplaced during the D2_A event. Subsequent greenschist facies metamorphism in the basement complex is a consequence of thermal relaxation during uplift.     

辽宁树基沟铜锌矿床黑云斜长角闪片麻岩锆石U-Pb年龄、Hf同位素组成及其地质意义

树基沟铜锌矿床是太古宙花岗-绿岩带中与火山岩有关的块状硫化物矿床（VMS）。本次对赋矿围岩黑云斜长角闪片麻岩开展了锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年,主量元素、微量元素和Hf同位素分析。锆石U-Pb定年结果表明,黑云斜长角闪片麻岩原岩结晶年龄为（2 549.4±5.6） Ma,可近似代表树基沟铜锌矿床成矿时代。地球化学研究表明,岩石富集大离子亲石元素（LILE）、亏损高场强元素（HFSE）、轻稀土富集、重稀土亏损,为一套岛弧环境的火山沉积岩。黑云斜长角闪片麻岩ε_Hf（t）值为5.0~8.7,单阶段模式年龄T_{DM 1}值为2 527~2 649 Ma,指示其源区主要亏损地幔物质,树基沟地区可能存在新太古代地壳增生事件。结合前人研究成果,认为树基沟铜锌矿床成矿于板块俯冲环境,地幔部分熔融形成富含贱金属岩浆向上运移、汇聚、喷发、固结成岩,后经海水淋滤下渗成矿元素富集二次喷发成矿,并经后期鞍山运动变质变形作用的产物。     

sol18O16O of Archean clastic metasedimentary rocks: a petrogenetic indicator for Archean gneisses?

The oxygen isotopic compositions of over 100 Archean clastic metasedimentary, felsic metavolcanic and gneissic rocks from selected areas within the Superior Province have been determined. δ¹⁸O values of low grade, immature clastic metasediments range from 8.0 to 13.3%. and hence are somewhat depleted in ¹⁸O relative to other clastic metasediments. The lower ¹⁸O content is attributed to the large proportion of unaltered rock fragments in the Archean metasediments. Felsic metavolcanics have a similar range of δ¹⁸O values (7.3 to 13.0%..δ¹⁸O values for the middle amphibolite facies Pakwash paragneiss (8.8–11.7%.) are higher than those determined for the amphibolite to granulite facies Twilight paragneiss (7.3–9.2%.). Archean orthogneisses such as the Clay Lake gneiss (7.0–9.0%.), the Cedar Lake gneiss (7.4–8.7%.) and the Footprint gneiss (5.9-8.8%.) have δ¹⁸O values similar to those of the Twilight paragneiss. Therefore, at least at metamorphic grades higher than middle amphibolite facies, Archean metasedimentary gneisses may have δ¹⁸O values that are indistinguishable from those of Archean orthogneisses, and hence are no longer isotopically recognizable as metasedimentary rocks.     

冀北镇宁堡—赤城一带红旗营子杂岩变基性岩及其围岩锆石U-Pb年代学研究

红旗营子杂岩主要块体包括太古代火成岩(斜长角闪片麻岩、石英闪长岩-英云闪长岩-花岗闪长岩),晚古元古代或古生代变基性岩(退变榴辉岩和斜长角闪岩),晚古生代变表壳岩(石榴角闪黑云斜长片麻岩和蛇纹石化大理岩).本次研究的变基性岩(石榴斜长角闪岩)角闪岩相变质作用发生的时间为322.0 Ma-317.3 Ma,其围岩变表壳岩...     

Neoarchaean magmatism and metamorphism of the western granulites in the central domain of the Mozambique belt, Tanzania: U–Pb shrimp geochronology and PT estimates

U–Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating of zircons from charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses from the central portion of the Mozambique belt, central Tanzania indicate that the protolith granitoids were emplaced in a late Archaean, ca. 2.7 Ga, magmatic event. These ages are similar to other U–Pb and Pb–Pb ages obtained for other gneisses in this part of the belt. Zircon xenocrysts dated between 2.8 and 3.0 Ga indicate the presence of an older basement. Major and trace element geochemistry of these high-grade gneisses suggests that the granitoid protoliths may have formed in an active continental margin environment. Metamorphic zircon rims and multifaceted metamorphic zircons are dated at ca. 2.6 Ga indicating that these rocks were metamorphosed some 50–100 my after their emplacement. Pressure and temperature estimates on the charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses were obscured by post-peak metamorphic compositional homogenisation; however, these estimates combined with mineral textures suggest that these rocks underwent isobaric cooling to 800–850 °C at 12–14 kbar. It is considered likely that the granulite facies mineral assemblage developed during the ca. 2.6 Ga event, but it must be considered that it might instead represent a pervasive Neoproterozoic, Pan African, granulite facies overprint, similar to the ubiquitous eastern granulites further to the east.     

鞍山地区营城子古太古代片麻岩杂岩的识别与锆石U-Pb年代学研究

鞍山地区分布有始太古代-新太古代花岗岩杂岩,是研究早期地壳物质组成及其演化的经典地区之一.通过大比例尺岩性调查工作,新近在营城子识别出一套片麻岩杂岩和奥长花岗岩组合,为本区古老岩系的对比、构造格局恢复、太古代地壳形成与演化研究提供了新的依据和线索.片麻岩杂岩主要由条带状黑云斜长片麻岩、(脉状)奥长花岗质片麻岩以及黑云母片岩组成,呈不同规模的包体产出于细粒、均匀块状的奥长花岗岩之中.片麻岩杂岩的岩石组合以及复杂多变、明显不均一的岩石组构特征表明具有深熔混合岩的成因特点.SIMS锆石U-Pb定年表明,片麻岩杂岩中条带状黑云斜长片麻岩和黑云母片岩形成年龄分别为3312±14Ma、3304±7Ma和3324±7Ma～3235±14Ma,明确反映古太古代热事件,此外个别样品中存在3.68～3.60Ga和～3.47Ga继承锆石.细粒黑云奥长花岗岩的年龄为3.14～ 3.13Ga,与全区中太古代岩浆热事件一致.区域对比分析表明:营城子片麻岩杂岩的岩石组合、产状关系和年代学特征与东山杂岩和深沟寺杂岩十分相似,为古大古代(3.33 ～3.24Ga)深熔作用的产物.营城子片麻岩杂岩是鞍山地区另一个保留有古老锆石信息和太古宙早期地壳岩石的地质体.     

辽宁清河断裂以北新太古代变质表壳岩的发现及其地质意义

通过详实的地质填图,在辽宁开原地区清河断裂以北新发现一套变质表壳岩组合,主要岩性为斜长角闪岩、黑云角闪斜长变粒岩、黑云角闪斜长片麻岩、浅粒岩及角闪石岩的岩石组合,与红透山岩组基本可以对比。岩石地球化学特征表明,其原岩主要为一套中、中基性的火山岩建造,形成于岛弧环境。该套岩石组合普遍发生强烈的构造变形作用,常见构造样式包括透入性片麻理、石香肠构造、变质分异条带、肠状褶皱等一系列的固态流变构造。对该套变质表壳岩组合中的斜长角闪岩进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年,结果表明其形成于(2 524±18)Ma,变质年龄为(2 477±21)Ma,从形成到发生变质相隔约为47Ma。该套变质表壳岩组合的发现,表明了清河断裂以北也曾存在太古宙结晶基底,清河断裂与寇河断裂之间的区域在构造环境上与清原地区一样,均属于新太古代绿岩带。     

辽西台里黑云母二长花岗岩地球化学特征及锆石U-Pb年代学

辽西台里地区花岗质岩石主要由花岗质片麻岩、斑状花岗质片麻岩和黑云母二长花岗岩等组成,这些花岗质岩石均曾被视为新太古代花岗岩。根据各类花岗质岩石的产状序次关系确定,块状/片麻状黑云母二长花岗岩呈岩脉或岩枝状侵入太古宙花岗质片麻岩和斑状花岗质片麻岩中,分别出露于研究区南北两侧。地球化学研究表明,黑云母二长花岗岩属于准铝质-弱过铝质的I型花岗岩,显示火山弧花岗岩的特点。黑云母二长花岗岩中锆石组成复杂,大量继承性锆石和新生锆石共存。新生锆石岩浆结晶特征明显,内部发育振荡生长环带,并具较高的Th/U值（0.15~1.70）。两个样品的新生锆石U-Pb定年结果（加权平均年龄）分别为(153.7±2.0) Ma和(153.7±4.7) Ma。研究表明,黑云母二长花岗岩为源自下地壳中基性火成岩的晚侏罗世花岗质侵入岩,其构造背景与古太平洋板块向亚洲大陆下俯冲作用有关。     

柴北缘乌兰县二郎洞达肯大坂岩群中混合岩化黑云斜长片麻岩锆石SHRIMP测年及其意义

柴北缘乌兰县二郎洞地区的达肯大坂岩群主要由黑云斜长片麻岩、混合岩、黑云母石英片岩、斜长角闪岩和大理岩、花岗片麻岩等共同组成。本文首次对两件混合岩化黑云斜长片麻岩样品中的锆石进行了内部结构分析和SHRIMP测年, 黑云斜长片麻岩中的锆石大多具有核-边结构, 核部和边部分别表现为典型的岩浆和变质成因锆石特征。一件样品中锆石核部²⁰⁶ Pb/²³⁸ U加权平均年龄为503.8±5.1 Ma, 边部²⁰⁶ Pb/²³⁸ U加权平均年龄为449±9.9 Ma; 另一件样品核部²⁰⁶ Pb/²³⁸ U加权平均年龄为493.6±4.5 Ma。这些结果表明, 乌兰县二郎洞地区达肯大坂岩群中的混合岩化黑云斜长片麻岩原岩形成年龄为504~494 Ma, 属于晚寒武世岩浆活动的产物, 变质年龄为449 Ma, 分别与柴北缘岛弧岩浆作用和超高压变质作用的时限相一致。研究表明, 二郎洞地区达肯大坂岩群不仅有新太古代-古元古代基底岩石, 还包含早古生代的岩石组合, 为一套不同性质和不同时代的混杂岩。     

The evolution of the polymetamorphic basement in the Central Alps unravelled by precise U−Pb zircon dating

The U–Pb age determinations of zircon and rutile from the Aar massif reveal a complex evolution of the Central Alpine basement. The oldest components are found in zircons of metasediments, which bear cores of Archean age; the U–Pb age of discordant prismatic zircons of the same rocks ranges between 580 and 680 Ma, an age that is typical for Pan-African metamorphism. The zircons are interpreted as Pan-African detritus with Archean inheritance. The provenance region of the Pan-African zircons is assumed to be a terrane of Gondwana-affinity, i.e. the W. African craton or the Pentevrian microplate. The Caledonian metamorphism left a pervasive structural imprint in amphibolite facies on the rocks of the Aar massif; it is dated at 456±2 and 445 Ma by zircons of a layered migmatitic gneiss and a migmatitic leucosome, respectively, both occurring in the northernmost zones of the massif. Hercynian metamorphism never exceeded greenschist-facies conditions and is recorded by zircon in a garnet-amphibolite and by rutile in a meta-psammite that yield an age of 330 Ma. Both zircon and rutile are considered to be products of retrograde mineral reactions and therefore do not date the peak conditions of Hercynian metamorphism. The Gastern granite at the western end of the Aar massif is a contaminated granite that intruded at 303±4 Ma, contemporaneously with the wide-spread late Hercynian post-collisional I-type magmatism. The study demonstrates the potential of isotope dilution U–Pb dating of single grains and microfractions in deciphering complex evolutionary histories of polymetamorphic terrains.     

Further evidence for 1.85 Ga metamorphism in the Central Zone of the North China Craton: SHRIMP U–Pb dating of zircon from metamorphic rocks in the Lushan area, Henan Province

This paper reports SHRIMP zircon U–Pb dating of Precambrian supracrustal and granitic rocks from the Lushan area, Henan Province, in the southern portion of the Central Zone (also referred to as the Trans-North China Orogen) of the North China Craton. A graphite–garnet–sillimanite gneiss (Sample TW0006/1) of the Shangtaihua ‘Group’ gives a range of inherited zircon ages from 2.73 to 2.26 Ga and a metamorphic zircon age of 1.84 ± 0.07 Ga. A garnet-bearing gneissic granitoid (Sample TWJ358/1), which is considered to intrude the Shangtaihua ‘Group’, gives a magmatic zircon age of 2.14 ± 0.02 Ga and a metamorphic zircon age of 1.87 Ga. The metamorphic zircon ages of 1.87–1.84 Ga obtained in this study indicate that an important tectonothermal event occurred at the end of the Paleoproterozoic in the Lushan area. This supports the southern continuation of a Central Zone in the North China Craton that workers have recently considered to result from continent–continent collision. It is also evident that the Shangtaihua ‘Group’ was formed during the Paleoproterozoic (between 2.26 and 2.14 Ga), and not during the Archean, as previously considered.     

内蒙古锡林浩特地区中元古代锡林浩特岩群的厘定及其意义

通过大比例尺填图和剖面研究, 将内蒙古锡林浩特地区的"锡林郭勒杂岩"解体分为3大部分: 一套表壳岩、晚元古代基性-超基性侵入岩和早古生代酸性侵入岩.在此基础上根据变质岩的岩性组合和变形变质特点, 可将其中的表壳岩化分为4个岩性段: 黑云(石榴石)斜长片麻岩, 间夹多层条纹状斜长角闪岩, 在其顶部多见薄层含磁铁石英岩; 中粗粒黑云斜长片麻岩和细粒长英质片麻岩; 混合岩化条带状黑云(角闪)斜长片麻岩, 含石榴石黑云二长片麻岩夹条纹状斜长角闪岩组合; 夕线石黑云斜长片麻岩, 条纹状黑云斜长片麻岩, 间夹含石榴石黑云母石英片岩.通过对比区域内宝音图群、艾勒格庙组、白乃庙群等古老地块的岩石组合, 发现在原岩建造、变质级别、沉积环境等特征上均有区别, 应将这套表壳岩单独厘定为锡林浩特岩群, 它们组成了锡林郭勒微陆块前寒武变质基底岩系, 其地质特征的研究对锡林郭勒微陆块基底的形成和演化及华北板块与西伯利亚板块的构造关系演化有重要意义.      

Geochemistry and geochronology of the Mkhondo suite, Swaziland: evidence for passive-margin deposition and granulite facies metamorphism in the Late Archean of Southern Africa

The Archean Mkhondo suite in southern Swaziland is a multiply deformed succession of metasediments intruded with amphibolite dykes and sills and granitoid gneisses. Mineral and textural relationships indicate an early period of granulite facies metamorphism, followed later by amphibolite facies metamorphism. Geothermobarometry indicates maximum temperatures of 700–900°C and burial depths of 25–3 km. Paragneisses and biotite quartzites have LREE enriched patterns with small negative Eu anomalies, whereas white quartzites show variable REE patterns and low REE concentrations. BIF has slight LREE enrichment and Eu anomalies. Amphibolites have moderate LREE enrichment and depletions in Ta---Nb and P. Unlike many Archean granitoids, the Mkhondo granitoid gneisses are high in K and other LILE, have large negative Eu anomalies and are not depleted in HREE.SHRIMP isotopic analyses of detrital zircons from a biotite quartzite define a source age of 3600–3460 Ma. A deformed granitoid in tectonic contact with the Mkhondo suite yields a zircon evaporation mean age of 3192±5 Ma, which is interpreted as the age of emplacement. A zircon evaporation age of a granitic melt patch in paragneiss, as well as whole-rock and garnet Sm---Nd isotopic ages, suggest that the peak of high-grade metamorphism in the Mkhondo suite occurred at about 2750 Ma. This is the first evidence for Late Archean high-grade metamorphism in the southeastern Kaapvaal craton. The age data of this study restrict deposition of the Mkhondo suite to between 3.2 and 2.75 Ga.Mkhondo paragneisses are interpreted as shales with biotite quartzites as iron- and quartz-rich detrital sediments. Geochemical mixing calculations indicate that the sediment sources were composed of basalt (±komatiite), TTG and Eu-depleted granitoids. The Mkhondo assemblage may have been deposited along a passive continental margin or in a continental interior basin. The presence of minor BIF with positive Eu anomalies suggests minor hydrothermal input into the sedimentary basin. Intense chemical weathering was probably most important in production of the relatively pure quartz sands.     

Nd isotopic evidence for the position of southernmost Indian terranes within East Gondwana

Sm-Nd model ages of orthopyroxene-bearing massif charnockites from the Cardamom Hills Massif and adjoining supracrustal rocks from the Kerala Khondalite Belt in southernmost India are used to infer some of the relationships within these rocks and between them and neighboring areas. Most of these rocks have model ages of 2.1–2.8 Ga with most charnockites in the range 2.2–2.6 Ga. Thus, 3.0–3.4 Ga Archean rocks to their north did not contribute material to either suite and the two suites may have been juxtaposed after formation of the supracrustal rocks. The similarity of Sm-Nd isotope systems in the two units studied here supports an argument that the massif charnockites were the primary sole source of the detritus incorporated into the supracrustal rocks. A cordierite gneiss, representative of a relatively minor lithology in the supracrustal belt, has a model age of 1.3 Ga. The protolith of this gneiss not only formed from much younger material than the rest of the belt but also formed significantly after the other metasedimentary rocks. The source material of the gneiss protolith may have been located in the Wanni and Vijayan Complexes of Sri Lanka. The overlap of the model ages of rocks in this area and those in the Highland Complex of Sri Lanka supports the notion that these two sets of rocks were joined to each other in Gondwana. They belong to a belt that ran from Antarctica through Sri Lanka and India into Madagascar. This belt was involved in Pan-African tectono-metamorphism, as reflected in the 550 Ma age of the last, granulite-forming, event throughout the belt.     

Banded iron formations of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association in the East European Craton

The paper presents characteristics of the least studied iron formations of the East European Craton (Archean banded iron formations of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association), a typical member of granulite complexes of the Ukrainian Shield, Belarussian-Baltic region, and Voronezh crystalline massif. They are mainly composed of diverse metasedimentary rocks: aluminous gneisses; silicate-magnetite, magnetite, and barren quartzites; eulysites; calciphyres; and marbles associated with metavolcanic rocks. Data on chemical compositions of the metasedimentary rocks are summarized for the first time and their possible primary mineral composition has been reconstructed using the MINLITH software. It is shown that they could be formed from a lithogenetic series of sediments linked by gradual transitions and geochemical commonness of sediments: from fine-grained terrigenous insufficiently mature sediments to chemogenic sediments depleted in terrigenous material (ferruginous-siliceous, ferruginous-siliceous-carbonate, siliceous-carbonate, and carbonate sediments). The inferred primary mineral assemblage indicates sedimentation in the central parts of large paleobasins in a reducing environment characterized by deficit of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide. Lithological specifics of the banded iron formations in different regions presumably reflect different distances of sedimentation zones from submarine hydrothermal discharge sites and sources of terrigenous material. The banded iron formations at the present-day erosion section of basement represent metamorphosed fragments of the lateral-facies zoning of rocks of the Archean sedimentary basins (or a single basin) of the East European Craton. Unlike other Early Precambrian banded iron formations of the East European Craton, rocks of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association are marked by a high Mn content.