Geologic and tectonic setting of Deseado Massif epithermal deposits, Argentina, based on El Dorado-Monserrat

Middle–Late Jurassic bimodal volcanism, typical of a retroarc setting, developed during widespread extensional tectonism within the Deseado Massif, southern Argentina. This geologic environment led to the formation of numerous low-sulfidation epithermal deposits that are spatially and temporally related to the volcanic activity. The lack of significant high-sulfidation epithermal deposits may be because the tectonic and volcanic settings do not favor the formation of these types of deposits. El Dorado-Monserrat is a low-sulfidation epithermal prospect located near the southern boundary of the Deseado Massif. Mineralization is genetically linked to the Late Jurassic Chon Aike Formation and hosted by volcanic rocks of the middle Late Jurassic Bajo Pobre Formation. Two different mineralization areas have been identified. The Monserrat area is the most important, with veins hosted in a north-striking, left-lateral shear zone. The average thickness is 0.85 m, and the average metal content is 6.2 ppm gold and 153 ppm silver. The El Dorado area has discontinuous echelon veins within a right-lateral shear zone with low gold and silver grades. Hydrothermal alteration of the host rocks includes an inner zone of quartz-adularia and illite alteration and an outer zone of propylitic alteration. The main gangue mineral is quartz, which formed in successive pulses, plus adularia, pyrite, hematite, magnetite, and barite. Precious metals occur as zoned electrum. Ore mineral precipitation took place between 200 and 280 °C from low salinity fluids due to boiling.     

Paleomagnetism of Peninsular Malaysia

Paleomagnetic results from Upper Jurassic to Paleocene rocks in Peninsular Malaysia show counter clockwise (CCW) rotations, while clockwise rotations (CW) are predominantly found in older rocks. Continental redbeds of the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Tembeling Group have a post folding remagnetization, giving a VGP at N54°E29°, corresponding to approximately 40° of CCW rotation relative to Eurasia and 60° CCW relative to the Indochina block (Khorat Plateau). Samples from Cretaceous to Paleocene mafic volcanics of the Kuantan dike swarm and the Segamat basalts give VGPs at N59°E47° and N34°E36°, respectively. These Malayasian data are indistinguishable from the Late Eocene and Oligocene VGPs reported for Borneo and the Celebes Sea and are similar to the Eocene VGPs reported for southwest Sulawesi and southwest Palawan. The occurrence of CCW deflected data over this large region suggests that much of Malaysia, Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Celebes Sea rotated approximately 30° to 40° CCW relative to the Geocentric Axial Dipole (GAD) between the Late Eocene and the Late Miocene, although not necessarily synchronously, nor as a single rigid plate. These regional CCW rotations are not consistent with simple extrusion based tectonic models. CW declinations have been measured in Late Triassic granites, Permian to Triassic volcanics, and remagnetized Paleozoic carbonates. The age of this magnetization is poorly understood and may be as old as Late Triassic, or as young as Middle or Late Cretaceous. The plate, or block rotations, giving rise to these directions are correspondingly weakly constrained.     

Meso-Cenozoic tectonics of the southern Patagonian foreland: Structural evolution and implications for Au–Ag veins in the eastern Deseado Region (Santa Cruz,Argentina)

Located in the centre of the Argentinean Patagonia between 46° and 49°S, the Deseado Region represents the foreland domain of the Southern Patagonian Andes. Its geology is characterized by thick Mesozoic sequences which, at its eastern sector, present a Mesozoic and Cenozoic geologic evolution which has been strongly determined by the development of three major tectonic phases. The present research is based on field geological mapping, interpretation of seismic and aeromagnetic data, as well as satellite image analysis. This approach has allowed us to identify and characterize the deformation that occurred throughout Jurassic, Cretaceous and Miocene times. We interpret that the most relevant structural features are the result of normal faulting generated as a response to the Jurassic rifting stage. These extensional features have strongly influenced the subsequent geometry and distribution of younger Cretaceous and Cenozoic structures.The Jurassic extensional deformation, which affected major areas of Southern Gondwana, is the product of a major intra-continental rifting stage which was accompanied by synkinematic volcanism. This tectonic regime is characterized by SW-NE directed extension that generated major oblique WNW trending faults accommodating regional dextral-extension. In the study area, this tectonic regime is inferred from the geometries of major fault systems interpreted from available seismic reflection data, as well as from the spatial distribution and orientation of the extensional fracturing associated with the opening of hybrid and dilatational siliceous epithermal Au–Ag veins.Following the Jurassic rifting stage, a more restricted Cretaceous -post-Neocomian-compressional tectonic phase took place. Throughout this period, we interpret the previously formed Jurassic extensional structures to have been reactivated under sinistral transpression. Deformation during this period generated sinistral-reverse WNW belts of deformation, which accommodated reverse faulting, imbricate thrusts, dextral and sinistral R₁ and R₂ shears and disharmonic folds due to a buttress effect.Under the post-Oligocene Andean regime, W–E directed compression acted on previously-formed N to NNE-oriented normal faults. Compression and shortening uplifted a series of narrow and sub-meridional ranges which run as a 200 km long inversion-related tectonic front along the Patagonian foreland. Between 47°11′ and 48°40′S, one of these NNE ranges divides the entire Deseado Region into two distinctive structural domains. Whilst the western domain presents dominant NNW morphotectonic features, that to the east appears highly dominated by WNW fabrics of Jurassic and Cretaceous age.The structural features of the Eastern domain appear to extend further north of the Deseado Region towards the vicinity of the San Jorge Gulf. This WNW-trending belt hosts pre-Upper Cretaceous rocks and pre-drift basement rocks which include igneous Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and Permian to Triassic sedimentary units.The Deseado region’s epithermal Au–Ag Jurassic vein systems result from the infilling and deposition of low temperature hydrothermal fluids within dilatational and hybrid structures. These spectacular vein systems are compatible with the regional SW-NE extension direction controlled by the Jurassic intra-continental rifting of southern Gondwana. Dilatational and hybrid veins are preferentially hosted by fractures in the Jurassic volcanic rocks, while the veins located within the pre-volcanic basement preferentially infill normal faults. Finally, most of these epithermal vein fields where exhumed during a moderate phase of inversion during Cretaceous times.     

Distribution and characteristics of metamorphic belts in the south-eastern Alaska part of the North American Cordillera

The Cordilleran orogen in south-eastern Alaska includes 14 distinct metamorphic belts that make up three major metamorphic complexes, from east to west: the Coast plutonic–metamorphic complex in the Coast Mountains; the Glacier Bay–Chichagof plutonic–metamorphic complex in the central part of the Alexander Archipelago; and the Chugach plutonic–metamorphic complex in the northern outer islands. Each of these complexes is related to a major subduction event. The metamorphic history of the Coast plutonic–metamorphic complex is lengthy and is related to the Late Cretaceous collision of the Alexander and Wrangellia terranes and the Gravina overlap assemblage to the west against the Stikine terrane to the east. The metamorphic history of the Glacier Bay–Chichagof plutonic–metamorphic complex is relatively simple and is related to the roots of a Late Jurassic to late Early Cretaceous island arc. The metamorphic history of the Chugach plutonic–metamorphic complex is complicated and developed during and after the Late Cretaceous collision of the Chugach terrane with the Wrangellia and Alexander terranes. The Coast plutonic–metamorphic complex records both dynamothermal and regional contact metamorphic events related to widespread plutonism within several juxtaposed terranes. Widespread moderate-P/T dynamothermal metamorphism affected most of this complex during the early Late Cretaceous, and local high-P/T metamorphism affected some parts during the middle Late Cretaceous. These events were contemporaneous with low- to moderate-P, high-T metamorphism elsewhere in the complex. Finally, widespread high-P–T conditions affected most of the western part of the complex in a culminating late Late Cretaceous event. The eastern part of the complex contains an older, pre-Late Triassic metamorphic belt that has been locally overprinted by a widespread middle Tertiary thermal event. The Glacier Bay–Chichagof plutonic–metamorphic complex records dominantly regional contact-metamorphic events that affected rocks of the Alexander and Wrangellia terranes. Widespread low-P, high-T assemblages occur adjacent to regionally extensive foliated granitic, dioritic and gabbroic rocks. Two closely related plutonic events are recognized, one of Late Jurassic age and another of late Early and early Late Cretaceous age; the associated metamorphic events are indistinguishable. A small Late Devonian or Early Mississippian dynamothermal belt occurs just north-east of the complex. Two older low-grade regional metamorphic belts on strike with the complex to the south are related to a Cambrian to Ordovician orogeny and to a widespread Middle Silurian to Early Devonian orogeny. The Chugach plutonic–metamorphic complex records a widespread late Late Cretaceous low- to medium/high-P, moderate- T metamorphic event and a local transitional or superposed early Tertiary low-P, high-T regional metamorphic event associated with mesozonal granitic intrusions that affected regionally deformed and metamorphosed rocks of the Chugach terrane. The Chugach complex also includes a post-Late Triassic to pre-Late Jurassic belt with uncertain relations to the younger belts.     

Paleomagnetic and inner diapiric structural constraints on the kinematic evolution of a salt-wall: The Bicorb-Quesa and northern Navarrés salt-wall segments case (Prebetic Zone,SE Iberia)

Paleomagnetism together with an analysis of the internal structure of the Bicorb-Quesa and northern Navarrés salt-wall segments (Prebetic Zone in SE Iberia) were used to constrain their kinematics and driving mechanisms. Paleomagnetic data from Upper Triassic red beds of the selected salt-related structures and from the Miocene rocks belonging to adjacent syn-diapiric half-grabens reveal 15–30° counter-clockwise vertical-axis rotations of the salt-wall rocks and a 20° clockwise rotation of the Jurassic-Miocene cover block located south of the salt-wall. This, together with the salt-wall structure, indicates that the origin of the salt-wall was linked to the motion of a late Miocene thin-skinned extensional fault system, which detached on the Upper Triassic evaporites. Specifically, the salt-wall formed by the south-southwest displacement with a 20° clockwise rotation component of a cover block bounded northwards by the detachment disruptions generated by the motion of pre-existent basement faults. The Upper Triassic detachment level was first affected by a counter-clockwise vertical axis rotation and, during the Paleogene-earliest Miocene building of the Iberian Chain, by tight WNW-trending folds and SSE-directed minor thrusts. This study also shows that Paleomagnetism together with the analysis of the internal structure can successfully depict the geometry and kinematic evolution of complex salt-wall structures.     

敦化-密山断裂带的平移距离:来自松嫩-张广才岭-佳木斯-兴凯地块古生代-中生代岩浆作用的制约

敦化-密山断裂带是郯庐断裂北段的重要分支之一,其大规模左行走滑发生的时限以及平移距离一直存在较大争议。本文系统地总结了松嫩-张广才岭地块东缘、佳木斯地块以及兴凯地块之上古生代-中生代火成岩的锆石U-Pb年代学资料,结合其空间分布特征,对敦化-密山断裂带的平移时限及距离提供了制约。研究表明,松嫩-张广才岭地块东缘与兴凯地块在古生代-中生代期间具有类似的岩浆活动历史,两个地块之上该时期的岩浆作用可以划分为8个主要期次:中-晚寒武世(ca.500~516Ma)、早奥陶世(ca.480~486Ma)、晚奥陶世(ca.450~456Ma)、中志留世(ca.426~430Ma)、早二叠世(ca.285~292Ma)、晚二叠世(ca.255~260Ma)、晚三叠世(ca.202~210Ma)和早侏罗世(ca.185~186Ma)。相比之下,佳木斯地块中的古生代-中生代早期岩浆事件则集中在晚寒武世(~492Ma)、晚泥盆世(~388Ma)、早二叠世(~288Ma)、晚二叠世(~259Ma)和早侏罗世(~176Ma),而晚奥陶世-志留纪和晚三叠世的岩浆活动在佳木斯地块未见报道。早白垩世晚期(ca.105~110Ma)和晚白垩世(ca.90~94Ma)的岩浆活动在三个地块均存在。上述结果表明兴凯地块东缘与松嫩-张广才岭地块东缘在早古生代经历了共同的地质演化历史,而中生代早期,兴凯地块西缘与松嫩-张广才岭地块东缘经历了同样的岩浆作用历史。上述结果暗示,敦化-密山断裂可能经历了至少两次平移,分别发生在中-晚二叠世-早三叠世和中-晚侏罗世-早白垩世,推测其总的平移距离约400km。结合研究区中生代期间的构造演化历史,敦化-密山断裂中生代的左行平移应与中-晚侏罗世-早白垩世期间古太平洋板块(Izanagi板块)的斜向俯冲相联系。     

滇中禄丰地区侏罗系磁性地层学研究

通过云南中部禄丰地区侏罗系磁性地层学研究，建立了滇中侏罗系磁极性地层柱，为国内及该地区侏罗系地层单元的时代划分与对比提供了基础资料。依据磁性地层学研究的结果，修订了滇中侏罗系的顶界和上、中侏罗统的界线，建立了中、下侏罗统和侏罗系—三叠系界线数据。经对比发现，滇中侏罗系古地磁极与扬子地块侏罗系古地磁参考极之间有较大差异，反映滇中地块自侏罗纪以来曾向南发生了明显移动，产生过顺时针旋转。     

Northwestern margin of the Russian plate: Metal potential of its sedimentary cover

This work presents brief geotectonic characteristics of the region, which includes Baikalian, Caledonian, Hercynian, and Alpine structural assemblages. Rocks of all, except Carboniferous, systems compose the sedimentary cover. The presence of plutonic rocks is possible. Occurrences of sedimentary iron ores were established in the Cambrian, Triassic, and Jurassic rocks. The Silurian, Triassic, and Jurassic rocks reveal the highest potential for stratiform base and rare metal (Cu, Pb, Zn, V, Mo) deposits. Allite occurrences were found in the Ordovician, Silurian, and Upper Permian rocks, thus indicating the possible bauxite potential of this region. The Quaternary rocks are likely to be prospective for polymineral placers.     

Opening and closure history of the Mudanjiang Ocean in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Geochronological and geochemical constraints from early Mesozoic intrusive rocks

The tectonic evolution of the ancient Mudanjiang Ocean within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is strongly debated. The ocean played an important role in the amalgamation of the Songnen and Jiamusi massifs; however, the timings of its opening and closure have remained ambiguous until now. In this study, we analyzed early Mesozoic intrusive rocks from the eastern Songnen and western Jiamusi massifs in the eastern CAOB. The new zircon UPb ages, Hf isotope data, and whole-rock major and trace element data are used to reconstruct the tectonic evolution of the Mudanjiang Ocean. Zircon UPb dating indicates that early Mesozoic magmatism in the eastern Songnen Massif occurred in three stages: Early to Middle Triassic (ca. 250 Ma), Late Triassic (ca. 211 Ma), and Early Jurassic (ca. 190 Ma). The Triassic intrusive rocks typically consist of bimodal rock suites, which include gabbros, hornblende gabbros, and granitoids. The compositional information indicates an extensional environment that was probably related to the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. We integrated the results with observations from Triassic A-type granitoids and coeval sedimentary formations in the eastern Songnen Massif, as well as depositional ages of metasedimentary rocks from Heilongjiang Complex. We conclude that the opening of the Mudanjiang Ocean took place in the Early to Middle Triassic. The Early Jurassic intrusive rocks are bimodal and include olivine gabbros, hornblendites, hornblende gabbros, gabbro diorites, and granitoids. The bimodal rock suite indicates a back-arc style extensional environment. This setting formed in relation to westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate beneath the Eurasia during the Early Jurassic. Following subduction, the closure of the Mudanjiang Ocean and subsequent amalgamation of the Songnen and Jiamusi massifs happened during the late Early Jurassic to Middle Jurassic. This sequence of events is further supported by ages of metamorphism and deformation acquired from the Heilongjiang Complex. Based on these observations, we conclude that the Mudanjiang Ocean existed between the Middle Triassic and Early Jurassic, making it rather short-lived.     

Geochemistry of a Triassic dyke swarm in the North Patagonian Massif,Argentina. Implications for a postorogenic event of the Permian Gondwanide orogeny

Permo-Triassic magmatism is widespread in the eastern North Patagonian Massif and has been related to the Gondwanide orogeny. Although a magmatic arc setting is widely accepted for the Permian plutonic rocks, the origin and geotectonic setting for the Triassic plutonic and volcanic rocks are still unknown. A NW-SE Triassic dyke swarm composed of andesites and latites with minor rhyolites was previously described in the Sierra Grande – Rincon de Paileman area. The dyke swarm was associated with extensional tectonics which was linked to a postorogenic process.In this paper we present new geochemical data of the rocks that form the swarm. Trachyandesites and rhyolites were separated based on their geochemical characteristics. Both groups may be considered originated from different sources. On the other hand, the content of incompatible elements (LILE and HFSE) indicates a strong relation between the swarm and an active continental margin. The samples also show a transitional signature between continental-arc and postcollisional or anorogenic settings.The new geochemical data on the dyke swarm support the idea of a magmatism that was linked to a postorogenic extensional tectonic regime related to a continental magmatic arc. Such an extension started in the Paleopacific margin of Pangea during the Anisian and might indicate the beginning of the Pangea break-up.     

The origin of Neogene tectonic rotations in the Galatean volcanic massif, central Anatolia

A paleomagnetic study was carried out on Neogene volcanic rocks at 30 sites within the Galatean massif (40.4°N, 31.5°E) to determine possible block rotations due to stress variations. Two phases of rotation could be characterized as the result of Neogene volcanic activity. We suggest that the first stage of rotation was isolated in Early Middle Miocene calc-alkali rocks, with a relative counterclockwise rotation of R ± ΔR = −20.2 ± 9.3° with respect to Eurasia. This accommodates the south-westward rotational collapse of the Western Anatolia peninsula across a pole on the Bitlis suture. In the neotectonic period, on other hand, a relative clockwise rotation of R ± ΔR = 27.3 ± 6.4° with respect to Eurasia is predicted. In contrast to the uniform clockwise rotations, extremely large clockwise rotations up to 264° are restricted in a narrow zone between two dextral faults. We believe that the second stage rotations support the idea of individual microblock rotations due to deformation along the North Anatolian Fault zone.     

Detrital zircons U–Pb SHRIMP ages and provenance of La Modesta Formation,Patagonia Argentina

This paper summarizes the geology of the Paleozoic La Modesta Formation in Patagonia, Argentina, and presents new SHRIMP U–Pb dating of detrital zircons from muscovite-chlorite schist and tourmalinite. Also complementary geochemical and lead isotopic data are presented, indicating that the protoliths were formed from upper crustal rocks by the contribution of a large input from recycled (or felsic) sources. The maximum age of sedimentation of La Modesta Formation is about 446 ± 6 Ma. The basin closure (or eventually a paleocurrent shift) occurs at Lower Devonian before the exhumation of the Middle-Devonian granitoids of the Rio Deseado Complex (Deseado Massif). Many of the detrital zircons are igneous and record Ordovician ages, with a prominent Lower Ordovician-age peak at approximately 473 Ma. Most favourable candidates to provide the younger zircons in the basin would Ordovician granites of the Rio Deseado Complex (Deseado Massif) and Punta Sierra Plutonic Complex (Somun Cura Massif). Older zircons have peaks of different importance (including Brasiliano and Grenvillian ages) between 530 and 700, 750–1500, 1750–2000 and 2550–2700 Ma. La Modesta Formation is also a potential area of materials (detrital zircon) to the basin where the rocks of the Eastern Andean Metamorphic Complex and equivalent formations of the Andean region were generated.     

Tectonomagmatic evolution of a Jurassic Cordilleran flare-up along the Korean Peninsula: Geochronological and geochemical constraints from granitoid rocks

This study used new and published U-Pb geochronological, chemical, and Sr-Nd-Hf-O isotopic data (n > 2500) from Jurassic granite-granodiorite-diorite-monzonite-gabbro plutons in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula to assess the spatiotemporal evolution of a flare-up magmatism, its tectonic connection, and specific contributions of mantle and crustal reservoirs to the magmas generated. After a ~15 m.y. magmatic gap in the Late Triassic, calc-alkaline granitoids intruded into the outboard Yeongnam Massif, then magmatic activity migrated systematically toward the inboard Gyeonggi Massif. The early phase of the Jurassic magmatism is represented by relatively sodic plutons showing distinctly primitive isotopic signatures. The crustal signature of the plutons became increasingly prominent with decreasing age. Voluminous inboard plutons in the Gyeonggi Massif and the intervening Okcheon Belt are dominated by Middle Jurassic peraluminous granites that show isotopic compositions conspicuously shifted toward old crustal values. The Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of the inboard plutons are distinctly less radiogenic than those of Jurassic plutons in Southwest Japan and southeastern China, which corroborates the North China affinity of the Yeongnam and Gyeonggi massifs. The geochronological and geochemical data compiled in this study suggest a tectonomagmatic model consisting sequentially of (1) an extension-dominated arc system in the margin of the Yeongnam Massif (ca. 200–190 Ma); (2) low-angle subduction and the development of an advancing arc system (ca. 190–180 Ma); (3) continued low-angle subduction, extensive underthrusting of fertile crustal materials to the arc root, and consequent magmatic flare-up (ca. 180–170 Ma); and (4) flat subduction and the development of the Honam Shear Zone (ca. 170–160 Ma). The subsequent magmatic lull and previous dating results for synkinematic rocks and minerals indicate that the compressional arc system was maintained until the Early Cretaceous.     

The role of true polar wander on the Jurassic palaeoclimate

From the Late Carboniferous until the Middle Jurassic, continents were assembled in a quasi-rigid supercontinent called Pangea. The first palaeomagnetic data of South America indicated that the continent remained stationary in similar present-day latitudes during most of the Mesozoic and even the Palaeozoic. However, new palaeomagnetic data suggest that such a scenario is not likely, at least for the Jurassic. In order to test the stationary versus the dynamic-continent model, we studied the Jurassic apparent polar wander paths of the major continents, that is, Eurasia, Africa and North America that all in all show the same shape and chronology of the tracks with respect to those from South America. We thus present a master path that could be useful for the Jurassic Pangea. One of the most remarkable features observed in the path is the change in pole positions at ~197 Ma (Early Jurassic), which denotes the cessation of the counter-clockwise rotation of Pangea and commencement of a clockwise rotation that brought about changes in palaeolatitude and orientation until the end of the Early Jurassic (185 Ma). Here, we analyse a number of phenomena that could have triggered the polar shift between 197 and 185 Ma and conclude that true polar wander is the most likely. In order to do this, we used Morgan’s (Tectonophysics 94:123–139, 1983) grid of hotspots and performed “absolute” palaeogeographical reconstructions of Pangea for the Late Triassic and Jurassic. The palaeolatitudes changes that we observe from our palaeomagnetic data are very well sustained by diverse palaeoclimatic proxies derived from geological and palaeoecological data at this time of both the southern and northern hemispheres.     

Southern borderland of Triassic Laurasia in north-east Iran

Results obtained by Iranian and European geoscientists in the critical area to the north-east of the North Iran Suture east of Mashhad are desribed and discussed. A slightly metamorphosed ophiolite belt, outcropping as the south easterly continuation of the previously known ophiolites of Mashhad along the north eastern perimeter of the Fariman-Torbat-e-Jam depression, proved to be either the remnant of a Permian ocean floor or more likely the remnant of a narrow ocean trough. There is as yet no proof of a Triassic age for this ophiolitic belt. To the north of this ophiolitic belt an epicontinental Triassic sequence is exposed at the southern edge of Laurasia in the erosional Window of Aghdarband. This is the result of intermittent sedimentation in a pull-apart basin along sinistral strike-slip faults. The Triassic of Aghdarband has much in common with other deposits of the Triassic Tethys; however, it shows a few unique features, e.g. the Early AnisianNicomedites fauna of a palaeobiogeographic North Tethyan Subprovince, or volcanogenic sedimentation during the late Anisian and the entire Ladinian.Permian ophiolites outcropping at the south-west corner of the Aghdarband erosional Window are transgressively overlain by basal conglomerats of this Triassic sequence. Hence the existence of a Triassic ocean south of Laurasia is very unlikely. This is an agreement with paleomagnetic data which suggest that the Central Iranian microcontinent was in direct contact with Laurasia during Triassic times. These palaeomagnetic data also suggest a clockwise rotation of the Central East Iran microplate during Triassic times (contrary to the anticlockwise rotation of this microplate in post-Triassic times). The sinistral strike-slip faulting and compression from the south-west which controls the structure of the Triassic may be derivative sequels to this clockwise rotation. All Eo-Cimmerian deformations of the Triassic rocks (e.g. folding, thrust faulting, strike-slip faulting) had stopped by Rhaetian times.     

Jurassic break-up of the Peri-Gondwanan margin in northern Colombia: Basin formation and implications for terrane transfer

Jurassic extensional basins developed along the northwestern margin of South America during the break-up of Pangea. Presently, these basins are dispersed in several tectonic blocks of the northern Andes and Mexico, hindering reconstruction of western equatorial Pangea before break-up. This is the case of the Cosinas Basin (Guajira block) and the Machiques Basin (Perijá Range), in northern Colombia, which are filled by Jurassic sedimentary and volcano-sedimentary successions. Autochthonous and para-autochthonous hypotheses on the origin of this basins have been proposed. The purpose of this research is to document the sedimentological evolution, depositional age (Sr-isotope + U-Pb geochronology), sediment provenance and paleogeography of the Cosinas and Machiques basins in order to constrain whether these basins formed within a single extensional margin or they formed as extensional basins in different tectonic blocks. Volcanic detrital zircon U-Pb ages documented in La Quinta Formation in the Machiques Basin and at the base of Rancho Grande Formation in the Cosinas Basin suggest that extensional basins were active in Early Jurassic time. However, a significant difference exists in their subsequent history. Whereas in the Machiques Basin dominates the accumulation of Lower and Middle Jurassic volcanoclastic deposits with abrupt lateral thickness changes, accumulation in the Cosinas Basin is dominantly of siliciclastic strata, with the record of two major marine incursions in Late Jurassic time. Integration of provenance results indicates that the Santander Massif supplied sediments to the Machiques Basin. In contrast, Middle to Upper Jurassic sandstones of the Cosinas Basin document unroofing of basement blocks that include metamorphic, sedimentary and plutonic rocks from the Guajira and Maya blocks. The similarity in age and composition of pre-Jurassic rocks in northwestern South America and the so-called peri-Gondwana blocks in the Mexican subcontinent (i.e., Maya and Oaxaquia blocks) challenge the use of detrital zircon population as an indicator of the autochthonous or para-autochthonous origin of the Guajira block. Large uncertainty of paleomagnetic results, and the lack of constraints for the time magnetization acquisition preclude estimating paleolatitudes for the Guajira block in Jurassic time but support previous interpretation of ca. 70°-90° clockwise rotation of the Guajira block relative to stable South America craton.Our preferred paleogeography considers that the Cosinas and Machiques basins were close to each other along the western continental margin of Pangea during the onset of extension in Early Jurassic time. The change from continental to marine depositional environments in Middle to Late Jurassic time along the Cosinas Basin, which have not been identified in the Machiques Basin or other autochthonous Jurassic basins in northwestern South America, allow us to propose that these blocks were separated during the Callovian - Tithonian interval, with the Cosinas Basin remaining closer to a conjugate Mexican margin, that we interpret as the Maya block. Collision of the Guajira block with the South American margin occurred near the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary, as documented by deformation of Jurassic units previous to deposition of Berriasian strata in the Guajira block.     

How did the foreland react? Yangtze foreland fold-and-thrust belt deformation related to exhumation of the Dabie Shan ultrahigh-pressure continental crust (eastern China)

During the Triassic collision of the Yangtze and Sino-Korean cratons, the leading edge of the Yangtze crust subducted to mantle depths and was subsequently exhumed as a penetratively deformed, coherent slab capped by a normal shear zone. This geometry requires a reverse shear zone at the base of the slab, and we suggest that the Yangtze foreland fold-and-thrust belt constitutes this zone. Lower Triassic rocks of the eastern foreland record NW–SE compression as the oldest compressional stress field; onset of related deformation is indicated by Middle Triassic clastic sedimentation. Subsequent Jurassic stress fields show a clockwise change of compression directions. Based on nearly coeval onset and termination of deformation, and on a common clockwise change in the principal strain/stress directions, we propose that the foreland deformation was controlled by the extrusion of the ultra high-pressure slab. Widespread Cretaceous–Cenozoic reactivation occurred under regional extension to transtension, which characteristically shows a large-scale clockwise change of the principal extension directions during the Lower Cretaceous.     

Albitisation related to the Triassic unconformity in igneous rocks of the Morvan Massif (France)

The Carboniferous Morvan Massif, in the northern part of the French Massif Central, consists of granite and some rhyolite. A Triassic erosional unconformity has developed on the massif which is covered by Mesozoic sediments of the Paris Basin. The igneous rocks of the Morvan Massif show a strong alteration with pseudomorphic replacement of the primary plagioclases into albite, pseudomorphic replacement of primary biotite into chlorite and minor precipitation of neogenic minerals like albite, chlorite, apatite, haematite, calcite and titanite. The geometry and arrangement of these alterations give significant constraints about their development. Some of the altered facies develop in a pervasive manner; others are restricted to centimetric to metric-wide joints that imply fluid-flow phenomena. Moreover, the alteration facies are arranged in a clear succession with strongly altered facies at the top and weakly altered facies towards the depth, which point to a genetic relationship with the Triassic unconformity. Regional distribution of the alterations, which affect the Carboniferous igneous and volcanic formations beneath the Jurassic sedimentary cover, also leads to associate these alterations with the Triassic unconformity. Dating of the alterations provides even a further constraint, alterations are of Triassic age, that means the same age as the unconformity. Taking into account all these geological constraints, it is proposed that albitisation of the Morvan Massif was developed under low temperature subsurface conditions in relation to the Triassic palaeosurface.     

伊犁盆地南缘中-下侏罗统物源分析及其对南天山造山带演化的启示

伊犁盆地南缘中-下侏罗统碎屑岩的物源特征,可为南天山造山带的演化提供重要证据。对其碎屑岩锆石U-Pb定年研究结果表明,伊犁盆地南缘坎乡下侏罗统八道湾组砂岩的碎屑锆石年龄集中在290~260 Ma,而下侏罗统三工河组的碎屑锆石年龄集中在350~290 Ma和460~390 Ma,中侏罗统西山窑组的碎屑锆石年龄集中在370~320 Ma和450~390 Ma。所有测试样品中前寒武纪的年龄记录非常少。这些特征表明,伊犁盆地南缘中生代碎屑沉积物主要来自于伊犁-中天山地块南部。测试样品中几乎不存在晚二叠世-中三叠世的碎屑锆石,与南天山造山带的岩浆岩记录一致,暗示在晚二叠世-中三叠世南天山地区并没有发生强烈的与碰撞或后碰撞相关的岩浆活动。该结果不支持塔里木克拉通与伊犁-中天山地块在晚二叠世-中三叠世碰撞的观点。结合高压-超高压变质岩的数据和地层记录,认为塔里木克拉通与伊犁-中天山地块的碰撞发生在晚石炭世。同时,样品中最年轻锆石的年龄数据从早侏罗世到中侏罗世逐渐增大,显示了揭顶沉积的特点。对伊犁盆地南部中生代的锆石年龄数据与同时代南天山地区的锆石年龄数据进行综合对比表明在早-中侏罗世发生构造沉积夷平的特征。     

Late Paleozoic gabbroic rocks of the Bridge River accretionary complex,southwestern British Columbia: geology and geochemistry

Gabbroic bodies in the Bralorne-Gold Bridge area of southwestern British Columbia are associated with the oceanic Bridge River complex of the western Canadian Cordillera, one of the suspect terranes accreted to North America in the Jurassic. The gabbros are locally cut by tonalites and are structurally interleaved with ultramafic rocks, phyllites, graphitic cherts, and carbonate lenses that comprise the lower part of the Bridge River complex. Their late Carboniferous crystallization age overlaps the depositional age of affiliated supracrustal rocks (Mississippian-Jurassic), some of which have been metamorphosed to blueschist facies. Compositionally, the gabbros resemble mafic plutonic rocks of ophiolitic complexes and gabbroic rocks of the nearby Shulaps Range. They display some affinity to oceanic island arc tholeiitic suites. The Bralorne and Shulaps gabbros include cumulates and appear to have been derived from a single, light REE-depleted, peridotitic source by melting and subsequent fractional crystallization/accumulation of various combinations of plagioclase, pyroxenes, and olivine. The tonalites are compositionally distinct from typical ophiolitic plagiogranites, but might be related to the associated gabbros. The gabbroic bodies occur within tectonic slivers derived from the oceanic crust that floored a deep ocean basin that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic. The Bridge River complex comprises fragments of oceanic crust that were tectonically incorporated into an east-verging accretionary prism during a middle/late Triassic to Jurassic collisional event.