Ordovician volcanic and plutonic complexes of the Sakmara allochthon in the southern Urals

The Ordovician terrigenous, volcanic–sedimentary and volcanic sequences that formed in rifts of the active continental margin and igneous complexes of intraoceanic suprasubduction settings structurally related to ophiolites are closely spaced in allochthons of the Sakmara Zone in the southern Urals. The stratigraphic relationships of the Ordovician sequences have been established. Their age and facies features have been specified on the basis of biostratigraphic and geochronological data. The gabbro–tonalite–trondhjemite complex and the basalt–andesite–rhyolite sequence with massive sulfide mineralization make up a volcanic–plutonic association. These rock complexes vary in age from Late Ordovician to Early Silurian in certain structural units of the Sakmara Allochthon and to the east in the southern Urals. The proposed geodynamic model for the Ordovician in Paleozoides of the southern Urals reconstructs the active continental margin, whose complexes formed under extension settings, and the intraoceanic suprasubduction structures. The intraoceanic complexes display the evolution of a volcanic arc, back-, or interarc trough.     

Structural evolution of Vendian and early to Middle Paleozoic complexes in Uraltau Zone and Sakmara allochthons,Southern Urals

The structural evolution of the Late Precambrian and Early to Middle Paleozoic complexes is considered for the southern part of the Uraltau Zone and its extension in the Ebeta Antiform, as well as for the northeastern and northwestern frameworks of the ophiolitic Khabarny Allochthon, where the Late Precambrian and Paleozoic complexes of the continental margin in combination with ophiolites are drawn together in packets of tectonic nappes. The formation of the regional structure took place during several stages in various geodynamic settings. Five deformation stages have been recognized in the regional structural evolution from new data on mesostructural parageneses, which consist of folds that developed within outcrops and their relationships in rocks differing in age. The first stage is related to the Late Precambrian Timanian, or Cadomian Orogeny, and four subsequent deformation stages characterize Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the region. The geodynamic nature of the second stage remains unknown; the third stage is related to overthrusting of ophiolites in the Early Devonian; the fourth stage of deformations marks Late Paleozoic continental collision. The fifth stage of postcollisional strike-slip deformations completes the regional structural evolution.     

Geochemistry of Early Devonian rocks of the Sakmara zone,South Urals

This paper reports first isotope–geochemical data on the Early Devonian magmatic rocks of the Chanchar potassic mafic volcanoplutonic complex of the Sakmara zone of the South Urals. The incompatible element distribution and ratios indicate that the rocks of the volcanic, subvolcanic, and intrusive facies are comagmatic and were derived from a common source. The low HFSE concentrations relative to MORB and relatively low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and high ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios suggest that primary melts were generated from a moderately depleted mantle. The LILE enrichment of the rocks indicates a flux of mantle fluid in the primary magma during its evolution.     

Lower Ordovician Sequences of the Ebeta Antiform,the Southern Urals

Lower Ordovician sequences of the Ebeta antiform, a southern extension of the Uraltau zone, were deposited at the conjugation of paleocontinental and paleoceanic sectors of the southern Urals. Four types of sections were formed on opposite sides of cordillera that existed at the margin of the East European paleocontinent on the Preordovician volcanic belt. Sections of the first three types made up the western apron on the uplift that served as a provenance. Lateral and vertical relationships of various sedimentary associations, as well as their variable (in space and time) facies patterns and sedimentation conditions are considered. An important role of redeposition, slumping, and faulting in the apron development has been revealed. The apron fringed the eastern wall of the Sakmara marginal riftogenic basin that arose at the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary. On another side of the marginal uplift in the east, a slightly modified perioceanic environment existed in the Early Ordovician. Sections of another type formed here at the periphery of Uralian paleocean. These sections are characterized by the universal occurrence of ophiolithoclastic olistostrome with fragments of an older oceanic crust.__________Translated from Litologiya i Poleznye Iskopaemye, No. 3, 2005, pp. 292–306.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Samygin, Kheraskova.     

Composition and Deep Sources of Early Devonian Potassic Rocks of the Sakmar Zone,Southern Urals

The isotope–geochemical composition of the Early Devonian magmatic rocks of the Chanchar potassium basaltoid volcano–plutonic Complex in the Sakmar Zone (Southern Urals) has been studied for the first time. The character of the noncoherent element distribution and their ratios suggest that the melts parental to the rocks of extrusive, subvolcanic and intrusive facies were formed from a single source of the primary magma. The low concentrations of HFSE relative to the MORB composition, relatively low εSr, and high εNd suggest the formation of primary melts from the moderately depleted mantle source. The enrichment of rocks with LILE indicates a fluid mantle addition introduced to the melts during evolution of the primary magma.     

Carboniferous 40Ar/39Ar Age of Rare-Metal Enriched Rhyolites and Ignimbrites in the Sakmara Allochthon (Southern Urals)

Doklady Earth Sciences - The Sakmara Allochthon (Southern Urals) comprises a widely distributed folded stratum of rhyolites and ignimbrites, which are characterized by Nb–Zr–REE...     

荆州地区晚三叠世—中侏罗世地层及沉积环境

晚三叠世—中侏罗世沉积地层特征表明，该时期荆州地区为前陆盆地构造环境，形成于秦岭造山带南部前陆地带，沉积特征及上下接触关系表明其为Ⅰ级构造层。上三叠统和中下侏罗统具有相反的粒序特征和不同的建造特征，分属于两个Ⅱ级层序，分别由３个和７个Ⅲ级层序构成。综合研究结果表明，荆州前陆盆地经历了三个演化阶段，即挠曲变形阶段（Ｔ３ｊ）—粘弹性流变阶段（Ｔ３ｗ）—后期前陆盆地演化阶段（Ｊ１－２），不同演化阶段前陆盆地沉降中心及前隆具纵向迁移的特征，同时，沉积盆地规模及拗陷幅度亦显示规律性变化。     

扬子克拉通早奥陶世古海水地球化学特征: 来自牙形石微量元素的证据

利用激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子质谱 (LA- ICPMS)对扬子克拉通宜昌三峡地区早奥陶世不同时期海相碳酸盐岩地层中的牙形石个体进行了原位分析,并与已发表的世界其他地区古海水的稀土元素 (REE)组成进行了比较,利用 REE和微量元素组成、δ Ce和 Sm/Nd比值等地球化学指标恢复了该时期古海水的地球化学性质.结果表明,该区早奥陶世牙形石的 REE和微量元素地球化学异常与海平面的升降、古环境的变化有关联,与已有的古生物地层、古地理研究结果一致.因此,牙形石的 REE和微量元素地球化学特征可以在古环境再造过程中发挥重要的作用.     

The Geochemical Characteristics of the Early Riphean Navysh Volcanic Complex (Southern Urals)

The Navysh volcanic complex, which is an integral part of the Ai Formation (Lower Riphean), overlies Archean–Early Proterozoic formations of the Taratash metamorphic complex. It is represented mainly by trachybasalts, as well as by dacites and metasomatic bostonites. The Navysh complex is subdivided for the first time here into several volcanic series, which differ in their contents of TiO₂ and several incompatible elements. The metasomatic nature of the bostonites has been proven. Reasons are given for excluding dacites from the composition of the Navysh complex.     

Zirconology of serpentinites from Nyashevo massif (Southern Urals)

Zircons in serpentinites from Nyashevo massif of the Ilmenogorskii complex were dated for the first time by means of the SHRIMP technique. The maximum date of 1892 ± 23 Ma for the zircons accounts for the minimum age of their mantle substrate probably constituting the restite residue. The date is comparable to those for metamorphic rocks of the Selyankino group, as well as of fenite–sand amphibolites of the Ilmenogorskii complex. The Upper Ordovician age limit of 443 ± 12 Ma is adequate for formation of the massif and conforms to the age of the Buldym massif and miaskites. The Early Permian dates of zircons (275.8 ± 2.1 Ma) represent late shear processes in the Ilmenogorskii complex.     

Geochemical structure of the Early Carboniferous volcanic complexes of the Southern Urals

In this paper, the concept of a geochemical structure (Yaroshevskii, 2004) was applied to describe chemical variations in the Early Carboniferous volcanic complexes and their distribution over the tectonic zones of the Southern Urals and Transuralian region in order to clarify the geodynamic settings of their formation. The cluster analysis of a geochemical dataset including 325 analyses of volcanic rocks from the Magnitogorsk, Southern Ural, Transuralian, and Valer’yanovskii tectonic zones allowed us to reduce the geochemical diversity of rocks to eight large geochemical groups. Based on average compositions, these geochemical groups (clusters) can be classed with the following rocks: (1) low-K tholeiitic basalts, (2) high-Ti subalkaline basalts, (3) high-Al subalkaline basalts, (4) subalkaline andesites, (5) subalkaline rhyolites, (6) Na subalkaline rhyolites, (7) potassic subalkaline rhyolites, and (8) high-Al potassic trachyandesibasalts. The distribution of these clusters in tectonic zones of the Southern Urals and Transuralian makes it possible to organize these complexes into four groups. The first group includes a differentiated series from high-Ti subalkaline basalts to sodic subalkaline rhyolites with the predominance of aluminous subalkaline basalts and subalkaline andesites. This group is most widespread in the Magnitogorsk and Valer’yanovskii zones. The second group corresponds to a differentiated series from low-K basalts to Na subalkaline rhyolites with a strong prevalence of high-Ti subalkaline basalts and less abundant aluminous subalkaline basalts. This group is widespread in the Eastern Ural zone. The third group includes subalkaline andesites and rhyolites with subordinate ultrapotassic rhyolites and trachyandesibasalts, which compose the Uya-Novoorenburg suture. The fourth group comprises high-Ti subalkaline basalts occurring in the Transuralian zone. Such a distinct distribution of the geochemical types of volcanic rocks is well consistent with concepts on the formation of the Southern Ural volcanic belts at the East European paleocontinent margin in a Californian-type setting. The Valer’yanovskii belt was formed at the active margin of the Kazakhstan paleocontinent.     

Some Specific Features of Early Vendian Sedimentation in the Southern and Middle Urals

The existence of the pre-Early Vendian hiatus in the Bashkir Meganticlinorium is supported by large incised valleys filled with Early Vendian sediments both on the western and eastern limbs of the meganticlinorium. It is suggested that a great glacioeustatic lowering of the sealevel occurred in the sedimentation basin. Taking into account the reconstruction of similar Early Vendian events for many provinces elsewhere, we can suppose that Early Vendian sedimentation basins in the southern and middle Urals were connected with the World Ocean. The comparative study of Lower Vendian sedimentary sequences in the Urals and Norway demonstrates similarities in rock associations. The correlation of Lower Vendian sections in the Urals with modern facies models of glacial sedimentation shows that glacimarine sequences of the southern Urals fit the shelf sedimentary associations proper. The character of section at the Serebryanka level in the middle Urals and the spatial distribution of mixtites therein correspond to sedimentation on the basin shelf and slope.     

Zirconology of pyroxenites from the Kiryabinka pyroxenite-gabbro complex (Southern Urals)

In this study we discuss the problem of dating the Kiryabinka complex. The data collected on zircons from pyroxenites of the Kiryabinka polyphase pyroxenite-gabbro complex can help address a number of controversial issues regarding the Precambrian geology of the Southern Urals. First, the age of the complex (T = 680 ± 3.4 Ma) can be assigned within the late Riphean (RF₄, Arshinian) or the middle Neoproterozoic (Cryogenian). The available zircon dates from gabbroic and granitoid rocks in the western flank of the Southern Urals (Berdyaush, Akhmer, and Barangul massifs) are supplemented with a new age of ultramafic rocks, the differentiates of a basaltic magma, which further corroborate the conclusion about the Upper Riphean age of the country rocks.     

Zirconology of izrandites (Southern Urals)

Doklady Earth Sciences -     

A New Dinosaur Fossil from the Southern Urals

Doklady Earth Sciences - A caudal vertebra of a dinosaur (Iguanodontia indet.) is described from Upper Cretaceous (lower Campanian) coastal marine deposits of Izhberda Quarry near Orsk (Orenburg...     

Geodynamic formation settings of Ordovician and Devonian dike complexes in ophiolitic sections of the Southern Urals and Mugodzhary

The dike and volcanic complexes in the upper parts of the ophiolitic sections in the Paleozoides of the South Urals and Mugodzhary are Ordovician and Devonian in age. Two types of Ordovician complexes are distinguished by petrology and geochemistry. One of these types is characterized by a suprasubduction forearc formation setting and the second type developed in spreading basins in close proximity to island arcs. The Ordovician dikes formed in the setting of suprasubduction forearc spreading occur as blocks in the melange of the Sakmara Zone. Zircons from the plagiogranite associated with the dikes are dated at 456 ± 4 Ma. The Polyakovka dike complex in the north of the Cis-Sakmara-Voznesenka Zone is associated with basalts and cherts containing Ordovician conodonts. The dikes were probably formed during subduction of the spreading center; contributions of mantle-plume and subduction-related components are noted. Dike and volcanic complexes of Early-Middle Devonian age determined using isotopic and biostratigraphic methods are widespread. Two groups of complexes are distinguished by structural and geochemical features. The first group was formed in the setting of dispersed spreading in the second half of the Early Devonian. Boninites occur among the rocks of this group. The second group was formed in the setting of fast focused backarc spreading that developed up to the late Eifelian. Dike-in-dike suites close to the first group in composition cut through the Early Eifelian island-arc complexes in the frontal part of the arc. Zircons from the granitoid veins accompanying these dolerite dikes are dated at 391.9 ± 3 Ma (late Eifelian).     

Gold Enrichment in the Supergene Zone of a Southern Urals Pyrite Deposit,Russia

The Gay deposit, situated in the Orenburg region, is identified with one of Russia's principal occurrences of pyrite (pyrite deposits are an important source of Russia's gold). It belongs to the west subzone of the Magnitogorsk synclinorium and occurs in Devonian rhyolite-basaltic volcanic rocks. The deposit comprises five large pyrite-chalcopyrite, pyrite-chalcopyrite- sphalerite, and pyrite orebodies. The supergene zone extends to 120-240 m below surface and consists of the following three subhorizontal zones (from bottom to top): the secondary sulfide enrichment, the leaching, and the oxidation zone (where ores are enriched in gold).

There are two levels of secondary gold enrichment in the weathering profile. The lower level, located in the leaching zone, corresponds with the level of water table fluctuations. The rich, flat-lying horizon (1.5-10.0 m) is composed of bedded, friable native sulfur-quartz ores; it contains 19.0-52.2 ppm Au and up to 389 ppm Ag. Native gold and silver halides (chlorargyrite, iodargyrite, and embolite) are the principal precious-metal minerals. Electrum, native silver, acanthite, and uytenbogaardtite constitute the minor ones. The upper level of the enrichment is located in the lower part of gossan. This bonanza is composed of hematite-quartz ochres. Gold concentration is 13.5 to 21.2 ppm. Native gold of high fineness and silver halides apparently are associated here with poorly crystallized iron oxides. The formation of supergene gold enrichments may result partly from residual concentration and partly from mobilization and reprecipitation of the precious metal. Rich horizons form by repeated gold redeposition in accordance with weathering and a gradual erosion surface lowering. The lower bonanza forms at first in the process of oxidation involving pyrite and native sulfur. Gold may be transported by complexes with metastable sulfur oxy-anions: sulfites, thiosulfates, or polythionates. The upper enriched horizon forms in the course of further evolution of the weathering profile in the stage of hematite recrystallizaiton and its transformation into goethite.