Oroclinal bending in the Alborz Mountains (Northern Iran): New constraints on the age of South Caspian subduction and extrusion tectonics

In this study, we report an extensive paleomagnetic study (76 sites) carried out in the Alborz Mts. (northern Iran), with the aim of reconstructing the rotation history and the origin of curvature of this orogenic chain. The analyzed deposits are the sedimentary successions of the Upper Red Formation (Miocene), Lower Red Formation (Oligocene) and Eocene clastic units. Paleomagnetic results indicate that the Alborz Mts. can be considered a secondary arc that originated as a linear mountain belt that progressively acquired its present day curvature through opposite vertical axis rotations along its strike. The curvature of the arc was entirely acquired after the middle-late Miocene, which is the age of the youngest investigated sediments (Upper Red Formation). Overall, our paleomagnetic data indicate that the Alborz Mts. can be considered an orocline.Our results define, for the first time, the rotational history of the entire Alborz curved mountain belt, and enable us to reconstruct the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of northern Iran in the framework of Arabia-Eurasia continental deformation. The kinematics inferred by the pattern of paleomagnetic rotations is at odds with the present day kinematics of northern Iran, characterized by the westward extrusion of the South Caspian block, and by a left lateral shear between Central Iran and the central and western sectors of the Alborz Mts. By integrating paleomagnetic data with stratigraphic, thermochronological, structural and GPS information, we propose that the initiation of South Caspian subduction and the activation of westward extrusion of South Caspian block occurred diachronously and that the initiation of the present-day kinematics of northern Iran was quite recent (Lower Pleistocene, < 2 Ma).     

Palaeomagnetic and structural constraints on 90° anticlockwise rotation in SW Mongolia during the Permo–Triassic: Implications for Altaid oroclinal bending. Preliminary palaeomagnetic results

New and published paleomagnetic measurements from Trans Altai and South Gobi zones in south Mongolia document large tectonic motions in between Late Carboniferous and Triassic. Magnetic inclinations confirm equatorial position of south Mongolian terranes in Late Carboniferous–Permian times. The evolution of magnetic declinations indicates 90° anticlockwise rotation in between latest Carboniferous and Early Triassic of all studied tectonic units around the Eulerian pole located close to axis of Mongolian orocline. The anticlockwise rotation continues in Triassic being accompanied by a major drift to the north. The structural and published geochronological data suggest Carboniferous E–W shortening of the whole region resulting in N–S trend of all continental and oceanic geological units followed by orthogonal N–S shortening during Late Permian to Early Jurassic. Both paleomagnetic and geological data converge in a tectonic model of oroclinal bending of Mongolian ribbon continent, westerly back arc oceanic domain and Mongol–Okhotsk subduction zone to the east. The oroclinal bending model is consistent with the coincidence of the Eulerian pole of rotation with the structural axis of Mongolian orocline. In addition, the Mesozoic collisional tectonics is reflected by late remagnetizations due to formation of wide deformation fronts and hydrothermal activity.     

Paleomagnetism and the orocline hypothesis

Oroclines were originally defined by Carey as curved mountain belts which initially were straight, or at least straighter than they are today. In the last few years, the definition has been broadened to include any curved mountain belt, regardless of its original shape.Since the occurrence of oroclinal bending is best recorded in the change of declination as a function of tectonic setting, paleomagnetic and structural data from six potential oroclines have been compiled and analyzed to determine the amount of rotation displayed by the change of paleomagnetic declination relative to the change in strike of the fold belt.The arcuate belts investigated are: the Sicilian-Calabrian Arc and the Umbrian Arc of Italy, the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, the central portion of the Appalachian Mountains (from Pennsylvania to Virginia, U.S.A.), the Wyoming-Idaho overthrust belt of western North America and the Hercynides of Western and Central Europe.The Jura Mountains and the Pennsylvania-Virginia portion of the Appalachians fail to show significant oroclinal bending. The Wyoming-Idaho belt shows a combination of rotated (possibly oroclinal) and unrotated thrust sheets.In the Sicilian-Calabrian Arc significant oroclinal bending caused by the impingement of the Calabria-Peloritani nappes in the Late Tertiary can be demonstrated, while the Umbrian Arc of similar age, in the Northern Apennines, also shows oroclinal bending on a smaller scale.Hercynian Europe (the only belt included in which deformation of basement rocks can be demonstrated) shows oroclinal bending (at least 80°) as well as a marked original curvature (70°) in its western part.Common to all the oroclines studied in this paper is the probable impingement of a rigid block or continental margin during the orogeny, causing subsequent deformation and bending of the fold belt.     

中生代多向挤压构造作用与四川盆地的形成和改造

远离活动板块边缘的四川盆地以其周缘复杂分布的褶皱构造带而著称,这些构造带的成因及其大地构造背景一直是华南大地构造研究的焦点之一。本文基于区域构造编图、褶皱构造样式和叠加变形分析,论述了四川盆地及其周缘中生代挤压变形特征及其定型时代,确定了重要构造事件及其产生的构造样式。研究显示,四川盆地及其周缘地带中生代经历了3个重大构造事件,每个构造事件产生的构造形迹在空间上发生复合和联合,造就了四川盆地及其周缘复杂的构造组合样式。中晚三叠世碰撞造山事件(印支运动)在扬子地区形成近W-E向褶皱构造,扬子地块西缘伴随着松潘—甘孜褶皱造山带的形成,发育了龙门山—锦屏山逆冲-推覆构造带及川滇前陆盆地,奠定了川—渝—黔—滇大型沉积盆地,构成四川盆地的原形。中晚侏罗世时期(燕山早幕),东亚构造体制发生重大变革,来自北部、东部、西部和南部的板块多向汇聚导致了大陆多向汇聚构造体系的形成和发展,其中秦岭造山带的再生活动导致南部米仓山—大巴山前陆构造带的形成和发展;来自太平洋板块向西推挤,导致了川东地区NW向突出的弧型构造和川南华蓥山帚状构造的形成;羌塘地块的向东侧向挤出,在扬子地块西北缘发生褶皱逆冲变形(龙门山—锦屏山构造带)。这期多向挤压事件强烈改造了四川T3-J1-2原形盆地,周缘褶皱构造带基本定型。早白垩世晚期的挤压事件(燕山晚幕)进一步改造了四川盆地,NW-SE向构造得到加强。除了西缘以外,四川盆地其他周缘褶皱构造带主体定型于晚侏罗世的陆内造山作用阶段,是扬子克拉通周边造山带在周邻板块多向汇聚作用下引发的再生复活的结果,成为中国东部陆内汇聚构造体系的重要组成部分。     

Unraveling the early–middle Paleozoic paleogeography of Kazakhstan on the basis of Ordovician and Devonian paleomagnetic results

It is a common concept that different tectonic units in the western part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt were united into the landmass of the Kazakhstania continent in the Paleozoic but many important details of its history remain enigmatic and controversial. Recently published paleomagnetic data from this region demonstrate that the ~ 2000 km long horseshoe-shaped Devonian Volcanic Belt was created by oroclinal bending of an originally rectilinear active margin of Kazakhstania. Still, the Silurian and Devonian paleomagnetic results which this interpretation is based upon are limited and unevenly spread along the belt, and additional middle Paleozoic data are highly desirable. Accordingly, we studied three mid-Paleozoic objects from different segments of this volcanic belt. Two of the three new objects yielded paleomagnetic directions that fit perfectly into the oroclinal scenario, whereas the third one provided no interpretable data. The earlier history of Kazakhstania, however, remains misty. We obtained three new Ordovician results in north–central Kazakhstan and found similar inclinations but widely dissimilar declinations. Previously published data show a large scatter of Ordovician declinations in South Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as well. We analyzed all seven Middle–Late Ordovician paleolatitudes and came to the conclusion that a nearly E–W trending active margin of the Kazakhstania landmass had existed at low (~ 10°S) latitudes at that time. We hypothesize that this margin of the Kazakhstania landmass collided with another island arc, called Baydaulet–Akbastau, and with the Aktau–Junggar microcontinent by the Ordovician–Silurian boundary. As a result of this collision, subduction ceased, and regional deformation, magmatism, and rotations of crustal fragments took place in most of Kazakhstania. In Silurian time, Kazakhstania moved northward crossing the equator and rotating clockwise by ~ 45°. This changed the orientation of the Kazakhstania to NW–SE, and thereby established the (rectilinear) predecessor of the modern curved Devonian Volcanic Belt.     

Late Cenozoic deformation in the South Caspian region: effects of a rigid basement block within a collision zone

Active deformation in the South Caspian region demonstrates the enormous variation in kinematics and structural style generated where a rigid basement block lies within a collision zone. Rigid basement to the South Caspian Basin moves with a westward component relative both to stable Eurasia and Iran, and is beginning to subduct at its northern and western margins. This motion is oblique to the approximately north–south Arabia–Eurasia convergence, and causes oblique shortening to the south and northeast of the South Caspian Basin: thrusting in the Alborz and Kopet Dagh is accompanied by range-parallel strike–slip faults, which are respectively left- and right-lateral. There are also arcuate fold and thrust belts in the region, for two principal reasons. Firstly, weaker regions deform and wrap around the rigid block. This occurs at the curved transition zone between the Alborz and Talysh ranges, where thrust traces are concave towards the foreland. Secondly, a curved fold and thrust belt can link a deformation zone created by movement of the basement block to one created by the regional convergence: west-to-east thrusts in the eastern Talysh represent underthrusting of the South Caspian basement, but pass via an arcuate fan of fold trains into SSW-directed thrusts in the eastern Greater Caucasus, which accommodates part of the Arabia–Eurasia convergence. Each part of the South Caspian region contains one or more detachment levels, which vary dependent on the pre-Pliocene geology. Buckle folds in the South Caspian Basin are detached from older rocks on thick mid-Tertiary mudrocks, whereas thrust sheets in the eastern Greater Caucasus detach on Mesozoic horizons. In the future, the South Caspian basement may be largely eliminated by subduction, leading to a situation similar to Archaean greenstone belts of interthrust mafic and sedimentary slices surrounded by the roots of mountain ranges constructed from continental crust.     

Oroclinal bending of the Middle and Late Paleozoic volcanic belts in Kazakhstan: Paleomagnetic evidence and geological implications

Paleomagnetic data on Middle- and Late-Paleozoic rocks from the central part of the Ural-Mongolian Belt in Kazakhstan are considered. The primary remanences in the Permian rocks and secondary magnetization components of the same age in pre-Permian rocks of central and northern Kazakhstan are not rotated relative to the East European Platform. In southern Kazakhstan adjoining the Tien Shan almost all data point to large, up to 90°, counterclockwise rotation of blocks. These rotations, related to the regional wrench fault zone, must be subtracted from older paleomagnetic data to ensure their correct interpretation. The paleomagnetic declinations in Upper Carboniferous rocks coincide more or less over all of Kazakhstan, whereas the Silurian and Early Devonian declinations in the north and south of Kazakhstan differ approximately by 180°. It can be suggested that the Devonian volcanic belt, having a horseshoe outline, was initially an almost rectilinear NW-trending feature. Its oroclinal bending took place in the Devonian and Early Carboniferous and completed by the Late Carboniferous. We compared the model of the Kazakh Orocline based on paleomagnetic data with the geological events in this territory. It turned out that a slow bending of an initially rectilinear subduction zone is consistent with lateral migration of active volcanism and folding inside a developing loop, whereas extension outside the loop was accompanied by subsidence and rifting. In general, the proposed model connects the main tectonic events in Kazakhstan with the movements established from paleomagnetic data.     

准噶尔盆地南缘新生代沉积物碎屑锆石记录的天山隆升剥蚀过程

通过对准噶尔盆地南缘有精确古地磁年代控制的金沟河剖面新生代沉积物中7个砂岩样品碎屑锆石的U Pb LA ICP MS测年分析,确定安集海河组（28~23.3 Ma）和沙湾组（23.3~17.5 Ma）的砂岩样品碎屑锆石年龄主要集中在261~328 Ma（P-C）,塔西河组（17.5~13.2 Ma）样品的年龄主要集中在234~311 Ma（T-C）和369~403 Ma（D-S）,独山子组（13.2~6.0 Ma）和西域组（6.0~1 Ma）样品的年龄主要集中在264~333 Ma。经与流域内岩石地层的分布相对比,揭示至少在晚渐新世开始中天山已经隆升并剥蚀为盆地提供物源,从约中新世早期开始北天山的南缘开始隆升,加入物源供给区,从约中新世中晚期开始北天山开始明显隆升,并逐步阻碍了中天山的物源供给,成为物源的主要供给区。天山的这种逐步向北的隆升剥蚀过程,反映了印度欧亚板块碰撞的远程效应。     

The Cimmerian Orogeny in northern Iran: tectono-stratigraphic evidence from the foreland

From the Permian onwards, the Gondwana-derived Iran Plate drifted northward to collide with Eurasia in the Late Triassic, thereby closing the Palaeotethys. This Eo-Cimmerian Orogeny formed the Cimmeride fold-and-thrust belt. The Upper Triassic–Middle Jurassic Shemshak Group of northern Iran is commonly regarded as the Cimmerian foreland molasse. However, our tectono-stratigraphic analysis of the Shemshak Group resulted in a revised and precisely dated model for the Triassic–Jurassic geodynamic evolution of the Iran Plate: initial Cimmerian collision started in the Carnian with subsequent Late Triassic synorogenic peripheral foreland deposition (flysch, lower Shemshak Group). Subduction shifted south in the Norian (onset of Neotethys subduction below Iran) and slab break-off around the Triassic–Jurassic boundary caused rapid uplift of the Cimmerides followed by Liassic post-orogenic molasse (middle Shemshak Group). During the Toarcian–Aalenian (upper Shemshak Group), Neotethys back-arc rifting formed a deep-marine basin, which developed into the oceanic South Caspian Basin during the Late Bajocian–Late Jurassic.     

中国大陆构造及动力学若干问题的认识

中国(东亚)大陆受特提斯、古亚洲和太平洋构造体系的制约,具有复杂的地体构架和特殊的岩石圈结构。本文从地学前沿——大陆动力学的视野出发,围绕中国大陆构造及动力学四个方面的研究,总结已有的进展并提出新的思考:①中国大陆板块下的构造和整个地幔运动的构架:地震层析资料揭示西太平洋板片向西俯冲到东亚大陆之下,其倾角逐渐减小,最后近水平地插进400～600km深度的地幔过渡带中,成为箕状几何形态的超深俯冲板片。印度岩石圈板片超深俯冲至青藏高原之下～800km的深度,在喜马拉雅西构造结部位发生双向不对称深俯冲,印度岩石圈板片向东俯冲至东构造结东侧之下300～500km的深度。②中国大陆变质基底的再活化:中国大陆的大部分陆块未受显生宙以来构造、变质和岩浆事件的改造与激活,在冈瓦纳大陆北缘的印度陆块和阿拉伯陆块北缘还发育有形成于泛非期(530～470Ma)的造山带,其影响范围至高喜马拉雅、拉萨地体和三江地区。新生代的变质活化普遍出现在喜马拉雅、南迦巴瓦、拉萨地体和三江-缅甸地区,最新的变质年龄仅2～1Ma(南迦巴瓦)。③中国主要高压-超高压变质带的大地构造背景及深俯冲-折返机制:中国及邻区含榴辉岩的高压-超高压(HP/UHP)变质带有洋壳(深)俯冲和陆壳(深)俯冲之分。青藏高原中,大部分洋壳俯冲形成的高压/超高压变质带与原-古特提斯洋盆中诸多微陆块之间的小洋盆的汇聚碰撞有关,陆壳深俯冲作用有两种机制,它们分别是大陆块之间剪式碰撞和撕裂式岩石圈舌形板片的深俯冲。④中国大陆造山带的深部物质可经3类机制挤出,即深部地壳物质"牙膏式"挤出、侧向挤出和"挤压转换式"挤出。     

North‐eastward subduction followed by slab detachment to explain ophiolite obduction and Early Miocene volcanism in Northland,New Zealand

Oligocene–Miocene models for northern New Zealand, involving south‐westward subduction to explain Early Miocene Northland volcanism, do not fit within the regional Southwest Pacific tectonic framework. A new model is proposed, which comprises a north‐east‐dipping South Loyalty basin slab that retreated south‐westward in the Eocene–earliest Miocene and was continuous with the north‐east‐dipping subduction zone of New Caledonia. In the latest Oligocene, the trench reached the Northland passive margin, which was pulled it into the mantle by the slab, resulting in obduction of the Northland allochthon. During and after obduction, the slab detached from the unsubductable continental lithosphere, inducing widespread calc‐alkaline volcanism in Northland. The new model further explains contemporaneous arc volcanism along the Northland Plateau Seamount Chain and sinking of the Northland basement, followed by uplift and extension in Northland.     

Paleomagnetism of the Central Iberian curve's putative hinge: Too many oroclines in the Iberian Variscides

The Variscan mountain belt in Iberia defines a large “S” shape with the Cantabrian Orocline in the north and the Central Iberian curve, an alleged orocline belt of opposite curvature, to the south. The Cantabrian Orocline is kinematically well constrained, but the geometry and kinematics of the Central Iberian curve are still controversial. Here, we investigate the kinematics of the Central Iberian curve, which plays an important role in the amalgamation of Pangea since it may have accommodated much of the post-collisional deformation. We have performed a paleomagnetic study on Carboniferous granitoids and Cambrian limestones within the hinge of the curve. Our paleomagnetic and rock magnetic results show a primary magnetization in the granitoids and a widespread Carboniferous remagnetization of the limestones. Syn-kinematic granitoids show ca. 70° counter-clockwise rotations consistent with the southern limb of the Cantabrian Orocline. Post-kinematic granitoids and Cambrian limestones show consistent inclinations but very scattered declinations suggesting that they were magnetized coevally to and after the ~ 70° rotation. Our results show no differential rotations between northern, southern limb and the hinge zone. Therefore, we discard a late Carboniferous oroclinal origin for the Central Iberian curve.     

The spatial-Temporal distributions and migrations of mesozoic magmaism in South China and subduction process of the paleo-pacific plate北大核心CSCD

The spatial-Temporal distributions and migrations of Mesozoic magmatism suggest that Mesozoic igneous rocks in South China can be divided into "two regions and four belts" , which are thought to be the products of convergence of multiple blocks as well as multi-stages and multi-directional compressional-extensional orogeny. However, it is impossible that the single subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate to form multi-direction and wide( > I (KK) km) tectonic deformation and mag- matic rock belt. In this paper. We evaluated the model of the paleo-Pacific Plate subduction, which widely circulated on late Mesozoic magmatism in Cathaysian Block at present, to address the its main contribution and shortage. We put forward that approximately middle-Jurassic( 175±5 Ma) , the South China entered the paleo-Pacific tectonic system, roughly from south to north oblique subduction of the paleo-Pacific Plate. After 120 Ma, the subduction direction of paleo-Pacific Plate has changed to westward forward subduction dramatically. At the end of Mesozoic, the South China continent has become a passive margin so that there are the different tectonic setting roughly contemporary in southeastern China coast and east- em Taiwan. The former is the within-continent tectonic environment of the extensional-break up setting, where as and the latter is the arc tectonic environment with collision-compresive stress.     

南沙海槽东南缘深水逆冲推覆构造

位于我国南海南部南沙海槽东南缘深水逆冲推覆构造系统记录着古南海俯冲与消亡及南海扩张的演化史,为现今仍在活动的构造系统。本文综合阐述了深水逆冲推覆构造的几何学和运动学特征、形成时代和形成过程,并结合区域地质背景探讨其动力学机制,建立构造演化模式。研究结果表明,基于几何学特征差异该构造系统在平面上可划分为南段和北段,垂向上分为上部逆冲推覆构造体系和下部逆冲推覆构造体系。受控于动力学机制,北段褶皱构造变形强度明显大于南段,体现在相邻逆冲褶皱排列间距明显小于南段。综合区域地质背景分析认为:下部逆冲推覆构造体系变形机制为晚白垩世—早中新世古南海俯冲消亡于婆罗洲之下的地壳缩短作用,而上部逆冲推覆构造体系变形机制为中中新世以来三角洲推进的重力滑脱作用与苏禄海盆扩张的地壳缩短作用的叠加结果。     

Tectonic and magmatic responses to the subduction of high bathymetric relief

Subduction of high bathymetric relief, such as aseismic ridges and magmatic plateaus, is considered to be responsible for dramatic changes in the dynamics and kinematics of the subduction zone. For example, the buoyancy of high bathymetric relief is thought to flatten the dip of the subducting slab, modifying the structural and magmatic evolution of the overriding plate and terminating arc volcanism. In addition, the effect of ridge subduction in retreating plate boundaries can inhibit subduction rollback, a process that could locally pin the subduction hinge and lead to the development of cusps and slab tearing. Here we discuss the tectonic response to subduction of high bathymetric relief using examples from the circum-Pacific subduction systems. We demonstrate that flattening of the subduction dip angle is only significant in the eastern Pacific, where the average slab dip angle is relatively shallow. In the western Pacific, in contrast, the average subduction dip angle is steeper and there is no significant flattening of the dip angle in areas of ridge subduction. Subduction of high bathymetric relief in the circum-Pacific is commonly associated with reduced arc volcanism, and in many cases, the area of ridge subduction coincides with a volcanic gap. In the overriding plate, ridge subduction is associated with pronounced changes in the style of deformation, involving uplift, reactivation of basement thrusts, development of orogen-perpendicular tear faults and block rotations leading to oroclinal bending. The discussed characteristic patterns associated with ridge subduction provide important guidelines for reconstructing past plate tectonic processes, and could help constraining the geodynamics of ancient subduction systems.     

内蒙古狼山地区石炭纪-三叠纪岩浆作用及其构造意义

华北地块北缘广泛发育石炭纪-三叠纪岩浆岩,岩浆岩的时空展布及反映的构造背景对研究古亚洲洋的俯冲增生作用具有重要的意义.然而,目前的研究集中在华北地块北缘中东部,该期岩浆活动的向西延伸有待深入研究.通过对狼山地区近年来获得的晚古生代-早中生代岩浆岩岩石学、地球化学、锆石U-Pb年龄及Hf同位素数据的综合分析,结果表明该区经历了早石炭世-晚二叠世、中-晚三叠世两期构造岩浆作用.其中,早石炭世-晚二叠世岩浆活动时限在338~251 Ma,岩性主要为辉长岩、角闪辉长岩、闪长岩、石英闪长岩、花岗闪长岩及二长花岗岩,辉长岩类的微量元素蛛网图及稀土元素配分型式与岛弧火山岩的曲线类似,花岗岩类具高Sr（>250×10-6,平均值为425×10-6）低Y（6.89×10-6~24.30×10-6）的特点.中-晚三叠世岩浆活动时限在245~228 Ma,岩性主要为正长花岗岩,花岗岩具高K₂O/Na₂O（1.48~1.58）、低Sr（154×10-6~49×10-6）低Yb（1.01×10-6~1.38×10-6）的特点,稀土配分曲线表现为轻稀土略富集、Eu负异常中等-强（Eu*=0.54~0.23）、重稀土平坦的近似海鸥型,总体反映了后造山花岗岩的地球化学特征.结合构造判别图解及区域地质资料,结果表明狼山地区早石炭世-晚二叠世为俯冲挤压的构造背景,中-晚三叠世则进入了后造山伸展的构造阶段.狼山地区晚古生代-早中生代发育的两期构造岩浆作用与华北陆块北缘中东部（330~265 Ma及250~200 Ma）类似,古亚洲洋的向南俯冲形成了华北陆块北缘近东西向延伸的晚古生代岩浆岩带,华北陆块与其北缘增生造山带拼贴作用的时限为二叠纪末-三叠纪初.      

Gold mineralization in China: Metallogenic provinces,deposit types and tectonic framework

We present a review of major gold mineralization events in China and a summary of metallogenic provinces, deposit types, metallogenic epochs and tectonic settings. Over 200 investigated gold deposits are grouped into 16 Au-metallogenic provinces within five tectonic units such as the Central Asian orogenic belt comprising provinces of Northeast China and Tianshan-Altay; North China Craton comprising the northern margin, Jiaodong, and Xiaoqinling; the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun orogenic belt consisting of the West Qingling, North Qilian, and East Kunlun; the Tibet and Sanjiang orogenic belts consisting of Lhasa, Garzê-Litang, Ailaoshan, and Daduhe-Jinpingshan; and the South China block comprising Youjiang basin, Jiangnan orogenic belt, Middle and Lower Yangtze River, and SE coast. The gold deposits are classified as orogenic, Jiaodong-, porphyry–skarn, Carlin-like, and epithermal-types, among which the first three types are dominant.The orogenic gold deposits formed in various tectonic settings related to oceanic subduction and subsequent crustal extension in the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun, Tianshan-Altay, northern margin of North China Craton, and Xiaoqinling, and related to the Eocene–Miocene continental collision in the Tibet and Sanjiang orogenic belts. The tectonic periods such as from slab subduction to block amalgamation, from continental soft to hard collision, from intracontinental compression to shearing or extension, are important for the formation of the orogenic gold deposits. The orogenic gold deposits are the products of metamorphic fluids released during regional metamorphism associated with oceanic subduction or continental collision, or related to magma emplacement and associated hydrothermal activity during lithospheric extension after ocean closure. The Jiaodong-type, clustered around Jiaodong, Xiaoqinling, and the northern margin of the North China Craton, is characterized by the involvement of mantle-derived fluids and a temporal link to the remote subduction of the Pacific oceanic plate concomitant with the episodic destruction of North China Craton. The Carlin-like gold metallogenesis is related to the activity of connate fluid, metamorphic fluid, and meteoric water in different degrees in the Youjiang basin and West Qinling; the former Au province is temporally related to the remote subduction of the Tethyan oceanic plate and the later formed in a syn-collision setting. Porphyry–skarn Au deposits are distributed in the Tianshan-Altay, the Middle and Lower Yangtze River region, and Tibet and Sanjiang orogenic belts in both subduction and continental collision settings. The magma for the porphyry–skarn Au deposits commonly formed by melting of a thickened juvenile crust. The epithermal Au deposits, dominated by the low-sulfidation type, plus a few high-sulfidation ones, were produced during the Carboniferous oceaic plate subduction in Tianshan-Altay, during Early Cretaceous and Quaternary oceanic plate subduction in SEt coast of South China Block, and during the Pliocene continental collision in Tibet. The available data of different isotopic systems, especially fluid D–O isotopes and carbonate C–O systems, reveal that the isotopic compositions are largely overlapping for different genetic types and different for the same genetic type in different Au belts. The isotopic compositions are thus not good indicators of various genetic types of gold deposit, perhaps due to overprinting of post-ore alteration or the complex evolution of the fluids.Although gold metallogeny in China was initiated in Cambrian and lasted until Cenozoic, it is mainly concentrated in four main periods. The first is Carboniferous when the Central Asian orogenic belt formed by welding of micro-continental blocks and arcs in Tianshan-Altay, generating a series of porphyry–epithermal–orogenic deposits. The second period is from Triassic to Early Jurassic when the current tectonic mainframe of China started to take shape. In central and southern China, the North China Craton, South China Block and Simao block were amalgamated after the closure of Paleo-Tethys Ocean in Triassic, forming orogenic and Carlin-like gold deposits. The third period is Early Cretaceous when the subduction of the Pacific oceanic plate to the east and that of Neo-Tethyan oceanic plate to the west were taking place. The subduction in eastern China produced the Jiaodong-type deposits in the North China Craton, the skarn-type deposits in the northern margin (Middle to lower reaches of Yangtze River) and the epithermal-type deposits in the southeastern margin in the South China Block. The subduction in western China produced the Carlin-like gold deposits in the Youjiang basin and orogenic ones in the Garzê-Litang orogenic belt. The Cenozoic is the last major phase, during which southwestern China experienced continental collision, generating orogenic and porphyry–skarn gold deposits in the Tibetan and Sanjiang orogenic belts. Due to the spatial overlap of the second and third periods in a single gold province, the Xiaoqinling, West Qinling, and northern margin of the North China Craton have two or more episodes of gold metallogeny.     

西藏冈底斯带侏罗纪岩浆作用的时空分布及构造环境

在新近完成的1：25万区域地质调查资料和相关研究成果的基础上,初步研究了西藏冈底斯带侏罗纪岩浆作用的分布特点及其年代学,并利用已有的地球化学数据重点分析了早期关注程度较低的侏罗纪花岗岩类岩浆作用的性质。目前在冈底斯弧背断隆带未发现侏罗纪火山岩;在冈底斯东部地区,早侏罗世岩浆活动几乎同时发生于南冈底斯（叶巴组火山岩和鸟郁、尼木花岗岩类）、冈底斯弧背断隆带（宁中、金达、布久花岗岩类）和北冈底斯（聂荣花岗岩类）,中晚侏罗世接奴群和拉贡塘组火山岩断续分布于北冈底斯,晚侏罗世岩浆活动零星分布于沙莫勒一麦拉一洛巴堆～米拉山断裂以北。将冈底斯侏罗纪岩浆活动置于时空框架内分析发现,南冈底斯和北冈底斯在侏罗纪时主要受俯冲作用的影响．而冈底斯弧背断隆带和中冈底斯自早侏罗世以来除了受到俯冲作用的影响外,还受到自东向西逐步扩展的碰撞作用的影响。结合古地磁重建资料和其他新发现．认为冈底斯带侏罗纪这种岩浆活动的特点可用班公湖一怒江洋壳向南、新特提斯洋壳向北的双向剪刀式（剪刀口向西张开）俯冲模式来解释。     

The Eocene Southern Vancouver Island Orocline — a response to seamount accretion and the cause of fold-and-thrust belt and extensional basin formation

A deflection of the fault controlled southwestern coastline of Vancouver Island suggests the presence of a minor orocline, with a Southern Crustal Block (south of Barkley Sound–Alberni Inlet) rotated 20° counterclockwise relative to a Northern Fixed Crustal Block about a pole of rotation located northeast of Port Alberni. In this paper two models of orocline development, one of pure block rotation and one of pure bending, are proposed. The predictions of these models are tested against available geological maps, structural orientation data, identified regions of extension and contraction, and paleomagnetic data. Structural orientation and paleomagnetic data are consistent with 18° of post-Late Cretaceous counter clockwise rotation of the Southern Crustal Block relative to the Northern Fixed Crustal Block. A southward increase in the magnitude of rotation evident in the structural orientation data argues for a model of bending. Both bending and block rotation models predict the development of a zone of contraction along the northeast margin of the Southern Crustal Block, coincident with the location of the Eocene Cowichan fold-and-thrust belt, that diminishes northward toward the pole of rotation. As predicted, the fold-and-thrust belt is characterized by a northerly decrease in the amount of shortening, from >30% at the south end of the thrust belt, to 0% shortening north of Port Alberni. The northerly decrease in shortening is complemented by a north to south change in structural style from cylindrical to conical folds, and finally to planar, undeformed strata. The model of block rotation predicts the presence of a zone of extension extending southwest from the zone of rotation, coincident with the location of Eocene extensional structures within Barkley Sound and with horst and graben structures in the offshore Eocene to Miocene Tofino basin. Extension is less than predicted by a model of pure block rotation and suggests that much of the oroclinal rotation was accommodated by bending. Timing constraints indicate that orocline development was coeval with, and resulted from, the Eocene accretion of seamounts of the Crescent terrane. These findings demonstrate that oroclinal orogeny, the buckling of a linear crustal beam about vertical axes of rotation, can significantly impact the geometry, structure and character of an orogenic belt, even where the buckles are minor (<20° of rotation).     

Paleomagnetic reconstruction of the Cenozoic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean

A total of 113 paleomagnetic sites were sampled along an Anatolian S–N transect from the Arabian platform, the Hatay region, the Eastern Taurides, the Kirsehir block, the Sivas basin and the Eastern Pontides. Reliable characteristic remanent paleomagnetic directions were retrieved from 37 of these sites, spanning in time from Paleocene to Miocene. In a general way, declinations are westerly deviated and inclinations are shallower than the geocentered dipole value at the present latitudes. When combined with previously published results, these data indicate that a large-scale counterclockwise rotation of Anatolia of some 25° has occurred since the Miocene. Assuming that the pole of rotation of Anatolia with respect to Europe has remained constant in time at the location given by MacClusky et al. [J. Geophys. Res. 105 (2000) 5695] on the basis of the geodetic data, this rotation implies that a large westward displacement (500 km at the average latitude of 40°) has taken place. Assuming that the rotation was initiated by the Arabia/Europe collision about 12 Ma ago, this corresponds to an average displacement of about 40 mm/year.Together with previous results from the western part of the Aegean arc, these results indicate that the main trends of the Cenozoic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean appear to consist of two post-early Miocene rotations of opposite senses: a clockwise rotation of the western part of the Aegean [Tectonophysics 146 (1988) 183] around a pole situated in northern Albania, and a counterclockwise rotation around the pole given by McClusky et al. [J. Geophys. Res. 105 (2000) 5695]. Comparison with GPS data suggest that both rotations are still active today.