Geochronological data of igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Xing’an-Mongolia Orogenic Belt of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: implications for the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean

International Journal of Earth Sciences - In order to better constrain the evolution of the Xing’an-Mongolia Orogenic Belt and the resulting closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, we conducted an...     

Yanshanian–Himalayan geodynamic transformation of the northwestern Junggar Basin,southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and its significance for petroleum accumulation

The northwestern Junggar Basin in the southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt is a typical petroliferous basin. The widely distributed reservoirs in Jurassic–Cretaceous strata indicate that the region records Yanshanian–Himalayan tectonic activity, which affected the accumulation and distribution of petroleum. The mechanism of this effect, however, has not been fully explored. To fill the knowledge gap, we studied the structural geology and geochemistry of the well-exposed Wuerhe bitumen deposit. Our results indicate that deformation and hydrocarbon accumulation in the northwestern Junggar Basin during the Yanshanian–Himalayan geodynamic transformation involved two main stages. During the Yanshanian orogeny, a high-angle extensional fault system formed in Jurassic–Cretaceous strata at intermediate to shallow depths owing to dextral shear deformation in the orogenic belt. This fault system connected at depth with the Permian–Triassic oil–gas system, resulting in oil ascending to form fault-controlled reservoirs (e.g., a veined bitumen deposit). During the Himalayan orogeny, this fault system was deactivated owing to sinistral shear caused by far-field stress related to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. This and the reservoir densification caused by cementation formed favorable hydrocarbon preservation and accumulation conditions. Therefore, the secondary oil reservoirs that formed during the Yanshanian–Himalayan tectonic transformation and the primary oil reservoirs that formed during Hercynian–Indosinian orogenies form a total and complex petroleum system comprising conventional and unconventional petroleum reservoirs. This might be a common feature of oil–gas accumulation in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and highlights the potential for petroleum exploration at intermediate–shallow depths.     

Geochemistry and U–Pb detrital zircon dating of Paleozoic graywackes in East Junggar,NW China: Insights into subduction–accretion processes in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is characterized by multiple and linear accretionary orogenic collages, including Paleozoic arcs, ophiolites, and accretionay wedges. A complex history of subduction–accretion processes makes it difficult to distinguish the origin of these various terranes and reconstruct the tectonic evolution of the southern CAOB. In order to provide constraints on the accretionary history, we analyzed major and trace element compositions of Paleozoic graywackes from the Huangcaopo Group (HG) and Kubusu Group (KG) in East Junggar. The HG graywackes have relatively low Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values (50 to 66), suggesting a source that underwent relatively weak chemical weathering. The identical average Index of Compositional Variability (ICV) values (~ 1.1) for both the KG and HG samples point to an immature source for the Paleozoic graywackes in East Junggar, which is consistent with an andesitic–felsic igneous source characterized by low La/Th ratios and relatively high Hf contents. These graywackes are geochemically similar to continental island arc sediments and therefore were probably deposited at an active continental margin. U–Pb dating of detrital zircons from the lower subgroup of the HG yielded a young age peak at ~ 440 Ma, indicating a post-Early Silurian depositional age. However, the youngest populations of detrital zircons from the KG graywackes and the upper subgroup of the HG yielded ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of ~ 346 Ma and ~ 355 Ma, respectively, which suggest a post-Early Carboniferous depositional age. Because of similarities of rock assemblages, these two units should be incorporated into the Early Carboniferous Nanmingshui Formation. The detrital zircon age spectrum of the Early Paleozoic HG graywackes resembles that of the Habahe sediments in the Chinese Altai, which suggests that the ocean between East Junggar and the Chinese Altai was closed before the deposition of the sediments and that the Armantai ophiolite was emplaced prior to the Early Devonian. The differences in age spectra for detrital zircons from the post-Early Carboniferous graywackes in East Junggar and the Harlik arc indicate that the emplacement of the Kalamaili ophiolite postdates the Early Carboniferous. Therefore, a long-lasting northward subduction–accretion process is suggested for the formation of East Junggar and the reconstruction of the Early Paleozoic evolution of the southern CAOB.