The structural and geochemical evolution of the Singhbhum granite batholithic complex, India

The Singhbhum granite batholithic complex of eastern India is composed mainly of (a) the Older Metamorphic Group, tonalite (-trondhjemite) gneiss (OMTG, 3800 Ma old), whch intruded synkinematically into the enveloping Older Metamorphic Group (OMG, > 3800 Ma old) and (b) the Singhbhum granite (SBG) consisting of three distinct but closely related phases of at least twelve separate magmatic units of granodiorite-granite (2950 Ma old), and a number of patches of granitised OMG orthoamphibolites. Geochemical studies including REE and LIL elements suggest that (a) the OMG orthoamphibolites were derived either by re-melting of a K-poor basalt (LKT) or of mantle peridotite with high concentration of LIL elements, (b) the OMG tonalite was derived by partial melting of amphibolite and (c) the Singhbhum granite magmas appear to have formed in two distinct modes: (i) partial melting of amphibolite for the magmas of phases I and II and (ii) partial melting of a siliceous, garnet-bearing granulite for magmas of the phase III units.     

Tectonostratigraphic and geochronologic reappraisal constraining the growth and evolution of Singhbhum Archaean craton, eastern India

Reappraisal of field relationships between the different lithological ensembles supported by available geochronological data, and taking due note of the tectono-metamorphic, magmatic and sedimentation history helped to build up a coherent crustal evolutionary history of the Singhbhum Archaean craton, eastern India. The evolution of the earliest sialic crust, as the isotope ages suggest, was around 3700 Ma or even earlier. Deposition of the oldest, dominantly metasedimentary supracrustals, the Older Metamorphic Group (OMG), was initiated at around 3380 Ma, i.e. after a gap of about 320 million years. The closing of OMG basins synchronously with the emplacement of a granitoid phase was at ca.3285 Ma. No other fabric-forming ductile deformation and metamorphism associated with the development of foliation and mineral lineation is known in the rocks of the Singhbhum Archaean craton subsequent to this event. Formation of the succeeding geological ensembles including the deposition of BIF-bearing Iron Ore Group (IOG) and the emplacement of the post-IOG granitoids at ca.3100 Ma can be described as ??lsnon-orogenic?? event taking place during the phase of tectonic quiescence. Supracrustals like the Dhanjori and Simlipal mafic volcanics with intercalated beds of arenite evolved later during the phase of Plume outburst at around 2800 Ma. The end-Archaean intrusion of Newer Dolerite dykes in conjugate sets and the deposition of Kolhan Group in an N-S oriented basin during an E-W stress system mark the culmination of the Archaean crust-building activity in the Singhbhum Archaean craton.     

Sm-Nd Isotopic and Geochemical Study of the Archean Tonalite-Amphibolite association from the eastern Indian Craton

We report the results of a Sm-Nd isotopic, major element and rare earth element (REE) study of the Older Metamorphic Group (OMG) tonalite-amphibolite association of the eastern Indian Craton. The Older Metamorphic Tonalite Gneisses (OMTG) have been previously dated to be 3.8 Ga using Sm-Nd isotope systematies, and 3.2–3.4 Ga by Rb-Sr and Pb-Pb dating. The results of this study indicate that the protoliths of the OMG amphibolites are 3.3 Ga isochron age=3.30±0.06 Ga, _Nd= +0.9 ± 0.7), and therefore, the OMTG, which intrude into the associated amphibolites, cannot be any older than 3.3 Ga. The amphibolites display light REE enrichment ((Ce/Yb)_N=2.2–6.7; La=30–100 x chondrite) and nearly flat heavy REE patterns ((Tb/Lu)_N=1.2–1.9); the basaltic parents of the amphibolites were probably generated by the partial melting of a spinel lherzolite mantle. Strong linear relationships between the amphibolites and tonalites in ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd-¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd space (isochron age =3.29±0.04 Ga, _Nd= +0.8 ± 0.8) imply that they are genetically related. The tonalites display fractionated REE patterns (La=100–300 x chondrite) with moderate heavy REE depletions ((Tb/Lu)_N=1.9–3.4). The isotopic, major element and REE data are consistent with the derivation of the OMTG from partial melting of OMG amphibolites or equivalent rocks at amphibolegarnet stabilization depths. An initial _Nd(t) value of +0.9±0.7 for the amphibolites indicates the presence of a slightly depleted mantle source at 3.3 Ga with ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd. between 0.20 and 0.22. It is suggested that the growth of continental crust in the eastern Indian craton occurred in response to magmatic underplating in a plume setting.     

Evidence for synchronous extrusive and intrusive Bushveld magmatism

The intracratonic, 2.06 Ga volcanic rocks of the Rooiberg Group of southern Africa consist of nine magma types, varying in composition from basalt to rhyolite. Basalts and andesites, intercalated with dacites and rhyolites, are found towards the base; rhyolite is the chief magma composition in the upper succession. The absence of compositions intermediate to the magma types and variations in major and trace element concentrations suggest that fractional crystallization was not prominent in controlling magma compositions. REE patterns are comparable for all magma types and concentrations increase for successively younger magmas; LREE show enriched patterns and HREE are flat. Elevated Sr_i-ratios and high concentrations of elements characteristically enriched in the crust suggest that the Rooiberg magmas were crustally contaminated or derived from crustal material. Some Rooiberg features are related to the intrusive events of the Bushveld complex.Petrogenesis of both the Rooiberg Group and the mafic intrusives of the Bushveld complex is linked to a mantle plume, melting at progressively higher crustal levels. The basal Rooiberg magmas have undergone a complex history of partial melting, magma mixing and crustal contamination. Crustal melts extruded as siliceous volcanic flows to form the Upper Rooiberg Group, simultaneously intruding at shallow levels as granophyres. Crustally contaminated plume magma synchronously intruded beneath the Rooiberg Group to produce the mafic rocks of the Rustenburg Layered Suite. Granite intrusions terminated the Bushveld event. The Bushveld plume was short-lived, which conforms, together with other features, with younger, voluminous plume environments.     

Early Neoarchaean A-type granitic magmatism by crustal reworking in Singhbhum craton: Evidence from Pala Lahara area,Orissa

Several volumetrically minor \(\sim \)2.8 Ga anorogenic granites and rhyolites occur along the marginal part of the Singhbhum craton whose origin and role in crustal evolution are poorly constrained. This contribution presents petrographic, geochemical, zircon U–Pb and trace element, and mineral chemical data on such granites exposed in the Pala Lahara area to understand their petrogenesis and tectonic setting. The Pala Lahara granites are calc-alkaline, high-silica rocks and define a zircon U–Pb age of 2.79 Ga. These granites are ferroan, weakly metaluminous, depleted in Al, Ca and Mg and rich in LILE and HFSE. They are classified as A2-type granites with high Y/Nb ratios. Geochemical characteristics (high \(\hbox {SiO}_{2}\) and \(\hbox {K}_{2}\hbox {O}\), very low MgO, Mg#, Cr, Ni and V, negative Eu anomaly, flat HREE and low Sr/Y) and comparison with melts reported by published experimental studies suggest an origin through high-temperature, shallow crustal melting of tonalitic/granodioritic source similar to the \(\sim \)3.3 Ga Singhbhum Granite. Intrusion of the Pala Lahara granites was coeval with prominent mafic magmatism in the Singhbhum craton (e.g., the Dhanjori mafic volcanic rocks and NNE–SSW trending mafic dyke swarm). It is suggested that the \(\sim \)2.8 Ga A-type granites in the Singhbhum craton mark a significant crustal reworking event attendant to mantle-derived mafic magmatism in an extensional tectonic setting.     

辽南小黑山地区太古宙构造变形序列

采用地质调查和显微镜下观察方法,研究了辽南小黑山区太古宙岩石组成和构造变形特征。小黑山区太古宙岩石包括上壳岩、古老片麻岩和变基性岩脉,它们在小黑山变质岩体中呈包体出现。上壳岩由黑云变粒岩、条带状闪石磁铁石英岩组成;古老片麻岩为条带状角闪黑云斜长片麻岩、条带状角闪斜长片麻岩,原岩为英云闪长岩;变基性岩脉为斜长角闪岩和角闪石岩。上壳岩堆积之后有英云闪长岩侵位,基性脉侵位于上壳岩和英云闪长岩（古老片麻岩）。小黑山区太古宙岩石经历了2幕变形：D₁幕变形主要表现为褶皱构造（DF₁）、与褶皱轴面平行的面理（DS₁）、矿物线理（DL₁）;D₂幕变形在叠加褶皱作用下形成斜歪倾伏褶皱（DF₂）,面理和线理不发育。小黑山区太古宙变质岩中发育的变形序列、构造特征、变形特征、变质条件表明,这2幕构造形迹群属于中部构造相。D1幕变形形成逆冲推覆构造,D₂幕变形形成第Ⅲ型叠加褶皱,它们都是在同方向的水平挤压应力作用下的产物。     

Early Archaean Amîtsoq tonalites and granites of the Isukasia area,southern West Greenland: development of the oldest-known sial

Amphibolite facies early Archaean Amîtsoq gneisses envelop and intrude the c. 3,800 Ma Isua supracrustal belt, Isukasia area, southern West Greenland. Most of these gneisses are strongly deformed, but in a c. 75 km² augen of lower deformation, the Amîtsoq gneisses are seen to comprise predominantly 3,750–3,700 Ma tonalitic grey gneisses that were intruded first by thin bodies of mafic to dioritic composition, known collectively as the Inaluk dykes, and then by c. 3,600 Ma white gneisses and finally by sporadic c. 3,400 Ma pegmatitic gneiss sheets. The grey gneisses could have formed by partial melting of crust consisting predominantly of basic rocks. The Inaluk dykes are interpreted as strongly fractionated basic melts of mantle origin, contaminated by crustal material. The white gneisses consist mostly of medium grained granite and occur as lenses and anastomosing sheets throughout their host of grey gneisses with subordinate inclusions of supracrustal rocks. The white gneisses have chemistry compatible with formation by partial melting at depth of a source dominated by grey gneisses. The igneous chemistry, including REE abundances, of the grey gneisses and white gneisses has been modified to varying degrees by metasomatism and assimilation reactions during the crystallisation of the white gneisses and also during subsequent tectonometamorphic events. The white gneisses are evidence for considerable reworking by anatexis of sialic crust in the early Archaean, 150 to 100 Ma after its formation. The white gneisses and the pegmatitic gneisses show that granitic rocks s.s. were important in the earliest Archaean, and are further evidence of the diversity of the oldest-known sial.Previously at and the Geological Survey of Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark     

Geochemistry of the Shushui Complex,South Shanxi Province,China

The Shushui Complex can be divided into three rock units based on field investigation, petrography and geochemistry:(1) felsic gneisses, (2) supracrustal rocks consisting of amphibolite, marble and quartzite, and (3) late granites. Of the complex, felsic gneisses are dominant and formed in the Late Archaean, which were intruded by a basic dyke with a whole-rock Rb-Sr isochron age of 2264±219 Ma. The data on rare-earth elements as well as on major and trace elements presented for most of the rock types making up the complex suggest that (1) basic gneisses were produced by partial melting of mantle peridotite, followed by fractional crystallization, and (2) felsic gneisses produced by varying degree of melting of a mafic source. The most suitable tectonic setting to account for the generation of both types would be similar to the underplate setting.     

Precambrian mafic magmatism in the Singhbhum craton,eastern India

The Singhbhum craton has a chequred history of mafic magmatism spanning from early Archaean to Proterozoic. However, lack of adequate isotopic age data put constraints on accurately establishing the history of spatial growth of the craton in which mafic magmatism played a very significant role. Mafic magmatism in the craton spreads from ca.3.3 Ga (oldest “enclaves” of orthoamphibolites) to about 0.1 Ga (‘Newer dolerite’ dyke swarms). Nearly contemporaneous amphibolite and intimately associated tonalitic orthogneiss may represent Archaean bimodal magmatism. The metabasic enclaves are appreciably enriched and do not fulfill the geochemical characteristics of worldwide known early Archaean (>3.0 Ga) mafic magmatism. The enclaves reveal compositional spectrum from siliceous high-magnesian basalt (SHMB) to andesite. However, the occurrence of minor depleted boninitic type within the assemblage has so far been overlooked. High magnesian basalt with boninitic character of Mesoarchaean age is also reported in association with supracrustals from southern fringe of the granitoid cratonic nucleus. The subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) below the craton is conjectured to have initiated during the early Archaean. Significantly, recurrence of depleted magma types in the craton is observed during the whole span of mafic igneous activity which has been vaguely related to “mantle heterogeneity”, although the alternative model of sequential mantle melting is also being explored. The Singhbhum craton includes the Banded Iron Formation (BIF) associated mafic lavas, MORB-like basic and komatiitic ultrabasic bimodal volcanism — documented as Dalma volcanics, Dhanjori lavas, and the Proterozoic Newer dolerite dykes. Three different types of REE fractionation patterns are observed in the BIF-associated mafic lavas. These are the REE unfractionated type is more depleted than N-MORB and some lavas with boninitic type of REE distribution. MORB-like basic and komatiitic ultrabasic (Dalma volcanics) are emplaced within the Proterozoic Singhbhum Basin (PSB). The vista of magmatism in the basin was controlled by a miniature spreading centre represented by the mid-basinal Dalma volcanic ridge. The volcano-sedimentary basinal domain of Dhanjori emerged at the interface of two subprovinces (viz. the mobile volcano-sedimentary belt of PSB and rigid granite platform) under unique stress environment related to extensional tectonic regime. Trace element distribution in Dhanjori lavas is remarkably similar to that in PSB minor intrusions and lavas (except a Ta spike in the latter). The Proterozoic Newer dolerite dykes within Singhbhum nucleus manifest an unusually wide spam of intrusive activity (ca 2100 Ma to 1100 Ma) and unexpectedly uniform mantle melting behaviour.     

Crustal evolution of Archaean granitoids in the Murchison Province, Western Australia

Four suites of granitoids intruded the supracrustal greenstone sequence in the Murchison Province of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton during a 300 million year period. The earliest granitoid suite intruded the base of the developing greenstone sequence as a series of thin subhorizontal tabular plutons of monzogranite and granodiorite at 2.9Ga. This suite has been deformed and metamorphosed, and is now a pegmatite-banded gneiss. At about 2.7 Ga, thick, subhorizontal, tabular plutons of monzogranite intruded the base of the greenstone sequence. This suite, which now forms much of the regions between greenstone belts, was folded and recrystallized during regional deformation and metamorphism. Two distinct but contemporaneous suites of post-folding granitoids intruded the greenstone belts at 2.6 Ga, largely post-dating regional metamorphism. One suite of post-folding granitoids comprises tonalite, trondhjemite, granodiorite and monzogranite plutons, confined mainly to the north of the Province. The other suite comprises quartz-rich monzogranite and syenogranite plutons, confined mainly to the south of the Province.Pegmatite-banded gneiss, recrystallized monzogranite, and the northern suite of post-folding granitoids were all derived by partial-melting of mafic crustal rocks. Most post-folding granitoids from the southern suite were derived by partial-melting of siliceous crustal material at least as old as basal greenstones. The modes and sites of intrusion of all granitoid plutons were controlled by active tectonic processes or by structural features of the crust. Widespread 2.6 Ga Rb---Sr ages of pegmatite-banded gneiss and recrystallized monzogranite reflect post-metamorphic cooling which was contemporaneous with intrusion of post-folding granitoids.     

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2016.06.013

The Archean continental crusts account for ca.20% of the present volume,but the thermal history of the Earths' mantle suggests much more continental crusts were formed in the early Archean.Because the Archean continental crust underwent severe metamorphism,it is important to avoid influence by the later thermal events.We carried out a comprehensive geochronological work of Cathodoluminescence(CL) observation and U-Pb dating of zircons from orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks over the Saglek Block to obtain their protolith ages.The zircons were classified into three domains of core,mantle and rims,and the cores were further classified into three groups of inherited,altered and zoned cores based on the zonation on the CL images.We estimated the protolith ages from Pb-Pb ages of the zoned-cores of zircons with low U contents.We made a detailed sketch of a small outcrop in St.John's Harbour South(SJHS) area,and classified the orthogneisses and mafic enclaves into seven generations based on the geologic occurrence.The first and second generations comprise mafic rocks and lack magmatic zircons.We conducted CL imaging and U-Pb dating of zircons from the third,sixth and seventh generation of the orthogneisses to estimate the protolith ages at 3902 L 25,3892 ± 33 and 3897 ± 33 Ma for each,supporting the presence of the over 3.9 Ca Iqaluk Gneiss.The geological occurrence that the mafic rocks occur as enclaves within the 3.9 Ga Iqaluk Gneiss indicates that they are the oldest supracrustal rocks in the world.Our geochronological and geological studies show the Uivak Gneiss is quite varied in lithology and age from 3.6 to 3.9 Ga,and tentatively classified into six groups based on their ages.The oldest Uivak Gneiss components including the Iqaluk Gneiss are present around the SJHS area,and the orthogneisses become young as it is away.The lines of evidence of overprinting of younger granitoid on older granitoid in small outcrops and geological-map scale as well as presence of inherited zircons even in the oldest suite suggests that crustal reworking played an important role on erasing the ancient crusts.     

Geochronology,geochemistry and tectonics of the NE Bayuda Desert,N Sudan: Implications for the western margin of the late Proterozoic fold belt of NE Africa

Five suites of rocks collected from the Precambrian basement in the NE Bayuda Desert of central northern Sudan give late Proterozoic whole-rock $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ isochron ages. The Abu Harik Complex, thought by some previous workers to be an older basement, gives an age of 898 ± 51 Ma. Upper amphibolite-facies metasediments give a metamorphic age of 761 ± 22 Ma. The supposedly younger greenschist-facies El Koro Volcanic Series were erupted 800 ± 83 Ma ago. These are chemically similar to the volcanics which unconformably overlie the Sol Hamed ophiolite in the Red Sea Hills of NE Sudan and to some modern island are volcanics. The metasediments were intruded 678 ± 43 Ma ago by the Diefallab Granite, which is itself deformed. The younger, weakly-deformed Amaki Series, with a basal conglomerate containing basement clasts overlain by purple grits, is probably equivalent to the molasse-type Hammamat Group of the Eastern Desert of Egypt which was deposited between 616 and 596 Ma ago. Finally, the post-tectonic Shallal Granite, with within-plate geochemistry, was intruded 549 ± 12 Ma ago. Geochemical data suggest that the Abu Harik Complex, the El Koro Volcanic Series and the Diefallab Granite are arc-related magmatic rocks. They were intruded into, or thrust onto, shallow-water, shelf sediments during subduction and then collision, between c. 900 and 550 Ma. The data presented here give no support to previous views that the high-grade metasediments were metamorphosed prior to the late Proterozoic events, that they unconformably overlie a still older, perhaps Archaean, basement or that they are unconformably overlain by younger late Proterozoic low-grade volcanics. The Precambrian rocks along the E side of the Bayuda Desert must now all be assigned to the late Proterozoic and the boundary between this late Proterozoic fold belt and an older craton, known to crop out at Jebel Uweinat, must lie farther to the W.     

The geological evolution of the Gangpur Schist Belt,eastern India: Constraints on the formation of the Greater Indian Landmass in the Proterozoic

The Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) is a Proterozoic suture along which the Northern and Southern Indian Blocks are inferred to have amalgamated forming the Greater Indian Landmass. In this study, we use the metamorphic and geochronological evolution of the Gangpur Schist Belt (GSB) and neighbouring crustal units to constrain crustal accretion processes associated with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Indian Blocks. The GSB sandwiched between the Bonai Granite pluton of the Singhbhum craton and granite gneisses of the Chhotanagpur Gneiss Complex (CGC) links the CITZ and the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt. New zircon age data constrain the emplacement of the Bonai Granite at 3,370 ± 10 Ma, while the magmatic protoliths of the Chhotanagpur gneisses were emplaced at c. 1.65 Ga. The sediments in the southern part of the Gangpur basin were derived from the Singhbhum craton, whereas those in the northern part were derived dominantly from the CGC. Sedimentation is estimated to have taken place between c. 1.65 and c. 1.45 Ga. The Upper Bonai/Darjing Group rocks of the basin underwent major metamorphic episodes at c. 1.56 and c. 1.45 Ga, while the Gangpur Group of rocks were metamorphosed at c. 1.45 and c. 0.97 Ga. Based on thermobarometric studies and zircon–monazite geochronology, we infer that the geological history of the GSB is similar to that of the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt with the Upper Bonai/Darjing and the Gangpur Groups being the westward extensions of the southern and northern domains of the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt respectively. We propose a three‐stage model of crustal accretion across the Singhbhum craton—GSB/North Singhbhum Mobile Belt—CGC contact. The magmatic protoliths of the Chhotanagpur Gneisses were emplaced at c. 1.65 Ga in an arc setting. The earliest accretion event at c. 1.56 Ga involved northward subduction and amalgamation of the Upper Bonai Group with the Singhbhum craton followed by accretion of the Gangpur Group with the Singhbhum craton–Upper Bonai Group composite at c. 1.45 Ga. Finally, continent–continent collision at c. 0.96 Ga led to the accretion of the CGC with the Singhbhum craton–Upper Bonai Group–Gangpur Group crustal units, synchronous with emplacement of pegmatitic granites. The geological events recorded in the GSB and other units of the CITZ only partially overlap with those in the Trans North China Orogen and the Capricorn Orogen of Western Australia, indicating that these suture zones are not correlatable.     

Geochemistry of an ENE–WSW to NE–SW trending ∼2.37 Ga mafic dyke swarm of the eastern Dharwar craton,India: Does it represent a single magmatic event?

A vast tract of ENE–WSW to NE–SW trending mafic dyke swarm transects Archaean basement rocks within the eastern Dharwar craton. Petrographic data reveal their dolerite/olivine dolerite or gabbro/olivine gabbro composition. Geochemical characteristics, particularly HFSEs, indicate that not all these dykes are co-genetic but are probably derived from more than one magma batch and different crystallization trends. In most samples the La^N/Lu^N ratio is at ∼2, whereas others have a La^N/Lu^N ratio >2 and show higher concentrations of high-field strength elements (HFSEs) than the former group. As a consequence, we assume that the ENE–WSW to NE–SE trending mafic dykes of the eastern Dharwar craton do not represent one single magmatic event but were emplaced in two different episodes; one of them dated at about 2.37 Ga and another probably at about 1.89 Ga. Trace element modelling also supports this inference: older mafic dykes are derived from a melt generated through ∼25% melting of a depleted mantle, whereas the younger set of dykes shows its derivation through a lower degree of melting (∼15%) of a comparatively enriched mantle source.     

Oldest zircon xenocryst (4.17 Ga) from the North China Craton

Prior to this work, the existence of crustal materials older than 4.0 Ga has not been reported from the North China Craton (NCC) – one of the few global terrains where crustal rocks from ～3.8 Ga have been identified. Here we report the first occurrence of a xenocrystic zircon with a ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 4174 ± 48 Ma, from the Anshan–Benxi Archaean supracrustal greenstone belt, based on laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The 4.17 Ga zircon xenocryst is hosted within ～2523 ± 12 Ma massive fine-grained amphibolites which were subsequently metamorphosed at ～2481 ± 19 Ma. The xenocryst age is ca. 350 million years, older than the oldest zircon previously identified in the NCC, and is consistent with prior zircon Lu–Hf isotopic studies. Documentation of 4.17 Ga xenocrystal zircon not only provided a geochronological record of the oldest known crustal materials in the NCC, but also identified the geologic environment for further search for the rocks that formed during Earth’s earliest recorded evolution.     

Sedimentational,structural and migmatitic history of the Archaean Dharwar tectonic province,southern India

The earliest decipherable record of the Dharwar tectonic province is left in the 3.3 Ga old gneissic pebbles in some conglomerates of the Dharwar Group, in addition to the 3.3–3.4 Ga old gneisses in some areas. A sialic crust as the basement for Dharwar sedimentation is also indicated by the presence of quartz schists and quartzites throughout the Dharwar succession. Clean quartzites and orthoquartzite-carbonate association in the lower part of the Dharwar sequence point to relatively stable platform and shelf conditions. This is succeeded by sedimentation in a rapidly subsiding trough as indicated by the turbidite-volcanic rock association. Although conglomerates in some places point to an erosional surface at the contact between the gneisses and the Dharwar supracrustal rocks, extensive remobilization of the basement during the deformation of the cover rocks has largely blurred this interface. This has also resulted in accordant style and sequence of structures in the basement and cover rocks in a major part of the Dharwar tectonic province. Isoclinal folds with attendant axial planar schistosity, coaxial open folds, followed in turn by non-coaxial upright folds on axial planes striking nearly N-S, are decipherable both in the “basement” gneisses and the schistose cover rocks. The imprint of this sequence of superposed deformation is registered in some of the charnockitic terranes also, particularly in the Biligirirangan Hills, Shivasamudram and Arakalgud areas. The Closepet Granite, with alignment of feldspar megacrysts parallel to the axial planes of the latest folds in the adjacent schistose rocks, together with discrete veins of Closepet Granite affinity emplaced parallel to the axial planes of late folds in the Peninsular Gneiss enclaves, suggest that this granite is late-tectonic with reference to the last deformation in the Dharwar tectonic province. Enclaves of tonalite and migmatized amphibolite a few metres across, with a fabric athwart to and overprinted by the earliest structures traceable in the supracrustal rocks as well as in a major part of the Peninsular Gneiss, point to at least one deformation, an episode of migmatization and one metamorphic event preceding the first folding in the Dharwar sequence. This record of pre-Dharwar deformation and metamorphism is corroborated also by the pebbles of gneisses and schists in the conglomerates of the Dharwar Group. Volcanic rocks within the Dharwar succession as well as some of the components of the Peninsular Gneiss give ages of about 3.0 Ga. A still younger age of about 2.6 Ga is recorded in some volcanic rocks of the Dharwar sequence, a part of the Peninsular Gneiss, Closepet Granite and some charnockites. These, together with the 3.3 Ga old gneisses and 3.4 Ga old ages of zircons in some charnockites, furnish evidence for three major thermal events during the 700 million year history of the Archaean Dharwar tectonic province.     

Recurrent mesoproterozoic continental magmatism in South-Central Norway

We report U–Pb dates and Lu–Hf isotope data, obtained by LAM-ICPMS, for zircons from metamorphic rocks of the Setesdalen valley, situated in the Telemark block south of the classic Telemark region of southern Norway. The samples include infracrustal rocks from the metamorphic basement, metaigneous rocks and metasediments from the Byglandsfjorden supracrustal cover sequence, and metaigneous rocks which intruded the whole succession. The main crustal evolution took place from 1,550–1,020 Ma, beginning with the emplacement of juvenile tonalitic melts; the contribution of older crustal material increased with time. Around 1,320 Ma, further addition of juvenile material occurred, involving both mafic and felsic melts, metamorphism and deformation. Acid magmas with high FeO*/MgO were intruded at 1,215 Ma, coinciding with underplating elsewhere in South Norway. The period starting at 1,215 Ma is represented by supracrustal rocks, principally metarhyolites with minor mafic material and immature sediments of the Byglandsfjorden Group. The crust generation processes ended with the intrusion of diorites and granodiorites at 1,030 Ma, late in the Sveconorwegian orogeny. Regional processes of metamorphism and deformation (around 1,290 and 1,000 Ma) can be related to the assembly of Rodinia. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Development of the archean crust in the medina mountain area,wind river range,wyoming (U.S.A.)

Evidence for an extensive Archean crustal history in the Wind River Range is preserved in the Medina Mountain area in the west-central part of the range. The oldest rocks in the area are metasedimentary, mafic, and ultramafic blocks in a migmatite host. The supracrustal rocks of the Medina Mountain area (MMS) are folded into the migmatites, and include semi-pelitic and pelitic gneisses, and mafic rocks of probable volcanic origin. Mafic dikes intrude the older migmatites but not the MMS, suggesting that the MMS are distinctly younger than the supracrustal rocks in the migmatites. The migmatites and the MMS were engulfed by the late Archean granite of the Bridger, Louis Lake, and Bears Ears batholiths, which constitutes the dominant rock of the Wind River Range.Isotopic data available for the area include Nd crustal residence ages from the MMS which indicate that continental crust existed in the area at or before 3.4 Ga, but the age of the older supracrustal sequence is not yet known. The upper age of the MMS is limited by a 2.7 Ga RbSr age of the Bridger batholith, which was emplaced during the waning stages of the last regional metamorphism. The post-tectonic Louis Lake and Bears Ears batholiths have ages of 2.6 and 2.5 Ga, respectively (Stuckless et al., 1985).At least three metamorphic events are recorded in the area: (1) an early regional granulite event (M₁) that affected only the older inclusions within the migmatites, (2) a second regional amphibolite event (M₂) that locally reached granulite facies conditions, and (3) a restricted, contact granulite facies event (M₃) caused by the intrusion of charnockitic melts associated with the late Archean plutons. Results from cation exchange geobarometers and geothermometers yield unreasonablu low pressures and temperatures, suggesting resetting during the long late Archean thermal evenn     

Petrology, geochemistry and geodynamic setting of Proterozoic igneous suites of the Orós fold belt (Borborema Province, Northeast Brazil)

The Orós belt is a metamorphosed and deformed supracrustal sequence whose deposition started at ca. 1.8 Ga. The volcanic rocks form an essentially bimodal association with a predominance of felsic volcanics. Mafic volcanics show geochemical and Nd isotopic differences which point to separate origins for each type. The mafic rocks are either chemically similar to EMORBs or are transalkaline types, enriched in LILE and LREE and relatively depleted in HFSE but with different isotopic signatures. One mafic type is associated with dominant andesites in a suite which could have evolved by an AFC process involving a Transamazonian-age source rock which later produced some of the overlying felsic volcanics. The rhyolites have variable geochemical signatures, all typical of anatectic products derived from continental crustal rocks. Sedimentary rocks are dominated by pelitic types of different provenances, accompanied by minor arenites and lesser carbonate rocks and calc-silicates. The depositional environment of the supracrustal sequence was continental, and a number of lines of evidence suggest that a rift environment probably developed during relaxation following the Transamazonian orogeny. The most abundant igneous rocks are felsic plutonics, emplaced nearly 100 Ma after the volcanic activity, but whose geochemical signature is similar to that of most of the rhyolites. These are cut by more alkaline anorogenic intrusives. The volcano-sedimentary sequence was intruded at ca. 0.9 Ga by a mafic-ultramafic sill. All deformation and metamorphism occurred during the Brasiliano orogeny, which was accompanied by the intrusion of syn-tectonic granites.The Orós belt, therefore, represents an intracontinental ensialic late Paleoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary basin initially related to strain relaxation of the crust. With subsequent collapse and development of faults, the anorogenic alkaline granites intruded at ca. 1.7 Ga. Based on the data available on this province, the Orós belt forms a part of a series of supracrustal belts of different ages, which were consolidated and welded in the Brasiliano orogeny.Within the Borborema Province, supracrustal sequences with ages of ≈ 2.0-1.9 Ga, ≈ 1.8-1.7 Ga (Orós), ≈ 1.1-1.0 Ga, and ≈ 0.6 Ga are presently known. All were aglutinated or amalgamated to neighboring blocks during the Brasiliano orogenic cycle.     

冀西北怀安杂岩的年代学、地球化学、Nd-Hf-O同位素组成及其地质意义

冀西北地区怀安杂岩由变质表壳岩和变质深成岩组成,其中变质表壳岩的形成时代、怀安杂岩的构造背景以及其与孔兹岩带间的关系一直存在较大争议.本文对怀安杂岩的几处代表性露头进行了详细野外考察,对4件样品进行了岩石学、锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年、同位素和元素地球化学分析.所有样品都给出了1.86~1.81 Ga的变质锆石年龄,进一步支持怀安杂岩广泛遭受到古元古代晚期变质作用改造的认识.侵入/包裹含BIF表壳岩组合的变质辉长岩（HB1425）和片麻状英云闪长岩（HB1426）分别给出了~2.5 Ga和2.55 Ga的形成年龄,限制表壳岩形成时代老于2.55 Ga,推测为新太古代表壳岩.浅粒岩（HB1431）和紫苏石榴黑云斜长片麻岩（HB1435）中最老的碎屑锆石分别为2.46 Ga和2.51 Ga,可能还存在古元古代的碎屑锆石,表明它们都为古元古代表壳岩.上述结果进一步确定了怀安杂岩中发育两期表壳岩组合.变质辉长岩和片麻状英云闪长岩的全岩ε_Nd（t）、T_DM1和T_DM2分别为+2.19~+3.06、2.67~2.75 Ga和2.67~2.69 Ga,表明其物源区不存在较大规模的古老陆壳物质,新太古代是怀安地区主要陆壳生长期.变质辉长岩中~1.82 Ga变质锆石中较多具有正的ε_Hf（t）值,最高可达11.1,最可能的解释是古元古代变质过程存在地幔添加作用.锆石的O同位素分析显示区域上可能存在低δ18O的岩石,在古元古代变质过程中,可能存在低δ18O流体对锆石的改造.怀安杂岩和西部孔兹岩带中不同类型岩石的比例明显不同,但两者都同样发育新太古代和古元古代的双层地壳结构,怀安杂岩或许代表孔兹岩带剥蚀更深而出露的深部地壳部分.