Age and origin of middle Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in southern Yangtze Block and relevance to the break-up of Rodinia

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon age, geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic data are reported for mid-Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks and mafic intrusions in northern Guangxi (Guibei) and western Hunan (Xiangxi) Provinces along the southern margin of the Yangtze Block. The mafic igneous rocks studied are generally synchronous, dated at  765 Ma. The least-contaminated dolerite samples from Xiangxi are characterized by high εNd(T) value of 3.3 to 5.3 and OIB-type geochemical features, indicating that they were derived from an OIB-like mantle source in a continental rift setting. The spilites and gabbros in Guibei show basaltic compositions transitional between the tholeiitic and calc-alkaline series. Despite depletion in Nb and Ta relative to La and Th, they have Zr/Sm = 27–35 and Ti/V = 30–40, affinitive to intraplate basalts. Their εNd(T) values are variable, ranging from − 1.2 to 3.2 for the spilites and from − 1.7 to 2.9 for the gabbros, suggesting that these spilites and gabbros crystallized from crustal-contaminated mafic magmas derived from a metasomatised subcontinental lithospheric mantle source. We conclude that the  765 Ma mafic magmatic rocks in Guibei and Xiangxi were formed in a single continental rift setting as part of the broadly concurrent  780–750 Ma rift magmatism over much of South China, which may be related to the plume activities during the breakup of Rodinia.     

康滇地轴新元古代成矿作用与罗迪尼亚超大陆

康滇地轴在元古代时期形成了大量的金属矿床,研究表明,该时期的金属矿床形成与晋宁运动密切相关。近几年许多研究数据显示,康滇地轴在元古代地层中所形成的铜、铁、金和铀矿床大多集中在700～900Ma之间,与罗迪尼亚超大陆事件发生的时间一致。该时期的碰撞构造环境、花岗岩侵入以及沉积盆地的形成都与陆内板块俯冲作用和伸展作用关系密切。试图从同位素地质年代学、沉积一构造环境方面,探讨该时期的金属成矿作用对板块构造地质事件的响应,并探讨铀成矿作用与板块运动的关系。     

Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician Evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean: Implications to the Break-up of Rodinia

The paper reviews and integrates the recent geological and geochronological data, which allow us to recognize three stages of the evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.The opening of the Paleo-Asian Ocean at 970-850 Ma is dated by the Nersin Complex in the Aldan shield, plagiogranites of the Sunuekit massif, enderbites of the Sludinsk Lake area, and passive margin sediments of the Patoma or Baikal series. The initial subduction (850-700 Ma) is marked by volcanic rocks, trondjemite and gabbro of the Sarkhoy island arc series. Collisions of microcontinents with Siberia at 660 to 620 Ma are evidenced by the exhumation of Muya eclogites (650 Ma), formation of migmatites and amphibolites of the Njurundukan belt (635 and 590 Ma), metamorphic units of the Near-Yenisei belt (640-600 Ma), and orogenic molasse (640-620 Ma). The Paleo-Asian Ocean maximally opened at 620-550 Ma, because at that time a long island arc composed of boninite volcanic rocks was formed. Primitive island arcs of that age have been reconstructed in Kazakhstan, Gorny Altai, West and East Sayan, and North Mongolia. HP and UHP rocks formed in two stages at 550-520 and 520-490 Ma. At 550-490 Ma oceanic islands and Gondwana-derived microcontinents (Kokchetav, Tuva-Mongolian, Central Mongolian and others) collided with the Cambrian-early Ordovician island arc of the Siberian continent. As a result, the island-arc system was extensively modified. Collision occurred twice at 550-520 and 520-490 Ma during which many HP and UHP rocks formed. At that time, the new oceans - the Junggar, Kazakhstan and Uralian - with an Ordovician island arc were formed.     

U–Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks in the Tarim Block of northwest China: implications for the breakup of Rodinia supercontinent and Neoproterozoic glaciations

As the lowest volcanics-bearing unit of the Neoproterozoic succession, the Beiyixi Formation is the key to understanding the early response to the breakup of the Roninia supercontinent in the Tarim Block. The SHRIMP analyses of zircons from the volcanic rocks at the bottom of the Beiyixi Formation yield a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 755 ± 15 Ma. This is interpreted as the eruption age of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks. The Beiyixi volcanic rocks consist of bimodal basalt and dacite-rhyolite with a SiO₂ gap between 55% and 65%. The mafic rocks display negative ɛ_Nd (755 Ma) values (−9.9 to −10.8), moderate enrichment in LILE and variable depletion in Nb, Ta and P, resembling those of the tholeiitic basalts in continental rift. Geochemical and Nd isotopic characteristics suggest that the mafic rocks were derived from partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle reservoir. The felsic rocks show negative ɛ_Nd (755 Ma) values (−7.9 to −9.2), negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies, very high La_N/Yb_N (62–92) ratios and LILE abundances, and may be generated by melting of eclogites or garnet amphibolites in the lower crust, as a result of basalt emplacement into continental crust during continental rifting. The age of 755 ± 15 Ma indicates that the Beiyixi glaciation took place later than 755 Ma and it could be correlated with the Chang’an glaciation in the Yangtze Block and the Sturtian–Rapitan glaciation in other Rodinia Blocks. The geochemical characteristics of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks resemble those of the rift-related magmatism in other Rodinia Blocks, suggesting that the Beiyixi volcanism was a part of global magmatism during the breakup of Rodinia supercontinent. The age and geochemical features of the Beiyixi volcanic rocks also reveal that the mantle plume activity spread to the northwestern margin of the Rodinia supercontinent and probably resulted in the breakup between Australia and Tarim Blocks.     

Tearing up Rodinia: the Neoproterozoic palaeogeography of South American cratonic fragments

Rodinia was initially defined as a long‐lived supercontinent that assembled all the continental fragments around Laurentia and remained stable from 1000 up to 750 Ma. Nonetheless, recent work has cast doubt on the Rodinia palaeogeography and even on the timing of its assembly and break‐up. The geochronological and palaeomagnetic databases accumulated for South America and Africa in the last decade show that most of these continental fragments were not part of Rodinia. A wide Brasiliano Ocean separated most of the South American and African cratons from the Laurentia ? Amazonia ? Rio Apa ?West Africa margin. This ocean was closed between 940 and 630 Ma along the Pampean–Paraguay–Araguaia–Pharusian mobile belts. Moreover, accretion along the South American and African platforms was a diachronous and long‐lived process that involved several intra‐oceanic and continental magmatic arcs and microcontinents. This evolution started at around 1000 Ma and ended at around 520 Ma with the final assembly of Gondwana.     

新元古时期Rodinia超大陆研究进展述评

新元古时期Ｒｏｄｉｎｉａ超大陆的假说自１９９０年提出以来,引起国外许多地质学家的关注,其研究程度不断提高,本文在回顾Ｒｏｄｉｎｉａ超大陆研究历史的基础上,介绍了Ｒｏｄｉｎｉａ超大陆的古地理再造图,并着重介绍中国大陆古地块在超大陆中古地理位置的最新研究动向,文中对建立Ｒｏｄｉｎｉａ超大陆的标志,特别是中元古代晚期－新元古代早期的造山运动和新元古代晚期的裂谷作用进行了评述。同时对我国中－新元古代与Ｒｏ     

Neoproterozoic Magmatism in the Northern Margin of the Tarim Craton: Implications for Rodinia Reconstruction

正The geodynamic processes for the Neoproterozoic mafic-ultramafic intrusions and dykes in the Kuluketage region,Tarim Craton has also been debated for some time.Some researchers suggested that the Neoproterozoic     

贵州宰便-高武地区中新元古代火山岩的发现及其意义

宰便、高武地区位于九万大山北缘，有保存完好的中新元古代地质记录。笔者在该区的1：5万区调工作中发现中新元古代基性火山岩，不仅为该区中新元古代地层增添了新的内容，同时为研究Rodinia超大陆的裂解提供了新的素材。     

北山北带新元古代A型花岗岩: Rodinia超大陆裂解早期的地质响应

北山造山带位于中亚造山带南缘, 带内存在多个前寒武纪微陆块, 对这些前寒武纪微陆块的正确认识, 是造山带构造格架划分及构造演化过程研究的关键。本文选取北山北带明水地块小孤梁片麻状正长花岗岩进了岩石学、元素地球化学、锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素分析研究。结果显示, 小孤梁片麻状正长花岗岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为784±2.7Ma, 揭示北山北带存在新元古代基底岩石; 全岩样品具有高SiO₂(72.22%~74.06%)、富碱(7.50%~8.33%)、高Zr+Y+Nb+Ce含量(567.6×10^-6~644.7×10^-6)和10000×Ga/Al值(2.71~2.81), 低Al₂O₃(12.39%~12.95%)、MgO(0.40%~0.54%)、CaO(0.91%~1.38%)的特征; 微量元素富集Rb、K、Th、U, 亏损Sr、Nb、Ta、P、Ti; 稀土元素总量较高, 轻稀土富集, 重稀土亏损, 具有明显的负Eu异常; 锆饱和温度计算小孤梁片麻状正长花岗岩的结晶温度为824~859℃; 以上这些岩石地球化学特征与A型花岗岩一致。锆石ε_Hf(t)值介于-19.55~-13.81之间, 均为负值, 单阶段模式年龄(t_DM1)为1.56~1.33Ga, 两阶段模式年龄(t_DM2)为2.02~1.65Ga, 表明其岩浆源区可能为古元古代地壳物质的部分熔融。构造环境判别显示其为A1型花岗岩, 属于大陆裂谷岩浆活动的产物。结合区域地质资料和前人研究成果, 认为小孤梁片麻状正长花岗岩可能是北山地区最早响应Rodinia超大陆裂解的花岗岩浆记录。

     

Switching from advancing to retreating subduction in the Neoproterozoic Tarim Craton,NW China: Implications for Rodinia breakup

Geodynamic drivers for the supercontinent cycle are generally attributed to either top-down(subduction-related)or bottom-up(mantle-related)processes.Compiled geochemical data and U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic signatures for magmatic and detrital zircons from the Tarim Craton reveal a distinct change in subduction style during the Neoproterozoic.The subduction cycle is recorded in increasing and decreasing intensity of subduction-related magmatic rocks and time-equivalent sedimentary successions,and converse trends ofεHf(t)values and corresponding changes in crustal incubation time.These trends are consistent with a switch from advancing to retreating subduction.The switch likely occurred at ca.760 Ma when zirconεHf(t)values increase and crustal incubation times decrease following a transitional shift between 800 Ma and 760 Ma.A switch at this time is consistent with Rodinia breakup and may have resulted in the late Neoproterozoic Tarim rift basin.The long-lived(ca.500 Ma)subduction recorded in the Tarim Craton suggests the predominance of a top-down process for Rodinia breakup on this part of its margin.     

U–Pb Zircon Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Neoproterozoic Liujiaping Group Volcanics in the Northwest Margin of the Yangtze Block:Implications For the Breakup of the Rodinia Supercontinent

Investigation of the petrogenesis and the origin of zircons from the volcanic rocks of the Liujiaping Group of the back-Longmenshan tectonic belt in the northwest margin of the Yangtze Block is conducted by analysis of U–Pb geochronology and geochemistry. Results show that selected zircons are characterized by internal oscillatory zonings and high Th/U ratios(0.43–1.18), indicating an igneous origin. Geochronological results of LA–ICP–MS U–Pb dating of the Liujiaping Group zircons yield an age of 809 ± 11 Ma(MSWD = 2.2), implying that the volcanic rocks were formed in the Late Neoproterozoic. Geochemical analysis shows that the rocks are calc-alkaline, supersaturated in Al, and metaluminous to weakly peraluminous. Rare-earth elements are present at high concentrations(96.04–265.48 ppm) and show a rightward incline and a moderately negative Eu anomaly, similar to that of continental rift rhyolite. Trace element geochemistry is characterized by evident negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, P, Th, Ti, inter alia, and strong negative anomalies of K, Rb, Sr, et al. We conclude that the Liujiaping Group volcanic rocks resulted from typical continental crust source petrogenesis and were formed in a continental margin setting, which had no relation to subduction, and thus, were the products of partial melting of the lower crust due to crustal thickening caused by active continental margin subduction and arc–continent collision orogeny in the northwestern Yangtze Block and were triggered by the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent during the Neoproterozoic.     

浙闽地区华夏地块新元古代变沉积岩地球化学特征及其地质意义

浙闽地区华夏地块前寒武纪基底上部主要由新元古代龙泉群、马面山群和万全群组成.上述3个岩群的变沉积岩具有相似的岩石组合及主、微量元素地球化学特征, 它们是华夏地块统一基底的重要组成部分.它们主要由片岩类、变粒岩类、石英岩类和大理岩类组成, 其中片岩类和变粒岩类的SiO₂变化于52.89~75.03, TiO₂为0.48~1.05, Al₂O₃为9.19~20.3, ∑REE为(149~323)×10-6, δEu为0.34~0.80, (La/Yb)_N为7.96~15.6, 具中等-强烈铕负异常, 轻、重稀土分异明显; 石英岩类的SiO₂变化于95.49~97.44, ∑REE很低, 在(8.89~15.1)×10-6, δEu=0.63~0.81.原岩性质及构造环境分析表明, 片岩类和变粒岩类的原岩主要是杂砂岩和粘土岩等, 石英岩的原岩为硅铁质沉积岩.所有变沉积岩的原岩均以长英质成分为主, 具有上地壳岩石的地球化学特征, 部分样品显示有古老沉积物的加入; 它们形成于岛弧-活动陆缘环境, 成熟度不高, 属于近源沉积, 与本地区华夏地块基底下部变质岩系岩石(古元古代的天井坪组、八都群、陈蔡群、麻源群)具有相似的物源.      

塔里木西南缘新元古代辉绿岩及玄武岩的地球化学特征：新元古代超大陆（Rodinia）裂解的证据

塔里木西南缘(西昆仑北带)发育新元古代辉绿岩及玄武岩,辉绿岩侵入青白口系而被南华系超覆,玄武岩发育在南华系下部。初步的岩石地球化学研究表明,辉绿岩及玄武岩形成于大陆板内裂解背景,来自EMI型地幔源区。结合对本区格林威尔期造山事件的确定以及新元古代815Ma左右的A型片麻状花岗岩的发现,表明新元古代玄武岩喷发、辉绿岩岩墙侵入等是古塔里木板块作为Rodinia超大陆的一员在新元古代发生裂解的岩浆事件,我们推测超大陆裂解与地幔柱活动有关。     

华北陆块对Rodinia超大陆的响应及其特征

研究揭示华北陆块1300-1000Ma和800-650Ma都存在比较弱的岩浆-变质事件，它们可能对应于华南陆块的碰撞（四堡运动）和裂解事件。华北陆块的四堡期蛇绿混杂岩可能只见于新元古代秦岭造山带中。秦岭造山带北缘识别出了一些花岗质分清入体，它们具有碰撞或碰撞后花岗岩的特征。华北陆块北缘的火山沉积岩生活费不具有离散边界杂岩的特征，它们可能揭示了大陆边缘或者大陆伸展过程。华北陆块与800-650Ma事件相关的岩石主要为来自富集地幔的基性岩墙和来自陆内裂谷的沉积岩，它们很可能与Rodinia裂解有关。沉积学和古生物学特征表明元古宙华北陆块不同华南陆块，而与西伯利亚陆块相似。据此可以认为华北陆块是Rodinia超大陆的一部分，它位于超大陆的边缘，可以不与华南陆块紧邻，而与西伯利亚陆地较近。     

Vestiges of the Mesoproterozoic Events in the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Belt: the East African Perspective in the Rodinia Puzzle

Most of the geological and palaeogeographical models consider the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Gondwana (∼650-550 Ma) as the direct offspring of the disintegrated Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia (∼1300-750 Ma). One of the main classical sutures along which the dispersing Rodinia fragments were fused into a new supercontinent (Godwana) is identified as the Mozambique belt of East Africa. The calc-alkaline magmatism (∼1200-950 Ma) in northern Mozambique, southern Malawi and southern Tanzania is regarded as the sole evidence for fragmentation of Rodinia, which is traced within this Neoproterozoic orogenic belt. There are no unequivocal Mesoproterozoic (Kibaran) sediments in this orogen. Concrete evidence for Kibaran metamorphism and deformation is missing. Thus, these solitary documented Kibaran magmatic vestiges in the belt do not ascribe to a true complete orogenesis, which involved the disintegration and dispersal of Rodinia. Consequently, the available sparse Mesoproterozoic (Kibaran) geological and isotopic data from the Mozambique belt of East Africa contentiously suggest its involvement in the aggregation of the supercontinent Rodinia at about 1300-1100 Ma ago.     

Mid-Late Neoproterozoic rift-related volcanic rocks in China: Geological records of rifting and break-up of Rodinia

Early Cambrian and Mid-Late Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks in China are widespread on several Precambrian continental blocks,which had aggregated to form part of the Rodinia supercontinent by ca.900 Ma....     

Neoproterozoic evolution of Rodinia: constraints from new paleomagnetic data on the western margin of the Siberian craton

The paper summarizes paleomagnetic results obtained from the Neoproterozoic rocks of the western margin of the Siberian craton. On the basis of the obtained paleomagnetic poles and available paleomagnetic data for the Precambrian of Siberia, a new version of the Neoproterozoic segment of the apparent polar wandering path (APWP) is proposed for the craton and is compared with the Laurentian APWP. The superposition of these paths suggests that in the Neoproterozoic the southern margin of the Siberian craton (in modern coordinates) faced the Canadian margin of Laurentia. Most likely, in the end of the Mesoproterozoic and during the Neoproterozoic the Siberian craton and Laurentia were connected to form the supercontinent Rodinia. At 1 Ga the western margin of the Siberian craton was a northern (in modern coordinates) continuation of the western margin of Laurentia. The available paleomagnetic data on Laurentia and continental blocks of Eastern Gondwana (Australia, Antarctica, India, South China) and the proposed APWP trend allowed a new model for the breakup of this segment of Rodinia. Analysis of a total of the data available suggests that strike-slip movements on the background of the progressive opening of the oceanic basin between Siberia and Laurentia were predominant in the south of the Siberian craton during the Neoproterozoic. Similar kinematics is typical of the western margin of Laurentia, where strike-slip motions are probably associated with the progressive opening of the ocean basin between Laurentia and eastern Gondwana.     

新元古代地幔柱事件在Rodinia超大陆西缘的响应:来自马达加斯加的初步证据

对于Rodinia超大陆西缘在裂解过程中是否发育巨长安第斯型陆弧存在较大争议.马达加斯加即位于古地理再造Rodinia的西缘位置,其太古宙结晶基底中出露有大量新元古代侵入体,是澄清这一争议的理想研究区.由于基性岩浆岩组分识别不足等原因,前人曾认为这些侵入岩形成于俯冲带陆弧环境.但笔者在中北部Alaotra湖地区野外考察期间发现了大量辉长质岩石,对其中典型岩体的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年表明其结晶于798~778Ma之间(最大误差估计).因此,这些辉长岩体事实上与岛内其他新元古代侵入体构成了双峰式侵入岩套,暗示了可能的陆内伸展环境.在此基础上,笔者重新审视了前人已发表的地球化学数据,发现该双峰式侵入岩套的基性组分显示富钾特征和拉斑演化趋势,局部甚至发育了强烈地钒钛磁铁矿化;酸性组分则显示富铁、偏铝-过铝质和碱钙-钙碱性特征,并具有相对较高的K₂O/Na₂O和Ga/Al比值以及高场强元素含量,属于A型花岗岩(铁质花岗岩).这些特征进一步表明该双峰式侵入岩套形成于陆内伸展环境而非陆弧环境.结合本文的初步研究结果和区域地质演化历史,笔者认为马达加斯加这一双峰式侵入岩套很可能是新元古代地幔柱事件在Rodinia超大陆西缘的响应.     

Coupled modeling of global carbon cycle and climate in the Neoproterozoic: links between Rodinia breakup and major glaciations

A coupled climate–geochemical model of new generation (GEOCLIM) is used to investigate the possible causes of the initiation of snowball glaciations during Neoproterozoic times. This model allows the calculation of the partial pressure of atmospheric CO₂ simultaneously with the climate at the continental surface with a rough 2D spatial resolution (10° lat. × 50° long.). We calculate that the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent, starting 800 Myr ago, results in a global climatic cooling of about 8 °C triggered by enhanced consumption of atmospheric CO₂ resulting from increased runoff over continental surfaces. This increase in runoff is driven by the opening of oceanic basins resulting in an increase of soil moisture sources close to continental masses. This climatic effect of the supercontinent breakup is particularly strong within the 800–700 Ma interval since all continents are located in the equatorial area, where temperature and runoff conditions optimize the consumption of CO₂ through weathering processes. However, this effect alone is insufficient to trigger snowball. We propose that the efficient weathering of fresh basaltic surfaces that erupted during the Rodinia breakup, and were transported to the humid equatorial area through continental plate motion, contributed the necessary CO₂ sink that triggered the ca. 730-Ma Sturtian glacial event. Simulations of the GEOCLIM model for the ca 580-Ma Gaskiers ice age, where all continents are centered on the South Pole, shows that no snowball glaciation can be initiated. The calculated CO₂ partial pressure remains above 1000 ppmv, while a threshold of less than 80 ppmv is required to initiate a snowball glaciation. At that time, a polar configuration does not allow the onset of total glaciation. Nevertheless, a regional glaciation is simulated by the GEOCLIM when the climatic and geochemical (i.e. weathering related) effects of the Pan-African orogeny (∼600 Ma) are taken into account. Finally, the question of the role of the paleogeographic setting in the Marinoan snowball event (∼635 Ma) is still an open question, since no reliable Marinoan paleogeographic reconstruction exists due to the paucity of paleomagnetic data.