Geological setting and chemistry of kimberlite clan rocks in the Dharwar Craton, India

Diamond exploration in India over the past decade has led to the discovery of over 80 kimberlite-inferred and lamproite-related intrusions in three of the four major Archean cratons that dominate the subcontinent. These intrusions are Proterozoic (1.1 Ga), and are structurally controlled: locally (at the intersections of faults); regionally (in a 200 km wide, 1000 km long diamond corridor); and globally (in the reconstructed supercontinent of Rodinia). The geochemistry of 57 samples from 13 intrusions in the southern Dharwar Craton of Andhra Pradesh has been determined by XRF spectrometry. The bodies are iron-rich with mg#=50–70 and are neither archetypal kimberlites nor ideal lamproites; this may be the underlying reason that conventional exploration techniques have thus far failed to locate the primary sources of India's historically famous diamonds. The two major fields of kimberlite-clan rocks (KCR) in the Dharwar Craton, Wajrakur and Narayanpet, are separated by a NW–SE trending, transcontinental (Mumbai-Chennai) gravity lineament. About 80% of intrusions in Wajrakur are diamondiferous, but diamonds have not yet been reported in Narayanpet. The gravity anomaly may mark the boundary of an architectural modification in the keel of the sub-continental lithosphere, a suggestion that is supported by differences in kimberlite mineralogy, chemistry, mantle xenoliths, structural setting and crustal host rocks.     

Relative timing of deformation and two-stage gold mineralization at the Hutti Mine, Dharwar Craton, India

Gold mineralization at Hutti is confined to a series of nine parallel, N–S to NNW–SSE trending, steeply dipping shear zones. The host rocks are amphibolites and meta-rhyolites metamorphosed at peak conditions of 660±40°C and 4±1 kbar. They are weakly foliated (S₁) and contain barren quartz extension veins. The auriferous shear zones (reefs) are typically characterized by four alteration assemblages and laminated quartz veins, which, in places, occupy the entire reef width of 2–10 m, and contain the bulk of gold mineralization. A <1.5 m wide distal chlorite-sericite (+biotite, calcite, plagioclase) alteration zone can be distinguished from a 3–5 m wide proximal biotite-plagioclase (+quartz, muscovite, calcite) alteration zone. Gold is both spatially and temporally associated with disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization. An inner chlorite-K-feldspar (+quartz, calcite, scheelite, tourmaline, sphene, epidote, sericite) alteration halo, which rims the laminated quartz veins, is characterized by a pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, ilmenite, rutile, and gold paragenesis. The distal chlorite-sericite and proximal biotite-plagioclase alteration assemblages are developed in microlithons of the S₂–S₃ crenulation cleavage and are replaced along S₃ by the inner chlorite-K-feldspar alteration, indicating a two-stage evolution for gold mineralization. Ductile D₂ shearing, alteration, and gold mineralization formed the reefs during retrograde evolution and fluid infiltration under upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions (560±60°C, 2±1 kbar). The reefs were reactivated in the D₃ dextral strike-slip to oblique-slip environment by fault-valve behavior at lower greenschist facies conditions (ca. 300–350°C), which formed the auriferous laminated quartz veins. Later D₄ crosscutting veins and D₅ faults overprint the gold mineralization. The alteration mineralogy and the structural control of the deposit clearly points to an orogenic style of gold mineralization, which took place either during isobaric cooling or at different levels of the Archean crust. From overlaps in the tectono-metamorphic history, it is concluded that gold mineralization occurred during two tectonic events, affecting the eastern Dharwar craton in south India between ca. 2550 – 2530 Ma: (1) The assemblage of various terranes of the eastern block, and (2) a tectono-magmatic event, which caused late- to posttectonic plutonism and a thermal perturbation. It differs, however, from the pre-peak metamorphic gold mineralization at Kolar and the single-stage mineralization at Ramagiri. Notably, greenschist facies gold mineralization occurred at Hutti 35–90 million years later than in the western Dharwar craton. Editorial handling: G. Beaudoin     

P–T conditions of mineralization in the Jonnagiri granitoid-hosted gold deposit, eastern Dharwar Craton, southern India: Constraints from fluid inclusions and chlorite thermometry

Gold mineralization at Jonnagiri, Dharwar Craton, southern India, is hosted in laminated quartz veins within sheared granodiorite that occur with other rock units, typical of Archean greenstone–granite ensembles. The proximal alteration assemblage comprises of muscovite, plagioclase, and chlorite with minor biotite (and carbonate), which is distinctive of low- to mid-greenschist facies. The laminated quartz veins that constitute the inner alteration zone, contain muscovite, chlorite, albite and calcite. Using various calibrations, chlorite compositions in the inner and proximal zones yielded comparable temperature ranges of 263 to 323 °C and 268 to 324 °C, respectively. Gold occurs in the laminated quartz veins both as free-milling native metal and enclosed within sulfides. Fluid inclusion microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy in quartz veins within the sheared granodiorite in the proximal zone and laminated auriferous quartz veins in inner zone reveal the existence of a metamorphogenic aqueous–gaseous (H₂O–CO₂–CH₄ + salt) fluid that underwent phase separation and gave rise to gaseous (CO₂–CH₄), low saline (~ 5 wt.% NaCl equiv.) aqueous fluids. Quartz veins within the mylonitized granodiorites and the laminated veins show broad similarity in fluid compositions and P–T regime. Although the estimated P–T range (1.39 to 2.57 kbar at 263 to 323 °C) compare well with the published P–T values of other orogenic gold deposits in general, considerable pressure fluctuation characterize gold mineralization at Jonnagiri. Factors such as fluid phase separation and fluid–rock interaction, along with a decrease in f(O₂), were collectively responsible for gold precipitation, from an initial low-saline metamorphogenic fluid. Comparison of the Jonnagiri ore fluid with other lode gold deposits in the Dharwar Craton and major granitoid-hosted gold deposits in Australia and Canada confirms that fluids of low saline aqueous–carbonic composition with metamorphic parentage played the most dominant role in the formation of the Archean lode gold systems.     

New Data on the Mineralogy of Chromite from the Nuggihalli Schist Belt, Western Dharwar Craton, Karnataka, India: Petrogenetic Implications

The occurrence of rhythmic layering of chromite and host serpentinites in the deformed layered igneous complexes has been noticed in the Nuggihalli schist belt (NSB) in the western Dharwar craton, Karnataka, South India. For this study, the chromitite rock samples were collected from Jambur, Tagadur, Bhakatarhalli, Ranganbetta and Byrapur in the NSB. Petrography and ore microscopic studies on chromite show intense cataclasis and alteration to ferritchromite. The ferritchromite compositions are characterized by higher Cr number (Cr/[Cr+Al]) (0.68–0.98) and lower Mg number (Mg/[Mg+Fe]) (0.33–0.82) ratios in ferritchromite compared to that of parent chromite. The formation process for the ferritchromite is thought to be related to the exchange of Mg, Al, Cr, and Fe between the chromite, surrounding silicates (serpentines, chlorites), and fluid during serpentinization.     

Structural studies and their bearing on the Early Precambrian history of the Dharwar tectonic province,southern India

In the Dharwar tectonic province, the Peninsular Gneiss was considered to mark an event separating the deposition of the older supracrustal Sargur Group and the younger supracrustal Dharwar Supergroup. Compelling evidence for the evolution of the Peninsular Gneiss, a polyphase migmatite, spanning over almost a billion years from 3500 Ma to 2500 Ma negates a stratigraphic status for this complex, so that the decisive argument for separating the older and younger supracrustal groups loses its basis. Correlatable sequence of superposed folding in all the supracrustal rocks, the Peninsular Gneiss and the banded granulites, indicate that the gneiss ‘basement’ deformed in a ductile manner along with the cover rocks. An angular unconformity between the Sargur Group and the Dharwar Super-group, suggested from some areas in recent years, has been shown to be untenable on the basis of detailed studies, A number of small enclaves distributed throughout the gneissic terrane, with an earlier deformational, metamorphic and migmatitic history, provide the only clue to the oldest component which has now been extensively reworked.     

Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of stromatolitic carbonates from the greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin of Peninsular India

Oldest rocks are sparsely distributed within the Dharwar Craton and little is known about their involvement in the sedimentary sequences which are present in the Archean greenstone successions and the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin.Stromatolitic carbonates are well preserved in the Neoarchean greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah Basin of Peninsular India displaying varied morphological and geochemical characteristics.In this study,we report results from U-Pb geochronology and trace element composition of the detrital zircons from stromatolitic carbonates present within the Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin to understand the provenance and time of accretion and deposition.The UPb ages of the detrital zircons from the Bhimasamudra and Marikanve stromatolites of the Chitradurga greenstone belt of Dharwar Craton display ages of 3426±26 Ma to 2650±38 Ma whereas the Sandur stromatolites gave an age of 3508±29 Ma to 2926±36 Ma suggesting Paleo-to Neoarchean provenance.The U-Pb detrital zircons of the Tadpatri stromatolites gave an age of 2761±31 Ma to1672±38 Ma suggesting Neoarchean to Mesoproterozoic provenance.The Rare Earth Element(REE)patterns of the studied detrital zircons from Archean Dharwar Craton and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin display depletion in light rare earth elements(LREE)and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements(HREE)with pronounced positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies,typical of magmatic zircons.The trace element composition and their relationship collectively indicate a mixed granitoid and mafic source for both the Dharwar and Cuddapah stromatolites.The 3508±29 Ma age of the detrital zircons support the existence of 3.5 Ga crust in the Western Dharwar Craton.The overall detrital zircon ages(3.5-2.7 Ga)obtained from the stromatolitic carbonates of Archean greenstone belts and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin(2.7-1.6 Ga)collectively reflect on^800-900 Ma duration for the Precambrian stromatolite deposition in the Dharwar Craton.     

Petrogenesis of Proterozoic Lamproites and Kimberlites from the Cuddapah Basin and Dharwar Craton, Southern India

Proterozoic mafic potassic and ultrapotassic igneous rocks emplacedin the Cuddapah Basin and Dharwar Craton of the southern Indianshield are among the earliest recorded on Earth. Lamproitesintrude the basin and its NE margin, whereas kimberlites intrudethe craton to the west of the basin. Kimberlites occur in twospatially separate groups: the non-diamondiferous Mahbubnagarcluster that was emplaced at 1400 Ma and is of a similar ageto the Cuddapah lamproites, and the predominantly diamondiferousAnantapur cluster, emplaced at     

Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India:Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction

Broad-band and long period magnetotelluric measurements made at 63 locations along ～500 km long Chikmagalur-Kavali profile,that cut across the Dharwar craton(DC)and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt(EGMB)in south India,is modelled to examine the lithosphere architecture of the cratonic domain and define tectonic boundaries.The 2-D resistivity model shows moderately conductive features that intersperse a highly resistive background of crystalline rocks and spatially connect to the exposed schist belts or granitic intrusions in the DC.These features are therefore interpreted as images of fossil pathways of the volcanic emplacements associated with the greenstone belt and granite suite formation exposed in the region.A near vertical conductive feature in the upper mantle under the Chitradurga Shear Zone represents the Archean suture between the western and eastern blocks of DC.Although thick(～200 km)cratonic(highly resistive)lithosphere is preserved,significant part of the cratonic lithosphere below the western DC is modified due to plume-continental lithosphere interactions during the Cretaceous—Tertiary period.A west-verging moderately conductive feature imaged beneath EGMB lithosphere is interpreted as the remnant of the Proterozoic collision process between the Indian land mass and East Antarctica.Thin(～120 km)lithosphere is seen below the EGMB,which form the exterior margin of the India shield subsequent to its separation from East Antarctica through rifting and opening of the Indian Ocean in the Cretaceous.     

Geochemical characteristics and petrogenesis of four Palaeoproterozoic mafic dike swarms and associated large igneous provinces from the eastern Dharwar craton,India

Palaeoproterozoic mafic dike swarms of different ages are well exposed in the eastern Dharwar craton of India. Available U-Pb mineral ages on these dikes indicate four discrete episodes, viz. (1) ~2.37 Ga Bangalore swarm, (2) ~2.21 Ga Kunigal swarm, (3) ~2.18 Ga Mahbubnagar swarm, and (4) ~1.89 Ga Bastar-Dharwar swarm. These are mostly sub-alkaline tholeiitic suites, with ~1.89 Ga samples having a slightly higher concentration of high-field strength elements than other swarms with a similar MgO contents. Mg number (Mg#) in the four swarms suggest that the two older swarms were derived from primary mantle melts, whereas the two younger swarms were derived from slightly evolved mantle melt. Trace element petrogenetic models suggest that magmas of the ~2.37 Ga swarm were generated within the spinel stability field by ~15–20% melting of a depleted mantle source, whereas magmas of the other three swarms may have been generated within the garnet stability field with percentage of melting lowering from the ~2.21 Ga swarm (~25%), ~2.18 Ga swarm (~15–20%), to ~1.89 Ga swarm (~10–12%). These observations indicate that the melting depth increased with time for mafic dike magmas. Large igneous province (LIP) records of the eastern Dharwar craton are compared to those of similar mafic events observed from other shield areas. The Dharwar and the North Atlantic cratons were probably together at ~2.37 Ga, although such an episode is not found in any other craton. The ~2.21 Ga mafic magmatic event is reported from the Dharwar, Superior, North Atlantic, and Slave cratons, suggesting the presence of a supercontinent, ‘Superia’. It is difficult to find any match for the ~2.18 Ga mafic dikes of the eastern Dharwar craton, except in the Superior Province. The ~1.88–1.90 Ga mafic magmatic event is reported from many different blocks, and therefore may not be very useful for supercontinent reconstructions.     

华北克拉通对Rodinia超大陆裂解的响应——来自贺兰山北段小松山地区辉长岩地球化学、年代学及Hf同位素的新证据

华北克拉通西缘贺兰山北段小松山地区辉长岩锆石U-Pb年代学、岩石地球化学和锆石Hf同位素的研究结果表明,辉长岩的侵位结晶年龄为835.5±5.3Ma,即形成于新元古代早期,属于板内拉斑玄武岩系列岩石,总体上略富集轻稀土元素、大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、La,略亏损高场强元素Th、Nb、Zr、Hf等;具有较高的εHf(t)值(5.83~7.87),其单阶段模式年龄tDM1为1075~1155Ma,两阶段模式年龄tDM2为1176~1289Ma。综合研究发现,辉长岩的原始岩浆起源于中元古代富集型地幔,形成于华北陆块西缘的板内伸展环境,说明华北陆块响应了Rodinia超大陆裂解,也是Rodinia超大陆的一部分。     

Zircon evaporation ages and geochemistry of metamorphosed volcanic rocks from the Vinjamuru domain,Krishna Province: evidence for 1.78 Ga convergent tectonics along the southeastern margin of the Eastern Dharwar Craton

Palaeoproterozoic intermediate to potassic felsic volcanism in volcano‐sedimentary sequences could either have occurred in continental rift or at convergent magmatic arc tectonic settings. The Vinjamuru domain of the Krishna Province in Andhra Pradesh, SE India, contains such felsic and intermediate metavolcanic rocks, whose geochemistry constrains their probable tectonic setting and which were dated by the zircon Pb evaporation method in order to constrain their time of formation. These rocks consist of interlayered quartz–garnet–biotite schist, quartz–hematite–baryte–sericite schist as well as cherty quartzite, and represent a calc‐alkaline volcanic sequence of andesitic to rhyolitic rocks that underwent amphibolite‐facies metamorphism at ~1.61 Ga. Zircons from four felsic metavolcanic rock samples yielded youngest mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages between 1771 and 1791 Ma, whereas the youngest zircon age for a meta‐andesite is 1868 Ma. A ~2.43 Ga zircon xenocryst reflects incorporation of Neoarchaean basement gneisses. Their calc‐alkaline trends, higher LILE, enriched chondrite‐normalized LREE pattern and negative Nb and Ti anomalies on primitive mantle‐normalized diagrams, suggest formation in a continental magmatic arc tectonic setting. Whereas the intermediate rocks may have been derived from mantle‐source parental arc magmas by fractionation and crustal contamination, the rhyolitic rocks had crustal parental magmas. The Vinjamuru Palaeoproterozoic volcanic eruption implies an event of convergent tectonism at the southeastern margin of the Eastern Dharwar Craton at ~1.78 Ga forming one of the major crustal domains of the Krishna Province. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LA-ICPMS U-Pb Ages of Zircon from Metaleucosomes, Olongbuluke Microcontinent, North Qaidam, and Implications on the Response to the Global Rodinia Supercontinent Assembly Event in NW China

INTRODUCTION The Olongbuluke microcontinent , which wasdisintegratedfromthe northern margin of the Qaidamblock (Lu,2002) ,is composed of a two-fold base-ment with cover strata . The lower basement is themedium- to high-grade Delingha complex and theDakendaban Group, and the upper is the low-gradeWandonggou Group. The Wandonggou Group of theupper basement experienced a Late Mesoproterozoicmetamorphic event (see Yu et al .,1994) ,consistentwith the early isotopic geochronological respo…     

东南极Windmill群岛与罗迪尼亚超大陆聚合相关构造热事件的时代:来自Bailey半岛镁铁质片麻岩和淡色片麻岩锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄的约束

东南极Windmill群岛变质杂岩经历的变质和岩浆事件与西澳大利亚Albany-Fraser造山带在时间上相对应,并可能与罗迪尼亚超大陆的拼合有关。Windmill群岛Bailey半岛的镁铁质片麻岩(角闪石-单斜辉石-斜方辉石-黑云母-斜长石-石英-磁铁矿-锆石)被认为具有较早的形成年龄,其中还出露属于正片麻岩的淡色片麻岩(斜长石-钾长石-石英-黑云母-锆石)。对这两种片麻岩中的锆石分别进行了SHRIMP U-Pb年龄测定,首次获得该区镁铁质片麻岩锆石核部207Pb/206Pb加权平均年龄1403±28 Ma,该年龄记录了本区中元古代早期岩浆事件,这是Windmill群岛地区记录的最早一期岩浆事件,可能受到了东部莫森大陆(Mawson Continent)构造岩浆活动的影响。铁镁质片麻岩锆石增生边的年龄为1318±34 Ma,则记录了早期构造热事件。淡色片麻岩中锆石核部年龄为1257±51 Ma,与Bailey半岛的片麻状含石榴子石花岗岩侵位年龄一致,共同记录了该区的一期岩浆活动。淡色片麻岩中锆石增生边的年龄为1197±26 Ma,记录了晚期的变质事件。这些新的年龄数据强烈支持1375~1151 Ma期间东南极Windmill群岛与西澳大利亚Albany-Fraser造山带相连接的构造模型,同时也为罗迪尼亚超大陆拼合过程提供了重要的年代学约束。      

Detrital Zircon U–Pb Geochronology and Provenance of Bayan Obo Group, Northern Margin of North China Craton: New Implications for the Position of NCC in Rodinia

The paleoposition of North China Craton in Rodinia has long been in controversial. This paper mainly focuses on the U–Pb geochronological studies of detrital zircons obtained from Bayan Obo Group exposed in the Shangdu area, Inner Mongolia, aiming to provide more information for interprating this problem. Based on the acquired data, this paper comes to the following conclusions. Firstly, the depositional age of Bayan Obo Group might be from Meso– to Neoproterozoic according to the zircons U–Pb dating results. The lower succession of this group, namely Dulahala and Jianshan formations deposited between 1800 and 1650 Ma. The Halahuogete and Bilute formations deposited between 1500 and 1350 Ma. For Baiyinbaolage and Hujiertu formations, their depositional age was 1250–900 Ma. Secondly, for the provenance of Bayan Obo Group, this paper believes detrital zircons with age of 2.51–2.71 Ga and 2.00–2.48 Ga were from Guyang, Xi Ulanbulang and Zhuozi area; the Khondalite Belt provided detrital zircons with age of 1.95–1.80 Ga; zircons with age of 1.60–1.75 Ga might come from granitic rocks in Miyun Area. The magmatism after 1.60 Ga was rarely recorded in the NCC, therefore those zircons with ages younger than 1.60 Ga might come from outside of NCC. The magmatism with the same age existed in Baltic, Amazonia and Laurentia. Based on previous paleomagnetic researches, this paper proposes that NCC might receive detritus from Baltic during 1560–1350 Ma and had affinity with Laurentia and Amazonia at ～0.9 Ga in Rodinia. Baltic, Amazonia and Laurentia might be potential provenances for non–NCC detritus in Bayan Obo Group.     

2.8–1.7 Ga history of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt of the North China Craton from the geochronology and geochemistry of mafic Liaohe meta-igneous rocks

The assembly and long-term evolution of the Eastern Block of the North China Craton are poorly constrained. Here we use bulk rock geochronological and geochemical data from mafic meta-igneous rocks (hornblendites, amphibolites and a metagabbro) of the Liaohe Group to reconstruct the Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic history of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt, located between the Longgang and Nangrim blocks that together form the Eastern Block of the North China Craton. The mafic/ultramafic meta-igneous rocks have intrusive or tectonic contacts with the Liaoji granitic rocks (~2.2–2.0 Ga), which form the basement of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt. The major and trace element data indicate that the protoliths had calc-alkaline composition and formed along an active continental margin subduction zone. The mafic rocks form a whole-rock ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf isochron with an age of 2.25 ± 0.31 Ga, overlapping with UPb zircon ages for mafic and granitic rocks from the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt and consistent with being the emplacement age of the mafic protoliths along the active continental margin. In contrast, the whole-rock ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd isochron age of 2.83 ± 0.18 Ga is likely to reflect the average age of the lithospheric mantle source from which the mafic/ultramafic protoliths were extracted. Together with geological evidence, we propose that the southwestern portion of the Longgang Block was an active continental margin since at least the early Paleoproteorozic. Literature age data from metamorphic zircons show that peak granulite metamorphism took place at ~1.96–1.88 Ga, resulting from the collisional event that fused the Longgang and Nangrim blocks into the Eastern Block of the North China Craton. Our bulk-rock ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 1824 ± 19 Ma and our ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr age of 1671 ± 58 Ma reflect retrograde (cooling) stages during the exhumation of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt after the orogenesis.     

Hydrothermal gold mineralization at the Hira Buddini gold mine,India: constraints on fluid evolution and fluid sources from boron isotopic compositions of tourmaline

We determined the boron isotope and chemical compositions of tourmaline from the Hira Buddini gold deposit within the Archean Hutti-Maski greenstone belt in southern India to investigate the evolution of the hydrothermal system and to constrain its fluid sources. Tourmaline is a minor but widespread constituent in the inner and distal alteration zones of metabasaltic and metadacite host rocks associated with the hydrothermal gold mineralization. The Hira Buddini tourmaline belongs to the dravite–schorl series with variations in Al, Fe/(Fe+Mg), Ca, Ti, and Cr contents that can be related to their host lithology. The total range of δ¹¹B values determined is extreme, from −13.3‰ to +9.0‰, but 95% of the values are between −4 and +9‰. The boron isotope compositions of metabasalt-hosted tourmaline show a bimodal distribution with peak δ¹¹B values at about −2‰ and +6‰. The wide range and bimodal distribution of boron isotope ratios in tourmaline require an origin from at least two isotopically distinct fluid sources, which entered the hydrothermal system separately and were subsequently mixed. The estimated δ¹¹B values of the hydrothermal fluids, based on the peak tourmaline compositions and a mineralization temperature of 550°C, are around +1 and +10‰. The isotopically lighter of the two fluids is consistent with boron released by metamorphic devolatilization reactions from the greenstone lithologies, whereas the ¹¹B-rich fluid is attributed to degassing of I-type granitic magmas that intruded the greenstone sequence, providing heat and fluids to the hydrothermal system. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

川西峨边地区金口河辉绿岩脉SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其对Rodinia裂解的启示

川西金口河地区中元古代峨边群中发育大量基性侵入岩,其具体侵位时间对厘定峨边群的时限、研究扬子西缘前寒武纪构造属性具有重要意义。对峨边群枷担桥组层型剖面中一条辉绿岩脉进行了SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年。结果表明,该辉绿岩脉的锆石发育清楚且宽缓的内部环带结构,具有较高的Th/U比值,属典型基性岩浆成因的锆石,其206Pb/238U年龄加权平均值为(813.4±8.2)Ma(MSWD=0.56),代表了该辉绿岩脉的侵位时间,也限定了峨边群枷担桥组的上限年龄。综合扬子西缘新元古代中期基性岩浆活动的最新同位素年龄,证实存在2个主要的活动期：830~800Ma和780~745Ma,且830~800Ma期间基性岩浆活动的峰值年龄为(821±2)Ma。这与前人总结的华南和澳大利亚同期基性岩浆活动的年龄分布特征完全一致,暗示川西金口河辉绿岩脉的形成可能与新元古代导致Rodinia超大陆裂解的地幔柱幕式活动有关。     

Geology and geochemistry of giant quartz veins from the Bundelkhand Craton,central India and their implications

Giant quartz veins (GQVs; earlier referred to as ‘quartz reefs’) occurring in the Archean Bundelkhand Craton (29,000 km²) represent a gigantic Precambrian (∼2.15 Ga) silica-rich fluid activity in the central Indian shield. These veins form a striking curvilinear feature with positive relief having a preferred orientation NE-SW to NNE-SSW in the Bundelkhand Craton. Their outcrop widths vary from ≤1 to 70m and pervasively extend over tens of kilometers along the strike over the entire craton. Numerous younger thin quartz veins with somewhat similar orientation cut across the giant quartz veins. They show imprints of strong brittle to ductile-brittle deformation, and in places are associated with base metal and gold incidences, and pyrophyllite-diaspore mineralization. The geochemistry of giant quartz veins were studied. Apart from presenting new data on the geology and geochemistry of these veins, an attempt has been made to resolve the long standing debate on their origin, in favour of an emplacement due to tectonically controlled polyphase hydrothermal fluid activity.     

Geochemistry of late Archaean metagreywackes from the Western Dharwar Craton,South India: Implications for provenance and nature of the Late Archaean crust

Late Archaean metagreywackes of the Ranibennur Formation, Dharwar Supergroup, in the Dharwar–Shimoga schist belt of the Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) are texturally and mineralogically immature of the quartz-intermediate type. The SiO₂ content in them ranges from 60.58 to 65.26 wt.%. Chemical Index of weathering (CIW) values varies between 50 and 65. 4 indicating a low degree of chemical alteration of the provenance rocks. A high degree of correlation between K₂O and Al₂O₃ (r = ? 0.73) and low Rb/Sr ratios also suggest a low degree of alteration of provenance rocks. Abundances of transition group elements (Cr = 118–221; N = 89–154; V = 89–192 and Sc = 11–16 ppm) as well Zr (132–191 ppm) suggest a mixed mafic–felsic provenance for the metagreywackes. Low HREE and Y content, and low Tb/Yb ratios (0.23–0.41) suggest the presence of tonalite as an important component in the provenance areas. Values of Eu/Eu?(0.78) and Th/Sc (0.55) suggest that the granodioritic upper crust had evolved prior to serving as the provenance. Mixing calculations suggest 50–55 vol.% tonalite, 20–25 vol.% granite, 18–20 vol.% basalt and ~ 5 vol.% komatiite composition for the provenance. Geochemical characteristics of the Ranibennur metagreywackes suggest that sedimentary basin formed in the vicinity of a magmatic arc in a continental island arc setting, and the detritus were shed from the arc rock.     

A Plausible Model for Evolution of Schist Belts and Granite Plutons of Dharwar Craton,India and Madagascar During 3.0-2.5 Ga: Insight from Gravity Modeling Constrained in Part from Seismic Studies

Gravity modeling of an E-W profile across Dharwar Craton, India and Madagascar, integrated with the results of Deep Seismic Sounding (DSS) across the Dharwar Craton suggest a thick crust of 40-42 km under the eastern part of Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), the Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) and the central part of the Madagascar. Towards east of these blocks, the crustal thickness is reduced to 36-38 km along the Eastern Ghat Fold Belt (EGFB), shear zone between the EDC and the WDC and the east coast of Madagascar, respectively. These zones of thin crust are also characterized by high density lower crustal rocks associated with thrusts. The seismic section across Dharwar Craton shows domal- shaped reflectors in the lower crust and upper mantle under the WDC which may be related to asthenopheric upwelling during an extension phase. The occurrences of large schist belts with volcano-sedimentary sequences of marine origin of late Archean period (3.0-2.7 Ga) as rift basins in the WDC and Madagascar also suggest an extensional phase in this region during that period. It is followed by a convergence between the WDC and the EDC giving rise to collision-related shear and thrust zones between the WDC and the EDC associated with high density lower crustal rocks. The seismic section shows upwarped reflectors in the upper crust which may be related to this convergence. Eastward dipping reflectors under WDC and EDC and west verging thrusts suggest convergence from the west to the east which resulted in easterly subduction giving rise to subduction-related K-granite plutons of the EDC of 2.6-2.5 Ga. In this regard, the Closepet granite in the EDC which extends almost parallel to the shear zone between the WDC and EDC and shows an I-type calk-alkaline composition may represent relict of an island arc and the linear schist belts with bimodal volcanics of the EDC east of it might have developed as back arc rift basins. Subsequent collision between India and Antarctica along the EGFB during Middle Proterozoic, indicated by eastward dipping reflectors in the crust and the upper mantle and west verging thrust gave rise to contemporary high-grade rocks of the EGFB (1.6-1.0 Ga) and associated mafic and felsic intrusives of this belt. The part of adjoining Cuddapah basin contemporary to the EGFB towards the west consisting of marine shelf type of sediments which are highly disturbed and thickest at its contact with the EGFB may represent a peripheral foreland basin. Gravity modeling provides thickest crust of 42 km in the southern part of the WDC and does not support sharp increase in crustal thickness of 50-60 km with high velocity upper mantle as suggested from receiver function analysis. It may represent some foreign material of high density trapped in this section such as part of oceanic crust during convergence and subduction that is referred to above. It is supported from eastward dipping reflectors in lower crust and upper mantle in adjoining region.