U-Pb dating and provenance of detrital zircons from the Upper Precambrian deposits of North Timan

Timan comprises the southwest edge of the Pechora Plate. The plate basement is composed of variably metamorphosed sedimentary, mainly terrigenous, and igneous rocks of the Late Precambrian age that are generally overlain by Ordovician-Cenozoic platform cover. Poor exposition and discontinuous distribution of the Upper Precambrian outcrops of dominantly fossil-free sedimentary rocks cause considerable disagreements in stratigraphic correlation. This applies equally to North Timan, which represents an uplifted block of basement, in which sedimentary-metamorphic rocks form the Barminskaya Group (～5000 m thick), previously dated as Early Riphean to Vendian. Earlier Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotope dating of schist and cross-cutting gabbro-dolerite and dolerite established the timing of greenschist facies metamorphism at 700 Ma. Thus, Late Riphean age of the Barminskaya Group has been suggested. Results of local U-Pb dating of detrital zircon from silty sandstones of the Malochernoretskaya Formation, which constitutes the middle part of the outcropping section of the Barminskaya Group, confirm this conclusion. Age data for 95 zircon grains cover the range of 1035–2883 Ma with age peaks at 1150, 1350, 1550, 1780, and 1885 Ma. The minimum age of zircons, considered as the lower age constraint on sediment deposition, provides grounds to date the Barminskaya Group as Late Riphean and indicates eroded rock complexes of the Fennoscandian Shield as the possible provenance areas.     

Episodic crustal growth of North China as revealed by U-Pb age and Hf isotopes of detrital zircons from modern rivers

Clastic sedimentary rocks are samples of the exposed continental crust. In order to characterize the crustal growth history of North China and its possible regional variations, 479 concordant detrital zircons in three sand samples from the lower reach of the Yellow River (which drains the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, the Western Qinling Orogen, the Qilian Orogen and the North China Craton) and two sand samples from the Luan River and the Yongding River (which run entirely within the North China Craton) were measured for U-Pb age and Lu-Hf isotopic compositions by excimer laser-ablation ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS. Although regional variations exist, concordant detrital zircons from the Yellow River reveal three major age groups of 2.1-2.5 Ga, 1.6-2.0 Ga, and 150-500 Ma. Detrital zircons from the smaller Luan and Yongding Rivers show three broadly similar major age groups at 2.3-2.6 Ga, 1.6-2.0 Ga, and 140-350 Ma, but with narrower age ranges. Compared to the Luan and Yongding River zircons, the Yellow River zircons are characterized by a significant number of Neoproterozoic grains. Although Hf isotopic compositions show both juvenile crustal growth and crustal reworking for all age groups, much of the crustal growth of North China occurred in the Neoarchean and Mesoproterozoic. All three rivers are characterized by a common prominent group of Hf crust formation model ages at 2.4-2.9 Ga with a peak at 2.7-2.8 Ga. A less significant age group lies between 1.4 and 1.8 Ga for the Yellow River, and between 1.6 and 1.9 Ga for the Yongding River and Luan River. Crustal growth rates based on Hf continental crust formation model ages suggest 45% and 90% of the present crustal volume was formed by 2.5 Ga and 1.0 Ga, respectively, for the drainage area of the Yellow River. In comparison, 60% and 98% of the present crustal volume of the North China Craton was generated by 2.5 Ga and 1.0 Ga, respectively, for the Luan and Yongding Rivers. The 2.7-2.8 Ga age peak observed in all river samples agrees well with the coeval major peak for global crustal growth. However, the other suggested global peaks of crustal growth at 3.4 and 3.8 Ga are insignificant in North China. Taken together with our previous studies of the Yangtze Craton, which show insignificant crustal growth at 2.7-2.8 Ga, we suggest that these advocated worldwide crust formation peaks be re-examined and treated carefully. Our results also show that Phanerozoic zircons may have been derived from crustal sources separated from the mantle up to 2.0 Ga ago before the zircons crystallized, suggesting long-term preservation, reworking and recycling of the continental crust.     

First U-Pb age of detrital zircons from sandstones of the Upper Emsian Takaty formation of the Western Urals with regard to the problem of primary sources of the Uralian diamond placers

Several alternative points of view currently exist on the origin of the primary sources of diamonds from the Cenozoic Western Urals placers. Some researchers suppose that their economic diamond resource potential is related to diamonds from tuffisitic facies of the mantle kimberlites-lamproites or impact structures. Other researchers suggest that diamonds originated from the eroded sandstones of the Upper Emsian Takaty Formation of the Lower Devonian, which represents ancient (fossil) placers or intermediate reservoirs. It is assumed that these reservoirs collected diamonds from worn kimberlite bodies, which were located in the Urals or on the East European platform (EEP). This paper presents the first U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) age of detrital zircons from quartz sandstones of the Takaty Formation, which spans a range from 1857.5 ± 53.8 to 3054.0 ± 48.0 Ma. The absence of detrital zircons younger than 1.86 Ga excludes that the structural complexes of the Uralian, Fennoscandian, and Sarmatian EEP parts were the provenance areas that supplied the clastic material to the sedimentary basin, which accumulated the Takaty Formation. The similar age of our zircons and ancient crystalline complexes of the Volga-Uralian EEP part allows consideration that it was a single provenance area. If we assume that the diamond resource potential of the Western Urals is completely or partly related to the ancient diamond placers from the Takaty Formation, then the intermediate diamond reservoirs from its structure originated due to redeposition of destruction products of primary diamond-bearing rocks of the Volga-Uralia area. Thus, within the Volga-Uralian part of the EEP basement, we may expect identification of a previously unknown stage of kimberlite formation, which is significantly older than that responsible for the diamond resource potential of the Arkhangel’sk province.     

U-Pb systematics of detrital zircons from the Serebryanka Group of the Central Urals

Based on the LA-ICP-MS data, detrital zircons from the tillite-type conglomerates of the Tanin Formation (Serebryanka Group) on the western slope of the Central Urals include approximately equal proportions of crystals with Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic U-Pb ages. Therefore, we can assume that crystalline rocks of the basement beneath the eastern part of the East European Craton served as a provenance for aluminosilicate clastics in the initial Serebryanka period. Detrital zircons from sandstones of the Kernos Formation have the Meso-Neoarchean (∼15%), Paleoproterozoic (∼60%), and Mesoproterozoic (∼26%) age. Comparison of the obtained data with the results of the study of detrital zircons from Riphean and Vendian sandstones of the Southern Urals shows that the Riphean and Lower Vendian rocks are mainly represented by erosional products of Middle and Upper Paleoproterozoic crystalline rocks that constitute the basement of the East European Craton. In addition, a notable role belonged to older (Lower Proterozoic, Neoarchean and Mesoarchean) rock associations during the formation of the Serebryanka Group. The terminal Serebryanka time (Kernos Age) differed from its initial stage (Tanin Age) by the appearance of Mesoproterozoic complexes in provenances. According to available data, these complexes played an insignificant role in the formation of Riphean-Vendian rocks in the neighboring South Uralian segment. This implies a spatiotemporal diversity of clastic material sources for Upper Precambrian rocks in the western megazone of the Southern and Central Urals.     

Silurian granites of northern Kazakhstan: U-Pb age and tectonic position

The isotopic-geochronological studies of zircons from granites of the Borovoe, Makinsk, and Zhukei massifs located in the eastern part of the Precambrian Kokchetav median massif revealed that they were formed during the relatively brief period from 431 to 423 Ma ago, which allowed them to be united into the Early Silurian Borovoe Complex.     

山东长岛地区蓬莱群辅子夼组碎屑锆石年龄谱研究

山东烟台长岛地区出露的蓬莱群辅子夼组浅变质沉积岩主要为变质石英砂岩夹变质粉砂岩和变质粘土岩。前人对蓬莱群的沉积时代存在较大争议, 本文根据长岛地区蓬莱群辅子夼组碎屑锆石年龄谱资料, 将辅子夼组的地层时代置于新元古代。碎屑锆石中出现1600Ma和1200~1100Ma左右两个年龄峰值, 后者表明辅子夼组曾接受来自具有格林威尔期构造热事件物源区的碎屑物质。这一物源区所反映的地质演化特点既不同于华北陆块, 也不同于扬子陆块, 应引起高度重视和进行深入的探索。     

松嫩地块西缘前寒武岩浆事件——来自龙江地区古元古代花岗岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学证据

松嫩地块位于中亚造山带东段,该陆块是否具有前寒武纪结晶基底以及基底的规模和性质一直存在争议。我们在龙江地区识别出~1.8Ga的岩石,揭示了松嫩地块西缘古元古代结晶基底的存在。本文对其进行了岩石地球化学、锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素研究,为探讨松嫩地块西缘古元古代晚期构造演化提供了重要信息。研究结果表明,马山二长花岗岩中的锆石大多具有清晰的振荡生长环带,结合较高的Th/U比值(1.30~2.64),表明其为岩浆成因,岩浆锆石的~(207)Pb/~(206)Pb加权平均年龄为1808±14Ma,形成于古元古代晚期;马山二长花岗岩具有富硅(Si O_2=69.50%~75.11%)、碱(K_2O+Na_2O=5.30%~8.69%)和铁(Fe O~T=2.86%~4.53%),贫钙(Ca O=0.46%~1.87%)、镁(MgO=0.25%~0.93%)的特征。稀土总量较高(∑REE=357.2×10~(-6)~587.1×10~(-6)),具强轻稀土分异((La/Yb)_N为12.2~17.6)和负Eu异常(δEu为0.27~0.77)的"燕式"稀土分配模式。大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba等富集,亏损HFSEs(Nb、Ta、Ti)和P、Sr等元素。结合岩石的Zr+Nb+Ce+Y(772.1×10~(-6)~911.1×10~(-6))和10000×Ga/Al比值(2.41~3.17)较高,全岩锆石饱和温度为891~940℃,暗示其为A型花岗岩,具造山后A_2型花岗岩的特征。马山二长花岗岩锆石ε_(Hf)(t)值介于-9.2~-2.8之间,t_(DM2)=2992~3520Ma,与华北板块北缘~1.8Ga岩浆岩具有相似的锆石Hf模式年龄。上述结果表明,马山A型花岗岩起源于幔源岩浆底侵作用引起的中-新太古代地壳岩石的部分熔融,证明陆壳已转入伸展拉张构造环境,是Columbia超级大陆裂解事件在松嫩地块西缘的响应。综合资料发现,松嫩地块已经发现的新太古代-中元古代的岩浆事件在华北克拉通都有同期的构造地质事件响应,初步认为松嫩地块与华北克拉通具有一定的亲缘性。     

内蒙古阿鲁科尔沁旗林西组砂岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及意义

阿鲁科尔沁旗陶海营子剖面是林西组的典型剖面之一,岩性为灰、灰黑、黄绿色的砂板岩组合,含双壳、叶肢介、植物和孢粉化石,时代为晚二叠世晚期。砂岩的主体岩石类型为长石岩屑砂岩。对采自剖面下部第1层的长石岩屑砂岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb同位素测定。结果显示,96颗锆石的谐和年龄分布在6个年龄区间： 248~301Ma（40颗,42%）,峰值年龄为261Ma;312~376Ma（12颗,13%）,峰值年龄为330Ma和375Ma; 417~522Ma（14颗,15%）,峰值年龄为510Ma 、438Ma和472Ma;585~988Ma（18颗,19%）,峰值年龄为927Ma、976Ma和856Ma;1091~1548Ma（7颗,7％）和1791~2671Ma（5颗,5%）。最年轻的3个和谐年龄为248Ma±5Ma、253Ma±5Ma、254Ma±5Ma,最年轻的次峰值年龄为253Ma,推测测年样品沉积时间下限为253Ma。最年轻的峰值年龄(253Ma、261Ma)与华北板块北缘和大兴安岭南部西拉木伦河缝合带附近与板块碰撞、拼贴相关的岩浆事件吻合。结合古生物地理学的研究成果,推测林西组的沉积物源除来自于西拉木伦缝合带北部的东北地区外,也可能来自西拉木伦缝合带南部,华北板块与西伯利亚板块在晚二叠世晚期拼合,古亚洲洋消失。     

内蒙古阿鲁科尔沁旗林西组砂岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及意义

阿鲁科尔沁旗陶海营子剖面是林西组的典型剖面之一,岩性为灰、灰黑、黄绿色的砂板岩组合,含双壳、叶肢介、植物和孢粉化石,时代为晚二叠世晚期。砂岩的主体岩石类型为长石岩屑砂岩。对采自剖面下部第1层的长石岩屑砂岩进行了LAICP-MS锆石U-Pb同位素测定。结果显示,96颗锆石的谐和年龄分布在6个年龄区间:248~301Ma(40颗,42%),峰值年龄为261Ma;312~376Ma(12颗,13%),峰值年龄为330Ma和375Ma;417~522Ma(14颗,15%),峰值年龄为510Ma、438Ma和472Ma;585~988Ma(18颗,19%),峰值年龄为927Ma、976Ma和856Ma;1091~1548Ma(7颗,7%)和1791~2671Ma(5颗,5%)。最年轻的3个和谐年龄为248Ma±5Ma、253Ma±5Ma、254Ma±5Ma,最年轻的次峰值年龄为253Ma,推测测年样品沉积时间下限为253Ma。最年轻的峰值年龄(253Ma、261Ma)与华北板块北缘和大兴安岭南部西拉木伦河缝合带附近与板块碰撞、拼贴相关的岩浆事件吻合。结合古生物地理学的研究成果,推测林西组的沉积物源除来自于西拉木伦缝合带北部的东北地区外,也可能来自西拉木伦缝合带南部,华北板块与西伯利亚板块在晚二叠世晚期拼合,古亚洲洋消失。     

云开地区变质沉积岩碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄、Lu-Hf同位素特征及其地质意义

华夏陆块西南部云开地块变质杂岩主要由天堂山岩群和云开群以及古生代花岗质岩石组成。天堂山岩群主要由片麻岩、变粒岩、石英岩等岩石组成,变质程度较深;云开群主要由片岩、板岩、千枚岩、变质砂岩等岩石组成。应用LA-ICP-MS U-Pb微区定年和Lu-Hf同位素分析以及全岩地球化学分析方法,本文对天堂山岩群和云开群变质沉积岩进行了研究。在阴极发光图像中,变质沉积岩的锆石显示岩浆震荡环带,但普遍遭受重结晶改造及存在变质增生边。由于变质增生边普遍较窄,U-Pb定年和Hf同位素分析几乎都在具岩浆环带和重结晶结构的成分域上完成的。具岩浆环带和重结晶结构的成分域的Th/U比值普遍大于0.1。年龄变化从3000~500Ma,但主要集中在600~1200Ma之间,主峰值为960Ma左右。碎屑锆石的ε_(Hf)(t)值在-25.6~15.4之间,两阶段Hf模式年龄在972~4496Ma之间。全岩地球化学分析显示LREE富集,HREE亏损,具有较明显的负Eu异常(δEu=0.55~0.71),天堂山岩群与云开群REE配分模式一致,反映源区物质相似,主要来源于花岗质地壳物质。结合前人研究成果,可得出如下结论:天堂山岩群与云开群形成时代没有明显差别,虽然它们在变质变形方面存在较明显区别;天堂山岩群和云开群沉积时代为古生代早期-新元古代;格林威尔期岩浆岩为主要物源区,新元古代时期华夏陆块处于格林威尔造山带内与之相邻;华夏陆块存在太古宙古老陆壳。     

北阿尔金喀孜萨依花岗岩锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年及其构造意义

喀孜萨依花岗岩位于红柳沟-拉配泉俯冲碰撞杂岩带西段北缘,由高钠钙碱性花岗岩组成。锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄为404．7±9．8Ma(MSWD=0．71),代表花岗岩的侵位时代。花岗岩稀土总量较低,轻稀土强烈富集,分馏程度大,重稀土分馏程度较低,Eu轻度亏损或无亏损,微量元素中的Nb、P、Ti具有明显的负异常,Th、Ce、Yb为正异常,展示出岛弧型花岗岩特点。此外,在微量元素构造环境判别图解上,花岗岩样品都落在岛弧区。这些特征表明喀孜萨依花岗岩具有与岛弧型花岗岩相似的地球化学性质。但从区域地质背景、花岗岩的产出环境、形成时代及与北祁连火成岩对比分析,认为该花岗岩并非形成于岛弧构造环境,而是加里东造山作用晚期(约404．7Ma)阿尔金地块与塔里木地块间斜向碰撞产生的大规模走滑作用诱发俯冲到地下深处洋壳中的部分含水矿物脱水,这些流体促使地幔楔部分熔融形成岩浆,在上升途中同化部分陆壳物质形成具有岛弧性质的岩浆沿断裂带上侵就位形成的。     

湖北大洪山打鼓石群沉积时限——来自碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄的证据

出露于扬子北缘大洪山地区的打鼓石群是扬子地区保留比较完整的中元古代地层,其上被青白口系花山群不整合覆盖。通常认为其与神农架群时代相当,但缺乏物源及同位素地质年代学证据。首次报导了打鼓石群底部太阳寺组砂岩的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄。测年结果显示,该砂岩中碎屑锆石最古老的年龄为3.1~3.2Ga,最年轻年龄为1124Ma,并在2.65Ga和2.75Ga出现统计峰值,且年龄组成与崆岭杂岩区和杨坡杂岩区的多期岩浆活动具有较好的可比性。而鄂西地区神农架群沉积于1.1~1.4Ga,主要统计峰值年龄为1.6Ga、2~2.1Ga、2.7~2.8Ga。因此,打鼓石群沉积时间晚于神农架群,两者非同物异名。     

内蒙古西乌珠穆沁旗地区下二叠统原寿山沟组碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄及地质意义

下二叠统寿山沟组在大兴安岭南部广泛分布,但缺少确切的时代依据.西乌旗塔宾庙林场寿山沟组以巨厚的中薄层泥岩与砂岩韵律层为标志,镜下特征显示,砂岩主体为长石岩屑砂岩.上部中粗粒长石岩屑砂岩中90颗碎屑锆石阴极发光图像显示它们多具有岩浆锆石的典型特点;锆石U-Pb定年结果显示,除8颗锆石(9％)具有元古宙和早古生代的年龄信息(2490～502Ma)外,其余样品年龄大致可分成3组:第1组3颗(3％),年龄为383Ma±3Ma;第2组6颗(7％),年龄为365Ma±4Ma;第3组73颗(81％),年龄介于280～337Ma之间,又进一步在289Ma、300Ma、309Ma、325Ma形成4个峰值,说明砂岩具有多时代物源混合的特征,但沉积下限应不老于289Ma.参考近年大石寨组测年资料推测,寿山沟组应作为大石寨组的同时异相沉积,大兴安岭南部下二叠统地层序列有待于重新认识.结合区域岩浆活动时间认为,原寿山沟组测年砂岩碎屑锆石主要来自于苏尼特左旗—锡林浩特—西乌旗一带早石炭世晚期—晚石炭世岩浆弧,部分来自乌兰浩特地区大石寨组火山岩.     

华北克拉通北缘化德群中碎屑锆石的LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄及其构造意义

化德群出露地区位于华北克拉通北缘中部,紧邻中亚造山带南缘,呈近东西向展布。在它的西边是早-中元古代的白云鄂博裂谷和渣尔泰—狼山裂谷,东南面是由长城系、蓟县系和青白口系组成的早-新元古代的燕辽裂陷槽,南边分布着1.9~1.8Ga麻粒岩相变质的丰镇群（孔兹岩系）,北边出露有代表中亚造山带的古生代岩石。化德群由一套浅变质和未变质的沉积岩组成,无火山岩夹层。地层序列包含多个沉积旋回,每个旋回自下而上为含砾砂岩、砂岩、碳酸盐岩和泥质岩。岩石组合反映了从河流—滨海—浅海相的沉积环境。化德群的地层序列可以和白云鄂博群及渣尔泰群相对比。本文对化德群四个变质砂岩样品中的碎屑锆石进行了LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄测定,年龄主要集中在1800±50Ma和1850±50Ma,另外还有~2500Ma和~2000Ma的次要峰值。化德群底部变质含砾云母长石石英砂岩中碎屑锆石的最小谐和年龄是1758±7Ma,限定了化德群沉积时代的下限。碎屑锆石的CL图像显示,1800±50Ma和1850±50Ma的锆石主要是变质成因,少量岩浆成因,说明化德群的源区主要是古元古代的变质岩,少量岩浆岩。~2500Ma和~2000Ma的碎屑锆石代表了更为古老的源区。碎屑锆石的U-Pb年龄限制了化德群的沉积时代为古元古代晚期—中元古代,年龄峰值对应华北克拉通的重要构造热事件,而无与中亚造山带地质事件相关的年龄信息。沉积组合特征表明化德群属于稳定的浅水—半深水沉积盆地。化德盆地、渣尔泰—狼山盆地和白云鄂博盆地共同构成华北克拉通北缘的被动陆缘裂谷系,该裂谷系的形成可能与燕辽及熊耳裂陷槽的打开是同时期的。因此,华北克拉通的北界应该置于化德群出露区域以北。基于锆石特征的详细分析及对比,我们认为化德群以南的孔兹岩系可能是化德群的主要源区。     

Spinel-anthophyllite rocks of the Kokchetav massif (northern Kazakhstan)

Spinel-anthophyllite rocks that may be classified as ultrabasic low-Ca spinel amphibolites have been first discovered in the Kokchetav collision zone (northern Kazakhstan). They outcrop 2 km west of Enbek-Berlyk Village among schists and quartzites and are closely associated with spinel harzburgites and garnet pyroxenites. The main hosted minerals are spinel (hercynite) and anthophyllite. The rocks bear magnetite-hornblende-spinel-anthophyllite pseudomorphs with rounded and polygonal sections, which might have been resulted from the replacement of garnet grains. The prismatic anthophyllite crystals and scarce olivine relics contain elongate parallel spinel inclusions resembling spinel-olivine syntactic intergrowths in the Enbek-Berlyk spinel harzburgites. The spinel-anthophyllite rocks are similar to the associated spinel harzburgites in CaO, MnO, SiO₂, and Al₂O₃ contents but are richer in FeO and poorer in MgO (F = FeO/(FeO + MgO) = 57% against 35% in the harzburgites). Geological, mineralogical, and geochemical data suggest that the spinel-anthophyllite rocks formed during the isochemical contact metamorphism of garnet-bearing spinel harzburgites, which contained more FeO and less MgO than garnet-free harzburgites of the same area. Variations in FeO and MgO contents in both types of harzburgites seem to be due to different chemical compositions of the chlorite protoliths of these rocks.     

The U-Pb age dating of detrital zircons from Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous deposits of Stolbovoy Island (New Siberian Islands)

The results of the U-Pb (SIMS and LA-ICPMS) age dating of detrital zircons from Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous sandstones of Stolbovoy Island show that these deposits contain zircons of a wide age range, from Archean to Lower Cretaceous. Precambrian gneisses and granites, as well as Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic plutonic and volcanic complexes, are considered to be the main source areas of clastic material of Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous formations of Stolbovoy Island. The U-Pb age dating of detrital zircons from sandstones without making a selection on any basis yields the most complete information about source areas of clastic material in a sedimentary basin. In some cases the data on euhedral (idiomorphic) and transparent zircon crystals can be useful to clarify the lower age boundary of sedimentation.