A geochronological framework for orogenic gold mineralisation in central Victoria, Australia

New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological data support, and significantly expand upon, preliminary age data that were interpreted to suggest an episodic and diachronous emplacement of gold across the western Lachlan fold belt, Australia. These geochronological data indicate that mineralisation in the central Victorian gold province occurred in response to episodic, eastward progressing deformation, metamorphism and exhumation associated with the formation of the western Lachlan fold belt. Initial gold formation throughout the Stawell and the Bendigo structural zones can be constrained to a broad interval of time between 455 and 435 Ma, with remobilisation of metals into new structures and/or new pulses of mineralisation occurring between 420 and 400 Ma, and again between 380 and 370 Ma, linked to episodic variations in the regional stress-field and during intrusion of felsic dykes and plutons. This separation of ages is incompatible with the view that gold emplacement in the western Lachlan fold belt was the result of a single, orogen-wide event during the Devonian. A distinct phase of gold mineralisation, characterised by elevated Cu, Mo, Sb or W, is associated with both Late Silurian to Early Devonian (~420 to 400 Ma) and Middle to Late Devonian (~380 to 370 Ma) magmatism, when crustal thickening and shortening during the ongoing consolidation of the western Lachlan Fold Belt led to extensive melt development in the lower crust and resulted in widespread magmatism throughout central Victoria. These ~420 to 400 Ma and ~380 to 370 Ma occurrences, best exemplified by the Wonga deposit in the Stawell structural zone and many of the Woods Point deposits in the Melbourne structural zone, but also evidenced by occurrences at Fosterville and Maldon in the Bendigo structural zone, clearly formed synchronous with, or post-date, the emplacement of plutons and dykes, and thus are spatially (if not genetically) related to melt generation at depth. This later, magmatic-associated and polymetallic type of gold mineralisation is economically subordinate to the earlier, metamorphic-associated type of gold deposition in the Stawell and Bendigo structural zones, but tends to be the dominant style in the Melbourne Zone. These new geochronological constraints, together with zircon U-Pb data from felsic intrusive rocks of known relationship to gold mineralisation, demonstrate that initial hydrothermal alteration associated with gold emplacement in the western Lachlan fold belt was metamorphic-related, predating the emplacement of granite plutons by as much as 80 million years. This timing differs from other important orogenic gold districts where gold deposition is closely associated spatially with felsic magmatism. The early introduction of metamorphically derived fluids well before magmatism may reflect variations in the timing of peak metamorphic conditions at different crustal levels in an accretionary prism undergoing simultaneous deformation and erosion. Consequently, no genetic link exists between the main phase(s) of gold mineralisation and magmatism in the central Victorian gold province. With the exception of formation of a minor magmatism-related and geochemically-distinct mineralisation style at about 420 to 400 Ma, and again at about 380 to 370 Ma, the apparent spatial relationship between gold mineralisation and felsic intrusions is merely the result of melts and fluids being channelised along the same structures.     

Timing of gold mineralisation in the Ballarat goldfields,central Victoria: Constraints from 40Ar/39Ar results

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data for muscovite separates and hydrothermally altered whole‐rock samples from the Ballarat West and the Ballarat East goldfields indicate that mesothermal gold mineralisation at Ballarat occurred during several episodic pulses, ranging in age from the Late Ordovician to the Early Devonian. Initial formation of auriferous structures in the Ballarat goldfields coincided with folding and thrusting associated with the development of the western Lachlan Fold Belt between 460 and 440 Ma. Subsequent fault reactivation and magmatism resulted in remobilisation and additional mineralisation between 410 and 380 Ma, and around 370 Ma. The results presented herein are in agreement with findings for other major gold deposits in central Victoria and further constrain the history of deformation, metamorphism and mineralisation in the western subprovince of the Lachlan Fold Belt.     

Age constraints on Tarkwaian palaeoplacer and lode-gold formation in the Tarkwa-Damang district, SW Ghana

Two major epigenetic gold-forming events are recorded in the world-class gold province of southwest Ghana. A pre-Tarkwaian event was the source of the world-class Tarkwa palaeoplacers whereas post-Birimian and Tarkwaian deformation, which was related to the Eburnean orogeny, gave rise to the world-class (e.g. Prestea) to giant (e.g. Obuasi) orogenic gold deposits which have made the region famous for more than 2,500 years. A maximum age of 2133±4 Ma for Tarkwaian sedimentation is provided by 71 of 111 concordant SHRIMP II U–Pb dates from detrital zircons in Tarkwaian clastic rocks from Damang and Bippo Bin, northeast of Tarkwa. The overall data distribution broadly overlaps the relatively poorly constrained ages of Birimian volcanism and associated Dixcove-type granitoid emplacement, indicating syntectonic development of the Tarkwaian sedimentary basin. These zircon ages argue against derivation of the palaeoplacer gold from an orogenic gold source related to the compressional phase of an orogeny significantly older than the Eburnean orogeny. Instead, they suggest that the gold source was either orogenic gold lodes related to an earlier compressional phase of a diachronous Eburnean orogeny or ca. 2200–2100 Ma intrusion-related gold lode. The CO₂-rich fluid inclusions in associated vein-quartz pebbles are permissive of either source. At the Damang deposit, an epigenetic, orogenic lode-gold system clearly overprinted, and sulphidised low-grade palaeoplacer hematite–magnetite gold occurrences in the Banket Series conglomerate within the Tarkwaian sedimentary sequence. Gold mineralisation is demonstrably post-peak metamorphism, as gold-related alteration assemblages overprint metamorphic assemblages in host rocks. In alteration zones surrounding the dominant, subhorizontal auriferous quartz veins, there are rare occurrences of hydrothermal xenotime which give a SHRIMP U–Pb age of 2063±9 Ma for gold mineralisation. The similar structural timing of epigenetic gold mineralisation in Tarkwaian host rocks at Damang to that in mainly Birimian host rocks elsewhere in southwest Ghana, particularly at Obuasi, suggests that 2063±9 Ma is the best available age estimate for widespread orogenic gold mineralisation in the region. Argon–argon ages of 2029±4 and 2034±4 Ma for hydrothermal biotite from auriferous quartz veins appear to represent uplift and cooling of the region below about 300 °C, as estimates of the temperature of gold mineralisation are higher, at around 400 °C. If peak metamorphism, with temperatures of about 550 °C, is assumed to have occurred at about 2100 Ma, the biotite ages, in combination with the xenotime age, suggest a broadly constant uplift rate for the region of about 1 km per 10 million years from about 2100 to 2025 Ma.     

Metallogeny and tectonic development of the tasman fold belt system in tasmania

In western Tasmania, Precambrian sedimentary sequences form the basement for narrow trough accumulations of Eocambrian and younger sequences. The main trough, the meridional Dundas Trough, is flanked to the west by the Rocky Cape region of Precambrian rocks within which major, apparently stratiform, exhalative magnetite-pyrite deposits are intercalated with metabasaltic volcanics and ultramafic bodies.The Eocambrian-Cambrian troughs apparently developed during extension of Precambrian continental crust. Early shallow-water deposition includes thick dolomite units in some troughs. Deepening of the troughs was accompanied by turbidite sedimentation, with minor limestone, and submarine basaltic volcanism with associated minor disseminated native copper. Ultramafic and related igneous rocks were tectonically emplaced in some troughs during a mild compressional phase. They contain only minor platinoids, copper-nickel sulphides and asbestos, but are source rocks for Tertiary secondary deposits of platinoids, chromite and lateritic nickel.In the Dundas Trough, Eocambrian-Early Cambrian rocks are separated by an inferred erosional surface from structurally conformable overlying Middle to Late Cambrian fossiliferous turbidite sequences. The structural conformity continues through overlying Ordovician to Early Devonian terrestrial and shallow-marine stable shelf deposits.A considerable pile of probable Middle Cambrian felsic volcanics accumulated between the sedimentary deposits of the Dundas Trough and the Tyennan region of Precambrian rocks to the east. A lava-dominated belt within the volcanics hosts major volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits, including those of the exhalative type, which in the south are enriched in copper, gold and silver, whereas in the north they are rich in zine, lead, copper, gold and silver. Cambrian movements along faults near the margin of the Tyennan region resulted in erosion of the mineralized volcanics, locally exposing sub-volcanic granitoids. Above the local unconformities occur unmineralized volcaniclastic sequences that pass conformably into Ordovician to Early Devonian shelf deposits. Ordovician limestone locally hosts stratabound disseminated and veined base metal sulphide deposits.Pre-Middle Devonian rocks of western Tasmania differ, for most part, from those in the northeast where deeper marine turbidite quartz-wacke sequences were deposited during the Ordovician and Early Devonian.The Eocambrian to Early Devonian rocks of Tasmania were extensively deformed in the mid-Devonian. The Precambrian regions of western Tasmania behaved as relatively competent blocks controlling early fold patterns. In northeastern Tasmania, folding is of similar age but resulted from movements inconsistent with those affecting rocks of equivalent age in western Tasmania.The final metallogenic event is associated with high-level granitoid masses emplaced throughout Tasmania during the Middle to Late Devonian. In northeastern Tasmania, extensive I-type granodiorite and S-type granite, with alkali-feldspar granites, are associated with mainly endogranitic stanniferous grelsens and wolframite ± cassiterite vein deposits. In contrast, scheelite-bearing skarns and cassiterite stannite pyrrhotite carbonate replacement deposits are dominant in western Tasmania, associated mainly with S-type granites. Several argentiferous lead-zinc vein deposits occur in haloes around tin-tungsten deposits. A number of gold deposits are apparently associated with I-type granodiorite, but some have uncertain genesis.The contrasting regions of western and northeastern Tasmania have probably been brought together by lateral movement along an inferred fracture. Flat-lying, Late Carboniferous and younger deposits rest on the older rocks, and the only known post-Devonian primary mineralization is gold associated with Creta ceous syenite.     

The late orogenic timing of mineralisation in some slate belt gold deposits,Victoria, Australia

Gold mineralisation in classic Australian slate belt gold deposits at Ballarat, Bendigo, St. Arnaud and Inglewood occurred very late in the orogenic history of these rocks rather than during formation of the main slaty cleavage. This has been revealed through the examination of microstructural relationships in gold-bearing quartz veins and their host rocks from these deposits, which has established a D₁ to D₄ deformation-stage history and consistent timing for gold mineralisation over a wide area. The gold was deposited synorogenically but during the fourth deformation stage (D₄) of the orogeny, a relatively weak event occurring two deformations after the main slaty cleavage producing event, D₂. Previously, D₂ had been regarded as both the source and control of gold mineralisation as most of the quartz veins that occur in these deposits formed before or during this deformation event. However, most gold is hosted in breccia veins that formed during D₄. The wallrock clasts within these breccia veins contain a young rotated foliation and the breccia veins are spatially associated with a paragenetically consistent alteration of the host rocks in the deposits. This alteration both crosscuts and preferentially mineralises wallrock S₄ allowing the timing of the breccia veins, alteration and gold deposition to be defined as syn-D₄ in age.     

Genesis of orogenic-gold deposits in the Broken River Province,northeast Queensland

We report results of metallogenic, structural, petrological, and fluid-inclusion studies that characterise the nature of gold mineralisation in the Amanda Bel Goldfield, the most significant gold producer in the Palaeozoic Broken River Province of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Gold–antimony–arsenic and gold–arsenic deposits in the Amanda Bel Goldfield occur along distinctive northeastern trends, suggesting a strong structural control for their development during several phases of deformation in the Devonian to Carboniferous. Field evidence, as well as petrographic, scanning electron microscope and fluid-inclusion analysis of mineralised samples, indicate the presence of two main stages of gold genesis. These are distinguished by the coarse grained versus invisible nature of gold particles and their association with particular sulfide phases. A third stage of gold deposition is attributed to introduction of antimony±gold-rich ore fluids. Fluid-inclusion studies record minimum trapping temperatures between 140 and 380°C, and salinities of up to 6.5 wt% NaCl equivalent for the two main gold-forming stages. Our analyses further indicate that mineralising solutions for the earlier of the two main gold-forming stages were slightly more saline, and that the ore-hosting veins formed at higher temperatures. The style of gold mineralisation in the Amanda Bel Goldfield is compatible with orogenic gold deposits that form primarily during compressional and transpressional deformation along convergent plate margins in accretionary and collisional orogens. The increased understanding gained from our studies on the origin and nature of the deposits aids predictive mineral discovery elsewhere in the Broken River Province, and also in analogous terranes throughout the Tasman Fold Belt System of eastern Australia.     

Characteristics of orogenic-gold deposits in the Northcote district,Hodgkinson Province,north Queensland: implications for tectonic evolution

We report results of metallogenic, structural, petrological and fluid-inclusion studies that characterise the nature of gold mineralisation in the Northcote district of the Hodgkinson Goldfield, one of the major goldfields in the Palaeozoic Hodgkinson Province of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Gold – arsenic and gold – antimony – arsenic deposits in the Northcote district are spatially associated with distinctive northwest-trending faults and shear zones suggesting a strong structural control on their development during several phases of deformation in the Late Devonian to Carboniferous. Field evidence, as well as petrographic, scanning electron microscope and fluid-inclusion analysis of mineralised samples, indicates the occurrence of two stages of gold genesis. Gold associated with the earlier of the two mineralising episodes exists mainly in solid solution with acicular arsenopyrite. SEM analysis indicated that minor sphalerite, galena and tetrahedrite formed during this episode of mineralisation. Gold deposited during the second mineralising episode has a strong association with antimony. Fluid-inclusion studies of quartz vein samples record minimum homogenisation temperatures between 108 and 312°C, and salinities of up to 13 wt% NaCl equivalent. Little to no difference in the nature of the fluids is observed between samples related to the two gold-forming stages. The style of gold mineralisation in the Northcote district is compatible with orogenic-gold deposits that form primarily during compressional and transpressional deformation along convergent plate margins.     

柴北缘双口山金-银-铅矿床赋矿围岩及含金石英脉热液锆石U-Pb定年对成矿时代的限定及其成因启示

双口山金-银-铅矿床地处柴北缘西段,赋存在滩间山变基性-超基性变火山岩中。矿体由金矿体和银铅矿体组成,成矿作用与热液活动密切相关。本文通过对双口山含金矿体赋矿围岩及含金石英脉进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学分析和研究。结果表明,赋矿围岩形成时代为443±2.9Ma,与区域滩间山群火山岩形成年代一致(440～490Ma)。含金石英脉热液锆石U-Pb年代为402.8±4.2Ma,与区域金矿床成矿年龄以及韧性剪切带年龄相接近(～400Ma),代表了金矿体热液作用及成矿时代。结合地质特征及前人研究,表明双口山金银铅矿床是柴北缘造山带在不同造山带演化阶段,由不同成矿作用,在不同时期,相互叠加形成的复合型多金属矿床。金矿体具有典型造山型金矿床特征的变质热液型金矿,其成因主要与造山运动过程中的变质和变形作用有关,成矿物质和流体来源于绿片岩相的滩间山群变基性-超基性变火山岩。银铅矿体为岩浆热液型,成矿与后碰撞造山作用伸展-构造转换有关的岩浆作用有关,成矿物质和流体来源于晚泥盆世深部含矿岩浆作用。     

The Wyoming gold deposits: volcanic-hosted lode-type gold mineralisation in the eastern Lachlan Orogen,Australia

The eastern Lachlan Orogen in southeastern Australia is noted for its major porphyry–epithermal–skarn copper–gold deposits of late Ordovician age. Whilst many small quartz vein-hosted or orogenic lode-type gold deposits are known in the region, the discovery of the Wyoming gold deposits has demonstrated the potential for significant lode-type mineralisation hosted within the same Ordovician volcanic stratigraphy. Outcrop in the Wyoming area is limited, with the Ordovician sequence largely obscured by clay-rich cover of probable Quaternary to Cretaceous age with depths up to 50 m. Regional aeromagnetic data define a north–south trending linear belt interpreted to represent the Ordovician andesitic volcanic rock sequence within probable Ordo-Silurian pelitic metasedimentary rocks. Drilling through the cover sequence in 2001 to follow up the trend of historically reported mineralisation discovered extensive alteration and gold mineralisation within an andesitic feldspar porphyry intrusion and adjacent volcaniclastic sandstones and siltstones. Subsequent detailed resource definition drilling has identified a substantial mineralised body associated with sericite–carbonate–albite–quartz–(±chlorite ± pyrite ± arsenopyrite) alteration. The Wyoming deposits appear to have formed as the result of a rheological contrast between the porphyry host and the surrounding volcaniclastic rocks, with the porphyry showing brittle fracture and the metasedimentary rocks ductile deformation. The mineralisation at Wyoming bears many petrological and structural similarities to orogenic lode-style gold deposits. Although the timing of alteration and mineralisation in the Wyoming deposits remain problematic, a relationship with possible early to middle Devonian deformation is considered likely.     

40Ar/39Ar age constraints on deformation and mineralization, Rosebery Zn-Pb-Cu and Mount Lyell Cu deposits, Tasmania, Australia

The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of alteration muscovite from the Rosebery Zn-Pb-Cu and Mount Lyell Cu deposits, Tasmania, Australia, has determined a succession of deformation events which occurred from 400-378 Ma, and comprises the Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny. The dates from Rosebery range from 400-390 Ma, are a minimum age for mineralization, indicate the time of deformation, and provide a maximum age limit for granitoid emplacement in the vicinity of the deposit. The ages from the Mount Lyell field range from 400-378 Ma, are a minimum for mineralization, and date cleavage development. The North Lyell Cu mineralization, which was probably broadly coeval with deformation, may have formed at 400 Ma. All pre-Devonian alteration micas in the Rosebery and Mount Lyell areas have been recrystallized or reset. The Tabberabberan deformation in western Tasmania was broadly contemporaneous with widespread crustal shortening in southeastern Australia, as established from the dating of alteration minerals associated with deformation-related precious and base metal deposits.     

柴北缘-东昆仑地区的造山型金矿床

柴北缘－东昆仑是中国西部秦祁昆褶皱山系的一部分，它的显生宙造山经历了加里东和晚华力西－印支两个旋回，并以多岛洋／裂陷槽、软碰撞和多旋回造山为特点。该区已发现多个造山型金矿床，它们具有相似的地质－地球化学特征。有两组成矿年龄：一是是加里东期（相当于加里东造山晚期）；二是晚华力西－印支期（处于该造山旋回晚期）。前期为性地中地壳顶部－上地壳底部的金矿化，后期则形成于较浅层次（1．2－5．7km）的金矿体侵位自区域北部向南部，矿床元素组合由Au-As向Au-Sb转化，金矿成矿年龄由老变新，成矿深度相应变浅。研究认为，与碰撞有关的热事件以及逐步升高地热增温率，驱动被加热的建造水和大气降水流体沿碰撞带和大型剪切等长距离地迁移、活动，并淋取围岩的成矿元素，形成含金流体。在进入到矿床或矿体构造后，由于构造性质转换，物理化学条件亦随之改变，含金流体沉淀，形成金矿体。这些金矿形成于造山晚期，是造山作用的产物，后者为前者提供了空间、热－动力条件。     

新疆阿克塔斯金矿床黑云母花岗岩锆石U-Pb和绢云母39Ar/40Ar测年及地质意义

阿克塔斯金矿床位于新疆阿尔泰造山带南缘,矿体赋存于黑云母花岗岩与中泥盆统北塔山组中性火山岩接触带,矿石类型主要为石英脉型和蚀变岩型。矿区中酸性侵入岩体的岩石类型为二长花岗岩、黑云母花岗岩。近矿的黑云母花岗岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为(329.5±1.8)Ma,成岩时代为早石炭世;主成矿期的金-黄铁矿-石英细脉中的绢云母~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄为(247.7±1.3) Ma、等时线年龄为(245.1±1.4)Ma,成矿时代为早三叠世。研究表明,阿克塔斯金矿成岩与成矿时代相距80 Ma,为碰撞造山和后碰撞造山不同地质作用的产物。该矿床具有造山型金矿的特点,额尔齐斯断裂带的右形剪切走滑作用控制金矿成矿过程。     

东秦岭加里东期沉积-构造演化过程

前人基于北秦岭带广泛分布的与加里东期俯冲-碰撞相关的火山-岩浆-变质事件,认为秦岭加里东期造山运动仅仅局限于北秦岭带,中-南秦岭带由于"软碰撞"表现为泥盆系与下伏地层为连续或平行不整合接触关系,不存在加里东造山作用响应.通过对东秦岭地区中-南秦岭带出露的22条泥盆系与下伏地层接触关系剖面进行变形差异和间断缺失特征研究,且对不整合面之间"志留系红层"进行SHRIMP U-Pb年代学和沉积环境研究,结果显示东秦岭地区泥盆系与下伏褶皱基底地层（Pt₃-S₁）整体上呈区域性角度不整合接触（局部微角度不整合）,不整合面之间缺失地层南北存在明显差异,上下地层存在明显不同构造变形特征.而旬阳县关防-公馆一线不整合面之间"志留系红层"时代为中-晚志留世（S_2-3,＜435 Ma）,其为东秦岭加里东期造山运动形成的前陆盆地在南秦岭地区前缘沉积的响应.基于上述事实,证实不仅北秦岭受加里东期造山运动影响且中-南秦岭带也发生强烈褶皱造山作用,从而为更深入地探讨东秦岭加里东期造山及沉积响应演化过程提供依据.      

广西加里东运动构造古地理问题

广西历来被认为是我国加里东运动的典型地区,志留纪末的造山运动使早泥盆世莲花山组砾岩不整合于下伏地层之上。但是,实际上莲花山组只分布于广西中部的大明山－大瑶山地区和东北部扬子地块边缘,并且,它不具备同造山期磨拉石沉积特征,而是古陆剥蚀面上新海侵序列底部的滨海相沉积。广西西部的晚古生代台地相区,泥盆系底部为泥岩或粉砂岩,超覆于寒武系台地相沉积层之上。滇东南和越南北部邻区情况类似。推测在早古生代时它们属于一个地块,可称为“桂滇－北越地块”。早奥陶世云开地块和桂滇－北越地块、扬子地块的会聚和挤压,形成了大明山－大瑶山地体寒武系东西向的线形褶皱带。这是广西加里东运动的主幕。晚奥陶世-早志留世华夏地块和扬子地块的碰撞带在广西仅限于它的东北部,表现为震旦系-下志留统近南北向的线形褶皱带。志留纪末并无造山运动的证据。早泥盆世开始,可能由于地幔柱活动而使桂滇－北越地块裂解,形成北越地块、靖西台地和其他更小的块体。     

柴北缘—东昆仑地区造山型金矿床的Ar-Ar测年及其地质意义

通过对柴北缘-东昆仑地区一批金矿床中绢云母的Ar-Ar测年，确定金矿床形成于晚加里东期和晚华力西-印支期，是该区加里东和晚华力西-印支复合造山过程的产物，是典型的造山型金矿床。金成矿作用主要发生在碰撞造山过程的晚期。金成矿与柴北缘-东昆仑地区的复合造山作用在时空上的“构造迁移”相一致。     

Formation of lode‐style gold mineralisation during Tabberabberan wrench faulting at Lefroy,eastern Tasmania

The Lefroy Goldfield in eastern Tasmania is anomalous in southeastern Australia because mineralised fault reefs (i.e. reefs that are also faults) strike in an easterly direction at a high angle to the predominantly northwest strike of bedding and folds. Gold mineralisation is of Early to Middle Devonian age, with reef formation coinciding with a third regionally compressive deformation event (D₃), and a second phase of Tabberabberan orogenesis. Mineralised reefs are hosted by Mathinna Supergroup turbidites of Cambrian to Ordovician age and extend for up to 2 km across the boundary between the sandstone‐dominated Stony Head Sandstone and the shale‐dominated Turquoise Bluff Slate. Ore shoots in the reefs plunge moderately west and, in the Volunteer Mine, coincide with the intersection of the reef and a D₁/D₂ thrust contact. The subvertical orientation and discordant relationship of the mineralised reefs to bedding, as well as the lack of gold mineralisation along bedding and pre‐D₃ structures, indicate that the reefs formed during a period of wrench faulting. In contrast to lode‐style deposits in Victoria, the far‐field minimum compressive stress at Lefroy during reef formation was not vertical but, rather, occupied a subhorizontal orientation.     

Metallogeny and tectonic development of the Tasman Fold Belt System in Queensland

The northern part of the Tasman Fold Belt System in Queensland comprises three segments, the Thomson, Hodgkinson- Broken River, and New England Fold Belts. The evolution of each fold belt can be traced through pre-cratonic (orogenic), transitional, and cratonic stages. The different timing of these stages within each fold belt indicates differing tectonic histories, although connecting links can be recognised between them from Late Devonian time onward. In general, orogenesis became younger from west to east towards the present continental margin. The most recent folding, confined to the New England Fold Belt, was of Early to mid-Cretaceous age. It is considered that this eastward migration of orogenic activity may reflect progressive continental accretion, although the total amount of accretion since the inception of the Tasman Fold Belt System in Cambrian time is uncertain.The Thomson Fold Belt is largely concealed beneath late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic intracratonic basin sediments. In addition, the age of the more highly deformed and metamorphosed rocks exposed in the northeast is unknown, being either Precambrian or early Palaeozoic. Therefore, the tectonic evolution of this fold belt must remain very speculative. In its early stages (Precambrian or early Palaeozoic), the Thomson Fold Belt was probably a rifted continental margin adjacent to the Early to Middle Proterozoic craton to the west and north. The presence of calc-alkaline volcanics of Late Cambrian Early Ordovician and Early-Middle Devonian age suggests that the fold belt evolved to a convergent Pacific-type continental margin. The tectonic setting of the pre-cratonic (orogenic) stage of the Hodgkinson—Broken River Fold Belt is also uncertain. Most of this fold belt consists of strongly deformed, flysch-type sediments of Silurian-Devonian age. Forearc, back-arc and rifted margin settings have all been proposed for these deposits. The transitional stage of the Hodgkinson—Broken River Fold Belt was characterised by eruption of extensive silicic continental volcanics, mainly ignimbrites, and intrusion of comagmatic granitoids in Late Carboniferous Early Permian time. An Andean-type continental margin model, with calc-alkaline volcanics erupted above a west-dipping subduction zone, has been suggested for this period. The tectonic history of the New England Fold Belt is believed to be relatively well understood. It was the site of extensive and repeated eruption of calc-alkaline volcanics from Late Silurian to Early Cretaceous time. The oldest rocks may have formed in a volcanic island arc. From the Late Devonian, the fold belt was a convergent continental margin above a west-dipping subduction zone. For Late Devonian- Early Carboniferous time, parallel belts representing continental margin volcanic arc, forearc basin, and subduction complex can be recognised.A great variety of mineral deposits, ranging in age from Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician and possibly even Precambrian to Early Cretaceous, is present in the exposed rocks of the Tasman Fold Belt System in Queensland. Volcanogenic massive sulphides and slate belt-type gold-bearing quartz veins are the most important deposits formed in the pre-cratonic (orogenic) stage of all three fold belts. The voicanogenic massive sulphides include classic Kuroko-type orebodies associated with silicic volcanics, such as those at Thalanga (Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician. Thomson Fold Belt) and at Mount Chalmers (Early Permian New England Fold Belt), and Kieslager or Besshi-type deposits related to submarine mafic volcanics, such as Peak Downs (Precambrian or early Palaeozoic, Thomson Fold Belt) and Dianne. OK and Mount Molloy (Silurian—Devonian, Hodgkinson Broken River Fold Belt). The major gold—copper orebody at Mount Morgan (Middle Devonian, New England Fold Belt), is considered to be of volcanic or subvolcanic origin, but is not a typical volcanogenic massive sulphide.The most numerous ore deposits are associated with calc-alkaline volcanics and granitoid intrusives of the transitional tectonic stage of the three fold belts, particularly the Late Carboniferous Early Perman of the Hodgkinson—Broken River Fold Belt and the Late Permian—Middle Triassic of the southeast Queensland part of the New England Fold Belt. In general, these deposits are small but rich. They include tin, tungsten, molybdenum and bismuth in granites and adjacent metasediments, base metals in contact meta somatic skarns, gold in volcanic breccia pipes, gold-bearing quartz veins within granitoid intrusives and in volcanic contact rocks, and low-grade disseminated porphyry-type copper and molybdenum deposits. The porphyry-type deposits occur in distinct belts related to intrusives of different ages: Devonian (Thomson Fold Belt), Late Carboniferous—Early Permian (Hodgkinson—Broken River Fold Belt). Late Permian Middle Triassic (southeast Queensland part of the New England Fold Belt), and Early Cretaceous (northern New England Fold Belt). All are too low grade to be of economic importance at present.Tertiary deep weathering events were responsible for the formation of lateritic nickel deposits on ultramafics and surficial manganese concentrations from disseminated mineralisation in cherts and jaspers.     

北山红石山地区晚古生代火山岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及其构造意义

北山地区古亚洲洋的闭合时间和晚古生代构造演化倍受关注且久有争议.晚古生代地层及其接触关系对探讨以上问题具有重要意义,但该区地层学研究薄弱,很大程度上制约了对构造演化的深入讨论.本文获得的北山红石山地区上古生界“下石炭统绿条山组、白山组”和“下二叠统双堡塘组”火山岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄,分别为296.8±3.5Ma、314.9±3.3Ma和299.4±5.9Ma,时代为晚石炭世-早二叠世,相当于北山地区干泉组层位.原“白山组”与“双堡塘组”之间的平行不整合不成立,表明石炭纪-二叠纪为同期裂谷盆地.原“绿条山组”与中泥盆统的角度不整合实为干泉组与中泥盆统的角度不整合,代表了古亚洲洋的闭合与增生造山时间发生在中泥盆世与早石炭世之间.     

皖南志留系唐家坞组物源分析:来自碎屑锆石年代学和岩石地球化学的制约

分布于皖南泾县地区的唐家坞组为志留系顶部最晚沉积,其沉积时代和物质来源仍存在争议。对其进行了岩相学、岩石地球化学以及锆石U-Pb年代学等综合研究。岩相学特征表明:研究砂岩以波状消光的石英和变质岩屑为主,磨圆度和分选程度较好;岩石地球化学特征显示砂岩的成分成熟度较高,物源区主要以长英质组分为主,并发生了强烈的化学风化或沉积循环;LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年获得最年轻的单颗粒锆石年龄为424 Ma,可作为唐家坞组沉积时代的下限。结合地层接触关系,限定唐家坞组沉积时代应为志留纪晚期,可能接近华南早古生代造山事件的结束时间。79颗碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄获得主要年龄峰值为981 Ma和756 Ma,次级年龄峰值为2 476 Ma、517 Ma和453 Ma,结合区域上年代学信息,暗示了唐家坞组砂岩的主要物源区为早-中新元古代岩浆岩、新元古代裂谷层序以及震旦纪-奥陶纪沉积岩,同造山期岩浆岩或变质岩也为唐家坞组提供了物源。华南早古生代陆内造山作用导致中奥陶世之前的盆地沉积物、部分盆地基底以及造山期侵入其中的岩浆岩发生强烈的隆升,从而为陆内前陆盆地沉积提供了主要物源,表明华南早古生代造山带与扬子地块东南缘前陆盆地两个构造单元存在盆山物质耦合关系。     

胶东中生代动力学演化及主要金属矿床成矿系列

胶东处于古特提斯和太平洋两大成矿域的结合部位,经历了强烈的中生代构造岩浆活动和重要金属矿床成矿作用。本文通过对中生代各期岩浆活动背景、典型矿床成因类型的分析判别,结合区域地质构造特征,总结提出胶东中生代成岩成矿动力学演化主要受扬子板块、华北板块碰撞造山作用和古太平洋板块俯冲作用影响,并可划分为晚三叠世陆陆碰撞造山期,中侏罗世被动陆缘向活动陆缘转换、地壳增生期,早白垩世早期地壳增生向垮塌转换期,早白垩世中期岩石圈大规模拆沉、壳幔强烈作用期,早白垩世晚期陆缘弧俯冲作用期,和晚白垩世早期弧后岩石圈强烈伸展期六个演化阶段,分别对应着区域~205Ma、160~155Ma、135~125Ma、125~115Ma、115~100Ma、100~90Ma等六期主要金及多金属成矿作用;形成的贵金属及有色金属矿床具有较为明显的时空分布规律,大致包括6个矿床成矿系列,分为9个亚系列和16个矿床式。自西向东,可划分出莱州西部、招远-平度、栖霞-蓬莱-福山、胶莱盆地东北缘、牟平-乳山、文登-威海、荣成等7个贵金属、有色金属成矿区(带)。区内造山型金矿仍是找矿的重点,斑岩型有色金属矿床可望取得突破,中低温热液脉型多金属矿床应受到充分重视。