Subglacial imprints of early Gondwana break-up as identified from high resolution aerogeophysical data over western Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica

Determining the location and geometry of possible subglacial rifts in western Dronning Maud Land is a key element to address processes leading to early Gondwana break-up. However, previous geophysical investigations did not lead to unambiguous delineation of rift structures over this region. We interpret high-resolution airborne radar and aerogravity data to image subglacial rift structures. Subglacial topography, free-air and Bouguer gravity maps, coupled with 3D inverse gravity models, image a rift–rift–rift triple junction at the intersection of the Jutulstraumen ice stream and the Pencksökket glacier. These continental rifts were associated with alkaline and tholeiitic intrusions, minor dyke swarms and flood basalts of Jurassic age, but not with huge volumes of Karoo magmatism, such as that which characterizes the southern Africa conjugate margin. The western Dronning Maud Land triple junction may be linked to the Karoo mantle plume and represents an early stage of magmatism and rifting during Gondwana break-up.     

Geochronological and geochemical studies of mafic and intermediate dykes from the Khao Khwang Fold–Thrust Belt: Implications for petrogenesis and tectonic evolution

Zircon U–Pb, mica 40Ar/39Ar ages and geochemistry of the Permo-Triassic mafic to intermediate dyke swarms at the south-western margin of the Indochina Terrane, central Thailand, are reported here and used to decipher the timing of the Sukhothai-Indochina & Sibumasu-Indochina collisions during the Permo-Triassic stages of the Indosinian Orogeny. The mafic dyke swarms in the folded layers of the Khao Khwang Fold–Thrust Belt (KKFTB) were emplaced between the Late Permian and the Late Triassic. The volcanic rocks range from slightly tholeiitic to mostly calc-alkalic, but can be subdivided into three different volcanic groups on the basis of trace and incompatible element abundances such as Ni, Cr, P, Co, and Th. However, all the groups present similar chemical footprints and are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) (Rb, Ba, Sr, Pb) and light rare earth elements (LREEs), and depleted in HFSE such as Nb, and Ti highlighting the volcanic arc nature of the system. Isotopically, the three groups are characterized by subtle differences in εNd(t) values (from + 3.2 to + 5.2) and initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (from 0.7056 to 0.7067). The KKFTB mafic dykes share a few geochemical characteristics of the mafic dykes from the Chiang Khong volcanic suite in the Sukhothai terrane, and from the Loei volcanic belt in northern Indochina. These geochemical features suggest that the KKFTB mafic dykes, and the volcanic rocks in central-northern Thailand, were likely emplaced in a similar orogenic setting. The rocks of Group III are interpreted to have intruded from the Early Triassic (255 ± 6 Ma) to the Late Triassic (207 ± 2 Ma), and were probably sourced from a more crustally contaminated magma.     

The Okavango giant mafic dyke swarm (NE Botswana): its structural significance within the Karoo Large Igneous Province

The structural organization of a giant mafic dyke swarm, the Okavango complex, in the northern Karoo Large Igneous Province (LIP) of NE Botswana is detailed. This N110°E-oriented dyke swarm extends for 1500 km with a maximum width of 100 km through Archaean basement terranes and Permo-Jurassic sedimentary sequences. The cornerstone of the study is the quantitative analysis of N>170 (exposed) and N>420 (detected by ground magnetics) dykes evidenced on a ca. 80-km-long section lying in crystalline host-rocks, at high-angle to the densest zone of the swarm (Shashe area). Individual dykes are generally sub-vertical and parallel to the entire swarm. Statistical analysis of width data indicates anomalous dyke frequency (few data <5.0 m) and mean dyke thickness (high value of 17 m) with respect to values classically obtained from other giant swarms. Variations of mean dyke thicknesses from 17 (N110°E swarm) to 27 m (adjoining and coeval N70°E giant swarm) are assigned to the conditions hosting fracture networks dilated as either shear or pure extensional structures, respectively, in response to an inferred NNW–SSE extension. Both fracture patterns are regarded as inherited brittle basement fabrics associated with a previous (Proterozoic) dyking event. The Okavango N110°E dyke swarm is thus a polyphase intrusive system in which total dilation caused by Karoo dykes (estimated frequency of 87%) is 12.2% (6315 m of cumulative dyke width) throughout the 52-km-long projected Shashe section. Assuming that Karoo mafic dyke swarms in NE Botswana follow inherited Proterozoic fractures, as similarly applied for most of the nearly synchronous giant dyke complexes converging towards the Nuanetsi area, leads us to consider that the resulting triple junction-like dyke/fracture pattern is not a definitive proof for a deep mantle plume in the Karoo LIP.     

Early Paleoproterozoic–Archean dykes and gneisses in Russian Karelia of the Fennoscandian Shield—New paleomagnetic,isotope age and geochemical investigations

We present here new palaeomagnetic, isotopic age and geochemical data from Archean and Early Palaeoproterozoic rocks in the eastern Fennoscandian Shield. We have studied NE–SW trending gabbronorite dyke sets and their host Archean basement rocks in the Vodlozero block near the 2449 Ma Burakovka layered intrusion in southern Russian Karelia. Both dyke sets are genetically related to the Burakovka intrusion. The other, ca. 25 km long Avdeev dyke, locating a few kilometers south from the Burakovka intrusion, yields a stable single component remanence direction that is in agreement with the direction previously obtained from the Burakovka intrusion. Another NE–SW trending dyke, 0.8 m wide Shalskiy diabase dyke, about 30 km south of the Burakovka intrusion yields a similar remanence direction as the Avdeev dyke. The overall mean remanence direction has a palaeopole at Plat = −12.3°N, Plong = 243.5°E (A95 = 15.4°, 4 sites, 28 samples). The thin Shalskiy diabase dyke transects a similarly NE–SW trending 500 m wide coarse grained gabbronorite dyke which has now been dated by Sm–Nd method as 2608 ± 56 Ma. Geochemically all the dykes are quite similar showing slight calc-alkaline affinity and low TiO₂ and high SiO₂ with moderate MgO and low Cr and Ni. Furthermore, the dykes are geochemically identical to the 2.45 Ga dyke swarm in the northern Karelian Province.The remanence direction of the thin Shalskiy diabase dyke differs significantly from the high temperature and high coercivity remanence component of the unbaked Archean gabbronorite dyke which yields a palaeopole at Plat = 22.7°N, Plong = 222.1°E (dp = 8.2°, dm = 16.2°, five samples). On the basis of different remanence directions of the diabase dyke and the unbaked Archean gabbronorite dyke, the baked contact test for the diabase dyke is positive. In addition to the high temperature and high coercivity component of the baked and unbaked Archean gabbronorite dyke, in low temperatures and coercivities we isolated a similar component as in the diabase dyke. A comparable remanence component was also obtained from the Archean basement at ca. 8 km from the dykes. We propose that in the studied area, the Archean basement and the Archaean dyke were partly remagnetized due to emplacement and subsequent uplift and cooling of the large Burakovka layered intrusion and related dykes at about 2.40 Ga ago.This interpretation lends support from a new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of hornblende from another area, Lake Paajarvi area, in northern Karelia. There, a negative baked contact test was previously obtained for the remanence of the dated ca. 2.45 Ga dyke rocks related to the ca. 2.45 Ga Oulanka layered intrusion. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of the unbaked Archean basement which yields the same remanence component as the dykes, shows a plateau age of ca. 2.6 Ga, but in addition, it also shows resetting of the basement at ca. 2.4 Ga ago. The dating thus supports reactivation and partial remagnetization of the Archean basement at ca. 2.4 Ga ago.Our new palaeomagnetic results from the Burakovka dykes and the new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating from the Lake Paajarvi area give support to our previous interpretation that at Lake Paajarvi area the remanence component suggested to be 2.4 Ga, despite to negative baked contact test, is indeed of this age. Therefore, it is implied that the results can be used for continental reconstructions.     

New SHRIMP,Rb/Sr and Sm/Nd isotope and whole rock chemical data from central Mozambique and western Dronning Maud Land,Antarctica: Implications for the nature of the eastern margin of the Kalahari Craton and the amalgamation of Gondwana

Whole rock major and trace element data from granitoids adjacent to the Kalahari Craton–Mozambique–Maud Belt boundary are described. The data from ～1140 Ma old granodioritic and ～1110 Ma old granitic bodies in the Mozambique Belt show that they are typical of calc-alkaline and A-type granitoids respectively. Radiogenic Rb/Sr and Sm/Nd isotope data from the two granitoid bodies suggest significant older crustal contributions during their genesis. The granodioritic gneisses show T_DM model ages of ～2100–3500 Ma whereas megacrystic granitic gneisses have T_DM model ages of ～1600–3100 Ma. Granite from the Archaean-age Kalahari Craton has T_DM model ages of ～3000–3500 Ma.The data from Mozambique are compared with whole rock major and trace element chemistry and U/Pb zircon SHRIMP data from the Maud Belt in western Dronning Maud Land. These show that ～1140 Ma old granodioritic gneisses in Sverdrupfjella and Kirwanveggan have similar ages and chemical compositions to similar rocks in central Mozambique. Radiogenic isotope characteristics of the gneisses from central Mozambique and Sverdrupfjella are similar and suggest older crustal contributions in contrast to the juvenile nature of the gneisses from Kirwanveggan.Similarly, ～1090 Ma old granitic gneisses from central Mozambique, Sverdrupfjella and Kirwanveggan have similar ages and A-type chemical compositions. In contrast the radiogenic isotope compositions from Kirwanveggan are juvenile whereas those from central Mozambique show a significant older crustal contribution.The whole rock radiogenic isotope data can be interpreted to suggest that the Mesoproterozoic Mozambique Belt rocks were generated by partial melting which probably involved mixing of Archaean/Paleoproterozoic crust and younger Mesoproterozoic juvenile magma at ～1100 Ma and suggest that the Kalahari Craton probably extends eastwards at depths for more than 30 km from its exposure at surface.The data support correlations between the Mozambique Belt and the Maud Belt in Antarctica in general and more specifically show similarities between the Kalahari Craton boundary and the Mozambique–Maud Belt in lithologies immediately adjacent to that boundary.Two episodes of anatectic migmatisation are recognized in rocks from the Mozambique Belt in central Mozambique. These show an earlier migmatitic vein phase oriented parallel to the planar foliation in the granitic and tonalitic gneisses and a later discordant vein phase which is oriented parallel to localized but intense N–S oriented shearing along the Kalahari Craton/Mozambique Belt boundary zone. SHRIMP zircon data from the younger migmatitic vein phase suggests a crystallization age of 997 ± 4 Ma. Small numbers of inherited zircons have ages of ～2700 Ma and ～1100–1200 Ma. Younger discordant analyses suggesting metamorphic disturbance between ～400 Ma and 550 Ma are seen. The data imply the high strain along the eastern margin of the Kalahari Craton in the Manica area, occurred at ～1000 Ma and not at ～450 Ma as was previously thought. The data suggest the Pan African deformation and metamorphism in the area involved minor reworking. The undeformed to weakly deformed Tchinadzandze Granodiorite intruded into the Kalahari Craton has an age of 2617 ± 16 Ma.     

Geochemistry of the Mesozoic regional basic dykes of western Dronning Maud Land,Antarctica

Regional dolerite dykes of Mesozoic age in western Dronning Maud Land are variable in both major and trace element composition and include picritic types (MgO>18 wt%). The range in incompatible element concentrations is considerable (e.g. Zr 40–478 ppm) and shows little correlation with MgO content. Both high-and low-Ti, Zr (HTZ and LTZ) magma types are present and there is a spread of compositions between these types. Major element oxide variations in dykes having MgO>10 wt% indicate that olivine and orthoyproxene fractionation occurred, presumably at an early high-pressure stage of magma evolution. Major element oxide variations in dykes having MgO<10 wt% indicate control by olivine and clinopyroxene. A minority of the more evolved dykes are compositionally similar to the nearby Kirwan basalts, but the majority cannot be related to the Kirwan basalts by any simple petrogenetic process as they contain higher concentrations of incompatible elements and have higher Mg-numbers. The HTZ Dronning Maud Land dolerites have incompatible trace element concentrations which are very similar to the HTZ basalt magma types of the Karoo of southern Africa with the exception of lower K and Rb in DML dolerites. The HTZ dolerites occur in the part of Dronning Maud Land which appears to have been tectonically stable since the Archaean and are not found to intrude the surrounding high-grade (about 1000 Ma) metamorphic rocks of the Sverdrup Group. These data provide qualified support for models which seek to relate spatially the HTZ Mesozoic basalt types of Gondwana to sources beneath stable Archaean cratons.     

Basaltic dykes of the Eastern Belt of Peninsular Malaysia: The effects of the difference in crustal thickness of Sibumasu and Indochina

Basaltic dykes of Peninsular Malaysia are confined to the Eastern Belt (Indochina/East Malaya block) as compared with the Western Belt (Sibumasu Block). The dyke intruded through a crustal fracture formed by stress developed from the evolution of two offshore basins (Malay and Penyu basins) east of Peninsular Malaysia. The Ar–Ar dating from the present study combined with the previous geochronological data indicate that the ages of dykes range from 79 ± 2 Ma to 179 ± 2 Ma. Thus it is difficult to correlate the dykes with the closure of Tethys during Permo-Triassic time because of the younger age of the dykes. The majority of the dykes exposed in the Eastern Belt may have been attributed to the difference of crustal thickness between the Eastern and Western belt of Peninsular Malaysia. A thicker Western Belt crust (13 km more than both Eastern and Central belts) is difficult to rupture with normal plate tectonic stress and therefore serves to contain the rise of a mantle derived melt. The chemistry indicates the basalts are olivine to quartz normative and are of the continental within-plate category.     

Integrated U–Pb and Sm–Nd geochronology for a REE-rich carbonatite dyke at the giant Bayan Obo REE deposit,Northern China

The Bayan Obo deposit in North China contains the largest rare-earth element (REE) resources in the world, but its forming time remains controversial. Nearly one hundred carbonatite dykes occur around the Bayan Obo deposit, including dolomite, calcite and calcite–dolomite carbonatite varieties. Zircons from a REE-rich carbonatite dyke and wallrock quartz conglomerate at Bayan Obo have been analyzed for U–Pb to determine the age of the dyke. Zircon from the carbonatite dyke, analyzed by conventional isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS), yielded an upper intercept age of 1417 ± 19 Ma. This age is confirmed by SHRIMP U–Pb analysis of zircon from the same carbonatite dyke, which gave a ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb weighted mean age of 1418 ± 29 Ma. In situ Nd isotope measurements of monazite collected from the carbonatite dyke gave an isochron age of 1275 ± 87 Ma. These results demonstrate that the dyke intruded ~ 1400 Ma. In view of predecessor's results, it is clarified that the REE mineralization at Bayan Obo occurred at ca. 1400 Ma, consistent with the timing of carbonatite dyke intrusion in the region. The youngest detrital zircons from the quartz conglomerate yielded a ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb weighted mean age of 1941 ± 7 Ma using LA ICP-MS U–Pb method. Detrital zircons in the carbonatite dyke also gave a mean apparent age of 1932 ± 3 Ma using ID-TIMS U–Pb method and 1914 ± 14 Ma using SHRIMP U–Pb method. These ages constrain the beginning active time of the Zha'ertai–Bayan Obo rift in the northern margin of the North China Craton after ~ 1900 Ma.     

Chronological link between deep-seated processes in magma chambers and eruptions: Permo-Carboniferous magmatism in the core of Pangaea (Southern Pyrenees)

In the Southern Pyrenees there are Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian sedimentary basins with a significant volume of volcanic material derived from explosive eruptions (rhyolitic ignimbrites and andesitic flows). These basins are spatially associated with granodiorites and dacitic dykes emplaced in Variscan basement rocks. U–Pb SHRIMP dating of zircons extracted from three granodiorites, an andesitic flow, a dacitic dyke and six ignimbrites, revealed that magmatism occurred over an extended period of thirty eight million years, from ca. 304 Ma to ca. 266 Ma (Upper Carboniferous–Middle Permian). A scattering of zircon ages in each sample shows that the history of melt crystallization was complex, with more than one zircon-forming event in each magma chamber. The prolonged crystallization history was transferred to the product of the eruptions. A chronological link between the deep-seated magma chambers and processes in eruptions was identified on the basis of four overlapping intervals at: ca. 309–307 Ma (Upper Carboniferous), ca. 304–296 Ma (Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian), ca. 294–282 Ma (Lower Permian), and ca. 276 Ma (Lower Permian). The variation of zircon U/Th ratios exposes a tendency for an increase in mafic sources as crystallization advances in the Permian. Zircons probably crystallized from melt phases related to both a felsic-intermediate metaluminous source from ca. 310–293 Ma (mostly 0.1 < Th/U < 0.6) to ca. 289–273 Ma (especially in the range 0.6 < Th/U < 1) and a mafic source (mostly 1.2 < Th/U < 1) at ca. 266–265 Ma. U–Pb zircon ages from volcanic and plutonic rocks of the Southern Pyrenees are consistent with the ages of the post-Variscan magmatism of Iberia associated with orocline generation and subduction of the Paleotethys Ocean (ca. 304–283 Ma), and in addition reveal a later magmatic event at ca. 276–266 Ma (Lower–Middle Permian). The location of the Iberian orocline in the core of Pangaea and near the western end of the subduction zone of the Paleotethys Ocean leads to the hypothesis that this later magmatic activity of the Southern Pyrenees could provide the missing link between the Variscan and Cimmerian cycles that acted sequentially in Permo-Carboniferous times.     

Geochronological and geochemical study of mafic dykes from the northwest Chinese Altai: Implications for petrogenesis and tectonic evolution

Fifteen zircons separated from a mafic dyke in the Chinese Altai give a concordant age population with a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 375.5 ± 4.8 Ma, suggesting a Devonian emplacement. On the basis of their mineralogical compositions and textures, the coeval dykes can be divided into gabbroic and doleritic types. They are both sub-alkaline, tholeiitic, characterized by similarly low SiO₂ contents (45.2–52.7 wt.%) and total alkaline (K₂O + Na₂O = 0.99–4.93 wt.%). Rare earth element patterns of the gabbroic dykes are similar to N-MORB (La/Yb_N = 0.86–1.1), together with their high ε_Nd(t) values (+ 7.6 to + 8.1), indicating that their precursor magma was mainly derived from a N-MORB-type depleted asthenospheric mantle. While the REE patterns of the doleritic dykes resemble that of E-MORB (La/Yb_N = 1.12–2.28), enriched in LILEs and strongly depleted in HFSEs, with relative low ε_Nd(t) values (+ 3.4 to + 5.4) and high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7057–0.7060). The zircon Hf isotopic analysis of the doleritic dykes give ε_Hf(t) values from + 10.7 to + 13.8. These signatures suggest that a depleted mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived fluids and/or melts was possibly involved in the generation of the doleritic magma. The refractory peridotite may have been melted with variable degrees caused by upwelling of the hot asthenosphere. The petrogenesis of the mafic dykes suggest a high heat flux as a result of upwelling of the hot asthenosphere and the contrast geochemical signatures can be interpreted by a ridge subduction, which could be an important tectonic control in the accretionary process of the Chinese Altai.     

Geochronological and geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of alkaline ultramafic dykes from southwest Guizhou Province,SW China

Geochronological, geochemical and whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic analyses have been completed on a suite of alkaline ultramafic dykes from southwest (SW) Guizhou Province, China with the aim of characterising their petrogenesis. The Baiceng ultramafic dykes have a LA-ICP-MS zircon ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 88.1 ± 1.1 Ma (n = 8), whereas two phlogopites studied by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating methods give emplacement ages of 85.25 ± 0.57 Ma and 87.51 ± 0.45 Ma for ultramafic dykes from Yinhe and Lurong, respectively. In terms of composition, these Late Mesozoic ultramafic dykes belong to the alkaline magma series due to their high K₂O (3.31–5.04 wt.%) contents. The dykes are characterised by enrichment of light rare earth element (LREE) and large-ion lithosphile elements (LILEs) (Rb and Ba), negative anomalies in high field strength elements (HFSEs), such as, Nb, Ta and Ti relative to primitive mantle, low initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7060–0.7063) and positive ε_Nd(t) values (0.3–0.4). Such features suggest derivation from low degree (< 1%) partial melting of depleted asthenospheric mantle (garnet-lherzolite), and contamination to various degrees (～ 10%) by interaction with upper crustal materials.     

Zircon U–Pb geochronology of the Mesozoic metamorphic rocks and granitoids in the coastal tectonic zone of SE China: Constraints on the timing of Late Mesozoic orogeny

The coastal Changle-Nan’ao tectonic zone of SE China contains important geological records of the Late Mesozoic orogeny and post-orogenic extension in this part of the Asian continent. The folded and metamorphosed T₃–J₁ sedimentary rocks are unconformably overlain by Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks or occur as amphibolite facies enclaves in late Jurassic to early Cretaceous gneissic granites. Moreover, all the metamorphic and/or deformed rocks are intruded by Cretaceous fine-grained granitic plutons or dykes. In order to understand the orogenic development, we undertook a comprehensive zircon U–Pb geochronology on a variety of rock types, including paragneiss, migmatitic gneiss, gneissic granite, leucogranite, and fine-grained granitoids. Zircon U–Pb dating on gneissic granites, migmatitic gneisses, and leucogranite dyke yielded a similar age range of 147–135 Ma. Meanwhile, protoliths of some gneissic granites and migmatitic gneisses are found to be late Jurassic magmatic rocks (ca. 165–150 Ma). The little deformed and unmetamorphosed Cretaceous plutons or dykes were dated at 132–117 Ma. These new age data indicate that the orogeny lasted from late Jurassic (ca. 165 Ma) to early Cretaceous (ca. 135 Ma). The tectonic transition from the syn-kinematic magmatism and migmatization (147–136 Ma) to the post-kinematic plutonism (132–117 Ma) occurred at 136–132 Ma.     

Late Neoarchean thick-skinned thrusting and Paleoproterozoic reworking in the MacQuoid supracrustal belt and Cross Bay plutonic complex,western Churchill Province,Nunavut, Canada

In the western Churchill Province, Canadian Shield, Neoarchean supracrustal and plutonic rocks, intruded by Paleoproterozoic mafic dykes and granitic rocks, comprise the MacQuoid supracrustal belt and the structurally overlying Cross Bay plutonic complex. They form part of the northwestern Hearne subdomain that occupies an intermediate position between the continental Rae domain to the north and west, and the oceanic central Hearne subdomain to the south and east. New geological mapping and supporting geoscience are compatible with the presence of 2550–2500 Ma, southeast-directed, mid-crustal, thick-skinned thrusting that juxtaposed the plutonic complex over the supracrustal belt. The structural contact between the MacQuoid supracrustal belt and the Cross Bay plutonic complex potentially represents a fundamental boundary between isotopically distinct crustal blocks.The ∼2190 Ma MacQuoid mafic dyke swarm cuts across Neoarchean deformation fabrics, but records ∼1.9 Ga, deep-crustal, regional metamorphism that affected both the supracrustal belt and the plutonic complex. Other Paleoproterozoic deformation events that occurred at ∼1850–1810 Ma are of local extent and appear to be relatively minor manifestations of more important events elsewhere, related to the Trans-Hudson orogen.     

Abrupt spatial and geochemical changes in lamprophyre magmatism related to Gondwana fragmentation prior,during and after opening of the Tasman Sea

High-precision ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of lamprophyre dike swarms in the Western Province of New Zealand reveals that these dikes were emplaced into continental crust prior to, during and after opening of the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. Dike ages form distinct clusters concentrated in different areas. The oldest magmatism, 102–100 Ma, is concentrated in the South Westland region that represents the furthest inboard portion of New Zealand in a Gondwana setting. A later pulse of magmatism from ~ 92 Ma to ~ 84 Ma, concentrated in North Westland, ended when the first oceanic crust formed at the inception of opening of the Tasman Sea. Magmatic quiescence followed until ~ 72–68 Ma, when another swarm of dikes was emplaced. The composition of the dikes reveals a dramatic change in primary melt sources while continental extension and lithospheric thinning were ongoing. The 102–100 Ma South Westland dikes represent the last mafic calc-alkaline magmatism associated with a long-lived history of the area as Gondwana's active margin. The 92–84 Ma North and 72–68 Ma Central Westland dike swarms on the other hand have strongly alkaline compositions interpreted as melts from an intraplate source. These dikes represent the oldest Western Province representatives of alkaline magmatism in the greater New Zealand region that peaked in activity during the Cenozoic and has remained active up to the present day. Cretaceous alkaline dikes were emplaced parallel to predicted normal faults associated with dextral shear along the Alpine Fault. Furthermore, they temporally correspond to polyphase Cretaceous metamorphism of the once distal Alpine Schist. Dike emplacement and distal metamorphism could have been linked by a precursor to the Alpine Fault. Dike emplacement in the Western Province coupled to metamorphism of the Alpine Schist at 72–68 Ma indicates a period of possible reactivation of this proto Alpine Fault before it served as a zone of weakness during the opening of the oceanic Emerald Basin (at ~ 45 Ma) and eventually the formation of the present-day plate boundary (~ 25 Ma–recent).     

Petrology,geochemistry and zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes of the Cretaceous dykes in the central North China Craton: Implications for magma genesis and gold metallogeny

The Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO), a Paleoproterozoic suture that amalgamates the Western and Eastern Blocks of the North China Craton (NCC), witnessed extensive magmatism and metallogeny during Mesozoic, associated with intraplate tectonics and differential destruction of the cratonic lithosphere. Here we investigate a suite of porphyry dykes surrounding the Mapeng batholith in the Fuping Complex within the TNCO in relation to the Mesozoic gold and molybdenum mineralization. The major element chemistry of these dykes show a range of SiO₂ (57.92 to 69.47 wt.%), Na₂O (3.20 to 4.77 wt.%), K₂O (3.12 to 4.60 wt.%) and MgO (0.51 to 3.67 wt.%), together with high concentration of LREE and LILE, and relatively low contents of HREE and HFSE. The rocks display (La/Yb)_N = 13.53–48.11, negative Nb, Ta, Th, U and Zr anomalies, and distinctly positive Ba, K and Sm anomalies. The mineralogy and geochemistry of the porphyry dykes indicate the rocks to be high-K calc-alkaline, and I-type, with adakitic features similar to those of the adjacent Mapeng batholith. The source magma for these rocks was derived from a mixture of reworked ancient continent crust and juvenile mantle materials. The zircon U–Pb data from these rocks show ages in the range of 124 to 129 Ma, broadly coinciding with the emplacement age of the Mapeng intrusion. The inherited zircons of ca. 2.5, 2.0 and 1.8 Ga in the dykes represent capture from the basement rocks during melting. The zircon Lu–Hf isotopic compositions show negative ε_Hf(t) values varying from − 27.8 to − 11.3, with Hf depleted model ages (t_DM) ranging from 1228 Ma to 1918 Ma and Hf crustal model ages (t_DM^C) of 1905 Ma to 2938 Ma, suggesting that the Mesozoic magmatism and associated metallogeny involved substantial recycling of ancient basement rocks of the NCC. We present an integrated model to evaluate the genesis of the porphyry systems and their relation to mineralization. We envisage that these dykes probably acted as stoppers (impermeable barriers) that prevented the leakage and run-off of the ore-bearing fluids, and played a key role in concentrating the gold and molybdenum mineralization.     

Geochemistry and Ar–Ar muscovite ages of the Daraban Leucogranite,Mawat Ophiolite,northeastern Iraq: Implications for Arabia–Eurasia continental collision

Daraban Leucogranite dykes intruded discordantly into the basal serpentinized harzburgite of the Mawat Ophiolite, Kurdistan region, NE Iraq. These coarse grained muscovite-tourmaline leucogranites are the first leucogranite dykes identified within the Mawat Ophiolite. They are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, tourmaline, muscovite, and secondary phologopite, while zircon, xenotime, corundum, mangano-ilemnite and cassiterite occur as accessories.The A/CNK value of the granite dyke samples varies from 1.10 to 1.22 indicating a strongly peraluminous composition. CaO/Na₂O ranges from 0.11 to 0.15 and Al₂O₃/TiO₂ from 264 to 463, similar to the strongly peraluminous (SP) granites exposed in ‘high-pressure’ collision zones such as the Himalayas.Ar–Ar muscovite step-heating dating yields 37.57 ± 0.25 and 38.02 ± 0.53 Ma plateau ages for two samples which are thought to reflect either their magmatic emplacement or resetting during collision-related metamorphism. Mineral chemistry shows evidence of both primary and secondary types of muscovite, with cores favouring the magmatic interpretation and slight effects of a late syn-serpentinization fluid seen at the rims.Geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite dykes favour a syn-collisional tectonic setting. They probably formed in response to the continental collision between Eurasia and Arabia during the initial stage of the opening of the Gulf of Aden at 37 Ma. The muscovite ages and geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite are strong evidence for the timing of the continental collision between northeastern Arabia and Eurasia in Kurdistan region of Iraq.     

The Cihai diabase in the Beishan region,NW China: Isotope geochronology,geochemistry and implications for Cornwall-style iron mineralization

Diabase dykes in Cihai, Beishan region, NW China are spatially and temporally associated with ‘Cornwall-type’ iron deposits. U–Pb dating of zircons from a diabase dyke using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) yields an age of 128.5 ± 0.3 Ma, indicating an Early Cretaceous crystallization age. Most of the diabases show low Mg-numbers, suggesting evolved magmas. The diabase dykes show typical ophitic or sub-ophitic textures, and are dominantly composed of phenocrysts of plagioclase (40–50%) and clinopyroxene (30–45%), with minor and varying amounts of biotite and hornblende (1–5%), and minor disseminated magnetite (∼5%). Their mineralogy reflects magma differentiation under relatively low oxygen fugacity conditions. The diabase dykes are characterized by minor variation in SiO₂ (44.67–49.76 wt.%) and MnO (0.14–0.26 wt.%), but show a marked range of Al₂O₃ (10.66–14.21 wt.%), total Fe₂O₃ (9.52–13.88 wt.%), TiO₂ (0.66–2.82 wt.%) and relatively high MgO (4.87–9.29 wt.%) with an Mg# value [atomic Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺)] of up to 66. The Cihai diabases possibly experienced fractional crystallization of olivine + clinopyroxene and minor crustal contamination during the differentiation process. Prominent negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies suggest derivation from subduction-modified mantle. Furthermore, the rocks have relatively unradiogenic Sr- and Nd-isotopic ratios. These characteristics probably reflect partial melting of a subduction component in the source mantle lithosphere through heat input from an upwelling asthenospheric mantle. Such processes probably occurred within an extensional setting during the Early Cretaceous in the Beishan area. The iron-rich fluids were derived from deep sources, and the iron ores were concentrated through a convection cell driven by temperature gradients established by the intrusion of the diabase sills. The combined processes of subduction-related enrichment in the source, shallow depth of emplacement, and the involvement of large-scale circulation of basinal brines from an evaporitic source are inferred to have contributed to the formation of the ‘Cornwall-type’ mineralization in Cihai.     

Early to late Neoproterozoic magmatism and magma mixing–mingling in Sri Lanka: Implications for convergent margin processes during Gondwana assembly

The Sri Lankan fragment of Gondwana preserves the records of Neoproterozoic tectonothermal events associated with the final assembly of the supercontinent. Here we investigate a suite of magmatic rocks from the Wanni, Kadugannawa and Highland Complexes through geological, petrological, geochemical and zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic techniques. The hornblende biotite gneiss, charnockites, metagabbro and metadiorites investigated in this study show geochemical features consistent with calc-alkaline affinity and subduction-related signature including LILE enrichment relative to HFSE coupled with distinct Nb–Ta depletion and weak negative Zr–Hf anomalies. The felsic suite falls in the volcanic arc granites (VAGs) field and the mafic suite shows island arc basalt affinity in tectonic discrimination plots, suggesting that the protoliths of the rocks were derived from arc-related magmas in a convergent margin setting. LA-ICPMS zircon U–Pb analyses show crystallization of charnockite and dioritic mafic magmatic enclave from the Highland Complex during ca. 565 and 576 Ma corresponding to bimodal magmatism. The diorite also contains metamorphic zircons of ca. 525 Ma. Hornblende–biotite gneiss from the Kadugannawa Complex shows protolith emplacement age at 973–980 Ma, followed by new zircon growth during repeated thermal events through late Neoproterozoic. The dioritic enclaves in these rocks are much younger, and form part of a deformed and metamorphosed dyke suite with emplacement ages of 559 Ma, broadly coeval with the bimodal magmatism in the Highland Complex at that time. The youngest group of zircons in this rock shows ages of 508 Ma, corresponding to the latest thermal event. A charnockite from this locality shows oldest group of zircons at 962 Ma, corresponding to emplacement age similar to that of the magmatic protolith of the hornblende biotite gneiss. This rock also shows zircon growth during repeated thermal events at 832 Ma, 780 Ma, 721 Ma and 661–605 Ma. The lower intercept age of 543 Ma marks the timing of collisional metamorphism. Charnockite from the Wanni Complex shows emplacement age at 1000 Ma, followed by thermal event at 570 Ma, the latter correlating with the bimodal magmatic event in the Highland Complex. The dioritic enclave within this charnockite shows an age of ca. 980 Ma, suggesting intrusion of mafic magma into the felsic magma chamber. Zircons in the diorite also record multiple zircon events during 950 to 750 Ma. Zircons in the Highland Complex charnockite possess negative εHf(t) values in the range − 6.7 to − 12.6 with T_DM^C of 2039–2306 Ma suggesting magma derivation through melting of Paleoproterozoic source. In contrast, the εHf(t) range of − 11.1 to 1.6 suggests a mixed source of both of older crustal and juvenile material. The εHf(t) values of − 4.5 to 4.5 and T_DM^C of 1546–1962 Ma for the hornblende biotite gneiss also shows magma derivation from mixed sources that included Paleoproterozoic components. The younger dioritic intrusive, however, has a more juvenile magma source as indicated by the mean εHf(t) value of 1.3. The associated charnockite shows a tight positive cluster of εHf(t) from 0.6 to 5.1, suggesting juvenile input. Charnockite from the Wanni Complex shows clearly positive εHf(t) values of up to 13.1, and T_DM^C in the range 937–1458 Ma suggesting much younger and depleted mantle source. The diorite enclave also has positive εHf(t) values with an average value of 8.5 and T_DM^C in the range of 709–1443 Ma clearly suggesting younger juvenile sources. The early and late Neoproterozoic bimodal suites are correlated to convergent margin magmatism associated with the assembly of Sri Lanka within the Gondwana supercontinent.     

Petrology and geochemistry of high-titanium and low-titanium mafic dykes from the Damodar valley,Chhotanagpur Gneissic Terrain,eastern India and their relation to Cretaceous mantle plume(s)

The Damodar valley within the Chhotanagpur Gneissic terrain at the northern-most margin of the Singhbhum craton, eastern India, is perhaps the only geological domain in the entire Indian shield which hosts the early Cretaceous Rajmahal as well as the late Cretaceous Deccan igneous activities. A number of Cretaceous mafic dykes intrude the Gondwana sedimentary formations and are focus of the present study. One set of these dykes strike NNE to ENE, are very fresh and mainly exposed within the Jharia, Bokaro and Karanpura basins; whereas the other set of dykes (including the well-known Salma mega dyke) trend NW to NNW, intrude mainly the Raniganj basin and show meagre hydrothermal alteration. Majority of the samples from both these dyke groups display ophitic or sub-ophitic textures and are essentially composed of augite/titan augite and plagioclase. On the basis of petrographic and geochemical characteristics the NNE to ENE dykes are identified as high-Ti dolerite (HTD) dykes and the NW to NNW dykes are referred to as low-Ti dolerite (LTD) dykes. Apart from the first-order distinction on their titanium contents, both these groups also show conspicuous geochemical differences. The HTD dykes contain relatively high values of iron, and high-field strength elements than those from the LTD dykes with an overlapping MgO contents.Although available field, paleomagnetic and limited geochronological data for most of the studied dykes suggests their emplacement during early Cretaceous period (110–115 Ma), the Salma dyke, dated to be of Deccan-age at ∼65 Ma, is an exception. Geochemically all the studied samples show an undoubted plume-derived character but their unequivocal affinity to either the early Cretaceous Kerguelen (Rajmahal) or the late-Cretaceous Reunion (Deccan) plume is not straightforward since they share bulk-rock characteristics of rocks derived from both these plumes. Even though, the spatial and temporal association of the mafic dykes of present study with the Rajmahal Traps are suggestive of their linkage to the Kerguelen plume activity, robust geochronological and paleomagnetic constraints are clearly required to understand the relative contributions of the two Cretaceous mantle plumes in the genesis of the mafic igneous activity in this interesting domain.     

Subduction of a spreading ridge within the Bangong Co–Nujiang Tethys Ocean: Evidence from Early Cretaceous mafic dykes in the Duolong porphyry Cu–Au deposit,western Tibet

The intrusion of mafic dykes into a near-trench accretionary prism, and continental margin magmatism with characteristics that differ from those of adjacent arc magmatism, are direct manifestations of the subduction of a spreading ocean ridge and the formation of a slab window. In this paper, we investigated mafic dykes intruded into the accretionary prism that hosts the Duolong porphyry Cu–Au deposit (DCAD) of western Tibet. LA-ICP-MS analysis of U–Pb in zircon indicates that the dykes formed during the Early Cretaceous (126–127 Ma). The dykes are characterized by ε_Hf(t) values from + 2.44 to + 11.8. Twenty-nine mafic dyke samples were divided into three groups based on their locations and geochemical compositions: group I has Nb = 8.31–10.2 ppm, Nb/La = 0.71–1.20, and Nb/U = 21.4–37.9; group II has Nb = 40.5–52.6 ppm, Nb/La = 0.84–1.58, and Nb/U = 18.8–47.8; and group III has Nb = 65.7–105 ppm, Nb/La = 1.35–2.08, and Nb/U = 36.5–73.8. Group I is classified as Nb-enriched basalts (ENBs), whereas groups II and III are classified as high-Nb basalts (HNBs). Both the ENBs and HNBs were derived from an adakite-metasomatized mantle wedge that subsequently underwent crystallization of olivine and clinopyroxene. The compositional variations of the studied dykes resulted mainly from mantle source heterogeneity. The volume of the slab melts gradually increases from group I (ENBs) to group II (HNBs) and group III (HNBs), leading to gradually increasing incompatible element concentrations. Considering their geochemical characteristics and field relationships, as well as the unique characteristics of continental margin magmatism in the DCAD, we propose that the dykes emplaced in an extensional accretionary prism were derived from the northward subduction of a spreading ridge in the Bangong Co–Nujiang Tethys Ocean during the Early Cretaceous. The ridge subduction event was also responsible for the generation of coeval adakites, intermediate–felsic intrusions, the Maierze bimodal volcanic rocks as well as the metallogenesis of the DCAD.