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.     

上扬子北部褶皱带的构造应力场演化规律

在对大量逆冲与平移断层运动学详细分析与观测的基础上,本文利用实测断层擦痕矢量数据组进行了区域应力场反演,根据对断层叠加关系的分析及叠加褶皱的验证,划分出上扬子北部经历过3期挤压构造应力场演化,从早到晚分别为:第1期北西—南东向挤压应力场,第2期近东西向挤压应力场和第3期北东—南西向挤压应力场。结合相关的地质现象,认为在这3期挤压应力场作用下分别形成了晚侏罗世末—早白垩世初的湘鄂西隔槽式褶皱带、早白垩世末—晚白垩世初的川东隔档式褶皱带和南大巴山弧形褶皱带。由此表明,上扬子北部褶皱带的形成顺序为湘鄂西隔槽式褶皱带→川东隔档式褶皱带→南大巴山弧形褶皱带。     

The West Spitsbergen Fold Belt: The result of Late Cretaceous-Palaeocene Greenland-Svalbard convergence?

The West Spitsbergen Fold Belt, together with the Eurekan structures of northern Greenland and Ellesmere Island, are suggested to be the result of Late Cretaceous-Palaeocene intracontinental compressional tectonics. The Late Palaeozoic –Mesozoic rocks of western Spitsbergen are characterized by near-foreland deformation with ramp-flat, top-to-the east thrust trajectories, whereas structurally higher nappes involving Caledonian complexes are typified by more listric thrusts and mylonite zones. A minimum of 40 km of shortening is estimated for the northern part of the West Spitsbergen Fold Belt. The axial trends in the West Spitsbergen and the North Greenland Eurekan fold belts parallel the principal fault zones which accommodated the separation of Greenland and Svalbard after Chron 25/24. In northern Greenland, north directed Eurekan thrusts associated with mylonites and cleavage formation represent at least 10 km of shortening. Between 50 and 100 km of shortening is estimated for the markedly arcuate Eurekan Fold Belt of Ellesmere Island, but the principal tectonic transport is eastwards. Kinematic reconstructions suggest that Svalbard was linked to North America before the opening of the Eurasian Basin and Norwegian — Greenland Sea. In the Late Cretaceous — Palaeocene interval, the relative motion between Greenland and North America was convergent across the Greenland — Svalbard margin, giving rise to the West Spitsbergen Fold Belt and the Eurekan structures of North Greenland.     

Kinematic analysis of sinistral cataclastic shear zones along the northern margin of the Mino Belt, central Japan

In this paper, cataclastic shear zones along the northern margin of the Mino Belt, central Japan are described, and the significance of the shearing in the tectonic evolution of SW Japan is examined. The Mino Belt in SW Japan is composed of accretionary complexes of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. Field investigation revealed that remarkable cataclastic shear zones trending east to northeast run along the northern margin of the Mino Belt. Closely spaced cleavage is developed in these shear zones. Lineation on the cleavage plunges at shallow to moderate angles. Deformation structures (e.g. composite planar fabric and asymmetric structure of clasts) in the sheared rocks clearly indicate a sinistral sense of shear. The shearing ceased by latest Cretaceous time, because the sheared rocks are overlain by unsheared Upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks. The sinistral shearing may be closely related to Cretaceous sinistral movement along the eastern margin of Asia. Sinistral shearing along the northern margin of the Mino Belt can be considered as a key for re-examining the tectonic development of SW Japan.     

Deformation Pattern in the Kurnool and Nallarnalai Groups in the Northeastern Part (Palnad Area) of the Cuddapah Basin, South India and its Implication on Rodinia/Gondwana Tectonics

The Proterozoic basins of India adjoining the Eastern Ghats Granulite Belt (EGGB) in eastern and southern India contain both Mesproterozoic and Neoproterozoic successions. The intracratonic set-up and contractional deformation fo the Neoproterozoc successions in the Paland sub-basin in the northeastern part of Cuddapah basin and similar crustal shortening in contemporaneous successions lying west of the EGGB and Nellore Schist Belt (NSB) are considered in relation to the proposed geodynamic evolution of the the Rodinia and Gondwana supercontinents. Tectonic shortening in the Palnad sub-basin (northeast Cuddapah), partitioned into top-to-westnorthwest thrust shear, flexural folds and cleavage development under overall E-W contraction, suggests foreland style continental shortening within an intracratonic set-up. A thrust sheet containing the Nallamalai rocks and overlying the Kurnool rocks in the northeastern part of Palnad sub-basin exhibits early tight to isoclinal folds and slaty (phylllitic) cleavage, which can be correlated with early Mesoproterozoic deformation structures in the nothern Nallamalai Fold Belt (NFB). NNE-SSW trending folds and cleavage affect the Kurnool Group and overprint earlier structures in the thrust sheet. Thrusting of the Nallamalai rocks and the later structures may have been related to convergence of the Eastern Ghats terrane and the East-Dharwar-Bastar craton during Early Neoproterozoic (Greenvillian) and/or later rejuvenation related to Pan-African amalgamation of East and West Gondwana.     

Tectonic reconstruction of the northern Andean blocks: Oblique convergence and rotations derived from the kinematics of the Piedras–Girardot area, Colombia

A detailed kinematic study in the Piedras–Girardot area reveals that approximately 32 km of ENE–WSW oblique convergence is accommodated within a northeast-trending transpressional shear zone with a shear strain of 0.8 and a convergence factor of 2. Early Campanian deformation is marked by the incipient propagation of northeast-trending faults that uplifted gentle domes where the accumulation of sandy units did not take place. Maastrichtian unroofing of a metamorphic terrane to the west is documented by a conglomerate that was deformed shortly after deposition developing a conspicuous intragranular fabric of microscopic veins that accommodates less than 5% extension. This extensional fabric, distortion of fossil molds, and a moderate cleavage accommodating less than 5% contraction, developed concurrently, but before large-scale faulting and folding. Paleogene folding and southwestward thrust sheet propagation are recorded by syntectonic strata. Neogene deformation took place only in the western flank of this foldbelt. The amount, direction, and timing of deformation documented here contradict current tectonic models for the Cordillera Oriental and demand a new tectonic framework to approach the study of the structure of the northern Andes. Thus, an alternative model was constructed by defining three continental blocks: the Maracaibo, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera Oriental blocks. Oblique deformation imposed by the relative eastward and northeastward motion of the Caribbean Plate was modeled as rigid-body rotation and translation for rigid blocks (derived from published paleomagnetic and kinematic data), and as internal distortion and dilation for weak blocks (derived from the Piedras–Girardot area). This model explains not only coeval dextral and sinistral transpression and transtension, but also large clockwise rotation documented by paleomagnetic studies in the Caribbean–northern Andean region.     

Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales

The Lachlan Fold Belt is a Middle Palaeozoic orogenic belt in which terminal tectogenesis occurred during the Early Carboniferous (Kanimblan Orogeny). This fold belt went through a complicated tectonic history and developed from the stratotectonic Lachlan Marginal Mobile Zone (or geosyncline of other authors). The Lachlan Fold Belt can be divided into structural zones which are characterized by varying tectonic styles. Zones of intensive deformation alternate with less deformed zones.The formation of the Lachlan Fold Belt may be viewed in terms of a series of tensional and compressional deformational events with the major compressional or tensional stress maintaining an approximate east—west orientation (relative to the grain of the fold belt) for the life of the Lachlan Marginal Mobile Zone.     

郯庐断裂带早白垩世走滑运动中的构造、岩浆、沉积事件

郯庐断裂带内一系列走滑糜棱岩类的^40Ar/^39Ar测年表明，郯庐断裂早白垩世发生了左旋走滑运动。这一大规模的走滑运动，造成了两类走滑构造，一类为变质岩中低绿片岩相左旋韧性剪切带，另一类为中生代火成岩、沉积岩中的脆性、脆-韧性左行平移断层。这反映断裂带的走滑运动从早白垩世初期持续到早白垩世后期。断裂带的走滑运动诱发大规模的、以富钾、中酸性为主的岩浆活动。地球化学分析显示，这些岩浆岩既有壳源的信息，也有幔源的贡献，反映是断裂减压、壳-幔相互作用下形成的岩浆活动，也暗示断裂带在走滑期切入壳-幔边界。该断裂带走滑运动中，除了在莱阳盆地形成了拉分盆地外，还在合肥盆地东部造成了走滑挠曲盆地，控制下白垩统朱巷组的沉积，郯庐断裂带早白垩世走滑运动中的构造、岩浆、沉积事件，是西太平洋伊泽纳崎板块高速斜向俯冲的结果，属于滨太平洋构造。     

SHRIMP U–Pb dating of the Antucoya porphyry copper deposit: new evidence for an Early Cretaceous porphyry-related metallogenic epoch in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile

The Antucoya porphyry copper deposit (300 Mt at 0.45% total Cu) is one of the largest deposits of a poorly known Early Cretaceous porphyry belt in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile. It is related to a succession of granodioritic and tonalitic porphyritic stocks and dikes that were emplaced within Jurassic andesitic rocks of the La Negra Formation immediately west of the N–S trending sinistral strike-slip Atacama Fault Zone. New zircon SHRIMP U–Pb data indicate that the porphyries of Antucoya crystallized within the time span from 142.7 ± 1.6 to 140.6 ± 1.5 Ma (±2 σ), and late, unmineralized, NW–SE trending dacite dikes with potassic alteration and internal deformation crystallized at 141.9 ± 1.4 Ma. The Antucoya porphyry copper system appears to be formed after a change of stress conditions along the magmatic arc from extensional in the Late Jurassic to transpressive during the Early Cretaceous and provides support for an Early Cretaceous metallogenic episode of porphyry-type mineralization along the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile.     

Metallogeny and tectonic development of the Tasman Fold Belt System in New South Wales

The northwestern corner of New South Wales consists of the paratectonic Late Proterozoic to Early Cambrian Adelaide Fold Belt and older rocks, which represent basement inliers in this fold belt. The rest of the state is built by the composite Late Proterozoic to Triassic Tasman Fold Belt System or Tasmanides.In New South Wales the Tasman Fold Belt System includes three fold belts: (1) the Late Proterozoic to Early Palaeozoic Kanmantoo Fold Belt; (2) the Early to Middle Palaeozoic Lachlan Fold Belt; and (3) the Early Palaeozoic to Triassic New England Fold Belt. The Late Palaeozoic to Triassic Sydney—Bowen Basin represents the foredeep of the New England Fold Belt.The Tasmanides developed in an active plate margin setting through the interaction of East Gondwanaland with the Ur-(Precambrian) and Palaeo-Pacific plates. The Tasmanides are characterized by a polyphase terrane accretion history: during the Late Proterozoic to Triassic the Tasmanides experienced three major episodes of terrane dispersal (Late Proterozoic—Cambrian, Silurian—Devonian, and Late Carboniferous—Permian) and six terrane accretionary events (Cambrian—Ordovician, Late Ordovician—Early Silurian, Middle Devonian, Carboniferous, Middle-Late Permian, and Triassic). The individual fold belts resulted from one or more accretionary events.The Kanmantoo Fold Belt has a very restricted range of mineralization and is characterized by stratabound copper deposits, whereas the Lachlan and New England Fold Belts have a great variety of metallogenic environments associated with both accretionary and dispersive tectonic episodes.The earliest deposits in the Lachlan Fold Belt are stratabound Cu and Mn deposits of Cambro-Ordovician age. In the Ordovician Cu deposits were formed in a volcanic are. In the Silurian porphyry Cu---Au deposits were formed during the late stages of development of the same volcanic are. Post-accretionary porphyry Cu---Au deposits were emplaced in the Early Devonian on the sites of the accreted volcanic arc. In the Middle to Late Silurian and Early Devonian a large number of base metal deposits originated as a result of rifting and felsic volcanism. In the Silurian and Early Devonian numerous Sn---W, Mo and base metal—Au granitoid related deposits were formed. A younger group of Mo---W and Sn deposits resulted from Early—Middle Carboniferous granitic plutonism in the eastern part of the Lachlan Fold Belt. In the Middle Devonian epithermal Au was associated with rifting and bimodal volcanism in the extreme eastern part of the Lachlan Fold Belt.In the New England Fold Belt pre-accretionary deposits comprise stratabound Cu and Mn deposits (pre-Early Devonian): stratabound Cu and Mn and ?exhalite Au deposits (Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous); and stratabound Cu, exhalite Au, and quartz—magnetite (?Late Carboniferous). S-type magmatism in the Late Carboniferous—Early Permian was responsible for vein Sn and possibly Au---As---Ag---Sb deposits. Volcanogenic base metals, when compared with the Lachlan Fold Belt, are only poorly represented, and were formed in the Early Permian. The metallogenesis of the New England Fold Belt is dominated by granitoid-related mineralization of Middle Permian to Triassic age, including Sn---W, Mo---W, and Au---Ag---As Sb deposits. Also in the Middle Permian epithermal Au---Ag mineralization was developed. During the above period of post-orogenic magmatism sizeable metahydrothermal Sb---Au(---W) and Au deposits were emplaced in major fracture and shear zones in central and eastern New England. The occurrence of antimony provides an additional distinguishing factor between the New England and Lachlan Fold Belts. In the New England Fold Belt antimony deposits are abundant whereas they are rare in the Lachlan Fold Belt. This may suggest fundamental crustal differences.     

U–Pb zircon geochronology of Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous extension‐related silicic volcanism in the northern New England Fold Belt

Laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) analysis of zircons confirm a Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous age (ca 360–350 Ma) for silicic volcanic rocks of the Campwyn Volcanics and Yarrol terrane of the northern New England Fold Belt (Queensland). These rocks are coeval with silicic volcanism recorded elsewhere in the fold belt at this time (Connors Arch, Drummond Basin). The new U–Pb zircon ages, in combination with those from previous studies, show that silicic magmatism was both widespread across the northern New England Fold Belt (>250 000 km² and ≥500 km inboard of plate margin) and protracted, occurring over a period of ～15 million years. Zircon inheritance is commonplace in the Late Devonian — Early Carboniferous volcanics, reflecting anatectic melting and considerable reworking of continental crust. Inherited zircon components range from ca 370 to ca 2050 Ma, with Middle Devonian (385–370 Ma) zircons being common to almost all dated units. Precambrian zircon components record either Precambrian crystalline crust or sedimentary accumulations that were present above or within the zone of magma formation. This contrasts with a lack of significant zircon inheritance in younger Permo‐Carboniferous igneous rocks intruded through, and emplaced on top of, the Devonian‐Carboniferous successions. The inheritance data and location of these volcanic rocks at the eastern margins of the northern New England Fold Belt, coupled with Sr–Nd, Pb isotopic data and depleted mantle model ages for Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic magmatism, imply that Precambrian mafic and felsic crustal materials (potentially as old as 2050 Ma), or at the very least Lower Palaeozoic rocks derived from the reworking of Precambrian rocks, comprise basement to the eastern parts of the fold belt. This crustal basement architecture may be a relict from the Late Proterozoic breakup of the Rodinian supercontinent.     

雪峰造山带北段地质构造特征——以慈利—安化走廊剖面为例

以慈利—安化走廊带为例, 对雪峰造山带北段西部地质构造特征进行了调查研究。研究表明, 雪峰造山带在廊带上可分为北部武陵断弯褶皱带和南部雪峰基底拆离带。武陵断弯褶皱带内主要发育北东东—东西向褶皱和同走向逆断裂, 另有少量北东向和北北西向右行平移断裂、北东东—东西向正断裂; 雪峰基底拆离带发育东西—北东向褶皱和同走向逆断裂、正断裂以及少量北东向平移断裂。武陵断弯褶皱带变形主要受控于板溪群底界面向北的滑脱及其导生的逆冲; 雪峰基底拆离带变形主要受控于切穿冷家溪群褶皱基底的断裂拆离与逆冲, 拆离与逆冲的方向总体由南向北, 但南缘总体逆冲方向指向南, 从而组成背冲构造样式。上述褶皱和断裂形成于武陵运动、加里东运动、印支运动、早燕山运动等挤压事件, 白垩纪伸展事件, 古近纪中晚期区域北东—北北东向挤压以及古近纪末—新近纪初北西向挤压等构造事件, 其中以加里东运动和印支运动形成的褶皱和同走向逆断裂最为重要。雪峰造山带北段与中段—南段一样具背冲构造样式, 但受加里东期近南北向挤压的区域大地构造背景影响, 北段逆冲、增厚和抬升作用的强度与幅度更大。      

中、上扬子北部盆-山系统演化与动力学机制

中国南方中生代经历了中国大陆最终主体拼合的陆缘及其之后的陆内构造演化。晚古生代末期,在秦岭—大别山微板块与扬子板块之间存在向西张口的洋盆,即勉略古洋盆。中三叠世末期开始,扬子板块相对于华北板块发生自南东向北西的斜向俯冲碰撞作用,扬子北缘晚三叠世至中侏罗世发育陆缘前陆褶皱逆冲带与前陆盆地系统。晚侏罗世至早白垩世,中国东部的大地构造背景发生了重要的构造转变,中、上扬子地区处于三面围限会聚的大地构造背景。在这种大地构造格局下,中、上扬子地区晚侏罗世至早白垩世发育陆内联合、复合构造与具前渊沉降的克拉通内盆地系统。自中侏罗世末期开始,扬子北缘前陆带与雪峰山—幕阜山褶皱逆冲带经历了自东向西的会聚变形过程及盆地的自东向西的迁移过程和收缩过程。扬子北缘相对华北板块的斜向俯冲导致在中扬子北缘的深俯冲及超高压变质岩的形成。俯冲之后以郯庐断裂—襄广断裂围限的大别山超高压变质地块在晚侏罗世向南强逆冲,致使扬子北缘晚三叠世至中侏罗世前陆盆地被掩覆和改造。     

Structural pattern and kinematic framework of deformation in the southern Nallamalai fold–fault belt,Cuddapah district,Andhra Pradesh,Southern India

An association of westerly verging asymmetric folds, easterly dipping cleavages and contractional faults control the pattern and intensity of structures at different scales in the southern Nallamalai fold–fault belt, Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh, Southern India. Variation in structural geometry is manifested across the section by the occurrence of relatively low amplitude folds, sometimes only a monocline and by the near absence of contractional faults in the WSW, but tight to isoclinal folds with frequent fold–fault interactions through the central areas towards ENE.The relationships of structural elements in terms of orientation, style, sense of movement and general vergence indicate their development under a progressive contractional deformation. The structures are interpreted to result from a combination of bulk inhomogeneous shortening across the belt and a top-to-west, variable simple shear. Localized developments of crenulation cleavage, rotation of cleavage in the shorter limbs of some mesoscale asymmetric folds and general variation of structural elements in morphology and associations across the belt, indicate partitioning of deformation and a varying degree of non-coaxiality in discrete domains of the bulk deformation.     

What drove late Mesozoic extension of the northern China–Mongolia tract?

The northern China–Mongolia tract exhibited a tectonic transition from contractional to extensional deformation in late Mesozoic time. Late Middle to early Late Jurassic crustal shortening is widely thought to have resulted from collision of an amalgamated North China–Mongolia block and the Siberian plate, but widespread late Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous extension has not been satisfactorily explained by existing models. Some prominent features of the extensional tectonics of the northern China–Mongolia tract are: (1) Late Jurassic voluminous volcanism prior to Early Cretaceous large-magnitude rapid extension; (2) overlapping in time of contractional deformation in the Yinshan–Yanshan belt with development of extension-related basins in the interior of the northern China–Mongolia tract; and (3) widespread occurrence of alkali granitic plutonism, extensional basins and metamorphic core complexes in the Early Cretaceous. A new explanation is advanced in this study for this sequence of events. The collision of amalgamated North China–Mongolia with Siberia led to crustal overthickening of the northern China–Mongolia tract and formation of a high-standing plateau. Subsequent breakoff at depth of the north-dipping Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic slab is suggested as the main trigger for late Mesozoic lithospheric extension of that tract. Slab breakoff resulted in mantle lithospheric stretching of the adjacent northern China–Mongolia tract with subsequent ascent of hot asthenosphere and magmatic underplating at the base of the crust. Collectively, these phenomena triggered gravitational collapse of the previously thickened crust, leading to late Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous crustal extension, and importantly, coeval contraction along the southern margin of the plateau in the Yinshan–Yanshan belt. The proposed model provides a framework for interpreting the spatial and temporal relationships of distinct processes and reconciling some seemingly contradictory phenomena, such as the synchronous extension of northerly terranes during major contraction in the neighboring Yanshan–Yinshan belt.     

华北板块南缘的变形分解:洛南-栾川断裂带与秦岭北缘强变形带研究

秦岭洛南-栾川断裂带具有左旋斜向俯冲的运动学特征,其产状一般为107°/N∠65°。华南板块的俯冲方向为80°,俯冲角度为42°;华南板块运动方向为42°,运动方向与华北板块南部边界的夹角为65°,汇聚角25°。秦岭北缘强变形带内褶皱枢纽延伸方向为290°,与洛南-栾川断裂带存在15°的夹角。逆冲断层走向与褶皱的枢纽方向基本一致,大多数断层与洛南-栾川断裂带有相同的运动学极性,性质为左行平移逆断层。平移正断层走向主要为NE SW,断层性质、展布方向、运动学特征与板块汇聚的应力作用方式吻合;片理、片麻理走向117°,与洛南-栾川断裂带走向夹角为10°。在垂直剪切带的剖面上,系统观察岩石变形特征,测量面理产状,进行岩石有限应变测量,岩石非共轴递进变形分析结果表明:秦岭北缘强变形带内由南向北面理走向与剪切带走向的夹角逐渐增大,岩石剪应变量依次递减,造山带变形具有“三斜对称”特点。     

Structure and kinematics of a foothills transect,Lago Viedma,southern Andes (49°30′S)

The western edge of Patagonia, south of 47°S, experienced a major tectonic reorganization during the Tertiary. The Chile ridge, separating Nazca from Antarctica, collided obliquely with western Tierra del Fuego at about 14 Ma and the triple point migrated northwards to its present position at about 47°S. Consequently, the southern tip of South America has passed from a Miocene context of rapid oblique convergence (ENE–WSW at about 9 cm/yr) between Nazca and South America, to a Pliocene context of slow frontal convergence (EW at about 2 cm/yr) between Antarctica and South America. The Andean foreland fold-and-thrust belt lies on the eastern side of the Patagonian Cordillera and is well exposed along the northern shore of Lago Viedma (49°30′S). Structural observations, digital mapping, subsurface data, balancing of a cross-section and kinematic analysis of fault populations provide new information on the structure of the fold-and-thrust belt, the timing and style of deformation and their relationship with Tertiary plate tectonics. Along the studied transect, synsedimentary structures show that compressional deformation began at least during the Late Cretaceous, was ongoing during the syntectonic emplacement of the Lower Miocene granitic Monte Fitz Roy pluton and continued into the Pliocene. Folds and thrusts are thick-skinned in the west, and mostly thin-skinned above a décollement in Early Cretaceous black shales in the east. Analysis of fault populations, measured within Jurassic basement and its Cretaceous cover, provides subhorizontal principal directions of shortening, striking between E–W and ENE–WSW. Compressional deformation was associated with a major component of right-lateral wrenching parallel to the Cordillera.     

Curved structures and interference fold patterns associated with lateral ramps in the Eastern Cordillera, Central Andes of Argentina

The conspicuous curved structures located at the eastern front of the Eastern Cordillera between 25° and 26° south latitude is coincident with the salient recognized as the El Crestón arc. Major oblique strike-slip faults associated with these strongly curved structures were interpreted as lateral ramps of an eastward displaced thrust sheet. The displacement along these oblique lateral ramps generated the local N–S stress components responsible for the complex hanging wall deformation. Accompanying each lateral ramp, there are two belts of strong oblique fault and folding: the upper Juramento River valley area and El Brete area.On both margins of the Juramento River upper valley, there is extensive map-scale evidence of complex deformation above an oblique ramp. The N–S striking folds originated during Pliocene Andean orogeny were subsequently or simultaneously folded by E–W oriented folds. The lateral ramps delimiting the thrust sheet coincident with the El Crestón arc salient are strike-slip faults emplaced in the abrupt transitions between thick strata forming the salient and thin strata outside of it. El Crestón arc is a salient related to the pre-deformational Cretaceous rift geometry, which developed over a portion of this basin (Metán depocenter) that was initially thicker. The displacement along the northern lateral ramp is sinistral, whereas it is dextral in the southern ramp. The southern end of the Eastern Cordillera of Argentina shows a particular structure reflecting a pronounced along strike variations related to the pre-deformational sedimentary thickness of the Cretaceous basin.     

济阳坳陷中生代盆地演化及其与新生代盆地叠合关系探讨

济阳坳陷中生代盆地演化受控于欧亚构造域的板块拼接挤压和滨太平洋构造域及其郯庐断裂活动两种动力学背景。早、中三叠世,作为华北大型内陆沉积盆地的一部分,沉积了近2000 m厚的地层;晚三叠世,主要受控于扬子板块与华北板块挤压碰撞所产生的挤压应力场,处于抬升剥蚀状态,早、中三叠世沉积的地层几乎剥蚀殆尽,并开始发育多条NW向逆冲断层;早、中侏罗世是对晚三叠世挤压逆冲断层和褶皱所造成的本区地势高低起伏的一个截凸填凹、填平补齐的过程;晚侏罗世—白垩纪,受郯庐断裂左行走滑的影响,济阳坳陷区前期形成的NW向逆冲断层,发生构造反转,反向伸展,形成了一系列半地堑。控盆断层为NW向的中生代盆地,与控盆断层为NE(或NNE)向的新生代盆地里相干型叠合,可划分出中坳新拗、中坳新隆、中隆新坳、中隆新隆4种叠合单元类型,不同类型的叠合单元经历了不同的沉降史,具有不同的石油地质意义。     

Role of the Kazerun fault system in active deformation of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt (Iran)

Field structural and SPOT image analyses document the kinematic framework enhancing transfer of strike-slip partitioned motion from along the backstop to the interior of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in a context of plate convergence slight obliquity. Transfer occurs by slip on the north-trending right-lateral Kazerun Fault System (KFS) that connects to the Main Recent Fault, a major northwest-trending dextral fault partitioning oblique convergence at the rear of the belt. The KFS formed by three fault zones ended by bent orogen-parallel thrusts allows slip from along the Main Recent Fault to become distributed by transfer to longitudinal thrusts and folds. To cite this article: C. Authemayou et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).