Depositional age and provenance of the Cobar Supergroup

Abstract

The turbidite-filled, Lower Devonian Cobar Basin is characterised through a detrital zircon study. Uranium–Pb age data for six samples were combined with published data to show the basin has a unique age spectrum characterised by a subordinate Middle Ordovician (ca 470?Ma) peak superimposed on a dominant ca 500?Ma peak. Maximum depositional ages for 3 samples were ca 425?Ma, close to the published Lower Devonian (Lochkovian 419–411?Ma) biostratigraphic ages. A minor ca 1000?Ma zircon population was also identified. The major source of the 500?Ma zircons was probably the local Ordovician metasedimentary basement, which was folded, thickened and presumably exposed during the ca 440?Ma Benambran Orogeny. The ca 470?Ma age peak reflects derivation from Middle Ordovician (Phase 2) rocks of the Macquarie Arc to the east. The I-type Florida Volcanics, located ～50?km eastward from the Cobar Basin, contains distinctive Middle and Late Ordovician zircon populations, considered to be derived from deeply underthrust Macquarie Arc crust. Protracted silicic magmatism occurred before, during and after Cobar Basin deposition, indicating that the basin formed by subduction-related processes in a back-arc setting, rather than as a continental rift.     

Structure of the Cobar Basin,New South Wales,based on seismic reflection profiling

The Cobar Basin in central western New South Wales is a mineral‐rich Early Devonian basin typical of those that characterize the Siluro‐Devonian history of the Lachlan Orogen of southeastern Australia. One hundred and seventy kilometres of seismic profiling in three lines across the basin have shown it to be asymmetrical in shape with an east‐dipping western margin that is steeper than the moderately west‐dipping eastern margin. Maximum basin thickness is around 6 km, but there are significant thickness changes, especially from south to north, which reflect the effect of synsedimentary faulting. Seismic profiling suggests that the basin deformed by thin‐skinned tectonics; postulated strike‐slip effects were not visible on the sections. The seismic profiling has, for the first time, imaged the western synrift basin margin which is generally not exposed. Strain variations during deformation along this edge were taken up by the formation of a major jog ('dog‐leg') which has propagated into the basin as a tear fault. Intrabasinal tears, as well as thrusts, which link into one or more detachments, provide potential pathways for mineralizing fluids during basin inversion.     

滇黔桂典型锰矿床矿相学特征及其对成矿过程的指示

滇黔桂地区代表性锰矿包括贵州松桃大塘坡锰矿、广西大新下雷锰矿、遵义铜锣井锰矿和云南砚山斗南锰矿.本文利用显微镜、X衍射仪、扫描电镜等仪器,通过研究滇黔桂地区典型锰矿矿相学特征,结合碳酸盐岩研究方法,查明产于南华系大塘坡组第一段(Nh1d1)贵州松桃大塘坡锰矿矿物组合包括菱锰矿、钙菱锰矿、锰白云石、锰方解石、石英、伊利石,微相为SMF2、沉积相FZ1(盆地相),形成于沉积环境伸展阶段;产于上泥盆统五指山组(D3w)广西大新下雷锰矿矿物组合包括褐锰矿、锰钾矿、菱锰矿、钙菱锰矿、蔷薇辉石、透闪石、石英,微相为SMF2和SMF15-M、沉积相FZ7(台地相),形成于沉积环境伸展阶段;产于中二叠统茅口组第二段(P2m2)遵义铜锣井锰矿矿物组合包括菱锰矿、钙菱锰矿、锰方解石、锰白云石、硫锰矿、黄铁矿、闪锌矿、高岭石、伊利石、菱铁矿,微相为SMF15-C和SMF17、沉积相FZ7(台地相),形成于沉积环境收缩阶段;产于中三叠统法郎组(T2f)其矿物成分包括云南砚山斗南锰矿矿物组合包括褐锰矿、水锰矿、钙菱锰矿、含锰方解石、方解石、石英,微相为SMF4和SMF13、沉积相FZ4(斜坡相),形成于沉积环境伸展阶段.     

Upper Ordovician graptolites from the Wagonga Beds near Batemans Bay,New South Wales

Two graptolite faunas are described from outcrops of the Wagonga Beds near Batemans Bay on the south coast of N.S.W. They are of late Eastonian and early Bolindian age. The faunas have been found in two geographically separate localities and, in spite of structural complexities, it is now suggested that the greater part of the Wagonga Beds was deposited in the Late Ordovician. The chert and volcanicrich Wagonga Beds were accumulated prior to, or as contemporaneous lateral facies equivalents of, the thick undifferentiated Upper Ordovician ‘slates and grey‐wackes unit’ that crops out in the same general region.     

Timing of mineralization and deformation,Peak Au mine,Cobar, New South Wales∗

The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of alteration muscovite from the Peak Au mine in the Early Devonian Cobar Basin, New South Wales, has distinguished two major episodes of mineralization. Veined (Pb‐Zn‐Cu‐Au) mineralization was broadly synchronous with cleavage formation during the post‐inversion, shortening deformation of the basin sedimentary rocks, and replacive Ag‐Pb‐Zn mineralization significantly postdates the latter event. Veined base metals (Pb‐Zn‐Cu) and Au associated with silicification were coeval with three stages of cleavage formation (D₁, D₂ and D₃) after basin inversion. The Cu‐Au phase of mineralization at the Peak Au mine which was broadly contemporaneous with the culmination of the cleavage‐forming events (D₃) and with the local development of high‐strain zones occurred at 401.5 ± 1.0 Ma (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar on muscovite). This date is essentially coeval with known fossil constraints on the age of basin formation, and indicates that basin inversion and deformation rapidly followed sedimentation. In contrast, replacive Ag‐Pb‐Zn mineralization occurred at 384.0 ± 1.4 Ma (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar on muscovite) during an extended period of relaxation characterized by normal faulting (D₄) which followed the shortening deformation. This mineralization was associated with desilicification and chlorite‐muscovite replacement assemblages which cross‐cut the cleavages, and which may have been broadly contemporaneous with the deposition of part of the Mulga Downs Group which unconformably overlies the Cobar Supergroup. Rhyolite exposed in the core of the Peak Au mine largely contains inherited zircons that range in age from ～430–1500 Ma. A few euhedral zircons have an age of ～430 Ma and this is interpreted as a maximum date for the rock. Zircons from a syn‐D₃ chlorite‐muscovite replacement zone within the deposit have ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of ～410–650 Ma and are apparently inherited.     

Early Cretaceous ostracoda from the Goban Spur; D.S.D.P. leg 80, site 549

Site 549 recovered a Lower Cretaceous succession which has been shown to include parts of the Barremian and Albian stages. Forty-four species of Ostracoda are illustrated and their stratigraphic distribution used to recognise three major facies units. An high diversity inner shelf facies earlier in the Barremian gives way to a low diversity, outer shelf facies, higher in the succession. The early Albian appears to indicate a return to an inner shelf fauna. The faunas recovered have been compared to similar faunas elsewhere in N. W. Europe.     

Basalts and silcretes on the coast near Ulladulla,southern New South Wales

Silcretes on the N.S.W. coast near Ulladulla have long been attributed to. a sub‐basaltic origin, but field evidence is at odds with all variations of the sub‐basaltic hypothesis, and one site shows good evidence that the basalt post‐dates the silcrete. K‐Ar ages averaging 29.7 ± 0.5 Ma from the basalts provide a minimum age for silcrete development in this area. Furthermore, the K‐Ar dates, together with evidence for an erosional rather than tectonic origin of the coastal lowland, demonstrate that the adjacent tablelands reached their present elevation prior to the mid‐Oligocene.     

广西平果太平矿区外围铝土矿石工艺矿物学研究

以广西平果县太平铝土矿区外围的矿石为研究对象,采用化学分析、X射线粉晶衍射、光学显微鉴定、X射线能谱分析等方法对矿石的化学组成、矿物组成、矿物嵌布特征等进行了系统研究。结果表明,太平矿区外围铝土矿属于高铁的一水硬铝石型铝土矿,其中Al_2O_3含量为53. 06%,A/S值为10. 74,适用于拜耳法回收;共伴生组分中Fe_2O_3、Ti O_2、Ga、Nb达到综合回收利用指标。矿石选冶回收的目标元素Al主要以一水硬铝石、三水铝石的形式存在,平衡配分占比分别为85. 9%、6. 73%。矿石复杂的结构构造、矿物嵌布粒度、矿石中Fe、Si等元素不均匀分布等因素对Al的选冶回收有一定的影响。     

湖南黄沙坪矽卡岩矿物学特征及地质意义

湘南黄沙坪多金属矿床位于南岭构造带中段北缘,属于矽卡岩型矿床。根据矽卡岩产出状态、矿物共生组合及岩相学特征,从早期到晚期可划分为矽卡岩阶段、退化蚀变阶段、早期硫化物阶段和晚期硫化物阶段。矽卡岩矿物主要为石榴石、辉石、符山石等;金属矿物主要为白钨矿、辉钼矿、磁铁矿、方铅矿、闪锌矿等。电子探针分析结果表明,石榴石为钙铝-钙铁榴石系列,从早期到晚期,石榴石具有由钙铝榴石逐渐向钙铁榴石演化的规律。且钙铁榴石普遍发育震荡环带,而环带结构可持续记录钙铁榴石物理化学条件演化的过程。同时两种石榴石中均含Sn的成分,但钙铁榴石中Sn的含量明显高于钙铝榴石。辉石为透辉石-钙铁辉石系列,而且由内接触带向外接触带,辉石中Fe和Mn的含量有逐渐升高的趋势。矽卡岩矿物学特征及矿物成分的变化表明,成矿流体至少经历了两次氧化还原性质的转变。矽卡岩矿物学特征,对W(Sn) Mo Bi等多金属的矿化具有重要的地质指示意义。     

豫西熊耳山地区重磁场特征与深部成矿预测

熊耳山地区是河南省重要的金银铅锌钼多金属矿产地,现已查明各类矿床（点）121个。通过研究发现,该区多金属矿产的形成与中生代中酸性岩浆的侵入活动关系密切,现有矿床分布比较集中的区域,深部都有隐伏岩体赋存。通过对熊耳山地区重磁场特征的分析,建立了熊耳山地区隐伏岩体侵入模型。熊耳山西段主要是寨凹隐伏岩体,赋存面积约310 km2,分3个阶梯深度：0~0.8 km、0.8~2 km、2~4 km;熊耳山中段铁炉坪-花山隐伏岩体位于寨凹隐伏岩体和花山岩体之间,赋存面积约184 km2,深度3~5 km;熊耳山东段旧县-花山隐伏岩体,赋存面积约338 km2,北部深度0~1.5km,向南逐步加深至1.5~3 km。根据区域矿产分布分带特征,结合隐伏岩体侵入模型,预测了深部成矿模型。研究表明,在熊耳山西段有寻找大型斑岩型钼钨铜矿和大型金矿的潜力;中段隐伏岩体深度较大,以寻找中低温矿产为主;东段地质勘查程度相对较高,深部仍有寻找斑岩型钼金铜矿的潜力。     

湖南曾家溪锑钨矿区外围土壤地球化学特征及找矿研究

通过对曾家溪矿区外围开展1:10 000地质填图和1:10 000土壤地球化学测量,系统总结了矿区的地层、岩性、构造及围岩蚀变等特征,在此基础上,进行了土壤地球化学找矿研究,得出以下几点认识:元素的含量特征及分布型式显示,矿区土壤中W、As、Sb浓度克拉克值和变异系数均较大,元素为对数多峰分布型式,表明这些元素卷入了成矿作用;聚类分析表明,矿区主成矿元素组合为W、Sb、Au、As,其综合异常可作为找矿的直接标志;综合分析地质和地球化学资料,在矿区圈定了4个土壤地球化学异常区,其中Ⅰ号、Ⅲ-1号、Ⅳ号异常带具较好的找矿前景,为下一步找矿工作的重点靶区.     

新疆北部准噶尔-东天山地区金矿床的硫铅碳同位素地球化学及对金成矿作用的指示

以位于西准噶尔的阔尔真阔腊、布尔克斯岱、哈图、包古图金矿；东准噶尔的科克萨依、野马泉金矿；东天山的康古尔，石英滩，红石金矿为研究重点，着重探讨了S、Pb、C同位素在本区特定构造地质条件下对金成矿作用的示踪。结果表明。主成矿期矿化剂元素硫来源于深部，有少量地壳物质混染，金属元素铅主要来源于地幔及下地壳，少量浅部铅混染。反映了本区金的来源以深源为主的特征，各类金矿矿化剂元素碳为无机碳与有机碳不同程度的混合，表明地层有机质不同程度地参与了金的运移与卸载成矿，这是本区金成矿的重要特色。本区年轻的基底、深大断裂、火山活动及地层中有机质的参与等地质条件成就了本区不同类型金矿床的成矿。     

陕西宝鸡地区对滑式黄土滑坡的特征及其碰撞诱发机理

对滑式滑坡是黄土地区滑坡地质灾害的一种独特形式,主要分布于二级支流或三级支流（冲沟）两侧的边坡,两岸滑坡相向滑动。冲沟一般狭窄且较深陡,延伸较远。对滑式滑坡非同时发生,先发滑坡下滑后强烈碰撞对岸的斜坡体,致使受撞斜坡岩土体产生碰撞节理裂隙,力学性质弱化损伤,在坡体内部形成潜在的滑动面。当沟谷中先发滑坡堆积体遭受降雨水浸、流水冲刷后,潜在的滑动面扩展贯通,从而诱发受撞的岸坡失稳下滑。因而,有必要进一步研究对滑式黄土滑坡的碰撞损伤效应,为黄土地区群发式滑坡的预测预报提供科学依据。     

Raw mix designing, clinkerization and manufacturing of high-strength Portland cement from the limestone and clay of Darukhula Nizampur, Nowshera District, North-West Frontier Province （N.W.F.P.）, Pakistan

This paper covers the detailed version of the potential raw material deposits at Darukhula and the adjacent areas of Nizampur, the manufacturing of high-strength Portland cement samples from the same material and comparison of the physical and chemical parameters for resulting cement with British and Pakistan standard specifications, which include compressive strength, setting time, consistency, lechatelier expansion, Blaine and insoluble residue. It was found that the raw material available in the study area meets the standard specifications and the area is feasible for the cement plant installation. The area can provide raw material which is quite sufficient for the running of a cement plant.     

A comparison of selective extraction soil geochemistry and biogeochemistry in the Cobar area, New South Wales

In parts of the deeply weathered and semi-arid environments of the Cobar area (NSW, Australia), detection of mineralisation using conventional soil sampling and total metal analysis is impeded. This is due to the intense leaching of trace elements within the weathered profile, discontinuous coverage of transported materials and the existence of diffuse regional geochemical anomalies of ill-defined source. Selective chemical extractions, applied to various regolith components, and biogeochemistry offer a means of isolating localised geochemical patterns related to recent dispersion of trace elements through the overburden. Lag geochemical patterns across the McKinnons deposit (Au) and Mrangelli prospect (Pb–Zn–As) reflect mechanical dispersion processes and minor hydromorphic effects. Concentrations of more mobile elements tend to be higher in the non-magnetic fraction, due to higher proportions of goethite and poorly crystalline hematite than in the magnetic fraction. The subdued soil geochemical responses for metals extractable by cold 40% hydrochloric acid (CHX) and for total element concentration reflect the leached nature of the residual profile, low grade of mineralisation, dilution by aeolian components and disequilibrium of fine fractions with coarser, relict Fe-oxides. The stronger contrast for CHX for most metals, compared with total extraction, indicates surface accumulation of trace elements derived from underlying mineralisation. Enzyme leach element anomalies are intense but generally located directly over bedrock sources or major structural breaks, irrespective of the nature of the overburden. Though mechanisms for the dispersion of trace elements extracted by enzyme leaching are not well established, the lack of lateral transport suggests vertical migration of volatile metal species (atmimorphic dispersion). The strong, multi-element response to mineralisation in cypress pine needles indicates significant metal recycling during the present erosional cycle. However, a comparison of the trace element concentrations in vegetation (cypress pine needles) and selective extractions of soils indicates that recycling by the plants is not the dominant mechanism for transportation of metals through the overburden. The vegetation may be responding to hydromorphic dispersion patterns at depth. The use of selective extractions may be useful in detecting mineralisation through deeply leached profiles, but offers even greater potential when integrated with biogeochemistry to detect targets buried by significant thickness of transported cover.     

湖北松滋地区下奥陶统微生物岩

首次系统性地对湖北松滋地区下奥陶统微生物岩开展研究。根据微生物岩的生长方式,文中将微生物岩划分为原地生长型和非原地生长型两大类别,前者包括叠层石、凝块石,后者主要为核形石。根据几何形态特征,将研究区的叠层石分为层状、波状、柱状和丘状4种类型,新发现并命名了双锥柱状叠层石。将凝块石划分为斑状、网状和条带状3种类型,在豹斑状和网状凝块石中,发现了许多钻孔捕食软体动物Ecculiomphalus化石以及生物扰动的痕迹,文中认为这两种凝块石均属于生物扰动型凝块石。生物扰动型凝块石的发现不仅填补了国内、外奥陶纪该领域的部分空白,而且为凝块石成因的研究提供新的材料。在对各类微生物岩的沉积特征分析基础上,阐述了各类微生物岩的沉积环境,并总结其沉积环境分布模式。对微生物岩发育与中奥陶世后生动物大辐射之间的关系进行了探讨,根据早奥陶世晚期至中奥陶世初期后生动物的阶梯式和快速辐射与微生物岩突然减少的对应关系,结合研究区叠层石、凝块石中发现许多后生底栖钻孔捕食腹足类Ecculiomphalus化石等现象,认为微生物岩随时间推移而逐渐减少、衰退与后生动物丰度的快速增加有一定关系,指出食草动物不仅啃食了形成叠层石的菌藻类微生物,造成叠层石数量的不断减少,而且破坏了叠层石的生长状态,结果形成了研究区独具特征的生物扰动型凝块石。此外,作者认为,中奥陶世开始,海平面的快速上升也是研究区微生物岩减少直至消失的原因之一。     

Chemical study of limestone and clay for cement manufacturing in Darukhula,Nizampur District,Nowshera, North West Frontier Province （N.W.F.P.）, Pakistan

Limestone and clay samples were collected from Darukhula and adjoining areas of the Nizampur District Nowshera, N.W.EE, Pakistan, and analyzed for different parameters in order to search for new reserves of suitable material for the manufacture of different types of cements in N.W.F.P. It was found that the area under study contains three types of limestones, including high grade limestone, Darukhula limestone and siliceous limestone, which contain 53%, 49.03% and 45.19% CaO, respectively, and three types of clay, including maroon color, yellow to yel- lowish-green color and green color clay containing 57.76%, 65.47% and 61.24% SiO2, respectively. Chemical analysis of the limestone and clay samples collected from the deposits in the area under study showed that all the elements found in these samples are within the range of permissible limits for the production of high-strength Portland cement, sulphate resisting cement and white cement. This paper covers the detailed version of the potential raw material deposits at Darukhula and adjoining areas of the Nizampur District.