Sabkha and playa environments in late Proterozoic grabens,Willouran Ranges,South Australia

We have reconstructed the depositional environment of sulphate‐dolomite‐sand‐mud sequences of the Callanna Beds of the late Proterozoic Adelaidean System in three areas of the Willouran Ranges, South Australia. We interpret the Callanna Beds which represent the earliest Adelaidean sediments as having been deposited in a series of discrete shallow cratonic basins. The sequences in all three areas consist of cyclic hypersaline sand‐shale‐carbonate sheets and wedges. Hypersalinity has been inferred from a study of evaporites and their pseudomorphs, which imply basin evolution in sabkha and playa palaeoenvironments. We interpret the Callanna Beds in the Willouran Ranges to have been formed in playa lake or prograding sabkha complexes, that formed in a series of yoked half‐grabens within the tectonic setting of the Adelaide palaeorift.     

Correlation of the middle devonian formations of Australia

In the Precambrian rocks west and southwest of the Mount Isa Fault three significant fold generations are recognized. Within individual successions, units containing an early phase of deformation are juxtaposed by a late fault against a sequence that does not share these earlier events.

Many of the large‐scale structures in the Judenan Beds are first‐generation folds, whereas west of the Judenan Beds the area is dominated by second‐generation folds. These two sets of folds are tentatively correlated and are referred to as the Judenan Folds. An earlier set of pre‐Judenan folding is only found in the units west of the Judenan Beds. One phase of the Sybella Granite is also associated with the Judenan folding. Later small‐scale folds associated with a crenulation cleavage are, however, of little regional importance and are commonly found only in zones of highly deformed rocks.     

The lower boundary of the Adelaide system and older basement relationships in south Australia∗

The stratigraphical problem of defining the lower boundary of the Adelaide System is discussed in relation to the geology of several critical areas in the Adelaide Geosyncline and adjacent shelf‐platform.

The Precambrian stratigraphical succession and geological history is outlined with the aid of Rb/Sr age‐determinations made by Dr W. Compston of the Australian National University.

It is concluded that the lower boundary of the Adelaide System is related to the collapse of older basement positive areas on which a regional erosional surface had developed. This surface is defined by the Callanna Beds, the oldest deposits of Willouran age. Willouran sedimentation began some time between 1,340 m.y. and 1,490 m.y. ago. Erosion of the basement rocks probably occupied a major early part of this time interval.     

Announcement

The Precambrian rocks of the St. Malo region are grouped into two tectono-stratigraphical units which are correlated with the Pentevrian Complex (a pre-900 Ma basement) and the Brioverian succession (a cover sequence deposited sometime during the interval 900-650 Ma) recognized elsewhere within the Precambrian of the Armorican Massif of France and the Channel Islands. The Pentevrian Complex in this region is composed of metasediments, metatexites (migmatites) and diatexites (anatectic granodiorites). The Brioverian succession is represented by a sequence of turbidites which have undergone only greenschist facies metamorphism. Rocks assigned to the Pentevrian Complex in the St. Malo region preserve the effects of at least four episodes of deformation and two episodes of migmatization all of which occurred prior to the deposition of the turbidites. Three episodes of deformation have affected the Brioverian succession in response to the late Precambrian Cadomian orogeny. Thus two distinct groups of Precambrian metasediments, with different structural-metamorphic histories, are present in the St. Malo region. Cadomian deformation of the Pentevrian Complex is heterogeneous, the strain being largely confined to ductile shear belts. Brief comparison is made with other areas of Precambrian rocks in the northern part of the Armorican Massif.     

Crystalline complexes of the Tarbagatai block of the Early Caledonian superterrane of Central Asia

The oldest crystalline complexes of the Early Caledonian superterrane of Central Asia were formed in the Early Precambrian. They are exposed in the basement of microcontinents, which represent old cratonic fragments. Among the latters are the crystalline complexes of the Tarbagatai block previously ascribed to the Dzabkhan microcontinent. It was shown that the crystalline complexes of the Tarbagatai block have a heterogeneous structure, consisting of the Early Precambrian and later Riphean lithotectonic complexes. Structurally, the Early Precambrian complexes are made up of tectonic sheets of gneisses, migmatites, and gneiss granites of the Ider Complex that are cut by gabbroanorthosite massif. The Riphean Jargalant Complex comprises alternating hornblende crystalline schists and biotite (sometimes sillimanite-bearing) gneisses with marble horizons. The upper age boundary of the Riphean Complex is determined by the subautochthonous granitoids with age about 810 Ma. The presence of the Riphean high-grade rocks indicates that structures with newly formed crust were formed in the paleooceanic framing of the Early Precambrian blocks of the Rodinia supercontinent by the Mid-Late Riphean. Divergence that began at that time within old Rodinian cratons and caused rifting and subsequent break-up of the supercontinent was presumably changed by convergence in the paleooceanic area.     

Tasman Fold Belt System in Tasmania

In western Tasmania Eocambrian and Cambrian rock sequences accumulated in narrow troughs between and within Precambrian regions which became geanticlines. The largest trough is meridional and is flanked by the Tyennan Geanticline to the east and the Rocky Cape Geanticline to the west. Within this trough ultramafic and mafic igneous masses, some of which are dismembered ophiolites, occur below a structurally conformable but erosional surface. This surface is at the base of an early-Middle Cambrian turbidite sequence, which grades upward into a probable correlate of the Owen Conglomerate that ranges into the Ordovician. Fault-bounded areas of Rocky Cape strata occur at the eastern boundary of the sedimentary trough deposits. A considerable pile of mineralized calcalkalic volcanic material, in which granite was emplaced, accumulated between the sedimentary trough deposits and the Tyennan Geanticline. Movements along Cambrian faults near and parallel to the margin of the Tyennan Geanticline caused angular unconformities. Above the unconformities occur volcaniclastic sequences that pass conformably upward into shallow marine and terrestrial Owen Conglomerate, derived from the Tyennan Geanticline.The transgressive Owen Conglomerate and its correlates are followed conformably by shallow marine limestone, of Early to Late Ordovician age. These limestone deposits covered much of western Tasmania and are succeeded conformably by Silurian to Early Devonian beds of shallow-marine quartz sandstone and mudstone.Pre-Middle Devonian rocks of western Tasmania extend to the Tamar Tertiary trough. In the northeast of Tasmania, immediately to the east of the Tamar trough, are sequences of interbedded mudstone and turbidite quartz-wacke of the Mathinna Beds, ranging in age from Early Ordovician to Early Devonian.The Cambrian to Early Devonian rocks of Tasmania are extensively deformed and show flattened parallel folds. In western Tasmania the folds are dated as late-Early to early-Middle Devonian because fragments of the deformed rocks occur in undisturbed Middle Devonian terrestrial cavern fillings. Folds of the northeastern Tasmania Mathinna Beds are probably of the same age. This widespread Devonian deformation is correlated with the Tabberabberan Orogeny of eastern Australia.In western Tasmania the geanticlines of Cambrian times behaved as relatively competent blocks during the Devonian folding, which is of two main phases. In the earlier phase the competent behaviour of the Tyennan Block determined the fold patterns. In the north the dominantly later folds resulted from movement from the northeast. During this later Devonian phase the Tyennan Block yielded in a northwesterly trending narrow zone of folding.In northeast Tasmania the Mathinna Beds exhibit folds which indicate a tectonic transportation opposite in direction to that which resulted in the folds of similar age in western Tasmania.Granitic rocks, dated 375-335 m.y., were emplaced within the folded rocks of Tasmania with usually sharp, discordant contacts. Foliations in the batholiths of northeast Tasmania suggest post-intrusion deformations involving east—west flattening. The late deformations may be related to lateral movements along a fracture zone which brought the Mathinna Beds of northeast Tasmania into juxtaposition with the rocks of contrasting stratigraphical and structural characteristics of western Tasmania.Flat-lying Late Carboniferous and younger deposits rest unconformably on the older rocks.     

References

Two well‐defined sequences of earthquakes in South Australia were recorded in January and October 1969, these being associated with main shocks of magnitude ML 4.4 and 4.1 respectively. The events occurred in a region of little previous seismic activity, near the boundary of the Adelaide Geosyncline and the Willyama Block.     

An application of R-mode factor analysis to the study of metamorphic petrogenesis

R-mode factor analysis of modal and chemical data clarifies the trends of mineralogical evolution and associated chemical variations in amphibolites from the Northwest Adirondack Mountains, New York and the Willyama Complex, Broken Hill District. In both areas the principal mineralogical reaction attending metamorphism, as described by the first factor, appears to have been Hornblende + Quartz → Calcic pyroxene + Orthopyroxene + Plagioclase. For the Adirondack amphibolites, the derived reaction coefficients viewed against the modal contents of the pyroxenes suggest another hornblende breakdown reaction producing calcic pyroxene, which is corroborated by the first appearance of the phase a little NE of Emeryville. The other factors extracted reveal the underlying parameters responsible for the development of biotite, sphene, opaques and quartz in the Adirondack metabasites and albite, anorthite, ilmenite and quartz in the Willyama Complex amphibolites.The analysis also demonstrates that the principal mineralogical reactions in both the areas have been combinations of thermal and ionic types and further that to decipher the net mineralogical changes in high grade metamorphic basic and pelitic rocks it is necessary to extend the integration of the ‘part reactions’ occurring in different domains to the level of a hand specimen.     

Structural analysis of the Mystery Bay area,New South Wales

The Ordovician sedimentary rocks of the southeastern Lachlan Fold Belt in the Mystery Bay area are folded into two approximately coaxial and subhorizontally plunging fold series: F₁ and F₂. Regional domains with internally consistent F₁ and F₂ trends are juxtaposed along strike‐slip faults. Locally developed kink bands commonly have a close spatial relationship with the domain boundaries.

A faulted domain boundary is exposed in coastal rocks at Mystery Bay between north‐northeasterly trending turbidites and northwesterly trending complexly deformed cherts and pelites of the Wagonga Beds. South of the boundary fault, F₁ and F₂ trends in the turbidite succession exhibit a segmented 75° counterclockwise rotation about a near‐vertical axis within a 750 m wide zone parallel with the coast, relative to regional trends preserved farther south. The rotation zone hosts prolific subvertical kink bands and crenulations. The turbidite succession youngs towards the east and hence its present position is incompatible with its projected along‐strike position on the western limb of a major anticline exposing the older Wagonga Beds.

At least three generations of faulting are recognized. Within the coastal Wagonga Beds, a set of post‐F₁ faults is subparallel to the tectonic grain and probably had vertical motion. Two systems of post‐F₂ strike‐slip faults include a conjugate system in coastal outcrops, with offsets indicative of layer‐normal shortening; and a series of northerly trending faults, with probable sinistral displacements, recognized from inland exposures.     

新疆北部前寒武系划分和对比

库鲁克塔格是新疆北部前寒武系分布较广,地层层序相对完整的地区.作者以库鲁克塔格为地层模型区,以同位素第龄为格架,初步确定了本区群级地层单元的界线及归属.在岩石地层、生物地层、化学地层等各种方法相互印证的基础上,建立并完善了前寒武纪的地层层序.     

西藏南部聂拉木地区前寒武纪结晶基底的组成及其特征

在对肉切村岩群的岩石组合、变质特点以及区域综合对比研究基础上,根据其中锆石U-Pb法年龄值686Ma、黑云母斜长变粒岩全岩Rb-Sr法年龄值796±103Ma,认为其原岩形成于新元古代,时代属震旦纪;前人划分的震旦—寒武系肉切村群,实际上是前寒武纪变质岩地层,聂拉木地区并未出露寒武纪地层。将前寒武纪地层划分为聂拉木岩群和肉切村岩群,并将聂拉木岩群划分为友谊桥岩组、曲乡岩组、康山桥混合岩和江东岩组4个构造岩石地层单元,将肉切村岩群划分为扎西宗混合岩和塔吉岭岩组两个构造岩石地层单元。     

A Rubidium--Strontium Geochronological Study of the Willyama Complex, Broken Hill, Australia

Rubidium-strontium isotopic measurements are reported for total-rockand minerals from igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks fromthe Willyama Complex, Broken Hill, Australia. The results ofmeasurements on total-rocks and some minerals from the high-gradegneisses indicate that nearly complete strontium isotopic redistributionoccurred within individual rock units 164040 m. y. ago. Thisage is interpreted as that of the high-grade regional metamorphismwhich recrystallized the Willyama rocks to gneisses in the BrokenHill area. Analyses of total-rocks and some minerals from intrusivemuscovite granites and pegmatites give consistent ages of 154O5Om. y. indicating that these rocks were emplaced soon after thehigh-grade regional metamorphism. Rubidium-strontium isotopic analyses of all biotites, and ofmuscovites from pegmatites concordant in schists at Thackaringareveal a 500 m. y. metamorphic episode of lesser intensity accompaniedby pegmatite emplacement. This metamorphism was not of sufficientstrength to open the total-rock systems significantly to rubidiumand strontium isotopes. Biotites, however, appear to have losttheir radiogenic strontium almost completely at this time andit is probable that this event accounts for the observed disturbanceof the potash-feldspar rubidium-strontium systems in most gneissand muscovite granite samples investigated. There is a close similarity between the rubidium-strontium ageresults and the Broken Hill model lead ages. This supports thehypothesis of two-stage lead development and, with the strontiumisotope evidence, suggests that the region has evolved largelyas a closed chemical system since at least the high-grade metamorphism.     

Sequence stratigraphic concepts applied to the identification of basin‐filling rhythms in Precambrian successions

The new approaches to stratigraphy, that permit geodynamic interpretations of rock units during mapping, are beginning to be applied to Precambrian successions. Foremost among the new approaches is sequence stratigraphy. In its simplest form, the technique combines the mapping of facies and time‐significant bedding surfaces. The primary surface is the unconformable sequence boundary, or its correlative conformity. However, sequence stratigraphy is not only the documentation of the vertical and internal order of rock units bounded by unconformities, but also the documentation of the hierarchical rank of those units because there are three ranks of unconformity‐bounded sequences. First‐order sequences (megasequences and megasequence sets) record global tectonic cycles. Second‐order sequences (supersequences) record depositional basins or their tectonic stages. Third‐order sequences (depositional sequences) are basin‐filling rhythms. A depositional sequence, regardless of its provenance, geodynamic setting and contained depositional systems, is divided internally into sets of sedimentation units that additively have progradational, aggradational or retrogradational stacking patterns. These patterns record the relationships between the rate of sediment accumulation and the rate at which space was made available for sediment accumulation (or rate of creation of accommodation). Depositional sequences are therefore the non‐random, but not necessarily periodic, cyclic linkage between sediment flux and accommodation, and are a reflection of geodynamic evolution. The importance of eustasy in sequence stratigraphy should be de‐emphasised. Instead the role of the sequence approach in identifying basin‐filling rhythms, whatever their cause, should be stressed. The adaptability of the technique is best viewed by using examples in which tectonic controls were dominant and chaotic responses evident. Despite the uniqueness of each basin‐fill, sequence mapping reveals an order in stratigraphic style that is inherent to basin type, regardless of basin age. Greater acceptance of the sequence approach will add significantly to the revolution in Precambrian geology, because the technique can establish the conformity in stratigraphic style between, and within, the Phanerozoic and Precambrian rock records.     

Basis for chronostratigraphic classification of the Precambrian

It is urged that the same stratigraphic principles and the same basis for chronostratigraphic classification be used in the Precambrian as in other parts of the earth's stratigraphic column, although relative emphasis on different methods of age determination and time-correlation may reasonably vary, depending on their applicability in different parts of the column. The definition of the boundaries of each chronostratigraphic unit should lie in the rock strata themselves. The standard time-scope of each unit should be delimited by an upper and a lower type boundary point (boundary-stratotype), each in a specifically designated and identified stratigraphic section, chosen at a position to give the unit the greatest significance and to allow the best use of criteria of age and time-correlation in extending the boundary geographically as widely as possible away from the type at as nearly an isochronous position as possible.Schemes for dividing Precambrian time on the basis of clustering of radiometric age dates, or arbitrarily by equal time intervals in hundreds of millions of years, are commendable and may be very useful for current mapping, for indicating general age relationships, or for other purposes; but there are cautions to be considered, and such schemes should not be allowed to replace or impede efforts at classification procedures tied more closely to the rocks themselves.Regional or worldwide classification of the Precambrian should desirably rest on a firm foundation of local chronostratigraphy, starting preferably in areas where thick, relatively continuous, relatively undeformed, and relatively unmetamorphosed sequences of Precambrian strata are present.The Precambrian—Cambrian boundary should not be defined by such generalizations as “at the lowest occurrence of organized fossils” or “at the base of shelly fossils” which give boundaries that are continuously subject to change and obviously will vary in age from place to place. Rather, the definition should refer to a boundary-stratotype, which desirably may coincide in the type area with these or any other criteria that will help in the correlation of the boundary as an isochronous horizon worldwide, but will still preserve for it a stable standard.The term “Archeozoic”, although not replacing the much more widely used “Precambrian”, still may be revived usefully as a term significant of the stage of life development, paralleling Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic, and including all strata older than Cambrian, since we cannot now deny the possible existence of life as far back in time as the age of the oldest known rocks.     

A New Progress of the Proterozoic Chronostratigraphical Division

The Precambrian, an informal chronostratigraphical unit, represents the period of Earth history from the start of the Cambrian at ca. 541 Ma back to the formation of the planet at 4567 Ma. It was originally conceptualized as a "Cryptozoic Eon" that was contrasted with the Phanerozoic Eon from the Cambrian to the Quaternary, which is now known as the Precambrian and can be subdivided into three eons, i.e., the Hadean, the Archean and the Proterozoic. The Precambrian is currently divided chronometrically into convenient boundaries, including for the establishment of the Proterozoic periods that were chosen to reflect large-scale tectonic or sedimentary features(except for the Ediacaran Period). This chronometric arrangement might represent the second progress on the study of chronostratigraphy of the Precambrian after its separation from the Phanerozoic. Upon further study of the evolutionary history of the Precambrian Earth, applying new geodynamic and geobiological knowledge and information, a revised division of Precambrian time has led to the third conceptual progress on the study of Precambrian chronostratigraphy. In the current scheme, the Proterozoic Eon began at 2500 Ma, which is the approximate time by which most granite-greenstone crust had formed, and can be subdivided into ten periods of typically 200 Ma duration grouped into three eras(except for the Ediacaran Period). Within this current scheme, the Ediacaran Period was ratified in 2004, the first period-level addition to the geologic time scale in more than a century, an important advancement in stratigraphy. There are two main problems in the current scheme of Proterozoic chronostratigraphical division:(1) the definition of the Archean–Proterozoic boundary at 2500 Ma, which does not reflect a unique time of synchronous global change in tectonic style and does not correspond with a major change in lithology;(2) the round number subdivision of the Proterozoic into several periods based on broad orogenic characteristics, which has not met with requests on the concept of modern stratigraphy, except for the Ediacaran Period. In the revised chronostratigraphic scheme for the Proterozoic, the Archean–Proterozoic boundary is placed at the major change from a reducing early Earth to a cooler, more modern Earth characterized by the supercontinent cycle, a major change that occurred at ca. 2420 Ma. Thus, a revised Proterozoic Eon(2420–542 Ma) is envisaged to extend from the Archean–Proterozoic boundary at ca. 2420 Ma to the end of the Ediacaran Period, i.e., a period marked by the progressive rise in atmospheric oxygen, supercontinent cyclicity, and the evolution of more complex(eukaryotic) life. As with the current Proterozoic Eon, a revised Proterozoic Eon based on chronostratigraphy is envisaged to consist of three eras(Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, and Neoproterozoic), but the boundary ages for these divisions differ from their current ages and their subdivisions into periods would also differ from current practice. A scheme is proposed for the chronostratigraphic division of the Proterozoic, based principally on geodynamic and geobiological events and their expressions in the stratigraphic record. Importantly, this revision of the Proterozoic time scale will be of significant benefit to the community as a whole and will help to drive new research that will unveil new information about the history of our planet, since the Proterozoic is a significant connecting link between the preceding Precambrian and the following Phanerozoic.     

A sheeted dyke complex within the Coolac Ophiolite,southeastern New South Wales

A unit composed of sheeted dykes and an associated unit of sodic felsic rocks have been found within the Coolac Ophiolite, about 5 km east of Coolac township, southeastern N.S.W. The dyke complex consists of small multiple dykes intruding gabbro screens. About half the dykes are basaltic in composition and half are ande‐sitic. Felsic differentiates occur as minor intrusions within the dyke complex, and also constitute the sodic felsic unit. It is suggested that the dyke complex and associated felsic rocks be included in the Honeysuckle Beds, and that the absence of a mappable dyke unit further south within the Honeysuckle Beds is caused by tectonic dismembering of the ophiolite. The dyke complex bears considerable resemblance to the sheeted dyke members of other ophiolite sequences. However, the scale of development is roughly 10 times smaller than at Troodos or Newfoundland, and one‐way chilling is not well developed. The mechanism of intrusion in the Coolac dyke complex therefore is probably not symmetrical spreading about a well defined axis, but a diffuse injection of small multiple dykes within a relatively broad extensional zone. The environment in which such a mechanism might develop, and which is suggested by geochemical evidence, including the high proportion of intermediate and felsic rocks, is that of a small basin adjacent to or within an island‐arc system.     

Petrochemistry of the claret creek ring complex,northeast Queensland

The Claret Creek Ring Complex is one of several calc‐alkaline ring complexes in a Carboniferous epizonal batholith emplaced into continental crust at the junction of the Precambrian Georgetown Inlier and the adjacent Palaeozoic Tasman Geo‐syncline, northeast Queensland. Rhyolite ash‐flow sheets plus rhyolite and dacite ring dykes are intruded by two comagmatic central stocks of microgranite and grano‐diorite‐tonalite. The complex may be chemically distinguished from the surrounding, contemporaneous batholith by its low K/Na, Rb/Sr and Th/K ratios. The origin and variation of its magmas is explained by invoking progressive partial melting of low K/Na basaltic andesites. Close relatives to the magma source‐rock are preserved as microdiorite xenoliths, which have contaminated their host granodiorite‐tonalite stock.     

华北中部造山带南缘华山地区太华变质杂岩中锆石U-Pb定年

华山太华变质杂岩出露于华北克拉通中部造山带最南缘,区内斜长角闪片麻岩呈"透镜状"或"似层状"产出于黑云斜长片麻岩或TTG片麻岩中。大多数含有石榴子石变斑晶的变质岩中,保留了至少3期变形形迹和3个阶段的变质矿物组合。本文对斜长角闪片麻岩和黑云斜长片麻岩中的锆石,进行了SIMS和LA-ICP-MSU-Pb定年。斜长角闪片麻岩的岩浆锆石年龄为2.29Ga,表明其原岩形成于古元古代。斜长角闪片麻岩、黑云斜长片麻岩中的变质锆石及锆石变质增生边年龄为1.94～1.82Ga,表明华山地区比华北克拉通中部造山带中段及北段其他地区普遍记录的约1.85Ga的变质事件,不仅早了约0.1Ga,且变质事件持续达0.1Ga之久。这说明华北中部造山带前寒武纪期间的构造-变质事件是一个比较漫长的复杂过程。     

The Redan Geophysical Zone: Part of the Willyama Supergroup? Broken Hill,Australia

The Redan Geophysical Zone forms a regional magnetic high in contrast to the regional magnetic low defined by the main part of the Broken Hill Block. The magnetic rocks are interpreted to dip below the remainder of the Broken Hill Block and there has been speculation that they are significantly older than the Early Proterozoic Willyama Supergroup.

Evaluation of lithological mapping and aeromagnetic data permitted interpretation of a stratigraphic sequence within the Redan Geophysical Zone, consisting of three new formations: the Redan Gneiss, Ednas Gneiss and Mulculca Formation, plus the Lady Brassey Formation, part of the Thackaringa Group. The rocks are considered to belong to the lower part of the Willyama Supergroup and are not an older basement.

Although the Redan Geophysical Zone contains some rock types not found elsewhere in the Broken Hill Block, there are some lithological similarities with the lower part of the Willyama Supergroup: an abundance of albite‐rich rocks, the presence of quartz‐magnetite rocks with Cu and trace Co, and abundant amphibolite/ basic granulite in the Lady Brassey Formation.

The boundary between the Redan Geophysical Zone and the remainder of the Broken Hill Block appears to be conformable, with no evidence of major faulting. Similarly no evidence of unconformities or major displacement of stratigraphic boundaries has been found within the Redan Geophysical Zone. Structural history, fold style and orientation, and metamorphic grade within the Redan Geophysical Zone are similar to adjacent areas of the Broken Hill Block.

It is concluded that the Broken Hill Block contains no outcropping equivalent of the first cycle of sedimentary/ igneous rocks recognized in the Early Proterozoic of northern Australia.

Albite‐quartz‐hornblende‐magnetite rocks unique to the Redan Geophysical Zone most likely comprised detritus derived directly from an intermediate volcanic suite. Some were altered considerably, while other rocks retained the dacite/andesite composition, except for the addition of Na, an increase in the oxidation state, and partial leaching of some of the more mobile elements. These modifications could have taken place in shallow alkaline evaporitic lakes.

The Redan Geophysical Zone contains some of the elements of a foreland basin adjacent to a continental volcanic arc: a thick stratigraphic sequence, oxidizing evaporitic conditions, and intermediate volcanic detritus. The change from intermediate‐acid volcanism in the earliest formations, to bimodal acid/basic volcanism in the Thackaringa and Broken Hill Groups could correspond with a change from initial continental arc volcanism into bimodal rift volcanism. The case for the arc volcanism is weakened, however, by the relative scarcity of rocks with andesitic compositions and the lack of basaltic andesite compositions. The alternative is that the intermediate to acid volcanism represents only a variation on the later bimodal rift volcanism.     

Frasnian–Famennian crisis in the Malaguide Complex (Betic Cordillera,Spain)

Devonian sediments of the Malaguide Complex potentially could include the Frasnian–Famennian boundary, one of the five greatest Phanerozoic biotic crises. Conodont biofacies and microfacies of carbonate clasts from a pebbly mudstone underlying Tournaisian radiolarites allows identification, for the first time in the Malaguide Complex, of Devonian shallow marine environments laterally grading to deeper realms. The clasts yielded Frasnian conodont associations of the falsiovalis to rhenana biozones, with six biofacies that reveal different environmental conditions in their source areas. Source sediments were dismantled and redeposited within the pebbly mudstone, whose origin is tentatively related to one of the events that are associated worldwide with the Frasnian–Famennian crisis. The latter is recorded, in two equivalent Malaguide pelagic successions, by stratigraphic discontinuities, and it was, probably, tectonically and/or eustatically controlled, as in other Alpine‐Mediterranean Paleotethyan margins.