Tethyan evolution of Turkey: A plate tectonic approach

The Tethyan evolution of Turkey may be divided into two main phases, namely a Palaeo-Tethyan and a Neo-Tethyan, although they partly overlap in time. The Palaeo-Tethyan evolution was governed by the main south-dipping (present geographic orientation) subduction zone of Palaeo-Tethys beneath northern Turkey during the Permo-Liassic interval. During the Permian the entire present area of Turkey constituted a part of the northern margin of Gondwana-Land. A marginal basin opened above the subduction zone and disrupted this margin during the early Triassic. In this paper it is called the Karakaya marginal sea, which was already closed by earliest Jurassic times because early Jurassic sediments unconformably overlie its deformed lithologies. The present eastern Mediterranean and its easterly continuation into the Bitlis and Zagros oceans began opening mainly during the Carnian—Norian interval. This opening marked the birth of Neo-Tethys behind the Cimmerian continent which, at that time, started to separate from northern Gondwana-Land. During the early Jurassic the Cimmerian continent internally disintegrated behind the Palaeo-Tethyan arc constituting its northern margin and gave birth to the northern branch of Neo-Tethys. The northern branch of Neo-Tethys included the Intra-Pontide, Izmir—Ankara, and the Inner Tauride oceans. With the closure of Palaeo-Tethys during the medial Jurassic only two oceanic areas were left in Turkey: the multi-armed northern and the relatively simpler southern branches of Neo-Tethys. The northern branch separated the Anatolide—Tauride platform with its long appendage, the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment from Eurasia, whereas the southern one separated them from the main body of Gondwana-Land. The Intra-Pontide and the Izmir—Ankara oceans isolated a small Sakarya continent within the northern branch, which may represent an easterly continuation of the Paikon Ridge of the Vardar Zone in Macedonia. The Anatolide-Tauride platform itself constituted the easterly continuation of the Apulian platform that had remained attached to Africa through Sicily. The Neo-Tethyan oceans reached their maximum size during the early Cretaceous in Turkey and their contraction began during the early late Cretaceous. Both oceans were eliminated mainly by north-dipping subduction, beneath the Eurasian, Sakaryan, and the Anatolide- Tauride margins. Subduction beneath the Eurasian margin formed a marginal basin, the present Black Sea and its westerly prolongation into the Srednogorie province of the Balkanides, during the medial to late Cretaceous. This resulted in the isolation of a Rhodope—Pontide fragment (essentially an island arc) south of the southern margin of Eurasia. Late Cretaceous is also a time of widespread ophiolite obduction in Turkey, when the Bozkir ophiolite nappe was obducted onto the northern margin of the Anatolide—Tauride platform. Two other ophiolite nappes were emplaced onto the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment and onto the northern margin of the Arabian platform respectively. This last event occurred as a result of the collision of the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment with Arabia. Shortly after this collision during the Campanian—Maastrichtian, a subduction zone began consuming the floor of the Inner Tauride ocean just to the north of the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment producing the arc lithologies of the Yüksekova complex. During the Maastrichtian—Middle Eocene interval a marginal basin complex, the Maden and the Çüngüş basins began opening above this subduction zone, disrupting the ophiolite-laden Bitlis—Pötürge fragment. The Anatolide-Tauride platform collided with the Pontide arc system (Rhodope—Pontide fragment plus the Sakarya continent that collided with the former during the latest Cretaceous along the Intra Pontide suture) during the early to late Eocene interval. This collision resulted in the large-scale south-vergent internal imbrication of the platform that produced the far travelled nappe systems of the Taurides, and buried beneath these, the metamorphic axis of Anatolia, the Anatolides. The Maden basin closed during the early late Eocene by north-dipping subduction, synthetic to the Inner-Tauride subduction zone that had switched from south-dipping subduction beneath the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment to north dipping subduction beneath the Anatolide—Tauride platform during the later Palaeocene. Finally, the terminal collision of Arabia with Eurasia in eastern Turkey eliminated the Çüngüş basin as well and created the present tectonic regime of Turkey by pushing a considerable piece of it eastwards along the two newly-generated transform faults, namely those of North and East Anatolia. Much of the present eastern Anatolia is underlain by an extensive mélange prism that accumulated during the late Cretaceous—late Eocene interval north and east of the Bitlis—Pötürge fragment.     

A magnetite-rich Cyprus-type VMS deposit in Ortaklar: A unique VMS style in the Tethyan metallogenic belt,Gaziantep, Turkey

The Ortaklar VMS deposit is hosted in the Koçali Complex consisting of basalts and deep sea pelagic sediments, which formed by rifting and continental break-up of the southern Neotethyan in Late Triassic. The basalts are of NMORB-type without notable crustal contamination. From the surface to depth, the Ortaklar deposit consists of a gossan zone, a thick massive ore zone and a poorly developed stockwork zone. Primary mineralisation is characterised by distinctive facies including sulphide breccias (proximal), graded beds (distal), stockworks and chimney fragments. Ore mineral abundances decrease in the order of pyrite, magnetite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. Two distinct phases of mineralisation, massive magnetite and massive sulphide, are present in the Ortaklar deposit. Textural evidence (e.g., magnetite replacing sulphides) and the spatial relationships with the host rocks indicate that magnetite and sulphide minerals were generated in different stages. The transition from sulphide to magnetite mineralisation is interpreted to relate to variation in H₂S content of ore fluids. The 1st stage massive sulphide ore might have formed by early hydrothermal fluids rich in Fe and H₂S. The 2nd stage massive magnetite might have formed by later neutral hydrothermal fluids rich in Fe but poor in H₂S, replacing the pre-existing sulphide ore.The alteration patterns, mineral paragenesis, lithological features (massive ore-stockwork ore-gossan) of the Ortaklar deposit together with its trace elements, Cu-Pb-Zn-Au-Ag and REE signatures are all consistent with a Cyprus-type VMS system. The δ³⁴S values in pyrite and chalcopyrite samples range from 2.6 to 5.7‰, indicating that the hydrothermal fluids were associated with sub-seafloor igneous activity, typical of Cyprus-type VMS deposits. However, magnetite formed later than sulphide minerals in the Ortaklar deposit, contrasting with typical Cyprus-type VMS deposits where magnetite generally occurs in lower sections. Consequently, although the Ortaklar deposit generally conforms to Cyprus-type deposits, it is distinguished from them by its late stage and high magnetite concentration. Thus, the Ortaklar deposit is thought to be an exceptional and perhaps unique Cyprus-type VMS deposit.     

Geological Features of the Eastern Sector of the Bangong Co-Nujiang River Suture Zone: Tethyan Evolution

According to an analysis of the geological features in the eastern sector of the Bangong Co-Nujiang River suture zone, the Tethyan evolution can be divided into three stages. (1) The Embryo-Tethyan stage (Pz1): An immature volcanic arc developed in Taniantaweng (Tanen Taunggyi) Range, indicating the existence of an Embryo-Tethyan ocean. (2) The Palaeo-Tethyan stage (C-T2): During the Carboniferous the northern side of the Taniantaweng Range was the main domain of the Pa-laeo-Tethyan ocean, in which developed flysch sediments intercalated with bimodal volcanic rocks and oceanic tholeiite, and Pemian-Early Triassic arc granites were superimposed on the Taniantaweng magmatic arc; on the southern side the Dengqen-Nujiang zone started secondary extension during the Carboniferous, in which the Nujiang ophiolite developed, and the Palaeo-Tethyan ocean closed before the Middle Triassic. (3) The Neo-Tethyan stage (T3-E): During the Late Triassic the Dengqen zone developed into a relatively matural ocean basin, i     

Reactivated Tibetan block in a Tethyan context

The Tibetan block originated during the late Palaeozoic-early Mesozoic by separation from Gondwanic India and the opening of Neo-Tethys. The event, which was responsible for reactivating the Tibetan basement, closed Palaeo-Tethys, lying to the north of it, and created the Kun Lun fold system as a consequence of the collision of the north-moving Tibetan block with the Tarim—Tsaidam block.During the late Cretaceous, South Tibet developed into an Andean-type foldbelt (Nyenchen Thangla) by subduction of Neo-Tethyan lithosphere beneath Tibet which had begun in the late Triassic. Mesozoic sedimentary sequences in Tibet are the response to an extensional regime behind an active margin. A Neo-Tethys island arc system at this margin was crushed during the early Eocene with the development of the Transhimalayan ophiolite and plutonic belts. Final collision during mid-Eocene times between the Himalayan microcontinent, a fragment of India and reworked Tibet in the Mid-Eocene produced the Indus—Tsangpo suture zone. A large part of the microcontinent, with an unconsumed segment of Neo-Tethys oceanic crust attached to it, presumably underthrust Tibet prior to the Himalayan orogeny. This feature is responsible for the double thickness of Tibetan crust and its young volcanism.     

桥梁工程中桩基穿越小煤窑采空区的处理

通过对桩基工程穿越小煤窑采空区处理方案的分析与介绍,说明在不同的水文地质条件及工程地质条件下,均应选择不同的处理方案,并通过具体工程的实施,说明该方案切实可行。     

Geochemical make-up of oceanic peridotites from NW Turkey and the multi-stage melting history of the Tethyan upper mantle

We present the whole-rock and the mineral chemical data for upper mantle peridotites from the Harmanc?k region in NW Turkey and discuss their petrogenetic–tectonic origin. These peridotites are part of a Tethyan ophiolite belt occurring along the ?zmir-Ankara-Ercincan suture zone in northern Turkey, and include depleted lherzolites and refractory harzburgites. The Al₂O₃ contents in orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene from the depleted lherzolite are high, and the Cr-number in the coexisting spinel is low falling within the abyssal field. However, the orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene in the harzburgites have lower Al₂O₃ contents for a given Cr-number of spinel, and plot within the lower end of the abyssal field. The whole-rock geochemical and the mineral chemistry data imply that the Harmanc?k peridotites formed by different degrees of partial melting (~%10–27) of the mantle. The depleted lherzolite samples have higher MREE and HREE abundances than the harzburgitic peridotites, showing convex-downward patterns. These peridotites represent up to ~16 % melting residue that formed during the initial seafloor spreading stage of the Northern Neotethys. On the other hand, the more refractory harzburgites represent residues after ~4–11 % hydrous partial melting of the previously depleted MOR mantle, which was metasomatized by slab-derived fluids during the early stages of subduction. The Harmanc?k peridotites, hence, represent the fragments of upper mantle rocks that formed during different stages of the tectonic evolution of the Tethyan oceanic lithosphere in Northern Neotethys. We infer that the multi-stage melting history of the Harmanc?k peridotites reflect the geochemically heterogeneous character of the Tethyan oceanic lithosphere currently exposed along the ?zmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone.     

Geochemistry and geochronology of meta-igneous rocks from the Tokat Massif, north-central Turkey: implications for Tethyan reconstructions

Located in the eastern Pontides of the Sakarya Zone in north-central Turkey, the Tokat Massif records the closure of both the Paleo-Tethyan (Karakaya Complex) and Neo-Tethyan ocean basins. Meta-igneous samples collected from the region were studied to determine their sources and ages. We find significant geochemical differences between metagabbros of the Karakaya and Neo-Tethyan units in terms of their trace elements: Neo-Tethyan rocks are consistent with generation in an island arc setting, whereas Karakaya assemblages were likely generated in an oceanic spreading-center environment. Karakaya metagabbros also contain glaucophane, consistent with subduction subsequent to formation. Small (2–50 μm) zircon and baddeleyite grains from four Karakaya metagabbros were dated in thin section using an ion microprobe. The results demonstrate the reliability of the method to directly constrain the tectonomagmatic history of these types of assemblages. The rocks yield Late Permian/Early Triassic ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb crystallization ages of 258 ± 14 Ma (±1σ, zircon) and 254 ± 8 Ma (±1σ, baddeleyite) and an Early Cretaceous minimum metamorphic age of 137 ± 8 Ma (±1σ, zircon). Some zircon grains and baddeleyite grains with zircon overgrowths yield Early to Middle Jurassic ages. Here we present a model in which metamorphism and deformation in this region occurred during northward subduction and closure of a Paleo-Tethyan ocean basin and accretion of the Karakaya units to the Laurasian continental margin. This was followed by the onset of closure of the Neo-Tethys during the Campanian-Paleocene and accretion of island arc units to the Tokat region.     

A New Discovery of the Cretaceous/Tertiary Boundary from the Tethyan Belt,Hekimhan Basin,Turkey: Mineralogical and Geochemical Evidence

A Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary location within the Tethyan region (present Mediterranean area) has been discovered in the Hekimhan basin, Malatya, Turkey. The K/T transition in a 1.65-m-thick marine evaporitic facies (gypsum and celestite) consists of laminated carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomitic limestone, dolomite) and marl in the upper part, and laminated limestone and marl in the lower part. The K/T boundary is marked by a 6-mm-thick clay layer that is entirely greenish pink in color. The stratum is characterized by a decrease in calcite content, and by an increase in the proportion of smectites and K-feldspar. Palygorskite and rarely serpentine are associated with smectite. A minimum in CaO + MgO content exists at the K/T boundary. The amounts of some transition metals, miscellaneous, low- and high-field-strength, platinum-group, and rare-earth elements reveal a substantial anomaly at the K/T boundary that supports both terrestrial (volcanic) and extraterrestrial (bolide) hypotheses.     

Monsoon as a cause of radiolarite in the Tethyan realm

The radiolaritic facies (red/green cherts with radiolarians) is a very characteristic feature of the Tethyan realm. For a long time, its presence has been interpreted as a consequence of depth of an oceanic environment. It is now preferable to consider it as high productivity sediment. We here underline the interpretation inferring the role of monsoons for such productivity according to the relative position of lands at that time.     

Geochemistry of post-collisional mafic lavas from the North Anatolian Fault zone, Northwestern Turkey

Extensive magmatic activity developed at the northwestern part of the Anatolian block and produced basaltic lavas that are situated along and between the two segments of the North Anatolian Fault zone. This region is a composite tectonic unit formed by collision of continental fragments after consumption of Neotethyan ocean floor during the late Cretaceous. Northwestern Anatolian basalts and evolved lavas exhibit both tholeiitic and calc-alkaline characteristics. Mafic lavas are moderately enriched in LILE (except depleted part of Yuvacık and İznik samples) and depleted in HFSE (but not Zr, Hf) relative to primitive mantle values, suggesting derivation from a MORB-like mantle source that is unexpected in this subduction environment. Sr and Nd isotopes are close to the mantle array and vary beyond analytical error (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr 0.70404–0.70546, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd 0.51270–0.51289). These geochemical features may result from two possible processes: (1) melting of a MORB-like mantle source that was modified by subduction-released fluids and melts or (2) modification of mafic liquids derived from a dominantly MORB-like source by crustal or lithospheric mantle material. Geochemical characteristics of the lavas (e.g., Ba/Rb, Rb/Sr, Ba/Zr, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, Sr/P) vary systematically along the fault zone from east to west, consistent with a decrease in the degree of melting from east to west or a change in the nature of the source composition itself. Thus, the difference in incompatible elements and Sr–Nd isotopic ratios seems to result from small-scale mantle heterogeneity in a post-collisional tectonic environment.     

Tethyan Crinoids in the Panthalassa Ocean

Three late Anisian (Etalian) and five late Ladinian (Kaihikuan) crinoids are known to occur in a sequence exposed at Caroline Cutting, Oreti Valley, Southland, New Zealand - ‘Isocrinus’ carolinensis, ‘Isocrinus’ balrnacaanensis, Dadocrinus gractlis (late Anisian - Etalian), Holocrinus trechmanni, Encriniis undatus, Encrinus ternio, Holocrinus quinqueradiatus, Tollmannicrinus sakltbelensts (Late Ladinian - Kaihikuan). Crinoids D. gracilts, E. ternto, H. quinqueradiatus, and T. saklibelensis are known to occur elsewhere, albeit in the Northern Hemisphere. These species are also known from intermediate migratory points on a Tethys Ocean route between New Zcaland and Europe. ‘Isocrinus’ occurs at Caroline Cutting about thc time when it has been proposed that thc Isocrinidae radiated from the Holocrinidae. It is suggested that the offshore Gondwanaland environment of Caroline Cutting was the locus of some of the earliest Isocrinidae known in the Southern hemisphere. This biogeographic situation suggests an ongoing interchange of migratory crinoid faunas from Northern Hemisphere basinal peri-Tethys, along a Tethys Ocean route, to an offshore Gondwanaland Middle Triassic point now called Caroline Cutting.     

Geochemistry of subalkaline and alkaline extrusives from the Kermanshah ophiolite,Zagros Suture Zone,Western Iran: implications for Tethyan plate tectonics

The Kermanshah ophiolite is a highly dismembered ophiolite complex that is located in western Iran and belongs to the Zagros orogenic system. The igneous rocks of this complex consist of both mantle and crustal suites and include peridotites (dunite and harzburgite), cumulate gabbros, diorites, and a volcanic sequence that exhibits a wide range in composition from subalkaline basalts to alkaline basalts to trachytes. The associated sedimentary rocks include a variety of Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous deep- and shallow-water sedimentary rocks (e.g., dolomite, limestone, and pelagic sediments, including umber). Also present are extensive units of radiolarian chert. The geochemical data clearly identifies some of the volcanic rocks to have formed from two distinct types of basaltic melts: (i) those of the subalkaline suite, which formed from an initial melt with a light rare earth elements (LREE) enriched signature and incompatible trace element patterns that suggest an island arc affinity; and (ii) those of the alkaline suite with LREE-enriched signature and incompatible trace element patterns that are virtually identical to typical oceanic island basalt (OIB) pattern. The data also suggests that the trachytes were derived from the alkaline source, with fractionation controlled by extensive removal of plagioclase and to a lesser extent clinopyroxene. The presence of compositionally diverse volcanics together with the occurrence of a variety of Triassic–Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and radiolarian chert indicate that the studied volcanic rocks from the Kermanshah ophiolite represent off-axis volcanic units that were formed in intraplate oceanic island and island arc environments in an oceanic basin. They were located on the eastern and northern flanks of one of the spreading centers of a ridge-transform fault system that connected Troodos to Oman prior to its subduction under the Eurasian plate.     

特提斯成矿域主要金属矿床类型与成矿过程

作为全球三大巨型成矿域之一的特提斯成矿域目前尚缺少系统的研究和总结。特提斯构造带是欧亚大陆南部一条全球性纬向展布的构造带,夹持于东欧、哈萨克、塔里木、华北、扬子、印度支那地块和印度、阿拉伯、非洲板块之间,由若干个小陆块,如Anatolides、外高加索、Alborz、伊朗中部、鲁特、阿富汗、帕米尔、南羌塘、北羌塘、拉萨、保山、中缅马苏、西缅甸等,及陆块中间的造山带组成,是在晚古生代到新生代期间,古、新特提斯洋扩张与闭合过程中,历经两次大规模的板块俯冲、碰撞形成的。这一过程可主要概括为冈瓦纳大陆的裂解以及欧亚大陆的增生,其中欧亚主动大陆边缘和冈瓦纳被动大陆边缘起了主要的控制作用。特提斯成矿域复杂的地质演化过程注定了其成矿具多金属、多类型的特征,漫长的空间展布决定了其金属堆积的连续成带性,其中的一些重要成矿带全球著名。文章在特提斯成矿域中识别出了6种主要的成矿作用,分别形成斑岩型Cu-Mo-Au、与岩浆热液有关的Sn-W、岩浆型铬铁矿、VMS型Cu-Pb-Zn、浅成低温热液型Au-Hg-Sb及与沉积岩有关的Pb-Zn等矿床。这些矿床都是在洋盆扩张、洋陆俯冲、大陆碰撞等地球动力学背景中形成的。与环太平洋、古亚洲等增...     

川西北杨坝剖面埃迪卡拉系灯影组核形石组构特征

埃迪卡拉系灯影组核形石研究对揭示该期古环境特征及演化具有重要意义。在杨坝剖面埃迪卡拉系灯影组2段核形石发育段的宏观及微观描述（564块薄片）的基础上,分析了核形石组构、类型及垂向分布。该剖面核形石发育段共分为上、下两个亚段,厚度分别为109.53 m、126.2 m,核形石累积厚度分别为22.6 m、49.5 m。核形石核心及壳层的成分、组构、形态多样;核形石类型包括不规则状核形石、椭圆状核形石、次圆状—圆状核形石、帽状核形石等4种,每种类型的粒径、形态、层位分布、形成环境不同;粒度在垂向上表现为10个反旋回。整体上核形石发育不够完善,以薄皮核形石、弥散粒为主,代表着核形石发育的最初阶段。不规则状、次圆状、帽状核形石形成于弱搅动的浅水低能环境,包括潮下低能带、潮间带等;椭球状、圆状核形石形成于连续搅动的潮下高能带。核形石粒度差异大、形态多样、垂向多旋回变化的特征反映了埃迪卡拉纪灯影期海水受限、水体相对深浅及能量频繁动荡,同时受一定物源影响的特征。     

The effects of the North Anatolian Fault on the geomorphology in the Eastern Marmara Region,Northwestern Turkey

North-western Anatolia has been actively deformed since Pliocene by the right-lateral North Anatolian Fault (NAF). This transform fault, which has a transtensional character in its western end due to effects from the Aegean extensional system, is a major control on the regional geomorphologic evolution. This study applied some geomorphic analyses, such as stream longitudinal profiles, stream length-gradient index, ratio of valley floor width and valley height, mountain front sinuosity, hypsometry and asymmetry factor analyses, to an area just east of the Sea of Marmara in order to understand the tectonic effects on the area’s geomorphological evolution. The active and fastest northern branch of the NAF lies within a topographic depression connecting Sea of Marmara in the east to the Adapazar? Basin in the west. This depression filled with early Pleistocene and younger sediment after a series of pull-apart basins opened along the NAF. North of this depression lies the Kocaeli Peneplain, whose southern edge the NAF uplifted. Meandering streams on the central peneplain were incised possibly due to baselevel changes in the Black Sea. South of the depression, an E-trending mountainous area has a rugged morphology. Based on geomorphic analyses, uplifted Pliocene sediment, marine terraces, and recent earthquake activity, this area between northern and southern branches of the NAF is actively uplifting. The geomorphic indices used in this study are sensitive to vertical movements rather than lateral ones. The bedrock lithology that played an important role on the area’s geomorphologic evolution also affects the geomorphic indices used here.     

A Review of Tectonics and Metallogeny of the Tethyan Orogen

Please refer to the attachment(s) for more details.     

贵州扁平紫松晚期-罗甸期的相对海平面变化特征

根据贵州紫云扁平剖面沉积记录，分析了该区在二叠纪早期的相对海平面变化特征。研究表明，扁平地区在早二叠世紫松晚期－罗甸期存在6次连续的三级旋回海平面升降过程，其中，海平面上升速率最快的是第3次旋回；水体深度最大的是第4次旋回；海平面上升幅度最大的是第5次旋回。该时期的Ting类生物事件可能与这些特征有关。