Late Cenozoic volcanic activity in western Georgia: Evidence from new isotope geochronological data

The products of volcanic activity from the Kutaisi area and Guria (western Georgia) were studied in terms of isotope geochronology to determine the age of rocks and to confirm their attribution to Cenozoic formations. The results obtained show that the erupted rocks in the Kutaisi area were formed during the three pulses of Mesozoic volcanic activity: the Bajocian, Kimmeridgian-Tithonian, and Turonian-Santonian. It was shown that no displays of Late Cenozoic volcanism occurred in this region of the western Georgia. Because of this, its inclusion into the Central Georgian neovolcanic province, earlier supposed, seems to be improper. By the data of isotope geochronology, Guria is the only region of western Georgia where volcanic activity occurred in post-Paleogene period. Two pulses of young volcanism were revealed: of about 15.5 and 9–7.5 My. The former was related to the introduction of syenite intrusion, and the latter, to subaqueous exudation of subalkaline Neogene lavas. All the outcrops of Neogene rocks we found and dated in Guria fit within the well-pronounced sublatitudinal linear band which probably represents the occurrence in the Middle Miocene of a local zone of extension appearing under conditions of total compression during the collision of the Eurasian and Arabian lithospheric plates.

     

The Saxonian Granulite Massif: new aspects from geochronological studies

Geochronological and geochemical analyses were carried out to determine the age of protolith formation and the timing of eclogite and granulite metamorphism of the Saxonian Granulite Massif (SGM). The age of the ultramafic protoliths of the garnet pyroxenites from the rim of the SGM has been determined to be Late Riphean (828 Ma), which together with geochemical and isotope data implies the extraction of the melt from an enriched mantle reservoir with an initial -Nd value of + 3.4. The minimum emplacement age of the mafic to felsic granulites has been dated at 470 Ma. The source material of these granulites reflects an enriched mantle reservoir with an -Nd value of + 2.6 (470 Ma).Based on U/Pb zircon and Sm/Nd analyses (garnet kyanite, apatite, clinopyroxene, whole rock) the granulite metamorphism of the SGM probably occurred at 340 Ma. The time of the eclogite metamorphism for a garnet pyroxenite has been detected at 380 Ma using the Sm/Nd method on minerals (garnet — clinopyroxene—zircon) and whole rock.Geochemical and isotope data clearly indicate a MORB- as well as an IAT-type source for the mafic granulites. During the time of the eclogite and granulite formation the oceanic basin closed in a subduction zone tectonic setting. A terrane or microcontinent model is consistent with these data and further explains the Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian high pressure events detected all over the European Hercynides. In this model, Gondwana derived microcontinents successively collided from the Early Ordovician onwards, causing subduction zone related high pressure metamorphism during closure of oceanic basins.     

西天山大哈拉军山组火山岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其构造意义

新疆早石炭世大哈拉军山组火山岩由西向东表现出由早到晚的演化规律。伊宁县博尔博松河孟玛热勒林场附近大哈拉军山组底部的英安质晶屑岩屑凝灰岩的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为359±2Ma,表明西天山西段该组底界时代为晚泥盆世末期—早石炭世之间。岩石地球化学数据统计表明,大哈拉军山组火山岩主要受岩浆结晶分异作用控制,是泥盆纪末期—石炭纪时期洋壳消减、壳幔混熔的产物。其岩石组成、时空分布的变化与天山洋由西向东的俯冲―碰撞过程相对应,不需要对其进行解体。     

The East European Platform in the late Ediacaran: new paleomagnetic and geochronological data

The paleogeography of the Earth, including the East European Platform, is very inaccurately defined for the interval 500–700 Ma. The quantity and quality of Late Precambrian–Cambrian paleomagnetic data on this platform are absolutely insufficient for reliable paleogeographical or paleotectonic reconstructions. Since there are almost no unstudied objects in the platform that could be used for paleomagnetic studies, it seems reasonable to consider the deformed platform margins. Of particular interest is the Bashkir anticlinorium (South Urals) with numerous Ediacaran sedimentary sections, some of which contain tuff beds suitable for isotope dating. We present paleomagnetic and geochronological data on the Upper Ediacaran Zigan Formation, sampled in the western part of the western limb of the Bashkir anticlinorium. The East European Platform must have been at near-equatorial latitudes at ～550 Ma.     

鞍山地区3．8Ga变质石英闪长岩遭受3．0Ga构造热事件叠加——来自磷灰石SHRIMPU-Th-Pb定年证据

本文报道了鞍山地区3.8Ga(锆石SHRIMP年龄)变质石英闪长岩中磷灰石SHRIMP U-Th-Pb定年结果。32个数据点207Pb/206Pb加权平均年龄为3007±22Ma,被解释为磷灰石的重结晶年龄。这一结果与该区存在约3.0Ga强烈岩浆构造热事件相吻合。虽然该区3.0Ga以后发生了一系列重要的陆壳增生和构造热事件,但磷灰石样品未获得任何年轻于3.0Ga年龄。磷灰石的重结晶温度为400～500℃之间。由此推论,鞍山地区的3.8Ga古老岩石自3.0Ga以后一直处于上部地壳,再没有到过15km以下的地壳深部。     

甘肃礼县中川地区金矿成岩和成矿年龄的SHRIMP厘定

甘肃省礼县中川地区属于礼（县）岷（县）金矿带的东段,成矿作用与中川花岗杂岩体有密切的关系。运用高分辨率和高灵敏度离子探针（SHRIMP）测试技术,获得了中川花岗杂岩体形成的精确年龄,主侵入时代为210～160 Ma（可信度95%,MSWD=1.4）,该花岗岩体属于燕山早期—印支期造山运动的产物;3颗锆石（4个测点）的SHRIMP测试结果表明,中川地区金成矿的年龄为197～162 Ma,证实礼县中川地区金成矿于中川花岗岩体形成及稍后的时间段。年龄测试和地质剖面测量资料都证实,中川花岗岩体南部地层应该划在中石炭统地层中。与中川花岗杂岩体地质情况类似的碌础坝、 柏家庄、 闾井、 教场坝、 温泉等岩体外接触带仍然有很大的找矿前景。     

Thermodynamic properties of glaucophane new data from calorimetric and spectroscopic measurements

New data concerning glaucophane are presented. New high temperature drop calorimetry data from 400 to 800 K are used to constrain the heat capacity at high temperature. Unpublished low temperature calorimetric data are used to estimate entropy up to 900 K. These data, corrected for composition, are fitted for C _p and S to the polynomial expressions (J · mol^?1 · K^?2) for T> 298.15 K: $$\begin{gathered} C_p = 11.4209 * 10^2 - 40.3212 * 10^2 /T^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} - 41.00068 * 10^6 /T^2 \hfill \\ + 52.1113 * 10^8 /T^3 \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ $$\begin{gathered} S = 539 + 11.4209 * 10^2 * \left( {\ln T - \ln 298.15} \right) - 80.6424 * 10^2 \hfill \\ * \left( {T^{ - {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} - 1/\left( {298.15} \right)^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} } \right) + 20.50034 * 10^6 \hfill \\ * \left( {T^{ - 2} - 1/\left( {298.15} \right)^2 } \right) - 17.3704 * 10^8 * \left( {T^{ - 3} - \left( {1/298.15} \right)^3 } \right) \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ IR and Raman spectra from 50 to 3600 cm^?1 obtained on glaucophane crystals close to the end member composition are also presented. These spectroscopic data are used with other data (thermal expansion, acoustic velocities etc.) in vibrational modelling. This last method provides an independent way for the determination of the thermodynamic properties (C_p and entropy). The agreement between measured and calculated properties is excellent (less than 2% difference between 100 and 1000 K). It is therefore expected that vibrational modelling could be applied to other amphiboles for which spectroscopic data are available. Finally, the enthalpy of formation of glaucophane is calculated.     

New geochronological data on volcanic rocks from northeast Sudan and their implication for crustal evolution

The basement volcano-sedimentary rocks of northeast Sudan form part of the Nubian Shield of northeast Africa. Volcanic rocks from the Kadawēb area yield Rb—Sr wholerock isochron ages of 718 and 722 Ma and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7027 and 0.7029. In the Homogar area, 150 km to the south, volcanic rocks yield a Rb—Sr whole-rock isochron age of 671 Ma and an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.7034. Although all of these lavas have been altered by a low-grade greenschist facies event, isotopic and geochemical evidence indicates limited open system behaviour. Thus these dates most probably represent extrusive ages indicating two episodes of volcanic activity during the evolution of the Nubian Shield. These results place some important constraints on the nature of crustal evolution in northeast Africa.     

The Early Palaeozoic break-up of northern Gondwana,new palaeomagnetic and geochronological data from the Saxothuringian Basin,Germany

Early Palaeozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Saxothuringian Basin (Franconian Forest, northern Bavaria) have been subjected to detailed radiometric and palaeomagnetic studies in order to determine the tectonic environment and geographic setting in which they were deposited. Two hand samples were collected from the as yet undated pyroclastic flow deposits for ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age dating. Radiometric results for these samples, obtained by the single-zircon evaporation technique, are identical within error, and the mean age of all measured grains is 478.2ǃ.8 Ma (n=11). This age is considered to be primary and firmly constrains the eruption of the ignimbrites and formation of the subaqueous pyroclastic flows as having occurred in Early Ordovician (Arenig) times. Palaeomagnetic studies were carried out on these Early Ordovician volcanic rocks, and also on the biostratigraphically dated, Late Ordovician (Ashgillian) Döbra sandstones. The volcanic rocks carry up to three directions of magnetisation. The poorly defined, low and intermediate unblocking temperature directions are thought to represent secondary overprint directions of post-Ordovician age. The high temperature component, however, identified at temperatures of up to 580 °C, is of mixed polarity and passes the fold test with 99% confidence. The overall mean direction after bedding correction is 189°/76°, !₉₅=11.6°, k=44.7 (25 samples, five sites), and is considered to be primary and Early Ordovician in origin. It yields a palaeo-south pole at 24°N and 007°E, which translates into palaeolatitudes of 63°+21.7°/-17.3° S for the Saxothuringian Terrane. Samples from the Late Ordovician Döbra sandstone are generally very weakly magnetised. A high temperature D component of magnetisation can be identified in some samples and yields a mean direction of 030°/-58°, !₉₅=18.5°, k=25.7 (15 samples, four sites) after bedding correction. The Arenig palaeomagnetic results indicate high palaeolatitudes, but separation from northern Gondwana. This is in basic agreement with data from elsewhere in the Armorican Terrane Assemblage, all of which suggest high southerly palaeolatitudes in the Early Ordovician. The geochemical signatures of these rocks indicate emplacement in an extensional environment. These new data, therefore, are interpreted as marking the onset of rifting of Saxothuringia from the north African margin of Gondwana, and the start of the relative northward migration of the Saxothuringian Terrane. Although the Late Ordovician palaeomagnetic results presented here are only poorly constrained, they suggest an intermediate palaeolatitude for Saxothuringia in Ashgillian times, in good agreement with Late Ordovician palaeomagnetic data from the Barrandian.     

The Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt: Age of its northern part according to new Ar-Ar and U-Pb geochronological data

Current geochronological data on the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt (OCVB) and relevant problems are discussed. The belt evolution is suggested to be modeled based on ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Pb dates more useful in several aspects than common K-Ar or Rb-Sr dates and methods of paleobotanical correlation. Based on new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Pb dates obtained for volcanic rocks in the OCVB northern part, the younger (Coniacian) age is established for lower stratigraphic units in the Central Chukotka segment of the belt, and the eastward migration of volcanic activity is shown for terminal stages of this structure evolution.     

Pan-African magmatism in the Menderes Massif: geochronological data from leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses in western Turkey

The Menderes Massif, exposed in western Anatolia, is a metamorphic complex cropping out in the Alpine orogenic belt. The metamorphic rock succession of the Massif is made up of a Precambrian basement and overlying Paleozoic-early Tertiary cover series. The Pan-African basement is composed of late Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks consisting of partially migmatized paragneisses and conformably overlying medium- to high-grade mica schists, intruded by orthogneisses and metagabbros. Along the southern flank of the southern submassif, we recognized well-preserved primary contact relationship between biotite and leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses and country rocks as the orthogneisses represent numerous large plutons, stocks and vein rocks intruded into a basement of garnet mica schists. Based on the radiometric data, the primary deposition age of the precursors of the country rocks, garnet mica schist, can be constrained between 600 and 550?Ma (latest Neoproterozoic). The North Africa–Arabian-Nubian Shield in the Mozambique Belt can be suggested as the possible provenance of these metaclastics. The intrusion ages of the leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses and biotite orthogneisses were dated at 550–540?Ma (latest Neoproterozoic–earliest Cambrian) by zircon U/Pb and Pb/Pb geochronology. These granitoids represent the products of the widespread Pan-African acidic magmatic activity, which can be attributed to the closure of the Mozambique Ocean during the final collision of East and West Gondwana. Detrital zircon ages at about 550?Ma in the Paleozoic muscovite-quartz schists show that these Pan-African granitoids in the basement form the source rocks of the cover series of the Menderes Massif.     

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronological evidence for Neoarchean basement in western Arnhem Land, northern Australia

The Pine Creek Orogen, located on the exposed northern periphery of the North Australian Craton, comprises a thick succession of variably metamorphosed Palaeoproterozoic siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which were extensively intruded by mafic and granitic rocks. Exposed Neoarchean basement is rare in the Pine Creek Orogen and the North Australian Craton in general. However, recent field mapping, in conjunction with new SHRIMP U–Pb zircon data for six granitic gneiss samples, have identified previously unrecognised Neoarchean crystalline crust in the Nimbuwah Domain, the eastern-most region of the Pine Creek Orogen. Four samples from the Myra Falls and Caramal Inliers, the Cobourg Peninsula, and the Kakadu region have magmatic crystallisation ages in the range 2527–2510 Ma. An additional sample, from northeast Myra Falls Inlier, yielded a magmatic crystallisation age of 2671 ± 3 Ma, the oldest exposed Archean basement yet recognised in the North Australian Craton. These results are consistent with previously determined magmatic ages for known outcropping and subcropping crystalline basement some 200 km to the west. A sixth sample yielded a magmatic crystallisation age of 2640 ± 4 Ma. The ca. 2670 Ma and ca. 2640 Ma samples have ca. 2500 Ma metamorphic zircon rims, consistent with metamorphism broadly coeval with emplacement of the volumetrically dominant ca. 2530–2510 Ma granites and granitic gneisses. Neoarchean zircon detritus, particularly in the ca. 2530–2510 Ma and ca. 2670–2640 Ma age span, are an almost ubiquitous feature of detrital zircon spectra of unconformably overlying metamorphosed Palaeoproterozoic strata of the Pine Creek Orogen, and of local post-tectonic Proterozoic sequences, consistent with this local provenance. Neoarchean zircon is also a common detrital component in Palaeoproterozoic sedimentary units across much of the North Australian Craton suggesting the existence of an extensive, if not contiguous, Neoarchean crystalline basement underlying not only a large part of the Pine Creek Orogen, but also much of the North Australian Craton.     

Precambrian microcontinents of the Ural-Mongolian Belt: New paleomagnetic and geochronological data

The knowledge on the early stages of evolution of the Ural-Mongolian Belt (UMB) (Late Neoproterozoic-Cambrian) is a key for understanding of its evolution in the Paleozoic. Unfortunately, this stage remains poorly studied. The tectonic reconstructions of the UMB for this time primarily depend on the views on the kinematics and tectonic evolution of numerous sialic massifs with Precambrian basement in the structure of the Tien Shan, Kazakhstan, Altai, and Mongolia. At present, the concept of the origin of these massifs is largely based on the lithostratigraphic similarity of the Neoproterozoic and Lower Paleozoic sections of the Tarim, South China, and Siberian platforms with coeval sections of Precambrian massifs within the UMB. New paleomagnetic and geochronological data can serve as additional sources of information on the origin and paleotectonic position of the microcontinents. In this paper, we present new isotopic datings and a new paleomagnetic determination for the Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks of the Zabhan Formation from the Baydrag microcontinent in central Mongolia. It is established that 805−770 Ma ago (U-Pb LA-MC-ICP-MS age of zircon) the Baydrag microcontinent was situated at a latitude of 47 ± 14° in the Northern or Southern hemisphere. These data provide new insights into the possible origin of the Precambrian micro-continents in the UMB. Analysis of paleomagnetic data and comparison of the age of the basement beneath various plates allow us to state rather confidently that ∼800 Ma ago the micro-continents of the UMB belonged to one of the North Rodinian plates: Indian, Tarim, or South China; their Australian origin is less probable.     

Bastnaesite: a promising U-Pb geochronological tool

Doklady Earth Sciences -     

The tectogenesis stages of the antarctic shield: Review of geochronological data

A review of numerous isotopic-geochronological studies is given. The major attention is paid to modern U-Pb zircon measurements using the SHRIMP method. The major tectogenesis stages recognized in the Antarctic shield are Archean (3800–3300, 3100–2800, and 2550–2450 Ma), Paleoproterozoic (2200–2000 and 1850–1700 Ma), Mesoproterozoic (1400–1250 and 1200–920 Ma), and Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic (600–500 Ma). Ancient Eo-and Paleoarchean processes (intrusion of tonalite gneisses protoliths, or metamorphism) took place at Enderby Land, Kemp Land, and the Prince Charles Mountains. At some localities tectonic activity ended at 1700 Ma, at other places reworking or rejuvenation occurred later. Mesoproterozoic tectogenesis was not synchronous. The completion phases of tectonic activity are known to have occurred in different places 1150, 1050, and 980–920 Ma ago. In areas of Mesoproterozoic tectogenesis, evidence of Paleoproterozoic or (rarely) Archean endogene processes is sometimes found. Most likely, this stage refers to the formation of the vast continental block. The Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic tectogenesis was practically synchronous over most of the Antarctic shield; on large areas it was characterized by metamorphism and pervasive schistosity, but in many other localities only various granitoids and pegmatites were intruded. Within all the areas of Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic tectogenesis isotopic evidence of the earlier (largely Mesoproterozoic) endogene processes are found.     

Devonian graptolites from southwestern Europe: a review with new data

Lower Devonian graptolite faunas have been recognized in the Normandy and southeastern regions of the Armorican Massif, France; the Pyrenees and Catalonian Coastal Ranges regions and northern Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain; the southern Hesperian Massif (Ossa Morena Zone) of the Iberian Peninsula; and from southeastern Sardinia, Italy. All but one the of the graptolite faunas collected throughout this large region are from Lochkovian age strata, representing the Monograptus uniformis, Monograptus praehercynicus, and Monograptus hercynicus biozones corresponding to the lower, middle and upper Lochkovian, respectively, and mostly represented by monospecific or low diversity assemblages. Although many individual sections contain representatives of two of the biozones, relatively few reveal all three. A single, poorly preserved faunule, collected in the Ossa Morena region of Spain from strata dated by brachiopods as Pragian–early Emsian may represent the only known graptoloid fauna of post-Lochkovian age. Almost all graptolites have been recovered from condensed successions of black shales and limestone nodules, similar to those of other proto-Tethyan (i.e. outer shelf, with dominantly pelagic faunas) regions such as Thuringia, Bohemia, the Carnic Alps and northwestern Africa. The two exceptions are an occurrence in a shallow-water, coarser clastic sequences at the Carteret locality in Normandy and in deep water turbidites on the island of Minorca. Graptolites are not known from any other thick, shallow water clastic sequences, although whether this is because of paleo environmental exclusion or simply lack of recovery to date is unknown. Other fossil evidence (e.g. chitinozoans), however, indicates continuous marine sedimentation from the Silurian to Devonian. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南泥湖—三道庄钼(钨)矿的成岩成矿年龄新数据及其地质意义

南泥湖—三道庄矿床是东秦岭地区最大的斑岩-矽卡岩型钼（钨）矿,研究采用LA-ICP-MS方法对南泥湖—三道庄矿区内南泥湖花岗岩体和花岗斑岩脉开展锆石U-Pb法测年,获得矿区内花岗岩成岩年龄为（145.2±1.5）^146.7±1.2Ma。采集南泥湖矿区网脉状辉钼矿化样品和三道庄矿区浸染状辉钼矿化样品开展ICP-MS法辉钼矿Re-Os同位素测年,获得10个样品的模式年龄为（143.4±2.0）^146.5±2.3Ma（加权平均年龄为145.03±0.69 Ma）,等时线年龄为（146.0±1.1）Ma。表明矿区内花岗岩与矿脉的形成年龄一致,具有密切的成因联系。另外,此次测年工作确认了前人曾提出的158 Ma左右岩浆-热事件的存在,还揭示出东秦岭地区在175 Ma左右曾经历过另外一次岩浆热事件。前人测得南泥湖岩体年龄与其真实的形成年龄相差较大,这是因为岩浆岩中的锆石来源不均一,而测试的锆石数量有限,采用测量数据的加权平均值不能真实地代表岩浆岩中全体锆石的年龄特征。