富Nb玄武岩在冀北前寒武纪地区的发现

在冀北太古代麻粒岩带与北侧的古元古代红旗营子群之间,沿古断裂带存在一系列古洋壳残片。最近发现其中广泛存在在其它地区罕见的富Nb玄武岩,Nb含量大于7×10-6,Nb/Th+Nb/La大于0.6,为古洋壳的厘定提供了新的佐证,为早前寒武纪地质构造演化研究提供了重要信息。     

古老造山带洋板块地层*

重点分析和总结了由前寒武纪增生复合体和造山带混杂岩重建的古老造山带洋板块地层,包括由英国威尔士安格尔西岛新元古代莫纳超群混杂岩重建的太平洋洋板块地层、由澳大利亚西北部皮尔巴拉早太古代克里夫维尔绿岩带重建的古印度洋洋板块地层。澳大利亚东皮尔巴拉地块大理石坝地区早太古代玄武岩-硅质岩-碎屑岩序列与日本二叠纪-三叠纪洋板块地层在岩石组成和地球化学特征方面具有高度的相似性,这一认识将为早太古代洋板块地层的沉积环境从高热流洋脊扩张区经过热点向低热流海沟陆源碎屑沉积区转变这一过程提供有力支持。从增生造山带洋板块地层保存的岩石记录看,不同年代洋板块地层的主要物质组成和岩石类型相似,因此在地球38亿年的演化进程中,洋壳扩张、海洋沉积、俯冲及增生的过程并没有显著变化;但随着时间推移,年轻造山带洋板块性质和洋板块地层组成与古老造山带相比,可能会发生一些变化。就古老造山带洋板块地层而言,前寒武纪的地幔温度略高,太古代局部熔融显著,熔融量大大超过洋壳扩张速率,因而没有形成席状岩墙群。     

早前寒武纪洋壳的地质记录及其板块构造意义

元古宙蛇绿岩的不断发现表明威尔逊旋回至少在早元古代已经明显起作用，部分太古宙绿岩带由不同的构造单元拼合而成，并发育不同于显生宙蛇绿岩的大洋壳岩石组合，地幔柱在早太古代构造演化过程中起重要作用，是板块构造的重要补充机制，地球早期热产量较高，可能是造成板块规模较小，洋壳较厚，板块运动速度较快的原因，并以缓倾角俯冲为特征。     

新疆蛇绿岩带的分布、特征及研究新进展

新疆位于亚洲大陆的北部,构造上跨越了古亚洲和特提斯两大构造域,现今主要由中新生代盆地和其间的古生代造山带组成。古生代造山带主要由陆缘岩系和岩浆岩组成,其中夹有洋壳残片和前寒武结晶基底的碎块;洋壳残片从北向南大致分布12条,其中出露较集中的约30多处。这些蛇绿岩,以塔里木盆地为界,北部主要为古亚洲洋的洋壳残片,南部主要为特提斯洋的洋壳残片。在介绍其基本特征的同时,本文侧重报道了近年来新疆区域地质调查的一些成果。     

华北克拉通北缘尚义地区新太古代TTG成因分析:洋壳玄武岩不同深度下熔融的产物

尚义玄武岩为尚义-赤城新太古代洋壳残片的组成端元,地球化学性质指示其源于富集地幔。根据稀土元素分配特征,尚义玄武岩可被分为TH1型(稀土元素平坦型)和TH2型(稀土元素分异型)。尚义TTG属于中钾偏铝质钙碱性岩类,其Al2O3含量与低铝型TTG相近,同时微量元素Rb、Sr、Y和REE表现出俯冲板片熔融成因的埃达克岩的性质。根据主量元素SiO2、K2O、Na2O、Al2O3和微量元素Rb、Sr、Y、REE等指标判别和微量元素平衡熔融模式计算得出,尚义TTG形成压力遍及低压—高压范围,是洋壳玄武岩(TH1型)在深度压力变化的条件下部分熔融形成的,其中的低铝型TTG形成于低压熔融。     

The building blocks of continental crust: Evidence for a major change in the tectonic setting of continental growth at the end of the Archean

Oceanic arcs are commonly cited as primary building blocks of continents, yet modern oceanic arcs are mostly subducted. Also, lithosphere buoyancy considerations show that oceanic arcs (even those with a felsic component) should readily subduct. With the exception of the Arabian–Nubian orogen, terranes in post-Archean accretionary orogens comprise < 10% of accreted oceanic arcs, whereas continental arcs compose 40–80% of these orogens. Nd and Hf isotopic data suggest that accretionary orogens include 40–65% juvenile crustal components, with most of these (> 50%) produced in continental arcs.Felsic igneous rocks in oceanic arcs are depleted in incompatible elements compared to average continental crust and to felsic igneous rocks from continental arcs. They have lower Th/Yb, Nb/Yb, Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios, reflecting shallow mantle sources in which garnet did not exist in the restite during melting. The bottom line of these geochemical differences is that post-Archean continental crust does not begin life in oceanic arcs. On the other hand, the remarkable similarity of incompatible element distributions in granitoids and felsic volcanics from continental arcs is consistent with continental crust being produced in continental arcs.During the Archean, however, oceanic arcs may have been thicker due to higher degrees of melting in the mantle, and oceanic lithosphere would be more buoyant. These arcs may have accreted to each other and to oceanic plateaus, a process that eventually led to the production of Archean continental crust. After the Archean, oceanic crust was thinner due to cooling of the mantle and less melt production at ocean ridges, hence, oceanic lithosphere is more subductable. Widespread propagation of plate tectonics in the late Archean may have led not only to rapid production of continental crust, but to a change in the primary site of production of continental crust, from accreted oceanic arcs and oceanic plateaus in the Archean to primarily continental arcs thereafter.     

造山带板内洋岛-海山残片的识别及地质意义

板内洋岛-海山残片是造山带"洋壳残片"的重要组成部分,对恢复造山带所代表的古洋盆的构造演化具有重要意义.然而,如何在造山带中识别板内洋岛-海山残片并通过其恢复古洋盆的构造演化等问题并不清楚.在综述现今板内洋岛-海山的岩石层序、岩浆岩类型、地球化学和同位素特征等的基础上,结合对青藏高原班公湖-怒江缝合带数个板内洋岛-海山残片研究的成果,初步总结了造山带板内洋岛-海山残片的识别标志及其地质意义、时代的确定方法等基础地质问题.板内洋岛-海山记录了丰富的洋盆演化信息,且是大洋俯冲消亡时最易保存的地质体.因此,在古洋盆构造演化的恢复中,对造山带板内洋岛-海山残片的研究至关重要.     

Carbonate Minerals in the Warrawoona Group, Pilbara Craton: Implications for Continental Crust, Life, and Global Carbon Cycle in the Early Archean

Abstract: The occurrences of the Early Archean carbonate minerals are compiled and their precipitation processes are investigated for the Warrawoona Group, Pilbara Craton. Sedimentary carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolostone are very rare, and only a small amount of sedimentary carbonate minerals are sometimes contained in the hydrothermal bedded chert, implying that a sink of CO₂ was minor in the Early Archean sediments. Moreover, it is very likely that the activity of cyanobacteria forming stromatolites was considerably low in the Early Archean. Microfossils and carbonaceous matter in the hydrothermal cherts are probably derived from a non-photosynthetic microorganisms related to the seafloor hydrothermal activity. Their preservation in sediments may play a very minor role in carbon sink of the Earth's surface.
On the other hand, carbonatized volcanic rocks subjected to seafloor hydrothermal alteration occur ubiquitously in the Early Archean greenstone belts such as the Warrawoona Group, suggesting that the hydrothermally altered oceanic crust had large amounts of CO₂ as carbonate minerals. Global carbon cycle in the Early Archean is considered to have been controlled by the intense seafloor hydrothermal alteration. Large amounts of CO₂ were sunk into the oceanic crust by the alteration. The carbonatized oceanic crust was partly accreted to the continents and/or island–arcs, and partly subducted into the mantle without decomposition. Significant amounts of carbonate minerals in the carbonatized oceanic crust were very likely to store in the accretionary prisms and mantle, consequently giving rise to a decrease of atmospheric and oceanic CO₂.     

再论冀北古缝合带的证据

近南北走向的冀北太古宙麻粒岩相古陆核北侧受到近东西走向的古元古代造山带的交切。在陆缘沉积增生带内发现大量残存的古洋壳残片，包括蛇纹石化方辉橄榄岩、且鬣刺结构的苦橄岩、透闪石岩、橄长岩、异剥钙榴岩、细碧岩、退变榴辉岩、基性枕状熔岩和斜长花岗岩等，与陆缘沉积岩一起构成古蛇绿岩混杂带。推断该蛇绿岩混杂带从古元古代开始直到新元古代末有逐步向北后退发育的特点。     

Hydrothermal-metasomatic and tectono-metamorphic processes in the Isua supracrustal belt (West Greenland): a multi-isotopic investigation of their effects on the earth’s oldest oceanic crustal sequence

Despite superimposed metamorphic overprinting and metasomatic alterations, primary volcanic features remain preserved in low-strain domains of mafic volcanic sequences in the western Isua supracrustal belt (ISB, West Greenland). These basaltic successions represent the hitherto oldest known fragments of oceanic crust on Earth. Early Archean metasomatic fluids, rich in light rare earth elements (LREE), Th, U, Pb, Ba, and alkalies, invaded the supracrustal package and distinctively altered the basaltic sequences. Field relationships, source characteristics traced by Pb isotopes, and geochronological results provide indications that these fluids were genetically related to the emplacement of tonalite sheets into the ISB between 3.81 and 3.74 Ga ago. Subsequent early Archean metamorphism homogenized the mixed primary and metasomatic mineral parageneses of these metavolcanic rocks. Allanite occurs as the most characteristic and critical secondary metasomatic-metamorphic phase and is developed in macroscopically discernible zones of increased metsomatic alteration, even in domains of low strain. Because of its high concentration of LREE, Th, and U, this secondary mineral accounts for much of the disturbances recorded by the Sm-Nd and Th-U-Pb isotope systematics of the pillowed metabasalts.The supracrustal sequences were tectono-metamorphically affected to varying degrees during a late Archean, ∼2.6- to 2.8-Ga-old event, also recognized in the adjacent gneiss terranes of the Isuakasia area. The degree to which bulk rocks were isotopically reequilibrated is directly dependent on the different relative contributions of allanite-hosted parent-daughter elements to the overall whole-rock mass budget of the respective isotope systems. Although low-strained (initially only weakly metasomatized) pillow basalts remained more or less closed with respect to the U-Pb and Rb-Sr systems since ∼3.74 Ga, the Sm-Nd system appears to have been partially opened on a whole-rock scale during the late Archean event. This diversified behavior of the whole-rock isotope systems with respect to late Archean overprinting is explained by the combination of mass budget contributions of the respective elements added during metasomatism and the partial opening of metasomatic macroenvironments during late Archean recrystallization processes with associated renewed fluid flow. In reactivated zones of high strain, where primary metasomatic alteration is most prominently developed, late Archean partial resetting also of the U-Pb isotope system on a whole-rock scale occurred. This is consistent with an apparent late Archean age of kyanite, which initially crystallized during the early Archean metamorphism. Its age is controlled by the U-Pb systematics of allanite inclusions, which have exchanged their isotopic properties during the tectono-metamorphic event that overprinted the oceanic crustal sequence at Isua more than 1000 myr later.These results underline the need for care in the interpretation of whole-rock geochemical data from polymetamorphic rocks in general, and from the Isua oceanic crustal sequences in particular, to constrain isotopic models of early Earth’s evolution. Likewise, this study cautions against the indiscriminate use of geochemical data of metavolcanic rocks from Isua to infer models for geotectonic settings relevant for their formation.     

大陆的起源

太阳系固体星球都有类似的核-幔-壳结构,但唯独人类居住的地球具有长英质组成的大陆壳。太古宙大陆克拉通主要由英云闪长岩(Tonalite)-奥长花岗岩(Trondhjemite)-花岗闪长岩(Granodiorite)为主的TTG深成侵入体变质而成的正片麻岩和由基性-超基性酸性火山岩及少量沉积岩变质的表壳岩(绿岩)组成。已有的资料显示这些太古宙大陆岩石组合起源于大洋壳的部分熔融。大洋壳分为大洋盆地、洋中脊、岛弧和洋底高原(大洋岛)。前两者地壳的平均厚度只有5～10km,不可能成为形成太古宙TTG深成侵入体的场所。因此,长英质大陆或起源于板块构造体制下的岛弧,或起源于地幔柱体制下的洋底高原。板块构造体制下的岛弧模式能够很好地解释太古宙克拉通TTG深成岩的成因,即俯冲大洋板片部分熔融所形成的埃达克岩相当于太古宙高压(高Al₂O₂)型TTG,而俯冲板片脱水导致地幔楔部分熔融形成的玄武质地壳再次熔融所形成的钙碱性花岗质岩石相当于太古宙低压(低Al₂O₂)型TTG。然而,板块构造体制下的岛弧模式不能令人满意地解...     

冀西北尚义黄土窑地区尚义杂岩和红旗营子群的锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年及地质意义

尚义杂岩是冀西北地区有代表性的变质地质体,由变质表壳岩和侵入岩组成。其中的变质表壳岩曾认为是新太古代晚期蛇绿岩洋壳残片。该区也有红旗营子群存在。我们对尚义黄土窑地区尚义杂岩和红旗营子群不同类型岩石进行了锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年。含石榴黑云斜长片麻岩(HB1410)核部锆石年龄为310~2500Ma,边部变质锆石年龄为255Ma左右。黑云片麻岩(HB1411)和石英岩(HB1415)碎屑锆石年龄都为2.5Ga左右。辉长岩(HB1518)和石英闪长岩(HB1519)岩浆锆石年龄为278~279Ma。根据这些资料和前人研究,该地区的原红旗营子群和尚义杂岩变质表壳岩主体可能不是新太古代地质作用产物,而是形成于晚古生代,由不同时代地质体组成的构造杂岩。不存在所谓的太古宙蛇绿岩残片。晚古生代时期,中亚造山带对华北克拉通北缘的影响十分强烈。     

High field strength element ratios in Archean basalts: a window to evolving sources of mantle plumes?

In terms of high field strength element ratios Nb/Th, Zr/Nb, Nb/Y and Zr/Y, most basalts from non-arc type Archean greenstones are similar to oceanic plateau basalts, suggestive of mantle plume sources. A large number of these basalts have ratios similar to primitive mantle composition. Perhaps the Archean mantle was less fractionated than at present and “primitive mantle” comprised much of the deep mantle and made a significant contribution to mantle plumes. The near absence of Archean greenstone basalts similar to NMORB in composition is also consistent with a relatively unfractionated mantle in which a shallow depleted source (DM) was volumetrically insignificant. The element ratios in basalts also indicate the existence of recycled components (HIMU, EM1, EM2) in the mantle by the Late Archean. This suggests that oceanic lithosphere was recycled into the deep mantle and became incorporated in some mantle plumes by the Late Archean. High field strength element ratios also indicate an important contribution of continental crust or/and subcontinental lithosphere to some non-arc Archean greenstone basalts. This implies that at least thin continental lithosphere was relatively widespread in the Archean.     

The origin and emplacement of the Lajishankou ophiolite complex in the South Qilian belt: evidences from geological mapping

Many ophiolite complexes like those of Oman and New Caledonia represent fragments of ancient oceanic crust and upper mantle generated at supra‐subduction zone environments and have been obducted onto the adjacent rifted continental margin together with the accretionary complexes and intra‐oceanic arcs. The Lajishan ophiolite complexes in the Qilian orogenic belt along the NE edge of the Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau are one of several ophiolites situated to the south of the Central Qilian block. Our geological mapping and petrological investigations suggest that the Lajishankou ophiolite complex consists of serpentinite, wehrlite, pyroxenite, gabbro, dolerite, and pillow and massive basalts that occur in a series of elongate fault‐bounded slices. An accretionary complex composed mainly of basalt, radiolarian chert, sandstone, mudstone, and mélange lies structurally beneath the ophiolite complex. The Lajishankou ophiolite complex and accretionary complex were emplaced onto the Qingshipo Formation of the Central Qilian block which shows features typical of turbidites deposited in a deep‐water environment of passive continental margin. Our geochemical and geochronological studies indicate that the mafic rocks in the Lajishankou ophiolite complex can be categorized into three distinct groups: massive island arc tholeiites, 509 Ma back‐arc dolerite dykes, and 491 Ma pillow basaltic and dolerite slices that are of seamount origin in a back‐arc basin. The ophiolite and accretionary complex constitute a Cambrian‐early Ordovician trench‐arc system within the South Qilian belt during the early Paleozoic southward subduction of the South Qilian Ocean prior to Early Ordovician obduction of this system onto the Central Qilian block.     

Contrasting Archean and Proterozoic lithospheric mantle: isotopic evidence from the Shonkin Sag sill (Montana)

²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb versus ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb model ages using Shonkin Sag data and published analyses for magmas of the Cenozoic Wyoming-Montana alkaline province (WYMAP) provide evidence of an Archean age for the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SLM) associated with the Wyoming craton. The SLM imprint on magmas is expressed as Ba, Ta, Nb and Ti "anomalies" which correlate with radiogenic isotopic data, and it resembles a subduction imprint on Cenozoic south-western USA basalts (SWUSAB). However the latter give Proterozoic Pb isotope model ages. Although the Archean and Proterozic model ages may represent mixing lines, the fact that they resemble the ages for continental crust cut by WYMAP and SWUSAB respectively indicates that the age of the underlying SLM helped control the "isochron" slopes and inferred "ages". Lower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb but comparable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr for WYMAP suggest that SLM associated with Archean cratons has lower Sm/Nd, U/Pb and Rb/Sr ratios than SLM associated with SWUSAB Proterozic terranes, regardless of when the subduction imprint or imprints developed. WYMAP magmas have high Pb/Zr ratios indicating that Archean SLM, like Archean continental crust, is enriched in Pb compared to Proterozoic SLM. If the enrichment was Archean, it implies that higher Archean heat flow enhanced Pb transfer from the subducting slab to overlying lithospheric mantle and crust. A subducted sediment imprint on the SLM is also consistent with high i¹⁸O values for the Shonkin Sag. Low TiO₂ in WYMAP may reflect a residual mantle TiO₂ phase. If so, the Nb "missing" from crustal and oceanic mantle reservoirs may reside in rutile of Archean SLM. Isotopic similarities between WYMAP and EM1 oceanic island basalts may reflect the presence of delaminated, Archean SLM in the oceanic mantle, although low Pb/Zr ratios and a lack of Ti, Nb and Ta anomalies in oceanic island basalts deserve further investigation.     

Subduction and exhumation mechanisms of ultra‐high and high‐pressure oceanic and continental crust at Makbal (Tianshan,Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan)

The Makbal Complex in the northern Tianshan of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan consists of metasedimentary rocks, which host high‐P (HP) mafic blocks and ultra‐HP Grt‐Cld‐Tlc schists (UHP as indicated by coesite relicts in garnet). Whole rock major and trace element signatures of the Grt‐Cld‐Tlc schist suggest a metasomatized protolith from either hydrothermally altered oceanic crust in a back‐arc basin or arc‐related volcaniclastics. Peak metamorphic conditions of the Grt‐Cld‐Tlc schist reached ~580 °C and 2.85 GPa corresponding to a maximum burial depth of ~95 km. A Sm‐Nd garnet age of 475 ± 4 Ma is interpreted as an average growth age of garnet during prograde‐to‐peak metamorphism; the low initial εΝd value of ?11 indicates a protolith with an ancient crustal component. The petrological evidence for deep subduction of oceanic crust poses questions with respect to an effective exhumation mechanism. Field relationships and the metamorphic evolution of other HP mafic oceanic rocks embedded in continentally derived metasedimentary rocks at the central Makbal Complex suggest that fragments of oceanic crust and clastic sedimentary rocks were exhumed from different depths in a subduction channel during ongoing subduction and are now exposed as a tectonic mélange. Furthermore, channel flow cannot only explain a tectonic mélange consisting of various rock types with different subduction histories as present at the central Makbal Complex, but also the presence of a structural ‘dome’ with UHP rocks in the core (central Makbal) surrounded by lower pressure nappes (including mafic dykes in continental crust) and voluminous metasedimentary rocks, mainly derived from the accretionary wedge.     

俄罗斯白海活动带中的太古宙榴辉岩

在俄罗斯白海活动区发现的迄今为止最古老的太古宙榴辉岩的出露,对整个地质学领域是一次革命性事件。白海活动带位于芬诺斯干地亚地盾东北部太古宙陆核,处于科拉半岛大陆和卡累利阿克拉通之间的太古宙增生碰撞带中,在新太古代和古元古代期间多次受到中高压变质和构造变形作用。榴辉岩出露包括Gridino和Salma两大地区。Gridino榴辉岩区的榴辉岩产状可分为TTG片麻岩围岩中具有复杂成因的太古宙榴辉岩包裹镶体(2.72 Ga),组成强烈构造变形的混合混杂岩体(mélange),以及众多古元古代侵入岩墙岩脉状基性榴辉岩。Salma榴辉岩区的榴辉岩年龄应该晚于2.87 Ga,其中的Fe Ti 榴辉岩年龄测定为约2.80 Ga。两大榴辉岩区的p T演化轨迹比较类似,Gridino榴辉岩的峰期变质温压值(T=740~865 ℃,p=1.4~1.8 GPa)比Salma榴辉岩(T≈700 ℃,p=1.3~1.4 GPa)要高。Salma榴辉岩原岩可能与大洋环境有关。     

西准噶尔蛇绿岩:古大洋俯冲增生过程的记录

蛇绿岩记录了大洋岩石圈形成、演化、消亡的全过程,是刻画区域板块构造和洋 陆格局演化的关键证据。本文通过系统梳理前人相关研究,总结西准噶尔蛇绿岩最新研究成果,探讨大陆地壳增生方式、恢复古大洋演化历史,从而对西准噶尔构造体制转化提供新制约。西准噶尔地区发育多条震旦纪—石炭纪被构造肢解的蛇绿岩带,具有典型的岩块 基质结构,绝大多数蛇绿岩包括正常洋壳组分和海山/大洋高原残片,其中基性岩具有MORB和OIB的地球化学特征。基于前人研究,本文认为在西准噶尔古大洋发育过程中,发育不同时代与地幔柱有关的海山/大洋高原,同时存在增生型和侵蚀型两类汇聚板块边界。另外,大洋高原增生不仅是大陆地壳增生的有效途径之一,还可能诱发俯冲极性反转和传递。而在大洋高原形成初期,还可能存在地幔柱诱发俯冲起始机制。     

Review: secular tectonic evolution of Archean continental crust: interplay between horizontal and vertical processes in the formation of the Pilbara Craton,Australia

The Archean Pilbara Craton contains five geologically distinct terranes – the East Pilbara, Karratha, Sholl, Regal and Kurrana Terranes – all of which are unconformably overlain by the 3.02‐ to 2.93‐Ga De Grey Superbasin. The 3.53–3.17 Ga East Pilbara Terrane (EP) represents the ancient nucleus of the craton that formed through three distinct mantle plume events at 3.53–3.43, 3.35–3.29 and 3.27–3.24 Ga. Each plume event resulted in eruption of thick dominantly basaltic volcanic successions on older crust to 3.72 Ga, and melting of crust to generate first tonalite‐trondhjemite‐granodiorite (TTG), and then progressively more evolved granitic magmas. In each case, plume magmatism was accompanied by uplift and crustal extension. The combination of conductive heating from below, thermal blanketing from above, and internal heating of buried granitoids during these events led to episodes of partial convective overturn of upper and middle crust. These mantle melting events caused severe depletion of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, making the EP a stable, buoyant, unsubductable continent by c. 3.2 Ga. Extension accompanying the latest event led to rifting of the protocontinent margins at between 3.2 and 3.17 Ga. After 3.2 Ga, horizontal tectonic forces dominated over vertical forces, as revealed by the geology of the three terranes (Karratha, Sholl and Regal) of the West Pilbara Superterrane. The c. 3.12‐Ga Whundo Group of the Sholl Terrane is a fault bounded, 10‐km‐thick volcanic succession with geochemical characteristics of modern oceanic arcs (including boninites and evidence for flux melting) that indicate steep Archean subduction. At 3.07 Ga, the 3.12‐Ga Sholl Terrane, 3.27‐Ga Karratha Terrane and c. 3.2‐Ga Regal Terrane accreted together and onto the EP during the Prinsep Orogeny. This was followed by development of the De Grey Superbasin – an intracontinental sag basin and widespread plutonism (2.99–2.93 Ga) as a result of orogenic relaxation and slab break off. Craton‐wide compressional deformation at 2.95–2.93 Ga culminated with 2.91‐Ga accretion of the 3.18 Ga Kurrana Terrane with the EP. This compression caused amplification of the dome‐and‐keel structure in the EP. Final cratonization was effected by emplacement of 2.89–2.83 Ga post‐tectonic granites.     

Subduction geodynamics in Archean and formation of diamond-bearing lithospheric keels and early continental crust of cratons

The diamond-bearing mantle keels underlying Archean cratons are a unique phenomenon of Early Precambrian geology. The common stable assemblage of the Archean TTG early continental crust and underlying subcontinental lithospheric mantle clearly shows their coupled tectogenesis, which was not repeated in younger geological epochs. One of the least studied aspects of this phenomenon is concerned with the eclogitic xenoliths carried up by kimberlite pipes together with mantle-derived nodules. The eclogitic xenoliths reveal evidence for their subduction-related origin, but the Archean crustal counterparts of such xenoliths remained unknown for a long time, and the question of their crustal source and relationships to the formation of early continental crust remained open. The Archean crustal eclogites recently found in the Belomorian Belt of the Baltic Shield are compared in this paper with eclogitic xenoliths from kimberlites in the context of the formation of both Archean subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) and early continental crust. The crustal eclogites from the Belomorian Belt are identical in mineral and chemical compositions to the eclogite nodules (group B), including their diamond-bearing varieties. The eclogite protoliths are comparable in composition with the primary melts of the Meso- and Neoarchean oceanic crust, which was formed at a potential temperature of the upper mantle which exceeded its present-day temperature by 150–250 K. The reconstructed pathways of the Archean oceanic crust plunging in the upper mantle suggest that the Archean mantle was hotter than in the modern convergence settings. The proposed geodynamic model assumes coupled formation of the Archean diamond-bearing SCLM and growth of early continental crust as a phenomenon related to the specific geodynamics of that time controlled by a higher terrestrial heat flow.