Fluid overpressure along an Oligocene out-of-sequence thrust in the Shimanto Belt,SW Japan

Out-of-sequence thrusts (OSTs) exposed in ancient accretionary prisms are considered as fossil analogs of present-day megasplay faults in subduction margins and can provide direct information about the conditions of deformation during thrust activity. In modern as well as in ancient accretionary prisms, first-order megasplay faults or OSTs truncate or merge with faults of lesser importance called second-order OSTs. Structural analysis of the Makinokuchi fault, a branch of an Oligocene to lower Miocene second-order OST in the Tertiary Shimanto Belt of central Kyushu, SW Japan, brings information about the conditions of deformation at the time of thrusting. The studied exposure shows that the fault footwall and, to a much lesser extent, the fault hanging-wall, consist of quartz-cemented syntectonic dilatant hydraulic breccias testifying to pore fluid pressures larger than the least principal stress component. The footwall sandstones are crossed by several centimeters thick quartz veins that merge with the footwall breccias. The continuity between the veins and the breccias suggest that the veins acted as conduits which likely collected fluids from the footwall side sandstones upward and toward the fault. Fluid inclusions indicate that the quartz cementing the breccias and that filling the feeder veins crystallized from similar fluids and under similar pressure and temperature conditions (245–285 °C and 5–8 km depth). These similarities suggest that the fluids responsible for syn-tectonic hydraulic brecciation were collected from the footwall through the conduits. The fluid inclusion trapping temperatures are close to the temperatures expected to be reached along the seismogenic zone. Our analysis shows that fluid overpressures can play a key role in the growth and activity of second-order OSTs in accretionary prisms and suggests that fluids collected along second-order OSTs or splay faults may flow upward along first-order OSTs or megasplay faults.     

Geotechnical properties of lower trench inner-slope sediments

Geotechnical property analyses on sediments recovered by DSDP drilling within select convergent margins were integrated to determine the variability in these properties along the trench inner-slope and to delineate the effects of convergence on these properties. Consolidation states range from very underconsolidated to highly overconsolidated, with preconsolidation pressures exceeding 46,000 kPa in Quaternary sediments. Underconsolidated sediments are attributed to:

1. (1) high sedimentation rates.

2. (2) low sediment permeability relative to the length of the drainage path; (3) laterally applied stresses; and (4) induced pore water pressures resulting from the subduction of pelagic sediments with high water content. Factors contributing to the state of overconsolidation include: (1) tectonically induced overpressures; (2) removal of overburden by mass movement processes.

3. (3) low sediment accumulation rates.

4. (4) age.

Vertical gradients of index properties also vary greatly with the maximum gradient associated with overconsolidated sediments. Values of porosity generally exceed 30% at all margins studied, suggesting this porosity represents the minimum attainable solely by the effects of convergence.Geotechnical property results and site-specific parameters suggest two end members should be considered in the general geotechnical property model for convergent margin sediments. Clastic dominated margins form the basis for the initial geotechnical property model. These margins are characterized by thick trench sediment sequences which are folded and faulted and become progressively more deformed upslope. Convergence rates are low, and no well-developed faults or hrst and graben structures are evident on the downbending oceanic plate. Highly overconsolidated sediments and index property values which change rapidly with depth result from the slow progressive deformation of trench and lower slope sediments. Examples of clastic-dominated margins include the Nankai Trough, Aleutian Trench, and Washington continental margin.Pelagic-dominated margins have significantly different geotechnical properties and site-specific parameters. These margins are characterized by thin clastic trench sediment sequences overlying pelagic sediments on a rapidly converging oceanic plate. Well-developed faults and/or hrst and graben structures are evident on the downbending oceanic plate. Sediment deformation along the trench and lower slope appears limited. These sediments are underconsolidated and index property values change gradually but often irregularly with depth. Japan Trench and Middle America Trench-Guatemala margins are considered pelagic-dominated. Middle America Trench-Mexico appears to represent an intermediate case having characteristics of both margin types.     

Birth of a major strike-slip fault in SW Japan

A 500 km-long strike-slip fault, the North Chugoku Shear Zone (NCSZ) is identified in SW Japan, responsible for four M > 7 earthquakes in the past 130 years. A new geodynamic mechanism of increased interplate coupling above an obliquely subducting flat slab is presented to explain the transfer of trench parallel motion 400 km inland from the Nankai Trough, to the level of the Quaternary adakitic volcanic arc. While Quaternary dextral strike-slip motion is widely believed to have occurred along the Median Tectonic Line (MTL), near the Miocene volcanic arc, the central segment in Shikoku has shown little seismicity for the last 1000 years. Pure dextral strike-slip focal mechanisms for 15 modern and historical events indicate that part of the transcurrent motion is being transferred from the MTL to the NCSZ.     

The Petrology and Geochemistry of High-Magnesium Andesites at the Western Tip of the Setouchi Volcanic Belt, SW Japan

K–Ar ages, and petrographical and geochemical characteristicsof high-magnesium andesites and plagioclase-phyric andesitesfrom the NE Kyushu region, Japan, are presented. K–Arages range from 10·7 ± 0·3 to 14·4± 0·4 Ma, overlapping those reported for lavasof the Setouchi Volcanic Belt in other regions (11–16Ma). This, together with major and incompatible trace element,and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic characteristics, confirmsthat the Setouchi Volcanic Belt, which is characterized by theoccurrence of high-magnesium andesites, extends for     

Structural Styles of Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt,SW China

Through field geological investigation and seismic interpretation of the Longmen (龙门) Mountain thrust belt, we summarized the following structural styles: thrust belt, fault-related fold (fault bend fold, fault propagation fold, and fault decollement fold), pop-up, triangle zone, duplex, superimposed fold, ductile deformation structures, reverse thrust fault, klippe, decollement structure,etc.. These structural styles have evident distribution characteristics; they had zonation and segmentation in plane. Th...     

Oxygen-isotope systematics of a strongly recrystallized granitic rock complex,Grenvillian Belt,SW Sweden

In the eastern, external part of the Grenvillian Belt in SW Sweden, five formations of granitic rocks were found in the basement of the Dalslandian Supracrustal Group. The granitic rocks have been strongly recrystallized but have preserved most of their granitic texture in the process. Most magmatic crystals have been pseudomorphed by metamorphic minerals: quartz, albite, chlorite, biotite, white mica, epidote, titanite, hematite, pyrite and carbonate. Two of the formations have subsequently been affected by a cataclastic deformation and at present consist of mylogneisses. ¹⁸O whole-rock values for the granitic rocks vary from +3.0 to +11.1. Quartz-apatite, quartz-zircon and quartz-titanite pairs show ¹⁸O/¹⁶O fractionations corresponding to equilibrium temperatures of 550–700° C, which are believed to reflect in the main continued closed-system isotopic exchange at high temperatures following solidification. In contrast highly positive ¹⁸O/¹⁶O fractionations for quartz-K-feldspar, quartz-biotite, quartz-chlorite and quartz-sericite pairs in some granitic samples indicate that these rocks have exchanged oxygen with heated, meteoric, H₂O dominated fluids. Other granitic samples, however, show virtually undisturbed magmatic ¹⁸O/¹⁶O fractionation values for the same mineral pairs, even though these rocks are equally altered.It is concluded that all granitic rock units recrystallized under greenschist facies conditions during the infiltration of fluids under the influence of hydrothermal convection systems set up by the intrusion of the granitic plutons. The fluids probably had a range of ¹⁸O values from ca. -14 to ca. +10, indicating the mixing of distinct fluid reservoirs, one of meteoric origin and the others of magmatic and/or metamorphic origin. The temperature of alteration is estimated at 450–500° C.Estimation of pre-alteration ¹⁸O whole rock values for the five granitic units suggests that three units should be assigned a dominantly S-type origin, where as the other two units may partly or wholly have an I-type origin.     

Geological setting of the Wassa gold deposit,SW Ghana

Including past production, current indicated and inferred resources, Wassa is a 5 Moz poly-deformed early-orogenic gold deposit located on the eastern flank of the Ashanti Belt, in southwest Ghana. It is hosted by metamorphosed volcanic, intrusive and sedimentary rocks of the Sefwi Group (ca. 2260–2160 Ma). Early mineralization has an Eoeburnean age (2164 ± 22 Ma, Re–Os on pyrite) and is characterized by quartz veins, by a carbonate alteration of the host rocks, and by deformed gold-bearing pyrite. Remobilization of this gold occurred during the late stages of the Eburnean Orogeny (~ 2.1 Ga) and is associated with quartz-carbonate veins with visible gold and euhedral pyrites.     

Deformation Style of Slickenlines on Mélange Foliations and Change in Deformation Mechanisms Along Subduction Interface: Example from the Cretaceous Shimanto Belt, Shikoku, Japan

Accretionary complexes record the histories of changes in physical properties of sediments from unlithified sediments to lithified rocks through the deformation processes along subduction interface. The trench sediment suffered various deformation of particulate flow, pressure solution deformation and cataclastic faultings from ductile to brittle regime during accretion in subduction zone. Tectonic mélange is a characteristic rock in on-land accretionary complexes. The dominant deformation mechanism of tectonic mélange formation is pressure solution on the basis of microscopic observation. However, brittle slickenlines are also commonly observed on mélange foliations at the outcrop scale. Although the slickenlines as a brittle failure is common on the surface of the pressure solution foliation, the relationship of their kinetic are still uncertain. Detailed observations of slickenlines suggest that they are formed by reactivation of the mélange foliations, which indicates that the slickenlines are developed after formation of block in matrix texture characterized in mélange. In addition, mélange foliations are cut by faults related to underplating of oceanic materials. Therefore, formation of slickenlines occur before underplating in a relatively deep portion along subduction interface. On the basis of P-T conditions reported from other parts of the Cretaceous Shimanto Belt, the mélange formation and underplating is inferred to have occurred around the seismic front or within the seismogenic zone. The change in deformation mechanisms from pressure solution to brittle failure may be the first change in physical properties from plastic to brittle around seismic front.     

Use of fracture filling mineral assemblages for characterizing water-rock interactions during exhumation of an accretionary complex: An example from the Shimanto Belt,southern Kyushu Japan

Various fracture filling minerals and secondary minerals in fracture walls were formed by fluid-rock interaction during the exhumation of the Palaeogene Shimanto Belt of Kyushu, Japan, which is located in an accretionary complex. Each mineral formed under favourable geological conditions and can be used to estimate the conditions of accretion and formation of the related rock sequences. Petrographic observations, mineralogical and geochemical analyses were made on fracture filling minerals and secondary minerals from boreholes of ca. 140 m depth, drilled in the Shimanto Belt. Results reveal that the secondary minerals were formed in three major stages distinguished by the sequential textural relationships of the minerals and the interpreted environment of mineral formation. Filling mineral assemblages show that the studied rock formation has been subducted to a depth of several km and the temperature reached was ca. 200–300 °C. After the subduction, the rock formation was uplifted and surface acidic water penetrated up to 80 m beneath the present ground surface. The acid water dissolved calcite fracture filling minerals to form the present groundwater flow-paths, which allowed recent wall rock alteration to occur. The results shown here imply that filling mineral assemblages can be an effective tool to evaluate the environmental changes during exhumation of an accretionary complex.     

Geneses of Two Types of Mafic Rocks to Carry Placer‐Magnetite Ores in the Sanin Granitic Belt,SW Japan

Two types of mafic rocks from the central Sanin district, and their mafic minerals, were studied chemically and microscopically. They are classified into pyroxene‐containing gabbroid and hornblende–biotite quartz diorite. The gabbroid had higher color index but lower magnetite content; while the quartz diorite had lower color index, but higher magnetite content. The magnetite contents are also related to the amounts of hydrous mafic silicates. The gabbroic magma having pyroxene–amphibole assemblage, originated in the upper mantle, was considered essentially anhydrous, but became partly hydrous on the way to the site of solidification in the continental crust, and crystallized some magnetites with hypersthene and amphibole. The quartz dioritic magma was formed by partial melting of possibly subducting ocean‐floor basalts, once exposed to the sea‐floor then altered; thus the magmas became hydrous and oxidized originally, and precipitated abundant magnetite and hydrous mafic silicates from the early crystallization stage onward. Their weathered parts provided the most placer magnetite ores in the history.     

Sheath-like folds and progressive fold deformation in tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Shimanto accretionary complex,Japan

The Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene portion of the Cretaceous-Lower Miocene Shimanto accretionary complex on the Muroto Peninsula, southwest Japan, comprises alternating belts of coherent clastic rocks and shaly mélange. Sheath-like folds formed locally during a fold-thrust deformation that affected a 10 km structural thickness of these rocks. In a subsequent event confined to the mélange and adjoining areas, the axes of these folds were rotated nearly 90° within the plane of their axial surfaces. The widespread uniform development of the folds and an accompanying axial-planar pressure-solution cleavage strongly suggest that these deformations were tectonically induced, rather than gravity driven slump features. The sheath-like folds indicate that the most plausible environment for these rocks was in an accreted packet of trench-fill, behind the imbricate toe of the Shimanto accretionary complex. The timing of the deformation is constrained by depositional ages as well as by the probable Early Miocene age of an overlying superficial basin and early Middle Miocene igneous dikes that intrude the sequence. This chronology overlaps with the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku back-arc basin, bordering the Shimanto Belt to the southwest; thus accretion and subduction were active during the basin opening event. These conclusions conflict sharphy with earlier held notions of strike-slip and olistostrome tectonics along this plate margin during the Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku Basin.     

Provenance,tectonic setting and source-area weathering of the lower Cambrian sediments of the Parahio valley in the Spiti basin,India

The geochemical study of siliciclastic rocks from the Lower Cambrian of Parahio Valley has been studied to describe the provenance, chemical weathering and tectonic setting. The K₂O/Al₂O₃ ratio and positive correlation of Co (r=0.85), Ni (r=0.86), Zn (r=0.82), Rb (r=0.98) with K₂O reflects that the presence of clay minerals control the abundances of these elements and suggests a warm and humid climate for this region. The chondrite normalized REE pattern of the samples is equivalent to upper continental crust, which reflects enriched LREE and flat HREE with negative Eu anomaly. The tectonic setting discriminant diagram log[K₂O/Na₂O] vs. SiO₂; [SiO₂/Al₂O₃] vs. log[K₂O/Na₂O]; [SiO₂/20] – [K₂O+Na₂O] – [TiO₂+Fe₂O₃+MgO] indicates transitional tectonic setting from an active continental margin to a passive margin. The discriminant function plot indicates quartzose sedimentary provenance, and to some extent, the felsic igneous provenance, derived from weathered granite, gneissic terrain and/or from pre-existing sedimentary terrain. The CIA value indicates low to moderate degree of chemical weathering and the average ICV values suggests immature sediments deposited in tectonically active settings. The A–CN–K diagram indicates that these sediments were generated from source rocks of the upper continental crust.     

REE Mineralization of Weathered Crust and Clay Sediment on Granitic Rocks in the Sanyo Belt,SW Japan and the Southern Jiangxi Province,China

Rare earth element (REE) geochemistry and mineralogy have been studied in the weathered crusts derived from the Early Yanshanian (Jurassic) biotite granites of Dabu and Dingnan, as well as in the Indosinian (Permian) muscovite–biotite granite of Aigao in southern Jiangxi province, China, and the weathered crusts and clay sediments on biotite granites in the Sanyo belt, SW Japan, that is, Okayama, Tanakami, and Naegi areas. In all of the weathered crusts, biotite and plagioclase commonly tend to decrease toward the upper part of the profile, whereas kaolinite and residual quartz and K‐feldspar increase. The weathered crusts of the Dingnan granites and some Naegi granites, which are characterized by the enrichment in light REE (LREE) in C horizons, have higher total REE (ΣREE) content than the parent REE‐enriched granites. Weathering of LREE‐bearing apatite and fluorocarbonates in the Dingnan granites and allanite and apatite in some Naegi granites may account for the leaching of LREE at the B horizons. The leached LREE must result in subsequent enrichment of LREE in the C horizons. The enrichment is probably associated with mainly adsorption onto kaolinite and partly formation of possible secondary LREE‐bearing minerals. In Japan it was found that REE mineralization occurs not in the weathered granitic crusts but in reworked clay sediments, especially kaolinite‐rich layers, derived mainly from the weathering materials of REE‐enriched granitic rocks. The clay sediments are more enriched in LREE, which likely adsorbed onto kaolinite. Concentration of heavy REE within almost all the weathered crusts and clay sediments, however, may reflect mainly residual REE‐bearing minerals such as zircon, which originated in the parent granitic rocks. The findings of the present study support the three processes for fractionation of the REE during weathering: (i) selective leaching of rocks containing both stable and unstable REE‐bearing minerals; (ii) adsorption onto clay minerals; and (iii) presence of possible secondary LREE‐bearing minerals.     

Alkaline Prophyries in the Chenghai-Binchuan Tectono-Magmatic Belt, Western Yunnan Province, SW China

<正>1 Introduction Sanjiang tectonic-magma belt is one of the most potential resources’metallogenic belts in China.Cenozoic alkali-rich porphyry-type gold polymetallic mineralization system is a significant characteristic of thisbelt.Chenghai-Binchuan tectonic belt,located in the western margin of the Yangtze block,is an important part     

西藏西南部达巴-休古嘎布蛇绿岩带中地幔橄榄岩的成因

本文报道了西藏西南部达巴-休古嘎布蛇绿岩带中橄榄岩的矿物化学资料.橄榄岩中主要造岩矿物化学成分的分析研究表明,该区橄榄岩为残余地幔成因,但它们不是地幔简单熔化的残余物.尖晶石中Cr#及辉石中Ti的广泛变化表明它们具有复杂的熔融历史及地幔交代作用的印记,其形成过程可能经历了两种构造环境的转变.早期在MORB环境下形成低Cr#(尖晶石)橄榄岩;其后由于洋内俯冲作用,早先形成的低熔橄榄岩被消减到岛弧之下再度发生熔融形成高Cr#(尖晶石)橄榄岩.从而,在古大洋消失之后形成的碰撞带上同时保存了MORB型和SSZ型两类蛇绿岩.     

Geochemistry of surface sediments in the Archipelago Sea,SW Finland: a multiparameter and multivariate study

This study investigates the geochemistry of soft, organic-rich brackish-water surface sediments in the Archipelago Sea (SW Finland). The area is one of the world’s largest archipelagos, and, although it is scarcely populated, frequent ship and boat traffic along with fish farming occurs. From 76 sites, 47 chemical elements were determined after aqua regia digestion. Other parameters determined were grain size, water, organic and nitrogen contents. At sampling, the sediments were visually classified into groups representing oxic, anoxic and fluctuating (intermediate) oxic seafloor conditions. The results show that the element concentrations are quite similar to other studies in the region but with clear signs of lower anthropogenic loading. Point source pollution was identified in one sample taken nearby a fish farm and a cable ferry. This site was strongly enriched in Cu, Zn and Sn derived from chemicals used in either, or both, activities at the site. Overall, the sediments can be divided into two groups that separate chemically and geographically. One group contains more fine-grained sediments that occur near shore, while the other group contains more anoxic, organic and sulfur-rich sediments occurring more offshore. The second group is interpreted to reflect material reworked from previous deposits as a result of shoaling of the area due to glacio-isostatic land uplift. The visual classes were included in both partial least squares regression (PLSR) and PLS discriminant analysis. These analyses showed that the oxic and anoxic seafloor sediments can be predicted from the chemical variables and grain-size distribution.     

西南日本秋吉带石炭系高山(Ko-yama)灰岩群的褶皱构造

The study area is located in Kawakami-cho, Okayama Prefecture, which is occupied by Lower Carboniferous to Middle Permian Ko-yama Limestone Group (Yokoyama et al., 1979), Permian Yoshii Group (Sano et al., 1987) and Triassic Nariwa Group (Tera-oka, 1959). The Nariwa Group unconformably covers the Paleozoic successions (Otoh, 1985). These succes-sions belong to the Akiyoshi Belt. The Ko-yama Limestone Group is composed mainly of massive limestone, with basic volcanic rocks, acidic tuff and chert. The group was dated by foraminifer and fusu-linid as Lower Carboniferous to Middle Permian (Yo-koyama et al., 1979).     

A comparative study of iron and manganese diagenesis in continental slope and deep sea basin sediments off Uruguay (SW Atlantic)

Pore water and solid phase from surface sediments of the continental slope off Uruguay and from the Argentine Basin (southwestern Atlantic) were investigated geochemically to ascribe characteristic early diagenetic reactions of iron and manganese. Solid-phase iron speciation was determined by extractions as well as by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Both methods showed good agreement ( <6% deviation) for total-Fe speciation. The proportion of easy reducible iron oxyhydroxide relative to total-Fe oxides decreased from the continental slope to the deep sea which is attributed to an increase in crystallinity during transport as well as to a general decrease of iron mobilization. The product of iron reoxidation is Fe oxyhydroxide which made up less than 5% of total Fe. In addition to this fraction, a proportion of smectite bound iron was found to be redox reactive. This fraction made up to 10% of total Fe in sediments of the Argentine Basin and was quantitatively extracted by 1?N HCl. The redox reactive Fe(+II) fraction of smectite was almost completely reoxidized within 24?h under air atmosphere and may therefore considerably contribute to iron redox cycling if bioturbation occurs. In the case of the slope sediments we found concurrent iron and manganese release to pore water. It is not clear whether this is caused by dissimilatory iron and manganese reduction at the same depth or dissimilatory iron reduction alone inducing Mn(+IV) reduction by (abiotic) reaction with released Fe²⁺. The Argentine Basin sediment showed a significant manganese solid-phase enrichment above the denitrification depth despite the absence of a distinct pore-water gradient of Mn. This implies a recent termination of manganese mobilization and thus a non-steady-state situation with respect to sedimentation or to organic carbon burial rate.     

Tectonic incorporation of the upper part of oceanic crust to overriding plate of a convergent margin: An example from the Cretaceous–early Tertiary Mugi Mélange, the Shimanto Belt, Japan

A tectonic mélange exposed on land is examined to reveal relationships between mélange formation, underplating, and deformation mechanisms, focusing on the deformation of basaltic rocks. The studied Mugi Mélange of the Shimanto Belt is composed of a shale matrix surrounding various blocks of sandstone, pelagic sediments, and basalts. The mélange was formed during Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary times in a subduction zone under P–T conditions of 150–200 °C and 6–7 km depth as estimated from vitrinite reflectance and quartz veins fluid inclusions. The mélange represents a range of deformation mechanisms; pressure solution with micro-scale cataclasis in the shale matrix, brittle tension cracking in the blocks, and ubiquitous strong cataclasis in the basal portion of basaltic layers. The cataclastic deformation in the basalts suggests a breakage of a topographic high in the seismogenic depth.     

Carbonate slope re-sedimentation in a tectonically-active setting (Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment,Italy)

Tectonic processes are widely considered as a mechanism causing carbonate platform margin instabilities leading to the emplacement of mass transport deposits and calciturbidites. However, only few examples establishing a clear link between tectonics and re-sedimentation processes are known from the literature. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional wire-cut walls of hundreds of quarries extracting ornamental limestones (for example, Perlato di Sicilia) from the Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment in Italy expose a series of mass transport deposits. The depositional architecture, spatial facies distribution and sedimentary features of these deposits were studied in detail. Thin section analysis was used to define the microfacies characteristics and to determine the age of the re-sedimented limestones. Eleven facies types grouped into four facies associations were recognized that defined specific depositional processes and environments. The stratigraphic architecture of the slope was reconstructed using four composite facies successions based on the detailed analysis and correlation of the field sections. The palaeoslope orientation was reconstructed based on the analysis of synsedimentary faults, slump scars and pinch-out geometries. The Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment was strongly influenced by synsedimentary transtensional tectonics in combination with magmatic processes, as suggested by the presence of tuffites and pillow lava intercalations within the re-sedimented carbonate series. These volcanics point to a major role of crustal shear as a trigger for mass transport deposit emplacement. The facies distribution along the Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment delivers new insights into the deformation processes accompanying the crustal extension of the Cretaceous western Tethys realm.