Geological,petrologic, isotopic,and geochemical constraints of geodynamic models simulating formation of the archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite associations in ancient cratons

The geological setting, geochemistry, and Nd isotopic systematics of tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiortite (TTG) series in ancient cratons are considered. It is shown that the TTG series were formed from ∼4.2 to 2.6 Ga ago in the oldest continental cores; many TTG series do not reveal chronological links to greenstone belts. This follows from the evolution of the Slave Craton in the Canadian Shield, the Vodlozero Craton in the Baltic Shield, and the Pilbara and Yilgarn cratons in the Australian Shield, where greenstone associations postdated TTG series. As has been established at the Baltic Shield, the primary melts of the Mesoarchean TTG associations were formed at a shallower depth (P < 15 kbar) compared to the Neoarchean TTG, likely, due to the increasing thickness of the continental crust beneath the Baltic Shield over time.     

Geochemical evolution of magmatism in Archean granite-greenstone terrains

Evolution of Archean magmatism is one of the key problems concerning the early formation stages of the Earth crust and biosphere, because that evolution exactly controlled variable concentrations of chemical elements in the World Ocean, which are important for metabolism. Geochemical evolution of magmatism between 3.5 and 2.7 Ga is considered based on database characterizing volcanic and intrusive rock complexes of granite-greenstone terrains (GGT) studied most comprehensively in the Karelian (2.9–2.7 Ga) and Kaapvaal (3.5–2.9 Ga) cratons and in the Pilbara block (3.5–2.9 Ga). Trends of magmatic geochemical evolution in the mentioned GGTs were similar in general. At the early stage of their development, tholeiitic magmas were considerably enriched in chalcophile and siderophile elements Fe₂O₃, MgO, Cr, Ni, Co, V, Cu, and Zn. At the next stage, calc-alkaline volcanics of greenstone belts and syntectonic TTG granitoids were enriched in lithophile elements Rb, Cs, Ba, Th, U, Pb, Nb, La, Sr, Be and others. Elevated concentrations of both the “crustal” and “mantle-derived” elements represented a distinctive feature of predominantly intrusive rocks of granitoid composition, which were characteristic of the terminal stage of continental crust formation in the GGTs, because older silicic rocks and lithospheric mantle were jointly involved into processes of magma generation. On the other hand, the GGTs different in age reveal specific trends in geochemical evolution of rock associations close in composition and geological position. First, the geochemical cycle of GGT evolution was of a longer duration in the Paleoarchean than in the Meso-and Neoarchean. Second, the Paleoarche an tholeiitic associations had higher concentrations of LREE and HFSE (Zr, Ti, Th, Nb, Ta, Hf) than their Meso-and Neoarchean counterparts. Third, the Y and Yb concentrations in Paleoarchean calc-alkaline rock associations are systematically higher than in Neoarchean rocks of the same type, while their La/Yb ratios are in contrast lower than in the latter. These distinctions are likely caused by evolution of mantle magmatic reservoirs and by changes in formation mechanisms of silicic volcanics and TTG granitoids. The first of these factors was likely responsible for appearance of sanukitoid magmatic rocks in the Late Mesoarchean. Representative database considered in the work includes ca. 500 precision analyses of Archean magmatic rocks.     

华北克拉通新太古代早期—中太古代晚期（2.6~3.0 Ga）巨量陆壳增生:综述

在对一些重点地区新太古代早期—中太古代晚期（2.6~3.0 Ga）岩石的空间分布、岩石类型和形成时代作简要介绍基础上,文章总结了华北克拉通这一时代花岗质岩石的年龄分布模式、地球化学和Nd-Hf-O同位素组成特征。新太古代早期—中太古代晚期变质基底具有如下特征:①新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩浆作用在华北克拉通几乎连续分布,峰期为2.70~2.75 Ga;②新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩石在华北克拉通广泛存在,主要分布在东部古陆块、中部古陆块和南部古陆块中;③新太古代早期—中太古代晚期侵入岩以英云闪长岩为主,存在奥长花岗岩和花岗闪长岩及其他类型岩石;④新太古代早期—中太古代晚期表壳岩规模很小,零星分布于花岗质岩石中,岩石类型主要为变玄武质岩石,一些地区存在变质科马提岩、变质安山质?英安质火山岩和变质碎屑沉积岩;⑤2.6 Ga可作为华北克拉通新太古代早期和晚期的界线;⑥TTG岩石的Sr/Y和La/Yb比值存在很大变化,在Sr/Y-Y和La/Yb-Yb图中位于高压、中压和低压TTG分布区;除少量富钾花岗岩外,华北克拉通新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩石大都具有亏损Nd-Hf同位素组成特征;岩浆锆石O同位素组成与全球太古宙岩浆锆石类似;⑦许多地区都具有类似地质特征,但一些地区显示出较大的独特性。新的研究进一步支持了这样的认识:与全球其他许多典型克拉通类似,新太古代早期—中太古代晚期是华北克拉通最重要的陆壳增生时期,主要区别是华北克拉通叠加了强烈的新太古代晚期岩浆构造热事件。      

Isotopic geochronological evidence for the Paleoproterozoic age of gold mineralization in Archean greenstone belts of Karelia, the Baltic Shield

The Rb-Sr age of metasomatic rocks from four gold deposits and occurrences localized in Archean granite-greenstone belts of the western, central, and southern Karelian Craton of the Baltic Shield has been determined. At the Pedrolampi deposit in central Karelia, the dated Au-bearing beresite and quartz-carbonate veins are located in the shear zone and replace Mesoarchean (～2.9 Ga) mafic and felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Koikar-Kobozero greenstone belt. At the Taloveis ore occurrence in the Kostomuksha greenstone belt of western Karelia, the dated beresite replaces Neoarchean (～2.7 Ga) granitoids and is conjugated with quartz veins in the shear zone. At the Faddeinkelja occurrence of southern Karelia, Aubearing beresite in the large tectonic zone, which transects Archean granite and Paleoproterozoic mafic dikes, has been studied. At the Hatunoja occurrence in the Jalonvaara greenstone belt of southwestern Karelia, the studied quartz veins and related gold mineralization are localized in Archean granitoids. The Rb-Sr isochrons based on whole-rock samples and minerals from ore-bearing and metasomatic wall rocks and veins yielded ～1.7 Ga for all studied objects. This age is interpreted as the time of development of ore-bearing tectonic zones and ore-forming hydrothermal metasomatic alteration. New isotopic data in combination with the results obtained by our precursors allow us to recognize the Paleoproterozoic stage of gold mineralization in the Karelian Craton. This stage was unrelated to the Archean crust formation in the Karelian Block and is a repercussion of the Paleoproterozoic (2.0–1.7 Ga) crust-forming tectonic cycle, which gave rise to the formation of the Svecofennian and Lapland-Kola foldbelts in the framework of the Karelain Craton. The oreforming capability of Paleoproterozoic tectonics in the Archean complexes of the Karelian Craton was probably not great, and its main role consisted in reworking of the Archean gold mineralization of various genetic types, including the inferred orogenic mesothermal gold concentrations.     

Field and geochemical characteristics of Mesoarchean to Neoarchean volcanic rocks in the Storø greenstone belt,SW Greenland: Evidence for accretion of intra-oceanic volcanic arcs

The Storø greenstone belt, southern West Greenland, consists of thrust-imbricated slices of Mesoarchean (>3060 Ma) and Neoarchean (ca. 2800 Ma) mafic to ultramafic volcanic rocks, volcaniclastic sediments, and gabbro–anorthosite associations. The belt underwent polyphase metamorphism at upper amphibolite facies conditions between 2650 and 2600 Ma. The contacts between the Mesoarchean and Neoarchean volcanic rocks, and surrounding Eoarchean to Neoarchean tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) gneisses are tectonic and typically bounded by high-grade mylonites. Regardless of age, the volcanic rocks are dominated by mafic amphibolites with a tholeiitic basalt composition, near-flat to slightly enriched light rare earth element (LREE) patterns (La/Sm_cn = 0.91–1.48), relatively flat to slightly depleted heavy-REE (HREE) (Gd/Yb_cn = 1.0–1.28), and pronounced negative Nb–Ta anomalies (Nb/Nb* = 0.34–0.73) on chondrite- and primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. These geochemical characteristics are consistent with subduction zone geochemical signatures and partial melting of a shallow (<80 km) mantle source free of residual garnet. There is no geochemical evidence for contamination by older continental crust. The overall field and geochemical characteristics suggest that the thrust-imbricated basaltic rocks were erupted in intra-oceanic subduction zone settings. Sedimentary rocks are represented by garnet–biotite and quartzitic gneisses. They are characterized by relatively high contents of transition metal (Ni = 10–154 ppm; Cr = 7–166 ppm) and enriched LREE patterns (La/Sm_cn = 1.38–3.79). These geochemical characteristics suggest that the sedimentary rocks were derived from erosion of felsic to mafic igneous source rocks. Collectively, the structural and lithogeochemical characteristics of the Storø greenstone belt are consistent with collision (accretion) of unrelated Archean volcanic rocks formed in supra-subduction zone geodynamic settings. Accordingly, the Mesoarchean and Neoarchean rock record of the Storø greenstone belt may well be explained in terms of modern-style plate tectonic processes.     

Specifics of Neoarchean Plume–Lithospheric Processes in the Kola–Norwegian Province of the Fennoscandian Shield: I. Composition and Age of the Komatiite–Tholeiite Association

The paper reports newly obtained geological and isotopic-geochemical data on the volcano-sedimentary complex of the Uraguba Neoarchean greenstone structure in the Kola–Norwegian province of the Fennoscandian Shield. New U–Th–Pb geochronologic data (SIMS) on the metadacite (2790 ± 9 Ma) from a rock unit of interbedding metadacite, komatiite tuff, and lava breccia and on veins of plagioclase–microcline granite (2697 ± 10 and 2696 ± 9 Ma) that cuts the komatiite constrain the time span when supracrustal complex of the Uraguba structure was produced and underwent tectono-metamorphic transformations to approximately 100 Ma. The metavolcanic rocks of the komatiite–tholeiite association of the Uraguba structure belong to two distinct isotopic-geochemical types, which are spatially separated from one another and were produced by melting different mantle sources. Geological and isotopic-geochemical data indicate that the Uraguba structure is analogous to such unique tectonic structures on cratons as the Neoarchean Belingwe and Bulawayo belts in the Zimbabwe Shield, Kalgoorlie Belt in the Eastern Goldfilds province at the Yilgarn Craton, Kuhmo–Tipasjarvi Belt in the Karelian epi-Archean craton, and the Warawoona Paleoarchean Belt in the Pilbara Craton.     

额尔古纳地块基底地质构造

额尔古纳地块是额尔古纳-马门-加格达奇拼合地块中的典型代表.研究表明,其基底由前中元古代绿岩及与之伴生的花岗质杂岩组成,它们具有地壳早期演化的地质构造特征.绿岩带为典型的变质基性-酸性火山岩及部分变质沉积岩系构成的火山-沉积建造,火山岩以拉斑玄武岩为主,向上过渡为钙碱性火山岩系列,表现为双峰态型特点.花岗岩类为TTG岩系及石英二长岩-花岗岩组合.花岗岩-绿岩地体内各岩石类型的岩石地球化学特征与国外太古宙及我国华北陆台花岗岩-绿岩带内同类岩石极为相似.双峰态型火山岩及绿岩建造组合,以及类似于TH2、FII型的变质基性火山岩和长英质火山岩特征,结合高铝型英云闪长岩-奥长花岗岩组合,指示了研究区绿岩带的形成环境类似于大陆边缘弧后裂谷型火山-沉积盆地.     

华北克拉通的形成以及早期板块构造

地球上最早的地壳岩石是高钠的花岗质(TTG)岩石,但是否有更老的洋壳存在过、以及陆壳是怎样形成的,涉及到地球动力学几乎所有的问题。其中板块构造是在什么时候开始的,就是个延续了数十年热度不减的前沿科学问题。流行的说法是板块构造始于新元古代,也有一些学者认为在新太古代就已经开始,或者认为自从地球上有了水的记录,就开始有板块构造。在众多的判别板块构造的标志中,蛇绿岩残片和古老的高压变质岩无疑是两个最具影响力的问题。前者可以确定有远古的古老洋壳存在过并成为缝合带中的残片,后者可以指示曾有地表的岩石单元被俯冲到深部,是俯冲、消减与碰撞的岩石学证据。本文在讨论和比较了太古宙绿岩带与蛇绿岩,以及早前寒武纪高温高压(HTHP)麻粒岩/高温—超高温(HT-UHT)麻粒岩与造山带高压变质带之后,认为尚不能作为板块构造的证据。本文还对华北的新太古代末的稳定大陆形成以及古元古代活动带的裂谷-俯冲-碰撞进行了论述。提出华北克拉通在新太古代末的绿岩带-高级区格局可能标志着热体制下有限的横向活动构造,微陆块被火山-沉积岩系焊接,随后发生变质作用和花岗岩化,完成稳定大陆的克拉通化过程。其构造机制可能是适度规模且多发的地幔柱构造控制下小尺度的横向构造运动的机制。华北克拉通的古元古代活动带有与绿岩带-高级区不同的构造样式,表壳岩带状分布,经受了强烈的变形以及中级变质作用,伴随花岗岩的侵入,虽然没有蛇绿岩和高压变质带,但已表现出板块构造的雏形特征。     

Nd and Sr isotopic geochemistry of mafic layered intrusions in the eastern Baltic shield: implications for the evolution of Paleoproterozoic continental mafic magmas

 Nd and Sr isotopic data are presented for the 2449–2441 Ma Olanga and Burakovka layered mafic complexes in the eastern Baltic Shield. These complexes have similar tectonic position, but differ in two aspects: the age of the enclosing crust and the post-crystallization metamorphic history. The Sm–Nd isotopic results for the Kivakka and Lukkulaisvaara intrusions, Olanga Complex, are consistent with the model of closed-system crystallization of a single magma without significant wallrock assimilation. The Rb–Sr systems of minerals were disturbed by late Rb addition during 1.75–1.50 Ga metamorphism. The Nd and Sr isotopic systems in the Burakovka complex show no metamorphic disturbance and indicate mixing of at least four isotopically distinct components. Isotopic variations in the Burakovka Complex can be explained by a 4–20 per cent contamination of a primary komatiitic or picritic magma with a Mesoarchean crust, similar to that exposed in the region. A similar model, applied to the Olanga Complex using a Neoarchean crustal isotopic composition, cannot reproduce the observed isotopic signature. The nearly uniform initial ɛ_Nd values between −1 and −2.3, observed in the Kivakka and Lukkulaisvaara intrusions of the Olanga Complex, as well as in the other 2.50–2.44 Ga layered mafic intrusions throughout the eastern Baltic Shield, are better explained by a mantle plume model with small amounts of crustal contamination and minor involvement of asthenospheric material. This model is also consistent with the geological observations and the temporal distribution of the Paleoproterozoic mafic magmatism in the eastern Baltic Shield. As an alternative, the enriched isotopic characteristics may be explained by melting of a metasomatically modified lithospheric mantle source. Received: 4 August 1994/Accepted: 5 April 1996     

Geochemistry and chronology of Se'' ertengshan greenstone, Inner Mongolia

This paper deals with the meta-mafic volcanic rocks of the Gongyiming iron deposit at Baotou, Inner Mongolia. The major and trace elements and REE data indicate that the meta-mafic volcanic rocks occurred in the environment similar to a modern continental rift. Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic studies indicated that the meta-basic rocks were formed during the Early Neoarchean from 2800 Ma to 2900 Ma and reworked during the Late Neoarchean (2500 Ma) by metamorphism. Because of the separation of the North China Craton from the Siberia Craton during the Middle Proterozoic ( 1600 Ma), the Rb-Sr systematics of the rocks has been changed. The Se' ertengshan greenstone seems to occur during the Middle Archean. A stable continental crust may have existed during the Paleoarchean.     

Middle to late Archaean geology of the eastern Baltic shield,with a note on its similarity and contrast with the Archaean of southern India

The middle to late Archaean rocks of Kola and Karelia in the eastern Baltic shield consist of the Infracomplex overlain by the Saamian complex, and the Lopian greenstone belts. The Infracomplex which forms the basement is a polymigmatite, parts of which are at least 3100 Ma old. The Saamian in the central Belomorian region comprises granite gneiss, amphibolite, garnet-kyanite gneiss and high alumina gneisses which belong to the Keret, Hetolombina and Chupa suites. The Lopian greenstone belts ranging in age from 3000 to 2700 Ma are composed of peridotitic, pyroxenitic and basaltic komatiites, tholeiitic basalts, andesites, dacites and rhyolites, together with tuffs, graywackes and iron formations. Whereas there is a dominance of volcanic over sedimentary rocks in the greenstone belts of the Baltic shield, a significant proportion of detrital and chemogenic sedimentary rocks characterizes the Dharwar succession of approximately the same time span in the southern Indian shield. Association of mature and immature detrital sedimentary rocks with bimodal volcanic assemblages points to a back-arc setting for the Dharwar belts. This contrasts with the association of immature sediments with calc-alkaline volcanic rocks in the greenstone belts of the eastern Baltic shield, suggesting an island arc environment there.     

Formation and evolution of the Archean continental crust of China: A review

The mainland of China is composed of the North China Craton, the South China Craton, the Tarim Craton and other young orogenic belts. Amongst the three cratons, the North China Craton has been studied most and noted for its widely-distributed Archean basement rocks. In this paper, we assess and compare the geology, rock types, formation age and geochemical composition features of the Archean basements of the three cratons. They have some common characteristics, including the fact that the crustal rocks prior to the Paleoarchean and the supracrustal rocks of the Neoarchean were preserved, and Tonalite-Trondhjemtite-Granodiorite (TTG) magmatism and tectono-magmatism occurred at about 2.7 Ga and about 2.5 Ga respectively. The Tarim Craton and the North China Craton show more similarities in their early Precambrian crustal evolution. Significant findings on the Archean basement of the North China Craton are concluded to be: (1) the tectonic regime in the early stage (>3.1 Ga) is distinct from modern plate tectonics; (2) the continental crust accretion occurred mostly from the late Mesoarchean to the early Neoarchean period; (3) a huge linear tectonic belt already existed in the late Neoarchean period, suggesting the beginning of plate tectonics; and (4) the preliminary cratonization had already been completed by about 2.5 Ga. Hadean detrital zircons were found at a total of nine locations within China. Most of them show clear oscillatory zoning, sharing similar textures with magmatic zircons from intermediate-felsic magmatic rocks. This indicates that a fair quantity of continental material had already developed on Earth at that time.     

The Archean of the Baltic Shield: Geology, Geochronology, and Geodynamic settings

The Archean provinces and lithotectonic complexes of the Baltic (Fennoscandian) Shield are considered. The supracrustal complexes are classified by age: <3.2, 3.10–2.90, 2.90–2.82, 2.82–2.75, and 2.75–2.65 Ga. The data on Archean granitoid complexes and metamorphic events are mentioned briefly, whereas the recently found fragments of the Archean ophiolitic and eclogite-bearing associations are discussed in more detail. The Paleoarchean rocks and sporadic detrital grains of Paleoarchean zircons have been found in the Baltic Shield; however, the relatively large fragments of the continental crust likely began to form only in the Mesoarchean (3.2–3.1 Ga ago), when the first microcontinents, e.g., Vodlozero and Iisalmi, were created. The main body of the continental crust was formed 2.90–2.65 Ga ago. The available information on the Paleoarchean complexes of the Baltic Shield is thus far too scanty for judgment on their formation conditions. The geologic, petrologic, isotopic, and geochronological data on the Meso-and Neoarchean lithotectonic complexes testify to their formation in the geodynamic settings comparable with those known in Phanerozoic: subduction-related (ensialic and ensimatic), collisional, spreading-related, continental rifting, and the setting related to mantle plumes.     

Thickness and geothermal gradient of Neoarchean continental crust: Inference from the southeastern North China Craton

The thickness and geothermal gradient of Archean continental crust are critical factors for understanding the geodynamic processes in Earth's early continental crust. Archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) gneisses provide one of the potential indicators of paleo-crustal thickness and geothermal gradient because crust-derived TTG melts are generally thought to originate from partial melting of mafic rocks at the crustal root. In the Western Shandong Province (WSP) of the North China Craton (NCC), two episodes of Neoarchean TTG magmatism are recognized at ~2.70 Ga and ~2.55 Ga which were sourced from partial melting of juvenile crustal components. The ~2.70 Ga TTG gneisses show highly fractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns (average (La/Yb)_N = 39), whereas the ~2.55 Ga TTG gneisses have relatively less fractionated REE patterns (average (La/Yb)_N = 18). Petrogenetic evaluation suggest that the magmatic precursors of the TTG gneisses of both episodes originated from partial melting of juvenile crustal materials at different crustal depths with residual mineral phases of Grt, Cpx, Amp, Pl and Ilm. Together with the garnet proportion in the residue, the P–T pseudosections of equilibrium mineral assemblages, and the temperature calculated from Titanium-in-zircon thermometer, we estimate the Neoarchean crustal thicknesses as 44–51 km with geothermal gradients of 17 to 20 °C/km for the ~2.70 Ga TTG gneisses whereas the ~2.55 Ga TTG gneisses show lesser crustal thicknesses of 35–43 km with geothermal gradients of 19 to 26 °C/km, with an approximately 10 km difference in crustal thickness. Our estimates on the thicknesses and geothermal gradients of the Neoarchean crust are similar to those (~41 km, ~20 °C/km) of the modern average continental crust, indicating that a modern-style plate tectonic regime may have played an important role in the formation and evolution of the Neoarchean continental crust in the NCC.     

2.5 Ga gabbro-anorthosites in the Belomorian Province,Fennoscandian Shield: Petrology and tectonic setting

The Vorochistoozersky, Nizhnepopovsky, and Severo-Pezhostrovsky gabbro-anorthosite massifs have been studied in the central part of the Belomorian Province, Fennoscandian Shield. The similarity of geological setting and rock composition of these massifs suggests their affiliation to a single complex. The age of the gabbro-anorthosites was determined by U-Pb (SHRIMP II) zircon dating of gabbro-pegmatites from the Vorochistoozersky massif at 2505 ± 8 Ma. The studied massifs were overprinted by the high-pressure amphibolite facies metamorphism. Relicts of magmatic layering and primary magmatic assemblages preserved in the largest bodies. The massifs consist mainly of leucocratic gabbros but also contain rocks of the layered series varying in composition from olivinite to anorthosite. The presence of troctolites in the layered series indicates the stability of the olivine–plagioclase liquidus assemblage and, respectively, shallow depths of melt crystallization. Despite the composition differences between gabbro-anorthosites of the Belomorian and peridotite–gabbronorite intrusions Kola provinces, these simultaneously formed massifs presumably mark a single great igneous event. It also includes the gabbronorite dikes in the Vodlozero terrane of the Karelian province, the Mistassini swarm in the Superior province, and the Kaminak swarm in the Hearne Craton, Canadian Shield. The large igneous province of age ~2500 Ma reflects the oldest stage of within-plate magmatism after a consolidation of the Neoarchean crust of the Kenorland Supercontinent (Superia supercraton).     

Paleomagnetism in the Neoarchean polyphase Panozero intrusion in the Fennoscandian Shield

Paleomagnetic research of the Neoarchean polyphase Panozero sanukitoid massif of the Fennoscandian Shield was performed. Paleomagnetic studies of three rock associations of the massif was used to obtain the paleomagnetic pole Φ = −10.2°C Λ = 226.1°C, dp = 4.9°, dm = 3.5° ϕm = − 36.1°. Positive tests of the contact zone between rocks of the sanukitoid massif and the country Mesoarchean metavolcanics, as well as overlying Jatulian amygdaloid basalts and diabases of the Segozero structural feature testify to the primary origin of the high-temperature component of rock magnetization obtained. The paleomagnetic pole obtained indicates that during the period from 2.74 to 2.73 Ga the Karelian Craton was located in tropical moderate latitudes of the South Hemisphere and it possibly moved to the tropical latitudes during the Neoarchean.     

Terrigenous zircon of archean greenstone belts as a source of information on the early earth’s crust: Azov and Dnieper domains,Ukrainian shield

Zircons from the metasedimentary rocks of the Mesoarchean greenstone belts of the Azov and Middle Dnieper blocks of the Ukrainian shield were studied and dated by U-Pb method on a NORDSIM secondary-ion mass spectrometer. Detrital zircons from the metasediments of the Belozerskaya Formation of the greenstone belts of the Middle Dnieper block are usually dated within 3000–3100 Ma, while individual grains have an age of 3200–3300 Ma. This indicates that the sediments were derived mainly from proximal volcanic source with minor contribution of the basement material (Aul’skaya Group). The metasediments of the Soroki greenstone structure of the Azov block contain mainly zircons with ages within 3500–3600 Ma, except for scarce grains having the ages older than 3700 Ma. Zircon cores are overgrown by granulitic rims dated at approximately 3300 Ma. A wide scatter in ages and Th/U ratios in the zircons indicate that they were derived from rocks of different composition and age. Obtained data suggest significantly wider distribution of the Paleoarchean crust within the Azov block of the Ukrainian shield than was previously assumed.     

Geochemistry and chronology of Se＇ ertengshan greenstone, Inner Mongolia

This paper deals with the meta-mafic volcanic rocks of the Gongyiming iron deposit at Baotou, Inner Mongolia. The major and trace elements and REE data indicate that the meta-mafic volcanic rocks occurred in the environment similar to a modern continental rift. Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic studies indicated that the meta-basic rocks were formed during the Early Neoarchean from 2800 Ma to 2900 Ma and reworked during the Late Neoarchean (2500 Ma) by metamorphism. Because of the separation of the North China Craton from the Siberia Craton during the Middle Proterozoic (1600 Ma), the Rb-Sr systematics of the rocks has been changed. The Se‘ ertengshan greenstone seems to occur during the Middle Archean. A stable continental crust may have existed during the Paleoarchean.