Serpentinized Peridotite as Source of Aeromagnetic Anomalies

The source of long-wavelength aeromagnetic anomalies appears to originate from the eartlrs deep crust. Constrained by previous studies on geochemical, petrologic analysis, the eclogite and serpentinized peridotite samples from drill hole ZK703 at Donghai in the western Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane, East China, were unambiguously exhumed from the lower crust and the upper mantle, providing significant information about the magnetic properties of rocks at a deeper part of the crust. Results show that the serpentinization process favors the neoformation of nearly stoichiometric magnetite, resulting in the enhancement of its magnetization up to 8.6 A/m, which is sufficient enough to contribute to some magnetic anomalies. In contrast, eclogite samples have only weaker magnetization (generally less than 0.05 A/m) compared to serpentinized peridotite. Nevertheless, experiments under the lower crustal conditions are necessary to further support these conclusions.     

ADVANCES STUDY OF CHINA''''S ULTRAHIGH-PRESSURE METAMORPHIC ROCKS IN THE PAST 15 YEARS

1. IntroductionDiscovery of the ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks might be the most remarkable contribution by petrologists to geodynamics in the 20th Century. When the new Century comes, it is in good time to review the studies of UHP rocks from the Dabieshan-Sulu belt, China. In the present paper, the author, who has been involved in the UHP studies from the very beginning, will review the history of studies of UHP rocks from China, the progress made internationally so far, …     

Resistivity Logs of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Main Hole:Implication for the Crustal Electrical Structure of Dabie-Sulu Terrane,Central-Eastern China

To understand the electrical structure of the Sulu(苏鲁) terrane,we analyzed the resis-tivity logs of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling main hole(CCSD-MH) and obtained the statis-tical characteristics of the resistivity log of ultrahigh-pressure(UHP) metamorphic rocks.To check the logs' quality,we compared the resistivity log data with the core test data.The two datasets show a good coherence.On the whole,the resistivity of the UHP metamorphic rocks from the CCSD-MH is very high(mostly higher than 1...     

Kanfenggou UHP Metamorphic Fragment in Eastern Qinling Orogen and Its Relationship to Dabie-Sulu UHP and HP Metamorphic Belts, Central China

In the Central Orogenic Belt, China, two UHP metamorphic belts are discriminated mainly based on a detailed structural analysis of the Kanfenggou UHP metamorphic fragment exposed in the eastern Qinling orogen, and together with previous regional structural, petrological and geochronological data at the scale of the orogenic domain. The first one corresponds to the South Altun-North QaidamNorth Qinling UHP metarnorphic belt. The other is the Dabie-Sulu UHP and HP metamorphic belts. The two UHP metamorphic belts are separated by a series of tectonic slices composed by the Qiniing rock group, Danfeng rock group and Liuling or Foziling rock group etc. respectively, and are different in age of the peak UHP metamorphism and geodynamic implications for continental deep subduction and collision. Regional field and petrological relationships suggest that the Kanfenggou UHP metamorphic fragment that contains a large volume of the coesite- and microdiamond-bearing eclogite lenses is compatible with the structures recognized in the South Altun and North Qaidam UHP metamorphic fragments exposed in the western part of China, thereby forming a large UHP metamorphic belt up to 1000 km long along the orogen strike. This UHP metamorphic belt represents an intercontinental deep subduction and collision belt between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean cratons, occurred during the Paleozoic. On the other hand, the well-constrained Dabie-Sulu UHP and HP metamorphic belts occurred mainly during Triassic time (250-220 Ma), and were produced by the intracontinental deep subduction and collision within the Yangtze craton. The Kanfenggou UHP metamorphic fragment does not appear to link with the DabieSulu UHP and HP metamorphic belts along the orogen. There is no reason to assume the two UHP metamorphic belts as a single giant deep subduction and collision zone in the Central Orogenic Belt situated between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean cratons. Therefore, any dynamic model for the orogen must ac-count for the development of UHP metarnorphic rocks belonging to the separate two tectonic belts of different age and tectono-metamorphic history.     

Geochemical Characteristics and Genesis of the Granitic Gneisses from the Southeastern Dabie Mountains

The granitic gneisses from the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrain of the southeastern Dabie Mountains encompass two types: monzonitic granitic gneiss and alkali-feldspar granitic gneiss, which are characterized by rich alkalis, poor CaO, high FeO/MgO, particularly high Ba, Rb, Th, Ta, REE (except Eu), Ga, Nb and Zn, and low Sr, Eu, Cr, Co and Ni. The gneisses, particularly the alkali-feldspar granitic gneiss, have typical chemical characteristics of A-type granites. They resulted from partial melting of crustal materials existing in the rift zone along the northern margin of the South China block during the Neoproterozoic. These gneisses might not have undergone UHP metamorphism during the late Triassic, but were involved into UHP rocks by the tectonic mixing process and kept the exhumation message of the UHP rocks from the middle and upper crust.     

Petrology of the Non-mafic UHP Metamorphic Rocks from a Drillhole in the Southern Sulu Orogenic Belt, Eastern-Central China

The Drillhole ZK703 with a depth of 558 m is located in the Donghai area of the southern Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt, eastern China, and penetrates typical UHP eclogites and various non-mafic rocks, including peridotite, gneiss, schist and quartzite. Their protoliths include ultramafic, mafic, intermediate, intermediate-acidic, acidic igneous rocks and sediments. These rocks are intimately interlayered, which are meters to millimeters thick with sharp and nontectonic contacts, suggesting in-situ metamorphism under UHP eclogite facies conditions. The following petrologic features indicate that the non-mafic rocks have experienced early-stage UHP metamorphism together with the eclogites: (1) phengite relics in gneisses and schists contain a high content of Si, up to 3.52 p.f.u. (per formula unit), while amphibolite-facies phengites have considerably low Si content (<3.26 p.f.u.); (2) jadeite relics are found in quartzite and jadeitite; (3) various types of symplectitic coronas and pseud     

A Preliminary Study on Paleomagnetism and Rock Magnetism of Eclogite from the Maobei Area

A preliminary study of paleomagnetism and rock magnetism has been done on 55 eclogite samples collected from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) site at the Maobei (毛北) area, Donghai (东海) County, Jiangsu (江苏) Province. Also the isothermal remanence, hysteresis loop, magnetic fabric, thermal susceptibility were measured, and analyses were made by electron-probe and scanning electric microscope on some samples synchronously. The result indicates that there are two groups of stable remanence, the normal and reversed magnetization. The remanence orientations are: D=94.3o, I=-29.1o and D=273.7o, I=15.4o, respectively. The magnetization intensity and the density of the samples which carry the normal magnetization are very different from those bearing reversed magnetization. The magnetic anisotropy is weak, and the minimum axis is hardly determined. The isothermal remanence and the hysteresis loop show that the magnetic carriers of the eclogite are likely SD (single domain) and PSD (pseudo-single domain) magnetite. According to the magnetic property, the cause of formation of magnetic carriers, the mechanism of the remanence, and the significance for the tectonics are discussed.     

Post-Collisional Ductile Extensional Tectonic Framework in the UHP and HP Metamorphic Belts in the Dabie-Sulu Region, China

The present-day observable tectonic framework of the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) and high-pressure (HP) metamorphic belts in the Dabie-Sulu region was dominantly formed by an extensional process, mostly between 200 and 170 Ma, following the Triassic collision between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons. The framework that controls the present spatial distribution of UHP and HP metamorphic rocks in particular displays the typical features of a Cordilleran-type metamorphic core complex, in which at least four regional-scale, shallow-dipping detachment zones are recognized. Each of these detachment zones corresponds to a pressure gap of 0.5 to 2.0 GPa. The detachment zones separate the rocks exposed in the region into several petrotectonic units with different P-T conditions. The geometry and kinematics of both the detachment zones and the petrotectonic units show that the exhumation of UHP and HP metamorphic rocks in the Dabie-Sulu region was achieved, at least in part, by non-coaxial ductile flow in the mul     

Differential Evolution of High-Pressure and Ultrahigh-Pressure Metapelites from Habutengsu,Chinese Western Tianshan: Phase Equilibria Modelling and 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology

Metapelite is one of the predominant rock types in the high-pressure–ultrahigh-pressure(HP–UHP) metamorphic belt of western Tianshan, NW China; however, the spatial and temporal variations of this belt during metamorphism are poorly understood. In this study, we present comparative petrological studies and 40Ar/39 Ar geochronology of HP and UHP pelitic schist exposed along the Habutengsu valley. The schist mainly comprises quartz, white mica, garnet, albite and bluish amphibole. In the Mn O–Na2O–Ca O–K2O–Fe O–Mg O–Al2O3–Si O2–H2O(Mn NCKFMASH) system, P–T pseudosections were constructed using THERMOCALC 333 for two representative pelitic schists. The results demonstrate that there was a break in the peak metamorphic pressures in the Habutengsu area. The northern schist has experienced UHP metamorphism, consistent with the presence of coesite in the same section, while the southern one formed at lower pressures that stabilized the quartz. This result supports the previous finding of a metamorphic gradient through the HP–UHP metamorphic belt of the Chinese western Tianshan by the authors. Additionally, phengite in the northern schist was modelled as having a Si content of 3.55–3.70(a.p.f.u.) at the peak stage, a value much higher than that of oriented matrix phengite(Si content 3.32–3.38 a.p.f.u.). This indicates that the phengite flakes in the UHP schist were subjected to recrystallization during exhumation, which is consistent with the presence of phengite aggregates surrounding garnet porphyroblast. The 40Ar/39 Ar age spectra of white mica(dominantly phengite) from the two schists exhibit similar plateau ages of ca. 315 Ma, which is interpreted as the timing of a tectonometamorphic event that occurred during the exhumation of the HP–UHP metamorphic belt of the Chinese western Tianshan.     

REE concentrations of garnet and omphacite in eclogites from the Dabie Mountain, central China

Distributions of the rare-earth elements (REE) in omphacite and garnet and REE behaviors during metamorphic processes were discussed. The REE concentrations of garnet and omphacite in six eclogite samples from the Dabie Mountain, central China, were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The correlation of δEu ratios between garnet and omphacite indicated that chemical equilibrium of REE distribution between garnet and omphacite could be achieved during ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphism. Most of the partition coefficients (Kd=CiOmp/CiGrt) of light rare-earth elements (LREE) are higher than 1. However the partition coefficients of heavy rare-earth elements (HREE) are lower than 1. This indicated that the LREE inclined to occupy site M2 in omphacite, but the HREEs tended to occupy eightfold coordinated site in garnet during the eclogite formation. The REE geochemistry of the eclogites indicated that LREE could be partially lost during the prograde metamorphic process of protolith, but be introduced into the rocks during the symplectite formation. LREE are more active than HREE during the UHP metamorphism. The results are favorable to highlighting the REE behavior and evolution of UHP metamorphic rocks.     

On Continent-Continent Point-Collision and Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphism

Up to now it is known that almost all ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism of non-impact origin occurred in continent-continent collisional orogenic belt, as has been evidenced by many outcrops in the eastern hemisphere. UHP metamorphic rocks are represented by coesite- and diamond-bearing eclogites and eclogite facies metamorphic rocks formed at 650-800℃ and 2.6-3.5 GPa, and most of the protoliths of UHP rocks are volcanic-sedimentary sequences of continental crust. From these it may be deduced that deep subduction of continental crust may have occurred. However, UHP rocks are exposed on the surface or occur near the surface now, which implies that they have been exhumed from great depths. The mechanism of deep subduction of continental crust and subsequent exhumation has been a hot topic of the research on continental dynamics, but there are divergent views. The focus of the dispute is how deep continental crust is subducted so that UHP rocks can be formed and what mechanism causes it to be subducte     

Subduction of Continental Crust in the Early Palaeozoic North Qaidam Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphic Belt, NW China:Evidence from the Discovery of Coesite in the Belt

Coesite was discovered as inclusions in zircon separates from pelitic gneiss associated with a large eclogite body in the North Qaidam ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane. Some graphite inclusions were also found. This finding suggested the occurrence of in-situ UHP metamorphism and that the terrane was most likely recrystallized at pressures below the diamond stability field. It supported other previous indirect UHP evidence, such as polycrystalline quartz inclusions in eclogitic garnet, quartz lamellae in omphacite and P-T estimates for both eclogite and garnet peridotite. The U-Pb and Sm-Nd ages of the North Qaidam eclogite indicated that subduction of continental crust occurred in the Early Palaeozoic, which probably recorded a collision between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze plates.     

Li and B Isotope Systematics of Ultrahigh-pressure Metamorphic Rocks from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Program

1 Introduction Recent improvements in the precision of Li and B isotope measurements have demonstrated the potential of these elements in tracing a wide range of geological processes. The Li and B isotope systematics of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks provides a unique opportunity to investigate the behaviour of Li and B during fluid-rock interaction at high temperatures and very high pressures and to constrain the fluid budget and the recycling of subducted crustal materials into the mantle during UHP metamorphism.     

TEM and HRTEM Study of Microstructures in Omphacite from UHP Eclogites at Shima, Dabie Mountains, China

Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analyses have been performed on omphacite from ultra-high pressure (UHP) eclogites at the locality of Shima, Dabie Mountains, China. TEM reveals that the microstructures consist dominantly of dislocation substructures, including free dislocations, loops, tiltwalls, dislocation tangles and subboundaries. They were produced by high-temperature ductile deformation, of which the main mechanism was dislocation creep. Antiphase domain (APD) boundaries are common planar defects; an age of 470±6 Ma for UHP eclogite formation has been obtained from the equiaxial size of APDs in ordered omphacites from Shima, coincident with ages given by single-zircon U-Pb dating (471±2 Ma). HRTEM reveals C2/c and P2ln space groups in different parts of one single omphacite crystal, and no exsolution is observed in the studied samples, which is attributed to rapid cooling. It is suggested that the UHP eclogites underwent a long     

The Garnet Exsolution Texture and Petrological Investigations on a Typical Pelitic Granulite from Eastern Himalaya Syntaxis

正The ultrahigh pressure(UHP)metamorphism has been documented in the Western Synataxis(Mukherjee et al.,2003)and central part of the high Himalayan(Wang et al.,2015).However,high pressure granulite facies but not     

Geochemical Characteristics of Pb Isotope of High-Pressure Metamorphic Rocks and Foliated Granites from HP Unit of Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt

Whole-rock Pb isotopic compositions of the high-pressure (HP) metamorphic rocks, consisting of two-mica albite gneisses and eclogites, and foliated granites from the HP metamorphic unit of the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt are firstly reported in this paper. The results show that the tip metamorphic rocks in different parts of this orogenic belt have similar Pb isotopic compositions. The twomica albite gneisses have ^206 pb/^204 Pb=17. 657 -18. 168, ^207pb/^204 Pb=15. 318-15. 573,^ 208Pb/^204ob=38.315-38. 990, and the eclogites have ^206Pb/^204 Pb=17. 599 -18. 310, ^207Pb/^204 Pb=15. 465 -15. 615,^208Pb/^204Pb=37. 968-39. 143. The HP metamorphic rocks are characterized by upper crustal Pb isotopic composition. Although the Pb isotopic composition of the HP metamorphic rocks partly overlaps that of the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, as a whole, the former is higher than the latter. The high radiogenic Pb isotopic composition for the HP metamorphic rocks confirms that the subducted Yangtze continental crust in the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt has the chemical structure of increasing radiogenic Pb isotopic composition from lower crust to upper crust. The foliated granites, intruded in the HP metamorphic rocks post the HP/UHP metamorphism, have ^206Pb/^204 Pb=17. 128- 17. 434,^207Pb/^204pb=15. 313-15. 422 and ^208Pb/^204Pb=37. 631-38. 122, which are obviously different from the Pb isotopic compositions of the HP metamorphic rocks but similar to those of the UHP metamorphic rocks and the foliated garnet-bearing granites in the UHP unit. This shows that the foliated granites from the HP and UHP units have common magma source. Combined with the foliated granites having the geochemical characteristics of A-type granites, it is suggested that the magma for the foliated granites in the UHP and HP unit would be derived from the partial melting of the retrometamorphosed UHP metamorphic rocks exhumed into middle to lower crust, and partial magmas were intruded into the HP unit.     

Raman Spectrum Study on Quartz Exsolution in Omphacite of Eclogite and Its Tectonic Significances

The studies on ultra-microstructue characteristics of quartz exsolution in eclogite and coesite in UHP eclogite of several localities are done with the appliance of laser Raman spectroscopy and Ustage. Research results show that the phase transformation of coesite-quartz in garnet and/or omphacite is a continuous process. Topological relationship is present between quartz exsolution in omphacite and its host mineral which shows orientations of two long axes of quartz exsolution parallel to (100) and (-101) of omphacite. At present, some scholars suggest that thequartz exsolution in omphacite of eclogite is the evidence of UHP metamorphism. However, temperature and pressure condition and the exsolution mechanism of oriented needlelike quartz in omphacite still remain undear. Tnerefore, further study should be enhanced on experimental research on exsolution mechanism of super-silicate clinopyroxene, which could provide experimental quantitative constraint on quartz exsolution as UHP indicator.     

Deep Minerals in Ophiolitic Mantle Peridotites:Discovery and Progress

In the classic theory of plate tectonics, ophiolitic mantle peridotites (i.e., abyssal peridotite) are thought to originate in the shallow mantle beneath ocean spreading centers.Diamonds and other UHP minerals have been found in opholitic mantle peridotites and chromitites along the Neo-Tethyan Yarlung Zangbo suture of southern Tibet, and in a Paleozoic ophiolite in the Polar Urals of Russia,suggesting that UHP minerals may be widespread in ophiolitic peridotites.Diamonds from these different localities all have very similar features in C isotope and mineral inclusions,and are distinct from the other two well known types, i.e. kimberlitic diamonds and UHP metamorphicdiamonds. The occurrence of diamond in ophiolite indicate a completely new environment for diamond formation, which can be regarded as ophiolite-type diamond. These new findings indicate a need to reconsider the nature of the upper mantle and the conditions under which ophiolites form.     

Ultrahigh-pressure and Retrograde Metamorphic Ages for Paleozoic Protolith of Paragneiss in the Main Drill Hole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project （CCSD-MH）, SW Sulu UHP Terrane

Laser Raman spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL) images show that most zircon crystals separated from paragneiss in the main drill hole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project (CCSD-MH) at Maobei, southwestern Sulu terrane, contain low-pressure mineral-bearing detrital cores, coesite-bearing mantles and quartz-bearing or mineral inclusion-free rims. SHRIMP U Pb dating on these zoned zircons yield three discrete and meaningful age groups. The detrital cores yield a large age span from 659 to 313 Ma, indicating the protolith age for the analyzed paragneiss is Paleozoic rather than Proterozoic. The coesite-bearing mantles yield a weighted mean age of 228 ± 5 Ma for the UHP event. The quartz-bearing outmost rims yield a weighted mean age of 213 ± 6 Ma for the retrogressive event related to the regional amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Sulu UHP terrane. Combined with previous SHRIMP U-Pb dating results from orthogneiss in CCSD-MH, it is suggested that both Neoproterozoic granitic protolith and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks were subducted to mantle depths in the Late Triassic. About 15 million years later, the Sulu UHP metamorphic rocks were exhumed to mid-crustal levels and overprinted by an amphibolite-facies retrogressive metamorphism. The exhumation rate deduced from the SHRIMP data and metamorphic P-T conditions is about 6.7 km/Ma. Such a fast exhumation suggests that the Sulu UHP paragneiss and orthogneiss returned towards the surface as a dominant part of a buoyant sliver, caused as a consequence of slab breakoff.     

Multistage Metamorphic Evolution and P-T-t Path of High-T Eclogite from the North Dabie Complex Zone during Continental Subduction and Exhumation

正Objective High-T eclogites from the North Dabie complex zone(NDZ),central China underwent a complex metamorphic evolution involved in ultrahigh-pressure(UHP)and highpressure eclogite-facies metamorphism,and subsequent