A new 40Ar/39Ar eruption age for the Mount Widderin volcano,Newer Volcanic Province,Australia, with implications for eruption frequency in the region

The Mount Widderin shield volcano is located near Skipton, western Victoria, in the Western Plains subprovince of the monogenetic Pliocene–Holocene Newer Volcanic Province (NVP). Radiometric ages for lavas in the Hamilton–Skipton–Derrinallum area are few, owing to limited suitable outcrop for K–Ar or ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology studies. Existing age constraints for flows in this area have been inferred from Regolith Landform Units (RLUs), complemented by a small number of K–Ar studies on ≥1 Ma flows. Although the RLU approach provides a valuable overview of relative eruption ages across the NVP, it is of limited use in eruption frequency studies. Additional radio-isotopic ages are required to refine age ranges for individual RLUs, and to validate previous assignment of individual flows to specific RLUs. We report a new, high-precision ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 389 ± 8 ka (2σ) for a Mount Widderin basalt sample. Based on this age and geomorphic observations, we propose that both the Widderin and Elephant lava flows be reassigned from the Eccles RLU to the Rouse RLU. We use the 389 ± 8 ka (2σ) age for Widderin, along with published K–Ar ages, to anchor a stratigraphic sequence of 15 individual flows in the Hamilton–Skipton–Derrinallum area, demonstrating that intermittent volcanism has occurred in this area from ≥3 Ma to ≤0.389 Ma. Within the limits of available data for the NVP, this time span of volcanic activity is second only to that of the Melbourne area. We consider the significance of the Widderin eruption age, in conjunction with published age constraints for maars and scoria cones of the Western Plains subprovince, building on previous studies that have focused solely on lava flow ages. The inclusion of the additional data weakens the argument for a decrease in volcanic activity after ca 0.9 Ma as implied by published ages for lava flows only. Additional detailed combined geochronology–geomorphology studies of lavas, scoria cones and maars in strategically selected small areas are advocated to better understand eruption frequency across the NVP.     

Trace elemental and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic compositional variation in 37 lava flows of the Mandla lobe and their chemical relation to the western Deccan stratigraphic succession,India

The Mandla lobe is a 900 m thick lava pile that forms a 29,400 km² northeastern extension of the Deccan Traps. Earlier, combined field, petrographic, and major element studies have shown that this lobe comprises 37 lava flows. Using a combination of trace elements (Ba, Ti, Zr, Rb, Sr) and Nb/Zr values, we group the flows into six chemical types (A–F) that are separated stratigraphically. Combined trace element and Nd-Pb-Sr isotopic data, document the presence of lavas resembling those of the Poladpur Formation and less abundantly, the Ambenali Formation of the southwestern Deccan are in conformity with the earlier reconnaissance work. In addition, our data reveal several flows similar to those of the Mahabaleshwar Formation, the type sections of which are located?~?900 km to the southwest. Based on the isotopic data the superposition of Mahabaleshwar-like flows over flows with Ambenali- and Poladpur-like characteristics is in the same stratigraphic order seen in the southwestern Deccan type section. However, from the stratigraphy indicated by the Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) results and the serious discrepancy between the DFA and isotopic data, it seems that few Mandla lobe flows are different and not in the same stratigraphic order as in the southwestern part of the province. To some extent the differences may be explained by faulting along four large post-Deccan normal faults near Nagapahar, Kundam, Deori, and Dindori areas across which offsets of ~150 m have been measured. This post-emplacement faulting accounts for the presence of several chemically Mahabaleshwar-like lavas at the base of the ~900 m thick Mandla lobe pile, at a lower elevation than a thick sequence dominated by chemically Poladpur-like flows. However, presence of common signature lavas (similar to that in the northeastern Deccan) cannot be ruled out in this area. They are similar to Poladpur-type lavas both chemically and isotopically. They appear in different formations and erupted at different times other than Poladpur Formation. Close similarities in petrogenetic processes between the two regions are indicated, although it is not clear whether any of the Mandla lobe lavas are far-traveled counterparts of flows cropping out in the southwestern Deccan, or whether some magma migrated laterally in dike systems over great distances. Feeder dykes have not been found in the study area except for Chakhla-Delakhari Intrusive Complex (CDIC) in Satpura region that shows major and trace elemental similarities with the Seoni lavas, although, long distance transport of magma is yet to be proved. The Poladpur-like Mandla lobe flows appear to be different flows from those of the Poldapur Formation in the southwest, as they are somewhat different in isotopic (higher ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb) composition. They also differ from any known flows in the other southwestern formations, but are broadly similar to flows found in sections across the northern Deccan west of the Mandla lobe.     

The Deccan Trap – Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary connection; new 40Ar/39Ar ages and critical assessment of existing argon data pertinent to this hypothesis

The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (KPgB) was dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method herein from the western interior of North America at 65.48 ± 0.12 Ma (1σ), in good agreement with other recent published estimates. For the Deccan Traps, India, new argon ages as well as others available in the literature, are assessed for reliability based on (a) statistical reliability of plateau/isochron sections and (b) freshness of material dated utilizing the alteration index method. From tholeiitic lavas from the Composite Western Ghats Section (CWGS), only six ages are found to be reliable estimates of the time of crystallization. These ages along with the magnetic polarity of the lavas agree with the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) at ∼67–64 Ma. Alkaline rocks from the Anjar area of Kutch, provide three reliable ages that suggest a hiatus in lava extrusion around KPgB. For the Rajahmundry basalts, the upper flow’s age defines its formation during chron 29n; a single age from the lower reversed polarity flow appears somewhat dichotomous when plotted against the GPTS. The reliable lava ages indicate the most voluminous (reversed polarity) sections of the CWGS were extruded at a time statistically indistinguishable from that of the KPgB. The Deccan Trap – KPgB faunal extinction hypothesis remains plausible, but must compete with the latest report, favoring a very close temporal connection (∼0.03 m.y.) between the Chixculub (Impact) Crater and the KPgB.     

The Rajahmundry Traps, Andhra Pradesh: Evaluation of their petrogenesis relative to the Deccan Traps

Geochemical and geochronological data for rocks from the Rajahmundry Traps, are evaluated for possible correlation with the main Deccan province. Lava flows are found on both banks of the Godavari River and contain an intertrappean sedimentary layer. Based on⁴⁰Ar/³⁹ Ar age data, rocks on the east bank are post K-T boundary, show normal magnetic polarity, and belong to chron 29N. Their chemistry is identical to lavas in the Mahabaleshwar Formation in the Western Ghats, ∼1000km away. It was suggested earlier that the genetic link between these geographically widely separated rocks resulted from lava flowing down freshly incised river canyons at ∼ 64 Ma. For the west bank rocks, recent paleomagnetic work indicates lava flows below and above the intertrappean (sedimentary) layer show reversed and normal magnetic polarity, respectively. The chemical composition of the west bank flow above the intertrappean layer is identical to rocks on the east bank. The west bank lava lying below the sedimentary layer, shows chemistry similar to Ambenali Formation lava flows in the western Deccan.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹ Ar dating and complete chemical characterization of this flow is required to elucidate its petrogenesis with respect to the main Deccan Province.     

<Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar-<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar age of a lava flow from the Bhimashankar Formation,Giravali Ghat,Deccan Traps

We report here a⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar age of 66.0 ± 0.9 Ma (2σ) for a reversely magnetised tholeiitic lava flow from the Bhimashankar Formation (Fm.), Giravali Ghat, western Deccan province, India. This age is consistent with the view that the 1.8–2 km thick bottom part of the exposed basalt flow sequence in the Western Ghats was extruded very close to 67.4 Ma.     

Basalts of the Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province,India

The Mandla lobe in the eastern part of the Deccan volcanic province represents an isolated lava pile having a thickness of ∼900 m. The large thickness of this lava pile and its spatial detachment from the western Deccan outcrop points to a plausible second source. The stratigraphic configuration of the central and eastern Deccan lava sequences and their possible stratigraphic correlation are primarily based on geology and chemical signatures of the lava flows. Based on variations in the incompatible element ratios, the lava sequences of Chindwara, Jabalpur-Seoni and Jabalpur-Piparia sections were classified into four informal formations showing similarity with the southwestern formations. Major and trace element abundances in fifteen lava flows of Jabalpur area are similar to that of the southwestern Deccan lava flows. It has been found that the Ambenali Fm. and a few Khandala and Bushe Fm. flows are present in the northeastern Deccan. The regional mapping and detailed petrographic studies coupled with the lateral tracing have enabled the recognition of thirty-seven physically distinct lava flows and is justified by their major-elemental chemistry. The ‘intraflow variations’ studied in some of the flows is very low for most of the major oxides. These thirty-seven lava flows are grouped into eight chemical types. The order of superposition in this sequence reflects that the older flows occur in the west of the outlier at the Seoni-Jabalpur-Sahapura sector whereas, the younger flows are confined to the Dindori-Amarkantak sector in the east. The spatial disposition of the lava flows suggests that the structural complexity in the lava flow sequence in the Mandla lobe lies between Jabalpur and Dindori. The juxtaposition of distinct groups of lava flows are observed near Deori (flows 1 to 4 abeted aginst flows 5 to 14) and Dindori areas. At Dindori and towards its south the distinct lava packages (flows 15 to 27 and flows 28 to 37) are juxtaposed along the course of Narmada river. The possible explanation for this could be the presence of four post-Deccan faults at Nagapahar, Kundam, Deori and Dindori areas. The vertical shift of chemically distinct lava packages at different sectors in the outlier contravenes the idea of small regional dip and favours the presence of four NE-SW trending post-Deccan faults. Major geochemical breaks, when traced out from section to section, exhibit shifting in heights by approximately 150 m near Nagapahar and 300 m near Deori and Dindori areas. The field, petrographic and major-oxide data sets considered in conjuction with the magnetic chron reversal heights, support the inference that four faults trending NE-SW are present in the Mandla lobe.A commonality in the mineralo-chemical attributes of the infra (Lametas)-/inter-trappean as well as weathered Deccan basalt further favours their derivation from Deccan basalt, implying the availability of Deccan basalt during the Maastrichtian Lameta sedimentation. This observation does not match with the models suggesting an extremely short duration of Deccan volcanism (<0.5 Ma) at the KTB, but is congruent with the models advocating a more prolonged Deccan volcanism.     

The age of Earth’s largest volcano: Tamu Massif on Shatsky Rise (northwest Pacific Ocean)

This study presents laser step-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations of basaltic lava samples from Tamu Massif, the oldest and largest edifice of the submarine Shatsky Rise in the northwest Pacific and Earth’s proposed largest volcano. The rocks were recovered during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 324, which cored 160 m into the igneous basement near the summit of Tamu Massif. The analyzed lavas cover all three major stratigraphic groups penetrated at this site and confirm a Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous age for the onset of Shatsky Rise volcanism. Lavas analyzed from the lower and middle section of the hole yield plateau ages between 144.4 ± 1.0 and 143.1 ± 3.3 Ma with overlapping analytical errors (2σ), whereas a sample from the uppermost lava group produced a significantly younger age of 133.9 ± 2.3 Ma suggesting a late or rejuvenated phase of volcanism. The new geochronological data infer minimum (average) melt production rates of 0.63–0.84 km³/a over a time interval of 3–4 million years consistent with the presence of a mantle plume.     

Iron-Titanium Oxide Geothermometry and Petrogenesis of Lava Flows and Dykes from Mandla Lobe of the Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province, India

Compositional studies on different forms of magnetite, ulvospinel, ilmenite and hematite mineral phases occurring in 37 lava flows and 6 dykes of the Mandla lobe are presented in this paper. Ilmenite (0001) in equilibrium with titanomanetite show high values of temperature of equilibration, ranging from 1172–974°C, for high alumina quartz normative tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - A; 1129–1229°C for low alumina quartz normative tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - B; 1283–1124°C for tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - F and 1243°C and 99O°C for two diopside olivine normative tholeiite flows of Chemical Type D. High olivine normative flows of Chemical Type - G and H show 1095°C and 1092°C respectively. Whereas, high hypersthene normative tholeiite flow of Chemical me C shows temperature of 1187°C. Data plots disposition over iron-titanium oxide equilibration temperature vs – logfo₂, diagram for Mandla lava flows and other parts of the Deccan (Igatpuri, Mahabaleshwer, Nagpur and Sagar areas) revealed that tholeiitic (evolved) basalt of the eastern Deccan volcanic province formed at high temperatures whereas, picritic (primitive) lavas of Igatpuri and tholeiitic basalt of Mahabaleshwar areas were formed at low temperatures. Mahabaleshwer basalts follow FMQ (fayalite-magnetite-quartz) buffer curve but, plots of the Mandla basalts lie above this curve indicating higher temperatures of crystallisation of ilmenite-titanomagnetite than that of the lava flows from other parts of Deccan 'Raps. The eastern Deccan Traps are most evolved types of lava as characterised by its low Mg-number and Ni content whereas, Igatpuri lava flows are picritic (primitive), having high Mg-number and Ni contents. Temperature vs FeO + Fe₂O₃ / FeO + Fe₂O₃ + MgO ratio data plots for Mandla and other Deccan lava flows and liquidus data for Hawaiian tholeiites, indicated that Igatpuri basalts lie parallel to the liquidus line of Hawaiian tholeiite but at lower temperatures. Large data plots of Mandla lava flows lie along the liquidus line of the Hawaiian lava. The highly vesicular nature of compound lava flows having large amount of volatile is responsible for low temperature values whereas, lava flows represented by high temperatures show high modal values of glass and opaque minerals.     

Geology and geochemistry of Pachmarhi dykes and sills,Satpura Gondwana Basin,central India: problems of dyke-sill-flow correlations in the Deccan Traps

Many tholeiitic dyke-sill intrusions of the Late Cretaceous Deccan Traps continental flood basalt province are exposed in the Satpura Gondwana Basin around Pachmarhi, central India. We present field, petrographic, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data on these intrusions and identify individual dykes and sills that chemically closely match several stratigraphically defined formations in the southwestern Deccan (Western Ghats). Some of these formations have also been identified more recently in the northern and northeastern Deccan. However, the Pachmarhi intrusions are significantly more evolved (lower Mg numbers and higher TiO₂ contents) than many Deccan basalts, with isotopic signatures generally different from those of the chemically similar lava formations, indicating that most are not feeders to previously characterized flows. They appear to be products of mixing between Deccan basalt magmas and partial melts of Precambrian Indian amphibolites, as proposed previously for several Deccan basalt lavas of the lower Western Ghats stratigraphy. Broad chemical and isotopic similarities of several Pachmarhi intrusions to the northern and northeastern Deccan lavas indicate petrogenetic relationships. Distances these lava flows would have had to cover, if they originated in the Pachmarhi area, range from 150 to 350 km. The Pachmarhi data enlarge the hitherto known chemical and isotopic range of the Deccan flood basalt magmas. This study highlights the problems and ambiguities in dyke-sill-flow correlations even with extensive geochemical fingerprinting.     

Generation of Deccan Trap magmas

Deccan Trap magmas may have erupted through multiple centers, the most prominent of which may have been a shield volcano-like structure in the Western Ghats area. The lavas are predominantly tholeiitic; alkalic mafic lavas and carbonatites are rare. Radioisotope dating, magnetic chronology, and age constraints from paleontology indicate that although the eruption started some 68 Ma, the bulk of lavas erupted at around 65–66 Ma. Paleomagnetic constraints indicate an uncertainty of ± 500,000 years for peak volcanic activity at 65 m.y. in the type section of the Western Ghats. Maximum magma residence times were calculated in this study based on growth rates of “giant plagioclase” crystals in lavas that marked the end phase of volcanic activity of different magma chambers. These calculations suggest that the > 1.7 km thick Western Ghats section might have erupted within a much shorter time interval of ∼ 55,000 years, implying phenomenal eruption rates that are orders of magnitude larger than any present-day eruption rate from any tectonic environment. Other significant observations/conclusions are as follows: (1) Deccan lavas can be grouped into stratigraphic subdivisions based on their geochemistry; (2) While some formations are relatively uncontaminated others are strongly contaminated by the continental crust; (3) Deccan magmas were produced by 15–30% melting of a Fe-rich lherzolitic source at ∼ 3–2 GPa; (4) Parent magmas of the relatively uncontaminated Ambenali formation had a primitive composition with 16%MgO, 47%SiO₂; (5) Deccan magmas were generated much deeper and by significantly more melting than other continental flood basalt provinces; (6) The erupted Deccan tholeiitic lavas underwent fractionation and magma mixing at ∼ 0.2 GPa. The composition and origin of the crust and crust/mantle boundary beneath the Deccan are discussed with respect to the influence of Deccan magmatic episode.     

Keene Basalt,northwest Officer Basin,Western Australia: tectonostratigraphic setting and implications for possible submarine mineralisation

GSWA Lancer 1, drilled in the northwest Officer Basin, intersected 49 m of tholeiitic basalt lava flows between depths of 527 and 576 m. These lavas have been named the Keene Basalt and were erupted during deposition of the shallow-marine Kanpa Formation, a mixed carbonate – siliciclastic succession in the Neoproterozoic Buldya Group. No direct dating of the Keene Basalt has been undertaken. Maximum depositional age constraints for the enclosing Kanpa Formation are provided by youngest concordant detrital zircon ages of 779±6 Ma for sandstone 19 m below the basalt, and 725±11 Ma for sandstone at the top of the Kanpa Formation in another drillhole. Correlation of the Kanpa Formation with the Burra Group of the Adelaide Rift Complex on palaeontological and chemostratigraphic grounds suggests an age older than 700 Ma. Limited geochemical data indicate that the Keene Basalt is of continental origin and shows a close similarity to mafic dykes near Mingary in South Australia. Petrographic and XRD analyses show that the Keene Basalt has been hydrothermally altered by interaction with seawater, and locally contains disseminated sulfides. Massive and disseminated sulfide mineralisation, similar to that of submarine systems, may exist in this tectonostratigraphic setting in the northwest Officer Basin.     

Late Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper deposits in South China: their possible link to the supercontinent cycle

Giant sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper (SSC) deposits commonly occur in rift environments, temporally coincident with the breakup of the Rodinia and Pangea supercontinents. However, whether or not such deposits have also formed during the breakup of the Paleoproterozoic Columbia supercontinent is not well known. A group of dolostone-hosted Cu deposits in late Paleoproterozoic rift-related sedimentary sequences of the Dongchuan Group, South China, form one of the largest SSC districts in the world. Being one of the largest SSC deposits in the region, the Yinmin deposit has stratiform Cu orebodies intruded by dolerite dykes. One dyke has a SIMS zircon U–Pb age of 1,701?±?28 Ma, slightly younger than the ore-hosting strata with a zircon U–Pb age of 1,742?±?13 Ma for a tuff unit. Six chalcopyrite and bornite separates from stratiform orebodies contain highly radiogenic Os and extremely low common Os and yield a weighted mean Re–Os model age of 1,666?±?82 Ma and a ¹⁸⁷Os–¹⁸⁷Re errorchron age of 1,585?±?100 Ma. The present zircon U–Pb and sulfide Re–Os ages thus constrain the timing of the mineralization at ~1,700 Ma. The Yinmin deposit and, by inference, other SSC deposits in the region, arguably represent a large-scale SSC mineralization event during the late Paleoproterozoic. The formation of these deposits was coeval with the initial breakup/fragmentation of the Columbia supercontinent. This study highlights the temporal and likely genetic links between large-sized SSC deposits and the supercontinent cycle.     

Emplacement age and thermal footprint of the diamondiferous Ellendale E9 lamproite pipe, Western Australia

The diamondiferous Ellendale 9 (E9) pipe is a funnel-shaped maar-diatreme volcano consisting of inward-dipping tuff sequences intruded by lamproite plugs and dykes. The host rocks for the E9 pipe are Permian sandstones. The multiple lithological contacts exposed within the mined maar volcano provide a natural laboratory in which to study the effect of volcanic processes on U–Th–Pb–He systematics. Zircon from the regional sandstone and E9 lamproite display a bimodal distribution of ages on (U–Th)/He–U/Pb plots. The zircon U/Pb ages for the E9 pipe (n?=?52) range from 440 to 2,725 Ma, while the cluster of (U–Th)/He ages for the lamproite dyke zircon indicate that dyke emplacement occurred at 20.6?±?2.8 Ma, concordant with a maximum emplacement age of about ≤22 Ma from phlogopite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar. These ages indicate a xenocrystic origin for the zircon entrained in the E9 dyke. The U/Pb ages of detrital zircon from the regional sandstone host (373–3,248 Ma; n?=?41) are indistinguishable from those of the lamproite zircon xenocrysts, whereas the detrital zircon in the host sandstone yield (U–Th)/He ages from 260 to 1,500 Ma. A thermochronology traverse across the E9 lamproite dyke reveals that the zircon (U–Th)/He ages in the host sandstone have not been significantly thermally reset during dyke emplacement, even at the contact. The capability of the zircon (U–Th)/He method to distinguish deep, mantle source lithologies from upper crustal source lithologies could be used in geochemical exploration for diamonds. Pre-screening of detrital samples using etching and helium assay methods will improve the efficiency and decrease the cost of greenfields exploration.     

Combined U/Pb and (U–Th)/He geochronometry of basalt maars in Western Carpathians: implications for age of intraplate volcanism and origin of zircon metasomatism

The age of intraplate volcanism in northern Pannonian Basin of Carpathians is revisited using a combination of zircon U/Pb, zircon (U–Th)/He and apatite (U–Th)/He dating techniques, complemented by electron microprobe (EMP) characterisation of dated minerals. A total of six maar structures and diatremes in the South-Slovakian Volcanic Field (SSVF) were dated and the obtained new ages yielded the following key findings: Two isolated maars in SE part indirectly dated by geomorphologic constraints to Late Pleistocene are actually of Pliocene (2.8 ± 0.2 Ma) and Late Miocene (5.5 ± 0.6 Ma) ages. In contrast, two maars in NW part of the study area are of Late Pliocene age (4.1 ± 0.4 and 5.2–5.4 Ma), younger than the Late Miocene age (~6.5 Ma) inferred previously from K/Ar data on the proximal basaltic lava flows. These maars therefore belong to the second volcanic phase that was previously identified only in SE part of the SSVF. In the light of the new geochronologic data, it seems likely that the Pliocene phreatomagmatic eruptions may have occurred along extension-related, NW- and NE-trending orthogonal faults. EMP analyses and imaging revealed an extensive syn- and post-growth metasomatic replacement by dissolution-reprecipitation in the majority of zircons. Abundant silicate melt inclusions in porous metasomatised parts of the zircons are diagnostic of magmatic rather than hydrothermal metasomatism. Consistent ages of the metasomatised and non-metasomatised zones do not indicate disturbance of the U–Pb system during the metasomatism. Enrichment in U and Th loss in the metasomatised zircons are diagnostic of an increasing oxygen fugacity triggered by degassing of the volatile residual melt during the final stages of alkali basalt fractionation. Rare zircon-to-baddeleyite transformation was probably connected with lowered silica activity in carbonated basaltic magmas in south-eastern part of the study area.     

1.2 Ga Mafic dyke near York,southwestern Yilgarn Craton,Western Australia

A SHRIMP ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb zircon age of 1204 ± 10 Ma is reported for an east west trending dolerite dyke from near York in the southwestern Yilgarn Craton. This age is identical within analytical uncertainty to previously reported ages of ca 1210 Ma for dykes from the central Wheatbelt and the Western and Eastern Goldfields. The consistency of the dyke ages and the wide areal extent of the dykes suggests that emplacement occurred as a single magmatic pulse at ca 1210 Ma throughout the southwestern Yilgarn Craton. The similarities between the age of the dykes and the ages of late events in the Albany Fraser Orogeny, and the approximate parallelism of the east west trending dykes to the margin of the orogen, raises the possibility that these events are related.     

The emplacement of pahoehoe lavas on Kilauea and in the Deccan Traps

There is a growing interest in deciphering the emplacement and environmental impact of flood basalt provinces such as the Deccan, India. Observations of active volcanism lead to meaningful interpretations of now-extinct volcanic systems. Here, I illustrate and discuss the morphology and emplacement of the modern and active lava flows of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, and based on them, interpret the compound pahoehoe lavas of the Deccan Traps. The latter are vastly larger (areally extensive and voluminous) than Kilauea flows, and yet, their internal architecture is the same as that of Kilauea flows, and even the sizes of individual flow units often identical. Many or most compound flows of the Deccan Traps were emplaced in a gentle, effusive, Kilauea-like fashion. Bulk eruption rates for the Deccan province are unknown, and were probably high, but the local eruption rates of the compound flows were no larger than Kilauea’s. Large (≥ 1000 km³) individual compound pahoehoe flows in the Deccan could have been emplaced at Kilauea-like local eruption rates (1 m³/sec per metre length of fissure) in a decade or less, given fissures of sufficient length (tens of kilometres), now exposed as dyke swarms in the province.     

Age and duration of the Deccan Traps, India: A review of radiometric and paleomagnetic constraints

A review of the available radiometric and paleomagnetic data from the Deccan Flood Basalt Province (DFBP) suggests that the volcanism was episodic in nature and probably continued over an extended duration from 69 Ma to 63 Ma between 31R and 28N. It is likely that the most intense pulse of volcanism at 66.9 ± 0.2 Ma preceded the Cretaceous Tertiary Boundary (KTB, 65.2 ± 0.2Ma) events by R∼1.7Ma. The magnetostratigraphic record in the Deccan lava pile is incomplete and it is therefore possible that the lava flows constituting the reverse polarity sequence were erupted in more than one reversed magnetic chron.     

Timing and duration of hydrothermal activity at the Los Bronces porphyry cluster: an update

New geochronological data from the Los Bronces cluster of the Río Blanco-Los Bronces mega-porphyry Cu-Mo district establish a wide range of magmatism, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization ages, both in terms of areal extent and time. The northern El Plomo and southernmost Los Piches exploration areas contain the oldest barren porphyritic intrusions with U-Pb ages of 10.8?±?0.1 Ma and 13.4?±?0.1 Ma, respectively. A hypabyssal barren intrusion adjacent northwesterly to the main pit area yields a slightly younger age of 10.2?±?0.3 Ma (San Manuel sector, U-Pb), whereas in the Los Bronces (LB) open-pit area, the present day mineral extraction zone, porphyries range from 8.49 to 6.02 Ma (U-Pb). Hydrothermal biotite and sericite ages are up to 0.5 Ma younger but consistent with the cooling of the corresponding intrusion events of each area. Two quartz-molybdenite B-type veins from the LB open pit have Re-Os molybdenite ages of 5.65?±?0.03 Ma and 5.35?±?0.03 Ma consistent with published data for the contiguous Río Blanco cluster. The San Manuel exploration area within the Los Bronces cluster, located about 1.5–2 km southeast of the open-pit extraction zone, shows both the oldest hydrothermal biotite (7.70?±?0.07 Ma; ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar) and breccia cement molybdenite ages (8.36?±?0.06 Ma; Re-Os) registered in the entire Río Blanco-Los Bronces district. These are also older than those reported from the El Teniente porphyry Cu(-Mo) deposit, suggesting that mineralization in the late Miocene to early Pliocene porphyry belt of Central Chile commenced 2 Ma before the previously accepted age of 6.3 Ma.     

内蒙古大井矿区及外围岩浆岩锆石U-Pb年龄及其对成矿时间的约束

大井是内蒙古东部地区的一处大型铜银锡多金属矿床,矿体呈脉状产出在二叠系林西组地层中,受NW或NWW向断裂控制。本文对大井矿区及其外围主要侵入岩体和火山岩开展了年代学和地球化学研究。LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石测年结果表明,大井矿区内靠近1号矿脉产出的2件霏细岩脉样品的锆石年龄分别为170.7±1.4Ma(MSWD=1.9)和170.7±1.1Ma(MSWD=1.3);矿区外围马鞍子黑云母二长花岗岩体的锆石年龄为279.7±1.3Ma(MSWD=0.74);唐家营子附近安山玢岩脉的锆石年龄为252.0±1.8Ma(MSWD=1.6);大四段村似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩体的锆石年龄为242.8±1.7Ma(MSWD=1.7);采自大坝南部的流纹质晶屑熔结凝灰岩、流纹质火山角砾熔岩和晶屑凝灰岩的锆石年龄分别为143.5±0.7Ma(MSWD=0.38),144.3±0.7Ma(MSWD=1.2)和145.3±1.0Ma(MSWD=2.5);小城子村南部石英斑岩脉的锆石年龄为146.1±0.9Ma(MSWD=1.7),安山玢岩脉的锆石年龄133.2±0.7Ma(MSWD=0.96)。反映本区至少存在四期岩浆活动,分别是海西晚期、印支早期、燕山早期和燕山中期。岩石地球化学分析结果表明,大井矿区及外围主要侵入岩(黑云母二长花岗岩、似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩、霏细岩、安山玢岩和石英斑岩)均为富SiO₂、富碱、准铝的钙碱性岩石,在SiO₂-K₂O图解上均落入"高钾钙碱系列"区。所有的岩石样品具有轻稀土分异明显、富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)的特征,其中Ba、Nb、Sr、P、Ti相对亏损,而Rb、Th、K、Ce、Nd、Hf、Sm、Y 和Yb相对富集。侵入岩和火山岩的年代学与岩石地球化学特征表明,马鞍子黑云母二长花岗岩和大四段村似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩的侵位可能与古亚洲洋的碰撞闭合有关,形成于挤压的构造环境;燕山早期侵入岩在本区并不发育,其形成环境还有待进一步查明,可能与西伯利亚板块和蒙古-华北板块之间的鄂霍茨克洋消亡及后碰撞造山有关;而燕山晚期大规模的侵入-火山喷发活动可能是由岩石圈减薄,区域大规模伸展所引起。根据本文对矿区内及外围侵入岩与火山岩的年代学研究,结合矿区地质和前人研究成果,认为大井铜银锡矿床的成矿主要与晚侏罗世-早白垩世岩浆活动(146~133Ma)有关,是区域伸展构造背景下岩浆活动的产物。     

40Ar39Ar and KAr dating of altered glassy volcanic rocks: the Dabi Volcanics,P.N.G.

KAr and ${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{39}\text{Ar}$ ages have been determined for altered submarine tholeiitic and boninite (high-Mg andesite) lavas from the Dabi Volcanics, Cape Vogel Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. ${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{39}\text{Ar}$ whole rock total fusion and plateau ages identify a Late Paleocene age for the tholeiitic lavas (58.9 ± 1.1 Ma) and also for the boninitic lavas (58.8 ± 0.8 Ma). Apparent KAr ages for the same samples range from 27.2 ± 0.7 to 63.9 ± 4.5 Ma, and young KAr ages for glassy boninites are probably due to variable radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar (⁴⁰Ar¹) loss. These new ages effectively reconcile previously ambiguous age data for the Dabi Volcanics and indicate contemporaneous tholeiitic and boninitic volcanism occurring in southeast PNG during the Late Paleocene.Smectites, developed as alteration products after glass in oceanic lavas commonly do not retain ³⁹Ar during or subsequent to irradiation, but in some cases may contain ⁴⁰Ar1. In the absence of other factors modifying K and Ar contents, samples which have not lost ⁴⁰Ar¹ from smectite and suffer ³⁹Ar loss only, are interpreted to have been altered immediately subsequent to the crystallization of the lava; whereas samples which have lost ⁴⁰Ar¹ as well as ³⁹Ar may be the result of either recent alteration, or of continuous ⁴⁰Ar¹ loss since the time of crystallization.