The Avalon Zone: A Pan-African terrane in the Appalachian Orogen of Canada

The Precambrian sequences of the Avalon Zone in Canada (southeastern margin of the Appalachian Orogen) are interpreted as a Pan-African orogenic belt incorporated into the Appalachian Orogen during Palaeozoic times as its southeastern margin. The Precambrian evolution of the Avalon Zone was genetically unrelated to subsequent Palaeozoic evolution. The Avalon Zone shows marked similarities in age, tectonic history, and facies development to the Pan-African belts adjacent to the West African Craton. Precambrian evolution of the zone began with circa 800 Ma rifting of a sialic gneissic basement and deposition of a Middle Proterozoic(?) carbonate-clastic cover sequence. Early crustal rifting was associated with localized partial melting and metamorphism. Limited crustal separation led to the restricted development of circa 760 Ma oceanic volcanics. Continued rifting and subsequent closure of these narrow ocean basins led to the eruption of widespread subaerial volcanic suites, block faulting, granite plutonism, and local, late Proterozoic sedimentary basin formation. Precambrian evolution of the zone terminated with the Avalonian Orogeny (circa 650-600 Ma), a deformational event, the affects of which are most evident locally along the northwestern margin of the zone. The controlling features of the Proterozoic evolution of the Avalon Zone are a series of linear intracratonic troughs and small ocean basins that formed during thinning and separation of the crust by ductile spreading, rupture, and delamination (cf. Martin and Porada 1977). The variation in degree of crustal separation led to subsequent variation in orogenesis during late Proterozoic compression. The zone marks the original westward limit of Pan-African activity and displays no apparent genetic link with the Appalachian Orogen in Canada until Devonian times.     

东南极泛非普里兹带：碰撞造山带还是板内造山带

东南极普里兹带是近几年在南极大陆上识别出的一条重要的泛非期构造带，因其成因涉及到冈瓦纳超大陆在寒武纪时的形成与演化问题，因此一直是国际地学界关注的焦点。但到目前为止，对于该造山带的构造属性还存在着不同的认识，有些人认为它是板内造山带，而另一些人认为它是两个大陆板块之间的碰撞带。其基本特征是：普里兹带两侧为前泛非期不同性质的岩石圈单元，整个区域经历了早期中一下地壳挤压逆冲和晚期中一上地壳伸展垮塌的构造演化历史，区域麻粒岩相变质作用表现为近等热减压的顺时针p-t轨迹。此外，东南极克拉通与冈瓦纳其他块体在500Ma前的古地磁极移曲线并不一致。所以，尽管目前尚未发现蛇绿岩套、岛弧增生杂岩或高压变质岩等直接指相标志，但这些特征均反映了普里兹带是板间碰撞拼合的缝合带，而不是板内造山带，东南极地盾本身则是由不同块体在泛非期拼合而成的。     

The Rokelides of West Africa — Pan-African aulacogen or back-arc basin?

A reassessment of the stratigraphy, structure and metamorphism of the Pan-African Rokelides tectono-thermal belt in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia indicates that the belt developed not as a plate-margin collision orogen but as either an aulacogen or a back-arc basin oblique to the main trend of the West African fold belt. The main southern part of the late Proterozoic to mid-Phanerozoic West African fold belt trends southwestwards via the Koulountou belt of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau into South America, where relics of Pan-African age occur within the Andean cordilleras.     

The Ust-Belaya ophiolite terrane,West Koryak Orogen: Isotopic dating and paleotectonic interpretation

The Ust-Belaya ophiolite terrane in the West Koryak Orogen, which is the largest in northeastern Asia, consists of three nappe complexes. The upper Ust-Belaya Nappe is composed of a thick (>5 km) sheet of fertile peridotites and mafic rocks (remnants of the proto-Pacific lithosphere); its upper age boundary is marked by Late Neoproterozoic plagiogranites. In the middle Tolovka-Otrozhny Nappe, the Late Precambrian lherzolite-type ophiolites are supplemented by fragments of tectonically delaminated harzburgite-type ophiolites, which make up the Tolovka rock association. The isotopic age of metadacite (K-Ar method, whole-rock sample) and zircons from plagiogranite porphyry (U-Pb method, SHRIMP) determines the upper chronological limit of the Tolovka ophiolites as 262–265 Ma ago. It is suggested that igneous rocks of these ophiolites were generated in a backarc basin during the Early Carboniferous and then incorporated into the fold-nappe structure in the Mid-Permian. This was the future basement of the Koni-Taigonos arc, where the Early Carboniferous ophiolites together with Late Neoproterozoic precursors were subject to low-temperature metamorphism and intruded by plagiogranite porphyry dikes in Permian-Triassic. The polymicte serpentinite mélange, which was formed in the accretionary complex of the Koni-Taigonos arc comprises rock blocks of the upper units of Late Precambrian ophiolites (in particular, plagiogranite), the overlying Middle to Upper Devonian and Early Carboniferous deposits, as well as Early Carboniferous (?) Tolovka ophiolites and meta-ophiolites. Mélange of this type with inclusions of Late Precambrian “oceanic” granitoids also developed in the lower Utyosiki Nappe composed of Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic sequences, the formation of which was related to the next Uda-Murgal island-arc systems.     

Comparison of Thermochronometers in a Slowly Cooled Granulite Terrain: Nagssugtoqidian Orogen, West Greenland

Uranium–Pb sphene and apatite, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar hornblende,muscovite and K-feldspar ages from the core of the ProterozoicNagssugtoqidian orogen, West Greenland, are used to constrainthe timing of granulite-facies metamorphism and the subsequentcooling history. Metamorphic monazite growth occurred at 1858± 2, 1830 ± 1 and 1807 ± 2 Ma and definesthe peak of metamorphism. The uncertainty in the cooling rateshas to include the error in the decay constants of the systemsused. This source of uncertainty is, however, negligible ifa single decay scheme is used or when the age difference betweenthe chronometers is large (>100 m.y.). Over the last twodecades increasingly higher closure temperatures have been proposed.This trend reflects the difficulty of determining ‘absolute’closure temperatures and in using a limited number of closuretemperature estimates to infer closure temperatures of othergeochronometers. Cooling rates at Ussuit were 2·9 ±1·7°C/m.y. from 1762 Ma (670°C) to 1705 Ma (500°C),1·5 ± 1·1°C/m.y. from 1705 Ma to 1640Ma (410°C), and 0·9 ± 0·4°C/m.y.between 1640 and 1416 Ma (200°C). Between 1720 and 1645Ma cooling rates in Lersletten, 60 km north of Ussuit, are indistinguishablefrom those at Ussuit. After 1645 Ma, however, the area cooledto 200°C at a slightly faster rate of 2·6 ±1·2°C/m.y. KEY WORDS: ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U–Pb geochronometers; granulite metamorphism; slow cooling; T–t path     

西秦岭夏河—合作地区与还原性侵入岩有关的金成矿系统及其动力学背景和勘查意义

西秦岭造山带是我国最重要的金成矿带之一。以往研究大多认为造山型金矿床和(类)卡林型金矿床是西秦岭主要的金矿床类型,并且两类金矿床的金成矿作用主要与造山过程中的区域变质作用有关,而与岩浆活动不存在直接的成因联系。位于西秦岭造山带西段的夏河—合作地区大面积出露花岗岩类侵入体,其周缘发育有富金的夕卡岩型铜(钨)矿床。近年来该地区新发现的多个大型—超大型石英脉型金矿床和微细粒浸染型金矿床都与中酸性侵入岩的空间关系紧密,暗示这些金矿床可能和岩浆活动有成因联系。论文在作者研究结果以及总结前人成果基础上,综述了夏河—合作地区典型金(铜)矿床的地质矿化特征、地球化学特征、时空分布特征,以及中酸性侵入岩的岩性特征、形成时代和演化过程。年代学研究结果显示,夏河—合作地区的早子沟微细粒浸染型金矿床、德乌鲁夕卡岩型金(铜)矿床和老豆石英脉型金矿床均形成于250~240 Ma,与邻近的早中三叠世花岗闪长质石英闪长质侵入岩近于同时形成。拉布在卡等石英脉型金矿床略晚于区内中三叠世末期侵位的闪长玢岩脉(约230~225 Ma)形成。H、O、S、C、B、Pb等多种同位素地球化学特征指示该地区早中三叠世金矿床的成矿热液均为岩浆来源,并且显示低氧逸度的特征。早中三叠世中酸性侵入岩的还原性钛铁矿系列花岗岩类特征,以及同时代的多种金矿化类型和成矿分带性,表明夏河—合作地区在早中三叠世(约250~230 Ma)多期次侵位的钛铁矿系列I型中酸性岩浆是金成矿作用的成矿流体和成矿物质的主要来源,其中与250~240 Ma多期金成矿事件有关的准铝质弱过铝质、高钾钙碱性系列花岗岩类侵入岩均经历了幔源基性熔体和壳源酸性熔体的岩浆混合作用,而与约230 Ma的金成矿作用有关的闪长质岩浆岩则可能指示了更多幔源基性熔体的加入。与金(铜)成矿有关的早中三叠世还原性中酸性岩是在古特提斯洋俯冲过程中局部弧后伸展条件下交代富集地幔楔部分熔融形成的基性岩浆与壳源酸性岩浆混合作用的产物。夏河—合作地区形成于早中三叠世的夕卡岩型、电气石石英脉型、石英方解石脉型和微细粒浸染型金矿床共同构成了一个与还原性侵入岩有关的金成矿系统。夏河—合作地区与还原性侵入岩有关的金成矿系统的发现,丰富了西秦岭造山带区域成矿作用的类型,并为西秦岭西段其他早中三叠世岩浆岩分布区(如青海同仁地区)的金矿勘查工作提供了新的思想和方向。     

Sr and Nd Characteristics of Brasiliano/Pan-African Granitoid Plutons of the Araçuaí Orogen, Southeastern Brazil: Tectonic Implications

Nd and Sr isotope data were obtained for three plutonic suites (595–505 Ma) and distinct young granitoid intrusions (503 Ma), from the southern part of the Neoproterozoic Araçuaí Orogen. The Sr and Nd isotopes (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, eNd) and TDM values from the plutons and distinct basement rocks are used to constrain the magma genesis of the granitoid plutons. These isotopic parameters, with e_Nd values ranging from −4 to −24 and T_DM ages from 1.3 to 2.8 Ga, for the granitoid suites, and −5 to −40 and 3.5 to 1.5 Ga, for the distinct Archean and Proterozoic basement complexes, suggest that the Jequitinhonha Complex metasediments are the main crustal source for most of these plutons, except for the youngest granitoid intrusions, which may have a protolith similar to the Mantiqueira and Guanhães complexes. Furthermore, the isotope data indicate a minor, but important, participation of Neoproterozoic oceanic lithosphere in the granite genesis, which corroborates with a confined orogenic model and a narrow oceanic consumption (B-subduction) for the Araçuaí Orogen.     

Transpressional granite-emplacement model: Structural and magnetic study of the Pan-African Bandja granitic pluton (West Cameroon)

The Pan-African NE–SW elongated Bandja granitic pluton, located at the western part of the Pan-African belt in Cameroon, is a K-feldspar megacryst granite. It is emplaced in banded gneiss and its NW border underwent mylonitization. The magmatic foliation shows NE–SW and NNE–SSW strike directions with moderate to strong dip respectively in its northern and central parts. This mostly, ferromagnetic granite displays magnetic fabrics carried by magnetite and characterized by (i) magnetic foliation with best poles at 295/34, 283/33 and 35/59 respectively in its northern, central and southern parts and (ii) a subhorizontal magnetic lineation with best line at 37/8, 191/9 and 267/22 respectively in the northern, central and southern parts. Magnetic lineation shows an ‘S’ shape trend that allows to (1) consider the complete emplacement and deformation of the pluton during the Pan-African D ₂ and D ₃ events which occurred in the Pan-African belt in Cameroon and (2) reorganize Pan-African ages from Nguiessi Tchakam et al. (1997) compared with those of the other granitic plutons in the belt as: 686 ±17 Ma (Rb/Sr) for D ₁ age of metamorphism recorded in gneiss; and the period between 604–557 Ma for D ₂–D ₃ emplacement and deformation age of the granitic pluton in a dextral ENE–WSW shear movement.     

The intracratonic branch of the Damara Orogen in South West Africa I. Discussion of geodynamic models

The late Precambrian Damara Supergroup was deposited in a geosyncline. There is good evidence that the intracratonic branch of this geosyncline began its development with a stage of rifting which produced three widely spaced grabens in sialic crust. During a second stage of subsidence the grabens merged and formed a geosyncline. A third stage produced intense deformation associated with thrusting and nappe transport, high-grade metamorphism, anatexis and large-scale granodioritic to granitic plutonism.A discussion of lifely geodynamic interpretations leads to the conclusion that the development of the intracratonic geosyncline can be best explained by a multiple aulacogen model. The dynamics of the orogeny cannot be readily interpreted with the help of a plate tectonic subduction-collision model. Concepts based on Ramberg's (1972) gravitational instability models are considered applicable.The hypothesis is advanced that grabens, aulacogens and mobile belts may represent diverse responses of the crust to astenoliths of different sizes.     

The role of Pan-African structures in intraplate seismicity near the termination of the Romanche fracture zone, West Africa

The distribution of epicenters of both historic earthquakes and recent seismic events in southeastern Ghana, compiled from local and teleseismic networks, show strong correlation with the Pan-African structures onshore and indicate an alignment with disruptions on seismic sections offshore. The seismic reflection sections reveal basement structures of the external zone of the Pan-African Dahomeyide orogen and these structures can be traced to offsets of shelf strata and seabottom reflectors, providing direct evidence, for the first time, for neotectonic activity that may be responsible for seismicity in the area. The deep structure of the external zone consists of moderately-dipping reflectors inferred to represent high-strain zones in the variably deformed margin of the West African craton. Taken together, the available data suggest that active tectonics in this intraplate environment may involve inversion of the Pan-African thrust structures but that this activity is apparently not related to reactivation of the nearby Romanche Fracture Zone.     

The role of Pan-African structures in intraplate seismicity near the termination of the Romanche fracture zone,West Africa

The distribution of epicenters of both historic earthquakes and recent seismic events in southeastern Ghana, compiled from local and teleseismic networks, show strong correlation with the Pan-African structures onshore and indicate an alignment with disruptions on seismic sections offshore. The seismic reflection sections reveal basement structures of the external zone of the Pan-African Dahomeyide orogen and these structures can be traced to offsets of shelf strata and seabottom reflectors, providing direct evidence, for the first time, for neotectonic activity that may be responsible for seismicity in the area. The deep structure of the external zone consists of moderately-dipping reflectors inferred to represent high-strain zones in the variably deformed margin of the West African craton. Taken together, the available data suggest that active tectonics in this intraplate environment may involve inversion of the Pan-African thrust structures but that this activity is apparently not related to reactivation of the nearby Romanche Fracture Zone.     

The Pan-African Ophiolites and Related Mineralization in Egypt

<正>Precambrian ophiolites are abundant in the ArabianNubian Shield of NE Africa and Arabia and range in age from 690 to 890 Ma.In Egypt,they are widely distributed in the central and southern Eastern Desert and occur as nape complexes along sature zone or dismembered masses in metavolcano-sedimenatry assemblages.The ophiolite     

新疆西昆仑塔什库尔干高压变质岩的重新厘定及其构造意义

新疆西昆仑塔什库尔干以东解体出一套“斜长角闪片麻岩-矽线石榴黑云斜长片麻岩组合”。岩石地球化学特征表明,斜长角闪片麻岩原岩为基性火山岩,具有岛弧玄武岩的特征,在构造环境判别图中（TiO2/10-MnO-P2O5、Zr-TiO2、Hf/3-Th-Nb/16）,样品均落入岛弧环境;矽线石榴黑云斜长片麻岩原岩为过铝质碎屑岩,构造环境判别图（K2O/Na2O-SiO2、La-Th-Sc、Th-Sc-Zr/10）显示,其形成环境为活动大陆边缘的岛弧环境;LA-ICP-MS锆石同位素年代学表明,斜长角闪片麻岩形成于早寒武世,并经历了志留纪、二叠纪、白垩纪、中新世4期岩浆热事件。该区高压变质岩的重新厘定对于探讨西昆仑的构造演化具有重要意义。     

柴北缘-东昆仑地区的造山型金矿床

柴北缘－东昆仑是中国西部秦祁昆褶皱山系的一部分，它的显生宙造山经历了加里东和晚华力西－印支两个旋回，并以多岛洋／裂陷槽、软碰撞和多旋回造山为特点。该区已发现多个造山型金矿床，它们具有相似的地质－地球化学特征。有两组成矿年龄：一是是加里东期（相当于加里东造山晚期）；二是晚华力西－印支期（处于该造山旋回晚期）。前期为性地中地壳顶部－上地壳底部的金矿化，后期则形成于较浅层次（1．2－5．7km）的金矿体侵位自区域北部向南部，矿床元素组合由Au-As向Au-Sb转化，金矿成矿年龄由老变新，成矿深度相应变浅。研究认为，与碰撞有关的热事件以及逐步升高地热增温率，驱动被加热的建造水和大气降水流体沿碰撞带和大型剪切等长距离地迁移、活动，并淋取围岩的成矿元素，形成含金流体。在进入到矿床或矿体构造后，由于构造性质转换，物理化学条件亦随之改变，含金流体沉淀，形成金矿体。这些金矿形成于造山晚期，是造山作用的产物，后者为前者提供了空间、热－动力条件。     

天水地区李子园高压麻粒岩的发现:西秦岭晚泥盆纪造山的证据

西秦岭造山带北缘的天水李子园地区发现一套高压石榴石单辉麻粒岩,在变质的早古生代岛弧火山-沉积岩系中呈透镜状岩块产出。其峰期矿物组合为石榴石+单斜辉石+角闪石+斜长石+钛铁矿/榍石。利用地质温压计得到的温压条件为T=757~792℃、P=1.3~1.5GPa,达到中压相系的高压麻粒岩相变质条件。LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb定年显示,锆石变质增生边的谐和年龄为384±1.6Ma,表明高压麻粒岩相变质作用的时代为中-晚泥盆世。结合区域地质资料,这一期变质作用要晚于北秦岭造山带中普遍记录的中低压麻粒岩-角闪岩相变质作用,可能与商丹洋闭合之后碰撞造山阶段的地壳加厚过程有关。岩浆锆石核部的谐和年龄为796±2.2Ma,代表石榴石单辉麻粒岩的原岩形成年代。其锆石核部的Hf同位素组成变化较大,对应的εHf(t)值为-7.3~+13.2,显示出不同源区岩浆混合的特征或者陆壳混染。高压麻粒岩全岩地球化学特征同样显示其经历壳幔岩浆混合作用。结合原岩的形成时代、区域上与裂解相关的岩浆作用和构造背景,我们认为原岩可能是造山带垮塌伸展阶段的壳-幔岩浆混合作用的产物,可能与新元古代Rodinia超大陆裂解事件有关。     

祁漫塔格造山带——青藏高原北部地壳演化窥探

祁漫塔格是东昆仑造山带的一个分支,位于青藏高原中北部,夹持于柴达木盆地和库木库里盆地中间,向西被阿尔金走滑断裂错段。从元古代到早中生代,由于受到多期、多阶段大洋俯冲和关闭影响,导致不同地体间发生碰撞拼贴和大陆增生过程,并由此引发一系列的岩浆事件。祁漫塔格造山带内发育新元古代花岗岩(1000~820 Ma)是对Rodinia超大陆形成的响应。以阿达滩和白干湖逆冲断裂为界,划分为南、北祁漫塔格两地体。北祁漫塔格地体作为活动大陆边缘,发育大量的早古生代与俯冲有关的花岗岩和VA型蛇绿岩;南祁漫塔格地体最初为洋内俯冲形成的原始大洋岛弧,发育早古生代SSZ型蛇绿岩、岛弧拉斑玄武岩和钙碱性火山岩。随着持续俯冲,年轻岛弧伴伴随地壳加厚转变为成熟岛弧。南、北祁漫塔格地体间的碰撞(弧-陆碰撞)可能发生在晚志留世(422Ma),并持续到早泥盆世(398Ma)。在此期间(422~389Ma),南祁漫塔格地体内发育一系列同碰撞型花岗岩;北祁漫塔格地体内发育一系列的大洋岛弧花岗岩。南祁漫塔格作为外来地体,碰撞拼贴对于大陆边缘、大陆增生意义重大。之后,南、北祁漫塔格地体进入后碰撞环境并发育一系列板内花岗岩。此外,伸展导致造山带垮塌,发育中泥盆统磨拉石建造。碰撞使得海沟后退,海沟阻塞导致俯冲减弱甚至停止,因而产生了石炭-二叠纪(357~251 Ma)岩浆活动缺口。古特提斯祁漫塔格洋的最终关闭可能始于晚二叠世,使得库木库里微板块拼贴于大陆边缘;碰撞抬升导致缺失上二叠统-中三叠统地层。早中三叠世(251~237 Ma)由于碰撞,俯冲大洋板片回转,之后断离,软流圈地幔物质沿岩石圈地幔通道上涌,使得新生下地壳部分熔融;到了晚三叠世,大规模岩石圈地幔和下地壳物质拆沉,导致古老地壳物质发生熔融,形成了一系列后碰撞背景下的钙碱性和碱性花岗岩。     

The Anti-Atlas Pan-African Belt (Morocco): Overview and pending questions

Between the High Atlas and the Saharan platform, the Anti-Atlas of Morocco offers large exposures of Precambrian rocks beneath the moderately folded Paleozoic series. These inliers allow reconstructing a segment of the Pan-African Belt and of its foreland at the northern outskirts of the West African Craton (WAC). From ∼ 885 Ma to ∼ 540 Ma, three periods are recognized in the Pan-African cycle. The Tonian–Cryogenian period ends with the obduction of supra-subduction ophiolite and oceanic arc material at ∼ 640 Ma. The Early Ediacaran period is marked by the development and subsequent closure of a wide marginal basin next to a likely Andean-type arc. The Late Ediacaran period is recorded by subaerial molasse deposits associated with post-collisional high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic magmatism. Although a wide consensus has been reached based on the number of new robust datings, several questions still remain pending, which we address taking into account relevant African and European correlations.     

西秦岭造山带三叠纪大规模成矿作用背景: 来自恰冬铜矿高镁安山岩的证据

西秦岭造山带广泛发育与三叠纪岩浆活动密切相关的金、铜、钼等多金属矿床, 表明该地区存在一期三叠纪大规模成矿事件, 但其成矿地球动力学背景一直存在争议。恰冬铜矿是西秦岭造山带内与早三叠世高镁安山岩有关的铜矿床。本文对高镁安山岩开展了锆石U-Pb年代学、岩石地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素分析, 对其岩石成因及构造环境进行了探讨, 以进一步约束西秦岭造山带三叠纪大规模成矿作用的地球动力学背景。安山岩的锆石U-Pb年龄为246.1±1.6Ma, 形成于早三叠世。岩石属于高钾钙碱性-钙碱性系列, SiO₂含量为54.60% ~56.21%, 具有较高的MgO含量(3.78%~4.57%)和Mg^#(49.7~62.1), 与日本Setouchi火山岩带中典型赞岐岩相类似。安山岩富集轻稀土元素(LREE)和Cs、Rb、U、Sr等大离子亲石元素(LILEs), 显著亏损Nb、Ta、Ti、P等高场强元素(HFSEs), 其初始⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr比值、ε_Nd(t)值和锆石ε_Hf(t)值分别为0.7073~0.7090、-9.72~-11.03和-2.1~-18.6, 是俯冲沉积物熔融产生的熔体与地幔楔发生交代反应的产物, 并经历了一定程度的结晶分异。以上研究表明, 恰冬铜矿高镁安山岩形成于早三叠世古特提斯洋俯冲背景下的活动大陆边缘环境。结合区域成矿资料分析, 西秦岭造山带在早-中三叠世处于洋壳俯冲环境, 发育岩浆-热液成矿系统。