The Palomares brittle—ductile Shear Zone of southern Spain

The Palomares Shear Zone is a major Neogene-Quaternary strike—slip zone which transects the crust of the Betic Cordillera in SE Spain. The shear zone and the mechanisms that led to its formation are discussed and illustrated on the basis of detailed compilations of both the local and regional geology. It is emphasized that the formation of the Palomares Shear Zone was not an isolated tectonic event, but part of a complex Neogene tectonic history. The Neogene evolution of the Betic-Rif orogen and its central Alboran Basin is characterised by the following events: (1) emplacement of the Alboran Diapir with resulting nappe-shedding from the overlying crust between 25 and 20 Ma ago; (2) onset of the subsidence of the Alboran Basin between 20 and 15 Ma ago due to cooling of the Alboran Diapir and the overlying crust; (3) formation of the Cabo de Gata Volcanic Chain between 15 and 8 Ma ago; and (4) refolding of the nappe sheets in the Betic-Rif orogen into a basin and range structure about 7 Ma ago. Continuous activity of the Crevillente Fault of southern Spain may have occured over a period from 20 Ma ago up to the present. The interrelated Palomare Fault in SE Spain was probably formed between 15 and 8 Ma ago and seem to be active still. The Palomares Shear Zone affects a rock volume 44 km wide, at least 80 km long and 30 km deep. A shear strain—distance diagram constructed across the Palomares Shear Zone and its axial Palomares Fault involves a new method to estimate or constrain the shear strain magnitude along brittle-ductile shears. The typical tensor shear strain rates in the approximately 20 km thick ductilely deformed walls of the Palomares Fault are of the order 10⁻¹³–10⁻¹⁴ s⁻¹. The tensor shear strain rate along the Palomares Fault itself is of the order 10⁻¹²s⁻¹ and the time averaged relative displacement rate of its walls is about 2 mm a⁻¹. The range of strain rates within the Palomares Shear Zone are interpreted to be due to a combination of various flow-softening mechanisms: geometric, structural, thermal and strain-rate softening. These softening mechanisms might explain the difference in vertically averaged viscosities of 10²⁰ Pa s and 10²⁵ Pa s or lower suggested for the crustal rocks in the Palomares Fault proper and that of the relatively rigid boundaries of the Palomares Shear Zone, respectively.     

Tectonites in the Shear Zone Array of the Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt

A series of tectonites were formed in the shear zone array of the Tongbai--Dabie Orogenic Belt, including mylonites, blastomylonites, semi--plastic mylonites and foliated cataclasitesas a result of multiple strain localization, strain softening and deformation partitioning.     

Palghat Gap — A Dextral Shear Zone from the South Indian Granulite Terrain

The origin of Palghat Gap, the most prominent discontinuity in the Western Ghats, is controversial. The rocks of the Gap — hornblende-biotite gneiss, mylonitic augen gneiss, charnockite and amphibolite are characterised by three groups of folds formed during two deformations. Shear indicators like augens, pull-aparts, rootless folds, sheath folds, minor shears and quartz fabric strongly suggest ductile dextral shearing. Kinematic analysis of structural elements supports shearing in a N-S compressional field with XY being subvertical. Features on both mesoscopic and microscopic scales strongly favour Palghat Gap being treated as a ductile shear zone. The present Gap topography is the product of shearing and erosion.     

Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Ore Deposits in the Gezhen Shear Zone, Qiongxi, Hainan Island

Gold deposits hosted in the Gezhen shear zone at Qingxi, Hainan Island occur in the Preeambrian metamorphic rock series and are regionally developed in the N-E direction along the tectonic zone. From northeast to southwest are distributed the Tuwaishan-Baoban gold mining district, the Erjia gold mining district and the Bumo gold mining district, making up the most industrially important gold metallogenesis zone on the Hainan Island. Isotope geochemical studies of the typical gold deposits in this metallogenesis zone indicate that their ore-forming materials stemmed largely from the Baoban Group migmatite series, though the involvement of some plutonic materials could not be ruled out. The ore fluids are the mixture of migrnatitized hydrothermal solutions and meteoric waters in addition to the involvement of local magmatic hydrothermal solutions. The superimposition of plutonie materials and magmatic hydrothermal solutions is controlled by the deformation environment of the shear zone and later magrnatic activities. Obvious variations are noticed in isotopic composition in the region studied, probably related to tectonic deformation, metamorphism and other evolutionary characteristics. This study is of great significance in understanding the relationship between the shear zone and gold metallogenesis,the rules of gold metallogenesis and gold ore prognosis.     

Fluid Inclusion Studies of Gold Deposits in the Gezhen Shear Zone,Hainan Province,China

The Tuwaishan, Baoban, Erjia, Bumo and other gold deposits in western Hainan occur in Precambrian metamorphic clastic rocks and are structurally controlled by the Gezhen shear zone. Fluid inclusion studies have been carried out of the gold deposits mentioned above. The homogenization temperatures of the whole fluid inclusion population range from 140°C to 370°C, indicating that gold was precipitated mainly at 240–250°C. The salinities are within the range of 2.0–9.2 wt% NaCl equiv. and the pressure of formation of the deposits was estimated at about 270×10⁵−500×10⁵Pa, corresponding to a depth of about 1.1–2.0 km under lithostatic confinement. Chemical studies show that the ore fluid is of the Na⁺(K⁺)-Ca²⁺-Cl⁻(F⁻) type. Theδ ¹⁸O andδD values of the fluid vary from −2.7‰- +4.4‰ and −50‰–−87‰ Evidence developed from fluid inclusions and geological setting indicates that the ore fluid was a mixture of magmatic and meteoric-hydrothermal waters. Changes in chemical composition andδ ¹⁸O andδD of fluid inclusions from one ore field to another seem to be related with regional tectonism, metamorphism and magmatism.     

Discrimination Study on Fluid—Rock Interaction Between Metallogenic and Non—Metallogenic Sections in a Shear Zone

Discriminations in a local chemical,fluidal,mechanical and thermal processes in a shear zone will lead to metallogenic differentiation in a local section.This paper,based on the general geological setting of the Shibangou gold deposit in Xixia,Henan,deals with petrological and petrochemical samples of altered rocks in the metallogenic section and of mylonites in the non-metallogenic section of a selected shear zone.The discriminations in fluid-rock interaction and petrological mass balance between altered rocks near the orebody and mylonites in the shear zone are discussed as well.The results show that the petrological volume of altered rocks in the metallogenic section of the shear zone is almost always dilatant and the mylonite volume in the non-metallogenic section is almost always lost.Major elements in altered rocks from the metallogenic section and in mylonites from the non-metallogenic section always show a tendency of being enriched and depleted,respectively.Fluid-rock ratios in the mylonites(Nu=93.68-468.40)are larger than those of the altered rocks(NC(Ⅳ）^s=36.11-216.67).The gain and loss of major and trace elements from the altered rocks and mylonites in the shear zone are a composite process to be imported and exported by percolating fluids as well as of the loss and dilatancy of rock volume.     

Tectonic Features and Stages of Evolution of the Baltic–Mezen Shear Zone in the Phanerozoic,Northwestern Russia

Geotectonics - The general tectonic features of the Baltic-Mezen zone developed along the border of the Fennoscandian shield and the Russian Plate in the north of the East European platform, are...     

Structural, 40Ar/39Ar Geochronological and Rheological Feature Analysis of the Guoxuepu Shear Zone: Indications for the Jitang Metamorphic Complex in the Northern Lancangjiang Zone

The Jitang metamorphic complex is key to studying the tectonic evolution of the Northern Lancangjiang zone. Through structural-lithological mapping, structural analysis and laboratory testing, the composition of the Jitang metamorphic complex was determined. The macro- and microstructural analyses of the ductile detachment shear zone (Guoxuepu ductile shear zone, 2–4 km wide) between the metamorphic complex and the overlying sedimentary cap show that the shear sense of the ductile shear zones is top-to-the-southeast. The presence of various deformation features and quartz C-axis electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) fabric analysis suggests multiple deformation events occurring at different temperatures. The average stress is 25.68 MPa, with the strain rates (?) ranging from 9.77×10?14 s?1 to 6.52×10?16 s?1. The finite strain of the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone indicates an elongated strain pattern. The average kinematic vorticity of the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone is 0.88, implying that the shear zone is dominated by simple shear. The muscovite selected from the protomylonite samples in the Guoxuepu ductile shear zone yields a 40Ar-39Ar age of 60.09 ± 0.38 Ma. It is suggested that, coeval with the initial Indo–Eurasian collision, the development of strike-slip faults led to a weak and unstable crust, upwelling of lower crust magma, then induced the detachment of the Jitang metamorphic complex in the Eocene.     

Introduction of Simulating the Motion of Rigid Ellipsoidal Objects in Ductile Shear Zone Based on the Jeffery’s Theory

<正>Rigid ellipsoidal objects(gravels and porphyroclasts)in ductile zone is an important factor to indicate the kinematics and dynamics.Jeffery’s theory(Jeffery G,1922),a quantitative research method,for the rotation ofthe rigid objects(no deformation)in the Newtonian fluid of the simple deformation field has been widely applied by geologists to the study of fabrics in rocks.The theory     

Structure and Evolution of the Belomorian–Severodvinsk Shear Zone in the Late Proterozoic and Phanerozoic,East European Platform

Geotectonics - The tectonics, morphological features, and development stages of the Belomorian‒Severodvinsk shear zone (northwestern part) found in the East European Platform are considered....     

Neoproterozoic Evolution and Najd‒Related Transpressive Shear Deformations Along Nugrus Shear Zone,South Eastern Desert,Egypt (Implications from Field‒Structural Data and AMS‒Technique)

The tectonometamorphic evolution of Nugrus Shear Zone (NSZ) in the south Eastern Desert of Egypt was reevaluated through an integrated study including field-structural work and magnetofabric analysis using Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) technique, complemented by detailed microstructural investigation. Several lines of evidence indicate that the Neoproterozoic juvenile crust within this high strain zone suffered an impressive tectonic event of left-lateral transpressional regime, transposed the majority of the earlier formed structures into a NNW to NW-directed wrench corridor depicts the northwestern extension of the Najd Shear System (NSS) along the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The core of the southern Hafafit dome underwent a high metamorphic event (M₁) developed during the end of the main collisional orogeny in the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The subsequent M₂ metamorphic event was retrogressive and depicts the tectonic evolution and exhumation of the Nugrus-Hafafit area including the Hafafit gneissic domes, during the origination of the left-lateral transpressive wrench corridor of the NSS. The early tectonic fabric within the NSZ and associated highly deformed rocks was successfully detected by the integration of AMS-technique and microstructural observations. Such fabric grain was checked through a field-structural work. The outcomes of the present contribution advocate a complex tectonic evolution with successive and overlapped deformation events for the NSZ.     

Analysis of the Ore-Controlling Structure of Ductile Shear Zone Type Gold Deposit in Southern Beishan Area, Gansu, Northwest China

The ductile shear zone-type gold deposit is a kind that both the ore-forming mechanism and ore-controlling factors are closely related to the ductile shear zone and its evolution. Ductile shear zone develops in Beishan area, Gansu of Northwest China, and develops especially well in the south belt. The controls of the ductile shear zone on gold deposits are as follows. (1) The regional distribution of gold deposits (and gold spots) is controlled by the ductile shear zone. (2) The ductile-brittle shear zone is formed in the evolution process of ductile shear zone and both are only ore-bearing structures and con- trol the shape, attitude, scale, and distribution of mineralization zones and ore-bodies. (3) Com- presso-shear ductile deformation results in that the main kind of gold mineralization is altered mylonite type and the main alteralization is metasomatic. (4) Ore-bearing fracture systems are mainly P-type ones, some D-type and R-type ones, but only individual R’-type and T-type ones. (5) Dynamic differen- tiation and dynamic metamorphic hydrothermal solution resulting from ductile deformation is one of the sources of ore-forming fluid of gold mineralization, and this is identical with that ore-forming ma- terials are mainly from metamorphic rocks, and ore-forming fluid is mainly composed of metamorphic water, and with the fluid inclusion and geo-chemical characteristics of the deposit. (6) There is a nega- tive correlation between the gold abundance and susceptibility anisotropy (P) of the altered mylonite samples from the deposit, which shows that the gold mineralization is slightly later than the structural deformation. All above further expound the ore-forming model of the ductile shear zone type of gold deposits.     

Kinematic vorticity analysis along the Karakoram Shear Zone,Pangong Mountains,Karakoram: Implications for the India–Asia tectonics

The Karakoram Shear Zone (KSZ) is a northwest-southeast trending dextral ductile shear zone that has mylonitized the Tangste and Darbuk granitoids of the southern margin of the Asian plate. Kinematic vorticity (W_k) has been estimated in 6 mylonitized Tangste granite samples, using Porphyroclast Hyperbolic Distribution (PHD) and Shear Band (SB) Analyses methods on well-developed quartz and feldspar porphyroclasts, and synthetic and antithetic shear bands respectively to visualize the overall deformation of the KSZ. The PHD and SB analyses yield W_k values ranging from W_k=0.29 to 0.43 and 0.45 to 0.93, respectively, thus indicating distinct pure and simple shear dominant regimes during different stages of the evolution of the KSZ. Strain has essentially been pure shear when southern edge of the Asian plate was initially juxtaposed against the Indian plate around 70 Ma, and changed to simple shear, possibly during the reactivation of this shear zone during 21-13 Ma to produce the shear bands.     

Geodynamic Causes of the Emergence and Termination of Cenozoic Shear Deformations in the Khatanga–Lomonosov Fault Zone (Arctic)

Doklady Earth Sciences - In the context of models of mantle circulation beneath the continent, coupled with the subduction of the oceanic lithosphere, a direct link between the kinematics of plate...     

Structural and Geochronological Evidence for Multiple Episodes of Tertiary Deformation along the Ailaoshan-Red River Shear Zone, Southeastern Asia, Since the Paleocene

Structural analyses show that the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone （ASRRSZ） in Ailao Mountain is composed of three different deformational domains. These domains may represent three episodes of left-lateral slip experienced by the ASRRSZ. The first episode of such deformation occurred throughout the eastern high-grade belt of the ASRRSZ under a transtensional regime and produced L- type tectonites of amphibolite grade. The second episode of left-lateral slip formed high strain zones overprinting the high-grade belt. Its deformational mechanism is similar to simple shear and the deformed rocks are L-S mylonites of greenschist grade. The third episode of left-lateral slip took place chiefly in a western low-grade belt of the ASRRSZ. This deformation occurred in a transpressional regime, formed an overall structure pattern of a sinistral thrust system and produced phyllonites of low-greenschist grade. Geochronological data indicated that the three episodes of left-lateral slip happened before ～58-56 Ma, at least from ～27 Ma to 22 Ma and at ～13-12 Ma respectively. The first episode of slip in the ASRRSZ appeared to correspond to the initial collision of India and Asia at ～60 Ma. The second episode took place almost at the same time as the most intensive compression and uplift in Tibet. The latest event might represent a further eastward material flow in Tibet after ～16-13 Ma. Thus, the ASRRSZ of southeastern Asia probably experienced three main episodes of Tertiary left- lateral slip in the course of intracontinental convergence since the India-Asia collision.     

Structure of pseudotachylyte vein systems as a key to co-seismic rupture dynamics: the case of Gavilgarh–Tan Shear Zone,central India

The secondary fractures associated with a major pseudotachylyte-bearing fault vein in the sheared aplitic granitoid of the Proterozoic Gavilgarh–Tan Shear Zone in central India are mapped at the outcrop scale. The fracture maps help to identify at least three different types of co-seismic ruptures, e.g., X–X′, T₁ and T₂, which characterize sinistral-sense shearing of rocks, confined between two sinistral strike-slip faults slipping at seismic rate. From the asymmetric distribution of tensile fractures around the sinistral-sense fault vein, the direction of seismic rupture propagation is predicted to have occurred from west-southwest to east-northeast, during an ancient (Ordovician?) earthquake. Calculations of approximate co-seismic displacement on the faults and seismic moment (M ₀) of the earthquake are attempted, following the methods proposed by earlier workers. These estimates broadly agree to the findings from other studied fault zones (e.g., Gole Larghe Fault zone, Italian Alps). This study supports the proposition by some researchers that important seismological information can be extracted from tectonic pseudotachylytes of all ages, provided they are not reworked by subsequent tectonic activity.     

The Geological Significance of the Deformation and Geochronology of the Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone in the Dabie Orogenic Belt (East-Central China)

The Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone(XMSZ) is the boundary of the Dabie High-grade Metamorphic Complex(DHMC) and the North Huaiyang Tectonic Belt. It was deformed in ductile conditions with a top-to-NW/WNW movement.Geothermometers applied to mineral parageneses in mylonites of the shear zone give a temperature range of 623–691°C for the predeformation and 515–568°C for the syndeformation, respectively, which indicates a retrograde process of evolution.A few groups of zircon U-Pb ages were obtained from undeformed granitic veins and different types of deformed rocks in the zone. Zircons from the felsic ultramylonites are all magmatic, producing a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 754 ± 8.1 Ma, which indicates the time of magmatic activities caused by rifting in the Neoproterozoic. Zircons from the granitic veins, cutting into the mylonites, are also of magmatic origin, producing a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 130 ± 2.5 Ma,which represents the time of regional magmatic activity in the Cretaceous. Zircons from the mylonitic gneisses are of anatectic-metamorphic origins and are characterized by a core-mantle interior texture, which yielded several populations of ages including the Neoproterozoic ages with a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 762 ± 18 Ma, similar to that of the felsic ultramylonites and the Early Cretaceous ages with a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 143 ± 1.8 Ma, indicating the anatectic metamorphism in the Dabie Orogenic Belt(DOB). Based on integrated analysis of the structure, thermal conditions of ductile deformation and the contact relations of the dated rocks, the activation time of the Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone is constrained between ～143 Ma and 130 Ma, during which the DOB was undergoing a transition in tectonic regime from compression to extension. Therefore, the deformation and evolution of this shear zone plays an instrumental role in fully understanding this process. This research also inclines us to the interpretation of it as an extensional detachment, with regard to the tectonic properties of the shear zone. It may also be part of a continental scale extension in the background of the North China Block's cratonic destruction, dominated by the subduction and roll-back of the Paleo-Pacific plate, but more detailed work is needed in order to unravel its complicated development.     

Study on the Physical and Chemical Conditions of Ore Formation of Hetai Ductile Shear Zone—Hosted Gold Deposit and Discovery of Melt Inclusions

The Hetai ductile shear zone-hosted gold deposit occurs in the deep-seated fault mylonite zone of the Sinian-Silurian metamorphic rock series. In this study there have been discovered melt inclusions, fluid-melt inclusions and organic inclusions in ore-bearing quartz veins of the ore deposit and mylonite for the first time. The homogenization temperatures of the various types of inclusions are 160℃, 180 - 350℃, 530℃ and 870℃ for organic inclusions, liquid inclusions, two-phase immiscible liquid inclusions and melt inclusions, respectively. Ore fluid is categorized as the neutral to basic K+ -Ca2+ -Mg2+ -Na+ - SO2- 4-HCO3-Cl- system. The contents of trace gases follow a descending order of H2O＞CO2＞CH4＞(or ＜ ) H2＞CO＞C2H2＞C2I-I6＞O2＞N2.The concentrations of K , Ca2 + ,SO2-4,HCO3-,Cl- H2O and C2H2 in fluid inclusions are related to the contents of gold and the Au/Ag ratios in ores from different levels of the gold deposit. This is significant for deep ore prospecting in the region. Daughter minerals in melt inclusions were analyzed using SEM. Quartz, orthoclase, wollastonite and other silicate minerals were identified. They were formed in different mineral assemblages.This analysis further proves the existence of melt inclusions in ore veins. Sedimentary metamorphic rocks could form silicate melts during metamorphic anatexis and dynamic metamorphism, which possess melt-solution characteristics. Ore formation is related to the multi-stage forming process of silicate melt and fluid.