Volcanic clasts in Silurian conglomerates of the Midland Valley (Hagshaw Hills inlier) Scotland,and their meaning for Caledonian plate tectonics

34 igneous clasts of predominantly rhyolitic composition of the Parishholm- and Hareshaw-Conglomerate (Silurian, Hagshaw Hills inlier, Midland Valley, Scotland) have been analysed for major and trace element contents. The geochemical composition of the clasts indicates different source areas. Firstly, some clasts are derived from rhyolites of a within-plate setting (peralkaline rhyolites of oceanic islands or continental rifts) and secondly, other clasts are derived from calc-alkaline to high-K rhyolites. Such rhyolites erupt mainly above convergent plate boundaries, but occur also in continental areas of crustal extension. Both conglomerates were shed from the direction of the Southern Uplands into the Midland Valley. Since no calc-alkaline rhyolites are known in the Southern Uplands, a volcanic terrane should have been situated during the Silurian in the area where the Southern Uplands lie now. The geotectonic character of this terrane cannot unequivocally be identified with the help of the trace element data of the clasts. Therefore several models are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung 34 Gerölle magmatischer Gesteine vorwiegend rhyolithischer Zusammensetzung aus dem Parishholm- und dem Hareshaw-Konglomerat (Silur, Hagshaw Hills inlier, Midland Valley, Schottland) wurden auf Haupt- und Spurenelementgehalte hin analysiert. Die geochemische Zusammensetzung der Gerölle deutet auf verschiedene Liefergebiete hin. Es handelt sich einmal um Gerölle von Rhyolithen aus einem Intraplatten-Gebiet (Peralkali-Rhyolithe ozeanischer Inseln oder kontinentaler Gräben) und zum zweiten um Gerölle von kalkalkalischen und kaliumreichen Rhyolithen. Solche Rhyolithe werden vorzugsweise über konvergierenden Plattengrenzen gefördert, sie treten aber auch in kontinentalen Dehnungsgebieten auf. Beide Konglomerate wurden aus der Richtung der Southern Uplands in das Midland Valley geschüttet. Da kalkalkalische Rhyolithe in den Southern Uplands unbekannt sind, dürfte im Silur ein vulkanisches Terraine in dem Gebiet, in welchem sich die Southern Uplands heute befinden, gelegen haben. Der geotektonische Charakter dieses vulkanischen Terraines lä\t sich mit Hilfe der Spurenelement-Daten der Gerölle nicht eindeutig festlegen. Es werden deshalb mehrere Modelle diskutiert.

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Résumé Les auteurs ont analysé les éléments majeurs et en traces de 34 galets de roches magmatiques, en majorité rhyolitiques, prélevés dans les conglomérats de Parishholm et de Hareshaw (Silurien, Hagshaw Hills inlier, Midland Valley, Ecosse). Leur composition géochimique indique différentes provenances. D'une part, il s'agit de galets rhyolitiques d'une région intra-plaque (rhyolites peralcalines d'Îles océaniques ou de fossés continentaux), d'autre part, il s'agit de galets de rhyolites calco-alcalines et de rhyolites riches en potassium. Des rhyolites de ce type sont émises d'ordinaire au-dessus de sutures de plaques convergentes, mais elles se rencontrent aussi dans des régions continentales en extension. Les deux conglomérats proviennent du Sud, de la région des Southern Uplands. Comme des rhyolites calco-alcalines sont inconnues dans les Southern Uplands, on est amené à supposer l'existence, au Silurien, d'une accrétion («terrane») de nature volcanique dans la région occupée aujourd'hui par les Southern Uplands. Les teneurs des éléments en trace ne permettent pas de déterminer sans équivoque le caractère géotectonique de cette accrétion volcanique. Dans ces conditions, plusieurs modèles sont discutés.

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34 Parishholm Hareshaw, , Hagshaw Hills inlier, Midland Valley, /, . . . , Intraplatten-Gebiet / , / - . . . , . . - , , , . . .

     

Silurian of the Midland Valley of Scotland and Ireland

The Silurian rocks and fossils of the Midland Valley of Scotland, and its extension across the northern parts of Ireland, have fascinated and challenged geologists for over 150 years. The spectacular diversity of facies and faunas, displayed in a series of inliers, is matched by contrasts in scenery from the rugged Atlantic coast of western Ireland to the undulating hills and heather moors on the northern margin of the Southern Uplands. Here, tectonic events near the climax of the Caledonian orogenic cycle served to fashion a mosaic of dynamic sedimentary environments on the Laurentian margin, at an exciting time in Earth history, as life established its foothold on the land.     

Depositional controls on Lower Carboniferous microbial buildups, eastern Midland Valley of Scotland

In the eastern Midland Valley of Scotland non-skeletal carbonate buildup complexes are present in the Charlestown Main Limestone (Brigantian), a thin marine carbonate unit within a lower Carboniferous basin fill otherwise dominated by fluvio-deltaic sediments and volcanics. The buildups are restricted geographically to West Lothian and Central Fife and correspond to an area of reduced subsidence, the Burntisland High. Buildup geometry and local facies mosaics reflect the relative water depth and position on the Burntisland High that, because of its slight topographical relief and more distal position with respect to the location of fluvio-deltaic systems, became an area of increased carbonate productivity and hence a locus for buildup development. Away from the Burntisland High, in the Fife-Midlothian Low, more monotonous argillaceous limestone facies, of low energy and somewhat deeper water aspect, accumulated. Buildup facies contain a diverse marine fauna and are characterized by peloidal, clotted and homogeneous micrites interpreted as predominantly microbial in origin. Two types of buildup complex occur. At Charlestown, vertically stacked, tabular banks (up to 2 m thick and 100 m wide) form the western margin of an asymmetric buildup accumulation. East of this margin a complex mosaic of isolated low relief buildups and inter-buildup sediments was deposited. Skeletal sand shoals present within these inter-buildup sediments indicate that high energy conditions prevailed during buildup growth. In contrast, at Roscobie, inter-buildup sediments are of low energy aspect and buildup geometry is domical rather than tabular. Initiated in slightly deeper and calmer water on the flank of the Burntisland High, the Roscobie buildups (up to 15 m thick and 46 m wide) accreted vertically, rather than laterally as at Charlestown, and coalesced to form an elongate ridge-shaped buildup complex.     

皖南地区加里东运动构造特征

前人认为皖南地区加里东运动仅表现为抬升造陆运动。文中从构造运动不整合接触关系证据、盖层构造、劈理及变形变质程度,以及古构造应力场特征等方面开展研究。于皖南地区多处发现了上泥盆统与下伏志留系呈角度不整合接触,表明了区内发育加里东褶皱。通过区域地质调查和构造解剖,揭示了区内复式褶皱为加里东和印支两期褶皱叠加的产物。其中,加里东期构造样式主要为区域性开阔褶皱,规模巨大,其轴迹呈北东东向或近东西向延伸,然而,印支期构造样式为线性中常褶皱,规模较小,其轴迹主要呈北东向展布。应用赤平极射投影法对研究区内的褶皱轴面产状、劈理产状要素进行统计分析,结果显示发育加里东期、印支期等多期变形构造;并利用该法求得褶皱两翼优势产状,应用数学计算法计算出区内3期构造应力场特征值,显示华南地块自南而北向扬子地块俯冲挤压的陆内造山动力学过程。早古生代盖层造山属性为陆内造山。区内加里东期褶皱构造属性的厘定和深入研究,对区域构造格架的建立具有重要意义。     

Examining the geometry,age and genesis of buried Quaternary valley systems in the Midland Valley of Scotland,UK

Buried palaeo‐valley systems have been identified widely beneath lowland parts of the UK including eastern England, central England, south Wales and the North Sea. In the Midland Valley of Scotland palaeo‐valleys have been identified yet the age and genesis of these enigmatic features remain poorly understood. This study utilizes a digital data set of over 100 000 boreholes that penetrate the full thickness of deposits in the Midland Valley of Scotland. It identified 18 buried palaeo‐valleys, which range from 4 to 36 km in length and 24 to 162 m in depth. Geometric analysis has revealed four distinct valley morphologies, which were formed by different subglacial and subaerial processes. Some palaeo‐valleys cross‐cut each other with the deepest features aligning east–west. These east–west features align with the reconstructed ice‐flow direction under maximum conditions of the Main Late Devensian glaciation. The shallower features appear more aligned to ice‐flow direction during ice‐sheet retreat, and were therefore probably incised under more restricted ice‐sheet configurations. The bedrock lithology influences and enhances the position and depth of palaeo‐valleys in this lowland glacial terrain. Faults have juxtaposed Palaeozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks and the deepest palaeo‐valleys occur immediately down‐ice of knick‐points in the more resistant igneous bedrock. The features are regularly reused and the fills are dominated by glacial fluvial and glacial marine deposits. This suggests that the majority of infilling of the features happened during deglaciation and may be unrelated to the processes that cut them.     

西准噶尔玛依拉山组志留纪玄武岩的地球化学特征及构造意义

西准噶尔地区中-上志留统玛依拉山组主要分布于玛依拉山一带,以玛依勒蛇绿岩的围岩产出,两者为断层接触,主要组成为灰绿-暗灰绿色凝灰质粉-细砂岩,砂岩和砂砾岩组合,夹硅质岩和玄武岩。对玄武岩进行详细的岩石地球化学研究表明,SiO2含量中等(47.1%～53.92%),高Fe2O3T(12.54%～17.82%)、Al2O3(13.3%～15.7%)、Na2O(3.84%～8.02%),低TiO2(0.45%～1.48%)、MgO(3.28%～5.77%,Mg#=27.01～41.96)、K2O(0.36%～0.7%),全碱K2O+Na2O含量为4.4%～8.39%,属于亚碱性拉斑玄武岩系列。稀土元素总量较低(∑REE=27.16×10-6～54.41×10-6),轻、重稀土分馏较为明显((La/Yb)N=1.53～2.74),无明显Eu异常(Eu/Eu*=0.96～1.16),稀土配分模式类似于E-MORB。相对富集LILE(如Rb、Ba、Th和K),亏损HFSE(如Zr、Ti),明显的Nb和Ta负异常,具有岛弧玄武岩的地球化学特征。综合研究认为玛依拉山组玄武岩形成于俯冲带上的弧后盆地环境,与玛依拉山蛇绿岩的形成环境不同,其岩浆来源于尖晶石二辉橄榄岩2%～10%的部分熔融,并有少量俯冲流体的参与。结合前人研究资料,认为西准噶尔在志留纪-石炭纪处在洋内弧演化阶段。     

Geochemistry of the Caledonian basic volcanic rocks at the south margin of the Qinling orogenic belt, and its tectonic implications

The geochemistry of the basic volcanic rocks at the south margin of the Qinling orogenic belt(SMQOB) suggests that they were formed in an intraplate tectonic setting.The REE distribution patterns show these rocks are strongly enriched in LREE with high ∑REE, and their trace elements geochemistry is similar to that of contimental flood basalt.All the above evidence suggests that the Caledonian basic volcanic rocks in the SMQOB were tholeiitic basalts formed in an intraplate spreading-initial rift tectonic setting.The characteristics of regional geology and geochemistry indicate that there was an intraplate spreading-rift tectonic setting between the South Qingling block and the Yangtze block in the Caledonian epoch.The dynamic spreading in this district began in the Early Caledonian and then the intraplate spreadinginitial rifts were formed in the Late Caledonian.As a result of spreading of the Tethys and geodynamic processes in deep mantle ,the Mianlue-Huashan oceanic basin was formed between the Qinling block and the Yangtze block in Devonian,and the Qinling microplate was separated from the northern part of the Yangtze plate.     

Palaeomagnetism of Caledonian intrusive suites in the Northern Highlands of Scotland: Constraints to tectonic movements within the Caledonian orogenic belt

To evaluate the scale of tectonic movements within the northern sector of the 500-400 Ma Caledonian orogenic belt and its Precambrian foreland zone between the Great Glen Fault (GGF) zone to the southeast and the Laurentian Block to the northwest, we have studied the palaeomagnetism of minor intrusive rocks within the Northern Highlands terrain. These rocks include

1. (1) amphibolites and other metamorphic rocks predating deformation,

2. (2) microdiorities, dolentes and related suites emplaced, and probably magnetised, between 450 and 420 Ma, and

3. (3) Lower-Middle Devonian lamprophyres.

A range of predominantly NNE negative and SSW positive components are resolved by cleaning treatment with a dispersion of declinations towards a minority WNW-ESE axis; isolated southerly negative directed hematite-held components suggests limited, but no widespread, remagnetisation in Devonian-Carboniferous times.Comparison is made with data from other tectonic divisions in the Caledonian orogenic belt and the bordering forelands. Palaeopoles from the Northern Highlands closely conform in part with North American Ordovician poles and in part with the post-Ordovician palaeopoles from Britain south of the GGF. The definitive motions of the British Caledonides to emerge from the palaeomagnetic analysis are an anticlockwise rotation of the Caledonian terrain in early Ordovician times, small relative motions during the remainder of Ordovician times followed by large clockwise and then anticlockwise rotations during late Ordovician to early Silurian times contemporary with the last major movements on the Moine Thrust (ca. 430 Ma). Late Silurian-Devonian movements along the GGF were probably below the limits of palaeomagnetic detectability. The collective data require that apparent polar wander movements and concomitant continental movements have currently been incompletely recovered by North American studies and the path for Lower Palaeozoic times is more complex than recognised hitherto.     

中天山南缘艾尔宾山志留纪侵入岩地球化学特征及地质意义

中天山南缘艾尔宾山地区岩浆活动的产物可能记录着南天山洋盆与伊犁中天山板块的活动,对解决南天山洋盆的俯冲问题具有重要意义。本文对中天山南缘艾尔宾山志留纪花岗岩进行了系统的岩石学、地球化学及同位素年代学研究。对4件样品的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果表明,该岩体的形成时代为志留纪;研究区岩石具有准铝质高钾钙碱性系列岩石特征,为I型花岗岩,岩浆来源可能为下地壳的部分熔融;在稀土元素球粒陨石标准化分布图上,表现为强烈的右倾近平行的曲线簇。大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、K等明显富集;高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti、P等强烈亏损,表现出岛弧岩浆岩的地球化学特征。综合分析认为志留纪侵入岩为火山弧花岗岩,是与洋壳俯冲作用有关的产物。     

大兴安岭中生代双峰式火山岩的地球化学特征

大兴安岭中生代火山岩的主要活动时期为晚侏罗世至早白垩世，由碱性系列玄武岩和亚碱性系列玄武岩以及伴生的中酸性火山岩组成。它们与邻区俄罗斯和蒙古同时期火山岩构成面形展布的巨型火山岩带。碱性系列玄武岩高度富集不相容元素，其富集程度类似于板内碱性系列玄武岩，但明显亏损Nb和Ta等高场强元素这一点又类似于活动大陆边缘火山弧或岛弧钙碱性玄武岩。亚碱性系列玄武岩适度富集不相容元素而强烈亏损高场强元素的特征类似于活动大陆边缘火山弧或岛弧火山岩，其中低钾玄武岩类似于拉斑玄武岩。大兴安岭酸性火山岩根据地球化学特征可划分为高Sr流纹岩类和低Sr流纹岩类。前者富集Ti、Ba、Sr、Co和Ni而贫Rb、Zr和Th等强不相容元素，类似于大陆溢流玄武岩省分异作用形成的流纹岩；后者明显富集不相容元素Rb、Zr和Th而亏损Ti、Ba、Sr和Co，它们与碱性系列玄武岩之间形成类似于大陆裂谷环境的双峰式火山岩组合。亚碱性系列玄武岩与高Sr流纹岩的成因关系类似于大陆伸张环境的双峰式火山岩，但前者形成从基性到酸性的连续演化系列，并没有形成Daly成分间断。这表明大兴安岭火山岩在源区及其原始岩浆的性质上明显区别于世界大陆溢流玄武岩省。也就是说，大陆溢流玄武岩省的双峰模式起源于干岩浆体系，这种岩浆分异形成的中性岩浆由于其教度大于玄武岩、挥发分含量低于流纹岩而未能喷出地表。大兴安岭富含水的原始岩浆使分异形成的中性熔岩被挥发分过饱和，导致中性熔岩的爆炸性喷发。     

Geochemistry and tectonic significance of mafic volcanic rocks of the Hindoli belt, southeastern Rajasthan: Implications for continent assembly

Mafic volcanic rocks that occur within the sedimentary pile of the Hindoli Group were analyzed for major and trace elements (including REE) to establish tectonic setting of volcanism during the early Proterozoic history of the North Indian Craton. The mafic volcanics are sub-alkaline showing compositional variation from picrobasalt to basalt. They are LREE enriched with (La/Yb)_N ratio ranging from 4.67?C6.19 (avg.5.27) and exhibit slightly concave REE patterns relative to chondrite. The multi-element patterns of these mafic volcanic rocks display relative enrichment in Th and LREE and negative anomalies of Nb and P. These geochemical characteristics are consistent with a subduction related origin. Various variation diagrams, involving immobile trace elements, distinguish the Hindoli lavas as arc basalt. However, their Ti and Nb contents are higher than those of subduction related magmas. Probably the wedge melting, along with mixing of rising asthenosphere might have produced these characteristics. It is suggested that the Hindoli basin originated by rifting of island- arc lithosphere, caused by rising plume in an extensional back arc region. Based on the results of the present geochemical study, it is proposed that in the early Proterozoic the Mewar block had an active-type continental margin on its present eastern side. The continental magmatic arcs and intra-arc basins developed on this margin were subsequently incorporated into the Mewar protocontinent. Possibly, the plate carrying the Bundelkhand block subducted beneath the eastern margin of the Mewar block, resulting in the final amalgamation of the two blocks along Great Boundary Fault zone or Banas Dislocation Zone. The arc related volcanism of north Indian shield at about 1850?C1832 Ma, appears to represent the global subduction event, which resulted in the amalgamation and formation of Columbia supercontinent.     

Geochemistry of a Triassic dyke swarm in the North Patagonian Massif,Argentina. Implications for a postorogenic event of the Permian Gondwanide orogeny

Permo-Triassic magmatism is widespread in the eastern North Patagonian Massif and has been related to the Gondwanide orogeny. Although a magmatic arc setting is widely accepted for the Permian plutonic rocks, the origin and geotectonic setting for the Triassic plutonic and volcanic rocks are still unknown. A NW-SE Triassic dyke swarm composed of andesites and latites with minor rhyolites was previously described in the Sierra Grande – Rincon de Paileman area. The dyke swarm was associated with extensional tectonics which was linked to a postorogenic process.In this paper we present new geochemical data of the rocks that form the swarm. Trachyandesites and rhyolites were separated based on their geochemical characteristics. Both groups may be considered originated from different sources. On the other hand, the content of incompatible elements (LILE and HFSE) indicates a strong relation between the swarm and an active continental margin. The samples also show a transitional signature between continental-arc and postcollisional or anorogenic settings.The new geochemical data on the dyke swarm support the idea of a magmatism that was linked to a postorogenic extensional tectonic regime related to a continental magmatic arc. Such an extension started in the Paleopacific margin of Pangea during the Anisian and might indicate the beginning of the Pangea break-up.     

Geochemistry of the Neoarchaean mafic volcanic rocks of the Geita area, NW Tanzania: Implications for stratigraphical relationships in the Sukumaland greenstone belt

Geochemical data are presented for a suite of mafic volcanic rocks from the Geita area in the Sukumaland greenstone belt (SGB) of northwestern Tanzania with the aim of constraining their petrogenesis, tectonic setting and to assess a possible genetic link with mafic volcanic rocks from the Rwamagaza area also from the SGB previously reported by [Manya, S., Maboko, M.A.H., 2003. Dating basaltic volcanism in the Neoarchaean Sukumaland greenstone belt of the Tanzania Craton using the Sm–Nd method: implications for the geological evolution of the Tanzania Craton. Precambrian Research 121, 35–45] and [Manya, S., 2004. Geochemistry and petrogenesis of volcanic rocks of the Neoarchaean Sukumaland greenstone belt, northwestern Tanzania. Journal of African Earth Sciences 40, 269–279]. Mafic volcanic rocks from the two locations in the SGB show similar geochemical and Nd-isotopic compositions. Trace element and Nd-isotope compositions are consistent with their generation from a depleted MORB mantle (DMM) source which had been metasomatised by a subduction component in a late Archaean back arc setting at 2823 Ma.These findings are at variance with the previously proposed lithostratigraphical framework in the SGB which postulated an inner arcuate belt dominated by lower Nyanzian mafic volcanic rocks and an outer belt dominated by upper Nyanzian chemical sedimentary rocks, rare felsic flows and shales. The presence of mafic volcanic rocks flanking the outer belt which are of similar composition and age as those of the inner belt suggests that mafic volcanics in the SGB form discontinuous patches of rock distributed throughout the belt and separated by intervening granites. Furthermore, they corroborate previous evidence that both the rocks of the inner and outer belt formed more or less coevally and the subdivision of the volcano-sedimentary package of the SGB (and other greenstone belts of the Tanzania Craton) into a lower mafic volcanic dominated unit and an upper felsic volcanic and BIF dominated unit is not stratigraphically valid.     

Cambro-Ordovician magmatism in the Delamerian orogeny: Implications for tectonic development of the southern Gondwanan margin

The Delamerian Orogen formed at the final stages of assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent. This system marks the initiation of subduction of the Pacific oceanic lithosphere along a prior rifted and extended passive margin. This paper explores the magmatic consequences following the early Cambrian initiation at the palaeo-Pacific margin in South Australia (SA) and western Victoria. Our data reveal a 50 Ma syn- to post-Delamerian tectono-magmatic history. Sampled from drill core from beneath the eastern Murray Basin cover in eastern SA, boninitic high Mg andesite from drill hole KTH12 and 516.1 ± 2 Ma quartz diorite suggest that first subduction established a volcanic arc within easternmost SA. Pacific-ward trench retreat then resulted in arc migration to reach the Mt Stavely Belt and Stawell Zones in western Victoria by ~510 Ma where boninitic arc magmatism continued until ~490 Ma. In the SA foreland of the Delamerian Orogen, early (522 ± 4 Ma) alkali basalt gave way to intrusion and extrusion of MORB-like tholeiites of back-arc basalt character.Through much of the middle and late Cambrian the SA Delamerian was in the back-arc and under extension but with periodic compression resulting from periodic Pacific-Australian plate coupling beneath the forearc in western Victoria.In SA syn-tectonic I- and S-type granites reflect interaction of MORB-like back-arc magmas and their transported heat with continental-derived sediment of the Kanmantoo Group. The termination of the Delamerian orogeny at ~490 Ma was accompanied by buoyancy-controlled, exhumation and erosion. This was driven by delamination of a mafic, crustal underplate, whose re-melting at 1.5 to 2 GPa and 1050 °C generated the unique 495 ± 1 Ma Kinchina/Monarto adakite. Delamination resulted in lithospheric mantle thinning and local convective overturn allowing upwelling of the asthenosphere to drive the post-kinematic magmatic phase of the Delamerian, yielding voluminous 490 Ma–470 Ma A-type granites.     

东天山觉罗塔格带东段早志留世中酸性侵入岩的年代学、地球化学及构造意义

为了确定东天山觉罗塔格带东段玉海地区中酸性侵入岩的形成时代、源区性质及其构造属性,本文对该区中酸性侵入岩进行了系统的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年、全岩地球化学以及Sr-Nd同位素分析。2个样品中的锆石在CL图像上具明显振荡环带,Th/U值为0.28～0.59,指示其岩浆成因。对岩浆锆石定年结果表明,它们主要形成于早志留世(433.2～431.2Ma),代表了寄主岩石的形成时代。样品w(SiO_2)=57.88%～69.01%,w(Na_2O)=3.46%～5.07%,w(K_2O)=0.50%～1.65%,Na_2O/K_2O=4.26～6.79,Mg#=45.1～52.3,A/CNK=0.89～1.00;稀土配分模式呈右倾型,LREE/HREE=5.55～11.47,(La/Yb)N=4.18～13.54,δEu=0.82～1.25;在微量元素蛛网图上表现为大离子亲石元素(Ba、U、K、Sr等)相对富集和高场强元素(Th、Ti、Nb、Ta)相对亏损;全岩εNd(t)值介于6.1～7.0之间。研究表明,早志留世中酸性侵入岩的岩浆源区主要为年轻地壳物质,结合火成岩的组合特征、岩浆作用性质以及区域构造演化历史,认为早志留世中酸性侵入岩形成于康古尔洋板片向北(吐—哈地块)俯冲的活动大陆边缘环境,从而将康古尔大洋板片北向俯冲的时限追溯至早志留世。