~(40)/Ar~(39)Ar Ages of Auriferous Quartz Veins from the Fengyang and Zhangbaling Regions and Their Geological Significance

1IntroductionAuriferousquartzveinsarecommonintheFengyangandZhangbalingregionsofAnhuiProvinceandtheyconstitutetheRongdu ,Zhuding ,Dagongshan ,MaoshanandShangchenggolddepositsandalotofgoldperspectives .TheRb SrisochronagesofalterationmineralsfromtheRongduandDagongshangolddepositsare (10 9.0± 4 .4 )Maand (15 3.76± 11.2 )Ma ,respectively (Dongetal .,1995 ) .Thereisalargedifferenceinagebetweenthetwogolddeposits ,butitcanbeseenthatthegolddepositswereformedinLateJurassictoEarlyCretaceous .A…     

^40Ar／^39Ar Fast Neutron Activation Ages of Quartz from the Jinman Vein Copper Dposit in Western Yunnan and Their Significance

Quartz samples collected from the Jinman vein copper deposit in the Lanping Basin of western Yunnan were determined by⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar fast neutron activation techniques, and the spectra are characterized as being saddle-shaped. The samples yielded a plateau age of 58.05 ± 0.54 Ma, a minimum appearance age of 56.76 ±0.81 Ma and an isochron age of 54.30 ± 0.15 Ma, the three ages being close to each other, indicating that the ages of the quartz samples so far determined are true and reliable. The plateau age represents the time of formation of Cu-bearing quartz veins, which is corresponding to Early Himalayan. This age is also consistent with the time at which a tectonically thermal event (60 Ma) took place within the Lanping Basin, Yunnan Province. In consideration of the fact that copper ore and other ore types in the vast area of western Yunnan are concentrated mainly in the Early Himalayan strata, the authors believe that there must have existed some indispensable key factors leading to metallogenesis on a large scale during the Early Himalayan period in western Yunnan and also constraining in union the formation of ore deposits there.     

^40Ar／^39Ar Plateau Age Spectra of Feldspars and Their Geological Implications

The paragenic minerals plagioclase,perthite,biotite,hornblende and pyroxene in acid-granite alkali-granite,monzonite and volcanic rocks collected from seven areas different in thermal history have been determined.On the basis of 14 plateau age spectra and isochron ages of paragenic miner-als in conjunction with the observed mineral textures ,the suitability of plateau age spectra of plagioclase and perthite and their thermo-chronological significance are discussed in this paper.The results indicate that undisturbed feldspar gives satisfactory^40Ar-^39Ar plateau ages in consis-tence with those of paragenic minerals.This means that feldspars from the undisturbed area are suita-ble for ^40Ar-^39Ar dating .On the other hand,the age spectra of feldspars as well as of biotite,pyroxene and hornblende affected by tectonic or thermodynamic events appear unsmooth at varying temperatures,thus complicating their interpretation.Feldspars may give an emplacement age of a rock and /or that of the latest thermodynamic event,depending on the intensity of the event and the retentivity of Ar in the mineral.     

Auriferous Quartz Veins from the Dongping Gold Deposit,NW Hebei Province and Metallogenesis—Fluid Inclusion Rb—Sr Isochron Evidence

The Dongping gold deposit, situated on the northern margin of the North China Platform, is a composite deposit composed of auriferous quartz vein-type and altered rock-type ore bodies. It is hosted in the inner contact zone of an alkaline intrusion which was intruded into Archean metamorphic rocks and was formed not later than the Hercynian period. Auriferous quartz veins of the deposit are dated with the fluid inclusion Rb-Sr isochron method at 103 ± 4 Ma, indicating that the gold deposit was formed in the Yenshanian period.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr sourcetracing shows the ore forming materials came dominantly from alkaline intrusions. These results, combined with other isotope and REE data, suggest that the Dongping gold deposit is not a traditional magmatic hydrothermal deposit, but a reworked hydrothermal deposit related to heated and evolved meteoric water. This project (49372105) is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Geological and Geochemical Characteristics of the Cherts in the Mojiang Gold Deposit and Their Implications

Geological and geochemical characteristics of cherts of the low-middle parts of the Jinchang Formation indicate that cherts are associated with hydrothermal sedimentation,but the middle-upper parts of the Jinchang Formaiton are mixed with normal sediments.The cherts are characterized by high Fe,As,Sb,Si and Ga,low Al and totoal REE,negative Ce anomaly and HREE enrichment.Their δ^18O values show that the forming temperatures of the cherts range from 128℃ tp 146℃.     

翼西北水泉沟杂岩体及与其有关金矿 ^40Ar—^39Ar同位素年代学研究

冀西北金矿集中区是我国华北地台北缘金矿成矿带的重要组成部分,区内金矿主要产于水泉沟碱性杂岩体及邻近的太古宙变质岩内。Ａｒ－Ａｒ同位素年龄测定结果显示,金矿床成矿年龄（１７２～１８８Ｍａ）与水泉沟碱性杂岩体的形成年龄（３０４～３０６Ｍａ）相差达１２０Ｍａ。综合研究推断金矿床不是碱性岩浆直接演化产物,而是在燕山期构造－－岩浆活动影响下,地下循环热流体对矿源岩－－碱性杂岩体淋滤、萃取,形成富含金的成矿热     

^Ar／^39Ar Dating of Deformation Events and Reconstruction of Exhumation of Ultrahigh—Pressure Metamorphic Rocks in Donghai,East China

Abstract Recent investigations reveal that the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks in the Donghai region of East China underwent ductile and transitional ductile‐brittle structural events during their exhumation. The earlier ductile deformation took place under the condition of amphibolite facies and the later transitional ductile‐brittle deformation under the condition of greenschist facies. The hanging walls moved southeastward during both of these two events. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of muscovites from muscovite‐plagioclase schists in the Haizhou phosphorous mine, which are structurally overlain by UHPM rocks, yields a plateau age of 218.0±2.9 Ma and isochron age of 219.8Ma, indicating that the earlier event of the ampibolite‐facies deformation probably took place about 220 Ma ago. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of oriented amphiboles parallel to the movement direction of the hanging wall on a decollement plane yields a plateau age of 213.1 ± 0.3 Ma and isochron age of 213.4±4.1 Ma, probably representing the age of the later event. The dating of pegmatitic biotites and K‐feldspars near the decollement plane from the eastern Fangshan area yield plateau ages of 203.4±0.3 Ma, 203.6±0.4 Ma and 204.8±2.2 Ma, and isochron ages of 204.0±2.0 Ma, 200.6±3.1 Ma and 204.0±5.0 Ma, respectively, implying that the rocks in the studied area had not been cooled down to closing temperature of the dated biotites and K‐feldspars until the beginning of the Jurassic (about 204 Ma). The integration of these data with previous chronological ages on the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphism lead to a new inference on the exhumation of the UHPM rocks. The UHPM rocks in the area were exhumed at the rate of 3–4 km/Ma from the mantle (about 80–100 km below the earth's surface at about 240 Ma) to the lower crust (at the depth of about 20‐30km at 220 Ma), and at the rate of 1–2 km/Ma to the middle crust (at the depth of about 15 km at 213 Ma), and then at the rate of less than 1 km/Ma to the upper crust about 10 km deep at about 204 Ma.     

~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar Age and Geological Significance of the Sawur Gold Belt in Northern Xinjiang, China

1 IntroductionThe Sawur gold belt is an eastward extending section ofthe Zarma-Sawur gold-copper belt in Kazakhstan, locatedin the Sawur Mountain, northern Xinjiang, and mainlycomprises two large- to medium-sized gold deposits,accompanied by five small gold deposits and a series ofgold ore spots (Yin et al., 1996, 2003; Wang et al., 1999; Liet al., 2000; Liu et al., 2003; Shen et al., 2004a). TheKuo'erzhenkuola and Bu'erkesidai gold deposits are thebiggest and most important ones in this …     

安徽凤阳和张八岭地区含金石英脉的40Ar/39Ar年龄及其地质意义

用快中子活化法测定了安徽凤阳和张八岭地区朱顶、毛山和上成3个金矿床第一阶段晚期和第二阶段的含金石英脉,石英的阶段加热40Ar/39Ar坪年龄值域为(116.1±0.6～118.3±0.5)Ma,分别与其最小视年龄和等时线年龄接近.坪年龄、最小视年龄和等时线年龄3种年龄值域为(113.4±0.4～118.3±0.5)Ma,可以作为石英的形成年龄域. 根据含金石英脉和围岩的空间关系,该年龄值域作为石英脉金矿的形成年龄是合理可靠的.金矿床形成于早白垩世阿普特期,与此时郯庐断裂带略带右行走滑正断层活动一致.     

内蒙古沙麦钨矿白云母40Ar/39Ar年龄及其地质意义

内蒙古沙麦钨矿床位于中亚造山带东段（或称兴蒙造山带）,矿体主要赋存在黑云母二长花岗（斑）岩内,主要矿化类型为伟晶岩型和云英岩型。本文利用40Ar/39Ar同位素测年方法对沙麦钨矿成矿阶段形成的白云母进行了年龄测定,获得白云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为138.4 ± 0.84 Ma,对应的正、反等时线年龄分别为137.32 ± 0.73 Ma和137.35 ± 0.73 Ma。所测坪年龄与正反等时线年龄具有很好的一致性,可以代表矿床钨矿体的形成年龄,表明该矿床的形成与沙麦地区燕山晚期的岩浆活动有关,这与区域上的成矿事件相吻合。结合区域地球动力学背景的研究成果,认为沙麦钨矿床形成于陆-陆碰撞造山后的陆内伸展环境。     

Detailed <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating of geologic events associated with the Mantos Blancos copper deposit,northern Chile

The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological method was applied to date magmatic and hydrothermal alteration events in the Mantos Blancos mining district in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile, allowing the distinction of two separate mineralization events. The Late Jurassic Mantos Blancos orebody, hosted in Jurassic volcanic rocks, is a magmatic-hydrothermal breccia-style Cu deposit. Two superimposed mineralization events have been recently proposed. The first event is accompanied by a phyllic hydrothermal alteration affecting a rhyolitic dome. The second mineralization event is related to the intrusion of bimodal stocks and sills inside the deposit. Because of the superposition of several magmatic and hydrothermal events, the obtained ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data are complex; however, with a careful interpretation of the age spectra, it is possible to detect complex histories of successive emplacement, alteration, mineralization, and thermal resetting. The extrusion of Jurassic basic to intermediate volcanic rocks of the La Negra Formation is dated at 156.3 ± 1.4 Ma (2σ) using plagioclase from an andesitic lava flow. The first mineralization event and associated phyllic alteration affecting the rhyolitic dome occurred around 155–156 Ma. A younger bimodal intrusive event, supposed to be equivalent to the bimodal stock and sill system inside the deposit, is probably responsible for the second mineralization event dated at ca. 142 Ma. Other low-temperature alteration events have been dated on sericitized plagioclase at ca. 145–146, 125, and 101 Ma. This is the first time that two distinct mineralization events have been documented from radiometric data for a copper deposit in the metallogenic belt of the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Integrated stratigraphy and <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar chronology of the Early to Middle Miocene Upper Freshwater Molasse in eastern Bavaria (Germany)

A detailed integrated stratigraphic study was carried out on middle Miocene fluvial successions of the Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM) from the North Alpine Foreland Basin, in eastern Bavaria, Germany. The biostratigraphic investigations yielded six new localities thereby refining the OSM biostratigraphy for units C to E (sensu; Heissig, Actes du Congres BiochroM’97. Mem Trav EPHE, Inst Montpellier 21, 1997) and further improving biostratigraphic correlations between the different sections throughout eastern Bavaria. Radioisotopic ages of 14.55 ± 0.19 and 14.88 ± 0.11 Ma have been obtained for glass shards from the main bentonite horizon and the Ries impactite: two important stratigraphic marker beds used for confirming our magnetostratigraphic calibration to the Astronomical Tuned Neogene Time Scale (ATNTS04; Lourens et al. in Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press, 2004). Paleomagnetic analysis was performed using alternating field (AF) and thermal (TH) demagnetization methods. The AF method revealed both normal and reverse polarities but proofs to yield unreliable ChRM directions for the Puttenhausen section. Using the biostratigraphic information and radioisotopic ages, the magnetostratigraphic records of the different sections are tentatively correlated to the Astronomical Tuned Neogene Time Scale (ATNTS04; Lourens et al. in Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press, 2004). This correlation implies that the main bentonite horizon coincides to chron C5ADn, which is corroborated by its radioisotopic age of 14.55 Ma, whereas the new fossil locality Furth 460, belonging to OSM unit E, probably correlates to chron C5Bn.1r. The latter correlation agrees well with the Swiss Molasse locality Frohberg. Correlations of the older sections are not straightforward. The Brock horizon, which comprises limestone ejecta from the Ries impact, possibly correlates to C5ADr (14.581–14.784 Ma), implying that, although within error, the radioisotopic age of 14.88 ± 0.11 Ma is somewhat too old. The fossil localities in Puttenhausen, belonging to the older part of OSM unit C, probably coincide with chron C5Cn.2n or older, which is older than the correlations established for the Swiss Molasse. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

<Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar-<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating of lamprophyre dykes in the Baimazhai nickel deposit,Yunnan Province,China, and its geological significance

The Baimazhai nickel deposit, Yunnan Province, China, is located in the southern part of the Sanjiang （Tri-river） alkali-rich intrusive rock belt （Sanjiang ARIR）. In this paper was conducted ^40Ar-^39Ar dating of two phlogopites in lamprophyres which are, as dikes, widely distributed in the orefield, and two plateau ages were acquired, i.e., 32.46±0.62 Ma and 32.01±0.60 Ma, respectively （averaging 32.23±0.60 Ma）. The ages are obviously younger than those of the ore-hosted complex and mineralization of the Baimazhai nickel deposit. In combination with the characteristics, it is indicated that lamprophyres in the orefield and those in the Sanjiang ARIR are similar in tectonic setting, mineral assemblage and geochemistry. It is considered that lamprophyres in the orefield are the important component of the Sanjiang ARIR, and the lamprophyres and ore-hosted complex in the orefield represent the products of two times of different magmatic activity from different mantle sources. On the other hand, the age of lamprophyres in the orefield is older than that of the strike-slip shearing of the Ailaoshan-Honghe fault belt, suggesting that the strike-slip shearing of the Ailaoshan-Honghe fault belt is not the factor leading to magmatic activity of lamprophyres in the orefield, while it is more possible that magmatic activity of the Sanjiang ARIR promoted strike-slip shearing of the fault belt.     

Timing and duration of supergene mineralization at the Xinrong manganese deposit,western Guangdong Province,South China: cryptomelane <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating

Supergene Mn-oxide deposits are widely distributed in Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, and Hunan Provinces, South China, accounting for 18% of the total Mn reserves in the country. Direct dating of supergene Mn enrichment, however, is lacking. In this paper, we present high-resolution ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of Mn oxides from the Xinrong Mn deposit, western Guangdong, to place numerical constraints on the timing and duration of supergene Mn enrichment. A total of ten cryptomelane samples, spanning a vertical extent of 67 m, were dated using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laser incremental heating technique, with seven samples yielding well-defined plateau or pseudo-plateau ages ranging from 23.48 ± 0.91 to 2.06 ± 0.05 Ma (2σ). One sample yields a staircase spectrum that does not reach a plateau; the spectrum, however, indicates the presence of two or more generations of Mn oxides in the sample, whose ages are best estimated at 22.34 ± 0.31 and 10.2 ± 0.86 Ma, respectively. The remaining two samples gave meaningless or uninterpretable results due to significant ³⁹Ar recoil and contamination by old phases. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data thus reveal a protracted history of weathering and supergene Mn enrichment that started at least in the end of the Oligocene or beginning of Miocene and extending into the latest Pliocene. Staircase-apparent age spectra, resulting from banded or botryoidal samples, yield an average growth rate of Mn oxides at 0.6–0.7 × 10⁻³ mm kyr⁻¹. The values indicate that a 1-mm grain of Mn oxides may host minerals precipitated during a time span of ca. 1.5 m.y., and accumulation of Mn oxides to form economic deposits under weathering environments may take millions of years. The distribution of weathering ages shows that the oldest Mn oxides occur on the top of the profile, whereas the youngest minerals are found at the bottom, suggesting downward propagation of weathering fronts. However, two samples located at the intermediate depths of the profile yield ages comparable with those occurring at the highest elevations. Such a complexity of age distribution is interpreted in terms of preferential penetration of Mn-rich weathering solutions along more permeable fault zones, or as a result of multi stages of dissolution and re-precipitation of Mn oxides. A synthesis of geochronological and geological data suggests that formation of the Xinrong deposit was a consequence of a combination of favorable lithological, climatic, and structural conditions. Because the climatic and structural conditions are similar among the provinces of South China during the Cenozoic, the geochronological results obtained at Xinrong may also have implications for the timing of supergene Mn enrichment throughout South China.     

西藏普兰县马攸木金矿床石英的40Ar/39Ar年龄及其地质意义

对西藏阿里地区马攸木金矿床含金石英脉样品进行40Ar/39Ar快中子活化法测年,其坪年龄为44.08Ma±0.39Ma,等时年龄为44.10Ma±0.20Ma,坪年龄代表石英的形成年龄。测试结果表明,西藏阿里地区可能存在喜马拉雅期金的成矿作用,且喜马拉雅期可能是西藏冈底斯-雅鲁藏布江成矿带形成金矿的主要时期。     

敦密断裂带走滑运动的^40Ar／^39Ar年代学证据

敦密断裂带是郯庐断裂带北段最重要的分支,其大规模左旋走滑剪切时代一直是悬而未决的科学问题。野外构造解析和显微构造分析表明,密山县知一镇附近的敦密韧性剪切带为左旋剪切带,变形温度约450~650℃。在韧性剪切带糜棱岩中获得黑云母单矿物的40Ar/36Ar-39Ar/36Ar等时线年龄值为(161±3)Ma,结合完达山地体的走滑拼贴时代,认为敦密断裂带在中侏罗世末期发生强烈的左旋走滑运动。这一年代学数据反映了在滨太平洋构造域构造活动期间,郯庐断裂被利用而再次发生左旋走滑,并向北扩展到东北地区。敦密断裂走滑运动时代与完达山地体的走滑-拼贴增生时代吻合,两者是相同大地构造背景中的产物。     

西藏嘎拉勒夕卡岩型铜金矿白云母~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar年龄及其地质意义

西藏嘎拉勒夕卡岩型铜金矿床中铜的资源量达到中型规模,金的资源量达到大型规模。在系统的野外地质调查基础上,选取矿床夕卡岩中保存极好的白云母,测得40Ar-39Ar年龄为91.48Ma±0.68Ma,代表矿床成矿年龄,表明矿床为燕山运动晚期的产物。结合区域地质资料认为,在拉萨地块中北部,成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩型—斑岩型矿床集中分布在措勤—申扎岩浆弧上;在早白垩世班公湖—怒江洋盆闭合后,狮泉河—永珠—纳木错—嘉黎蛇绿混杂带(Slainajap带)上的弧后盆地和弧间盆地演化成了一系列小洋盆,这些小洋盆的演化与中拉萨地块北部成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩—斑岩型矿床的形成有更直接的关系。今后宜加大在措勤—申扎岩浆弧上寻找成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩—斑岩型矿床的力度。