A new ophiolite occurrence in NW Sudan – constraints on Late Proterozoic tectonism

Mafic–ultramafic sequences in the Jebel Rahib fold-and-thrust belt of NW Sudan comprise the metamorphosed equivalents of obducted oceanic lithosphere. Primary features like pillow-structures, quenchtextures, igneous layering and primary minerals like chromian spinels and pyroxenes are partly preserved. Geochemical investigations confirm the field evidence and reveal the occurrence of harzburgites, ophiolitic chromites, gabbros, gabbroic cumulates and basalts of primitive tholeiitic compositions resembling transitional MORBs. The age of low-grade overprint of the basaltic rocks can be limited to 860–740 Myr (K–Ar). The existence of an ophiolite, as well as its close interfingering with highly deformed basin sediments, provides unambiguous evidence for a cycle of extensional and compressional tectonics in NW Sudan during Pan-African times. Consequently, the concept of an older, stable Proterozoic, or even Archaean, ‘African Craton’onto which the juvenile Pan-African Nubian Shield assemblages were accreted, needs revision.     

Geochronology,geochemistry and tectonics of the NE Bayuda Desert,N Sudan: Implications for the western margin of the late Proterozoic fold belt of NE Africa

Five suites of rocks collected from the Precambrian basement in the NE Bayuda Desert of central northern Sudan give late Proterozoic whole-rock $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ isochron ages. The Abu Harik Complex, thought by some previous workers to be an older basement, gives an age of 898 ± 51 Ma. Upper amphibolite-facies metasediments give a metamorphic age of 761 ± 22 Ma. The supposedly younger greenschist-facies El Koro Volcanic Series were erupted 800 ± 83 Ma ago. These are chemically similar to the volcanics which unconformably overlie the Sol Hamed ophiolite in the Red Sea Hills of NE Sudan and to some modern island are volcanics. The metasediments were intruded 678 ± 43 Ma ago by the Diefallab Granite, which is itself deformed. The younger, weakly-deformed Amaki Series, with a basal conglomerate containing basement clasts overlain by purple grits, is probably equivalent to the molasse-type Hammamat Group of the Eastern Desert of Egypt which was deposited between 616 and 596 Ma ago. Finally, the post-tectonic Shallal Granite, with within-plate geochemistry, was intruded 549 ± 12 Ma ago. Geochemical data suggest that the Abu Harik Complex, the El Koro Volcanic Series and the Diefallab Granite are arc-related magmatic rocks. They were intruded into, or thrust onto, shallow-water, shelf sediments during subduction and then collision, between c. 900 and 550 Ma. The data presented here give no support to previous views that the high-grade metasediments were metamorphosed prior to the late Proterozoic events, that they unconformably overlie a still older, perhaps Archaean, basement or that they are unconformably overlain by younger late Proterozoic low-grade volcanics. The Precambrian rocks along the E side of the Bayuda Desert must now all be assigned to the late Proterozoic and the boundary between this late Proterozoic fold belt and an older craton, known to crop out at Jebel Uweinat, must lie farther to the W.     

Review of Late Proterozoic sutures,ophiolitic mélanges and tectonics of eastern Egypt and north-east Sudan

The distribution, structural relations and ages of ophiolites and ophiolitic melanges in the Eastern Deserts of Egypt and north-east Sudan, and their relation to arc and post-arc magmatism, are used to infer the probable positions of sutures and the directions of obduction and subduction. The ages of the successive tectonic stages in the terranes decrease northwards, by about 100 Ma in the region discussed. Obduction was north-westwards. The obducted sheets of ophiolite and ophiolitic melange, extending about 500 km north from the Onib-Sol Flamed suture, may all represent a single back-arc basin. The direction of subduction is still not clearly proved: more geochemical evidence of arc-magmatic polarity is needed. The late tectonic north-westward thrusting, the NW - SE stretching lineation, the transpressional north-south Hamisama Shear Zone and the NW-SE sinistral Najd faults are all attributed to north-westward movement (present coordinates) of terranes towards the older craton west of the Nile. The Najd faults are interpreted as intracontinental transform faults.     

Rodingite formation from diorite in the Samothraki ophiolite,NE Aegean,Greece

A metasomatic episode in the Samothraki ophiolite involved the formation of rodingites hosted in a diorite, which evolved by the interaction of an H₂O‐rich fluid phase. A pair of samples, which are in close spatial association, was used as an example to investigate this event. It is suggested that this process is characterized by the addition of Ca and the removal of Si and some large ion lithophile elements, under relatively oxidizing conditions where rare earth elements were fairly immobile. The Samothraki rodingites show common geochemical characteristics with similar lithologies elsewhere. A suggested T–X_CO2 path involves a prograde reaction series, which occurred below 550°C and slightly enriched the fluid phase in CO₂. A late infiltration of a highly hydrous fluid drove the fluid phase composition towards low CO₂ potential and led to the formation of late‐stage diopside and vesuvianite. Alternatively, if the fluid had been continuously controlled by an external source, only heating at temperatures below 500°C could have developed the whole process. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Undoolya sequence: Late Proterozoic salt influenced deposition,Amadeus Basin,central Australia

Parts of the Late Proterozoic to Cambrian sequence along the northeastern margin of the Amadeus Basin were deposited under the influence of salt movement within the underlying Bitter Springs Formation. Later folding during the Devonian Alice Springs Orogeny and subsequent erosion has exposed salt‐influenced structures to provide a rare opportunity to observe the effects of diapiric growth on local facies and structure. Such effects are commonly only seen in seismic section. Salt withdrawal led to normal faulting and syn‐sedimentary thickening of adjacent units. The Undoolya Sequence, a previously undescribed 710 m section, was deposited within a salt‐withdrawal basin adjacent to a proposed diapiric structure. Periods of salt mobilization are recorded by syn‐depositional thickening and localized unconformities within units flanking the diapiric structure. This structure is representative of the influence salt movement had on deposition in the northeastern Amadeus Basin during the Late Proterozoic.     

辽东早元古宙裂谷及其蛇绿岩

根据板块构造学说,对辽宁东部早元古宙地层及大地构造进行讨论。辽宁东部早元古宙地层呈现的东大西小分布特点,是由地幔上涌作用所形成的三叉裂谷构造决定的,是可以与大洋中脊型的蛇绿岩套对比的。     

江西省新元古界微古植物组合及其时代

江西省新元古代地层发育良好,近年来在1∶5万区调中获得了较为丰富的微古植物化石资料.通过对其进行比较系统的整理与总结,共计发现微古植物化石52属111种,按地层区划及不同时期又可划分为9个微古植物组合.本文概述了各组合特征,同时结合区域地层及同位素年龄资料进行了对比讨论.     

苏丹东北部哈维特金矿地质特征及控矿构造研究北大核心CSCD

哈维特金矿床位于阿拉伯-努比亚地盾Gabgaba地块,是苏丹东北部近年来新发现的一个金矿床。通过系统的野外地质调查和控矿构造研究,初步揭示了该矿床的地质特征及矿床类型,基本查明了矿区的构造特点及其含矿性,为矿区进一步勘查指明了方向。该矿区金矿(化)体呈脉状,严格受NW向脆-韧性剪切带控制,产于低绿片岩相的片理化带内,主要以含金硅化碳酸盐化黄铁矿化绢英岩或碎裂岩的形式产出。硅化、黄铁矿化、碳酸盐化和绢云母化与金成矿关系密切。就矿床成因类型而言,应属于造山型金矿床。综合分析矿区构造特征发现,矿区脆-韧性剪切带具左行特征,其内广泛发育NW、NE、NEE、NNW、NNE向断裂构造;NW向左行左列断裂、NE向右行左列断裂和NEE向右行断裂是本区最主要的含矿构造,而NNW、NNE向断裂多为成矿期后的断裂构造;矿区构造形成演化过程中,先后经历了挤压变形、后挤压和伸展作用三个阶段,金成矿作用主要形成于后挤压作用阶段。矿区今后勘查找矿工作应重点针对NW向、NE向断裂构造控制的金矿体展开。     

Late Quaternary lake-level changes of Lake El'gygytgyn, NE Siberia

Lake El'gygytgyn is situated in a 3.6 Ma old impact crater in northeastern Siberia. Presented here is a reconstruction of the Quaternary lake-level history as derived from sediment cores from the southern lake shelf. There, a cliff-like bench 10 m below the modern water level has been investigated. Deep-water sediments on the shelf indicate high lake levels during a warm Mid-Pleistocene period. One period with low lake level prior to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 has been identified, followed by a period of high lake level (10 m above present). In the course of MIS 2 the lake level dropped to − 10 m. At the end of MIS 2 the bench was formed and coarse beach sedimentation occurred. Subsequently, the lake level rose rapidly to the Holocene level. Changes in water level are likely linked to climate variability. During relatively temperate periods the lake becomes free of ice in summer. Strong wave actions transport sediment parallel to the coast and towards the outlet, where the material tends to accumulate, resulting in lake level rise. During cold periods the perennial lake ice cover hampers any wave activity and pebble-transport, keeping the outlet open and causing the lake level to drop.     

The Late Proterozoic Continental Accretionary History of the Southeastern Margin of Jiangnania

The newly obtained Sm-Nd isochron ages are 1034 Ma and 935 Ma for ophiolites from northeasternJiangxi and Fuchuan, southern Anhui respectively. There exist two unconformity surfaces under the initialLate Proterozoic volcanics as well as the Sinian rocks. The Xiuning intrusive body which was intruded into theShangxi Group in southern Anhui yields a whole-rock Rb-Sr isochron age of 963 Ma. There occurs a belt ofLate Proterozoic calc-alkali volcanic rocks extending from northeastern Jiangxi to northwestern Zhejiang. Inthe light of the above facts, the authors consider that the southeastern margin of Jiangnania is an ancient islandarc. At about 1000 Ma ago, the Huanan (South China) oceanic crust was subducted along the line linking Dex-ing and Hangzhou, thus starting the accretion of the island arc system to Jiangnania. At 800 Ma ago Cathaysiaand Jiangnania converged together along the Jiangshan-Shaoxing line, marking the end of the accretion.     

PGE mineralization and melt composition of chromitites in Proterozoic ophiolite complexes of Eastern Sayan,Southern Siberia

The Ospino-Kitoi and Kharanur ultrabasic massifs represent the northern and southern ophiolite branches respectively of the Upper Onot ophiolitic nappe and they are located in the southeastern part of the Eastern Sayan(SEPES ophiolites).Podiform chromitites with PGE mineralization occur as lensoid pods within dunites and rarely in harzburgites or serpentinized peridotites.The chromitites are classified into type I and type Ⅱ based on their Cr~#.Type I(Cr~# = 59-85) occurs in both northern and southern branches,whereas type Ⅱ(Cr~# = 76-90) occurs only in the northern branch.PGE contents range from ∑PGE 88-1189 ppb,Pt/Ir0.04-0.42 to ∑PGE 250-1700 ppb,Pt/Ir 0.03-0.25 for type I chromitites of the northern and southern branches respectively.The type Ⅱ chromitites of the northern branch have ∑PGE contents higher than that of type Ⅰ(468-8617 ppb,Pt/Ir 0.1-0.33).Parental melt compositions,in equilibrium with podiform chromitites,are in the range of boninitic melts and vary in Al_2O_3,TiO_2 and FeO/MgO contents from those of type I and type Ⅱ chromitites.Calculated melt compositions for type Ⅰ chromitites are(Al_2O_3)_(melt) = 10.6—13.5 wt.%,(TiO_2)_(melt) = 0.01-0.44 wt.%,(Fe/Mg)_(melt) = 0.42-1.81;those for type Ⅱ chromitites are:(Al_2O_3)_(melt) = 7.8-10.5 wt.%,(TiO_2)_(melt) = 0.01-0.25 wt.%,(Fe/Mg)_(melt) = 0.5-2.4.Chromitites are further divided into Os-Ir-Ru(Ⅰ) and Pt-Pd(Ⅱ) based on their PGE patterns.The type Ⅰ chromitites show only the Os-Ir-Ru pattern whereas type Ⅱ shows both Os-Ir-Ru and Pt-Pd patterns.PGE mineralization in type Ⅰ chromitites is represented by the Os-Ir-Ru system,whereas in type Ⅱ it is represented by the Os-Ir-Ru-Rh-Pt system.These results indicate that chromitites and PGE mineralization in the northern branch formed in a suprasubduction setting from a fluid-rich boninitic melt during active subduction.However,the chromitites and PGE mineralization of the southern branch could have formed in a spreading zone environment.Mantle peridotites have been exposed in the area with remnants of mantle-derived reduced fluids,as indicated by the occurrence of widespread highly carbonaceous graphitized ultrabasic rocks and serpentinites with up to 9.75 wt.%.Fluid inclusions in highly carbonaceous graphitized ultrabasic rocks contain CO,CO_2,CH4,N_2 and the δ~(13)C isotopic composition(-7.4 to-14.5‰) broadly corresponds to mantle carbon.     

豫西晚元古代洛峪群沉积作用及环境演化

洛峪群本身构成一个完整的海侵-海退沉积序列。早期海侵使得洛峪群底部滨岸沉积逐渐被陆棚沉积所超覆,并造成典型的海绿石砂岩凝缩层。随后的海退导致明显的海岸进积,在垂向上形成外陆棚-内陆棚-滨岸/障壁岛-泻湖沉积序列。洛峪群中的硅质碎屑岩沉积主要受风暴控制,形成各种特征的丘状和洼状交错层砂岩以及浅海浊积岩。洛峪群是华北地块南缘中、晚元古代裂谷期的产物,并可能处于裂谷热沉降阶段的后期。     

Late Proterozoic aragonitic cement crusts, Bambuí Group, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Late Proterozoic Pedro Leopoldo facies (Bambuí Group) in the vicinity of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, comprises alternating laminated microsparitic limestones (10–35 mm thick beds) and fibrous limestones (10–55 mm thick). The latter are composed of a mosaic of sparry calcite crystals. These irregularly crosscut rays and fans are composed of feathery precursor crystal bundles with squared-off growth zones. Ghosts of an original fibrous mineral, hexagonal in cross-section, are visible. The petrographic characteristics, very high strontium content and low magnesium content of the fibrous beds, as well as microspar beds, strongly argue for an original aragonitic mineralogy. The rays are interpreted as having formed by precipitation at the sediment-water interface, whereas the micrite was precipitated from the water column prior to deposition on the sea floor. The lack of emergence features suggests widespread aragonite precipitation under persistently subtidal conditions.     

Intrinsic geological model generation for chromite pods in the Sabzevar ophiolite complex,NE Iran

The Sabzevar ophiolite, with its colored mélange zone, is a highly disintegrated ophiolite complex located at the northern boundary of the central Iranian microcontinent. A large number of chromite pods occur in this area, which needs to be explored. In this study, a mathematical – geological genetic model is advanced as an exploratory tool that provides information for further exploration activity. A petrogenetic model of chromite ore was established on the basis of a geodata information database. This database consists of information from similar chromite mines from around the world. A detailed investigation of the geological, mineralogical and petrological characteristics of chromite pods in the Sabzevar region was conducted along with detailed petrological samplings, thin section studies and mineralogical analysis. In the next step, we developed a conceptual genetic model that defines areas with a high probability of the existence of chromite pods. The model was later refined using such parameters as a critical genetic factor (CGF) and critical reconnaissance criteria (CRC). Next, a linear function, which is a combination of these factors, provided promising regions as intrinsic geological units (IGU). Finally, a 3D model of lithological units depicting the IGU for chromite pods exploration is proposed.     

Proterozoic deformation of the East Saharan Craton in Southeast Libya, South Egypt and North Sudan

The basement areas in Southeast Libya, South Egypt and North Sudan, west of the Nile, between Gebel Uweinat and the Bayuda Desert, are part of an approximately 1000-km-wide, complexly folded, polymetamorphic zone with a regional N-NNE-NE-ENE trend of foliation and fold axis. Since this belt extends southwestward into the area of Zalingei in the southern Darfur block (West Sudan), it is named the Northern Zalingei fold zone. Sr and Nd isotopic studies suggest that this zone is older than Pan-African and further indicate that, apart from Archean rocks in the Gebel Uweinat area, this belt is of Early-Middle Proterozoic age. An Early-Middle Proterozoic three-stage deformational and anatectic event established the present-day fold and fault geometry in the western parts of this zone in the Gebel Uweinat—Gebel Kamil area. The Pan-African tectono-thermal episode was most effective in the eastern part of the belt, near the boundary with the Nubian Shield volcano-sedimentary-ophiolite-granitoid assemblages. It caused migmatization, granite emplacement, mylonitization and large-scale wrench faulting which was related to Late Proterozoic accretionary and collisional events of the Arabian-Nubian Shield with the margin of the East Saharan Craton.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Proterozoic Mafic Dykes from the Bomdila Group of Rocks,NE Lesser Himalaya,India

正The mafic dykes from the Paleoproterozoic Bomdila Group of metasedimentary rocks,Arunachal Pradesh,NE Lesser Himalaya,India have been analyzed for major and trace elements geochemistry essentially to understand their     

东昆仑东端扎那合惹地区元古宙蛇绿岩

扎那合惹地区元古宙蛇绿岩由超镁铁质堆晶岩组成，堆晶岩岩石化学成分、矿物组成变化较大。痕量元素、稀土元素表现出富集不相容元素的特征，而Nd同位素地球化学特征显示其源于亏损的地幔源区。超镁铁质堆晶岩Sm-Nd等时线年龄为1480±3Ma，与之紧密伴生的榴闪岩40Ar／39Ar坪年龄为（881.8±4.7）Ma（石榴石）和（852.2±1.0）Ma（角闪石），分别代表了古昆中洋扩张及俯冲消减的时限。     

Early Proterozoic regolith at Pasvik, NE Norway: palaeoenvironmental implications for the Baltic Shield

Regolith occurs at a number of localities along the northern margin of the early Proterozoic Pechenga Greenstone Belt marking a profound stratigraphic unconformity at the base of the 10 km thick Petsamo Supergroup. The age of regolith formation can be bracketed between 2.453 ± 42 Ga (Sm-Nd) and 2.330 ± 36 Ga (Rb-Sr). Regolith is developed on a varied substrate of Archaean rocks including early Proterozoic layered gabbros (2.45 Ga). The best example of the regolith occurs in the Pasvik valley at Brattli, Norway. Analogues are widespread on the Baltic Shield at the base of early Proterozoic 'greenstone belts' showing a low degree of chemical weathering and carbonatisation. Fluviatile deposits overlying the Brattli regolith preserve unweathered pyrite-magnetite boulders and terrigenous pyrite grains. These features are considered to relate an arid or semi-arid palaeoenvironment, possibly with some deficiency of oxygen in the atmosphere-hydrosphere system. A systematic and well-preserved regolith or palaeosaprolite at the base of the Petsamo Supergroup is proof that the northern boundary of the Pechenga Greenstone Belt is a fundamental first-order unconformity. This places constraints on geotectonic modelling of this early Proterozoic rift-basin.     

The Late Proterozoic Trench-Basin-Arc System in the Northeastern Jiangxi-Southern Anhui Region

Proterozoic rocks in the northeastern Jiangxi-southern Anhui may fall into three rock associations whichbelong to different but interrelated tectono-palaeogeographic units. The field geological and petrochemicalcharacteristics of the northeastern Jiangxi-western Zhejiang volcanic zone indicate that it was once an islandarc zone. An analysis of the sedimentary characteristics of Proterozoic turbidites lying north of the zone has re-vealed the history of development of a back-arc basin. According to the type of the Proterozoic rock formationsouth of the zone, it may be deduced that the formation might represent the fore-arc and trench areas. Bymeans of various tectono-palaeogeographic analyses, the relation between the island arc zone and the back-arcbasin is inferred and the Late Proterozoic tectono-palaeogeographic development is discussed by using themodel of the trench-arc-basin system.