Age differences between Rb---Sr whole rock and U---Pb zircon ages of syn- and postorogenic Svecokarelian granitoids in Sottunga, SW Finland

The U---Pb age on pooled data of zircnos from the postorogenic Svecokarelian Mosshaga granite is 1788 ± 11 Ma (2 σ). The corresponding Rb---Sr whole rock age is 1742 ± 34 Ma (2 σ). The Mosshaga granite intrudes a synorogenic granodiorite, which has a U---Pb zircon age of 1889 ± 10 Ma and a Rb---Sr whole rock age of 1850 ± 28 Ma. The age differences between the U---Pb zircon ages and Rb---Sr whole rock ages are concluded to be geologically significant. It is shown that the Mosshaga pluton cooled rapidly and as a consequence the Rb---Sr isotopic system closed at a time very close to the crystallization of the zircons. A commonly observed feldspar and biotite alteration in Svecokarelian granitoids indicates migration of Rb and Sr isotopes in the whole rock system which may lead to apparently younger Rb---Sr ages.     

The age of the Stillwater complex—a comparison of U-Pb zircon and Sm-Nd isochron systematics

A zircon U-Pb age of 2713 ± 3 Myr confirms the less precise age of about 2710 Myr (corrected for new decay constants of Jaffeyet al., 1971) obtained from the same sample of zircon from the Stillwater complex chill zone (Nunes and Tilton, 1971). This age compares with Sm-Nd mineral and whole-rock isochron ages of 2701 ± 8 Myr (Depaolo and Wasserburg, 1979); or 2706 ± 8 Myr if the Lugmairet al. (1975) normalization procedure is used. The agreement of these ages to within about 0.4% indicates that the λ₁₄₇ = 0.00654 × 10^?9yr^?1 value is less than 0.8% too large relative to the U decay constants determined by Jaffeyet al. (1971) and enables more correct geological syntheses to be made when working out detailed absolute age stratigraphies using precise data from both systems.     

Disturbed radiometric ages and their bearing on interregional correlations in the SW Baltic Shield

Rb---Sr whole-rock and zircon U---Pb isotopic work is reported from the northern part of the region between the Mylonite and Protogine Zones in the southern Baltic Shield. Three age determinations on polymetamorphic gneissic granites were carried out. Two of these yielded U---Pb upper-intercept ages of 1650 and 1675 Ma, respectively, which is approximately one hundred Ma less than expected from the combined field evidence and earlier isotopic age determinations. Although the new discordias appear well defined, various criteria suggest that the U---Pb isotope system was disturbed. Thus, the Rb---Sr system had been opened, but nevertheless the Rb---Sr errorchrones are consistent with the U---Pb upper-intercept ages, and an abraded zircon fraction suggests an older age than the unabraded fractions. The third U---Pb age determination resulted in a poorly constrained discordia. Its upper intercept ranges between 1575 and 1605 Ma, depending on the number of fractions considered.

This paper tests a three-stage model, where the intrusion age is set identical to the 1780 Ma intrusion age of the undeformed assumed protolith. The first two analysed rocks are consistent with a model suggesting intrusion at 1780 Ma followed by partial opening of the isotopic systems early (1200 Ma) and late (950 Ma) during the Sveconorwegian orogeny. An abraded fraction together with the time of the suggested last opening of the system 950 Ma ago defines a two-point discordia with an upper-intercept age of 1745 Ma. This age is in close agreement with the assumed intrusion age. The isotope data from the third gneissic granite cannot be fitted to this simple model.

It is concluded that the analysed rocks could belong to the granitoids of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt, but if they do, they were reworked during the Sveconorwegian orogeny. As a corollary, it follows that the regions separated by the northern part of the Protogine Zone largely had a common pre-Sveconorwegain geological history. Another important implication is that the intrusion ages in the area between the Mylonite and Protogine Zones are older than those of the Trans-Labrador Batholith in Canada.     

北秦岭西段冥古宙锆石(4.1～3.9Ga)年代学新进展

2007年王洪亮等报道在北秦岭西段火山岩中获得一粒年龄为4079±5Ma的冥古宙捕虏锆石。之后,对这一发现开展了深入的调查研究,我们除利用SHIMP技术方法对原4079Ma的锆石进行验证外,新获得了两粒~(207)Pb/~(206)Pb年龄为4007±29Ma和3908±45Ma捕获的变质成因锆石,表明早在4.0Ga已经有变质作用的发生,这或许说明在冥古宙时期地球已经具有相当规模和厚度的地壳。同时开展的岩石学研究表明,蕴含古老锆石的母岩属于火山碎屑熔岩类而不是火山熔岩。     

U---Pb, Sr and Nd evidence for grenvillian and latest proterozoic tectonothermal activity in the spitsbergen caledonides, arctic ocean

Within the Caledonian complexes of northwestern Spitsbergen, high PT formations provide U---Pb zircon ages of 965±1 Ma of a metagranite and 955±1 Ma of a corona gabbro, indicating the influence of Grenvillian activity in the area. Various isotopic systems suggest that these rocks were partially derived by reworking of ancient crust (as old as Archaean). Eclogites and felsic agmatite indicate latest Proterozoic magmatic or metamorphic events (625₋₅⁺² and 661±2 Ma, respectively) by U---Pb zircon dating. The eclogitic metamorphism age is not fully constrained and ranges between 540 and 620 Ma; this occurred prior to the superimposed Caledonian metamorphism, indicated by a part of the K---Ar and Rb---Sr mineral cooling ages. The new data and other evidence of Precambrian tectonothermal activity on Svalbard suggest that the Early Palaeozoic and Late Proterozoic successions exposed elsewhere on Svalbard may also be underlain by Grenvillian or older basement rocks. Relationships to other Grenvillian and older terrains in the Arctic are reviewed.     

New igneous zircon Pb/Pb and metamorphic Rb/Sr ages in the Yaounde Group (Cameroon, Central Africa): implications for the Central African fold belt evolution close to the Congo Craton

Three meta-igneous bodies from the Yaounde Group have been analyzed for their petrography, geochemistry, and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb zircon ages. According to their geochemical patterns, they represent meta-diorites. The meta-plutonites yielded identical zircon ages with a mean of 624?±?2?Ma interpreted as their intrusion age. This age is in agreement with previously published zircon ages of meta-diorites from the Yaounde Group. The meta-diorites derived mainly from crustal rocks with minor contribution from mantle material. The ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr isochron ages of one meta-diorite sample and three meta-sedimentary host rocks are significantly younger than the obtained intrusion age. Therefore, they are not related to igneous processes. ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr isochron ages differ from sample to sample (599?±?3, 572?±?4, 554?±?5, 540?±?5?Ma) yielding the oldest Neoproterozoic age (~600?Ma) for a paragneiss sample at a more northern location. The youngest Rb/Sr isochron age (~540?Ma) was obtained for a mica schist sample at a more southern location closer to the border of the Congo Craton. The ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr whole rock-biotite ages are interpreted as cooling ages related to transpressional processes during exhumation. Therefore, several discrete metamorphic events related to the exhumation of the Yaounde Group were dated. It could be shown by Rb/Sr dating for the first time that these late tectonic processes occurred earlier at more distant northern locations of the Yaounde Group and lasted at least until early Cambrian (~540?Ma) more closely to the border of the Congo Craton.     

Archaean tonalitic gneiss of Finnish Lapland revisited: zircon ion-microprobe ages

We report single grain and grain-domain U–Pb zircon ages for the Tojottamanselkä tonalitic gneiss previously investigated by the whole-rock Rb–Sr, Pb–Pb and Sm–Nd methods, by conventional U–Pb zircon density/size fraction analysis and by Hf-isotopes (Kröner et al. 1981; Patchett et al. 1981; Jahn et al. 1984) and established as one of the oldest known rocks of the Baltic shield. Our data confirm the intrusive age as 3115±29 Ma (standard error), but we also found slightly older xenocrystic zircon cores with ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages between 3161±19 and 3248±10 Ma that may either be derived from earlier phases of the tonalite melt or from pre-tonalite sialic crust. New magmatic zircon growth, probably during a metamorphic event that led to migmatization, is recorded by an age of 2836±30 Ma and may be coeval with widespread tonalite emplacement elsewhere in the northern Baltic shield at about this time.     

华北克拉通南缘太古—元古宙界线安沟群火山岩的年龄及地球化学

河南登封地区登封群和安沟群记录了华北克拉通南缘太古宙—元古宙界线两侧地层较完整的演化历史.Kr?ner et al.(1988)曾获得登封群顶部老羊沟组变英安岩中锆石的SHRIMP年龄为(2 512±12)Ma.本研究获得不整合覆盖在登封群之上的安沟群同源双峰式拉斑玄武岩和英安岩7个样品全岩Sm-Nd同位素等时线年龄为(2 507± 96)Ma, MSWD=6.3, 初始143Nd/144Nd=0.509 560±0.000 093, ε_Nd(2.5 Ga)=3.27±1.82.上述年龄制约了登封群顶部长英质火山岩与安沟群底部的双峰火山岩之间的年龄相差最多应不超过113 Ma.安沟群演化程度较低的拉斑玄武岩La/Nb比值为0.66~ 1.14, 与软流圈地幔的比值接近, 而明显不同于岛弧玄武岩(La/Nb < 2.0).结合安沟群火山岩的双峰特征, 这些说明太古宙末或元古宙初期至少华北克拉通南缘已进入陆内裂谷伸展环境.      

U---Pb and Rb---Sr geochronology and geological evolution of the Harts Range ruby mine area of the Arunta Inlier, central Australia

Supracrustal and meta-igneous rock units from the ruby mine area of the Harts Range, eastern Arunta Inlier, central Australia, have been dated by the zircon U---Pb and Rb---Sr total-rock (TR) and mica methods. A well-defined zircon discordia for a weakly deformed specimen of the Bruna granite gneiss yields an age of emplacement of 1748₋₄⁺⁵ Ma, thereby constraining the minimum age of the Irindina supracrustal assemblage. Metapelitic gneiss within the supracrustals and a meta-igneous ultramafic boudin from the associated Harts Range meta-igneous complex yield highly discordant zircon data, revealing a strong early Palaeozoic overprint. Rb---Sr TR data from anorthositic gneisses associated with the ultramafic boudin are highly disturbed, also apparently during the lower Palaeozoic. However, Rb---Sr model age calculations and the zircon U---Pb data suggest a maximum age of about 2000 Ma for the supracrustal and meta-igneous rocks, and argue for new Proterozoic crust formation.

Zircon U---Pb data from a deformed pegmatite, emplaced in the meta-igneous complex, yield an emplacement age of 520₋₄⁺⁵ Ma, further pointing to Lower Palaeozoic magmatism and deformation. Correlations of U content and calculated ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age for the ultramafic boudin zircons suggest that new growth of low-U zircons occurred during retrogression associated with this event. The Sr-isotope systematics of the anorthositic gneisses can also be interpreted in terms of introduction of Palaeozoic Sr. Our data suggest lower Palaeozoic (possibly Delamerian) tectonothermal activity to be more important in the evolution of the Harts Range area than previously recognised.

On the other hand, Rb---Sr mica ages for deformed and undeformed pegmatites, and TR isochrons for the latter, show that pervasive tectonothernal activity had ceased by about 315 Ma and that regional cooling occurred between about 345 and 325 Ma. Local shear-zone biotite resetting may have persisted to about 300 Ma, consistent with the previously recognised Alice Springs Orogeny. Possible dilational Pb loss in the Bruna zircons occurred at about 103 Ma.     

Zircon U–Pb Ages and Lu–Hf Isotope of the Dongchuan Group in Central Yunnan,China, and their Geological Significance

On the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block, the Dongchuan Group consists of slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, including silty slate, argillaceous slate, clayey slate, arkose, dolomite, and minor volcanic rocks. To date, it is still a controversy over the depositional age and stratigraphic sequence of the Dongchuan Group. In this study, we analyzed five samples of meta-sedimentary rocks and one sample of meta-tuff from the Yinmin, Luoxue and Etouchang Formations of the Dongchuan Grou...     

Determination of Pb/Pb ages on zircon and monazite by laser-ablation ICPMS and application to a study of sedimentary provenance and metamorphism in southeastern Brazil

The recently developed method of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) allows the determination of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of single zircon grains. The main advantages of the method are minimal sample preparation, low cost, and high throughput. In this work we present an analytical routine for geochronological analyses of zircon and monazite by LA-ICPMS and its application to the Ribeira Belt of the Brazilian Orogen in southeastern Brazil. The ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of one hundred and thirty-seven detrital zircons from amphibolite facies quartzites from three lithotectonic domains in the central Ribeira Belt indicate that they are derived mainly from Paleoproterozoic crust of Transamazonian age (2.0−2.3 Ga). A small number of zircons originated in 2.6−2.9 Ga Archean crust. These results are coherent with 2.1−2.2 Ga and 2.6−3.0 Ga U---Pb ages previously obtained for basement gneisses. The viability of the method to date monazite is also assessed. Monazites from the same quartzite samples yield ages between 2.1 Ga and 0.57 Ga. indicating variable resetting of the U---Pb system during amphibolite facies metamorphism. In contrast, monazite from a basement migmatite and syn-metamorphic granitoids yields ages in the 500–700 Ma range, in general agreement with U-Pb ages of 590-565 Ma for the main metamorphic event.

The LA-ICPMS ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages are coherent and agree with expected results based on previous U---Pb geochronology, and show that the method has immediate applicability. At present, the most significant limitations of the method are the inability to yield reliable U/Pb values, analytical precision in the 1–10% range, and the requirement of grains larger than 80 gmm The method may be advantageous for provenance studies of Precambrian detrital sequences.     

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the host rocks of the Cannington Ag–Pb–Zn deposit,southeastern Mt Isa Block,Australia

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages are reported from a paragneiss, a pegmatite, a metasomatised metasediment and an amphibolite taken from the upper amphibolite facies host sequence of the Cannington Ag–Pb–Zn deposit at the southeastern margin of the Proterozoic Mt Isa Block. Also reported are ages from a middle amphibolite‐facies metasediment from the Soldiers Cap Group approximately 90 km north of Cannington. The predominantly metasedimentary host rocks of the Cannington deposit were eroded from a terrane containing latest Archaean to earliest Palaeoproterozoic (ca 2600–2300 Ma) and Palaeoproterozoic (ca 1750–1700 Ma) zircon. The ca 1750–1700 Ma group of zircons are consistent with sedimentary provenance from rocks of Cover Sequence 2 age that are now exposed to the north and west of the Cannington deposit. The metasedimentary samples also include a group of zircon grains at ca 1675 Ma, which we interpret as the maximum depositional age of the sedimentary protolith. This is comparable to the maximum depositional age of the metasediment from the Maronan area (ca 1665 Ma) and to previously published data from the Soldiers Cap Group. Metamorphic zircon rims and new zircon grains grew at 1600–1580 Ma during upper amphibolite‐facies metamorphism in metasedimentary and mafic magmatic rocks. Zircon inheritance patterns suggest that sheet‐like pegmatitic intrusions were most likely derived from partial melting of the surrounding metasediments during this period of metamorphism. Some zircon grains from the amphibolite have a morphology consistent with partially recrystallised igneous grains and have apparent ages close to the metamorphic age, although it is not clear whether these represent metamorphic resetting or crystallisation of the magmatic protolith. Pb‐loss during syn‐ to post‐metamorphic metasomatism resulted in partial resetting of zircons from the metasomatised metasediment.     

U–Pb dating of detrital zircons for sediment provenance studies—a comparison of laser ablation ICPMS and SIMS techniques

New developments in U–Pb dating of zircons by laser ablation (LA) ICPMS are described and, for the first time, a direct comparison of detrital zircons dated by LA ICPMS and SIMS methods is presented. True real-time mass bias correction is made by aspirating a Tl/U tracer at the same time as laser ablation. The method is similar to that described in Horn et al. (2000), except that enriched ²³³U rather than ²³⁵U is used in the tracer solution. Correction for laser-induced Pb/U elemental fractionation is based on a mathematical treatment of time-resolved data that is independent of laser ablation characteristics and does not require external standardisation. Internal corrections for mass bias and elemental fractionation eliminate the effects of variable sample matrix on isotopic ratios and improve the accuracy of U–Pb dating by laser ablation ICPMS. With the proper error propagation, the precision of U–Pb age determinations is only slightly worse than SIMS-based ion probe dating. However, LA ICPMS is capable of much more rapid analysis of the large number of zircons required for sediment provenance studies. There is excellent agreement between concordant laser ablation ICPMS and SIMS analyses of detrital zircons extracted from lower Silurian metasandstone from the Ulven Group (Skarfjell Formation) in the west Norwegian Caledonian nappes. Both LA ICPMS and SIMS U–Pb zircon ages indicate that sedimentary detritus of the Ulven Group was supplied from a terrain containing zircons of Archean, Proterozoic and early Ordovician age.     

Hornblende Ar/Ar geochronology across terrane boundaries in the Sveconorwegian Province of S. Norway

Hornblende incremental heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data were obtained from augen gneiss and amphibolite of the Sveconorwegian Province of S. Norway. In the Rogaland-Vest Agder and Telemark terranes, four pyroxene-rich samples, located close (≤ 10 km) to the anorthosite-charnockite Rogaland Igneous Complex, define an age group at 916 + 12/ − 14 Ma and six samples distributed in the two terranes yield another group at 871 + 8/ − 10 Ma. The first age group is close to the reported zircon U---Pb intrusion age of the igneous complex (931 ± 2 Ma) and the regional titanite U---Pb age (918 ± 2 Ma), whereas the second group overlaps reported regional mineral Rb---Sr ages (895-853 Ma) as well as biotite K---Ar ages (878-853 Ma). In the first group, the comparatively dry parageneses of low-P thermal metamorphism (M2) associated with the intrusion of the igneous complex are well developed, and hornblende ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages probably record a drop in temperature shortly after this phase. In other hornblende + biotite-rich samples, with presumably a higher fluid content, the hornblende ages are probably a response to hornblende-fluid interaction during a late Sveconorwegian metamorphic or hydrothermal event. A ca 220 m.y. diachronism in hornblende ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages is documented between S. Telemark (ca 870 Ma) and Bamble (ca 1090 Ma). Differential uplift between these terranes was mostly accommodated by shearing along the Kristiansand-Porsgrunn shear zone. The final stage of extension along this zone occurred after intrusion of the Herefoss post-kinematic granite at 926 ± 8 Ma. On the contrary, the southern part of the Rogaland-Vest Agder and Telemark terranes share a common cooling evolution as mineral ages are similar on both sides of the Mandal-Ustaoset Line the tectonic zone between them. The succession within 20 m.y. of a voluminous pulse of post-tectonic magmatism at 0.93 Ga, a phase of high-T-low-P metamorphism at 0.93-0.92 Ga, and fast cooling at a regional scale ca 0.92 Ga, suggests that the southern parts of Rogaland-Vest Agder and Telemark were affected by an event of post-thickening extension collapse at that time. This event is not recorded in Bamble.     

Polyphase zircon in ultrahigh-temperature granulites (Rogaland, SW Norway): constraints for Pb diffusion in zircon

SHRIMP U–Pb ages have been obtained for zircon in granitic gneisses from the aureole of the Rogaland anorthosite–norite intrusive complex, both from the ultrahigh temperature (UHT; >900 °C pigeonite‐in) zone and from outside the hypersthene‐in isograd. Magmatic and metamorphic segments of composite zircon were characterised on the basis of electron backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence images plus trace element analysis. A sample from outside the UHT zone has magmatic cores with an age of 1034 ± 7 Ma (2σ, n = 8) and 1052 ± 5 Ma (1σ, n = 1) overgrown by M1 metamorphic rims giving ages between 1020 ± 7 and 1007 ± 5 Ma. In contrast, samples from the UHT zone exhibit four major age groups: (1) magmatic cores yielding ages over 1500 Ma (2) magmatic cores giving ages of 1034 ± 13 Ma (2σ, n = 4) and 1056 ± 10 Ma (1σ, n = 1) (3) metamorphic overgrowths ranging in age between 1017 ± 6 Ma and 992 ± 7 Ma (1σ) corresponding to the regional M1 Sveconorwegian granulite facies metamorphism, and (4) overgrowths corresponding to M2 UHT contact metamorphism giving values of 922 ± 14 Ma (2σ, n = 6). Recrystallized areas in zircon from both areas define a further age group at 974 ± 13 Ma (2σ, n = 4). This study presents the first evidence from Rogaland for new growth of zircon resulting from UHT contact metamorphism. More importantly, it shows the survival of magmatic and regional metamorphic zircon relics in rocks that experienced a thermal overprint of c. 950 °C for at least 1 Myr. Magmatic and different metamorphic zones in the same zircon are sharply bounded and preserve original crystallization age information, a result inconsistent with some experimental data on Pb diffusion in zircon which predict measurable Pb diffusion under such conditions. The implication is that resetting of zircon ages by diffusion during M2 was negligible in these dry granulite facies rocks. Imaging and Th/U–Y systematics indicate that the main processes affecting zircon were dissolution‐reprecipitation in a closed system and solid‐state recrystallization during and soon after M1.     

Proterozoic‐Cambrian detrital zircon and monazite ages from the Anakie Inlier,central Queensland: Grenville and Pacific‐Gondwana signatures

The Anakie Metamorphic Group is a complexly deformed, dominantly metasedimentary succession in central Queensland. Metamorphic cooling is constrained to ca 500 Ma by previously published K–Ar ages. Detrital‐zircon SHRIMP U–Pb ages from three samples of greenschist facies quartz‐rich psammites (Bathampton Metamorphics), west of Clermont, are predominantly in the age range 1300–1000 Ma (65–75%). They show that a Grenville‐aged orogenic belt must have existed in northeastern Australia, which is consistent with the discovery of a potential Grenville source farther north. The youngest detrital zircons in these samples are ca 580 Ma, indicating that deposition may have been as old as latest Neoproterozoic. Two samples have been analysed from amphibolite facies pelitic schist from the western part of the inlier (Wynyard Metamorphics). One sample contains detrital monazite with two age components of ca 580–570 Ma and ca 540 Ma. The other sample only has detrital zircons with the youngest component between 510 Ma and 700 Ma (Pacific‐Gondwana component), which is consistent with a Middle Cambrian age for these rocks. These zircons were probably derived from igneous activity associated with rifting events along the Gondwanan passive margin. These constraints confirm correlation of the Anakie Metamorphic Group with latest Neoproterozoic ‐ Cambrian units in the Adelaide Fold Belt of South Australia and the Wonominta Block of western New South Wales.     

Redefinition and Formation Age of the Tanjianshan Group in Xitieshan Region,Qinghai

The Tanjianshan Group, which was previously divided into a, b, c and d formations, has been controversial for a long time. It mainly distributes in the northern margin of Qaidam Basin and is an important early Paleozoic greenschist facies metamorphic volcanic sedimentary rock formation. Detailed field investigation and zircon LA-ICPMS U-Pb dating of the key strata suggest that the original lower part of a Formation(a-1) versus the original middle upper of d Formation(d-3 and d-4), the original upper part of a Formation(a-2) and b Formation versus the original lower part of d Formation(d-1 and d-2) of Tanjianshan Group are contemporaneous heterotopic facies volcanicclasolite deposit, respectively. The former formations formed during the middle-late Ordovician(463–458 Ma), while the latter ones formed in the late Ordovician(about 445 Ma). The original c formation of Tanjianshan Group, which formed after 430 Ma, is similar to the Maoniushan Formation of Kunlun Mountains and north Qaidam Basin. According to the rules of stratigraphic division and naming, new stratum formations of Tanjianshan Group are re-built and divided into Duancenggou(O1-2td), Zhongjiangou(O2-3tz) and Xitieshan(O3tx) formations. The original c Formation is separated from Tanjianshan Group and is renamed as the Wuminggou Formation(S3-D1w), which shows a discordant contact with underlying Tanjianshan Group and overlying Amunike Formation(D3a). The zircon U-Pb age frequency spectrogram of Tanjianshan Group indicates three prominent peaks of 430 Ma, 460 Ma and 908 Ma, which is consistent with the metamorphic and magmatic crystallization ages obtained from para- and orthogneisses in north Qaidam HP-UHP metamorphic belt, implying that strong Caledonian and Jinningian tectonic and magmatic events have ever happened in North Qaidam.     

华南新元古代裂谷系沉积超覆作用及其开启年龄新证据

黔东南1:5万高武幅、宰便幅区域地质调查结果表明,新元古界下江群是一套沉积超覆于中元古界四堡群之上的裂谷系楔状地层,其底部甲路组沉积底砾岩高角度(不整合)沉积超覆于四堡群复理石浊积岩之上,或沉积超覆于侵入四堡群之中的摩天岭花岗岩之上。取自该地区沉积超覆面之下摩天岭花岗岩样品的TIMS锆石U-Pb同位素年龄为825.0±2.4Ma,表明该地区新元古代裂谷系开始接受沉积的时间应该晚于825±2.4Ma;而取自沉积超覆面之上甲路组底部同沉积基性火山岩样品的TIMS锆石U-Pb同位素年龄为814±13Ma,这一年龄大致代表了该地区新元古代沉积超覆的开启时间,且与目前已获得的华南其它地区新元古代裂谷系沉积超覆的开启时间(820 Ma)十分接近。本项研究成果支持华南裂谷系沉积超覆的开启时间为820Ma左右的观点。     

Paleomagnetism of Bhander sediments from Bhopal Inlier, Vindhyan Supergroup

Paleomagnetic investigations have been carried out on poorly determined radiometric age controls of Bhander sandstones within the vicinity of Bhopal Inlier of the Upper Vindhyan Supergroup. Available ages assigned to the Upper Vindhyan sequence range from Cambrian to the Mesoproterozoic and are derived from a variety of sources and methods. Paleomagnetic data generated from the Bhander Group of Bhopal Inlier yielded a mean declination of 357° and mean inclination of 58° (k=17.69, α₉₅ = 16.38) with a Virtual Geomagnetic Pole (VGP) at 74° N, 69.0° E. This pole position is falling close to the Malani Igneous Suite (MIS) mean palaeomagnetic pole of 67.8° N and 72.5° E (A₉₅=8.8°) by Gregory et al. (2009). The results obtained from this study and previous work on the 1073 Ma Majhgawan kimberlite, as well as detrital zircon geochronology of the Upper Bhander sandstone suggest that the Upper Vindhyan sequence may be older than is commonly thought earlier.     

Evidence from kimberlitic zircon for a decreasing mantle Th/U since the Archean

A decoupling in MORB of measured Th/U (κ = 2.5) from that calculated by Pb isotopes (κ = 3.8) for the depleted asthenosphere is well established, and has been referred to as the second Pb paradox (Kramers, J.D., and Tolstikhin, I.N., 1997. Two terrestrial lead isotope paradoxes, forward transport modelling, core formation and the history of the continental crust. Chem. Geol., 139, 75–110.) or the kappa conundrum (Elliott, T., Zindler, A., and Bourdon, B., 1999. Exploring the kappa conundrum: the role of recycling in the lead isotope evolution of the mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 169, 129–145.). More controversial has been the cause and timing of this phenomenon, although a higher return flux of U⁶⁺ relative to Th⁴⁺ and(or) the recycling of crustal Pb into the mantle have become the preferred explanations of most workers. Such a combined mechanism effectively operating over the past 2.5 Ga was modelled in plumbotectonics (Zartman, R.E., and Haines, S., 1988. The plumbotectonics model for Pb isotopic systematics among major terrestrial reservoirs—a case for bi–directional transport. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 52, 1327–1339. 709.33.), and found to be quantitatively feasible.A large TIMS, SIMS and LA-ICPMS database of Th and U concentrations for kimberlite-hosted zircon, particularly from Cr-poor megacrystic suites, now exists (Kinny et al., 1989, Berryman et al., 1999, Griffin et al., 2000 and Spetsius et al., 2002; Appendix A and Appendix B, this work). Six suites comprising 10 or more zircon grains with ages between 90 and 2550 Ma reveal consistent patterns when plotted on Th/U vs. U diagrams. We interpret these patterns as resulting from fractional crystallization of a melt with kimberlite affinity presumably derived from the asthenosphere, permitting the extrapolation to an initial Th/U at the time zircon crystallization began. A two-fold decrease is seen in this ratio over the past 2.5 Ga, suggesting that during this time a similar change has occurred in the parent silicate melt. Estimates of Th and U distribution coefficients between zircon and coexisting melt permit calculation of Th/U in the melt, which, for these highly incompatible elements, presumably is the same as for its mantle source rock. Kimberlitic zircon may thus indeed give evidence of a reduction in κ, tentatively calculated as from 4 to 2, since the Archean for the depleted asthenosphere.