~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar Thermochronological Constraints on the Timingof Collisional Orogeny in the Mian-Lite Collision Belt,Southern Qinling Mountains

Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous geological bodies in the Mianxian-Lueyang (Mian-Lue) collisional belt (MLB) and its neighbouring areas, southern Qinling Mountains, China, show similar characteristics of having undergone deformation of two stages. The earlier one, which is inferred to be related to collisional orogeny between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents based on previous geological data, is responsible for large-scale, north-verging recumbent folds and overthrusts, and associated with low greenschist fades metamorphism. 40Ar/39Ar dating of three muscovite samples taken from different localities yields plateau ages of 226.9±0.9 and 219.5±1.4 Ma and an apparent age of 194.5±3.0 Ma. Thus, the late Triassic collision between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents has been constrained.     

40Ar/39Ar Dating of Xuebaoding Granite in the Songpan-Garzê Orogenic Belt, Southwest China, and its Geological Significance

<正>Thus far,our understanding of the emplacement of Xuebaoding granite and the occurrence and evolution of the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt has been complicated by differing age spectra results.Therefore,in this study,the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar and sensitive high resolution ion micro-probe(SHRIMP) U-Pb dating methods were both used and the results compared,particularly with respect to dating data for Pankou and Pukouling granites from Xuebaoding,to establish ages that are close to the real emplacements.The results of SHRIMP U-Pb dating for zircon showed a high amount of U,but a very low value for Th/U.The high U amount,coupled with characteristics of inclusions in zircons,indicates that Xuebaoding granites are not suitable for U-Pb dating.Therefore,muscovite in the same granite samples was selected for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pukouling granite in the Xuebaoding,gave a plateau age of 200.1±1.2 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 200.6±1.2 Ma.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pankou granite in the Xuebaoding gave another plateau age of 193.4±1.1 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 193.7±1.1 Ma. The ~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar intercept of 277.0±23.4(2σ) was very close to the air ratio,indicating that no apparent excess argon contamination was present.These age dating spectra indicate that both granites were emplaced at 200.6±1.3 Ma and 193.7±1.1 Ma,respectively.Through comparison of both dating methods and their results,we can conclude that it is feasible that the muscovite in the granite bearing high U could be used for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating without extra Ar.Based on this evidence,as well as the geological characteristics of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit and petrology of granites,it can be concluded that the material origin of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit might partially originate from the Xuebaoding granite group emplacement at about 200 Ma.Moreover,compared with other granites and deposits distributed in various positions in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt,the Xuebaoding emplacement ages further show that the main rare metal deposits and granites in peripheral regions occurred earlier than those in the inner Songpan-Garze.Therefore,~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of Xuebaoding granite will lay a solid foundation for studying the occurrence and evolution of granite and rare earth element deposits in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt.     

Collision Event during 177-135 Ma on the Eastern Marginof the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Evidence from ~(40)Ar/ ~(39)Ar Dating for Basaltson the Western Margin of the Yangtze Platform

Geochronology of continental flood basalts sampled from the Emei large igneous province (LIP) on the western margin of the Yangtze platform was investigated by the laser microprobe 40Ar/39Ar dating technique. These basalts yield a fairly wide range of 40Ar/39Ar ages, varying from 259 to 135 Ma. One basalt sample, at least altered, recorded the oldest 40Ar/39Ar age of about 259 Ma, corresponding to a peak eruption age of the Emei LIP continental flood basalts. Most of the samples yield much younger ages from 135 to 177 Ma, which are consistent with the K-Ar ages for the same samples (122.8-172.1 Ma). The dating data suggest that these Permian basalts had been widely affected by the regional tectonothermal event at 177-135 Ma. The event was probably caused by the convergence and collision among the Laurasia, Yangtze and Qiangtang-Qamdo continental blocks on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau after the late Triassic. The age of the event reflects the timing of the peak collisional orogeny.     

Eruption of the Continental Flood Basalts at -259 Ma in the Emeishan Large Igneous Province, SW China： Evidence from Laser Microprobe ^40Ar/^39Ar Dating

A suite of continental flood basalts sampled over a vast exposure and stratigraphic thickness in the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP), SW China was investigated for laser microprobe 40Ar/39Ar dating. There are two 40Ar/39Ar age groups for these basalts, corresponding to 259-246 Ma and 177-137 Ma, respectively. A well-defined isochron gives an eruption age of huge quantities of mafic magmas at 258.9±3.4 Ma, which is identical to previous dating and paleontological data. Much younger 40Ar/39Ar ages for some basalts with low-greenschist metamorphic facies probably recorded a late thermo-tectonic event caused by collision between the Yangtze and Qiangtang continental blocks during the Mesozoic, which resulted in the reset of argon isotope system. The 40Ar/39Ar age data, we present here, combined with previous dating and paleontological data, suggest relatively short duration (about 3 Ma) of mafic volcanism, which have important implication on mantle plume genesis of the Emeishan continental flood basalts in the LIP.     

^40 Ar/^39 Ar Dating of the Shaxi Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit in the Southern Tan-Lu Fault Zone, Anhui Province

Four samples of plagioclase and biotite from the Shaxi porphyry in the lower part of the Yangtze metallogenic belt were analyzed for age determination with the 40Ar/39Ar method. The results yield reproducible ages of 126 Ma to 135 Ma with a high level of confidence according to the agreement between isochron and plateau ages. The four Ar-Ar ages are relatively consistent within the analytical error. These ages are also consistent with, but more precise than, previous K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages and thus provide better constraints on the time of porphyry formation and associated Cu-Au mineralization along the middle to lower part of the Yangtze metaliogenic belt. The ages of 126 to 135 Ma are interpreted to represent the intrusive time of the Shaxi porphyry, so that the Cu-Au mineralization should have occurred later due to the post-magmatic hydrothermal event.     

Molar-tooth Carbonate Sequences and Sr Isotopes in the Neoproterozoic for Stratigraphic Correlation： Research in the JUin-Liaoning-Xuzhou-Huaiyang Area of the Sino-Korean Plate and Its Correlation with the Yangtze Plate

Based on a study of Neoproterozoic carbonates in the Jilin-Liaoning-Xuzhou-Huaiyang area, especially its cyclic sequence stratigraphy and Sr isotopes, two maximum sea flooding events (at 820 Ma and 835 Ma) have been identified. The resulting isochronous stratigraphic correlation proves that these Precambrian strata were connected between the Qingbaikou and the Nanhuan systems with a time range from 750 Ma to 850 Ma. The disappearance of microsparite carbonate and coming of a glacial stage offer important evidence for worldwide stratigraphic correlation and open a window for further correlation of the stratigraphic successions across the Sino-Korean and Yangtze Plates. A new correlation scheme is therefore provided based on our work.     

Terminal Precambrian Palaeogeographic Framework of China

The original locations and relationships of four plates within the mainland of China from 800 to 600 Ma during the terminal Precambrian were reconstructed based on the palaeomagnetic and geological data. The Tarim, Yangtze and Cathaysian plates were once linked (in 800-700 Ma) and located in the same low-latitude zone of the northern hemisphere. But later, in 700-600 Ma, the Tarim plate was separated from the Yangtze-Cathaysian plate. The Sino-Korean plate was always far away from the Yangtze plate, both being separated by oceanic crust, and lay in the high-latitude zone of the northern hemisphere.The above-mentioned palaeogeographic framework directly led to complete differences in respect to distribution of low-latitude glaciation, sedimentary facies, palaeoclimate, palaeobiogeography and stratigraphic sections between the North and South China domains during the terminal Precambrian.     

Timing and Processes of Ore Formation in the Qingchengzi Polymetallic Orefield, Northeast China: Evidence from 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology

The Qingchengzi orefield is a large polymetallic ore concentration area in the Liaodong peninsula,northeastern China,that includes twelve Pb-Zn deposits and five Au-Ag deposits along its periphery.The ore-forming age remains much disputed,which prevents the identification of the relationship between the mineralization and the associated magmatism.In this paper,we quantitatively present the feasibility of making ore mineral ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating and report reliable ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar ages of lamprophyre groundmass,K-feldspar and sphalerite from the Zhenzigou deposit.Direct and indirect methods are applied to constrain the timing of mineralization,which plays a vital role in discussing the contribution of multistage magmatism to ore formation.The low-potassium sphalerite yielded an inverse isochron age of 232.8±41.5 Ma,which features a relatively large uncertainty.Two lamprophyre groundmasses got reliable inverse isochron ages of 193.2±1.3 Ma and 152.3±1.5 Ma,respectively.K-feldspar yielded a precise inverse isochron age of 134.9±0.9 Ma.These four ages indicate that the mineralization is closely associated with Mesozoic magmatism.Consequently,regarding the cooling age of the earliest Mesozoic Shuangdinggou intrusion(224.2±1.2 Ma)as the initial time of mineralization,we can further constrain the age of the sphalerite to 224–191 Ma.These new and existing geochronological data,combined with the interaction cutting or symbiotic relationship between the lamprophyre veins and ore veins,suggest that the Pb-Zn-Au-Ag mineralization in the Qingchengzi orefield mainly occurred during three periods:the late Triassic(ca.224–193 Ma),the late Jurassic(ca.167–152 Ma)and the early Cretaceous(ca.138–134 Ma).This polymetallic deposits are shown to have been formed during multiple events coinciding with periods of the Mesozoic magmatic activity.In contrast,the Proterozoic magmatism and submarine exhalative and hydrothermal sedimentation in the Liaolaomo paleorift served mainly to transport and concentrate the ore-forming substances at the Liaohe Group with no associated Pb-Zn-Au-Ag mineralization.     

Tectonic Framework and Evolution of the Dabie Mountains in Anhui, Eastern China

The Dabie Mountains are believed to be a collisional orogenic belt between the Yangtze amd Sino-Koreancontinental plates. It is composed of the foreland fold-thrust zone, the subducting cover and basement of theYangtze continental plate, the coesite- and diamond-bearing ultra-high pressure metamorphic zone and themeta-ophiolitic melange zone in the subducting basement, the fore-arc flysch nappe and the back thrust zoneoccurring respectively on the southern and northern margins of the Sino-Korean continental plate and the in-herited basin with molassic deposits on the northern margin. When the palaeo-Dabie oceanic plate subductednorthward in the Early Palaeozoic, volcanic arc and back arc basin probably formed on the southern margin ofthe Sino-Korean continental plate. The Sm / Nd isotopic dating of the strata and eclogite which were drawn in-to the foreland fold-thrust zone indicates that the intense collision of the two continental plates took place inthe Early Mesozoic.     

Evaluation of 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology of Authigenic Illites in Determining Hydrocarbon Charge Timing: A Case Study from the Silurian Bituminous Sandstone Reservoirs,Tarim Basin,China

The Silurian bituminous sandstones(SBS) in the Tarim Basin, China are important basinwide reservoirs with an estimated area of approximately 249000 km2. We investigated the ages of authigenic illites in the SBS reservoirs and constrained their formation timing by using the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar step wise heating method. The age spectra, ~(39)Ar recoil loss and their controlling factors were investigated systematically. The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar ages were compared with the conventional K/Ar ages of identical clay fractions. The clay in the SBS reservoirs is dominated by orderly mixed-layer illite/smectite(I/S) with 5%–30% smectite layers. The I/S minerals morphology comprises primarily honeycomb, short filamentous and curved-lath particles, characteristic of authigenic illites. The unencapsulated ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar total gas ages(UTGA) of the authigenic illites range from 188.56 ± 6.20 Ma to 491.86 ± 27.68 Ma, which are 7% to 103% older than the corresponding K/Ar ages of 124.87 ± 1.11 Ma to 383.45 ± 2.80 Ma, respectively. The K-Ar ages indicate multistage accumulations with distinct distribution patterns in the Tarim Basin: older(late Caledonian-early Hercynian) around the basin margin, younger(late Hercynian) in the basin centre, and the youngest(middle to late Yanshanian) in the Ha-6 well-block, central area of the North Uplift. The age difference is believed to have been caused by the ~(39)Ar recoil loss during the irradiation process. Compared with the K/Ar ages, the estimated ~(39)Ar recoil losses in this study are in the range from 7% to 51%. The ~(39)Ar recoil loss appears to increase not only with the decreasing particle sizes of the I/S, but also with increasing percentage of smectite layers(IR) of the I/S, and smectite layer content(SLC) of the samples. We conclude that due to significant ~(39)Ar recoil losses, UTGA may not offer any meaningful geological ages of the authigenic illite formation in the SBS and thus can not be used to represent the hydrocarbon charge timing. ~(39)Ar recoil losses during ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating can not be neglected when dating fine authigenic illite, especially when the ordered mixed-layer I/S containing small amount of smectite layers(IR30%) in the reservoir formations. Compared with the unencapsulated Ar-Ar method, the conventional K-Ar method is less complicated, more accurate and reliable in dating authigenic illites in petroleum reservoirs.     

40Ar/39Ar Thermochronological Constraints on the Timing of Collisional Orogeny in the Mian-Lüe Collision Belt,Southern Qinling Mountains

Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous geological bodies in the Mianxian-Lüeyang (Mian-Lüe) collisional belt (MLB) and its neighbouring areas, southern Qinling Mountains, China, show similar characteristics of having undergone deformation of two stages. The earlier one, which is inferred to be related to collisional orogeny between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents based on previous geological data, is responsible for large-scale, north-verging recumbent folds and overthrusts, and associated with low greenschist facies metamorphism. 40Ar/39Ar dating of three muscovite samples taken from different localities yields plateau ages of 226.9(0.9 and 219.5(1.4 Ma and an apparent age of 194.5(3.0 Ma. Thus, the late Triassic collision between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents has been constrained.     

桐柏——大别山主要构造热事件及40Ar/39Ar地质定年研究

桐柏——大别山是一条复合造山带。在其演化过程中曾经历了扬子旋回（1000Ma-761Ma）和加里东旋回（470Ma-401Ma）两个板块构造旋回的俯冲-碰撞造山作用，之后又经历了早、中华力西（357Ma-314Ma）的平移走滑和晚华力西（286Ma-261Ma）、印支期（224Ma-185Ma）、燕山期（130Ma-111Ma）逆掩或逆冲推覆的陆-陆叠覆造山作用。印支期的高压超高压变质岩系是在陆-陆叠覆造山作用下形成的。燕山期的造山不仅具显著的深层次构造岩浆作用特点，而且还伴随快速的隆升作用。     

根据40Ar/39Ar年龄谱探讨陨石冲击事件的分期

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar年龄谱是研究陨石冲击事件的重要资料。根据对55块陨石⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar冲击年龄和陨石暴露年龄的分析,发现陨石的冲击年龄与陨石类型之间存在对应关系。据此,将陨石冲击事件划分为九期。其中3900-4000Ma、470-540Ma和小于65Ma是陨石母体的三个重要演化阶段。阶段Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ(冲击年龄大于30亿年)主要涉及高钙型无球粒陨石。所有球粒陨石的冲击年龄均小于30亿年。陨石暴露年龄因类型而异,铁陨石最大,石铁陨石次之,石陨石最小。     

南秦岭铧厂沟金矿床铬云母~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年代学及其大地构造意义

南秦岭铧厂沟金矿床位于勉略缝合带以南的逆冲推覆带内,矿体呈透镜体或脉状产于新元古界蚀变细碧岩及泥盆系灰岩中,受控于近EW向叠瓦状逆冲断层及韧脆性剪切带。为了准确厘定其成矿时代,对矿区蚀变细碧岩型矿石和含矿石英脉中的铬云母进行了年龄测定。2件铬云母样品的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄分别为209.4±2.3 Ma和211.5±2.5 Ma,相应的等时线年龄211.4±3.6 Ma和215.3±3.9 Ma,与坪年龄在误差范围内一致。因此,铧厂沟金矿床的成矿年龄为212~209 Ma。结合铧厂沟金矿床的大地构造位置、矿床地质特征及成因类型,推测铧厂沟金矿床形成于扬子板块与秦岭微板块的碰撞过程,其成矿年龄代表了两板块发生碰撞的下限。     

云南个旧锡铜多金属矿区云母~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年龄及其地质意义

云南个旧是全球最大的锡铜多金属矿区,主要成矿作用是与燕山期花岗岩密切相关的岩浆-热液体系。矿区内铜矿的主要矿床类型为变玄武岩型层状铜矿和接触带型铜矿。赋存于花岗岩体的凹陷部位,接触带型铜矿体和氧化型矿体的精确年龄尚未有报道。以老厂矿田内与铜矿体同期的等粒花岗岩脉中的黑云母和与氧化矿同时形成的白云母作为研究对象,利用常规~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar同位素定年方法,获得了黑云母和白云母的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar坪年龄分别为82.47±0.49Ma和76.17±0.42Ma,相应的正等时线年龄为82.38±0.48Ma和76.07±0.66Ma,反等时线年龄为82.38±0.49Ma和76.07±0.73Ma。结合野外地质接触关系和矿区内其他年代学结果认为,黑云母的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年龄82.38±0.48Ma可以代表接触带型铜矿体的形成年龄,也揭示了新山花岗岩体形成后的快速冷却作用过程;白云母的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年龄76.07±0.73Ma指示了氧化型矿体的形成年龄,也记录了矿区内与甲介山同期的南北向断裂的晚期活动时限。该年龄与个旧锡铜多金属矿床的成矿时代一致。     

藏北双湖鄂柔地区变质岩和玄武岩的40Ar/39Ar年龄及其意义

在藏北龙木错—双湖缝合带东段双湖鄂柔地区,获得绿泥阳起石片岩中阳起石矿物的40Ar/39Ar坪年龄为(235·9±2·6)Ma和枕状玄武岩中蚀变辉石斑晶的40Ar/39Ar坪年龄为(232·5±2·4)Ma,两个年龄具有极好的一致性,记录了中三叠世晚期—晚三叠世早期沿龙木错—双湖缝合带发生俯冲碰撞作用的构造-热事件。羌塘地区中三叠世晚期—晚三叠世早期的俯冲碰撞造山事件使得龙木错—双湖缝合带及其以北的大部分地区(即北羌塘盆地)转变为前陆盆地,区域上三叠统底部不整合面和底砾岩的发育是碰撞造山作用地质记录的重要标志。绿泥阳起石片岩的原岩主要为富含玄武岩的火山-沉积岩系,绿泥阳起石片岩和蚀变枕状玄武岩具有Ti O2、P2O5、MgO含量较高和LREE富集型、无Eu异常,以及“大隆起”微量元素配分模式和富集Nb、Ta、Ti元素等地球化学特征,显示为较典型的洋岛型碱性玄武岩性质。     

鄂东南铁铜矿集区铜山口铜(钼)矿床40Ar/39Ar年代学及对区域成矿作用的指示

铜山口铜-钼矿床发育有夕卡岩型和斑岩型两类矿化,是鄂东南矿集区内典型的夕卡岩-斑岩复合型矿床。成矿作用与铜山口花岗闪长斑岩岩株和大冶群碳酸盐岩有关,矿体主要沿两者的接触带分布。本文利用激光阶段加热技术分别对两类矿化有关的蚀变矿物金云母和绢云母进行40Ar／39Ar年龄测定。结果表明,铜山口矿区经历了两次蚀变一矿化事件:铜山口矿床成矿作用发生于约143±0．3 Ma,而矿区东南缘的牛鼻峰石英二长斑岩的热液蚀变发生于约129 Ma。牛鼻峰石英二长斑岩的侵位及蚀变对铜山口矿床斑岩型矿化的部分地段产生热扰动, 导致绢云母40Ar／39Ar年龄比实际矿化蚀变年龄偏年轻。铜山口矿区两次蚀变-矿化年龄分别与长江中下游成矿带早晚两期成岩成矿事件(145-133 Ma和130-120 Ma)一致。岩石圈伸展及幔源玄武质岩浆底侵作用可能是区域上大规模岩浆活动与成矿作用的深部地球动力学因素。     

铜陵地区中酸性侵入岩年代学研究

本文选择了铜陵地区主要岩石类型的代表性岩体中黑云母为测定对象，准确地测定了侵入岩的４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ同位素年龄。测定结果表明，区内侵入岩的年龄均小于１４０Ｍａ，属燕山晚期的产物，后期热事件为成矿时代，晚于岩浆侵入时代，在此基础上，分析了ＫＡｒ法、ＲｂＳｒ法同位素年龄产生偏差的原因