Tectonic–karstic origin of the alleged “impact crater” of Lake Isli (Imilchil district,High Atlas,Morocco)

The scenic lakes Tislit and Isli of the Imilchil area in the central High Atlas of Morocco have been recently promoted to the rank of “dual impact crater” by a group of geoscientists. This was promptly denied by a group of meteorite specialists, but the first team reiterated their impact crater interpretation, now restricted to Lake Isli. This alleged 40-kyr-old impact crater would be associated with the Agoudal meteorite recognized further in the southeast. Here, we show that the lake formed during the Lower–Middle Pleistocene in a small Pliocene (?) pull-apart basin through additional collapsing due to karst phenomena in the underlying limestones. This compares with the formation of a number of lakes of the Atlas Mountains. None of the “proofs” produced in support of a meteoritic origin of Lake Isli coincides with the geology of the area.     

Magnetic fabrics in the Jurassic–Cretaceous continental basins of the northern part of the Central High Atlas (Morocco): Geodynamic implications

The aim of this work is to study the Anisotropy of the Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) in two Jurassic–Cretaceous synclines located in the northern border of the Central High Atlas (Morocco): the Aït Attab and Ouaouizaght basins. AMS is used in order to obtain the magnetic fabric and its relationship with the kinematic evolution of both basins. The tectonic evolution of the basins, still under discussion, is mostly considered as the result of inversion during Tertiary and perhaps since Bathonian, of extensional and/or strike-slip Jurassic basins. Both basins are filled with Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous silts and sandstones, with less frequent marine marly limestones.The bulk magnetic susceptibility (km) generally shows higher values in the red facies (163.2 E−6 in AT and 168.6 E−6 in WZ) than in the yellowish marly limestones (97.88 E−6 in AT and 132 E−6 in WZ). Most sites show an oblate magnetic fabric. The rock magnetic analyses indicate that the main carrier of the magnetic susceptibility for the red facies is hematite, whereas in the yellowish facies there is a dominance of paramagnetic minerals. In both basins, the magnetic lineation (long axis of the ellipsoid, k_max axes) shows a predominant E–W direction. The overlapping of the stress fields during the Atlasic basins evolution, in both compressional and extensional regimes and hinder the straightforward interpretation of the magnetic fabrics. However, a coeval N–S compression during the times of sedimentation with an E–W transtension can explain the magnetic lineation found in many of the sites analyzed in the present work. There are also other less frequent directions of k_max axes (NE–SW and NW–SE) are interpreted as the result of local change of the stress field during the early extensional stage of basin formation.     

Hydrochemical constraints between the karst Tabular Middle Atlas Causses and the Saïs basin (Morocco): implications of groundwater circulation

The karst Tabular Middle Atlas Causses reservoir is the main drinking-water supply of Fez-Meknes region (Saïs Basin) in Morocco. Recent analyses showed a decline in associated groundwater chemical quality and increased turbidity. To understand this hydrosystem, four surveys were undertaken during fall and spring, 2009–2011. Hydrogeochemical studies coupled with isotopic analyses (δ¹⁸O, δD and ²²²Rn) showed that the aquifers between the causses (mountains) and the Saïs Basin are of Liassic origin and at the southern extremities are of Triassic origin. Five recharge zones of different altitudes have been defined, including two main mixing zones in the south. Deuterium excess results suggest local recharge, while a plot of δ¹⁸O versus δD characterizes a confined aquifer in the eastern sector. ²²²Rn results reveal areas of rapid exchanges with an upwelling time of less than 2 weeks. A schematic conceptual model is presented to explain the groundwater circulation system and the behavior of this karst system.     

Refinement of genetic and structural models of the úrkút manganese ore deposit (W-Hungary, Europe) using statistical evaluation of archive data

Although the úrkút manganese ore deposit in western placecountry-regionHungary has been exploited for at least 90 years, there are still numerous open questions concerning ore genetics as well as structure and geometry of the ore body. A large set of available archive data for the deposit have been reviewed and evaluated in order to solve some of the most crucial problems. For processing, besides diverse GIS approaches, univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used on the created unified database. The main aims of the mathematical treatment were giving a classification scheme for the wide spectrum of Mn-ores based on their chemical composition (Mn, Fe, Si, P) as well as evaluation of their spatial distribution. For the ore characterization and understanding the genetic processes, cluster and discriminant function analyses were used. Results of the multivariate treatment verified the existence of different ore types and provided an exact chemical definition for all of them. It alsoinferred that the main geochemical processes that took place in ore genesis were similar for all sample groups (ore types) with significantly different weights in each case. A 3D evaluation of the úrkút mine heading map system shows that the ore body covers the footwall surface as a stratiform sheet throughout the study area. Palaeo-relief studies suggest a significant difference between the footwall and hanging wall morphologies which clearly implies tectonic activity following ore deposition. The deposit was affected by an E-W compression stress field near the Aptian-Albian transition causing folding of the Mn deposit.     

Genesis of the Assif El Mal Zn–Pb (Cu,Ag) vein deposit. An extension-related Mesozoic vein system in the High Atlas of Morocco. Structural,mineralogical, and geochemical evidence

The Assif El Mal Zn–Pb (Cu–Ag) vein system, located in the northern flank of the High Atlas of Marrakech (Morocco), is hosted in a Cambro-Ordovician volcaniclastic and metasedimentary sequence composed of graywacke, siltstone, pelite, and shale interlayered with minor tuff and mudstone. Intrusion of synorogenic to postorogenic Late Hercynian peraluminous granitoids has contact metamorphosed the host rocks giving rise to a metamorphic assemblage of quartz, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite, chlorite, amphibole, chloritoid, and garnet. The Assif El Mal Zn–Pb (Cu–Ag) mineralization forms subvertical veins with ribbon, fault breccia, cockade, comb, and crack and seal textures. Two-phase liquid–vapor fluid inclusions that were trapped during several stages occur in quartz and sphalerite. Primary inclusion fluids exhibit T _h mean values ranging from 104°C to 198°C. Final ice-melting temperatures range from −8.1°C to −12.8°C, corresponding to salinities of ∼15 wt.% NaCl equiv. Halogen data suggest that the salinity of the ore fluids was largely due to evaporation of seawater. Late secondary fluid inclusions have either Ca-rich, saline (26 wt.% NaCl equiv.), or very dilute (3.5 wt.% NaCl equiv.) compositions and homogenization temperatures ranging from 75°C to 150°C. The δ¹⁸O and δD fluid values suggest an isotopically heterogeneous fluid source involving mixing between connate seawater and black-shale-derived organic waters. Low δ¹³C_VPDB values ranging from −7.5‰ to −7.7‰ indicate a homogeneous carbon source, possibly organic matter disseminated in black shale hosting the Zn–Pb (Cu–Ag) veins. The calculated δ³⁴S_H2S values for reduced sulfur (22.5‰ to 24.3‰) are most likely from reduction of SO₄ ²⁻ in trapped seawater sulfate or evaporite in the host rocks. Reduction of sulfate probably occurred through thermochemical sulfate reduction in which organic matter was oxidized to produce CO₂ which ultimately led to precipitation of saddle dolomite with isotopically light carbon. Lead isotope compositions are consistent with fluid–rock interaction that leached metals from the immediate Cambro-Ordovician volcaniclastic and metasedimentary sequence or from the underlying Paleo-Neoproterozoic crustal basement. Geological constraints suggest that the vein system of Assif El Mal formed during the Jurassic opening of the central Atlantic Ocean.     

An Early Neoproterozoic gabbro–granite association in the Bureya Continental Massif (Central Asian fold belt): First geochemical and geochronological data

The fact that gneissose granites and gabbros of the Nyatygran Complex in the Bureya Continental Massif are not Palaeoproterozoic in age, as previously thought, but Neoproterozoic, ~933 Ma is proved. New data with the first direct evidence of Early Neoproterozoic magmatism in continental massifs composing the Bureya–Jiamusi Superterrane are given. At the moment, the obtained age estimates are the oldest for the magmatic rocks of this superterrane.

     

Revised estimate of δ34S for marine sulfates from the Upper Ordovician: data from the Williston Basin,North Dakota,U.S.A.

Analyses for δ³⁴S of 13 bedded, marine anhydrite samples from the “C” anhydrite member of the Red River Formation (Upper Ordovician) in the North Dakota portion of the Williston basin represent an addition of δ³⁴S data to a portion of the S isotope age curve with few data. Previously published estimates of δ³⁴S for Upper Ordovician marine sulfates apparently are limited to 4 samples from the Saskatchewan portion of the same basin. An adjusted mean value of +25.5‰ was calculated for all known Upper Ordovician δ³⁴S determinations. This value is approximately 2 to 3‰ lighter than the previous estimate, which suggests that δ³⁴S of the world ocean during the Upper Ordovician may have been lighter than previously thought. However, because all δ³⁴S data are from one sedimentary basin, additional S isotopic data from several globally-distributed evaporite basins are needed to evaluate this hypothesis and further constrain δ³⁴S for the Upper Ordovician. Similar re-examination of other portions of the S isotope age curve with limited amounts of data may increase our understanding of the secular variation in δ³⁴S.     

Geology and mineralization of the Dayin’gezhuang supergiant gold deposit (180 t) in the Jiaodong Peninsula,China: A review

The Dayin’gezhuang gold deposit is located in the central part of the Zhaoping Fault metallogenic belt in the Jiaodong gold province —the world ’s third-largest gold metallogenic area. It is a typical successful case of prospecting at a depth of 500‒2000 m in recent years, with cumulative proven gold resources exceeding 180 t. The main orebodies (No. 1 and No. 2 orebody) generally have a pitch direction of NNE and a plunge direction of NEE. As the ore-controlling fault, the Zhaoping Fault is a shovel-shaped stepped fault, with its dip angle presenting stepped high-to-low transitions at the elevation of −2000‒0 m. The gold mineralization enrichment area is mainly distributed in the step parts where the fault plane changes from steeply to gently, forming a stepped metallogenic pattern from shallow to deep. It can be concluded from previous studies that the gold mineralization of the Dayin’gezhuang gold deposit occurred at about 120 Ma. The ore-forming fluids were H₂O-CO₂-NaCl-type hydrothermal solutions with a medium-low temperature and medium-low salinity. The H-O isotopic characteristics indicate that the fluids in the early ore-forming stage were possibly magmatic water or mantle water and that meteoric water gradually entered the ore-forming fluids in the late ore-forming stage. The S and Pb isotopes indicate that the ore-forming materials mainly originate from the lower crust and contain a small quantity of mantle-derived components. The comprehensive analysis shows that the Dayin ’gezhuang gold deposit was formed by thermal uplifting-extensional tectonism. The strong crust-mantle interactions, large-scale magmatism, and the material exchange arising from the transformation from adakitic granites to arc granites and from the ancient lower crust to the juvenile lower crust during the Early Cretaceous provided abundant fluids and material sources for mineralization. Moreover, the detachment faults formed by the rapid magmatic uplift and the extensional tectonism created favorable temperature and pressure conditions and space for fluid accumulation and gold precipitation and mineralization.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Solving unsolvable problems in stratigraphy (Comments to the paper “New data on the magnetostratigraphy of the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary interval,Nordvik Peninsula (northern East Siberia)” by V.Yu. Bragin,O.S. Dzyuba,A.Yu. Kazansky,and B.N. Shurygin)

In this study we analyze the importance of new magnetostratigraphic data on the Nordvik section for solving the problem of detailed Tethyan–Boreal correlation around the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary with a special emphasis on the aspects of interpretation of the paleomagnetic data in magnetostratigraphic studies and the need for the integrated (paleontological and paleomagnetic) approach to recognition of the base of the Berriasian.     

Stable isotope variations in a coral (Favia speciosa) from the Gulf of Kutch during 1948–1989 A.D.: Environmental implications

The stable isotopic analyses (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) of a coralFavia speciosa spanning forty two years (1948–89 A.D.), collected from the Pirotan island (22.6°N, 70°E) in the Gulf of Kutch have been carried out to assess its potential for retrieving past environmental changes in this region. It is seen that the summer (minima) δ¹⁸O variations in the coral CaCO₃ are negatively correlated with seasonal (summer) monsoon rainfall in the adjoining region of Kutch and Saurashtra and a qualitative reconstruction of historical rainfall variations in this region can be obtained by analyzing the δ¹⁸O in this species of coral. The observed mean seasonal range of δ¹⁸O variations is 0.34 ±0.17‰ (n = 42), whereas the expected range calculated (from available SST and measured δ¹⁸O of sea water) is ∼ 1.1 ±0.15‰ The difference is due to the coarse resolution of sampling, which can be corrected. The seasonal range in δ¹³C is ∼ l‰ and is explained by changes in: a) the light intensity related to the cloudiness during monsoons and b) phytoplankton productivity.     

New Early Cretaceous shrimp (Decapoda) from the Sidi Aïch Formation of the Northern Chotts Range,southern Tunisia: Taxonomy,biostratigraphy, and palaeoenvironmental implications

The fossil dendrobranchiate shrimp Macropenaeus was originally described from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) limestones of Hadjoula, northwest Lebanon. A new species, M. sidiaichensis sp. nov., was recovered from the Sidi Aïch Formation in the Northern Chotts Range, southern Tunisia. The Barremian occurrence of the genus in Tunisia suggests that Macropenaeus most likely originated in northern Africa and then migrated to Arabia in the Cenomanian. The association of the fossil shrimp with conchostracans, plant fragments, and fish indicates the interaction of freshwater and marine conditions that characterized the northern African margin as part of widespread coastal complex, paralic environments during the Barremian.     

New data on detrital zircons from the sandstones of the lower Cambrian Brusov Formation (White Sea region,East-European Craton): unravelling the timing of the onset of the Arctida–Baltica collision

The basement of the northeastern periphery of the East-European Craton (ЕЕС) is composed of volcanic-sedimentary sequences, volcanic rocks, granitoids, and rare ophiolite complexes. Geochronological data constrain their age from ca. 750 to 500 Ma, and there is a consensus that these rocks represent relicts of a late Neoproterozoic–Cambrian Pre-Uralides–Timanides orogeny. Combining new integrated isotopic (U-Pb, Lu-Hf) and trace-element data (TerraneChrone^® approach) on detrital zircons from sandstones of the lower Cambrian Brusov Formation in the Mezen basin (White Sea region in the northeastern periphery of the EEC) with available studies on detrital zircons from Neoproterozoic–middle Cambrian (meta)sedimentary units of the northeastern periphery of the EEC allow us to conclude that (1) the onset of the Arctida–Baltica collision can now be constrained to the time interval between ca. 540 and 510 Ma and (2) the Ediacaran–early Cambrian Mezen sedimentary basin was a basin on the Timanian passive margin of Baltica up to 540 Ma, but was not a foreland basin of the Pre-Uralides–Timanides orogen.     

Orosirian (ca. 1.96 Ga) mafic crust of the northwestern São Francisco Craton margin: Petrography,geochemistry and geochronology of amphibolites from the Rio Preto fold belt basement,NE Brazil

The bulk of the Atlantic shield basement in the eastern South American platform is made of Rhyacian calc-alkaline magmatic rocks (∼2.2–2.15 Ga) affected by granulite-facies metamorphism at around 2.06 Ga, as part of a Paleoproterozoic orogenic system which joined Archean crustal fragments together. Orosirian (2050–1800 Ma) rocks, on the other hand, are scarce in all four major provinces of eastern South America (the Borborema, São Francisco, Tocantins and Mantiqueira provinces). Recently, however, sparse occurrences of Orosirian-aged rocks have been described, particularly in the northern São Francisco Craton margin and adjoining fold belts that compose the Borborema Province further north. In this paper, we present new geochemical, geochronological and isotopic data of amphibolites which compose the basement of the Rio Preto fold belt, in the northwestern São Francisco Craton margin. Geochemical data suggest tholeiitic gabbro protoliths intruded in a subduction-related setting, as suggested by tectonic discrimination diagrams and differentiation trends. U–Pb analyses of magmatic zircon crystals yielded a 1958.3 ± 16 Ma Concordia age. Slightly negative to positive εNd_(1.96) = (−0.3 to +1.0) and εHf_(1.96) from −0.76 to −4.55 suggest variable mixing of a depleted mantle source and older continental crust. We interpret the amphibolite body as a remnant of a subduction-related crustal fragment developed in the Orosirian, around 1.96 Ga ago, possibly in a continental back-arc setting. This crustal fragment was further reworked as part of the basement of the Rio Preto fold belt during the Brasiliano Orogeny (∼600–550 Ma). The Cristalândia do Piauí Complex gneisses further north might represent fragments of a coeval continental magmatic arc. These rocks could be the first well documented representatives of an Orosirian tectono-magmatic event which has been, up to now, broadly ignored within this portion of West Gondwana, and thus present major implications for the Proterozoic crustal evolution of South America and for Paleoproterozic supercontinent reconstructions in general.     

A distributed water–heat coupled model for mountainous watershed of an inland river basin in Northwest China (II) using meteorological and hydrological data

A distributed water–heat coupled model (DWHC) is calibrated by using daily precipitation data from 26 hydrological and meteorological stations: daily averaged air temperature data from the 11 stations and daily pan evaporation data (E601) from the 15 stations in 2000. Six tests by using different spatial interpolation methods to calculate the above daily meteorological data in each 1 km × 1 km grid, are designed to simulate the mean daily runoff generated from the research Heihe mountainous watershed in 2000. Due to spatial sparseness and asymmetry of the hydrological and meteorological stations, the results of the six tests have little differences. The interpolation method in 3-D mode considering altitude is not better than those taking no account of altitude, nor are the model results when the daily meteorological data at the two stations far from the research watershed are complemented. At last, a nearest neighbor interpolation method in 2-D mode is used to calibrate the DWHC model, in which the revised Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency NSE, balance error B, determinate coefficient R ², root mean square error RMSE and average absolute error MAE is about 0.61, 0.08%, 0.73, 25.0 and 15.8 m³s⁻¹, respectively. However, by using the daily data in 1999 to validate the model, the NSE, B, R ², RMSE and MAE are, respectively, 0.63, −2.98%, 0.77, 34.9 and 20.3 m³s⁻¹. The reason that the model result is not favorable is mainly because of the lack of detailed soil information, meteorological data and vegetation data; even worse, the basic equations for runoff generation processes are mainly derived from the research results in other regions and meanwhile, its flow concentration method should be improved too. The water balance of the research watershed in 2000 is also discussed in this paper. Though the runoff simulation results are not favorable, the estimated evapotranspiration and runoff components are in accordance with the usual knowledge qualitatively, parts of which meet with the field measurements. According to the model results, the runoff is mainly generated from the land surfaces and shallow soil layers in this cold mountainous watershed. The alpine meadow has evident water conservation function based on the model results, field investigation and field observation results. The DWHC model also reproduces the formation processes of the thick-layered ground ice to some extent, though it is suppositional due to lack of detailed soil, vegetation and meteorological information.     

On the protonation of oxo- and hydroxo-groups of the goethite (α-FeOOH) surface: A FTIR spectroscopic investigation of surface O-H stretching vibrations

The O-H stretching region of goethite particles evaporated at different levels of acidity was investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)-Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two-dimensional IR Correlation Spectroscopy was used to identify correlations between different sets of discrete surface OH stretches and a Multivariate Curve Resolution analysis was used to resolve the predominant spectral components. Two dominant groups of hydroxyls were identified on the basis of their differences in proton affinity. Group I hydroxyls appear as two 3698/3541 and 3660/3490 cm⁻¹ band pairs. Group II hydroxyls are manifested through the 3648 and 3578 cm⁻¹ bands at greater levels of surface proton loading. There is consequently no correlation between O-H stretching frequencies and proton affinity. Groups I and II were assigned to mostly singly- (-OH) and doubly- (μ-OH) coordinated hydroxyls, respectively. Stretches arising from triply-coordinated (μ₃-OH) are proposed to be embedded within the dominant O-H band of bulk goethite. The possibility that these sites contribute to Group I and II hydroxyls should, however, not be entirely dismissed without further investigations.A reexamination of Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD)-FTIR data of one goethite sample evaporated from alkaline conditions [Boily J.-F., Szanyi J., Felmy A. R. (2006) A combined FTIR and TPD study on the bulk and surface dehydroxylation and decarbonation of synthetic goethite. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta70, 3613-3624] provided further constraints to this band assignment by providing clues to the network of surface hydrogen bonds. Important cooperative effects between hydrogen-bonded surface hydroxyls are suggested to play a crucial role on the variations of the position and intensity of discrete O-H stretching bands as a function of protonation level and temperature.