华北前寒武纪成矿系统与重大地质事件的联系

前寒武纪是指显生宙最古老的地质时代——寒武纪之前的地质时代,它占了地球演化历史的近90％.地球陆壳的80％～90％以上是在前寒武纪形成的,记录了复杂和惊心动魄的地质构造过程,还赋存着丰富的矿产资源.前寒武纪最重要的地质事件有陆壳的巨量增生、前板块机制/板块机制的构造转折、由缺氧到富氧的地球环境的剧变.华北克拉通是全球最古老陆块之一,前寒武纪各阶段全球性重大地质事件几乎都被记录下来,并表现出一些特殊性.与全球其它克拉通相比,华北陆壳生长-稳定化过程具有多阶段特征,太古宙末-古元古代环境剧变记录复杂多样,古元古代与板块体制建立和超大陆演化相关的俯冲碰撞和伸展裂解等地质记录丰富,中-新元古代经历持续伸展并接受巨量裂谷沉积.这些重大地质事件都伴随大规模成矿作用,形成了华北克拉通丰富的矿产资源和独特的优势矿种.     

华北克拉通的形成演化与成矿作用

华北克拉通具有38亿年的漫长历史,特别是与其他克拉通相比,它有更为复杂的多阶段的构造演化史,记录了几乎所有的地壳早期发展与中生代以来的重大构造事件。在太古宙,华北克拉通经历了>3.0Ga的陆核与微陆块的形成;2.7～2.9Ga的陆壳增生;2.5Ga的岩浆、变质作用与克拉通化;2.3～1.9Ga的古元古代活动(造山)带;1.8Ga的基底隆升与裂谷-非造山岩浆事件。在新元古代—古生代,华北克拉通处于相对稳定的地台状态,其南、北缘受到秦岭造山带和中亚造山带的影响;在中生代,华北克拉通则经历了强烈的中生代构造格局的转变和克拉通的破坏与重建;在新生代,华北克拉通的东缘属于环太平洋构造带的一部分。与上述重大构造事件相对应,华北克拉通出现大规模的成矿作用,形成了丰富多样的固体矿产资源。华北克拉通的形成与演化及其不同类型的成矿系统,为深刻理解大地构造背景对成矿作用的制约提供了范例。     

早前寒武纪地质及深成构造作用研究进展

早前寒武纪地质的研究进展主要表现在准大陆克拉通早期构造演化,克拉通及古老造山带深层结构,元古代超大陆恢复对比、早期地壳性质及生长等主要问题上开展多学科研究计划的实施。其中,同位素年代学,特别是锆石Ｕ－Ｐｂ方法,地震反射、Ｐ－Ｔ计算及古地磁研究对前寒武纪地质学的进展具有重要的推动作用。和个古陆克拉通区域地质学的持质研究积累,不断产生新的认识,这种新的科学思想涉及到早期陆壳组成及区划,太古代克拉通化历史,太古代－元古代界限及性质,元古代造山带网络与克拉进陆块拼合,大陆下地壳剖面及其组成等同题。华北早前寒武纪地质演化研究中的重要问题包括：华北麻粒岩相带与克拉通基底构造的关系,克拉通基底构造区域,早期陆壳性质及其记录的重大构造一热事件幕,华北克拉通与世界典型陆块构造演化对比等。     

华北克拉通古元古代末-新元古代地质事件——来自北京西山地区寒武系和侏罗系碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb年代学的证据

华北克拉通是否同华南克拉通一样保存有与Rodinia超大陆聚合和裂解有关的年龄记录是理解华北克拉通元古宙构造演化的重要科学问题.本文对位于华北克拉通燕辽裂陷槽的北京西山地区的寒武系和侏罗系碎屑岩进行锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学研究,目的是通过碎屑锆石年龄揭示华北克拉通前寒武纪尤其是古元古代末-新元古代重要地质事件.定年结果显示,北京西山寒武系徐庄组的钙质细砂岩中碎屑锆石年龄峰值主要集中在～1.38Ga和～1.14Ga.此外,还有～ 1.56Ga、～912Ma、～814Ma、～740Ma、～630Ma和～507Ma的年龄组.侏罗系窑坡组长石质岩屑细砂岩和粉砂质泥岩中碎屑锆石年龄峰值主要集中在～2.5Ga、1.88～1.8Ga、～1.74Ga、～1.6Ga和186Ma.此外,还有～2.77Ga、～2.0Ga、～1.2Ga、～488Ma、～256Ma和～233 Ma的年龄组.这三个岩石具有较低的成分和结构成熟度,指示较近的物源区,其碎屑物质可能大部分来自华北克拉通内部和北缘,因此其碎屑锆石的年龄组可记录华北克拉通前寒武纪重要地质事件.～2.77Ga、～2.5Ga、2.1～ 2.0Ga和1.88～1.8Ga的年龄组分别对应华北克拉通早前寒武纪发生地壳生长、克拉通化、裂谷和造山等重要地质事件;～ 1.74Ga、～ 1.6Ga、～ 1.56Ga、～1.38Ga、～912Ma和～814Ma的年龄组记录了华北克拉通最终克拉通化后开始的古元古代末-新元古代的多期裂谷事件.与1.3～ 1.0Ga、～740Ma和～630Ma的年龄组相对应的岩石在华北克拉通出现甚少,而该时期的岩浆岩和变质岩在华南克拉通广泛发育,且可能与Rodinia超大陆汇聚和裂解的不同阶段相对应.华北克拉通显生宙碎屑岩中碎屑锆石保存的古元古代末-新元古代地质事件的记录对探讨华北克拉通在元古宙的地质演化及华北克拉通与华南克拉通的关系可提供重要的依据.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115000420

The correlation between the North China Craton(NCC) and the Indian Shield(IND) has been a hot topic in recent years,On the basis of ore deposit databases,the NCC and IND have shown broad similarity in metallogenesis from the middle Archaean to the Mesoproterozoic,The two blocks both have three major metallogenic systems:(1) the Archaean BIF metallogenic system;(2) the Paleoproterozoic Cu-Pb-Zn metallogenic system;and(3) the Mesoproterozoic Fe-Pb-Zn system,In the north margin of the NCC and the west margin of the IND,the Archaean BIF-Au-Cu-Pb-Zn deposits had the same petrogenesis and host rocks,the Paleoproterozoic Cu-Pb-Zn deposits were controlled by active belts,and the Mesoproterozoic Fe-Pb-Zn deposits were mainly related to multi-stage rifting,Matching regional mineralization patterns and geological features has established the continental assembly referred to as "NCWI",an acronym for the north margin of the NCC(NC) and the west margin of the IND(WI) during the middle Archaean to the Mesoproterozoic,In this assembly,the available geological and metallogenic data from the Eastern Block and active belts of NC fit those from the Dharwar craton and the Aravalli-DelhiVindhyan belt of WI,respectively,Moreover,the depositional model and environment of Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary manganese deposits in NCWI implied that the assembly may be located at low latitudes,where the conditions were favorable for dissolving ice and precipitating manganese deposits,     

华北克拉通南缘太华杂岩组成及演化

太华杂岩位于华北克拉通南部,其组成复杂,记录了几乎所有早前寒武纪各阶段重要的地质事件;此外,由于其所处特殊地理位置,研究太华杂岩对于华北克拉通早前寒武纪地壳形成和演化、构造单元划分和基底拼合等都具有举足轻重的科学价值。本文综合已有的岩石学、变质作用、地球化学以及同位素年代学等诸多研究工作,得到以下阶段性结论和认识:1)将鲁山地区太华划分为以深成侵入岩为主的片麻岩系和以变质沉积-火山岩为主的表壳岩系;前者形成于中太古代晚期-新太古代早期,后者形成于古元古代晚期。而小秦岭地区太华杂岩中变质深成侵入岩形成时间跨度较大,为中太古代晚期-古元古代早期;而其上覆的火山-沉积岩可与鲁山太华杂岩的表壳岩类比,形成时间亦为古元古代晚期。2)中太古代-新太古代(2.91～2.50Ga)为华北克拉通南部大陆最主要的地壳形成时期。提出太华杂岩在太古宙经历了两期明显的地壳生长时间,一期发生在2.85～2.70Ga,以鲁山太华片麻岩系中的深成侵入岩和斜长角闪岩为代表;另一期发生在～2.50Ga,以小秦岭华山和崤山地区太华杂岩中各类花岗质岩石为代表。3)太华杂岩在所谓的全球陆壳生长"沉寂期(2.45～2.20Ga)"岩浆活动异常发育,推测这一时期的岩石形成于古元古代俯冲-汇聚环境,可能是与华北克拉通南部太古宙陆块和其他陆块汇聚-碰撞相关。4)太华杂岩在古元古代晚期普遍遭受了强烈的变质和变形,其变质程度主体为高角闪岩相,局部可达麻粒岩相,且记录了包含近等温降压退变质片段的顺时针变质作用P-T轨迹,经历了一个漫长的变质演化过程(1.97～1.80Ga),变质作用的时限跨度可达150Myr。5)提出华北克拉通南部曾经为一个统一基底,称之为"南部太古宙地块",此地块形成时间为新太古代末期(～2.5Ga)。该古老陆块经历了如下5个构造-演化阶段:(1)冥古宙-始太古代初始陆核形成;(2)中太古代-新太古代陆壳快速生长;(3)古元古代早期(～2.3Ga)岩浆活动异常活跃;(4)古元古代(2.30～1.97Ga)陆内拉伸-破裂;和(5)古元古代末期(1.97～1.80Ga)陆块最终拼合。     

我国境内格林威尔期造山带的存在及其对中元古代末期超大陆再造的制约

中元古代超大陆Rodinia 再造研究最重要的问题之一就是围绕全球格林威尔期(1.0Ga)造山带的构造演化对比,详细的构造分析表明,我国境内至少存在两条格林威尔期造山带(北秦岭造山带及江南造山带),它们以活动陆缘增生型造山带为主,涉及板块俯冲、岛弧-弧后盆地的发育,以及微陆块的碰撞作用。这些造山带发育的时代主要集中于1.0-0.9Ga,它们在时代上与北美、欧洲格林威尔期造山带具有很好的可比性,成为制约我国主要陆块(华北、扬子)在超大陆中拼合方式最主要的证据之一。     

Precambrian crustal evolution of Peninsular India: A 3.0 billion year odyssey

The Precambrian geologic history of Peninsular India covers nearly 3.0 billion years of time. India is presently attached to the Eurasian continent although it remains (for now) a separate plate. It comprises several cratonic nuclei namely, Aravalli–Bundelkhand, Eastern Dharwar, Western Dharwar, Bastar and Singhbhum Cratons along with the Southern Granulite Province. Cratonization of India was polyphase, but a stable configuration between the major elements was largely complete by 2.5 Ga. Each of the major cratons was intruded by various age granitoids, mafic dykes and ultramafic bodies throughout the Proterozoic. The Vindhyan, Chhattisgarh, Cuddapah, Pranhita–Godavari, Indravati, Bhima–Kaladgi, Kurnool and Marwar basins are the major Meso to Neoproterozoic sedimentary repositories. In this paper we review the major tectonic and igneous events that led to the formation of Peninsular India and provide an up to date geochronologic summary of the Precambrian. India is thought to have played a role in a number of supercontinental cycles including (from oldest to youngest) Ur, Columbia, Rodinia, Gondwana and Pangea. This paper gives an overview of the deep history of Peninsular India as an introduction to this special TOIS volume.     

柴达木盆地及其南北缘前南华纪构造单元划分及地质演化

根据近几年来的综合研究和区调工作,对柴达木盆地及其南北缘前南华纪物质组成、变质变形等研究的基础上,首次按照不同地质构造演化阶段,将柴达木盆地及其南北缘前南华纪构造单元划分为:湟源中元古代古陆块、全吉新太古代—古元古代古陆块、达肯大坂古元古代古陆块、金水口古元古代古陆块、宁多中元古代古陆块5个一级构造单元以及8个二级构造单元,论述了各构造单元的地质特征,重塑了前南华纪地质阶段柴达木盆地及其南北缘地质过程与古陆块的演化历史。结合研究区内重要地质事件将柴达木盆地及其南北缘前南华纪地质演化厘定为新太古代古陆核形成、古元古代早期古陆块裂解、古元古代晚期—中元古代早期古陆块形成、中元古代早—中期陆内裂解沉降、中元古代晚期—新元古代早期陆块汇聚、新元古代陆块裂解6个地质过程,响应了全球Kenorland、Columbia、Rodinia三个超级大陆旋回事件。     

从关键地质事件看华南的前寒武系划分

2004年的《国际地层表》与以往“国际地层表”的最大不同是对前寒武系的划分原则,即:以保存在地质记录中的地球系统巨变中的关键地质事件作为划分地层单位的界线,并据之建立“自然的”前寒武纪地质年表。在这一思想指导下,本文以川滇赣三省为重点,重新审视华南的前寒武系资料,分中太古—新太古代、跃迁期、古元古—中元古代和新元古代四大阶段阐述了关键地质事件并讨论了其在大陆岩石圈形成和演化中的构造意义。这四大阶段的主要构造面貌分别是:片麻岩基底和绿岩带盆地,古陆壳的形成与裂解,第一个超级大陆即哥伦比亚(或称努纳)超大陆的形成与离散,板块构造体制下罗迪尼亚超大陆的汇聚与离散,反映了大陆岩石圈的形成和由低级向高级的演化,因而每一阶段都有不同于前一阶段的沉积建造、火成岩类型及组合、变质作用、构造样式、构造线方向、变形方式和成矿作用。基于这些事件介绍了前寒武系的分布,列述了若干条相对连续的地质剖面上所见的这四大阶段的代表性地层序列及其对比方案。文章认为“参考方案”对前寒武系研究有推动和导向作用,并探讨了地层研究具体操作中关于事件的内容、事件与过程、现存地质记录的残破不全等问题。     

Geochronological evidence for late‐Grenvillian magmatic and metamorphic events in central Taimyr,northern Siberia*

U–Th–Pb analyses of zircons from six granites and one metasediment collected in the accretionary Central belt of Taimyr, Arctic Siberia, demonstrate that Neoproterozoic (c. 900 Ma) granites intrude late Mesoproterozoic/early Neoproterozoic amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks. This is the first time in the Mamont–Shrenk region that Neoproterozoic ages have been recognized for these lithologies, previously thought to be Archaean/Palaeoproterozoic in age. The Mamont–Shrenk Terrane (MST) represents a Grenvillian age (micro?) continent intercalated with younger Neoproterozoic ophiolites during thrusting and accreted to the northern margin of the Siberian craton sometime before the late Vendian. Basement to the MST may have been derived from the Grenvillian belt of east Greenland. Viable tectonic reconstructions must allow for an active margin along northern Siberia (modern day coordinates) in the middle Neoproterozoic.     

Mineralization age and sources of ore‐forming material of the Nanmushu Zn‐Pb deposit in the Micangshan Tectonic Belt at the northern margin of the Yangtze Craton,China: Constraints from Rb‐Sr dating and Sr‐Pb isotopes

The Nanmushu Zn‐Pb deposit, hosted by the Neoproterozoic Dengying Formation dolostone, is located in the eastern part of the Micangshan tectonic belt at the northern margin of the Yangtze Craton, China. This study involves a systematic field investigation, detailed mineralogical study, and Rb‐Sr and Pb isotopic analyses of the deposit. The results of Rb‐Sr isotopic dating of coexisting sphalerite and galena yield an isochron age of 486.7 ± 3.1 Ma, indicating the deposit was formed during the Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician. This mineralization age is interpreted to be related to the timing of destruction of the paleo‐oil reservoir in the Micangshan tectonic belt. All initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of sphalerite and galena (0.70955–0.71212) fall into the range of the Mesoproterozoic Huodiya Group basement rocks (0.70877–0.71997) and Dengying Formation sandstone (0.70927–0.71282), which are significantly higher than those of Cambrian Guojiaba Formation limestone (0.70750–0.70980), Cambrian Guojiaba Formation carbonaceous slate (0.70766–0.71012), and Neoproterozoic Dengying Formation dolostone (0.70835–0.70876). Such Sr isotope signatures suggest that the ore strontium was mainly derived from a mixed source, and both of the Huodiya Group basement rocks and Dengying Formation sandstone were involved in ore formation. Both sphalerite and galena are characterized by an upper‐crustal source of lead (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 17.849–18.022, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.604–15.809, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 37.735–38.402), and their Pb isotopes are higher than, but partly overlap with, those of the Huodiya Group basement rocks, but differ from those of the Guojiaba and Dengying Formations. This suggests that the lead also originated from a mixed source, and the Huodiya Group basement rocks played a significant role. The Sr and Pb isotopic results suggest that the Huodiya Group basement rocks were one of the most important sources of metallogenic material. The geological and geochemical characteristics show that the Nanmushu Zn‐Pb deposit is similar to typical Mississippi Valley type, and the fluid mixing may be a reasonable metallogenic mechanism for Nanmushu Zn‐Pb deposit.     

Metallogenic Province and Large Scale Mineralization of Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits in China

Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are one of the most important base–metal deposit types in China, are major sources of Zn, Cu, Pb, Ag, and Au, and significant sources for Co, Sn, Se, Mn, Cd, In, Bi, Te, Ga, and Ge. They typically occur at or near the seafloor in submarine volcanic environments, and are classified according to base metal content, gold content, or host-rock lithology. The spatial distribution of the deposits is determined by the different geological settings, with VMS deposits concentrated in the Sanjiang, Qilian and Altai metallogenic provinces. VMS deposits in China range in age from Archaean to Mesozoic, and have three epochs of large scale mineralization of Proterozoic, Palaeozoic and Mesozoic. Only Hongtoushan Cu–Zn deposit has been recognized so far in an Archaean greenstone belt, at the north margin of the North China Platform. The Proterozoic era was one of the important metallogenic periods for the formation of VMS mineralization, mainly in the Early and Late Proterozoic periods. VMS-type Cu–Fe and Cu–Zn deposits related to submarine volcanic-sedimentary rocks, were formed in the Aulacogens and rifts in the interior and along both sides of the North China Platform, and the southern margin of the Yangtze Platform. More than half of the VMS deposits formed in the Palaeozoic, and three important VMS–metallogenic provinces have been recognized, they are Altai–Junggar (i.e. Ashele Cu–Pb–Zn deposit), Sanjiang (i.e. Laochang Zn–Pb–Cu deposit) and Qilian (i.e. Baiyinchang Cu–Zn deposit). The Triassic is a significant tectonic and metallogenic period for China. In the Sanjiang Palaeo–Tethys, the Late Triassic Yidun arc is the latest arc–basin system, in which the Gacun-style VMS Pb–Zn–Cu–Ag deposits developed in the intra-arc rift basins, with bimodal volcanic suites at the northern segment of the arc.     

Petrogenesis of the Palaeoproterozoic Xishankou pluton,northern Tarim block,northwest China: implications for assembly of the supercontinent Columbia

The Tarim block, one of the largest cratons in China, records an important part of the Proterozoic crustal evolution of the Earth. Many previous studies have focused on the Neoproterozoic magmatism and tectonic evolution of this block in relation to the break-up of Rodinia, although relatively little is known about its earlier tectono-magmatic history. In this article, we present detailed petrographic, geochronologic, whole-rock geochemical, and in situ zircon Hf isotope data for the pre-Neoproterozoic Xishankou granitoid pluton (XBP), one of several blue quartz-bearing granitoid intrusions well exposed in the Quruqtagh area, and discuss these intrusions in terms of their tectonic environment. Zircon LA-ICP-MS dating indicates that gneissic quartz diorite and granodiorite of the XBP crystallized at 1934 ± 13 and 1944 ± 19 Ma, respectively. Both underwent metamorphism essentially coeval with emplacement, a time that is compatible with the globally distributed 2.1–1.8 Ga crustal amalgamation during formation of the supercontinent Columbia. Petrographic and geochemical evidence suggest that the XBP is a continental-arc-type granite and may have been generated by the partial melting of Archaean thickened lower crust; this would suggest that the northern Tarim block was a continental-type arc at ca. 1940 Ma. Our new data, together with previous regional geological studies, indicate that a series of Palaeoproterozoic (ca. 2.0–1.8 Ga) tectono-magmatic events occurred in the northern Tarim attending the assembly of Columbia.     

前寒武纪重大地质事件

本文概括性地阐述我国前寒武纪冥古宙、太古宙、元古宙三大地史阶段的重大地质事件,粗略勾绘前寒武纪地球演化的轨迹,期望了解我国与全球变化的异同,进一步突出我国前寒武纪三大地史阶段中新太古代超级地质事件及元古宙时期中国大陆块体对哥伦比亚及罗迪尼亚两个超大陆形成与破裂的地质响应。冥古宙是地球最早期的地史阶段,从太阳系形成的4 567 Ma至地球上最老的4 030 Ma的Acasta片麻杂岩。碎屑锆石保存最好的地点是西澳的Mt. Narryer和Jack Hills。目前在中国大陆至少有7个地点发现具有罕见的约4.0 Ga的碎屑锆石,这些地点并不位于克拉通区,而是赋存于造山系新元古代至古生代以碎屑岩为主的地层中。太古宙(4 030~2 420 Ma)定义为从最古老的岩石出现(4 030 Ma Acasta片麻岩)至冰碛层首次广泛分布的寒冷期之间的一段地史。最古老的岩石为英云闪长片麻岩,构成加拿大西北斯拉夫克拉通4.03~3.94 Ga Acasta片麻岩的一部分。西南格陵兰Isua带保存全球有最老的表壳岩,形成于3 810 Ma。太古宙最重大的地质事件莫过于2 780~2 420 Ma时期的新太古代超级事件。值得指出的是华北克拉通最古老、也是中国最古老的岩石出露在中国辽宁鞍山地区,约3.80 Ga英云闪长岩奧长花岗质片麻岩和3.30 Ga的表壳岩已被识别。华北克拉通太古宙有与世界各地太古宙相似的演化历史和特点,包括花岗岩绿岩带及高级变质片麻岩带、广泛的英云闪长岩奧长花岗岩花岗闪长岩(TTG)片麻岩、古陆壳的出露(略老于3.8 Ga)、广泛分布的BIF等。我国太古宙花岗岩绿岩带虽然在华北克拉通分布较广,但与南非、格陵兰、加拿大、西澳等地经典的花岗岩绿岩带相比,时代偏新,仅以新太古代为主,规模偏小,缺少大面积分布的科马提岩,且变质程度偏高,主要为角闪岩相麻粒岩相变质。演化到元古宙(2 420~541 Ma),则进入成熟的、较冷的、刚性程度较高的地球,以现代样式板块构造、超大陆旋回和更复杂的疑源类(eukaryotic)生命的发育为特征。这种变化大致出现在2 420 Ma左右,与哈默斯利型BIF的消失及地史中首次广泛出现的冰川沉积物年代相近。古元古代早期十分重要的“休伦冰川事件”、指示大氧化事件的古老红层在我国尚未被发现,与Lomagundi Jatuli (LJE) δ13C的同位素漂移有关的关门山组古元古代沉积地层的同位素年代学依据不足;古元古代磷矿和具有巨大石油潜力的2.01 Ga Shunga事件也未能鉴别。但中国最大特色是发育了与哥伦比亚和罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚与裂解有关的良好地质记录,特别是华北克拉通保存了古元古代与哥伦比亚超大陆汇聚有关的超高温、高压麻粒岩等变质及岩浆事件,1 780 Ma以后的中元古代又保存了与哥伦比亚超大陆裂解有关的裂谷沉积及岩浆活动;而在扬子和塔里木陆块区则保存了与新元古代早期与罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚有关的蛇绿岩、混杂岩、洋内弧、俯冲增生杂岩及大陆边缘弧,在约800 Ma以后则发育了与罗迪尼亚超大陆裂解有关的沉积及岩浆活动的地质记录,为中国和全球地质学者研究这一时期地球系统变化和成矿作用提供了客观的野外实验室和良好的范例。     

The Precambrian supercontinent Palaeopangaea: two billion years of quasi-integrity and an appraisal of geological evidence

The Protopangaea-Palaeopangaea model for the Precambrian continental crust predicts quasi-integrity reflecting a dominant Lid Tectonics defined by a palaeomagnetic record showing prolonged near-static polar behaviour during very long time intervals (~2.7–2.2, 1.5–1.2, and 0.75–0.6 Ga). Intervening times show polar loops radiating from the geometric centre of the crust explaining the anomalous Precambrian magnetic inclination bias. The crustal lid was a symmetrical crescent-shaped body confined to a single hemisphere on the globe comparable in form to the Phanerozoic supercontinent (Neo)Pangaea. There were two major transitions in the tectonic regime when prolonged near-static motion was succeeded by widespread tectonic-magmatic activity, and each coincided with the major isotopic/geochemical signatures in the Precambrian record. The first comprised a ~90° reconfiguration of crust and mantle at ~2.2 Ga terminating the long 2.7–2.2 Ga static interval; the second was the largest continental break-up event in geological history and is constrained to the Ediacaran Period at ~0.6 Ga by multiple isotopic and geochemical signatures and the subsidence history of marine passive margins. Break-up of the lid at ~0.6 Ga defines a transition from dominant Lid Tectonics to dominant Plate Tectonics and is the primary cause of contrasts between the Precambrian and Phanerozoic aeons of geological times. The long interval of minimal continental motion in the mid-Proterozoic correlates with extensive emplacement of anorogenic anorthosite-rapakivi plutons unique to these times, and high-level emplacement was probably caused by blanketing of the mantle and comprehensive thermal weakening of the crust. Continental velocities were low during the two Proterozoic intervals characterized by profound glaciation (~2.4–2.2 and ~0.75–0.6 Ga) when partial or complete magmatic shutdown is likely to have reduced volcanic greenhouse gas production. Specific implications of Protopangaea-Palaeopangaea include: (i) support for recent evidence that 60–70% of the present continental crust had accreted by ~2.5 Ga; (ii) recognition from spatially constrained mineral provinces that sub-crustal lithosphere was already chemically differentiated by mid-Archaean times; (iii) strong axial alignment of younger greenstone belts, major Palaeoproterozoic shear zones, and later Meso–Neoproterozoic mobile/orogenic belts; (iv) concentration of anorogenic magmatism and progressive contraction of activity towards the orogenic margin subsequently to become the focus of Grenville (~1.1 Ga) orogenesis; and (v) late Neoproterozoic arc magmatism/tectonics at the instep margin of the continental crescent persisting until the Ediacaran continental break-up.     

Tonian Tectonic-Strata Regions and their Geological Significance in China

The continent of China developed through the coalescence of three major cratons(North China, Tarim and Yangtze) and continental micro-blocks through the processes of oceanic crust disappearance and acceretionary-collision of continental crusts. The strata of the Chinese continental landmass are subdivided into 12 tectonic-strata regions. Based on the composition of geological features among the three main cratons, continental micro-blocks and other major global cratons, their affinities can be preliminarily deduced during the Tonian period, using evidence from sedimentary successions, paleobiogeography, tectonic and magmatic events. The Yangtze and Tarim cratons show that they have close affinities during the assembly-dispersal milestone of the Rodinia Supercontinent. The sedimentary record and magmatic age populations in the blocks suggest that there was a widespread, intensive magmatic event that resulted from a subduction process during ～1000–820 Ma, related to continental rifting around the Yangtze and Tarim cratons. However, they differ greatly from the North China Craton. The continental micro-blocks in the Panthalassic Ocean could have some missing connection with the North China Craton that persisted until the Middle-Late Devonian. In contrast, the Alxa Block showed a strong affinity with the Tarim Craton. The revised Tonian paleogeography of the Rodinia Supercontinent is a good demonstration of how to show the relationship between the main cratons and the continental micro-blocks.     

Age and nature of Cryogenian diamictites at Aksu,Northwest China: implications for Sturtian tectonics and climate

The Neoproterozoic succession in the Aksu region of northwestern China forms an unconformable boundary with the lower Precambrian Aksu basement group and consists of the Qiaoenbrak, Yuermeinak, Sugetbrak, and Chigebrak Formations. The two lowermost units include distinct glaciogenic diamictites that indicate distinct episodes of glaciation. In this study, we report the LA-ICP-MS U–Pb ages of detrital zircons and geochemical data from the lower Neoproterozoic strata. The age of the detrital zircon constrains the maximum depositional age to between 769 ± 10 and 727 ± 8 Ma for the Qiaoenbrak diamictites, which are associated with the Kaigas glaciation that occurred during the early Cryogenian period. The youngest detrital zircon age of 719 ± 9 Ma corresponds to the maximum depositional age of the Yuermeinak diamictites, which are associated with the Sturtian glaciation. The detrital zircons from the lower Neoproterozoic strata in the Aksu area indicated four peak ages of 2484, 1948, 861, and 647–581 Ma, which are consistent with the major tectonic episodes in the Tarim Block. The peak age of 2484 Ma represents an Archaean basement, which participated in the worldwide continental nuclei growth event from the late Neoarchaean to the early Palaeoproterozoic. The peak age of 1948 Ma may be associated with the assembly of the Columbia supercontinent, and the 861 and 647–581 Ma are likely associated with the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent. The combination of geological and geochemical characteristics between the Qiaoenbrak Formation and Aksu Group indicates that the Qiaoenbrak Formation may be penecontemporaneous with the Aksu Group in an active continental margin tectonic setting. Following the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent, the margin of the Aksu evolved into a passive margin and the Yuermeinak and Sugetbrak Formations were deposited.     

Anatomy of the Mozambique Belt of Eastern and Southern Africa: Evidence from Tanzania

The Mozambique belt of eastern and southern Africa is polyorogenic and marks the sites for the assembly (collision and suturing) and dispersion (rifting and drifting) of the Proterozoic supercontinents. Subduction zones and collisional sutures in this belt are of variable ages. Reliable isotope and geological data from the Mozambique belt of Holmes (1951) suggest that there existed three major Proterozoic oceans within this belt: the Palaeoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic “Mozambique Oceans”. However, the accretion and collisional tectonic history of this orogenically coalescent belt are complex and thus still enigmatic.     

Revised Chronostratigraphic Framework of the Metamorphic Strata in the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt,South China and its Tectonic Implications

In a re-study of regional geology by the China Geological Survey (CGS), the key problem is in the stratigraphical division and correlation. According to the new isotopic dating of the Meso- and Neoproterozoic in China, there have been great changes in the strata correlation and tectonic explanation. The authors obtained four zircon sensitive high resolution ion micro-probe (SHRIMP) U-Pb datings from the bentonite of the Lengjiaxi Group (822±10 Ma, 823±12 Ma and 834±11 Ma) and Banxi Group (802.6±7.6 Ma) in north Hunan Province, which is considered to be the middle part of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt. On the basis of the zircon dating mentioned above, the end of the Wuling orogen is first limited in the period from 822 Ma to 802 Ma in one continued outcrop (Lucheng section) in Linxiang city, Hunan Province. Combining a series of new zircon U-Pb datings in the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks, several Neoproterozoic volcanic events and distribution of the metamorphic rocks in the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt have been distinguished. In the context of the global geodynamics, it is useful to set up a practical and high precision chronological framework and basic and unified late Precambrian section in South China.