The Devonian–Lower Carboniferous succession in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia

A new stratigraphic nomenclature is proposed for the approximately 600 m thick, mainly clastic transitional sequence between the underlying Mempelam Limestone and overlying Kubang Pasu/Singa Formation in northwest Peninsular Malaysia. This sequence represents shallow marine deposits of the continental margin of the Sibumasu Terrane during the Middle Palaeozoic (Devonian–Carboniferous). It is separated into several formations. The Timah Tasoh Formation is an approximately 76 m sequence consisting of 40 m of laminated tentaculitid shales at the base, containing Monograptus yukonensis Jackson and Lenz and Nowakia (Turkestanella) acuaria Alberti, giving an Early Devonian (Pragian–Emsian) age, and about 36 m of rhythmically interbedded, light coloured argillo-arenites. The Chepor Formation is about 90 m thick and consists mainly of thick red mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds, of Middle to Late Devonian age. A new limestone unit is recognized and named the Sanai Limestone, which contains conodonts of Famennian age. The Binjal Formation consists of red and white mudstone interbedded with sandstone beds showing Bouma sequences. The Telaga Jatoh Formation is 9 m thick and consists mainly of radiolarian chert. The Wang Kelian Formation is composed of thick red mudstone beds interbedded with silty sandstone, and contain fossils indicative of an Early Carboniferous (Visean) age. The succession was deposited on the outer shelf, with depositional environments vertically fluctuating from prodelta to basinal marine. The Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is exposed at Hutan Aji and Kampung Guar Jentik, and indicates a major regressive event during the latest Devonian.     

A review of Lower and Middle Palaeozoic biostratigraphy in west peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand in its context within the Sibumasu Terrane

Fossils from the Cambrian to Devonian rocks of southern Thailand, the Langkawi Islands, mainland Kedah, Perlis, north Perak and central West Peninsular Malaysia are listed and reviewed, and their stratigraphy and correlation reassessed. The hitherto anomalous record of the trilobite Dalmanitina from Malaysia is reviewed and found to be of latest Ordovician (Hirnantian) age, rather than Lower Silurian age as previously reported, and is considered a probable synonym of the widespread Mucronaspis mucronata. A new stratigraphical nomenclature is erected for part of the Langkawi, mainland Kedah and Perlis area successions, in which the term Setul Limestone (which stretched from the Ordovician to the Devonian) is abandoned and replaced by the Middle Ordovician Kaki Bukit Limestone, the late Ordovician and early Silurian Tanjong Dendang Formation, the Silurian Mempelam Limestone, and the early Devonian Timah Tasoh Formation, all underlying the paraconformity with the late Devonian Langgun Red Beds. There was a single depositional basin in the generally shallow-water and cratonic areas of southern Thailand, Langkawi, and mainland Kedah and Perlis, in contrast to the deeper-water basin of north Perak. Only Silurian rocks are dated with certainty within another basin in central West Malaysia, near Kuala Lumpur, which were also cratonic and shallow-water, although to the east in west Pahang there are basal Devonian deeper-water sediments with graptolites. The area is reviewed in its position within the Sibumasu Terrane, which, in the Palaeozoic, also included central and northern Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) and southwest China (part of Yunnan Province).     

华南上泥盆统和下石炭统层序地层学

本文把华南法门阶上部和杜内阶分为４个层序，自下而上依次命名为ＳＱ０、ＳＱ１、ＳＱ２和ＳＱ３。其中ＳＱ０属斯图年阶（Ｓｔｒｕｎｉａｎ）（泥盆系最顶部），其余３个层序归杜内阶。这４个层序可以与欧美等地同期的层序进行对比，表明当时的海平面升降变化及其由此而产生的沉积层序具有全球的一致性。层序地层学、生物地层学和事件地层学综合研究表明，华南浅海相区与Ｓｉｐｈｏｎｏｄｅｌａｐｒａｅｓｕｌｃａｔａ－Ｓ．ｓｕｌｃａｔａ界线一致的泥盆－石炭系界线不仅高于Ｃｙｓｔｏｐｈｒｅｎｔｉｓ带顶界，而且还应高于引起Ｃｙｓｔｏｐｈｒｅｎｔｉｓ绝灭的海退事件层的顶界。因此建议以Ｃｙｓｔｏｐｈｒｅｎｔｉｓ－Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｕｒａｌｉｎａ间隔带中最明显的一个海进面，即ＳＱ１的海进体系域的底界作为华南浅海相区泥盆－石炭系界线。这条界线与泥盆－石炭纪之交海退事件层的顶界正好一致，大致相当于Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｕｒａｌｉｎａ组合带底部。     

Basaltic dykes of the Eastern Belt of Peninsular Malaysia: The effects of the difference in crustal thickness of Sibumasu and Indochina

Basaltic dykes of Peninsular Malaysia are confined to the Eastern Belt (Indochina/East Malaya block) as compared with the Western Belt (Sibumasu Block). The dyke intruded through a crustal fracture formed by stress developed from the evolution of two offshore basins (Malay and Penyu basins) east of Peninsular Malaysia. The Ar–Ar dating from the present study combined with the previous geochronological data indicate that the ages of dykes range from 79 ± 2 Ma to 179 ± 2 Ma. Thus it is difficult to correlate the dykes with the closure of Tethys during Permo-Triassic time because of the younger age of the dykes. The majority of the dykes exposed in the Eastern Belt may have been attributed to the difference of crustal thickness between the Eastern and Western belt of Peninsular Malaysia. A thicker Western Belt crust (13 km more than both Eastern and Central belts) is difficult to rupture with normal plate tectonic stress and therefore serves to contain the rise of a mantle derived melt. The chemistry indicates the basalts are olivine to quartz normative and are of the continental within-plate category.     

Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous Sequence Stratigraphy of South China

SequencestratigraphyhashopaidmoreattentionforitSrelativelycompletetheoreticalsyStemandgreatsuchesinpracticesinceitwasadvancedinthe197ds.Integratingonthedataofbiostratiglaphy,lithostratigraphy,seismicstfstigraphy,geochendstryandsedirnentology,sequencestratigraphyattemptStoestablishachronostratigraphicframeworkandcormectsdepositionalsequencewithglobalsealevelchange,andhencemakeSitpossibletOpreciselycorrelatethestrataindifferentfactesareasoveraconsiderabledistance,evenovertheworld.TheUpperDevon…     

Stratigraphy and structure of the southeastern Garona Dome

Abstract

North-facing recumbent folds in the Palaeozoic rocks of the Garona Dome have been recognized, and a modified pre-Silurian stratigraphic sequence is suggested. The gradual disappearance of part of this sequence may be interpreted as a result of truncation by an unconformable late Ordovician conglomeratic unit.     

The structure and stratigraphy of deepwater Sarawak,Malaysia: Implications for tectonic evolution

The structural-stratigraphic history of the North Luconia Province, Sarawak deepwater area, is related to the tectonic history of the South China Sea. The Sarawak Basin initiated as a foreland basin as a result of the collision of the Luconia continental block with Sarawak (Sarawak Orogeny). The foreland basin was later overridden by and buried under the prograding Oligocene-Recent shelf-slope system. The basin had evolved through a deep foreland basin (‘flysch’) phase during late Eocene–Oligocene times, followed by post-Oligocene (‘molasse’) phase of shallow marine shelf progradation to present day.Seismic interpretation reveals a regional Early Miocene Unconformity (EMU) separating pre-Oligocene to Miocene rifted basement from overlying undeformed Upper Miocene–Pliocene bathyal sediments. Seismic, well data and subsidence analysis indicate that the EMU was caused by relative uplift and predominantly submarine erosion between ∼19 and 17 Ma ago. The subsidence history suggests a rift-like subsidence pattern, probably with a foreland basin overprint during the last 10 Ma. Modelling results indicate that the EMU represents a major hiatus in the sedimentation history, with an estimated 500–2600 m of missing section, equivalent to a time gap of 8–10 Ma. The EMU is known to extend over the entire NW Borneo margin and is probably related to the Sabah Orogeny which marks the cessation of sea-floor spreading in the South China Sea and collision of Dangerous Grounds block with Sabah.Gravity modelling indicates a thinned continental crust underneath the Sarawak shelf and slope and supports the seismic and well data interpretation. There is a probable presence of an overthrust wedge beneath the Sarawak shelf, which could be interpreted as a sliver of the Rajang Group accretionary prism. Alternatively, magmatic underplating beneath the Sarawak shelf could equally explain the free-air gravity anomaly. The Sarawak basin was part of a remnant ocean basin that was closed by oblique collision along the NW Borneo margin. The closure started in the Late Eocene in Sarawak and moved progressively northeastwards into Sabah until the Middle Miocene. The present-day NW Sabah margin may be a useful analogue for the Oligocene–Miocene Sarawak foreland basin.     

Burial history of Palaeozoic strata in Belgium as revealed by conodont colour alteration data and thickness distributions

Thickness distributions of Devono-Carboniferous formations and their relationship to conodont colour alteration indices (CAIs) from over 500 sample locations in Belgium and northern France have been studied to reconstruct the thermal alteration and burial history of Palaeozoic rocks. The depositional centre during Eifelian through Visean times was located in the subsiding southern part of the Dinant Basin, forming a thick sedimentary pile of probably more than 3.5 km. In order to explain conodont CAIs chiefly resulting from Upper Carboniferous sedimentation, two different depositional centres are considered, giving rise to approximately 4.5 km of sediment in the central part of the Dinant and Namur Basins. As a consequence of the northward shifting Variscan fold belt, the Upper Carboniferous succession in the southern part of the Dinant Basin and in the Rocroi area was reduced or absent. Conodont CAIs together with other thermal alteration data from the Condroz Massif indicate that this area was a structural high for most of the Devonian. The Brabant Massif was probably covered with approximately 1.5–2.0 km of Upper Carboniferous sediments in the south and less than 1.0 km in the central and northern parts. In the central Campine Basin Viséan strata could have been buried by 3.5–4.5 km of Upper Carboniferous rocks.     

Middle to Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental evolution of the southeastern Alpine Valeriano Creek succession (northeastern Italy)

The Middle–Late Pleistocene alluvial and lacustrine succession of Valeriano Creek (southeastern Alpine foothills, 190 m a.s.l.) documents the environmental evolution of the piedmont plain before the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The sedimentary record was investigated by multidisciplinary stratigraphical and sedimentological studies coupled with petrographic and palaeobotanical analysis. A chronology has been provided by luminescence, radiocarbon dating and pollen biochronology. The succession developed at the valley mouth of a small catchment and is confined in the piedmont plain by the alluvial fans of major rivers. The oldest deposits were formed during a cold phase during the late Middle Pleistocene. This part of the piedmont plain was generally stable until Termination II, when it was trenched more than 15 m deep by watercourses. The infilling succession of the trench, mostly by low‐energy alluvial sediments interbedded with mire and peat deposits, documents, for the first time on the southern side of the Alps, the relationships between fluvial activity, vegetation and climate change at the foothills piedmont plain during late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. The stadial–interstadial climate forcing implies a local reorganisation of fluvial dynamics and of forest composition, although substantial plant cover persisted even during cooler stadials. In accordance with coeval alluvial and speleothem records from the northern side of the Alps, this environmental evolution supports a very restricted Alpine glaciation of the main fluvial catchments of the southeastern Alps during MIS 5a–d. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Devonian-Carboniferous unconformity in Argentina and its relation to the Eo-Hercynian orogeny in southern South America

The Devonian-Carboniferous contact in southern South America, characterized by a sharp unconformity, has been related to the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous Eo-Hercynian orogeny. The Calingasta-Uspallata basin of western Argentina and the Sauce-Grande basin (Ventana Foldbelt) of eastern Argentina have been selected to characterize this unconformity. The Eo-Hercynian movements were accompanied in western Argentina by igneous activity related to a Late Devonian—Early Carboniferous magmatic arc mainly exposed today along the Andean Cordillera. This magmatic activity is partly reflected also in eastern Argentina (Ventana Foldbelt), where isotopic dates suggest a thermal event also related to the intrusions present to the west in the North Patagonian Massif and Sierras Pampeanas. The scarcity of Lower Carboniferous deposits in the stratigraphic record of southern South America suggests that the Early Carboniferous was a time interval dominated by uplift and erosion followed by widespread subsidence during the Middle and Late Carboniferous. The origin of the Eo-Hercynian orogeny can be linked with the convergence between the Arequipa Massif, and its southern extension, and the South American continent. Its effects are best represented along the Palaeo-Pacific margin, although distant effects are discernible in the cratonic areas of eastern South America. Correspondence to: O. R. López-Gamundí     

The evolution of a thick shallow marine succession, the South Munster Basin, Ireland

The relatively fine-grained Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous 'Cork Beds' succession of the South Munster Basin includes continuous sections of paralic facies that are over 1000 m thick and individual sandstone units over 300 m thick. However, the succession does not reflect prolonged phases when facies belts were stationary, but rather multiple stacking of small-scale, high-frequency sequences, each associated with pronounced migration of shorelines. What seems to have been unusual about the South Munster Basin succession was that the geographical positioning of these high-frequency sequences was fixed. This resulted from an unusual combination of tectonics, shelf hydrodynamics, sedimentation rates and the textural maturity of the sediment within the basin. Of these, tectonics was probably most critical, particularly the juxtaposition of rapid subsidence in basinal areas and a basin margin zone (to the north) that was sufficiently up-standing to pin the maximum extent of transgression during repeated highstands of sea-level, yet not so upstanding as to have diverted the major regional drainage system. The embayed palaeogeography of the area may also have been influential.     

华南泥盆系层序地层与岩石-年代地层界线间相关性探讨

以广西六景、象州大乐、桂林塘家湾及贵州独山与贵阳东北郊乌当剖面为例,在已有的地层、古生物、沉积相研究的基础上,开展了层序地层学研究.通过这项研究,认为那高岭组与莲花山组的界线是一年代地层、岩石地层及层序地层合一的界面;论证了大乐剖面应堂组的古琶段与贵州独山剖面的龙洞水组属于下泥盆统的可行性;总结了吉维特阶与艾菲尔阶间多处存在沉积间断面或沉积停滞面的客观事实,确认该界面为一符合实际又易于识别的自然界面,可作为D_2~2 /D_2~1的界面;讨论了存在于不同沉积相中的D_3/D_2界面,认为该界面置于D_2~2上部层序之上的海进体系域顶面,与以牙形类为准确立的界线很接近,但其更利于野外实际工作;对贵阳东北郊乌当剖面乌当组的归属提出疑问,并将其定为吉维特阶早期.     

滇西昌宁—孟连带西区两个地层问题——兼论昌宁—孟连带的闭合造山过程

对昌宁—孟连带西区的两个地层问题进行了讨论。根据牙形刺和放射虫的发现将原定为拉巴组的塔拉弄—南雅条带的时代厘定为晚泥盆世至早石炭世 ,时代大致与南皮河群的弄巴组或“中区”的“上泥盆统”相当 ,它们之间的确切关系仍有待进一步研究。怕拍组实际上主体属晚二叠世晚期 ,仅顶部可能包含有少量下三叠统印度阶最底部的沉积。对怕拍组的研究证实了澜沧运动的存在 ,昌宁—孟连带自此开始了由海洋盆地向造山带的演变进程 ,这一过程持续达七千万年之久。     

滇西昌宁——孟连带西区两个地层问题——兼论昌宁——孟连带的闭合 …

对昌宁－－孟加带西区的两个地层问题进行了讨论。根据牙形刺和放射虫的发现将原定为拉巴组的塔拉弄－南雅条带的时代厘定为晚泥盆世至早石炭世,时代大致与南皮河群的弄巴组或“中区”的“上泥盆统”相当,它们之间的确切关系仍有待进一步研究。怕拍组实际上主体属晚二叠世晚期,仅顶部可能包含有少量下三叠统印度阶最底部的沉积。对怕拍组的研究证实了澜沧运动的存在,昌宁－孟连带自此开始了由海洋盆地向造山带的演变进程,这一过     

Stratigraphy,sedimentology and tectonic evolution of the Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene succession in north Eastern Desert,Egypt

The stratigraphy, sedimentology and syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) of the Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene (K–P) succession at four localities in north Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt have been studied. These localities are distributed from south-southwest to north-northeast at Gebel Millaha, at North Wadi Qena, at Wadi El Dakhal, and at Saint Paul Monastery. Lithostratigraphically, four rock units have been recorded: Sudr Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian); Dakhla Formation (Danian–Selandian); Tarawan Formation (Selandian–Thanetian) and Esna Formation (Thanetian–Ypresian). These rock units are not completely represented all over the study area because some of them are absent at certain sites and others have variable thicknesses. Biostratigrapgically, 18 planktonic foraminiferal zones have been recorded. These are in stratigraphic order: Globotruncana ventricosa Zone (Campanian); Gansserina gansseri, Contusotruncana contusa, Recimguembelina fructicosa, Pseudohastigerina hariaensis, Pseudohastigerina palpebra and Plummerita hantkenenoides zones (Maastrichtian); Praemurica incostans, Praemurica uncinata, Morozovella angulata and Praemurica carinata/Igorina albeari zones (Danian); Igorina albeari, Globanomanlina pseudomenradii/Parasubbotina variospira, Acarinina subsphaerica, Acarinina soldadoensis/Globanomanlina pseudomenardii and Morozovella velascoensis zones (Selandian/Thantian); and Acarinina sibaiyaensis, Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis zones (earliest Ypresian). Sedimentologically, four sedimentary facies belts forming southwest gently-dipping slope to basin transect have been detected. They include tidal flats, outer shelf, slumped continental slope and open marine hemipelagic facies. This transect can be subdivided into a stable basin plain plus outer shelf in the extreme southwestern parts; and an unstable slope shelf platform in the northeastern parts. The unstable slope shelf platform is characterized by open marine hemipelagic, fine-grained limestones and fine siliciclastic shales (Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan and Esna formations). The northeastern parts are marked by little contents of planktonic foraminifera and dolomitized, slumped carbonates, intercalated with basinal facies. Tectonically, four remarkable syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) controlled the evolution of the studied succession. These events took place strongly within the Campanian–Ypresian time interval and were still active till Late Eocene. These events took place at: the Santonian/Campanian (S/C) boundary; the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary; the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/P) boundary; and the Middle Paleocene–Early Eocene interval. These tectonic events are four pronounced phases in the tectonic history of the Syrian Arc System (SAS), the collision of the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian plates as well as the closure of the Tethys Sea.     

长江下游地区晚泥盆世至早石炭世孢子带和泥盆系—石炭系界线

本文系统研究了长江下游地区(包括江苏、浙江和安徽)晚泥盆世和早石炭世孢子50属150余种。根据孢子在地层中的分布和演化规律,建立了7个孢子带,其中晚泥盆世3个带,早石炭世4个带。自下而上依次为:1)Rugospora flexuosa-Grandispora cornuta(FC)带;2)Vallatisporites pusillites-Retispora lepidophyta(PL)带;3)Retispora lepidophyta-Verrucosisporites nitidus(LN)带;4)Vallatisporites verrucosus-Retusotriletes incohatus(VI)带;5)Spelacotriletes pretiosus-Cingulizonates bialatus(PB)带;6)Schopfites claviger-Auroraspora macra(LN)带;7)Lycospora pusilla(PU)带。五通群下部观山组化石孢子丰富,时代相当西欧晚泥盆世法门阶(Famennian)Fa2c-Fa2d。泥盆系和石炭系界线置于陈家边组底部,即3带Retispora lepidophytaVerrucosisporites nitidus(LN)带和4带Vallatisporites verrucosus-Retusotriltes incohatus(VI))带之间。本文还深入讨论了沉积环境、微古植物地理区、国内外比较等问题。     

西秦岭杨河-固城一带原“泥盆系“中发现早石炭世化石

西秦岭武山杨河礼县固城一带的原"泥盆纪"地层中,发现了大量属于早石炭世的牙形刺、珊瑚和有孔虫化石,为该区地层的重新划分提供了直接的证据.这对于重新认识该区乃至整个西秦岭地区石炭纪古地理格局、地质演化历史、沉积相和沉积环境等都有重要的意义.     

鄂西地区泥盆系-石炭系泥质岩沉积地球化学特征及沉积环境研究

对湖北省长阳县火石山泥盆系黄家磴组-石炭系高骊山组21块泥岩样品的地球化学特征分析表明,黄家磴组、梯子口组、高骊山组的SiO2和Al2O3及TFe2O3的含量较高,表明受陆源物质影响较大;和州组下段CaO含量高,表明海水相对较深。Na2O及Mg/Ca值指示气候经历了温湿-干热-温湿变化的过程。微量元素,如Cu、Pb、Zn、Co、As因地球化学行为相似,总体变化曲线一致。稀土总量高,轻重稀土分馏程度高,具Ce、Eu负异常,稀土曲线指示样品来源一致。Cu/Zn,V/Cr,Ni/Co,U/Th,自生Uau和Ce/La比值表明研究区整体处于氧化环境中。Sr/Ba及B/Ga比值指示出近岸沉积特征。数学统计分析表明沉积环境相近的层位地球化学特征相近,沉积水动力条件与沉积介质的物化性质比较接近的层位,地球化学特征也较为相似,沉积环境明显不同的层位地球化学特征相距较远,由于总体处于海陆交互带,环境变化大,三角洲相可以与其相差较大的沉积环境表现出相近的地球化学特征。     

Structural Mapping of the Bentong‐Raub Suture Zone Using PALSAR Remote Sensing Data,Peninsular Malaysia: Implications for Sediment‐hosted/Orogenic Gold Mineral Systems Exploration

The Bentong‐Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) of Peninsular Malaysia is one of the major structural zones in Sundaland, Southeast Asia. It forms the boundary between the Gondwana‐derived Sibumasu terrane in the west and Sukhothai Arc in the east. The BRSZ is genetically related to the sediment‐hosted/orogenic gold deposits associated with the major lineaments in the Central Gold Belt of Peninsular Malaysia. In this investigation, the Phased Array type L‐band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) satellite remote sensing data were used to map major geological structures in Peninsular Malaysia and provide detailed characterization of lineaments and curvilinear structures in the BRSZ, as well as their implication for sediment‐hosted/orogenic gold exploration in tropical environments. Major structural lineaments such as the Bentong‐Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) and Lebir Fault Zone, ductile deformation related to crustal shortening, brittle disjunctive structures (faults and fractures) and collisional mountain range (Main Range granites) were detected and mapped at regional scale using PALSAR ScanSAR data. The major geological structure directions of the BRSZ were N–S, NNE–SSW, NE–SW and NW–SE, which derived from directional filtering analysis to PALSAR fine and polarimetric data. The pervasive array of N–S faults in the Central Gold Belt and surrounding terrain is mainly linked to the N–S trending of the Suture Zone. N–S striking lineaments are often cut by younger NE–SW and NW–SE‐trending lineaments. Gold mineralized trend lineaments are associated with the intersection of N–S, NE–SW, NNW–SSE and ESE–WNW faults and curvilinear features in shearing and alteration zones. Compressional tectonic structures such as the NW–SE trending thrust, ENE–WSW oriented faults in mylonite and phyllite, recumbent folds and asymmetric anticlines in argillite are high potential zones for gold prospecting in the Central Gold Belt. Three generations of folding events in Peninsular Malaysia have been recognized from remote sensing structural interpretation. Consequently, PALSAR satellite remote sensing data is a useful tool for mapping major geological structural features and detailed structural analysis of fault systems and deformation areas with high potential for sediment‐hosted/orogenic gold deposits and polymetallic vein‐type mineralization along margins of Precambrian blocks, especially for inaccessible regions in tropical environments.