Age and Sources of Dunite from the Konder Massif (Aldan Shield)

The Sm–Nd and Rb–Sr isotope characteristics were studied in clinopyroxenes (Cpx) of ultrabasic rocks (dunite, wehrlite, pyroxenite, and kosvite) from the Konder massif, which is a source of a unique placer platinum deposit. The chemical composition of the clinopyroxenes studied provides evidence for their crystallization from a single melt in the course of magmatic differentiation. The Sm–Nd isotope characteristics of Cpx in dunite from the Konder massif correspond to the regression with an age of 128 ± 40 Ma, which provides evidence for the same age of rocks of the “dunite core,” wehrlite, pyroxenite, kosvite, and alkaline rocks of the subsequent intrusive stage in the Konder massif. Variations in the Sr and Nd isotope characteristics in dunite, wehrlite, pyroxenite, and kosvite result from contamination of the picritic melt with rocks of the continental crust in the course of its cumulative evolution, which allows us to exclude the model of diapiric intrusion of mantle dunite.     

Stronadelphite from Alkaline Rocks of the Konder Massif (Khabarovsk Krai)

Geology of Ore Deposits - This paper presents the characteristics of stronadelphite Sr5(PO4)3F, identified in the eudialyte–aegirine–albite rocks of the Konder alkaline–ultrabasic...     

Magnetic properties of mafics and ultramafics from Eastern Ghats

Magnetic properties, namely intensity of natural remanent magnetisation (NRM) and magnetic susceptibility, of mafic and ultramafic formations of Eastern Ghats belt in the Godavari Districts, Andhra Pradesh are studied. The formations sampled for the study are, iron-ore, chromite-ore, amphibolite, gabbro, charnockite and khondalite gneiss. Mineralogical differences in iron-ore and the degree of martitisation are reflected in magnetic susceptibility. NRM and susceptibility of chromite-ore are feeble. The gabbro exhibits strong magnetic properties because of its contiguity with iron formation. The Koenigsberger ratio is found to indicate relative palaeomagnetic stability.     

Geochemistry of Dharwar ultramafics and the Archaean mantle

Geochemical and petrological studies on serpentinised ultramafics of Kadakola, Mysore State, India, indicate that the Archaean mantle beneath the Indian Shield was of peridotitic in nature. This protomantle in the Archaean period was undifferentiated with higher concentrations of siderophile and transitional elements.     

Origin and age of rift related fluorite and manganese deposits from the San Rafael Massif,Argentina

The San Rafael Massif is characterized by widespread fluorite and manganese epithermal ore deposits whose origin has been under debate to the present. Isotopic (Sm/Nd and K/Ar) and geochemical (trace elements and REE) data of fluorite and manganese ore allowed to establish the age and genesis of the deposits and to propose a regional genetic model. The fluorite deposits were formed during the Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic as a result of the Triassic rifting that launched a hydrothermal activity at regional scale. The hydrothermal fluids had low T and high fO₂ with fluorine probably derived from a mantle source and REE scavenged from the volcanics of the Gondwanan Choiyoi Magmatic Cycle upper section. The manganese deposits were formed by oxidizing hydrothermal fluids that collected Mn from deep sources and also leached REE from the upper section of the Choiyoi Magmatic Cycle during two mineralization episodes. One episode was linked to the rift tectonic setting that remained active up to the Upper Cretaceous and the other was related to an Early Miocene back-arc extensional geodynamic setting. Both manganese and fluorite deposits were formed in extensional tectonic settings within an epithermal environment near the surface, and can be ascribed to the general model of detachment-related deposits.     

松嫩地块及其研究意义

块体拼贴是东北大地构造格架的基本特征,文中拟从这一构造背景出发,在区域地质研究基础上,选择目前研究相对薄弱的松嫩地块进行讨论。通过地层建造、古生物地理分区、构造岩浆组合及年代学的资料,揭示松嫩地块与东北其他地质体拼贴的历史。松嫩地块西侧通过嫩江中古生代造山带与兴安褶皱带相接;南侧通过吉中晚古生代造山带和华北地台北缘的西拉木伦早古生代褶皱带相接;东侧通过张广才岭中生代造山带与佳木斯地块拼贴;北侧是蒙古-鄂霍茨克中生代造山带。此外,结合前人关于全球构造格局变迁的研究,讨论了东北地块的来源,并认为松嫩地块东界的张广才岭造山带是古亚洲洋构造域向太平洋构造域转折的标志。     

Paleomagnetism and the orocline hypothesis

Oroclines were originally defined by Carey as curved mountain belts which initially were straight, or at least straighter than they are today. In the last few years, the definition has been broadened to include any curved mountain belt, regardless of its original shape.Since the occurrence of oroclinal bending is best recorded in the change of declination as a function of tectonic setting, paleomagnetic and structural data from six potential oroclines have been compiled and analyzed to determine the amount of rotation displayed by the change of paleomagnetic declination relative to the change in strike of the fold belt.The arcuate belts investigated are: the Sicilian-Calabrian Arc and the Umbrian Arc of Italy, the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, the central portion of the Appalachian Mountains (from Pennsylvania to Virginia, U.S.A.), the Wyoming-Idaho overthrust belt of western North America and the Hercynides of Western and Central Europe.The Jura Mountains and the Pennsylvania-Virginia portion of the Appalachians fail to show significant oroclinal bending. The Wyoming-Idaho belt shows a combination of rotated (possibly oroclinal) and unrotated thrust sheets.In the Sicilian-Calabrian Arc significant oroclinal bending caused by the impingement of the Calabria-Peloritani nappes in the Late Tertiary can be demonstrated, while the Umbrian Arc of similar age, in the Northern Apennines, also shows oroclinal bending on a smaller scale.Hercynian Europe (the only belt included in which deformation of basement rocks can be demonstrated) shows oroclinal bending (at least 80°) as well as a marked original curvature (70°) in its western part.Common to all the oroclines studied in this paper is the probable impingement of a rigid block or continental margin during the orogeny, causing subsequent deformation and bending of the fold belt.     

U-Pb age of igneous and metamorphic events on the Fisher Massif (East Antarctica) and its significance for geodynamic reconstruction

This report presents the main results of LA-ICPMS studies of zircon from metamorphosed magmatic rocks of the Fisher Massif in East Antarctica. The minimum age of crystallization for still unexplored granitoid intrusion in the southeastern part of the massif amounts to 1399 ± 11 Ma. The presence of inherited zircon of 1786 ± 23 Ma age in the rocks points to their fusion from a crustal source of Paleoproterozoic age. The time of the eruption of vulcanites of basite composition amounts to 1244 ± 11 Ma. The vulcanites contain xenogenic zircon of Late Archean and Middle Proterozoic age; hence, their initial melt interacted with the heterogeneous continental crust. The earliest metamorphism of the amphibolite facies proceeded 1213 ± 16 Ma ago, and was accompanied with intense shift deformations. The time of volcanism complies with the age of a large basite dike swarm in Vestfold Hills, intruded about 1250 Ma ago, which is associated with the destruction of the hypothetical Paleoproterozoic Nuna (Columbia) continent.     

High temperature alteration of Abyssal ultramafics from the Islas Orcadas Fracture Zone,South Atlantic

Ultramafic rocks dredged from the Islas Orcadas Fracture Zone, along the SW Indian Ocean Ridge (6° E and 54° S), show evidence of progressive hydration beginning at temperatures greater than 600° C (and perhaps as high as 900° C) and continuing to less than 50° C. There are two principal types of alteration present in the ultramafic rocks, both of which are the result of hydration reactions. The first type of alteration involves hydration of original clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and olivine to amphibole, talc, secondary olivine, and serpentine. The second is a vein type of alteration and results in the formation of veins of amphibole, chlorite, talc and serpentine. — The alteration appears to be episodic. The sequence of events suggested by the petrography is: 1) clinopyroxene altering to amphibole; 2) orthopyroxene altering to talc, or talc + olivine; 3) supersolvus hornblende veining; 4) coexisting actinolite + hornblende veining; 5) chlorite, chlorite + actinolite, or chlorite + secondary clinopyroxene veining; 6) talc veining; 7) serpentine veining; and 8) pervasive serpentinization. — The alteration fluid is most likely seawater. It is suggested that the high temperature alterations may reflect seawater circulation into the upper mantle.     

Paleomagnetism of the Society Cliffs dolostone and the age of the Nanisivik zinc deposits, Baffin Island, Canada

Dolostones of the ∼1200 Ma Society Cliffs Formation within the hydrothermal zone surrounding the Nanisivik zinc deposits retain a stable characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) on alternating field and thermal step demagnetization. Based on the thermal data and saturation isothermal remanence analyses, the ChRM resides in pseudosingle domain magnetite and hematite. A paleomagnetic fold test favours a post-folding ChRM, and a paleomagnetic contact test, using a Franklin gabbro dike, indicates that the ChRM predates ∼720 Ma. The pole position calculated from the ChRM direction is at 168.2°E, 42.8°N (δ_p=4.9°, δ_m=6.8°), giving an age of 1095 ± 10 Ma on the well-defined “Logan Loop” portion of the North American apparent polar wander path. This age is considered to date recrystallization of the dolostone host rocks in the halo around the hydrothermal sulfide deposits. No evidence is found for a postulated Cretaceous remagnetization event in the region. Received: 9 January 1999 / Accepted: 3 March 2000     

Geobotanical and biogeochemical reconnaissance of the ultramafics of Central Iran

In Iran, ultramafic rocks cover substantial areas at many locations in the country. These rocks consist predominantly of peridotite which has been serpentinized to some degree. Anarak and Nain are two ultramafic areas in Central Iran comprising about 180 and 270 km², respectively, located in a coloured melange zone. There is little information available regarding the geobotany and biogeochemistry of these areas. They have a dry climate, with low rainfall and high temperatures in summer which encourages mostly annual and perennial herbaceous types of plants. In this paper, we report a reconnaissance study of these two ultramafic areas of Iran. Soil analysis of total elements indicates that typical concentrations of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Fe, Mg and Ca are about 1500, 300, 75, 800, 45.000 150.000 and 2000 μg g^− 1, respectively. During this study 176 plant species were collected, belonging to 29 families. The species diversity at Anarak is more than at Nain, possibly due to microclimatic differences and a greater precipitation. The number of plants endemic to ultramafic soils of these two areas is very low. The herb Cleome heratensis (Capparaceae) appears to be an indicator of ultramafics in Central Iran. Populations of this plant cover quite extensive areas during summer and autumn when there is no rainfall. Analysis of the dry matter of the leaves of all plants collected did not reveal any hyperaccumulator of nickel or any other ‘serpentine’ metals. The ultramafic endemic plant C. heratensis contained low concentrations of all metals and thus it possesses exclusion mechanisms to restrict excessive metal uptake. The Mg/Ca ratio for some plants collected is high—up to 4.9. This initial survey suggests that a more complete investigation of the ultramafic areas of Iran would be valuable.     

额尔古纳地块八卡地区岩浆作用及其构造意义

通过对额尔古纳八卡地区酸性侵入岩进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年研究表明,八卡区内5个代表性的酸性侵入岩体中的锆石大部分为自形-半自形晶,显示其为岩浆成因锆石;岩浆作用集中于3个阶段。其包括：1）新元古代早期岩浆活动,正长花岗岩加权平均年龄为798 Ma±6 Ma,其形成可能与Rodinia超大陆裂解的构造背景有关;2）晚二叠世-早三叠世的岩浆活动,岩石年龄介于238~267 Ma,结合花岗岩特征,反映其形成于古亚洲洋闭合后的造山后环境;3）花岗岩的138 Ma±1 Ma、137 Ma±2 Ma岩体年龄显示了早白垩世岩浆作用的存在,该岩浆事件与蒙古-鄂霍茨克缝合带的演化有关。     

兴凯地块伊曼群的形成时代与物源：碎屑锆石与岩浆锆石U-Pb年代学证据

本文对出露在兴凯地块南部伊曼群的变沉积岩和侵入其中的火成岩进行了系统的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年和Hf同位素研究,旨在查明伊曼群的形成时代与物源,并讨论侵入岩的成因和构造背景。伊曼群二云母片岩中锆石呈自形-半自形,显示典型的岩浆生长环带,暗示其岩浆成因。定年结果表明:100个碎屑锆石分析点给出了555～1322Ma的年龄区间,主要峰值年龄为555Ma、612Ma、700Ma、739Ma、769Ma、839Ma、936Ma;其中约533Ma的锆石ε_(Hf)(t)值介于-4.1～+3之间,二阶段模式年龄t_(DM2)介于1305～1755Ma之间;700～839Ma的锆石ε_(Hf)(t)值介于-3.7～+7.8之间,二阶段模式年龄t_(DM2)介于1246～1907Ma之间。侵入伊曼群的白云母二长花岗岩的定年结果显示为443±3Ma,此年龄对应ε_(Hf)(t)值介于-17.6～-4.2之间,二阶段模式年龄t_(DM2)介于1688～2529Ma之间。结合二云母片岩中碎屑锆石的最小年龄以及穿切其中花岗岩的形成时代,可以判定伊曼群二云母片岩的形成时代介于443～555Ma之间,应为新元古代晚期至晚奥陶世之间。基于伊曼群中碎屑锆石的年龄众数及与区域岩浆事件的对比,伊曼群的沉积物源主要来自松嫩地块和佳木斯地块的新元古代火成岩。此外,白云母二长花岗岩显示出埃达克岩的地球化学属性,岩浆源于加厚下地壳的部分熔融,暗示晚奥陶世研究区可能发生了陆壳加厚事件。     

思茅地块西缘龙洞河组放射虫动物群及其地质意义

思茅地块西缘的龙洞河组为一套火山—沉积岩系 ,原定时代为晚石炭世 ,被认为属南澜沧江洋弧后盆地沉积。现在龙洞河组层状硅质岩断片中发现了晚泥盆世放射虫化石 ,在细碧角斑岩之硅质岩夹层中发现了早石炭世放射虫动物群 ,表明龙洞河组不全是晚石炭世地层 ,而是由晚古生代的一些地层断片组成。思茅地块西缘深水沉积盆地的演化始于泥盆纪 ,应为滇西南古特提斯多岛洋的一个分支 ,向南可能与泰国难河带对比。     

Paleomagnetism of granites from the Angara-Kan basement inlier,Siberian craton

We report a new paleomagnetic determination of Paleoproterozoic rocks from the Siberian craton which showed a positive baked contact test and a stable age of the high-temperature NRM component. The mean paleomagnetic pole of Siberia for ～1730 Ma located at 42.9° S, 109.6° E (α95 = 5.3°) is compatible with the pole positions obtained recently for the middle and late Early Proterozoic.     

U-Pb dating of the baddeleytte-zircon system from Pt-bearing dunite of the Konder massif, Aldan shield: New data

The U-Pb age was obtained for the coexisting baddeleytte-zircon system from dunites of the Konder massif, Aldan shield. Four groups of zircons are heterogeneous by morphology, habit, age, and geochemistry in contrast to homogeneous baddeleytte. The studied zircon groups are characterized by several U-Pb age clusters in the range of 1895 ± 50 to 125.8 ± 3.8 Ma, which indicates their long evolution in Pt-bearing dunites. The young assemblage of baddeleytte and zircon (124.9 ± 1.9 and 125.8 ± 3.8 Ma, respectively) also differs from ancient zircons in the morphology and geochemistry and probably dates to a much later event of diapir evolution, which may be referred to the formation of apatite-phlogopite ore pyroxenites inside the dunite core and tectono-magmatic activation of the Aldan shield.     

Cambrian to Lower Ordovician complexes of the Kokchetav Massif and its fringing (Northern Kazakhstan): Structure,age, and tectonic settings

A comprehensive study of the Lower Palaeozoic complexes of the Kokchetav Massif and its fringing has been carried out. It has allowed for the first time to discover and investigate in detail the stratified and intrusive complexes of the Cambrian–Early Ordovician. Fossil findings and isotope geochronology permitted the determination of their ages. The tectonic position and internal structures of those complexes have also been defined and their chemical features have been analyzed as well. The obtained data allowed us to put forward a model of the geodynamic evolution of Northern Kazakhstan in the Late Ediacaran–Earliest Ordovician. The accumulation of the oldest Ediacaran to Earliest Cambrian siliciclastics and carbonates confined to the Kokchetav Massif and its fringing occurred in a shallow shelf environment prior to its collision with the Neoproterozoic Daut island arc: complexes of the latter have been found in the northeast of the studied area. The Early Cambrian subduction of the Kokchetav Massif under the Daut island arc, their following collision and exhumation of HP complexes led to the formation of rugged ground topography, promoting deposition of siliceous–clastic and coarse clastic units during the Middle to early Late Cambrian. Those sediments were mainly sourced from eroded metamorphic complexes of the Kokchetav Massif basement. At the end of the Late Cambrian to the Early Ordovician within the boundaries of the massif with the Precambrian crust, volcanogenic and volcano-sedimentary units along with gabbros and granites with intraplate affinities were formed. Simultaneously in the surrounding zones, which represent relics of basins with oceanic crust, N-MORB- and E-MORB-type ophiolites were developed. These complexes originated under extensional settings occurred in the majority of the Caledonides of Kazakhstan and Northern Tian Shan. In the Early Floian Stage (Early Ordovician) older heterogeneous complexes were overlain by relatively monotonous siliceous–clastic units, that were being deposited until the Middle Darrivilian Stage (Middle Ordovician).