On the age of the Vedrette di Ries (Rieserferner) massif and its geodynamic significance

The Rb/Sr whole rock method was used to carry out radiometric analyses on about forty samples from the Vedrette di Ries massif. The samples were arranged in five sample groups. The age of this massif was found to be Middle Oligocene, and the best-defined isochron (30±3 m. y.) was obtained with a group of nine samples from the Upper Anterselva Valley. The values of the initial Sr isotopic ratio range between 0.709 and 0.727. This fact suggests that these melts were the result of the anatexis of different crustal materials, with some contributions from components with low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)i values. A genetic link is proposed between these Oligocene melts and the Tauern metamorphism.

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Zusammenfassung Für eine radiometrische Gesamtgesteinsanalyse von etwa vierzig Proben des Rieserferner-Massivs, hat man sich der Rb/Sr Methode bedient.Die Proben wurden in fünf Gruppen zusammengestellt.Daraus ergibt sich, daß das Alter dieses Massivs Mittel-oligozän ist.Die beste Isochrone (30±3 M. Jahre) wurde mit einer Gruppe von neun Proben, die aus dem oberen Antholzertal ergaben, erreicht.Die Werte der initialen Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶-Isotopenverhältnisse sind zwischen 0,709 und 0,727.Das regt zum Denken an, daß diese Schmelze das Ergebnis von Anatexis von verschiedenen Krustengesteinen mit der Hilfe von Komponenten mit niedrigen Werten (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr); waren.Zwischen diesen Oligozänschmelzen und der Tauernmetamorphose wird eine genetische Bindung vorgeschlagen.

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Résumé Pour analyser radiométriquement environ quarante échantillons du massif de Riesenferner (Vedrette di Ries) on a employé la méthode Rb/Sr sur roche totale. Les échantillons ont été réunis en cinq groupes. Il en résulte que l'âge de ce massif remonte à l'Oligocène moyen. L'isochrone la meilleure (30±3 m.y.) a été obtenue avec un groupe de neuf échantillons provenant de la haute vallée d'Antholz (Anterselva). Les valeurs des rapports initiaux (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) se placent entre 0,709 et 0,727: Cela suggère que ces liquides ont été le résultat d'une anatexie portant sur différents matériaux de la croûte, avec contribution de composants à basses valeurs (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr). On propose un lien génétique entre ces magmas de l'Oligocène et le métamorphisme des Tauern.

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40- -. . , — . (30±3 ) 9- , . Sr⁸⁷/Sr^8b 0,709 0,727. , . .

     

The Riphean Meteshikha island-arc peridotite-gabbro massif (western Transbaikalia)

New data are presented on the geologic structure, age, petrogeochemical composition, and conditions of formation of the Late Proterozoic Meteshikha ultramafic-mafic pluton of the Ikat complex. Mafic rocks are the main rocks of the massif, whereas ultramafic rocks are secondary; both of them correspond to two intrusive phases. The first phase includes a layered rock series enriched in intercumulus amphibole, which varies in composition from olivine gabbro to leucocratic gabbro-anorthosite; the second is composed of wehrlite, plagiowehrlite, and olivine clinopyroxenite. Mineralogical, petrographic, geochemical, and isotope studies show that the rocks of both phases crystallized from the same mantle melt; note that the PT-conditions of their formation were considerably different. We suppose that they were separated in the intermediate chamber during fractional crystallization and the accumulation of early minerals (olivine and, probably, clinopyroxene) in the lower part of the chamber. Using the COMAGMAT software, we have found the composition of the parental melt for the rocks of the first phase—normal tholeiitic basalt with 0.2-0.5 wt.% water, which might have crystallized at 3.0-3.5 kbar and the oxygen activity controlled by the QFM buffer. The differentiated series is characterized by gradual depletion with Cr and Ni and enrichment with Sr, Ti, Cu, and REE during the evolution of melt. The REE patterns for the massif rocks have a similar low-fractionation trend with domination of light lanthanides over heavy ones and (La/Yb)_N = 1.25-2.75. Multielement spectra are characterized by negative anomalies of K, Th, Nb, and Zr and positive anomalies of Ba, U, Sm, and Sr. The geochemical characteristics of the rocks are similar to those of the tholeiitic basalts of present-day island arcs. Studies show that the Meteshikha massif formed in the subduction setting of the active margin of the Siberian continent in the Late Riphean (809 Ma). © 2015, V.S. Sobolev IGM, Siberian Branch of the RAS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.     

Geochemistry of the volcanoplutonic association of the Shaw massif (East Antarctica): Composition,genesis, and geodynamic interpretation

This paper reports the first petrological and geochemical evidence for the Meso-Neoproterozoic metamorphic and metaintrusive rocks of the Shaw Mountain massif (Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica). It was shown that the orthogneisses (plagiogneisses) and metabasites of the massif were formed as constituents of a volcanoplutonic complex, which included a variety of igneous rocks of normal and subalkaline groups, from ultrabasic to silicic and was assigned to the volcanic tholeiite basalt-andesite-rhyolite, plutonic peridotite-gabbro, and late (?) calc-alkaline gabbro-diorite-plagiogranite associations. The distribution of major and compatible trace elements indicates the fractionation of the primary melts that produced the volcanoplutonic association of the Shaw massif. With respect to the distribution of REE and trace elements and some trace element ratios, the metabasic rocks of the Shaw massif correspond mainly to enriched and normal basalts of mid-ocean ridges, continental rifts, and ocean islands, which suggests a contribution from a plume mantle source. It was found that the region of the Shaw massif is a high-grade metamorphosed margin of the Fisher volcanoplutonic complex, a Mesoproterozoic structure of single geodynamic nature. This is supported by the spatial proximity of the Shaw and Fisher regions, the similar behaviors of most major elements and distribution patterns of trace elements and REE in comparable magmatic associations, and the similar ages of some plutonic associations. Based on the petrological and geochemical data, an alternative geotectonic model was proposed for this region. According to this model, the Fisher complex was formed in a setting of continental rifting coupled with the processes of mantle diapirism, which was subsequently changed by the compression stage. During rifting, the structure could experience significant opening accompanied by ultrabasic-basic tholeiitic magmatism with a significant contribution of mantle material. A subsequent inversion resulted in that the rift structure underwent considerable horizontal compression accompanied by calc-alkaline magmatism and the formation of narrow intracratonic fold zones. The cyclic character of rifting processes and superposition of young rift systems on older ones was also established in the Phanerozoic geotectonic history of the region of the Prince Charles Mountains.     

The U-Pb geochronology of the Mukhal alkaline massif (western Transbaikalia)

We present results of U-Pb (SHRIMP II) geochronological study of the rocks of the Mukhal alkaline massif in the Vitim alkaline province, western Transbaikalia. The available K-Ar and Rb-Sr dates for the alkaline rocks (Saizhen complex) of the Vitim province, including the Mukhal massif, vary over a broad range of values. The obtained age of crystallization of the Mukhal urtites refines the time when the regional alkaline magmatism began. The age of zircons and magmatic processes within the Barguzin area (315–275 Ma) is close to the peak of main events, which occurred between 295 and 275 Ma. These processes took place at the early stage of evolution of the Late Paleozoic rift system in Central Asia, whose activity was associated with the activity of mantle superplume.     

Geology and petrology of the Aragats massif (Armenia)

The Aragats upland is underlain by faulted schists of upper-Proterozoic and lower Paleozoic age. These are overlain by Upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks and limestones and those, in turn, by Eocene volcano-sedimentary rocks. A thick series of volcanic rocks whose , age has been in question overlies all those mentioned above. The present paper describes this series in great detail, characterizes it chemically, and gives new evidence on its age. On the basis of new finds of fossils in these rocks, and because they are cut by lower Miocene intrusive bodies, it is concluded that the volcanics in question are Oligocene. -- E. Ingersoll.     

Geochemistry of the Adamello massif (northern Italy)

The Tertiary Adamello massif, outcropping over an area of more than 550 km² in the southern Alps (northern Italy) is composed mainly of granitoid rocks (granodiorite, tonalite, quartz diorite) with minor amounts of diorite and gabbro. The major and trace element composition of these rocks is comparable to calc-alkaline volcanic rocks of continental margins. The granitoid rocks display spatial and temporal variations in their composition, particularly in Na, P, Sr, La, Nb and Y contents and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. The variations were probably produced by concurrent contamination/wall-rock assimilation and fractional crystallization of high-alumina basaltic magma.     

Changing direction of magnetic fabric in a thrust unit: an example from the Karkonosze-Izera massif (SW Poland)

The southern and eastern margins of the Karkonosze-Izera massif in the West Sudetes expose a nappe pile overthrust toward the NW onto the pre-Variscan continental basement of the Saxothuringian basin. The uppermost thrust sheet, the Leszczyniec nappe, shows an entirely different structural pattern in comparison to all underlying units. Although this contrast of structural trends has been long recognized, the irregular distribution of structural data prevented its reliable tectonic interpretation. Therefore, the AMS method was applied in the area to collect more structural information from meta-igneous, often massive and weakly foliated and lineated rocks of the Leszczyniec unit. An analysis of the magnetic fabric confirms the general difference of structural plan between the Leszczyniec nappe and the underlying tectonic units, interpreted below to result from the juxtaposition of entirely decoupled crustal segments. Furthermore, the AMS data reveals a discrepancy of the magnetic fabric within the Leszczyniec unit itself, between the metabasites and penetrating them metagranitoids. The latter rocks demonstrate a continuous transition of a structural trend towards that, typical of the underlying nappe pile. This abrupt change probably reflects an uplift of the Leszczyniec unit into the shallower crustal level dominated by a different deformation regime.     

Age and source material of the Kingash ultramafic-mafic massif,East Sayan

The REE distribution patterns and Nd whole-rock and mineral isotope ratios of the Kingash ultramafic-mafic massif enabled us to propose a multistage history for its evolution at 1410 and 875 Ma. These stages reflect the magmatic evolution of the Siberian paleocontinent margin during the Late Precambrian. The age of metamorphism of the massif during collision and accretion in the Early Paleozoic (∼500 Ma) was obtained based on a Sm-Nd mineral isochron from rheomorphic veined albitite. The Nd and Sr isotopic compositions of rocks from the Kingash massif suggest mantle sources for picritic and basic magmas, which are thought to have originated by mixing of different proportions of depleted (PREMA or DM) and enriched (EM) melts. The initial isotope ratios of the parental melts transformed during interaction with Sr-rich material from the host metasedimentary complexes.     

东海地区重磁场特征及其地质意义

重磁方法是地球物理研究中的重要分支,其以位场理论为基础,具有在水平方向上的高分辨率能力并能够提供地壳深部结构的信息,从而对于研究沉积盆地的形成演化过程起着经济有效的作用.文章以东海地区近年的重磁数据为基础,分析了重磁场特征,布格异常值介于-160～460 mGal,在正值背景上发育一些局部的重力低圈闭,布格重力异常的主体走向为NE向,磁力异常值介于-200～+ 500 nT,磁力异常的主体走向为NE向.同时,利用磁异常数据计算了东海的磁性基底界面,磁性基底深度在4～12 km之间变化,各个地区磁性基底深度起伏变化不同,结合前人研究成果,认为东海地区广泛存在中生界地层.     

Spinel-anthophyllite rocks of the Kokchetav massif (northern Kazakhstan)

Spinel-anthophyllite rocks that may be classified as ultrabasic low-Ca spinel amphibolites have been first discovered in the Kokchetav collision zone (northern Kazakhstan). They outcrop 2 km west of Enbek-Berlyk Village among schists and quartzites and are closely associated with spinel harzburgites and garnet pyroxenites. The main hosted minerals are spinel (hercynite) and anthophyllite. The rocks bear magnetite-hornblende-spinel-anthophyllite pseudomorphs with rounded and polygonal sections, which might have been resulted from the replacement of garnet grains. The prismatic anthophyllite crystals and scarce olivine relics contain elongate parallel spinel inclusions resembling spinel-olivine syntactic intergrowths in the Enbek-Berlyk spinel harzburgites. The spinel-anthophyllite rocks are similar to the associated spinel harzburgites in CaO, MnO, SiO₂, and Al₂O₃ contents but are richer in FeO and poorer in MgO (F = FeO/(FeO + MgO) = 57% against 35% in the harzburgites). Geological, mineralogical, and geochemical data suggest that the spinel-anthophyllite rocks formed during the isochemical contact metamorphism of garnet-bearing spinel harzburgites, which contained more FeO and less MgO than garnet-free harzburgites of the same area. Variations in FeO and MgO contents in both types of harzburgites seem to be due to different chemical compositions of the chlorite protoliths of these rocks.     

Garnet-bearing basites of the Kuvalorog massif (Kamchatka Peninsula )

The petrographic, petrochemical, and mineralogical compositions of the Kuvalorog Ni-bearing cortlandite-norite intrusion and endocontact leucodiorites hosting pyrope-almandine garnet are considered. Lamprophyre dikes with scarce pyrope-almandine garnet, first discovered in the massif, and plagioclase-pyroxene symplectites in garnet porphyroblast areas are studied. Judging from the petrography of rocks and the composition of inclusions rich in incompatible elements in the garnet, the mineral was produced by the reaction of orthopyroxene with the anorthite component of plagioclase at the subsolidus stage of formation of endocontact diorites. This reaction was probably favored by the fluid phase abundant in the parental magma of the Kuvalorog intrusion and, especially, in the zones near its contact with relics of terrigenous rocks, where it was produced as a result of the rock dehydration under the thermal effect of the intrusion.     

Considerations about Hercynian thrusting in the Marimanya massif (central Pyrenees)

We can distinguish four main units within the Marimanya massif: the Cambro-Ordovician detrital series; a carbonate unit, mainly made up of massive limestones dated as Silurian-Devonian; dark slates and limestones dated as Middle-Upper Devonian; and the late Hercynian Marimanya intrusive, mainly composed of granites and granodiorites. Mapping has shown that the carbonate units lie on different levels of the Cambro-Ordovician series and even on the dark slates and limestones. This abnormal contact is demonstrated to be a thrust. The thrusting surface is affected by Hercynian folds with vertical axial planes, a fold axis trending E-W and an associated cleavage. Moreover, it is cut by the late Hercynian intrusive. Consequently, considering paleontological and structural data as well as the regional context, the most reasonable interpretation is that this structure represents a Hercynian thrust, probably with southward displacement.     

Within-plate (intracontinental) and postorogenic magmatism of the East European Craton as reflection of the evolution of continental lithosphere

A comparative analysis of within-plate (intracontinental) and orogenic magmatic series formed during various evolution stages of the East European Craton (EEC) was performed using geological-petrological, geochemical, and isotopic data. The example of Baltic shield indicates that the compositions and tectonic settings of mantle melts in the Early Precambrian (Archean and Early Paleoproterozoic) significantly differed from those in the Phanerozoic. The Early Precambrian magmas were dominated by high-Mg low-Ti melts of the komatiite-basaltic and boninite-like series; this tectonomagmatic activity was determined by the ascent of mantle superplumes of the first generation, which originated in the depleted mantle. In the interval of 2.3–2.0 Ga, high-Mg mantle melts gradually gave place to the Fe-Ti picrites and basalts that are typical of within-plate Phanerozoic magmatism; at ～2 Ga, plume tectonics of the Early Precambrian gave way to plate tectonics. This is considered to be linked to the activity of mantle superplumes of the second generation (thermochemical), which originated from the liquid metallic core/mantle interface. Owing to the presence of fluid components, these superplumes reached much higher levels, where spreading of their head portions led to the active interaction with overlaying thinned rigid lithosphere. Sm-Nd isotopic studies showed that orogenic Neoarchean and Middle Paleoproterozoic magmatism of the Baltic shield was connected to the melting of the lithospheric mantle and crust; the melting of crustal sources gave rise to felsic members of the considered complexes. The systematic geochemical variations observed in these rocks with time presumably reflect a general trend toward an increase of the thickness of the continental crust serving as the basement for orogens. Beginning at ～2 Ga, the Meso, Neoproterozoic, and Phanerozoic including, no systematic variations were observed in the isotopic-geochemical characteristics of within-plate magmatism. All considered age sections demonstrate that isotopic-geochemical characteristics of parental mantle melts were strongly modified by crustal contamination. Mesoproterozoic magmatism of EEC was unique in the development of giant anorthosite-rapakivi granite complexes. Kimberlites and lamproites were repeatedly formed within EEC in the time interval from 1.8 to 0.36 Ga; their maximal development was noted in the Late Devonian. It was shown that only kimberlites derived from weakly enriched mantle are diamondiferous in the Arkhangelsk province; in the classic diamond provinces (Africa and Yakutia), diamondiferous kimberlites were derived from both depleted and enriched mantle.     

Pseudosecondary clastic rocks of the Dzuramtai massif (Southern Mongolia)

Specific rocks (tectonomixtites) developed in the framing of Mongolian granite massifs (Dzuramtai and some others) at the Mesozoic section bottom are studied. It is shown that the tectonomixtites are tectonic rocks rather than eluvial or sedimentary rocks, as was considered previously. They formed in the Cenozoic in the process of granite protrusion beneath a thick sedimentary cover owing to the crushing of granites and abrasion of granite fragments with the subsequent transformation of clastic rocks by groundwaters (suffosion). In this process, clastic rocks yielded fine products of the destruction of feldspars and quartz was concentrated. The rocks formed at relatively low temperatures (no more than 200–300°C) under stress strains.     

Two types of noble metal mineralization in the Kaalamo massif (Karelia)

Noble metal mineralization of the syngenetic (Southern Kaalamo) and epigenetic (Surisuo) types are defined in the Kaalamo massif. The ?Pt, Pd, Au content is as high as 0.9–1.1 g/t. Syngenetic mineralization started at the late magmatic stage (at around 800°C) gradually evolving to cease during the hydrothermal–metasomatic stage (<271°C). Epigenetic mineralization was formed at temperatures ranging from 500 to <230°C in zones of intense shear deformations and low-temperature metasomatosis during the collisional stage of the Svecofennian tectono-magmatic cycle (approximately 1.85 Ga ago). Taking into consideration the geological position of the Kaalamo massif in the Raakhe–Ladoga metallogenic zone with widely developed intense shear dislocations, the epigenetic mineralization type seems to be more promising with respect to noble metals.     

Autometasomatic processes in granitoids of Neroysk-Patok massif (Circumpolar Urals)

The granitoids of the Neroysk-Patok massif exhibit autometasomatic zones in which potassium enrichment is followed by that of sodium, and later, by acid leaching. Such processes affected the country rocks, as well, and are attributed to the action of postmagmatic solutions. The concentration of rare nietal minerals is closely related to the activity of such solutions. —R.C. Epis