Early Paleozoic alkaline magmatism of the Altai Mountains: 40Ar-39Ar geochronology data for the Edel’veis complex

The isotopic age by⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar (506.8 ± 3.5 Ma) was determined for the rock-forming phlogopite from the alkaline carbonatite-containing Edel’veis complex in the southeast of the Altai Mountains. Based on this, the complex development is attributed to the formation of a large magmatic province at the Early Paleozoic stage (Caledonian, ～510–470 My ago) of the development of the Central Asian folded belt. By the features of substantial composition and the time of appearance, the Edel’veis complex is considered as a product of the primary phase of the activity of the mantle plume promoting the multiform magmatism of Central Asia in the Early and Middle Paleozoic. In view of the new geochronology data obtained, for the geodynamic evolution of the Gorno-Altai terrain, the authors propose to distinguish the three stages of the appearance of magmatism of increased alkalinity: the Early Paleozoic (Cambrian), Middle Paleozoic (Devonian), and Early Mesozoic (Triassic) stages.

     

Sokhatiny differentiated gabbro-monzodiorite intrusion from the example of sin-batholitic gabbroids of Yano-Kolymskaya system

The Sokhatnyi intrusion is an example of a later Mesozoic deferential massif referred to the gabbro-monzodiorite type in Northeastern Russia; according to geological data, it precedes high-alumina granitoids of the Yano-Kolymskaya folded system. It is shown that formation of the layered series of the massif is caused by the crystallized and gravitational fractioning of the high-alumina olivine basalt with increased potassium alkalinity in shallow water media. The boundary facies of the massif are represented by manzogabbroidnorites and monzodiorites. The U-Pb age determinations of zircon (SHRIMP-II) from the taxitite striped biothite gabbro in the lower boundary facies showed 148 ± 1 million years. Thus, taking into account the geological relations and geochronological data on the Sokhatinyi gabbro-monzodiorite, a differential intrusion was formed within the same age period as granite batholites of the Main belt.     

The conditions of formation of sapphire and zircon in the areas of alkali-basaltoid volcanism in Central Vietnam

Study of the chemical composition of clinopyroxene and garnet megacrysts from the Dak Nong sapphire deposit and model calculations have shown that megacrysts originated from the crystallization of alkali basaltoid magma in a deep-seated intermediate chamber at 14–15 kbar, which is close to the Moho depth (50 km) in this part of southeastern Asia. The chamber was a source of heat and CO₂ fluids for the generation of crustal syenitic melts producing sapphires and zircons. The formation conditions of sapphires and zircons are significantly different. The presence of jadeite inclusions in placer zircons points to high pressures during their crystallization, which is confirmed by the ubiquitous decrepitation of CO₂-rich melt inclusions. Sapphires crystallized from iron-rich syenitic melt in the shallower Earth’s crust horizons with the participation of CO₂ and carbonate–H₂O–CO₂ fluids. The subsequent eruptions of alkali basalts favored the transportation of garnet and pyroxene megacrysts as well as sapphire and zircon xenocrysts to the surface. It is shown that sapphire deposits can be produced only during multistage basaltic volcanism with deep-seated intermediate chambers in the regions with thick continental crust. The widespread megacryst mineral assemblage (clinopyroxene, garnet, sanidine, ilmenite) and the presence of placer zircon megacrysts can be used as indicators for sapphire prospecting.     

Petrological and mineralogical features of volcanic rocks from the central Kuznetsk Basin (southern Siberia)

The Kuznetsk Basin volcanic rocks are close in age (from 252.3 ± 0.6 to 246.2 ± 1.4 Ma) to the traps of the West Siberian Plate and Siberian craton, which formed as a result of the Permo-Triassic plume activity. The geologic and petrographic features evidence that the andesitic basalts exposed in the Karakan and Elbak quarries are effusive rocks; most of them are andesitic basalts, and the rest are trachyandesitic basalts. The mineral composition is as follows: olivine Fo_59–66, plagioclase An_47–60, and clinopyroxene En_47–42Fs_25–12Wo_42–33; Mg# = 82–63. Using the COMAGMAT 3.5 program, the magma crystallization conditions during the andesitic-basalt formation were determined: 1109–1105 ºC, buffer QFM-NNO. The studied rocks are enriched in LREE ((La/Yb)_ch = 4.7–7.5) and are depleted in HREE ((Sm/Yb)_ch = 2.0–2.8). A specific geochemical feature of the rocks is strong Nb, Ta, Ti, and Eu negative anomalies ((La/Nb)_PM = 4.5–1.6, (La/Ta)_PM = 3.2–2.0, Eu/Eu? = 0.7) and a positive U anomaly on their normalized element patterns; ?_Nd(T) varies from +2.3 to +3.1. The HREE depletion of the Kuznetsk Basin volcanic rock points to the presence of garnet in the mantle source during their generation. The low Mg# indicates that the parental melts are not of the primary-mantle genesis but are probably the product of differentiation in deep-seated intermediate magma chambers.     

Neoproterozoic carbonatite magmatism of the Yenisei Ridge, Central Siberia: 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the Penchenga rock complex

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar isotopic ages of magnesioarfvedsonite (725.9 ± 6.3 myr) and phlogopite (637.6 ± 5.7 myr) from carbonatites of the Penchenga rock complex located in the South Trans Angara segment of the Yenisei Ridge have been determined. Based on this, the formation of the rock complex is associated with the start of the period of Neoproterozoic (725–700 Ma) rifting and alkaline magmatism in the region, the latter being associated with the former. The appearance of zones penetrable for magma of the “disseminated” rifting type is associated with the development of late collision shear dislocations in a consolidated marginal continental crust. The primary melts had a plume nature, but matter from different mantle sources intermixed in the environment of the changing geodynamic regime. The younger age of the mica was apparently caused by partial remelting of carbonatites under the influence of heat and fluids generated during the formation of the adjacent large granite massif of a younger age.