Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating of granites from Dulan and the chronological framework of the North Qaidam UHP belt,NW China

Zircon SHRIMP dating of granites from Dulan,east segment of North Qaidam UHP belt shows that they are 406.6±3.5 Ma for Yematan-E,407.3±4.3 and 397±6 Ma for Balijiehatan-W,404.5±4.0 and 397.0±3.7 Ma for Shuiwenzhan-N,380.5±5.0 Ma for Shuiwenzhan-S,382.5±3.6 and 372.5±2.8 Ma for Chachagongma.These granites from Dulan represent the products of the third and fourth periods of Paleozoic magmatism in North Qaidam.Geochemically,the granitoids with metalumious to weak peratuminous are quartz diorite,granodiorite,and granite in composition and mainly belong to calc-alkaline series,a few samples to calc or alkali-calc series.The third period of granites is a rock association of granodiorite+granite,with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.7082 to 0.7110 and T2DM model ages from 1.41–1.90 Ga;and the fourth period of granites is a rock association of quartz diorite+granodiorite+granite,with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.7072 to 0.7091 and T2DM model ages from 1.07–1.38 Ga.Therefore,the third period of granites has higher initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and T2DM model ages.On the contrary,the fourth period of granites has Nd(t)values from 0.6 to-3.0,higher than that of the third granite with Nd(t)values-3.2 to-9.3.Thus,the data comparison indicates that the third granites may derive from Paleo-proterzoic continental crust with mantle material whereas the fourth granites may derive from the Meso-proterzoic basalt crust with continental material.Combined with regional geology,we thought that the third granites were formed relative to plate exhumation and the fourth granites to delamination of the lithospheric mantle.     

Geochemical Characterizations of Source and Depositional Environment of Hydrocarbons in the Lake Albert Rift Basin

Despite the upsurge in hydrocarbon exploration in the Lake Albert Rift Basin(LARB)over the past three decades,systematic characterization of hydrocarbon compositions remains lacking,leading to uncertainties in source rock and oil generation determination.We characterized crude oil compositions and oil sand samples in the northern and southern subbasins of LARB.The relative abundance of normal and branched linear alkanes,hopanes,steranes,and aromatic hydrocarbon suggest that northern and southern hydrocarbons were deposited in anoxic to suboxic lacustrine environments and share similar biological source compositions(i.e.,a mixture of plants and aquatic algae and bacteria).Relative to southern samples,northern samples show more negative δ¹³C values for oils,saturates and aromatics,indicating longer migration paths,and exhibit higher MPI-1,DNR-1 and 4-/1-MDBT ratios,indicating higher maturity.Between the two possible sets of source rocks(upper Miocene and Jurassic strata),the positive δ¹³C values of saturated hydrocarbons(average=-20.5‰)suggest that the upper Miocene lacustrine shale is the most likely candidate.Oleanane index(<5% in our samples)does not exclude either source rock possibility,and C₂₈/C₂₉ regular sterane(average=0.63)may be biased by high terrestrial inputs in a lacustrine setting.Together,our data show that northern and southern oils originate from the same source rocks but different oil kitchens.Given the similar geochemical characteristics of southern and northern oils,previous exploration successes in the northern subbasin likely suggest similar potential in the southern sector,while other elements influencing exploration success must be also evaluated.     

北祁连山西段螯油沟蛇绿岩SHRIMP分析结果及其地质意义

本文通过对北祁连山西段熬油蛇绿岩中辉绿岩岩墙的锆石SHRIMP法年龄 的测定，确定出熬油的沟蛇绿岩形成于中元古代早期（约1777Ma)，这是迄今为止我国发现的最古老的蛇绿岩。该年龄测定的结果还暗示了本区在1466Ma和507Ma各有一次地质事件，前者可能代表了中元古代早期的洋盆闭合的下限年龄，后者代表一次加里东期区域变质事件，并且本区可能还存在未出露的新太古结晶基底（2561Ma)。     

REE and PGE Geochemical Constraints on the Formation of Dunites in the Luobusa Ophiolite, Southern Tibet

The Luobusa ophiolite, Southern Tibet, lies in the Indus–YarlungZangbo suture zone that separates Eurasia to the north fromthe Indian continent to the south. The ophiolite contains awell-preserved mantle sequence consisting of harzburgite, clinopyroxene(cpx)-bearing harzburgite and dunite. The harzburgite containsabundant pods of chromitite, most of which have dunite envelopes,and the cpx-bearing harzburgites host numerous dunite dykes.Dunite also exists as a massive unit similar to those of themantle–crust transition zones in other ophiolites. Allof the dunites in the ophiolite have a similar mineralogy, comprisingmainly olivine with minor orthopyroxene and chromite and tracesof clinopyroxene. They also display similar chemical compositions,including U-shaped chondrite-normalized REE patterns. Mantle-normalizedPGE patterns show variable negative Pt anomalies. Detailed analysisof a chromite-bearing dunite dyke, which grades into the hostcpx-bearing harzburgite, indicates that LREE and Ir decrease,whereas HREE, Pd and Pt increase away from the dunite. Thesefeatures are consistent with formation of the dunite dykes byinteraction of MORB peridotites with boninitic melts from whichthe chromitites were formed. Because the transition-zone dunitesare mineralogically and chemically identical to those formedby such melt–rock reaction, we infer that they are ofsimilar origin. The Luobusa ultramafic rocks originally formedas MORB-source upper mantle, which was subsequently trappedas part of a mantle wedge above a subduction zone. Hydrous meltsgenerated under the influence of the subducted slab at depthmigrated upward and reacted with the cpx-bearing harzburgitesto form the dunite dykes. The modified melts ponded in smallpockets higher in the section, where they produced podiformchromitites with dunite envelopes. At the top of the mantlesection, pervasive reaction between melts and harzburgite producedthe transition-zone dunites. KEY WORDS: melt–rock interaction; REE; PGE; hydrous melt; mantle; ophiolite; Tibet