Helium and argon isotope geochemistry of natural gases in China’s petroliferous basins

The age-accumulation effect of 40Ar in hydrocarbon source rocks was discussed in accordance with the decay law of radioactive elements. In terms of the mean values of 40Ar/36Ar, the old Sinian gas reservoirs (mean values of 40Ar/36Ar: 7009) were definitely distinguished from the Permian gas reservoirs (mean values of 40Ar/36Ar: 1017) in Weiyuan, Sichuan Province, and the gas source of the Permian gas reservoir (mean values of 40Ar/36Ar: 5222) in well Wei-7 with the Weiyuan structure is defined as the Sinian system. Based on the values of 40Ar/36Ar, the coal-type gases (The source rocks are of the C-P system; mean values of 40Ar/36Ar: 1125) are definitely distinguished from the oil-type gases (The source rocks are of the Tertiary system; mean values of 40Ar/36Ar: 590) in the Tertiary reservoirs of the Zhongyuan Oilfield. Besides, 40Ar/36Ar values also have a positive effect on the oil-source correlation of oil reservoirs in ancient hidden mountains. According to the crust-mantle interchange information reflected by 3He/4He values, petroliferous provinces in China can be divided into three major tectonic regions. (1) The eastern active region: The crust-mantle volatile matter exchanges actively, and the 3He/4He values are mainly around 10-6, partly around 10-7. (2) The central stable region: The 3He/4He values are all around 10-8. (3) The western sub-stable region: The 3He/4He values are mainly around 10-8, and around 10-7 on the edges of the basins. Helium contents of some gas wells in China’s eastern petroliferous region reach the industrial abundance (He≈0.05%–0.1%), the 3He/4He values reach 10-6, and the equivalent values for the mantle-source components in helium gas can reach 30%–50%. As viewed from this, a new type of crust-mantle composite helium resources has been proposed. Geneses of some CO2 gas reservoirs in the east of China and some issues concerning mantle-source methane were discussed in the light of the helium and carbon isotopes of CO2 and CH4 in natural gases. In the discussion on helium isotopic characteristics of inclusions in the reservoirs, it was discovered that the 3He/4He values are close to those in natural gases. That is to say, this phenomenon is related to regional tectonism. The 3He/4He, CO2/3He and CH4/3He data were used to discuss the tectonic activities of fault zones in a certain number of regions in China.     

Post-collisional, K-rich mafic magmatism in south Tibet: constraints on Indian slab-to-wedge transport processes and plateau uplift

Post-collisional (23–8 Ma), potassium-rich (including ultrapotassic and potassic) mafic magmatic rocks occur within the north–south-trending Xuruco lake–Dangre Yongcuo lake (XDY) rift in the Lhasa terrane of the southern Tibetan Plateau, forming an approximately 130-km-long semi-continuous magmatic belt. They include both extrusive and intrusive facies. Major and trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data are presented for all of the known exposures within the XDY rift. The potassium-rich, mafic igneous rocks are characterized by high MgO (5.9–10.8 wt.%), K₂O (4.81–10.68 wt.%), Ba (1,782–5,618 ppm) and Th (81.3–327.4 ppm) contents, and relatively high SiO₂ (52.76–58.32 wt.%) and Al₂O₃ (11.10–13.67 wt.%). Initial Sr isotopic compositions are extremely radiogenic (0.712600–0.736157), combined with low (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb) _i (18.28–18.96) and (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd) _i (0.511781–0.512046). Chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns display relatively weak negative Eu anomalies. Primitive mantle-normalized incompatible trace element patterns exhibit strong enrichments in large ion lithophile elements relative to high-field-strength elements and display strongly negative Ta–Nb–Ti anomalies. The combined major and trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic characteristics of the K-rich igneous rocks suggest that the primitive magmas were produced by 1–10 % partial melting of an asthenospheric mantle source enriched by both fluids and partial melts derived from Indian passive continental margin sediments subducted into the shallow mantle as a consequence of the northward underthrusting of the Indian continental lithosphere beneath Tibet since the India–Asia collision at ~55 Ma. The best-fit model results indicate that a melt with trace element characteristics similar to those of the K-rich rocks could be generated by 8–10 % partial melting of a metasomatized mantle source in the south and 1–2 % melting in the north of the XDY rift. Trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic modeling indicate that the proportion of fluid derived from the subducted sediments, for which we use as a proxy the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Sequence (HHCS), in the mantle source region increases from north (rear-arc) to south (front-arc), ranging from 0 to 5 %, respectively. Correspondingly, the proportion of the melt derived from the subducted HHCS in the source increases from north (2 %) to south (15 %). The increasing proportion of the fluid and melt component in the mantle source from north to south, together with a southward decreasing trend in the age of the K-rich magmatism within the XDY rift, is inferred to reflect rollback of the subducted Indian lithospheric mantle slab during the period 25–8 Ma. Slab rollback may be linked to a decreasing convergence rate between India and Asia. As a consequence of slab rollback at 25 Ma beneath the Lhasa terrane, its geodynamic setting was transformed from a convergent (55–25 Ma) to an extensional (25–8 Ma) regime. The occurrence of K-rich magmatism during the period 25–8 Ma is a consequence of the decompression melting of an enriched mantle source, which may signal the onset of extension in the southern Tibetan Plateau and provide a petrological record of the extension process.     

蒙古国东南部巴音苏赫图晚古生代—早中生代二长花岗岩地球化学特征及其对构造环境的约束

巴音苏赫图二长花岗岩位于西伯利亚板块东南缘陆缘增生带与二连—贺根山板块对接带北缘之间。该岩体由石炭纪及三叠—侏罗纪两期花岗岩组成,均以高硅、富Al2O3、K2O、Na2O,贫MgO、CaO为特征。微量元素表现为富集LILE、亏损HFSE。弱富集LREE,Eu负异常明显。岩石学和地球化学综合研究表明:两期花岗岩早期为高钾钙碱性、准铝质-过铝质花岗岩碰撞期I型花岗岩,晚期花岗岩具有A型花岗岩特点。Sr-Nd同位素研究表明:石炭纪二长花岗岩(87Sr/86Sr)i比值较低(0.700 62～0.704 82),εNd(t)为正值(0.9～1.5),岩浆来自于增生的岛弧或年轻的幔源物质,在岩浆上升过程中遭受了少量地壳物质的混染;晚三叠世—早侏罗世花岗岩(87Sr/86Sr)i比值较高(0.709 96～0.710 19),εNd(t)较低,为-0.3～0.3,该期次花岗岩与晚石炭世花岗岩同源,受地壳混染程度相对较高。应用LA-ICP-MS法测得石炭纪花岗岩U-Pb年龄为(296±3.5)Ma,结合区域构造演化特点及所测三叠纪花岗岩的地球化学特征认为,在晚石炭世,南蒙古额尔德尼查干地区已进入碰撞期构造环境,在三叠—侏罗纪仍有同碰撞花岗岩侵入,晚石炭世以后的碰撞期持续时间较长。     

Heavy metals pollution on the sediments in lakes Dianchi, Erhai and Poyanghu and historical records

In this paper²¹⁰ Pb and ¹³⁷Cs dating methods were used to determine sedimentation rates of lakes Dianchi, Erhai and Poyanghu, and to establish the time scale of the sediments. Also based on geochemical records in the sediment column, the historical variation in heavy metal content over the past one hundred years was determined. Some element concentration increased rapidly after the 1970s, such as Cu, Zn and Mn in the sediments of northern Lake Dianchi, Cd and Mn in southern Lake Erhai and in the west central parts of Lake Poyanghu, Our investigations indicate that the increase in element concentration is caused by human activities. In order to understand the extent of the effect caused by human activities, we have calculated the flux of Zn, Cd and Mn. Results show that the flux caused by human activities is seven times greater than the natural one and the ratio is about 2 times in Lake Erhai and Lake Poyanghu.     

南秦岭西乡群锆石SHRIMP U—Pb年龄及其构造地质意义

2009年陕西省地质志修编项目组,重点对出露于西乡县城东孙家河附近,南秦岭西乡群孙家河组英安质火山熔岩进行了锆石SHRIMP U-Pb同位素年代学和岩石化学、稀土元素、微量元素等方面的研究,获得了新的同位素年龄为814.8±5.2 Ma。认为该岛弧火山系的形成时代为青白口纪晚期,属晋宁期古扬子板块西缘与青康滇古板块汇聚的产物,为研究南秦岭扬子陆块过渡基底的形成时代,提供了有力的佐证。对进一步详细研究扬子陆块Rodinia超大陆汇聚时限及秦岭造山带的构造演化提供了新的时代证据,具有重要的地质构造意义。     

锡铁山石晶体结构中Fe3+的两种亚晶位

对产于青海锡铁山铅锌矿氧化带中的锡铁山石进行了５７Ｆｅ穆斯堡尔谱的研究，在晶体结构分析的基础上进行了谱峰的重新解释，发现由于配位Ｃｌ－离子无序占位引起Ｆｅ３＋离子所占配位八面体的畸变，形成了Ｆｅ３＋的两种亚晶位，并根据结构数据指定了这两种亚晶位各自形成的四极双峰。     

横断山区花岗岩类中角闪石的标型特征及其成因意义

本文研究了横断山区不同成因类型花岗岩中角闪石的化学成分、微量元素、稀土元素、晶胞参数和物理性质等特征。按化学成分对角闪石作了晶体化学成因分类。在三种不同成因类型角闪石中，其M值[M=Mg/(Mg Fe^2 )]各不相同；幔型M＞0．7，壳幔型M＝0．7－0．5，壳型M<0．5。     

Iron isotopic analyses of geological reference materials on MC-ICP-MS with instrumental mass bias corrected by three independent methods

Here we report iron (Fe) isotopic data of three pure Fe solution standards (IRMM-014, GSB Fe, and NIST 3126a) and five widely used geological reference materials (RMs) from the United States Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Japan obtained on a Neptune Plus multi-collector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) in our laboratory over the past 3 years. The instrumental mass bias was corrected by three independent methods: sample-standard bracketing (SSB), Ni doping?+?SSB, and ⁵⁷Fe–⁵⁸Fe double spike?+?SSB. Measurements reveal that both the Ni doping and double spike methods helped calibrate short-term fluctuations in mass bias. Collectively, almost all measurements of RMs yielded δ⁵⁶Fe within?±?0.05 of recommended values, provided that each sample was measured four times on MC-ICP-MS. For the first time, new recommended values for NIST SRM3126a are reported (δ⁵⁶Fe?=?0.363?±?0.006, 2SE, 95% CI; and δ⁵⁷Fe?=?0.534?±?0.010, 2SE).     

Thermal and rheological structures of the Xisha Trough, South China Sea

The Xisha Trough, located in the northwest of the South China Sea (SCS) mainly rifted 30 Ma ago, has been a failed rift since the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the NW subbasin. Based on the velocity–depth model along Profile OBH-4 across the Xisha Trough, a seven-layer density–depth model is used to estimate density structure for the profile. The relationship between seismic velocity and radiogenic heat production is used to estimate the vertical distribution of heat sources in the lower crust. The 2-D temperature field is calculated by applying a 2-D numerical solution of the heat conduction equation and the thermal lithosphere thickness is obtained from the basalt dry solidus (BDS). The rheology of the profile is estimated on the basis of frictional failure in the brittle regime and power-law steady-state creep in the ductile regime. Rheological model is constructed for a three-layer model involving a granitic upper crust, a quartz diorite lower crust and an olivine upper mantle. Gravity modeling supports basically the velocity–depth model. The Moho along Profile OBH-4 is of relatively high heat flow ranging from 46 to 60 mW/m² and the Moho heat flow is higher in the trough than on the flanks. The depth of the “thermal” lithospheric lower boundary is about 54 km in the center, deepens toward two sides, and is about 75 km at the northern slope area and about 70 km at the southern Xisha–Zhongsha Block. Rheological calculation indicates that the two thinnest ductile layers in the crust and the thickest brittle layer in the uppermost mantle lie in the central region, showing that the Xisha Trough has been rheologically strengthened, which are mainly due to later thermal relaxation. In addition, the strengthening in rheology during rifting was not the main factor in hampering the breakup of the Xisha Trough.     

Ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the forbidden zone: the Xugou garnet peridotite, Sulu terrane, eastern China

The Xugou garnet peridotite body of the southern Sulu ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) terrane is enclosed in felsic gneiss, bounded by faults, and consists of harzburgite and lenses of garnet clinopyroxenite and eclogite. The peridotite is composed of variable amounts of olivine (Fo₉₁), enstatite (En_92?93), garnet (Alm_20?23Prp_53?58Knr_6?9Grs_12?18), diopside and rare chromite. The ultramafic protolith has a depleted residual mantle composition, indicated by a high‐Mg number, very low CaO, Al₂O₃ and total REE contents compared to primary mantle and other Sulu peridotites. Most garnet (Prp_44?58) clinopyroxenites are foliated. Except for rare kyanite‐bearing eclogitic bands, most eclogites contain a simple assemblage of garnet (Alm_29?34Prp_32?50Grs_15?39) + omphacite (Jd_24?36) + minor rutile. Clinopyroxenite and eclogite exhibit LREE‐depleted and LREE‐enriched patterns, respectively, but both have flat HREE patterns. Normalized La, Sm and Yb contents indicate that both eclogite and garnet clinopyroxenite formed by high‐pressure crystal accumulation (+ variable trapped melt) from melts resulting from two‐stage partial melting of a mantle source. Recrystallized textures and P–T estimates of 780–870 °C, 5–7 GPa and a metamorphic age of 231 ± 11 Ma indicate that both mafic and ultramafic protoliths experienced Triassic UHP metamorphism in the P–T forbidden zone with an extremely low thermal gradient (< 5 °C km^?1), and multistage retrograde recrystallization during exhumation. Develop of prehnite veins in clinopyroxenite, eclogite, felsic blocks and country rock gneiss, and replacements of eclogitic minerals by prehnite, albite, white mica, and K‐feldspar indicate low‐temperature metasomatism.