Triassic Nb-enriched basalts, magnesian andesites, and adakites of the Qiangtang terrane (Central Tibet): evidence for metasomatism by slab-derived melts in the mantle wedge

New chronological, geochemical, and isotopic data are reported for Triassic (219–236 Ma) adakite-magnesian andesite-Nb-enriched basaltic rock associations from the Tuotuohe area, central Qiangtang terrane. The adakites and magnesian andesites are characterized by high Sr/Y (25–45), La/Yb (14–42) and Na₂O/K₂O (12–49) ratios, high Al₂O₃ (15.34–18.28 wt%) and moderate to high Sr concentrations (220–498 ppm) and ε_ND (t) (+0.86 to +1.21) values. Low enrichments of Th, Rb relative to Nb, and subequal normalized Nb and La contents, and enrichments of light rare earth elements combine to distinguish a group of Nb-enriched basaltic rocks (NEBs). They have positive ε_ND (t) (+2.57 to +5.16) values. Positive correlations between Th, La and Nb and an absence of negative Nb anomalies on mantle normalized plots indicate the NEBs are products of a mantle source metasomatized by a slab melt rather than by hydrous fluids. A continuous compositional variation between adakites and magnesian andesites confirms slab melt interaction with mantle peridotite. The spatial association of the NEBs with adakites and magnesian andesites define an “adakitic metasomatic volcanic series” recognized in many demonstrably subduction-related environments (e.g., Mindanao arc, Philippines; Kamchatka arc, Russia; and southern Baja California arc, Mexico). The age of the Touhuohe suite, and its correlation with Triassic NEB to the north indicates that volcanism derived from subduction-modified mantle was abundant prior to 220 Ma in the central Qiangtang terrane.     

Zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic study of gneissic rocks from the Chinese Altai: Progressive accretionary history in the early to middle Palaeozoic

Gneissic rocks in the Chinese Altai Mountains have been interpreted as either Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks or Precambrian basement. This study reports geochemical and geochronological data for banded paragneisses and associated gneissic granitoids collected along a NE–SW traverse in the northwestern Chinese Altai. Petrological and geochemical data suggest that the protoliths of the banded gneisses were possibly immature sediments with significant volcanic input and that the gneissic granitoids were derived from I-type granites formed in a subduction environment. Three types of morphological features can be recognized in zircons from the banded gneisses and are interpreted to correlate with different sources. Zircons from five samples of banded paragneiss cluster predominantly between 466 and 528 Ma, some give Neoproterozoic ages, and a few yield discordant Paleoproterozoic to Archean ages. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate that both juvenile/mantle and crust materials were involved in the generation of the source rocks from which these zircons were derived. In contrast, zircons occur ubiquitously as elongated euhedral prismatic crystals in the four samples of the gneissic granitoids, and define single populations for each sample with mean ages between 380 and 453 Ma. The general absence of Precambrian inheritance and positive zircon ?Hf values for these granitoids suggest insignificant crustal contribution to the generation of the precursor magmas. Our data can be interpreted in terms of a progressive accretionary history in early to middle Palaeozoic times, and the Chinese Altai may possibly represent a magmatic arc built on a continental margin dominated by Neoproterozoic rocks.     

Microbial release of potassium from K-bearing minerals by thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

A strain of thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured with K-bearing minerals to determine if microbe-mineral interactions enhance the release of mineralic potassium. Experiments were carried out in two settings, one with the mineral grains and the fungal cells in direct contact, and the other employing a membrane (pore size 0.22 μm) to separate the two. Measurements over a period of 30 days showed that, irrespective of the experimental setup, the concentration of free K in the culture was drastically higher than those in any of the control experiments where no living organism was present. Moreover, the occurrence of mineral-cell physical contact enhanced potassium release by an additional factor of 3 to 4 in comparison to the separation experiments. For contact experiments, Electron Probe Microanalysis revealed the formation of mycelium-mineral aggregates, and Atomic Force Microscopy imaging further indicated the possible ingestion of mineral particles by the fungus cells. Contrasting to what was observed and expected in control experiments, the potassium solubilization rate showed a positive dependence upon pH when fungi and minerals were mixed directly, and exhibited no correlations with solution acidity if cell-rock contact was restrained. These results appear to suggest that A. fumigatus promoted potassium release by means of at least three likely routes, one through the complexation of soluble organic ligands, another appealing to the immobile biopolymers such as the insoluble components of secretion, and the third related to the mechanical forces in association with the direct physical contact between cells and mineral particles.     

Origin of Fe-Ti Oxide Ores in Mafic Intrusions: Evidence from the Panzhihua Intrusion, SW China

Economic concentrations of Fe–Ti oxides occur as massive,conformable lenses or layers in the lower part of the Panzhihuaintrusion, Emeishan Large Igneous Province, SW China. Mineralchemistry, textures and QUILF equilibria indicate that oxidesin rocks of the intrusion were subjected to extensive subsolidusre-equilibration and exsolution. The primary oxide, reconstructedfrom compositions of titanomagnetite in the ores and associatedintergrowths, is an aluminous titanomagnetite (Usp₄₀) with 40wt % FeO, 34 wt % Fe₂O₃, 16·5 wt % TiO₂, 5·3 wt% Al₂O₃, 3·5 wt % MgO and 0·5 wt % MnO. This compositionis similar to the bulk composition of the oxide ore, as inferredfrom whole-rock data. This similarity strongly suggests thatthe ores formed from accumulation of titanomagnetite crystals,not from immiscible oxide melt as proposed in earlier studies.The occurrence of oxide ores in the lower parts of the Panzhihuaintrusion is best explained by settling and sorting of densetitanomagnetite in the ferrogabbroic parental magma. This magmamust have crystallized Fe–Ti oxides relatively early andabundantly, and is likely to have been enriched in Fe and Tibut poor in SiO₂. These features are consistent with fractionationof mantle-derived melts under relatively high pressures (10kbar), followed by emplacement of the residual magma at 5 kbar.This study provides definitive field and geochemical evidencethat Fe–Ti oxide ores can form by accumulation in ferrogabbro.We suggest that many other massive Fe–Ti oxide depositsmay have formed in a similar fashion and that high concentrationsof phosphorus or carbon, or periodic fluctuation of fO₂ in themagma, are of secondary importance in ore formation. KEY WORDS: ELIP; Fe–Ti oxide ore; layered intrusion; Panzhihua; QUILF     

Impact of lightning on organic matter-rich soils: influence of soil grain size and organic matter content on underground fires

A detailed study was carried out on a piece of land that had been struck by lightning during the violent rainstorm that raged over the Island of S?o Miguel (Azores Archipelago) in late October 2006. Temperature and gas measurements (CO₂, CO, H₂S and CH₄) were performed in four study trenches, dug in an area of ∼3 m², where an underground fire had been initiated by the impact with a lightning stroke, followed by the emission of a column of gases and smoke. The soil under study was originally a well-pedogenized about 80 cm thick bed, made of volcanic clayey to silty tephra fallouts and contained 5.5–9.7% of organic matter. The underground fire was monitored for one week and revealed a peak release of 404 ppm CO and 3.4% CO₂ originating from a horizon located about 45 cm under the soil surface. Measurements of temperature, performed one week after the impact, indicated a maximum value of 326°C inside the soil, while 516.5°C were measured on the surface of a lava block interred about 20 cm under the surface. Subsequently, a stratigraphic and sedimentologic study proved the role of the grain-size of the soil and of the organic matter content of the different horizons of the impact area, in determining the ratio between anoxic/oxidised combustion conditions and in the progress of the process itself. It was also noticed that combustion was not total all over in the soil bed and that the process had slightly migrated toward SW during the observation period. The combustion process went on for about ten days, in spite of several other violent rainstorms, until it was artificially extinguished through the excavations made to obtain study trenches. This particular circumstance evidenced the potential natural hazard represented by this kind of atmospheric event, especially in a land where the volcanic nature of the soil may easily mislead inexperienced observers and, consequently, delay proper action.     

Background concentrations of elements in surface soils and their changes as affected by agriculture use in the desert-oasis ecotone in the middle of Heihe River Basin,North-west China

The concentrations of twenty four chemical elements in the surface layer of natural desert soils and the cultivated farmland soils were measured at a desert-oasis ecotone in the middle of Heihe river basin, north-west China. Background values were estimated for (a) major elements (Si 335.3 g kg^− 1, Al 49.4 g kg^− 1, Fe 19.1 g kg^− 1, Ca 29.4 g kg^− 1, Mg 8.9 g kg^− 1, K 20.1 g kg^− 1, Na 17.5 g kg^− 1 and P 0.338 g kg^− 1), (b) heavy metals and non-metals (Cr 55.8 mg kg^− 1, Mn 404.8 mg kg^− 1, Ni 17.7 mg kg^− 1, Cu 5.1 mg kg^− 1, Zn 33.7 mg kg^− 1, Pb 15.5 mg kg^− 1 and As 5.2 mg kg^− 1) and (c) other trace elements (Ti 2.0 mg kg^− 1, V 55.3 mg kg^− 1, Co 5.7 mg kg^− 1, Rb 82.4 mg kg^− 1, Sr 232.9 mg kg^− 1, Y 14.7 mg kg^− 1, Zr 194.9 mg kg^− 1, Nb 7.8 mg kg^− 1 and Ba 720.6 mg kg^− 1). After natural desert soil was cultivated for agricultural use, significant changes in element concentrations occurred under tillage, irrigation and fertilisation management. Compared to natural soil, the for the levels of Si, K, Na, Sr, Zr and Ba decreased, and no changes were observed for Rb, while the values of the other 17 elements increase in agricultural soil from 1.2 to 3.5 times. However, their absolute concentrations are still low, suggesting that the arable soil in this region remains comparatively a clean soil. The increased silt, clay and organic carbon content, under long-term irrigation, enriched the fine-grained materials, and application of fertilisers and manure contributed to the accumulation of most elements in arable soil. The accumulation of elements in agricultural soil increased with increasing cultivation years and extent of soil development.     

青藏高原西部赛利普中新世火山岩源区:地球化学及Sr-Nd同位素制约

青藏高原拉萨地块西部赛利普地区新生代火山岩依据主量元素可划分为超钾质、钾质和钙碱性系列,主要的岩石类型为粗面安山岩、粗面岩,一个超钾质岩石的40Ar-39Ar年龄为17.58Ma,指示出火山活动为中新世.超钾质、钾质和钙碱性火山岩都显示出富集LREE及LILE(Th、U)、亏损HFSE(Nb、Ta、Ti)的特征.超钾质火山岩具有较高的K2O(6.31%～8.55%)、MgO(6.75%～8.96%)、Cr(270.7×10-6～460.4×10-6)、Ni(142.3×10-6～233.9×10-6)含量,较高的(87Sr/86Sr)i(0.71883～0.72732)和较低的εNd(-14.78～-15.37),指示可能起源于一个前期亏损并经后期俯冲作用改造的富钾的方辉橄榄岩富集地幔源区.钾质火山岩具有比超钾质火山岩低的K2O、MgO、Cr、Ni含量以及高的Ba、Sr含量,初始87Sr/86Sr为0.71553～0.71628,初始143Nd/144Nd为0.51197～0.51198,在空间上与超钾质火山岩共生,可能是前者母岩浆的演化产物.钙碱性火山岩具有较高的Sr(881.7×10-6～1309.2×10-6)、Sr/Y比值(50～108)和较低的Y(12.05×10-6～18.02×10-6),明显亏损重稀土Yb(0.93×10-6～1.30×10-6),类似于典型的埃达克质岩成分特征但相对高钾,并具有相对低的(87Sr/86Sr);(0.70928～0.71374)以及高的εNd(-7.90～-10.91),指示起源于富钾增厚下地壳物质的部分熔融.区域上拉萨地块超钾质岩、钾质岩与N-S向地堑系在空间上共存、时间上相吻合,由此本文认为拉萨地块中新世钾质.超钾质岩和南北向地堑系的形成可能与中新世早期北向俯冲的印度大陆岩石圈断离有关.     

青藏高原东南木里地区二叠纪苦橄岩的Os-Sr-Nd同位素地球化学研究

本文报道了在青藏高原东南木里地区发现的二叠纪苦橄岩和与其共生玄武岩的主微量元素地球化学特征以及Os-Sr-Nd同位素组成。苦橄岩和与其共生玄武岩受地壳混染作用影响较小。根据苦橄岩的Ti/Y比值和初始的Os同位素组成,将木里苦橄岩分为两类:高Ti/Y型苦橄岩和低Ti/Y型苦橄岩,其中高Ti/Y型苦橄岩具有高的γ_(Os)= 5.3～ 10.7和ε_(Nd)= 5.9～ 6.4,与全球典型洋岛玄武岩的Os和Nd同位素组成接近,代表了地幔柱源区的同位素特征;而低Ti/Y型苦橄岩具有低的γ_(Os)=-4.1～ 1.2和ε_(Nd)= 3.2～ 5.0,可能表明受到了SCLM(大陆岩石圈地幔)源区物质的混染。与其共生的玄武岩具有低的γ_(Os)=-3.5～-1.6和ε_(Nd)=-0.6～ 0.7,表明其来自于不同于低Ti/Y型苦橄岩也有异于高Ti/Y型苦橄岩的地幔源区,但是也可能受到了SCLM物质的混染。基于Nd-Os同位素的地幔柱与SCLM的二端元混合模型显示:低Ti/Y型苦橄岩可能是SCLM物质组分与地幔柱起源的苦橄质原始岩浆混合形成的;与苦橄岩共生的玄武岩可能是由地幔柱来源的玄武质岩浆与SCLM小比例熔融的熔体混合形成的。     

西藏冈底斯带措勤地区则弄群火山岩锆石U-Pb年代学格架及构造意义

大规模的则弄群火山岩呈带状近东西向展布于西藏冈底斯带中北部地区.对出露状况较好的措勤地区则弄群火山岩进行了锆石U-Pb定年,以建立其年代学格架便于区域对比.措勤地区则弄群火山岩多数锆石具有生长振荡环带,部分锆石显示核边结构.在措勤达雄北西部上覆于中二叠统下拉组灰岩的1件则弄群英安岩样品的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Ph年龄为130±1Ma,1件则弄群流纹岩样品的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为129±3Ma;在措勤达雄北东部与下白垩统多尼组碎屑岩呈断层接触的1件则弄群英安岩样品中的锆石具有两组LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄,最年轻的一组(包括增生边)为121±1Ma,较老的一组(包括核部)为131±1Ma;在措勤南西部1件则异群流纹岩样品的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为111±1Ma,与措勤地区花岗岩类的侵位时代相当.这些高质量的锆石U-Pb年代学数据表明,措勤地区的则弄群火山作用很可能开始于约130Ma,停息于约110Ma,持续时间约20Ma.区域对比表明,东西延伸约1000km的则弄群火山作用同时发生在约130Ma.区域上目前的年代学数据结合同时代岩浆作用的分布特征表明,冈底斯带中北部地区早白垩世岩浆作用不太可能由新特提斯洋壳向北的低角度或平板俯冲产生.     

三峡库区生基包滑坡监测及成果分析

生基包滑坡监测属于三峡库区奉节县三期地质灾害监测预警项目之一,该滑坡位于长江左岸,临近人口稠密的安坪乡集镇,地理位置重要。三峡水库175 m蓄水后,其变形破坏特征有何表现？对航道安全运营有无潜在威胁？是否会对滑坡体上的重要建筑及村民生产生活构成危害？针对这些问题,首先分析了滑坡的工程地质特征及主要的影响因素;其次,确立以4种监测手段为主、人工巡查为辅的监测方案;通过对大地变形GPS、深部位移、滑坡推力等几种监测方法的运用及对其成果进行分析研究,以实例说明其在滑坡监测中的应用;再次,结合宏观人工巡查进行对照分析,以充分说明大地变形、深部位移和滑坡推力监测在实际运用中的可行性;最后,根据监测结论提出对生基包滑坡防治的建议。