Mesozoic and early Cenozoic tectonic convergence-to-rifting transition prior to opening of the South China Sea

We have investigated Mesozoic geological problems around the South China Sea (SCS) based on gravimetric, magnetic, seismic, and lithofacies data. Three-dimensional analytical signal amplitudes (ASA) of magnetic anomalies clearly define the inland tectonic boundaries and the residual Mesozoic basins offshore. The ASA suggest that the degree of magmatism and/or the average magnetic susceptibility of igneous rocks increase southeastwards and that late-stage A-type igneous rocks present along the coast of southeast China possess the highest effective susceptibility. The geophysical data define Mesozoic sedimentary and tectonic structures and reveal four major unconformities [Pz/T–J, T–J/J, J/K, and Mesozoic/Cenozoic (Pz, Palaeozic; T, Triassic; J, Jurassic; K, Cretaceous)], corresponding to regional tectonic events revealed by nine palaeogeographic time slices based on prior geological surveys and our new fieldwork. Showing both sedimentary and volcanic facies and regional faults, our palaeogeographic maps confirm an early Mesozoic northwestward-migrating orogeny that gradually obliterated the Tethyan regime, and a middle-to-late Mesozoic southeastward migration and younging in synchronized extension, faulting, and magmatism. Three major phases of marine deposition developed but were subsequently terminated by tectonic compression, uplift, erosion, faulting, rifting, and/or magmatism. The tectonic transition from the Tethyan to Pacific regimes was completed by the end of the Middle Triassic (ca. 220 Ma), reflecting widespread Mesozoic orogeny. The transition from an active to a passive continental margin occurred at the end of the Early Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma); this was accompanied by significant changes in sedimentary environments, due likely to an eastward retreat of the palaeo-Pacific subduction zone and/or to the collision of the West Philippine block with Eurasia. The overall Mesozoic evolution of southeast China comprised almost an entire cycle of orogenic build-up, peneplanation, and later extension, all under the influence of the subducting palaeo-Pacific plate. Continental margin extension and rifting continued into the early Cenozoic, eventually triggering the Oligocene opening of the SCS.     

Geology and age of the Glikson impact structure,Western Australia

The Glikson structure is an aeromagnetic and structural anomaly located in the Little Sandy Desert of Western Australia (23°59'S, 121°34′E). Shatter cones and planar microstructures in quartz grains are present in a highly deformed central region, suggesting an impact origin. Circumferential shortening folds and chaotically disposed bedding define a 19 km-diameter area of deformation. Glikson is located in the northwestern Officer Basin in otherwise nearly flat-lying sandstone, siltstone and conglomerate of the Neoproterozoic Mundadjini Formation, intruded by dolerite sills. The structure would not have been detected if not for its strong ring-shaped aeromagnetic anomaly, which has a 10 km inner diameter and a 14 km outer diameter. We interpret the circular magnetic signature as the product of truncation and folding of mafic sills into a ring syncline. The sills most likely correlate with dolerites that intrude the Boondawari Formation ～25 km to the north, for which we report a SHRIMP U?–?Pb baddeleyite and zircon age of 508?±?5 Ma, providing a precise older limit for the impact event that formed the Glikson structure.     

Geochronology,geochemistry, and mineralization of the granodiorite porphyry hosting the Matou Cu–Mo (±W) deposit,Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt,eastern China

Porphyry and skarn Cu–Fe–Au–Mo deposits are widespread in the Middle and Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt (MLYMB), eastern China. The Matou deposit has long been regarded as a typical Cu–Mo porphyry deposit within Lower Yangtze part of the belt. Recently, we identified scheelite and wolframite in quartz veins in the Matou deposit, which is uncommon in other porphyry and skarn deposits in the MLYMB. We carried out detailed zircon U–Pb dating and geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic studies of the granodiorite porphyry at Matou to define any differences from other ore-related granitoids. The porphyry shows a SiO₂ content ranging from 61.85 wt.% to 65.74 wt.%, K₂O from 1.99 wt.% to 3.74 wt.%, and MgO from 1.74 wt.% to 2.19 wt.% (Mg^# value ranging from 45 to 55). It is enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, but relatively depleted in Nb, Ta, Y, Yb and compatible trace elements (such as Cr, Ni, and V), with slight negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu^* = 0.88–0.98) and almost no negative Sr anomalies. Results of electron microprobe analysis of rock-forming silicate minerals indicate that the Matou porphyry has been altered by an oxidized fluid that is rich in Mg, Cl, and K. The samples show relatively low ε_Nd(t) values from −7.4 to −7.1, slightly high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values from 0.708223 to 0.709088, and low ε_Hf(t) values of zircon from −9.0 to −6.5, when compared with the other Cu–Mo porphyry deposits in the MLYMB. Zircon U–Pb dating suggests the Matou granodiorite porphyry was emplaced at 139.5 ± 1.5 Ma (MSWD = 1.8, n = 15), which is within the age range of the other porphyries in the MLYMB. Although geochemical characteristics of the Matou and other porphyries in the MLYMB are similar and all adakitic, the detrital zircons in the samples from Matou suggest that Archean lower crust (2543 ± 29 Ma, MSWD = 0.25, n = 5) was involved with the generation of Matou magma, which is different from the other porphyries in the belt. Our study suggests that the Matou granodiorite porphyry originated from partial melting of thickened lower crust that was delaminated into the mantle, similar to the other porphyries in the MLYMB, but it has a higher proportion of lower crustal material, including Archean rocks, which contributed to the formation of the porphyry and related W-rich magmatic-hydrothermal system.     

Geochemistry and Ar–Ar muscovite ages of the Daraban Leucogranite,Mawat Ophiolite,northeastern Iraq: Implications for Arabia–Eurasia continental collision

Daraban Leucogranite dykes intruded discordantly into the basal serpentinized harzburgite of the Mawat Ophiolite, Kurdistan region, NE Iraq. These coarse grained muscovite-tourmaline leucogranites are the first leucogranite dykes identified within the Mawat Ophiolite. They are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, tourmaline, muscovite, and secondary phologopite, while zircon, xenotime, corundum, mangano-ilemnite and cassiterite occur as accessories.The A/CNK value of the granite dyke samples varies from 1.10 to 1.22 indicating a strongly peraluminous composition. CaO/Na₂O ranges from 0.11 to 0.15 and Al₂O₃/TiO₂ from 264 to 463, similar to the strongly peraluminous (SP) granites exposed in ‘high-pressure’ collision zones such as the Himalayas.Ar–Ar muscovite step-heating dating yields 37.57 ± 0.25 and 38.02 ± 0.53 Ma plateau ages for two samples which are thought to reflect either their magmatic emplacement or resetting during collision-related metamorphism. Mineral chemistry shows evidence of both primary and secondary types of muscovite, with cores favouring the magmatic interpretation and slight effects of a late syn-serpentinization fluid seen at the rims.Geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite dykes favour a syn-collisional tectonic setting. They probably formed in response to the continental collision between Eurasia and Arabia during the initial stage of the opening of the Gulf of Aden at 37 Ma. The muscovite ages and geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite are strong evidence for the timing of the continental collision between northeastern Arabia and Eurasia in Kurdistan region of Iraq.     

Tectonothermal events in the Olympic IOCG Province constrained by apatite and REE-phosphate geochronology

The Olympic iron oxide–copper–gold province in South Australia contains numerous deposits and prospects, including the Olympic Dam Cu–U–Au–Ag deposit and the Acropolis prospect. The Acropolis prospect comprises massive, coarse-grained magnetite–apatite veins partly replaced by a hematite-stable assemblage. The apatite grains in the veins contain zones with abundant inclusions of other minerals (including monazite and xenotime) and low trace-element concentrations relative to the inclusion-free zones. The inclusion-rich apatite zones are interpreted to be formed from the recrystallisation of the inclusion-free apatite and remobilisation of U, Th and rare earth element (REE) from apatite into monazite and xenotime. Apatite, monazite and xenotime are all established U–Th–Pb geochronometers and offer the potential to constrain the alteration history of the Acropolis prospect. The LA-ICPMS U–Pb age of inclusion-free apatite is within error of the age of the host volcanic units (ca 1.59 Ga). Inclusion-rich apatite yields both near-concordant analyses that are within error of the inclusion-free apatite as well as highly disturbed (discordant) analyses. The most concordant analyses of monazite (Th–Pb) inclusions and xenotime (U–Pb) inclusions and rim grains indicate an alteration event occurred at ca 1.37 Ga and possibly also at ca 500 Ma. The disparity in age of the inclusion-rich apatite and the REE-phosphate inclusions (and rim grains) is suggested to be owing to the apatite being initially recrystallised at ca 1.59 Ga and modified again by a later event that also formed (or coarsened) most of the inclusions. Partial resetting of the majority of the monazite inclusions as well as the presence of significant amounts of common Pb has complicated the interpretation of the monazite results. In contrast, xenotime is a more robust geochronometer in this setting. The ages of the two post-1.59 Ga events that appear to have affected the Acropolis prospect do not correspond to any events known to have occurred in the Gawler Craton. The earlier (ca 1.37 Ga) age instead corresponds best with metamorphic–magmatic–hydrothermal activity in Laurentia, consistent with the proximity of Laurentia and the Gawler Craton inferred from palaeogeographic reconstructions. The later (ca 500 Ma) event corresponds to the Delamerian Orogeny and has been shown by prior studies to have also affected the Olympic Dam deposit.     

Petrogenesis and metallogenic potential of the Jurassic porphyries in the northwest Zhejiang Province,South China: insights from SHRIMP zircon geochronology,geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopes of the Huangbaikeng ore-bearing porphyries

The northwest Zhejiang Province is a key domain for providing deep insight into the crust–mantle interaction and tectonic evolution of the South China block. In this paper, we collect geochemical, geochronological, and isotopic data of the Jurassic porphyries in this region, and investigated the Huangbaikeng ore-bearing porphyry in the Tongcun Mo–Cu deposit, using it as an example to uncover the porphyry petrogenesis and evaluate their metallogenic potential. Two varieties of the Huangbaikeng porphyry were distinguished: the medium- to coarse-grained type and medium- to fine-grained type. Zircon Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe U–Pb dating indicates that they were emplaced at 161.8 ± 2.8 and 162.7 ± 3.5 Ma, respectively, which are consistent with the molybdenite Re–Os ages of 163.9–161.8 Ma. The inherited zircons age spectrum significantly recorded a series of geological events, for example, assembly and breakup of the Columbia and Rodinia supercontinent, and the Triassic collision of Yangtze and North China blocks. Whole rock Sr–Nd and Jurassic zircon Hf isotopic data yield mostly negative ε_Hf(t) values (0.5 to ?8.4) and ε_Nd(t) values (?0.79 to ?4.82). Besides the Huangbaikeng porphyry, all the Jurassic porphyries in the northwest Zhejiang Province have a wide range of SiO₂ contents (76.78–60.91 wt.%). They do not contain typical aluminous minerals (e.g. cordierite and garnet), and are mainly metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with high Na₂O, low FeO^T/MgO, and Zr + Nb + Ce + Y concentrations in composition. They thus fit the I-type granite definition. Some major and trace elements show strong correlations with SiO₂, possibly indicating extensive fractional crystallization during their magma evolution. Tectonic discriminations imply that these plutons were likely formed in a volcanic arc regime possibly related to subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate. Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data suggest a mixed source of the Mesoproterozoic crust and 30–50% mantle components. Compared with the adjacent Dexing Cu-bearing porphyies, which have more positive ε_Hf(t) and ε_Nd(t) values with more significant mantle components (55–70%), the Jurassic porphyries in the northwest Zhejiang Province probably lack metallogenic potential to form a giant porphyry copper deposit as Dexing.     

Developing markets for water reallocation: Revisiting the experience of Spanish water mercantilización

Economic instruments are being promoted as a desirable alternative to public sector action in the allocation and management of natural resources. A wide body of literature has developed that critically analyzes this phenomenon as part of a wider project of ‘neoliberalization of nature’, trying to uncover the underlying rationale and commonalities of geographically specific phenomena. The case of water is at the vanguard of these processes and is proving to be particularly contentious. In the European Union water policies are increasingly emphasizing the application of economic instruments to improve the allocative equity and economic efficiency in the use of scarce resources. However, there are few analyses of how these instruments are really working on the ground and whether they are meeting their objectives. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by critically analyzing the experience with water markets in Spain, the only country in the European Union where they are operative. It looks at water permit sales during the 2005–2008 drought period using the Tajo–Segura transfer infrastructure. The paper describes how the institutional process of mercantilización of water works in practice in Spain. It shows that the use of markets requires an intense process of institutional development to facilitate and encourage their operation. These institutions tend to favor the interests of clearly identifiable elites, instead of the public interest they supposedly promote.     

Geochemical characteristics and age of metamorphic sole rocks within a Neotethyan ophiolitic mélange from Konya region (central southern Turkey)

Palaeo- and Neo-Tethyan-related magmatic and metamorphic units crop out in Konya region in the south central Anatolia. The Neotethyan assemblage is characterized by mélange and ophiolitic units of Late Cretaceous age. They tectonically overlie the Middle Triassic–Upper Cretaceous neritic to pelagic carbonates of the Tauride platform. The metamorphic sole rocks within the Konya mélange crop out as thin slices beneath the sheared serpentinites and harzburgites. The rock types in the metamorphic sole are amphibolite, epidote-amphibolite, garnet-amphibole schist, plagioclase-amphibole schist, plagioclase-epidote-amphibole schist and quartz-amphibole schist. The geochemistry of the metamorphic sole rocks suggests that they were derived from the alkaline (seamount) and tholeiitic (E-MORB, IAT and boninitic type) magmatic rocks from the upper part of the Neotethyan oceanic crust. Four samples from the amphibolitic rocks yielded ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar isotopic ages, ranging from 87.04 ± .36 Ma to 84.66 ± .30 Ma. Comparison of geochemistry and geochronology for the amphibolitic rocks suggests that the alkaline amphibolite (seamount-type) cooled below 510 ± 25 °C at 87 Ma whereas the tholeiitic amphibolites at 85 Ma during intraoceanic thrusting/subduction. When all the evidence combined together, the intraoceanic subduction initiated in the vicinity of an off-axis plume or a plume-centered spreading ridge in the Inner Tauride Ocean at 87 Ma. During the later stage of the steady-state subduction, the E-MORB volcanics on the top of the down-going slab and the arc-type basalts (IAT/boninitic) detached from the leading edge of the overriding plate, entered the subduction zone after ~2 my and metamorphosed to amphibolite facies in the Inner Tauride Ocean. Duration of the intraoceanic detachment (~87 Ma) and ophiolite emplacement onto the Tauride-Anatolide Platform (Tav?anl? Zone), followed by subsequent HP/LT metamorphism (~82 Ma) spanned ~5 my in the western part of the Inner Tauride Ocean.     

南盘江—右江盆地构造演化与金锑成矿作用

南盘江—右江盆地具独特的盆地构造演化历史和背景,是西南低温成矿域的重要组成部分,广泛发育有Au-As-Sb-Hg-Tl等低温热液矿床,金锑成矿作用与盆地构造演化密切相关。本文系统总结南盘江—右江盆地构造演化过程和历史,分析盆地演化对沉积地层、沉积相带分布、古地理变迁等的控制作用。盆地内金锑矿床受构造和有利岩性组合控矿明显,结合南盘江—右江盆地内Cu-W-Sn-Pb-Zn-Au-Sb-Hg等矿床空间分布特征及规律,探讨盆地构造演化与金锑成矿作用和成矿效应的关系。类比斑岩-矽卡岩-浅成低温热液型多金属矿床最新研究成果,建立南盘江—右江盆地以陆内斑岩型铜矿床为中心,上部或边部矽卡岩型铜矿床、脉状钨-锡-银-铅-锌矿床和远端低温热液金-银-锑-汞矿床的找矿预测模型,模型对南盘江—右江成矿区深部斑岩型矿床或与斑岩体有关的矽卡岩型矿床的找矿勘查具有重要意义。     

Detrital zircon ages and Hf isotopic compositions of metasedimentary rocks in the Wuqia area of Southwest Tianshan,NW China: implications for the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Tianshan orogenic belt

ABSTRACT

The Chinese Southwest Tianshan Orogenic Belt is located along the boundary between the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and the Tarim Block (TB), NW China. It records the convergence of the Tarim Block and the Middle Tianshan, and is, therefore, a crucial region for understanding the Eurasia continental growth and evolution. The Wulagen (geographical name) metasedimentary rocks of the Wuqia area (mainly metamorphic sandstones and mica schists) form one of the metamorphic terranes in the Southwestern Tianshan Orogenic Belt. The geochronology of these rocks is poorly known, which hampers our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the belt. We analyzed 517 zircon grains for detrital zircon U–Pb dating and 93 zircon grains for in situ Lu–Hf isotopic compositions from the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks. The analyzed zircon grains yield Neoarchean to late Paleozoic U–Pb ages with major age peaks at ~2543 Ma, 1814 Ma, 830 Ma, 460 Ma, and the youngest cluster of zircon (magmatogene) ages is 395 Ma. The zircon U–Pb data show that the late Paleozoic (Early Devonian) is the maximum depositional age of the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks, rather than the previously considered Precambrian period. The zircons with Paleozoic ages yield εHf(t) values of ?22.0 to +11.3 and two-stage model ages (TDM₂) of 3.95 to 1.30 Ga, suggesting that the parental magmas were formed from partial melting of pre-existing crustal rocks. Our zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic data indicate the major source regions for the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks was the Kyrgyzstan North Tianshan. The zircon age population of 600–400 Ma (peak at ~460 Ma) has negative εHf(t) values (?15.0 to ?0.6) and Mesoproterozoic two-stage model ages, suggesting that the early Paleozoic magmatism resulted mainly from the melting of ancient crust, which played an important role in crustal evolution in the southern CAOB.