Structural development of the Hastings Block and tectonic implications for the southern New England Orogen

Abstract

The shape and structural development of the box-like Parrabel Dome (PD) within the Hastings Block is poorly understood because it has only been weakly cleaved, complexly folded and extensively faulted in comparison to the adjoining blocks. Better characterising this block will provide important controls on the tectonics of the southern New England Orogen. The structural development of the PD and southern Hastings Block (SHB) provides evidence of the degree of rotation, translation and deformation of the Hastings Block, a key terrane within the southern New England Orogen. A major decollement under the Hastings Block–Nambucca Block was suggested to facilitate south-directed deformation caused by the developing Coffs Harbour Orocline. The orientation of bedding and the stratigraphic facing of some fault blocks within the northern Hastings Block (NHB) are consistent with development of the PD, while other fault blocks indicate significant disruption of the NHB prior to, during and after dome development. A deep-seated fault is suggested by the gravity worm analysis consistent with the boundary zone between the PD, NHB-Yarrowitch Block and the east-dipping and younging sequences in the SHB. The eastern limb of the PD underwent clockwise rotation after formation. Fault blocks have been rotated and translated within a restraining bend as the NHB moved post-PD formation northwest along the interface between the NHB and SHB.

1. KEY POINTS

2. The Hastings Block was translated and rotated into its current position from the southeastern end of the Tamworth Belt.

3. Gravity worm data indicate a boundary between northern and southern Hastings Block.

4. The Hastings and Nambucca blocks have been detached from the basement Gondwana rocks.

5. Fault block analysis within the Parrabel Dome, northern Hastings Block indicates relocation of some blocks by faulting.

     

塔里木地块西北缘阿克苏地区新元古代冰碛岩年代与冰期事件

塔里木地块新元古代冰期事件等时性对比存在争议,获得可靠的新元古代冰碛岩沉积时代意义重大.塔里木地块西北缘阿克苏地区出露2套新元古代冰碛岩沉积,通过对其进行岩石学、同位素年代学、岩石地球化学等分析,明确其沉积物岩石组合特征、限定其沉积时代、讨论其古气候风化条件等.化学蚀变指数(CIA)指示研究区的2套新元古代冰碛岩代表了...     

Deep structures of the Palawan and Sulu Sea and their implications for opening of the South China Sea

Compared to the northern South China Sea continental margin, the deep structures and tectonic evolution of the Palawan and Sulu Sea and ambient regions are not well understood so far. However, this part of the southern continental margin and adjacent areas embed critical information on the opening of the South China Sea (SCS). In this paper, we carry out geophysical investigations using regional magnetic, gravity and reflection seismic data. Analytical signal amplitudes (ASA) of magnetic anomalies are calculated to depict the boundaries of different tectonic units. Curie-point depths are estimated from magnetic anomalies using a windowed wavenumber-domain algorithm. Application of the Parker–Oldenburg algorithm to Bouguer gravity anomalies yields a 3D Moho topography. The Palawan Continental Block (PCB) is defined by quiet magnetic anomalies, low ASA, moderate depths to the top and bottom of the magnetic layer, and its northern boundary is further constrained by reflection seismic data and Moho interpretation. The PCB is found to be a favorable area for hydrocarbon exploration. However, the continent–ocean transition zone between the PCB and the SCS is characterized by hyper-extended continental crust intruded with magmatic bodies. The NW Sulu Sea is interpreted as a relict oceanic slice and the geometry and position of extinct trench of the Proto South China Sea (PSCS) is further constrained. With additional age constraints from inverted Moho and Curie-point depths, we confirm that the spreading of the SE Sulu Sea started in the Early Oligocene/Late Eocene due to the subduction of the PSCS, and terminated in the Middle Miocene by the obduction of the NW Sulu Sea onto the PCB.     

广西大明山地块寒武系碎屑锆石U Pb年龄及其构造意义

大明山地区位处扬子地块与华夏地块结合带的西南段,对该区寒武系碎屑锆石开展U-Pb年龄谱研究可为新元古代—早古生代扬子地块与华夏地块结合带构造属性的进一步确定和对华南大地构造演化的深入研究提供新的依据。本次研究对该区2件寒武纪砂岩样品分选出的碎屑锆石进行了LA-ICPMS U-Pb年代测定和分析。锆石的透射光及阴极发光图像、Th/U比值、稀土元素特征说明其主要为岩浆岩锆石。222个谐和年龄数据显示出5个主要年龄区间:550~560Ma、750~780 Ma、950~1020 Ma、1560~1740Ma和2390~2450Ma,其中以950~1020Ma区间表现为最突出的峰值。对比大明山与大瑶山地区的寒武系碎屑锆石年龄谱系,两者表现出相似的分布特征。最明显的年龄峰值(980Ma)揭示物源区曾是Grenville期造山带的一部分。与扬子地块和华夏地块碎屑锆石年龄谱系进行比较,结合古水流及相关地质证据,认为所研究样品的碎屑锆石主要来自华夏地块。根据现有的资料,我们更倾向于认为寒武纪时扬子—华夏之间可能没有大洋的分割,而是一陆间海(intercontinental sea)格局。本次研究还在大明山寒武系中测得8颗具有太古宙年龄的古老锆石(≥2500Ma,其中1颗≥3200Ma)。这些锆石具振荡环带结构,Th/U比值均≥0.4,稀土分布多具有明显的Ce正异常与Eu负异常,指示其来自岩浆岩,反映物源区在太古宙发生过岩浆作用。结合前人研究获得的华夏地块太古宙锆石年龄信息,认为华夏地块可能存在太古宙地壳基底或接受过古老陆块的物源供给。     

锦丰（烂泥沟）金矿地质特征及找矿方向浅析

锦丰（烂泥沟）金矿由磺厂沟复式向斜控制了矿体的空间分布,发育于磺厂沟复式向斜中的一系列断裂控制了矿床的产出位置,不同的岩性组合控制了矿体的具体产出层位.在矿床的形成过程中F3断裂不仅是矿区的主要导矿构造也是矿区的主要容矿构造,在矿床的形成过程中由于不同断块的差异运动导致了磺厂沟向斜不同的变形部位出露在同一水平的现象,为今后的矿床预测指明了方向.     

变质片岩区边坡稳定性的块体理论分析

变质片岩区的边坡破坏与结构面和坡面的组合密切相关,块体理论在分析结构面和坡面组合方面有独特的优势。本文以秦岭北坡西安市黑河水库左岸108国道边坡为例,说明变质片岩区边坡稳定性的块体理论分析方法。作为准备工作,本文编制了块体理论相关程序和制作等密度图的相关程序。通过现场调查,本文将黑河库区108国道沿线边坡分成了15段,其中有4个潜在崩塌段。针对这4个潜在崩塌段,本文在每段中选取一个典型点,借助自编程序,使用块体理论分析方法寻找可动块体、关键块体并计算剩余下滑力。计算所得关键块体的结构面组合形式和实际相吻合,所得剩余下滑力计算结果表明4个潜在崩塌段中有3段崩塌危险性较高,且需要采取工程措施以防止崩塌阻断108国道。说明了变质片岩区边坡稳定性的块体理论分析方法,对变质片岩区其他工程具有一定借鉴意义。     

A multidisciplinary study on the emplacement mechanism of the Qingyang–Jiuhua Massif in Southeast China and its tectonic bearings. Part I: Structural geology,AMS and paleomagnetism

During the Cretaceous, the South China Block (SCB) experienced a widely distributed extensional event including numerous plutons emplacement and basin opening. Investigations on the tectonic regime coeval with pluton emplacement, and emplacement mechanism of the pluton remain relatively rare in the SCB. In order to address these questions, a multidisciplinary approach, including field structural and petrographic observations, anisotropy magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and paleomagnetic analyses, was carried out on the Qingyang–Jiuhua granitic massif which intrudes into the Lower Yangtze fold belt in the northeastern part of the SCB. The Qingyang–Jiuhua massif is composed of the granodioritic Qingyang and monzogranitic Jiuhua plutons dated by zircon U–Pb method at ca. 142 Ma, and ca. 131 Ma, respectively. Our structural observations show that the intrusion of the Qingyang–Jiuhua massif does not modify the fold strike. A weak ductile deformation of the country rocks and granitoid can be only observed in the boundary zone with limited contact metamorphism. In the contact aureole of the massif, the foliation follows the pluton contour, and the mineral lineation is rare. When present, it exhibits a down-dip attitude. Field and microstructural observations indicate isotropic magmatic textures in most parts of the massif. The AMS analysis of 93 sites reveals weak values for the anisotropy degree (P_J < 1.2) and oblate magnetic fabric dominance (T > 0) for most of the measured samples. Two principal foliation patterns are identified: horizontal foliations in the center of the plutons, and vertical foliations on the boundaries. Magnetic lineation strike is largely scattered, and weakly inclined at the scale of the entire massif. The paleomagnetic investigations indicate that (a) the younger Jiuhua pluton did not produce a remagnetization in the older Qingyang pluton, (b) no relative movement can be observed between these two plutons, (c) the entire massif did not experience any important relative movement with respect to South China, considering the paleomagnetic uncertainties. Integrating the newly obtained results with previous observations, our study favors a permissive emplacement mechanism for the two plutons, i.e. vertical magma intrusion into an opening space controlled by the NW–SE brittle stretching of the upper crust, which is in agreement with a weak extensional regional tectonic framework of the SCB.     

Tectonic evaluation of the Indochina Block during Jurassic-Cretaceous from palaeomagnetic results of Mesozoic redbeds in central and southern Lao PDR

Rock magnetic and palaeomagnetic studies were performed on Mesozoic redbeds collected from the central and southern Laos, the northeastern and the eastern parts of the Khorat Plateau on the Indochina Block. Totally 606 samples from 56 sites were sampled and standard palaeomagnetic experiments were made on them. Positive fold tests are demonstrated for redbeds of Lower and Upper Cretaceous, while insignificant fold test is resulted for Lower Jurassic redbeds. The remanence carrying minerals defined from thermomagnetic measurement, AF and Thermal demagnetizations and back-field IRM measurements are both magnetite and hematite. The positive fold test argues that the remanent magnetization of magnetite or titanomagnetite and hematite in the redbeds is the primary and occurred before folding. The mean palaeomagnetic poles for Lower Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, and Upper Cretaceous are defined at Plat./Plon. = 56.0°N/178.5°E (A₉₅ = 2.6°), 63. 3°N/170.2°E (A₉₅ = 6.9°), and 67.0°N/180.8°E (A₉₅ = 4.9°), respectively. Our palaeomagnetic results indicate a latitudinal translations (clockwise rotations) of the Indochina Block with respect to the South China Block of −10.8 ± 8.8° (16.4 ± 9.0°); −11.1 ± 6.2° (17.8 ± 6.8°); and −5.3 ± 4.7° (13.3 ± 5.0°), for Lower Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, and Upper Cretaceous, respectively. These results indicate a latitudinal movement of the Indochina Block of about 5–11° (translation of about 750–1700 km in the southeastward direction along the Red River Fault) and clockwise rotation of 13–18° with respect to the South China Block. The estimated palaeoposition of the Khorat Plateau at ca. 21–26°N during Jurassic to Cretaceous argues for a close relation to the Sichuan Basin in the southwest of South China Block. These results confirm that the central part of the Indochina Block has acted like a rigid plate since Jurassic time and the results also support an earlier extrusion model for Indochina.     

Late Palaeozoic tectonic setting of the southern Alxa Block,NW China: constrained by age and composition of diabase

The ages of diabase outcropping on the southern Alxa Block and in related tectonic setting are not well constrained, but are important for exploring the tectonic evolution of the southern Alxa Block. The ages of the zircons from the diabase intruding the Middle–Late Cambrian Xiangshan Group were measured using sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe II (SHRIMPII) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and the weighted mean ages of 276.8 ± 7.9 Ma and 276.2 ± 9.7 Ma were obtained, respectively. The major elements in the diabase indicate that it may belong to the tholeiitic series. With specific features of the rare earth elements (REEs) and trace elements, potentially affected by the continental crust based on the observed strong positive Pb anomaly, the diabase was produced in an intra-plate extension environment. Similar diabase/basalts were also found along the southern margin of the Alxa Block. Combined with sedimentary, palaeo-current, mafic, and felsic rocks in the southern Alxa Block, a back-arc extension environment potentially occurred in the southern Alxa Block during the Early–Middle Permian that resulted from the convergence between the North China Block (NCB) and the Yangtze Block.     

拉萨地块南木林盆地北缘中新世高锶低钇岩浆作用:锆石U-Pb年龄、Hf同位素和地球化学特征

拉萨地块南木林盆地北缘的林子宗群火山岩地层侵位有大量的花岗斑岩岩株和岩脉,空间分布上与南北向正断层的次级断裂相一致。本次研究对南木林盆地北缘的花岗斑岩进行了系统的元素地球化学,LA-MCICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学和Lu-Hf同位素测试。数据结果表明:花岗斑岩具有高硅(68.31%~71.34%)、高钾(4.52%~4.96%)、高(La/Yb)N(21.59~36.81)、Sr/Y(Sr/Y=15.59~38.10)等特征,富集大离子亲石元素(LILE),亏损高场强元素(HFSE);花岗斑岩LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为12.2±0.1Ma,ε_(Hf)(t)值为-0.6~+4.0。拉萨地块南木林盆地北缘花岗斑岩岩石学、地球化学特征显示其为新生下地壳部分熔融产物,且源区残留了石榴子石、金红石、角闪石,无斜长石残留,在岩浆上侵过程中,发生了碱性长石的分离结晶作用。花岗斑岩侵位于中新世,与区内南北向裂谷发育时代一致,成分上类似于拉萨地块南部同时期发育的高锶低钇斑岩、钾质岩,同为印度—欧亚大陆碰撞后东西向伸展背景产物。