Southern borderland of Triassic Laurasia in north-east Iran

Results obtained by Iranian and European geoscientists in the critical area to the north-east of the North Iran Suture east of Mashhad are desribed and discussed. A slightly metamorphosed ophiolite belt, outcropping as the south easterly continuation of the previously known ophiolites of Mashhad along the north eastern perimeter of the Fariman-Torbat-e-Jam depression, proved to be either the remnant of a Permian ocean floor or more likely the remnant of a narrow ocean trough. There is as yet no proof of a Triassic age for this ophiolitic belt. To the north of this ophiolitic belt an epicontinental Triassic sequence is exposed at the southern edge of Laurasia in the erosional Window of Aghdarband. This is the result of intermittent sedimentation in a pull-apart basin along sinistral strike-slip faults. The Triassic of Aghdarband has much in common with other deposits of the Triassic Tethys; however, it shows a few unique features, e.g. the Early AnisianNicomedites fauna of a palaeobiogeographic North Tethyan Subprovince, or volcanogenic sedimentation during the late Anisian and the entire Ladinian.Permian ophiolites outcropping at the south-west corner of the Aghdarband erosional Window are transgressively overlain by basal conglomerats of this Triassic sequence. Hence the existence of a Triassic ocean south of Laurasia is very unlikely. This is an agreement with paleomagnetic data which suggest that the Central Iranian microcontinent was in direct contact with Laurasia during Triassic times. These palaeomagnetic data also suggest a clockwise rotation of the Central East Iran microplate during Triassic times (contrary to the anticlockwise rotation of this microplate in post-Triassic times). The sinistral strike-slip faulting and compression from the south-west which controls the structure of the Triassic may be derivative sequels to this clockwise rotation. All Eo-Cimmerian deformations of the Triassic rocks (e.g. folding, thrust faulting, strike-slip faulting) had stopped by Rhaetian times.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of intrusive and extrusive ophiolitic plagiogranites, Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex, Turkey

Plagiogranites associated with the Sarikaraman ophiolite of the Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex, Turkey, closely resemble other plagiogranites from supra-subduction zone-type ophiolites of Neotethys. The ophiolite is remarkable in displaying a higher proportion of the plagiogranite suite (ca. 10% by volume) than is usually associated with such bodies. The Sarikaraman plagiogranites are represented by intrusive sheets and netvein trondhjemites largely developed at the top of the upper gabbros and as multiphase dykes within the sheeted dyke complex. The plagiogranite dykes are considered to feed extrusive silicified rhyolites associated with the basaltic lavas in the volcanic section of the ophiolite. Field relations suggest that the trondhjemites were probably generated from the roof section of a dynamic and evolving gabbroic magma chamber. Both the deep-seated trondhjemites and the volcanic rhyolites constitute the Sarikaraman plagiogranite suite. Geochemically there is complete overlap between the intrusive trondhjemites and extrusive rhyolites, which are characterised by (MORB-normalized) low HFS element contents with small negative Nb---Ta anomalies and variably enhanced LIL element abundances. Unlike other plagiogranites, however, the Sarikaraman suite is not characterized by consistently low K₂O contents; a feature that reflects the variable mobilization of the LIL elements under lower greenschist facies conditions. The REE are uniformly enriched relative to the basic components of the complex, but have similar normalized patterns exhibiting mild light REE depletion. In terms of their origin, the initial or most primitive plagiogranite melts could have been generated by either fractional crystallization (70–85% of clinopyroxene-feldspar ± amphibole) or partial melting (5–15% batch melting) of a gabbroic ‘source material’, although only the first process can produce most of the range of the plagiogranite compositions. As a group the plagiogranites exhibit some degree of internal variation which can be generated by further fractionation largely dominated by feldspar with minor apatite and amphibole.     

西藏丁青蛇绿岩中玻镁安山岩类侵入岩的地球化学特征

丁青蛇绿岩中存在一套相当于玻镁安山岩(Boninite)系的侵入岩。其中的辉绿岩与MORB比较,以富Si、K、Rb和贫Ti、Zr、Y及HREE为特征,总REE丰度低,而LREE富集,类似于西太平洋马里亚纳岛弧中的玻镁安山岩。此外,辉长岩和斜长花岗岩亦以富大离子亲石元素和贫高场强元素为特征,而方辉橄榄岩则是十分难熔的。推测丁青蛇绿岩为岛弧类型的,产于洋内消减带之上的弧前环境,而不是在洋中脊上形成的。     

横断山区基性-超基性岩的类型

根据岩石产出的构造环镜、岩石组合和地球化学特征,文中把横断山区的基性-超基性岩分为五类。其中分异的小侵入体和碱性岩体侵位于地台区,蛇绿岩、义敦型和阿拉斯加型浸位于造山带。蛇绿岩产于古缝合带或其附近。义敦型和阿拉斯加型则产于岛弧或活动大陆边缘环境,前者以变质橄榄岩为主,岩石富镁,后者不具变质组构,常呈环状分布,岩石富铁。不同类型的岩体有不同的构造意义,含矿性也明显不同。     

榆树沟层状堆积岩的岩石学与地球化学

榆树沟层状堆积岩是该区蛇绿岩套的一个组成部分,总厚度约1200m.岩浆分离结晶作用比较彻底,形成了从纯橄岩到闪长岩的一系列岩石类型.伴随着岩浆的分离结晶过程,岩石的化学组成产生了系统的变化;矿物的种类、数量和成分亦随之而不断变化。稀土元素的总量完全受矿物相的种类和数量控制,配分曲线为轻稀土弱富集型,反映了形成于弧后盆地环境的特点。     

云南新平县双沟蛇绿岩中地幔岩初始熔融物

本文描述了野外和镜下所见到的双沟二辉橄榄岩中初始部分熔融现象,研究了初熔物的矿物、主元素、微量元素以及稀土元素。它们源于LREE亏损的地幔岩,其成分是超镁铁质的,它们向上运移,经过某种分离过程才演化为玄武质岩浆,进入洋壳底部的岩浆房,因此,初始熔体应是所谓玄武质或苦橄质原始岩浆的源泉。文中还讨论了初始熔体形成条件以及铬铁矿的成因。     

Geology,mineralogy, and geochemistry of low grade Ni-lateritic soil (Oman Mountains,Oman)

The laterite profiles investigated in the present study developed after the emplacement of a slab of oceanic crust and upper mantle sequence (the Semail ophiolite) onto the East Arabian margin during the late Cretaceous. The laterites formed as a result of prolonged weathering of the ophiolite assemblage under tropical to subtropical conditions.Nine laterite profiles have been examined for their Ni potential along a NW-SE segment of the Oman Mountains. The preserved laterite profile shows variations in thickness, mineralogy, and chemical composition. The profiles show a vertical succession from bedrock protolith through saprolite, oxide laterite, to clay laterite. The laterite profiles are unconformably capped either by clastics rocks of the Late Cretaceous Qahlah Formation or by Palaeogene carbonates of the Jafnayn or Abat Formations.The protolith corresponds either to a fine-grained, blackish to greenish serpentinized peridotite or to a coarse-grained dark green altered layered gabbro.The bulk geochemistry of the studied profiles indicates a typical low Ni-laterite pattern in which magnesium (Mg) and silica (Si) become depleted towards the top of the profile, whereas iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) increase. A significant enrichment in Ni and Co occurred as a result of the laterization process. Ni concentrations average 0.63% (Ibra), 0.72% (East Ibra), 0.67% (Al-Russayl), and 0.33% (Tiwi). Other elements such as Cr, V, Pb, TiO₂, Zr, Ba, and Zn were also remobilized across the profiles during the laterization processes.     

西秦岭关子镇蛇绿混杂岩的地球化学和锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄

西秦岭沿天水武山断裂带产出的关子镇蛇绿混杂岩由变玄武岩、变中-基性深成岩浆岩以及少量蛇纹岩组成。变玄武岩具有平坦或轻稀土略亏损的稀土配分型式((La/Yb)_N=0.63～1.24),且不存在Nb、Ta和Ti的负异常,表明它们形成于洋中脊环境。变中-基性深成岩浆岩包含两种类型:类型Ⅰ显示轻稀土富集((La/Yb)_N>2.2)、具有显著Nb负异常((La/Nb)_N>2.4)的特征,类似于岛弧火山岩;类型Ⅱ显示轻稀土亏损到略富集((La/Yb)_N=0.44～1.38)、无显著Nb负异常((La/Nb)_N<1.5),这些特征与上述变玄武岩类似,表明它们也是关子镇蛇绿岩的组成部分。蛇绿岩中辉长岩和闪长岩(该闪长岩属"大洋斜长花岗岩类")样品的锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄分别为534±9Ma和517±8Ma,这反映关子镇蛇绿岩可能为早-中寒武世古洋壳残片。由于西秦岭的天水武山断裂带是东秦岭商丹断裂带的西延并共同被认为是华北和华南陆块之间的主缝合线,上述年龄对理解该带及古秦岭洋的演化提供了重要制约。     

锆石SHRIMP测年对狮泉河蛇绿岩形成和俯冲的时间约束

用锆石SHRIMP方法测定了狮泉河蛇绿混杂岩带中蛇绿岩的堆晶橄榄辉石岩、闪长岩墙和辉长闪长岩墙的U-Pb年龄,提供了狮泉河蛇绿岩形成和俯冲的时间约束。堆晶橄榄辉石岩的等时线年龄为193．1±3．2Ma,指示狮泉河带始于早侏罗世拉开形成洋壳;闪长岩墙的等时线年龄为165．8±1．7Ma、辉长闪长岩墙的等时线年龄为163．35±0．75Ma,可能代表了狮泉河带开始由扩张转化为俯冲消减的时间。     

对“也谈铙钹寨超镁铁岩体的成因和构造类型的归属问题”一文评论的答疑

张旗先生的《评论》和他之前的工作没有提供饶钹寨岩体的“地幔交代作用”的证据；地幔交代作用不能作为判别地幔岩为大陆地幔和大洋地幔属性的标志，因为两者均可能发生地幔交代作用。根据铙钹寨岩体原岩为强烈亏损的方辉橄榄岩（和二辉橄榄岩）；伴有豆荚状铬铁矿及瘤状矿石和铬尖晶石成分具有蛇绿岩地幔岩属性（双峰分布）而非大陆地幔橄榄岩特征，认为该岩体带有蛇绿岩成员的某些特征，并认为该岩体经历了角闪岩相-麻粒岩相的变质作用。我们对《评论》中列举的所谓大陆地幔橄榄岩中也产有豆荚状铬铁矿的诸多例子给予了剖析，指出《评论》犯有基本概念的错误。