Further examination of the ragged edge of the Herrin Coal Bed, Webster County, Western Kentucky Coal Field

The Herrin (Western Kentucky No. 11) coal bed in the Dixon 7 1/2 min quadrangle, Webster County, Kentucky, displays another manifestation of the thinning margin of the coal bed. Previous studies in adjacent Hopkins County have demonstrated that the coal is brecciated as the margin is approached. The brecciated coal is not always thin; 1.5 m of brecciated, inertinite-rich coal was previously described to the southeast of the present study area. In general, the brecciated coals are considerably thinner than the 1.5–2-m-thick, “normal” Herrin coal. Both cores studied are thin (22.6 and 33 cm) and display petrographic characteristics different from thicker Herrin coals. The cores described in the present study show some signs of brecciation; in certain cases, the fragmented macerals are cemented by exsudatinite. Multiple generations of pyrite mineralization were noted in one core, with total sulfur exceeding 13% in the upper 8.48 cm lithotype.Overall, the cores investigated in this study, along with examples from previous studies, illustrate the progression of the Herrin coal from its absence, either through nondeposition or erosion, through thin, brecciated coals, to mineable coals. No other economic coal in western Kentucky shows as many examples of the depositional edge as does the Herrin. All of the examples studied are from cores, emphasizing the need to study more than just the thick, mineable coals if the total extent of the coal body is to be understood.     

Brecciated and mineralized coals in Union County, Western Kentucky coal field

Coals from the D-2 and D-3 boreholes in the Grove Center 7 1/2 min quadrangle, Union County, KY, have been found to be highly brecciated and mineralized. The mineralization is dominated by a carbonate assemblage with minor sulfides and sulfates. Included among the secondary minerals is the lead selenide, clausthalite. Overall, the emplacement of secondary vein minerals was responsible for raising the rank of the coals from the 0.6–0.7% R_max range found in the area to as high as 0.95–0.99% R_max.A 1.3-m-thick coal found in one of the boreholes is unique among known Western Kentucky coals in having less than 50% vitrinite. Semifusinite and fusinite dominate the maceral assemblages. The coal is also low in sulfur coal, which is unusual for the Illinois Basin. It has an ash yield of less than 10%; much of it dominated by pervasive carbonate veining. The age of the thick coal in core D-2 is similar to that of the Elm Lick coal bed, found elsewhere in the Western Kentucky coalfield. The coals in D-3 are younger, having Stephanian palynomorph assemblages.     

Crystal retention,fractionation and crustal assimilation in a convecting magma chamber,Nisyros Volcano,Greece

Nisyros island is a calc-alkaline volcano, built up during the last 100 ka. The first cycle of its subaerial history includes the cone-building activity with three phases, each characterized by a similar sequence: (1) effusive and explosive activity fed by basaltic andesitic and andesitic magmas; and (2) effusive andextrusive activity fed by dacitic and rhyolitic magmas. The second eruptive cycle includes the caldera-forming explosive activity with two phases, each consisting of the sequence: (1) rhyolitic phreatomagmatic eruptions triggering a central caldera collapse; and (2) extrusion of dacitic-rhyolitic domes and lava flows. The rocks of this cycle are characteized by the presence of mafic enclaves with different petrographic and chemical features which testify to mixing-mingling processes between variously evolved magmas. Jumps in the degree of evolution are present in the stratigraphic series, accompanied by changes in the porphyritic index. This index ranges from 60% to about 5% and correlates with several teochemical parameters, including a negative correlation with Sr isotope ratios (0.703384–0.705120). The latter increase from basaltic andesites to intermediate rocks, but then slightly decrease in the most evolved volcanic rocks. The petrographic, geochemical and isotopic characteristics can be largely explained by processes occurring in a convecting, crystallizing and assimilating magma chamber, where crystal sorting, retention, resorption and accumulation take place. A group of crystal-rich basaltic andesites with high Sr and compatible element contents and low incompatible elements and Sr isotope ratios probably resulted from the accumulation of plagioclase and pyroxene in an andesitic liquid. Re-entrainment of plagioclase crystals in the crystallizing magma may have been responsible for the lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in the most evolved rocks. The gaps in the degree of evolution with time are interpreted as due to liquid segregation from a crystal mush once critical crystallinity was reached. At that stage convection halted, and a less dense, less porphyritic, more evolved magma separated from a denser crystal-rich magma portion. The differences in incompatible element enrichment of pre-and post-caldera dacites and the chemical variation in the post-caldera dome sequence are the result of hybridization of post-caldera dome magmas with more mafic magmas, as represented by the enclave compositions. The occurrence of the quenched, more mafic magmas in the two post-caldera units suggests that renewed intrusion of mafic magma took place after each collapse event.     

新疆阿拉套山花岗岩带的主要特征及形成构造环境

阿拉套山花岗岩带产出于巩乃斯板块东北缘，岩带的岩石组合、化学成分、同位素组成表现出由东北向西南的系统变化，随离俯冲带距离的增大，古老地壳物质的贡献愈显著。构造环境判别表明早期花岗闪长岩－二长花岗岩组合产出于岩浆弧环境，与消减作用直接有关，晚期二长花岗岩－碱长花岗岩组合为造山后花岗岩，产出于张性环境，其形成标志着造山作用的结束。     

扬子地台西缘钾质煌斑岩类的岩石学研究

扬子地台西缘钾质煌麻岩的矿物组合中缺少钾碱镁门石、柱红石等富钾贫铝矿物，其辉石和白榴石富Ａｌ２Ｏ３，金云母贫ＴｉＯ２，透长石的Ｎａ２Ｏ含量高。全岩Ａｌ２Ｏ３高，Ｋ２Ｏ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３（＜０．７）低，（Ｇｄ／Ｙｂ）Ｎ低。岩体中含有二辉橄榄岩包体、镁铝榴石捕虏体晶。这些特点表明其岩浆源区的亏损程度低。此外，钾质煌斑岩明显亏损Ｎｂ、Ｔｉ，可能是与其源区经受过板块边缘活动影响有关。     

Middle Miocene peralkaline ignimbrites in the Hermosillo region (Sonora, Mexico): Geodynamic implications

Scattered ignimbritic mesas crop out in the Hermosillo region (Sonora, Mexico). These rocks that have been dated at 12.5 Ma (Middle Miocene) have the petrography and chemical characteristics of comendites. Such a flare-up of peralkaline acidic volcanism, after a long period of subduction-related arc volcanism, emphasises an important change in the source of volcanism. It corresponds to the latest stage of continental extension prior to the marine invasion and the development of spreading centres in the Gulf of California. To cite this article: J. Vidal Solano et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

大别岳西地区花岗岩类岩石学及其成因

岳西地区花岗岩类主要由主簿原和白马尖二长花岗岩－正长花岗岩岩基、花岗闪长岩－石英二长闪长岩小岩体和晚期的淡色碱长花岗岩岩体组成。主要岩体形成于燕山晚期,为造山后花岗岩。岩基中花岗岩的暗色矿物为黑云母,主簿原花岗岩含有褐帘石,岩石化学显示为过铝质（Ａ／ＣＮＫ约为１．１）,稀土配分为右倾的、中等负铕异常（Ｓｍ／Ｅｕ为０．１６～０．２５）曲线。花岗闪长质的、没有变形的小岩体中普遍含有角闪石和榍石,岩石化学表现为准铝质（Ａ／ＣＮＫ为０．８～０．９,Ａ／ＮＫ为１．５～１．８）,稀土配分为右倾的无铕异常（或略有正铕异常）的曲线,但其形成时代和εＮｄ（０）值与主要岩基相同。花岗岩类的εＮｄ（０）值均为较大的负值（－１７～－２６）,在εＮｄ（０）－εＳｒ（０）图上,表现为一条水平带状分布,显示其源岩为存留时间很长的古老地壳。     

冀北雾灵山碱性花岗质杂岩的岩石学,成因类型及构造意义

河北雾灵山碱性花岗质杂岩主要由似斑状碱长正长岩、碱长正长斑岩、碱性石英正长岩和碱性石英正长班岩组成，是华北地区燕山晚期岩浆活动的代表。本文系统报道了它的地质学、岩相学、岩石化学和地球化学的特征，讨论了它的成因类型归属和所代表的大地构造环境问题。这些资料表明；该杂岩体形成于白垩纪早期，是一个剥蚀程度较小、定位于浅成环境的硅饱和碱性－过碱性岩杂岩体，属裂谷－类裂谷Ａ型花岗岩类，它的出现表明华北地区早白垩纪时期曾处于板内裂谷－类裂谷的引张环境。     

The geology, petrology, palynology and geochemistry of Permian coal basins in Tanzania: 2. Songwe-Kiwira Coalfield

This study provides coal quality, petrological, palynological and geochemical (Rock Eval) data on Permian coal seams and associated shales and mudstones of the Karoo Supergroup of the Songwe-Kiwira Coalfield, Tanzania. The coal seams, which have a cumulative thickness of 6.80 m, occur in the shale–coal–sandstone facies of the Mchuchuma Formation of Artinskian to Kungurian(?) age.Coal quality data (calorific values, volatile matter contents) and vitrinite reflectances indicate high volatile C bituminous to high volatile A bituminous coals, having relatively high ash yields (22–49 wt.%) and highly variable sulphur contents (0.17–9.2 wt.%). They could be used to fuel small-scale power generation units thereby providing electricity to nearby towns and villages. Also, the coals could be used as a substitute for wood, which is becoming increasingly scarce. In rural Tanzania, charcoal is still the main energy source for cooking, and wood is used extensively in brick kilns and for making roofing tiles.Petrological analysis indicated that the coals are dominated by dull to banded dull lithotypes, with seams at the base of the Mchuchuma Formation enriched in inertinite macerals (up to 83 vol.%), whereas up-section vitrinite contents increase. Palynological analyses indicated that the assemblage in the lower Mchuchuma Formation (Scheuringipollenites assemblage) is dominated by trilete spores, whereas in the remainder of the section, non-taeniate disaccates dominate (Scheuringipollenites–Protohaploxypinus assemblage). Facies critical macerals suggest for most seams a marsh/wet forest swamp depositional setting, which is consistent with the palynological data.Rock Eval analyses indicate type II/III kerogen, with Tmax (°C) values ranging from 426 to 440, corresponding to the early stage of hydrocarbon generation. Thermal Alteration Indices (2 to 2+) and vitrinite reflectance levels (0.60–0.83 Ro (%) support the Rock Eval maturity assessment, and despite the predominance of terrestrial-derived organic matter, there is evidence of oil generation and expulsion in the form of cavity and fracture filling exsudatinite.