Caledonian Low-Temperature Granulite-Facies Metamorphism in the West Kunlun Orogenic Belt—SHRIMP Chronological Evidence from Zircon

The West Kunlun orogenic belt is located at the conjunction of the paleo-Asian tectonic system and the Tethys tectonic system. Petrological and mineralogical studies of the Early Cambrian metamorphic surface crust in this region have shown that in case the metamorphism reached low-temperature granulate facies, the typical mineral assemblage is biotite-garnet-silimanite-K feldspar-plagioclase-quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures are within the range of 720–740°C and the pressure is 0.6 GPa ±. Three types of metamorphic zircon have been detected in the metamorphic rocks: the complex inclusion-bearing type ; the early relic zircon inclusion-bearing type; and the inclusion-free type. SHRIMP age determination of these three types of metamorphic zircon have revealed that these zircons were formed principally during 400–460 Ma, indicating that pre-Cambrian metamorphic surface crust rocks underwent low-temperature granulite facies metamorphism during the Caledonian. In combination with the geological characteristics of this region, it is considered that when the oceanic basin was closed, there occurred intense intracontinental subduction (type A), bringing part of the Early Cambrian metamorphic basement in this region downwards to the lower crust. Meanwhile, there were accompanied with tectonic deformation at deep levels and medium- to high-grade metamorphism. This study provided important chronological and mineralogical evidence for the exploration of the evolutionary mechanism and process of the West Kunlun Early Paleozoic. Part of the results from the research project “ Research on the West Kunlun pre-Cambrian tectonic events” under the program “ Research on the important geological problems of China’ s pre-Cambrian” (No. 200113900070) sponsored by the China National Geological Surveying Bureau.     

Chemical, Isotopic, and Fluid Inclusion Evidence for the Hydrothermal Alteration of the Footwall Rocks of the BIF-Hosted Iron Ore Deposits in the Hamersley District, Western Australia

Abstract. The petrography, chemical, fluid inclusion and isotope analyses (O, Rb-Sr) were conducted for the shale samples of the Mount McRae Shale collected from the Tom Price, Newman, and Paraburdoo mines in the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia. The Mount McRae Shale at these mines occurs as a footwall unit of the secondary, hematite-rich iron ores derived from the Brockman Iron Formation, one of the largest banded iron formations (BIFs) in the world. Unusually low contents of Na, Ca, and Sr in the shales suggest that these elements were leached away from the shale after deposition. The δ¹⁸O (SMOW) values fall in the range of + 15.0 to +17.9 per mil and show the positive correlation with calculated quartz/sericite ratios of the shale samples. This suggests that the oxygen isotopic compositions of shale samples were homogenized and equilibrated by postdepositional event. The pyrite nodules hosted by shales are often rimmed by thin layers of silica of varying crystallinity. Fluid inclusions in quartz crystals rimming a pyrite nodule show homogenization temperatures ranging from 100 to 240C for 47 inclusions and salinities ranging from 0.4 to 12.3 wt% NaCl equivalent for 18 inclusions. These fluid inclusion data give direct evidence for the hydrothermal activity and are comparable to those of the vein quartz collected from the BIF-derived secondary iron ores (Taylor et al, 2001). The Rb-Sr age for the Mount McRae Shale is 1,952 ± 289 Ma and at least 200 million years younger than the depositional age of the Brockman Iron Formation of ∼ 2.5 Ga in age. All the data obtained in this study are consistent with the suggestion that high temperature hydrothermal fluids were responsible for both the secondary iron ore formation and the alteration of the Mount McRae Shale.     

Neoarchaean magmatism and metamorphism of the western granulites in the central domain of the Mozambique belt, Tanzania: U–Pb shrimp geochronology and PT estimates

U–Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating of zircons from charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses from the central portion of the Mozambique belt, central Tanzania indicate that the protolith granitoids were emplaced in a late Archaean, ca. 2.7 Ga, magmatic event. These ages are similar to other U–Pb and Pb–Pb ages obtained for other gneisses in this part of the belt. Zircon xenocrysts dated between 2.8 and 3.0 Ga indicate the presence of an older basement. Major and trace element geochemistry of these high-grade gneisses suggests that the granitoid protoliths may have formed in an active continental margin environment. Metamorphic zircon rims and multifaceted metamorphic zircons are dated at ca. 2.6 Ga indicating that these rocks were metamorphosed some 50–100 my after their emplacement. Pressure and temperature estimates on the charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses were obscured by post-peak metamorphic compositional homogenisation; however, these estimates combined with mineral textures suggest that these rocks underwent isobaric cooling to 800–850 °C at 12–14 kbar. It is considered likely that the granulite facies mineral assemblage developed during the ca. 2.6 Ga event, but it must be considered that it might instead represent a pervasive Neoproterozoic, Pan African, granulite facies overprint, similar to the ubiquitous eastern granulites further to the east.     

2001年11月14日昆仑山口西8.1级地震前地震活动性异常及其思考s

2001年11月14日在昆仑山口西发生了8.1级地震，震中位置为90.9E、36.2N．分析表明，8.1级地震前一些主要地震活动性异常都出现了，例如空区、条带、增强、平静和震群等，且与7级大震比较，这些前兆图象的演变具有类似的过程，所不同的是8.1级地震的前兆地震活动图象涉及的区域范围更大、地震震级更高，这为特大地震的前兆识别和预报提供了依据．最后回顾了对这次大震的粗略预测，并讨论了有关大震预测的某些问题．      

滇西南洞穴考察

云南西南部地区由于地质构造等方面的原因，喀斯特洞穴不象滇东地区那样分布广泛和发育强烈，在以往对云南喀斯特与洞穴的研究与开发中并未引起人们足够的重视，有关喀斯特与洞穴学的探测和研究工作在滇西地区进行得不多，可以说还是一块“处女地”。１９９３年至１９９４年间，笔者等人在滇西保山市、施甸县和景谷县等地的洞穴进行了实地综合调查。调查结果表明，滇西南地区的洞穴由于所处的地理位置和特殊的自然环境，有着丰富的喀     

滇西石缸河锡矿床的成因探讨

石缸河锡矿床在空间上，时间上和成因上与志本山花岗岩演化分异晚期形成的浅色细粒白云母花岗岩有着密切联系，属岩浆期后热液矿床。     

A traverse through the western Kunlun (Xinjiang,China): tentative geodynamic implications for the Paleozoic and Mesozoic

The northern part of the western Kunlun (southern margin of the Tarim basin) represents a Sinian rifted margin. To the south of this margin, the Sinian to Paleozoic Proto-Tethys Ocean formed. South-directed subduction of this ocean, beneath the continental southern Kunlun block during the Paleozoic, resulted in the collision between the northern and southern Kunlun blocks during the Devonian. The northern part of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean, located to the south of the southern Kunlun, was subducted to the north beneath the southern Kunlun during the Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic. This caused the formation of a subduction-accretion complex, including a sizeable accretionary wedge to the south of the southern Kunlun. A microcontinent (or oceanic plateau?), which we refer to as “Uygur terrane,” collided with the subduction complex during the Late Triassic. Both elements together represent the Kara-Kunlun. Final closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean took place during the Early Jurassic when the next southerly located continental block collided with the Kara-Kunlun area. From at least the Late Paleozoic to the Early Jurassic, the Tarim basin must be considered a back-arc region. The Kengxiwar lineament, which “connects” the Karakorum fault in the west and the Ruogiang-Xingxingxia/Altyn-Tagh fault zone in the east, shows signs of a polyphase strike-slip fault along which dextral and sinistral shearing occurred.     

腾冲火山区S波速度结构接收函数反演

腾冲火山区临近印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞、俯冲的边界，火山活动与构造环境关系密切．采用远震接收函数反演的方法揭示了该区域的深部结构特征. 结果显示, 腾冲火山区S波低速结构明显受到NE向大盈江断裂的影响，断裂的南部存在明显的S波低速构，断裂的北部低速结构不十分明显．火山区存在浅部的低速结构，低速结构与地震活动性存在对应关系．证实了低速结构是火山区热活动的直接因素, 并认为腾冲火山区存在再次活动的基本条件．      

东昆仑阿尔格山二叠纪生物礁的特征及其古地理古气候的意义

东昆仑山脉西段二叠纪生物礁由早二叠世、中二叠世的栖霞期和茅口期三个层位组成，早二叠世的礁和中二叠世栖霞期的礁是我国首次发现的，填补了我国二叠纪礁的空白。早二叠世礁的时代相当于阿赛尔-萨克马尔-阿丁斯克期，主要表现为海绵礁、苔藓虫礁和Shamovella(Tubiphytes)-古石孔藻礁。但缺失由Palaeoaplysina组成的礁。中二叠世栖霞期的礁表现为海绵-苔藓虫礁、Shamovella-苔藓虫礁和叶状藻礁。中二叠世茅口期的礁与栖霞期的礁类型基本一致。阿尔格山礁是塔吉克斯坦-喀拉昆仑地体的一个部分，该地体位于南纬30°以北的东特提斯海内。此处的二叠纪礁由各种生物组成，包括珊瑚海绵、苔藓虫、Shamovella.古石孔藻、棘皮类、有孔虫、叶状藻、粗枝藻以及腹足类等，推测该礁形成于温暖和炎热气候条件下的暖水内，而非冷水礁。     

Structural features and petroleum geology of the fold-thrust belt in the southern Tarim basin, China

The west Kunlun fold-thrust belt (WKFTB) and the Altun fold-thrust belt (AFTB) are respectively located in the southern margin of the Tarim basin, NW China. The analyses of typical structures and regional dynamics of the fold-thrust belts reveal their different structural and petroleum features and mechanisms. WKFTB differs from AFTB by abundant fault-related folds and triangles zones, and was formed by northward extrusion of the west Kunlun orogen. AFTB was affected synchronously by northward extrusion of the Altun orogen and the sinistral strike-slipping of the Altun Fault, so it is characterized by the minor scale and the monotonous structural styles. The Aqike anticline and the Aqike fault, of which the strikes are orthogonal to the strike of the fold-thrust belts, are regarded as the adjustive structures between both of the fold-thrust belts. The oil-gas pools of WKFTB develop mainly in the faulted-related anticline traps, but the oil-gas pools of AFTB develop mainly in the low fault-block and anticlines traps related with the paleo-uplifts. There are different exploration countermeasures for both of the fold-thrust belts.