Measuring and adjusting the weathering and hydraulic sorting effects for rigorous provenance analysis of sedimentary rocks: a case study from the Jurassic Ashikita Group,south‐west Japan

The present study examines the provenance of the Jurassic Ashikita Group distributed in south‐west Japan, which is composed of the Idenohana, Kyodomari and Sakamoto Formations. Two geochemical diagrams for provenance analysis were utilized, which incorporate full consideration of compositional modifications resulting from weathering (MFW diagram) and hydraulic sorting processes (SiO₂/Al₂O₃–Na₂O/K₂O diagram). The MFW diagram delineates weathering trends of sedimentary rocks and allows estimation of the original source rock composition by tracing the weathering trends backwards to an unweathered domain. Weathering trends of the Idenohana and Kyodomari Formations extend backward to the domain of intermediate and felsic igneous rocks. In contrast, sediments of the Sakamoto Formation do not fit into a linear weathering trend, indicating that the source rock cannot be approximated to igneous rocks. On the SiO₂/Al₂O₃–Na₂O/K₂O diagram, sediments are organized into compositional trends, in which the range reflects compositional variations induced by the hydraulic sorting effect. On this diagram, sediments derived from the igneous and recycled sedimentary provenances can be distinguished by reading the inclination of the trend. By utilizing this principle, source rocks of the Idenohana and Kyodomari Formations are interpreted as igneous rocks and those of the Sakamoto Formation are interpreted as recycled sedimentary rocks. Therefore, these diagrams concurrently estimate the source rock composition through quantifying and adjusting the weathering and sorting effects, and reveal a systematic transition in the provenance of the Ashikita Group. The Idenohana and Kyodomari Formations were supplied chiefly from an igneous provenance, which shifted from intermediate to felsic compositions in stratigraphic order. Whereas, sediments of the Sakamoto Formation were sourced primarily from a recycled sedimentary provenance.     

The Sr isotopic characterization and Pb-Pb age of carbonate rocks from the Satka formation,the Lower Riphean Burzyan Group of the southern Urals

The Rb-Sr and U-Pb systematics are studied in carbonate deposits of the Satka and Suran formations corresponding to middle horizons of the Lower Riphean Burzyan Group in the Taratash and Yamantau anticlinoria, respectively, the southern Urals. The least altered rock samples retaining the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of sedimentation basin have been selected for analysis using the original method of leaching the secondary carbonate phases and based on strict geochemical criteria of the retentivity (Mn/Sr < 0.2, Fe/Sr < 5 and Mg/Ca < 0.024). The stepwise dissolution in 0.5 N HBr has been used to enrich samples in the primary carbonate phase before the Pb-Pb dating. Three (L-4 to L-6) of seven consecutive carbonate fractions obtained by the step-wise leaching are most enriched in the primary carbonate (in terms of the U-Pb systematics). In the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb-²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb diagram, data points of these fractions plot along an isochron determining age of 1550 ± 30 Ma (MSWD = 0.7) for the upper member of the Satka Formation. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio in the least altered limestones of this formation is within the range of 0.70460–0.70480. Generalization of the Sr isotopic data published for the Riphean carbonates from different continents showed that 1650–1350 Ma ago the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio in the world ocean was low, slightly ranging from 0.70456 to 0.70494 and suggesting the prevalent impact of mantle flux.     

Rare Earth Element Enrichment in Late Archean Manganese Deposits from the Iron Ore Group,East India

The major, trace and rare earth element (REE) composition of Late Archean manganese, ferromanganese and iron ores from the Iron Ore Group (IOG) in Orissa, east India, was examined. Manganese deposits, occurring above the iron formations of the IOG, display massive, rhythmically laminated or botryoidal textures. The ores are composed primarily of iron and manganese, and are low in other major and trace elements such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, P₂O₅ and Zr. The total REE concentration is as high as 975 ppm in manganese ores, whereas concentrations as high as 345 ppm and 211 ppm are found in ferromanganese and iron ores, respectively. Heavy REE (HREE) enrichments, negative Ce anomalies and positive Eu anomalies were observed in post‐Archean average shale (PAAS)‐normalized REE patterns of the IOG manganese and ferromanganese ores. The stratiform or stratabound shapes of ore bodies within the shale horizon, and REE geochemistry, suggest that the manganese and ferromanganese ores of the IOG were formed by iron and/or manganese precipitation from a submarine, hydrothermal solution under oxic conditions that occurred as a result of mixing with oxic seawater. While HREE concentrations in the Late Archean manganese and ferromanganese ores in the IOG are slightly less than those of the Phanerozoic ferromanganese ores in Japan, HREE resources in the IOG manganese deposits appear to be two orders of magnitude higher because of the large size of the deposits. Although a reliable, economic concentration technique for HREE from manganese and ferromanganese ores has not yet been developed, those ores could be an important future source of HREE.     

秦岭造山带宽坪群中的变铁镁质岩的成因、时代及其构造意义

地球化学分析结果显示,宽坪群变基性火山岩和斜长角闪岩SiO2含量均小于53%,TiO2的含量分别是0.87%~2.03%和0.92%~2.12%,MgO含量较低（Mg#=29~49）,原岩类型为亚碱性TH系列玄武质岩石。宽坪群变基性火山岩和斜长角闪岩的轻稀土、重稀土元素无明显分异,LREE呈现亏损—略富集,稀土元素配分模式呈平坦型,与E-MORB的配分模式相似。相对于N-MORB,宽坪群变基性火山岩和斜长角闪岩的大离子亲石元素（LILE, 如Sr、K、Rb和Ba）轻度富集,高场强元素（HFSE,如Ta、Nb、Zr、Hf、Ti等）既不富集也不亏损, 显示与E-MORB相类似的地球化学特征。宽坪群变基性火山岩和斜长角闪岩的初始锶比值比较分散,但其初始钕比值(143Nd/144Nd)(t)比较集中和均一,分别为0.511962~0.512192和0.512028~0.512157,??Nd(t)值均为正值,分别是+5.7~+10.2和+7.0~+9.5,表明2类岩石来自轻稀土和大离子亲石元素略呈亏损的源区。SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年代分析揭示,宽坪群变基性火山岩形成于晚新元古代Ediacaran期（611Ma±13Ma）,较老的残余晶核锆石可能是岩浆活动过程中捕获古老地壳成分的记录。黑云母40Ar/39Ar热年代学分析表明,宽坪群原岩变质时代为石炭纪Serpukhovian期（319.1Ma±3.6Ma）。认为宽坪群中的变铁镁岩块/片形成于晚新元古代被动陆缘裂谷洋盆,是华北陆块南缘大陆裂解作用的产物。     

胶北粉子山群和荆山群三叠纪变质变形记录:金红石U-Pb年代学证据

胶北地块粉子山群和荆山群是华北克拉通的重要组成部分,其变质变形作用过程是全面认识华北克拉通性质与演化的关键。前人对粉子山群和荆山群变质变形年代研究的测试对象主要为锆石,报道的年代学数据多集中于1.8~1.9Ga,认为变质变形作用的时代为古元古代。本文通过对采集自胶北粉子山群和荆山群的2个石榴云母片岩和2个云母片岩样品中独居石及金红石的U-Pb同位素年代测定,揭示了胶北粉子山群和荆山群不仅经历了古元古代(1869±16~1864±14 Ma)变质事件的改造,而且还经历了三叠纪(215.1±4.2~217.8±6.3Ma)变质变形事件的叠加。通过金红石中Zr温度计计算得出215.1±4.2 Ma,217.7±2.7 Ma和217.8±6.3 Ma的U-Pb年龄对应温度分别为:658℃,667℃和680℃。表明胶北地块部分卷入了三叠纪苏鲁-大别超高压变质带的俯冲-碰撞造山过程,并遭受了角闪岩相变质作用叠加。     

Revised stratigraphic framework of the Cretaceous in the Bajo Grande area (Argentinean Patagonia) inferred from new U–Pb ages and palynology

The revision of the stratigraphy of the Cerro Bayo in the Bajo Grande area (Argentinean Patagonia) and the new ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 116.85 ± 0.26 Ma constrain the dating of the Baqueró flora, one of the most abundant Aptian floras of southern Gondwana. This flora, preserved in the Baqueró Group, represents an extinct biome that flourished ca. 118 Ma ago and was affected by increasing regional volcanism during the subsequent four millions years. The outcrops of the Cerro Bayo are characterized by fluvio-lacustrine deposits divided into three facies associations that include nine lithofacies. The first palynological record for the locality confirms the correlation of the lower part of the outcrops with the Anfiteatro de Ticó Formation (the oldest unit of the Baqueró Group). The new radiometric age and stratigraphy support recognition of the Bajo Tigre Formation (the middle unit of the Baqueró Group) in the area and date the earliest stage in angiosperm diversification in southern South America. Stratigraphic relationships among the Baqueró, Chubut and Divisadero groups are briefly discussed.     

New fossil anurans from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group of Hyogo Prefecture,Western Honshu,Japan

We describe two well-preserved and articulated fossil anurans excavated from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group in Hyogo Prefecture, Western Honshu, Japan, as new taxa on the basis of unique combinations of character states. We performed a phylogenetic analysis that included these new taxa, as well as Mesozoic and archaic anurans. This analysis strongly supports the monophyly of each of the two new taxa, both of which are placed in more derived positions than extant leiopelmatids or Liaobatrachus from the Lower Cretaceous in China. Anuran specimens from the Tetori Group of Japan are not assigned to the two new taxa, suggesting that at least three anuran taxa were present in Japan during the Early Cretaceous. These Japanese representatives are not closely related to known fossil anurans from Eastern Eurasia, unlike recently described Cretaceous lizards from these two regions.     

A new hangingfly (Insecta,Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from the Purbeck Limestone Group (Lower Cretaceous) of southern England and a review of Cretaceous Bittacidae

Rapid radiation of the Bittacidae during the Jurassic resulted in high diversity within this family of Mecoptera. More than 40 species within 23 genera have been described from this period. However, around the end of the Jurassic the abundance and diversity of Bittacidae decreased and only seven species in five genera are known to date from the Cretaceous. A new specimen from the basal Cretaceous of England, Tytthobittacus jarzembowski sp. nov., described here, represents the eighth species and the second fossil representative of this family from the European Cretaceous. This hangingfly belongs to an extant and relictual genus previously known only from Australia. The paper also includes a review of all known Cretaceous bittacids and a re-examination of European species Antiquanabittacus nanus Petrulevičius and Jarzembowski, 2004.     

Cisuralian coals of the Mullaley Sub-basin,northern New South Wales

The Mullaley Sub-basin of the Gunnedah Basin extends from Quirindi in the southeast, to north of Narrabri, to west of Dunedoo in northern New South Wales. There have been more than 100 boreholes sunk to basement investigating the (lower Permian) Cisuralian coal and coal seam gas resources of the Mullaley Sub-basin since the early 1990s. A desktop review of this open file information has allowed the formal correlation and naming of six Cisuralian coal members attaining a maximum 35 m of cumulative thickness within an upward coarsening sedimentary package totalling no more than 150 m. In ascending order, the coal members are: Bibblewindi (0–10 m), Bohena (3–18 m), Collygra (0.5–3 m), Coxs (1.5–4 m), Tullamullen (0.5–4 m) and Mooki (0.5–3 m).

Cisuralian coal seams in the Maules Creek Formation of the southern Mullaley Sub-basin are here correlated with those of the Greta Coal Measures at Werris Creek and Muswellbrook. It is apparent that basement paleotopography played a significant role in the Cisuralian coal development as coals are best developed where the sedimentary sequence is greater than 60 m thick, as there the thick seams (Bohena and Bibblewindi coal members) occur towards the base of the sequence. The maximum western limit of the Cisuralian coals (Rocky Glen Ridge) is further east than previously inferred with new drilling information showing the Porcupine Formation directly overlying the barren pelletoidal claystones of the Leard Formation or the underlying volcanics (Boggabri Volcanics/Werrie Basalt). Early marine transgressions at the top of the Maules Creek Formation have stopped development of the Mooki, Tullamullen and Coxs coal members in the northern and eastern Mullaley Sub-basin and allowed the development of localised paraconglomerate (diamictite) intervals up to 10 m thick. Thick (>20 m cumulative) coal occurrences are localised to the Jacks Creek and Pilliga East State Forest areas southwest of Narrabri. The coal resource potential of the Mullaley Sub-basin is estimated at 13–28 billion tonnes.     

郯庐断裂(安徽段)两侧肥东群与霍邱群特征性岩石对比研究

郯庐断裂带(安徽段)内部物质组成十分复杂,现有研究认为郯庐内部以扬子板块为主体,对于是否存在西侧华北板块物质混入尚不清楚。为此本文选取了3个特征性样品展开了细致的岩相学研究、温压估算以及锆石U-Pb定年分析,分别为:霍邱群样品WS069-1(磁铁石榴角闪岩)以及样品WS070-1(石榴黑云母片岩);肥东群样品TF003-1(石榴黑云母片岩)。研究发现,霍邱群磁铁石榴角闪岩与肥东群磁铁石榴角闪岩的矿物组合及矿物主量元素特征基本一致。针对霍邱群石榴黑云母片岩与肥东群石榴黑云母片岩的峰期变质条件评价也相互匹配。本文在霍邱群仅发现了~3.2Ga、3.0Ga、2.80Ga、2.74Ga等四组反映源区结晶时代的碎屑锆石年龄,但结合前人对霍邱群和五河群的研究可以认为霍邱群的峰期变质年龄应为2.44Ga,这与肥东群磁铁石榴角闪岩和石榴黑云母片岩的峰期变质年龄2.47~2.41Ga吻合。因此肥东群和霍邱群相同特征性岩石磁铁石榴角闪岩从岩相学、变质P-T条件及变质时代等方面皆具可比性,从而推测肥东群磁铁石榴角闪岩和石榴黑云母片岩构造透镜体应为因郯庐断裂左旋走滑作用而卷入肥东群中的霍邱群岩片。