Planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils record in the upper Campanian-Maastrichtian pelagic deposits of the Malatya Basin in the Hekimhan area (NW Malatya,eastern Anatolia)

The uppermost Cretaceous (upper Campanian-Maastrichtian) pelagic successions from the Malatya Basin (NW Malatya, eastern Anatolia) were studied by 688 samples, which were collected from five stratigraphic sections in the Hekimhan area. The pelagic deposits conformably overlie rudist bearing shallow-water limestones and are overlain conformably by Maastrichtian dolomites and unconformably by Paleocene-Eocene deposits, respectively.The pelagic successions in the Hekimhan area comprise the Kösehasan Formation at the base and the Zorbehan Formation at the top and reach up to 1100 m in thickness. The Kösehasan Formation rests over the neritic rudist-bearing limestones of the Güzelyurt Formation along a sharp contact and consists mainly of flysch-type sandstone-mudstone alternation with complete and partial Bouma sequences. The carbonate content of abundant planktonic foraminifera and nannoplankton-bearing 980-m-thick succession increases upwards and the formation passes gradually to the clayey limestones and marlstones of the Zorbehan Formation to the top. Occurrences of nannoplankton Lithraphidites quadratus Bramlette and Martini and Micula praemurus (Bukry) in the first beds of the Kösehasan Formation indicate that the age of the Kösehasan Formation and overlying Zorbehan Formation is of late Maasthrichtian. Another late Maastrichtian taxa Cribrosphaerella daniae Perch-Nielsen and Arkhangelskiella maastrichtiana Burnett are observed from the lowermost part of the succession. Maastrichtian planktonic foraminifera such as Contusotruncana walfischensis (Todd) and Globotruncanita pettersi (Gandolfi) were recorded through the successions. Although planktonic foraminifera are diverse and abundant particularly in the Kösehesan Formation, index late Maasthrichtian species were not encountered. Campanian and Santonian-Campanian planktonic foraminifera, e.g. Radotruncana calcarata (Cushman) and Globotruncanita elevata (Brotzen), obtained particularly from the lower part of the succession and calcareous nannofossils such as Broinsonia parca parca Bukry, Reinhardtites anthophorus (Deflanre) and Eiffellithus eximius (Stover) are interpreted as reworked from older strata. Trace fossils are common throughout the succession.Rareness of planktonic foraminifera and nannoplankton in the uppermost part of the succession (Zorbehan Formation) indicates maximum shallowing of the latest Maastrichtian sea in this part of the basin. Rare echinoids, bivalves and ammonites are observed in that part of the sequence.The obtained data indicate that sediment accumulation rate of the pelagic deposits is rather high and about 27.5 cm/ky for this part of the basin. Changes in thickness of the formations along short distances in the five stratigraphic sections analysed in this study should be related to the diachroneity of the depositional and erosional events.     

Geochemistry of the Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous shales from the Molango Region,Hidalgo, eastern Mexico: Implications for source-area weathering,provenance, and tectonic setting

This study focuses on the Jurassic (Huayacocotla and Pimienta Formations) and Upper Cretaceous (Méndez Formation) shales from the Molango Region, Hidalgo, Mexico. In this article, we discuss the mineralogy, major, and trace element geochemistry of the Mesozoic shales of Mexico. The goal of this study is to constrain the provenance of the shales, which belong to two different periods of the Mesozoic Era and to understand the weathering conditions and tectonic environments of the source region.     

东准噶尔琼河坝岛弧晚古生代地球动力学环境——来自和尔赛岩体暗色岩墙时空分布的证据

新疆东准噶尔地区地处阿尔泰、准噶尔和东天山等山系和构造单元的结合部位, 是研究中亚造山带(或称北亚造山区)构造演化的关键地区。以往的研究多集中于东准噶尔的岩石组合和地球化学组成, 相对缺乏构造变形尤其是中小尺度构造变形的研究。初步研究发现东准噶尔分布着大量的中基性暗色岩墙, 它们是后期岩浆侵入到前期构造裂隙中的产物, 可以从时空两个方面为构造裂隙的研究提供制约。本文结合地质资料和高分辨率遥感影像解译, 在琼河坝岛弧带中的和尔赛岩体(早泥盆世)中识别出来了874个暗色岩墙(晚石炭世-早二叠世)片段, 它们的走向以北西西-南东东向为主, 另外还有少数北东-南西和北西-南东走向的岩墙。通过岩墙的宏观变形特征可以推测, 北西西-南东东走向的岩墙形成于压张性裂隙之中, 北西-南东走向的岩墙形成于左行张剪裂隙之中, 北东-南西走向的岩墙形成于右行压剪裂隙之中。这些裂隙形成时平面最大主应力为北西西-南东东方向。结合岩体和岩墙的时代, 本文认为在晚泥盆世-早石炭世期间, 和尔赛岩体由于受到北西西-南东东方向的区域挤压作用而产生相应的裂隙, 可能标志着洋盆结束后碰撞作用的发生, 而晚石炭世-早二叠世暗色岩墙的普遍发育可能是后碰撞岩浆活动的标志。     

辽东地区硼矿体赋存特征及成矿预测

辽东地区硼矿床受控于华北地台东北部大石桥-凤城-宽甸古隆起构造带.元古宇辽河群下部里尔峪组含硼岩系呈W-E、NE向、长约350 km、宽60 km的长条带状展布.硼矿体发育于里尔峪组蛇纹石化镁橄岩或蛇纹石化富镁大理岩中,具有明显的层控和岩控特征.虎皮峪-红石砬子-清河近东西向线状紧密的复式背、向斜间多期次次级的背、向斜发育,表现出明显的塑性变形.硼矿体在走向和倾向上具尖灭膨缩现象.围岩蚀变强烈.大量的电气石化使围岩中硼元素的含量偏高;蛇纹石化镁橄岩或蛇纹石化富镁大理岩的Ca/Mg比值波动极大,表明其与成矿关系十分密切;含硼岩系的厚度与矿体的关系呈正相关性,当厚度超过35 m时就有可能成矿,且厚度越大,矿体的规模和矿石质量越好.在部分地区,赋矿的褶皱构造完全倒转,有里尔峪组的层序倒转,混合岩段反转至上部,且混合岩化明显增强,形成混合岩化花岗岩,而其下部250~600 m是含硼岩系,发育优质隐伏硼矿.据辽东地区硼矿体的这些特征,推测了4个成矿远景区.     

Curved structures and interference fold patterns associated with lateral ramps in the Eastern Cordillera, Central Andes of Argentina

The conspicuous curved structures located at the eastern front of the Eastern Cordillera between 25° and 26° south latitude is coincident with the salient recognized as the El Crestón arc. Major oblique strike-slip faults associated with these strongly curved structures were interpreted as lateral ramps of an eastward displaced thrust sheet. The displacement along these oblique lateral ramps generated the local N–S stress components responsible for the complex hanging wall deformation. Accompanying each lateral ramp, there are two belts of strong oblique fault and folding: the upper Juramento River valley area and El Brete area.On both margins of the Juramento River upper valley, there is extensive map-scale evidence of complex deformation above an oblique ramp. The N–S striking folds originated during Pliocene Andean orogeny were subsequently or simultaneously folded by E–W oriented folds. The lateral ramps delimiting the thrust sheet coincident with the El Crestón arc salient are strike-slip faults emplaced in the abrupt transitions between thick strata forming the salient and thin strata outside of it. El Crestón arc is a salient related to the pre-deformational Cretaceous rift geometry, which developed over a portion of this basin (Metán depocenter) that was initially thicker. The displacement along the northern lateral ramp is sinistral, whereas it is dextral in the southern ramp. The southern end of the Eastern Cordillera of Argentina shows a particular structure reflecting a pronounced along strike variations related to the pre-deformational sedimentary thickness of the Cretaceous basin.     

雅鲁藏布江大拐弯北段区域工程地质及其对地质灾害发育的影响

川藏公路然乌-鲁朗段位于雅鲁藏布江大拐弯北部,是地质灾害频发的地区,而地质灾害的发生受当地的地质、气候、水文、人类活动等多种因素的影响,其中地质条件是控制因素。研究区位于东喜马拉雅构造结北缘,是地质构造活动最强烈的地区。在地质构造上,东喜马拉雅构造结属于冈底斯、雅鲁藏布和喜马拉雅三个构造单元。区内构造的形成经历了3个时期7个阶段。川藏公路然乌-鲁朗段的地层属于冈底斯-念青唐古拉区中的拉萨-波密分区,第四纪冰碛发育。由于强烈的地质构造活动,区内断层、褶皱等构造发育,许多断裂仍在活动,尤其是嘉黎断裂。由于地质灾害的形成需要一定的条件,并受地质条件控制,因此区内地质灾害的分布具有明显的空间特征。     

VRANCEA99—the crustal structure beneath the southeastern Carpathians and the Moesian Platform from a seismic refraction profile in Romania

The VRANCEA99 seismic refraction experiment is part of an international and multidisciplinary project to study the intermediate depth earthquakes of the Eastern Carpathians in Romania. As part of the seismic experiment, a 300-km-long refraction profile was recorded between the cities of Bacau and Bucharest, traversing the Vrancea epicentral region in NNE–SSW direction.

The results deduced using forward and inverse ray trace modelling indicate a multi-layered crust. The sedimentary succession comprises two to four seismic layers of variable thickness and with velocities ranging from 2.0 to 5.8 km/s. The seismic basement coincides with a velocity step up to 5.9 km/s. Velocities in the upper crystalline crust are 5.9–6.2 km/s. An intra-crustal discontinuity at 18–31 km divides the crust into an upper and a lower layer. Velocities within the lower crust are 6.7–7.0 km/s. Strong wide-angle PmP reflections indicate the existence of a first-order Moho at a depth of 30 km near the southern end of the line and 41 km near the centre. Constraints on upper mantle seismic velocities (7.9 km/s) are provided by Pn arrival times from two shot points only. Within the upper mantle a low velocity zone is interpreted. Travel times of a PLP reflection define the bottom of this low velocity layer at a depth of 55 km. The velocity beneath this interface must be at least 8.5 km/s.

Geologic interpretation of the seismic data suggests that the Neogene tectonic convergence of the Eastern Carpathians resulted in thin-skinned shortening of the sedimentary cover and in thick-skinned shortening in the crystalline crust. On the autochthonous cover of the Moesian platform several blocks can be recognised which are characterised by different lithological compositions. This could indicate a pre-structuring of the platform at Mesozoic and/or Palaeozoic times with a probable active involvement of the Intramoesian and the Capidava–Ovidiu faults. Especially the Intramoesian fault is clearly recognisable on the refraction line. No clear indications of the important Trotus fault in the north of the profile could be found. In the central part of the seismic line a thinned lower crust and the low velocity zone in the uppermost mantle point to the possibility of crustal delamination and partial melting in the upper mantle.     

Lead-arsenic soil geochemical study as an exploration guide over the Killik volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Northeastern Turkey

A mountainous terrain, the eastern Pontide tectonic belt, located in northeastern Turkey, contains more than 60 known volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits that differ in reserves (0.1–30 million tonnes) and grades. Soil geochemistry is conventionally used in exploration programs to discover concealed VMS deposits in the region. In the present study, Pb and As element pair were used as pathfinder elements to investigate the relationship of their anomalies to a completely delineated ore deposit (Killik VMS deposit) in an orientation survey that served as a natural physical model. Two hundred forty soil samples were analyzed in the present study. The two elements, which represent the opposite ends of the mobility range, revealed high contrast and overlapped each other at the location of the ore deposit due to enhancement of the anomalies by hydromorphic dispersion, which is an indication that soil samples would produce reliable results. The successful delineation of the deposit is remarkable considering the rough topography and the climatic limitations. Previously the extremely moist and temperate climate was thought to cause excessive leaching of the trace element pathfinders from the ore deposits to produce extensive anomalies usually extending away from the mineralization thus, leading to erroneous results and/or extensive anomalous areas. But the present research has shown that the method can be used effectively if the sampling and data evaluation is carefully conducted.