Structural control on gold mineralization at Walhalla,Victoria

Gold mineralization associated with quartz reefs is related to the structural history of the Early Devonian, Walhalla Group. These reefs are situated in the Walhalla Synclinorium, developed during the Middle to Late Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny. A pervasive north‐south‐trending axial planar cleavage and two styles of folding were produced during regional east‐west compression. The first are upright, open to close folds with sub‐horizontal fold axes. The second are plunging inclined, close to tight folds with fold axes that plunge steeply to the north and south. An extensional event is associated with the emplacement of the Woods Point Dyke swarm and a set of normal faults that offset all earlier structures. High‐angle reverse faults, which post‐date the folding and the emplacement of the dykes, were utilized as conduits for hydrothermal fluids and preferentially localize mineralization to laminated quartz veins. En echelon vein arrays formed during initial stages of reverse faulting became deformed during prolonged shearing to produce ptygmatic veins. Laminated quartz veins within high‐angle reverse faults contain arsenopyrite and pyrite in vein margins and gold in fractures that cross‐cut continuous quartz crystals. Gold, galena, chalcopyrite and sphalerite may also be deposited adjacent to and within fractured arsenopyrite and pyrite. Late‐stage, cross faults developed in a regime of north‐south compression and post‐date the laminated quartz veins and mineralization.     

Gold mineralization paragenesis to tectonic structures in the Birimian of the eastern Dialé-Daléma Supergroup,Kédougou-Kéniéba Inlier,Senegal, West African Craton

ABSTRACT

New field and petrographic data from the Birimian of the Kolia-Boboti Basin in the Kédougou-Kéniéba inlier indicate two phases of gold mineralization related to Eburnean tectono-magmatic events. Syn- to late-tectonic (D₂/D₃) mineralization, controlled by stockwork sulphide-bearing quartz-chlorite and quartz-carbonate veins, is associated with fluid circulation related to magmatic intrusions. V₂ veins and disseminated assemblages are mainly composed of quartz + chlorite + pyrite and ± gold. Haematite and arsenopyrite are added in the sediments (pelite, greywake, sandstone, quartzite, and marble) and albite in the felsic rocks (andesite, rhyolite, granodirite, and diorite). V₃ veins assemblage is composed of quartz + carbonate + pyrite + chalcopyrite and ± gold. Pyrrhotite appears in the sediments (greywacke, quartzite, marble). Sericite, tourmaline, haematite, and magnetite are common in both V₂ and V₃ assemblages. The first sulphide-bearing quartz-chlorite assemblage is related to the hydrothermal activity of the Eburnean D₂ deformation, which was focused mostly along NW- to NNE-trending tectonic structures. The second sulphide-bearing quartz-carbonate assemblage is associated with hydrothermal activity during late Eburnean D₃ deformation, mainly located in NE- to E–W-trending tectonic structures. Gold is correlated with the abundance of sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite), and sulphide stockworks are more abundant in the veins sub-parallel (V_2b) or oblique (V_2c) to the N–S- to NNE-oriented S₂ foliation, as well as in the N45°–N90°-oriented V₃ veins. V₁ veins, which are related to D₁ Eburnean tectonics, are highly deformed (folded and boudinaged) and are poor in sulphides. The host structures of mineralization (V₂ and V₃ veins) represent the low- and medium-stress domains resulting from the Eburnean D₂ and D₃ tectonic phases, respectively. The intra-crystalline deformation of the quartz grains associated with these three vein types indicates relatively low temperatures. These different features suggest that most of the mineralization was associated with sulphides formed during the D₂ and D₃ Eburnean tectono-magmatic events dated around 2080 ± 0.9 and 2061 ± 15 Ma, respectively.     

Nature and origin of Mesozoic granitoids and associated mineralization in the Sanjiang Tethys Orogeny,SW China: the Xiuwacu complex example

ABSTRACT

The magmatic generation for the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic (~215–200 Ma) and Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous (~108–79 Ma) post-collisional granites in the Sanjiang Tethys orogeny remain enigmatic. The Xiuwacu complex, located in the southern Yidun Terrane, consists of biotite granite with a weight mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 199.8 ± 2.5 Ma, aplite granite of 108.2 ± 2.3 Ma, monzogranite porphyry of 80.8 ± 1.0 Ma, and diorite enclaves of 79.2 ± 0.9 Ma and 77.9 ± 0.8 Ma. The Late Triassic biotite granites show I-type granite affinities, with high SiO₂ contents, high Mg^# values, high zircon δ¹⁸O values, and negative whole-rock ?Nd(t) values, indicating a predominant ancient crustal source with the input of juvenile materials. Their fractionated REE patterns and concave-upward middle-to-heavy REE patterns require garnet-bearing amphibolite as the melt source. The Cretaceous highly fractionated aplite granites and monzogranite porphyries have relatively high SiO₂ contents, high (Na₂O + K₂O)/CaO ratios, high zircon δ¹⁸O values, and enriched whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic signatures, suggesting that their parent magmas were likely originated from the ancient middle- to lower crust. Their significant negative Eu anomalies and obvious depletions in Nb, Sr, and Ti demonstrate that the Cretaceous granitic magmas had experienced more fractionation than the Late Triassic felsic magmas. The Late Cretaceous diorite enclaves show low SiO₂ contents, high Mg^# values, and high zircon δ¹⁸O values, suggesting that they were probably derived from the partial melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle enriched by the Late Triassic subduction. The Late Triassic–Early Jurassic and Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous magmatism witnessed the post-collisional setting and intraplate extensional setting in response to the slab break-off and lithospheric-scale transtensional faulting, respectively. The partial melting of subduction-modified lithospheric mantle or/and residual sulphide cumulates within the lower crust during the origination of Late Cretaceous magmas could have provided metals for the formation of Xiuwacu deposit.     

东天山-北山造山带中大型韧性剪切带属性及形成演化时限与过程

塔里木盆地北缘的东天山-北山造山带中发育多条近E-W走向的大型韧性剪切带,它们构成了造山带中不同地体单元的主要边界,是碰撞造山及造山后的产物。本文在野外调查基础上,通过微观/宏观构造、几何学/运动学/动力学/年代学相结合的研究、厘定了东天山北山造山带中的7条大型韧性剪切带,阐述了剪切带的延伸、规模、剪切变形特征、变形条件以及形成与演化时限。并讨论了这7条不同类型韧性剪切带的形成过程以及东天山和北山古生代造山过程中所起的重要作用。     

新疆博格达—哈尔里克山晚新生代压扭性变形与隆起成山

压扭性走滑变形是陆内变形的最主要构造样式之一,并且是陆内造山系统得以形成的最基本构造样式。位于天山东部的博格达—哈尔里克山链,横亘在吐哈盆地和准噶尔盆地之间,是研究新生代山脉形成理想的野外实验室。本文结合压扭造山带的研究,通过野外地质填图、遥感解译和DEM分析,裂变径迹测试等研究,确认博格达—哈尔里克山与山脉隆起相关的断裂构造主要为北东东向和北西西向压扭性走滑断裂,认为它是晚新生代压扭造山带(transpressional orogen)。主要证据是:首先博格达—哈尔里克山与山脉隆起相关的构造变形为北东东70°走向和北西西290°走向,山脉两侧呈现向盆地方向的逆冲冲断构造,体现了近南北向为构造主压应力场特点;其次天池河床砂岩屑AFT分析出的年龄峰值集中在42.8 Ma(62.8%)、18.8 Ma(29.0%)、3.2 Ma(8.2%),表明样品所代表的流域地质体在42.8 Ma、18.8Ma、3.2 Ma经历了3次冷却事件。依据裂变径迹等年龄投影圈闭图显示博格达山裂变径迹年龄存在中间新,两边老的特点。基于相同的大地构造背景,压扭造山模式也可以解释整个天山晚新生代山脉强烈隆升。     

Exhumation of the lower crust during crustal shortening: an Alice Springs (380 Ma) age for a prograde amphibolite facies shear zone in the Strangways Metamorphic Complex (central Australia)

Foliated garnet-bearing amphibolites occur within the West Bore Shear Zone, cutting through granulite facies gneisses of the Strangways Metamorphic Complex. In the amphibolites, large euhedral garnet (up to 3 cm) occurs within fine-grained recrystallized leucocratic diffusion haloes of plagioclase–quartz. The garnet and their haloes include a well-developed vertical foliation, also present in the matrix. This foliation is the same as that cutting through the unconformably overlying Neoproterozoic Heavitree Quartzite. The textures indicate syn- to late kinematic growth of the amphibolite facies mineral assemblages.
All mineral assemblages record an arrested prograde reaction history. Noteworthy is the growth of garnet at the expense of hornblende and plagioclase, and the breakdown of staurolite–hornblende to give plagioclase–gedrite. These dehydration reactions indicate increasing P – T  conditions during metamorphism, and suggest heating towards the end of a period of intense deformation. Temperature estimates for the garnet–amphibolite and related staurolite–hornblende assemblages from the shear zone are about 600 °C. Pressure is estimated at about 5 kbar.
An Sm–Nd isochron gives an age of 381±7 Ma for the peak metamorphism and associated deformation. This age determination confirms that amphibolite facies conditions prevailed during shear zone development within the Strangways Metamorphic Complex during the Alice Springs Orogeny. These temperature conditions are significantly higher than those expected at this depth assuming a normal geothermal gradient. The Alice Springs Orogeny was associated with significant crustal thickening, allowing exhumation of the granulite facies, Palaeoproterozoic, lower crust. Along-strike variations of the tectonic style suggest a larger amount of crustal shortening in the eastern part of the Alice Springs Orogeny.     

Genesis of the Jurassic Carbonate‐Hosted Pb–Zn Deposits of Jebel Ressas (North‐Eastern Tunisia): Evidence from Mineralogy,Petrography and Trace Metal Contents and Isotope (O,C, S,Pb) Geochemistry

The Jebel Ressas Pb–Zn deposits in North‐Eastern Tunisia occur mainly as open‐space fillings (lodes, tectonic breccia cements) in bioclastic limestones of the Upper Jurassic Ressas Formation and along the contact of this formation with Triassic rocks. The galena–sphalerite association and their alteration products (cerussite, hemimorphite, hydrozincite) are set within a calcite gangue. The Triassic rocks exhibit enrichments in trace metals, namely Pb, Co and Cd enrichment in clays and Pb, Zn, Cd, Co and Cr enrichment in carbonates, suggesting that the Triassic rocks have interacted with the ore‐bearing fluids associated with the Jebel Ressas Pb–Zn deposits. The δ¹⁸O content of calcite associated with the Pb–Zn mineralization suggests that it is likely to have precipitated from a fluid that was in equilibrium with the Triassic dolostones. The δ³⁴S values in galenas from the Pb–Zn deposits range from ?1.5 to +11.4‰, with an average of 5.9‰ and standard deviation of 3.9‰. These data imply mixing of thermochemically‐reduced heavy sulfur carried in geothermal‐ and fault‐stress‐driven deep‐seated source fluid with bacterially‐reduced light sulfur carried in topography‐driven meteoric fluid. Lead isotope ratios in galenas from the Pb–Zn deposits are homogenous and indicate a single upper crustal source of base‐metals for these deposits. Synthesis of the geochemical data with geological data suggests that the base‐metal mineralization at Jebel Ressas was formed during the Serravallian–Tortonian (or Middle–Late Miocene) Alpine compressional tectonics.     

A tectonic interpretation of “Eburnean terrane” outliers in the Reguibat Shield, Mauritania

The Reguibat Shield comprises a western “Archaean terrane” and eastern “Eburnean terrane” juxtaposed during the early Palaeoproterozoic Eburnean Orogeny. Metasedimentary rocks of probable Palaeoproterozoic age are preserved as flat-lying klippen (Kediat Ijil and Guelb Zednes) and steep imbricate zones (El Mahaoudat range and Sfariat Belt). These are interpreted to record a phase of thrust tectonics that emplaced a continental margin succession onto a composite Archaean foreland prior to ca. 2.06 Ga sinistral transcurrent deformation. Together, these events reflect partitioned Eburnean transpression.     

Geochemistry and geochronology of the Rathjen Gneiss: Implications for the early tectonic evolution of the Delamerian Orogen

The Rathjen Gneiss is the oldest and structurally most complex of the granitic intrusives in the southern Adelaide Fold‐Thrust Belt and therefore provides an important constraint on the timing of the Delamerian Orogen. Zircons in the Rathjen Gneiss show a complex growth history, reflecting inheritance, magmatic crystallisation and metamorphism. Both single zircon evaporation (‘Kober’ technique) and SHRIMP analysis yield best estimates of igneous crystallisation of 514 ± 5 Ma, substantially older than other known felsic intrusive ages in the southern Adelaide Fold‐Thrust Belt. This age places an older limit on the start of the Delamerian metamorphism and is compatible with known stratigraphic constraints suggesting the Early Cambrian Kanmantoo Group was deposited, buried and heated in less than 20 million years. High‐U overgrowths on zircons were formed during subsequent metamorphism and yield a ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 503 ± 7 Ma. The Delamerian Orogeny lasted no more than 35 million years. The emplacement of the Rathjen Gneiss as a pre‐ or early syntectonic granite is emphasised by its geochemical characteristics, which show affiliations with within‐plate or anorogenic granites. In contrast, younger syntectonic granites in the southern Adelaide Fold‐Thrust Belt have geochemical characteristics more typical of granites in convergent orogens. The Early Ordovician post‐tectonic granites then mark a return to anorogenic compositions. The sensitivity of granite chemistry to changes in tectonic processes is remarkable and clearly reflects changes in the contribution of crust and mantle sources.     

Dating of Neoproterozoic and Cambrian orogenies in Tasmania*

A coherent set of timing constraints is produced for Tasmania's Proterozoic and Cambrian geology when only mineral ages are considered and whole‐rock ages excluded. The oldest recognised event is the formation of sedimentary deposits which contain detrital zircons that indirectly indicate a depositional age younger than 1180 Ma. Partial melts of these sedimentary rocks were incorporated in Neoproterozoic, Devonian and probably Cambrian felsic magmas. Neoproterozoic granite on King Island has an age of 760 ± 12 Ma and is part of a high‐level intrusive episode that accompanied the Wickham Orogeny, an event with regionally varied strain that is represented in northwestern Tasmania by a low‐angle unconformity, by altered granitoid with a magmatic age of 777 ± 7 Ma, and by the thick turbidite pile of the Burnie and Oonah Formations with its syndepositional intrusions of Cooee Dolerite. The late Neoproterozoic was relatively quiet tectonically but by early in the Middle Cambrian a crustal collision which marked the early phase of the Tyennan Orogeny brought about high‐level emplacement of ultramafic‐bearing allochthons and deep‐seated metamorphism of quartzose sedimentary and basaltic rocks. The ultramafic allochthons carried tonalite that had crystallised only shortly before at 510 ± 6 Ma, while the deep‐seated metamorphism produced eclogite at 502 ± 8 Ma. By middle Middle Cambrian times the metamorphic rocks had been uplifted and they experienced repeated uplift during the period of Mt Read volcanism and onward to the close of the Tyennan Orogeny in the Early Ordovician, an overall period of some 20 million years from the early Middle Cambrian. Regionally varied strain was again a feature during the Tyennan Orogeny, with the Smithton area in northwestern Tasmania and King Island occupying relatively undeformed cratonic positions.