Transformation from Permian to Quaternary bauxite in southwestern South China Block driven by superimposed orogeny: A case study from Sanhe ore deposit

Permian karstic bauxite and its Quaternary derivative, in western Guangxi, southwestern, South China Block, possess a total tonnage greater than 0.5 billion tons. The primary late Permian karstic bauxite formed in reduced environment in the background of Tethyan accretionary orogenesis. And as one consequence of Cenozoic convergence of the Indian and Eurasia continents, the primary orebody was uplifted, eroded and re-sedimented within Quaternary laterite. The geochemical variation and its controls during the ore transformation from Permian to Quaternary remain poorly understood. Quaternary ore blocks comprise an inner zone of fresh ore, and then it gradually transited through a middle zone to a margin with extensive weathering. One such bauxite block was selected and further subdivided into twenty-three samples for geochemical and mineralogical analysis. The inner and middle zones contain similar mineralogical compositions, dominated by diaspore and amesite, with minor illite, anatase, goethite, pyrite, zircon, and rutile. The margin is composed of diaspore, with small amounts of amesite, boehmite, illite, goethite, anatase, kaolinite, zircon, rutile, and barite. Bauxite in all three zones is composed of mainly Al, Si, Fe, and Ti, and high contents of Zr, Cr, Li, F, S, Zn, V, Sr, Nb, Ba, and REE. Variations in Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ between the three zones were observed. The elements Si, Al, Fe²⁺, Mg, Ba, Cr, F, Li, Ni, Zn, and REE decrease from the core of the ore block outwards, corresponding to an increase in S and Fe³⁺. Depletions in Si, Al, Fe²⁺, Mg, Ba, and Cr were caused by the dissolution of amesite. Most of the Al and Si in amesite were lost during the weathering, and minor retained to form kaolinite. Depletions in Li, Ni, and Zn resulted from changes in the depositional environment between the late Permian and Quaternary. Dissolution of REE-bearing fluorocarbonates resulted in depletions of REE and F. The enrichment of Fe³⁺ and S was related to the precipitation of goethite, hematite, and barite in an oxidizing environment, while local enrichment of Ce resulted from the redox change of Ce³⁺ → Ce⁴⁺ under the same condition. This shows that the chemical composition of laterite enwrapping the bauxite also took part in Quaternary bauxite transformation. This study shows that the elements migrations during bauxite transformation were influenced by multiple independent factors except for the elemental attributes.     

Petrology and geochemistry of mafic and ultramafic cumulate rocks from the eastern part of the Sabzevar ophiolite (NE Iran): Implications for their petrogenesis and tectonic setting

The Late Cretaceous Sabzevar ophiolite represents one of the largest and most complete fragments of Tethyan oceanic lithosphere in the NE Iran. It is mainly composed of serpentinized mantle peridotites slices; nonetheless, minor tectonic slices of all crustal sequence constituents are observed in this ophiolite. The crustal sequence contains a well-developed ultramafic and mafic cumulates section, comprising plagioclase-bearing wehrlite, olivine clinopyroxenite, olivine gabbronorite, gabbronorite, amphibole gabbronorite and quartz gabbronorite with adcumulate, mesocumulate, heteradcumulate and orthocumulate textures. The crystallization order for these rocks is olivine ​± ​chromian spinel → clinopyroxene → plagioclase → orthopyroxene → amphibole. The presence of primary magmatic amphiboles in the cumulate rocks shows that the parent magma evolved under hydrous conditions. Geochemically, the studied rock units are characterized by low TiO₂ (0.18–0.57 ​wt.%), P₂O₅ (<0.05 ​wt.%), K₂O (0.01–0.51 ​wt.%) and total alkali contents (0.12–3.04 ​wt.%). They indicate fractionated trends in the chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) plots and multi-element diagrams (spider diagrams). The general trend of the spider diagrams exhibit slight enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) relative to high field strength elements (HFSEs) and positive anomalies in Sr, Pb and Eu and negative anomalies in Zr and Nb relative to the adjacent elements. The REE plots of these rocks display increasing trend from La to Sm, positive Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu1 ​= ​1.06–1.54) and an almost flat pattern from medium REE (MREE) to heavy REE (HREE) region [(Gd/Yb)_N ​= ​1–1.17]. Moreover, clinopyroxenes from the cumulate rocks have low REE contents and show marked depletion in light REE (LREE) compared to MREE and HREE [(La/Sm)_N ​= ​0.10–0.27 and (La/Yb)_N ​= ​0.08–0.22]. The composition of calculated melts in equilibrium with the clinopyroxenes from less evolved cumulate samples are closely similar to island arc tholeiitic (IAT) magmas. Modal mineralogy, geochemical features and REE modeling indicate that Sabzevar cumulate rocks were formed by crystal accumulation from a hydrous depleted basaltic melt with IAT affinity. This melt has been produced by moderate to high degree (~15%) of partial melting a depleted mantle source, which partially underwent metasomatic enrichment from subducted slab components in an intra-oceanic arc setting.     

Surface analysis of pyrite in the No. 9 coal seam, Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China, using high-resolution time-of-flight secondary ion mass-spectrometry

The chemical composition of pyrite in coal can be used to investigate its geological and mineralogical origin. In this paper, high-resolution time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was used to study the chemical composition of various pyrite forms in the No. 9 coal seam (S_t,d=3.46%) from the Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, northern China. These include bacteriogenic, framboidal, massive, cell-filling, fracture-filling, and nodular pyrites. In addition to Fe⁺ (⁵⁴Fe⁺, ⁵⁶Fe⁺, ⁵⁷Fe⁺), other fragment ions were detected in bacteriogenic pyrites, such as ²⁷Al⁺, Si⁺ (²⁸Si⁺, ²⁹Si⁺, ³⁰Si⁺), ⁴⁰Ca⁺, Cu⁺ (⁶³Cu⁺, ⁶⁵Cu⁺), Zn⁺ (⁶⁴Zn⁺, ⁶⁶Zn⁺, ⁶⁷Zn⁺, ⁶⁸Zn⁺), Ni⁺ (⁵⁸Ni⁺, ⁶⁰Ni⁺, ⁶²Ni⁺), and C₃H₇⁺. TOF-SIMS images show bacteriogenic pyrites are relatively rich in Cu, Zn, and Ni, suggesting that bacteria probably play an important role in the enrichment of Cu, Zn, and Ni during their formation. Intense positive secondary ion fragments from framboidal aggregates, such as ²⁷Al⁺, ²⁸Si⁺, ²⁹Si⁺, AlO⁺, CH₂⁺, C₃H₃⁺, C₃H₅⁺, and C₄H₇⁺, indicate that formation of the framboidal aggregates may have occurred together with clay mineral and organic matter, which probably serve as the binding substance. The intense ions of ²⁸Si⁺ and ²⁷Al⁺ from massive pyrites also suggest that their pores incorporated clay minerals during crystallization. Together with the lowest ²⁸Si⁺/²³Na⁺ value, the intense organic positive secondary ion peaks from cell-filling pyrites, such as C₃H₃⁺, C₃H₅⁺, C₃H₇⁺, and C₄H₇⁺, indicate that pyrite formation may have accompanied dissolution or disintegration of the cell. The intense P⁺ peak was observed only in the fracture-filling pyrite and the highest ²⁸Si⁺/²³Na⁺ value of fracture-filling pyrite reflects its epigenetic origin. Together with XRD and REEs data, the stronger ⁴⁰Ca⁺ in nodular pyrite than other pyrite forms shows seawater influence during its formation.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000072

The Abor volcanics outcroping in the core of the Siang window in the Eastern Himalaya comprise voluminous mafic volcanics (47％-56％ w(SiO2)),with subordinate felsic volcanics (67％-75％ w(SiO2)).The felsi...     

云南个旧—文山区地球化学异常

个旧—文山区可分为五个地球化学区,以此为基础分析各区成矿地质条件及水系沉积物元素含量特征,找出元素异常分布信息,进行科学有效评价。     

A 7000-year record of environmental change,including early farming impact,based on lake-sediment geochemistry and pollen data from County Sligo,western Ireland

Detailed, chronologically tightly constrained, lake-sediment-based geochemical and pollen records have enabled local changes in soil erosion, woodland cover and composition, and prehistoric farming impact to be reconstructed in considerable detail. The profile opens shortly after 7800 BC when tall canopy trees were well-established and presumably in equilibrium with their environment. A distinct perturbation that involved an increase in pine and birch, a decrease in oak and a minor opening-up of the woodland is regarded as the local expression of the 8.2 ka climate anomaly. Lack of response in the geochemical erosional indicators is interpreted as evidence for drier conditions. A short-lived, over-compensation in climate recovery followed the 8.2 ka event. Neolithic farming impact is clearly expressed in both the pollen and geochemical data. Both datasets indicate that Neolithic impact was concentrated in the early Neolithic (3715–3440 BC). In the interval 3000–2700 BC there appears to have been a break in farming activity. The pollen data suggest substantially increased farming impact (both arable and pastoral) in the Bronze Age, with maximum farming and woodland clearances taking place in the late Bronze Age (1155–935 BC). These developments are poorly expressed in the geochemical record, possibly due to within-lake changes.     

内蒙古中部构造混杂带晚古生代-早中生代变质基性岩的地球化学特征及其大地构造意义

内蒙古中部构造混杂带中的变质基性岩可分为南、北两带:南带位于乌兰沟-图林凯地区,被划分至温都尔庙群下部的桑达来因组,主要为一套变质玄武岩和辉长岩、辉绿岩,局部含有超基性岩和碳酸岩透镜体,其中变质基性火山岩以绿片岩相变质为主,局部保留枕状构造或发育蓝片岩,已有的锆石U-Pb年代学数据表明南带变质基性火山岩形成于晚古生代到早中生代;北带位于芒和特-二道井-红格尔一线,主要呈岩块状保存在由绢云绿泥石英片岩、硅质岩、含铁石英岩和少量的大理岩组成的基质中,岩石类型包括蓝片岩、冻蓝闪石片岩、阳起片岩、绿帘角闪片岩等。地球化学研究显示南、北两带的变质基性岩相对低Al(Al2O3=10.66%~14.97%)、低Ti(TiO2=1.27%~1.96%)、高Na(Na2O=1.02%~4.20%)、贫K(K2O=0.02%~0.71%),具有拉斑玄武岩到碱性玄武岩系列的过渡特征,高的Na2O/K2O比值(6.89~454)暗示这些基性岩在变质作用前发生了细碧角斑岩化。不活动元素Zr与其他高场强元素(HSFE;Th、Nb、Hf、Ti)和稀土元素(REE)显示良好的线性关系,表明在变质过程中,高场强元素和稀土元素基本保持稳定,可以反映原岩的性质。根据稀土、微量元素配分型式和相关比值可以将内蒙中部构造混杂带中的变质基性岩分为两类:一类稀土含量相对较低(∑REE=46.00×10-6~78.08×10-6)、轻重稀土分异不明显((La/Yb)N=0.50~1.04),无明显Eu负异常,Hf/Ta=6.82~15.18,具有正常的大洋中脊玄武岩(NMORB)特征;另一类稀土含量相对较高(∑REE=58.66×10-6~151.3×10-6)、轻重稀土分异明显((La/Yb)N=2.28~4.68),无明显Eu负异常,Hf/Ta=2.06~4.70,与富集型洋中脊玄武岩(E-MORB)相似。部分变质基性岩样品轻微富集大离子亲石元素Rb和Ba,可能暗示原岩在就位过程中遭受了微弱的陆壳混染。以上地球化学特征表明这些变质基性岩的原岩可能形成于一个扩张规模有限的陆内洋盆环境。已有的古生物地理学研究表明古亚洲洋闭合后,到晚古生代早期,内蒙古中部地区成为佳-蒙地块的一部分。石炭纪期间整个内蒙古中部发育稳定的浅海相沉积,局部为造山后隆起环境,发育加里东I型花岗岩和花岗闪长岩。从晚石炭世-早二叠世起,内蒙中部开始处于伸展环境:二连浩特到东乌珠穆沁旗一带发育大量的碱性岩;华北克拉通北缘发育很多高钾钙碱性-碱性的花岗岩;内蒙中部地区广泛发育二叠纪大石寨组双峰式火山岩。到中二叠世开始裂解形成若干近东西向分布的海盆,发育哲斯组、林西组浅海相、泻湖相沉积。持续的伸展形成了有限洋盆,发育以温都尔庙群为代表的含铁硅质岩以及晚古生代-早中生代基性岩。由于早中三叠世华北板块与扬子板块全面碰撞和陆内造山过程的影响,有限洋盆最终在早中生代之后发生被动闭合,形成南、北构造混杂带,并导致该基性岩乃至整个内蒙中部的晚古生代沉积发生广泛绿片岩相变质作用,而局部蓝片岩的形成可能与有限洋盆的俯冲作用有关。     

新疆博格达东缘色皮口一带辉绿岩地球化学、锆石U-Pb年龄及地质意义

博格达造山带内出露的晚石炭世辉绿岩,为研究博格达裂谷演化末期地球动力学背景提供了重要信息.色皮口地区辉绿岩主量元素以低TiO2、较高Al2O3、较低MgO、贫P2O5,较低的K2O/Na2O比值(0.12~0.53),ΣREE较高,LREE/HREE为2.45~3.56,铕负异常不明显(δEu=0.82~1.02)等为特征.与原始地幔相比,其不相容元素K,Rb, U,Ba富集,高场强元素Nb,Ta,Zr,Hf无富集,Ti亏损不明显,Nb,Ta,Th表现为明显负异常.U富集可能指示与地壳物质的加入有关,较低的Nb/Zr比值(0.02~0.06),暗示岩浆源区可能为受地壳混染的亏损地幔.辉绿岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果为(300.5±1.7) Ma(MSWD=2.3,Th/U比值为0.36~1.3),为晚石炭世晚期,代表了博格达裂谷闭合后地球动力学环境由挤压变为拉张的转折期.     

蒙阴盆地早白垩世火山岩地球化学特征及其岩石成因

蒙阴盆地早白垩世火山岩主要出露于青山群八亩地组和方戈庄组中。火山岩SiO₂含量为53.71%~69.08%,主要为安山质岩石和流纹岩,以钙碱性系列为主(σ平均3.42);富集Rb、Ba等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,相对亏损Nb、Ta、P、Ti等高场强元素和重稀土元素;具有富集的Sr-Nd-Pb同位素组成(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(t)=0.7051~0.7110,ε_Nd(t)=-5.16~-16.4)。根据MgO含量和Mg^﹟值,可将安山质火山岩划分为高镁(Mg^﹟>60)和低镁(Mg^﹟<60)两个系列。高镁安山质岩石的MgO、Cr、Ni及不相容元素的含量明显高于低镁安山质岩石,且具有相对高的⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(t)和较低的ε_Nd(t)值,Sr-Nd同位素组成趋向于EMⅡ型富集地幔端元。低镁安山质岩石地球化学特征类似于埃达克岩,其同位素组成介于EMⅠ型富集地幔端元与华北麻粒岩相下地壳之间。流纹岩具有较低的MgO、Cr、Ni含量和明显的负Eu、Sr异常,同位素组成类似于扬子中、上地壳。研究表明,蒙阴盆地高镁安山质岩石由曾遭受俯冲扬子陆壳熔体改造的华北岩石圈地幔部分熔融形成,且岩浆在上升 过程中经历了华北下地壳物质一定程度的混染或混合作用;低镁安山质岩石主要由华北下地壳部分熔融形成;流纹岩为岩石圈伸展减薄背景下仰冲至华北克拉通之上的扬子中、上地壳部分熔融的产物。地质现象显示,郯庐断裂带的伸展活动控制着蒙阴断陷盆地的发育,与蒙阴盆地早白垩世火山岩的成因有着密切的联系,在华北克拉通破坏中可能起到了重要的作用。