Migrating pingos in the permafrost region of the Tibetan Plateau, China and their hazard along the Golmud–Lhasa railway

Most pingos in the permafrost region of the high northern Tibetan Plateau form along active fault zones and many change position annually along the zones and thus appear to migrate. The fault zones conduct geothermal heat, which thins permafrost, and control cool to hot springs in the region. They maintain ground-water circulation through broken rock in an open system to supply water for pingo growth during the winter in overlying fluvial and lacustrian deposits. Springs remain after the pingos thaw in the summer. Fault movement, earthquakes and man's activities cause the water pathways supplying pingos to shift and consequently the pingos migrate.

The hazard posed to the new Golmud–Lhasa railway across the plateau by migrating pingos is restricted to active fault zones, but is serious, as these zones are common and generate large earthquakes. Pingos have damaged the highway and the oil pipeline adjacent to the railway since 2001. One caused tilting and breaking of a bridge pier and destroyed a highway bridge across the Chumaerhe fault. Another has already caused minor damage to a new railway bridge. Furthermore, the construction of a bridge pier in the North Wuli fault zone in July–August 2003 created a conduit for a new spring, which created a pingo during the following winter. Measures taken to drain the ground-water via a tunnel worked well and prevented damage before the railway tracks were laid. However, pier vibrations from subsequent train motion disrupted the drain and led to new springs, which may induce further pingo growth beneath the bridge.

The migrating pingos result from active fault movement promoting artesian ground-water circulation and changing water pathways under the seasonal temperature variations in the permafrost region. They pose a serious hazard to railway construction, which, in turn can further disturb the ground-water conduits and affect pingo migration.     

Influence of tectonic structures on the Hope Slide, British Columbia, Canada

The Hope Slide, which occurred on January 9, 1965, involved an estimated 47-Mm³ of meta-volcanics and intrusive rocks. Previous workers reported the presence of tectonic structures (faults and shear zones) along the failure surface at the Hope Slide. These tectonic features were investigated in detail to assess their effects on rock-mass quality and the related implications for slope stability. This paper integrates basic field and laboratory concepts from structural and engineering geology. Subdividing the failure area into structural domains allowed distinct discontinuity sets to be associated with specific tectonic structures. The Geological Strength Index (GSI) was used to estimate the rock-mass damage related to the tectonic structures. Low GSI values were seen to outline tectonic damage zones. Point-load tests were used to characterise the compressive strength of rocks adjacent to the tectonic structures. Strength anisotropy, tentatively attributed to damage caused by a large shear zone, was observed in greenstone samples. Seepage zones along the failure surface were observed preferentially along shallow discontinuities that dipped downslope and in rock masses of good quality (GSI > 40). An alternative morphology of the slope failure is proposed by distinguishing between the extent of the surficial damage due to the rock-slope failure and the zone of failed material (depletion zone). For the first time, a kinematic mechanism for the Hope Slide is proposed, based on a preliminary 3-dimensional block model. A pre-1965 DEM was produced from estimates of material lost and gained as reported by previous workers. The pre-1965 DEM revealed that the tectonic structures recognised during fieldwork bounded the material that failed in the 1965 event.     

Geochemistry and Depositional Setting of Fort Munro Formation, Middle and Lower Indus Basins, Pakistan

INTRODUCTION Theinteractionofcomplextectonicphasesinthe IndusbasinduringtheCretaceoushasimpartedascal lopedoutlineinthesedimentarysequences.Thedevel opmentofdiversifiedsedimentaryformationsduringthe Cretaceousensuresexcellentsources(SembarandGoru formations)andreservoirs(MoghalKotandPabfor mations)forhydrocarbons.Numerousplaysandpros pectsofhydrocarbonareassociatedwiththeCretaceous system,consequentlytheIndusbasinisattractiveto petroleumexplorationcompaniesinPakistan(Sheikh andNa…     

6: Classification of VMS deposits: Lessons from the South Uralides

VMS deposits of the South Urals developed within the evolving Urals palaeo-ocean between Silurian and Late Devonian times. Arc-continent collision between Baltica and the Magnitogorsk Zone (arc) in the south-western Urals effectively terminated submarine volcanism in the Magnitogorsk Zone with which the bulk of the VMS deposits are associated. The majority of the Urals VMS deposits formed within volcanic-dominated sequences in deep seawater settings. Preservation of macro and micro vent fauna in the sulphide bodies is both testament to the seafloor setting for much of the sulphides but also the exceptional degree of preservation and lack of metamorphic overprint of the deposits and host rocks. The deposits in the Urals have previously been classified in terms of tectonic setting, host rock associations and metal ratios in line with recent tectono-stratigraphic classifications. In addition to these broad classes, it is clear that in a number of the Urals settings, an evolution of the host volcanic stratigraphy is accompanied by an associated change in the metal ratios of the VMS deposits, a situation previously discussed, for example, in the Noranda district of Canada.Two key structural settings are implicated in the South Urals. The first is seen in a preserved marginal allochthon west of the Main Urals Fault where early arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn mineralization in deposits including Yaman Kasy, which is host to the oldest macro vent fauna assembly known to science. The second tectonic setting for the South Urals VMS is the Magnitogorsk arc where study has highlighted the presence of a preserved early forearc assemblage, arc tholeiite to calc-alkaline sequences and rifted arc bimodal tholeiite sequences. The boninitc rocks of the forearc host Cu–(Zn) and Cu–Co VMS deposits, the latter hosted in fragments within the Main Urals Fault Zone (MUFZ) which marks the line of arc-continent collision in Late Devonian times. The arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn deposits with an evolution to more calc-alkaline felsic volcanic sequences matched with a change to Zn–Pb–Cu polymetallic deposits, often gold-rich. Large rifts in the arc sequence are filled by thick bimodal tholeiite sequences, themselves often showing an evolution to a more calc-alkaline nature. These thick bimodal sequences are host to the largest of the Cu–Zn VMS deposits.The exceptional degree of preservation in the Urals has permitted the identification of early seafloor clastic and hydrolytic modification (here termed halmyrolysis sensu lato) to the sulphide assemblages prior to diagenesis and this results in large-scale modification to the primary VMS body, resulting in distinctive morphological and mineralogical sub-types of sulphide body superimposed upon the tectonic association classification.It is proposed that a better classification of seafloor VMS systems is thus achievable using a three stage classification based on (a) tectonic (hence bulk volcanic chemistry) association, (b) local volcanic chemical evolution within a single edifice and (c) seafloor reworking and halmyrolysis.     

内蒙古火龙沟铅锌矿床成矿岩体年代学、地球化学及其地质意义

内蒙古火龙沟铅锌矿床是近期勘查发现、预期可达中型规模以上的铅锌矿床之一,笔者对该矿区的侵入岩——正长花岗岩进行了LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石U_Pb定年和主量、微量元素分析,锆石U_Pb定年结果为(224.0±2.5)Ma,表明,该岩体侵位于晚三叠世。岩石地球化学研究结果显示火龙沟正长花岗岩体具有明显富Si O2和ALK、贫Mg O和TFe的特点,A/NK-A/CNK图解显示正长花岗岩属于准铝质花岗岩。微量元素蛛网图显示富集大离子亲石元素Rb、Th、U、K,亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti。稀土元素配分模式表现出富集LREE,亏损HREE的右倾型,LREE/HREE=8.04~10.40,具有明显Eu的负异常。花岗岩锆饱和温度计算结果表明该花岗岩岩浆形成温度为820℃,属于高温花岗岩,以上地球化学特征和高温的特点表明该花岗岩为A型花岗岩。结合区域构造演化历史,笔者认为该花岗岩体形成于古亚洲洋闭合后的造山后垮塌岩石圈伸展构造环境。     

内蒙古敖汉旗七家金矿闪长玢岩锆石U-Pb年代学、地球化学及地质意义

内蒙古敖汉旗七家金矿构造位置上处于兴蒙造山带与华北克拉通北缘的结合部位, 靠近兴蒙造山带一侧, 是近年来新发现的石英脉型金矿床.区内岩脉以闪长玢岩为主, 且与石英脉型矿体空间关系密切.根据岩脉与矿体的穿插关系, 将其分为成矿前闪长玢岩和成矿后闪长玢岩.LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学表明, 成矿前闪长玢岩加权平均年龄为166.3±3.4 Ma, 成矿后闪长玢岩加权平均年龄为128.6±4.5 Ma, 与区域上两期构造-岩浆活动时间(分别为160 Ma左右和128 Ma左右)近似吻合.主量元素特征显示: 二者均属于准铝质, 高钾钙碱性系列; 微量元素特征显示: 二者均富集轻稀土元素、大离子亲石元素(Rb、K)和活泼的不相容元素(U、Pb), 相对亏损重稀土元素和高场强元素(Nb、Ta、Ti), 反映出岩浆来源具壳源特征.主微量元素特征均显示出二者具有岛弧岩浆岩的地球化学属性.另外, 成矿后闪长玢岩有较高的Nb/Ta(18.66~20.27)和Zr/Hf(37.16~39.23)比值, 暗示其岩浆来源具明显的幔源特征.岩石地球化学特征表明, 成矿前闪长玢岩可能起源于太平洋板块俯冲导致的下地壳部分熔融岩浆; 成矿后闪长玢岩可能起源于俯冲流体交代的地幔楔熔融岩浆, 并在其演化侵位过程中伴有地壳物质的混染.结合闪长玢岩成岩时代、岩石成因及区域构造演化, 反映出七家金矿的形成与太平洋板块的西向俯冲密切相关, 矿床在地壳由挤压增厚向伸展减薄的转换过程中形成.     

青海祁漫塔格地区泥盆纪地球动力学背景及意义

青海祁漫塔格地区多金属矿床以矽卡岩型为主,主要产于中酸性侵入体与碳酸盐岩围岩的接触带附近,受NWW向、NW向和近EW向断裂的控制。大多数学者研究后认为,该区多金属矿床主要与三叠纪后碰撞伸展所导致的地幔物质底侵关系密切（如丰成友等,2012）。然而,一些学者发现泥盆纪岩浆作用与多金属成矿作用亦存在密切的联系（如陈博等,2012;高永宝等,2014）。研究表明,东昆仑造山带主要经历了新元古代—早泥盆世和石炭纪—晚三叠世的2期俯冲—碰撞造山作用过程（姜春发等,1992;Yang et al., 1996, 2009）,但到目前为止,关于青海祁漫塔格地区泥盆纪的构造背景的研究却十分薄弱。因此,本文根据已发表数据对该区泥盆纪构造背景进行了初步探讨。     

长江中下游庐枞火山岩盆地南侧钾质侵入岩带的成因

庐枞火山岩盆地南侧的钾质侵入岩带由正长岩-石英正长岩-正长花岗岩组成,以石英正长岩为主。它们的形成时间介于123"130 Ma之间,峰值约为126 Ma,其中正长岩和石英正长岩的形成时间稍早,而正长花岗岩的形成时间略晚。整个钾质侵入岩带的侵位时间晚于庐枞盆地内的橄榄玄粗质火山作用约4"7 Ma,也是长江中下游地区除最东段的宁镇地区外中生代最晚的岩浆活动产物之一。地球化学上,该钾质侵入岩带以高钾、富碱、富集Rb、Th、U、K等强不相容元素和轻稀土元素、亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta和Ti为特征。它们的母岩浆主要是由富集型上地幔部分熔融形成的,从正长岩经石英正长岩到正长花岗岩的演化主要受矿物的分离结晶作用控制,地壳物质同化所起的影响不大。但与同样来自富集型上地幔部分熔融的庐枞盆地内火山杂岩的母岩浆相比,前者的母岩浆来源深度可能更大些或其中包含了更多来自软流圈地幔的组分。两者的演化路径也完全不同,钾质侵入岩带的母岩浆除经历过高压下的分离结晶作用外,晚期在低压下还经历过长石为主,可能还有黑云母的分离结晶,甚至上地壳物质一定程度的混染作用;而盆地内火山杂岩的母岩浆低压下矿物的分离结晶作用及上地壳物质的混染都不明显。庐枞盆地南缘的富钾侵入岩与盆地内的火山杂岩一样,地球化学上都具有明显的大陆弧的特征,暗示它们的岩浆源区可能形成于俯冲带环境,意味着扬子地块北缘先前(推测为古元古代晚期)曾发生过俯冲作用,上地幔的交代富集可能就与这次的俯冲作用有关。     

东昆北成矿带冰沟南铜镍矿辉长岩地球化学特征

通过对东昆北成矿带冰沟南铜镍矿辉长岩的全岩地球化学进行分析,以确定该岩体的岩石成因及其形成的构造环境。冰沟南辉长岩SiO_2的含量为49.72%~51.58%,岩石系列为钙碱性。稀土元素球粒陨石分配模式为轻稀土略富集型,δEu为1.26~1.54,轻微正Eu异常。岩石富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)Rb、Ba、K,相对亏损P。岩体中的La/Sm、Th/La和Nb/U比值显示在就位过程中经历了一定程度的地壳混染。研究认为,岩体的岩浆源区为亏损地幔。结合区域演化,认为岩体形成于碰撞后伸展的背景。     

华南大规模低温成矿的主要科学问题

大面积低温成矿是全球独特的重要成矿事件。华南地区扬子地块西南部面积约50万平方千米的广大范围,低温矿床广泛发育,包括卡林型金矿床、MVT型Pb-Zn矿床和脉型锑、汞、砷等矿床,构成华南低温成矿域。该成矿域由川滇黔接壤区的Pb-Zn、右江盆地Au-Sb-As-Hg和湘中盆地Sb-Au等三个矿集区组成。其中的矿床主要赋存于沉积岩中,受断裂构造控制,形成于100~250℃的低温条件下。以往的研究取得了重要进展,但成矿时代、成矿动力学背景、成矿物质基础和成矿过程等关键科学问题一直悬而未决。近年的研究表明,这些矿床可能形成于200~230Ma(印支期)和130~160Ma(燕山期)两个时期,除川滇黔Pb-Zn矿集区由盆地卤水演化成矿外,其余两个矿集区的形成可能均受印支期和燕山期的深部岩浆活动驱动,尽管成矿流体中的水主要是大气成因地下水。本专题报道了近年来这些方面的最新研究进展,包括20篇文章,主要涉及这些低温矿床的地质地球化学特征、成矿时代、矿床成因和成矿动力学背景等。