Magmatism and metamorphism at ca. 1.45 Ga in the northern Gawler Craton: The Australian record of rifting within Nuna (Columbia)

U-Pb monazite and zircon geochronology and calculated metamorphic phase diagrams from drill holes in the northern Gawler Craton, southern Australia, reveal the presence of ca. 1.45 Ga magmatism and metamorphism. Magmatism and granulite facies metamorphism of this age has not previously been recognised in the Gawler Craton. The magmatic rocks have steep LREE-enriched patterns and high Ga/Al values, suggesting they are A-type granites. Calculated metamorphic forward models suggest that this event was associated with high apparent thermal gradients and reached pressures of 3.2 -5.4 kbar and temperatures of 775-815℃. The high apparent thermal gradients may reflect pluton-enhanced metamorphism, consistent with the presence of A-type granites. The recognition of ca. 1.45 Ga tectonism in the northern Gawler Craton is added to a compilation of ca. 1.50 -1.40 Ga magmatism, shear zone reactivation, rift basin development and isotope resetting throughout the South and North Australian Cratons that shows that this event was widespread in eastern Proterozoic Australia. This event is stylistically similar to ca. 1.45 Ga A-type magmatism and high thermal gradient metamorphism in Laurentia in this interval and provides further support for a connection between Australia and Laurentia during the Mesoproterozoic. The tectonic setting of the 1.50-1.40 Ga event is unclear but may record rifting within the Nuna(or Columbia) supercontinent, or a period of intracontinental extension within a long-lived convergent setting.     

Impact of residual zircon on Nd-Hf isotope decoupling during sediment recycling in subduction zone

The subduction factories in convergent plate margins exert crucial control on recycling terrestrial components and returning to the overlying crust. The Nd and Hf isotopic systems provide potential tracers to evaluate these processes. Here we present a case where these isotopic systems are decoupled in a suite of granites from the Chinese Altai, showing a wide range of εHf(t) values(from -4.7 to +10.8) in contrast to a limited range of εNd(t) values(from -5.8 to -1.9). The zircon xenocrysts occurring frequently in these rocks show markedly negative εHf(t) values(from -34.3 to -6.5) and positive d7 Li values(from +12.5 to +18.2). We propose a model to explain the observed relationship between residual zircon and Nde Hf isotope decoupling. We suggest that the Altai granites originated from partial melting of subducted slab components under relatively low temperature conditions which aided the residual zircon from oceanic sediments to inherit and retain a significant amount of177 Hf in the source, thereby elevating the¹⁷⁶ Hf/¹⁷⁷ Hf ratio of the melt, and decoupling from the¹⁴³ Nd/¹⁴⁴ Nd ratio during the subsequent magmatic processes. Our study illustrates a case where sediment recycling in subduction zone contributes to decoupling of Nd and Hf isotopic systems, with former providing a more reliable estimate of the source characteristics of granitic magmas.     

Source and possible tectonic driver for Jurassic–Cretaceous gold deposits in the West Qinling Orogen,China

The West Qinling Orogen (WQO) in Central China Orogenic Belt contains numerous metasedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits (>2000 t Au), which mainly formed during two pulses: one previously recognized in the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic (T3–J1) and one only recently identified in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (J3–K1). Few studies have focused on the origin and geotectonic setting of the J3–K1 gold deposits.Textural relationships, LA-ICP-MS trace element and sulfur isotope compositions of pyrites in hydrothermally altered T3 dykes within the J3–K1 Daqiao deposit were used to constrain relative timing relationships between mineralization and pyrite growth in the dykes, and to characterize the source of ore fluid. These results are integrated with an overview of the regional geodynamic setting, to advance understanding of the tectonic driver for J3–K1 hydrothermal gold systems. Pyrite in breccia- and dyke-hosted gold ores at Daqiao have similar chemical and isotopic compositions and are considered to be representative of J3–K1 gold deposits in WQO. Co/Ni and sulfur isotope ratios suggest that ore fluids were derived from underlying Paleozoic Ni- and Se-rich carbonaceous sedimentary rocks. The geochemical data do not support the involvement of magmatic fluids. However, in the EQO (East Qinling Orogen), J3–K1 deposits are genetically related to magmatism. Gold mineralization in WQO is contemporaneous with magmatic deposits in the EQO and both are mainly controlled by NE- and EW-trending structures produced by changes in plate motion of the Paleo-Pacific plate as it was subducted beneath the Eurasian continent. We therefore infer that the J3–K1 structural regime facilitated the ascent of magma in the EQO and metamorphic fluids in the WQO with consequent differences in the character of contemporaneous ore deposits. If this is correct, then the far-field effects of subduction along the eastern margin of NE Asia extended 1000's of km into the continental interior.     

Tourmaline geochemistry and boron isotopic variations as a guide to fluid evolution in the Qiman Tagh W-Sn belt,East Kunlun,China

The Qiman Tagh W-Sn belt lies in the westernmost section of the East Kunlun Orogen, NW China, and is associated with early Paleozoic monzogranites, tourmaline is present throughout this belt. In this paper we report chemical and boron isotopic compositions of tourmaline from wall rocks, monzogranites, and quartz veins within the belt, for studying the evolution of ore-forming fluids. Tourmaline crystals hosted in the monzogranite and wall rocks belong to the alkali group, while those hosted in quartz veins belong to both the alkali and X-site vacancy groups. Tourmaline in the walk rocks lies within the schorl-dravite series and becomes increasingly schorlitic in the monzogranite and quartz veins. Detrital tourmaline in the wall rocks is commonly both optically and chemically zoned,with cores being enriched in Mg compared with the rims. In the Al-Fe-Mg and Ca-Fe-Mg diagrams,tourmaline from the wall rocks plots in the fields of Al-saturated and Ca-poor metapelite, and extends into the field of Li-poor granites, while those from the monzogranite and quartz veins lie within the field of Li-poor granites. Compositional substitution is best represented by the MgFe_(-1), Al(NaR)_(-1), and AlO(Fe(OH))_(-1) exchange vectors. A wider range of δ~(11)B values from -11.1‰ to -7.1‰ is observed in the wall-rock tourmaline crystals, the B isotopic values combining with elemental diagrams indicate a source of metasediments without marine evaporates for the wall rocks in the Qiman Tagh belt. The δ~(11)B values of monzogranite-hosted tourmaline range from -10.7‰ and-9.2‰, corresponding to the continental crust sediments, and indicate a possible connection between the wall rocks and the monzogranite. The overlap in δ~(11)B values between wall rocks and monzogranite implies that a transfer of δ~(11)B values by anataxis with little isotopic fractionation between tourmaline and melts. Tourmaline crystals from quartz veins have δ~(11)B values between -11.0‰ and-9.6‰, combining with the elemental diagrams and geological features, thus indicating a common granite-derived source for the quartz veins and little B isotopic fractionation occurred. Tourmalinite in the wall rocks was formed by metasomatism by a granite-derived hydrothermal fluid, as confirmed by the compositional and geological features.Therefore, we propose a single B-rich sedimentary source in the Qiman Tagh belt, and little boron isotopic fractionation occurred during systematic fluid evolution from the wall rocks, through monzogranite, to quartz veins and tourmalinite.     

Phanerozoic magmatism in the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin and its connection with the Pangean supercontinent

Magmatic pulses in intraplate sedimentary basins are windows to understand the tectonomagmatic evolution and paleaoposition of the Basin.The present study reports the U-Pb zircon ages of mafic flows from the Cuddapah Basin and link these magmatic events with the Pangean evolution during late Carboniferous-Triassic/Phanerozoic timeframe.Zircon U-Pb geochronology for the basaltic lava flows from Vempalle Formation,Cuddapah Basin suggests two distinct Phanerozoic magmatic events coinciding with the amalgamation and dispersal stages of Pangea at 300 Ma(Late Carboniferous) and 227 Ma(Triassic).Further,these flows are characterized by analogous geochemical and geochronological signatures with Phanerozoic counterparts from Siberian,Panjal Traps,Emeishan and Tarim LIPs possibly suggesting their coeval and cogenetic nature.During the Phanerozoic Eon,the Indian subcontinent including the Cuddapah Basin was juxtaposed with the Pangean LIPs which led to the emplacement of these pulses of magmatism in the Basin coinciding with the assemblage of Pangea and its subsequent breakup between 400 Ma and 200 Ma.     

Oligocene subduction-related plutonism in the Nodoushan area,Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt: Petrogenetic constraints from U–Pb zircon geochronology and isotope geochemistry

Geochemical data and Sr–Nd isotopes of the host rocks and magmatic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) collected from the Oligocene Nodoushan Plutonic Complex (NPC) in the central part of the Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Belt (UDMB) were studied in order to better understand the magmatic and geodynamic evolution of the UDMB. New U–Pb zircon ages reveal that the NPC was assembled incrementally over ca. 5 m.y., during two main episodes at 30.52 ± 0.11 Ma and 30.06 ± 0.10 Ma in the early Oligocene (middle Rupelian) for dioritic and granite intrusives, and at 24.994 ± 0.037 Ma and 24.13 ± 0.19 Ma in the late Oligocene (latest Chattian) for granodioritic and diorite porphyry units, respectively. The spherical to ellipsoidal enclaves are composed of diorite to monzodiorite and minor gabbroic diorite (SiO₂ = 47.73–57.36 wt.%; Mg# = 42.15–53.04); the host intrusions are mainly granite, granodiorite and diorite porphyry (SiO₂ = 56.51–72.35 wt.%; Mg# = 26.29–50.86). All the samples used in this study have similar geochemical features, including enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs, e.g. Rb, Ba, Sr) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) relative to high field strength elements (HFSEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). These features, combined with a relative depletion in Nb, Ta, Ti and P, are characteristic of subduction-related magmas. Isotopic data for the host rocks display I_Sr = 0.705045–0.707959, ε_Nd(t) = −3.23 to +3.80, and the Nd model ages (T_DM) vary from 0.58 Ga to 1.37 Ga. Compared with the host rocks, the MMEs are relatively homogeneous in isotopic composition, with I_Sr ranging from 0.705513 to 0.707275 and ε_Nd(t) from −1.46 to 4.62. The MMEs have T_DM ranging from 0.49 Ga to 1.39 Ga. Geochemical and isotopic similarities between the MMEs and their host rocks demonstrate that the enclaves have mixed origins and were most probably formed by interactions between the lower crust- and mantle-derived magmas. Geochemical data, in combination with geodynamic evidence, suggest that a basic magma was derived from an enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM), presumably triggered by the influx of the hot asthenosphere. This magma then interacted with a crustal melt that originated from the dehydration melting of the mafic lower crust at deep crustal levels. Modeling based on Sr–Nd isotope data indicate that ∼50% to 90% of the lower crust-derived melt and ∼10% to 50% of the mantle-derived mafic magma were involved in the genesis of the early Oligocene magmas. In contrast, ∼45%–65% of the mantle-derived mafic magma were incorporated into the lower crust-derived magma (∼35%–55%) that generated the late Oligocene hybrid granitoid rocks. Early Oligocene granitoid rocks contain a higher proportion of crustal material compared to those that formed in the late Oligocene. It is reasonable to assume that lower crust and mantle interaction processes played a significant role in the genesis of these hybridgranitoid bodies, where melts undergoing fractional crystallization along with minor amounts of crustal assimilation could ascend to shallower crustal levels and generate a variety of rock types ranging from diorite to granite.     

中国最老岩石和锆石

在中国大陆的许多地区都已发现大于3.4Ga的锆石和岩石.鞍山是全球仅有几个存在≥3.8Ga岩石的地区之一.它们以不大的规模存在于白家坟、东山、深沟寺杂岩中,由糜棱岩化奥长花岗岩、条带状奥长花岗岩和变质石英闪长岩组成.近年来,在鞍山地区还发现了许多3.7～3.6Ga岩石和锆石.锆石Hf同位素组成表明鞍山地区在3.8～3.6Ga期间存在周期性的地幔添加和陆壳形成.除鞍山外,在中国许多地区的不同类型岩石中也获得了≥3.4Ga锆石,虽然它们大多数都是碎屑和残余成因.(1)华北克拉通冀东铬云母石英岩中3.85～3.55Ga碎屑锆石:(2)华北克拉通信阳中生代火山岩长英质麻粒岩中3.66Ga岩浆锆石;(3)华南克拉通宜昌地区杨子地块新元古代砂岩中3.80Ga碎屑锆石(一颗);(4)华南克拉通华夏地块新元古代一古生代变质沉积岩中3.76～3.6Ga碎屑锆石;(5)西北地区塔里木地块阿克塔什塔格地区古元古代片麻状花岗岩中3.6Ga残余锆石;(6)西秦岭奥陶纪变质火山岩中4.08Ga捕掳锆石(一颗);(7)西藏普兰地区奥陶纪石英岩中4.1Ga碎屑锆石(一颗,有3.61Ga增生边).一些古老锆石有高达4.1～4.0Ga的Hf同位素模式年龄.在中国,>3.4Ga地壳物质的比例以往被低估了,发现冥古宙和始太古代物质的可能性仍然存在,它们将对中国早期陆壳演化提供新的制约.     

北苏鲁仰口地区变辉长岩中锆石U-Pb定年、微量元素和Hf同位素特征及其地质意义

北苏鲁仰口地区出露超高压的变辉长岩.锆石阴极发光图像和其内部矿物包体激光拉曼测试的联合研究结果表明,变辉长岩锆石具有弱发光效应的岩浆韵律环带的核和被改造的强发光效应的边.岩浆韵律环带的核部保存大量而复杂的矿物包体,包括普通辉石(Cpx)+斜方辉石(Opx)+斜长石(P1)+石英(Qtz)+黑云母(Bt)+钛铁矿(Ilm)+磷灰石(Ap);边部保存的矿物包体则相对较少,包括普通辉石(Cpx)+斜方辉石(Opx)+斜长石(Pl)+磷灰石(Ap).尽管岩浆韵律环带核部的稀土元素总合量比被改造的锆石边部明显偏高,但二者稀土元素配分模式具有明显的相似性,主要表现为轻稀土相对亏损,而重稀土明显富集,相应的(La/Yb)N=0.00015～0.00039,并具有明显的负Eu异常(Eu/Eu*=0.20～0.26)、相对明显的正Ce异常(Ce/Ce*=71.5～147.4)和较高的Th/U比值(1.97～2.69).上述特征表明,仰口地区变辉长岩中的锆石均为继承性的岩浆锆石,而没有新生的变质锆石.LA-(MC)-ICP-MS锆石原位U-Pb定年和Lu-Hf同位素分析结果表明,两件锆石样品Y1和Y2的年龄数据所构成的不一致线显示了十分接近的上交点和下交点年龄.其上交点年龄分别为785±15Ma(2σ)和784±12Ma(2σ),应代表原岩的形成时代,表明变辉长岩的原岩与Rodinia超大陆裂解的岩浆事件存在密切的成因关系;而下交点年龄分别为226±24Ma(2σ)和228±26Ma(2σ),与苏鲁其它类型超高压岩石中含柯石英锆石微区记录的变质年龄十分吻合,应代表变辉长岩的超高压变质时代.岩浆结晶锆石的核部具有明显偏高的176Lu/177Hf(0.00044～0.00291)和176Yh/177Hf(0.0165～0.1168)比值,而176Hf/177Hf比值变化于0.281956～0.282048之间,相应的εHf(t)=-8.5～-14.0,tDM2=2.03～2.32Ga,表明仰口地区变辉长岩的原岩起源于古元古代时期的富集地幔或发生部分熔融的下地壳残留体.被改造的岩浆结晶锆石的边部则具有明显偏低的176Lu/177Hf(0.00029～0.00060)和176Yh/177Hf(0.0112～0.0200)比值,而176Hf/177Hf(t)比值变化于0.281953～0.282002之间,相应的εHf(t)=-10.2～-11.9,tDM2=2.12～2.21Ga.与岩浆结晶锆石核部相比,被改造的岩浆锆石边部的176Lu/177Hf、176Yb/177Hf、176Hf/177Hf(t)比值和εHf(t)和tDM2值的变化范围更小,表明中-新三叠纪的超高压变质作用使岩浆结晶锆石边部的Lu-Hf同位素体系发生调整,更趋向于均一化.     

激发极化法在甘肃瓜州县辉铜山铜矿外围隐伏铜矿勘查中的应用

通过分析辉铜山铜矿体特征及矿山开采时深部找矿成果,发现矿体具SE向倾伏趋势,地表被大面积第四系覆盖。对测区岩(矿)石进行物性测量,发现区内矿石具高极化中低阻电性特征,与围岩电性差异明显,可用激发极化法进行深部地球信息探测。在1∶1万矿区地质填图基础上,采用激电中梯和激电测深2种方法进行矿产勘查,圈定2处明显的激电异常。结合区内地质特征和钻孔资料,发现高极化中低阻激电异常与推测的隐伏铜矿体具良好的空间对应关系,显示该矿区具良好的深部找矿潜力,为进一步详查工作提供了依据。