Petrogenesis of the Late Cenozoic collision volcanism in the central part of the Lesser Caucasus (Azerbaijan)

The Late Cenozoic volcanics of the Lesser Caucasus have similar trace-element and REE patterns with negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, Hf, and Zr. They are highly enriched in Rb, Ba, Th, and La and depleted in Ti, Yb, and Y with respect to N-MORB, which indicates their formation from the subduction-metasomatized lithospheric mantle. Partial melting of the subcontinental mantle lithosphere and crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization controlled the magma evolution in the collisional magmatic belts.     

Discriminating characters of ore-forming intrusions in the super-large Chalukou porphyry Mo deposit,NE China

The Chalukou porphyry Mo deposit, located in the Great Hinggan Range, is the largest Mo deposit in northeast China, although the age and genesis of the associated magmatic intrusions remain debated.Here we report zircon U-Pb ages and trace elements, whole rock geochemistry and Sre Nd isotope data with a view to understand the relationship between the magmatism and molybdenum mineralization.Zircon U-Pb analysis yield an age of 475 Ma for rhyolite in the older strata, 168 Ma for the premineralization monzogranite, and 154 Ma for the syn-mineralization granite porphyry. The granite porphyry and quartz porphyry are considered as the ore-forming intrusions. These rocks are peraluminous, alkali-calcic, and belong to high-K to shoshonitic series with a strong depletion of Eu. They also display characteristics of I-type granites. The rocks exhibit wide variations of(87 Sr/86 Sr)iin the range of 0.705426 -0.707363, and ε_(Nd)(t) of -3.7 to 0.93. Zircon REE distribution patterns show characteristics between crust and the mantle, implying magma genesis through crust-mantle interaction. The Fe_2O_3/FeO values(average 1) for the whole rock and EuN/Eu*Nvalues(average 0.45), Ce~(4+)/Ce~(3+) values(average 301)for zircon grains from the granite porphyry are higher than those from other lithologies. These features suggest that the ore-forming intrusions(syn-mineralization porphyry) had higher oxygen fugacity conditions than those of the pre-mineralization and post-mineralization rocks. The Chalukou Mo deposit formed in relation to the southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean. Our study suggests that the subduction-related setting, crust-mantle interaction, and the large-scale magmatic intrusion were favorable factors to generate the super-large Mo deposits in this area.     

大兴安岭北部甲乌拉铅锌银矿床Rb-Sr同位素测年及其地质意义

甲乌拉铅锌银矿床位于内蒙古自治区满洲里市南西150km。矿床产于中蒙古-额尔古纳兴凯造山带南东缘之得尔布干断裂北西侧。本文在甲乌拉矿床选取7件闪锌矿和6件黄铁矿样品开展了Rb-Sr定年。获得闪锌矿的Rb-Sr等时线年龄为143.0±2.0Ma(MSWD=3.2),锶同位素初始值I Sr=0.71265;黄铁矿的Rb-Sr等时线年龄为142.0±3.0Ma(MSWD=5.7),锶同位素初始值ISr=0.71267;闪锌矿与黄铁矿的Rb-Sr等时线年龄为142.7±1.3Ma(MSWD=3.8),锶同位素初始值ISr=0.71266。上述定年结果表明,甲乌拉矿床形成于早白垩世初期。甲乌拉矿床硫化物的Rb和Sr含量分别介于0.1034×10-6～7.367×10-6和1.301×10-6～7.148×10-6之间,Sr同位素初始比值(87Sr/86Sr)i介于0.71238～0.71277之间,平均值为0.71264,暗示甲乌拉矿床的成矿物质主要来源于地壳。甲乌拉矿床形成于蒙古-鄂霍茨克造山过程的后碰撞阶段。     

Flat rare earth element patterns as an indicator of cumulate processes in the Lesser Qinling carbonatites, China

The Lesser Qinling carbonatite dykes are mainly composed of calcites. They are characterized by unusually high heavy rare earth element concentrations (HREE; e.g. Yb > 30 ppm) and flat to weakly light rare earth element (LREE) enriched chondrite-normalized patterns (La/Yb_n = 1.0–5.5), which is in marked contrast with all other published carbonatite data. The trace element contents of calcite crystals were measured in situ by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Some crystals show reduced LREE from core to rim, whereas their HREE compositions are relatively constant. The total REE contents and chondrite-normalized REE patterns from the cores of carbonate crystals are similar to those of the whole rock. The carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of calcites fall within the range of primary, mantle-derived carbonatites. The initial Sr isotopic compositions (0.70480–0.70557) of calcites are consistent with an EM1 source or mixing between HIMU and EM1 mantle sources. However these sources cannot produce carbonatite parental magmas with a flat or slightly LREE enrichment pattern by low degrees of partial melting. Analyses of carbonates from other carbonatites show that carbonates have nearly flat REE pattern if they crystallize from a LREE enriched carbonatite melt. This implies that when carbonates crystallize from a carbonatite melt the calcite/melt partition coefficients (D) for HREE are much greater than the D for the LREE. The nearly flat REE patterns of the Lesser Qinling carbonatites can be explained if they are carbonate cumulates that contain little trapped carbonatite melt. Strong enrichment of HREE in the carbonatites may require their derivation by small degrees of melting from a garnet-poor source.     

Radiocarbon redating of contaminated samples from a tropical volcano: the Mansion ‘Series’ of St Kitts,West Indies

Heavy rainfall and dense vegetation on tropical volcanoes produce abundant carbonized wood in pyroclastic deposits, in addition to easy contamination of this wood by root systems and soluble humic material. Because the physical nature of the charcoal varies, some samples are more prone to contamination. Two independent studies of the same volcano, Mt Liamuiga on St Kitts in the Lesser Antilles, sometimes using samples from the same carbonized tree, yielded a systematic difference in radiocarbon ages. An exchange of samples and a re-investigation of three physically distinct types of charcoal yielded the following results. Rare, hard, dense charcoal, lacking contamination, which had yielded a spurious age of 2860 years bp, was redated at 1845±58 years bp. Common soft, friable charcoal with good cellular structure proved to be susceptible to contamination. A field decontamination technique utilized by one group seems significant as it yields older ages than when only routine laboratory pre-treatment was used, indicating that the latter technique only partly removes the dried and hard residue produced by the decomposition of modern plant rootlets. A previous date of 24870 years bp obtained from powdery charcoal in a horizon beneath the Mansion Series contradicted ages older than 41000 years bp from common friable charcoal in the lower Mansion Series. The soft powdery charcoal was re-investigated using a sample collected a few centimeters from the original, although field decontamination of this sample was not possible, more extensive laboratory treatment yielded an age of ca. 43000 years bp, again proving that routine laboratory pretreatments are inadequate. A revised geochronology for the Mansion Series is described and a cautionary discussion is presented for the benefit of investigators using radiocarbon ages to date volcanic deposits.     

Early Devonian synorogenic alluvial-fan deposits of the Maccullochs Range,western New South Wales

The Early Devonian, Maccullochs Range beds (new) of the Winduck Interval largely comprise non-marine fine-grained sheet-flood-deposited sandstones which lie in the southeast sector of the Darling Basin Conjugate Fault System. Deposition of the >2.5 km-thick sequence occurred on the Wilcannia, Towers and Coolabah Bore alluvial fans, that were sourced largely from lightly indurated sandstone caps overlying a large basement high lying north of the Darling River Lineament, and also from west of Maccullochs Range (Coolabah Bore Fan). Four lithofacies are recognised. Lithofacies 1, massive sandstone, is proximal and was deposited from hyperconcentrated sheet floods. The more distal lithofacies 2 is partly massive, partly laminated and partly affected by soft sediment slumping during its deposition. It contains 1.3 – 3.5 m-thick sheet-flood successions that rarely show cross-bedding. Lithofacies 3 and 4 are minor: lithofacies 3, stream-flood deposited, comprises coarse-grained, pebbly sandstone and lithofacies 4, transient playa lake deposits that are locally intercalated with lithofacies 2. In lithofacies 2, thick massive fine-grained sandstone is commonly overlain by laminated sandstone that was deformed when soft. Incised channel deposits in lithofacies 2 deposits are rare and palaeosols were not discovered. Permanency of the positions of two of the alluvial fans, and by inference their feeder streams, remained unchanged for ～9 million years. The fans overlie probable floodplain deposits observed in a quarry in the easternmost part of the study area. Marine fossils are very minor in the range—the brachiopod Howellella jaqueti at one locality indicates an Early Devonian age for one of the brief marine incursions into what was normally an alluvial-fan environment. Very brief marine incursions elsewhere in the group are deduced from the presence of very rare fossil gastropods.     

Displacement transfer from fault-bend to fault-propagation fold geometry: An example from the Himalayan thrust front

The leading edge of the ENE-trending Himalayan thrust front in Pakistan exhibits along-strike changes in deformational style, ranging from fault-bend to fault-propagation folds. Although the structural geometry is very gently deformed throughout the Salt Range, it becomes progressively more complex to the east as the leading edge of the emergent Salt Range Thrust becomes blind. Surface geology, seismic reflection, petroleum well, and chronostratigraphic data are synthesized to produce a 3-D kinematic model that reconciles the contrasting structural geometries along this part of the Himalayan thrust front. We propose a model whereby displacement was transferred, across a newly-identified lateral ramp, from a fault-bend fold in the west to fault-propagation folds in the east and comparable shortening was synchronously accommodated by two fundamentally different mechanisms: translation vs. telescoping. However, substantially different shortening distribution patterns within these structurally contrasting segments require a tear fault, which later is reactivated as a thrust fault. The present geometry of this S-shaped displacement transfer zone is a combined result of the NW–SE compression of the lateral culmination wall and associated tear fault, and their subsequent modification due to mobilization of underlying ductile salt.     

大兴安岭北段呼中西部塔木兰沟组火山岩年代学、岩石地球化学特征及其构造意义

呼中火山岩位于大兴安岭北段,塔木兰沟组是其喷发较早的一期中基性火山岩。锆石U-Pb年代学研究表明,呼中火山岩形成于(154±1)Ma,属晚侏罗世。呼中火山岩SiO_2为49.80%~55.96%、Al_2O_3为16.70%~18.93%、Na_2O+K_2O为6.35%~9.11%,属中基性高铝碱性岩石。微量元素特征显示,呼中火山岩富集大离子亲石元素Ba,亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta,Nb/Ta=12.44~15.58。呼中火山岩元素含量及其比值的变化显示了本区塔木兰沟组玄武岩浆在分离结晶作用过程中受到了壳源物质的影响,其形成环境为板块边缘岛弧造山带环境,由古亚洲洋和(或)蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋板块俯冲形成。     

张广才岭五道岭组火山岩的锆石U——Pb 年代学及地球化学特征

对张广才岭五道岭组火山岩进行锆石U--Pb LA--ICP--MS 年代学和岩石地球化学研究,以确定该组火山岩形成的时代和构造背景。选取样品中的锆石均呈自形--半自形晶,具有清晰的振荡生长环带和较高的Th /U 比值( 0. 52 ～ 2. 28) ,暗示其岩浆成因。测年结果显示,五道岭组火山岩形成于289 ± 3 Ma,是早二叠世岩浆活动的产物。火山岩的岩石组合为玄武岩--流纹岩,显示双峰式火山岩的特点,属于高钾钙碱性--钾玄岩系列,玄武岩具有富集Ｒb、K 等大离子亲石元素( LILE) ,亏损Nb、Ta 等高场强元素( HFSE) 的特征; 流纹岩呈负铕异常,富集Ｒb、Th、U 和K 等大离子亲石元素( LILE) ,亏损Nb、Ta 和Ti 等高场强元素( HFSE) 及Sr、P 元素,并显示A 型流纹岩的特点。结合该时期区域构造演化史,火山岩地球化学特征揭示了五道岭组火山岩的形成与岛弧环境下的局部伸展作用有关,这种构造背景是古亚洲洋板块俯冲于松嫩-张广才岭-佳木斯陆块之下造成的。     

Shear-wave polarizations in the Peter the First Range indicating crack-induced anisotropy in a thrust-fault regime

Summary. Three-component seismograms of small local earthquakes recorded in the Peter the First Range of mountains near Garm, Tadzhikistan SSR, display shear-wave splitting similar to that previously observed near the North Anatolian Fault in Turkey. The Peter the First Range is in a region of compressional tectonics, whereas the North Anatolian Fault is a comparatively simple strike-slip fault. Detailed analysis of the Turkish records suggests that the splitting is diagnostic of crack-induced anisotropy caused by vertical microcracks aligned parallel to the direction of maximum compression. Preliminary examination of paper records from Garm shows that most shear waves arriving within the shear-wave window display shear-wave splitting, and that the polarizations of leading shear-waves are consistently aligned in a NE/SW direction. The area is complicated and the tectonics are not well-understood, but the NE/SW direction is approximately perpendicular to the compressional axis in many of the fault-plane mechanisms of the earthquakes. These earthquakes are usually at depths between 5 and 12 km, although there are some deeper events nearby.
Parallel shear-wave polarizations, such as those observed, are expected to indicate the strike of nearly vertical parallel microcracks, which would be aligned parallel to the direction of maximum compression. Thus the shear-wave polarizations in the Peter the First Range indicate that the directions of principal stress are reversed in the rock above the earthquake foci where thrust faulting is taking place.