The geochemistry of mantle chromitites from the northern part of the Oman ophiolite: inferred parental melt compositions

Chromitites from a single section through the mantle in the Oman ophiolite are of two different types. Low-cr# chromitites, of MORB affinity are found in the upper part of the section, close to the Moho. High-cr# chromitites, with arc affinities are found deeper in the mantle. Experimental data are used to recover the compositions of the melts parental to the chromitites and show that the low-cr# chromitites were derived from melts with 14.5–15.4 wt% Al₂O₃, with 0.4 to 0.9 wt% TiO₂ and with a maximum possible mg# of 0.76. In contrast the high-cr# chromitites were derived from melts with 11.8–12.9 wt% Al₂O₃, 0.2–0.35 wt% TiO₂ and a maximum melt mg# of 0.785. Comparison with the published compositions of lavas from the Oman ophiolite shows that the low-cr# chromitites may be genetically related to the upper (Lasail, and Alley) pillow lava units and the high-cr# chromitites the boninites of the upper pillow lava Alley Unit. The calculated TiO₂–Al₂O₃ compositions of the parental chromitite magmas indicate that the high-cr# chromitites were derived from high-Ca boninitic melts, produced by melting of depleted mantle peridotite. The low-cr# chromitites were derived from melts which were a mixture of two end-members—one represented by a depleted mantle melt and the other represented by MORB. This mixing probably took place as a result of melt–rock reaction. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Quench textures in pillow basalt from the Andaman-Nicobar Islands,Bay of Bengal,India

Tholeiitic pillow basalt from the South Andaman island, an integral part of the outer sedimentary arc of the Sunda-Burmese double chain arc system in the Bay of Bengal, is characterized by the occurrence of several morphologies of quenched crystals of plagioclase and pyroxene. Plagioclase shows a swallow tail, belt-buckle, rosette and closely spaced fan-spherulites pattern while pyroxene has elongate parallel chain, dendritic, spherulitic and finely ornamented feathery spherulitic habit. Most of these textures are identical to those reported from submarine basalts, lunar basalts, spinifex textured rocks and experimentally produced textures. The occurrence of these quench textures in the Andaman basalt suggests that they were formed by rapid cooling at 30–70°C/h in a submarine environment.     

五台山早元古代碰撞造山带初步认识

五台山地区分布着复杂的变质杂岩。过去人们把这些变质岩作为地层分成群组段。龙泉关剪切构造岩的发现突破了这种传统观念。野外工作中发现所谓五台群主要包含了三个蛇绿混杂带;阜平群和恒山群的主要成分是灰片麻岩,它们构成两个太古代陆块的基底。五台地区的花岗岩类由代表弧环境的双花岗岩带的I型和S型花岗岩组成,它们与变质的钙碱性火山岩代表了古代的岩浆弧。滹沱群的豆村和东冶亚群以及过去划入阜平群和五台群的某些变沉积岩是阜平陆块被动大陆边缘的沉积。滹沱群的郭家寨亚群则是前陆盆地的磨拉石沉积。因此可以认为,这是一个由恒山仰冲陆块、北台-车厂弧和阜平俯冲陆块构成的碰撞造山带,碰撞时间大致是距今2050Ma。闭合的弧前大洋和弧后盆地形成了三条蛇绿混杂带。     

内蒙古贺根山蛇绿岩形成时代及构造启示

贺根山蛇绿岩位于兴蒙造山带北缘,发育完整的地幔橄榄岩、堆晶岩和基性熔岩组合,伴生有放射虫硅质岩,但贺根山蛇绿岩的形成时代一直存在争议,给兴蒙造山带北部构造演化阶段划分造成了很大障碍。锆石U-Pb年代学研究表明,贺根山蛇绿岩中辉长闪长岩(341±3Ma)和玄武岩(359±5Ma)结晶年龄为早石炭世早期,同时玄武岩继承锆石峰值年龄为晚泥盆世早期(375±2Ma),这些继承锆石呈短柱状、棱角状,生长环带宽缓,多为补丁状、平坦状,为典型的基性岩浆锆石,表明最迟在晚泥盆世早期洋壳物质已经开始形成。上石炭统格根敖包组火山岩与蛇绿岩局部呈喷发不整合接触,该组的晶屑凝灰岩夹层时代为晚石炭世(323±3Ma),提供了蛇绿岩构造侵位年龄的上限。因此,将贺根山蛇绿岩形成时代定为晚泥盆世-早石炭世,侵位时代为晚石炭世。侵入地幔橄榄岩中的部分基性岩脉时代为早白垩世(132±1Ma、139±3Ma和120±1Ma),它们含有大量继承锆石(144±1Ma~2698±25Ma),继承锆石峰值年龄密切响应了兴蒙造山带北部早白垩世之前复杂的岩浆及构造事件,这些基性岩脉是燕山期伸展环境下的岩浆产物,并非早白垩世蛇绿岩。结合前人的工作成果和区域岩浆岩、地层时空分布特征,建立了兴蒙造山带北部晚古生代构造演化历程:二连贺根山一线早泥盆世处于剥蚀阶段,中泥盆世陆壳拉张出现新生洋盆,晚泥盆世早期洋盆持续扩张形成新生洋壳,早石炭世晚期洋壳开始向北俯冲消减,并持续增生至西伯利亚活动陆缘,晚石炭世洋盆陆续闭合,部分已经构造侵位的蛇绿岩被晚石炭世火山岩不整合覆盖,贺根山蛇绿岩正是该洋盆的残余产物。     

西藏罗布莎铬铁矿中的原位铂族矿物研究:铬铁矿结晶环境的指示

本文对罗布莎三个矿区的铬铁矿进行了详细的原位PGM研究,发现罗布莎各个矿区的铬铁矿中PGM组合和显微结构不同,暗示PGM能够记录铬铁矿形成与演化过程。罗布莎矿区的PGM显微特征显示铬铁矿结晶于高温、低硫逸度的环境中,可能系岩石/熔体反应和结晶分异双重作用下的产物;康金拉矿区的原位PGM主要为组合型包裹体,有少量产于铬铁矿裂隙之间的贱金属硫化物和合金矿物,为不同来源的熔体混合作用的结果,并暗示铬铁矿成矿后还受到热液流体的改造;香卡山矿区的PGM表明铬铁矿成矿之后遭受到还原性流体的交代作用,铬铁矿中早期结晶出来的硫化物或者铂族矿物被还原改造,形成铁镍矿等次生矿物,保存于铬铁矿粒间或者铬铁矿的裂隙中,这个过程可能与蛇纹石化或者晚期构造流体改造作用有关。罗布莎原位PGM研究表明,PGM矿物贯穿于铬铁矿结晶成矿过程的始终,PGM的矿物及其组合能够记录铬铁矿结晶时母熔体的物理化学条件,甚至还能反映铬铁矿成矿后所经历的后期构造热液事件。因此,结合单矿物分选和原位调查两种方法,查明铬铁矿中PGM的赋存类型及微观结构,对全面理解铬铁矿的成矿过程有重要意义。     

Platinum-group Mineral (PGM) and Base-metal Sulphide (BMS) Inclusions in Chromitites of the Zedang Ophiolite, Southern Tibet, China and their Petrogenetic Significance

Voluminous platinum-group mineral(PGM) inclusions including erlichmanite(Os,Ru)S_2, laurite(Ru,Os)S_2, and irarsite(Ir,Os,Ru,Rh)As S, as well as native osmium Os(Ir) and inclusions of base metal sulphides(BMS), including millerite(NiS), heazlewoodite(Ni_3S_2), covellite(CuS) and digenite(Cu_3S_2), accompanied by native iron, have been identified in chromitites of the Zedang ophiolite, Tibet. The PGMs occur as both inclusions in magnesiochromite grains and as small interstitial granules between them; most are less than 10 μm in size and vary in shape from euhedral to anhedral. They occur either as single or composite(biphase or polyphase) grains composed solely of PGM, or PGM associated with silicate grains. Os-, Ir-, and Ru-rich PGMs are the common species and Pt-, Pd-, and Rh-rich varieties have not been identified. Sulfur fugacity and temperature appear to be the main factors that controlled the PGE mineralogy during crystallization of the host chromitite in the upper mantle. If the activity of chalcogenides(such as S, and As) is low, PGE clusters will remain suspended in the silicate melt until they can coalesce to form alloys. Under appropriate conditions of ?S_2 and ?O_2, PGE alloys might react with the melt to form sulfides-sulfarsenides. Thus, we suggest that the Os, Ir and Ru metallic clusters and alloys in the Zedang chromitites crystallized first under high temperature and low ?S_2, followed by crystallization of sulphides of the laurite-erlichmanite, solid-solution series as the magma cooled and ?S_2 increased. The abundance of primary BMS in the chromitites suggests that ?S_2 reached relatively high values during the final stages of magnesiochromite crystallization. The diversity of the PGE minerals, in combination with differences in the petrological characteristics of the magnesiochromites, suggest different degrees of partial melting, perhaps at different depths in the mantle. The estimated parental magma composition suggests formation in a suprasubduction zone environment, perhaps in a forearc.     

勉略带三岔子蛇绿岩的变质特征及构造意义

勉略带是近年来秦岭造山带研究中揭示出来的代表晚古生代小洋盆的缝合带 ,组成复杂 ,它们经历了不同的变质、变形改造 ,构成了不同构造背景、不同构造层次、不同物质组成、具不同 PTt轨迹的蛇绿构造混杂带。文中 PTt轨迹揭示 ,秦岭造山带勉略带三岔子蛇绿岩中的变质辉长岩是由上地幔先处于伸展背景下等温快速降压、后又经历缓慢降压快速降温上升侵位的。变形前的早期变质可能发生在 60～ 70 km处的上地幔 ,然后变质辉长岩快速“底辟”构造侵位 ,上升至约4 0 km深处 ,可能与俯冲的冷洋壳并置 ,发生快速降温退变反应 ;因俯冲作用的开始 ,抑制了洋盆快速扩张 ,变质辉长岩在减速伸展环境下继续抬升减压 ;后期又由于仰冲推覆 ,最终出露地表。此外 ,变质作用 PTt轨迹还反映勉略小洋盆洋壳厚度与标准大洋型洋壳厚度差异较大。     

新疆西准噶尔布龙果尔组的建造类型、时代及有关问题研究的新进展

本文对布龙果尔组的建造类型及地质时代进行了论证,认为其应属磨拉石建造叠加坍塌建造的复合型建造,并将其地质时代从晚奥陶世厘正为早志留世早期。此外,首次提出早古生代西准噶尔北部地区有一次造山运动,这次运动北疆邻区称为“艾比湖运动”,其发生的确切时间应为晚奥陶世末期。最后,根据布龙果尔组中出现蛇绿岩套的近源砾石。推断洪古勒楞蛇绿岩的形成年代早于早志留世。可能是奥陶纪。     

Petrological evidence for stepwise accretion of metamorphic soles during subduction infancy (Semail ophiolite,Oman and UAE)

Metamorphic soles are tectonic slices welded beneath most large‐scale ophiolites. These slivers of oceanic crust metamorphosed up to granulite facies conditions are interpreted as forming during the first million years of intraoceanic subduction following heat transfer from the incipient mantle wedge towards the top of the subducting plate. This study reappraises the formation of metamorphic soles through detailed field and petrological work on three key sections from the Semail ophiolite (Oman and United Arab Emirates). Based on thermobarometry and thermodynamic modelling, it is shown that metamorphic soles do not record a continuous temperature gradient, as expected from simple heating by the upper plate or by shear heating as proposed in previous studies. The upper, high‐T metamorphic sole is subdivided in at least two units, testifying to the stepwise formation, detachment and accretion of successive slices from the down‐going slab to the mylonitic base of the ophiolite. Estimated peak pressure–temperature conditions through the metamorphic sole, from top to bottom, are 850°C and 1 GPa, 725°C and 0.8 GPa and 530°C and 0.5 GPa. These estimates appear constant within each unit but differing between units by 100–200°C and ~0.2 GPa. Despite being separated by hundreds of kilometres below the Semail ophiolite and having contrasting locations with respect to the ridge axis position, metamorphic soles show no evidence for significant petrological variations along strike. These constraints allow us to refine the tectonic–petrological model for the genesis of metamorphic soles, formed via the stepwise stacking of several homogeneous slivers of oceanic crust and its sedimentary cover. Metamorphic soles result not so much from downward heat transfer (ironing effect) as from progressive metamorphism during strain localization and cooling of the plate interface. The successive thrusts originate from rheological contrasts between the sole, initially the top of the subducting slab, and the peridotite above as the plate interface progressively cools. These findings have implications for the thickness, the scale and the coupling state at the plate interface during the early history of subduction/obduction systems.     

中国蛇绿岩清理——兼论蛇绿岩研究的新思路

中国蛇绿岩研究取得了很大的成绩,也存在许多问题。文中简要评述了日喀则、三江、青海、北秦岭、中亚造山带、东北以及中国南方蛇绿岩的若干问题,指出中国划归入蛇绿岩的地质体（组合）太多了,把许多可能不是蛇绿岩的地质体（组合）也当成了蛇绿岩。当前需要做的是去伪存真,对中国蛇绿岩进行一次认真的清理。文中指出,地幔橄榄岩无疑是蛇绿岩最重要的成员,它来自洋壳下。世界上还有另一类来自陆壳下的地幔岩,被称为“造山橄榄岩”。因此,地幔橄榄岩并非蛇绿岩所独有。此外,有越来越多的数据表明,在许多不同的构造背景下都可以出现类似MORB（大洋中脊玄武岩）地球化学性质的玄武岩,例如洋岛、岛弧、大陆溢流玄武岩、板内玄武岩以及太古宙（拉斑玄武岩和科马提岩）等。因此,不能简单地认为一个地区只要有了地幔橄榄岩和MORB就是蛇绿岩了。文中回顾了蛇绿岩研究的两个发展阶段：前一个阶段以1972年的彭罗斯会议为标志,开启了蛇绿岩研究的新篇章,当时的学术界主要关注蛇绿岩的岩石学和地球化学问题,关心蛇绿岩的岩石组合。新的阶段是从20世纪后期逐渐发展起来的,于近期取得了突出的进展。笔者等强调指出,蛇绿岩（野外出露更多的是蛇绿混杂岩）即蛇绿岩套,它不仅包括一个特定的岩石组合,还包括深海沉积。文中肯定了中外学术界在蛇绿岩构造研究方面获得的许多新发现、新思路和新进展。此外,大数据和地球物理方法也是非常有意义的。蛇绿岩是一个复杂体系,不确定的问题相当多。它们的解决需要构造地质学家、地层学家、古生物学家、岩石学家、地球化学家、年代学家以及地球物理学家的共同努力。