Hydrothermal Alteration of Oman Ophiolite Extrusives in Ghuzayn Area

Abstract. The hydrothermal alteration in Ghuzayn Volcanics was associated with mineralization and accumulation of three massive sulfide deposits. The Ghuzayn Volcanics were discriminated into basaltic and andesitic lavas. The crossplots of Zr versus Nb, Y, Hf, La and Lu show that they fall in the same linear fractionation trends with more evolved affinities in the andesitic lavas compared to the less evolved affinities in the basaltic lavas. The immobile trace element contents of the Ghuzayn Volcanics show that they are of oceanic to continental tholeiitic affinity which fall in the fields of back‐arc basin basalt, N‐MORB and island arc tholeiite all meet and match with the field of the Lau‐Tonga back‐arc basin lavas. The ore‐body No. 2 is underlain by a zone of intense argillization and silicification which are so‐called alteration pipe as in some of the Cyprus‐type massive sulfide deposits. The alteration in the proximity of the ore‐body No. 2 is characterized by a zone of epidotization and slight silicification and sulfide disseminations, and surrounded by another zone of slight silicification and sulfide dissemination in the outermost rim around the ore‐body No. 2. The alteration zones in the proximity of the ore‐body No. 2 were divided into Zones I and II based on the abundance of the secondary minerals in the altered basaltic lavas. The Zone I is located in the most northern upper part of the ore‐body No. 2 and characterized by corrensite, saponite and prehnite. However, the Zone II is located in the southern part of the ore‐body No. 2 and characterized by chlorite and epidote. Both alteration zones were formed by different alteration stages. Stage 1 was formed by non to partly reacted fluids, to crystallize Mg‐chlorite and albite at temperatures ranging from 150 to 250d?C. Further, these fluids evolved with time and became Mg‐depleted, Si‐ and metal‐enriched to crystallize Fe²⁺‐chlorite, epidote, quartz and sulfides at temperatures ranging from 250 to 350d?C in stage 2. Later, these fluids were evolved again to be Mg‐ and Ca‐enriched in stage 3 to crystallize prehnite, laumontite, corrensite and saponite at temperatures ranging from 150 to 220d?C. Late zeolite and calcite have overgrown the previously crystallized phases and crosscutting veins along the altered basaltic lavas in stage 4. Finally, the lavas were cracked and refractured to facilitate penetration of seawater into deeper parts to heat up again and re‐leach the silica and metals in a new mineralizing event.     

西藏罗布莎蛇绿岩豆荚状铬铁矿石中的合金成分

从西藏雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩带的罗布莎豆荚状铬铁矿床中 ,揭示出包含 70～ 80种矿物的一个地幔矿物群 ,其中特别引人注意的是含有多种合金。本文报道了已发现的合金类型和它们的化学成分。这些合金矿物主要通过人工重砂选矿提取的 ,少数合金在矿石光片中可以见到。本文报道的部分合金系有 :Ni(Fe) - C- Cr系 ,W-Cr- Co系 ,Al- Fe- L a系 ,Fe- Si- Ti系 ,Ag- Sn- Si系 ,Ni- Ir- Fe系 ,Fe- Pd- Pt系 ,Fe- Ni- C系。这些碳化物、金属硅以及铁合金等表明它们形成于还原环境 ,然而主岩铬铁矿石则形成于氧化环境 ,认为罗布莎铬铁矿是从玻安质岩浆中结晶的。这样合金矿物可能是外来晶体 ;或者它们形成于地核被后来上升的地幔柱带到浅部 ,包在铬铁矿中 ;或者是滞留在地幔中的成核物质后来被铬铁矿捕获。     

Comparison of eastern paleo-Tethyan ophiolites and its geodynamic significance--Evidence from Dur''ngoi ophiolite

Nd-Pb isotopic geochemistry of metabasalt from Dur'ngoi ophiolite, Qinghai Province, NW China reveals the presence of DMM mixing with EMIl components in its upper mantle source, which is comparable with present Indian MORB. Comparisons indicate that the geochemistry, chronology and source characteristics of Dur'ngoi ophiolite coincide with Paleo-tethyan ophiolites from "Sanjiang" area. Together with evidences from regional geology in adjacent areas, this study proves that independent paleo-tethyan basins evolved contemporarily,the dynamics of which is attributed to the interaction of mantle plume with over-riding lithosphere.     

Petrochemical evidence for off-ridge magmatism in a back-arc setting from the Yakuno ophiolite, Japan

Abstract The Permian ophiolite emplaced in the Yakuno area, Kyoto Prefecture, consists of metavolcanic sequences, metagabbro and a troctolitic intrusion. The metavolcanics are associated with thick mudstone through a contact that shows the flowage of lava over unconsolidated mud layers on the sea floor. The metavolcanics and metagabbro have rare earth element (REE) patterns that are similar to enriched (E)‐ and transitional (T)‐types ([La/Yb]_N = 0.77–11.2) of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORB), whereas their Nb/La ratios (0.40–1.20) are as low as those of back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). Cr‐spinels in the metavolcanic rocks have Cr? of 40–73 and an Fe³⁺? of 9–24, numbers which are comparable to the values of BABB. These lines of evidence suggest that the Yakuno ophiolite originated more likely from an early stage back‐arc basin rather than from an oceanic plateau, as has been suggested by some researchers. The troctolitic body that intrudes as a 0.5‐km long lens in the metagabbro is composed of troctolite, olivine gabbro and microgabbro. The troctolite is marked by an olivine–plagioclase crystallization sequence, different from the commonly observed olivine–clinopyroxene sequence in other mafic/ultramafic cumulates of the Yakuno ophiolite. The microgabbro, with a composition close to that of the parental magma of the troctolite, is depleted in light REE ([La/Yb]_N = 0.18–0.55) so that it has an REE pattern that mimics normal (N)‐type MORB. The interstitial clinopyroxene of the troctolite has highly variable TiO₂ contents (0.2–1.4 wt%), which is interpreted to result from postcumulus crystallization of heterogeneous intercumulus melts. The troctolitic intrusion may represent a late stage intrusion that formed in an off‐ridge environment during sea floor spreading of the back‐arc basin. The geochemical variation observed in the Yakuno ophiolite, ranging from N‐ to E‐MORB affinities, reflects the changes in both mantle source compositions and processes involved in magma generation during the evolution of the back‐arc basin.     

Geochemistry of the ophiolite and oceanic island basalt in the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic melange zone, South Qinling and their tectonic significance

Detailed studies indicate that Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic zone is a complicated melange zone which includes many tectonic slabs of different origins. Ophiolite (MORB-type basalt), oceanic island tholeiite and alkaline basalt have been identified. Moreover, this tectonic melange zone is eastward connected with the Mianlue suture zone. The deformation characteristics, consisting components and volcanic rock geochemical features for the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic melange zone are much similar to those of the Mianlue suture zone and Deerni ophiolite. Therefore, the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic melange zone should be the westward extension part of the Mianlue suture zone. It indicates that the Mianlue suture zone had extended to the Nanping area.     

Geology Along the Line from Yecheng to Shiquanhe and Tectonic Evolution of the Region Involved1

Abstract The geotraverse from Yecheng to Shiquanhe, on the western Qinghai – Tibet Plateau, totalling 1056 km in length, passes the western Kunlun Mountains and the eastern end of the Karakorum Mountains. The Chinese and French scientists made a joint investigation along the line from July to August, 1989. Based on the outcropped ophiolites, palaeontology, sedimentary facies, magmatism, tectonic deformation and metamorphism, the region involved may be divided from north to south into five terranes and four ophiolitic suture zones. The ages of these terranes have a tendency to become increasingly younger from north to south.     

山系的形成与板块构造碰撞无关

本文根据对中国重要蛇绿岩带的观察,并参考大量国内外文献,对板块构造学说的造山模式提出了否定意见,认为古老山系和现代山系的形成都与板块构造碰撞无关,并提出大陆内部山系形成与盆地形成研究的必要性。     

Tectonics and geology of spreading ridge subduction at the Chile Triple Junction: a synthesis of results from Leg 141 of the Ocean Drilling Program

An active oceanic spreading ridge is being subducted beneath the South American continent at the Chile Triple Junction. This process has played a major part in the evolution of most of the continental margins that border the Pacific Ocean basin. A combination of high resolution swath bathymetric maps, seismic reflection profiles and drillhole and core data from five sites drilled during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 141 provide important data that define the tectonic, structural and stratigraphic effects of this modern example of spreading ridge subduction.A change from subduction accretion to subduction erosion occurs along-strike of the South American forearc. This change is prominently expressed by normal faulting, forearc subsidence, oversteepening of topographic slopes and intensive sedimentary mass wasting, overprinted on older signatures of sediment accretion, overthrusting and uplift processes in the forearc. Data from drill sites north of the triple junction (Sites 859–861) show that after an important phase of forearc building in the early to late Pliocene, subduction accretion had ceased in the late Pliocene. Since that time sediment on the downgoing oceanic Nazca plate has been subducted. Site 863 was drilled into the forearc in the immediate vicinity of the triple junction above the subducted spreading ridge axis. Here, thick and intensely folded and faulted trench slope sediments of Pleistocene age are currently involved in the frontal deformation of the forearc. Early faults with thrust and reverse kinematics are overprinted by later normal faults.The Chile Triple Junction is also the site of apparent ophiolite emplacement into the South American forearc. Drilling at Site 862 on the Taitao Ridge revealed an offshore volcanic sequence of Plio-Pleistocene age associated with the Taitao Fracture Zone, adjacent to exposures of the Pliocene-aged Taitao ophiolite onshore. Despite the large-scale loss of material from the forearc at the triple junction, ophiolite emplacement produces a large topographic promontory in the forearc immediately after ridge subduction, and represents the first stage of forearc rebuilding.     

滇西北金沙江带蛇绿混杂岩的形成时代及大地构造意义

本文报导了滇西北德钦县拱卡、拖顶等地晚古生代放射虫、、非有孔虫类化石新资料。提出当前用古生物法确定蛇绿岩套形成时代及蛇绿混杂岩定位时代应注意的问题。并根据化石资料，将金沙江蛇绿岩套的形成时代厘定为二叠纪，蛇绿混杂岩的就位时代厘定为早、中三叠世，据此将金沙江古特提斯构造演化分为裂谷阶段、洋盆阶段和闭合阶段。其中，金沙江洋盆阶段较短暂，蛇绿岩不具有隔离冈瓦纳及华夏两大古生物地理区系的作用，金沙江缝合带不能构成古特提斯域的主缝合带．     

Geochemistry and Geochronology of the Jinghong Ophiolites: Implications for the Tectonic Evolution of the Eastern Paleo-Tethys

The Jinghong mafic–ultramafic complex, exposed in the eastern margin of the Lancangjiang tectonic belt, is related to the subduction of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. Its petrogenesis plays a key role in constraining the tectonic evolution of the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean in southwestern China. In this study, we present petrological, geochemical and geochronological results of the Jinghong complex rocks, in order to decipher their origin and tectonic significance. The Jinghong mafic–ultramafic complex was composed of peridotite, gabbro, basalt and minor plagiogranite. Whole-rock geochemical data of the mafic rocks indicate that they have both MORB and IAB affinities and plot in the back-arc basin basalt (BABB) field in the FeO*/MgO vs. TiO2 diagram. Combined with their trace element characteristics, it can be concluded that the Jinghong mafic–ultramafic complex represents an ophiolite suite that was formed in a back-arc ocean basin. Precise LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating yielded weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 298.4 ± 1.7 Ma, 294.3 ± 1.6 Ma, and 292.8 ± 2.0 Ma for gabbroic rocks from this complex, which indicates that the Jinghong ophiolites were formed during the early Permian (298–293 Ma). We propose that during subduction of the main Paleo-Tethys Ocean, a back-arc ocean basin was formed at the east of the Lancangjiang tectonic belt.