The origin of the Maozu carbonate-hosted Pb–Zn deposit,southwest China: Constrained by C–O–S–Pb isotopic compositions and Sm–Nd isotopic age

The Maozu Pb–Zn deposit, located on the western margin of the Yangtze Block, southwest China, is a typical carbonate-hosted deposit in the Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou Pb–Zn metallogenic province with Pb + Zn reserves of about 2.0 million tonnes grading 4.15 wt.% Pb and 7.25 wt.% Zn. Its ore bodies are hosted in Sinian (635–541 Ma) Dengying Formation dolostone and show stratiform, vein and irregular textures. Ores are composed of sphalerite, galena, pyrite, calcite, dolomite, quartz and fluorite with massive, banded, disseminated and veined structures. The C–O–Sm–Nd isotopic compositions of hydrothermal calcites and S–Pb isotopic compositions of sulfides were analyzed to constrain the origin of the Maozu deposit. δ¹³C_PDB and δ¹⁸O_SMOW values of hydrothermal calcites range from −3.7‰ to −2.0‰ and +13.8‰ to +17.5‰, respectively, and plot near the marine carbonate rocks field in a plot of δ¹³C_PDB vs. δ¹⁸O_SMOW, with a negative correlation. It suggests that CO₂ in the hydrothermal fluids was mainly originated from marine carbonate rocks, with limited influence from sedimentary organic matter. δ³⁴S_CDT values of sulfides range from +9.9‰ to +19.2‰, similar to that of Cambrian to Triassic seawater sulfate (+15‰ to +35‰) and evaporate (+15‰ to +30‰) in the Cambrian to Triassic sedimentary strata. It suggests that reduced sulfur was derived from evaporate in sedimentary strata by thermo chemical sulfate reduction. Sulfides have low radiogenic Pb isotope compositions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.129–18.375, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.640–15.686 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.220–38.577) that plot in the field between upper crust and the orogenic belt evolution curve in the plot of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb vs. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and similar to that of age corrected Proterozoic basement rocks (Dongchuan and Kunyang Groups). This indicates that ore-forming metals were mainly derived from basement rocks. Hydrothermal calcite yields a Sm–Nd isotopic age of 196 ± 13 Ma, possibly reflecting the timing of Pb–Zn mineralization in the SYG province, younger than the Permian Emeishan mantle plume (∼260 Ma). All data combined suggests that hydrothermal fluids circulated through basement rocks where they picked up metals and migrated to surface, mixed with reduced sulfur-bearing fluids and precipitated metals. Ore genesis of the Maozu deposit is different from known magmatic–hydrothermal, Sedimentary Exhalative or Mississippi Valley-types, which maybe represent a unique ore deposit type, named as the SYG-type.     

Late Variscan “Basin and Range” magmatism and tectonics in the Central Alps: evidence from U-Pb geochronology

Abstract

Towards the end of the Variscan orogeny, volcano-sedimentary basins were formed within the mountain hell. U-Pb age determinations on zircons of volcanic and plutonic rocks from intramontane basins of the Central Alps allows us to define the age of two volcano-sedimentary units: The former one was dated older than 333 Ma (probably Visean), the younger one was deposited in a short time span between 303 and 298 Ma (Stephanien). The latter contains tuffs (303 ± 4 Ma), ignimbrites and microgranites (299 ± 2 Ma) and intrusive rhyolites (300 ± 2 Ma) that are all coeval within analytical precision. Granitoid rocks intruded into the volcano-sedimentary rocks at 333 ± 2 Ma, 310 ± 3 Ma and 298 ± 2 Ma. An angular unconformity between the older and the younger units in the Tö di area (Aar massif) indicates uplift and erosion between 310 and 303 Ma.

Our results suggest the existence of two periods of late Variscan extension (or transtension) in the Alpine realm, both combined with magmatic activity. The extensional event of Stephaniun age is characterized by a short duration of only a few million years, between 303 and 298 Ma, comprising tectonic activity, volcanism and plutonism. The plutonic rocks are characterized by a dominant lithospheric mantle component, which was contaminated by different amounts of crostai material and might have been increasingly influenced by aslhcnos-pherie mantle melts in the course of crostai thinning. The ealc-alkaline geochemical characteristics of the granites may be explained as an inherited source feature.

The overall tectonic style and the mode of magmatism resembles the situation of the Basin-and-Kange Province (eastern USA). Consequently there is no need to invoke a late-Variscan Andean-type subduction to explain the geochemical composition of the magmatic rocks. We conclude that late-orogenic extension is an important tectonic stage of the Variscan orogeny, which lasted for some 50 million years. The extension led to thinning of the crust and upwelling of hot mantle, causing high heat flow, intrusion of mantle melts and formation of huge volumes of acid melts.     

江西相山铀矿田如意亭剖面火山岩的年代学格架及其地质意义

江西相山铀矿田如意亭剖面最底部的熔结凝灰岩代表了相山火山-侵入活动的开始时间,本文首次报导了该熔结凝灰岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果,得出其形成年龄为137.3±0.9Ma,表明相山火山-侵入活动开始于早白垩世。此外,对如意亭剖面的两个流纹英安岩样品的锆石U-Pb定年结果分别是136.8±2.5Ma和136.4±1.5Ma,对采自如意亭剖面的流纹英安斑岩的锆石U-Pb定年结果是135.0±2.0Ma,对采自如意亭剖面的碎斑熔岩的定年结果是134.1±1.6Ma,这些定年结果结合前人已有的研究,得出相山火山-侵入杂岩的形成时代集中在135Ma左右（137~132Ma）,再次证实了相山火山-侵入活动始于早白垩世,是一次集中且短暂的火山-侵入活动。本文对如意亭剖面的定年结果证实相山地区打鼓顶组和鹅湖岭组的火山岩地层应属于早白垩世。然而赣杭构造带上原先所划分的打鼓顶组与鹅湖岭组火山岩形成的时间与武夷山北坡冷水坑盆地中火山岩系并不相同,因此,打鼓顶组与鹅湖岭组地层在区域上应予重新厘定。     

湖南南岳岩体LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及其地球化学特征

提要：分布于湖南衡山的南岳岩体,侵位于新元古代冷家溪群中,为复式岩体。通过锆石U-Pb年龄测定,其锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄为（215.5±1.5）Ma,主体形成于晚三叠世;其中部分小岩体形成于早白垩世,锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄为（140.6±0.8）Ma。晚三叠世花岗岩由三个岩石单元组成,第一期细中粒斑状角闪石黑云母二长花岗岩、第二期中细粒黑云母二长花岗岩、第三期二云母二长花岗岩;早白垩世花岗岩为二云母二长花岗岩。晚三叠世花岗岩属过铝质高钾钙碱性系列;早白垩世花岗岩属强过铝质高钾钙碱性系列。岩石明显富集大离子亲石元素,亏损高场强元素;∑REE中等（92.88×10^-6~296.56×10^-6）,Eu均为弱负异常(δEu=0.28~0.87),其中早白垩世花岗岩Eu亏损更大;ISr值较大（0.7093~0.7189）;低εNd（-8.04~-11.38）, 高T2DM（1.63 ~1.90 Ga）。综合研究表明,南岳花岗岩石为壳源含白云母过铝花岗岩类（MPG）,为华南前寒武系基底重熔而成,晚三叠世花岗岩有少量下地壳或地幔物质加入;其形成的构造背景应为碰撞造山作用晚期或结束时期,是陆内碰撞造山作用增温减压体制下的产物。     

西秦岭礼县长安一带西汉水群牙形刺特征及时代讨论

在西秦岭礼县长安一带西汉水群中首次采到牙形刺，计有１７属３６种。根据牙形刺动物群特征、主要种属地史分布及其区域对比，确认该区西汉水群之七固组层位应为上泥盆统法门阶（锡矿山阶），龙鳞桥组主体为费拉斯阶（余田桥阶）底部层位中牙形刺显示中一晚泥盆世过渡色彩。     

关于黄河形成时代的一些认识

以黄河中游河套盆地-晋陕峡谷-三门峡盆地-三门峡峡谷-郑州邙山段黄河形成时代为主要研究内容,辅以黄河上游兴海盆地-共和盆地段黄河出现的时代来探讨统一黄河形成的时代.黄河上游兴海盆地共发育9级黄河阶地,ESR和OSL年代结果表明,最高三级阶地分别形成于200ka,100ka和80ka;中游河套盆地普遍发育一套湖相沉积,其中盆地东南端托克托台地郝家窑剖面湖相沉积的亮度和烧失量数据呈现一致的由下向上波动上升变化趋势,反映沉积物碳酸盐含量在不断增高,湖水盐度在增大,可能指示了湖泊处于封闭的环境,OSL结果显示湖相沉积结束的年代在100ka前后;三门峡盆地东端发育的最高黄河阶地年代为150ka,而指示古三门湖湖水外泄的河湖相白砂层结束时间是200ka.文章总结对比前人的研究成果,认为共和运动才是形成统一黄河的主因,尽管如此,上游兴海-共和河段及中游三门峡河段黄河(分别形成于200ka和200～ 150ka)出现要早于河套地区(100ka),而晋陕峡谷最晚贯通.也就是说,现今统一的黄河形成于100ka前后.     

Reviews on Potash Deposit Metallogenic Conditions

Potash salt is one of key scarce strategic resources. Searching for large scale of potash salt deposit is one big problerm which Chinese academic community faces. Many new discoveries of world potash deposit have been made in recent ten years, which provide abundant practical information and complement the potash metallogenic theory. Through the summary of the potash forming characteristics at home and abroad, the paper studies the potash forming time, tectonic condition, paleogeographic condition, paleoclimate, basin location and salt source. Potash is mainly formed in Permian, Cretaceous, late Jurassic, Cambrian and Devonian. The combination of structure and environment helps to form large scale of evaporation. The climate cycle is related with crust activity. As the other ore deposit, the formation of potash ore also needs dry climate. Potash is the product of final stage in brine evolution, and therefore, it needs persistent drought climate. However, the climate condition is very complicated. Drought climate belt also occurs in humid climate stage, which is controlled by geomorphology. Potash ore can also form in local drought condition. Generally, potash forms in rock salt basin. However, the actual situation is very complicated. Some potash basin is coincided with rock salt basin, some is on one side of rock salt basin; and some are even in the outside of rock salt basin. Salt materials can be from three sources: marine source, terrigenous source and deep source.The paper gives an overview of the research status about the potash deposit forming conditions, which has great guiding significance for searching potash deposit in China. The paper also summarizes the three types of metallogenic models for potash deposit, including epicontinental metallogenic model, abnormal marine evaporation model and rift valley model. The three models are mainly different in material sources, in which the potash in epicontinental metallogenic model is from seawater; the potash in abnormal evaporation model is from nonmarine brine and the potash in rift valley model is mainly from deep material of volcanic activity.