Ophiolites of Iran: Keys to understanding the tectonic evolution of SW Asia: (I) Paleozoic ophiolites

Iran is a mosaic of Ediacaran–Cambrian (Cadomian; 520–600 Ma) blocks, stitched together by Paleozoic and Mesozoic ophiolites. In this paper we summarize the Paleozoic ophiolites of Iran for the international geoscientific audience including field, chemical and geochronological data from the literature and our own unpublished data. We focus on the five best known examples of Middle to Late Paleozoic ophiolites which are remnants of Paleotethys, aligned in two main zones in northern Iran: Aghdarband, Mashhad and Rasht in the north and Jandagh–Anarak and Takab ophiolites to the south. Paleozoic ophiolites were emplaced when N-directed subduction resulted in collision of Gondwana fragment “Cimmeria” with Eurasia in Permo-Triassic time. Paleozoic ophiolites show both SSZ- and MORB-type mineralogical and geochemical signatures, perhaps reflecting formation in a marginal basin. Paleozoic ophiolites of Iran suggest a progression from oceanic crust formation above a subduction zone in Devonian time to accretionary convergence in Permian time. The Iranian Paleozoic ophiolites along with those of the Caucausus and Turkey in the west and Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Tibet to the east, define a series of diachronous subduction-related marginal basins active from at least Early Devonian to Late Permian time.     

Geochemical and isotopic constraints on the age and origin of the Nidar Ophiolitic Complex, Ladakh, India: Implications for the Neo-Tethyan subduction along the Indus suture zone

The Nidar ophiolite complex is exposed within the Indus suture zone in eastern Ladakh, India. The suture zone is considered to represent remnant Neo-Tethyan Ocean that closed via subduction as the Indian plate moved northward with respect to the Asian plate. The two plates ultimately collided during the Middle Eocene. The Nidar ophiolite complex comprises a sequence of ultra-mafic rocks at the base, gabbroic rocks in the middle and volcano-sedimentary assemblage on the top. Earlier studies considered the Nidar ophiolite complex to represent an oceanic floor sequence based on lithological assemblage. However, present study, based on new mineral and whole rock geochemical and isotopic data (on bulk rocks and mineral separates) indicate their generation and emplacement in an intra-oceanic subduction environment. The plutonic and volcanic rocks have nearly flat to slightly depleted rare earth element (REE) patterns. The gabbroic rocks, in particular, show strong positive Sr and Eu anomalies in their REE and spidergram patterns, probably indicating plagioclase accumulation. Depletion in high field strength elements (HFSE) in the spidergram patterns may be related to stabilization of phases retaining the HFSE in the subducting slab and / or fractional crystallization of titano-magnetite phases. The high radiogenic Nd- and low radiogenic Sr-isotopic ratios for these rocks exclude any influence of continental material in their genesis, implying an intra-oceanic environment.

Nine point mineral–whole rock Sm–Nd isochron corresponds to an age of 140 ± 32 Ma with an initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd of 0.513835 ± 0.000053 (E_Nd t = + 7.4). This age is consistent with the precise Early Cretaceous age of Hauterivian (132 ± 2 to 127 ± 1.6 Ma) to Aptian (121 ± 1.4 to 112 ±1.1 Ma) for the overlying volcano-sedimentary (radiolarian bearing chert) sequences based on well-preserved radiolarian fossils (Kojima, S., Ahmad, T., Tanaka, T., Bagati, T.N., Mishra, M., Kumar, R. Islam, R., Khanna, P.P., 2001. Early Cretaceous radiolarians from the Indus suture zone, Ladakh, northern India. In: News of Osaka Micropaleontologists (NOM), Spec. Vol., 12, 257–270.) and cooling ages of 110–130 Ma based on ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar for Nidar–Spontang ophiolitic rocks (Mahéo, G., Berttrand, H., Guillot, S., Villa, I. M., Keller, F., Capiez, P., 2004. The South Ladakh Ophiolites (NW Himalaya, India): an intra-oceanic tholeiitic arc origin with implications for the closure of the Neo-Tethys. Chem. Geol., 203, 273–303.). As these gabbroic and volcanic rocks are interpreted to be arc related, the new Sm–Nd age data may indicate that intra-ocean subduction in the Neo-Tethyan ocean may have started much before  140 ± 32 Ma as this date is interpreted as the age of crystallization of the arc magma. Present and published age data on the arc magmatic rocks from the Indus suture zone may collectively indicate episodic magmatism with increasing maturity of the arc from more basic (during ~ 140 ± 32 Ma) when the arc was immature through intermediate (andesitic/granodioritic) at ~ 100 Ma to more felsic (rhyolitic/dioritic) magmatism at ~ 50–45 Ma, when the Indian and the Asian plates collided.     

Magmatic evolution of the Løkken SSZ Ophiolite,Norwegian Caledonides: Relationships between anomalous lavas and high-level intrusions

The Lower Ordovician Løkken ophiolite fragment shows a tripartite subdivision of its thick volcanic sequence into: (1) an Upper Volcanic Member (UVM) of transitional MORB/IAT character, comprising basalts or, in a related, thrust-bounded sequence, a bimodal basalt-rhyolite assemblage; (2) a Middle Volcanic Member (MVM) derived from widely variable, generally MORB-related magmas; and (3) a Lower Volcanic Member (LVM) of N-type MORB basalts which locally passes into an underlying sheeted dyke complex. The UVM and LVM were fed from relatively deep-seated magma chambers, and lavas were erupted at moderate flow rates to form predominantly pillow lavas. The whole sequence is interpreted as having formed in a marginal basin setting. The MVM is characterized by abundant voluminous sheet basalts thought to have been erupted at high flow rates. The volcanites had their source, through extensive dyke swarms, in high-level magmas which intruded the sheeted dyke complex and parts of the LVM, possibly in a near-axial seamount setting. The magmas differentiated to form plagiogranitic melts, with a wide range of conjunctive, mafic to intermediate cumulates. This plutonic assemblage, possibly in crystal mush form, was subsequently intruded by new, mafic magma, leading partly to large-scale remelting or assimilation of cumulus phases. These processes are reflected in the MVM by common hybrid flows, as well as local intermediate lavas having the geochemical characteristics of cumulates, erupted during a period of intense faulting. Major tapping of the primary, mafic magma occurred toward the end of the period of MVM volcanism. A predominance of voluminous, apparently fluid, massive flows in the MVM is mainly ascribed to the shallow depth of magma reservoirs.     

The Misis–Andırın Complex: a Mid-Tertiary melange related to late-stage subduction of the Southern Neotethys in S Turkey

The Mid-Tertiary (Mid-Eocene to earliest Miocene) Misis–Andırın Complex documents tectonic-sedimentary processes affecting the northerly, active margin of the South Tethys (Neotethys) in the easternmost Mediterranean region. Each of three orogenic segments, Misis (in the SW), Andırın (central) and Engizek (in the NE) represent parts of an originally continuous active continental margin. A structurally lower Volcanic-Sedimentary Unit includes Late Cretaceous arc-related extrusives and their Lower Tertiary pelagic cover. This unit is interpreted as an Early Tertiary remnant of the Mesozoic South Tethys. The overlying melange unit is dominated by tectonically brecciated blocks (>100 m across) of Mesozoic neritic limestone that were derived from the Tauride carbonate platform to the north, together with accreted ophiolitic material. The melange matrix comprises polymict debris flows, high- to low-density turbidites and minor hemipelagic sediments.The Misis–Andırın Complex is interpreted as an accretionary prism related to the latest stages of northward subduction of the South Tethys and diachronous continental collision of the Tauride (Eurasian) and Arabian (African) plates during Mid-Eocene to earliest Miocene time. Slivers of Upper Cretaceous oceanic crust and its Early Tertiary pelagic cover were accreted, while blocks of Mesozoic platform carbonates slid from the overriding plate. Tectonic mixing and sedimentary recycling took place within a trench. Subduction culminated in large-scale collapse of the overriding (northern) margin and foundering of vast blocks of neritic carbonate into the trench. A possible cause was rapid roll back of dense downgoing Mesozoic oceanic crust, such that the accretionary wedge taper was extended leading to gravity collapse. Melange formation was terminated by underthrusting of the Arabian plate from the south during earliest Miocene time.Collision was diachronous. In the east (Engizek Range and SE Anatolia) collision generated a Lower Miocene flexural basin infilled with turbidites and a flexural bulge to the south. Miocene turbiditic sediments also covered the former accretionary prism. Further west (Misis Range) the easternmost Mediterranean remained in a pre-collisional setting with northward underthrusting (incipient subduction) along the Cyprus arc. The Lower Miocene basins to the north (Misis and Adana) indicate an extensional (to transtensional) setting. The NE–SW linking segment (Andırın) probably originated as a Mesozoic palaeogeographic offset of the Tauride margin. This was reactivated by strike-slip (and transtension) during Later Tertiary diachronous collision. Related to on-going plate convergence the former accretionary wedge (upper plate) was thrust over the Lower Miocene turbiditic basins in Mid–Late Miocene time. The Plio-Quaternary was dominated by left-lateral strike-slip along the East Anatolian transform fault and also along fault strands cutting the Misis–Andırın Complex.     

雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段普兰蛇绿岩中地幔橄榄岩的岩石学研究

西藏雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段普兰蛇绿岩以出现面积约600余平方千米的特大型地幔橄榄岩体而引人注目.该地幔橄榄岩以方辉橄榄岩为主体,含有少量的二辉橄榄岩和纯橄榄岩,岩体中另有一些橄榄单斜辉石岩、辉长岩和辉绿岩等侵入体.地幔橄榄岩的主要造岩矿物橄榄石的Fo 90～93,其中呈包裹体的橄榄石的Fo略高,斜方辉石为顽火辉石(En 88～90),单斜辉石主要为顽透辉石和透辉石,以低铝(0.48％～3.96％)和高Mg#(91～96)为特征,铬尖晶石的Cr#值为18～69,其中方辉橄榄岩和二辉橄榄岩中的铬尖晶石属富铝型尖晶石,而纯橄岩中为富铬型尖晶石.橄榄单斜辉石岩的橄榄石Fo值一致较低,平均为88.4,斜方辉石En平均87,单斜辉石以透辉石为主,铬尖晶石的Cr#值为45～69.普兰地幔橄榄岩及橄榄单斜辉石岩都具有相似的稀土元素和微量元素配分模式,表现为LREE相对富集,Eu亏损不明显,微量元素中大离子亲石元素含量较低,部分样品高场强元素亏损,另一些则相对富集,显示地幔橄榄岩具有亏损地幔源区特征,但也具有俯冲带流体的交代特征,表明普兰岩体可能经历了MOR和SSZ两种构造环境,该特征与雅鲁藏布江缝合带东段的罗布莎地幔橄榄岩的特征可以对比.     

贺根山蛇绿岩带航磁异常特征及成矿潜力分析

铬铁矿贺根山蛇绿岩带地处西伯利亚板块和华北板块的汇聚部位,该带出露中国北方最大的超基性岩体群,大小有超过超过30个超基性岩块,其中自西向东分布的朝根山,贺根山,崇根山,乌兹尼黑为最大的蛇绿岩块。与超基性岩关系最密切的矿产莫过于铬铁矿,数年来很多学者针对贺根山蛇绿岩的含矿性做了大量工作(白文吉等1993,1995; Miao Laicheng et al.,2008;段明,2009,2015;黄竺,2015;王成,2016),该带分布的铬铁矿床（点）众多,有代表性矿床(点)为赫根敖拉、733和3756,然而能达到工业开采的矿床只有3756。近些年在该地区的找矿勘查工作未取得突破,笔者认为很多原因在于该区覆盖面积太大,找矿靶区定位不准以及对隐伏的矿体勘查力度不够。2013-2015年天津地质调查中心在2009~2011年度新飞的航磁资料基础之上对该区进行了航磁异常查证与评价研究工作,对该区的成矿潜力与找矿方向提出了心得认识。     

The Grenvillian Songshugou ophiolite in the Qinling Mountains, Central China: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Qinling orogenic belt

The Qinling Mountains in Central China mark a gigantic composite orogenic belt with a complex tectonic evolution involving multiple phases of rifting and convergence. This belt separates the North China and South China Blocks and consists of the South and North Qinling terranes separated by the Shangdan suture. The suture is marked by the Grenvillian Songshugou ophiolite along the southern margin of the North Qinling terrane, which is key to understanding the Proterozoic tectonic evolution of the belt. The ophiolite consists of highly metamorphosed ultramafic and mafic rocks. Three groups of meta-basalts are present: group 1 rocks are LREE depleted and have a MORB compositional affinity. Their low Ta/Yb ratios (<0.1) are consistent with high degrees of partial melting of a depleted asthenospheric mantle. Rocks of group 2 have higher TiO₂ (1.63–2.08 wt%) and Ta/Yb ratios (>0.12), and display slight enrichment of LREE, suggesting that the original magmas were derived from a depleted mantle source mixed with some enriched material. Samples from group 3 are enriched in LREE and other incompatible elements (Ti, Zr, Ta, Nb), suggesting derivation from an enriched mantle source, possibly a plume. All the basalts have high εNd(t) (+4.2 to +6.9), variable εSr(t) and high ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios for given ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios. These characteristics are compatible with formation at a mid-ocean ridge system above an anomalous Dupal mantle region. The mafic rocks have a Sm–Nd whole-rock isochron age of 1030 ± 46 Ma.The Songshugou ophiolite was emplaced onto the southern margin of the North Qinling terrane, an active continental margin from the Meso-Proterozoic to Neo-Proterozoic.     

对新疆北部蛇绿岩及相关问题的思考和认识

蛇绿岩是作为大陆古板块划分及洋壳存在的重要佐证,同时也是许多地质问题争论的焦点之一。关于新疆北部地区大地构造单元的划分,尽管从不同理论、不同专业角度进行了许多研究和论述,但也因对区内蛇绿岩的认识不同而仍存在诸多争议。本文针对以区内蛇绿岩形成时代来确定洋盆出现所存在的一些可变因素的阐述,提出在新疆北部地区于震旦纪-石炭纪期间可能只存在一个水域相通的统一大洋～准噶尔-天山洋的认识。并以此为基点,对新疆北部地区的构造单元进行了初步划分,划分出两个被动陆缘带和三个弧盆带,同时将其构造演化概括为陆壳拉张(Z—C)、洋盆形成(O-S)及洋盆消减(D—C)三个阶段。     

铙钹寨岩体是蛇绿岩吗？——评“也谈铙钹寨超镁铁岩体的成因和构造类型的归属问题”

王希斌等根据铙钹寨岩体恢复的原岩由亏损强烈的方辉橄榄岩、纯橄岩和弱亏损的二辉橄榄岩组成以及有豆荚状铬铁矿存在,认为铙钹寨岩体属于大洋岩石圈地幔,是蛇绿岩的成员;并且还根据岩体存在两种地幔橄榄岩组合进一步推断铙钹寨岩体“可能经历了洋内扩张（形成MOR型的地幔残余）和洋内俯冲两个阶段的演化过程”。我们认为,铙钹寨岩体是交代的地幔橄榄岩,它不大可能是蛇绿岩;铙钹寨岩体的特征比较接近大陆岩石圈地幔而非大洋岩石圈地幔;铬铁矿不是判别蛇绿岩的标志;不能根据岩体存在强烈亏损和弱亏损的两种橄榄岩而推断其形成于两种环境。     

准噶尔北部蛇绿岩形成时限新证据及其东、西准噶尔蛇绿岩的对比研究

准噶尔北部出露有塔尔巴哈台库吉拜蛇绿岩、洪古勒楞-和布克赛尔蛇绿岩及扎河坝-阿尔曼太蛇绿岩。洪古勒楞蛇绿岩中的堆晶辉长岩样品进行SHRIMP U-Pb定年,结果为472±8.4Ma(MSWD=1.4),限定洪古勒楞-和布克赛尔蛇绿岩形成于早奥陶世。对扎河坝蛇绿岩中斜长花岗岩采用SHRIMP U-Pb方法测定年龄为495.9±5.5Ma(MSWD=2.7),证实扎河坝蛇绿岩形成于晚寒武世-早奥陶世。塔尔巴哈台蛇绿岩、和布克赛尔-洪古勒楞蛇绿岩以及扎河坝-阿尔曼太蛇绿岩均在早奥陶世已经形成,大部分以断层侵位的形式侵位于泥盆纪-石炭系火山-沉积地层中。准噶尔北部东西三段蛇绿岩在形成时代、区域地质以及地球物理特征等方面具有可对比性,认为它们构成一条贯穿东、西准噶尔的蛇绿岩带,这为新疆北部及邻区古生代构造格局的重建以及区域构造的对比连接提供了重要信息。