Late Pan-African magmatism and crustal development in northeastern Egypt

The voluminous Pan-African calc-alkaline granitic suite of the Ras Gharib crustal segment in northeastern Eygpt provides a typical example of orogenic magmatism. The 552 ± 7 Ma-old granodiorite–adamellite and leucogranite suite is compositionally broad (58 to 77 wt.% SiO₂) and exhibits calc-alkaline geochemical trends and trace-element characteristics typical of the volcanic-arc granites. The rocks contain oligoclase, albite, K-feldspar, calcic amphibole, biotite, titanite, zircon, and magnetite. The suite exhibits typical features characteristic of I-type granites. We contend that the magma was formed by partial melting of a modified oceanic crust at an active continental margin during the late stage of the Pan-African orogeny. The process may have involved assimilation of Early Pan-African dioritic country rocks. The more felsic units were produced by progressive fractionation of that magma. The petrological–geochemical evidence suggest that the Pan-African crust in northeastern Egypt did not develop in an extensional tectonic regime, as proposed recently.     

Interpretation of aeromagnetic anomalies over part of Southeastern Nigeria using three-dimensional Hilbert transformation

We present the results of the application of three-dimensional Hilbert transformation to the analysis of airborne total field magnetic anomalies over part of Southeastern Nigeria. This study not only substantiates the usefulness of 3-D Hilbert transforms in the interpretation of magnetic anomaly maps but also more clearly delineates the structural pattern of the area, of study. Results from the previous study are discussed in relation to the results of previous geological and geophysical studies of the area.     

Geodynamics of the Early Precambrian,Part 1: Volcanism and associated mantle processes

The work is dedicated to most important abiotic processes of the Early Precambrian, effect of which is recorded in continental crust, and to complementary processes in subcontinental mantle. We intend to figure out when a certain process was triggered first in the past and what indications suggest its further activity, evolution and possible cessation in subsequent geological history. Considerations are based on described natural objects characterizing particular geological events and enabling the cause-and-effect interpretation in order to understand different viewpoints known from publications. Considered in the work are the early Precambrian greenstone belts and ophiolites, island-arc systems and ecologites, magmatism unconnected with subduction zones (rifting-related, plateau basalts, dykes, kimberlites) and anorthosites representing a group of heterochronous intrusions of complicated genesis. Main considerations are premised with a brief review of the earliest geodynamic phenomena associated with meteorite impacts by termination of the planetary accretion.     

Pre-eruptive and syn-eruptive conditions in the Black Butte, California dacite: Insight into crystallization kinetics in a silicic magma system

A series of experiments and petrographic analyses have been run to determine the pre-eruption phase equilibria and ascent dynamics of dacitic lavas composing Black Butte, a dome complex on the flank of Mount Shasta, California. Major and trace element analyses indicate that the Black Butte magma shared a common parent with contemporaneously erupted magmas at the Shasta summit. The Black Butte lava phenocryst phase assemblage (20 v.%) consists of amphibole, plagioclase (core An_77.5), and Fe–Ti oxides in a fine-grained (< 0.5 mm) groundmass of plagioclase, pyroxene, Fe–Ti oxides, amphibole, and cristobalite. The phenocryst assemblage and crystal compositions are reproduced experimentally between 890 °C and 910 °C, ≥ 300 MPa, X_H2O = 1, and oxygen fugacity = NNO + 1. This study has quantified the extent of three crystallization processes occurring in the Black Butte dacite that can be used to discern ascent processes. Magma ascent rate was quantified using the widths of amphibole breakdown rims in natural samples, using an experimental calibration of rim development in a similar magma at relevant conditions. The majority of rims are 34 ± 10 μm thick, suggesting a time-integrated magma ascent rate of 0.004–0.006 m/s among all four dome lobes. This is comparable to values for effusive samples from the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption and slightly faster than those estimated at Montserrat. A gap between the compositions of plagioclase phenocryst cores and microlites suggests that while phenocryst growth was continuous throughout ascent, microlite formation did not occur until significantly into ascent. The duration of crystallization is estimated using the magma reservoir depth and ascent rate, as determined from phase equilibria and amphibole rim widths, respectively. Textural analysis of the natural plagioclase crystals yields maximum growth rates of plagioclase phenocryst rims and groundmass microlites of 8.7 × 10^− 8 and 2.5 × 10^− 8 mm/s, respectively. These rates are comparable to values determined from time-sequenced samples of dacite erupted effusively from Mount St. Helens during 1980 and indicate that syneruptive crystallization processes were important during the Black Butte eruptive cycle.     

地幔流体研究进展

介绍了在地幔流体的成分、源区、形成机制、运移方式和分异模式以及地幔流体与地幔交代作用、岩浆作用和成矿作用的关系等方面研究的一些新进展 ,总结了地幔流体的研究途径和方法的一些新突破 ,并指出了今后的重点研究方向。     

论地质作用中元素间的相关性及制约因素

本文把地质作用中元素间的相关性划分为曲线相关、准线性相关和线性相关三种类型;并在建立反映岩浆、沉积作用过程中元素间相关关系的数学模型及其它工作的基础上,详细讨论分配系数、源区成分和作用过程等方面对地质作用中元素间相关关系的制约作用。进而获得批式熔融、结晶分异、岩浆混合、化学沉积、碎屑沉积等过程中元素间呈线性和(?)线性关系的一般特征和应用前景。最后还给出La/Ce相关性的应用实例。     

Timing and Processes of Ore Formation in the Qingchengzi Polymetallic Orefield, Northeast China: Evidence from 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology

The Qingchengzi orefield is a large polymetallic ore concentration area in the Liaodong peninsula,northeastern China,that includes twelve Pb-Zn deposits and five Au-Ag deposits along its periphery.The ore-forming age remains much disputed,which prevents the identification of the relationship between the mineralization and the associated magmatism.In this paper,we quantitatively present the feasibility of making ore mineral ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating and report reliable ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar ages of lamprophyre groundmass,K-feldspar and sphalerite from the Zhenzigou deposit.Direct and indirect methods are applied to constrain the timing of mineralization,which plays a vital role in discussing the contribution of multistage magmatism to ore formation.The low-potassium sphalerite yielded an inverse isochron age of 232.8±41.5 Ma,which features a relatively large uncertainty.Two lamprophyre groundmasses got reliable inverse isochron ages of 193.2±1.3 Ma and 152.3±1.5 Ma,respectively.K-feldspar yielded a precise inverse isochron age of 134.9±0.9 Ma.These four ages indicate that the mineralization is closely associated with Mesozoic magmatism.Consequently,regarding the cooling age of the earliest Mesozoic Shuangdinggou intrusion(224.2±1.2 Ma)as the initial time of mineralization,we can further constrain the age of the sphalerite to 224–191 Ma.These new and existing geochronological data,combined with the interaction cutting or symbiotic relationship between the lamprophyre veins and ore veins,suggest that the Pb-Zn-Au-Ag mineralization in the Qingchengzi orefield mainly occurred during three periods:the late Triassic(ca.224–193 Ma),the late Jurassic(ca.167–152 Ma)and the early Cretaceous(ca.138–134 Ma).This polymetallic deposits are shown to have been formed during multiple events coinciding with periods of the Mesozoic magmatic activity.In contrast,the Proterozoic magmatism and submarine exhalative and hydrothermal sedimentation in the Liaolaomo paleorift served mainly to transport and concentrate the ore-forming substances at the Liaohe Group with no associated Pb-Zn-Au-Ag mineralization.     

Post-collisional volcanism in a sinking slab setting—crustal anatectic origin of pyroxene-andesite magma, Caldear Volcanic Group, Neogene Alborán volcanic province, southeastern Spain

Caldear Volcanic Group (CVG), a stratigraphically well defined, calc-alkaline rock complex within S^a de Gata in the eastern part of the Alpine Betic mountain chain, S Spain, consists of three distinct formations: Hernández pyroxene andesites, Bujo hornblende-bearing pyroxene andesites and Viuda hornblende-bearing pyroxene dacites–rhyolites. The letter rock formation may have developed through crystal fractionation of mainly plagioclase and pyroxenes, however there is no direct relation between two formations. CVG has a domainal structure with a northeastern domain where Hernández formation is overlain by Bujo formation while Viuda formation is absent, and a southwestern domain where Viuda formation forms the only fractionate after Hernández formation. Hernández parent magma is thought generated through crustal anatexis by dehydration melting of a predominantly amphibolitic source rock complex which was formed by metamorphism from c. 500 Ma volcano-sedimentary parent material. The domainal structure of CVG is explained by compositional variation within this protogenetic complex. Single crystal U–Pb ages of c. 500 Ma to 1800 Ma for inherited zircon support the presence of clastic material of Proterozoic derivation within the original volcano-sedimentary complex. Regional study of syn-collisional rock formations (Alpine nappe complexes) indicate that the collisional tectonic stage in the Betic-Rif orogenic belt took place rather early (25–30 Ma?) and was followed by a stage of rapid regional rock uplift, fast cooling (c. 500°C/my) and extensional tectonics in the period 22–17 Ma. This later tectonic stage was set into motion by slab break-off which set the stage for a high temperature regime in the overlying lithosphere, providing the framework for the crustal melting and magma production responsible for the calc-alkaline rocks of Alborán volcanic province. Miocene zircon with ages ranging from c. 17 to 11 Ma indicate a rather protracted magmatic development prior to eruption at c. 11 Ma. Post-collisional character of Caldear Volcanic Group thus seems well established.     

Geochemical approach to magmatic evolution of Mt. Erciyes stratovolcano Central Anatolia, Turkey

Erciyes stratovolcano, culminating at 3917 m, is located in the Cappadocian region of central Anatolia. During its evolution, this Quaternary volcano produced pyroclastic deposits and lava flows. The great majority of these products are calc-alkaline in character and they constitute Kocdag and Erciyes sequences by repeated activities. Alkaline activity is mainly observed in the first stages of Kocdag and approximately first-middle stages of Erciyes sequences. Generally, Kocdag and Erciyes stages terminate by pyroclastic activities. The composition of lavas ranges from basalt to rhyolite (48.4–70.5 wt.% SiO₂). Calc-alkaline rocks are represented mostly by andesites and dacites. Some compositional differences between alkaline basaltic, basaltic and andesitic rocks were found; while the composition of dacites remain unchanged. All these volcanics are generally enriched in LIL and HFS elements relative to the orogenic values except Rb, Ba, Nb depleted alkaline basalt. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotopic composition of the volcanics range between 0.703344–0.703964, 0.512920–0.512780 for alkaline basalts and change between 0.704322–0.705088, 0.512731–0.512630 for alkaline basaltic rocks whereas calc-alkaline rocks have relatively high Sr and Nd isotopic ratios (0.703434–0.705468, 0.512942–0.512600). Low Rb, Ba, Nb content with high Zr/Nb, low Ba/Nb, La/Yb ratio and low Sr isotopic composition suggest an depleted source component, while high Ba, Rb, Nb content with high La/Yb, Ba/Nb, low Zr/Nb and low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios indicate an OIB-like mantle source for the generation of Erciyes alkaline magma. These elemental and ratio variations also indicate that the different mantle sources have undergone different degree of partial melting episodes. The depletion in Ba, Rb, Nb content may be explained by the removal of these elements from the source by slab-derived fluids which were released from pre-collisional subduction, modified the asthenospheric mantle. The chemically different mantle sources interacted with crustal materials to produce calc-alkaline magma. The Ba/Nb increase of calc-alkaline samples indicates the increasing input of crustal components to Erciyes volcanics. Sr and Nd isotopic compositions and elevated LIL and HFS element content imply that calc-alkaline magma may be derived from mixing of an OIB-like mantle melts with a subduction-modified asthenospheric mantle and involvement of crustal materials in intraplate environments.