Detrital zircon provenance of Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic deposits in Iran: Implications for chronostratigraphy and collisional tectonics

Ion-microprobe U–Pb analyses of 589 detrital zircon grains from 14 sandstones of the Alborz mountains, Zagros mountains, and central Iranian plateau provide an initial framework for understanding the Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic provenance history of Iran. The results place improved chronological constraints on the age of earliest sediment accumulation during Neoproterozoic–Cambrian time, the timing of the Mesozoic Iran–Eurasia collision and Cenozoic Arabia–Eurasia collision, and the contribution of various sediment sources of Gondwanan and Eurasian affinity during opening and closure of the Paleotethys and Neotethys oceans. The zircon age populations suggest that deposition of the extensive ~ 1 km-thick clastic sequence at the base of the cover succession commenced in latest Neoproterozoic and terminated by Middle Cambrian time. Comparison of the geochronological data with detrital zircon ages for northern Gondwana reveals that sediment principally derived from the East African orogen covered a vast region encompassing northern Africa and the Middle East. Although most previous studies propose a simple passive-margin setting for Paleozoic Iran, detrital zircon age spectra indicate Late Devonian–Early Permian and Cambrian–Ordovician magmatism. These data suggest that Iran was affiliated with Eurasian magmatic arcs or that rift-related magmatic activity during opening of Paleotethys and Neotethys was more pronounced than thought along the northern Gondwanan passive-margin. For a Triassic–Jurassic clastic overlap assemblage (Shemshak Formation) in the Alborz mountains, U–Pb zircon ages provide chronostratigraphic age control requiring collision of Iran with Eurasia by late Carnian–early Norian time (220–210 Ma). Finally, Cenozoic strata yield abundant zircons of Eocene age, consistent with derivation from arc magmatic rocks related to late-stage subduction and/or breakoff of the Neotethys slab. Together with the timing of foreland basin sedimentation in the Zagros, these detrital zircon ages help bracket the onset of the Arabia–Eurasia collision in Iran between middle Eocene and late Oligocene time.     

U–Pb SHRIMP zircon geochronology and T–t–d history of the Kampa Dome, southern Tibet

Structural, petrographic and geochronologic studies of the Kampa Dome provide insights into the tectonothermal evolution of orogenic crust exposed in the North Himalayan gneiss domes of southern Tibet. U–Pb ion microprobe dating of zircons from granite gneiss exposed at the deepest levels within the dome yields concordia ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age populations of 506 ± 3 Ma and 527 ± 6 Ma, with no evidence of new zircon growth during Himalayan orogenesis. However, the granite contains penetrative deformation fabrics that are also preserved in the overlying Paleozoic strata, implying that the Kampa granite is a Cambrian pluton that was strongly deformed and metamorphosed during Himalayan orogenesis. Zircons from deformed leucogranite sills that cross-cut Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks yield concordant Cambrian ages from oscillatory zoned cores and discordant ages ranging from ca. 491–32 Ma in metamict grains. Since these leucogranites clearly post-date the metasedimentary rocks they intrude, the zircons are interpreted as xenocrysts that are probably derived from the Kampa granite. The Kampa Dome formed via a series of progressive orogenic events including regional ~ N–S contraction and related crustal thickening (D₁), predominately top-to-N ductile shearing and crustal extension (D₂), top-to-N brittle–ductile faulting and related folding on the north limb of the dome, localized top-to-S faulting on the southern limb of the dome, and crustal doming (D₃), and continued N–S contraction, E–W extension and doming (D₄). Structural and geochronologic variability amongst adjacent North Himalayan gneiss domes may reflect changes in the magnitude of crustal exhumation along the North Himalayan antiform, possibly relating to differences in the mid-crustal geometry of the exhuming fault systems.     

The Finnmarkian Orogeny revisited: An isotopic investigation in eastern Finnmark, Arctic Norway

The Scandinavian Caledonides have been viewed as resulting from either a single Silurian (i.e. Scandian) event or from polycyclic orogenies involving several collisions on the margin of Baltica. Early studies of the Kalak Nappe Complex (KNC) in Finnmark, Arctic Norway, led to the hypothesis of an Early Cambrian-Early Ordovician (520-480 Ma) Finnmarkian Orogeny, though the nature of this tectonic event remains enigmatic. In this contribution we have employed in situ UV laser ablation Ar-Ar dating of fine-grained phyllite and schist from the eastern Caledonides of Arctic Norway to investigate the presence of pre-Scandian tectonometamorphic events. U-Th-Pb detrital zircon and whole rock Sm-Nd analyses have been used to test the regional stratigraphic correlations of these metasedimentary rocks. These results indicate that the Berlevåg Formation within the Tanafjord Nappe, previously assumed to be part of the KNC, was deposited after 1872 Ma and prior to a low temperature hydrothermal event at 555 ± 15 Ma. It has a likely provenance on the Baltica continent, lacks any Grenville-Sveconorwegian detrital zircons, and thus cannot be part of the KNC which contains abundant detritus in this age range. Instead the Berlevåg Formation is interpreted as part of the Laksefjord Nappe Complex, which structurally underlies the KNC. Laser-ablation argon-argon dating also shows that late Caledonian (i.e. Scandian) tectonometamorphism affected both the KNC and its immediate footwall at c. 425 ± 15 Ma. This is corroborated by a step-heating argon-argon muscovite age of 424 ± 3 Ma which is interpreted as dating cooling. However, within two samples from the KNC, an earlier (Middle-Late Cambrian) metamorphic event is also recorded. A biotite-grade schist yielded an Ar-Ar inverse isochron age of 506 ± 17 Ma from whole rock surfaces, in which the mineral domains are too fine-grained to date individually. An early generation of muscovite from a coarser-grained amphibolite-facies sample yielded an inverse isochron of 498 ± 13 Ma. Both isochron ages have atmospheric argon intercept values. Previous studies have documented similar Cambrian ages in the Caledonian nappes below the KNC. These results suggest correlative tectonometamorphic events in the eastern KNC and its footwall at c. 500 Ma. This Cambrian event may reflect the arrival of the Kalak Nappe Complex as a previously constructed exotic mobile belt onto the margin of Baltica. Combined with recent studies from the western Kalak Nappe Complex, the results do not support the traditional constraint on the Finnmarkian Orogeny sensu stricto. However they vindicate classic tectonic models involving a Cambrian accretion event.     

Possible chemical structures and biological precursors of different vitrinites in coal measure in Northwest China

Chemical structure of Jurassic vitrinites isolated from the coals in basins in NW China have been checked using solid state ¹³C NMR and flash pyrolysis-GC/MS. Study shows some Jurassic collodetrinites are rich in aliphatic products in pyrolysates, consisting with the high amount of methylene carbon in ¹³C NMR spectra. In contrast, pyrolysates of Jurassic collotelinites are rich in phenols and alkylbenzenes. Also one Pennsylvanian and one Permian vitrinite selected from the Ordos basin, NW China have been checked for comparison. The proportion of aliphatics is low in pyrolysates, and aliphatic carbon peak in ¹³C NMR spectrum of Permian vitrinite is mostly composed of gas-prone carbons compared with collodetrinites in those Jurassic basins. But both pyrolysis and ¹³C NMR data shows the Pennsylvanian vitrinite is not only gas-prone but also oil-prone. Relatively high proportion of long chain aliphatic structure of some Jurassic vitrinite in Junggar, Turpan-Hami basins may be due to the contribution of liptodetrinites, which may be included during the formation of vitrinites. And it seems that suberinite is the most possible precursor of long chain aliphatics in the structure of Jurassic collodetrinite.     

Basement–cover relationships of the Kalak Nappe Complex, Arctic Norwegian Caledonides and constraints on Neoproterozoic terrane assembly in the North Atlantic region

The Kalak Nappe Complex (KNC) has been regarded as Baltica passive margin metasediments telescoped eastwards onto the Baltic (Fennoscandian) Shield during the Caledonian Orogeny. Recent studies have questioned this interpretation, instead pointing to a Neoproterozoic exotic origin. In an effort to resolve this controversy we present a Sm–Nd and U–Th–Pb study of gnessic units, traditionally considered as the depositional basement, along with cover rock sediments and intrusives. Late Palaeoproterozoic gneisses now beneath the KNC were deposited after 1948 ± 33 Ma, before intrusion of the Tjukkfjellet Granite at 1796 ± 3 Ma, and were affected by later melting events at 1765 ± 9 and 1727 ± 9 Ma. These gneisses are interpreted as part of the Baltic Shield and underlie the KNC across a tectonic contact. An unconformity between psammites of the KNC and other paragneisses previously considered as its Precambrian basement is reinterpreted as a modified sedimentary contact between Neoproterozoic metasediments. These metasediments have statistically very similar detrital zircon populations with grains as young as 1034 ± 22, 1025 ± 32 and 1014 ± 14 Ma. The results indicate that the KNC sediments were deposited during the Neoproterozoic in basins along the Laurentian margin of eastern Rodinia and were not connected to Baltica via a depositional basement. Dating of the 851 ± 5 Ma Eidvågvatnet and 853 ± 4 Ma Nordneset granites shows that intrusive material associated with the Porsanger Orogeny (c. 850 Ma) affected a considerable region of the upper KNC terrane. Later Neoproterozoic events at 711 ± 6, 687 ± 12 and 617 ± 6 Ma are also recognised the latest of which may be an expression of rifting. Since early Neoproterozoic magmatism (c. 840–690 Ma) is unknown in Baltica, these results support an exotic origin for the KNC terranes.     

赣南淘锡坑钨多金属矿床花岗岩和云英岩岩石特征及云英岩中白云母40Ar/39Ar定年

赣南崇义县淘锡坑钨矿位于南岭东西向构造带东段,属于以黑钨矿石英脉型为主的钨多金属矿床。矿床形成与燕山期中酸性岩浆作用有密切关系,石英矿脉受一组北西向断裂控制,穿切新元古界。本文在淘锡坑钨矿区3个揭露到花岗岩体顶部的中段（206、106、56中段）采集到岩体顶部云英岩样品,利用40Ar/39Ar同位素定年测得云英岩中的白云母的坪年龄分别为152.7 ± 1.5 Ma（206中段）,153.4 ± 1.3 Ma（106中段）,155.0 ± 1.4 Ma（56中段）。与前人用其他方法测定的花岗岩成岩和成矿年龄几乎一致。花岗岩和云英岩全岩稀土元素均具有M型四分组效应和强烈的Eu亏损特征,反映出花岗质岩浆经历了高度分异演化及其岩体结晶晚期流体/熔体相互作用。综合前人在南岭地区同类矿床的研究资料,可知南岭地区160～150Ma成岩成矿作用主要分布于南岭中-东段,可能为大陆边缘弧后岩石圈伸展的构造动力学背景的产物。     

西天山达巴特火山岩的形成环境及对斑岩型矿化的制约

本文通过对西天山地区比较典型的达巴特斑岩铜钼矿床矿区范围内出露上的英安岩和花岗斑岩进行了系统的岩石地球化学分析,对英安岩和流纹斑岩中的锆石进行了SHRIMP U-Pb定年研究,分别获得了315.9±5.9Ma和278.7±5.7Ma。岩石化学、微量以及稀土元素特征表明从英安岩到花岗斑岩,岩体具有明显的分异演化特征和很好的继承性。火山岩和次火山岩的精确定年为准确厘定火山岩形成的时限和地球动力学背景提供了依据。结合已有的Re-Os法获得的矿化年龄,表明晚石炭世末-早二叠世初（278.7±5.7Ma）,西天山地区进入板块碰撞-板内伸展阶段,由于板内幔根的部分熔化,造成深源斑岩岩浆侵位,在达巴特矿区形成了由花岗斑岩、流纹斑岩和流纹质凝灰熔岩组成的椭圆形火山机构,并导致相关矿床的形成。     

TEM evidence for intracellular accumulation of lead by bacteria in subsurface environments

We monitored near-surface atmospheric fallout (15-cm above ground) and soil solution (at 15, 35 and 55 cm below ground) derived nanoparticles over an 8-month period by collecting the particles directly onto TEM grids in anthropogenically-influenced (vineyard) and pristine (native forest) sites in France. Particle clusters trapped on the grid were selected randomly and individual particles were binned into eight different groups (euhedral clays, weathered clays, salts, oxi-hydroxides, bacteria, non-living organic matter, aggregates and undetermined). Bacteria represent 9–23% of the collected nanoparticle area (ave. 9.4% and 18% for two atmospheric collection sites and ave. 23% for soil infiltration samples). Bacteria were most often associated with non-living organic matter and comprised a variety of morpho-types. Interestingly, 45% of all the bacteria analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) showed the presence of intracellular grains significantly enriched in lead and phosphorus. Intracellular sequestration of Pb into polyphosphate bodies has been observed in the laboratory, but this is the first observation of this phenomenon in a natural environment. Furthermore, this suggests that microbial-bound Pb may be an important transport mechanism in subsurface environments.     

Zircon U–Pb ages, Hf and O isotopes constrain the crustal architecture of the ultrahigh-pressure Dabie orogen in China

The crustal structure of the Dabie orogen was reconstructed by a combined study of U–Pb ages, Hf and O isotope compositions of zircons from granitic gneiss from North Dabie, the largest lithotectonic unit in the orogen. The results were deciphered from metamorphic history to protolith origin with respect to continental subduction and exhumation. Zircon U–Pb dating provides consistent ages of 751 ± 7 Ma for protolith crystallization, and two group ages of 213 ± 4 to 245 ± 17 Ma and 126 ± 4 to 131 ± 36 Ma for regional metamorphism. Majority of zircon Hf isotope analyses displays negative ε_Hf(t) values of − 5.1 to − 2.9 with crust Hf model ages of 1.84 to 1.99 Ga, indicating protolith origin from reworking of middle Paleoproterozoic crust. The remaining analyses exhibit positive ε_Hf(t) values of 5.3 to 14.5 with mantle Hf model ages of 0.74 to 1.11 Ga, suggesting prompt reworking of Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic juvenile crust. Zircon O isotope analyses yield δ¹⁸O values of − 3.26 to 2.79‰, indicating differential involvement of meteoric water in protolith magma by remelting of hydrothermally altered low δ¹⁸O rocks. North Dabie shares the same age of Neoproterozoic low δ¹⁸O protolith with Central Dabie experiencing the Triassic UHP metamorphism, but it was significantly reworked at Early Cretaceous in association with contemporaneous magma emplacement. The Rodinia breakup at about 750 Ma would lead to not only the reworking of juvenile crust in an active rift zone for bimodal protolith of Central Dabie, but also reworking of ancient crust in an arc-continent collision zone for the North Dabie protolith. The spatial difference in the metamorphic age (Triassic vs. Cretaceous) between the northern and southern parts of North Dabie suggests intra-crustal detachment during the continental subduction. Furthermore, the Dabie orogen would have a three-layer structure prior to the Early Cretaceous magmatism: Central Dabie in the upper, North Dabie in the middle, and the source region of Cretaceous magmas in the lower.     

History of crustal growth and recycling at the Pacific convergent margin of South America at latitudes 29°–36° S revealed by a U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope study of detrital zircon from late Paleozoic accretionary systems

Detrital zircon provides a powerful archive of continental growth and recycling processes. We have tested this by a combined laser ablation ICP-MS U–Pb and Lu–Hf analysis of homogeneous growth domains in detrital zircon from late Paleozoic coastal accretionary systems in central Chile and the collisional Guarguaráz Complex in W Argentina. Because detritus from a large part of W Gondwana is present here, the data delineate the crustal evolution of southern South America at its Paleopacific margin, consistent with known data in the source regions.Zircon in the Guarguaráz Complex mainly displays an U–Pb age cluster at 0.93–1.46 Ga, similar to zircon in sediments of the adjacent allochthonous Cuyania Terrane. By contrast, zircon from the coastal accretionary systems shows a mixed provenance: Age clusters at 363–722 Ma are typical for zircon grown during the Braziliano, Pampean, Famatinian and post-Famatinian orogenic episodes east of Cuyania. An age spectrum at 1.00–1.39 Ga is interpreted as a mixture of zircon from Cuyania and several sources further east. Minor age clusters between 1.46 and 3.20 Ga suggest recycling of material from cratons within W Gondwana.The youngest age cluster (294–346 Ma) in the coastal accretionary prisms reflects a so far unknown local magmatic event, also represented by rhyolite and leucogranite pebbles. It sets time marks for the accretion history: Maximum depositional ages of most accreted metasediments are Middle to Upper Carboniferous. A change of the accretion mode occurred before 308 Ma, when also a concomitant retrowedge basin formed.Initial Hf-isotope compositions reveal at least three juvenile crust-forming periods in southern South America characterised by three major periods of juvenile magma production at 2.7–3.4 Ga, 1.9–2.3 Ga and 0.8–1.5 Ga. The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf of Mesoproterozoic zircon from the coastal accretionary systems is consistent with extensive crustal recycling and addition of some juvenile, mantle-derived magma, while that of zircon from the Guarguaráz Complex has a largely juvenile crustal signature. Zircon with Pampean, Famatinian and Braziliano ages (< 660 Ma) originated from recycled crust of variable age, which is, however, mainly Mesoproterozoic. By contrast, the Carboniferous magmatic event shows less variable and more radiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf, pointing to a mean early Neoproterozoic crustal residence. This zircon is unlikely to have crystallized from melts of metasediments of the accretionary systems, but probably derived from a more juvenile crust in their backstop system.