Origin of the Neoproterozoic Baijianshan Banded Iron Formation at the Southeastern Margin of the Tarim Block in NW China: Implication for an Extremely Reducing Ocean

The Neoproterozoic banded iron formations(BIFs)were closely associated with the“Snowball Earth”during the breakup of the Rodinia,thus they played an important role in our understanding of the atmospheric and oceanic oxygen levels during this period.In this contribution,the Neoproterozoic(ca.737 Ma)Baijianshan BIF at Southeast Tarim,northwestern China was identified.Magnetite is the dominated iron-species,which occurs as the lamina interbedded with chert.The BIF contains low concentrations of trace elements,and is depleted in light rare earth elements(LREEs)based on comparison with the Post-Archean Australian Shale(PAAS).In addition,the BIF exhibits slightly positive La-Eu anomalies,negligible Ce anomalies,insignificant Y anomalies,chondritic Y/Ho ratios(23-32),and slightly chondritic initial ε_Nd(t=737 Ma)values(?0.45 to 1.46,averaging 0.37).All these features indicate that the precipitation of Baijianshan BIF was closely related to the submarine low-T hydrothermal fluids with little detrital contribution.Moreover,the Baijianshan BIF is characterized by the significant enrichment of heavy Fe isotopes,with δ⁵⁷Fe_IRMM-014 values ranging from 1.78‰ to 3.05‰,revealing the partial oxidation of Fe²⁺ into Fe³⁺ during the precipitation of this BIF.Our data suggest that the formation of Baijianshan BIF was closely associated with a significantly reducing ocean,which most likely was isolated from the oxidized atmosphere by a local ice sheet.This Neoproterozoic Baijianshan ocean has the initial oxygen levels as low as,or even lower than that of Archean and Paleoproterozoic oceans.     

阿拉善地块东北缘狼山地区大红山组沉积时代、物质来源及区域构造意义

阿拉善地块位于中亚造山带南缘,是研究中亚造山带南缘二叠纪构造背景及演化的关键地区。本研究在阿拉善地块东北缘狼山地区野外调查的基础上,对狼山地区大红山组地层进行古流向、碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年和砂岩碎屑组分分析。研究表明砾石最大扁平面倾向为SWW—NWW,指示大红山组地层沉积时的古水流的流向总体呈现自西向东,推测大红山组砾石主要来自狼山西部地区。砂岩中碎屑锆石最小年龄峰值为275 Ma和278 Ma,表明大红山组沉积时代不早于中二叠世早期。砂岩的碎屑组分分析和碎屑锆石年龄谱指示大红山组可能来自于晚古生代诺尔公—狼山弧,砾石的古流向分析和碎屑锆石年龄谱推测大红山组砾石极有可能来自于阿拉善地块前寒武纪变质基底。结合诺尔公—狼山构造带晚古生代大陆岩浆弧的存在,认为二叠系大红山组地层沉积于弧背前陆盆地的构造背景。     

Archean (about 2500 Ma) anatexis in eastern North China Block

Two Neoarchean alkaline feldspar-rich granites sourced from partially melted granulite-facies granodioritic orthogneiss have been here recognised in the eastern part of the North China Block (NCB). These poorly foliated granites have previously been assumed to be Mesozoic in age and never dated, and so their significance has not been recognised until now. The first granite (AG1) is a porphyritic syenogranite with megacrystic K-feldspar, and the second (AG2) is a quartz syenite with perthitic megacryst. Zircons from the granites yield LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of 2499 ± 10 Ma (AG1), and 2492 ± 28 Ma (AG2), which are slightly younger than the granodioritic orthogneiss that they intrude with a crystallisation U-Pb age of 2537 ± 34 Ma. The younger granites have higher assays for SiO₂ (71.91% for AG1 and 73.22% for AG2) and K₂O (7.52% for AG1 and 8.37% for AG2), and much lower assays for their other major element than the granodioritic orthogneiss. All of the granodioritic orthogneiss and granite samples have similar trace element patterns, with depletion in Th, U, Nb, and Ti and enrichment in Rb, Ba, K, La, Ce, and P. This indicates that the granites are derived from the orthogneiss as partial melts. Although they exhibit a similar REE pattern, the granites have much lower total REE contents (30.97×10⁻⁶ for AG1, and 25.93×10⁻⁶ for AG2), but pronounced positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 8.57 for AG1 and 27.04 for AG2). The granodioritic orthogneiss has an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70144, εNd(t) value of 3.5, and εHf(t) values ranging from −3.2 to +2.9. The orthogneiss is a product of fractional crystallisation from a dioritic magma, which was derived from a mantle source contaminated by melts derived from a felsic slab. By contrast, the AG1 sample has an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.6926 that is considered too low in value, εNd(t) value of 0.3, and εHf(t) values between +0.57 and +3.82; whereas the AG2 sample has an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70152, εNd(t) value of 1.3, and εHf(t) values between +0.5 and +14.08. These assays indicate that a Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic disequilibrium exists between the granite and granodioritic orthogneiss. The elevated εHf(t) values of the granites can be explained by the involvement of Hf-bearing minerals, such as orthopyroxene, amphibole, and biotite, in anatectic reactions in the granodioritic orthogneiss. Based on the transitional relationship between the granites and granodioritic orthogneiss and the geochemical characteristics mentioned above, it is concluded that the granites are the product of rapid partial-melting of the granodioritic orthogneiss after granulite-facies metamorphism, and their crystallisation age of about 2500 Ma provides the minimum age of the metamorphism. This about 2500 Ma tectonic-metamorphic event in NCB is similar to the other cratons in India, Antarctica, northern and southern Australia, indicating a possible connection between these cratons during the Neoarchean.     

扬子地块西缘峨山新元古代A2型花岗闪长岩的成因及构造意义

在扬子地块西缘出露有大量的新元古代岩浆岩,这些岩石对于重建罗迪尼亚超大陆有着重要的意义。本文对云南峨山岩体的花岗闪长岩和似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩开展了详细的岩石学、岩石地球化学和年代学研究,结果表明,似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩侵位于826.6±2.5 Ma,而花岗闪长岩有着较年轻的结晶年龄818.3±2.8 Ma,花岗闪长岩比似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩有着更低的SiO₂含量,但是更高的Al₂O₃、MgO、Fe₂O₃、TiO₂和P₂O₅含量。在稀土元素配分曲线和微量元素蛛网图上,两种岩性呈现出相似的特征,都是具有右倾的稀土元素配分样式,呈现出Eu负异常,相对于大离子亲石元素（LILEs）更亏损高场强元素（HFSEs）。似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩富集Nd同位素组分,而花岗闪长岩与之有着相似的Nd同位素值。地球化学数据显示可能的岩石学成因是变质火成岩源区在826 Ma时发生部分熔融形成了峨山似斑状黑云母二长花岗岩并且残留下来了一个麻粒岩化的源区;麻粒岩源区在818 Ma时再次发生部分熔融形成了具有A型属性的峨山花岗闪长岩。结合前人的数据和本文的研究,认为扬子西缘在新元古代时期是一个活动大陆边缘,而华南地块当时在罗迪尼亚的位置更可能是在边缘而不是中心。     

Precambrian Tectonic Affinity of the Southern Langshan Area, Northeastern Margin of the Alxa Block: Evidence from Zircon U-Pb Dating and Lu-Hf Isotopes

The Alxa Block is the westernmost part of the North China Craton (NCC), and is regarded as one of the basement components of the NCC. Its geological evolution is of great significance for the understanding of the NCC. However, the Precambrian basement of the Alxa Block is still poorly studied. In this study, we present new in situ LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope data from the Diebusige Metamorphic Complex (DMC) which located in the eastern Alxa Block. Field and petrological studies show that the DMC consists mainly of metamorphic supracrustal rocks and minor metamorphic plutonic rocks and has experienced amphibolite-granulite facies metamorphism. Zircon U-Pb dating results suggested that the amphibolite sample yields a crystallization age of 2636 ± 14 Ma and metamorphic ages of 2517–2454 Ma and 1988–1952 Ma, proving the existence of exposed Archean rocks in the Langshan area and indicating that late Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic metamorphic events existed in the Alxa Block. Two paragneiss samples show that the magmatic detrital zircons from the DMC yield 207Pb/206Pb ages ranging from 2.48 Ga to 2.10 Ga with two youngest peaks at 2.13 Ga and 2.16 Ga, respectively, and they were also overprinted by metamorphic events at 1.97–1.90 Ga and 1.89–1.79 Ga. Compilation of U-Pb ages of magmatic detrital and metamorphic zircons suggested that the main part of the DMC may have been formed at 2.1–2.0 Ga. Zircon Lu-Hf isotope data show that the source materials of the main part of the DMC were originated from the reworking of ancient Archean crust (3.45–2.78 Ga). The Hf isotope characteristics and the tectonothermal event records exhibit different evolution history with the Khondalite Belt and the Yinshan Block and the other basements of the Alxa Block, indicating that the Langshan was likely an independent terrain before the middle Paleoproterozoic and was subjected to the middle to late Paleoproterozoic tectonothermal events with the Khondalite Belt as a whole.     

贵州都匀下泥盆统蟒山群Zosterophyllum australianum(澳大利亚工蕨)新材料及其古地理意义*

Zosterophyllum(工蕨属)是早期陆生植物的代表性类群之一,全球广泛分布。Z.australianum(澳大利亚工蕨)产自华南和澳大利亚,是东北冈瓦纳古植物地理区系的典型分子。文中描述了产自贵州都匀包阳剖面蟒山群中的Z.australianum新材料。该标本的孢子囊具短柄,呈椭圆形或扇形,宽2.6~4.1 mm,高可达3.9 mm,加厚带宽约0.6 mm,紧密螺旋排列形成孢子囊穗,与云南文山早泥盆世坡松冲植物群中的Z. australiaunum极为相似。依据目前对Z. australianum时代延限的认识,并结合蟒山群其他植物属种的发现(如Adoketophyton subverticillatum),推断该群下段的时代为早泥盆世布拉格期。Z. australianum在蟒山群中的发现,扩展了该植物的地理分布范围,反映出蟒山群中的植物组合与坡松冲植物群存在一定联系。     

Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt: Constraints from detrital zircon geochronology of western Erguna–Xing’an Block,North China

To better constrain the Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the western part of the Erguna–Xing’an Block, detrital zircon U–Pb dating was applied on the Ordovician to Devonian sedimentary strata along the southeast part of the China–Mongolia border. Most of the zircons from five sedimentary samples display fine-scale oscillatory growth zoning and Th/U ratios higher than 0.1, indicating a magmatic origin. All five Ordovician–Devonian samples display the similar age distribution patterns with age groups at ∼440 Ma, ∼510 Ma, ∼800 Ma, ∼950 Ma, and few Meso- to Paleo-Proterozoic and Neoarchean grains. This age distribution pattern is similar to those from adjacent blocks in the southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Considering previous tectonic studies, we propose bidirectional provenances from the Erguna–Xing’an Block and Baolidao Arc.Consequently, a new model was proposed to highlight the Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the western Erguna–Xing’an Block, which constrains two main Early Paleozoic tectonic events of the Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt: (a) pre-Late Cambrian collision between Erguna–Kerulen Block and Arigin Sum-Xilinhot-Xing’an Block; (b) the Early Paleozoic subduction of Paleo-Asian Ocean and pre-Late Devonian collision between Erguna–Xing’an Block and Songliao-Hunshandake Block.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of Cretaceous Nanshanping alkaline rocks from the Zijinshan district in Fujian Province,South China: Implications for crust–mantle interaction and lithospheric extension

In situ zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotopic data, major and trace elements, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions are reported for Nanshanping alkaline rocks from the Zijingshan district in southwestern Fujian Province (the Interior or Western Cathaysia Block) of South China. The Nanshanping alkaline rocks, which consist of porphyritic quartz monzonite, porphyritic syenite, and syenite, revealed a Late Cretaceous age of 100–93 Ma. All of the rocks show high SiO₂, K₂O + Na₂O, and LREE but low CaO, Fe₂O₃^T, MgO, and HFSE (Nb, Ta, P, and Ti) concentrations. These rocks also exhibit uniform initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7078 to 0.7087 and ε_Nd(t) values of −4.1 to −7.2, thus falling within the compositional field of Cretaceous basalts and mafic dikes occurring in the Cathaysia Block. Additionally, these rocks display initial Pb isotopic compositions with a ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i ratio of 18.25 to 18.45, a ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i ratio of 15.63 to 15.67, and a ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i ratio of 38.45 to 38.88. Combined with the zircon Hf isotopic compositions (ε_Hf(t) = −11.7 to −3.2), which are different from those of the basement rocks, we suggest that Nanshanping alkaline rocks were primarily derived from a subduction-related enriched mantle source. High Rb/Sr (0.29–0.65) and Zr/Hf (37.5–49.2) but relatively low Ba/Rb (4.4–8.1) ratios suggest that the parental magmas of these rocks were most likely formed via partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle source with carbonate metasomatism. The relatively high SiO₂ (62.35–70.79 wt.%) and low Nb/Ta (10.0–15.3) ratios, positive correlation between SiO₂ and (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_I, and negative correlation between SiO₂ and ε_Nd(t) of these rocks suggest that the crustal materials were also involved in formation of the Nanshanping alkaline rocks. Combined with geochemical and isotopic features, we infer magmatic processes similar to AFC (assimilation and fractional crystallization) involving early fractionation of clinopyroxene and olivine and subsequent fractionation of biotite-dominated assemblages coupled with a lesser amount of crustal contamination, thereby forming the Nanshanping alkaline rocks. The Nanshanping alkaline rocks appear to be associated with an extensional environment in the Cathaysia Block. This extensional regime could have resulted in the slab break-off and rollback of the subducting paleo-Pacific plate and the upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle, which induced partial melting of the enriched lithospheric mantle in the Cretaceous.     

闽中南平—宁化构造带南华纪陆缘弧岩浆活动：对武夷造山带构造演化的新启示

南平—宁化构造带沿线出露着以万全岩群和楼前组、西溪组等为代表的一系列新元古代火山-沉积岩系。系统的岩石学、年代学和地球化学研究表明,福建明溪和江西瑞金地区的楼前组浅变质英安岩和晶屑凝灰岩分别形成于(729±4)Ma和(735±6.7)Ma(LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb法),SiO2含量变化在65.22%～74.54%,相对富Al2O3(11.05%～16.80%)富碱(Na2O+K2O=4.88%～10.19%)而贫CaO、MgO和FeOT,ANK值和A/CNK值分别为1.23～1.78和0.98～1.57,Nb/Ta=12.44～17.28,Nd/Th=2.07～3.51,Ti/Zr=6.08～10.37,Ti/Y=68.51～154.71,属过铝质S型火山岩;明显富集大离子亲石元素(Ba、Rb等)而亏损高场强元素(Nb、Ta、Ti、P等),Zr/Nb=16.65～24.07,Th/Ta=12.94～16.93,δEu呈现明显负异常(0.33～0.62),显示岛弧岩浆岩的地球化学特征。综合区域地质资料及前人研究结果提出,南平—宁化一线在713 Ma前为活动大陆边缘环境,洋壳俯冲引发的岩浆活动形成了沿南平—宁化—瑞金一线展布的陆缘弧中酸性火山岩带,暗示此时南、北武夷之间尚未拼合形成统一的武夷地块,因而华夏地块不存在统一的前南华纪结晶基底。     

越南中部Kontum地块前寒武纪地壳组成和构造演化

越南中部的Kontum 地块是印支地块中前寒武纪变质岩最重要的出露地区之一。该地块由不同时代不同变质程度的岩石组成。该研究通过对该地区主要变质岩的岩石学、地球化学和锆石U-Pb 年代学分析,探讨了Kontum 地块的物质组成以及其形成的构造背景。岩相学和化学成分分析结果表明,这些基底变质岩主要由变质沉积岩和少量的变质火成岩组成。变质沉积岩的原岩主要是硬砂岩和页岩。锆石U-Pb 定年结果显示,这些沉积岩形成于古元古代晚期到新元古代晚期,并大致可以划分为五期沉积盆地的形成和演化,分别对应岛弧环境、被动大陆边缘环境、活动大陆边缘或大陆弧环境、活动大陆边缘-被动大陆边缘过渡环境和活动大陆边缘的构造背景。二个变质火成岩的原岩分别是拉斑玄武岩和S 型花岗岩,它们分别形成于1424 Ma 和1485 Ma。拉斑玄武岩显示富集Rb、Ba、Sr 等大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Zr、Ti 等高场强元素,符合典型岛弧玄武质岩石的地球化学特征。其锆石的εHf(t)值主要为正值（-1.68~+14.2）, 表明其岩浆起源于亏损的岩石圈地幔。地球化学特征表明其形成于岛弧环境,与第三期沉积沉积作用环境相符。S 型花岗岩具有较高的SiO2、ALK和A/CNK（>1.1）,以及中等的稀土含量和中等的Eu 负异常。其原岩岩浆锆石的εHf (t)值变化于+5.97~+12.1,表明源区沉积岩的碎屑主要来自新生地壳。对比显示Kontum 地块与海南岛在中元古代时期很可能曾经相连,在Columbia 超大陆裂解时期处于超大陆的边缘。