Formation and evolution of the Archean continental crust of China: A review

The mainland of China is composed of the North China Craton, the South China Craton, the Tarim Craton and other young orogenic belts. Amongst the three cratons, the North China Craton has been studied most and noted for its widely-distributed Archean basement rocks. In this paper, we assess and compare the geology, rock types, formation age and geochemical composition features of the Archean basements of the three cratons. They have some common characteristics, including the fact that the crustal rocks prior to the Paleoarchean and the supracrustal rocks of the Neoarchean were preserved, and Tonalite-Trondhjemtite-Granodiorite (TTG) magmatism and tectono-magmatism occurred at about 2.7 Ga and about 2.5 Ga respectively. The Tarim Craton and the North China Craton show more similarities in their early Precambrian crustal evolution. Significant findings on the Archean basement of the North China Craton are concluded to be: (1) the tectonic regime in the early stage (>3.1 Ga) is distinct from modern plate tectonics; (2) the continental crust accretion occurred mostly from the late Mesoarchean to the early Neoarchean period; (3) a huge linear tectonic belt already existed in the late Neoarchean period, suggesting the beginning of plate tectonics; and (4) the preliminary cratonization had already been completed by about 2.5 Ga. Hadean detrital zircons were found at a total of nine locations within China. Most of them show clear oscillatory zoning, sharing similar textures with magmatic zircons from intermediate-felsic magmatic rocks. This indicates that a fair quantity of continental material had already developed on Earth at that time.     

Zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopes and geochemistry analyses of the Huyu igneous rocks in northwestern Beijing,China: possible new evidence for the initial destruction of the North China Craton

The timing and extent of cratonic destruction are crucial to understanding the crustal evolution of the North China Craton (NCC). Zircon U–Pb–Hf isotope data and the whole-rock major and trace element characteristics of the Huyu igneous rocks in northwestern Beijing, China, provide possible new evidence for the initial destruction of the NCC. The igneous rocks occur as several sills and dikes, including lamprophyre, monzonite porphyry, and aplite. The lamprophyres have high Mg^# and K₂O contents. The monzonite porphyries have high Mg^#, high K₂O contents, and negative ε_Hf(t) values with zircon U–Pb ages of 225.5–227.7 Ma. These two types of rocks are both enriched in large ion lithosphere elements (LILEs) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) but are depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs) and high rare earth elements (HREEs) and have almost no Eu anomalies and relatively high total rare earth element (ΣREE) contents. In contrast, the aplites exhibit high silica and K₂O contents, low MgO contents, and more negative ε_Hf(t) values with a zircon U–Pb age of 206.2 Ma. The aplites are also enriched in LILEs and LREEs but are depleted in HFSEs and HREEs, with strongly negative Eu, Ti, P, La, Ce, and Sr anomalies and relatively low ΣREE contents. These results indicate that the lamprophyres and monzonite porphyries represent a continuous cogenetic magma evolution series after melt derived from an enriched metasomatized lithospheric mantle experienced crust assimilation and fractional crystallization. The aplites were produced by the fractional crystallization of low-Mg parental magma derived from melting of the ancient Archaean crust. The occurrence of the Huyu intrusive rocks with many other plutons of similar ages on the northern margin of the NCC suggests that the northern NCC entered an intraplate extensional tectonic environment in the Late Triassic.     

Palaeoproterozoic granitic magmatism in the northern segment of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt: implications for orogenesis along the Eastern Block of the North China Craton

As the northern segment of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt (JLJB), the Palaeoproterozoic Liaoji Belt is a key region for deciphering the formation and evolution of the North China Craton (NCC). In this study, we present the geochronology, geochemical, and isotopic studies on the monzogranitic gneiss, which is one of the major lithotectonic elements of the Liaoji Belt. LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating reveals that the studied monzogranitic gneisses were formed in the period of 2213–2178 Ma. They are in tectonic contact with the Palaeoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary rocks in the field. The monzogranitic gneisses belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series, and are metaluminous to peraluminous. They have 10,000 Ga/Al ratios of 2.63–3.14 with an average of 2.90, and are thus classified as aluminous A-type granites. Their ε_Nd(t) values vary from ?3.4 to +2.5, indicating heterogeneous source region. The monzogranitic gneisses are characterized by enrichment in LREE and LILE (e.g. Rb, Ba, Th, and K) and depletion in HREE and HFSE (such as Nb, Ta, and Ti), and are typical to magmatism in active continental margins formed in a subduction-related tectonic setting. Taking into account their A-type affinity and regional geological data, we suggest that the monzogranitic gneisses were most probably generated in a local extensional back-arc environment during subduction.     

河南崤山金矿床流体包裹体及同位素特征

崤山金矿床位于华北克拉通南缘的豫西地区,矿体大多呈脉状产于断裂带内。成矿期可以划分为3个阶段:(1)石英-黄铁矿阶段;(2)石英-多金属硫化物阶段;(3)石英-碳酸盐阶段。成矿期石英中发育气液两相水溶液包裹体(WL型)和H_2O-CO_2包裹体(C型)。石英-黄铁矿阶段发育WL型和C型包裹体,它们的均一温度为300~393℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))为1.6%~11.0%,密度介于0.57~0.82 g/cm~3;石英-多金属硫化物阶段亦发育WL型和C型包裹体,它们的均一温度为261~298℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))为1.1%~11.8%,密度介于0.74~0.89 g/cm~3;石英-碳酸盐阶段仅见WL型包裹体,其均一温度为193~258℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))介于2.2%~12.7%,密度为0.87~0.97g/cm~3。成矿流体具有中高温、中低盐度、低密度等特征,属于H_2O-NaCl±CO_2体系。崤山金矿石英的δ~(18)OH_2O值介于0.7‰~4.5‰之间,δDV-SMOW值介于-47.8‰~-69.5‰之间。H-O同位素结果表明成矿流体主要来源于岩浆水。矿石硫化物的δ_(34)SV-CDT值为0.7‰~3.9‰,206Pb/204Pb值为17.391~17.728,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb值为15.420~15.577,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb值为37.420~37.923。S-Pb同位素结果表明成矿物质主要来源于花岗质岩浆。崤山金矿为中温热液脉型金矿,流体相分离和温度的降低是导致矿质沉淀的主要机制。     

Tectonothermal events in the Olympic IOCG Province constrained by apatite and REE-phosphate geochronology

The Olympic iron oxide–copper–gold province in South Australia contains numerous deposits and prospects, including the Olympic Dam Cu–U–Au–Ag deposit and the Acropolis prospect. The Acropolis prospect comprises massive, coarse-grained magnetite–apatite veins partly replaced by a hematite-stable assemblage. The apatite grains in the veins contain zones with abundant inclusions of other minerals (including monazite and xenotime) and low trace-element concentrations relative to the inclusion-free zones. The inclusion-rich apatite zones are interpreted to be formed from the recrystallisation of the inclusion-free apatite and remobilisation of U, Th and rare earth element (REE) from apatite into monazite and xenotime. Apatite, monazite and xenotime are all established U–Th–Pb geochronometers and offer the potential to constrain the alteration history of the Acropolis prospect. The LA-ICPMS U–Pb age of inclusion-free apatite is within error of the age of the host volcanic units (ca 1.59 Ga). Inclusion-rich apatite yields both near-concordant analyses that are within error of the inclusion-free apatite as well as highly disturbed (discordant) analyses. The most concordant analyses of monazite (Th–Pb) inclusions and xenotime (U–Pb) inclusions and rim grains indicate an alteration event occurred at ca 1.37 Ga and possibly also at ca 500 Ma. The disparity in age of the inclusion-rich apatite and the REE-phosphate inclusions (and rim grains) is suggested to be owing to the apatite being initially recrystallised at ca 1.59 Ga and modified again by a later event that also formed (or coarsened) most of the inclusions. Partial resetting of the majority of the monazite inclusions as well as the presence of significant amounts of common Pb has complicated the interpretation of the monazite results. In contrast, xenotime is a more robust geochronometer in this setting. The ages of the two post-1.59 Ga events that appear to have affected the Acropolis prospect do not correspond to any events known to have occurred in the Gawler Craton. The earlier (ca 1.37 Ga) age instead corresponds best with metamorphic–magmatic–hydrothermal activity in Laurentia, consistent with the proximity of Laurentia and the Gawler Craton inferred from palaeogeographic reconstructions. The later (ca 500 Ma) event corresponds to the Delamerian Orogeny and has been shown by prior studies to have also affected the Olympic Dam deposit.     

徐淮地区早白垩世丰山和蔡山高镁埃达克质岩:拆沉下地壳熔融的熔体与地幔橄榄岩的反应

徐淮地区丰山花岗闪长斑岩和蔡山石英闪长玢岩的岩石地球化学、Sr-Nd-Hf同位素和石榴石的矿物化学研究对探讨华北克拉通东南缘早白垩世高镁埃达克质岩的岩石成因和构造演化具有重要意义。结果表明,丰山花岗闪长斑岩和蔡山石英闪长玢岩具高SiO_2(60.98%～67.88%)、富Al_2O_3(14.37%～15.04%)以及高的Na_2O/K_2O比值(1.58～2.24)和Mg~#值(57～66)的特征;富集LILE(Rb、Ba、Sr)和LREE,亏损HFSE(Nb、Ta、Ti)和HREE,具有Pb正异常和弱的Eu异常;结合高的Sr含量(579×10~(-6)～778×10~(-6))以及Sr/Y(33～69)和(La/Yb)_N比值(8.63～13.7),低的Y(10.5×10~(-6)～17.8×10~(-6))和Yb含量(0.74×10~(-6)～1.17×10~(-6)),暗示它们属于高镁埃达克质岩。丰山和蔡山埃达克质岩石的初始~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr比值介于0.7079～0.7086之间,ε_(Nd)(t)值变化于-10.77～-7.18之间,t_(DM2)=1504～1793Ma;岩浆锆石的ε_(Hf)(t)值为-14.2～-5.3,t_(DM2)=2101～2898Ma。徐淮地区早白垩世利国、班井、夹沟高镁埃达克质岩石中岩浆锆石的ε_(Hf)(t)值分别介于-13.4～-7.0、-13.4～-7.9和-15.9～-4.5之间,它们的t_(DM2)分别变化于2248～2825Ma、2331～2824Ma和2030～3048Ma之间。徐淮地区丰山和蔡山高镁埃达克质岩的Sr-Nd-Hf同位素组成和丰山花岗闪长斑岩中铁铝榴石残留晶的存在,结合它们高的Pb同位素组成和继承锆石U-Pb年代学暗示,丰山和蔡山高镁埃达克质岩浆主要起源于俯冲断离的扬子克拉通石榴辉石岩相下地壳物质熔融的熔体与地幔橄榄岩的反应,同时有拆沉的华北克拉通基底物质的参与,形成于华北克拉通东部岩石圈减薄的伸展构造背景。     

Report on 34 Ga SHRIMP Zircon Age from the Yuntaishan Geopark in Jiaozuo, Henan Province

1 Introduction According to recent researches, the North China Craton consists of three parts: the eastern block, western block and central zone (Zhao, 2001; Wilde et al., 2002). Paleoarchean continental blocks and zircon residuals have only been found in a few regions, such as Anshan, East Liaoning (Liu et al., 1992; Song et al., 1996; Wan et al., 2002, 2005), Caozhuang, East Hebei (Liu et al., 1992) and Xinyang, West Henan (Zheng et al., 2004), which are mainly distributed in the east…     

Using Mesoproterozoic sedimentary geochemistry to reconstruct basin tectonic geography and link organic carbon productivity to nutrient flux from a Northern Australian large igneous Province

The Beetaloo Sub-basin, northern Australia, is considered the main depocentre of the 1,000-km scale Mesoproterozoic Wilton package of the greater McArthur Basin – the host to one of the oldest hydrocarbon global resources. The ca. 1.40–1.31 Ga upper Roper Group and the latest Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic unnamed group of the Beetaloo Sub-basin, together, record ca. 500 million years of depositional history within the North Australia Craton. Whole-rock shale Sm–Nd and Pb isotope data from these sediments reveal sedimentary provenance and their evolution from ca. 1.35 to 0.85 Ga. Furthermore, these data, together with shale major/trace elements data from this study and pyrolysis data from previous publications, are used to develop a dynamic tectonic geography model that links the organic carbon production and burial to an enhanced weathering of nutrients from a large igneous province. The ca. 1.35–1.31 Ga Kyalla Formation of the upper Roper Group is composed of isotopically evolved sedimentary detritus that passes up, into more isotopically juvenile Pb values towards the top of the formation. The increase in juvenile compositions coincides with elevated total organic carbon (TOC) contents of these sediments. The coherently enriched juvenile compositions and TOC the upper portions of the Kyalla Formation are interpreted to reflect an increase in nutrient supply associated with the weathering of basaltic sources (e.g. phosphorous). Possible, relatively juvenile, basaltic sources include the Wankanki Supersuite in the western Musgraves and the Derim Derim–Galiwinku large igneous province (LIP). The transition into juvenile, basaltic sources directly before a supersequence-bounding unconformity is here interpreted to reflect uplift and erosion of the Derim Derim–Galiwinku LIP, rather than an influx of southern Musgrave sources. A new baddeleyite crystallisation age of 1,312.9 ± 0.7 Ma provides both a tight constraint on the age of this LIP, along with its associated magmatic uplift, as well as providing a minimum age constraint for Roper Group deposition. The unconformably overlying lower and upper Jamison sandstones are at least 300 million years younger than the Kyalla Formation and were sourced from the Musgrave Province. An up-section increase in isotopically juvenile compositions seen in these rocks is interpreted to document the progressive exhumation of the western Musgrave Province. The overlying Hayfield mudstone received detritus from both the Musgrave and Arunta regions, and its isotopic geochemistry reveals affinities with other early Neoproterozoic basins (e.g. Amadeus, Victoria and Officer basins), indicating the potential for inter-basin correlations.     

Geometry and kinematics of brittle deformation in the Central Cameroon Shear Zone (Kékem area): Implication for gold exploration within the Central Africa Fold Belt in Cameroon

The Central Africa Fold Belt (CAFB) is a collision belt endowed with gold deposits in Eastern Cameroon area mined for about 50 years. However, favorable areas for gold exploration are poorly known. This paper presents (1) the kinematics of the brittle deformation in the Kékem area in the SW portion of the Central Cameroon Shear Zone and (2) constraints gold mineralization events with respect to the collisional evolution of the CAFB. The authors interpret that the conjugate ENE to E and NNW to NW trending lineament corresponds to the synthetic (R) and the antithetic (R’) shears, which accompanied the dextral slip along the NE to ENE striking shear. The latter coincides with the last 570–552 Ma D₃ dextral simple shear-dominated transpression, which is parallel to the Bétaré Oya shear zone hosting gold deposits. Gold mineralizations, which mainly occurred during the last dextral shearing, are disseminated within quartz veins associated to Riedel’s previous structures reactivated due to late collisional activities of the CAFB as brittle deformation. Gold mineralizations occurred mainly during the 570–552 Ma D₃ event. The reactivation, which might be due to dextral simple shear during mylonitzation, plausibly remobilized the early gold deposits hosted in syn-compressional rocks and/or possibly focused deep-sourced fluid mixed with those released by dehydration. Therefore, the Central Cameroon Shear Zone where Kékem is located, and which shows similar petrographical and structural features to those controling Batouri gold district, is a target area for gold exploration in Cameroon.     

塔里木北缘库鲁克塔格地区新元古代花岗岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学特征及其构造意义

采用LA-ICP-MS法分析了塔里木北缘库鲁克塔格一带二长花岗岩锆石U-Pb年龄,获得该二长花岗岩岩体的年龄为(832.3 ±3.3) Ma(MSWD =2.8,n=24).岩石地球化学特征显示,二长花岗岩属于准铝质高钾钙碱性系列,为Ⅰ型花岗岩.微量元素富集大离子亲石元素(LILE) Ba、K、Sr、U等,亏损高场强元...