Constraining models of the tectonic setting of the giant Olympic Dam iron oxide–copper–gold deposit, South Australia, using deep seismic reflection data

In the Gawler Craton, the completeness of cover concealing the crystalline basement in the region of the giant Olympic Dam Cu–Au deposit has impeded any sufficient understanding of the crustal architecture and tectonic setting of its IOCG mineral-system. To circumvent this problem, deep seismic reflection data were recently acquired from  250 line-km of two intersecting traverses, centered on the Olympic Dam deposit. The data were recorded to 18 s TWT ( 55 km). The crust consists of Neoproterozoic cover, in places more than 5 km thick, over crystalline basement with the Moho at depths of 13–14 s TWT ( 40–42 km). The Olympic Dam deposit lies on the boundary between two distinct pieces of crust, one interpreted as the Archean–Paleoproterozoic core to the craton, the other as a Meso–Neoproterozoic mobile belt. The host to the deposit, a member of the  1590 Ma Hiltaba Suite of granites, is situated above a zone of reduced impedance contrast in the lower crust, which we interpret to be source-region for its  1000 °C magma. The crystalline basement is dominated by thrusts. This contrasts with widely held models for the tectonic setting of Olympic Dam, which predict extension associated with heat from the mantle producing the high temperatures required to generate the Hiltaba Suite granites implicated in mineralization. We use the seismic data to test four hypotheses for this heat-source: mantle underplating, a mantle-plume, lithospheric extension, and radioactive heating in the lower crust. We reject the first three hypotheses. The data cannot be used to reject or confirm the fourth hypothesis.     

Multi-Stage Modification of the Northern Slave Mantle Lithosphere: Evidence from Zircon- and Diamond-Bearing Eclogite Xenoliths Entrained in Jericho Kimberlite, Canada

The Jericho kimberlites are part of a small Jurassic kimberlitecluster in the northern Slave craton, Canada. A variety of datingtechniques were applied to constrain the nature and age of twoJericho kimberlites, JD-1 (170·2 ± 4·3Ma Rb–Sr phlogopite megacrysts, 172·8 ±0·7 Ma U–Pb eclogite rutile, 178 ± 5 MaU–Pb eclogite zircon lower intercept) and JD-3 (173 ±2 Ma Rb–Sr phlogopite megacryst; 176·6 ±3·2 Ma U–Pb perovskite), and all yielded identicalresults within analytical uncertainty. As there is no discernibledifference in the radiometric ages obtained for these two pipes,the composite Rb–Sr phlogopite megacryst date of 173·1± 1·3 Ma is interpreted as the best estimate forthe emplacement age of both Jericho pipes. The initial Sr isotopecomposition of 0·7053 ± 0·0003 derivedfrom phlogopite megacrysts overlaps the range (0·7043–0·7084)previously reported for Jericho whole-rocks. These strontiumisotope data, combined with the radiogenic initial ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pbratio of 18·99 ± 0·33 obtained in thisstudy, indicate that the Jericho kimberlites are isotopicallysimilar to Group 1 kimberlites as defined in southern Africa.The Jericho kimberlites are an important new source of mantlexenoliths that hold clues to the nature of the Slave cratonsubcontinental mantle. A high proportion (30%) of the Jerichomantle xenolith population consists of various eclogite typesincluding a small number (2–3%) of apatite-, diamond-,kyanite- and zircon-bearing eclogites. The most striking aspectof the Jericho zircon-bearing eclogite xenoliths is their peculiargeochemistry. Reconstructed whole-rock compositions indicatethat they were derived from protoliths with high FeO, Al₂O₃and Na₂O contents, reflected in the high-FeO (22·6–27·5wt %) nature of garnet and the high-Na₂O (8·47–9·44wt %) and high-Al₂O₃ (13·12–14·33 wt %)character of the clinopyroxene. These eclogite whole-rock compositionsare highly enriched in high field strength elements (HFSE) suchas Nb (133–1134 ppm), Ta (5–28 ppm), Zr (1779–4934ppm) and Hf (23–64 ppm). This HFSE enrichment is linkedto growth of large (up to 2 mm) zircon and niobian rutile crystals(up to 3 modal %) near the time of eclogite metamorphism. Thediamond-bearing eclogites on the other hand are characterizedby high-MgO (19·6–21·3 wt %) garnet andultralow-Na₂O (0·44–1·50 wt %) clinopyroxene.Paleotemperature estimates indicate that both the zircon- anddiamond-bearing eclogites have similar equilibration temperaturesof 950–1020°C and 990–1030°C, respectively,corresponding to mantle depths of 150–180 km. Integrationof petrographic, whole-rock and mineral geochemistry, geochronologyand isotope tracer techniques indicates that the Jericho zircon-bearingeclogite xenoliths have had a complex history involving Paleoproterozoicmetamorphism, thermal perturbations, and two or more episodesof Precambrian mantle metasomatism. The oldest metasomatic event(Type 1) occurred near the time of Paleoproterozoic metamorphism(1·8 Ga) and is responsible for the extreme HFSE enrichmentand growth of zircon and high-niobian rutile. A second thermalperturbation and concomitant carbonatite metasomatism (Type2) is responsible for significant apatite growth in some xenolithsand profound light rare earth element enrichment. Type 2 metasomatismoccurred in the period 1·0–1·3 Ga and isrecorded by relatively consistent whole-rock eclogite modelNd ages and secondary U–Pb zircon upper intercept dates.These eclogite xenoliths were derived from a variety of protoliths,some of which could represent metasomatized pieces of oceaniccrust, possibly linked to east-dipping subduction beneath theSlave craton during construction of the 1·88–1·84Ga Great Bear continental arc. Others, including the diamond-bearingeclogites, could be cumulates from mafic or ultramafic sillcomplexes that intruded the Slave lithospheric mantle at depthsof about 150–180 km. KEY WORDS: zircon- and diamond-bearing eclogites; Jericho kimberlite, geochronology; Precambrian metasomatism, northern Slave Craton     

华北克拉通东部新元古代宏体化石生物地层序列

华北克拉通东部是中国晚前寒武纪地层出露最为完整、连续的地区,特别是华北克拉通东缘连续出露了新元古代自老至新的全部地层,是对比和衔接中国南、北方晚前寒武纪地层的关键地区。在该地区所发现和建立的宏体化石群——“龙凤山生物群”、“辽南生物群”和“淮南生物群”可能是新元古代“南华大冰期”前后较为独特的生物群落,其中相当部分可能归属于多细胞后生动物和多细胞藻类,是地球早期生命景观的重要代表。因此,对这些新元古代早期生物群的研究将可能揭示比陡山沱期更早的多细胞后生动植物的演化面貌,在演化生物学上意义重大。近年来,在地调项目的资助下,开展了华北克拉通东部地区的新元古代年代地层及生物地层的研究。本文综合现有资料,详细记述了华北克拉通东部（燕山地区和辽南、徐淮地区）含宏体化石的新元古代地层及其宏体化石特征、组合面貌和生物地层序列。同时,依据宏体化石记录,探讨了中国新元古代地层的对比问题。     

辽东盖州-庄河地区榆树砬子岩组碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学与Hf同位素研究:对华北克拉通陆壳演化的制约

出露于辽东地区盖州-庄河一带的榆树砬子岩组,作为该区不整合覆盖于古元古代辽河群之上最早的稳定沉积盖层,其沉积时代、物源区及沉积环境的研究对了解华北克拉通的构造演化具有重要科学意义。目前该地区依然缺乏关于榆树砬子岩组形成时代和区域地层对比的数据。本文在详细野外地质调查基础上,通过碎屑锆石U-Pb定年、Hf同位素示踪等手段,对该岩组的沉积环境及时限、物源区及与燕辽裂谷带内中元古代地层的时空关系等问题进行了讨论。通过对榆树砬子岩组与燕辽裂谷带内常州沟组对比,发现尽管锆石U-Pb定年结果表明榆树砬子岩组沉积时代晚于1803Ma,但二者在锆石年龄谱、物源成分、岩石组合及沉积旋回序列等方面具有一定相似性。龙岗地块及辽南陆块太古宙基底、古元古代辽吉花岗岩以及古元古代同碰撞或碰撞后岩浆岩可能为榆树砬子岩组提供了物源。同时,锆石Hf同位素特征表明华北克拉通东北缘记录了自～4. 1Ga以来的一系列地壳生长事件,其峰期主要发生于31～27亿年,与华北克拉通其他地区的数据一致,为华北克拉通太古代的陆壳演化提供了新的佐证。     

华北克拉通南缘栾川群大红口组形成时代及其对新元古代构造演化的制约

华北克拉通南缘豫西地区保存有较为完整的变质结晶基底和中-新元古代沉积盖层,记录了重要的前寒武纪构造演化信息。近年来的年龄研究结果表明原认为是中-新元古代的汝阳群-洛峪群可能形成于中元古代早期(1. 75～1. 60Ga),而沿着华北克拉通南缘与秦岭造山带的拼合带(洛南-栾川断裂带)分布的新元古代盖层(主要为栾川群)的形成时代尚不明确。华北南缘新元古代栾川群主要由大理岩、片岩、千枚岩和碱性火山岩组成,其上部大红口组火山岩以碱性粗面质岩石为主,高硅富钾,与侵入到栾川群中下部的辉长岩构成典型的双峰式岩石组合。栾川群大红口组三个粗面岩样品的锆石U-Pb年龄分别为840±4Ma、845±5Ma和846±6Ma,结合已有的栾川群下伏地层最年轻的碎屑锆石年龄结果(～1000Ma),限定栾川群归属于新元古代早期(1000～840Ma)。大红口组岩浆岩的岩石组合和地球化学特征表明其形成于板内裂谷环境,根据区域构造资料以及前人的研究成果,栾川群火山岩与北秦岭同时期的岩浆活动共同指示了华北南缘与北秦岭在～845Ma均处于板内拉张阶段。     

古/中元古代界线:1.8Ga

年代地层表是我们描述地球历史演化的时间框架,也隐含着我们对地球演化过程的基本认识,承载着一系列核心科学问题。现有的国际前寒武纪地质年表存在不少问题,还没有被普遍接受的新方案。在现行国际地层年表(IUGS 1989—2004)中,20～18亿年被称为造山纪,18～16亿年被称为固结纪,16～14亿年被称为盖层纪,也即:造山运动结束到盖层发育之间的过渡时期为固结纪,而将盖层的广泛发育作为中元古代的开始。在我国,由于"吕梁运动"是华北克拉通结晶基底最终形成的标志性构造-热事件,此后发育以长城系-蓟县系-青白口系为代表的地台型沉积盖层,因此我国地质界一直以长城系的底界代表中元古代的开始,并根据"吕梁运动"结束时间,将古/中元古代的时间界线置于18亿年。2012年国际地层委员会提出了一份全新的全球前寒武纪地质年代表划分建议方案,其中2060～1780Ma阶段被称为古元古代哥伦比亚纪,主要以Columbia超大陆的聚合为特征;而之后17. 8～8. 5亿年的近10亿年间,则被定义为罗迪尼亚纪,代表了从Columbia超大陆裂解到Rodinia超大陆聚合的漫长阶段。即这一新建议方案的古/中元古代界线为17. 8亿年,与我国学者长期以来所坚持的古/中元古代分界是基本一致的。在华北克拉通,"吕梁运动"的结束时间在～18亿年,此后整体处于多期裂解的陆内伸展环境,长城系-蓟县系基本上属于连续的陆表海沉积。近年来的研究表明,燕山地区长城系的底界年龄约为17亿年,长城系与蓟县系的分界则为16亿年。如果一味按照现行国际地层划分方案,其古/中元古代的界线(16亿年)将对应于长城系-蓟县系的分界,华北克拉通这套盖层型沉积将被人为分割为两部分,这显然是很不合理的。值得注意的是,在华北克拉通中部吕梁地区发育的小两岭组火山岩和在其南部地区发育的、也是世界范围内同时期最大规模的火山活动——熊耳群火山-沉积岩系,是华北克拉通结晶基底之上最早发育的盖层沉积,其起始形成时间约为18亿年。这与新建议的古/中元古代分界非常接近。从全球地质演化来看,从18到16亿年,造山作用结束,Columbia超大陆开始裂解,岩浆作用方式和岩浆岩组合类型及其地球化学特征发生明显改变,如斜长岩、环斑花岗岩在世界主要克拉通均有发育。与此同时,稳定沉积盖层开始广泛发育,条带状铁建造(BIF)消失,代之以鲕状或粒状矿物集合体组成的浅海富铁沉积,另外海相硫化物沉积、有核原生生物等也首次出现。所有这些都标志着,在此前后,地球岩石圈、水圈和大气圈均发生了重大转折,生物圈也进入新的演化阶段,标志着地球进入"中年期"演化阶段。虽然地球演化发生重要转折的根本原因和细节还有待进一步深入探讨,但这一转变的起点或最重要的时间点,无疑就在18亿年前后,因此,本文认为,应将其作为全球古/中元古代的时间界线。     

河北赞皇杂岩官都群碎屑沉积岩锆石SHRIMPU-Pb定年及其地质意义

新太古代—古元古代表壳岩系在华北克拉通广泛发育,在赞皇地区也出露有较典型的中低级变质的火山-沉积岩系,即从原赞皇群解体出来的官都群,其形成时代和成因目前仍有争议。官都群的主要岩石组合为变基性火山岩(包括角闪片岩和斜长角闪岩)、大理岩、石英片岩,以及一系列长英质副片麻岩等。对其中的长英质副片麻岩进行碎屑锆石定年研究,并结合前人已报道的碎屑锆石数据可知,碎屑锆石年龄主要峰值约为2.5Ga,部分样品出现2.0～2.2Ga的峰值。变质锆石记录主要有2个范围,分别为2.48Ga左右和1.85～1.9Ga,可能代表了2期不同的构造热事件记录。结合该地区近年来的研究,可以得到如下认识:(1)样品中存在形态完好的长柱状锆石,表明是近源沉积;(2)约2.48Ga的变质记录与核部岩浆锆石的年龄(约2.5Ga)非常接近,可能代表了物源区中酸性岩体侵位后遭受的一次构造热事件,而不代表沉积岩形成后遭受变质的记录,即沉积过程晚于2.48Ga;(3)官都群至少有一部分岩石组合形成于古元古代;(4)官都群可能是不同时代、不同岩性单元拼贴而成,需要进一步解体。     

Paleoproterozoic volcanic rocks in the southern margin of the North China Craton,central China:Implications for the Columbia supercontinent

The volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group are situated in the southern margin of the North China Craton(NCC).Research on the Xiong er Group is important to understand the tectonic evolution of the NCC and the Columbia supercontinent during the Paleoproterozoic.In this study,to constrain the age of the Xiong'er volcanic rocks and identify its tectonic environment,we report zircon LA-ICP-MS data with Hf isotope,whole-rock major and trace element compositions and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of the volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group.The Xiong'er volcanic rocks mainly consist of basaltic andesite,andesite.dacite and rhyolite,with minor basalt.Our new sets of data combined with those from previous studies indicate that Xiong'er volcanism should have lasted from 1827 Ma to 1746 Ma as the major phase of the volcanism.These volcanics have extremely low MgO.Cr and Ni contents,are enriched in LREEs and LILEs but depleted in HFSEs(Nb,Ta,and Ti),similar to arc-related volcanic rocks.They are characterized by negative zircon ε_(Hf)_(t) values of-17.4 to 8.8,whole-rock initial ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr values of 0.7023 to 0.7177 andε_(Nd)(t) values of-10.9 to 6.4.and Pb isotopes(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb =14.366-16.431,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb =15.106-15.371,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb= 32.455-37.422).The available elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope data suggest that the Xiong'er volcanic rocks were sourced from a mantle contaminated by continental crust.The volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group might have been generated by high-degree partial melting of a lithospheric mantle that was originally modified by oceanic subduction in the Archean.Thus,we suggest that the subduction-modified lithospheric mantle occurred in an extensional setting during the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent in the Late Paleoproterozoic,rather than in an arc setting.     

中生代之前柴达木的演化研究

现今柴达木盆地的形成,中生代以来的构造运动起到了关键性作用。但是柴达木地块在中生代以前的演化,也具有重要的意义。基于前人的研究,系统论述了柴达木在中生代以前的发展演化。柴达木盆地存在一个统一的前震旦系克拉通基底,基底存在双重结构,包括元古宙结晶基底和古生代褶皱基底。柴盆周边老山出露有下元古界区域热变质作用形成的达肯达坂群和金水口群,以及中上元古界的小庙群、冰沟群和丘吉东沟群。柴盆基底,在多登——小柴旦一线可能存在一个东西向的“中央断裂带”,断裂带西北部的基底塑型强、埋深大,新生界地层发育;而东南部基底具刚性,埋深较浅,第三系不发育,地表主要为第四系盖层。自显生宙以来柴达木的演化,是与新元古代联合古陆的裂解,再到二叠纪中期北半球劳亚古陆的形成的大地构造演化背景一致的,寒武纪时,柴达木地块还处于南半球低纬度,后逐渐向北漂移,至二叠纪时已位于北纬12.7°。关于柴达木盆地的形成,特别是中生代后逐渐演化为现今盆—山模式,主要是受到周边断裂带的控制,即柴北缘断裂带、东昆仑断裂带和阿尔金断裂带。因此,柴达木地块的演化,是在与周边地块不断适应、调整过程中实现的。