Late Paleozoic geology of the Queensland Plateau (offshore northeastern Australia)

The southwestern Pacific region consists of segmented and translated continental fragments of the Gondwanan margin. Tectonic reconstructions of this region are challenged by the fact that many fragmented continental blocks are submerged and/or concealed under younger sedimentary cover. The Queensland Plateau (offshore northeastern Australia) is one such submerged continental block. We present detrital zircon geochronological and morphological data, complemented by petrographic observations, from samples obtained from the only two drill cores that penetrated the Paleozoic metasedimentary strata of the Queensland Plateau (Ocean Drilling Program leg 133, sites 824 and 825). Results provide maximum age constraints of 319.4 ± 3.5 and 298.9 ± 2.5 Ma for the time of deposition, which in conjunction with evidence for deformation, indicate that the metasedimentary successions are most likely upper Carboniferous to lower Permian. A comparison of our results with a larger dataset of detrital zircon ages from the Tasmanides suggests that the Paleozoic successions of the Queensland Plateau formed in a backarc basin that was part of the northern continuation of the New England Orogen and/or the East Australian Rift System. However, unlike most of the New England Orogen, a distinctive component of the detrital zircon age spectra of the Mossman Orogen is also recognised, suggesting the existence of a late Paleozoic drainage system that crossed the northern Tasmanides en route from the North Australian Craton. A distinctive shift from abraded zircon grains to grains with well-preserved morphology at ca 305 Ma reflects a direct drainage of first-cycle sediments, most likely from an outboard arc and/or backarc magmatism.     

西藏嘎拉勒夕卡岩型铜金矿白云母~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar年龄及其地质意义

西藏嘎拉勒夕卡岩型铜金矿床中铜的资源量达到中型规模,金的资源量达到大型规模。在系统的野外地质调查基础上,选取矿床夕卡岩中保存极好的白云母,测得40Ar-39Ar年龄为91.48Ma±0.68Ma,代表矿床成矿年龄,表明矿床为燕山运动晚期的产物。结合区域地质资料认为,在拉萨地块中北部,成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩型—斑岩型矿床集中分布在措勤—申扎岩浆弧上;在早白垩世班公湖—怒江洋盆闭合后,狮泉河—永珠—纳木错—嘉黎蛇绿混杂带(Slainajap带)上的弧后盆地和弧间盆地演化成了一系列小洋盆,这些小洋盆的演化与中拉萨地块北部成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩—斑岩型矿床的形成有更直接的关系。今后宜加大在措勤—申扎岩浆弧上寻找成矿年龄约为90Ma的夕卡岩—斑岩型矿床的力度。     

The Deep Geophysical Structure of the Middle Section of the Longmen Mountains Tectonic Belt and its Relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake

Investigation of the deep geophysical structure of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and its relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake is important for the study of earthquakes. By using magnetotelluric sounding profiles of the Luqu–Zhongjiang and Anxian–Suining; seismic sounding profiles of the Sichuan Maowen–Chongqing Gongtan, the Qinghai Huashi Gorge–Sichuan Jianyang, and the Batang–Zizhong; and magnetogravimetric data of the Longmen Mountains region, the deep geophysical structure of the Songpan–Ganzi block, the western Sichuan foreland basin, and the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and their relation was discussed. The eastward extrusion of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau thrusts the Songpan–Ganzi block upon the Yangtze block, which obstructs the eastward movement of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The Maoxian–Wenchuan, Beichuan–Yingxiu, and Anxian–Guanxian faults of the Longmen Mountains fault belt dip to northwest with different dip angles and gradually converge in the deeper parts. Geophysical structure suggests that an intracrustal low-velocity, low-resistivity, and high-conductivity layer is common between the middle and upper crust west of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt but not in the upper Yangtze block. The Sichuan Basin has a thick low-resistance sedimentary layer on a stable high-resistance basement; moreover, there are secondary paleohighs and depression structures at the lower part of the western Sichuan foreland basin with characteristic of high magnetic anomalies, whereas the Songpan–Ganzi block has a high resisitivity cover of upper crust and continues to a low-resistance layer. Considering the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt as the boundary, there are Bouguer gravity anomalies of "one belt between two zones." Thus, we infer that there is a corresponding relation between the inferred crystalline basement of the Songpan block and the underlying basin basement of the Longmen Mountains fault belt. Furthermore, there may be an extensive ancient Yangtze block, which is west of the Ruoergai block. In addition, the crust–mantle ductile shear zone under the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt is the main fault, whereas the Beichuan–Yingxiu and Anxian–Guanxian faults at the surface are earthquake faults. The Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake might be attributed to the collision of the Yangtze block and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The eastward obduction of the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and eastward subduction of its deeper part under the influence of the collision of the Indian, Pacific, and Philippine Plates with the Eurasia Plate might have caused the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt to cut the Moho and extend to the middle and upper crust; thus, creating high stress concentration and rapid energy release zone.     

中蒙边境及邻区铀矿床产出环境、地质特征、形成作用和找矿标志

中蒙边境及邻区位于西伯利亚板块、塔里木板块和华北克拉通的结合部位,是全球范围内重要的铀多金属成矿带之一。受多期次构造岩浆活动影响,该区前侏罗纪变质岩块体和中新生代火山-沉积岩分布广泛,深大断裂纵横交错,各类铀矿床(矿化区)星罗棋布。根据围岩类型,结构构造及成矿过程可将该区铀矿床划分为6种类型:(1)火山岩型;(2)砂岩型;(3)岩脉型;(4)褐煤型;(5)交代岩型;(6)磷灰盐型。其中火山岩型和砂岩型铀矿床具有重要经济意义。区域矿产地质研究表明,中蒙边境产出的大部分铀矿床(矿化区)与前侏罗纪变质岩块体具有密切时空分布关系。前侏罗纪变质块体可划分为2部分:(1)前寒武纪高级变质岩;(2)古生代中、低级变质岩。铀的亲石元素特性致使其在壳-幔物质发生分异时富集于地壳的硅铝层。鉴于在地壳长期演化历史中,古老变质岩已具备有较高的铀含量,那么它们在显生宙构造-岩浆活动中就为铀的富集成矿提供有利的物质条件。显生宙构造运动的形式除了断裂活化外,也包括陆相沉积盆地的上隆和下陷。铀在地壳硅铝层中的富集是通过2种方式实现的:(1)陆壳的深熔和岩浆的分异作用;(2)富铀岩体(层)的风化剥蚀和再沉积活动。研究结果表明,铀的富集过程十分缓慢,其中火山岩型铀矿床的形成作用就是长英质岩浆活动的组成部分。火山型铀矿床主要出现在中蒙边境最东端蒙古国境内,它们是中蒙古—额尔古纳地块伸展构造环境(裂陷槽为大量高钾长英质火山岩所充填)中构造-岩浆作用及相关流体活动的产物。长英质火山杂岩体内产出的若干处大型铀矿床(区)和铅-锌-银-铀矿床即是很好的佐证。一般来讲,具有强烈分异特点的富碱性火山岩及相关铀矿床大都在侏罗纪—白垩纪构造-岩浆作用对前侏罗纪岩体(层)发生强烈叠加改造部位产出,其形成作用可能与晚侏罗世—早白垩世构造-岩浆活动有关。同位素年代学(铀矿床铀-铅同位素测年)研究结果表明,铀矿体的形成时间为153~136 Ma,该时间段与其所在的多尔诺德组安山-玄武岩和流纹岩的形成时间基本一致,同时,与俄罗斯远东地区斯特尔特苏维卡(Streltsovsk)超大型铀矿床的形成时代(136~134 Ma)相吻合。矿区范围内富钾流纹岩铀含量较高(300×10~(-6)左右),暗示了这套火山岩可能为铀矿床的矿源层。另外,流纹岩中熔融包裹体铀含量(14~25)×10~(-6)进一步印证了上述推论的可靠性。与富钾长英质岩浆作用有关的热液活动对早期含铀岩体(层)的叠加改造可导致铀的进一步富集,进而形成大规模和高品位铀矿体。大量黄铁矿、方铅矿、闪锌矿和白铁矿等硫化物的存在暗示了成矿作用是在还原条件下形成的。大多数砂岩型铀矿床分布在中新生代断陷盆地内,这些盆地一般为各类沉积岩(物)所充填,其中河流相、三角洲相和浅海沉积相(物)为铀矿床的容矿围岩。在所有上述沉积岩(物)中,辫状河流相沉积岩(物)是最重要的含矿层位。砂岩型铀矿床大都是断陷和凹陷带构造运动最后阶段构造-沉积联合作用的产物。盆地周缘前侏罗纪富铀岩体(层)的风化剥蚀,为砂岩型铀矿床的形成提供了丰富的物质来源。早期构造运动(176~156 Ma)为古潜水面氧化提供了有利条件并且形成了低品位铀矿化区。在晚白垩世(96 Ma)到渐新世(35Ma)时期,古陆块体抬升与沉降活动期间为氧化作用的发生创造了有利条件,并且为主要砂岩型铀矿床的形成奠定了基础。中蒙边境火山型和砂岩型铀矿床独特的地质、地球化学特征受到国内外地质学家的广泛关注。对于这些矿床的地质环境,地质和地球化学特征以及其容矿围岩的系统研究将极大地提高人们对于铀矿床成矿作用的理解。与此同时,对这些铀矿床的成因类型和勘查标志的研究也将在中蒙边境及其邻区开展隐伏铀矿床的综合评价中发挥重要作用。     

晚古生代冈瓦纳的演化长逾13500 km的基墨利超级地体的裂离及其向亚洲的漂移

The Cimmerian terrane forms an almost unbroken chain stretching >13,500 km, from central southern Europe to western Indonesia, via SE Europe, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Tibet, SW China and Myanmar. Ar-guably, it is Earth’s most spectacular example of a “sliver” terrane, dwarfing in size more recently devel-oped examples, for instance the Palawan Block in the western Philippines, and the Lord Howe Rise in the Tasman Sea. The presentation will first outline the in-triguing geological features associated with this unique tectonic entity. Following that, recently obtained results following paleomagnetic investigations of two lower Permian rift-related basalt suites will be summarized (Abor Volcanics in northeastern India and Woniusi Ba-salts in Yunnan, China). The two studies are part of a larger programme of ongoing research aimed at deducing (I) the geodynamic configuration that generated the un-usual rifting system, and (II) exactly how Cimmeria fit-ted against Gondwana prior to its dispersal in the Early Permian. The critical unit is Baoshan, which we fit against Gondwana within a narrow longitudinal belt close to where northern India and northwestern Australia were once in close proximity (Fig. 1). Furthermore, we suggest that Sibumasu lay to directly the east, offshore of Australia; Qiangtang and Lhasa almost certainly sat to the west (off northern Greater India-SE Arabia), but we are uncertain as to their exact configuration. Our findings will be compared with several rather different models that have been published in recent years. The new pa-leomagnetic constraint highlights the flexibility authors currently have in reconstructing the region, principally because of the overall lack of similar high-quality data from the various blocks. We explain how new data could resolve these ambiguities, thereby offering more robust explanations for eastern Gondwana’s late Paleozoic de-velopment.     

Cumulates of arc magmas incorporated into the Sulu UHP metamorphic belt,eastern China

ABSTRACT

The Hujialin ultramafic complex in the central region of the Sulu ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt consists of discontinuous lenses of garnet-bearing clinopyroxenite and dunite surrounded by marginal serpentinite. The clinopyroxenite shows relatively low concentrations of compatible elements, such as Cr (≤1670 ppm) and Ni (≤514 ppm) and Ir-group platinum group elements (IPGE; Ir, Os, and Ru; ≤4.8 ppb in total). They show varying ratios (0.02–2.50) of IPGE to Pd-group PGE (PPGE). Their chondrite-normalized rare earth elements (REE) patterns are convex and the total REE concentrations range from 18 to 63 times that of Cl chondrite. The bulk rocks show a ‘subduction-related’ geochemical signature, with high concentrations of fluid-mobile elements (i.e. Sr, Ba) relative to high-field strength elements (i.e. Nb, Y, Zr). Clinopyroxene is diopside and contains low Al₂O₃ (<2.76 wt.%) and high SiO₂ (54.6–56.9 wt.%). Olivine grains enclosed by clinopyroxene and in the matrix show relatively low Fo (76.6–80.7) and NiO contents (0.18–0.29 wt.%). The bulk rock compositions and mineral chemistry of olivine and clinopyroxene suggest that the unit was a cumulate of a subduction-related melt. On the other hand, dunite and its hydration product, serpentinite, have a different origin. The bulk rock and mineral chemistry suggest that dunite represents a mantle wedge peridotite in a spinel-stable field. Both clinopyroxenite and spinel-bearing dunite were once located in the mantle wedge below the southern margin of the North China craton (NCC), and were dragged by a mantle flow into the continental subduction channel along the interface between the subducting Yangtze craton (YZC) and the overlying NCC. Although clinopyroxenite and dunite are dense (2.8–3.2 g/cm³), the buoyancy-driven exhumation of voluminous granitic rocks of the YZC likely brought clinopyroxenite and dunite to shallow crustal depths. The lack of the evidence for high pressure to ultra-high pressure (HP-UHP) metamorphism in spinel-bearing dunite may be explained by overall low Al and Ca in the bulk rocks. Alternatively, dunite was not subducted to deep levels, but exhumed together with the deeply subducted clinopyroxenites and granite during their exhumation.     

Late Permian–Triassic siliciclastic provenance,palaeogeography, and crustal growth of the Songpan terrane,eastern Tibetan Plateau: evidence from U–Pb ages,trace elements,and Hf isotopes of detrital zircons

In order to constrain the detrital provenance of the siliciclastic rocks, palaeogeographic variations, and crustal growth history of central China, we carried out simultaneously in situ U–Pb dating and trace element and Hf isotope analyses on 368 detrital zircons obtained from upper Permian–Triassic sandstones of the Songpan terrane, eastern Tibetan Plateau. Two groups of detrital zircons, i.e. magmatic and metamorphic in origin, have been identified based on cathodoluminescence images, zircon Ti-temperatures, and Th/U ratios. Our data suggest that the derivation of siliciclastic rocks in the Songpan terrane was mainly from the Qinling, Qilian, and Kunlun orogens, whereas the Yangtze and North China Cratons served as minor source areas during late Permian–Triassic times. The detrital zircons from Middle–Late Triassic siliciclastic rocks exhibit wide age spectra with two dominant populations of 230–600 Ma and >1600 Ma, peaking at ~1.8–1.9 Ga and ~2.4–2.5 Ga, suggestive of a derivation from the Qinling, Qilian, and Kunlun orogens and the Yangtze Craton being the minor source area. The proportions of detrital zircon populations from the northern Qinling, Qilian, and Kunlun orogens distinctly decreased during Middle–Late Triassic time, demonstrating that the initial uplift of the western Qinling occurred then and it could have blocked most of the detritus from the Qilian–northern Qinling orogens and North China Cratons into the main Songpan–Ganzi depositional basin. The relatively detrital zircon proportions of the Yangtze Craton source decreased during Early-Middle Late Triassic time, indicating that the Longmenshan orogen was probably being elevated, since the early Late Triassic and gradually formed a barrier between the Yangtze Craton and the Songpan terrane. In addition, our Lu–Hf isotopic results also reveal that the Phanerozoic magmatic rocks in central China had been the primary products of crustal reworking with insignificant formation of a juvenile crust.     

Geochemical discrimination of tectonic setting for Devonian basalts of the Yarrol Province of the New England Orogen,central coastal Queensland: An empirical approach *

Fault blocks and inliers of uppermost Silurian to Middle Devonian strata in the Yarrol Province of central coastal Queensland have been interpreted either as island-arc deposits or as a continental-margin sequence. They can be grouped into four assemblages with different age ranges, stratigraphic successions, geophysical signatures, basalt geochemistry, and coral faunas. Basalt compositions from the Middle Devonian Capella Creek Group at Mt Morgan are remarkably similar to analyses from the modern Kermadec Arc, and are most consistent with an intra-oceanic arc associated with a backarc basin. They cannot be matched with basalts from any modern continental arc, including those with a thin crust (Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes) or those built on recently accreted juvenile oceanic terranes (Eastern Volcanic Front of Kamchatka). Analyses from the other assemblages also suggest island-arc settings, although some backarc basin basalt compositions could be present. Arguments for a continental-margin setting based on structure, provenance, and palaeogeography are not conclusive, and none excludes an oceanic setting for the uppermost Silurian to Middle Devonian rocks. The Mt Morgan gold–copper orebody is associated with a felsic volcanic centre like those of the modern Izu–Bonin Arc, and may have formed within a submarine caldera. The data are most consistent with formation of the Capella Creek Group as an intra-oceanic arc related to an east-dipping subduction zone, with outboard assemblages to the east representing remnant arc or backarc basin sequences. Collision of these exotic terranes with the continent probably coincided with the Middle–Upper Devonian unconformity at Mt Morgan. An Upper Devonian overlap sequence indicates that all four assemblages had reached essentially their present relative positions early in Late Devonian time. Apart from a small number of samples with compositions typical of spreading backarc basins, Upper Devonian basalts and basaltic andesites of the Lochenbar and Mt Hoopbound Formations and the Three Moon Conglomerate are most like tholeiitic or transitional suites from evolved oceanic arcs such as the Lesser Antilles, Marianas, Vanuatu, and the Aleutians. However, they also match some samples from the Eastern Volcanic Front of Kamchatka. Their rare-earth and high field strength element patterns are also remarkably similar to Upper Devonian island arc tholeiites in the ophiolitic Marlborough terrane, supporting a subduction-related origin and a lack of involvement of continental crust in their genesis. Modern basalts from rifted backarc basins do not match the Yarrol Province rocks as well as those from evolved oceanic arcs, and commonly have consistently higher MgO contents at equivalent levels of rare-earth and high field strength elements. One of the most significant points for any tectonic model is that the Upper Devonian basalts become more arc-like from east to west, with all samples that can be matched most readily with backarc basin basalts located along the eastern edge of the outcrop belt. It is difficult to account for all geochemical variations in the Upper Devonian basalts of the Yarrol Province by any simplistic tectonic model using either a west-dipping or an east-dipping subduction zone. On a regional scale, the Upper Devonian rocks represent a transitional phase in the change from an intra-oceanic setting, epitomised by the Middle Devonian Capella Creek Group, to a continental margin setting in the northern New England Orogen in the Carboniferous, but the tectonic evolution must have been more complex than any of the models published to date. Certainly there are many similarities to the southern New England Orogen, where basalt geochemistry indicates rifting of an intra-oceanic arc in Middle to Late Devonian time.     

Continuation of the Ross–Delamerian Orogen: insights from eastern Australian detrital-zircon data

Abstract

Information on the Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Tasmanides in eastern Australia is limited due to the presence of an extensive younger sedimentary cover. Based on the spatio-temporal distribution of deformation and magmatism, the Tasmanides have traditionally been subdivided into five domains (Delamerian, Thomson, Lachlan, Mossman and New England). To test the relationships between these domains, we compiled over 10000 published detrital-zircon ages from basement rocks of the Tasmanides. We split the dataset spatially to test postulated connectivity between domains, and temporally to isolate corresponding age populations that can highlight subtle variations between domains. Results show that the Delamerian and Thomson domains originated as a single orogenic belt that likely received detritus from an early Paleozoic continental-scale drainage system. We also recognise a remarkably similar pattern of Paleoproterozoic and Archean ages in the Delamerian, Thomson and New England domains. This similarity indicates that the late Paleozoic development of the New England domain involved recycling of rocks from the Delamerian–Thomson domain(s). These findings shed new light on the crustal architecture of eastern Australia, and the nature of Paleozoic drainage and sediment recycling in eastern Gondwana.