Geological interpretation of a deep seismic‐reflection transect across the boundary between the Delamerian and Lachlan Orogens,in the vicinity of the Grampians,western Victoria

A deep seismic‐reflection transect in western Victoria was designed to provide insights into the structural relationship between the Lachlan and the Delamerian Orogens. Three seismic lines were acquired to provide images of the subsurface from west of the Grampians Range to east of the Stawell‐Ararat Fault Zone. The boundary between the Delamerian and Lachlan Orogens is now generally considered to be the Moyston Fault. In the vicinity of the seismic survey, this fault is intruded by a near‐surface granite, but at depth the fault dips to the east, confirming recent field mapping. East of the Moyston Fault, the uppermost crust is very weakly reflective, consisting of short, non‐continuous, west‐dipping reflections. These weak reflections represent rocks of the Lachlan Orogen and are typical of the reflective character seen on other seismic images from elsewhere in the Lachlan Orogen. Within the Lachlan Orogen, the Pleasant Creek Fault is also east dipping and approximately parallel to the Moyston Fault in the plane of the seismic section. Rocks of the Delamerian Orogen in the vicinity of the seismic line occur below surficial cover to the west of the Moyston Fault. Generally, the upper crust is only weakly reflective, but subhorizontal reflections at shallow depths (up to 3 km) represent the Grampians Group. The Escondida Fault appears to stop below the Grampians Group, and has an apparent gentle dip to the east. Farther east, the Golton and Mehuse Faults are also east dipping. The middle to lower crust below the Delamerian Orogen is strongly reflective, with several major antiformal structures in the middle crust. The Moho is a slightly undulating horizon at the base of the highly reflective middle to lower crust at 11–12 s TWT (approximately 35 km depth). Tectonically, the western margin of the Lachlan Orogen has been thrust over the Delamerian Orogen for a distance of at least 25 km, and possibly over 40 km.     

Crustal complexity in the Lachlan Orogen revealed from teleseismic receiver functions

There is an ongoing debate about the tectonic evolution of southeast Australia, particularly about the causes and nature of its accretion to a much older Precambrian core to the west. Seismic imaging of the crust can provide useful clues to address this issue. Seismic tomography imaging is a powerful tool often employed to map elastic properties of the Earth's lithosphere, but in most cases does not constrain well the depth of discontinuities such as the Mohorovi?i? (Moho). In this study, an alternative imaging technique known as receiver function (RF) has been employed for seismic stations near Canberra in the Lachlan Orogen to investigate: (i) the shear-wave-velocity profile in the crust and uppermost mantle, (ii) variations in the Moho depth beneath the Lachlan Orogen, and (iii) the nature of the transition between the crust and mantle. A number of styles of RF analyses were conducted: H-K stacking to obtain the best compressional–shear velocity (V _P /V _S) ratio and crustal thickness; nonlinear inversion for the shear-wave-velocity structure and inversion of the observed variations in RFs with back-azimuth to investigate potential dipping of the crustal layers and anisotropy. The thick crust (up to 48 km) and the mostly intermediate nature of the crust?mantle transition in the Lachlan Orogen could be due to the presence of underplating at the base of the crust, and possibly to the existing thick piles of Ordovician mafic rocks present in the mid and lower crust. Results from numerical modelling of RFs at three seismic stations (CAN, CNB and YNG) suggest that the observed variations with back-azimuth could be related to a complex structure beneath these stations with the likelihood of both a dipping Moho and crustal anisotropy. Our analysis reveals crustal thickening to the west beneath CAN station which could be due to slab convergence. The crustal thickening may also be related to the broad Macquarie volcanic arc, which is rooted to the Moho. The crustal anisotropy may arise from a strong N–S structural trend in the eastern Lachlan Orogen and to the preferred crystallographic orientation of seismically anisotropic minerals in the lower and middle crust related to the paleo-Pacific plate convergence.     

Crustal structure of the Ordovician Macquarie Arc,Eastern Lachlan Orogen,based on seismic‐reflection profiling

In the Eastern Lachlan Orogen, the mineralised Molong and Junee‐Narromine Volcanic Belts are two structural belts that once formed part of the Ordovician Macquarie Arc, but are now separated by younger Silurian‐Devonian strata as well as by Ordovician quartz‐rich turbidites. Interpretation of deep seismic reflection and refraction data across and along these belts provides answers to some of the key questions in understanding the evolution of the Eastern Lachlan Orogen—the relationship between coeval Ordovician volcanics and quartz‐rich turbidites, and the relationship between separate belts of Ordovician volcanics and the intervening strata. In particular, the data provide evidence for major thrust juxtaposition of the arc rocks and Ordovician quartz‐rich turbidites, with Wagga Belt rocks thrust eastward over the arc rocks of the Junee‐Narromine Volcanic Belt, and the Adaminaby Group thrust north over arc rocks in the southern part of the Molong Volcanic Belt. The seismic data also provide evidence for regional contraction, especially for crustal‐scale deformation in the western part of the Junee‐Narromine Volcanic Belt. The data further suggest that this belt and the Ordovician quartz‐rich turbidites to the east (Kirribilli Formation) were together thrust over ?Cambrian‐Ordovician rocks of the Jindalee Group and associated rocks along west‐dipping inferred faults that belong to a set that characterises the middle crust of the Eastern Lachlan Orogen. The Macquarie Arc was subsequently rifted apart in the Silurian‐Devonian, with Ordovician volcanics preserved under the younger troughs and shelves (e.g. Hill End Trough). The Molong Volcanic Belt, in particular, was reworked by major down‐to‐the‐east normal faults that were thrust‐reactivated with younger‐on‐older geometries in the late Early ‐ Middle Devonian and again in the Carboniferous.     

A review of the metallogeny and tectonics of the Lachlan Orogen

Future mineral exploration within eastern Australia will be enhanced by resolving the tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen to establish the spatial and temporal terrane distribution of the various mineral deposits. The Lachlan Orogen, from north-eastern Tasmania through to central and eastern New South Wales, is host to a number of major mineral deposit styles—including orogenic gold (e.g. Stawell, Ballarat, Bendigo), volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (e.g. Woodlawn, Currawong), sediment-hosted Cu–Au (e.g. Cobar Basin deposits), porphyry Au–Cu (e.g. Cadia, Parkes, Cowal) and granite-related Sn (e.g. Ardlethan, Beechworth). Each of these mineral deposit styles is a sensitive and diagnostic indicator of the prevalent tectonic environment during their formation. In this review, we briefly summarise the deposit- to large-scale factors that define the diverse metallogenic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen. This overview is intended to “set the scene” for subsequent specialist papers published in this thematic issue on the metallogeny and tectonics of the Lachlan Orogen in south-east Australia.     

Tektonisches Verhalten und geologische Bedeutung von Kalksilikatfels-Lagen und -Spindeln im Damara-Orogen Südwest-Afrikas

Zusammenfassung Beschrieben wird das Verhalten von frühdiagenetisch gebildeten schichtparallelen Kalksilikatfels-Lagen, -Linsen, -Knollen und diffusen Ansammlungen während der Gesteinsdeformation in Teilen des Damara-Orogens. In Abhängigkeit von ihrer relativen Löslichkeit und/oder Kompetenz sowie vom Winkel zwischen Schichtung und Schieferung können Lagen und Linsen als solche erhalten bleiben oder in spindelförmige Körper zerlegt werden (Verkürzungsboudinage). Knollen werden zu Ellipsoiden oder Spindeln deformiert und diffuse Kalksilikatfels-Ansammlungen in eine Vielzahl von Spindeln aufgelöst. Alle im Zusammenhang mit der Anlage der Schieferung gebildeten Spindeln und Ellipsoïde sind streng in der Schieferung orientiert. Es wird deutlich, daß die Spindelform der Kalksilikatfels-Körper ein Produkt der Gesteinsdeformation ist.In Gebieten, in denen der Verdacht besteht, daß parallel zu einem deutlichen Materialwechsel eine Schieferung verläuft, kann aus der Existenz von Spindeln auf das Vorhandensein dieser Schieferung geschlossen werden.Die ungleichmäßige Verteilung von Kalksilikatfels-Körpern innerhalb der Khomas-Serie ermöglicht eine Unterteilung dieser bisher ungegliederten, bis zu 6000 m mächtigen Gesteinsfolge.

---

The behaviour during rock deformation of diagenetically formed layers, lenses, nodules (concretions) and diffuse concentrations of calc-silicate rock is described from parts of the Damara belt. Depending on their relative solubility and/or competency and on the angle between bedding and cleavage planes the layers and lenses may either more or less retain their shape or be cut up into spindle-shaped bodies (boudinage due to shortening). Nodules are deformed to ellipsoides, while diffuse concentrations of calc-silicate rock are transformed into a number of spindles. All spindles and ellipsoides which are formed during the formation of the cleavage are strictly orientated parallel to the cleavage planes. It is therefore obvious that the spindleshape of these bodies is a consequence of rock deformation. Thus, in areas in which a cleavage is suspected to lie parallel to a distinct bedding, the occurrence of spindles may confirm the existence of this cleavage.The non-statistical occurrence of calc-silicate rock bodies within the Khomas Series may render possible a first subdivision of this up to 6000 m thick succession.

Diese Arbeit ist im Sonderforschungsbereich 48 Entwicklung, Bestand und Eigenschaften der Erdkruste, insbesondere der Geosynklinalräume, Göttingen, entstanden.     

“中央造山带”早古生代缝合带及构造分区概述

“中央造山带”是夹持于中国塔里木、华北和扬子克拉通之间的近东西向延展的（局部为北东向和北西向）显生宙造山系统。该造山带中包括了库地-喀拉塔什、红柳沟-肃北-北祁连、南阿尔金-滩间山、昆中、朱阳关-夏馆和商州-丹凤6条早古生代缝合带。被缝合带所围限的前寒武纪地质构造单元包括中阿尔金-祁连-金吉地块、柴达木地块、北秦岭地块和东、西昆仑2个变质地体。南秦岭原为扬子克拉通的北部边缘，但卷入了显生宙造山带，成为中央造山带的一部分。对上述6条早古生代缝合带和6个前寒武纪地质构造单元的特点进行了概略总结，并阐述了各地质构造单元中的构造地层系统和热-构造事件的年代格架。     

What Happened in the Trans-North China Orogen in the Period 2560-1850 Ma？

The Trans-North China Orogen （TNCO） was a Paleoproterozic continent-continent collisional belt along which the Eastern and Western Blocks amalgamated to form a coherent North China Craton （NCC）. Recent geological, structural, geochemical and isotopic data show that the orogen was a continental margin or Japan-type arc along the western margin of the Eastern Block, which was separated from the Western Block by an old ocean, with eastward-directed subduction of the oceanic lithosphere beneath the western margin of the Eastern Block. At 2550-2520 Ma, the deep subduction caused partial melting of the medium-lower crust, producing copious granitoid magma that was intruded into the upper levels of the crust to form granitoid plutons in the low- to medium-grade granite-greeustone terranes. At 2530-2520 Ma, subduction of the oceanic lithosphere caused partial melting of the mantle wedge, which led to underplating of mafic magma in the lower crust and widespread mafic and minor felsic volcanism in the arc, forming part of the greenstone assemblages. Extension driven by widespread mafic to felsic volcanism led to the development of back-arc and/or intra-arc basins in the orogen. At 2520-2475 Ma, the subduction caused further partial melting of the lower crust to form large amounts of tonalitic-trondhjemitic-granodioritic （TTG） magmatism. At this time following further extension of back-arc basins, episodic granitoid magmatism occurred, resulting in the emplacement of 2360 Ma, -2250 Ma 2110-21760 Ma and -2050 Ma granites in the orogen. Contemporary volcano-sedimentary rocks developed in the back-arc or intra-are basins. At 2150-1920 Ma, the orogen underwent several extensional events, possibly due to subduction of an oceanic ridge, leading to emplacement of mafic dykes that were subsequently metamorphosed to amphibolites and medium- to high-pressure mafic granulites. At 1880-1820 Ma, the ocean between the Eastern and Western Blocks was completely consumed by subduction, and the dosing of the ocean led to the continent-arc-continent collision, which caused large-scale thrusting and isoclinal folds and transported some of the rocks into the lower crustal levels or upper mantle to form granulites or eclogites. Peak metamorphism was followed by exhumation/uplift, resulting in widespread development of asymmetric folds and symplectic textures in the rocks.     

河南冷水北沟铅锌银矿床流体包裹体研究及矿床成因

河南栾川冷水北沟铅锌银矿床位于华北克拉通南界栾川断裂北侧。矿床赋存于中-晚元古代浅变质碎屑岩建造中,受断裂控制,矿体呈脉状;矿石主要由金属硫化物,少量石英和碳酸盐组成;围岩蚀变和成矿过程分为4个阶段,以石英- 黄铁矿组合(Ⅰ阶段)、黄铁矿-闪锌矿组合(Ⅱ阶段)、多金属硫化物(Ⅲ阶段)和碳酸盐(Ⅳ阶段)为标志。包裹体研究表明,成矿流体为含 CH_4的碳水体系,盐度为0.22～13.8 wt% NaCl eqv.。从早到晚,流体包裹体均一温度为420℃～340℃(Ⅰ)、370℃～280℃(Ⅱ)、320℃～260℃(Ⅲ)和<260℃(Ⅳ)。Ⅰ、Ⅱ阶段的流体盐度低于8 wt% NaCl eqv.,Ⅲ阶段增高至13.8 wt%NaCl eqv.,甚至偶见子晶。Ⅰ、Ⅱ阶段的流体包裹体均一压力分为两组,即180～200MPa 和70～80MPa,代表着深约8km 的静水与静岩压力系统的共存或交替;Ⅲ阶段只有70～80MPa 一组压力,指示开放环境注入的静水压力体系。Ⅰ、Ⅱ阶段静岩与静水压力系统的交替现象完全吻合于断层阀模式,含 CH_4的 CO_2-H_O 流体的脉动沸腾消耗了流体成矿系统热能,并使盐度不断增高、成矿。该认识可被Ⅱ阶段广泛存在的沸腾流体包裹体组合证明,也与流体包裹体成分类型、矿物共生组合特征、矿石组构的规律演化相一致。以上表明,冷水北沟是一个典型的形成于碰撞造山挤压向伸展转变期的造山型 Pb-Zn-Ag 矿床实例,成矿机理可由碰撞造山成岩成矿与流体作用模型(即 CMF 模式)所解释。     

浙赣皖交界区新元古代火山-沉积岩系的比较——有关火山作用同期异相的探讨

本文综合野外地质、同位素年代学和岩石地球化学资料,对浙赣皖交界区,即江南造山带东段发育的众多新元古代火山—沉积岩系进行了对比研究。从岩石组合及其大地构造含义和火山作用同期异相的观点加以认识.揭示它们的内在联系,为该区地层单元的清理和归并提供依据。     

New seismic images of the crust in the central Trans-Hudson Orogen of Saskatchewan

A reprocessing program to enhance the correlation between the surface geology and the seismic data has been completed for seismic line 9 (eastern 100 km) and line 10 in the central region of the Trans-Hudson Orogen of Saskatchewan, Canada. The new seismic images through lateral continuity of reflectivity provide sufficient detail to resolve the discrepancy between the low-dipping, layer-parallel and dextral-reverse nature of the Sturgeon-Weir shear zone (line 9) observed in the field and its steeply dipping (apparent) normal displacement character interpreted on the basis of the initial processing. Furthermore, the new interpretation provides a strong confirmation of the role of Pelican Thrust as a major detachment zone — the main `sole thrust' — along which juvenile allochthons have been carried across the Archaean microcontinental block. The images are also refined enough to suggest: (a) a boundary within the Pelican Thrust between its internal and external suites; (b) a possible boundary separating a lower (older?) Archaean basement from its upper (younger?) counterpart; and (c) sub-Moho events (M2) which reveal possible involvement of the upper mantle in the collisional tectonic process in addition to the well defined Moho (M1) which probably represents the youngest of the post-collisional detachments.