Crustal and thermal structure of the Thomson Orogen: constraints from the geochemistry,zircon U–Pb age,and Hf and O isotopes of subsurface granitic rocks

Abstract

The origin of elevated geothermal gradients in the subsurface Thomson Orogen and the nature of the crustal basement beneath it, whether oceanic or continental, remain enigmatic. Previous studies have demonstrated that a higher crustal radiogenic input is required to explain these anomalous thermal gradients. In this study, we have investigated the nature and age of this crustal input by undertaking geochemical, geochronological and Hf and O isotope analyses of buried granitic rocks as well as evaluating the heat-producing potential of metasedimentary rocks. The mineralogy, composition and Neoproterozoic/Cambrian to Devonian age of the low to moderate heat-producing I- and S-type granitic rocks strongly contrast with the Carboniferous A-type high-heat-producing granites of the Big Lake Suite, which have been suggested to be an important contributor to the elevated geothermal gradients, near the southwest corner of the Thomson Orogen. These differences suggest the Big Lake Suite rocks do not extend into the Queensland part of the temperature anomaly. Heat production of the metasedimentary rocks is also low to moderate. Based on Hf isotope compositions of zircons characterised by mantle-like oxygen signature (?_Hf(t) = –12 to +2), we propose the temperature anomaly results from the occurrence of Mesoproterozoic and/or Paleoproterozoic high-heat-producing rocks beneath the Thomson Orogen. Precambrian crust, therefore, lies well east of the Tasman line. The results do not support a Neoproterozoic to Cambrian oceanic crust, as previously suggested, but instead point to a continental substrate for the Thomson Orogen. Hf isotopes indicate an overall trend towards more isotopically juvenile compositions with a progressive reduction in the contribution of older crustal sources to granitic magmas towards the present time. Different Hf isotopic signatures for the Lachlan (?_Hf(t) = –13 to +15), Thomson (?_Hf(t) = –14 to +5) and Delamerian (?_Hf(t) = –7 to +4) orogens highlight lateral variations in the age structures of crustal basement beneath these orogens.     

Age and composition of dykes emplaced before and during the opening of the Tasman Sea—source implications

Abstract

Dykes are common in the wave-cut platforms along the coast from Newcastle to Sydney. According to some authors, they may be related to the opening of the Tasman Sea that commenced ca 84?Ma ago. However, there are few detailed radiogenic dating and geochemical studies to evaluate this. We attempt to resolve this by K–Ar dating of plagioclase in and geochemical studies of, basaltic dykes intruding Permo-Triassic sequences on the wave-cut platforms and Carboniferous and Permo-Triassic sequences inland. The plagioclase separated from the dykes give K–Ar ages ranging from 266 to 53?Ma with the majority older than 84?Ma indicating that most dykes were emplaced before the Tasman Seafloor formation. The dykes are generally mildly alkaline, high-Ti basalts; fewer are tholeiitic and calc-alkaline, low-Ti basalts. Strongly light rare earth element (LREE)-enriched patterns typify the former and flat, LREE-depleted or slightly to moderately enriched LREE patterns, the latter. High-Ti basalts have ocean-island-basalt-like and low-Ti basalts, calc-alkaline or mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like patterns. Most high-Ti and some low-Ti basalts show plume-like characteristics, others N-type MORB and arc-like characteristics. Dykes intruding the Carboniferous sequences show a distinct contamination signature that could be crustal or due to subduction-related metasomatism of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. The sources of the basaltic magmas vary substantially and in places changes with time. All alkali basalts are derived from enriched asthenospheric sources at varying depths (90–147?km) and most tholeiitic, low-Ti basalts have been extracted from asthenospheric and depleted asthenospheric–lithospheric sources indicating substantial compositional heterogeneity of the mantle. Further, Nd model ages varying from Neoproterozoic (940–580?Ma) to Paleozoic (460–370?Ma) suggest variation in the age of mantle sources for the basalts.     

新疆铁木尔特铅锌铜矿床锆石U-Pb和黑云母40Ar/39Ar年代学及其矿床成因意义

新疆铁木尔特铅锌铜矿床位于阿尔泰造山带南缘克兰盆地内,矿体呈脉状产于康布铁堡组火山岩地层中.为准确厘定其成岩成矿时代,作者分别对矿区赋矿火山岩和含矿石英脉中的云母进行了年龄测定,获得2件火山岩样品的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄分别为396±5Ma和405±5Ma,2件黑云母样品的40 Ar/39 Ar坪年龄分别为240±2Ma和235±2Ma,相应的39Ar/36Ar-40Ar/36Ar等时线年龄分别为238±3Ma和233±3Ma,与坪年龄在误差范围内一致.据此,认为矿区内康布铁堡组火山岩形成于396～405 Ma,成矿作用发生于235～240Ma;成岩年龄早于成矿年龄约165Ma.因此,铁木尔特铅锌铜矿为典型的后生矿床,而不可能是同生VMS型矿床.考虑到成矿年龄稍晚于区域大规模变质作用(约250Ma),推测成矿作用与阿尔泰造山带碰撞造山作用有关.结合矿床地质特征和流体包裹体特征,认为铁木尔特铅锌铜矿为典型的陆陆碰撞体制下形成的造山型矿床.     

秦岭造山带内宁陕断裂带构造演化及其意义

宁陕断裂是秦岭造山带内部发育的一条近东西向区域性断裂。研究表明,宁陕断裂运动学性质为左行走滑,变形早期为韧性变形,晚期叠加脆性变形。早期变形形成的同变形变质矿物的⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar定年结果显示,变形时代为169~162Ma左右,属于秦岭造山带碰撞后陆内变形阶段产物。宁陕左行走滑断裂的存在暗示着在中晚侏罗世之前,现今南秦岭构造带很可能分属于两个不同的构造单元。宁陕断裂北西侧具有古老变质基底,并有大量早中生代花岗岩体侵入;南东侧只发育中上元古宙浅变质火山-沉积组合,发育晚元古宙-早古生代基性侵入岩脉及一些碱性岩脉。中晚侏罗世-早白垩世期间,围绕着扬子地块西缘和北缘,发生过左行走滑变形,这可能与扬子地块在这个时期的顺时针旋转相关。     

Palaeontological age and correlations of the Tertiary deposits of the NW Iberian Peninsula: the tectonic evolution of a broken foreland basin

Ages of Cenozoic sedimentary basins yield information that can be used to infer detailed spatial and temporal evolution in the Alpine foreland. The Tertiary deposits of the NW Iberian Peninsula comprise the remains of a broken foreland basin (the West Duero Basin). This work constrains the timing of tectonic fragmentation and the evolution of the western termination of the Alpine Pyrenean–Cantabrian Orogen (NW Iberian Peninsula). The discovery of Issiodoromys cf. minor 1 and Pseudocricetodon in the lower formation of the Tertiary depression of Sarria (the Toral Formation) constrains its age to the late Early Oligocene (MP23–MP25), similar to its age in the El Bierzo depression (MP24–MP25). Sedimentation initiated in the NE of the study area at Oviedo during the Middle Eocene (Bartonian–Early Priabonian MP16–MP17) and migrated towards the west and south during the Early Oligocene. The Toral Formation was deposited in a foreland basin that connected the present day outcrops of the El Bierzo, Sarria and As Pontes Tertiary depressions. The basin was segmented during the westward migration of structural deformation associated with the Orogen, and the subsequent uplift of the Galaico–Leoneses Mountains. The present‐day height above reference level of the base of the Toral Formation has been used to quantify Alpine segmentation that took place after Early Oligocene times. Minimum tectonic uplift assessed is 960 m in the Cantabrian Mountains and 1050 m in the Galaico–Leoneses Mountains. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

北淮阳变质单元岩石学、年代学分析及对大别造山带构造缝合线位置的探究

直至现今,大别造山带构造缝合线确切位置一直不是十分明朗,争议颇多。为此,本研究以该造山带最北缘防虎山-舒城地区为研究靶区,对该地区出露的片岩、片麻岩进行了细致的变质岩石学和年代学分析。研究显示,防虎山地区出露的为含石墨片岩,其变质级别为绿片岩相：T=300 ℃～450 ℃和P=0.2～0.7 GPa,并具有4组碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄：2 465～1 522 Ma（5颗）,1 140～938 Ma（14颗）,804～646 Ma（4颗）,460～422 Ma（14颗）。舒城地区的2个花岗片麻岩的锆石U-Pb年龄显示,它们的原岩年龄为767.9±7.8 Ma和770±16 Ma,其变质PT条件则为600 ℃～700 ℃和0.2～0.8 GPa。因此,可以确定这两类岩石应属于北淮阳变质单元中佛子岭群和卢镇关群物质,具明显的亲扬子性。结合前人断裂构造分析和相关的年龄资料,可以判定扬子板块和华北板块的构造缝合线位置应位于肥中断裂附近。     

南秦岭山阳-柞水矿集区构造-岩浆-成矿作用

山阳-柞水矿集区是南秦岭成矿带主要矿集区之一。从新元古代到晚侏罗世-早白垩世,山阳-柞水地区经历了洋壳俯冲和陆陆碰撞的构造演化,在演化的不同阶段形成了不同矿化类型、矿化组合的Cu、PbZn、Ag、Fe、Mo、Au矿床。新元古代时期,由于洋壳的俯冲作用,山阳-柞水地区形成了与基性岩有关的钛磁铁矿;泥盆纪-二叠纪时期,古秦岭洋消减形成山阳-柞水弧前盆地的同时,也形成一系列沉积型Fe、Ag、PbZn矿床;三叠纪时期,华北、扬子板块全面碰撞并形成了与碰撞作用密切相关的晚三叠世斑岩型Mo矿和造山型Au矿;晚侏罗世-早白垩世时期,则形成了碰撞后伸展环境下的矽卡岩-斑岩型CuMo-Au矿床。山阳-柞水矿集区内的各种时代和类型的矿床是秦岭造山带不同阶段的构造-岩浆活动的产物,对真实、客观的理解秦岭地区的构造演化具有重要意义。     

雪峰造山带北段灰山港地区构造变形特征及其形成构造背景

雪峰造山带位于江南造山带西南段,是研究和认识华南构造演化的重要窗口.本文在对雪峰造山带北段灰山港地区的构造变形特征系统调查的基础上,探讨了构造变形体制、成因机制和加里东运动及印支运动构造线方向横向变化的成因.调查发现,区内存在两个角度不整合面,据此划分3个构造层,即加里东构造层(Nh～S1)、海西-印支构造层(D2～P...     

Blueschist metamorphism during accretion in the Lachlan Orogen, south-eastern Australia

Low‐T, intermediate to high‐P assemblages indicative of the prehnite–pumpellyite, greenschist and blueschist facies are preserved in mélange zones and slivers of oceanic crust within two major fault zones of the turbidite‐dominated Lachlan Orogen. In one of these fault zones (Governor Fault Zone), blueschists occur as Franciscan‐like blocks in a serpentinite/talc matrix that is interleaved with phyllites and slates, and structurally overlain by a fault slice or duplex of predominantly pillow basalt, chert, and turbidite. The blueschist metavolcanics are interpreted to have formed at < 450 °C and at a depth of approximately 21–27 km. The presence of blue amphibole in the blocks, rinds and matrix indicate that the metavolcanics were emplaced in the matrix prior to blueschist metamorphism. Blocks and matrix were partially exhumed, interleaved with tectonic slices of phyllite and slate, and subsequently folded at about 10–12 km depth, inferred from b_o values of the dominant mica fabric in the phyllites and slates. Metamorphic P–T is highest in the structurally lowest slice (mélange zone) and lowest in the overlying ophiolitic fault slice, suggestive of an accretionary burial metamorphic pattern formed by underplating of the mélange. In the other fault zone (Heathcote Fault Zone), blueschists transitional to greenschist facies are interpreted to have formed at < 450 °C and at a depth of approximately 15–21 km. They occur as blocks in serpentinite/talc‐matrix mélange and are also associated with fault slices of oceanic crust. Textural and mineralogical evidence suggests that the protoliths for the blueschists in both fault zones were boninitic pillow lavas. The metamorphic facies and patterns, and the structural and lithological associations, can be interpreted in terms of disruption of oceanic crust and overlying sediments during subduction, and formation of serpentinite‐matrix mélange overprinted by blueschist metamorphism either prior to or during underplating of the mélange and duplex formation. The presence of blueschist metavolcanics indicate that these processes occurred at considerable depth. These interpretations have implications for the evolution of large‐scale fault zones in noncollisional, convergent oceanic settings.