Applied geophysics for cover thickness mapping in the southern Thomson Orogen

Abstract

Potentially mineralised Paleozoic basement rocks in the southern Thomson Orogen region of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales are covered by varying thicknesses of Mesozoic to Cenozoic sediments. To assess cover thickness and methods for estimating depth to basement, we collected new airborne electromagnetic (AEM), seismic refraction, seismic reflection and audio-frequency magnetotelluric data and combined these with new depth to magnetic basement models from airborne magnetic line data and ground gravity data along selected transects. The results of these investigations over two borehole sites, GSQ Eulo 1 and GSQ Eulo 2, show that cover thickness can be reliably assessed to within the confidence limits of the various techniques, but that caveats exist regarding the application of each of the disciplines. These techniques are part of a rapid-deployment explorers’ toolbox of geophysical techniques that have been tested at two sites in Australia, the Stavely region of western Victoria, and now the southern Thomson Orogen in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. The results shown here demonstrate that AEM and ground geophysics, and to a lesser extent depth to magnetic source modelling, can produce reliable results when applied to the common exploration problem of determining cover thickness. The results demonstrate that portable seismic systems, designed for geotechnical site investigations, are capable of imaging basement below 300 m of unlithified Eromanga Basin cover as refraction and reflection data. The results of all methods provide much information about the nature of the basement–cover interface and basement at borehole sites in the southern Thomson Orogen, in that the basement is usually weathered, the interface has paleotopography, and it can be recognised by its density, natural gamma, magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity contrasts.     

Deep crustal structures of eastern China and adjacent seas revealed by magnetic data

Through reduction to the North Pole and upward continuation of the total field magnetic anomalies, we analyze magnetic patterns and spatial distributions of different tectonic blocks and crustal faults in eastern China and adjacent seas. Depths to the Curie isotherms are further estimated from radially averaged amplitude spectra of magnetic data reduced to the pole. Data reductions effectively enhance boundaries of regional tectonic belts, such as the Dabie ultra-high metamorphic belt, the Tanlu Fault, and the Diaoyudao Uplift. Curie depths are estimated at between 19.6 and 48.9 km, with a mean of 31.7 km. The Subei Basin and the south Yellow Sea Basin in the lower Yangtze block show relatively deep Curie isotherms, up to about 35 km in depth, whereas in the surrounding areas Curie depths are averaged at about 25 km. This implies that the lower Yangtze Block has experienced a unique tectonic evolution and/or has unique basement lithology and structures. From a regional perspective, sedimentary basins, such as the Subei Basin, the south Yellow Sea Basin, and the East China Sea Basin, normally show deeper Curie isotherms than surrounding uplifts such as the Diaoyudao Uplift and the Zhemin Uplifts. Curie isotherms also upwell significantly in volcanically active areas such as the Ryukyu Arc and the Cheju Island, confirming strong magmatic and geothermal activities at depth. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40776026 and 40876022) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB411702)     

东南极晚新元古—早古生代构造热事件及其在冈瓦纳超大陆重建中的意义

在东南极大陆内部及边缘发育3条晚新元古代—早古生代造山带,即东非造山带（南延部分）、普里兹造山带和罗斯造山带。东非造山带的南延部分主要出露于吕措—霍尔姆湾—毛德王后地—沙克尔顿岭地区,其内发育蛇绿岩、榴辉岩相超镁铁岩及逆冲—推覆构造,因而被解释为东、西冈瓦纳陆块拼合的缝合线。罗斯造山带主要出露于横贯南极山脉地区,其内保存有大陆裂解、洋壳俯冲和地体增生的地质纪录,代表冈瓦纳超大陆的活动大陆边缘。普里兹造山带主要出露于普里兹湾和登曼冰川,因其位于从前假设的统一东冈瓦纳陆块的内部,加之缺少蛇绿混杂岩、岛弧增生杂岩和高压变质岩（如蓝片岩或榴辉岩）等与大洋板块俯冲作用密切相关的岩石,所以当前存在着碰撞造山成因和板内改造成因两种不同的认识。普里兹造山带构造性质的确定不仅决定了冈瓦纳超大陆的汇聚过程和方式,也制约了罗迪尼亚超大陆的形成和演化过程。因此,开展普里兹造山带的研究对于揭示新元古代—早古生代的全球构造演化具有重要的科学意义。     

鄂尔多斯盆地西缘逆冲带南北差异的形成机制

鄂尔多斯盆地西缘逆冲带是我国重要的陆内逆冲推覆构造带 ,其形成与发展 ,对了解我国西部与东部之间的构造转换 ,有着重要的意义 ,同时也是研究青藏高原向东扩展的有利地区。通过对该构造带几个问题的讨论 ,认为该构造带南段与北段的形成机理是不同的 ,鄂尔多斯盆地在当时有一定程度的逆时针旋转。南段主要是祁连山—北秦岭造山带向北东方向挤压的结果 ,贺兰山南部的北西向构造也属于该段 ,因此其形状为一向北东突出的弧形 ;而北段是由于旋转的盆地与发生构造挤出的阿拉善块体相互作用的结果。并对一些问题提出了一些看法     

秦祁结合部位宝鸡地区早泥盆世香泉A型正长花岗岩年龄、地球化学特征及其构造意义

对秦祁结合部位宝鸡地区香泉正长花岗岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄和岩石地球化学研究。结果显示,锆石~(206)Pb/~(238)Pb年龄加权平均值为410±5Ma(MSWD=0.20,n=18),限定该岩体的形成时代为早泥盆世。香泉正长花岗岩具有高硅(SiO_2=69.63%~73.94%)、富钾(K_2O=4.24%~4.88%,K_2O/Na_2O=1.23~1.44)、富铁(TFe_2O_3=2.10%~3.70%,TFe_2O_3/MgO=3.88~6.84)、低镁(MgO=0.31%~0.94%)、低磷(P_2O_5=0.08%~0.21%)的特征,属准铝质、高钾钙碱性系列。香泉正长花岗岩稀土元素含量较高(318×10~(-6)~499×10~(-6)),表现出明显的负Eu异常(δ Eu=0.37~0.46),富集Rb、Th、Zr、Sm、Ga(10000×Ga/Al=2.59~2.93)等微量元素,贫Ba、Nb、Ta、Sr,整体表现出A型花岗岩特征。结合区域资料认为,香泉正长花岗岩形成于造山后环境,为低压环境下长英质地壳物质部分熔融成因。     

CMF模式的排他性依据和造山型银矿实例：东秦岭铁炉坪银矿同位素地球化学

河南熊耳山区的铁炉坪银矿定位于高级变质基底中的NE向断裂带中,是熊耳山脉状造山型金、银、铅锌矿床的重要组成部分。成矿作用包括了早、中、晚3个阶段,分别形成石英-黄铁矿,多金属硫化物和碳酸盐脉3类矿物组合。早阶段成 矿温度大约为373℃左右,成矿流体δD=-90‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=2.0‰,δ~(18)O=9‰,来源较深;晚阶段流体温度<203℃,δD=70‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=-1.3‰,δ~(18)O=-2‰,属于浅源大气降水热液;中阶段流体均一温度210～249℃,δD=-109‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=0.1‰,δ~(18)O=2‰,是深源与浅源流体的混合。对比讨论表明,熊耳山区的早前寒武纪变质基底、熊耳群火山岩和燕山期花岗岩类的三者之一或它们的混合物,均无法提供具有早阶段流体D-O-c同位素组成(高δ~(18)O和δ~(13)C,低δD)的成矿流体,表明早阶段流体来自栾川群和管道口群的碳酸盐-页岩-硅质岩建造的变质脱水作用。矿石硫同位素组成较低,铅同位素比值较高,同样不可能来自熊耳山的主要地质体,更不可能来自其下伏的地幔和下地壳,指示成矿物质和流体应主要来自栾川群和管道口群。尽管栾川群和管道口群地层的同位素地球化学研究尚待补充,铁炉坪银矿的同位素地球化学特征似乎只能借助碰撞造山成岩成矿与流体作用模式才能合理解释。即华南与华     

西秦岭铧厂沟金矿床流体包裹体特征研究及矿床成因

铧厂沟金矿位于西秦岭勉略缝合带南侧,其产出受韧脆性剪切带控制,赋矿围岩为泥盆系细碧岩、凝灰质绢云千枚岩和灰岩。根据脉体穿切关系和矿物交代关系,可以将铧厂沟金矿分为早、中、晚3个成矿阶段。在铧厂沟金矿的石英中发育了CO₂-H₂O型、纯CO₂型、H₂O溶液型和含子矿物型四种类型流体包裹体。早期石英中原生包裹体主要是CO₂-H₂O型和纯CO₂型,其成分为CO₂+H₂O±N₂±CH₄±H₂S,均一温度集中在320~360℃,盐度为0.43%~5.14% NaCleqv;中阶段为主成矿阶段,该阶段石英中包含了所有四种类型的包裹体,其中H₂O溶液型包裹体占了大多数,CO₂-H₂O和水溶液包裹体均一温度集中在240~320℃,盐度为0.43%~11.19% NaCleqv;晚阶段石英仅发育水溶液型包裹体,具有较低的均一温度(118~228℃)和盐度(0.18%~6.59% NaCleqv)。根据CO₂-H₂O型包裹体计算主成矿阶段压力为70~195MPa,成矿深度为5~7km。总体而言,铧厂沟金矿的初始流体具有中高温、富CO₂、低盐度的变质流体特征,晚成矿阶段流体演化为低温、低盐度水溶液流体,流体的不混溶导致了主成矿期的矿质的大量沉淀,铧厂金矿为中浅成的造山型矿床。     

江南造山带北缘鄣公山地区新元古代地层构造变形特征及其动力学机制

鄣公山地区位处皖赣交界地带,区内广泛分布一套浅变质的陆缘细碎屑岩为主含少量火山物质的复理石建造体,大量高精度同位素测年数据显示,该浅变质地层形成于820～840Ma新元古代。经系统野外调查,在该地层中首次解析出5期褶皱变形,其中F1以原始层理(S0)为形变面形成的紧闭同斜、平卧等形态的露头尺度级片内无根褶皱;F2以早期构造面理(S1∥S0)为形变面的轴向近东西向开阔斜歪及同斜褶皱;F3属与大规模逆冲推覆构造相关的紧闭同斜或斜歪褶皱;F4为与燕山期花岗质岩浆热隆升有关的轴面北倾的透入性不对称紧闭下滑褶皱群;F5为分布于区域脆性平移走滑断裂带附近的倾竖褶皱,上述褶皱分别对应不同的构造变形旋回。本文重点阐述褶皱变形的几何学、叠加样式、变形序次、运动学特征,并对变形机制及大陆动力学等进行分析。     

Granitoids of the Ufalei block (South Urals): Sr-Nd isotope systematics, geodynamic position and genetic reconstructions

Petrogeochemical and isotopic-geochronological signatures in granitoids developed in structures with complex geological history represent an important feature for reconstructing paleogeodynamic settings. Granitoids are widespread in the western slope of the Urals, where the Uralian Orogen contacts via a collage of different-age blocks of the east European Platform. The Ufalei block located in the Central Urals megazone at the junction between the South and Middle Urals’ segments represents one such boundary structure with multistage geological evolution. The isotopic ages obtained by different methods for acid igneous rocks range from 1290 to 245 Ma. We determined close Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd ages (317 Ma) for granites of the Nizhnii Ufalei Massif. By their petrochemical parameters, granitoids and host granite-gneisses differ principally from each other: the former are close to subduction-related, while the latter, to continental-riftogenic varieties. The primary ratio (⁸⁷Sr/8⁶Sr)₀ = 0.70428 and ?_Nd ≈ +4 values indicate significant contribution of oceanic (island-arc?) material to the substrate, which served as a source for granites of the Nizhnii Ufalei Massif. Model Nd ages of granites vary from 641 to 550 Ma. Distinct oceanic rocks and varieties with such ages are missing from the surrounding structures. New isotopic dates obtained for ultramafic and mafic rocks from different zones of the Urals related to the Cadomian cycle imply development of unexposed Upper Riphean-Vendian “oceanic” rocks in the central part of the Ufalei block, which played a substantial role in the formation of the Nizhnii Ufalei granitoids. Such rocks could be represented, for example, by fragments of the Precambrian Timanide-type ophiolite association. The analysis of original materials combined with published data point to the heterogeneous composition and structure of the Ufalei block and a significant part of the western segment of the Central Uralian Uplift and extremely complex geological history of the region coupling the Uralian Orogen with the East European Platform in the present-day structure.     

新疆阿尔泰塔拉特铁铅锌矿床流体包裹体研究及矿床成因

塔拉特铁铅锌矿位于新疆阿尔泰造山带南缘的阿巴宫多金属成矿带,矿体赋存于克兰盆地下泥盆统康布铁堡组中,为一套海相中酸性火山岩-火山碎屑岩、陆源碎屑沉积岩-碳酸盐岩建造,脉状矿体受阿巴宫大断裂次级断裂控制.根据矿物组合和脉体穿插关系,塔拉特铁铅锌矿可分为4个成矿阶段:矽卡岩,氧化物,硫化物和碳酸盐阶段,后3个阶段均有石英共生.其中,硫化物(方铅矿-闪锌矿±磁黄铁矿±黄铜矿)阶段是铅锌成矿的主要阶段.不同阶段石英中广泛发育流体包裹体,可分为水溶液包裹体(W型)、纯CO2包裹体(PC型)、CO2-NaCl-H2O包裹体(C型)及含子矿物多相包裹体(S型)4类.冷热台显微测温和激光拉曼分析表明,氧化物阶段石英含有4种类型的包裹体,以W型为主,C型和S型包裹体次之,包裹体均一温度介于271～ 426℃,W型和C型盐度范围0.5％～22.4％ NaCleqv,S型包裹体盐度30.5％ ～40.6％ NaCleqv;硫化物阶段的石英流体包裹体为W型、C型和PC型,均一温度为204 ～ 269℃,盐度介于0.2％～15.6％ NaCleqv之间;碳酸盐阶段的矿物只含W型包裹体,均一温度集中在175～211℃之间,盐度为1.1％ ～9.9％ NaCleqv.利用C型包裹体对硫化物阶段成矿压力估算,得到107 ～ 171MPa,对应深度为4～6km.塔拉特铁铅锌矿初始成矿流体具有高温、高盐度、富CO2的特征,但碳酸盐阶段低盐度、贫CO2,流体不混溶和混合作用导致了成矿物质的沉淀.塔拉特铁铅锌矿的地质和成矿流体特征显示其为碰撞造山体制形成的矽卡岩型成矿系统.