Carbonate platform development in a Paleoproterozoic extensional basin,Vempalle Formation,Cuddapah Basin,India

Sedimentological investigation of the late Paleoproterozoic (Orosirian) Vempalle Formation of the Cuddapah Basin, Dharwar craton, India, reveals three facies association that range from supratidal to deep subtidal. Sedimentary rocks of this succession are dominated by heterolithic carbonate mudstone, intraformational carbonate conglomerate, and a variety of columnar, domal, and stratiform microbialite facies. Deposition occurred in an extensional regime during development of a low-gradient ramp, where the distribution of microbialite facies is distinctly depth-partitioned. A gradual increase in synoptic relief of columnar stromatolites through the section, and the upward transition from stratiform to columnar microbialites, record a prolonged marine transgression with little or no influx of terrigenous detritus. Siliciclastic influx along the northeastern side of the shelf reflects the redistribution of topographic highs concomitant with large scale volcanic activity. Redistribution of topographic highs eventually led to progradation of peritidal facies and shutting down of the carbonate factory. Earthquake-induced ground shaking and voluminous volcanism experienced by this platform point to the reactivation of a deep-seated mantle-plume that resulted in thermal doming of the Dharwar crust prior to the onset of Cuddapah deposition. Isotopic and elemental chemistry of a selection of Vempalle Formation carbonate rocks record elevated Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ concentrations and depleted carbon isotope values in inner ramp lagoonal facies, relative to more open marine stromatolitic facies. Patterns of isotopic and elemental variation suggest the presence of geochemically distinct water masses—either within the water column or within substrate pore fluids—that resulted from a combination of globally low marine oxygenation and restricted oceanographic circulation in inner ramp environments. These data suggest that, even in the aftermath of Early Paleoproterozoic oxygenation, that ocean chemistry was heterogeneous and strongly affected by local basin conditions.     

LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon geochronology and Hf isotope,geochemistry and kinetics of the Daxigou anorthosite from Kuruqtagh block,NW China

Kuruqtagh block is the best area for Precambrian geology in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, NW China, since it exposed complete Precambrian lithology units. The study of this ancient base will deepen the understanding of the Precambrian evolution of the Tarim Basin. In this paper, we studied the petrology, geochemistry, zircon LA-ICPMS U-Pb chronology and zircon Hf isotope of Daxigou anorthosite （DA） which is located at the northem margin of Tarim craton and discussed the rock formation, tectonic and geological significance. Zircons from the intrusions display oscillatory zoning and high Th/U ratios （0.39-1.35）, implying their magmatic origin. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating results indicate that they formed during the Paleoproterozoic age with the weighted 2~6pb/238U average age of 1818~9 Ma, which is significantly different from former＇s Neoproterozoic age, and is co- incidentally identical with its associated syenite granite age within the error range. Studies on petrogeochemistry suggest that DA belongs to medium-sodium peraluminous alkaline type, rich in Pb, La, Th and LILE, and poor in HFSE （Gd, Nd, and Ta）. The chondrite-normalized REE pattern is slightly to the right form. The average Y~REE is 317.2~ 10-6; HREE show moderate fractionation [average LREE/HREE is 14.71, average （La/Yb）N is 24.77; average （LaJSm）N is 3.85, and average （Gd/Yb）y is 3.46]; and the 6Eu and 8Ce are not obvious. Their initial Hf isotope ratios and Hf two-stage model ages range from -6.6 to -4.43 and 2.63 to 2.74 Ga, respectively. Taken together, it is sug- gested that Daxigou anorthosite is a typical volcanic anorthosite and its primary magma could be contaminated by the partial melt Neoarchaean crust and mainly formed in the arc environment, which recoded the tectonic-magma activities response of the Tarim refers to the amalgamation of the supercontinent Columbia.     

Did natural fission of 235U in the earth lead to formation of the supercontinent Columbia?

Steady decline in the percentage of 235U in terrestrial uranium made natural fission impossible after about 1.8 Ga.Fission before 1.8 Ga disturbed the lead isotope system at various places worldwide,su...     

Geochemistry and C–O and Nd–Sr isotope characteristics of the 2.4 Ga Hogenakkal carbonatites from the South Indian Granulite Terrane: evidence for an end-Archaean depleted component and mantle heterogeneity

ABSTRACT

The South Indian Granulite Terrane (SGT) is a collage of Archaean to Neoproterozoic age granulite facies blocks that are sutured by an anastomosing network of large-scale shear systems. Besides several Neoproterozoic carbonatite complexes emplaced within the Archaean granulites, there are also smaller Paleoproterozoic (2.4 Ga, Hogenakkal) carbonatite intrusions within two NE-trending pyroxenite dikes. The Hogenakkal carbonatites, further discriminated into sövite and silicate sövite, have high Sr and Ba contents and extreme light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment with steep slopes typical of carbonatites. The C- and O-isotopic ratios [δ¹³C_VPDB = ?6.7 to ?5.8‰ and δ¹⁸O_VSMOW = 7.5–8.7‰ except a single ¹⁸O-enriched sample (δ¹⁸O = 20.0‰)] represent unmodified mantle compositions. The εNd values indicate two groupings for the Hogenakkal carbonatites; most samples show positive εNd values, close to CHUR (εNd = ?0.35 to 2.94) and named high-εNd group while the low-εNd group samples show negative values (?5.69 to ?8.86), corresponding to depleted and enriched source components, respectively. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i ratios of the two groups also can be distinguished: the high-εNd ones have low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i ratios (0.70161–0.70244) while the low-εNd group shows higher ratios (0.70247–0.70319). We consider the Nd–Sr ratios as primary and infer derivation from a heterogeneous mantle source. The emplacement of the Hogenakkal carbonatites may be related to Paleoproterozoic plume induced large-scale rifting and fracturing related to initiation of break-up of the Neoarchean supercontinent Kenorland.     

贺兰山北段古元古代结晶基底变形特征及其区域构造意义

贺兰山北段结晶基底中保留有不同程度的韧性变形剪切带.通过详细的野外考察和室内显微构造研究,明确贺兰山北段的古元古代基底经历了4期韧性剪切变形:(1)早期顺层剪切带表现出中下部地壳层次的变形样式,运动学特征一致反映了近南北向的伸展;(2)麻粒岩相变质的糜棱片麻岩剪切带为南北向挤压的产物,导致经历高温高压变质的孔兹岩系从下地壳向中部地壳抬升;(3)高级糜棱岩(低角闪岩相-高绿片岩相)剪切带涉及的2次伸展运动(北西-南东向伸展和北东-南西向伸展)使得基底进一步向中部地壳抬升,可能发生在形成孔兹岩系的同一造山运动的晚期伸展垮塌过程中;(4)北东-近东西向左行逆冲绿片岩相糜棱岩剪切带则将结晶基底抬升到中上部地壳层次,其运动学特征与高级糜棱岩剪切带明显不同,可能是另一造山运动的产物.贺兰山北段与大青山-乌拉山地区有相似的韧性剪切带和构造变形,表明华北克拉通西部北缘存在一致的近东西走向的古元古代碰撞造山运动以及随后另一造山运动的改造.     

甘肃敦煌东巴兔山地区敦煌杂岩的变质 变形特征及时代限定

敦煌地块位于塔里木克拉通的东南缘,是塔里木克拉通前寒武纪岩石出露的重要地区之一。敦煌地块包括北阿尔金 地区和敦煌地区,区域内出露的最古老岩石分别被称为米兰杂岩和敦煌杂岩,文章研究重点是敦煌地区出露的敦煌杂岩。 敦煌杂岩由TTG质片麻岩和变质表壳岩组成,代表性岩石组合包括英云闪长质片麻岩、奥长花岗质片麻岩、花岗闪长质片 麻岩、石榴石斜长角闪岩、石榴石黑云母片岩以及大理岩。文章对东巴兔山干沟地区的花岗闪长质片麻岩样品进行了 LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年,对石榴石黑云母片岩样品进行了矿物电子探针分析,同时对敦煌杂岩开展了构造变形研究,目 的是揭示敦煌杂岩的形成时代、构造变形特征以及变质温压条件。花岗闪长质片麻岩样品的结晶年龄为2057±75 Ma,并且 记录了~1.88 Ga和~400 Ma两期变质作用,分别与古元古代和古生代的造山事件相关。构造变形研究表明敦煌杂岩记录了两 期变形作用,分别为区域上的右形韧性剪切作用（S1） 和南北向褶皱作用（S2）,且右形韧性剪切作用（S1） 和~400 Ma的变 质作用是配套同期的。此外,对石榴石黑云母片岩样品的分析表明,~400 Ma这期变质作用变质峰期的矿物组合主要为石 榴石+黑云母+斜长石+石英,且变质温压条件为667~690 ℃/0.88~0.89 GPa,代表了高角闪岩相的变质作用。     

Mafic-ultramafic magmatism of the Early Precambrian (from the Archean to Paleoproterozoic)

Compositional evolution of the Archean mafic-ultramafic volcanics is considered in comparison with evolution of the Paleoproterozoic volcanism using available data on the Baltic shield, Pilbara (Australia) and Superior (Canada) cratons, and the Isua greenstone belt (Greenland). The Archean volcanics of mantle origin are of two major types, represented (a) by komatiite-basaltic complexes (komatiites, komatiitic and tholeiitic basalts) and (b) by geochemical analogs of boninites (GAB) and siliceous high-Mg series (SHMS) of volcanic rocks. As is established, the komatiitic and GAB volcanism ceased in the terminal Archean, whereas the SHMS rocks prevailed in the Paleoproterozoic to become extinct about 2 Ga ago in connection with transition to the Phanerozoic type of tectonomagmatic activity. Geochemical trends of mafic-ultramafic associations occurring in the considered cratons are not uniform, being of particular character to certain extent. With transition from the Paleo- to Neoarchean, rock associations of both types reveal a minor increase in Ti and Fe contents. Comparatively high Fe₂O_3tot TiO₂, and P₂O₅ concentrations (maximal ones in the Archean), which are characteristic of the Neoarchean (2.75–2.70 Ga) basalts from the Superior and Pilbara cratons or the Baltic shield, represent a result of relatively high-Ti intracratonic magmatic activity that commenced in that period practically for the first time in the Earth history. This magmatic activity of the Neoarchean was not as intense as the high-Mg basaltic volcanism, and the absolute maximum in concentrations of the above components was attained only 2.2–1.9 Ga ago, at the time of appearance in abundance of Fe-Ti picrites and basalts typical of the Phanerozoic intraplate magmatism. The Archean volcanic complexes demonstrate gradual secular increase in concentrations of incompatible elements (LREE inclusive) and growth of Nb/Th ratio that apparently reflected the progressing influence of mantle plumes. In the early Paleoproterozoic (2.5–2.35 Ga), values of that ratio considerably declined in the SHMS rocks and then quickly grew in the Middle Paleoproterozoic volcanics (2.2–1.9 Ga) to attain finally the values typical of the Phanerozoic magmas associated in origin with mantle plumes. The ?_Nd(T) parameter was decreasing with time from positive values in the Paleoarchean to negative ones in the SHMS rocks of the Paleoproterozoic most likely in response to grown proportion of ancient crustal material in magmatic melts. Since the mid-Paleoproterozoic, the ?_Nd(T) values turn in general into positive again reflecting change in the character of magmatic activity: the SHMS melts gave place at that time to the Fe-Ti picrite-basaltic magmas. The primary crust of the Earth was presumably of sialic composition and originated during solidification from the bottom upward of the global magma ocean a few hundreds kilometers deep, when most fusible components migrated up to the surface to form there the granitic crust. Geological history of the Earth commenced at the appearance time of granite-greenstone terranes and granulite belts separating them, the first large tectonic structures formed under influence of raising mantle superplumes.     

辽东古元古代造山带花岗片麻岩穹窿:热造山带典型构造样式

中下地壳的底辟上升是地壳中物质运移和热传递的一种重要机制,由这种机制产生的一系列穹窿构造不仅为揭示区域构造环境和构造演化提供了重要的线索,而且还提供了一个了解地壳深部物质流动的窗口。辽东半岛的古元古代造山带内就发育有这样一套花岗片麻岩穹窿构造,为了深入理解这套花岗片麻岩穹窿的成因以及对造山带演化的影响,本文对其不同构造层次进行了详细的构造特点和变形演化研究。结果显示,典型的花岗片麻岩穹窿可分为三层结构:混合岩化的花岗岩内核、发育顺层韧性剪切带的幔部以及含大型构造透镜体的外壳。其中核部花岗岩塑性流动变形发育,并具有明显的交代现象。顺层韧性剪切带的变形环境由靠近岩体的角闪岩相到远离岩体的低绿片岩相,并且没有明显的退化变质特点,拉伸线理具有统一的NW-SE方向。根据年代学数据与区域构造分析,花岗片麻岩穹窿构造是在区域收缩体制下花岗岩底辟形成的产物,其出现标志着辽东古元古代造山带变为一个由垂向和横向对流作用为主导的热造山带。     

华北中部构造带不同前寒武纪地块主要特征对比研究

古元古代是华北克拉通构造演化的关键时期,主要体现在由新太古代大陆地壳垂向增生到古元古代侧向增生的转换。华北中部构造带的构造性质是近年来华北克拉通构造演化研究争论的焦点之一,构造带中段出露恒山、五台和阜平等多个前寒武纪变质杂岩,其中发育多条大型韧性剪切带,这些剪切带的主期活动时代均为1. 85～1. 80Ga。本文以这些剪切带为构造边界将变质杂岩划分为恒山地块、繁峙地块、五台地块和阜平地块,并在早期研究中解析了繁峙地块构造挤入事件和阜平地块西部的伸展构造事件,表明这些前寒武纪地块的构造位置在古元古代末前后可能有所不同。结合前人资料,本文对这些地块的岩石组成、形成时代、变质作用以及典型构造样式等特征进行详细对比研究。结果表明,恒山地块、阜平地块和五台地块共同组成华北克拉通早前寒武纪"高级区-绿岩带"的典型壳层结构,而繁峙地块与其他地块具有明显差异,具有外来地块特征。     

贺兰山古元古代花岗岩年代学及地球化学特征:对华北克拉通西部孔兹岩带形成和演化的制约

华北克拉通西部贺兰山地区基底岩石以古元古代孔兹岩系和S型花岗岩为主,该区的S型花岗岩是探索华北克拉通西部陆块孔兹岩带地质演化的关键研究对象之一。本文主要以贺兰山北部的片麻状含石榴黑云母花岗岩和似斑状石榴黑云母花岗岩为研究对象,通过详细的岩石学、锆石U-Pb年代学、Hf同位素以及全岩地球化学等方法来讨论其岩石成因和地质意义。结果表明,片麻状含石榴黑云母花岗岩和似斑状石榴黑云母花岗岩侵位年龄分别为～2. 0Ga和～1. 97Ga,属于古元古代时期不同阶段岩浆作用的产物。片麻状含石榴黑云母花岗岩具有较低SiO_2(60. 88%～65. 42%),高Al_2O_3(16. 84%～19. 35%)、Fe_2O_3~T(5. 94%～6. 14%)、K_2O (3. 25%～5. 10%)、A/CNK (1. 75～2. 34)和Mg#(47～51),低Na_2O (1. 14%～2. 45%),以及较高的稀土元素含量(∑REE=262×10-6～290×10-6)和明显的Eu负异常(δEu=0. 30～0. 55)。似斑状石榴黑云母花岗岩具有高SiO_2(71. 93%～74. 98%)、K_2O (4. 58%～6. 98%)、Al_2O_3(13. 25%～14. 79%)和Na_2O (3. 13%～3. 94%),低Fe2OT3(0. 69%～1. 39%),A/CNK值为1. 08～1. 14,且具有相对较低的Mg#值(17～43)和稀土元素总量(∑REE=35. 3×10-6～127×10-6),Eu负异常和正异常(δEu=0. 07～3. 58),二者均属于过铝质S型花岗岩。贺兰山两期花岗岩明显富集大离子亲石元素(如Rb、U等),亏损高场强元素(如Nb、Ta等)。早期片麻状含榴黑云母花岗岩和晚期似斑状石榴黑云母花岗岩的εHf(t)值分别为-1. 1～+2. 6和-2. 1～+3. 8,对应的两阶段Hf同位素模式年龄(tDM2)分别为2. 45～2. 68Ga和2. 36～2. 73Ga,远大于其锆石的结晶年龄。此外,贺兰山花岗岩具有相对高的Al_2O_3/TiO_2和低的CaO/Na_2O、Rb/Sr、Rb/Ba比值,表明其原岩可能主要以变沉积岩为主。上述结果表明贺兰山地区古元古代S型花岗岩的岩浆起源于古老地壳变沉积岩物质,可能有少量新生地壳物质的加入。综合区域地质资料,本文研究认为贺兰山地区在古元古代晚期为活动大陆边缘的构造环境,片麻状含石榴黑云母花岗岩和似斑状石榴黑云母花岗岩分别形成于阴山地块和鄂尔多斯地块碰撞前和同碰撞的构造背景,表明这两个微陆块的碰撞时间可能要稍早于1. 95 Ga。