Geology and ages of porphyry and medium- to high-sulphidation epithermal gold deposits of the continental margin of Northeast China

The continental margin of Northeast China, an important part of the continental margin-related West Pacific metallogenic belt, hosts numerous types of gold-dominated mineral deposits. Based on ore deposit geology and isotopic dating, we have classified hydrothermal gold–copper ore deposits in this region into four distinct types: (1) gold-rich porphyry copper deposits, (2) gold-rich porphyry-like copper deposits, (3) medium-sulphidation epithermal copper–gold deposits, and (4) high-sulphidation epithermal gold deposits. These ore deposits formed during four distinct metallogenic stages or periods, at 123.6 ± 2.5 Ma, 110–104 Ma, 104–102 Ma, and 95.0 ± 2 Ma, corresponding to periods of Cretaceous intermediate–acid volcanism and late-stage emplacement of hypabyssal magmas along the northern margin of the North China platform. The earliest stage of mineralization (123.6 ± 2.5 Ma) corresponds to the formation of medium-sulphidation epithermal copper – gold deposits and was associated with a continental margin magmatic arc system linked to subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasia. This metallogenesis is closely related to high-K calc-alkaline intermediate–acid granite and pyroxene – diorite porphyry magmatism. The second and third stages of mineralization in the study area (110–104 Ma and 104–102 Ma, respectively) correspond to the formation of gold-rich porphyry copper, porphyry-like copper, and high-sulphidation gold deposits, with metallogenesis closely related to sodic or adakitic magmatism. These magmas formed in a continental margin magmatic arc system related to oblique subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasia, as well as mixing of crust-derived remelted granitic and mantle-derived adakitic magmas. During the final stage of mineralization (95.0 ± 2 Ma), metallogenesis was closely related to sodic or adakitic magmatism, with diagenesis and metallogenesis related to the disintegration or destruction of the Pacific Plate, which was subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate during the Mesozoic.     

The Longmala and Mengya’a skarn Pb–Zn deposits,Gangdese region,Tibet: evidence from U–Pb and Re–Os geochronology for formation during early India–Asia collision

The Longmala and Mengya’a deposits are two representative skarn Pb–Zn deposits of the Nyainqêntanglha Pb–Zn–(Cu–Mo–Ag) polymetallic belt in the Gangdese region, Tibet, China. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U–Pb dating of the mineralization-related biotite monzogranite from the Longmala deposit yielded a weighted mean age of 55.7 Ma, which can be interpreted as the emplacement age of the pluton. Re–Os dating of three molybdenite samples from the Longmala deposit yielded model ages of 51.8–54.3 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 53.3 Ma, which is interpreted as the mineralization age of the deposit and overlaps the age of the causative intrusion. The Re–Os dating of four molybdenite samples from the Mengya’a deposit yielded model ages of 60.4–65.8 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 63.6 Ma, which represents the mineralization age of this deposit. Our new precise age data for these two deposits are consistent with the existing ages of ca. 65–51 Ma for other skarn polymetallic deposits in the Nyainqêntanglha metallogenic belt. In addition, these new age data, combined with existing information on the geological evolution history of the Lhasa terrane, indicate that the belt of skarn deposits is closely related to initial collision between India and the Asian continents.     

Petrology and geochronology of ultrahigh-pressure granitic gneiss from South Dulan,North Qaidam belt,NW China

abstract

An integrated study including petrography, mineral chemistry, metamorphic P–T path modelling, and zircon U–Pb dating was conducted on a granitic gneiss and enclosed eclogite from South Dulan, North Qaidam UHP (ultrahigh-pressure) belt. The result shows that the granitic gneiss underwent a clockwise P–T path with a peak-P stage at 655–745°C, 30–34 kbar, and a subsequent peak-T stage at 815–870°C, 14–18 kbar, which is similar to the P–T estimates reported for coesite-bearing continental-type eclogites in this region. The enclosed eclogite resembles an olivine–pyroxene-rich cumulate in Qaidam block. It has a similar prograde P–T path with the country gneiss and experienced a peak-P stage of 682–748°C at 27–34 kbar. Zircon U–Pb dating yields an eclogite-facies metamorphic age of 447 ± 2 Ma for the granitic gneiss and 445 ± 6 Ma for the enclosed eclogite. These ages agree with metamorphic ages obtained from paragneisses (427–439 Ma), coesite-bearing continental-type eclogites (430–451 Ma), and UHPM (ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic) oceanic crust–mantle sequence (440–445 Ma) from South Dulan, as well as UHP eclogites, garnet peridotite, and gneisses from other units (460–420 Ma) within this belt reported by others. Similar metamorphic ages as well as P–T evolution documented in gneisses and intercalated eclogites imply that both rocks experienced a coeval UHP event. Summarizing all the published geochronology data, we argue that the North Qaidam UHP belt was mainly formed by continental deep subduction at ~460 to ~420 Ma. The UHPM oceanic crust-mantle sequence in South Dulan may represent oceanic lithosphere in the transition zone between oceanic and continental crust, which was dragged upward by the exhumed continental rocks after break-off of the dense oceanic crust.     

钦州湾-杭州湾构造结合带（南段）地质演化和找矿方向

钦州湾-杭州湾结合带是位于扬子与华夏两大古陆块中间的巨型构造结合带。根据内部结构不均一性和演化历史的差异,钦-杭结合带可划分为3段：北（东）段、中段和南（西）段,分界线大致为北纬24°和北纬27°。中段与南岭带大体一致;北段指南岭以北地区,即绍兴-江山-萍乡一带;南段位于南岭以南区域,大致与云开-十万大山带相当。钦-杭结合带南段是华南大陆壳再造和矿产资源寻找的重要研究课题。它的地质演化与钦-杭结合带具有整体一致性,特别是具有一致的开-合历史。震旦系底部的粤西云浮大降坪块状硫化物矿床是海底喷流沉积的产物,它与信宜和陆川新元古代蛇绿岩等是南段洋壳存在的重要证据。在进一步的矿床勘查中,要重视斑岩型铜（钼）矿床的寻找。中酸性斑岩体来自于元古宙岛弧底部玄武质岩石（下地壳）在中生代时期的部分熔融,本质上该类矿床带有岛弧俯冲环境的基因。     

碰撞与花岗岩——碰撞是构造事件,不是构造环境

碰撞与花岗岩的关系是学术界关心的问题,但是,当前在碰撞与花岗岩关系的研究中存在许多误区.本文认为,碰撞是地壳浅部的构造事件,不属于构造环境范畴.碰撞本身不产生花岗岩,花岗岩形成需要热,热主要来自地幔,是来自地幔的热使下地壳底部熔融才形成了花岗岩.碰撞和碰撞后花岗岩地球化学性质不同,原因与碰撞或碰撞后无关,而与碰撞导致的地壳厚度变化有关.碰撞不是构造环境,现今所用的花岗岩构造环境判别图如果包含有碰撞的内容全部是错误的.     

Post‐Late Paleozoic Collisional Framework of Southern Great Altai

We outline the post-Late Paleozoic (latest Permian to Cenozoic) collisional framework of the southern Great Altai (Central Asia) produced by the convergence between the Tuva-Mongolia and Junggar continental terranes (microplates). The collisional structures in the region classified on the basis of their geometry and deformation style, dynamic metamorphism, and compositions of tectonites are of three main types: (1) mosaic terranes made up of large weakly deformed Paleozoic blocks separated by younger shear zones; (2) contractional deformation systems involving structures formed in post-Late Paleozoic time, parallel faults oriented along collisional deformation systems, and relict lenses of Paleozoic orogenic complexes; and (3) isolated zones of dynamic metamorphism composed mostly of collisional tectonites different in composition and alteration grade.     

南海西南次海盆被动陆缘构造单元划分及伸展演化过程

南海西南次海盆被动陆缘洋陆转换带位于陆缘强烈伸展区,蕴含着岩石圈临界伸展破裂和洋盆扩张过程的丰富信息。本文利用多道地震剖面和重力异常数据,对西南次海盆被动陆缘构造单元进行划分,研究陆缘南、北部洋陆转换带结构构造特征,探讨陆缘伸展演化过程。多道地震剖面资料显示,北部洋陆转换带发育有裂陷期断陷和向海倾斜的掀斜断块;南部发育有低角度正断层控制的裂陷期断陷、海底火山以及局部隆起;从陆到洋方向,重力异常值变化明显。根据上述结果南海西南次海盆被动陆缘划分为近端带、洋陆转换带和洋盆三个构造单元,分别对应了其伸展演化过程的三个阶段：前裂谷阶段、陆缘裂陷阶段和海底扩张阶段。     

内蒙古东七一山花岗岩地球化学、锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄及岩体形成环境探讨

古生代时期, 北山地区的地壳活动非常强烈, 主要表现为: 早古生代初期大陆的裂解, 一直到中奥陶世广阔大洋盆的发育。志留纪末, 洋盆在自南向北的俯冲中封闭, 使北侧的哈萨克斯坦板块和南侧的塔里木板块拼贴, 并在碰撞造山过程中又构成了一个相对统一的陆块。在晚古生代, 北山地区地壳又在另外一种形式中异常强烈活动, 特别是自石炭纪到二叠纪, 大规模的中酸性岩浆侵入活动构成本区重要的地质事件, 其出露的花岗岩类占到了全区总面积的近1/3, 但泥盆纪时期的地壳活动, 特别是花岗岩浆的侵入活动常被人们忽视, 笔者据泥盆纪时期的沉积-火山作用及挤压构造活动也较发育认为, 海西早期也应有较强的花岗岩浆侵入活动。本文有针对性地对北山地区, 原定为海西中期的东七一山花岗岩岩基, 在岩石学和地球化学等方面研究基础上, 对3处岩石中锆石首次进行了SHRIMP U-Pb年龄测定, 其结果分别是(355±4) Ma、 (359±4) Ma、(355±5) Ma, 这表明东七一山花岗岩形成于泥盆纪晚期, 从而确定了北山晚古生代早期也有花岗岩浆的强烈活动, 这对深化北山古生代地壳演化过程有积极意义。     

青藏高原大地构造演化——主要构造-热事件的制约及其成因探讨

尽管青藏高原具有至少5 000万年漫长的演化历史,但是我们对它的认识多是基于一些持续时间很短的构造、沉积、热和气候等事件。在前人的研究基础上,本文对发生在高原内的主要构造-热事件进行梳理,并在时空上进行对比,试图确定相对合理的动力学控制因素。在新生代早期(～50 Ma)和中新世中晚期(～10 Ma),印度板块运动速率发生两次大幅度衰减,前一事件被认为与印度与欧亚大陆碰撞有关,后一事件被认为与高原向外扩展有关,成因是高原的底部岩石圈的剥离和由此引发的均衡反弹。除此以外,在高原内还发生过两次事件,虽然它们没有反应在印度板块运动速率的变化,但是留下的痕迹遍布高原。一次是高原内部区域性挤压缩短的停止,平坦的高原面得以发育,另一次是高原周边山脉的隆升,这两次事件都发生在新生代中期(～25 Ma)。这两次构造事件呈现的"此消彼长"关系反映出高原向外的扩展,成因是否是高原岩石圈底部的剥离还是个未知数。由此可以得出结论,即:中央高原现今的构造与地貌格架定型于早期事件(～25 Ma),而高原周边造山带现今的构造和地貌格架定型于晚期事件(～10 Ma)。即使是新生代中期的扩展事件,在时间上也远远滞后于印度与欧亚大陆的碰撞时间,青藏高原新生代早期(50～35 Ma)在很大程度上仍是一段哑历史,该时期到底发生了什么？这是一个值得探索的科学问题。     

Evolution of drainage patterns on Cape York Peninsula,northeast Queensland

Drainage patterns along passive continental margins are often hypothesised to be the result of drainage disruption following highland uplift and downwarping of the highland flank. Several studies of stream catchments throughout southeast Australia have demonstrated that the opposite tends to be the case in this region because the field evidence favours stream and continental drainage‐divide stability. While significant advances have been made towards understanding this phenomenon in the southeastern corner of the continent, little is known of the evolution of streams and highlands in northeast Australia. Our study examines palaeochannels and fluvial sedimentary units close to the continental drainage divide in six stream catchments along the length of Cape York Peninsula. The results show that four of the catchments (Barron‐Mitchell and Stewart‐Holroyd) have experienced continental divide and drainage stability, whereas the Pascoe‐Wenlock system appears to have experienced westward migration of the continental drainage divide and diversion of the Pascoe River. River diversion here is likely to be a result of the raising of base‐level and flooding of stream channels during the Cretaceous marine transgression and subsequent stream incision by the Pascoe River along structural weaknesses in the underlying strata, following cessation of marine conditions.