Intermediate Alkali-Alumino-silicate Aqueous Solutions Released by Deeply Subducted Continental Crust: Fluid Evolution in UHP OH-rich Topaz-Kyanite Quartzites from Donghai (Sulu, China)

Minerals, fluid inclusions and stable isotopes have been studiedin ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) OH-rich topaz–kyanite quartzitesfrom Hushan (west of Dongai), in southern Sulu (China). Thequartzites underwent a metamorphic evolution characterized bya peak stage (3·5 GPa and 730–820°C) with theanhydrous assemblage coesite + kyanite I, followed by an earlynear-isothermal decompression stage (2·9 GPa and 705–780°C)with growth of kyanite II, muscovite, and OH-rich topaz, andby decompression-cooling stages, represented by paragonite (1·9GPa and 700–780°C) and pyrophyllite (0·3 GPaand 400°C) on kyanite (I and II) and OH-rich topaz, respectively.These rocks may exhibit unusually low ¹⁸O and D values acquiredbefore undergoing UHP metamorphism. Five distinct fluid generationsare recognized. Type I: concentrated peak solutions rich inSi, Al, and alkalis, present within multiphase inclusions inkyanite I. Type II: CaCl₂-rich brines present during the growthof early retrograde OH-rich topaz. Type III, IV, and V: lateaqueous fluids of variable salinity, and rare CO₂ present duringamphibolite- and late greenschist-facies conditions. A numberof conclusions may be drawn from these relationships that havean effect on fluid evolution in deeply subducted continentalrocks. (1) At a pressure of about 3·5 GPa alkali–alumino-silicateaqueous solutions, with compositions intermediate between H₂Ofluid and melt (H₂O > 25 and 50 wt %) evolved from quartzites,probably generated by dehydration reactions. (2) During earlydecompression stages, at the transition from UHP to high-pressure(2·9 GPa) conditions, brines of external origin withhigher water contents (82 wt % H₂O) initiated the growth ofOH-rich topaz and muscovite. (3) The subsequent decompression,at P <2 GPa, was defined by a limited circulation of NaClaqueous fluids, and CO₂ infiltration. Overall, fluid inclusionsand stable isotopes highlight a metamorphic fluid–rockinteraction characterized by internally derived intermediateaqueous solutions at UHP, followed by infiltration of Cl-richbrines with higher water activities. KEY WORDS: ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism; OH-rich topaz; fluid inclusions; stable isotopes; supercritical liquids     

Petrology and Geochronology of Granulites from the McKaskle Hills, Eastern Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and Implications for the Evolution of the Prydz Belt

A combined petrological and geochronological study was carriedout on mafic granulites and associated felsic gneisses fromthe McKaskle Hills, eastern Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica.Garnet-bearing mafic granulites exhibit reaction textures andexsolution textures that indicate two-stage metamorphic evolution.Thermobarometric estimates from matrix and symplectite assemblagesyield peak and retrograde P–T conditions of 9·0–9·5kbar and 880–950°C and 6·6–7·2kbar and 700–750°C, respectively. Similar but slightlyscattered peak P–T estimates of 7·9–10·1kbar and 820–980°C are obtained from the core compositionsof minerals from felsic para- and orthogneisses. Evidence forthe prograde history is provided by muscovite inclusions ingarnet from a paragneiss. Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobeU–Pb zircon dating reveals an evolutionary history forthe granulites, including a mafic and felsic igneous intrusionat 1174–1019 Ma, sedimentation after 932–916 Ma,and a high-grade metamorphism at 533–529 Ma. In contrast,Sm–Nd mineral–whole-rock dating mainly yields asingle age population at 500 Ma. This suggests that the McKaskleHills form part of the Prydz Belt, and that the relatively highpeak P–T conditions and a decompression-dominated P–Tpath for the rocks resulted from a single Cambrian metamorphiccycle, rather than two distinct metamorphic events as formerlyinferred for the granulites from Prydz Bay. The age data alsoindicate that the Precambrian history of the McKaskle Hillsis not only distinct from that of the early Neoproterozoic terranein the northern Prince Charles Mountains, but also differentfrom that of other parts of the Prydz Belt. The existence ofmultiple basement terranes, together with considerable crustalthickening followed by tectonic uplift and unroofing indicatedby the clockwise P–T–t evolution, suggests thatthe Prydz Belt may represent a collisional orogen that resultedin the assembly of Gondwana during the Cambrian period. KEY WORDS: Mesoproterozoic basement; Cambrian metamorphism; P–T path; Prydz Belt; East Antarctica     

On the origin of oriented rutile needles in garnet from UHP eclogites

Although oriented rutile needles in garnet have been reported from several ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) rocks and considered to be important UHP indicators, their crystallographic features including growth habit and lattice correspondences with garnet host have never been properly characterized. This paper presents a detailed analytical electron microscopic (AEM) study on evenly distributed oriented rutile needles in garnet of two eclogitic rocks from Sulu. Some garnet in one UHP diamondiferous quartzofeldspathic rock from the Saxonian Erzgebirge, and in one high‐pressure (HP) felsic granulite from Bohemia also contain a few unevenly distributed oriented rutile needles. They have also been studied for the purpose of comparison. Despite different distribution patterns, AEM revealed that all rutile needles are oriented along the 〈111〉 directions of garnet with their lateral sides surrounded by the {110} planes of garnet, and that the growth directions of most needles are close to the normal of the {101} planes of rutile. No other specific crystallographic orientation relationships between rutile and garnet host were observed, and there is no pyroxene associated with rutile, as necessitated by the precipitation reaction of rutile in garnet as previously proposed. A simple solid‐state precipitation scenario for the formation of the rutile needles in garnet in these two eclogitic rocks is not justified. Three alternative mechanisms are considered for the formation of oriented rutile needles: (i) the rutile needles may be inherited from precursor minerals; (ii) the rutile needles may be formed by a dissolution–reprecipitation mechanism; and (iii) the rutile needles may be formed by cleaving and healing of garnet with rutile deposition. None of these mechanisms can fully explain the observations, although the first one is less likely and the third one is preferred. This study presents an example where the presence of oriented/aligned inclusions in minerals does not necessarily imply a precipitation origin.     

Accessory phase petrogenesis in relation to major phase assemblages in pelites from the Nelson contact aureole, southern British Columbia

Monazite petrogenesis in the Nelson contact aureole is the result of allanite breakdown close to, but downgrade and therefore independent of, major phase isograds involving cordierite, andalusite and staurolite. The development of garnet downgrade of the staurolite and andalusite isograds does not appear to affect the onset of the allanite-to-monazite reaction but does affect the textural development of monazite. In lower pressure, garnet-absent rocks, allanite breakdown results in localized monazite growth as pseudomorphous clusters. In higher pressure, garnet-bearing rocks, allanite breakdown produces randomly distributed, lone grains of monazite with no textural relationship to the original reaction site. Fluids liberated from hydrous phases (chlorite, muscovite) during garnet formation may have acted as a flux to distribute light rare earth elements more widely within the rock upon allanite breakdown, preventing the localized formation of monazite pseudomorphs. Despite these textural differences, both types of monazite have very similar chemistry and an indistinguishable age by electron microprobe chemical dating (157 ± 6.4 Ma). This age range is within error of isotopic ages determined by others for the Nelson Batholith. Garnet from the garnet, staurolite and andalusite zones shows euhedral Y zoning typified by a high-Y core, low-Y collar and moderate-Y annulus, the latter ascribed to allanite breakdown during garnet growth in the garnet zone. The cause of the transition from high-Y core to low-Y collar, traditionally interpreted to be due to xenotime consumption, is unclear because of the ubiquitous presence of xenotime. Accessory phase geothermometry involving monazite, xenotime and garnet returns inconsistent results, suggesting calibration problems or a lack of equilibration between phases.     

江西赣州西北部蛤湖地区拆离伸展构造体系

在江西赣州西北部蛤湖地区发现1条韧性拆离断层,宽1～3km,倾向南东。该断层以震旦系砂页岩的构造片岩化和中酸性火山岩的糜棱岩化为特征。其上盘由5～6条铲式正断层组成,正断层的倾向与拆离断层一致,其中最上部的1条正断层控制了箕状断陷盆地的形成和分布;下盘为笔架山穹隆状复式花岗岩杂岩体及其外接触带的震旦系浅变质地层。这些构造构成了一个在成因上与拆离断层形成有关的伸展构造体系。该体系的形成与区域北东向地垒式隆起局部地段的强烈隆升有关,发生于侏罗纪至晚白垩世,其活动对内生成矿起着重要的控制作用。     

构造物理化学条件对煤变质作用的控制

煤是对温度和压力等地质因素十分敏感的有机岩,各种构造-热事件控制下的物理化学条件,是促进煤岩演化的根本动力。本文对煤变质作用过程的研究现状进行了综述,着重讨论了煤岩在高煤阶-石墨演化阶段的控制因素、演化过程和演化机制。煤变质作用包括煤化作用阶段和石墨化作用阶段,共同构成一个连续的有机质演化过程,总体趋势是分子结构有序化、化学成分单一化,最终演变为以碳元素为主、三维有序结构的石墨。温度和压力(应力)是控制煤变质作用两大因素,在不同的演化阶段,这两大因素所起的作用和演变机理都有所差异。在低、中煤阶演化阶段,温度是煤化学结构演化的主要控制因素,为化学键断裂提供活化能,应力缩聚和应力降解则对煤化学结构演化具有催化作用。高煤阶-石墨化阶段的主要机制是导致基本结构单元BSUs之间相互联结使短程有序化范围增大的拼叠作用,构造应力在其中起到关键作用,BSUs定向和面网间距不断减小,促进大分子物理结构演化。加强煤变质作用的高级阶段-石墨演化过程的研究,将丰富和深化对煤-石墨物理化学结构完整演化序列的认识。煤系石墨成矿机制的高温高压模拟实验,则为煤变质作用构造物理化学条件研究提供了可行的技术手段。     

Mid–Late Triassic metamorphic event for Changhai meta-sedimentary rocks from the SE Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt,North China Craton: Evidence from monazite U–Th–Pb and muscovite Ar–Ar dating

The precise constraints on the timing of metamorphism of the Changhai metamorphic complex is of great importance considering the prolonged controversial issue of the north margin and the extension of the Sulu–Dabie HP–UHP Belt. While the monazite U–Th–Pb and muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar techniques are widely accepted as two of the most powerful dating tools for revealing the thermal histories of medium–low grade metamorphic rocks and precisely constraining the timing of metamorphism. The Changhai metamorphic complex at the SE Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt, North China Craton consists of a variety of pelitic schist and Grt–Ky-bearing paragneiss, and minor quartzite and marble. Analyses of mineral inclusions and back-scattered electric (BSE) images of monazites, combined with LA–ICP–MS U–Th–Pb ages for monazites and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for muscovites, provide evidence of the origin and metamorphic age of the Changhai metamorphic complex. Monazites separates from various Grt–Mus schists and Grt–Ky–St–Mus paragneisses exhibit homogeneous BSE images from cores to rims, and contain inclusion assemblages of Grt + Mus + Qtz ± Ctd ± Ky in schist, and Grt + Ky + St + Mus + Pl + Kfs + Qtz inclusions in paragneiss. These inclusion assemblages are very similar to matrix minerals of host rocks, indicating they are metamorphic rather than inherited or detrital in origin. LA–ICP–MS U–Th–Pb dating reveals that monazites of schist and paragneiss have consistent ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages ranging from 228.1 ± 3.8 to 218.2 ± 3.7 Ma. In contrast, muscovites from various schists show slightly older ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 236.1 ± 1.5 to 230.2 ± 1.2 Ma. These geochronological and petrological data conclude that the pelitic sediments have experienced a metamorphic event at the Mid–Late Triassic (236.1–218.2 Ma) rather than the Paleoproterozoic (1950–1850 Ma), commonly regarded as the Precambrian basement for the Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt. Hence, the Changhai metamorphic complex should be considered as a discrete lithotectonic group.This newly recognized Mid–Late Triassic metamorphic event (236.1–218.2 Ma) for the Changhai metamorphic complex is coeval with the HP–UHP metamorphic event (235–220 Ma) for Sulu–Dabie rocks. This leads us to speculate that the metamorphism of the Changhai complex belt along the SE margin of the North China Craton was genetically related to the Mid–Late Triassic collision of the North China and South China cratons. By the same token, the Sulu–Dabie HP–UHP Belt may have extended through Yantai, and the southern Yellow Sea, and to the southern side of the Changhai metamorphic complex.     

Retrogressive Microstructures:A Key to Post Collisional Uplift and Extension Tectonics of Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphic Rocks from Dabie Orogenic Belt,China

ThereisanunanimousunderstandingthattheUHPmetamorphisminDabie-SuluareaswasformedduringtheTri-assiccollisioneventbetweentheYangtzeandNorthChinacratons(Congetal.,l994$Zhouetal-,l996;Liouetal.,l994)-Eclogiteisthemostimportantrocktypeamongtheul-trahigh-pressure(UHP)metamorphicrocks.Accordingtotheiroccurrencethereare3typesofeclogites:typeIisen-clavesinultramaficintrusionsandasmembersinthelayeredmafic-ultramaficcomplex(Jahnl998);typeIispodsorlay-ersinthehighlymetamorphicsupracrustals(mainlying…     

硼及硼同位素地球化学在地质研究中的应用

总结了硼及硼同位素的地球化学特征：（１）硼是易溶元素,主要赋存在地球表层,尤其是海水、海相沉积物及海水交代岩石中。其同位素组成δ１１Ｂ值按顺序变化,封闭盐湖卤水（＞４０‰）＞海水（３９５‰）＞海相硼矿物（１８２‰～３１７３‰）＞海相沉积物（１３９‰～２５２‰）＞海水交代岩石（４５１‰～１０８５‰）。大陆水及陆相沉积物硼含量及硼同位素组成变化极大,并多以负值为主。海陆过渡构造带则具有过渡的硼丰度值和硼同位素组成。（２）１１Ｂ较１０Ｂ具有更活跃的地球化学性质,因此在水岩作用中具有明显的同位素交换。硅化交代作用中,岩石被硅化交代,释放硼,并优先释放重硼,同位素组成变轻;在脱硅反应中,岩石释放硅吸收硼,并优先吸收重硼,同位素组成变重。在封闭体系中,水溶液淋滤岩石中部分的硼,即可大量富集,并富集１１Ｂ;在开放体系中,岩石硼被大量淋滤流失,δ１１Ｂ值明显降低。由于水岩作用的结果,从新鲜海底玄武岩到正常海水,硼同位素值从－２９５‰到３９５‰逐渐升高。（３）变质脱水反应中硼被大量排出,并优先排出重硼同位素,进入流体相,因此随着变质程度由低到高,岩石中硼含量及同位素组成δ１１Ｂ值由高变低。（４）在成矿研究中?     

盆地的形成和充填过程模拟──以拉伸盆地为例

沉积盆地定量动力学模拟和分析是目前地学领域的一个研究热点。文中建立的拉伸盆地模拟系统可模拟拉伸盆地的沉降过程、估算盆地的拉伸量、分析盆地深部结构和热流背景;动态模拟盆地的充填过程及预测层序格架和沉积体系域的分布样式。沉降和热史模拟结合了二维的回剥法和简单或纯剪切的盆地形成模型。盆地充填模型综合考虑了盆地的构造沉降、均衡作用。沉积物供给。海（湖）平面变化等对盆地充填过程的控制作用。对莺、琼盆地模拟分析揭示了盆地的幕式拉伸过程和深部热演化;层序模拟提示了盆地沉降。海平面变化等对盆地充填演化的控制作用。