Multi-stage metamorphism by progressive accretion of continental blocks,example from the Western Hindu Kush

Basement rocks from the Western Hindu Kush preserve evidence of multiple metamorphic and magmatic events that occurred along the boundary between the Archean–Proterozoic Afghan Central and Afghan–Tajik Blocks. To verify the different metamorphic stages or events, mineral textures and phase equilibria in metamorphic basement rocks and their age relations to magmatic episodes have been investigated. Quartzofeldspathic gneiss and migmatite with lenses of amphibolite (with assumed Proterozoic age for their metamorphism) are intruded by the Triassic Hindu Kush granitoid batholith and small Cretaceous and Oligocene granite intrusions. The age of thermal overprint (210–170 Ma) by the Triassic batholith is confirmed by new monazite data. Both Triassic and Cretaceous granitoids and surrounding basement rocks underwent subsequent metamorphism up to epidote–amphibolite facies. The degree of this metamorphism increases southward at the contact to the Kabul Block, which under-plates the Western Hindu Kush from the south. An early Miocene age was obtained by Pb–Th analyses in thorite and huttonite, which are close or slightly younger than the Oligocene granite in this area. The Cretaceous meta-granodiorite near the border with the Kabul Block contains xenoliths of granulite facies rocks that could come from the Neoarchean granulite facies basement of the Kabul Block. The multi-stage metamorphic and magmatic evolution classifies the Hindu Kush mountain belt as a long-lived suture zone that was active since the early Palaeozoic. The results of this study support the interpretation about possible relations of the Afghan Central Blocks to the southern margin of Eurasia during the evolution of Para- and Neotethys.     

湖南省宁远──道县中生代玄武岩中辉长岩包体的岩石学初步研究

宁远－道县中生代玄武岩中辉长岩包体的岩石学、矿物学等特征表明辉长岩与寄主玄武岩分属不同系列岩石。辉长岩为偏碱性拉斑质玄武岩的分异结晶产物，类似于似层状基性侵入体。它代表了本区较早的基性岩浆熔融和侵位事件，可能是地洼活动阶段早期的一种深部岩石圈活动表现。     

岚皋金云角闪辉石岩类捕虏体特征

陕西岚皋地区碱质基性超基性潜火山杂岩中的金云角闪辉石岩类捕虏体，主要由透辉石、富钛韭闪石、高Ｔｉ金云母、磷灰石及钛铁矿组成。捕虏体发育三联晶、碎裂边、扭折变形等固相线下变形变质结构，与正常地幔尖晶石二辉橄榄岩成分相比，捕虏体富ＴｉＯ２、Ｆｅ２Ｏ３、ＣａＯ、Ｎａ２Ｏ、Ｋ２Ｏ，贫ＭｇＯ；其稀土元素具富集特征，尤其富集ＬＲＥＥ；微量元素配分型式显示富亲石不相容元素的特征。岩相学、矿物学及岩石化学特征表明，该类捕虏体为交代地幔捕虏体，它代表了北大巴山早古生代裂谷作用时期的异常地幔。交代营力可能源于地幔热柱的上升，在地幔深处可能以熔体交代作用为主，往上逐渐以流体交代作用为主     

Low water contents in pyroxenes from spinel-peridotites of the oxidized, sub-arc mantle wedge

Pyroxene water contents measured by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry for Mexican and Simcoe (WA, USA) spinel-peridotite xenoliths range from 140 to 528 ppm in clinopyroxenes and 39 to 265 ppm in orthopyroxenes. Correlations between these water contents and major-element compositional data for the pyroxenes, associated spinels, and whole-rock xenoliths demonstrate that these water contents record mantle values that have not been perturbed since the xenoliths were brought to the surface by their host magmas. Broad positive correlations of pyroxene water contents with whole-rock Al₂O₃ are consistent with water behaving as an incompatible element during peridotite melting. The main control on the range of pyroxene water contents, however, appears to be the redox state of the peridotite, because estimates of oxygen fugacity from Mössbauer (Simcoe) and microprobe data (Mexico) on spinels are negatively correlated with water contents. This is consistent with the dominant mechanism of H incorporation into pyroxene, which is dependent on the oxidation-reduction of iron. Metasomatism of sub-arc mantle-wedge peridotites by oxidized fluids or melts rising from the slab raises the oxygen fugacity of the peridotites, and where temperature is high enough, induces them to partially melt. The oxidation, in turn, lowers the solubility of water in the peridotite minerals, causing more than half of the original water to be expelled. That water enters the hydrous partial melts and these ascend through the lithosphere to feed the arc magmatic system in the upper crust. Low water contents in pyroxenes from sub-arc mantle-wedge peridotites, such as those from Simcoe and some western Mexican sites, therefore appear to be complementary to the high water contents that characterize subduction-zone magmas and fuel their explosive eruptions. An estimate of water budget in subduction zones, however, indicates that the amount of water coming from the dehydration of mantle-wedge anhydrous minerals probably accounts for less than 5% of the total water present in subduction-related magmas. The high water contents of arc magmas thus are mainly attributed to fluids or melts from the slab proper. The relatively dry sub-arc mantle wedge appears to be an effective medium through which subducted water is transported from slabs toward the surface.     

Mantle Redox State Evolution in Eastern China and Its Implications

Using the secondary spinel standard, the authors have precisely measured the Fe3+/∑ Fe values of spinels in mantle xenoliths from Cenozoic basalts in eastern China, and estimated the oxygen fugacities recorded by 63 mantle xenoliths through olivine-orthopyroxene-spinel oxygen barometry. The results indicate that the oxygen fugacities of the lithospheric mantle in eastern China are higher in the south than in the north. Among them, the oxygen fugacity of the North China craton lithospheric mantle is the lowest, similar to that of the oceanic mantle, while that of Northeast and South China are the same as that of the global continental mantle. The variations of mantle redox state in eastern China are mainly controlled by the C-O-H fluids derived from the asthenospheric mantle. According to the mantle oxidation state, it can be concluded that the C-O-H fluids in the lithospheric mantle of eastern China consist mainly of CO2 and minor H2O, but CH4-rich fluids should come from the asthenosphere where the ox     

Petrology and U–Pb geochronology of lower crustal xenoliths and the development of a craton, Slave Province, Canada

Lower crustal xenoliths recovered from Eocene to Cambrian kimberlites in the central and southern Slave craton are dominated by mafic granulites (garnet, clinopyroxene, plagioclase±orthopyroxene), with subordinate metatonalite and peraluminous felsic granulites. Geothermobarometry indicates metamorphic conditions of 650–800 °C at pressures of 0.9–1.1 GPa. The metamorphic conditions are consistent with temperatures expected for the lower crust of high-temperature low-pressure (HT-LP) metamorphic belts characteristic of Neoarchean metamorphism in the Slave craton. U–Pb geochronology of zircon, rutile and titanite demonstrate a complex history in the lower crust. Mesoarchean protoliths occur beneath the central Slave supporting models of an east-dipping boundary between Mesoarchean crust in the western and Neoarchean crust in the eastern Slave. At least, two episodes of igneous and metamorphic zircon growth occurred in the interval 2.64–2.58 Ga that correlate with the age of plutonism and metamorphism in the upper crust, indicating magmatic addition to the lower crust and metamorphic reworking during this period. In addition, discrete periods of younger zircon growth at ca. 2.56–2.55 and 2.51 Ga occurred 20–70 my after the cessation of ca. 2.60–2.58 Ga regional HT-LP metamorphism and granitic magmatism in the upper crust. This pattern of younger metamorphic events in the deep crust is characteristic of the Slave as well as other Archean cratons (e.g., Superior). The high temperature of the lower crust immediately following amalgamation of the craton, coupled with evidence for continued metamorphic zircon growth for >70 my after ‘stabilization’ of the upper crust, is difficult to reconcile with a thick (200 km), cool lithospheric mantle root beneath the craton prior to this event. We suggest that thick tectosphere developed synchronously or after these events, most likely by imbrication of mantle beneath the craton at or after ca. 2.6 Ga. The minimum age for establishing a cratonic like geotherm is given by lower crustal rutile ages of ca. 1.8 Ga in the southern Slave. Transient heating and possible magmatic additions to the lower crust continued through the Proterozoic, with possible additional growth of the tectosphere.     

安徽铜陵地区中生代幔源岩浆底侵作用——来自矿物巨晶和岩石包体的证据

安徽铜陵地区中生代的岩浆岩岩体中产有多种矿物巨晶和岩石包体。笔者对产于曹山辉石冈长玢岩和鸡冠石花岗闪长岩中的辉石和角闪石巨晶及其堆积岩或堆积晶进行了详细的岩相学和矿物化学研究，并在此基础上估算了矿物平衡结晶的温压条件，讨论了安徽铜陵地区中生代幔源岩浆底侵作用问题。研究表明，铜陵地区大约在140Ma以前发生了碱性橄榄玄武质岩浆的底侵作用，辉石巨晶和角闪石巨晶及其堆积晶是由底侵的碱性橄榄玄武质岩浆在28～33km深处的深位岩浆房中与下地壳发生同化混染作用形成的中基性岩浆经结晶分异作用形成的，而辉石堆积岩是由中基性岩浆在19～21km深处的浅位岩浆房中与中地壳的浅变质岩系发生同化混染作用形成的中性岩浆经结晶分异作用形成的。     

Towards a Better Understanding of the Fibrolite Problem: the Effect of Reaction Overstepping and Surface Energy Anisotropy

Trachytes from the Euganean Hills District (Italy) contain metapeliticxenoliths that have been pyrometamorphosed during incorporationin the melt. In xenoliths containing sillimanite crystallizedduring a previous regional HT/LP metamorphism, fibrolite systematicallynucleates at the grain boundaries of sillimanite prisms andwithin plagioclase crystals. Ternary feldspar thermometry showsthat plagioclase in contact with sillimanite plots along the750°C solvus that reflects near-equilibrium conditions ofregional metamorphism. Plagioclase containing fibrolite plotscloser towards the 950°C solvus, reflecting the tendencyof plagioclase to re-equilibrate at high temperature duringpyrometamorphism by a fibrolite-forming reaction:     

Fe-rich Dunite Xenoliths from South African Kimberlites: Cumulates from Karoo Flood Basalts

Fe-rich dunite xenoliths within the Kimberley kimberlites compriseolivine neoblasts with minor elongated, parallel-oriented ilmenite,and rarely olivine porphyroclasts and spinel. Compared withtypical mantle peridotites, olivines in the Fe-rich duniteshave lower forsterite (Fo_87–89) and NiO contents (1300–2800ppm), which precludes a restitic origin for the dunites. Chrome-richspinels are remnants of a metasomatic reaction that producedilmenite and phlogopite. Trace element compositions differ betweenporphyroclastic and neoblastic olivine, the latter having higherTi, V, Cr and Ni and lower Zn, Zr and Nb contents, documentingtheir different origins. The dunites have high ¹⁸⁷Os/ ¹⁸⁸Osratios (0·11–0·15) that result in youngmodel ages for most samples, whereas three samples show isotopicmixtures between Phanerozoic neoblasts and ancient porphyroclasticmaterial. Most Fe-rich dunite xenoliths are interpreted to berecrystallized cumulates related to fractional crystallizationof Jurassic Karoo flood basalt magmatism, whereas the porphyroclastsare interpreted to be remnants from a much earlier (probablyArchaean Ventersdorp) magmatic episode. The calculated parentalmagma for the most primitive olivine neoblasts in the Fe-richdunites is similar to low-Ti Karoo basalts. Modelling the crystalfractionation of the inferred parental magma with pMELTS yieldselement fractionation trends that mirror the element variationof primitive low-Ti Karoo basalts. KEY WORDS: dunite xenoliths; fractional crystallization; Karoo; large igneous province; pMELTS; Re–Os; trace elements