The Jurassic – Tertiary unconformity: A new exploration target for supergene-enriched iron oxide copper-gold –style mineralization in the Humboldt mafic complex,Nevada, USA

A Late Cretaceous to Early Oligocene episode of paleoweathering and supergene activity has been identified within the Jurassic-age (170 Ma) Humboldt mafic complex (HMC) and associated Boyer Ranch Formation of west-central Nevada, USA. This episode is responsible for significant subaerial weathering, erosion, oxidation and most importantly local supergene metal enrichment which could potentially have a major economic impact upon iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG)-style mineralization within the complex and in the Boyer Ranch Formation. Paleoweathering profiles that developed on the exposed Jurassic surface during this time now mark an angular unconformity (J-T unconformity) with a stratigraphically overlying, Tertiary (Oligocene) rhyolitic volcanic-volcaniclastic sequence.Differential uplift of the Jurassic surface is a direct result of the Middle and/or Late Jurassic Luning-Fencemaker compressional overthrust faulting event during which the entire complex was tectonically transported to its present location. The uplifted Jurassic paleosurface experienced one or more cycles of weathering, erosion, depression of the water table and uninterrupted supergene activity beginning at the end of the Cretaceous and possibly accelerating during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum Event (∼56 Ma). Geochemically mature supergene Cu-oxide profiles developed over exhumed mineralized sections in terrains with favorable fault block movements. These paloweathering systems evolved from moderately acidic pH to near-neutral or slightly alkaline pH environments over time. High protolith reactivity and low hypogene pyrite concentrations modified acidity of supergene fluids thus limiting Cu mobility.Profiles that survived erosion were later buried and preserved by the Oligocene-age rhyolitic volcanic-volcaniclastic sequence before the onset of mid-Tertiary Basin and Range normal faulting. Subsequent partial unroofing of overlying Tertiary volcanic cover resulted in further erosion of some profiles. Erosional remnants mapped in the field include all or some components of the original supergene Cu-oxide profiles. Drilling results suggest profiles that remain buried are generally intact.Although this field-oriented study is considered preliminary, it concludes that known Jurassic-age IOCG-style mineral occurrences in the central HMC have been subjected to prolonged subaerial paleoweathering and supergene activity that has not been previously recognized. Where complete or nearly complete profiles are preserved, efficient cumulative Cu-enrichment to potentially ore grades has been documented in well defined oxide zones. These findings can be extrapolated to the entire J-T unconformity along which concealed and enriched deposits may exist. As such, the unconformity is considered a prime exploration target that is highly prospective for new discoveries of economically viable, supergene-enriched IOCG resources.     

西天山晚石炭世岩浆混合花岗岩的确定及其地质意义——来自玉奇布拉克和乌图精河岩体的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄和岩石地球化学证据

西天山博罗科努地区的玉奇布拉克和乌图精河岩体中发育大量暗色闪长质包体,包体发育矿物相互包裹的嵌晶及岩浆冷凝矿物不平衡结构,同时出现淬冷形成的针状磷灰石,指示岩体形成过程经历了二元岩浆的混合作用。包体较寄主花岗岩有明显低的SiO_2、K_2O,高CaO、FeO~T和MgO,但二者的微量元素高度一致,相对富集Rb、Th、U、K等LILE,贫HFSE,亏损Sr、Nb、Ta、P和Ti等元素,为二元岩浆混合作用所致。经LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,两个岩体寄主花岗岩和包体分别获得301 Ma、308 Ma和303 Ma、298 Ma的形成年龄,指示同期不同源岩浆活动并存。寄主花岗岩的ε_(Hf)(t)值分别为+4.20~+8.33和+4.97~+7.0;Hf陆壳模式年龄T C_(DM)为782~1045 Ma和863~998 Ma,揭示它们主要源自新元古代早期陆壳物质。包体的εHf(t)值分别为+2.75~+6.41和+4.63~+7.92,与区域上同期基性岩脉正的εHf(t)和εNd(t)值相当。结合区域上同期花岗岩类高ε_(Hf)(t)和ε_(Nd)(t)、中等n(~(87)Sr)/n(~(86)Sr)推断,该期花岗岩是新元古代早期陆壳物质部分熔融的岩浆与被消减带组分改造的略亏损岩石圈地幔岩浆混合作用的结果,并构成由晚石炭世高钾钙碱性花岗岩向早二叠世富钾花岗岩/或A型花岗岩转换的岩浆演化系列,表明晚石炭世—早二叠世期间西天山造山带转入后碰撞晚期向伸展转化的构造环境。陆壳伸展导致幔源基性岩浆上侵,诱发陆壳部分熔融产生壳源岩浆,二者混合形成晚古生代以来西天山最为广泛的花岗岩浆活动,成为区内一次重要的地壳垂向增生事件。     

贵州西部红岩地区水系沉积物中Pt、Pd地球化学异常的识别及推断解释

与基性-超基性岩相比,我国的峨 眉山玄武岩具有高含量的Pt、Pd地球化学背景。从峨眉山玄武岩分布区分辨出与基性、超基性侵入岩有关的Pt、Pd地球化学异常,是我国Pt、Pd找矿获得重大突破的关键技术。在贵州西部开展的1∶5万 水系沉积物测量显示,采用岩石背景衬值法可有效区分岩性和矿致Pt、Pd异常。在红岩村附近茅口组灰岩与玄武岩接触带及北东向断层的复合部位圈出了浓度分度清晰的As、Sb、Hg、Pb、Cr、Ni、Pt、 Pd组合异常,推测在该组合异常下方可能存在一个赋存有Pt、Pd矿的隐伏基性-超基性含矿岩体(脉)。     

内蒙古中南部古元古代高温型双变质带及其构造意义

内蒙古中南部集宁-丰镇-土贵乌拉地区发育了一条超高温变质岩带.通过对土贵乌拉地区超高温变质岩的矿物组合研究,发现其中包含了尖晶石+石英、假蓝宝石+石英、斜方辉石+夕线石+石英的超高温标型矿物组合,并且在超高温变质作用区域内,经历了初始近等压冷却,随后近等温降压的逆时针退变质过程.已有的年代学数据表明,超高温变质作用峰期变质时代为1 920 Ma左右,降压退变质时代为1 850 Ma左右.在超高温变质岩带的东南地区,包括怀安-宣化一带,还出露了高压麻粒岩带.高压麻粒岩经历了近等温降压的顺时针退变质过程.年龄数据表明高压麻粒岩峰期变质时代为～1 900 Ma,退变质时代为1 850 Ma左右.内蒙古中南部超高温变质岩带和高压麻粒岩带相邻分布、产状相似且变质时代接近,共同构成了类似都城秋穗提出的双变质带;由于其温度偏高,故称为高温型双变质带,为世界上最古老的双变质带之一.该高温型双变质带可能反映了内蒙古中南部不同层次地壳物质在早前寒武纪碰撞作用中经历了P-T演化截然不同的变质作用,两条变质带在经历了各自的峰期变质作用后,作为一个共同的地体抬升.对内蒙古中南部古元古代高温型双变质带开展进一步研究,为认识华北克拉通早期构造背景、地壳热演化,特别是板块构造、不同地壳层次的构造作用提供了难得的科学机遇.     

C-axis fabrics of quartz-ribbons during high-temperature deformation of syn-tectonic granitoids (Sila Massif, Calabria, Italy)

Late-Hercynian, high temperature (HT) shear deformation affected the zone straddling the contact between the Sila Massif batholith (above) and the host migmatitic paragneisses (below). A segment of the regional HT shear zone was investigated close to the town of Mesoraca, where a natural section allows one to analyse the solidus deformation of syn-tectonic granitoids. Shearing favoured the formation of polycrystalline quartz ribbons in deformed granodiorite and tonalite. Two main c-axis fabrics were found in the quartz-ribbons, different from each other by opening angles around Z between strong point maxima, in accordance with deformation under granulite to amphibolite facies conditions. These fabrics, along with microstructural observations, suggest that temperature of deformation played a key role and that ribboning was accompanied by the activation of (i) prism [c] slip and prism [c] + prism <a> slips, under granulite facies conditions, followed by (ii) basal <a> and prism <a> slips under amphibolite facies conditions.     

黑龙江五星铜镍、铂钯矿床镁铁质杂岩的元素地球化学特征与岩石成因

五星超镁铁质- 镁铁质杂岩的元素地球化学特征研究表明, 其原始岩浆为低钛、高镁的拉斑玄武岩浆, 由以CO2 为主的流体交代亏损地幔所形成的弱亏损地幔部分熔融产生, 其残余矿物相主要为石榴石、尖晶石和金红石。岩浆形成与演化经历了3 个阶段: ① 上升的软流圈与岩石圈地幔接触, 热流体作用导致岩石圈地幔发生高度部分熔融, 形成初始硫饱和的次碱性玄武岩; ②初始岩浆上侵, 在下地壳形成岩浆房, 岩浆结晶作用形成以似层状橄榄石、紫苏辉石、普通辉石和磁铁矿等为主的堆晶岩, 在地壳物质的参与下形成残余辉长质岩浆; ③ 岩浆房破裂, 残余岩浆和含有熔体( < 30% ) 的堆晶岩相先后上侵形成五星原始镁铁质杂岩。就铜镍和铂钯矿化而言, 铜镍硫化物形成于岩浆房分离结晶晚期的熔离作用, 而铂钯矿化则主要在成岩期后流体作用阶段形成。     

P-T-t Path of Mafic Granulite Metamorphism in Northern Tibet and Its Geodynamical Implications

Mafic granulites have been found as structural lenses within the huge thrust system outcropping about 10 km west of Nam Co of the northern Lhasa Terrane, Tibetan Plateau. Petrological evidence from these rocks indicates four distinct metamorphic assemblages. The early metamorphic assemblage (M1) is preserved only in the granulites and represented by plagioclase+hornblende inclusions within the cores of garnet porphyroblasts. The peak assemblage (M2) consists of garnet+clinopyroxene+hornblende+plagioclase in the mafic granulites. The peak metamorphism was followed by near-isothermal decompression (M3), which resulted in the development of hornblende+plagioclase symplectites surrounding embayed garnet porphyroblasts, and decompression-cooling (M4) is represented by minerals of hornblende+plagioclase recrystallized during mylonization. The peak (M2) P-T conditions of garnet+ clinopyroxene+plagioclase+hornblende were estimated at 769-905℃ and 0.86-1.02 GPa based on the geothermometers and geobarometers. The     

K-Ar Geochronology of Mesozoic Mafic Dikes in Shandong Province, Eastern China: Implications for Crustal Extension

Based on K-Ar isotope analyses, Mesozoic mafic (and alkali ultramafic) dikes from western and eastern Shandong Province, China, are dated at 88.2±1.70 Ma to 169.5±3.7 Ma with the majority of ages ranging from 90 Ma to 140 Ma. The emplacement of the dikes suggests a major Yanshanian (Cretaceous) crustal extension in Shandong province. Together with other available age data, this study suggests four periods of crustal extension at about 80 Ma, 100 Ma, 120 Ma and 140 Ma, respectively. Besides the effect of collapse of the Yanshanian orogenic belt on the emplacement of the mafic dikes in Shandong in the Cretaceous, the mantle plume and the extensive left-lateral advection and extension of the Tanlu fault also have controlled the crustal extension and the emplacement of the mafic dikes in eastern Shandong and western Shandong, respectively.     

北京西山东岭台组粗面质火山岩地球化学:下地壳熔融成因

北京西山东岭台组粗面岩表现出LREE富集和HREE平坦的稀土配分型式 ,富集LILE (Ba、K和Sr)、和亏损Nb Ta、Th U和Ti,Sr Nd同位素组成富集 (87Sr/ 86Sr(t) =0 .70 6 38～ 0 .70 6 72 ,Nd(t) = 1 6 .3～ - 1 5 .7)。结合所表现出的明显Nb/Ta分馏和高的Zr/Sm比值 ,认为它们来源于大陆下地壳含石榴子石的角闪岩部分熔融作用而成 ,主要的残留相为石榴子石 +斜长石±角闪石±辉石。根据地壳岩石熔融实验研究结果 ,西山地区东岭台组粗面岩的熔融要求有外来的热源参与 ,与区域上同时代发生的玄武岩浆底侵作用具时空上的密切联系 ;这些岩石所显示的高Sr和Ba特征也暗示至少有部分底侵的玄武质岩石参与了部分熔融作用     

Contribution of subducted Pacific slab to Late Cretaceous mafic magmatism in Qingdao region, China: A petrological record

Abstract The occurrence of the Pishikou mafic dike in the Qingdao region, China provides important constraints on the origin of Late Cretaceous (86–78 Ma) mafic magmatism on the eastern North China craton. The Pishikou mafic dike is distributed in the Cretaceous Laoshan granitoid body, Qingdao region and contains peridotitic and granulitic xenoliths, xenocrysts, and megacrysts. Rocks from the Pishikou mafic dike are basanites and have low SiO₂ (< 42 wt%) and Al₂O₃ (12.5 wt%) contents, and high MgO (> 8 wt%), total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O > 4.8 wt%, Na₂O/K₂O > 1), TiO₂ (> 2.5 wt%), CaO (> 9 wt%) and P₂O₅ (> 1 wt%). In trace element abundances, they are highly enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare‐earth elements (LREEs) (ΣREE = 339–403 ppm, (La/Yb)_N = 39–42) without high field strength element (HFSE) depletion. These rocks have radiogenic Sr and Pb, and less radiogenic Nd isotopic compositions [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i > 0.7059, εNd ≈ 2.7–3.8 (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i ≈ 18.0 ± 0.1]. The diagnostic elemental ratios, such as Nb/La, Nb/U, and Nb/Th, are compatible with those of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs) and oceanic island basalts (OIBs). Therefore, the Pishikou mafic dike has a geochemical feature completely different from those of the Early Cretaceous mafic dikes from the Qingdao region, but similar to those of back‐arc basalts from the Japan Sea. This geochemical feature suggests that the Pishikou mafic dike was derived from an asthenosphere source, but contaminated by materials from the subducted Pacific slab. The discovery of this mafic dike thus provides a petrological evidence for the contribution of subducted Pacific slab to the Late Cretaceous magmatism in the Qingdao region of the eastern North China craton.