Phreatomagmatic boulder conglomerates at the tip of the ca 2772 Ma Black Range dolerite dyke,Pilbara Craton,Western Australia

Unusual volcanic conglomerates with a mixture of well-rounded granitic boulders (to 1.2 m diameter) derived from adjacent basement rocks, and smaller (1 – 10 cm) subspherical basaltic droplets with chilled margins occupy a linear zone along strike of the northern end of the Late Archaean Black Range dolerite dyke in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. The matrix of the volcanic conglomerates becomes more angular with decreasing grainsize and grades to rock flour, a trend opposite to that in sedimentary conglomerates. In other places, the matrix consists of chlorite that cuts through, and resorbs, granitic clasts, indicating an origin as volcanic melt. The volcanic conglomerates have peperitic contacts with immediately adjacent flows of the Mt Roe Basalt of the Fortescue Group. A welded volcanic tuff at the peperitic contact is dated at 2767 ± 3 Ma, within error of the 2772 ± 2 Ma Black Range dolerite dyke and the Mt Roe Basalt (2775 ± 10 Ma), confirming the contemporaneity of formation of these geological elements. Subsequent normal faulting has juxtaposed the higher level conglomerates down into their present exposure level along strike of the Black Range dolerite dyke. The linear zone of volcanic conglomerates is interpreted to represent a phreatomagmatic pebble dyke that formed immediately above, and as a result of intrusion of, the Black Range dolerite dyke. Interaction of magma with groundwater caused phreatomagmatic brecciation of the country rock, in situ milling of granitic boulders, incorporation of basaltic melt droplets, and the formation of a mixed matrix of devitrified volcanic glass and granitic material. This process was accompanied by along-strike epithermal Cu – Hg – Au mineralisation.     

Thermal waters in the Lower Yarmouk Gorge and their relation to surrounding aquifers

Sources and mineralization of groundwaters from Cretaceous A7/B2 and B4 limestone aquifers in the Golan and Ajloun Heights are derived from conjoint discussion of stable isotopes of water and sulphate, major ion chemistry, rare earth distribution patterns and the (hydro)geological setting. Isotope fractionation of precipitation was used to derive elevation and continental influence of recharge areas. Positive shift of δ¹⁸O and δ²H occur due to evaporation before replenishment and the interaction with basalts. Major infiltration areas for Golan Heights are the limy foothills of the Mt. Hermon and for the Ajloun Heights the Plateau itself. To a less degree, precipitation infiltrates also the basaltic catchments. Groundwaters are mineralized by water/rock (i) variably altered limestones by diagenesis, (ii) evaporates and seawater brines enclosed in limestone matrix and (iii) locally occurring basaltic intrusiva. In the Yarmouk Gorge, a deep-seated brine of the Ha’on type ascends and mixes with the fresh shallow groundwater.Contrasting the macro chemical composition, REY distribution patterns indicate the lithology of the recharge areas. Infiltration over basalts results in REY patterns distinctly different to those derived from limy catchments.REY and isotope fingerprints prove that water from the Syrian Hauran Plateau is recharging springs and wells in the lowermost Yamouk gorge. The basaltic cover of the Golan Heights is of minor importance for recharge of the underlying A7/B2 aquifer, which becomes recharged at the foothills of Mt. Hermon and gets confined southwards. Even the wells in the basaltic cover receive water from the underlying limestone aquifer.Anomalous heat flux near the Yarmouk gorge and locally in the western escarpment of the Ajloun may be produced by ascending fluids from greater depth and/or by basaltic intrusions.     

Vanadium in magnetite gabbros and its behaviour during lateritic weathering,Windimurra Complex,Western Australia

Shephards Discordant Zone is a 500–600 m thick interlayered sequence of deformed, altered and metamorphosed magnetite metagabbro and about 50 layers or lenses of magnetitite (> 80–90% magnetite). The sequence shows progressive magmatic fractionation upwards: Ti and Ti/Fe increase, and V, V/Ti and Cr decrease upwards in magnetite and in whole‐rock compositions. The main magnetite‐rich sequence (about 400 m thick) is deeply weathered, with 40 m of saprolite showing vertical zonation of weathering minerals due to progressive weathering. Magnetitites (average 1% V₂O₃) are resistant to weathering and show little chemical change, but magnetite gabbros (average 0.27% V₂O₃) are extensively weathered and show progressive loss of Ca, Na, Mg and S. Plagioclase, magnetite (1.37% V₂O₃), chlorite (up to 0.35% V₂O₃), actinolite, epidote and minor sulfides in unweathered rocks weather to kaolinite, hematite, goethite and minor vermiculite, ilmenite remaining largely unaffected. Vanadium is essentially immobile during weathering and is unaffected during weathering of magnetitites (1% V₂O₃), but is slightly depleted during weathering of magnetite gabbros (0.23% V₂O₃).     

Was the Panzhihua Large Fe-Ti Oxide Deposit,SW China,Formed by Silicate Immiscibility?

The Panzhihua mafic intrusion, which hosts a world-class Fe-Ti-V ore deposit, is in the western Emeishan region, SW China. The formation age(～260 Ma), and Sr and Nd isotopes indicate that the Panzhihua intrusion is part of the Emeishan large igneous province and has little crustal contamination. To assess ore genesis of the Panzhihua Fe-Ti-V ore deposit, two different models have been provided to explain the formation, namely silicate immiscibility and normal fractional crystallization. Silicate...     

A two-stage evolution of Visakhapatnam-Paradip shelf,east coast of India,from magnetic studies

A detailed analysis of bathymetry and magnetic data of Visakhapatnam-Paradip shelf, east coast of India revealed three major structural lineaments over the shelf/slope of the area. Models derived from the anomalies associated with the trends indicate that trend A represents horst and graben type continental basement while trend B is due to a series of dyke intrusions. Trend C off Chilka lake forms the northward extension of 85°E lineation from deep sea Bengal Fan. A two stage evolution of the eastern continental margin of India has been inferred from the study of this part of the margin, viz., the rift stage evidenced by dyke intrusions of reverse polarity located within the inner part of the shelf and post-rift stage characterized by vertical tectonics in the form of a horst and graben type continental basement. The hotspot related aseismic 85°E ridge further complicated the tectonics of this part of the area.     

Discovery of a Miocene Mafic Dyke from the Western Hills of Beijing and its Geological Implications

Abstract: The present study is the first report of a Miocene mafic dyke from the Dahuichang, in the Western Hills of Beijing. The dyke cuts the fossil-dated Changxindian Formation of Eocene sequences and yields K-Ar ages of 14–15?Ma. The dyke is fine-grained diabase and has 49.84%–50.81% SiO2 and 3.56–3.97% Na2O+K2O, high TiO2 (1.65%–1.93%) and MgO (7.36%–9.85%), and low K2O (<1.22%) contents, with Na2O>K2O and slightly varied magnesium numbers (Mg#=55.54–62.74). In trace elements geochemistry, the dyke is very similar to the Miocene basalts from Jining and Hanuoba. The enrichment of light rare earth elements ([La/Yb]N=5.03–6.12) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs?), no negative Eu anomalies, relatively high Cr (265–326 ppm) and Ni (155–262 ppm), and almost constant V concentrations (194–213 ppm) reveal that the composition close to the primary basaltic magma from ?an enriched-mantle source, with little crustal contamination and fractional crystallization. The basaltic magma was possibly derived from the upwelling asthenosphere mantle beneath eastern China during the Miocene lithospheric thinning.     

大别山北部蛇绿岩的地球化学制约

常量元素,微量元素,稀土元素,Ｎｄ同位素及氧同位素地球化学特征表明,太别山北部变质镁铁－超镁铁质岩带中存在变质的蛇绿岩,它主要由变质橄榄岩,辉长岩（－辉绿岩？）和基性熔岩三部分组成,其中,变质的基性熔岩的亏损地幔模式年龄ｔＤＭ／Ｍａ＝１０３６．８～１２９３．８,εＮｄ（ｔ）＝７．２～７．７,表明它可能代表１０００Ｍａ左右形成于中等扩张速率（２ｃｍ／ａｄ左右）洋盆条件下的洋壳残片。     

Petrogenesis of the ü?kap?l? Granitoid and its Mafic Enclaves in Elmal? Area (Ni?de, Central Anatolia, Turkey)

The Late Cretaceous ükapili Granitoid including mafic microgranular enclaves intruded into metapelitic and metabasic rocks, and overlain unconformably by Neogene ignimbrites in the Ni de area of Turkey. It is mostly granite and minor granodiorite in composition, whereas its enclaves are dominantly gabbro with a few diorites in composition. The ükapili Granitoid is composed mainly of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite and minor amphibole while its enclaves contain mostly plagioclase, amphibole, minor pyroxene and biotite. The ükapili Granitoid has calcalkaline and peraluminous (A/CNK= 1.0-1.3) geochemical characteristics. It is characterized by high LILE/HFSE and LREE/HREE ratios ((La/Lu) N = 3-33), and has negative Ba, Ta, Nb and Eu anomalies, resembling those of collision granitoids. The ükapili Granitoid has relatively high 87Sr/86Sr (i) ratios (0.711189-0.716061) and low εNd (t) values (-5.13 to -7.13), confirming crustal melting. In contrast, the enclaves are tholeiitic and metaluminous, and slightly enriched in LILEs (K, Rb) and Th, and have negative Ta, Nb and Ti anomalies; propose that they were derived from a subduction-modified mantle source. Based on mineral and whole rock chemistry data, the ükapili granitoid is H-(hybrid) type, post-collision granitoid developed by mixing/mingling processes between crustal melts and mantle-derived mafic magmas.