Evolution of lithospheric mantle in the north of Nain‐Baft oceanic crust (Neo‐Tethyan ophiolite of Ashin,Central Iran)

This study is focused on a plagioclase‐bearing spinel lherzolite from Chah Loqeh area in the Neo‐Tethyan Ashin ophiolite. It is exposed along the west of left‐lateral strike‐slip Dorouneh Fault in the northwest of Central‐East Iranian Microcontinent. Mineral chemistry (Mg#^olivine < ~ 90, Cr#^{clinopyroxene} < ~ 0.2, Cr#^spinel < ~ 0.5, Al₂O₃^{orthopyroxene} > ~ 2.5 wt%, Al₂O₃^{clinopyroxene} > ~ 4.5 wt%, Al₂O₃^spinel > ~ 41.5 wt%, Na₂O^{clinopyroxene} > ~ 0.11 wt%, and TiO₂^{clinopyroxene} > ~ 0.04 wt%) confirms Ashin lherzolite was originally a mid‐oceanic ridge peridotite with low degrees of partial melting at spinel‐peridotite facies in a lithospheric mantle level. However, some Ashin lherzolites record mantle upwelling and tectonic exhumation at plagioclase‐peridotite facies during oceanic extension and diapiric motion of mantle along Nain‐Baft suture zone. This mantle upwelling is evidenced by some modifications in the modal composition (i.e. subsolidus recrystallization of plagioclase and olivine between pyroxene and spinel) and mineral chemistry (e.g. increase in TiO₂ and Na₂O of clinopyroxene, and TiO₂ and Cr# of spinel and decrease in Mg# of olivine), as a consequence of decompression during a progressive upwelling of mantle. Previous geochronological and geochemical data and increasing the depth of subsolidus plagioclase formation at plagioclase‐peridotite facies from Nain ophiolite (~ 16 km) to Ashin ophiolite (~ 35 km) suggest a south to north closure for the Nain‐Baft oceanic crust in the northwest of Central‐East Iranian Microcontinent.     

Evolution processes of Ordovician–Devonian arc system in the South‐Kitakami Massif and its relevance to the Ordovician ophiolite pulse

The South Kitakami Massif is one of the oldest geological domains in Japan having Silurian strata with acidic pyroclastic rocks and Ordovician–Silurian granodiorite–tonalite basement, suggesting that it was matured enough to develop acidic volcanisms in the Silurian period. On the northern and western margin of the South Kitakami Massif, an Ordovician arc ophiolite (Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite) and high‐pressure and low‐temperature metamorphic rocks (Motai metamorphic rocks) exhumed sometime in the Ordovician–Devonian periods are distributed. Chronological, geological, and petrochemical studies on the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite, Motai metamorphic rocks, and other early Paleozoic geological units of the South Kitakami Massif are reviewed for reconstruction of the South Kitakami arc system during Ordovician to Devonian times with supplementary new data. The reconstruction suggests a change in the convergence polarity from eastward‐ to westward‐dipping subduction sometime before the Late Devonian period. The Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite was developed above the eastward‐dipping subduction through three distinctive stages. Two separate stages of overriding plate extension inducing decompressional melting with minor involvement of slab‐derived fluid occurred before and after a stage of melting under strong influence of slab‐derived fluids. The first overriding plate extension took place in the back‐arc side forming a back‐arc basin. The second one took place immediately before the ophiolite exhumation and near the fore‐arc region. We postulate that the second decompressional melting was triggered by slab breakoff, which was preceded by slab rollback inducing trench‐parallel wedge mantle flow and non‐steady fluid and heat transport leaving exceptionally hydrous residual mantle. The formation history of the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite implies that weaker plate coupling may provide preferential conditions for exhumation of very hydrous mantle. Very hydrous peridotites involved in arc magmatism have not yet been discovered except for in the Cambrian–Ordovician periods, suggesting its implications for global geodynamics, such as the thermal state and water circulation in the mantle.     

Gravity variations along the Southeast Bohol Ophiolite Complex (SEBOC), Central Philippines: Implications on Ophiolite Emplacement

Abstract The basement complex of Bohol Island consists of the Southeast Bohol Ophiolite Complex (SEBOC), Cansiwang Melange and Alicia Schist. The SEBOC is a complete, but dismembered ophiolite with outcrops generally trending northeast– southwest and dipping north-west. The harzburgite units of the SEBOC are almost always observed to be thrusted onto the Cansiwang Melange, which in turn is thrusted onto the Alicia Schist. Bouguer gravity values on Bohol range from about +60 mGal in the west to +120 mGal in the east, in the region to the north-east of the SEBOC outcrops. Based on the present distribution of the SEBOC units and their thrust fault relationship with the Cansiwang Melange and Alicia Schist, it is proposed that the SEBOC was emplaced by onramping towards the south-eastward direction. However, the orientation of the Bouguer highs suggests that the thrusting direction of the ophiolite units is towards the south-west and not towards the south-east.     

新疆鄯善康古尔塔格蛇绿岩及其大地构造意义

康古尔塔格蛇绿岩的岩石组合为变质橄榄岩-堆晶橄榄岩-辉长岩-斜长花岗岩-辉绿岩-玄武岩。方辉橄榄岩（蛇纹岩）、蛇纹石化辉石岩、蚀变辉长岩与特罗多斯蛇绿岩中同类型岩石类似，岩石总体低钾。变质橄榄岩MgO／（MgO＋TFeO）为0．834～0．866，TiO，（wt％）为0．02％，为SSZ型蛇绿岩的变质橄榄岩。玄武岩的构造环境判别显示其形成于边缘海盆。放射虫硅质岩的Al2O3／（Al2O3＋Fe2O3）值平均为0．047，MnO／TiO2比值平均为0．93，Ce具负异常，Ce／Ce^＊=0．548，Lan／Cen=1．661．表明放射虫硅质岩的形成环境与洋中脊有密切关系。该蛇绿岩位于塔里木板块和哈萨克斯坦-准噶尔板块的艾比湖-康古尔塔格缝合线上，为一套无序产出的古生代北天山洋在该区的古洋壳残片。     

班公湖-怒江缝合带东段丁青地幔橄榄岩成因: 来自钻孔ZK02地幔橄榄岩矿物学及地球化学特征约束

丁青蛇绿岩位于班公湖-怒江缝合带东段,是该缝合带出露面积最大的蛇绿岩。为查明岩体成因,在丁青东岩体中实施了一口165.19m的钻孔。除最顶部有约0.5m厚的第四系残坡积物外,其余均为地幔橄榄岩。结合显微镜鉴定将岩心划分出17个岩性单元层,岩性主要以方辉橄榄岩为主,夹少量纯橄岩和含铬铁矿纯橄岩。地幔橄榄岩中橄榄石的Fo变化于88.79~93.73,铬尖晶石的Cr^#变化于44.33~81.66,揭示丁青地幔橄榄岩可能经历过约20%~40%的中高度部分熔融作用;全岩地球化学分析表明其具有富镁（MgO=45.98%~49.45%）、贫铝（Al₂O₃=0.19%~1.37%）和贫钙（CaO=0.28%~0.70%）的特点,属于熔融程度较高的地幔残余物质。岩石具有明显不同于阿尔卑斯蛇绿岩的轻稀土元素富集特征,指示区内地幔橄榄岩先经历了较强程度的部分熔融,后经历了俯冲消减过程中的流体交代。利用地幔橄榄岩中的铬尖晶石成分计算母熔体Al₂O₃含量对应的FeO/MgO值,与不同构造环境原始岩浆成分相比较,发现丁青地幔橄榄岩母熔体大多处于玻安岩中。纯橄岩氧逸度估算FMQ=-3.05~-0.71,方辉橄榄岩氧逸度FMQ=-3.89~+1.47,显示丁青地幔橄榄岩有俯冲作用的参与。通过丁青钻孔岩心的研究,提出丁青东岩体可能形成于俯冲带之上的弧前环境这一观点。

     

流体在岩浆型铬铁矿和铂族元素成矿过程中的作用及意义

镁铁- 超镁铁岩是揭示地幔物质组成和壳幔相互作用的重要窗口,也是Ni- Cu- PGE- Cr等金属矿产资源的重要载体。不同的镁铁- 超镁铁岩体赋矿特征明显不同：蛇绿岩以产出铬铁矿床为特征,阿拉斯加型岩体主要赋含铂族元素(PGE)矿床,大型层状岩体则可同时产出铬铁矿床、PGE矿床和Cu- Ni硫化物矿床。这种成矿差异显然与赋矿岩体形成的构造背景、母岩浆经历的岩浆演化过程有关,但缺少关键控制因素的研究。前人对上述不同种类矿床的研究工作主要集中于地幔源区的部分熔融、上升过程中或岩浆房内的围岩混染和结晶分异等岩浆过程,而极少关注流体作用。近年来,实验岩石学和岩石地球化学的研究均表明幔源岩浆演化过程中的流体活动可能对成矿元素的富集迁移起到至关重要的作用,同时这些成矿元素的赋存状态和分配系数也在不断更新。厘清Cr和PGE在熔体演化——尤其是流体出溶过程中的地球化学行为,刻画并揭示其迁移富集、分离和再富集的成矿过程及控制因素,已成为当前岩浆矿床研究的热点。本文围绕富水流体与铬铁矿和PGE成矿关系的科学问题,总结了不同镁铁- 超镁铁岩体的成矿差异以及铬铁矿和PGE矿床成矿过程中的流体活动记录,提出流体性质和组分对铬铁矿和PGE迁移富集的控制作用,强调有必要开展蛇绿岩、大型层状镁铁- 超镁铁岩体和阿拉斯加型岩体的对比研究。     

西天山那拉提构造带及邻区几个地层问题的讨论

西天山—伊宁地区以独特的结构特征和关键的大地构造部位,历来成为中外地质学家所关注、研究的重要地区,而那拉提构造带及邻区又在西天山—伊宁地区占有举足轻重的地位。由于客观条件的制约,那拉提构造带及西天山造山带在基础地质的许多方面存在不少问题,直接影响到对天山造山带和伊犁盆地的正确认识。笔者根据近十年来在那拉提带及邻区进行10个1∶5万区调填图和收集到的其它资料,对该区几个重要层位的时代、大哈拉军山火山岩系的形成背景、蛇绿岩和蓝闪片岩的产出特征以及该区的结构、构造单元划分和发展演化的动力学机制进行了讨论,其中的许多认识和看法将对该区的进一步研究产生推动作用。     

Petrogenesis of lherzolites from the Purang ophiolite,Yarlung-Zangbo suture zone,Tibet: origin and significance of ultra-high pressure and other ‘unusual’ minerals in the Neo-Tethyan lithospheric mantle

ABSTRACT

The Purang ultramafic massif, located in the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture Zone (YZSZ) of the Tibetan Plateau, consists mainly of harzburgites and minor lherzolites. The spinel-bearing lherzolites of the NW part of the massif display a granular texture, consisting of large olivine and pyroxene crystals with curvilinear grain boundaries. These lherzolites contain chromian spinel (Cr-spinel) of low Cr# [100 × Cr/(Cr +Al) = 24.7–30.2], enstatite with high Mg# [100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) = 90.0–91.2] and relatively high Al₂O₃ content (3.3–4.1 wt%), and diopside with high Mg# (90.2–93.3) and Al₂O₃ content (4.6–5.0 wt%). These compositions are analogous to those of spinel and pyroxenes from residual peridotites. However, the Purang lherzolites show U-shaped primitive mantle (PM)-normalized rare earth element (REE)-profiles, which are not consistent with a potential origin as melting residues. The high LREE contents and positive Ti anomalies shown by the investigated lherzolites coupled with the low TiO₂ content of their mineral constituents imply that these rocks possibly stored LREE- and Ti-bearing arc-related melts/fluids in their groundmass.

A mineral assemblage composed of diamond, super-reduced [(SuR) moissanite, native Cr] and crustal-derived minerals (zircon, corundum, rutile), has been separated from the Purang lherzolites. Uranium-Pb geochronological dating of zircons yielded an age range between 1718 and 465 Ma, indicating that they represent ancient crustal material delivered into the upper mantle via previous subduction events. Diamonds and old zircons (± crustal minerals) were carried to shallow mantle levels by asthenospheric magmas produced during a slab rollback-induced decompression melting process. The recovery of SuR minerals is consistent with fluid percolation and crystallization of alteration-related minerals in the lithospheric parts of a (hydrated) mantle wedge, resulting in the formation of highly reduced micro-environments.     

西藏普兰超镁铁岩体东部铬尖晶石矿物学特征及其地质意义

尖晶石是地幔橄榄岩中一种非常重要的矿物,虽然含量很低,却可以作为其寄主岩石——地幔橄榄岩——的成因指示剂.普兰岩体东部铬尖晶石分布广泛,几乎在所有岩石类型中都有出现.通过矿物学特征的研究,认为尖晶石可分为两类,一类较自形,颜色较深;另一类多呈不规则状和蠕虫状,颜色较浅.根据其化学特征,又可分为富铬型的尖晶石(Cr#＞60)和富铝型的尖晶石(Cr#＜60),富铬型尖晶石主要出现在纯橄岩、蛇纹岩和辉石岩中,富铝型尖晶石主要出现在二辉橄榄岩中.其中,方辉橄榄岩中的尖晶石形态、化学成分变化比较大,说明它经历了较为复杂的形成和变化过程.通过对尖晶石矿物学和化学特征的综合研究,认为该区尖晶石具有深海橄榄岩和上部俯冲板片(SSZ)构造环境橄榄岩特征,普兰岩体可能先后经历了MOR和SSZ两种构造环境.     

Structural and geochronological relationships of metamorphic soles of eastern Mediterrranean ophiolites to surrounding units: indicators of intra‐oceanic subduction and emplacement

This paper is a synthesis of structural and geochronological data from eastern Mediterranean ophiolitic metamorphic rocks and surrounding units to interpret the intra‐oceanic subduction and ophiolite emplacement mechanism.

Metamorphic rocks occur as discontinuous tectonic slices at the base of the ophiolites, generally between the peridotite tectonites and volcanic‐sedimentary units, and locally in fault zones in the overlying peridotites. They consist essentially of amphibolite, and in lesser quantities, micaschist, quartzite, epidotite and marble.

Geological and geochronological data indicate that recrystallization of the metamorphic rocks occurred in the oceanic environment. The contact between the metamorphic rocks and the hanging‐wall is parallel to the foliation of the metamorphic rocks, and is interpreted as the fossil plane of intra‐oceanic subduction. Structural relationships suggest that intra‐oceanic subduction was situated between two lithospheric blocks separated by an oceanic fracture zone. Therefore the Neotethyan ophiolites with metamorphic soles represent the remnants of the overriding oceanic lithosphere's training slices of the metamorphic rocks at the base.

In the Anatolian region, radiometric dating of metamorphic rocks from the Taurus and Izmir‐Ankara‐Erzincan zone ophiolites yield nearly identical ages. Besides, palaeontological and structural data indicate coeval opening and similar oceanic ridge orientation. Consequently it is highly probable that Taurus and Izmir‐Ankara‐Erzincan zone ophiolites represent fragments of the same oceanic lithosphere derived from a single spreading zone. Palaeontological data from underlying volcanic and sedimentary units point out that the opening of the Neotethyan ocean occurred during Late Permian‐Middle Triassic time in the Iranian‐Oman region, during Middle Triassic in Dinaro‐Hellenic area, and finally during Late Triassic in the Anatolian region.

Radiometric dating of the metamorphic rocks exhibit that the intra‐oceanic thrusting occurred during late Lower‐early Late Jurassic for Dinaro‐Hellenic ophiolites, late Lower‐early Late Cretaceous for Anatolian, Iranian and Oman ophiolites well before their obduction on the Gondwanian continent. Neotethyan ophiolites were obducted onto various sections of the Gondwanian continent from late Upper Jurassic to Palaeocene time, Dinaro‐Hellenic ophiolites during late Upper Jurassic‐early Lower Cretaceous onto the Adriatic promontory, Anatolian, Iranian and Oman ophiolites from late Lower Cretaceous to Palaeocene onto the Aegean, Anatolian and Arabic promontories.