Alpine tectonics of granites in basement of Ysyk-Köl Basin,northern Tien Shan

The Ysyk-Köl Basin filled with Lower Jurassic–Quaternary sedimentary rocks is the largest intermontane negative structural unit of the northern Tien Shan. The basement of this basin is composed of Precambrian–Paleozoic rocks, largely of Ordovician and Silurian granitoids exposed in mountain ranges of the basin framework and as separate anticlinal domes situated in areas occupied by the Mesozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary cover. The postmagmatic tectonic internalstructure of the Chonkurchak (Chunkurchak), Kyzyl-Choku, Kyzyl-Bulak, and Prishib massifs emplaced in the basement, as well as their relationships to the sedimentary cover, are described in the paper. The study was carried out using the morphostructural method, detailed geological mapping, structural kinematic analysis, and petrographic examination of rocks. The internalstructure of Paleozoic granites in the basement and indications of their 3D tectonic flow are characterized. It is shown that granites underwent 3D deformation after their emplacement in the consolidated crust, and this process had a substantial influence on tectonic processes at the plate and orogenic stages of regional evolution.     

Sill genesis in the Paleoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the Onega Trough,Baltic shield

This study considers the role of sill genesis in the tectonic evolution of the Onega Trough during the Middle to Late Paleoproterozoic (Jatulian-Vepsian). The evolution of the Onega Trough is divided into three stages: pre-sill, or preparatory, subsynchronous, and post-sill. Sill magmatism manifested itself most completely at the subsynchronous stage of the evolution of the Onega Trough within the initial, principal, and final phases of sill genesis. Sill formation followed the stage of regional downwarping of the area reaching its maximum during the Early Ludicovian. Paragenesis of sills and high carbon shungite rocks was accompanied by the formation of peperites, while sills influenced the structure of the host rocks. A model reflecting the regular patterns of manifestations of sill genesis identified in the Onega Trough has been proposed.     

Polygenic nature of granite clastites: Communication 1. Exogenic and tectonic postmagmatic disintegration of granite massifs

Disintegrated granitoids, which frequently enclose abundant clastic material of the same rocks, are widespread in the upper parts of the Earth’s crust. They occur both on the surface and under the thick sedimentary cover. Two processes are responsible for the formation of such rocks: supergenic (chemical and physical weathering) and tectonic (prototectonics and posthumous disintegration). These processes result in the formation of similar (in compositions, textures, and attitude) clastic rocks, which complicates the interpretation of their genesis in particular situations. In this work, we discuss processes of the exogenic and tectonic disintegration of granitoids, structure of disintegrated rocks, and mineral transformations. Typomorphic features of the disintegrated granitoids related to tectonic and exogenic processes are compared.     

Polygenic nature of granite clastites: Communication 2. Secondary and supergene reworking of granitic clastites

Clastogenic rocks spatially associated with granite massifs have been reported in the geological literature from different regions: Caucasus (Leonov, 1974, 1991), Urals (Puchkov, 1968), Kazakhstan (Svarichevskaya and Skublova, 1973), Transbaikal region (Leonov, 2008; Lobanov et al., 1991), Tien Shan (Leonov et al., 2008), North America (Beroush, 1991; Lukin, 1989, 2007; Pippin, 1973). In some places, they represent crushed rocks of indigenous massifs. In other places, they make up accumulations and aprons of clastic products of the granitic composition both on the surface and beneath the sedimentary cover. In the first communication (Leonov et al., 2014) devoted to the origin of granite clastites, we examined specific features of the structure and evolution of granite bodies at the posthumous development stage, i.e., after cooling and introduction into the consolidated layer of the Earth’s crust. It was shown that such rocks are formed at least due to two main processes: supergene1 (chemical and physical weathering) and tectonic (prototectonics and posthumous disintegration). Although the rocks are highly similar in composition, structure, and bedding conditions, they are marked by several specific features described in the first communication that provide insight into their genetic nature. However, the problem of morphostructural characteristics and genetic interpretation of granite clastites cannot be closed here. Reconstruction of the “primary” origin of clastic granitic bodies in some, far from single, cases is complicated by the following fact: the exhumed massifs of tectonically disintegrated granitoids undergo supergene transformations, while sediments in the weathering crust are involved in tectonic reworking. Thus, clastites can be formed in several stages with different successions of events: supergene processes (formation of the weathering crust) can precede the tectonic reworking of rocks or succeed the formation of tectonomixtites. Determination of diagnostic properties of genetically different clastic rocks and stages of their lithostructural alteration is important for solving the issues of regional geology, development of methods for the study of genetically complex sequences, as well as paleogeographic and paleotectonic reconstructions. This problem acquires a specific importance because of two circumstances: first, its solution is at the intersection of two geological disciplines (lithology and tectonics); second, granitic clastite bodies often represent commercial hydrocarbon reservoirs (Areshev et al., 1997; Gavrilov, 2000; Izotov et al., 2003; Lobanov et al., 1991; Lobusev et al., 2002; Lukin, 2007; Martynova, 2002; Pippin, 1973; Sitdikova and Izotov, 2002). Let us discuss two scenarios of the succession of events: scenario 1—“tectonic mixtite” → “supergene reworking”; scenario 2—“weathering crust” → “tectonic reworking”. All other versions are combinations of these two types.     

Latent Tectonics of the Central Russian Deformation Belt of the East European Platform

Geotectonics - The article considers the features of the tectonics of the Central Russian deformation belt located in the central part of the East European Platform. The belt is traced in a wide...     

Tectonic Features and Stages of Evolution of the Baltic–Mezen Shear Zone in the Phanerozoic,Northwestern Russia

Geotectonics - The general tectonic features of the Baltic-Mezen zone developed along the border of the Fennoscandian shield and the Russian Plate in the north of the East European platform, are...