Isotopic-geochemical evidence for crustal contamination of eclogites in the Kokchetav subduction-collision zone

This paper reports isotopic and geochemical studies of eclogites from the western ultrahigh pressure (UHP) and eastern high-pressure (HP) blocks of the Kokchetav subduction-collision zone. These HP and UHP eclogites exhumed in two stages: (1) The rocks of the western block metamorphosed within the field of diamond stability (e.g., Kumdy-Kol and Barchy); (2) In contrast, the metamorphic evolution of the eastern block reached the pressure peak within the stability field of coesite (e.g., Kulet, Chaglinka, Sulu-Tyube, Daulet, and Borovoe). The eclogites vary widely in the ratios of incompatible elements and in the isotope ratios of Nd (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.51137-0.513180) and Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.703930.78447). The Sulu-Tyube eclogites display isotope-geochemical features close to N-MORB, while those from the other sites are compositionally similar to E-type MORB or island arc basalts (IAB). The model ages T_Nd(DM) of eclogites vary between 1.95 and 0.67 Ga. The Sulu-Tyube eclogite yields the youngest age; it has the values of ε_Nd(T) (7.2) and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70393) close to the depleted mantle values. The crustal input to the protolith of the Kokchetav eclogites is evident on the ε_Nd(T)-⁸⁶Sr/⁸⁷Sr and ε_Nd(T)-T plots. The eclogites make up a trend from DM to country rocks. Some eclogites from the Kulet, Kumdy-Kol, and Barchy localities display signs of partial melting, such as high Sm/Nd (0.65-0.51) and low (La/Sm)_N (0.34-0.58) values. The equilibrium temperatures of these eclogites are higher than 850 °C. The geochemical features of eclogites testify to the possibility of the eclogite protolith formation in the tectonic setting of passive continental rift margin subducted to depths over 120 km.     

Ubiquitous post-peak zircon in an eclogite from the Kumdy-Kol,Kokchetav UHP-HP Massif (Kazakhstan): Significance of exhumation-related zircon growth and modification in continental-subduction settings

U–Pb geochronological, trace-element and Lu–Hf isotopic studies have been made on zircons from ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) mafic eclogite from the Kumdy-Kol area, one of the diamond-facies domains of the Kokchetav Massif (northern Kazakhstan). The peak eclogitic assemblage equilibrated at > 900 °C, whereas the bulk sample composition displays light rare-earth element (LREE) and Th depletion evident of partial melting. Zircons from the eclogite are represented by exclusively newly formed metamorphic grains and have U–Pb age spread over 533–459 Ma, thus ranging from the time of peak subduction burial to that of the late post-orogenic collapse. The major zircon group with concordant age estimates have a concordia age of 508.1 ±4.4 Ma, which corresponds to exhumation of the eclogite-bearing UHP crustal slice to granulite- or amphibolite-facies depths. This may indicate potentially incoherent exhumation of different crustal blocks within a single Kumdy-Kol UHP domain. Model Hf isotopic characteristics of zircons (ε_Hf(t) +1.5 to +7.8, Neoproterozoic model Hf ages of 1.02–0.79 Ga) closely resemble the whole-rock values of the Kumdy-Kol eclogites and likely reflect in situ derivation of HFSE source for newly formed grains. The ages coupled with geochemical systematics of zircons confirm that predominantly late zircon growth occurred in Th–LREE-depleted eclogitic assemblage, that experienced incipient melting and monazite dissolution in melt at granulite-facies depths, followed by amphibolite-facies rehydration during late-stage exhumation-related retrogression.     

Sources of clastic material of the Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Baikal–Patom belt,Northern Transbaikalia: Evidence from Sm-Nd isotope data

First systematic data on the variations of ε_Nd(T) in the Neoproterozoic sedimentary sequence of the Baikal–Patom fold belt (Northern Transbaikalia) are reported. The range of obtained εNd(T) is–19.4…–2.0. It was established that the rocks of the Ballaganach and most part of the Dal’nyaya Taiga groups are characterized by ε_Nd(T) from–19.4 to–16.3. Upsection, beginning from the Khomolkha Formation, the rocks show a sharp change in the initial Nd isotope composition (ε_Nd(T)–8.3…–2.0). The results of Sm-Nd study of metasedimentary rocks of the BPB, as well as the comparison of their Sm-Nd characteristics with those of the inferred source areas suggest that the input of terrigenous material at the early stage of sedimentation in the Baikal–Patom belt was mainly related to the destruction of the Early Proterozoic crust of the Siberian craton. Owing to a change of sedimentation setting from passive continental margin to the “foreland” basin at the late stage, the terrigenous material of the Siberian craton was diluted by clastics from juvenile Neoproterozoic crust of the Baikal–Muya belt.     

Nature and(in-)coherent metamorphic evolution of subducted continental crust in the Neoproterozoic accretionary collage of SW Mongolia

In continental subduction complexes minor volumes of high-pressure mafic rocks(eclogites) often co-exist with much more abundant felsic(granitic) and metasedimentary rocks, which are vital for resolving the origin and metamorphic evolution of subducted continental crust.In SW Mongolia, the Alag Khadny eclogite-bearing accretionary complex(AKC) is assumed to represent either a remnant of oceanic slab, or a continental margin,subducted in the Early Cambrian.Here we present geochronological, geochemical and petrological evidence of subduction records for the three major types of lithologies that host mafic eclogites, including Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic granitic basement and overlying Neoproterozoic continental-margin sediments.Variably deformed, ferroan and peraluminous metagranitoids compose a major part of AKC and are interlayered with eclogites in its southern and eastern margins.They have geochemical features of post-collisional/intraplate high-K calc-alkaline granites.LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon geochronology of three distinct metagranite samples show uniform protolith crystallization ages of ca.0.96 Ga and uncertain re-crystallization in the Late Neoproterozoic or Early Paleozoic metamorphic event, whereas abundant zircon inheritance indicates older,Mesoproterozoic to Paleoproterozoic crustal substrate during granite generation.The existence of Mesoproterozoic crust is highlighted by finding of distinct metagranitoids with the U-Pb zircon crystallization age of ca.1.6 Ga.Hafnium isotope signatures(T_(DM)~C 2.88–1.85 Ga) of zircons from all lithologies preserved the evidence of reworked Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic crust, similar to that of the Baidrag block(southern Mongolia), for both Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic rocks.Regardless of the specific lithology, the rocks display indicators of high-pressure metamorphic re-equilibration, including garnet(X_(Ca)up to 0.65) + epidote +phengite(Si p.f.u.up to 3.56) ± rutile assemblage in metagranitoids, garnet + phengite(Si p.f.u.up to 3.42)in quartz-rich semi-pelites and garnet + phengite(Si p.f.u.up to 3.39) + medium-Mg chloritoid(X_(Mg)up to 0.25) + kyanite + rutile in metapelites.Corresponding P-T conditions recovered from different lithologies reveal incoherent subduction of rocks, which could be shallow for granitic basement(1.1–1.4 GPa and 600–670 ℃) and clastic metasediments(1.4–1.6 GPa, 570–620 ℃), but deeper for metapelites(2.1–2.3 GPa, 500–570 ℃).consistent with that of eclogites, The combined data show that the Alag Khadny complex represents a remnant of a rifted Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic(ca.1.6–0.96 Ga) continental margin consequently metamorphosed under HP conditions during Late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian evolution of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt.Acquired P-T estimates imply that high-pressure metagranitoids and metasedimentary rocks equilibrated at different depths, but most likely shared a common subduction-related metamorphic evolution.     

Isotopic (Sm–Nd,Pb–Pb,and δ<Superscript>34</Superscript>S) and Geochemical Characteristics of the Metasedimentary Rocks of the Baikal–Patom Belt (Northern Transbaikalia) and Evolution of the Sedimentary Basin in the Neoproterozoic

This paper reports the results of a detailed isotopic (Sm–Nd, Pb–Pb, and δ³⁴S) and geochemical studies of Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks from the Patom and Bodaibo domains of the Baikal–Patom belt (northern Transbaikalia). It was shown that the metasedimentary rocks of these domains are strongly variable in their geochemical and isotope geochemical characteristics. Regular variations in these characteristics were observed, and their correlation with the main stages of the evolution of the sedimentary paleobasin in the Neoproterozoic was established.     

Growth medium composition of coated diamonds from the Sytykanskaya kimberlite pipe (Yakutia)

We present the first results of studying the major- and trace-element composition of microinclusions in the coats of type IV diamonds from the Sytykanskaya pipe. These microinclusions are of silicate–carbonate composition. Similar compositions are reported for diamonds from the placers of the northeastern Siberian Platform and cuboids from the Internatsional'naya pipe. The microinclusions studied are close to kimberlites and carbonatites in trace-element composition but depleted in HFSE, Mg, and transition metals and enriched in K and LILE. The distribution of incompatible elements in the microinclusions studied is similar to the “table” pattern, which was observed for high-density hydrous-silicic fluids.     

Common Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic Evolution of Ore-Bearing Sedimentary Complexes in the Southern Siberian Craton

Doklady Earth Sciences - A comparison of the lithological–geochemical parameters for the deposits of the Dalnetaiga series of the Bodaibo synclinorium (the Buzhuikhta and Khomolkho...     

Geodynamic background for large-scale mineralization in the southern environs of the Siberian Craton in the Proterozoic

The geodynamic position of the productive Kevaktinskii and Dal’netaiginskii stratigraphic units with Au–U mineralization is considered within the Baikal–Patom highland. The Au–U specialization of rocks of the Kevaktinskaya Group results from its formation in the environments of the passive continental margin with introduction of the juvenile material related to riftogenesis and further collision, whereas the same specialization of the Dal’netaiginskaya Group is explained by exhalation activity in the back-arc spreading zone. The formation of most of the Au and U large-scale deposits within the southern environs of the Siberian Craton was controlled by Paleozoic oogenesis upon closure of the Paleoasian Ocean.     

High-pressure mafic granulites of the South Muya Block (Central Asian Orogenic Belt)

Mineralogical, petrographic, and geochemical studies of mafic granulites of the South Muya Block (Central Asian Orogenic Belt) have been carried out. The granulite protoliths were olivine- and plagioclase- rich cumulates of ultramafic–mafic magmas with geochemical affinities of suprasubduction rocks. The isotope–geochemical characteristics of the granulites indicate the enriched nature of their source, associated with recycling into the mantle of either ancient crust or oceanic sediments, or intracrustal contamination of melts at the basement of the ensialic arc. Formation of garnet-bearing parageneses has occurred during high-pressure granulite metamorphism associated with accretion in the eastern part of the Baikal–Muya composite terrane.