New data on distribution of REEs in sulfide minerals and Sm-Nd dating of ore genesis of layered basic intrusions

This paper presents data on the distribution of REEs in sulfide minerals from ore-bearing gabbronorites in the Penikat layered intrusion and the results of their isotopic-geochronological Sm-Nd study. A new procedure for determination of REEs in the samples without preliminary separating and concentrating was tested on standard samples to be further used for analysis of sulfide minerals. Analysis of the spectra of the REE distribution in sulfides represents a distribution trend that is similar to the already studied bulk rock and allows deducing that the character of the REE distribution in sulfide minerals from gabbronorites in the Penikat layered intrusion was inherited from the parent magma melt; while the formation of sulfides took place at the stage of rock crystallization. The performed complex studies allow considering that sulfides can be successfully used together with the rock-forming minerals in Sm-Nd dating of ore-bearing mafite-ultramafite intrusions.     

The Paleoproterozoic Kolvitsa Anorthosite Massif: New Data on the U–Pb Age (ID TIMS) and Geochemical Features of Zircon

Doklady Earth Sciences - The rocks and minerals of the Kolvitsa massif are studied by complex isotopic–geochronological and geochemical (U–Pb, Sm–Nd, REE contents of zircons)...     

Continental crust in Gorny Altai: nature and composition of protoliths

The history of the Vendian–Early Paleozoic formation of protoliths of continental crust in the Gorny Altai segment of the Central Asian fold belt is considered, and their composition, isotopic characteristics, and formation mechanisms are estimated. We have established two stages of crust-forming processes in Gorny Altai: Early and Late Caledonian, with the different structures of formed geoblocks and nature and compositions of crustal protoliths. At the Early Caledonian stage, fragments of oceanic lithosphere of basic composition (MORB, OIT, OIB) (T_Nd(DM-2st) = 0.65–1.1 Ga) formed, as well as island arcs with andesite-basaltic and andesitic protoliths with low contents of incompatible elements (T_Nd(DM-2st) = 0.7–0.9 Ga). At the Late Caledonian stage, the redistribution of the substance of these blocks and the external supply of material led to the formation of heterogeneous crust of turbidite basins with an oceanic basement and andesite-dacitic upper-crustal protoliths (T_Nd(DM-2st) varies from 0.8–0.9 Ga in the framing of the volcanic arc of Altaids to 1.4–1.6 Ga at the boundary of the Altai–Mongolian microcontinent).     

First data on late vendian granitoid magmatism of the Northwestern Sayan–Yenisei accretionary belt

Late Vendian (540–550 Ma) U–Pb age was established for zircon from postcollisional granites of the Osinovsky Massif located among island-arc complexes of the Isakovka terrane in the northwestern Sayan–Yenisei accretionary belt. The granites were formed 150 Ma after the formation of the host island-arc complexes and 50–60 Ma after the beginning of their accretion to the Siberian Craton. These events mark the final stage of the Neoproterozoic history of the Yenisei Ridge related to the end of accretion of oceanic fragments and the beginning of the Caledonian Orogeny. The granites are subalkaline leucoractic Na–K rocks enriched in Rb, U, and Th. The petrogeochemical and Sm–Nd isotope data (T_Nd(DM)-2st = 1490–1650 Ma and ε_Nd(T) from–2.5 to–4.4) indicate that their source was highly differentiated continental crust of the SW margin of the Siberian Craton. Therefore, the host Late Riphean island-arc complexes were thrust over the craton margin for distance significantly exceeding the size of the Osinovsky Massif.     

The Volch’etundrovsky Massif of the autonomous anorthosite complex of the Main Range, the Kola Peninsula: Geological, petrogeochemical, and isotope-geochronological studies

The Volch??etundrovsky Massif occupies the middle part of the autonomous anorthosite complex of the Main Range, has a sheet morphology and marks the tectonic suture between the Kola block and the Belomorian mobile belt. The massif is characterized by homogenous structure and consists of the volumetrically dominant Main Zone including leucogabbro, leucogabbronorites, and anorthosites, and Marginal Zone made up of leuconorites and gabbronorites with subordinate plagioclasites and orthopyroxenites. Chemically, the rocks of the Volch??etundrovsky Massif are ascribed to the normal (tholeiitic and calc-alkaline) petrochemical series with typomorphic high Al₂O₃ contents (11.71?C29.32 wt %). With Al₂O₃ increase in the leuconorite-anorthosite series, the SiO₂ and TiO₂ contents show weak variations, CaO and alkalis insignificantly increase, whereas the MgO and FeO contents sharply decrease. The rocks of the Volch??etundrovsky Massif reveal significant REE fractionation and increase in total REE content in the leuconorite-anorthosite series, most approximating the Paleoproterozoic (Sumian) anorthosites of the Kola region. The anorthosites and leucogabbro are characterized by flat HREE, while the leuconorites is strongly depleted in HREE due to garnet fractionation. All rocks of the massif have significant positive Eu anomalies caused by the plagioclase accumulation. Zircons are characterized by LREE depletion and enrichment in HREE. This defines the steep positive slope of the plots complicated by the negative Eu and positive Ce (in zircons from leucogabbro) anomalies, which is typical of the REE distribution patterns in the unaltered zircons from igneous rocks. In zircons from anorthosites, the Ce anomaly is weak to absent. The trace-element distribution in the rocks of the Volch??etundrovsky Massif show positive Ba, Ta, Pb, Sr, Sc, and V anomalies, being controlled by the mineral specifics of the massif and the presence of definite accessory minerals. New U-Pb zircon data on the rocks of the Volch??etundrovsky Massif indicate that the leuconorites from the Marginal Zone were formed 2473 ± 7 Ma and 2463 ± 2.4 Ma ago, and the leucogabbro from the Main Zone, 2467 ± 8 Ma. These rocks have negative ?_Nd(T) from -1.54 up to -3.10, which indicates their derivation from enriched mantle reservoir variably contaminated by crustal material. The anorthosites of the Main Zone define an U-Pb age of 2407 ± 3 Ma and ?_Nd(T) = ?3.78, which presumably reflect the timing of hydrothermal-metasomatic alterations in the upper part of the magmatic chamber accompanied by significant crustal contamination.