Two-stage metamorphic evolution of the Bemarivo Belt of northern Madagascar: constraints from reaction textures and in situ monazite dating

New results on the pressure–temperature–time evolution, deduced from conventional geothermobarometry and in situ U‐Th‐total Pb dating of monazite, are presented for the Bemarivo Belt in northern Madagascar. The belt is subdivided into a northern part consisting of low‐grade metamorphic epicontinental series and a southern part made up of granulite facies metapelites. The prograde metamorphic stage of the latter unit is preserved by kyanite inclusions in garnet, which is in agreement with results of the garnet (core)‐alumosilicate‐quartz‐plagioclase (inclusions in garnet; GASP) equilibrium. The peak metamorphic stage is characterized by ultrahigh temperatures of ～900–950 °C and pressures of ～9 kbar, deduced from GASP equilibria and feldspar thermometry. In proximity to charnockite bodies, garnet‐sillimanite‐bearing metapelites contain aluminous orthopyroxene (max. 8.0 wt% Al₂O₃) pointing to even higher temperatures of ～970 °C. Peak metamorphism is followed by near‐isothermal decompression to pressures of 5–7 kbar and subsequent near‐isobaric cooling, which is demonstrated by the extensive late‐stage formation of cordierite around garnet. Internal textures and differences in chemistry of metapelitic monazite point to a polyphasic growth history. Monazite with magmatically zoned cores is rarely preserved, and gives an age of c. 737 ± 19 Ma, interpreted as the maximum age of sedimentation. Two metamorphic stages are dated: M1 monazite cores range from 563 ± 28 Ma to 532 ± 23 Ma, representing the collisional event, and M2 monazite rims (521 ± 25 Ma to 513 ± 14 Ma), interpreted as grown during peak metamorphic temperatures. These are among the youngest ages reported for high‐grade metamorphism in Madagascar, and are supposed to reflect the Pan‐African attachment of the Bemarivo Belt to the Gondwana supercontinent during its final amalgamation stage. In the course of this, the southern Bemarivo Belt was buried to a depth of >25 km. Approximately 25–30 Myr later, the rocks underwent heating, interpreted to be due to magmatic underplating, and uplift. Presumably, the northern part of the belt was also affected by this tectonism, but buried to a lower depth, and therefore metamorphosed to lower grades.     

High-T, low-P metamorphism in the Palaeoproterozoic Halls Creek Orogen, northern Australia: the middle crustal response to a mantle-related transient thermal pulse

High‐T, low‐P metamorphic rocks of the Palaeoproterozoic central Halls Creek Orogen in northern Australia are characterised by low radiogenic heat production, high upper crustal thermal gradients (locally exceeding 40 °C km^?1) sustained for over 30 Myr, and a large number of layered mafic‐ultramafic intrusions with mantle‐related geochemical signatures. In order to account for this combination of geological and thermal characteristics, we model the middle crustal response to a transient mantle‐related heat pulse resulting from a temporary reduction in the thickness of the mantle lithosphere. This mechanism has the potential to raise mid‐crustal temperatures by 150–400 °C within 10–20 Myr following initiation of the mantle temperature anomaly, via conductive dissipation through the crust. The magnitude and timing of maximum temperatures attained depend strongly on the proximity, duration and lateral extent of the thermal anomaly in the mantle lithosphere, and decrease sharply in response to anomalies that are seated deeper than 50–60 km, maintained for <5 Myr in duration and/or have half‐widths <100 km. Maximum temperatures are also intimately linked to the thermal properties of the model crust, primarily due to their influence on the steady‐state (background) thermal gradient. The amplitudes of temperature increases in the crust are principally a function of depth, and are broadly independent of crustal thermal parameters. Mid‐crustal felsic and mafic plutonism is a predictable consequence of perturbed thermal regimes in the mantle and the lowermost crust, and the advection of voluminous magmas has the potential to raise temperatures in the middle crust very quickly. Although pluton‐related thermal signatures significantly dissipate within <10 Myr (even for very large, high‐temperature intrusive bodies), the interaction of pluton‐ and mantle‐related thermal effects has the potential to maintain host rock temperatures in excess of 400–450 °C for up to 30 Myr in some parts of the mid‐crust. The numerical models presented here support the notion that transient mantle‐related heat sources have the capacity to contribute significantly to the thermal budget of metamorphism in high‐T, low‐P metamorphic belts, especially in those characterised by low surface heat flow, very high peak metamorphic geothermal gradients and abundant mafic intrusions.     

Neoarchaean magmatism and metamorphism of the western granulites in the central domain of the Mozambique belt, Tanzania: U–Pb shrimp geochronology and PT estimates

U–Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating of zircons from charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses from the central portion of the Mozambique belt, central Tanzania indicate that the protolith granitoids were emplaced in a late Archaean, ca. 2.7 Ga, magmatic event. These ages are similar to other U–Pb and Pb–Pb ages obtained for other gneisses in this part of the belt. Zircon xenocrysts dated between 2.8 and 3.0 Ga indicate the presence of an older basement. Major and trace element geochemistry of these high-grade gneisses suggests that the granitoid protoliths may have formed in an active continental margin environment. Metamorphic zircon rims and multifaceted metamorphic zircons are dated at ca. 2.6 Ga indicating that these rocks were metamorphosed some 50–100 my after their emplacement. Pressure and temperature estimates on the charnockitic and garnet–biotite gneisses were obscured by post-peak metamorphic compositional homogenisation; however, these estimates combined with mineral textures suggest that these rocks underwent isobaric cooling to 800–850 °C at 12–14 kbar. It is considered likely that the granulite facies mineral assemblage developed during the ca. 2.6 Ga event, but it must be considered that it might instead represent a pervasive Neoproterozoic, Pan African, granulite facies overprint, similar to the ubiquitous eastern granulites further to the east.     

Near-vertical seismic reflection image using a novel acquisition technique across the Vrancea Zone and Foscani Basin, south-eastern Carpathians (Romania)

The DACIA PLAN (Danube and Carpathian Integrated Action on Process in the Lithosphere and Neotectonics) deep seismic sounding survey was performed in August–September 2001 in south-eastern Romania, at the same time as the regional deep refraction seismic survey VRANCEA 2001. The main goal of the experiment was to obtain new information on the deep structure of the external Carpathians nappes and the architecture of Tertiary/Quaternary basins developed within and adjacent to the seismically-active Vrancea zone, including the Focsani Basin. The seismic reflection line had a WNW–ESE orientation, running from internal East Carpathians units, across the mountainous south-eastern Carpathians, and the foreland Focsani Basin towards the Danube Delta. There were 131 shot points along the profile, with about 1 km spacing, and data were recorded with stand-alone RefTek-125s (also known as “Texans”), supplied by the University Texas at El Paso and the PASSCAL Institute. The entire line was recorded in three deployments, using about 340 receivers in the first deployment and 640 receivers in each of the other two deployments. The resulting deep seismic reflection stacks, processed to 20 s along the entire profile and to 10 s in the eastern Focsani Basin, are presented here. The regional architecture of the latter, interpreted in the context of abundant independent constraint from exploration seismic and subsurface data, is well imaged. Image quality within and beneath the thrust belt is of much poorer quality. Nevertheless, there is good evidence to suggest that a thick (10 km) sedimentary basin having the structure of a graben and of indeterminate age underlies the westernmost part of the Focsani Basin, in the depth range 10–25 km. Most of the crustal depth seismicity observed in the Vrancea zone (as opposed to the more intense upper mantle seismicity) appears to be associated with this sedimentary basin. The sedimentary successions within this basin and other horizons visible further to the west, beneath the Carpathian nappes, suggest that the geometry of the Neogene and recent uplift observed in the Vrancea zone, likely coupled with contemporaneous rapid subsidence in the foreland, is detached from deeper levels of the crust at about 10 km depth. The Moho lies at a depth of about 40 km along the profile, its poor expression in the reflection stack being strengthened by independent estimates from the refraction data. Given the apparent thickness of the (meta)sedimentary supracrustal units, the crystalline crust beneath this area is quite thin (< 20 km) supporting the hypothesis that there may have been delamination of (lower) continental crust in this area involved in the evolution of the seismic Vrancea zone.     

Paleomagnetism of the Carboniferous Rouchel Block,Tamworth Belt,and pole path revision for the New England Orogen,eastern Australia

Structural, magnetic and gravity trends of the southern New England Orogen (SNEO) indicate four oroclinal structures, none conclusively confirmed paleomagnetically. Curved structures of the Tamworth Belt (TB)—a continental forearc exposed across six tectono-stratigraphic blocks with interlinked Carboniferous stratigraphies and extensive ignimbritic rocks known to retain primary magnetisations despite prevalent overprinting—are prospective to oroclinal testing through comparison of Carboniferous pole paths for individual blocks. Pole paths (a) have been established for the Rocky Creek and Werrie blocks (northwestern/western TB), (b) are described herein for the Rouchel Block (southwestern TB), and (c) are forthcoming for the Gresford and Myall blocks (southern/southeastern TB). The Rouchel path derives from detailed paleomagnetic, rock magnetic and magnetic fabric studies. Thermal, alternating field and liquid nitrogen demagnetisations show a low-temperature overprint, attributed to late Oligocene weathering, and high-temperature (HT) primary and overprint components in both magnetite and hematite carriers, showing slight, systematic, directional differences with hematite providing the better cleaned site poles. Seven primary mean-site poles of Tournaisian and mainly Visean age and three overprint poles show six positive fold tests, five at 95% or higher confidence levels. Two dispersed groupings of intermediate (IT) and HT overprint site poles of Permian and Permo-Triassic age are attributed to early and late phases in oroclinal evolution of the SNEO. HT and IT/HT overprint site poles of mid-Carboniferous age are attributed to Variscan Australia–Asia convergence. Individual pole paths for the Rocky Creek, Werrie and Rouchel blocks show no noticeable rotation between them, indicating primary curvature for the southwestern TB. Their integrated SNEO pole path establishes a reference frame for determining rotations of the southern and southeastern TB.     

Possible spatial variability in the Selwyn Block of Central Victoria: evidence from Late Devonian felsic igneous rocks

The Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Selwyn Block in Central Victoria forms the mainly unexposed basement to the Paleozoic metasediments, granitic rocks and felsic volcanic complexes of the Melbourne Zone of the Lachlan Orogen. The Late Devonian felsic rocks are largely products of partial melting of the Selwyn Block, and their chemistry implies that their sources were most probably arc-related andesite, dacite, volcaniclastic greywackes and some pelites. When plotted against the median longitudes of the plutons and volcanic complexes, the average values for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_t and ?Nd_t (at 370 Ma) reveal broad trends interpreted to reflect possible compositional and/or age structure in the Selwyn Block. Assuming that the trends are real, from W to E, I-type sources are progressively less crustally evolved, probably younging eastward. The S-type sources show no trend in ?Nd_t, suggesting that there was efficient sediment mixing. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_t values, however, become more evolved eastward (opposite in sense to the apparent variation in the I-type sources). This is interpreted as the original Selwyn Block sediments having been more pelitic eastward, perhaps suggesting a deepening of the basin in this direction, as well as structurally upward in the succession. The opposite senses of variation highlights the spatial separation of the S- and I-type sources and suggest that the granitic magmas here are unlikely to represent any sort of mixing continuum.     

纳米比亚湖山铀矿地质特征、控矿因素及其成因探讨

湖山铀矿位于泛非期达马拉造山带的南部中央区带内,构造以NNE-SSW向穹窿和断裂为主。矿区内地层自老至新为艾杜西斯组、可汗组、罗辛组、楚斯组、阿兰蒂斯组、卡里比布组和卡塞布组,侵入岩为寒武纪至晚新元古代花岗岩类。晶质铀矿为主要原生矿石矿物。后期热液叠加导致了铀石、硅钙铀矿和黄硅钾铀矿等热液矿物的形成以及高岭土化、蛇纹石化、绢云母化和绿泥石化等蚀变作用。矿床的形成受矿区地层、岩浆岩和构造联合控制,矿化仅发生于D和E型花岗岩内。矿化岩体呈席状侵入于NNE-SSW向湖山背斜转折端和翼部高应力区域,赋存于罗辛组与可汗组不整合接触带及其上部的罗辛组,少量赋存于楚斯组内。矿区内构造-岩浆事件可划分为四个阶段,铀成矿作用与第四阶段构造-岩浆事件密切相关,含矿D和E型花岗岩为后造山伸展环境下富铀阿巴比斯基底重熔形成。     

陕西旬阳地区小河金矿硫铅同位素组成及地质意义

小河金矿是近年来在南秦岭中带发现的中型金矿床,矿石类型为微细浸染型,矿床受地层和构造双重控制。在野外工作基础上,根据矿物组合及穿插关系划分了4个成矿阶段:Ⅰ,成矿早期少硫化物石英脉成矿阶段;Ⅱ,石英脉、黄铁矿、毒砂成矿主阶段;Ⅲ,石英脉-多金属硫化物成矿主阶段;Ⅳ,方解石、石英脉成矿晚阶段。其中Ⅱ、Ⅲ阶段是主要金矿化阶段。不同阶段样品的原位硫同位素结果显示:成矿早阶段石英脉期的黄铁矿δ³⁴S值为20.80‰~25.77‰,均值为23.59‰;主成矿期II阶段中黄铁矿、毒砂δ³⁴S值为15.46‰~19.12‰,均值为17.5‰;主成矿期Ⅲ阶段中方铅矿、闪锌矿δ³⁴S值为11.35‰~16.78‰,均值为13.88‰。硫同位素特征指示硫以沉积硫为主,成矿过程可能存在低δ³⁴S值热液的持续加入。金属硫化物Pb同位素测试结果显示²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为17.882 1~18.367 4,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为15.614 0~15.674 1,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为38.016 3~38.934 2,指示小河金矿铅主要源于地壳,同时伴随幔源铅的混入。综合矿床地质特征及硫、铅同位素地球化学特征,认为小河金矿成矿过程可能存在流体混合作用。     

哈尔里克山晚古生代混合岩地质特征、年代学及其构造意义

哈尔里克山位于天山造山带东北缘,是古亚洲洋板片俯冲、弧—陆(或弧—弧)增生拼贴造山作用的产物.出露于哈尔里克山南麓的中—高级变质带中发育有混合岩,其成因和时代尚无详细研究.文章对哈尔里克变质带中的混合岩进行了野外岩相—构造分析与LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学研究.结果显示,该混合岩与高级变质沉积岩紧密伴生,可能是...     

Early Cretaceous Metasomatized Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Central Jiangnan Orogen in South China: Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotope Evidence from the Tuanshanbei Dolerite

It is well established that Cretaceous magmatism in the South China Block (SCB) is related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction. However, the starting time and the associated deep crust-mantle processes are still debatable. Mafic dike swarms carry important information on the deep earth (including mantle) geodynamics and geochemical evolution. In the Jiangnan Orogen (South China), there is no information on whether the Mesozoic magmatic activities in this region are also directly related to the Pacific subduction or not. In this study, we present detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological, whole-rock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for Early Cretaceous Tuanshanbei dolerite dikes, and provide new constraints on the condition of the lithospheric mantle and mantle dynamics of the SCB during that time. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that this dolerite erupted in the Early Cretaceous (~145 Ma). All samples have alkaline geochemical affinities with K2O + Na2O = 3.11–4.04 wt%, K2O/Na2O = 0.50–0.72, and Mg# = 62.24–65.13. They are enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE with higher initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio (0.706896–0.714743) and lower εNd(t) (?2.61 to ?1.67). They have high Nb/U, Nb/La, La/Sm and Rb/Sr, and low La/Nb, La/Ta, Ce/Pb, Ba/Rb, Tb/Yb and Gd/Yb ratios. Such geochemical signatures suggest that the fractional crystallization is obvious but crustal contamination play a negligible role during magmatic evolution. Tuanshanbei dolerite were most likely derived from low-degree (2%–5%) partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle material consisted of ~85% spinel peridotite and ~15% garnet peridotite previously metasomatized by asthenosphere-derived fluids/melts with minor subduction-derived fluids/melts. Slab-rollback generally lead to the upwelling of the hot asthenosphere. The upwelling of asthenosphere consuming the lithospheric mantle by thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion. The lithospheric mantle may have partially melted due to the heating by the upwelling asthenosphere and lithospheric extension. It is inferred that the Tuanshanbei dolerite might be associated with the initial slab rollback and corresponding lithospheric extension occurred potentially at ca. 145 Ma.