Archean high-Mg monzodiorite–syenite,epidote skarn,and biotite–sericite gold lodes in the Granny Smith–Wallaby district,Australia: U–Pb and Re–Os chronometry of two intrusion-related hydrothermal systems

The Granny Smith (37 t Au production) and Wallaby deposits (38 t out of a 180 t Au resource) are located northeast of Kalgoorlie, in 2.7 Ga greenstones of the Eastern Goldfields Province, the youngest orogenic belt of the Yilgarn craton, Western Australia. At Granny Smith, a zoned monzodiorite–granodiorite stock, dated by a concordant titanite–zircon U–Pb age of 2,665 ± 3 Ma, cuts across east-dipping thrust faults. The stock is fractured but not displaced and sets a minimum age for large-scale (1 km) thrust faulting (D2), regional folding (D1), and dynamothermal metamorphism in the mining district. The local gold–pyrite mineralization, controlled by fractured fault zones, is younger than 2,665 ± 3 Ma. In augite–hornblende monzodiorite, alteration progressed from a hematite-stained alkali feldspar–quartz–calcite assemblage and quartz–molybdenite–pyrite veins to a late reduced sericite–dolomite–albite assemblage. Gold-related monazite and xenotime define a U–Pb age of 2,660 ± 5 Ma, and molybdenite from veins a Re–Os isochron age of 2,661 ± 6 Ma, indicating that mineralization took place shortly after the emplacement of the main stock, perhaps coincident with the intrusion of late alkali granite dikes. At Wallaby, a NE-trending swarm of porphyry dikes comprising augite monzonite, monzodiorite, and minor kersantite intrudes folded and thrust-faulted molasse. The conglomerate and the dikes are overprinted by barren (<0.01 g/t Au) anhydrite-bearing epidote–actinolite–calcite skarn, forming a 600-m-wide and >1,600-m-long replacement pipe, which is intruded by a younger ring dike of syenite porphyry pervasively altered to muscovite + calcite + pyrite. Skarn and syenite are cut by pink biotite–calcite veins, containing magnetite + pyrite and subeconomic gold–silver mineralization (Au/Ag = 0.2). The veins are associated with red biotite–sericite–calcite–albite alteration in adjacent monzonite dikes. Structural relations and the concordant titanite U–Pb age of the skarn constrain intrusion-related mineralization to 2,662 ± 3 Ma. The main-stage gold–pyrite ore (Au/Ag >10) forms hematite-stained sericite–dolomite–albite lodes in stacked D2 reverse faults, which offset skarn, syenite, and the biotite–calcite veins by up to 25 m. The molybdenite Re–Os age (2,661 ± 10 Ma) of the ore suggests a genetic link to intrusive activity but is in apparent conflict with a monazite–xenotime U–Pb age (2,651 ± 6 Ma), which differs from that of the skarn at the 95% confidence level. The time relationships at both gold deposits are inconsistent with orogenic models invoking a principal role for metamorphic fluids released during the main phase of compression in the fold belt. Instead, mineralization is related in space and time to late-orogenic, magnetite-series, high-Mg monzodiorite–syenite intrusions of mantle origin, characterized by Mg/(Mg + Fe_TOTAL) = 0.31–0.57, high Cr (34–96 ppm), Ni (22–63 ppm), Ba (1,056–2,321 ppm), Sr (1,268–2,457 ppm), Th (15–36 ppm), and rare earth elements (total REE: 343–523 ppm). At Wallaby, shared Ca–K–CO₂ metasomatism and Th-REE enrichment (in allanite) link Au–Ag mineralization in biotite–calcite veins to the formation of the giant epidote skarn, implicating a Th + REE-rich syenite pluton at depth as the source of the oxidized hydrothermal fluid. At Granny Smith, lead isotope data and the Rb–Th–U signature of early hematite-bearing wall-rock alteration point to fluid released by the source pluton of the differentiated alkali granite dikes.     

东坪式与正长岩类有关的金矿床成矿机理的同位素地球化学制约

东坪式金矿床产于华北地台北缘金矿成矿带的冀西北金矿集中区,构造上位于华北克拉通北缘深大断裂-尚义-赤城断裂的南侧。金矿床产于泥盆纪早期(386～410Ma)水泉沟正长岩杂岩体内及接触带附近,矿体分布受脆-韧性剪切断裂构造的制约。金矿成矿作用具有多期次的特点,成矿时代为燕山期(156～203Ma)。矿石类型主要为石英脉型、石英网脉 脉旁钾硅化蚀变岩型和钾硅化蚀变岩型,具有典型的碱性岩金矿的金-碲组合,(含)金矿物主要为自然金、碲金矿和碲金银矿。流体包裹体的 H、O 及 He 同位素研究表明,成矿流体为以大气降水主的混合热液流体并可能存在深源流体的参与。矿床的 S、Pb、Sr 和 Si 同位素组成表明,金矿成矿物质主要来源于正长岩杂岩体,部分源于太古宙桑干群变质岩和燕山期花岗岩。因此,东坪式金矿是由燕山期伸展构造环境下热液流体在上涌地幔及岩浆活动的热驱动下对泥盆纪早期形成的正长岩交代改造的产物。     

Geological, geochemical characteristics and isotope systematics of the Longqiao iron deposit in the Lu-Zong volcano-sedimentary basin, Middle-Lower Yangtze (Changjiang) River Valley, Eastern China

The Middle-Lower Yangtze (Changjiang) River Valley metallogenic belt is located on the northern margin of the Yangtze Craton of eastern China. Most polymetallic deposits in the Changjiang metallogenic belt are clustered in seven districts where magmatism of Mesozoic age (Yanshanian tectono-thermal event) is particularly extensive. From west to east these districts are: E-dong, Jiu-Rui, Anqing-Guichi, Lu-Zong, Tong-Ling, Ning-Wu and Ning-Zhen. World-class iron ore deposits occur in the Lu-Zong and Ning-Wu ore clusters, which are mainly located in continental fault-bound volcanic-sedimentary basins. One of these deposits is the Longqiao iron deposit, discovered in the northern part of the Lu-Zong Basin in 1985. This deposit consists of a single stratabound and stratiform orebody, hosted in sedimentary carbonate rocks of the Triassic Dongma'anshan Formation. A syenite pluton (Longqiao intrusion) is situated below the deposit. The iron ore is massive and disseminated and the ore minerals are mainly magnetite and minor pyrite. Wall rock alteration mostly consists of skarn minerals, such as diopside, garnet, potassic feldspar, quartz, chlorite, phlogopite and anhydrite. Thin sedimentary siderite beds of Triassic age occur as relict laminated ore at the top and the margin of the magnetite orebody. These sideritic laminae are part of Triassic evaporite-bearing carbonate deposits (Dongma'anshan Formation).Sulfur isotopic compositions show that the sulfur in the deposit was derived from a mixture of magmatic hydrothermal fluids and carbonate–evaporite host rocks. Similarly, the C and O isotopic compositions of limestones from the Dongma'anshan Formation indicate that these rocks interacted with magmatic hydrothermal fluids. The O isotopic compositions of the syenitic rocks and minerals from the deposit show that the hydrothermal magnetite and skarn minerals were formed from magmatic fluids. The Pb isotopic compositions of sulfides are similar to those of the Longqiao syenite. Phlogopite coexisting with magnetite in the magnetite ores yielded a plateau age of 130.5 ± 1.1 Ma (2σ), whereas the LA-ICP MS age of the syenite intrusion is 131.1 ± 1.5 Ma, which is slightly older than the age of phlogopite.The Longqiao syenite intrusion may have crystallized from a parental alkaline magma, generated by partial melting of lithospheric mantle, during extensional tectonics. The ore fluids were probably first derived from magma at depth, later emplaced in the sedimentary rocks of the Dongma'anshan Formation, where it interacted with siderite and evaporite-bearing carbonate strata, resulting in the formation of magnetite and skarn minerals. The Longqiao iron deposit is a skarn-type stratabound and stratiform mineral system, genetically and temporally related to the Longqiao syenite intrusion. The Longqiao syenite is part of the widespread Mesozoic intracontinental magmatism (Yanshanian event) in eastern China, which has been linked to lithospheric delamination and asthenospheric upwelling.     

朝鲜~19亿年侵入岩的岩石类型与构造背景初探

朝鲜半岛北部广泛发育~19亿年侵入岩,这些岩浆岩可以分为三个系列,分别为似斑状花岗岩系列(多为I型,以妙香山岩体为代表,年龄1900~1840Ma)、S型花岗岩系列(以嘉山岩体为代表,本文获得1862±5Ma锆石U-Pb年龄)和正长岩系列(以龙浦岩体为代表,本文获得1857±2Ma锆石U-Pb年龄)。似斑状花岗岩系列(I型花岗岩)大致对应朝鲜地质学家定义的Myohyangsan(妙香山)杂岩,以发育钾长石巨斑为特征,与麻粒岩相变质的火山岩-沉积岩系关系密切;S型花岗岩系列大致对应Ryonhwasan(莲花山)杂岩,以发育石榴石和堇青石等矿物为特征,与麻粒岩相变质的副变质岩共生:这说明前者可能与变质火山岩系相关,而后者可能和副变质岩相关。正长岩系列,朝鲜地质学家称为Sakju(朔州)杂岩,分布较为局限,仅见于朔州以及博川-定州之间,也见于邻区辽东,多为岩株。这三个系列岩浆岩稍早或者同期于角闪岩相-麻粒岩相变质(本文获得甑山"群"变质锆石U-Pb年龄1844±2Ma)。邻区辽东-吉南及胶东地区也发育这三个系列岩浆岩,但这两个地区~21亿年岩浆作用更为广泛。朝鲜半岛南部发育大量同期岩浆岩,但岩石类型以似斑状花岗岩为主,并发育紫苏花岗岩和斜长岩。我们推测,朝鲜半岛南北两侧基底属性存在差异,可能对应不同的古陆(华北与华南古陆)。综合分析表明,朝鲜~19亿年前广泛发育I型和S型花岗岩,并有幔源岩浆作用,同时发育正长岩类,并且这些岩浆活动与区域高级变质作用时代接近。考虑到本区存在太古宙基底,我们推测本区在古元古代可能处于类似现今活动大陆边缘弧背景。     

A deformed alkaline igneous rock–carbonatite complex from the Western Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina: Evidence for late Neoproterozoic opening of the Clymene Ocean?

A deformed ca. 570 Ma syenite–carbonatite body is reported from a Grenville-age (1.0–1.2 Ga) terrane in the Sierra de Maz, one of the Western Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina. This is the first recognition of such a rock assemblage in the basement of the Central Andes. The two main lithologies are coarse-grained syenite (often nepheline-bearing) and enclave-rich fine-grained foliated biotite–calcite carbonatite. Samples of carbonatite and syenite yield an imprecise whole rock Rb–Sr isochron age of 582 ± 60 Ma (MSWD = 1.8; Sri = 0.7029); SHRIMP U–Pb spot analysis of syenite zircons shows a total range of ²⁰⁶Pb–²³⁸U ages between 433 and 612 Ma, with a prominent peak at 560–580 Ma defined by homogeneous zircon areas. Textural interpretation of the zircon data, combined with the constraint of the Rb–Sr data suggest that the carbonatite complex formed at ca. 570 Ma. Further disturbance of the U–Pb system took place at 525 ± 7 Ma (Pampean orogeny) and at ca. 430–440 Ma (Famatinian orogeny) and it is concluded that the Western Sierras Pampeanas basement was joined to Gondwana during both events. Highly unradiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values in calcites (0.70275–0.70305) provide a close estimate for the initial Sr isotope composition of the carbonatite magma. Sm–Nd data yield Nd₅₇₀ values of +3.3 to +4.8. The complex was probably formed during early opening of the Clymene Ocean from depleted mantle with a component from Meso/Neo-proterozoic lower continental crust.     

Two magma series and associated ore deposit types in the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

The Late Middle Permian ( 260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province in SW China contains two magmatic series, one comprising high-Ti basalts and Fe-rich gabbroic and syenitic intrusions, the other low-Ti basalts and mafic–ultramafic intrusions. The Fe-rich gabbros are spatially and temporally associated with syenites. Each series is associated with a distinctive type of mineralization, the first with giant Fe–Ti–V oxide ore deposits such as Panzhihua and Baima, the second with Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposits such as Jinbaoshan, Limahe and Zhubu. New SHRIMP zircon U–Pb isotopic data yielded 263 ± 3 Ma for the Limahe intrusion, 261 ± 2 Ma for the Zhubu intrusion and 262 ± 2 Ma for a syenitic intrusion. These new age dates, together with previously reported SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages, suggest that all these intrusions are contemporaneous with the Emeishan flood basalts and formed during a major igneous event at ca. 260 Ma.The oxide-bearing intrusions have higher Al₂O₃, FeO (as total iron) and total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O) but lower MgO than the sulfide-bearing intrusions. All intrusions are variably enriched in LREE relative to HREE. The oxide-bearing intrusions display positive Nb- and Ti-anomalies and in certain cases negative Zr–Hf anomalies, whereas the sulfide-bearing intrusions have obvious negative Nb- and Ti-anomalies, a feature of crustal contamination. Individual intrusions have relatively small ranges of Nd(t) values. All the intrusions, however, have Nd(t) values ranging from − 3.9 to + 4.6, and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0.7039 to 0.7105. The syenites have very low MgO (< 2 wt.%) but highly variable Fe₂O₃ (2.5 to 13 wt.%) with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios ranging from 0.7039 to 0.7089. Magmas from both series could have derived by melting of a heterogeneous mantle plume: the high-Ti series from a Fe-rich, more fertile source and the low-Ti series from a Fe-poor, more refractory source. In addition, the low-Ti series underwent significant crustal contamination. The two magma series evolved along different paths that led to distinct mineralization styles.     

New data (U–Pb, K–Ar) on the geochronology of the alkaline-carbonatitic association of Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Zircons from a nepheline-syenite of the Fuerteventura Basal Complex were dated by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The age obtained from a total of 21 U–Th–Pb analyses is 25.4 ± 0.3 Ma (2σ) indicating a late Oligocene–early Miocene crystallization. This age is consistent with new K–Ar ages on nepheline-syenites and pyroxenites, and contradicts previously published ³⁹Ar–⁴⁰Ar (feldspar) ages that were interpreted to represent a late Cretaceous–early Paleocene, pyroxenitic–syenitic magmatic episode. These new geochronological data are consistent with both field observations and most of the previously published ages on alkaline silicate rocks and associated carbonatites of Fuerteventura. Therefore, they strongly support the existence of a single, late Oligocene–early Miocene event of alkaline–carbonatitic magmatism in the Basal Complex of Fuerteventura, taking place at approximately 25 Ma and comprising: alkaline-pyroxenites, melteigites-ijolites, nepheline-syenites and carbonatites, as well as their volcanic equivalents and associated dykes.

These new data provide an estimate for the length of time that it took the island to grow, thus eliminating one of the major problems in explaining its development by a hot-spot model.     

Derivation of potassic (shoshonitic) magmas by decompression melting of phlogopite+pargasite lherzolite

A model metasomatized lherzolite composition contains phlogopite and pargasite, together with olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and spinel or garnet as subsolidus phases to 3 GPa. Previous works established that at ≥1.5 GPa, phlogopite is stable above the dehydration solidus, determined by the melting behaviour of pargasite and coexisting phases. At 2.8 GPa, melts with residual phlogopite+garnet lherzolite mineralogy at 1195 °C and with garnet lherzolite mineralogy at 1250 °C are both olivine nephelinite with K/Na (atomic)=0.51 and K/Na=0.65, respectively. Recent work shows that melting along the dehydration (fluid-absent) solidus of the phlogopite+pargasite lherzolite at pressures <1.5 GPa is very different with the presence of phlogopite, decreasing the solidus below that of pargasite lherzolite. At 1.0 GPa, both phlogopite and pargasite disappear at temperatures at or slightly above the solidus. The compositions of two melts at 1.0 GPa, 1075 °C (with different water contents), in equilibrium with residual spinel lherzolite mineralogy are silica-saturated trachyandesite (5% melt fraction, 3% H₂O) to silica-oversaturated basaltic andesite (8% melt fraction, 4.5% H₂O). Both compositions may be classified as ‘shoshonites’ on the basis of normative compositions, silica-saturation, and K/Na ratio. Decompression melting of metasomatized lithospheric lherzolite with minor phlogopite and pargasite may produce primary ‘shoshonitic’ magmas by dehydration melting at 1 GPa, 1050–1150 °C. Such magmas may be parental to Proterozoic batholithic syenites occurring in Brazil.     

Petrological and geochemical characteristics of Marunthurkota syenites from the Kerala khondalite belt,southern India

This note reports new occurrences of syenite bodies around Marunthurkota area from the Kerala khondalite belt (KKB). Petrological and geochemical studies suggest that the syenites have a pronounced A-type affinity, metaluminous characteristics with high concentrations of alkalies, Rb, Sr, Zr, and high K₂O/Na₂O ratio. Miaskitic nature (agpaitic index<1) of syenite suggest involvement of CO₂ related phase in their genesis. The petrological characteristics signify crystallization of the rock at shallow levels within the crust. Geochemistry favours mantle origin of the magma and enrichment of Ba and Sr are indicative of involvement of carbonatite melt in the source region. The study envisages the presence of a juvenile CO₂ enriched upper mantle below the southern Indian continental crust during the Pan-African time.     

Petrology,geochemistry and source characteristics of the Burpala alkaline massif,North Baikal

The Burpala alkaline massif contains rocks with more than 50 minerals rich in Zr,Nb,Ti,Th,Be and rare earth elements(REE).The rocks vary in composition from shonkinite,melanocratic syenite,nepheline and alkali syenites to alaskite and alkali granite and contain up to 10%LILE and HSFE,3.6%of REE and varying amounts of other trace elements(4%Zr,0.5%Y,0.5%Nb,0.5%Th and 0.1%U).Geological and geochemical data suggest that all the rocks in the Burpala massif were derived from alkaline magma enriched in rare earth elements.The extreme products of magma fractionation are REE rich pegmatites,apatite-fiuorite bearing rocks and carbonatites.The Sr and Nd isotope data suggest that the source of primary melt is enriched mantle(EM-Ⅱ).We correlate the massif to mantle plume impact on the active margin of the Siberian continent.