Slumping and shallow faulting related to the presence of salt on the Continental Slope and Rise off North Carolina

Seismic reflection profiles and long- and medium-range sidescan sonar were used to investigate a salt diapir complex and area of slope instability near the base of the Continental Slope off North Carolina. Within the area of investigation three diapirs are bounded on their upslope side by a scarp 60 m high and 50 km long. The slope above the scarp is characterized by a series of shallow rotational normal faults. The bottom below the scarp is furrowed by slide tracks, which were probably carved by large blocks that broke off the scarp face and slid downslope leaving rubble and scree lobes.Extensive slumping in this area appears to be a result of uplift and faulting associated with salt intrusion, which has fractured and oversteepened the slope leading to instability and failure. Sharply defined slide tracks suggest that slope failure above the breached diapir complex is a continuing process, in contrast to much of the surrounding slope area where few instability features were observed.     

Lermontovskoe Tungsten Skarn Deposit: the Oldest Mineralization in the Sikhote-Alin Orogen, Far East Russia

Abstract. Lermontovskoe tungsten skarn deposit in central Sikhote-Alin is concluded to have formed at 132 Ma in the Early Cretaceous, based on K-Ar age data for muscovite concentrates from high-grade scheelite ore and greisenized granite. Late Paleozoic limestone in Jurassic - early Early Cretaceous accretionary complexes was replaced during hydrothermal activity related to the Lermontovskoe granodiorite stock of reduced type. The ores, characterized by Mo-poor scheelite and Fe^3+- poor mineral assemblages, indicate that this deposit is a reduced-type tungsten skarn (Sato, 1980, 1982), in accordance with the reduced nature of the granodiorite stock.
The Lermontovskoe deposit, the oldest mineralization so far known in the Sikhote-Alin orogen, formed in the initial stage of Early Cretaceous felsic magmatism. The magmatism began shortly after the accretionary tectonics ceased, suggesting an abrupt change of subduction system. Style of the Early Cretaceous magmatism and mineralization is significantly different between central Sikhote-Alin and Northeast Japan; reduced-type and oxidized-type, respectively. The different styles may reflect different tectonic environments; compressional and extensional, respectively. These two areas, which were closer together before the opening of the Japan Sea in the Miocene, may have been juxtaposed under a transpressional tectonic regime after the magmatism.     

Mantle flow patterns at the Neyriz Paleo-spreading center, Iran

The mantle peridotites of Neyriz record two successive episodes of plastic deformations; the first one related to the igneous accretion of the lithosphere and the second one developed during the first stage of the emplacement of the peridotites. These two events have been distinguished on the basis of microstructural criteria. The diapiric pattern, particularly relevant to the mantle process beneath spreading ridges, features vertical flow lines and elliptic flow plane trajectories in a pipe and extends along the ridge axis about 5 km. These structures rotate to horizontal and diverge in every direction in a narrow transition zone, a few hundred meters thick, below the Moho discontinuity. Such a diapiric pattern has been recognized in a few places along the Neyriz paleo-ridge. A large amount of magma passed through these mantle diapirs that were probably the main zones feeding the overlying magma chamber. The most common pattern features very regular structures over several kilometers along the strike of the paleo-ridge: the flow plane dips away from the ridge axis, and the flow line is parallel to the spreading direction. This flow pattern is frozen during the gradual accretion of the lithospheric mantle away from the ridge in a steady-state spreading regime. A shear-sense inversion at just below the Moho is commonly observed, pointing to forced asthenospheric flow. The reconstructed orientation of the Neyriz paleo-spreading center is 105°, compatible with the geometry and orientation of harzburgite foliations and lineations and sheeted dikes.     

Properties of wave velocity for two types of granitoids at high pressure and temperature and their geological meaning

The wave velocity for two types of granitoids was measured using the analytic method of full-wave vibration at high pressure and high temperature. The laws of velocity changes for them differ with the pressure boost and temperature rise, and the velocity change of S-type is more violent than that of I-type. The “softening point” of compressional wave velocity (V μ) is also revealed during the measurement for two types of granitoids imitating the pressure and temperature at a certain depth. But the depth of “softening”, V_p after “softening” and the percentage of V_p’s drop around the “sofrening point” for two types of granitoids are obviously different. The depth of “softening” is 15 km approximately and V_p after “softening” is 5.62 km/s for S-type granitoid. But for I-type granitoid the depth of “softening” is 26 km approximately and V_p after “softening” is 6. 08 km/s. Through careful analysis of rock slices after the experiment, it was found that the “softening” of elastic-wave velocity is caused by the partial melting of granite. Combined with the results of geophysical prospecting, these results suggest that the low-velocity layers developing in the interior of Earth crust are related to thc partial melting of different types of granitoids. The formation of the low-velocity layer in the upper-middle Earth crust is closely related to the development of S-type granitoid, but that in the lower Earth crust is closely related to the development of I-type granitoid.     

云南建水煌斑岩年代学和地球化学及其构造意义

华南大陆内部燕山期的岩浆事件可分为2期:燕山早期180~150 Ma,燕山晚期140~80 Ma。而处于扬子板块西南缘的滇黔贵等地,仅见有第二期晚白垩世中酸性侵入岩与相关成矿作用,缺乏第一期岩浆活动的时间记录。本文在滇东建水地区首次发现了麦地村煌斑岩,对其进行高精度LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年和主微量元素测试分析。结果显示煌斑岩的锆石U-Pb年龄为(158.4±2.4)Ma(MSWD=4.2),为晚侏罗世的产物,补充了该区较为空白的第一期岩浆热事件。麦地村煌斑岩不相容元素明显高于原始地幔,表现出不同程度的富集,大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、Ce等富集程度不明显,高场强元素中U、Ta、Pb等表现出一定程度富集,LREE相对富集,HREE相对亏损,不具有Nb-Ta-Ti负异常的俯冲型配分曲线特征,具有明显的OIB型洋岛玄武岩稀土元素配分特征,为板内伸展环境下的产物。滇东地区发育中生代时期的NNE构造,早期NNE向褶皱叠加有后期同方向正断层。早期褶皱表现为SEE-NWW挤压应力作用下的构造特征,后期断层表现出同方向张应力作用下的特征。煌斑岩正是由于该区发生挤压之后伴随着一期应力松弛调整,伸展减压作用诱发地幔物质部分融熔,来自于深处的软流圈地幔流体与岩石圈地幔发生交代作用,形成富集型地幔,交代富集的岩石圈地幔局部受热、部分熔融,发生上升侵位。煌斑岩的侵位时间即是滇东地区中生代从挤压向伸展转换的起始时间。     

Petrochemistry of Granitoids Along the Loei Fold Belt,Northeastern Thailand

Petrochemical characteristics of Permo‐Triassic granitoids from five regions (i) Mung Loei, (ii) Phu Thap Fah – Phu Thep, (iii) Phetchabun, (iv) Nakon Sawan – Lobburi, and (v) Rayong – Chantaburi along the Loei Fold Belt (LFB), northeastern Thailand were studied. The LFB is a north–south trending 800 km fold belt that hosts several gold and base‐metal deposits. The granitoids consist of monzogranite, granodiorite, monzodiorite, tonalite, quartz‐syenite, and quartz‐rich granitoids. These are composed of quartz, plagioclase, and K‐feldspar with mafic minerals such as hornblende and biotite. Accessory minerals, such as titanite, zircon, magnetite, ilmenite, apatite, garnet, rutile, and allanite are also present. Magnetic susceptibilities in the SI unit of granitoids vary from 6.5 × 10⁻³ to 15.2 × 10⁻³ in Muang Loei, from 0.1 × 10⁻³ to 29.4 × 10⁻³ in Phu Thap Fah – Phu Thep, from 2.7 × 10⁻³ to 34.6 × 10⁻³ in Petchabun, from 2.4 × 10⁻³ to 14.1 × 10⁻³ in Nakon Sawan – Lobburi, and from 0.03 × 10⁻³ to 2.8 × 10⁻³ in Rayong – Chantaburi. Concentration of major elements suggests that these intermediate to felsic plutonic rocks have calc‐alkaline affinities. Concentration of REE of the granitoids normalized to chondrite displays moderately elevated light REE (LREE) and relatively flat heavy (HREE) patterns, with distinct depletion of Eu. Rb versus Y/Nb and Nb/Y tectonic discrimination diagrams illustrate that the granitoids from Muang Loei, Phu Thap Fah – Phu Thep, Phetchabun, Nakon Sawan – Lobburi, and Rayong – Chantaburi formed in continental volcanic‐arc setting. New age data from radiometric K‐Ar dating on K‐feldspar from granodiorite in Loei and Nakhon Sawan areas yielded 171 ± 3 and 221 ± 5 Ma, respectively. K‐Ar dating on hornblende separated from diorite in Lobburi yielded 219 ± 8 Ma. These ages suggest that magmatism of Muang Loei occurred in the Middle Jurassic, and Nakon Sawan – Lobburi occurred in Late Triassic. Both Nb versus Y and Rb versus (Y + Nb) diagrams and age data indicate that Nakon Sawan – Lobburi granitoids intruded in Late Triassic at Nong Bua, Nakon Sawan province and Khao Wong Phra Jun, Lobburi province in volcanic arc setting. Muang Loei granitoids at the Loei province formed later in Middle Jurassic also in volcanic arc setting. The negative δ³⁴S_CDT values of ore minerals from the skarn deposit suggest that the I‐type magma has been influenced by light biogenic sulfur from local country rocks. The Au‐Cu‐Fe‐Sb deposits correlate with the magnetite‐series granitoids in Phetchabun, Nakon Sawan – Lobburi and Rayong – Chantaburi areas. Metallogeny of the Au and Cu‐Au skarn deposits and the epithermal Au deposit is related to adakitic rocks of magnetite‐series granitoids from Phetchabun and Nakon Sawan areas. All mineralizations along the LFB are generated in the volcanic arc related to the subduction of Paleo‐Tethys. The total Al (^TAl) content of biotite of granitoids increases in the following order: granitoids associated with Fe and Au deposit < with Cu deposit < barren granitoids. X_Mg of biotite in granitoids in Muang Loei indicates the crystallization of biotite in magnetite‐series granitoids under high oxygen fugacity conditions. On the other hand, low X_Mg (<0.4) of biotite in magnetite‐series granitoids in Phu Thap Fah – Phu Thep and Rayong – Chantaburi indicates a reduced environment and low oxygen fugacity, associated with Au skarn deposit (Phu Thap Fah) and Sb‐Au deposit (Bo Thong), respectively. The magnetite‐series granitoids at Phu Thap Fah having low magnetic susceptibilities and low X_Mg of biotite were formed by reduction of initially oxidizing magnetite‐series granitic magma by interaction with reducing sedimentary country rocks as suggested by negative δ³⁴S_CDT values.     

尼日尔三角洲东部深水区构造特征及其形成机理

研究尼日尔三角洲东部深水区块发现,整个盆地从陆向洋具有3个大的构造分区：伸展拉张区、过渡区和挤压逆冲区。伸展区以大型同沉积断层伴生大量滚动背斜构造为特征,过渡区发育大量泥底辟构造,挤压区以复杂的逆冲叠瓦构造为主。通过分析形成机理,揭示东部深水转换带上M研究区构造特征,按构造的演化特征将该区构造分为泥底辟型、冲断-泥底辟混合型、逆冲型3种类型,提出研究区内的圈闭主要以构造-岩性圈闭为主,为尼日尔三角洲盆地深水勘探提供新的理论指导。     

Trace‐element signatures of apatites in granitoids from the Mt Isa Inlier,northwestern Queensland

The concentrations of trace elements in apatite from granitoid rocks of the Mt Isa Inlier have been investigated using the laser‐ablation inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) microprobe. The results indicate that the distribution of trace elements (especially rare‐earth elements (REE), Sr, Y, Mn and Th) in apatite strongly reflects the chemical characteristics of the parental rock. The variations in the trace‐element concentrations of apatite are correlated with parameters such as the SiO₂ content, oxidation state of iron, total alkalis and the aluminium saturation index (ASI). The relative enrichment of Y, HREE and Mn and the relative depletion of Sr in the apatites studied reflect the degree of fractionation of the host granite. Apatites from strongly oxidised plutons tend to have higher concentrations of LREE relative to MREE. Manganese concentrations are higher in apatite from reduced granitoids because Mn²⁺substitutes directly for Ca²⁺. The La/Ce ratio of apatite is well‐correlated with the whole‐rock K²O and Na²O contents, as well as with the oxidation state and ASI. Because apatite trace‐element composition reflects the chemistry of the whole rock, it can be a useful indicator mineral for the recognition of mineralised granite suites, where particular mineralisation styles are associated with granitoids that have specific geochemical fingerprints.     

陕西金堆城花岗岩类主要造岩矿物特征及其岩石学意义

本文依据大量测试数据,对金堆城地区花岗岩类主要造岩矿物学特征同钼迁移富集成矿关系进行了探讨。研究结果表明:异常晶胞条纹长石和正长石以及富重稀土和具明显负铕异常的黑云母是含钼花岗岩类标型矿物,并且可作为花岗岩类岩石发育地区寻找隐伏钼矿体的指示性矿物。钾钠长石和斜长石的结构状态和成分不仅可以提供有关花岗岩类成因演化的信息,其矿物本身亦可成为钼的载体矿物。岩浆期后,强烈的热液蚀变作用可造成钾钠长石和斜长石分解,并且引起钼的释放,从而形成高品位钼矿石。