Tectonic Style Associated with the Doleritic Dykes of the Téra-Ayorou Pluton (Liptako, Western Niger)

The doleritic dykes present in the Téra-Ayorou pluton crosscut the basement of the Nigerien Liptako and are part of the system of intrusive mafic dykes in the Paleoproterozoic domain of the Léo-Man ridge. In the previous work, emphasis was placed on the petrology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Liptako doleritic dykes. This study aims to analyze the tectonic style of intrusive doleritic dykes in the Téra-Ayorou pluton. The characterization of the deformation which affected the doleritic dykes of the Téra-Ayorou pluton is important for the evaluation of their economic potential. To this end, measurements of tectonic structure planes were taken in the field, and samples were taken from the chilled margin and cores of dolerite dykes, before being processed in the laboratory. Analysis of the tectonic structures collected revealed a brittle tectonic pattern, characterizing a phase of deformation subdivided into two episodes D1 and D2. Episode D1, with its subvertically dipping normal faults and simple N70˚ - N110˚ fractures, is compatible with N-S extension. On the other hand, episode D2, which created shear corridors by reactivation of pre-existing fractures and oriented N150˚ - N170˚, is associated with a WSW-ENE extension. These results open up prospects for the exploration of gold, uranium mineralization and diamonds in the north-west of Niger.

Assessing the Influence of Dykes on the Drainage Network of the Shivan River in North Maharashtra

The prominent linear dyke ridges outcropped in the Narmada-Tapi dykes’ swarm represent an intrusion in the Deccan Traps. Understanding the relationship among the underlying geological structures, the strike of the dykes, and the channel patterns is essential. Dykes act as obstructions to stream flow, causing diversions, and their geometry and patterns significantly impact the rivers and streams that drain and cross the dyke swarm zone. For this study, Google Earth images, LISS III images, and Cartosat DEM were used to delineate the Shivan basin and extract dyke features. The Shivan River basin is a sixth-order drainage system that reflects superimposed drainage systems within the Tapi dyke swarm zone. About 65% (169 km2) of its area is controlled by dyke orientation. The dyke ridges align predominantly in an East-West (E-W) direction, a pattern mainly followed by lower-order streams, which have developed an insequent, transverse drainage network within the dyke swarm zone. In the lower parts of the Shivan basin, where the number of dykes decreases, the drainage network follows the general slope and is oriented in a North-South direction. The Shivan River and its tributaries have partially adjusted to the dyke orientation, resulting in a transverse drainage pattern in areas characterized by parallel dyke ridges.

Paleomagnetism of late Cretaceous dykes in the Gangdese belt: New constraints on the position and structure of the southern margin of Asia prior to the India-Asia collision

This paper report paleomagnetic data from late Cretaceous diorite dykes that sub-vertically intrude granodiorites in the eastern Gangdese belt near the city of Lhasa.Our research goals are to provide further constraints on pre-collisional structure of the southern margin of Asia and the onset of the India-Asia collision.Magnetite is identified as the main magnetic carrier in our study.The magnetite shows no evidence of metamorphism or alteration as determined from optical and scanning electron microscope observations.A strong mineral orientation is revealed by anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility analysis both for the intruded dykes and the country rocks.The authors interpret this AMS fabric to have formed during intrusion rather than deformation.Fifteen of 23 sites yield acceptable site mean characteristic remanences with dual polarities.A scatter analysis of the virtual geomagnetic poles suggests that the mean result adequately averaged paleosecular variation.The paleomagnetic pole from the Gangdese dykes yields a paleolatitude of 14.3°N±5.8°N for the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa.The paleolatitude corresponds to an in-between position of the Lhasa terrane during about 130‒60 Ma.Furthermore,the mean declination of the characteristic remanent magnetization reveals a significant counterclockwise rotation of 18°±9°for the sampling location since about 83 Ma.In the light of tectonic setting of the dykes,the strike of the southern margin of Asia near Lhasa is restored to trend approximately about 310°,which is compatible with the hypothesis that the southern margin of Eurasia had a quasi-linear structure prior to its collision with India.

A Study of Sr, Nd and O Isotopes of the K-rich Melanocratic Dykes in the Late Mesozoic Gold Field in the Jiaodong Peninsula

Geologic, petrographic and petrochemical studies of the late Mesozoic K-rich melanocratic dykes, including lamprophyres, andesite porphyrites and dacite-porphyry in the gold field system in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China, have shown that these dykes are characterized by rich potassium and alkali but poor titanium. They belong to an ultra-high potassic, shoshonitic and high potassic calc-alkaline rock series. The parental magma has relatively high initial strontium ratios ((87Sr/86Sr),=0.70895-0.71140) and low (143Nd/144Nd)1 ratios (varying from 0.51135 to 0.51231); and its δ18Osmow, whole rock values vary from +5.8%c to +10.6%c with a mean of +7.1%c. These features suggest that the source region of the magma is an enriched mantle wedge transformed from a continental lithosphere mantle which has experienced metasomatism by mantle-derived fluids with H2O-dominated fluids that were provided during the underthrusting of an ocean crust. The initial magma was generated by low-degree partial melting of the enriched mantle in its mature stage in the back-arc spreading environment. The evolution of magmas is associated with two trends, i.e., fractional crystallization and mixing with or intensive contamination by palaeo-crust materials or metamorphic rocks. The former process is evident in the gold field system of quartz-vein type, whereas the latter is dominated in the gold field system of the altered-rock type. This conclusion is very important for more detailed study of petrogenesis and mineralization through the crust-mantle interaction (exchange) in the Mesozoic in this region.

SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Dating of Alkaline Dykes in the Pobei Area,Beishan Rift,Xinjiang Autonomous Region,China:Implications for Tectonic Setting and Mantle Plume Events

In the Beishan rift in the eastern Tianshan orogen, Xinjiang Province, a N-S-trending dyke swarm is present in the Pobei area. The swarm cuts through the 270-290 Ma mafic-ultramafic intrusions associated with Ni-Cu sulphide mineralization. These mafic-ultramafic intrusions are typically found along E-W major faults in the Tianshan orogenic belts. We report SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons from a dyke of alkaline composition, which yielded a mean age of 252~9 Ma. Alkaline dykes of the same age are found in the Altay region of Siberia. This age is younger than the 270-290 Ma intraplate magmatic events that produced the mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the region, but in general agreement with the 250-260 Ma Permian plume event that gave rise to the Siberian traps and the Emeishan flood basalts in SW China. We suggest that there is a link between the Emeishan event and the dyke swarm in the Beishan rift and that the intraplate magmatism at 270-290 Ma reflects an early stage of mantle plume activity. The N-S trending dyke swarm in the Beishan rift may represent a later stage in the evolution of mantle plume activity in the NW and SW of China. We also speculate that in Beishan rift and possibly elsewhere in the Tianshan region, the dykes fed basaltic volcanism, whose products have since been eroded due to the strong uplift of the Tianshan orogen as a result of the IndiaEurasia collision in the Cenozoic.

Geochronology and geochemistry of mafic dykes in the Helanshan complex: Implications for Mesozoic tectonics in the North China Craton

The Helanshan tectonic belt(HTB) is a major tectonic divide between the Alxa and Ordos blocks in the North China Craton. The geochronology and petrogenesis of the mafic dykes in the northern HTB are keys to understanding the tectonic evolution of this belt. The mafic dykes, intruded into the Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic metamorphic basement, are mainly composed of diabase with a mineral assemblage of plagioclase(45%-60%), pyroxene(25%-35%), minor quartz and Fe-Ti oxides. The LA-ICPMS U-Pb analysis of zircon grains from representative dykes yield a weighted mean age of 206 ± 1.9 Ma, which represents the crystallization age of the dyke. The diabases show high contents of Fe_2 O_3~T(11.88-17.55 wt.%), low contents of SiO_2(45.65-50.95 wt.%) and MgO(3.31-5.50 wt.%) with low Mg#(=100×MgO/(MgO + FeO) atomic ration) of 33-44. They are characterized by enrichment of light rare earth elements(LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements(LILEs)(e.g., Rb, Ba and Pb), and slight depletion of high field strength elements(HFSEs). These features suggest that the magma has undergone extensive fractionation of olivine and pyroxene but only minor crustal contamination during its evolution. Their high Sm contents and La/Sm ratios, and low Sm/Yb ratios indicate that magma from which the dykes formed was derived from low degree(about 5%) partial melting of an enriched garnet + spinel lherzolite mantle source. Together with regional geology, these geochemical and geochronological data suggest that the mafic dykes in the HTB were formed in an intracontinental extensional setting during the late Triassic.

U-Pb Zircon Age, Geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb Isotopic Constraints on the Age and Origin of Mafic Dykes from Eastern Shandong Province, Eastern China

U-Pb zircon age, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data of mafic dykes from eastern Shandong Province, eastern China is reported herein. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （LA-ICP-MS） U-Pb zircon analyses of two samples from the investigated mafic dykes yield consistent ages ranging from 121.9 Ma ± 0.47 Ma to 122.9 Ma ± 0.61 Ma. The mafic dykes are characterized by high （87Sr/86Sr） i ranging from 0.7087 to 0.7089, low εNd（t） values ranging from -16.9 to -17.8, 206Pb/204Pb = 17.15 to 17.17, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.45 to 15.47, and 208Pb/204Pb = 37.59 to 37.68. Results from the current study suggest that the mafic dykes are derived from partial melting of ancient lithospheric mantle that was variably hybridized by melts derived from foundered lower crustal eclogite. The mafic dykes may have been generated through subsequent insignificant crystal fractionation and very minor crustal contamination during magma ascent. Combined with previous studies, the current findings provide new evidence that the intense lithospheric thinning beneath the eastern Shandong Province of eastern China occurred at ~120 Ma, and that this condition was caused by the removal of the lower lithosphere （mantle and lower crust）.

Large-Scale Segregation of Immiscible Liquids in the 1780 Ma Taihang Dykes to Produce the Bimodal Xiong'er Volcanics(North China)

It is yet unclear whether large-scale segregation of immiscibile liquids and eruption of high-Si lavas exist in nature(Charlier et al.,2013).We present a possible case of segregation of immscible liquids in the 1780 Ma Taihang

Structural Relationship between Brittle Deformation and Paleozoic to Mesozoic Basalt Dykes in the Precambrian Basement of the Southern Continental Part of the Cameroon Volcanic Line

The work is a vivid description of the structural relationship between brittle deformation of the Precambrian basement in the southern continental part of the Cameroon Line and intrusive Paleozoic and Mesozoic basalt dykes swarms. A multidisciplinary approach that involves a combination of remote sensing techniques and field studies show that the major trend of brittle structures correspond to well-known regional structures: N70°E (Adamawa Shear Zone), N135°E (upper Benue trend) and N30°E (Cameroon Volcanic Line) corresponding to E-W and N-S directions respectively. Basalt dykes are associated to NE-SW, E-W and NW-SE oriented fractures. An integration of the available information on brittle structures and basalt dykes directions suggest an emplacement of the Mesozoic and Paleozoic basalt dykes structurally controlled by Precambrian structures that were originated through Riedel’s fracture kinematic model with dextral strike-slip Adamawa Shear Zone as the main shear zone during late stage of the Pan-African collision. Spatially, the restriction of the basalt dykes to the corridor of the Adamawa Shear Zone indicate that a rejuvenation of Precambrian faults may very well be the origin of the dykes with possibility that they may have been reworked several times during the Phanerozoic eon.

Spatial-temporal analysis of wetland landscape pattern under the influence of artificial dykes in the Yellow River delta

The influence of anthropogenic activities,especially artificial dykes,on the coastal wetland landscape is now considered as a serious problem to the coastal ecosystem.It is important and necessary to analyze changes of coastal landscape pattern under the influence of artificial dykes for the protection and management of coastal wetland.Our study aimed to reveal the quantitative characteristics of the coastal wetland landscape and its spatial-temporal dynamics under the influence of artificial dykes in the Yellow River delta(YRD).It was analyzed by the methods of the statistical analysis of landscape structure,five selected landscape indices and the changes of spatial centroids of three typical wetland types,including reed marshes,tidal fiats and aquaculture-salt fields.The results showed that:(1)Reduction of wetland area,especially the degradation of natural wetlands,had been the principal problem since the dykes were constructed in the YRD.The dykes created conditions for the development of artificial wetlands.However,the new born artificial wetlands were still less than the vanished natural wetlands.(2)Compared with the open area,the building of artificial dykes significantly speeded up the changes of landscape patterns and the aggravation of the landscape fragmentation in the closed area.(3)The changes of area-weighted centroids of three typical wetland landscapes were greatly affected by dykes,and the movement of the centroid of the aquaculture-salt field was very sensitive to the dykes constructed in the corresponding period.

Ra's Abdah of the north Eastern Desert of Egypt:the role of granitic dykes in the formation of radioactive mineralization,evidenced by zircon morphology and chemistry

Syenogranitic dykes in the north of Egypt's Eastern Desert are of geological and economic interest because of the presence of magmatic and supergene enrichment of radioactive mineralization. Zircon crystal morphology within the syenogranitic dykes allows precise definition of sub-alkaline series granites and crystallized at mean temperature of about 637 °C. The growth pattern of the zircons suggest magmatic and hydrothermal origins of radioactive mineralization. Hydrothermal processes are responsible for the formation of significant zircon overgrowth; high U-zircon margins might have occurred contemporaneously with the emplacement of syenogranitic dykes which show anomalous uranium(e U) and thorium(e Th) contents of up to 1386 and 7330 ppm, respectively.Zircon chemistry revealed a relative increase of Hf consistent with decreasing Zr content, suggesting the replacement of Zr by Hf during hydrothermal activity.Visible uranium mineralization is present and recognized by the presence of uranophane and autunite.

Late Paleozoic Mantle Source Nature of Tianshan Orogen, Northwest China: Evidence from the Geochemistry, Zircon U-Pb Dating, Hf and Whole Rock Sr-Nd-Pb Isotopes of the Mafic Dykes

The Tianshan Orogen(TO)is one of the largest typical accretionary orogenic belts in the world.Of which,the late Paleozoic was a critical era to understand the tectonic and geodynamic transition from accretion to collision.However,the late Paleozoic tectonic evolutionary history,especially for the time of the ocean-continent transition,is still debated although the origin and tectonic settings for the Paleozoic volcanic,felsic igneous magmatism in TO and reginal geology have been done in the last decades.In contrast,the researches on the mafic dykes in TO was not systematically carried out till now.Reginal-scale mafic dykes are commonly regarded as the products created in a extensional setting,and used to identify the major tectonic events such as rifting and continental break-up and further trace the mantle natures and geodynamic mechanism(Halls,1982;Bleeker and Ernst,2006;Li et al.,2008;Ernst et al.,2010;Srivastava,2011;Hou,2012;Peng,2015;Peng et al.,2019).There are widespread late Paleozoic mafic dykes beside the huge of intermediate-acid igneous rocks in the TO,being an idea object to reveal the extensional events,tectonic evolution and the mantle nature and geodynamic processes.We present the ICPMS in situ zircon U–Pb dating,Lu-Hf and whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopes as well as the geochemistry data for these mafic dykes to better constraint their petrogenesis and mantle nature.New zircon U-Pb dating for 12 samples from the representative basic dykes and basalts yield three distinct stages of^332 Ma,316–302 Ma and 288–282 Ma,respectively.In which,the first stage of mafic dykes is mainly occurred in both East Tianshan Orogen(ETO)and West Tianshan Orogen(WTO),and composed of dolerite with minor basalts.The second stage of mafic dyke also can be found in both ETO and WTO.However,in contrast to the first stage of mafic dykes,they have relatively variable rock types from the dolerite/or gabbros to gabbroic diorite.The third stage of mafic dykes are slightly intermediate in composition,and chiefly consist of andesitic-basaltic dolerite with some diorites.They are widely developed not only in both ETO and WTO,but also in the Beishan area to the east of the ETO,indicating a large-scale mafic magmatism in Tianshan and adjacent areas.

Zircon U-Pb Age,Geochemical,and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf Isotopic Constraints on the Time Frame and Origin of Early Cretaceous Mafic Dykes in the Wuling Mountain Gravity Lineament,South China

In view of the importance of mafic dyke swarms and their contribution to current scientific problems relating to South China,herein,we present the findings of studies on twenty–five representative mafic dykes cropping out in Hunan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,within the southern Wuling Mountain gravity lineament,China.These results include new zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age,whole rock geochemical,Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic,and zircon Hf isotopic data for these dykes.The dykes formed between 131.5±1.2 and 121.6±1.1 Ma,and have typical doleritic textures.They fall into the alkaline and shoshonitic series,are enriched in light rare earth elements(LREE),some large ion lithophile elements(LILE;e.g.,Rb,Ba,and Sr),Th,U,and Pb,and are depleted in Nb,Ta,Hf,and Ti.Moreover,the dolerites have high initial 87 Sr/86 Sr ratios(0.7055–0.7057),negativeεNd(t)and zirconεHf(t)values(-14.8 to-11.9,-30.4 to-14.9),and relatively constant initial Pb isotopic ratios(that are EM1-like,16.77–16.94,15.43–15.47,and 36.84–36.92 for 206 Pb/204 Pb,207 Pb/204 Pb,and 208 Pb/204 Pb,respectively).These results indicate that the dykes were likely derived from magma generated through low-degree partial melting(1.0%–10%)of an EM1-like garnet–lherzolite mantle source.The parental magmas fractionated olivine,clinopyroxene,plagioclase,and Ti-bearing phases with negligible crustal contamination,during ascent and dyke emplacement.Several possible models have been proposed to explain the origin of Mesozoic magmatism along the Wuling Mountain gravity lineament.Herein we propose a reasonable model for the origin of these mafic dykes,involving the collision between the paleo-Pacific Plate and South China,which led to subsequent lithospheric extension and asthenosphere upwelling,resulting in partial melting the underlying mantle lithosphere in the Early Cretaceous,to form the parental magmas to the WMGL mafic dykes,as studied.

The 144–140 Ma Mafic Dykes in North China and Northeast China Indicating Regional Extensional Tectonic Setting

Objective Previous studies indicate that the North China Craton（NCC）had undergone the loss of thickened lithosphere and fundamental change of physical and chemical property of lithospheric mantle（the destruction of NCC）during the Mesozoic.The peak period of the destruction of NCC is estimated to be 130 Ma,accompanied by widespread metamorphic core complex,rift basins,A-type granites and mafic dykes. However, it remains greatly controversial on the tectonic setting of NCC in the pre- 130Ma.

High Spatial Resolution Mapping of Dykes Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) Photogrammetry: New Insights On Emplacement Processes

Remote sensing has played a pivotal role in our understanding of the geometry of dykes and dyke swarms on Earth,Venus and Mars(West and Ernst,1991;Mege and Masson,1995;Ernst et al.,2005).Since the 1970’s

Mineralogical and Petrological Studies on Carbonatite Dykes in Bayan Ebo，Nei Mongol，China and Their Implication to Rare Earth Mineralization

Two carbonatite dykes separetely located on Dulahala Mountain and within Erdaowa Group strata in Bayan Ebo mineral deposit have been studied.For Dulahala carbonatite the content of RE2O3 is 23.9 wt%,higher than that in the rare earth ores of both Main Ore-body and Eastern Ore-body,the distribution patterns of rare earth elements and rare earth mineral assemblage are consistent with those in both Ore-bodies.The evidence indicates a material source for RE in Bayan Ebo deposit.Fenite occurring at the edge of the carbonatite in Erdaowa Group yields an isochron age of 343.26±7.33 Ma by Rb-Sr method.It implies the geological time of mineralization.

Mafic Dykes in Rauer Islands and Vestfold Hills(East Antartica): A Geochemical and Nd Isotopic Comparison Arguing Against Their Correlation

Mafic dykes have been long considered possible tectonostratigraphic markers in East Antarctica because they are largely confined to Archaean–Early Proterozoic cratonic blocks but are absent from mid-to late Proterozoic or

Geochronological Framework and Geodynamic Implications of Mafic Dykes in the Liaodong Peninsula, North China Craton

The North China Craton,one of the oldest continental nuclei on Earth,is bounded to the north by the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and to the south by the Qinling–Dabie ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic belt.The Liaodong

Genetic Relationship of the 1780-1760 Ma Dykes and the Coeval Volcanics in the Lvliang Area, North China

The 1780-1760 Ma Taihang dyke swarm and the coeval Xiong’er volcanic province are the most widespread magmatic events occurring post the amalgamation of the two North China cratons.It has been debated whether

On Mars, Location and Orientation of Dykes Exposed along the Valles Marineris Walls Reveal Expected and Unexpected Stress Fields

Structural and geomorphological analysis of the Martian surface in the visible spectral range using the NASA/Viking images in the 90’s,complemented by experimental modelling(Mège and Masson,1996a;Mège et al.,2003)suggested that the Valles Marineris trough(chasma)system is aligned with a mafic dyke swarm,named the Syria Planum Dyke Swarm.Cross-cutting relationships and