Mantle Driven Early Eocene Magmatic Flare-up of the Gangdese Arc, Tibet: A Case Study on the Nymo Intrusive Complex

Magmatic periodicity is recognized in continental arcs worldwide, but the mechanism responsible for punctuated arc magmatism is controversial. Continental arcs in the Trans-Himalayan orogenic system display episodic magmatism and the most voluminous flare-up in this system was in early Eocene during the transition from subduction to collision. The close association of the flare-up with collision is intriguing. Our study employs zircon Lu-Hf and bulk rock Sr-Nd isotopes, along with mineral geochemistry, to track the melt sources of the Nymo intrusive complex and the role of mantle magma during the early Eocene flare-up of the Gangdese arc, Tibet. The Nymo intrusive complex is composed of gabbronorite, diorite, quartz diorite, and granodiorite which define an arc-related calc-alkaline suite. Zircon U-Pb ages reveal that the complex was emplaced between ~50–47 Ma. Zircon Hf isotopes yield εHf(t) values of 8.2–13.1, while whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopes yield εNd(t) values of 2.7–6.5 indicative of magmatism dominated by melting of a juvenile mantle source with only minor crustal assimilation(~15%–25%) as indicated by assimilation and fractional crystallization modeling. Together with published data, the early Eocene magmatic flare-up was likely triggered by slab breakoff of subducted oceanic lithosphere at depths shallower than the overriding plate. The early Eocene magmatic flare-up may have contributed to crustal thickening of the Gangdese arc. This study provides important insights into the magmatic flare-up and its significant role in the generation of large batholiths during the transition from subduction to collision.

Chronology and Sources of Mesozoic Intrusive Complexes in the Xuzhou-Huainan Region, Central China: Constraints from SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Dating

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating in the Liguo and Jiagou intrusives indicates that they were formed at -130 Ma in the Early Cretaceous. Most inherited zircons in the Liguo intrusive were formed at 2509±43 Ma. Most inherited and detrital zircons in the Jiagou intrusive were formed at -2500 Ma, -2000 Ma and -1800 Ma. The SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating in two gneiss xenoliths from the Jiagou intrusive yields the ages of 2461±22 Ma and 2508±15 Ma, respectively. The dating results from inherited and detrital zircons in the intrusives and the gneiss xenoliths imply that the magmas could be derived from the partial melting of the basement of the North China Block (NCB). The magmatism is strong and extensive in the periods from 115 to 132 Ma, which is of typical bimodal characteristics. It is suggested that the lithospheric thinning in the eastern North China Block reached its peak in 115-132 Ma.

Huanggang Intrusive Complexin Northern Tongbai Area:Island-Arc Tectonic Environment and Its Geological Significance

The Huanggang intrusive complex in northern Tongbai area was formed in Early Paleozoic. It mainly consists of ultra basic, basic, intermediate and acid rocks, dominated by intermediate and basic rocks. The complex belongs to calc alkaline series. Geochemical characteristics of major and trace elements show that the complex was derived from the fractional crystallization of co source magma. It is suggested that the complex was formed in island arc tectonic environment and was closely related to the northward subduction of the Erlangping back arc basin. Thus, the subduction of the back arc basin can induce the island arc type magmatism similar to the one formed in the setting of ocean plate subduction.

Geodynamics and ore content of basite-ultrabasite complexes of Siberian Platform southern framing rocks (Kodaro-Udokan and Muja zones of North Transbaikalye)

In southern framing of Siberian Platform, basite-ultrabasite intrusive complexes were forming over a long period of time (Early Proterozoic-Paleozoic Era) as a result of collisional and post-collisional processes. In Muja zone they formed mainly in island-arch geodynamic conditions, in Kodaro-Udokan zone-in continental. Most productive toward noble metals in Muja zones are basite-ultrabasites of the Dovyrensk complex, in Kodaro-Udokan basites of the Chiney complex. Gold in these formations has both mantle and crustal springs.

Formation of transgressive anorthosite seams in the Bushveld Complex via tectonically induced mobilisation of plagioclase-rich crystal mushes

The formation of anorthosites in layered intrusions has remained one of petrology＇s most enduring enigmas. We have studied a sequence of layered chromitite, pyroxenite, norite and anorthosite overlying the UG2 chromitite in the Upper Critical Zone of the eastern Bushveld Complex at the Smokey Hills platinum mine. Layers show very strong medium to large scale lateral continuity, but abundant small scale irregularities and transgressive relationships. Particularly notable are irregular masses and seams of anorthosite that have intrusive relationships to their host rocks. An anorthosite layer locally transgresses several 10 s of metres into its footwall, forming what is referred to as a ＂pothole＂ in the Bushveld Complex. It is proposed that the anorthosites formed from plagioclase-rich crystal mushes that originally accumulated at or near the top of the cumulate pile. The slurries were mobilised during tectonism induced by chamber subsidence, a model that bears some similarity to that generally proposed for oceanic mass flows. The anorthosite slurries locally collapsed into pull-apart structures and injected their host rocks. The final step was down-dip drainage of Fe-rich intercumulus liquid, leaving behind anorthosite adcumulates.

Geochronology and geochemistry of the five magmatic rocks in the Ningzhen region,China

The Ningzhen region of China is located in the easternmost part of the middle-lower Yangtze River Cu–Fe polymetallic metallogenic belt. From west to east, it comprises five main intermediate–acidic intrusive complexes: the Qilinmen, Anjishan, Xiashu–Gaozi, Shima, and Jianbi complexes. Geochemical investigations show that these five intrusive complexes exhibit high contents of SiO_2, at 64.74–73.40 wt%, Al_2O_3, at 14.15–17.37 wt%, and K_2O + Na_2O, at 6.49–8.68 wt%. The majority of the samples belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series, with a few samples plotting in the calc-alkaline and tholeiitic series. Trace element analysis shows that the samples are enriched in large ion lithophile elements(LILE) and are depleted in high field strength elements(HFSE).The chondrite-normalized rare earth element(REE) patterns are characterized by right-inclined curves, showing light rare earth element(LREE) enrichment. In addition,the(La/Yb)Nratios are high at 15.02–37.28, with an average of 29.13, and slightly negative or none Eu anomalies are present. In the(La/Yb)N–d Eu diagram, the samples plot within the crust-mantle type field. Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry(LA–ICP–MS) zircon U–Pb dating yielded ages of122.0 ± 1.0 Ma, 106.1 ± 0.8 Ma, 108.7 ± 1.4 Ma,103.5 ± 1.9 Ma, and 96.8 ± 1.7 Ma for the Qilinmen,Anjishan, Xiashu–Gaozi, Shima, and Jianbi complexes,respectively. On the basis of this research and knowledge of several known metal deposits related to these complexes, we suggest that the Mesozoic large-scale diagenesis and metallogenesis in the Ningzhen region may have ceased at 100 Ma or about 95 Ma.

Geochemical characteristics and tectonic setting of the Tuerkubantao mafic-ultramafic intrusion in West Junggar,Xinjiang,China

Mineral chemistry, whole-rock major oxide, and trace element compositions have been determined for the Tuerkubantao mafic-ultramafic intrusion, in order to understand the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the West Junggar orogenic belt at the southern margin of the Central Asian orogenic belt. The Tuerkubantao mafic-ultramafic intrusion is a well-differentiated complex comprising peridotite, olivine pyroxenite, gabbro, and diorite. The ultramafic rocks are mostly seen in the central part of the intrusion and surrounded by mafic rocks. The Tuerkubantao intrusive rocks are characterized by enrichment of large ion lithophile elements and depleted high field strength elements relative to N-MORB. In addition, the Tuerkubantao intrusion displays relatively low Th/U and Nb/U （1.13-2.98 and 2.53-7.02, respectively） and high La/Nb and Ba/Nb （1.15 4.19 and 37.7-79.82, respectively）. These features indicate that the primary magma of the intrusion was derived from partial melting of a previously metasomatized mantle source in a subduction setting. The trace element patterns of peridotites, gabbros, and diorite in the Tuerkubantao intrusion have sub-parallel trends, suggesting that the different rock types are related to each other by differentiation of the same primary magma. The intrusive contact between peridotite and gabbro clearly suggest that the Tuerkubantao is not a fragment of an ophiolite. However, the Tuerkubantao intrusion displays many similarities with Alaskan-type mafic-ultramafic intrusions along major sutures of Phanerozoic orogenic belts. Common features include their geodynamic setting, internal lithological zoning, and geochemistry. The striking similarities indicate that the middle Devonian Tuerkubantao intrusion likely formed in a subduction-related setting similar to that of the Alaskan-type intrusions. In combination with the Devonian magmatism and porphyry mineralization, we propose that subduction of the oceanic slab has widely existed in the expansive oceans during the Devonian around the Junggar block.