Very Low-Grade Metamorphism of Clastic Rocks from the Meso-Neoproterozoic and the Paleozoic along the Profile Yueyang-Linxiang in Northeastern Hunan Province and Its Geological Implications

This study uses illite crystallinity,chlorite crystallinity,illite polytypes,the b0 cell-dimension of K-white mica,clay mineral assemblages and mineral geothermo-geobarometers to investigate the overprint of diagenesis and metamorphism on the Meso-Neoproterozoic and the Lower Paleozoic along the profile Yueyang-Linxiang in northeastern Hunan Province,China.Illite crystallinity Kbler index（KI） of the 〈2μm fractions ranges from 0.225 to 0.485°Δ2θ while chlorite crystallinity Arkai index（AI） ranges from 0.244 to 1.500°Δ2θ.This indicates that the Meso-Neoproterozoic and the Lower Paleozoic along the profile Yueyang-Linxiang were overprinted with diagenesis and anchi- to epimetamorphism.Peak metamorphic temperature is estimated with the IV site chlorite geothermometer roughly at 360℃.The b0 cell dimension values of illites（K-mica） range from 0.9002 to 0.9054 nm and,on average,at 0.9030 nm for the Meso-Neoproterozoic.Based on cumulative frequency curves of illite（K-mica） b0 cell dimension,the peak metamorphic pressure of the MesoNeoproterozoic along the profile Yueyang-Linxiang is derived of an intermediate pressure type.Most illites occur in the 2M1 polytype and some of them in a mixture of 2M1＋1M types especially those in the Paleozoic.This result partly agrees with the conclusion of the lower greenschist and greenschist facies of the Lengjiaxi and Banxi Groups.However,it is not agreed with the sedimentary cover from the Sinian to the Lower Paleozoic or from the Banxi Group to the Lower Paleozoic.Crustal thickening due to ＂collision＂ between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks led to an increase in the thickness of the Meso-Neoproterozoic to ca.14 km and resulted in a temperature increase in those rocks due to burial.The very low grade to low grade metamorphism overprinting the Meso-Neoproterozoic implies that the so called ＂Chiangnania or Jiangnan orogen＂ was no relative with the ＂Grenvillian orogeney;instead,it might be a continuous amalgamation product between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks.

The primary dolostone in the Meso-Neoproterozoic:Cases study on platforms in China

Meso-Neoproterozoic dolostone is abnormally well-developed in the platform areas in China,detailly,in the Mesoproterozoic Calymmian Wumishan Formation of North China Basin,Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Qigbulak Formation of Tarim Basin,and the Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Dengying Formation of Sichuan Basin.The outcrops and drilling cores from these basins show that these dolostones are mostly thick-bedded to massive,with mud-sized to silt-sized crystalline dolostone reaching 86%-97%of the total dolostone thickness.These dolostones basically suffered no secondary metasomatism,regardless of containing microorganisms(such as algae and bacteria)or not.The analyses of sedimentary palaeogeographic features indicate that:(1)the Meso-Neoproterozoic dolostone nearly covered the entire area basins,and was widely deposited in supratidal to intertidal zones,as well as in open platform environments;(2)the dolostone was subdivided according to the crystalline size,with the distribution controlled by geomorphology,i.e.,the pure mud-sized crystalline dolostone developing in depression areas,whereas the grainy mud-sized crystalline dolostone or the mound stromatolitic mud-sized crystalline dolostone developing in uplift areas;(3)deep-water basins developed between the carbonate platforms,and the seismic profiles show that these basins were formed by syngenetic deep faults in the Meso-Neoproterozoic strata.These syngenetic faults increased Mg^(2+)concentration in the seawater by injecting rich-Mg2+-bearing hydrothermal fluids into the carbonate platforms.The analyses of geochemical and paleoclimatic indexes reveal that there is no obvious difference in carbon and oxygen isotope ratios between dolostones having different textures,with the ratios similar to those of the global seawater of the Meso-Neoproterozoic,indicating that the silt-sized crystalline dolostone has the same sedimentary origin as the mud-sized crystalline dolostone,i.e.,the former is from authigenic recrystallization of the latter rather than secondary metasomatism.Therefore,whatever the crystalline sizes are,the dolostones are all originated from sedimentation.All the petrological,sedimentary and geochemical data suggest that the dolostones covering almost the whole Meso-Neoproterozoic typical platform areas of China are of relatively primary sedimentary origin.