Geochemical and Petrological Studies on the Early Carboniferous Sidingheishan Mafic-Ultramafic Iintrusion in the Southern Margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt,NW China

The Sidingheishan mafic-ultramafic intrusion is located in the eastern part of the Northern Tianshan Mountain, along the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt in northern Xinjiang autonomous region of China. The Sidingheishan intrusion is mainly composed of wehrlite, olivine websterite, olivine gabbro, gabbro and hornblende gabbro. At least two pulses of magma were involved in the formation of the intrusion. The first pulse of magma produced an olivine-free unit and the second pulse produced an olivine-bearing unit. The magmas intruded the Devonian granites and granodiorites.An age of 351.4±5.8 Ma(Early Carboniferous) for the Sidingheishan intrusion has been determined by U-Pb SHRIMP analysis of zircon grains separated from the olivine gabbro unit. A U-Pb age of 359.2±6.4 Ma from the gabbro unit has been obtained by LA-ICP-MS. Olivine of the Sidingheishan intrusion reaches 82.52 mole% Fo and 1414 ppm Ni. On the basis of olivine-liquid equilibria, it has been calculated that the MgO and FeO included in the parental magma of a wehrlite sample were approximately10.43 wt% and 13.14 wt%, respectively. The Sidingheishan intrusive rocks are characterized by moderate enrichments in Th and Sm, slight enrichments in light REE, and depletions in Nb, Ta, Zr and Hf. The ε_(Nd)(t) values in the rock units vary from +6.70 to +9.64, and initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios range between 0.7035 and0.7042. Initial ^(206)Pb/^(204)Pb, ^(207)Pb/^(204)Pb and ^(208)Pb/^(204)Pb values fall in the ranges of 17.23-17.91,15.45-15.54 and 37.54-38.09 respectively. These characteristics are collectively similar to the Heishan intrusion and the Early Carboniferous subduction related volcanic rocks in the Santanghu Basin, North Tianshan and Beishan area. The low(La/Gd)_(PM) values between 0.26 and 1.77 indicate that the magma of the Sidingheishan intrusion was most likely derived from a depleted spinel-peridotite mantle.(Th/Nb)_(PM)ratios from 0.59 to 20.25 indicate contamination of the parental magma in the upper crust.Crystallization modeling methods suggest that the parental magma of the Sidingheishan intrusion was generated by flush melting of the asthenosphere and subsequently there was about 10 vol%contamination from a granitic melt. This was followed by about 5 vol% assimilation of upper crustal rocks. Thus, the high-Mg basaltic parental magma of Sidingheishan intrusion is interpreted to have formed from partial melting of the asthenosphere during the break-off of a subducted slab.

Late Carboniferous-Early Permian Mafic-Ultramafic Complexes in Beishan,Southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt and Their Significance

Numeral Permian mafic-ultramafic complexes occur in the Beishan terrane atthe northeastern margin of the Tarim craton,southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt,including the Pobei,Cantoushan,Bijiashan,Hongshishan,Xuanwoling,Zhongposhan and Luodong etc.,intrusions(Qin et al.,2011;Zhang et al.,2017;Xue et al.,2018).These Beishan mafic-ultramafic complexes are composed of peridotite,pyroxenite.

Mafic-ultramafic magma activity and copper-nickel sulfide metallogeny during Paleozoic in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt,Qinghai Province,China

The Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt(EKOB)has a complex geological structure and diverse magmatic activities,which are closely related to the Qaidam Basin and the Tethys tectonic evolution.There are at least 3 stages mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred in the Early Paleozoic in EKOB.The first stage is the Later-Silurian to Early Devonian,represented by the giant Xiarihamu super large magmatic Cu-Ni deposit,containing about 1.18 million metric tons(Mt)of nickel with average grades of 0.65%Ni,and its age of ore-forming pyroxene peridotite is 411 Ma;The second stage is the Early Carboniferous,represented by the large Shitoukengde magmatic Cu-Ni sulfide deposit,and its ore-forming age of the olivine websterite is 334 Ma;The third stage of mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred mainly during the Middle-Late Triassic,represented by Xiaojianshan,Lalinggaoli,and Kaimuqi complexes,and no economical ore bodies have been found in this period.The authors summarized the difference between the ore-bearing and the nonmineralized mafic-ultramafic rocks in the EKOB.The olivine of the ore-bearing complexes contains higher MgO and SiO2 content but lower FeO and CaO contents,and the clinopyroxene of ore-bearing complexes contains lower FeO and CaO contents.Crustal sulfur contamination is key to the formation of the giant Xiarihamu Ni deposit,and crustal sulfur contamination degree of the giant magmatic Ni deposit is higher than that of large Ni deposit.The above indicators could guide the exploration and evaluation of similar deposits in the EKOB.

SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Age of the Sidingheishan Mafic-Ultramafic Intrusion in the Southern Margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt,NW China and its Petrogenesis implication

Objective The Sidingheishan mafic-ultramafic intrusion is located in the eastern part of the North Tianshan Mountains.This work used zircon U-Pb age data,bulk rock major and trace elements,Sr-Nd-Pb isotope data to assess mantle source characteristics and crustal assimilation of the parental magma of the Sidingheishan intrusion.We have also discussed the tectonic evolution of the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic belt in the Late Paleozoic.

Early Paleozoic Mafic-Ultramafic Rocks in the East Kunlun: Trace Subduction of Proto-Tethys

The East Kunlun located in the northern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet)Plateau,is a composite orogenic belt which has underwent multi-stages tectonic evolution(e.g.Wang and Chen,1987;Jiang et al.,1992;Yang et al.,1996,2009).The East Kunlun orogenic belt(EKOB)is bounded by Altyn Tagh Fault in the west and Wenquan Fault in the east,bounded by the south margin of

Tectonic Setting of the Cu-Ni Sulfide-Bearing Mafic-Ultramafic Complexes in Northern Jilin Province, NE China

There are series of Cu-Ni sulfide-bearing mafic-ultramafic intrusions widespread in north JilinProvince,Northeastern China. The intrusions formed in Xing’an-Mongolian Orogenic Belt near to the northeastern margin of North China Craton. The complexes were formed in almost same period according to the zircon U-Pb dating reported recently, which means that the complexes were formed in same tectonic period and belong to one tectonic magmatic event. The rock assemblages are different from the ophiolite type and Yidun type in orogenic belt. The mafic-ultramafic complexes formed in the range from 217 Ma to 232 Ma coeval with A-type granites in the area, which formed bimodal igneous rock assemblage. According to the regional angular unconformities, there were existed the orogenies of Caledonian, Hercynian, Early Indosinian, Late Indosinian and Yanshanian. The Early Indosinian coeval with orogenic I-type granites and sanukitie that suggesting the lithosphere thickening in the extrusion tectonic setting of orogenic processes, however the Late Indosinian coeval with bimodal igneous rock assemblage that suggesting the lithosphere thinning in the extension tectonic setting of post-orogenic processes in the Xing’an-Mongolian Orogenic Belt. Chemical composition of the mafic-ultramafic rocks has the characteristics of high-Mg and low-K tholeiites related with inter-continental post-orogenic tectonic setting. The trace elements indicate their formed in conditions of continental extension belt or initial rift and has the characteristics of revolution from oceanic island arc, volcanic arc of continental margin to continental extended belt. The low initial Sr isotopic ratios and positive εNd(t) values suggest that the initial magma of the complexes come from the parting melting of depleted lithospheric mantle. The depleted ithospheric mantle was new formed supported by zircon Hf isotope in Hongqiling complex. The depleted lithospheric mantle may be caused by the asthenosheric mantle upwelling and underplating in the tectonic setting of extension during the Late Indosinian post-orogenic processes.

The Main Types of the Urals Mafic-Ultramafic Complexes

The mafic-ultramafic complexes and associated formationsare wide spread within the Ural folded belt,which is located on the boundary of the East European plate and West Siberian sedimentary basin.Two

U-Pb isotopic geochemistry of the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks from the Dabie Mountains——Crust-mantle interaction and LOMU component

The U-Pb isotope geochemical study of the pyroxenite-gabbro intrusion in the Dabie Mountains shows that the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Dabie Mountains are char-acterized by relative high Pb contents, low U contents and low U/Pb ratios. These characters may be results of interaction between lithosphere or depleted asthenospheric mantle (DMM) and lower crust, but have nothing to do with mantle plume and subducted continental crust. It was first ob-served that some samples with lower 206Pb/204Pb and higher 207Pb/204Pb ratios show typical char-acters of the LOMU component. The Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic tracing shows that three components are needed in the source of the Zhujiapu pyroxenite-gabbro intrusion. They could be old enriched sub-continental lithospheric mantle (LOMU component), lower crust and depleted asthenospheric mantle. The crust-mantle interaction process producing primitive magma of post-collisional ma-fic-ultramafic rocks in the Dabie Mountains could be described by a lithospheric delamination and magma underplating model. After continent-continent collision, delamination of the thickened lithosphere induced the upwelling of depleted asthenospheric mantle, which caused partial melting of asthenospheric mantle and residual sub-continental lithospheric mantle. The basaltic magma produced in this process underplated in the boundary between the crust and mantle and interacted with lower crust resulting in the geochemical characters of both enriched lithospheric mantle and lower crust.

Origin of the Fanjingshan Mafic-Ultramafic Rocks, Western Jiangnan Orogen, South China: Implications for PGE Fractionation and Mineralization

The Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks in the west Jiangnan Orogen of South China are considered to be a potential target for mineral exploration. However, the petrogenesis and magma evolution of these rocks are not yet clearly constrained, let along their economic significance. The compositions of platinum group elements(PGE) in the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks can provide particular insight into the generation and evolution of the mantle-derived magma and thus the potential of Cu-Ni-PGE sulphide mineralization. The Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks have relatively high Pd-subgroup PGE(PPGE) relative to Ir-subgroup PGE(IPGE) in the primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. Meanwhile, the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks have low Pd/Ir(11–28) ratios, implying relatively low degree of partial melting in the mantle. Low Cu/Pd ratios(545–5 216) and high Cu/Zr ratios(0.4–5.8 with the majority greater than 1) of Fanjingshan ultramafic rocks indicate that the S-undersaturated parental magma with relatively high PGE was formed. Although the Fanjingshan mafic rocks have remarkably higher Cu/Pd ratios(8 913–107 016) likely resulting from sulphide segregation, the degree of sulphide removal is insignificant. Fractionation of olivine rather than chromite and platinum group minerals or alloys governed the fractionation of PGE and produced depletion of IPGE(Os, Ir and Ru) relative to PPGE(Rh, Pt and Pd), as supported by the positive correlation between Pd/Ir and V, Y and REE. Collectively, original S-undersaturated magma and insignificant crustal contamination during magma ascent and emplacement result in the separation of immiscible sulphide impossible and thus impede the formation of economic CuNi-PGE sulphide mineralization within the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks.

Lead Isotope and Rock Geochemistry of Zaibian Mafic-Ultramafic Rock,Southeast Guizhou Province,China

The Zaibian mafic-ultramafic rock is located in the transitional zone of the Yangtze craton and south China fold system,where is the southwest of Jiangnan orogenic belt(Zeng et al.,2003;Wang et al.,in press).

Geophysical prospecting of copper-nickel deposits in Beishan rift zone, Xinjiang

The Beishan rift zone in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was formed due to strong activities of faults on the basement of the Tarim continental crust.Despite the fact that many geological research results of the rift zone have been achieved,only a few studies have been conducted on its regional geophysical characteristics.In this paper,the gravity and magnetic anomalies of the rift zone were highlighted through specific data processing of 1∶50000 high-precision aeromagnetic data and gravity data with a grid spacing of 2 km×2 km.Based on this,the geophysical evidence for the scope and internal structures of the Beishan rift zone was obtained for the first time.The distinct characteristics of magnetic and gravity fields in the areas to the north and south of the Beishan rift zone reveal that deep faults exist between the Beishan rift zone and the geological units on the southern and northern sides.Furthermore,the faults on the two areas contain the bidirectional thrusts and have flower-shaped structures according to the characteristics of the magnetic and gravity fields.The Beishan rift zone can be divided into two tectonomagmatic zones,namely the Zhongposhan-Bijiashan-Cihai-Baishanliang zone(the northern zone)and the Bayiquan-Qixin-Baishan zone(the southern zone).The northern zone can be further subdivided into three comet-shaped anomaly groups(tectonomagmatic areas),while the southern zone can be further subdivided into two tectonomagmatic areas.According to the characteristics of aeromagnetic anomalies and gravity field,19 mafic-ultramafic complexes were delineated.The known Pobei,Hongshishan,and Qixin complexes are all located within the inferred complexes,with estimates of total explored resources of Ni,Cu,and Au of 3×10^(6) t,10×10^(3) t and 10 t,respectively.The prospecting of high-grade copper-nickel deposits should focus on the periphery and deep parts of the known and inferred mafic-ultramafic complexes.Among them,the peripheral strata of the complexes specifically have great prospecting potential of large-scale high-grade copper-nickel deposits of magma injection type.Finally,this paper analyzed the application effects of the rapid airborne-ground-drilling synergetic exploration method in the prospecting of copper-nickel deposits in Qixin,Beishan,Xinjiang,which will provide references for further exploration of copper-nickel deposits in Beishan area,Xinjiang.

Paleoproterozoic emplacement and Cambrian ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism of a layered magmatic intrusion from the Central Madurai Block,southern India:From Columbia to Gondwana

The Madurai Block in the Southern Granulite Terrane(SGT)of Peninsular India is one of the largest crustal blocks within the Neoproterozoic Gondwana assembly.This block is composed of three sub-blocks:the Neoarchean Northern Madurai block,Paleoproterozoic Central Madurai block and the dominantly Neoproterozoic Southern Madurai Block.The margins of these blocks are well-known for the occurrence of ultrahigh-temperature(UHT)granulite facies rocks mostly represented by Mg-Al metasediments.Here we report a dismembered layered mafic–ultramafic intrusion occurring in association with Mg-Al granulites from the classic locality of Ganguvarpatti in the Central Madurai Block.The major rock types of the layered intrusion include spinel orthopyroxenite,garnet-bearing gabbro,gabbro and gabbroic anorthosite showing rhythmic stratification and cumulate texture.The orthopyroxene-cordierite granulite from the associated Mg-Al layer is composed of spinel,cordierite and orthopyroxene.The pyroxene in both rock units is high-Al orthopyroxene formed under UHT metamorphic conditions.Conventional thermobarometry yields near-peak metamorphic conditions of 9.5–10 kbar pressure and a minimum temperature of 980℃.We computed P–T pseudosections and contoured for the compositional as well as modal isopleths of the major mineral phases,which yield temperature above 1000℃.FMAS petrogenetic grid,Al-in-orthopyroxene isopleth,conventional thermobarometry and calculated pseudosection reveal a clockwise pressure–temperature(P–T)path and near isothermal decompression.The U–Pb data on zircon grains from the layered magmatic suite indicate emplacement of the protolith at ca.2.0 Ga and the metamorphic overgrowths yield weighted ^(206)Pb/^(238)U mean ages ca.520 Ma.Monazite from the garnet-bearing gabbro and Opx-Crd granulite yielded ^(206)Pb/^(238)U weighted mean ages of ca.532 Ma and 523 Ma marking the timing of metamorphism.We correlate the layered intrusion to a Paleoproterozoic suprasubduction zone setting,defining the Ganguvarpatti area as part of a collisional suture assembling the Northern and Central Madurai Blocks.The Paleoproterozoic magmatism and late Neoproterozoic-Cambrian UHT metamorphism can be linked to the tectonics of the Columbia and Gondwana supercontinents.

Petrology and high-pressure mineral assemblage of maflc-ultramaflc rocks of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic zone in the Dabie Mountains

The relation between edogite and mafic-ultramafic rocks of Maowu, Bixiling and Nanshanling in Dabie Mountains represents three different kinds of occurrence relations. Their protoliths are bedded cumulate formed by crystallization differentiation of basic magma, which experienced ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism under the mantle condition at the depth of more than 120- 150km during the colli-sion-subduction between the Yangtze Plate and North China Plate. Ti-dinohumite + Ti-chondrodite + magnesite + Al-poor pyroxene is the typical high-pressure mineral assemblage of mafic-ultramafic rocks which reveals the participation of H2O, CO2 and other volatiles-containing fluid in the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.

Rb-Sr chronology and cooling history of the Renjiawan pyroxenite intrusion in North Dabie Terrane

A group of Rb-Sr ages, i.e. plagioclase-whole rock (WR) isochron age of (205±7) Ma,hornblende-WR isochron age of (164±10) Ma and biotite-WR isochron age of (123.4±1.2)Ma, for one pyroxenite sample from Renjiawan in North Dabie Terrane (NDT) are reported. According to the closure temperature of 600℃ for plageoclase and 300℃ for biotite, the Renjiawan pyroxenite should intrude into the NDT before 205 Ma, and the younger Rb-Sr ages may reflect the cooling history of the intrusion or reset by the very strong Cretaceous thermal event in NDT.