An Overview on the Composition and Age of Upper Crust of Proto-Tethyan Lajishan Intra-oceanic Arc,NE Tibet Plateau

Identification and anatomy of oceanic arcs within ancient orogenic belt are significant for better understanding the tectonic framework and closure process of paleo-ocean basin.This article summarizes the geological,geochemical,and geochronological characteristics of upper crust of Proto-Tethyan Lajishan intra-oceanic arc and provides new data to constrain the subduction evolution of the South Qilian Ocean.The intra-oceanic arc volcanic rocks,including intermediate-mafic lava,breccia,tuff,and minor felsic rocks,are distributed along southern part of the Lajishan ophiolite belt.Geochemical and isotopic compositions indicate that the intermediate-mafic lava were originated from depleted mantle contaminated by sediment melts or hydrous fluids,whereas the felsic rocks were likely generated by partial melting of juvenile mafic crust in intra-oceanic arc setting.Zircons from felsic rocks yield consistent and concordant ages ranging from 506 to 523 Ma,suggesting these volcanic rocks represent the relicts of upper crust of the Cambrian intra-oceanic arc.Combined with the Cambrian forearc ophiolite and accretionary complex,we suggest that the Cambrian intra-oceanic arc in the Lajishan ophiolite belt is belonging to the intra-oceanic arc system which was generated by south-directed subduction in the South Qilian Ocean at a relatively short interval between approximately 530 and 480 Ma.

Analysis and assessment of nickel and chromium pollution in soils around Baghejar Chromite Mine of Sabzevar Ophiolite Belt,Northeastern Iran

The key objective of this research was to estimate the Ni and Cr contents of soil around the Baghjar Chromite Mine（BCM）of Sabzevar Ophiolite Belt,Northeastern Iran,and assess the degree of soil pollution using the pollution indices.Soil samples（0-20 cm depth） were collected at various distances from the BCM.In the present research,heavy metals（Cr and Ni） in soil samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry to detect their concentrations and contour maps were produced to explain the metal spatial distribution.Also,the degree of metal pollution was quantified.The results indicate that the soils in the studied area are contaminated by Cr and Ni.The corresponding concentrations for Cr and Ni are（156.19±24.45） and（321.7±133.27） mg/kg,respectively,which exceed the corresponding maximum allowable concentrations in soils.The different indices demonstrate that soils around chromite mine are significantly contaminated with Cr and Ni,suggesting several times higher levels of toxic metals than normal ranges.The above results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations increase with increasing the distance from the mine and mining pollutants can be transported to long distances from their sources.

Comparison of Different-sized Chromite Mineralizations in the Yarlung-Zangbo Ophiolite Belt, Southern Tibet

Podiform chromitites are characteristically occurred in ophiolites(e.g.,Thayer,1964;Dickey,1975).However,the metallogenic processes for podiform chromitites are still unclear.Early models involved fractional crystallization and crystal settling from picritic or basaltic melts in magma chambers(Dickey,1975;Boudier and Coleman,1981),but it was also proposed that podiform chromitites formed from partial melting and melt extraction in host mantle peridotites(Dick,1977;Dick and Bullen,1984).Recent studies by the majority of authors have suggested that melt-rock interaction at the Moho transition zone may have played a key role in the formation of podiform chromitites(Zhou and Robinson,1994;Zhou et al.,1996,2005,2014;Robinson,2008;Page and Barnes,2009;Uysal et al.,2009,2012;González-Jiménez et al.,2011,2015).Based on the occurrence of some ultrahigh pressure minerals(e.g.diamond and coesite)in chromitites,it has been proposed recently that the formation of podiform chromitite is likely related to multiple processes inclusing mantle recycling(Yang et al.,2007;Yamamoto et al.,2013).Although geat progresses have been made towards understanding the genesis of podiform chromitites,some fundamental issues in remain unanswered.For examples,what are the major controls on the size of chromitites?And why some ophiolites contain large podiform chromitite bodies,whereas most ophiolitic massifs are essentially chromitite-barren? The Yarlung-Zangbo Ophiolite belt is one of the most famous ophiolite zone in the world.It contains fresh peridotites as well as different-sided podiform chromitites.The Luobusha ophiolite in the eastern segment of the belt hosts the largest chromite deposit in China.In the central and western segments of belt the Dazhuqu and Dongbo ophiolitic massifs contain some small-scale chromitite bodies.Such characteristics make the Yarlung-Zangbo Ophiolites an ideal subject to investigate the major controls on the metallogenesis of podiform chromitites. The Luobusha chromitites are large lens and enclosed in dunite.In contrast,the Dazhuqu and Dongbo chromitites display generally as narrow dykes or irregular seams with dunite envelopes.The closely spatial association of the chromitites and dunite envelopes,together with their textural features,support a petrogenetic model that the chromitites from the Luobusha,Dazhuqu and Dongbo massifs form from reaction of melt with host peridotite.In terms of chemical composition of chromite,there are distinctive differences between those from the Luobusha and the Dazhuqu or the Dongbo.Chromite from the Luobusha chromitites has high Cr#(71-82),whereas Chromite in the Dazhuqu chromitites show relatively low Cr#(16-63),and chromite in the Dongbo chromitites includes low Cr#(11-47)and high Cr#(70-81)types.For the Dongbo and Dazhuqu massifs,linear trends of Cr#with Mg O,Fe Ot,Ni,Ga,V and Sc in chromite from the chromitites and dunites of are similar to those of the host peridotites,suggesting that the melt-rock reaction may provide major budget of Cr for the chromitites.The similar compositions at a given Cr#in chromite from these rocks also demonstrate that the chromitites may have been formed by in-situ crystallization of chromite under low melt/rock ratio.In contrast,the Luobusha chromitites have different trends of compositions in chromite from that of the host peridotites,implying that the formation of the chromitite bodies requires a continual replenishment of Cr-rich melts from deeper mantle.Fractionation and accumulation of chromite from a large volume of Cr-rich melt may play an important role on the formation of the Luobusha chromitites.MORB-normalized trace element patterns of chromite from the Luobusha chromitites suggest that it has been formed from Cr-rich boninitic melt at surpra-subduction zone(SSZ)setting.However,the Dongbo and Dazhuqu chromitites have formed originally from a MORB-affinity melt at a mid-ocean ridge(MOR)environment. In summary,the Luobusha chromitites crystallized from a Cr-rich melt in a dynamic conduit,where fractional crystallization and crystal settling play a key role in formation of the large chromitites.In contrast,the small-scale mineralizations of the Dongbo and Dazhuqu chromitite pods are formed from in situ produced melts.Podiform chromitites can be formed in MOR environment,whereas the higher Cr content in boninitic melt and assimilation of subducted slab materials at SSZ setting may benefit the formation of large chromite deposit.

The Tectonic Implications of the Hongliuhe-Xichangjing Ophiolitic Mélanges Belt in the Central Region of the Beishan Orogen, NW China——Constrained by the U-Pb Ages of Detrital Zircons of the Metasandstones

The tectonic attributes of different blocks within orogenic belts are of great significance for the study of accretionary processes and the evolution of Earth. The Hongliuhe-Niujianzi-Baiyunshan-Xichangjing ophiolitic mélange belt(HXOMB) is distributed in the heart of the Beishan Orogen, the Shuangyingshan and Minshui-Hanshan blocks being distributed in the south and north of the HXOMB respectively, and a large number of Early Paleozoic geological units are exposed on the blocks. According to the zircon age populations of the metasandstones in the Baiyunshan area recovered in this paper, when compared with the zircon age populations of the Paleozoic metasandstones reported in the Niujuanzi and Hanshan areas, we found that the metasandstones of the Shuangyingshan Block have age peaks at c. 598 Ma, 742 Ma, 828 Ma, 941 Ma, 990 Ma, 1168 Ma, 1636 Ma, 2497 Ma with non-significant age populations of 1500–1300 Ma, showing a possible affinity with the Tarim Craton;the metasandstones of the Minshui-Hanshan Block have age peaks at c. 606 Ma, 758 Ma, 914 Ma, 1102 Ma, 1194 Ma, 1304 Ma, 1672 Ma with significant age populations of 1500-1300 Ma, showing a possible affinity with the Chinese Central Tianshan Block. Therefore, the HXOMB of the Beishan Orogen is of great significance in plate segmentation, which separates the Tarim Craton in the south and the Chinese Central Tianshan Block in the north. Based on the evolutionary process of the Hongliuhe-Xichangjing ocean in the Beishan Orogen, we believe that break-up and convergence can be recognized as having occurred twice between the Chinese Central Tianshan Block and the Tarim Craton since the Mesoproterozoic in the Beishan area. This was related firstly to the break-up of the Columbia Supercontinent and the convergence of the Rodinia Supercontinent, mainly during the Middle Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic, and secondly to the opening and closing of the Hongliuhe-Xichangjing ocean, mainly during the Early Paleozoic.

Multi-stage Process of the Bulqiza Chromitites, Eastern Ophiolitic Belt, Albania

The ultramafic massif of Bulqiza,which belongs to the eastern ophiolitic belt of Albania,is the most important area for metallurgical chromitite ores.The massif consists of a thick(>4 km)rock sequence,with a generalized

Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications of the Late Silurian–Early Devonian Bimodal Intrusive Rocks in the Central Beishan Orogenic Belt,NW China:Constraints by Petrology,Geochemistry and Hf Isotope

A large number of Late Silurian–Early Devonian intrusive rocks are distributed in the central Beishan orogenic belt(BOB).Tectonic setting of these intrusive rocks is of great significance to the study of the subduction and accretion of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.Previous studies show that most of the intrusive rocks in this region are S-type or A-type granitoids.In this study,we firstly reported the Late Silurian–Early Devoniandia bases,granodiorites on the southside of the Baiyunshan ophiolitic mélanges belt,as a part of Hongliuhe-Xichangjing ophiolitic mélanges belt(HXOMB).Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating yields emplacement ages between 418 and 397 Ma,REE distribution patterns exhibit enriched LREE and flat HREE in the diabases,the discriminant diagrams show that the diabases have geochemical characteristics of intraplate basalt.The granodiorites in this paper present more like S-and A-type granitoids reported,showing the geochemical characteristics of syn/post-collision granites.Actually,the bimodal magmatic rocks are developed during Late Silurian–Early Devonian on both sides of the HXOMB,which are related to the tectonic background of the post orogeny extension.The diabases are tholeiitic with relative strong depletedεHf(t)(+8.1 to+13.0),which are mainly from relative depleted mantle.The granodiorites are calc-alkaline with relative slightly depletedεHf(t)(+0.7 to+5.6)and the lower Mg#and MgO contents(34.6–36.9,0.50 wt.%–1.19 wt.%respectively),reflecting the source characteristics of meta-basalt.Therefore,the remelting of juvenile crust may be the main way of continental crust accretion during Late Silurian–Early Devonian in the central BOB.

Petrology, Geochemistry and Geochronology of Gabbros from the Zhongcang Ophiolitic Mélange, Central Tibet: Implications for an Intra-Oceanic Subduction Zone within the Neo-Tethys Ocean

In order to investigate the evolution of Shiquanhe-Yongzhu-Jiali ophiolitic melange belt, the gabbros from new discovered Zhongcang ophiolitic melange are studied through petrology, whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotope. The gabbros investigated in this paper contain cumulate gabbro and gabbro dike, and they have undergone greenschist-amphibolite facies metamorphism. The chondrite normalized rare earth element （REE） patterns of most of these rocks show flat types with slightly light REE （LREE） depletion and the N-MORB normalized incompatible elements diagrams indicate depletion in high field strength elements （HFSE） （Nb, Ta） and enrichment in large ion lithophile elements （LILE）. These gabbros have island arc and mid-ocean ridge basalt af- finities, suggesting that they were originated in an oceanic back arc basin. Whole rock geochemistry and high positive εNd（t） values show that these gabbros were derived from -30% partial melting of a spinel lherzolite mantle, which was enriched by interaction with slab-derived fluids and melts from sediment. U-Pb analyses of zircons from cumulate gabbro yield a weighted mean age of 114.3±1.4 Ma. Based on our data and previous studies, we propose that an intra-oceanic subduction system and back arc basin operated in the Neo-Tethy Ocean of central Tibet during Middle Jurassic and Early Creta- ceous, resembling modern active intra-oceanic subduction systems in the western Pacific.

Ordovician radiolarians from the Yinisala ophiolitic melange and their significance in western Junggar, Xinjiang, NW China

The Yinisala ophiolitic melange is located in the southern part of the Xiemisitai Mountains in western Junggar （NW China）, and is composed of mafic-ultra mafic rocks, siliceous blocks, marble （marbleized limestone） and pyroclastic rocks, which all crop out as faulted blocks. Rich radiolarian and sponge spicule fossils are found in the siliceous rock for the first time. There are six genera of radiolarians （including one gen. et sp. Indet.） belonging to two families： Inaniguttid gen. et sp. Indet., Inani- gutta sp., Inanibigutta sp., Inanihella bakanasensis （Nazarov）, Triplococcus acanthicus （Danelian and Popov）, Antygopora sp., which are identified to be of late Early to Middle Ordovician age, representing the upper limit of the formation age of the Yinisala ophiolite melange. The ophiolites were developed in the Early Cambrian-Middle Ordovician oceanic environment, probably an important part of the early Paleozoic Paleo-Asian Ocean, based on the composition and structure of the siliceous rock and associated deep-water fossils. The Yinisala, Taerbahatai, and Hongguleleng ophiolitic melange belts can be correlated as a suite of unified subduction accretionary complex, which extends eastward to the eastern Junggar. We consider that there existed an ancient ocean connecting the east and west of northern Junggar in the Early Cambrian-Middle Ordovician.