Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd Isochron Ages of the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn Ore Deposits in the Yushu area, southern Qinghai and Their Geological Implications

Located on the northeast margin of the Qiangtang terrane between the Jinshajiang suture zone and Bangonghu-Nujiang suture zone,the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn deposits in the Yushu area of Qinghai Province are representative Pb-Zn deposits of the Pb-Zn-Cu polymetallic mineralization belt in the northern part of the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang area,which are in the front belt of the Yushu thrust nappe system.The formed environments of these two deposits are different from those of sediment-hosted base metal deposits elsewhere in the world.The authors hold that they were formed during the Indian-Asian continental collision and developed within the fold-thrust belt combined with thrust and strike-slip-related Cenozoic basins in the interior of the collisional zone.Studying on the metallogenic epochs of these two deposits is helpful to the understanding of ore-forming regularity of the regional Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization belt and also to the search for new deposits in this region.The age of the Dongmozhazhua deposit has been determined by the Rb-Sr isochron method for sphalerite residues,whereas the age of the Mohailaheng deposit has been determined by the Rb-Sr isochron method for sphalerite residues and the Sm-Nd isochron method for fluorite.The age of the Dongmozhazhua deposit is 35.0-±0.0 Ma （（87Sr/86Sr）0=0.708807） for sphalerite residues.The age of the Mohailaheng deposit is 32.2±0.4 Ma （（87Sr/86Sr）o=0.708514） for sphalerite residues and 31.8±0.3 Ma （（143Nd/144Nd）o=0.512362） for fluorite with an average of 32.0 Ma.Together with the regional geological setting during mineralization,a possible tectonic model for metallogeny of the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn deposits has been established.These two ages are close to the ages of the Pb-Zn deposits in the Lanping and Tuotuohe basins,indicating that it is possible that the narrow 1000-kilometer-long belt controlled by a thrust nappe system on the eastern and northern margins of the Tibetan plateau could be a giant Pb-Zn mineralized belt.

Discussion on Rb-Sr Isochron Ages of Granitoids in the Hengduan Mountains

Based on the Rb-Sr isotopic study of the granitoids in the Hengduan Mountains, the classification andgeologic significance of whole-rock Rb-Sr isochrons as well as the factors influencing homogenization of theisotopic systems are discussed. Usually. there is no good linear correlation of isochrons for diorites andalkali-rich intrusive rocks (including alkaline rock and alkalic granite). But by means of the external isochron ofmonominerals from the rocks. isochrons with good linear correlation as well as ages and Sr initial ratios with ahigh confidence can be obtained. In order to obtain a satisfactory isochron, the discriminant parameters shouldbe calculated from the Rb/Sr ratios and estimated ages of samples. Only those that meet the requirements canbe used as the Rb-Sr isochrons. The quality of an isochron should be judged from three factors, i.e. correlationcoefficient. MSWD and homogenization degree.

^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar isochron ages of lawsonite blueschists from Jiuquan in the northern Qilian Mountain,NW China,and their tectonic implications

Using laser 40Ar/39Ar dating method,we have gotten the metamorphic ages of lawsonite blueschist and epidote blueschist from Jiuquan,northern Qilian Mountain,NW China.The high quality laser 40Ar/39Ar dating of glaucophane from lawsonite blueschist gives an isochron age of 413±5 Ma.The isochron age obtained from phengite in epidote blueschist is 415±7 Ma.These data,combining with peak metamorphic P-T conditions and regional geological setting,allow us to infer that the lower limit of the ages of the prograde subduction metamorphism from lawsonite blueschist facies to epidote blueschist facies occurred at ca.413-415 Ma,which also suggests that the formation of lawsonite blueschist in the northern Qilian Mountain maybe resulted from the corner flow in the cold subduction zone.This study shows that the final closing time of the northern Qilian remnant oceanic basin is about 413-415 Ma,which also represents the convergent age between the North China Craton and the Qaidam block.

Quantification of radiation damage in natural and synthetic zircon by Raman spectroscopy:application to low-temperature thermochronology

Due to its ubiquitous occurrence in igneous,metamorphic,and sedimentary rocks and its wide application in geochronology and geochemistry,zircon has become the most widely used accessory mineral in the geological community.Nevertheless,the decay of U and Th causes radiation damage to the zircon structure,resulting in various degrees of metamictization,which can affect the accuracy of U–Pb dates and Hf and O isotope results.If the degree of zircon radiation damage can be quantified,the influence on geochemical analyses can be evaluated,and the results can be corrected more precisely.In this paper,synthetic and natural zircon crystals with different crystallization ages were selected for Raman spectroscopy analysis,cathodoluminescence imaging,and determination of the U and Th concentrations.The results show that Raman FWHM(full width at half bandmaximum)and Raman shift correlate with alpha dose(Da)ofzirconsfollowingtheseequations,FWHM=44.36(±2.32)×[1-exp(-2.74×Da)]-+1.7(±0.19),Raman Shift=-6.53×Da+1007.69.Analysis of synthetic zircon crystals shows that doped REEs(rare earth elements and P)can also lead to an increase in the FWHM.However,this effect can be ignored for natural zircon samples with REE contents at a normal level of hundreds to a few thousand ppm.The FWHM and Raman shift can be used as proxies to measure the degree of zircon radiation damage.Using the updated equations to calculate the latest age when zircon began to accumulate radiation damage,a more accurate and more meaningful“radiation damage age”can be obtained.

Age and Tectonic Significance of the Mafic Dyke Swarm in the Kuruktag Region, Xinjiang

The mafic dykes are composed of a series of northwest-trending diabase in Kuokesu of the Kuruktag region, Xinjiang. Four whole-rock samples of the mafic dykes in the region give an 40Ar/36Ar–40K/36Ar isochron age of 282 Ma with the initial 40Ar/36Ar = 507. The characteristics of the major, trace and rare earth elements of the dyke rocks indicate that they belong to the calc-alkaline series and were emplaced in extensional structures at an intermediate depth of the crust. This shows that there was a large-scale extension in the Permian Period, which might be associated with the post-collisional extension of the ancient Tianshan Mountains.

REE and Sr-Nd Isotope Geochemistry for Yixian Fluorite Deposit,Western Liaoning Province,China,and Its Geological Implications

Up to now, there were no systematic studies of geochemistry and isotopic age for the Yixian （义县） fluorite deposit, western Liaoning （辽宁） Province, China. Based on the analysis of metallogenic geological setting, we studied the REE, Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopes. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns of fluorite are characterized by moderate LREE depletion （LREE/HREE=0.95-3.57, （La/Yb）N=0.08-2.84） and enrichment of Sr （146×10^-6-596×10^-6） and moderately positive Eu anomalies （δEu=1.10-1.34）, which are similar to those of the host Mesoproterozoic carbonate rocks. The fluorite display （^87Sr/^86Sr）t=-0.708 5, （^143Nd/^144Nd）t=-0.511 785, and δNd（t）=-12.8, which are similar to those of the host Mesoproterozoic carbonate rocks and volcanic rocks of Middle Jurassic Lanqi （蓝旗） Formation. The REE and Sr-Nd isotope geochemistry suggest that the source of the ore-forming material may be the volcanic rocks of Lanqi Formation and host carbonate rocks. The Sm-Nd isochron age of 154±14 Ma （MSWD=0.23） indicates that the Yixian fluorite mineralization nearly corresponds to the period of Lanqi Formation. Based on the integrated geological and geochemical studies, coupled with previous studies, we suggest that Yixian fluorite deposit formed in the extension setting of postcoilisional stage and may be attributed to the partial melting of ancient basaltic rocks in the lower crust induced by underplating of basic magma and to the reaction between the F-rich ore-forming fluids and the host carbonate rocks.