STRESS METAMORPHISM AND ISOTOPIC AGE OF SHEAR ZONE GRANITOID TECTONITES OF IRTYSH SHEAR ZONE (ALTAI REGION)

The Irtysh shear zone (ISZ) of Altai region is the lineament structure of the collision suture type, where granites of Kalba complex and granodiorites of Zmeinogorsk complex are exposed to regional gneiss formation and stress metamorphic alterations. This study is based on detailed structural observations at special grounds using optical and electron microscopy, and on the behavior analysis of isotopic systems from altered granitoids.Within the ISZ area we have established the continuous rows of granitoid stress metamorphism from initial recrystallization of protolite, its cataclasis and mechanical flaring up to complete recrystallization with alteration of mineral composition and formation of the streaky complexes of granite tectonites of blastomylonite and blastocataclasite types. The directed alteration of rocks has several impulse and is expressed by a change in morphology of mineral grains and their relations, magnification of deformation component in the rock structure, and formation of new mineral phases on the basis of initial ones without surface fluidization. At transformation of isotopic systems from granitoid, their feldspars, biotite and hornblende, we can observe “rejuvenation” of the rock substrate from 270-290 Ma for Kalba granitoids to 220-235 Ma for their tectonites, and for Rudny Altai granodiorites, their ages changes from 285-317 Ma to 232-257 Ma for their tectonites.

Tectonites in the Shear Zone Array of the Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt

A series of tectonites were formed in the shear zone array of the Tongbai--Dabie Orogenic Belt, including mylonites, blastomylonites, semi--plastic mylonites and foliated cataclasitesas a result of multiple strain localization, strain softening and deformation partitioning.

^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar geochronology of the Faku tectonites:Implications for the tectonothermal evolution of the Faku block,northern Liaoning

For lack of reliable isotopic chronological data, the metamorphic rock series in the Faku region of northern Liaoning has long been regarded as the platform basement. Recent studies reveal that these deformed and metamorphosed rocks, with a variety of protoliths of plutonic intrusions and supracrustal volcanic and sedimentary rocks, were genetically related to later ductile shearing events, and they, together with the syntectonic intrusions, constituted the large-scale Faku tectonites. In this paper, we report new 40Ar/39Ar data on hornblende, biotite, and K-feldspar from typical granitic mylonites in this suite of tectonites. The plateau age 256 Ma of FK53 hornblende and the high-temperature plateau age 262 Ma of Fk51-1 biotite should rep- resent the cooling ages when the granites, formed as a result of Paleozoic oceanic crustal sub- duction beneath the continental crust or collision of multiple micro-continental blocks, were ex- humed into shallow crustal levels. The plateau age 231 Ma of FK51-1 boitite and the apparent age 227 Ma of Fk51-2 K-feldspar are interpreted to record the time of ductile deformation occur- ring under greenschist facies conditions, i.e. the formation age of the Faku tectonites, while the age gradient from 197 Ma to 220 Ma of Fk51-2 K-feldspar probably record the subsequent stable uplift-cooling process. The tectonic exhumation event indicated by the plateau age 180 Ma of Fk51-2 K-feldspar may be associated with the onset of paleo-Pacific subduction beneath the North China plate. In addition, the U-Pb dating of FK54 zircon from later-intruded granite yields the age of crystallization of this super-unit intrusion at 159 Ma, thus establishing an upper limit for the formation age of the Faku tectonites, while the plateau age 125 Ma of Fk54 K-feldspar most likely corresponds to the rapid cooling and tectonic denudation event associated with the final collision between the Siberian plate and the North China plate. These isotopic ages provide im- portant geochronological constraints for re-evaluating the tectonic essence of the Faku Faulted Convex and ascertaining the suturing boundary between the North China Platform and the Xingmeng Fold System.

Forecast of Geological Gas Hazards for “Three-Soft” Coal Seams in Gliding Structural Areas

Gas outbursts from "three-soft" coal seams (soft roof,soft floor and soft coal) constitute a very serious prob-lem in the Ludian gliding structure area in western Henan. By means of theories and methods of gas geology,structural geology,coal petrology and rock tests,we have discussed the effect of control of several physical properties of soft roof on gas preservation and proposed a new method of forecasting gas geological hazards under open structural conditions. The result shows that the areas with type Ⅲ or Ⅳ soft roofs are the most dangerous areas where gas outburst most likely can take place. Therefore,countermeasures should be taken in these areas to prevent gas outbursts.

Structure and Fluid Transportation Performance of Faults in the Changxing-Feixianguan Formation, Xuanhan County, Northeastern Sichuan Basin

On the basis of field observations, microscopic thin-sections and laboratory data analysis of ten faults in Xuanhan County area, northeastern Sichuan Basin, central China, the internal and megascopic structures and tectonite development characteristics are mainly controlled by the geomechanical quality in brittle formation of the Changxing-Feixianguan Formation. The fluid transportation performance difference between the faults formed by different geomechanics or different structural parts of the same fault are controlled by the mcgascopic structure and tectonite development characteristics. For instance, the extension fault structure consists of a tectonite breccia zone and an extension fracture zone. Good fluid transportation performance zones are the extension fracture zone adjacent to the tectonite breccia zone and the breccia zone formed at the early evolutionary stage. The typical compression fault structure consists of a boulder-clay zone or zones of grinding gravel rock, compression foliation, tectonite lens, and dense fracture development. The dense fracture development zone is the best fluid transporting area at a certain scale of the compression fault, and then the lens, grinding gravel rock zone and compression foliation zones are the worst areas for hydrocarbon migration. The typical tensor-shear fault with a certain scale can be divided into boulder-clay or grinding gravel rock zones of the fault, as well as a pinnate fractures zone and a derivative fractures zone. The grinding gravel rock zone is the worst one for fluid transportation. Because of the fracture mesh connectivity and better penetration ability, the pinnate fractures zone provides the dominant pathway for hydrocarbon vertical migration along the tensor-shear fault.

EARLY MESOZOIC COLLISION STRUCTURES IN THE ALTAI REGION

In the Early Mesozoic period intercontinental movements of the Junggar and Tuva-Mongolian lithosphere terranes were accompanied by the deformation of the Paleozoic tectonic substrate and by the formation of a new tectonic system of Inner Asia, the Altai collision belt. The qualitative change of the initial structure covered more than 30% ~35% of the region. and the zonal distribution of these new formations determined the belt configuration and inner peculiarities. Residual mosaic-block terranes of the Paleozoic substrate and specific collision systems are distinguished and described in this paper. The main elements of these structures are crumple zones (collision sutures). Analysis of the rock massif regional dynamometamorphism and the spatial distribution of stress-formations in Altai is the principal peculiarity of the method for recognizing the Early Mesozoic collision system. Tectonites of destruction zones (D-tectonites ) . cataclastic flow (C-tectonites ) and plastic flow (P-tectonites) are the members of these formations. Each kind of tectonites is specific for conditions of the initial substrate transformation during the collision and has its own indicator peculiarities. Isotopic dating of stress-formations in Altai gives 260~230 Ma.

Coesite eclogite fades meta-morphic tectonite: Evidence for ultrahigh pressure deformation

An ultrahigh pressure ductile shear melange crops out on the beach of Yangkou Bay near Qingdao City. The melange is composed of weakly deformed blocks in a highly ductilly flow mylonites. Ultrahigh pressure meta-morphic (UHPM) tectonite includes strongly deformed ec-logite and mylonitized eclogite. Coesite occurs in the tectonite as both interstitial mineral and inclusions in garnet and omphacite, indicating that the deformation took place in the stability field of coesite (800-850°C, 】30 GPa) in the upper mantle. Coesite is rounded or short prismatic grains with undulatory extinction, and often fractured, suggesting brittle deformation. Garnet is also characterized by brittle fractures and sometimes necked and slightly elongated. Omphacite is elongated, with long axis preferred orientation. Undulatory extinction, subgrains and dynamically recrystallized grains suggest plastic flow of omphacite. Ultrahigh pressure meta-morphic tectonite was probably formed in the ductile shear zone during the early