Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Xingxingxia Triassic A-type Granites in Central Tianshan,NW China:Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

The Triassic granitoids in Central Tianshan play a key role in determining the petrogenesis and tectonic evolution on the southern margin of the Central Asian orogenic belt.In this study,we present SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages,Hf isotopic and geochemical data on the Xingxingxia biotite granite,amazonite granite and granitic pegmatite in Central Tianshan,NW China.Zircon U-Pb dating yielded formation ages of 242 Ma for the biotite granite and 240 Ma for the amazonite granite.These granitoid rocks have high K_(2)O with low MgO and CaO contents.They are enriched in Nb,Ta,Hf and Y,while being depleted in Ba and Sr,showing flat HREE patterns and negative Eu anomalies.They have typical A-type granite geochemical signatures with high Ga/A_(1)(8–13)and TFeO/(TFeO+MgO)ratios,showing an A_(2) affinity for biotite granite and an A_(1) affinity for amazonite granite and granitic pegmatite.Zircon ε_(Hf)(t)values of the granitoids are 0.45–2.66,with Hf model ages of 0.99–1.17 Ga.This suggests that these A-type granites originated from partial melting of the lower crust.We propose that Xingxingxia Triassic A-type granites formed under lithospheric extension from post-orogenic to anorogenic intraplate settings and NE-trending regional strike-slip fault-controlled magma emplacement in the upper crust.

Late Triassic Intracontinental Deformation of South Tianshan,Central Asia:Evidence from Syn-tectonic Sedimentation and Detrital Zircon Provenances of the Kuqa Depression

The Tianshan range,a Paleozoic orogenic belt in Central Asia,has undergone multiple phases of tectonic activities characterized by the N-S compression after the early Mesozoic,including the far-field effects of the Cenozoic Indian-Asian collision.However,there are limited reports on the tectonic deformation and initiation of Triassic intracontinental deformation in the Tianshan range.Understanding this structural context is crucial for interpreting the early intracontinental deformation history of the Eurasian continent during the early Mesozoic.Growth strata and syn-tectonic sediments provide a rich source of information on tectonic activities and have been extensively used in the studies of orogenic belts.Based on detail fieldwork conducted in this study,the middle-late Triassic Kelamayi Formation of the northern Kuqa Depression in the southern Tianshan fold-thrust belt has been identified as the typical syn-tectonic growth strata.The youngest detrital zircon component in two lithic sandstone samples from the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata yielded U-Pb ages of 223.4±3.1 and 215.5±2.9 Ma,respectively,indicating that the maximum depositional age of the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata is 226-220 and 218-212 Ma.The geochronological distribution of detrital samples from the Early-Middle Triassic and Late Triassic revealed abrupt changes,suggesting a new source supply resulting from tectonic activation in the Tianshan range.The coupling relationship between the syn-tectonic sedimentation of the Kelamayi Formation and the South Tianshan fold-thrust system provides robust evidence that the Triassic intracontinental deformation of the South Tianshan range began at approximately 226-220 Ma(during the Late Triassic)and ended at approximately 218-212 Ma.These findings provide crucial constraints for understanding the intraplate deformation in the Tianshan range during the Triassic.

Zircon U-Pb ages in the Nuratau ophiolitic mélange in the southern Tianshan,Uzbekistan:Implication for the closure of Paleo-Asian Ocean

1.Objective The Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB),which is located between the European craton,Siberian craton,and Tarim-North China craton(Fig.1a),is the largest phanerozoic accretionary orogen in the world.It resulted from the longterm subduction and accretion of the Paleo-Asian Ocean(PAO).The PAO has been in existence since at least the late Mesoproterozoic(about 1020 Ma).However,there has been debate about the closing time of the PAO.

Climate warming is significantly influenced by rising summer maximum temperatures: insights from tree-ring evidence of the Western Tianshan Mountains, China

As one of the regions most affected by global cli-mate warming,the Tianshan mountains has experienced sev-eral ecological crises,including retreating glaciers and water deficits.Climate warming in these mountains is considered mainly to be caused by increases in minimum temperatures and winter temperatures,while the influence of maximum temperatures is unclear.In this study,a 300-year tree-ring chronology developed from the Western Tianshan Moun-tains was used to reconstruct the summer(June-August)maximum temperature(T_(max6-8))variations from 1718 to 2017.The reconstruction explained 53.1% of the variance in the observed T_(max6-8).Over the past 300 years,the T_(max6-8)reconstruction showed clear interannual and decadal vari-abilities.There was a significant warming trend(0.18°C/decade)after the 1950s,which was close to the increasing rates of the minimum and mean temperatures.The increase in maximum temperature was also present over the whole Tianshan mountains and its impact on climate warming has increased.The T_(max6-8) variations in the Western Tianshan mountains were influenced by frequent volcanic eruptions combined with the influence of solar activity and the sum-mer North Atlantic Oscillation.This study reveals that cli-mate warming is significantly influenced by the increase in maximum temperatures and clarifies possible driving mech-anisms of temperature variations in the Western Tianshan mountains which should aid climate predictions.

Climate warming is significantly influenced by rising summer maximum temperatures:insights from tree-ring evidence of the Western Tianshan Mountains,China

As one of the regions most affected by global climate warming,the Tianshan mountains has experienced several ecological crises,including retreating glaciers and water deficits.Climate warming in these mountains is considered mainly to be caused by increases in minimum temperatures and winter temperatures,while the influence of maximum temperatures is unclear.In this study,a 300-year tree-ring chronology developed from the Western Tianshan Mountains was used to reconstruct the summer(June-August)maximum temperature(Tmax6-8) variations from 1718 to2017.The reconstruction explained 53.1% of the variance in the observed Tmax6-8.Over the past 300 years,the Tmax6-8reconstruction showed clear interannual and decadal variabilities.There was a significant warming trend(0.18 ℃/decade) after the 1950s,which was close to the increasing rates of the minimum and mean temperatures.The increase in maximum temperature was also present over the whole Tianshan mountains and its impact on climate warming has increased.The Tmax6-8variations in the Western Tianshan mountains were influenced by frequent volcanic eruptions combined with the influence of solar activity and the summer North Atlantic Oscillation.This study reveals that climate warming is significantly influenced by the increase in maximum temperatures and clarifies possible driving mechanisms of temperature variations in the Western Tianshan mountains which should aid climate predictions.

The present-day kinematics of the Tianshan orogenic belt constrained by GPS velocities

Since the late Cenozoic,the reactivated Tianshan orogenic belt has accommodated crustal shortening exceeding 200 km,primarily due to the far-field effects of the India-Eurasia plate collision.However,the details of the strain partitioning in the Tianshan Mountain range remain elusive.We interpret a new compilation of GPS velocities covering the whole Tianshan range with a classic elastic block model.Compared to previous studies with a block modeling approach,the Tianshan orogenic belt is further subdivided into several blocks based on geological fault traces and a clustering analysis approach.In addition to obvious crustal shortening on the bounding thrust faults of the Tianshan,our inverted fault slip rates also reveal that faults within the Tianshan orogenic belt,such as the Nalati Fault and the southern margin of the Issyk-Kul Lake Fault,which plays a crucial role in accommodating the tectonic crustal shortening.In the 72°E-78°E region,the internal shortening rate within the mountain is approximately 5-7 mm/yr.Besides crustal shortening,strike-slip motion occurs on faults in the interior of the mountain range as well as in the foreland fold-and-thrust belts,especially in the southern margin of the Tianshan.These findings suggest that the crustal deformation in the Tianshan Mountain range is more complex than previously thought,and the oblique convergence between the Tarim Basin and the Tianshan probably results in both strike-slip and thrust motion.

A CMIP6-based assessment of regional climate change in the Chinese Tianshan Mountains

Climate warming profoundly affects hydrological changes,agricultural production,and human society.Arid and semi-arid areas of China are currently displaying a marked trend of warming and wetting.The Chinese Tianshan Mountains(CTM)have a high climate sensitivity,rendering the region particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate warming.In this study,we used monthly average temperature and monthly precipitation data from the CN05.1 gridded dataset(1961-2014)and 24 global climate models(GCMs)of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6(CMIP6)to assess the applicability of the CMIP6 GCMs in the CTM at the regional scale.Based on this,we conducted a systematic review of the interannual trends,dry-wet transitions(based on the standardized precipitation index(SPI)),and spatial distribution patterns of climate change in the CTM during 1961-2014.We further projected future temperature and precipitation changes over three terms(near-term(2021-2040),mid-term(2041-2060),and long-term(2081-2100))relative to the historical period(1961-2014)under four shared socio-economic pathway(SSP)scenarios(i.e.,SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,SSP3-7.0,and SSP5-8.5).It was found that the CTM had experienced significant warming and wetting from 1961 to 2014,and will also experience warming in the future(2021-2100).Substantial warming in 1997 was captured by both the CN05.1 derived from interpolating meteorological station data and the multi-model ensemble(MME)from the CMIP6 GCMs.The MME simulation results indicated an apparent wetting in 2008,which occurred later than the wetting observed from the CN05.1 in 1989.The GCMs generally underestimated spring temperature and overestimated both winter temperature and spring precipitation in the CTM.Warming and wetting are more rapid in the northern part of the CTM.By the end of the 21st century,all the four SSP scenarios project warmer and wetter conditions in the CTM with multiple dry-wet transitions.However,the rise in precipitation fails to counterbalance the drought induced by escalating temperature in the future,so the nature of the drought in the CTM will not change at all.Additionally,the projected summer precipitation shows negative correlation with the radiative forcing.This study holds practical implications for the awareness of climate change and subsequent research in the CTM.

古亚洲洋构造域中西段新元古代晚期至晚泥盆世的构造运动

古亚洲洋构造域是由东欧克拉通和西伯利亚克拉通南侧的沟弧盆系统、主洋盆系统和卡拉库姆-塔里木-华北克拉通北侧的大陆边缘系统组成的复合型造山带,其动力学体系波及范围涉及萨彦-额尔古纳造山系、乌拉尔-天山-兴蒙造山系,昆仑-祁连-秦岭造山系等,这一地域保存了新元古代晚期到泥盆纪造山过程的丰富信息,是研究古亚洲洋演化的重要窗口。本文以古亚洲洋动力学体系波及范围的中西段为研究对象,在总结前人研究成果的基础上,将新元古代晚期至晚泥盆世的构造运动划分为贝加尔造山运动、萨拉伊尔(兴凯)造山运动、哈萨克斯坦造山运动、加里东造山运动和天山造山运动:①贝加尔造山运动使图瓦地块和阿巴坎地块拼接到西伯利亚克拉通南缘,表现为增生造山;②萨拉伊尔造山运动使阿尔泰地块和南蒙古地块先后拼贴在西伯利亚克拉通南缘,形成萨彦-额尔古纳增生造山系,也属于增生造山运动;③出现在中奥陶世—晚奥陶世的哈萨克斯坦造山运动使科克切塔夫地块、斋桑地块、克孜勒库姆地块、巴尔喀什-伊犁地块、伊塞克地块、中天山地块及准噶尔地块之间的洋盆封闭,形成哈萨克斯坦联合陆块;④发生在志留纪末(东西昆仑则持续到中泥盆世末期的加里东造山运动使阿中地块、中祁连地块、南祁连地块、柴达木地块、西秦岭联合地块、秦岭地块和上扬子陆块拼贴在中轴大陆块区南缘,造成中轴大陆块区南缘大陆增生;⑤发生在中泥盆世末—晚泥盆世的天山造山运动使中轴大陆块区中西段与扩大后的西伯利亚陆块拼接在一起。本研究加深了对古亚洲洋复杂构造历史的理解及对区域地质的影响。

新疆南天山榆树沟含石榴夕线石泥质麻粒岩的超高温变质作用及其构造意义

天山造山带是中亚造山带的重要组成部分,新疆南天山造山带出露有橄榄岩-麻粒岩地体,其北部榆树沟地区麻粒岩超高温变质作用的确定及P-T-t轨迹的建立为南天山造山带增生造山过程的研究提供了重要依据。本文主要以榆树沟地区3个含石榴夕线石泥质麻粒岩为研究对象,在详细岩相学研究的基础上进行了温压计算、相平衡模拟及锆石U-Pb年龄分析。结果显示其普遍保留了4个阶段的矿物组合:(1)峰前阶段(M1)主要是石榴子石核部与核部包裹体矿物Grt1+Bt1+Pl1+Ilm1+Rt1+Qz1±Ksp1;(2)峰期阶段(M2)由石榴子石幔部和基质矿物核部组成,Grt2+Sil2+Ksp2+Pl2+Ilm2+Rt2+Qz2+Liq2,其温压条件为910~973℃和0.90~1.09GPa;(3)高压麻粒岩相阶段(M3)主要是石榴子石内边部和边部包裹体及基质中矿物的边部,Grt3+Bt3+Sil3+Ksp3+Pl3+Ilm3+Rt3+Qz3+Liq3,其温压结果为845~869℃和1.01~1.14GPa;(4)角闪岩相退变质阶段(M4)以石榴子石的外边部及围绕石榴子石的矿物为代表,Grt4+Bt4+Sil4+Ksp4+Pl4+Ilm4+Qz4±Rt4,其温压条件为701~737℃和0.7~0.8GPa。温压结果指示泥质麻粒岩记录了一条逆时针P-T轨迹。锆石U-Pb年龄分析结果指示原岩沉积是在427Ma之后,超高温变质作用发生在397~409Ma,压力峰期变质作用年龄范围为381~395Ma,退变质年龄结果为355~387Ma。超高温变质作用的热源可能是泥盆纪弧岩浆侵入,随后麻粒岩及与之接触的橄榄岩被俯冲板片捕获并经历了高压变质作用,后期受挤压折返发生了退变质降压冷却。

西南天山榴辉岩相脉体记录的俯冲带多期流体作用

俯冲带是全球最大的物质循环系统,控制着壳幔相互作用、岛弧岩浆作用、成矿物质聚集和全球元素循环等诸多重要的地质过程。俯冲带流体作为板片向上覆地幔楔进行物质传输的重要媒介,在上述地质过程中扮演着关键角色。基于岛弧火山岩地球化学特征、高温高压实验、相平衡模拟,以及高压-超高压变质岩的研究,我们对俯冲带流体基本特征及其地球化学行为已经有了较为深刻的认识,然而,目前对俯冲带流体作用的复杂性,如多期流体作用,还缺少深入的理解。本文对西南天山高压-超高压变质带榴辉岩中一条含石英-绿帘石-铁白云石-硫化物的高压脉开展了详细的岩石学、地球化学研究。脉体中有绿辉石、铁白云石、金红石等特征高压矿物的产出,暗示其代表的流体作用发生于高压条件下。脉体与主岩榴辉岩界线截然,之间无蚀变带/过渡带/交代晕产出,说明主岩榴辉岩与迁移流体之间没有发生显著的水-岩交换反应。脉体矿物(如绿帘石、铁白云石、黄铁矿等)的多期生长特征及其成分差异研究揭示出至少三期流体作用。前两期流体作用均发生于高压条件下,特征如下:(1)两期流体分别以两期矿物组合(Ep^(1)-Dol^(1)-Py^(1)组合以及Ep^(2)-Dol^(2)-Py^(2)组合)为代表,在第二期流体作用下,第一期流体沉淀的矿物(如Dol^(1)等)发生了明显的溶解-再沉淀作用;(2)两期流体性质均以富Ca、Si,含CO_(2)、S为特征,第一期流体较第二期流体富Fe贫Mg,富Ni贫Co,富轻稀土元素(LREE);(3)两期黄铁矿的δ^(34)S值分别为-8‰和-5‰,暗示这两期流体均主要来源于俯冲沉积物,且第二期流体可能有更多俯冲洋壳或蛇纹岩脱水流体的参与;(4)两期流体作用下,碳酸盐矿物和硫化物显示出耦合共生的特点,暗示C、S在流体作用下可能具有协同演化(如溶解-迁移-沉淀)的关系。第三期流体作用以绿帘石+铁白云石反应生成方解石+绿泥石、绿帘石边部(与黄铁矿相邻处)发生成分改造为特征,流体作用发生在高压岩石折返的退变质阶段,记录了退变质流体的信息。本研究通过榴辉岩高压脉体中多期矿物生长的特征,揭示了俯冲带内多期流体作用,对深入理解俯冲带流体性质、流体来源、以及俯冲带关键挥发分元素的耦合演化信息,具有重要的科学意义。

从中亚岩石冷却的时空差异性浅析天山中新生代隆升剥露的动力来源

本文基于系统收集的天山及北部中亚区域磷灰石裂变径迹年龄、U-Th/He年龄和裂变径迹长度数据,通过频度分析和年龄分阶段插值分析,综合刻画了天山和中亚地区中新生代的岩石快速冷却事件的时空差异。结合不同阶段不同区域构造变形的表现,探讨了天山地区不同阶段不同区段岩石快速冷却事件与不同板块边界动力之间的联系。结果显示,天山地区主要经历了晚三叠世、晚侏罗世—早白垩世、晚白垩世—古新世、新生代中晚期4次快速冷却事件。晚三叠世的快速冷却主要分布于天山西段,反映逆冲断层活动引起的岩石抬升剥露,受控于西部图兰(Turan)地体与古亚洲大陆的碰撞。晚侏罗世—早白垩世的快速冷却主要分布于西部的吉尔吉斯天山和东部的东天山地区,均表现为逆冲断层活动引起的岩石抬升剥露。其中西部吉尔吉斯天山的逆冲抬升主要受控于南部的拉萨地体与古亚洲大陆碰撞的远程效应,而东天山主要受控于北部蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋主体闭合的远程效应。晚白垩世—古新世的快速冷却主要为沿大型断裂分布的热冷却事件。其中,西部吉尔吉斯天山、中国西天山和东部东天山南部的觉罗塔格地区,断裂活动引发的快速冷却事件主要发生在晚白垩世晚期—古新世,受控于Kohistan-Dras等岛弧的增生拼贴和最后的印度与欧亚大陆的碰撞,而东天山北部哈尔里克山,右旋转换伸展断裂导致的快速热冷却事件主要发生在相对较早的晚白垩世中期,与北部蒙古—鄂霍茨克造山带后碰撞伸展塌陷事件同步。新生代中晚期的快速冷却主要表现在帕米尔及其以北的天山西段,反映为印度与欧亚板块碰撞后高原崛起向北扩展导致的陆内强烈挤压的远程效应。总之,天山造山带不同区段中新生代不同阶段的岩石快速冷却事件是南部特提斯构造域多块体碰撞和北部蒙古—鄂霍茨克构造域洋盆闭合以及其后的后碰撞伸展塌陷等板块边界动力远程效应综合影响的结果。

Zircon SHRIMP Dating for the Weiya Pluton, Eastern Tianshan: Its Geological Implications

The timing of the emplacement of the Weiya pluton remains controversial due to the absence of systematic and precise dating. This paper reports zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating of different lithologic phases in the Weiya pluton, and discusses the genesis and tectonic environment. The ages of gabbro, quartz syenite, diorite porphyrite and fine-grained granite are 236±6 Ma, 246±6 Ma, 233±8 Ma and 237±8 Ma, respectively. All these phases were formed in early-middle Indosinian （Triassic） in a post-orogenic environment. In addition to underplating, intraplating of mantle-derived magmas is also a substantial mechanism for magma generation and vertical accretion of the continental crust. Granitoid rocks are important products of vertical continental accretion as underplating evolves gradually to intraplating. The existence of post-orogenic Indosinian granites shows that the middle Tianshan orogenic belt underwent an important tectonic conversion from the Paleo-Asian ocean subduction-collision system to the Paleo-Tethys ocean regime.

Paleozoic Accretion-Collision Events and Kinematics of Ductile Deformation in the Eastern Part of the Southern-Central Tianshan Belt, China

The Tianshan range could have been built by both late Early Paleozoicaccretion and Late Paleozoic collision events. The late Early Paleozoic Aqqikkudug-Weiya suture ismarked by Ordovician ophiolitic melange and a Silurian flysch sequence, high-pressure metamorphicrelics, and mylonitized rocks. The Central Tianshan belt could principally be an Ordovician volcanicarc; whereas the South Tianshan belt, a back-arc basin. Macro- and microstructures, along withunconformities, provide some kinematic and chronological constraints on 2-phase ductile deformation.The earlier ductile deformation occurring at ca. 400 Ma was marked by north-verging ductileshearing, yielding granulite-bearing ophiolitic melange blocks and garnet-pyroxene-facies ductiledeformation, and the later deformation, a dextral strike-slip tectonic process, occurred during theLate Carboniferous-Early Permian. Early Carboniferous molasses were deposited unconformably onpre-Carboniferous metamorphic and ductilely sheared rocks, implying the end of the early orogeny.The large-scale ductile strike-slip along the Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone was possibly caused by thesecond tectonic event, the Hercynian collision between the northern Tarim block and the southernSiberian block. Late Paleozoic granitic magmatism and superimposed structures overprinted this EarlyPaleozoic deformation belt. Results of geometric and kinematic studies suggest that the primaryframework of the Southern-Central Tianshan belt, at least the eastern part of the Tianshan belt, wasbuilt by these two phases of accretion events.

An improved GCN−TCN−AR model for PM_(2.5) predictions in the arid areas of Xinjiang,China

As one of the main characteristics of atmospheric pollutants,PM_(2.5) severely affects human health and has received widespread attention in recent years.How to predict the variations of PM_(2.5) concentrations with high accuracy is an important topic.The PM_(2.5) monitoring stations in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China,are unevenly distributed,which makes it challenging to conduct comprehensive analyses and predictions.Therefore,this study primarily addresses the limitations mentioned above and the poor generalization ability of PM_(2.5) concentration prediction models across different monitoring stations.We chose the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains as the study area and took the January−December in 2019 as the research period.On the basis of data from 21 PM_(2.5) monitoring stations as well as meteorological data(temperature,instantaneous wind speed,and pressure),we developed an improved model,namely GCN−TCN−AR(where GCN is the graph convolution network,TCN is the temporal convolutional network,and AR is the autoregression),for predicting PM_(2.5) concentrations on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains.The GCN−TCN−AR model is composed of an improved GCN model,a TCN model,and an AR model.The results revealed that the R2 values predicted by the GCN−TCN−AR model at the four monitoring stations(Urumqi,Wujiaqu,Shihezi,and Changji)were 0.93,0.91,0.93,and 0.92,respectively,and the RMSE(root mean square error)values were 6.85,7.52,7.01,and 7.28μg/m^(3),respectively.The performance of the GCN−TCN−AR model was also compared with the currently neural network models,including the GCN−TCN,GCN,TCN,Support Vector Regression(SVR),and AR.The GCN−TCN−AR outperformed the other current neural network models,with high prediction accuracy and good stability,making it especially suitable for the predictions of PM_(2.5)concentrations.This study revealed the significant spatiotemporal variations of PM_(2.5)concentrations.First,the PM_(2.5) concentrations exhibited clear seasonal fluctuations,with higher levels typically observed in winter and differences presented between months.Second,the spatial distribution analysis revealed that cities such as Urumqi and Wujiaqu have high PM_(2.5) concentrations,with a noticeable geographical clustering of pollutions.Understanding the variations in PM_(2.5) concentrations is highly important for the sustainable development of ecological environment in arid areas.

Carboniferous Post-collisional Rift Volcanism of the Tianshan Mountains, Northwestern China

The Tianshan Carboniferous post-collisional rift volcanic rocks occur in northwestern China as a large igneous province. Based on petrogeochemical data, the Tianshan Carboniferous post-collisional rift basic lavas can be classified into two major magma types: (1) the low-Ti/Y type situated in the eastern-central Tianshan area, which exhibits low Ti/Y (<500), Ce/Yb (<15) and SiO2 (43-55%), and relatively high Fe2O3T (6.4-11.5%); (2) the high-Ti/Y type situated in the western Tianshan area, which has high Ti/Y (>500), Ce/Yb (>11) and SiO2 (49-55%), and relatively low Fe2O3T (5.8-7.8%). Elemental data suggest that chemical variations of the low-Ti/Y and high-Ti/Y lavas cannot be explained by fractional crystallization from a common parental magma. The Tianshan Carboniferous basic lavas originated most likely from an OIB-like asthenospheric mantle source (87Sr/86Sr(t) ≈ 0.703-0.705, eNd(0 = +4 to +7). The crustal contamination and continental lithospheric mantle have also contributed significantly to the formation of the basic lavas of the Tianshan Carboniferous post-collisional rift. The silicic lavas were probably generated by partial melting of the crust. The data of this study show that spatial petrogeochemical variations exist in the Carboniferous post-collisional rift volcanics province in the Tianshan region. Occurrence of the thickest volcanics dominated by tholeiitic lavas may imply that the center of the mantle-melting anomaly (mantle plume) was in the eastern Tianshan area at that time. The basic volcanic magmas in the eastern Tianshan area were generated by a relatively high degree of partial melting of the mantle source around the spinel-garnet transition zone, whereas the alkaline basaltic lavas are of the dominant magma type in the western Tianshan area, which were generated by a low degree of partial melting of the mantle source within the stable garnet region, thus the basic lavas of the western Tianshan area might have resulted from relatively thick lithosphere and low geothermal gradient.

Geochemistry and SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Age of Post-Collisional Granites in the Southwest Tianshan Orogenic Belt of China:Examples from the Heiyingshan and Laohutai Plutons

The Heiyingshan granite and the Laohutai granite plutons exposed in the Southwest Tianshan resemble A-type granites geochemically. Analysis shows that the both are ferron calc-alkalic peraluminous or ferron alkali-calcic peraluminous with a relatively high concentration of SiO2 （〉70%）, high alkali contents （Na20 ＋ K20 = 7.14%-8.56%; K20〉N20; A/CNK = 0.99-1.20）, and pronounced negative anomales in Eu, Ba, St, P and Ti. A SHRIMP zircon U-Pb age of 285±4 Ma was obtained for the Heiyingshan hornblende biotite granite intrusion. The geochemical and age dating data reported in this paper indicate that these granites were formed during the post-collisional crustal extension of the Southwest Tianshan orogenic belt, in agreement with the published data for the granites in the South Tianshan.

Re-Os Age of Cu-Ni Ores from the Huangshandong Cu-Ni Sulfide Deposit in the East Tianshan Mountains and Its Implication for Geodynamic Processes

An isochron age of 282±20 (95% conf. limit) Ma of the sulfide ores in the Huangshandong Cu-Ni sulfide deposit, the East Tianshan Mountains has been obtained through Re-Os isotopic measurement. The age implies that the Cu-Ni sulfide deposit and other related deposits in the same area occurred in a Permian extensional environment of post-collision instead of Devonian-Early Carboniferous ophiolite-related oceanic or island arc environments inferred before. It shares the same ages with the orogenic and epithermal gold deposit systems in the same area. An initial 187Os/188Os ratio of 0.25±0.04 (1σ) and a γos value of 99 on average display the participation of large quantities of crustal components into the rock-forming and ore-forming system during mineralization and magmatic emplacement.

Mesoproterozoic Continental Arc Type Granite in the Central Tianshan Mountains:Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb Dating and Geochemical Analyses

The Central Tianshan belt in northwestern China is a small Precambrian block located in the southern part of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt （CAOB）, which is considered as ＂the most voluminous block of young continental crust in the world＂ that comprises numerous small continental blocks separated by Paleozoic magmatic arcs. The Precambrian basement of the central Tianshan Mountains is composed of volcanic rocks and associated volcano-sedimentary rocks that were intruded by granitic plutons. Geochemical analyses demonstrate that the granitic plutons and volcanic rocks were generated in the Andean-type active continental arc environment like today＇s Chile, and the zircon U-Pb SHRIMP dating indicates that they were developed at about 956 Ma, possibly corresponding to the subduction of the inferred Mozambique Ocean under the Baltic-African super-continent.

A Large-Scale Palaeozoic Dextral Ductile Strike-Slip Zone:the Aqqikkudug-Weiya Zone along the Northern Margin of the Central Tianshan Belt,Xinjiang,NW China

Abstract The nearly E-W-trending Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone, more than 1000 km long and about 30 km wide, is an important segment in the Central Asian tectonic framework. It is distributed along the northern margin of the Central Tianshan belt in Xinjiang, NW China and is composed of mylonitized Early Palaeozoic greywacke, volcanic rocks, ophiolitic blocks as a mélange complex, HP/LT-type bleuschist blocks and mylonitized Neoproterozoic schist, gneiss and orthogneiss. Nearly vertical mylonitic foliation and sub-horizontal stretching lineation define its strike-slip feature; various kinematic indicators, such as asymmetric folds, non-coaxial asymmetric macro- to micro-structures and C-axis fabrics of quartz grains of mylonites, suggest that it is a dextral strike-slip ductile shear zone oriented in a nearly E-W direction characterized by “flower” strusture with thrusting or extruding across the zone toward the two sides and upright folds with gently plunging hinges. The Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone experienced at least two stages of ductile shear tectonic evolution: Early Palaeozoic north vergent thrusting ductile shear and Late Carboniferous-Early Permian strike-slip deformation. The strike-slip ductile shear likely took place during Late Palaeozoic time, dated at 269±5 Ma by the40Ar/39Ar analysis on neo-muscovites. The strike-slip deformation was followed by the Hercynian violent S-type granitic magmatism. Geodynamical analysis suggests that the large-scale dextral strike-slip ductile shearing is likely the result of intracontinental adjustment deformation after the collision of the Siberian continental plate towards the northern margin of the Tarim continental plate during the Late Carboniferous. The Himalayan tectonism locally deformed the zone, marked by final uplift, brittle layer-slip and step-type thrust faults, transcurrent faults and E-W-elongated Mesozoic-Cenozoic basins.

Geological Characteristics and Zircon U-Pb Dating of Volcanic Rocks from the Beizhan Iron Deposit in Western Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, NW China

The Beizhan large iron deposit located in the east part of the Awulale metallogenic belt in the western Tianshan Mountains is hosted in the Unit 2 of the Dahalajunshan Formation as lens, veinlets and stratoid, and both of the hanging wall and footwall are quartz-monzonite; the dip is to the north with thick and high-grade ore bodies downwards. Ore minerals are mainly magnetite with minor sulfides, such as pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite. Skarnization is widespread around the ore bodies, and garnet, diopside, wollastonite, actinolite, epidote, uralite, tourmaline sericite and calcite are ubiquitous as gangues. Radiating outwards from the center of the ore body the deposit can be classified into skarn, calcite, serpentinite and marble zones. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of the rhyolite and dacite from the Dahalajunshan Formation indicates that they were formed at 301.3±0.8 Ma and 303.7±0.9 Ma, respectively, which might have been related to the continental arc magmatism during the late stage of subduction in the western Tianshan Mountains. Iron formation is genetically related with volcanic eruption during this interval. The Dahalajunshan Formation and the quartz-monzonite intrusion jointly control the distribution of ore bodies. Both ore textures and wall rock alteration indicate that the Beizhan iron deposit is probably skarn type.