Diagenetic and Mineralization Age of the Hehuaping Tin-polymetallic Orefield,Hunan Province

The Hehuaping tin deposit is a large deposit found in recent years during geological surveys. The discovered tin deposit includes not only rock-alteration type deposits in fault zones, but also deposits developed in interstratified rupture zones between Devonian carbonate rocks （Qiziqiao Formation） and sandstone （Tiaomajian Formation）. The finding of tin deposits of the latter type has greatly enriched tin-mineralization types in the famous Nanling polymetallic metallogenetic region and may provide us with a new potential orientation for prospecting of tin deposits in the region. It is commonly believed that the forming of the tin deposits in the Nanling region should be related to the Yanshanian instead of Indosinian granitic magmatism. Systematical zircon U-Pb SHRIMP dating in this paper shows that tin mineralizations have endured at least two stages. The early stage should be related to the intrusion of the main body of the Wangxianling granite, which was emplaced during the Indosinian period with a diagenetic and minerafized age of 224.0±1.9 Ma （MSWD=0.54）, and the late stage should be related to the intrusion of Yanshaulan granitic porphyry that took place after 142±3 Ma （MSWD=0.5）.

Lead Isotopic Compositions of Feldspars and Ores and Their Geologic Significance

The lead isotopic compositions of feldspars and ores from granitoid rocks andassociated hydrothermal ore deposits in eastern China are strictly controlled by the nature and age of basement rocks in different tectonic belts.In eastern China,at least five discrete plumbotectonic provinces can be distinguished:the North China platform province,the Qinling province,the Lower Yangtze prov-ince,the Nanling province and the Southeast China coastal province.Each province is marked for unique types of mineralization and ore-metal assemblages.

Petrochemistry ,Chronology and Tectonic Setting of Strong Peraluminous Anatectic Granitoids in Yunkai Orogenic Belt , Western Guangdong Province ,China

Arguments persist on the genesis and ages for the banded-augen （rapakivi） anatectic granitoids （charnockite） extensively outcropped in the Yunkai （云开） region, western Guangdong （广东） Province. Their petrochemistry, SHRIMP dating, deformational and metamorphic structure were studled. The results show that most granitoids are A/CNK〉1. 1, CaO/Na2O= 0. 62-1. 61 （average 0.94〉0.3）, Al2O3/TiO2 =16.6-60.6 （average 23.68）, depleted high field strong elements Ta, Nb, Zr, strong peraluminous high-K calcalkaline and calcalkaline granitoids in the post-collisional tectonic environment of a subduction-collision orogenic belt in an active-continental margin. The temperatures of charnockite and gneissic garnet-bearing biotite monzonitic granite are obviously higher than those of banded-augen （rapakivi） biotite monzonitic granite, and charnockite and gneissic garnet-bearing biotite monzonitic granite with the evolutional characteristics of A-type granites. The forming ages from banded-augen （rapakivi） biotite monzonitic granite to charnockite and gneissic garnet-bearing biotite monzonitic granite, whose crystallizing zircon SHRIMP ages are （465±10） Ma, （467±10 ） Ma, （435±11 ） Ma and （413±8） Ma, respectively, become younger. This shows that there was an oceaniccontinental subduction-collision and post-collisional extension-delamination-underplating between the Yangtze and Cathaysia plates during the Caledonian, and the granitoids experienced compressional uplift and extensional exhumation during the lndosinian. This provides important evidence of subduction collision of the Yangtze plate to the Cathaysia plate during the Caledonian in South China.

Chitinozoans from the Fenxiang Formation (Early Ordovician) of Yichang,Hubei Province,China

Chitinozoans collected from upper Tremadocian to lower Floian strata of Chenjiahe section, Yichang, western Hubei, China comprise six species belonging respectively to the genera Euconochitina including a new species, Euconochitina fenxiangensis, Lagenochitina and Bursachitina, together with Desmochitina sp. and Eremochitina sp. The chitinozoan succession across the interval is correlated with relevant conodont and chitinozoan biozones and two new regional chitinozoan biozones, the Lagenochitina destombesi Biozone and the Euconochitina symmetrica Biozone are proposed based on their stratigraphic ranges in the Fenxiang to Honghuayuan formations in the Chenjiahe section.

A Preliminary Study on the Evolutionary Characteristics of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Granitoid Rocks and Their Formation Mechanisms in Xianghualing Region,Hunan Province,China

Recognized in the Xianghualing region,South Hunan are three major types of granitoids,i.e.,biotite granite,zinnwaldite-albite granite and xianghuagite,which evolved form the same granitic magma,but were formed at different stages.These granitoid rocks constitute a complete magmatic evolutionary series.With the evolution of magma,REE contents and negative Eu anomalies tend to decrease progressively,and LREE become more and more enriched relative to HREE .The facts mentioned above show that the tendency of REE evolution in granitoid rocks in the region studied is different from that in other regions.Evidence indicates that the granitic magma system became more and more depleted in Si(K+Na),but richer and richer in Al,Li,F and H2O^+ during the process of its evolution,re-sulting in relatively weak acidity and strong alkalinity .It may be the most important factor leading to a specific REE evolutionary trend for the granitoid rocks in this region.In addition,the changing oxidation-reduction environments at different evolutionary stages of this magma system may be anoth-er important factor which should be taken into consideration.

Geochronological Study of Caledonian Granulite and High-Pressure Gneiss in the Dabie Mountains

Using the single—zircon evaporation technique and U—Pb method, the authors have conducted an isotope geochonological study of the Huilanshan granulite and Shima garnet-bearing plagioclase gneiss (“country rocks” of the Shima eclogite) in the Dabie Mountains. The study shows that these rocks have peak metamorphic ages of 443–455 Ma, which are essentially consistent with that of the Caledonian high—ultrahigh pressure eclogites. This indicates the existence of the Caledonian collisional orogeny in the Dabie Mountains.

Biota and Organic Matter in the Late Sinian and EarlyCambrian Black Rock Series of West Hunan andIts Significance for Metallization

Abstract: A great amount of black rock series has been found in the Upper Sinian Members 2 and 4 of the Jinjiadong Formation, middle-upper Liuchapo Formation and the Lower Cambrian Xiaoyanxi Formation in West Hunan, which is associated with periodic sea-level changes. By the studies of relationships between the distribution and development of the biota and the abundance of Au, Ag, U, V, Ni, Mo and Cu in the Upper Sinian and Early Cambrian black rock series in Cili, Dayong, Yuanling, Xupu and Qianyang of West Hunan, central China, it has been revealed that the enrichment of Ag, V, and Mo is related with the development of multi-cell plants and vendotaenides, and that of Cu and Ni is related to flourishing of bacteria and shelly fossils. The black rock series in the study area contains abundant organic matter, among which the siliceous shale contains the highest TOC, amounting to 4.51–13.4%. All the values of the equivalent vitrinite reflectance (medium values) determinated with the IR-spectroscopic method in the area are over 2.65%, indicating that the organic evolution was at an overmature stage. Due to the effect of enhancement of organic maturation by hydrothermal fluids, the Upper Sinian and Lower Cambrian had a reverse organic maturity profile in most areas of West Hunan. The enrichment of Ag, V, Ni, Mo and U is a result of organic absorption, and that of Au might be attributed to the migration by hydrothermal fluids.

The Metallogenetic Processes and Environment of a Large Ag-V Deposit in Black Rock Series

Located in Western Hubei Province,this deposit is a large-scale Ag-V ore deposit,listed among the fifth type of silver deposit in China.1 Geological Characteristics It lies in the NE sector of the Yangtze flat of the Yangtze paraplatform.There are sporadically magmatic rocks and fold basement made up of upper Archaeozoicmiddle and lower Proterozoic strata.The sedimentary cover consists of Sinian-lower Paleozoic marine sediments,Mesozoic-Cenozoic intercalated marine and nonmarine sediments or nonmarine sediments.

Oxygen Isotope Studies of Wolframite in Tungsten Ore Deposits of South China

Based on the oxygen isotopic compositions of 133 wolframite samples and 110 quartz sampleseollected from 30 tungsten ore deposits in south China,in conjunction with δD values and other data,thesc deposits can be divided into four types. （l）Reequilibrated magmatic water-hydrothermal tungsten ore deposits. The δ18O values ofwolframite and quartz samples from this type of tungsten ore deposits are about +5-+12‰,respectively.The calculated δ（18）OH2O values of ore fluids in equilibrium with quartz are about+65‰,and the δDH2O values of fluid inclusions in quartz range from -40 to-70‰. （2）Meteoric water-hydrothermal tungsten ore deposits.Theδ18O values of wolframite in this type oftungsten dePosits are around-1‰. （3）Stratiform tungsten ore deposits.In these deposits,theδ18O values of quartz and wolframite areabout+17 and+3‰,respectively.It is considered that these stratiform tungsten ore deposits aregenetically related to submarine hot—spring activities。 （4）Complex mid-hydrothermal tungsten ore deposits.These tungsten ore deposits arecharacterized by multi-staged mineralization.The δ18O values of early wolframite are around+5‰,butof later wolframite are lower than+4‰,indicating that the early wolframite was precipitated fromreequilibrated magmatic water-hydrothermal solutions and the late one from the mixture ofhvdrothermal solutions with meteoric waters or mainly from meteoric waters, Based on the δ18O values of the coexisting quartz and wolframite and temperature data,twocalibration equilibrium curves have been constructed,and the corresponding equations have beenObtained: 1000 lnaQ-Wf=2.565×107T-2—7.28×l04T-1+57.27 1000 In aWf-H20=-2.285×107T-2+7.49×104T-1-61.79.

An Approach to Analysis of Stable Isotopes in Microsamples

A new aproach to isotopic analysis of carbon,oxygen,sulfur and nitrogen in microsamples has been established.Samples were conventionally prepared by mixing microsamples to be analyzed with reference samples with known δ values in a proper proportion,and then analyzed for their stable isotopes as those at ordinary levels.According to the equilibrium relationships before and after mixing,the δvalues of unknown microsamples were calculated.The δ^15N of the atmosphere was estimated at zero by this approach,which is concordant with the internationally recommended value.

Compositional Characteristics of Wolframite in Tin Deposits,Dupangling,Guangxi

Statistical data on major,trace and rare-earth elements in wolframite from the quartz vein-and greisen-type tin deposits in the Dupangling orefield reveal(1)The components in wolframite can be divided into two relatively independent groups:the WO3-Nb-Ta-Sc-REE group,in which WO3 is negatively correlated with the others and the FeO-MnO-Sn group,in which MnO is negatively corre-lated with the other two;(2)In general ,REE fractionation is not significant,reflected mainly by the separation of Eu from other REE's.LREE and HREE increase or decrease simultaneously ,with HREE being more variable;(3)Nb,Ta,Sc,REE substitute for W, and Sn may enter into wolframite lattice accompanied by Fe-Mn substitution;(4)In contrast to wolframite in quartz veins,which is poor in REE,Nb,Ta and has high δEu values and LREE/HREE and Nb/Ta ratios,wolframite in greisen is rich in REE, Nb,Ta,Sc and has low δEu values and LREE/HREE and Nb/Ta ratios ;and (5)The contents and ratios of trace elements and REE parti-tioning parameters of wolframite can be used as guide for prospecting.

Sm-Nd,Pb-Pb and Rb-Sr Isotopic Dating and Its Dynamic Implications for the Proterozoic Augen Granite in the Yunkai Area,Western Guangdong Province

The samples of ductile-rheologic deformational augen granite from the Yunkai uplift area, western Guangdong province, were determined by the whole-rock Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb and Rb-Sr isotopic dating to have an Sm-Nd isochron age of 1414±68 Ma, a Pb-Pb isochron age of 1388±90 Ma and a Rb-Sr isochron age of 490±36 Ma. The first two ages are interpreted as the formation age of this suite of granite and the last age represents the timing of the tectono-thermal event of Caledonian ductile-rheologic shear partial melting. It is indicated that in the study area not only an orogeny took place in the Caledonian, but also a more important tectono-magmatic activity occurred in the Meso-proterozoic there, which may be related to the subduction-collision between the Yangtze block and Cathaysia block.

K-bentonite beds and high-resolution integrated strati- graphy of the uppermost Ordovician Wufeng and the lowest Silurian Longmaxi formations in South China

More than 20 K-bentonite beds were discovered from the Wufeng Formation and the lowest Longmaxi Formation in two sections, both adjacent to the Ordovician-Silurian (O-S) bound-ary and located in Tongzi, Guizhou Province and Yichang, Hubei Province, some 500 km apart from each other in South China. This indicates that many volcanic eruptions occurred near the southeast margin of the Yangtze Platform between the latest Ordovician and the earliest Silurian. Mainly through biostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic studies, it was found that almost all these far-apart K-bentonite beds may be correlated with each other. This is the first time that a succession of volcanic ash deposits with high potential of correlation was discovered within a strata interval on the main platforms of China. Therefore, these K-bentonite beds may afford ex-cellent event-marker beds helpful to high-resolution research in integrated stratigraphy as well as other lines of research on the O-S boundary in South China.

U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Wudangshan Group in the South Qinling and its geological significance

U-Pb dating was made by the LA-ICP-MS method for detrital zircons from the Wudangshan volcanic-sedimentary succession in the South Qinling. Samples comprise quartz sandstones of the Wudangshan Group collected from the base of the Yangping For-mation and an upper layer of the Shuangtai Formation overlain its volcanic sequence, and two river-sand collections from the drainage systems cutting across the two formations, respectively. The results show that the Yangping detrital zircons are domi-nated by 830–780 Ma grains with a minor population of ～1.0–0.84 Ga and sporadic grains of ～2.6, ～2.4 and 2.0 Ga, whereas the Shuangtai zircons yield an upper intercept age of 763±33 Ma, identical to the timing of the Wudangshan volcanism within error, with few concordant grains of 1.9 and 0.86 Ga. Age spectra for the two river-sand samples are similar to those of the Yangping and Shuangtai Formations, respectively. It thus suggests that the Wudangshan strata are less than 780 Ma, whereas their major detrital zircon populations of 1.0–0.85 Ga and 830–780 Ma are consistent with timing of the Hannan magmatic activities along the northwestern margin of the South China Block. This suggests a Hannan or adjacent area provenance for the Wudangshan strata. The Wudang area is characterized by rift-related igneous events at ～755 and ～680 Ma, respectively, pointing to a tectono-magmatic history different from the Hannan area. It is inferred that the ～755 Ma magmatism is likely to indicate a separation of the South China Block from the supercontinent Rodinia, while the ～680 Ma event suggests a further split between the South Qinling and some unknown continent.

Identification of Hercynian shoshonitic intrusive rocks in central Hainan Island and its geotectonic implications

An identification has been made of some shoshonitic intrusive rocks in central Hainan Island recently. These rocks are K-rich (K2O=2.9%―5.1%, K2O/Na2O=0.95―2.12), distinctly enriched in LILE and LREE, strongly depleted in Nb, Ta, and moder- ately depleted in Sr and Ti, with (87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.70859―0.71425 and ε Nd(t) = (?2.77―?7.49). They were derived from an EMⅡ-type mantle source. The enrichment process is related to metasomatism of depleted mantle caused by a great amount of fluid-melt released from oceanic crust and terri- genous sediments at great depth (eclogite facies) during the subduction of the South China plate under the Indochina-South China Sea plate in the Carbon- iferous–Early Permian. A SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating yields a crystallization age of 272±7 Ma for the sho- shonitic intrusions, which is coeval with the strongly peraluminous granites found in central Hainan Island. These two kinds of rocks generally possess syn-intrusion ductile deformation structures. Thus they are considered to have been generated during the early stage (syn-thrust phase) of a post-collisional event. The primary magma of shoshonitic rocks was produced at a depth > 80 km by decompression- dehydration melting of previously enriched litho- spheric mantle wedge, phlogopite-bearing garnet peridotite, which was in turn caused by the break-off of a descendent slab and upwelling of a hot as- thenosphere. The rising of melts was accompaniedby crustal contamination and crystallization fractiona- tion (AFC). Combining with other related data, it is proposed that the southwards subduction and amal- gamation of the South China plate with the Indo- China-South China Sea plate took place at ca. 287- 278 Ma, which was a part of the convergence proc- ess of the Pangea supercontinent. The suture zone was probably located along the line of Song Ma-Beibu Gulf-north margin of the Yunkai Moun- tains-Wuyi Mountains.

Discovery of the Early Proterozoic Basement in the Middle-Lower Reaches of Yangtze River and Its Significance

The middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River are a famous copper-ironmetallogenic belt, but many vital basic geologic problems about lithogenesis andmineralization are hard to be solved, since the metamorphic basement has not beendiscovered. Although Dongling Group metamorphic rock series outcrops in Huaining,Anhui Province, and Huangxu System metamorphic rock series outcrops in NingzhenMountain in Jiangsu Province, they are generally considered to be of the Sinian, dueto their low metamorphism and the lack of convincible isotopic age data.

Mesoproterozoic to Paleozoic Nd isotope stratigraphy of the South China continental nucleus and its geological significance

The Yangtze continental nucleus in South China is situated in the Huangling-Shennongjia area in western Hubei Province.It comprises the early Precambrian crystalline basement and generally successive Proterozoic to Phanerozoic sedimentary covers.This paper reports a comprehensive Nd isotope study of fine-grained sedimentary rocks from the regional Mesoproterozoic to early Paleozoic strata.The Nd model ages display a V-shaped variation from ～2.5-2.8 Ga during the late Mesoproterozoic through ～1.5-1.7 Ga during the Neoproterozoic Nanhua Period to ～1.8-2.1 Ga during the Paleozoic Ordovician,with corresponding Nd (t) ranges of 11 to 14,1.1 to 5.3,and 7.9 to 9.9,respectively.This evolutionary trend broadly resembles those documented in the sedimentary strata along the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Craton and within the Jiangnan orogenic belt,indicating that the whole South China block underwent a mantle-input related tectono-magmatic event at ～0.8 Ga or earlier.However,the Huangling-Shennongjia area is discriminated from the other two regions by highly variable model ages (～1.5-2.7 Ga) and Nd (t) values (1.38-12.0) of the early Mesoproterozoic strata.Combined with the Archean model ages of the late Mesoproterozoic strata,it is suggested that the Mesoproterozoic sedimentary provenance of the Yangtze continental nucleus was distinct from that of the southeastern Yangtze Craton,likely indicative of an intervening aulacogen (or rift zone) or oceanic basin.In addition,the high comparability in Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic Nd isotope stratigraphy between the Yangtze Craton and the Jiangnan orogenic belt infers that the whole South China block had shared the same sedimentary basin and provenance since the Yangtze-Cathaysia welding at ～0.9 Ga.Thus,it is proposed that the Yangtze Craton had comprised a collage of micro-continents during the pre-Neoproterozoic until the Rodinia assemblage when the primitive South China block was formed.

Depositional model of Permian Luodianian volcanic island and its impact on the distribution of fusulinid assemblage in southern Qinghai,Northwest China

Pan-riftizational tectonic activity reached climax at Luodianian (Permian) in the East Tethyan Domain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Because of eruptive volcanics and influence of terrigenous materials, a complex volcanic-sedimentary landform formed on the sea floor in southern Qinghai. Four sedimentary facies types were recognized based on detailed field mapping. Spatially, platform facies volcanic-limestone type was located at the center belt approximately trending NWW, surrounded by shallow water slope facies tuff/tuffite type at the two flanks and deep water slope facies breccia/calcirudite at the most outside. The depression facies sandstone-mudstone type, which comprised mainly mudstone, de-posited between volcanic islands (platform facies volcanic-limestone type). Based on the field map-ping and stratigraphic section data, seven rift-related sedimentary facies were recognized and a depo-sitional model for volcanic island was proposed. It is revealed that some volcanic island chain formed quickly and intermittently in the Qamdo Block during violent eruption, and small carbonate reef, shoal, platform occurred above or on edge of volcanic island, and some slope sedimentary facies surrounded volcano island chain during dormant period of volcanic activities. Three types of fusulinid assemblages were distinguished in the carbonate rocks, which deposited in varied positions of a palaeo-volcanic island: (1) Misellina-Schwagerina assemblage occurred above or on edge of volcanic island, (2) Para-fusulina assemblage was located at restricted depression facies among volcanic islands or carbonate platform, and (3) the reworked Pseudofusulina-Schwagerina assemblage occurred at slope facies near margin of volcanic island, which originally deposited in the shallow-water carbonate platform, then collapsed along the volcanic island margin with fusulinid-bearing grain-supported carbonate con-glomerate or calcirudite, and finally re-deposited on the deeper slope. The sedimentary sequence re-sulting from calm shallow water was deposited at the interior of the Qamdo Block from the Devonian to early Early Permian. At the beginning of the peak period of activity of pan-riftzation (Luodianian), al-ternate volcanic island and shallow marine environment within continent crust came into being. Uni-form and stable shallow-water carbonate platform was formed during the Xiangboan. This suggested that the activity of rift basin was evidently weakened. Subsequently the instability of the basin appre-ciably increased with the occurrence of basalt in late Kuhfengian. At last the whole Qamdo Block turned into the closure period of rift during the Late Permian.

Discovery of Pleuromeia-Annalepis Flora in South Chinaand Its Significance

It is well known that most of South China was in a vast expanse of ocean dur-ing Early-Aliddle Triassic, so the fossil plants are quite rare there. So far as thescope of the world is concerned, the Anisian plants are also very scarce. Inrecent years, however, a flora represented by Pleuromeia and Annalepis has beenfound in the Badong Formation in the Yangzi Gorge area, China. It occurs withMiddle Triassic marine bivalves, such as Eumorphotis (Asoella) cf.subillyrica (Hsu),Myophoria (Costatoria) cf.goldfussi mansuyi Hsu, etc., and lies over the strata withAnisian ammonites Progonoceratites. This flora, therefore, should undoubtedly be ofthe Anisian in age. This discovery will be of important significance not only for