Diachroneity of continental subduction and exhumation: Constraints from the Permian-Triassic HP metamorphic terrane in the Tongbai orogen, central China

High-pressure （HP） metamorphic terrane in the Tongbai orogen comprises two HP slices （I and II） and a tectonic m61ange zone in the northeast and a blueschist-greenschist zone in the southwest. HP slice I is represented by the northern and southern eclogite zones on the two sides of the Tongbaishan antiform. HP slice II is represented by retrograded eclogite-bearing metamorphic en- claves in Cretaceous gneissic granites in the Tongbai Complex. U-Pb, Lu-Hf, Rb-Sr and 4Ar/39Ar multichronometric data indi- cate that the peak metamorphism of HP slice I took place at -255 Ma, whereas the metamorphic ages of HP slice II are as young as 232-220 Ma. By contrast, the tectonic melange zone near the suture was metamorphosed at -256 Ma. Such a diachroneity of dif- ferent slices across the direction of the orogen in the Hong＇an-Dabie-Sulu HP/UHP terrane is ubiquitous, and it can be interpreted by a syn-subduction detachment/exhumation model. Furthermore, the metamorphic age of HP slice I in the Tongbai orogen is older than that of the equivalent HP slice in the Hong＇an orogen by ~15 Ma, suggesting that the diachroneity may have also ex- isted along the direction of the orogen. A seesaw-type subduction/exhumation model is proposed to explain this age disparity and the subduction of the South China Block becomimg shallower towards the west.     

Fluid inclusions evidence for differential exhumation of ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks in the Sulu terrane

Since the discovery of coesite and diamond inclusions in eclogites from the Dabie-Sulu orogen, east-central China[1―3], this largest ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamor- phic terrane in the world has attracted extensive scientific interests. A number of hydrous minerals such as zoisite, phengite, magnesite and talc have been found in the UHP rocks, showing that fluids have played an important role in this type of extreme metamorphic evolution[4―8]. Sev-eral techniques have been applied to th…     

Call in question and discussion: Are there sandwiched low-grade metamorphic slabs within UHP metamorphic rocks in the Dabieshan terrane

Some geologists reported their discovery of sandwiched low-grade metamorphic slabs within UHP metamorphic Complexes in Changpu, Yuexi County, Anhui Province. They also suggested that some coesite-bearing eclogites are igneous veins, which intruded low-grade metamorphic slabs and other related rocks. Moreover they further called in question to UHP metamorphic process and continental collision tectonism in the Dabieshan terrane. Based on our recent study, so-called low-grade metamorphic slabs are strongly deformed fabric, fine-grained and tectonic recrystallized mylonites and tectonites. Their protolith rocks are garnet-bearing orthogneiss, eclogite and marble, as well as a few amounts of strongly deformed acid and basic veins. Their metamorphic, geochemical and geochronological characteristics are also identical with UHPM rocks and regional country orthogneisses. Therefore we conclude that there are not low-grade metamorphic slabs sand wiched with UHP metamorphic rocks in the Dabieshan terrane.     

Microscopic deformation of the Neoarchean oceanic lithospheric mantle: evidence from the Zunhua Neoarchean ophiolitic mélange, North China Craton

The microstructures of the mantle tectonites in the Zunhua Neoarchean ophiolitic mélange are mainly coarse-mosaic structures with locally interstitial impregnated melts. Olivine and orthopyroxene occur as residual porphyroclastic blasts, dynamic recrystallization neoblasts or elongated to be tabular. The podiform chromitites are mostly strongly deformed with the development of pull-apart structure. These microstructures are typical high-temperature plastic deformation in oceanic upper mantle resulting from ocean-floor spreading. Besides the high-temperature plastic deformation, undeformed magmatic intrusions such as undeformed podiform chromitite, dunite and pyroxenite intrusions are also preserved in the mantle tectonite. Structures of high-temperature plastic deformation and intensive magmatic activity prove that the Zunhua ophiolite was formed under fast spreading oceanic ridge, similar to the Oman ophiolite. And the microstructures of country rocks, such as quartz ribbon, core and mantle structure, dynamic recrystallization and mica-fish stucture, etc., were formed during the uplift of ophiolitic mélange from the mid-crust to the upper-crust associated with continental collision.     

Breakdown of lawsonite subsequent to peak UHP metamorphism in the Dabie terrane and its implication for fluid activity

Abundant occurrences of quartz vein within eclogites in the Dabie-Sulu orogen provide us an opportunity to study metamorphic fluid flow during subduction and exhumation of continental crust. It is, however, usually short of petrological constraints on pressure and temperature of vein formation. This study focuses on kyanite-quartz veins within Iow-T/high-P eclogite in the Dabie terrane that contain unique polycrystalline aggregates, interpreted as pseudomorphs after porphyroblasts of lawsonite. Coesite pseudomorphs were found for the first time in garnet from eclogite, resulting in a revised estimate of peak P-T conditions at 670℃ and 3.3 GPa for the eclogite. This indicates a stability field at graphite/diamond transition, thus upgrading the HP unit to a UHP unit. Neither foliation texture, undulose extinction of quartz nor coesite were observed in quartz veins,although the peak P-T conditions were estimated the same as that in host eclogite in light of thermodynamic calculation based on mineral assemblage in kyanite-quartz veins.Therefore, the formation of the kyanite-quartz veins as wellas the breakdown of lawsonlte into the kyanite-quartz-zoisite assemblage took place during exhumation subsequent to the peak UHP conditions. In this regard, the continental subduction not only brought the water of water-bearing mineral such as lawsonite into the deep mantle, but also released the water from the mineral during exhumation.     

Coesite in eclogite from the North Qaidam Mountains and its implications

Coesite provides direct evidence for ultrahigh pressure metamorphism. Although coesite has been found as inclusions in zircon in paragneiss of the north Qaidam Mountains, it has never been identified in eclogite. In this contribution, based on petrographic observations and in situ Raman microprobe spectroscopy, coesite was identified as inclusions in garnet of eclogite from the Aercituoshan, Dulan UHP metamorphic unit, north Qaidam Mountains. Coesite is partly replaced by quartz, showing a pali-sade texture. This is the first report on coesite in eclogite from the north Qaidam Mountains, and is also supported by garnet-omphacite-phengite geothermobarometry (2.7―3.25 GPa, 670―730℃). Coesite and its pseudomorphs have not been found in eclogites and associated rocks of other units of the north Qaidam Mountains. Further studies are required to confirm if all metamorphic units in the north Qaidam Mountains underwent the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.     

Deformation characteristics and formation mechanism of the Yunmengshan metamorphic core complex

The Yunmengshan metamorphic core complex in the middle part of the Yanshan Fold and Thrust Belt records crust extension processes of the eastern North China Craton during its peak destruction.Development of the metamorphic core complex was controlled by the generally NNE-striking Dashuiyu Shear Zone.The shear zone dips SE and becomes shallower NE-wards,leading to exposures of a ductile shear zone in the southern and middle parts and brittle faults in the northern part.Exposure structures,microstructures,and quartz C-axis fabrics indicate that the ductile shear zone belongs to an extensional shear zone with a top-to-the-SE shear sense.Deformation temperatures of 300–520°C suggest a midcrustal origin for the ductile shear zone.A ductile deformation belt in the footwall of the shear zone is only as wide as 1–3 km,indicating no widespread mid-crustal ductile flow in the region during the deformation.Zircon U–Pb dating of dykes and plutons as well as hornblende and biotite40Ar/39Ar dating demonstrate that the metamorphic core complex originated at 135 Ma and experienced intense shearing of the Dashuiyu Shear Zone,development of the supradetachment basins,and synkinematic intrusion during 135–125 Ma.The metamorphic core complex was subjected to rapid exhumation during 125–114 Ma when the Dashuiyu Shear Zone suffered continuous activity and passive doming.The shear zone and its hanging wall were cut or replaced by a series of brittle faults when they wereuplifted to a brittle regime,showing that exhumation took place in continuous extensional activities.The metamorphic core complex turned into slow exhumation in an extensional regime in the following latest Early Cretaceous.The evolution history suggests that the Yunmengshan metamorphic core complex was developed by the rolling-hinge model,a common formation mechanism for intraplate metamorphic core complexes in the North China Craton,under the continuous NW–SE extension during the Early Cretaceous(135–100 Ma).     

A huge oceanic-type UHP metamorphic belt in southwestern Tianshan, China: Peak metamorphic age and P-T path

Recent progress in the study of the UHP metamorphic belt in southwestern Tianshan, China, is summarized in this paper. This about 80-kin-long and over 10-km-wide UHP belt has been recognized by the discovery of coesite, coesite pseudomorphs and other UHP minerals. It is the largest oceanic-type UHP metamorphic belt reported so far. It has formed due to northward subduc- tion of the Tianshan Paleo-Ocean. U-Pb dating of metamorphic rims of zircons from a coesite-bearing garnet-phengite schist yields a peak UHP metamorphic ages of 320±3.7 Ma. Combined with ages of 233-226 Ma obtained from rims of zircons from retrograded eclogites, a long retrograde metamorphic evolution （〉70 Ma） has been revealed. According to phase equilibria mod- eling, the P-T paths of both coesite-bearing eclogites and garnet-phengite schists are characterized by thermal relaxation, i.e., the metamorphic temperature peak lags behind the pressure peak, indicating that the UHP rocks experienced slow and long heating and decompression during exhumation in the subduction channel. On the basis of the field observation that a small amount of eclogite lenses is wrapped in large volumes of metapelites, and the similar P-T paths of both rock types, we propose that the ex- humation of the UHP eclogites from southwestern Tianshan, China, may have resulted from the exhumation of large volumes of low-density metapelites, which carried the denser eclogites to the Earth＇s surface.     

Water contents and hydrogen isotopes in nominally anhydrous minerals from UHP metamorphic rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt

A continuous flow method, by a combination of thermal conversion elemental analyzer （TC/EA） with isotope ratio mass spec- trometry （MS）, was developed to determine both H isotope composition and H2O concentration of ultrahigh-pressure （UHP） metamorphic rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. By using the developed step-heating technique, we have studied H2O concen- tration and H isotope composition of the different forms of water （structural OH and molecular H2O） in garnet. The quantitative measurements of HzO concentration and H isotope composition of minerals in UHP metamorphic rocks from several typical out- crops indicate that the gneisses can release more amounts of water than the eclogites during exhumation of the deeply subducted continental crust. Therefore, by decompression dehydration at the contact between eclogite and gneiss, the released water could flow from the gneiss to the eclogite and result in significant hydration of the eclogite adjacent to the gneiss. The measured maxi- mum water contents of minerals in eclogites indicate that garnet and omphacite have the maximum water solubilities of 2500 and 3500 ppm, respectively, under the peak UHP metamorphic conditions.     

桃林铅锌矿断裂变质带的地质特征研究

详细的野外观察和室内研究表明,桃林断裂变质带中存在有糜棱岩和碎裂岩两个系列的断裂变质岩,并具分带性,说明该带经历了韧性和脆性两个不同机制的变形阶段。笔者认为该断裂变质带早期为一韧性剪切带,晚期叠加了脆性断层。     

The discovery of eclogite dikes in low-greenschist facies volcaniclastic rocks of the Dabie Mountains

Conclusions  

Post-collisional extensional and thrust-nappe structures in northern part of Dabie Mountains

Thrust-nappe structures and extensional structures simultaneonsly occur in the northern part of the Dabie Mountains. The systematic structural study reveals that extensional structures along the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault and thrust-nappe structures that take the Jinzhai-Shucheng fault as their frontal thrust share the same shear sense, and display a transitional relationship from the ductile extensional structure of deep level in the south to the ductile-brittle and brittle thrust-nappe structure of shallow level in the north. The extensional and thrnst-nappe structures in the region are explained to result from post-collisional processes by the continuous subduction of the Yangtze continental block and the extension induced by the uplifting of the core part of the Dabie Mountains, which are components of the exteasional structures produced in the exhumation process of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks in the Dabie Mountains. Because of the frontal blocking in the process of the north-westward spreading, the extension and detachment of the low-grade metamorphic rocks along the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault was transformed into the northwestward thrustiag, resulting in the thrust-nappe structures. They developed in the period of 200-170 Ma, maybe last till the late Jurassic.     

Coesite in the eclogite and schist of the Atantayi Valley,southwestern Tianshan,China

Coesite is an indicator mineral of ultra-high-pressure metamorphism. Since coesite was reported in the Habutengsu Valley, we have also found it in eclogite and schist from the Atantayi Valley in the southwestern Tianshan, China. Petrographic and micro-Raman analyses were carried out for the Atantayi metamorphic rocks and coesite was recognized in the predominant rock types, i.e. schist and eclogite, from three sections. The coesite-bearing schist consists mainly of garnet, Na-Ca amphibole, quartz, white mica and albite; the coesite-bearing eclogite is mainly composed of omphacite, garnet, glaucophane and zoisite. The coesite occurs as various mineral inclusions within porphyroblastic garnet. Findings of coesite in eclogite and associated schist indicate not only the regional in situ formation of the Atantayi ultra-high-pressure eclogite, but also the large areal extent of ultra-high-pressure metamorphism in southwestern Tianshan, extending up to 10 km north-south and 60-80 km east-west.     

安徽桐城挂车河镇地区东西向韧性剪切带分形特征及其估算应变速率适用性分析

 安徽桐城挂车河镇(挂镇)地区东西向韧性剪切带包括早期长英质韧性主剪切带、晚期镁铁质韧-脆性剪切带和伴生的长英质同向或牵引变形带.两期长英质构造岩中石英动态重结晶新颗粒发育,边界具有锯齿状或港湾状等不同的微观特征,具有统计意义上的自相似性和明显的分形特征.其分形维数介于1.097~1.144,变形温度介于600~700℃,变形条件相当于麻粒岩相和同构造花岗岩;高温流变学方法估算应变速率低于10^-7.27s^-1,镁铁质韧-脆性剪切带伴生初糜棱岩的应变速率比主韧性剪切带糜棱岩的小0.5数量级左右.分形维数可用作变形温度计和应变速率计,但石英颗粒变形实验推导的Kruhl温度计和Takahashi应变速率计在天然变形岩石中应用很少.与其他方法估算的变形温度和应变速率综合对比结果表明,Kruhl温度计是适用的,而Takahashi应变速率计仅适用于低温(T<400℃)条件.     

Unusual high-density and saline aqueous inclusions in ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks from Sulu terrane in eastern China

Fluid inclusions are the samples of metamorphic fluids trapped during the formation and/or later fractur-ing-resealing processes of metamorphic minerals. The composition and properties of fluid incluisons can reflect the physico-chemical conditions of the fluids during plate subduction and exhuamtion[1]. Ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks commonly experienced considerable decompression in the course of exhumation process. This has caused departure of the retrograde P-T path of the ro…     

Geochemical characteristics and tectonic implications of HP-UHP eclogites and blueschists in southwestern Tianshan, China

Four rock assemblages in correspondence with two different tectonic settings have been recognized in the NEE-SWW extending HP-UHP metamorphic belt in southwestern Tianshan, northwest China. Eclogite assemblage EC1 is geochemically akin to alkaline within-plate oceanic island basalt (OIB). EC2 shows affinity to enriched mid-oceanic ridge basalt (EMORB). Rare earth element (REE) and other immobile trace element characteristics of blueschist assemblage BS1 resemble those of normal mid-oceanic ridge basalt (NMORB). These three assemblages are likely formed on a seamount setting, and the prevalent presence of carbonate minerals and omphacite quartzite stripes/gobbets suggests ancient pelagic sediments including marls are probably developed upon the basaltic seamount. Whereas the geochemical characteristics of BS2 assemblage are of volcanic arc basalt-type. The seamount with the pelagic sediments on it is brought into the subduction zone, and volcanic arc basalts formed on the active continental margin and trench sediments are eroded and enwrapped in the subducting mass, they are altogether subjected to high to ultrahigh pressure metamorphism and subsequent exhumation towards surface. The HP-UHP metamorphic belt is thus interpreted as a subduction-accretionary complex formed by tectonic juxtaposition and imbrication of seamount, seafloor, trench and volcanic arc sequences during oceanic crust subduction.     

A combined study of SHRIMP U-Pb dating, trace element and mineral inclusions on high-pressure metamorphic overgrowth zircon in eclogite from Qinglongshan in the Sulu terrane

Methods recently advanced for discrimination on the genesis of metamorphic zircon, such as analysis of mineral inclusions and trace elements, provide us powerful means to distinguish zircon overgrowth during high-pressure metamorphism. Zircons in ultrahigh-pressure eclogite from Qinglongshan in the Sulu terrane were studied by the SHRIMP U-Pb method in combining with trace element and mineral inclusion analyses. No inherited core was identified in the analyzed zircons by means of cathodoluminescence images. The occurrence of high-pressure metamorphic mineral inclusions in zircon, such as garnet, omphacite, rutile, and the flat HREE pattern in zircon indicate that the zircon formed at high-pressure metamorphic conditions. Therefore, a weighted average U-Pb age of 227.4±3.5 Ma obtained from such a kind of zircon is interpreted to represent the timing of peak nietamorphism for the Qinglongshan eclogite.     

南大别变质块体温压结构的初步探讨

根据对太湖地区大坝附近榴辉岩的峰期变质P-T条件的研究,以及前人对南大别榴辉岩的P-T条件的分析,同时结合榴辉岩的空间分布状态的研究,文章认为南大别变质块体自北向南可分为金刚石、柯石英榴辉岩、石英/柯石英榴辉岩和石英榴辉岩4个变质单元;变质P-T条件总体上显示逐渐降低的趋势,反映了南大别变质块体俯冲时的连续性,而现今榴辉岩的P-T分布型式则代表南大别多板片的折返状态。     

The formation depth of coesitebearing eclogite, Dabie UHPM zone, China, modified by tectonooriginal additional hydrostatic pressure

The knowledge that hydrostatic pressure is equal to the gravity value of the overlying rocks in studying a dynamic state of certain underground site is argued. It is suggested that the stress field T in the crust is a combination or superposition of total hydrostatic pressure P with differential stress σ , and the total hydrostatic pressure P at any point in the crust comprises two parts: one is spherical stress tensor PG caused by the gravity, and the other is spherical stress tensor Ps caused by tectonic stress; therefore P could not be attributed to the gravity of overlying rocks only. The results obtained by a finite-element simulation indicate that the tectono-original additional hydrostatic pressures Ps decrease gradually from the compressive zone (Pcs) to the shear zone (PSHs) and to the tensile zone (PTs), i. e. PCS>PSHs> PTs in the same depth. On the basis of the above-mentioned research, the method of measurement and calculation of metal logenetic depth corrected by Ps is established, i.e. first tectonic additional hydrostatic pressure Ps is removed from general hydrostatic pressure P to get PG, gravity additional pressure, then accordingly the depth data are measured and calculated. The plastic deformation of garnet in coesite-bearing eclogite, quartz eclogite and garnet amphibo-lite of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic (UHPM) complex in the Yingshan County in Dabie Mt. is studied by the transmission electron microscope (TEM). It is shown that the garnets have ductile deformation in the metamorphic condition of eclogite and amphibolite facies. Microstructures of the garnet vary greatly among coesite-bearing eclogite, quartz eclogite and garnet amphibolite. The tectonic principal stress in three-dimensional space and the tectonic additional hydrostatic pressure are reconstructed by differential stress and strain ratio (α) of garnet in minor coesite-bearing eclogite, then the gravity and thickness of overlying rocks are determined. The formation depth of ≥ 32.09-32.106 km of the coesite-bearing eclogite in Yingshan County in the Dabie UHPM zone is obtained from difference PG which comes from P minus Ps, Ps = (σ1 + σ2 + σ3) /3. The value of P is 2.8 GPa resulting from Qz-coes geobarmeter. This result is at all different from other researchers' conclusion that the formation depth of eclogite in Dabie UHPM zone is ≥100 km by the method of weight/ special weight (W/SW). The strong tectionic action makes a great contribution to the formation of e-clogite in the Dabie UHPM zone at so shallow depth of about 32 km, therefore it is thought that attention should be paid to the tectonc-original additional hydrostatic pressure in the study on UHPM zone.     

Evolution of the Xiaotian-Mozitan fault and its implications for exhumation of Dabie HP-UHP rocks

The Xiaotian-Mozitan fault （XMF） located north of the Dabie orogenic belt separates the North Dabie complex to the south from the Beihuaiyang low-grade metamorphic rocks to the north. It comprises several NW-striking ductile shear zones and brittle faults. The brittle faults obviously overprinted on the ductile shear zones and promoted the development of the volcanic basins in early Cretaceous to the north, which suggests that the brittle faults were normal faults formed in early Cretaceous during doming of the Dabie orogenic belt. The ductile shear zone superposed on the north Dabie gray gneiss, and it is an important channel where the Dabie HP-UHP rocks exhumed. For obtaining new structural constraint on exhumation of the HP-UHP rocks, we present here experimental results on the microstructure, quartz C-axis fabrics and the microprobe analyses of phengite. The ductile shear zone was determined to be formed at a temperature of 600-650 ℃ and pressure of 1.1 GPa by the mineral deformation, microprobe analyses and geobarometry of Si-in-phengite of the mylonite, the results suggest that the mylonite now exposed on the surface experienced an upper amphibolite-facies metamorphism in the lower crust. The mineral stretching lineation varies from horizontal in the east segment to sub-dip in the west. Shear sense indicators from outcrop and thin sections of orientated specimen and quartz C-axis fabrics suggest that the XMF is a sinistral normal fault. The kinematics analysis of the ductile shear zone indicates that the exhumation of Dabie HP-UHP rocks is the results of a SE-directed extrusion and an anticlockwise rotation around its eastern pivot simultaneously.