Archaean ultra-depleted komatiites formed by hydrous melting of cratonic mantle

Komatiites are ultramafic volcanic rocks containing more than 18 per cent MgO (ref. 1) that erupted mainly in the Archaean era (more than 2.5 gigayears ago). Although such compositions occur in later periods of Earth history (for example, the Cretaceous komatiites of Gorgona Island), the more recent examples tend to have lower MgO content than their Archaean equivalents. Komatiites are also characterized by their low incompatible-element content, which is most consistent with their generation by high degrees of partial melting (30-50 per cent). Current models for komatiite genesis include the melting of rock at great depth in plumes of hot, diapirically rising mantle or the melting of relatively shallow mantle rocks at less extreme, but still high, temperatures caused by fluxing with water. Here we report a suite of ultramafic lava flows from the Commondale greenstone belt, in the southern part of the Kaapvaal Craton, which represents a previously unrecognized type of komatiite with exceptionally high forsterite content of its igneous olivines, low TiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratio, high silica content, extreme depletion in rare-earth elements and low Re/Os ratio. We suggest a model for their formation in which a garnet-enriched residue left by earlier cratonic volcanism was melted by hydration from a subducting slab.     

In situ Re-Os isotope ages of sulfides in Hannuoba peridotitic xenoliths： Significance for the frequently-occurring mantle events beneath the North China Block

In situ Re-Os isotopes of sulfides in peridotitic xenoliths from Cenozoic Hannuoba basalts were analyzed by LAM-MC-ICPMS. The suifides developed two types of occurrences including silicate-enclosed and interstitial. In the enclosed sulfides, 187Os/188Os vary from 0.1124 to 0.1362 and 187Re/188Os from 0.0026 to 1.8027. In the interstitial ones, 187Os/188Os have a range from 0.1174 to 0.1354 and 187Re/188Os from 0.0365 to 1.4469. The oldest age, calculated by TRD for the enclosed sulfides, is 2.1 Ga. An isochron age of 2.3±1.2 Ga is obtained by five grains of enclosed sulfides and primitive mantle. The sulfides used have lower Re-Os isotopic ratio than primitive mantle. Meanwhile, an isochron age of 645±225 Ma is given by all in- terstitial sulfides and the enclosed sulfides with higher Re-Os isotopic ratio due to Re addition after man- tle formation. In addition, the model age of 1.3 Ga recorded by one interstitial sulfide, having similar TDM and TRD, should be meaningful to deep thermal event. The coexistence of different ages, revealed by in situ Re-Os isotope, indicates frequently-occurring mantle events beneath Hannuoba area.     

Re-Os dating of the Raobazhai ultra mafic massif in North Dabie

The ultramafic massif at Raobazhai in North Dabie is located in the suture zone between the Yangtze craton and North China eraton. The Re-Os isotope compositions of the massif are used to decipher the origin and tectonics of the ultramafic rocks involved in continental subduction and exhumation. Fifteen samples were collected from five drill holes along the main SE-NW axis of the Raobazhai massif. Major and trace element compositions of the samples show linear correlations between MgO, Yb and Al_2O_3. This suggests that the massif experienced partial melting with variable degrees and is from fertile to deplete in basaltic compositions. Nine selected samples were analyzed for Re-Os isotope compositions. Re contents range from 0.004 to 0.376 rig/g, Os contents from 0.695 to 3.761 ng/g, ~(187)Re/~(188)Os ratios from 0.022 to 2.564 and ~(187)Os/~(188)Os ratios from 0.1165 to 0.1306. These indicate that the massif is a piece of continental lithospheric mantle with variable depletion. Using the positive corre     

Osmium isotope determination on mantle-derived peridotite xenoliths from Panshishan with N-TIMS

The¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios of spinel lherzolite xenoliths from Panshishan determined with N-TIMS are lower than that of the primitive mantle, which shows depleted mantle characteristics. Their positive correlation with Al₂O₃/MgO suggests that the geochemical behavior of trace elements Re and Os is similar to that of Al₂O₃ and MgO respectively during the magmatic evolution and Re-Os isotopic system is largely immune to mantle metasomatism. A model age of 2.8–3.4 Ga obtained by¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os-Al₂O₃/ MgO correlation might represent the homogeneous age of the mantle lithosphere beneath the area.     

Os isotopic evidence for a carbonaceous chondritic mantle source for the Nagqu ophiolite from Tibet and its implications

Early-crystallizing chromian spinel(Cr-spinel) in the Nagqu ophiolite has high Os and low Re contents,and it is resistant to alteration during serpentinization,weathering and metamorphism.The chemical composition of primitive magma is preserved in Cr-spinel,which makes it suitable for determining the initial Os-isotope composition of the mantle source.This study presents Cr-spinel Os isotopes and zircon U-Pb ages for cumulate dunite and gabbro,respectively,in the same cumulate section of the ophiolite at Nagqu in Tibet.The results shed light on the formation and evolution of lithospheric mantle.The Nagqu ophiolite is located in the central part of the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone.It is a remnant of the Neotethyan oceanic crust,and contains cumulate dunite and gabbro.Zircon from the gabbro yielded a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 183.7±1 Ma.Cr-spinel exhibits Os values of 0.2 to 0.3,suggesting that the mantle source for the dunite is similar to that of carbonaceous chondrites.Thus,the Tibetan lithosphere is primarily a relic of Tethyan oceanic lithosphere,which has formed by the transformation of the normal asthenospheric mantle in the Mesozoic.This is the first study to combine the spinel Os isotopes with accurate zircon U-Pb ages to constrain the geochemical characteristics of the mantle source for the ophiolite.     

科马提岩和豆荚状铬铁矿的Os同位素组成及其成因意义

在分析科马提岩和豆荚状铬铁矿Os同位素特征的基础上,着重对比了新太古代华北遵化豆荚状铬铁矿与现代豆荚状铬铁矿和同时期世界典型地区科马提岩的Os同位素组成.结果表明,遵化豆荚状铬铁矿Os同位素组成与现代豆荚状铬铁矿类似,具有球粒陨石性质;而同时期的科马提岩的Os同位素相对球粒陨石富集.这种差异说明二者形成于不同的地幔源区,可能反映了新太古代地幔柱和板块构造并存的动力学特征.     

Re-Os dating of auriferous pyrite from the Zhenyuan super-large gold deposit in Ailaoshan gold belt, Yunnan Province, Southwestern China

Zhenyuan gold deposit is the largest super large gold deposit in the Ailaoshan gold belt,but its precise mineralization age is still lack.Re-Os isotopic age of the auriferous pyrite from the Zhenyuan gold deposit was determined by using a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(HR-ICP-MS).The pyrite samples were decomposed in carius tubes,Os was separated by distillation and Re was extracted by acetone,respectively.The results show that the Re-Os isochron age is 229±38 Ma(MSWD=2.0,confidence level is 95%),with an initial 187 Os/188 Os value of 0.68±0.24 and a corresponding Os value of 442±91.The Re/Os ratios of the pyrite vary from 40.8 to 100.5.The data suggest that at least one important ore-forming event was occurred during Indosinian epoch,and the ore-forming materials probably derived from mixed sources of crustal and mantle,while the later dominated.The Ailaoshan composite orogen experienced complicated evolutional processes,including formation of Precambrian-Early Paleozoic basement,subduction and orogenesis of Late Paleozoic era,collisional orogenesis of Late Hercynian-Indosinain epoch,and extensional or striking orogenesis of Yanshainan-Cenozoic epoch.The polycycle tectonic evolution and magmatism in this area caused multi-stage and superposition metallization characteristics of the Zhenyuan gold deposit:the mineralization probably occur mainly during the Indosinian collisional orogeny,while the minor gold ores of altered granite-porphyry and altered lamprophyre may be formed in the late superposition metallization.     

An in situ zircon Hf isotopic,U-Pb age and trace element study of banded granulite xenolith from Hannuoba basalt： Tracking the early evolution of the lower crust in the North China craton

Backscattered electron images, in situ Hf isotopes, U-Pb ages and trace elements of zircons in a banded granulite xenolith from Hannuoba basalt have been studied. The results show that the banded granulite is a sample derived from the early lower crust of the North China craton. It is difficult to explain the petrogenesis of the xenolith with a single process. Abundant information on several processes, however, is contained in the granulite. These processes in-clude the addition of mantle material, crustal remelting, metamorphic differentiation and the delamination of early lower crust. About 80% of zircons studied yield ages of 1842 ±40 Ma, except few ages of 3097-2824 Ma and 2489-2447 Ma. The zircons with ages older than 2447 Ma have high εHf (up to +18.3) and high Hf model age (2.5-2.6 Ga), indicating that the primitive materials of the granulite were derived mainly from a depleted mantle source in late Archean. Most εhf of the zircons with early Proterozoic U-Pb age vary around zero, but two have     

A ∼2.5 Ga magmatic event at the northern margin of the Yangtze craton: Evidence from U-Pb dating and Hf isotope analysis of zircons from the Douling Complex in the South Qinling orogen

The poorly studied Douling Complex is a crystalline basement that developed in the Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic weakly metamorphosed to non-metamorphosed strata at the South Qinling tectonic belt. Five banded dioritic-granitic gneiss samples from the Douling Complex were chosen for LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb zircon dating, which yielded protolith emplacement ages of 2469 ± 22 Ma, 2479 ± 12 Ma, 2497 ± 21 Ma, 2501 ± 17 Ma and 2509 ± 14 Ma, respectively. An important peak age of ～2.48 Ga was also obtained for a metasedimentary rock in the same region. These discoveries suggest the occurrence of magmatic activity of 2.51–2.47 Ga at the northern margin of the Yangtze craton. The age-corrected ? _Hf(t) values obtained from in situ zircon Hf isotopic analysis are mainly between ?5.5 and +0.3, and the two-stage zircon Hf model ages range from 3.30 to 2.95 Ga. Considering two important periods of ～3.3–3.2 Ga and ～2.95–2.90 Ga for the continental crustal growth in the Yangtze craton, we infer that the dioritic-granitic gneisses from the Douling Complex are the products of reworking of Paleo- to Mesoarchean crust at the northern margin of the Yangtze craton at ～2.5 Ga. In addition, metamorphic ages of 837 ± 8 Ma and 818 ± 10 Ma were obtained for zircon overgrowth rims from a dioritic gneiss and a metasedimentary rock, indicating that the main phase amphibolite facies metamorphism of the Doulng Complex occurred during the Neoproterozoic, although its geological meaning remains ambiguous.     

Chondritic osmium isotopic composition of late Archean convecting upper mantle：Evidence from Zunhua podiform chromitites,Hebei, North China

The Os isotopic composition and evolution of con-vecting upper mantle (CUM) are an important and diffi-cult scientific issue related to the distributions of PGEs inearth’s interior and the accretion history of the earth. De-termination of 187Os/188Os of modern CUM has been at-tempted via analyses of abyssal peridotites, mid-oceanridge basalts (MORB), MORB glasses and sulfides. Abyssal peridotites, which are mantle samples re-covered from the ocean ridges, represent the upperm…     

Os isotopic composition of the earth’s primitive upper mantle

The osmium isotopic ratio of¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ranging from 0.126 to 0.127 for the primitive upper mantle (PUM) is obtained according to the correlation between¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os and Al₂O₃ of mantle-derived xenoliths and orogenic peridotites, which consists with Allegre and Luck’s ALM value and similar to Yin’s nuggets uniform reservoir (NUR) value. It shows that the Os isotope ratio is lower than enstatite or ondinary chondrites, similar to carbonaceous chondrites (CV3).     

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope of Quanyishang A-type granite in Yichang: signification for the Yangtze continental cratonization in Paleoproterozoic

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope, and major and trace element compositions were reported for granite at Quanyishang, which intruded into the Kongling complex in Yichang, Hubei Province. The results show that the Quanyishang granite is rich in silicon and alkalis but poor in calcium and magnesium, and displays enrichment in Ga, Y, Zr, Nb but depletion in Sr and Ba, exhibiting the post-orogenic A-type affinity. 90% zircons from the granite are concordant, and give a middle Paleoproterozoic magmatic crystallization age (mean 1854 Ma). Initial Hf isotope ratios (176Hf/177Hf)i of the middle Paleoproterozoic zircons range from 0.280863 to 0.281134 and they have negative eHf(t) values with a minimum of -26.3. These zircons give the depleted mantle model ages (TDM) of 2.9―3.3 Ga (mean 3.0 Ga), and the average crustal model ages (Tcrust) of 3.6―4.2 Ga (mean 3.8 Ga). A Mesoarchean grain with 207Pb/206Pb age of 2859 Ma has a slightly high TDM (3.4 Ga) but similar Tcrust (3.8 Ga) to the Paleoproterozoic zircons. All these data suggest that the source materials of the Quanyishang A-type granite are unusually old, at least ≥2.9 Ga (even Eoarchean). The event of crustal remelting, which resulted in the formation of the Quanyishang granite in the middle Paleoproterozoic, recorded the cratonization of the Yangtze conti-nent. The process may have relation to the extension and collapse of the deep crust with Archean ages, in response to the transition stage of the assembly and breakup of the Columbia supercontinent.     

U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton

In situ U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analysis were carried out for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southern margin of the North China Craton （NCC）. The results provide further constraints on the crustal formation and evolution history of NCC. Four ^207Pb/^206Pb age populations were obtained from 99 analyses, with clusters at -3.40 Ga, 2.77-2.80 Ga, -2.50 Ga and 2.34 Ga, respectively. The 3.40 Ga old zircons have similar Hf isotopic compositions to those from Archean rocks in the Jidong and Anshan areas of NCC. However, crustal remnants older than 3.6 Ga have been identified in the southern margin of NCC, the South China Craton, the northwestern part of the Qinling Orogen and its adjacent area. Thus, it is not easy to trace the source rock from which the 3.40 Ge detrital zircons were derived. It can be inferred that the crustal remnants older than 3.40 Ga might have been widely distributed in the North China Craton. The 2.77-2.80 Ga zircons make up a relatively small proportion and have the highest εHf（t） values （up to 6.1±1.6）, consistent with the Hf isotopic composition of the depleted mantle at 2.83 Ga. Their single-stage Hf model age of 2.83 Ga is close to their crystallized age, suggesting that their source rocks were extracted from the contemporaneous depleted mantle. The -2.50 Ga zircon grains constitute about 85% of the total grain population and their Hf isotopic compositions indicate major growth of juvenile crust at -2.50 Ga but minor reworking of ancient crust. The youngest zircon dated in this study gave an U-Pb age of 2337±2.3 Ma, which can be considered the maximum depositional age of the formation of the Songshan Group.     

鞍本地区晚太古宙高镁安山岩的成因解释

首次于鞍本地区发现晚太古宙晚期变质高镁安山岩，其主要矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石+云母+石英+少量辉石，并与~2.55~2.52Ga BIF和变质表壳岩互层产出.全岩主微量元素地球化学结果显示，鞍本地区高镁安山岩发育钙碱性，高MgO， Cr和Ni含量，以及低FeO_T/MgO比值等原始岩浆特征，并呈现强分异REE模式和明显Nb， Ta， Ti亏损等典型岛弧岩浆特征，与~2.7Ga Wawa绿岩带高镁安山岩和显生宙Setouchi地区赞岐质高镁安山岩具有相近的地球化学特征，将鞍本地区晚太古宙高镁安山岩解释为受到俯冲板片熔体交代的地幔橄榄岩部分熔融形成，为鞍本地区晚太古宙晚期存在俯冲机制提供了佐证.     

Zircon U/Pb dating and Hf-O isotopes of the Zhouan ultramafic intrusion in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block, SW China: Constraints on the nature of mantle source and timing of the supercontinent Rodinia breakup

The Zhouan ultramafic intrusion in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block is mainly composed of lherzolite.Zircon grains selected from lherzolite are irregular in shape with distinct oscillatory and sector zoning and have Th/U ratios ranging from 0.8 to 10.6,indicating a magmatic origin.The weighted average 206 Pb/238 U age is 637±4 Ma (2σ,n=15),which can be considered as the crystallization age of the Zhouan intrusion.Zircon grains have δ18O values ranging from 5.2‰ to 7.0‰,with an averaged value of 5.8±0.4‰ (1σ,n=33),similar to the mantle δ18O value of zircon.Their 176Hf/177Hf(t) ratios range from 0.282410 to 0.282594 with εHf(t) values ranging from 1.3 to 7.6,lower than the corresponding value of the depleted mantle (～15),indicating an enriched mantle source.The enriched mantle source may have generated from a metasomatized lithospheric mantle with subducted slab.A number of ～635 Ma mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Suizao basin are associated with coeval bimodal volcanics of the Yaolinghe Formation,indicating a continental rift setting.The ～635 Ma magmatic event in this region may represent the product of the last breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block at Neoproterozoic.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages for the UHP metamorphosed granitoid gneiss in Altyn Tagh and their geological significance

Different types of UHP metamorphic rocks havebeen recently discovered in the Altyn Tagh[1—4], the north-ern margin of Qadam Basin[5—7], the southwestern Tian-shan Mountains[8,9] and the northern Qinling Moun-tains[10,11] in Central and Western China. And these areashave attracted focus attention of geologists at home andabroad to the studying of UHP metamorphism and conti-nental deep subduction. However, as newly discoveredUHP metamorphic terranes, some questions have beenarisen abou…     

Discovery of ∼4.0 Ga detrital zircons in the Aermantai ophiolitic mélange, East Junggar, northwest China

The East Junggar is an important part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB).Using in situ zircon dating and Hf isotopic analysis by LA-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS,respectively,a detrital zircon of 4040 Ma age was found in sedimentary sequences from the Aermantai ophiolitic mélange,East Junggar.This is the oldest age record in the East Junggar terrane,and also marks the first zircon locality in the CAOB with an age older than 4.0 Ga,which is attributed to the Hadean crust.The 4040 Ma detrital zircon has anεHf(t)value of–5.2 and a two-stage Hf modal age of 4474 Ma,suggesting the presence of very old(Hadean)crustal material in the source area.Beside peak ages of 446 Ma,we found four age groups of 3.6–3.1 Ga,2.53–2.37 Ga,1.14–0.89 Ga and 0.47–0.42 Ga from 141 effective measuring points.The age of 426±4 Ma for the five youngest detrital zircons defines the lower limit of the deposition time of sedimentary sequencess in the Aermantai ophiolitic mélange.The 0.47–0.42 Ga zircons exhibit176Hf/177Hf ratios of 0.282156 to 0.282850,corresponding to variableεHf(t)values from–9.3 to 12.0 and Hf model ages from2011 to 646 Ma.These characteristics are similar to those of the early Paleozoic igneous and gneissic zircons from the Altai,but significantly different from those of the East Junggar.Based on the material structures of felspathic greywacke,the morphology,internal texture and age distributions of dated detrital zircons,in combination with a study of the regional geological data,it is suggested that the sedimentary sequences in the Aermantai ophiolitic mélange was deposited in the Late Silurian,with the main provenance from the Altai Orogen in the north.This indicates that the early Paleozoic ocean represented by the Aermantai ophiolitic mélange was readily closed during the Late Silurian,and the northern edge of the East Junggar terrane was accreted to the Altai Orogen.The joint of them then served as a marginal orogen in the southern edge of the Siberia Paleocontinent.     

LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb geochronological constraints on the tectonothermal evolution of the Early Paleoproterozoic Dakendaban Group in the Quanji Block,NW China

The Quanji Block, situated between the northern margin of the Qaidam Block and the South Qilian orogenic belt in the NE Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, is thought to represent a remnant continental crust. In this study, LA-ICPMS U-Pb analyses of detrital zircon grains from two mesosomes in the migmatitic Dakendaban Group yield ages of 2467＋28/-26 Ma and 2474＋66/-52 Ma, respectively. Zircon grains from a leucosome give two distinct ages of 2471＋18/-16 Ma and 1924＋14/-15 Ma. Zircon from a granitic pegmatite that intruded into the Dakendaban Group yields an age of 2427＋44/-38 Ma. These data suggest that the Early Paleoproterozoic Dakendaban Group deposited between -2.43 to -2.47 Ga and has been subject to an intrusive event at 2.43Ga, and regional metamorphism-anatexis at 1.92 Ga. The common lower intercept age of -0.9 Ga probably records a significant Early Neoproterozoic event in the Quanji Block.     

Timing and setting of Guanjiagou conglomerate in South Qinling and their tectonic implications

TheGuanjiagouFormationisafault-boundterranelocatedintheSouthQinlingMountains,centralChina.Theageandtectonicsettingoftheconglomerateinthisformation(Guanjiagouconglomerate,GC)havebeencontroversialsincethe1940s,withnumerousconflictinginterpretationsandcorrelationsproposedbydifferentworkers.Forexample,itwasinitiallydescribedbyYeetal.(1944)[1],whointerpretedtheGCasSinian(LatestNeo-proterozoic)tillites.However,Huang[2]regardedtheGC,plustheBikouSystem(composedoftheBikouvolcanicandtheHengdant…     

The latest Yanshanian magmatic and metallogenic events in the middle-lower Yangtze River belt: Evidence from the Ningzhen region

The Ningzhen region in Jiangsu Province represents the easternmost magmatic region in the middle-lower Yangtze River belt.The formation of the polymetallic deposits has close genetic relationships with Early Cretaceous intermediate-acid intrusions.In this study,LA-ICP-MS zircon geochronology of two Mesozoic intermediate-acid intrusive rocks(including the Shima porphyritic granodiorite and Gaozi quartz diorite porphyry)in the Ningzhen region were systematically investigated.These new geochronological data demonstrate that the intermediate-acid magmatism in the Ningzhen region dates to approximately between 109 and101 Ma.We present new40Ar-39Ar phlogopite ages for the Cishantou skarn iron deposits that constrain the timing of the mineralisation in the Ningzhen region.The phlogopite in the Cishantou skarn deposits yielded a40Ar-39Ar plateau age of 104±1 Ma.This result coincides with the ages of the Anjishan and Tongshan Cu(Mo)deposits in the Ningzhen region.Our high-precision geochronological data together with recent high-precision geochronological studies(such as zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb,zircon SHRIMP U-Pb,molybdenite Re-Os and single-mineral40Ar-39Ar dates)reveal that there were four periods(152-135 Ma,135-127 Ma,127-121 Ma,109-101 Ma)of magmatism and ore formation in the middle-lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt.The Mesozoic intermediate-acid magmatism and mineralisation in the Ningzhen region belong to the latest episode in the middle-lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt.