Age and genesis of the Myanmar jadeite: Constraints from U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes of zircon inclusions

Myanmar jadeite (jadeitite) is well known for its economical value and distinctive tectonic locality within the collisional belt between India and Eurasian plates. However, it is less studied for its genesis and geodynamic implications due to precipitous topography, adverse weather and local military conflicts in the area. By means of combined ICP-MS and LA-MC-ICPMS techniques, we have carried out in-situ trace elements, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes for zircon inclusions in a piece of jadeite gem sample. CL imaging suggests that the zircons are metasomatic in origin, and contain mineral inclusions of jadeite and omphacite. Seventy-five analyses on 16 grains of the zircons yield a U-Pb age of 158 ± 2 Ma. The Myanmar zircons differ from other types in that they have no significant Eu anomalies despite high HREE concentrations. Measured ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios range from 0.282976 to 0.283122, with an average value of 0.283066 ± 7; ε_Hf(t) value of 13.8 ± 0.3 (n=75). These results indicate that the Myanmar jadeite was formed in the Late Jurassic, probably by interaction of fluid released from subducted oceanic slab with mantle wedge. Therefore, its formation has no genetic relationship to the continental collision between Indian and Euroasian plates. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40673039) and the Science Plan Foundation of Guangdong (Grant No. 2007B031200005)     

In situ U-Pb dating of titanite by LA-ICPMS

Titanite is an ideal mineral for U-Pb isotopic dating because of its relatively high U,Th and Pb contents.Here,we developed a technique for U-Pb dating of titanite using the 193 nm ArF laser-ablation system and Agilent 7500a Q-ICP-MS.Standards of titanite (BLR-1 and OLT-1) and zircon (91500 and GJ-1) were dated using single spot and line raster scan analytical methods.To check the matrix effect,titanite (BLR-1) and zircon (91500) standards were analyzed as the external standards.The weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U ages of OLT-1 titanite are 1015±5 Ma (2,n=24) and 1017±6 Ma (2,n=24) by single spot and line raster scan analyses,respectively,using BLR-1 titanite as the external standard.These ages are consistent with its reference age of about 1014 Ma.However,using 91500 zircon as the external standard,the weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U ages are 917±4 Ma (2,n=24) and 927±5 Ma (2,n=24) for BLR-1 titanite,and 891±4 Ma (2,n=24) and 901±5 Ma (2,n=24) for OLT-1 titanite by single spot and line raster scan analyses,respectively.It is evident that these ages are ～12% younger than their reference values.Our results reveal that significant matrix effect does exist between different kinds of minerals during LA-ICPMS U-Pb age determination,whereas it is insignificant between same minerals.Therefore,same mineral must be used as the external standard for fractionation corrections during in situ LA-ICPMS U-Pb age analysis.In addition,we determined U-Pb ages for titanites from the Early Cretaceous Fangshan pluton,which indicates a rapid cooling history of this pluton.     

Porphyry Cu-Mo deposits in the eastern Xing’an-Mongolian Orogenic Belt: Mineralization ages and their geodynamic implications

The eastern Xing’an-Mongolian (Xing-Meng) Orogenic Belt (XMOB) is one of the important areas of porphyry copper (Cu)-molybdenum (Mo) deposits in China. However, studies on the exact ages of mineralization and their geodynamic significance are very limited. In this study, granodioritic rocks from the Duobaoshan Cu deposit and Daheishan Mo deposit were selected to make zircon SHRIMP U-Pb analyses in order to constrain their mineralization ages. Geochronological data indicate that two episodes of mineralization took place in the Duobaoshan Cu deposits. The granodiorite related to the Duobaoshan porphyry Cu deposit was formed in the Early Paleozoic with zircon U-Pb age of 485±8 Ma, whereas the granodiorites related to the Sankuanggou skarn-type Cu deposit were emplaced in the Jurassic with zircon U-Pb ages of 176±3 and 177±3 Ma. In the Daheishan area of Jilin Province, the emplacement age of the granodiorite porphyry related to the porphyry Mo deposit was dated at 170±3 Ma, and the unmineralized monzogranite at 178±3 Ma. Therefore, two episodes of Cu-Mo mineralization were developed in the eastern XMOB, at ~485 Ma and ~175 Ma, respectively. Based on the geological history and spatial-temporal distribution of the granitoids in northeastern (NE) China, it is proposed that the Duobaoshan Cu deposit was related to the collision of the Xing’an and Erguna blocks in the Early Paleozoic, and the Sankuanggou Cu and Daheishan Mo deposits were related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate during the Jurassic.     

Growth and reworking of cratonic lithosphere

To study the thinning of cratonic lithosphere in North China has been the hot subject of basic research in the fields of solid earth science in China. This paper presents an overview on the formation and evolution of continental crust, and outlines the mechanisms of forming the lithospheric mantle. It is suggested that the thinning of cratonic lithosphere principally proceeds in two ways, one by subduction erosion （e.g., North China）, and the other by a combination of subduction erosion and underplating degistion （e.g., Yangtze）.     

In situ Nd isotopic measurement of natural geological materials by LA-MC-ICPMS

Using newly determined Sm isotopic abundances for correcting the isobaric interference of ^144Sm on ^144Nd and the established mass bias relationship between Sm and Nd, a series of in situ Nd isotopic measurements were conducted for relatively high Nd concentrations of natural geological materials, including apatite, titanite, monazite and perovskite on a Neptune multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （MC-ICPMS）, coupled to a 193 nm ArF excimer laser ablation system. The results show that Ce has no significant influence on the precision and accuracy of Nd isotopic analyses for LREE-enriched geological minerals and that our approach is efficient in obtaining reliable ^143Nd/^144Nd and ^147Sm/^144Nd ratios for those materials with Sm/Nd〈1（^147Sm/^144Nd〈0.6）. When combined with trace element and U-Pb isotope data, the in situ Nd isotopic data can provide important information on geological processes.     

星际C60

C60的发现起源于人们对星际尘埃的探索,肇始于1985年由Kroto等人首次在实验室合成,25年后最终于2010年在星际空间被探测到．近几年天文工作者在多种星周、星际环境观测到C60．本文综述了与天文观测和理论密切相关的C60的有关物理性质;介绍了C60在星际空间中的观测特性;最后讨论了C60在星际空间的形成与激发机制．     

In situ U-Pb dating of xenotime by laser ablation （LA）-ICP-MS

Xenotime is an ideal mineral for U-Th-Pb isotopic dating because of its relatively high U and Th contents, but typically low concentration of common Pb. These characteristics, and the fact that it is widespread throughout various types of rocks, suggest that the U-Th-Pb dating of xenotime has broad applications. Studies of U-Pb dating on xenotime by ion microprobe (such as SHRIMP) have increased in recent years, whereas studies by laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS are still rare. In this study, we developed a technique for U-Pb dating of xenotime using the 193 nm ArF laser-ablation system and Agilent 7500a Q-ICP-MS. To evaluate the reliability of our method, a xenotime standard, BS-1, was analyzed and calibrated against another xenotime standard, MG-1. The weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U ages of 510.1 ± 5.2 Ma (2 n = 21), 509.8 ± 4.3 Ma (2 n = 21) and 510.0 ± 4.6 Ma (2 n = 21) were obtained using beam diameters of 16, 24 and 32 m, respectively. These ages are identical to those determined by ID-TIMS method (weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 508.8 ± 1.4 Ma), which supports the reliability of our LA-ICP-MS method. We also analyzed xenotimes in leucogranites from South Tibet and granites from Xihuashan in southern China, and obtained accurate and precise ages. Nevertheless, we observed systematic differences in Pb/U fractionation among xenotime, monazite and zircon. The matrix-effect resulted in either under-correction or over-correction of fractionation, and thus led to inaccurate ages. Thus, a matrix-matched material is required for U-Pb dating of xenotime by LA-ICP-MS.     

In situ simultaneous determination of trace elements, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes in zircon and baddeleyite

This paper describes a combined method of simultaneously measuring U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes as well as trace elements in Phalaborwa baddeleyite and 91500, GJ-1, TEMORA-1 and SK10-2 zircons by means of Neptune MC-ICPMS and Agilent Q-ICPMS connected to a 193 nm excimer laser ablation system. Material ablated by laser was carried in different proportions into Q-ICPMS for U-Pb isotopic and trace elemental and MC-ICPMS for Lu-Hf isotopic compositions. Experiments indicate that different proportions of ablated material for the Q-ICPMS and MC-ICPMS （6：4, 5：5 and 4：6 respectively） do not show any bias for the zircon/baddeleyite U-Pb age, Lu-Hf isotope and trace elemental compositions within analytical errors. Using 40-60 μm spot size, the obtained U-Pb ages of Phalaborwa baddeleyite, 91500, GJ-1, TEMORA and SK10-2 zircons are 2065±15 （2σ, n=20）, 1063±6 （2σ, n=-19）, 613±6 （2σ, n=20）, 416±5 （2σ, n=20） and 32.6±0.5 （2σ, n=20） Ma, respectively. The ^176Hf/^177Hf ratios are 0.281231±24 （2SD, n=20）, 0.282310±35 （2SD, n=19）, 0.282028±34 （2SD, n=20）, 0.282687±34 （2SD, n=20） and 0.282752±53 （2SD, n=20）, respectively. The obtained trace elemental compositions are identical to the reference values. Therefore, this kind of technique makes it possible to simultaneously obtain the U-Pb age, Lu-Hf isotopes and trace elemental compositions of zircon and baddeleyite, which could be an important tool in solving problems in earth sciences.     

Detrital zircon U-Pb ages of Late Cenozoic sediments from the Yangtze delta: Implication for the evolution of the Yangtze River

Detrital zircon grains of Late Cenozoic sediments dated back to ca.3.6 Ma from core DY03 in the Yangtze delta were dated by LA-ICP-MS,in order to investigate the sedimentary provenance and to find some clue for the evolution of the Yangtze River.Most of the detrital zircon U-Pb ages are distributed at 100 300 Ma,350 550 Ma,600 1000 Ma,1400 2000 Ma and 2200 2800 Ma,which correspond well with the main tectonic and magmatic events in the Yangtze drainage.The detrital zircon age patterns show distinct differenc...