High-precision timing of the Quaternary standard samples with thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) U-series method

Two national stalagmite standard (GBW04412, GBW04413) and one international coral standard (RKM_4) have been determined by using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) method. The values of ( 234 U/ 238 U) act , ( 230 Th/ 234 U) act and age are all consistent in error range with the standard values obtained by using α spectrometry.     

Upper Pleistocene human scapula from Salawusu, Inner Mongolia, China

The fossil tooth found in Salawusu Valley, Inner Mongolia is the first Paleolithic human fossil found in China and even in East Asia[1, 2]. The Paleolithic arti- facts recognized in Salawusu as well as those in Shui- donggou represent the earliest Paleoli…     

Permian volcanisms in eastern and southeastern margins of the Jiamusi Massif, northeastern China: zircon U-Pb chronology, geochemistry and its tectonic implications

LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical data for the Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks from eastern and southeastern margins of the Jiamusi Massif are presented to understand the regional tectonic evolution. Zircons from eight representative volcanic rocks are euhedral-subhedral in shape and display striped absorption and fine-scale oscillatory growth zoning as well as high Th/U ratios （0.33-2.37）, implying a magmatic origin. The dating results show that the Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks in the study area can be divided into two stages, i.e., the Early Permian （a weighted mean 205^Pb/238^U age of 288 Ma） and the Middle Permian volcanisms （a weighted mean 205^Pb/238^U age of 268 Ma）. The former is composed mainly of basalt, basaltic-andesite, andesite and minor dacite. They are characterized by low SiO2 contents, high Mg^# （0.40-0.59）, enrichment in Na （Na2O/K2O = 1.26-4.25） and light rare earth elements （LREEs）, relative depletion in heavy rare earth elements （HREEs） and high field strength elements （HFSEs）, indicating that an active continental margin setting could exist in the eastern margin of the Jiamusi Massif in the Early Permian. The latter consists mainly of rhyolite and minor dacite with high SiO2 （77.23%-77.52%）, low MgO （0.11%-0.14%）, enrichment in 1（20 （Na2O/K2O ratios 〈 0.80） and Rb, Th, U and depletion in Eu, Sr, P and Ti, implying a crust-derived origin. Therefore, it is proposed that the Middle Permian volcanic rocks could have formed under the collision of the Jiamusi and the Khanka Massifs.     

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.     

U-series dating on late Quaternary sediments from Balikun Lake

The U-series component-dating method has been employed to date the sediment core B-194 from Balikun Lake. 230Th/ 232Th and 234U/ 232Th ratios in various components of the samples dissolved in different concentration acids were measured respectively. The results indicate that there is a good relationship of the isotopic ratios between the solutions and the residues, and that uranium and thorium isotopic fractionations did not occur during acid leaching. Based on the U-series ages obtained by using component-dating method, a 144-ka time sequence was established corresponding to the upper 25-m interval of the B-194 core, which is in agreement with palaeomagnetic dating results. The fact that the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental record labeled with U-series ages is correlative with the deep-sea δ 18O SPECMAP also demonstrates that the U-series component-dating method can be used to date lake sediments.     

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…     

Simultaneous in-situ determination of U-Pb age and trace elements in zircon by LA-ICP-MS in 20 μm spot size

Simultaneous in-situ determination of U-Pb ages and 20 trace elements of three international zircon standards （91500, GJ1 and TEMORA 1） and one laboratory zircon standard （SK10-2） separated from Cenozoic fine-grained gabbro was carried out on quadrupole ICP-MS equipped with 193 nm excimer laser in 20 μm spot size. The weighted mean ^206Pb/^238U ages of 91500, GJ1 and TEMORA 1 are 1064.4±4.8 Ma （2σ）, 603.2±2.4 Ma （2σ） and 418.2±2.4 Ma （2σ）, respectively. The relative standard deviations （RSDs） of ^206Pb/^238U ages （2σ） are less than 2.2% for single measurements and 0.6% for weighted means. The obtained weighted mean ^206Pb/^238U ages of three standard zircons agree with the recommended values within 2σrerror. The weighted mean ^206Pb/^238U age of SK10-2 is 31.42=0.25 Ma （2σ） and the RSDs of ^206Pb/^238U ages （2σ） are between 2.4% and 5.7% for single measurements and less than 0.8% for weighted mean. The obtained weighted mean ^206Pb/^238U age is in good agreement with the age obtained by Yuan （2004）. Trace element concentrations of NIST612 and NIST614 obtained under the same LA-ICP-MS operating conditions agree with the recommended values within analytical error. The results indicate that it is possible to measure U-Pb age and trace elements simultaneously by LA-ICP-MS in a small spot size of 20μm.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for two episodes of migmatization in the Dabie orogen

Zircon CL imaging and SHRIMP U-Pb dating were carried out for migmatite in the Dabie orogen. Zircons from the Manshuihe migmatite show clear core-rim structures. The cores display sector or weak zoning and low Th/U ratios of 0.01 to 0.17, indicating their precipitation from metamorphic fluid. They yield a weighted mean age of 137±5 Ma. By contrast, the rims exhibit planar or nebulous zoning with relatively high Th/U ratios of 0.35 to 0.69, suggesting their growth from metamorphic melt. They give a weighted mean age of 124±2 Ma. Zircons from the Fenghuangguan migmatite also display core-rim structures. The cores are weakly oscillatory zoned or unzoned with high Th/U ratios of 0.21 to 3.03, representing inherited zircons of magmatic origin that experienced different degrees of solid-state recrystallization. SHRIMP U-Pb analyses obtain that its protolith was emplaced at 768±12 Ma, consistent with middle Neoproterozoic ages for protoliths of most UHP metaigneous rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. By contrast, the rims do not show significant zoning and have very low Th/U ratios of 0.01 to 0.09, typical of zircon crystallized from metamorphic fluid. They yield a weighted 206Pb/238U age of 137±4 Ma. Taking the two case dates together, it appears that there are two episodes of zircon growth and thus migmati-tization at 137±2 Ma and 124±2 Ma, respectively, due to metamorphic dehydration and partial melting. The appearance of metamorphic dehydration corresponds to the beginning of tectonic extension thus to the tectonic switch from crustal compression to extension in the Dabie orogen. On the other hand, the partial melting is responsible for the extensional climax, resulting in formation of coeval migmatite, granitoid and granulite. They share the common protolith, the collision-thickened continental crust of mid-Neoproterozoic ages.     

Finding of Neoproterozoic （～775 Ma） magmatism recorded in metamorphic complexes from the North Qilian orogen： Evidence from SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating

The Qilian Mountain is considered a part of the Cen- tral Orogenic Belt of China[1]. The Central Orogenic Belt of China, extending for a distance of about 4000 km long in the E-W direction from the east coast west- ward through the mainland China all the …     

Zircon U-Pb geochronology of the volcanic rocks from Fanchang-Ningwu volcanic basins in the Lower Yangtze region and its geological implications

The latest eruptions in two important Mesozoic volcanic basins of Fanchang and Ningwu located in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River formed the bimodal volcanic rocks of the Kedoushan Formation and ultrapotassic volcanic rocks of the Niangniangshan Formation, respectively. The representative volcanic rocks of the two Formations were selected for LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating. The results indicate that there exist a large amount of magmatic zircons as indicated by high Th/U ratios in these volcanic rocks. The weighted mean age of 21 analyses is 130.7±1.1 Ma for the Kedoushan Formation, and that of 20 analyses is 130.6±1.1 Ma for the Niangniangshan Formation. These U-Pb ages are interpreted to represent the formation times of the volcanic rocks. In combination with other known geochronological data for Mesozoic volcanic rocks from the Lower Yangtze region, it is proposed that the latest volcanic activations in the Jinniu, Luzong, Fanchang and Ningwu volcanic basins probably came to end prior to ca. 128 Ma. There is no significant time interval between the early and later volcanic activities in the Luzong and Ningwu basins, suggesting a short duration of volcanic activities and thus implying the onset of an extensional tectonic setting at about 130 Ma in the Lower Yangtze region. Integrated studies reveal that the Early Cretaceous magmatic activities and their geochronological framework in the Lower Yangtze region are a response to progressively dynamic deep processes that started with the transformation of tectonic setting from compression to extension, followed by delaminating of the lower part of the thickened lithosphere, lithospheric thinning, asthenosphere upwelling, and crust-mantle interaction.     

Zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopes of volcanic rocks from the Batamayineishan Formation in the eastern Junggar Basin

An internal structural study was conducted to investigate U-Pb age, trace elements and Hf isotopes of basaltic zircons from the Batamayineishan Formation. The basalt was obtained from drill well San-Can 1 on the eastern Luliang uplift within the Junggar Basin. Trace element data of zircons show that all samples are magmatic, with similar REE patterns, including positive Ce (δCe=5.06–134), but negative Eu (δEu=0.06⦒0.55) anomalies and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements. Among 25 grains, the concordant ages were subdivided into three groups; ages of 300.4±1.3 Ma (n=11), 339.2±2.7 Ma (n=3) and 392.0±1.7 Ma (n=8). Three remaining grains were nearly concordant, with ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 510±7, 488±6 and 453±6 Ma, respectively. The youngest concordant age (i.e., 300.4±1.3 Ma) could be interpreted as the formation age of the studied basaltic rock; this is consistent with the sampling position at the upper part of the Batamayineishan Formation. On the other hand, ages such as Ordovician and early Devonian are consistent with the ages of island-arc volcanic rocks (enrichment in Pb) or ophiolites around the basin. Moreover, the positive ɛ _Hf(t) values of the early and middle Paleozoic zircons (+3.6–+10.5) may suggest that the basement traversed by the studied volcanic rocks may be Paleozoic in age, formed from the residual oceanic crust and island-arc complex. The ɛ _Hf(t) values (+4.2–+17.1) of the late Paleozoic (∼300.4 Ma) zircons suggest that the basaltic magmas were derived from partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle or depleted lithospheric mantle. These magmas were slightly contaminated by the existence of early-middle Paleozoic materials. The late Carboniferous basalts represent direct eruption of mantle-derived magmas at the upper crustal level during a post-collisional tectonic setting. We therefore consider that extensive vertical growth of the continental crust to have occurred before the late Carboniferous.     

Laser step-heating ^40Ar/^39Ar dating on young volcanic rocks

An attempt was made to use CO_2 laser step-heating method to date the late Pleistocene basaltic groundmass (DF-2) from Tengchong volcanic field. Among the fourteen heating steps, ten define a good inverse isochron (MSWD = 1.4) with an age of 32.2 ± 7.1 ka (2 σ).The inverse isochron also shows that the initial argon isotopic ratio is 297.1±2.0 (2σ) which is the same as the atmospheric argon at the 2σ error level. Study indicates that it is a useful means to date young volcanic groundmass with low K content by using CO_2 laser step-heating ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar method.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for volcanic rocks of the Dasi Formation in southeast Hubei Province, middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and its implications

The Jinniu Basin in southeast Hubei,located at the westernmost part of middle-lower val-ley of the Yangtze River,is one of the important vol-canic basins in East China. Volcanic rocks in the Jin-niu Basin are distributed mainly in the Majiashan Formation,the Lingxiang Formation and the Dasi Formation,consisting of rhyolite,basalt and basaltic andesite,(trachy)-basalt and basaltic trachy-andesite and (trachy)-andesite and (trachy)-dacite and rhyolite respectively,in which the Dasi volcanism is volumet-rically dominant and widespread. The Dasi volcanic rocks were selected for SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating to confirm the timing of volcanism. The results indi-cate that there exist a large amount of magmatic zir-cons characterized by high U and Th contents in the volcanic rocks. The concordia ages for 13 points are 128 ± 1Ma (MSWD = 3.0). On account of the shape of zircons and Th/U ratios,this age is considered to represent the crystallization time of the Dasi volcan-ism. The volcanic rocks in the Dasi,Majiashan and Lingxiang Formations share similar trace elementand REE partition patterns as well as Sr-Nd isotopic compositions. In combination with the regional geol-ogy,it is proposed that the southeast Hubei volcanic rocks were formed mainly during the Early Creta-ceous,just like other volcanic basins in middle-lower Yangtze valley. A lithospheric extension is also sug-gested for tectonic regime in this region in the Cre-taceous Period.     

Determination of specific activity of230Th in uranium ore samples

A new method suitable for determining specific activity of²³⁰Th in uranium ore samples is built. The method is characterized by adding the²³⁰Th/²³²Th standard dilution agent with lower activity ratio (Its²³⁰Th/²³²Th activity ratio and²³⁰Th have been known) to the samples and using isotopic dilution analysis. The method can be applied to analyses of²³⁰Th specific activity in various²³⁰Th/²³²Th activity ratio samples. The precision can also be improved.     

Orbital- and millennial-scale variability of the Asian monsoon during MIS8 from Sanbao Cave at Mount Shennongjia,central China

One stalagmite oxygen isotope record from Sanbao Cave, China, established with 7 230Th ages and 355 oxygen isotope data, pro- vides a continuous history of the East Asian Monsoon (EAM) intensity for the period from 284 to 240 thousand years before present (ka BP) with typical errors of 3―4 ka. This new record extends the previously published stalagmite δ18O record back to the marine oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 8. The MIS8 EAM record broadly follows orbitally-induced insolation variations and is punctuated by...     

马坝人地点南支洞铀系定年初步结果

报道马坝人地点南支洞次生碳酸盐岩和骨化石样的铀系年代. 根据表层钙板 2 个样品 3 次测试的平均结果,其下含化石堆积应早于 237 ka. 出自第二层堆积的骨化石样分析结果显著小于上覆表层钙板,可引为骨化石铀系年代结果可信度欠佳的例证. 基于洞穴地点骨化石样铀系年代总体偏低的认识,并基于南支洞与出土马坝人化石裂隙堆积层位相当的假设,我们认为可暂以南支洞表层钙板年代 (237 ka),代表马坝人化石的最小年代. 南支洞尚存较多的含化石堆积,多学科综合研究或可为马坝人的年代位置提供进一步的证据.     

Abrupt climate change of EastAsian Monsoon at 130 kaBP inferred from a high resolu-tion stalagmite δ18O record

^230Th ages and oxygen isotope data of a stalagmite from Shanbao Cave in Hubei Province characterize the East Asian Monsoon precipitation from 133 to 127ka. The decadal-scale high-resolution δ^18O record reveals a detailed transitional process from the Penultimate Glaciation to the Last Interglaciation. As established with ^230Th dates, the age of the Termination Ⅱ is determined to be 129.5±1.0 kaBP, which supports the Northern Hemisphere insolation as the triggers for the ice-age cycles. In our δ^18O record, the glacial/interglacial fluctuation reaches about 4‰, almost the same level as in other Asian Monsoon cave stalagmite δ^18O records. The transition of the glacial/interglacial period in our record can be recognized as four stepwise stages, among which, a rapid rise of monsoon precipitation follows the stage of “Termination Ⅱ pause”. The rapid rise is synchronous with the abrupt change of global methane concentration, which reflects that an increase in both Asian Monsoon precipitation and tropical wetland plays an important role in the global climate changes.     

Late Paleozoic magmatism in South China:Oceanic subduction or intracontinental orogeny?

A gneissic granite with an U-Pb age of 313±4 Ma was found in northeastern Fujian Province,South China.It is an S-type granite characterized by high K2O,Al2O3 and low SiO2,Na2O contents with high A/CNK ratio of 1.22 for the whole rock.Zircons with stubby morphology from the gneissic granite yield 206 Pb/238 U ages ranging from 326 to 301 Ma with a weighted average age of 313±4 Ma,and negative εHf(t) values from -8.35 to -1.74 with Hf model ages (TCDM) of 1.43 to 1.84 Ga.This S-type granite probably originated from late Paleoproterozoic crust in intracontinental orogeny.Integrated with previous results on paleogeographic reconstruction of South China,the nature of Paleozoic basins,Early Permian volcanism and U-Pb-Hf isotope of detrital zircons from the late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic sedimentary rocks,we suggest the occurrence of a late Paleozoic orogeny in the eastern Cathaysia Block,South China.This orogenic cycle includes Late Carboniferous (340-310 Ma) orogeny (compression) episode and Early Permian (287-270 Ma) post-orogenic or intraplate extension episode.Therefore,the late Paleozoic magmatism in the southeastern South China probably occurred during the intraplate orogeny rather than the arc-related process.     

Timing of hydrothermal activity associated with the Douzhashan uranium-bearing granite and its significance for uranium mineralization in northeastern Guangxi, China

The Miaoershan uranium(U)ore field in northeastern Guangxi is one of the important granite-related U deposits in south China and is closely related to the Douzhashan U-bearing granite.The Douzhashan granite contains primary U-rich accessory minerals,including monazite(UO2=0.98-1.75 wt%)and xenotime(UO2=1.48-6.14 wt%).Primary monazite and xenotime yield chemical ages of 231±28 Ma and 230±38 Ma by electron microprobe analysis and U-Pb isotopic ages of 220±6 Ma and 211±7 Ma by laser ablation-inductively coupled-mass spectrometry respectively.These ages demonstrate that the Douzhashan granite formed during the period of Indosinian magmatic activity.Back scattered electron imaging shows that monazite and xenotime are commonly altered to assemblages of low-U synchisite and apatite,which was associated with loss of U to hydrothermal fluids.U-Th-Pb analyses of secondary apatite yielded a chemical age of 136±17 Ma,which corresponds to the timing of Cretaceous-Tertiary crustal extension in south China.We suggest that the heat and CO2required for mineralization was the result of Yanshanian crustal extension,and that this triggered the breakdown of U-rich accessory minerals in the Douzhashan U-bearing granite.Uranium remobilization from the Douzhashan granite provided materials for mineralization within the granite and/or surrounding country rocks.Therefore,a combination of Indosinian compression and Yanshanian extensional overprint produced the hydrothermal U deposits associated with the Douzhashan granite.     

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age of garnet olivine pyroxenite at Hujialin in the Sulu terrane and its geological significance

Abundantbasic-ultrabasicbodiescropoutintheDabie-Suluultrahighpressure(UHP)metamorphicbeltandoccurasgroupandband.Muchresearchworkhasbeencarriedoutonthebasic-ultrabasicbodiesandmadeagreatprogressespeciallyonmineralogy.ThediscoveryofmineralassemblagesofUHPmetamorphismandexsolvedlamellaesuggestthattherocksmaycomefromthedeepmantleorwasonceemplacedintotheshallowlevelofthecrustandthensubductedtothemantledepthsduringsub-ductionofthecrust[1—13].However,theiroriginandtec-tonicsettingarestillacontrov…