Lasing on pyroclastic rocks: A case study of <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating on Moshishan Group,eastern Zhejiang Province

It is difficult to date pyroclastic rocks, for almost all the dating methods, due to the multiple sources during their formation. ^40Ar/^39gAr incremental heating results on groundmass selected from the samples show that the age spectra are meaningless geologically. However, singe crystal total fusions of CO2 lasing on the sanidine separates could yield rational 4^40Ar/^39Ar results and distinguish their sources in this study. Timing on three formations of the Moshishan Group, after avoiding the exotic and altered grains by lasing on the single sanidine separate, was reported in this paper. The lowermost portion of the Chawan Formation gives an age of 113.7±0.3 Ma; the lower part of the Xishantou Formation was formed 116.4±0.4 Ma ago and the bottom of the Gaowu Formation took its shape at 118.4±0.4 Ma. These new ages are much younger than the previous ones, suggesting that these thick volcanic formations had been formed in very short durations.     

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.     

Experiment of the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of diagenetic illite in gas reservoirs

40Ar/39Ar dating of diagenetic illite has been performed to investigate gas reservoirs in the Sulige Gas Field of the northern Ordos Basin. A series of technical challenges were confronted, including illite purification, Ar recoil loss, and separation of diagenetic illite from detrital illite. Mineral growth ages for diagenetic illite were obtained by this experiment, from which the age of gas emplacement was deduced to be later than 169 Ma.     

Potash-rich volcanic rocks and lamprophyres in western Shandong Province: 40Ar39Ar dating and source tracing

Highly precise 40Ar39Ar dating results demonstrate that the ages of potash-rich volcanic rocks in western Shandong Province are 114.7-124.3 Ma, and that of the lamprophyres is 119.6 Ma. The potash-rich volcanic rocks have relatively high (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios ( 0.708715-0.711418)and distinctly negative εNd values ( -11.47 - -17.54), and are enriched in radiogenic lead (206Pb/204pb=17.341-17.622,207pb/204Pb=15.525-15.538, 208Pb/204pb = 37.563-37.684).Similarly, the lamprophyres also have quite low εNd values ( -11.57 - -19.64). Based on the fact that the Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of potash-rich volcanic rocks are very consistent with that of the clinopyroxene separates, and by integrating comprehensive analyses of their tectonic settings,and extensive comparisons of the Sr, Nd isotopic compositions with that of the related simultaneous rocks, it is concluded that the potash-rich volcanic rocks and lamprophyres in western Shandong Province were most possibly derived from the partial melting of enriched mantle which was caused by source contamination and metasomatism of subducted continental crustal materials.``     

^40Ar/^39Ar dating for Cenozoic kamafugite from western Qinling in Gansu Province

A suite of Cenozoic ultra-potassic volcanic rocks and carbonatites are widespread along the Lixian-Dang- chang areas of western Qinling in Gansu Province. There are abundant mantle-derived xenoliths within these ultra-potassic volcanic rocks. Systemmatic …     

Dating of sediment-hosted disseminated-type gold deposit by using ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar laser probe: A case study of Changkeng large-scale gold deposit, China

Ore-forming age is one of the most important data in studying the genesis of mineral deposits. Dating of sedi-ment-hosted disseminated-type gold deposits, which areone of the most important types of gold deposits in theworld, is always a difficult task for ore geologists. Themajor reason is that most of the ores in this type deposit are of various siliceous and are composed of extremely fine-grained minerals, thus it will be very difficult to de-termine their ages by using conventional isotopi…     

年轻火山岩激光40Ar/39Ar定年中的n值与MSWD值

激光熔蚀⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar等时线法是第四纪年轻火山岩样品精细定年的新方法, 该方法处于逐步完善过程中。针对怎样判定获得的年龄结果是否可靠的问题, 通过对数据处理过程中所用参数的分析, 认为样品属性是决定年轻火山岩精细定年结果质量和可靠性的关键因素, 与样品测试数n值相关的加权均方差MSWD(mean square weighted deviation)是判断同一样品各测试点的数据是否符合正态分布, 能否用来客观地评价测试结果, 进而评估样品是否适合进行相关测试, 结果是否可靠的重要指标。其次, 属于同一真实年龄值样品的MSWD在99.7%置信区间的取值范围可通过计算加以确认, 并提出对于表面年龄和等时线年龄数据, 必须定量地考察相应的MSWD值, 判定在具有足够样品测试数(足够大的n值)的情况下, 是否符合概率统计的正态分布, 确定样品是否对应同一年龄真实值。在MSWD值达不到理想值1.0的情况下, 可以利用表面年龄概率密度曲线, 区分测试样品内部包含的非同源或非等时或封闭不好体系的数据, 再结合MSWD与n值关系, 适量地去除部分偏离正态分布的测试数据, 识别出可能归属多个年龄真实值的测试数据组, 并以此计算不同数据组的反等时线年龄, 获得年轻火山岩喷发的准确年龄。     

冀北赤城红旗营子群黑云斜长片麻岩的黑云母40Ar/39Ar年龄及其地质意义

探讨冀北赤城红旗营子群是否经历了印支期的构造热事件.通过对冀北赤城红旗营于群黑云斜长片麻岩样品进行的黑云母40Ar/39 Ar年龄测定,获得其坪年龄和等时线年龄分别为(238.63±1.44) Ma和(238.77±1.71) Ma,两者基本一致.此年龄数据是黑云斜长片麻岩在晓古生代角闪岩相区域变质作用之后所经历印支期构造热事件的记录.综合分析冀北岩浆作用及其地质年代学特征,认为它可能与区域上同时期的酸性岩浆活动有关,是后者为此次构造热事件提供了必要的热源.     

Ultra-violet laser probe measurement of ^40Ar／^39Ar age profile in phlogopite

Ultra-Violet Laser Ablation Microprobe (UVLAMP) extraction technique enables the direct investigation of Ar-Ar age prorde in crystals, and yields more information on rates and durations of geological process than conventional single time snapshots. Phlogopite flakes from lamprophyre at Pishan dyke in western Kunlun were dated by using an UV laser (λ= 213 nm) microprobe with spot analyses. The results show good agreement with those from the conventional ^40Ar/^39Ar step heating experiments. This indicates that the Ar isotopes are distributed homogenously in the phlogopite and the UVLAMP can be a powerful tool in the study of thermal history.     

Further support for a Cretaceous age for the feathered-dinosaur beds of Liaoning,China:New 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Yixian and Tuchengzi Formations

We report new 40Ar/39Ar dating results obtained from total fusion and incremental-heating analyses of sanidine and biotite from three tuffs found interbedded within the fossil-bearing deposits of Liaoning, northeast China. The first is a new sample of the Bed 6 Sihetun tuff from the Yixian Formation, previously dated by our team as middle Early Cretaceous, and recently considered by Lo et al., partially reset due to metamorphism from a nearby basaltic sill. The second is the Yixian Bed 9 tuff from Hengdaozi considered by Lo et al. to be unaffected by metamorphism and whose age, based on total fusion 40Ar/39Ar dating of biotite, argues for a Jurassic age for the Yixian Formation.The third tuff is a previously undated tuff from the upper part of the underlying Tuchengzi Formation. Single crystal total fusion 40Ar/39Ar analyses of the Sihetun sanidine showed homogeneous radiogenic Ar, Ca/K ratios, excellent reproducibility and gave a mean age of 125.0 ± 0.18 (1SD) ±0.04 (SE) Ma. Single sanidine crystal total fusion 40Ar/39Aranalyses of the Hengdaozi tuff gave a mean age of 125.0 +0.19 (1SD) ± 0.04 (SE) Ma, which is indistinguishable from the Sihetun tuff. The Tuchengzi Formation tuff gave a mean age of 139.4 ± 0.19 (1SD) ± 0.05 (SE) Ma. Detailed laser incremental-heating analyses of biotite from Sihetun, Hengdaozi, and Tuchengzi tuffs show disturbed Ar release patterns and evidence of trapped argon components. We conclude from these analyses that the total fusion dates on biotite by Lo et al. are erroneously old and isotopic dating of both biotite and sanidine from tuffs of the Yixian Formation point to a middle Early Cretaceous age. The upper part of the Tuchengzi Formation can be referred to the Early Cretaceous.``     

Potash-rich volcanic rocks and lamprophyres in western Shandong Province: 40Ar-39Ar dating and source tracing

Highly precise ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar dating results demonstrate that the ages of potash-rich volcanic rocks in western Shandong Province are 114.7–124.3 Ma, and that of the lamprophyres is 119.6 Ma. The potash-rich volcanic rocks have relatively high (⁸⁷Sr÷⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios (0.708715–0.711418) and distinctly negative ε_nd values (−11.47–−17.54), and are enriched in radiogenic lead (²⁰⁶Pb÷²⁰⁴Pb=17.341−17.622, ²⁰⁷Pb÷²⁰⁴Pb=15.525−15.538, ²⁰⁸Pb÷²⁰⁴Pb = 37.563−37.684). Similarly, the lamprophyres also have quite low ε_nd values (−11.57–−19.64). Based on the fact that the Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of potash-rich volcanic rocks are very consistent with that of the clinopyroxene separates, and by integrating comprehensive analyses of their tectonic settings, and extensive comparisons of the Sr, Nd isotopic compositions with that of the related simultaneous rocks, it is concluded that the potash-rich volcanic rocks and lamprophyres in western Shandong Province were most possibly derived from the partial melting of enriched mantle which was caused by source contamination and metasomatism of subducted continental crustal materials.     

^40Ar／^39Ar dating of Daqingshan thrust

The Daqingshan thrust system is an important part of the western segment of the Mesozoic Yinshan-Yanshan orogenic belt. Therefore, much attention has been paid to the thrusts due also to their large-scale and entirely devel-oped structural elements and typical structural styles. Studies and progress have been concentrated on the ge-ometry, kinematics, dating and dynamic mechanism of the thrust and thrusting. To date, there have been no reliable published isotopic data, however, on the dating…     

Subduction age of Neo-Tethys oceanic crust in southwest Yunnan, China: Laser micro-area40Ar-39Ar dating

The basic granulite, which is considered to be the MORE based on geochemistry and isotopic characteristics[1], has been discovered recently as the enclaves in the Yingjiang island-arc magmatic suite on the border of Burma and west Yunnan, east of Myitkyina suture in the eastern Burma. The laser micro-area 40Ar-39Ar technique is used to date the age of garnet and cliopyroxene that is the result of the early metamorphic event. The isochron outcome is -74.4 Ma which is induced to be the age of the suduction event of the Myitkyina oceanic crust on the basis of the Cenozoic lithosphere tectonic evolution, tectonic thermal events and the age of deformation and metamorphism. The discovery of the high-grade or high-pressure metamophic rocks in the island-arc magmatic suite by the way of studying its P-T-t paths can provide a good way to study the age and process of oceanic crust subduction, slab break-off, metamorphic terrain exhumation and the evolution of paleoocean basin.     

Laser probe40Ar/39Ar dating of mica on the deformed rocks from Altyn Fault and its tectonic implications, western China

The samples of Caledonian mylonitized granite and Jurassic meta-sedimentary rocks were collected in the north of Dangjinshan Pass, Qaidam gate fault-valley and Gesi fault-valley. Detailed studies under the microscope and electronic microscope suggest that all the samples contain the syntectonic-growing minerals such as white mica, chlorite, sericite, biotite, etc. By dating these minerals, we got a group of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laser probe isochronal ages of 89—92 Ma and apparent ages of (46.6±6.4) Ma. The ages ranging from 97 to 46 Ma were reported for the first time in the isotopic dating researches of the Altyn Fault. The isochronal age group of (98—89) Ma indicates that a ductile strike-slip event, with low-grade metamorphism, began in late Cretaceous. This suggests that the strike-slip movement of the Altyn Fault should be related to the formation of the so-called west tectonic syntaxis in the Nepal-western Kunlun area.     

Laser microarea analysis of40Ar-39Ar isochron age for Fanshan superlarge alunite deposit, Zhejiang Province, China

Laser micro area analysis 40 Ar 39 Ar isochron dating for pure alunite is first reported. Micro area 40 Ar 39 Ar isochron dating results revealed that the metallogenetic epoch of Fanshan superlarge alunite deposit is 74.50 Ma, and this age is 10-20 Ma later than that of regional volcanic activity. Moreover, the potential application of micro area analysis 40 Ar 39 Ar isochron dating method in metallogenetic epoch studies for nonmetal deposits is also discussed.     

^40Ar-^39Ar geochronology of Cenozoic Linzizong volcanic rocks from Linzhou Basin, Tibet, China, and their geological implications

Whole-rock and mineral separate Ar-Ar dating was carried out for the Linzizong volcanic rocks at Linzhou Basin in Tibet to constrain the time span of volcanism and the corresponding stratigraphic sequence. Sampling was based on detailed geologic mapping and stratigraphic sequence of Dianzhong, Nianbo, Pana Formations, systematically from the bottom to near the top. The results indicate that the Linzizong volcanic rocks erupted from Paleocene to middle of Eocene (64.43--43.93 Ma). Among them, the Pana Formation formed from ca. 48.73 to 43.9 Ma, the Nianbo Formation around 54 Ma and the Dianzhong Formation from 64.4 to 60.6 Ma. In combination with evidence from the geochemical characteristics of the volcanic rocks, and from stratigraphy in southern Tibet, it is postulated that the age of the lowest member in the Dianzhong Formation of the Linzizong volcanic rock, which overlies unconformably the Late Cretaceous Shexing Formation, likely corresponds to the inception of the collision between Indian and Asian continents in southern Tibet.