REE composition in scheelite and scheelite Sm-Nd dating for the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit in Sichuan

The scheelite with large size and euhedral shape from Xuebaoding, Sichuan Province is an ideal min- eral to study REE patterns and Sm-Nd dating of non-gold deposits. The scheelite has diameters of 1― 10 cm and colors of pale beige to deep orange. Most of these scheelites occur in association with beryl, cassiterite and muscovite. The rare earth elements indicate that scheelite samples from Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposits contain high concentrations of rare earth elements with total ΣREE Y contents in the range of 369―1725 μg·g?1 and nearly all of these scheelite samples are enriched in LREE and depleted in HREE and have negative Eu anomalies. The REE patterns of the scheelites are similar to those of A-type granite with obvious tetrad effect, similar to that of type II scheelites. Based on reported fluid inclusion studies, the mineralizing-fluid of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit indicates low Na activity. The REE patterns of the scheelite are probably controlled by partition coefficient in hydrothermal fluid. In the 147Sm/144Nd-143Nd/144Nd diagram, the scheelites show a linear array corresponding to an isochron age of 182.0±9.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.52). The Sm-Nd age represents the formation age of the scheelite and can indicate that the W, Sn and Be mineralization at Xuebaoding took place in the Early Yanshanian. The Sm-Nd dating result is important for the study of the multi-metal resources in western Sichuan Province.     

Palaeoproterozoic Khondalite Belt in the western North China Craton： New evidence from SHRIMP datin8 and Hf isotope composition of zircons from metamorphic rocks in the Bayan Ui-Helan Mountains area

Zircom U-Pb age and Hf isotope analyses were made on gneissic granite and garnet-mica two-feldspar gneiss from the Helanshan Group in the Bayan Ul-Helan Mountains area, the western block of the North China Craton (NCC). Zircons from the gneissic granite commonly show core-mantle-rim structures, with magmatic core, metamorphic mantle and rim having ages of 2323±20 Ma, 1923±28 Ma and 1856±12 Ma, respectively. The core, mantle and rim show similar Hf isotope compositions, with single-stage depleted mantle model ages (TDM1) of 2455 to 2655 Ma (19 analyses). Most of the detrital zircons from the garnet-mica two-feldspar paragneiss have a concentrated U-Pb age distribution, with a weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb age of 1978±17 Ma. A few detrital zircons are older (2871 to 2469 Ma). The age for metamorphic overgrown rim was not determined because of strong Pb loss due to their high U content. The zircons show large variation in Hf isotope composition, with TDM1 ages of 1999 to 3047 Ma. In com- bination with previous studies, the main conclusions are as follows: (1) protolith of the khondalite se- ries in the Helanshan Group formed during Palaeoproterozoic rather than the Archaean as previously considered; (2) The results lend support to the contention that there is a huge Palaeoproterozoic Khondalite (metasedimentary) Belt between the Yinshan Mountains Block and the Ordos Block in the Western Block of NCC; (3) The widely-distributed bodies of early Palaeoproterozoic orthogneisses in the Khondalite Belt might be one of the important sources for detritus material in the khondalite series; (4) Collision between the Yinshan Block, the Ordos Block and the Eastern Block occurred in the same tectonothermal event of late Palaeoproterozoic, resulting in the final assembly of the NCC.     

Discovery of a 1.0 Ma Yellow River terrace and redating of the fourth Yellow River terrace in Lanzhou area

Based on the aeolian loess sequence-stratigraphic division and paleomagnetic datings on terraces, we found that an undiscovered terrace with the age of 1.0 Ma BP lies between the Dunwashan terrace and Wuyishan terrace. This terrace recorded an intensive Yellow River incision event during that period. Results of paleomagnetic dating and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the Wuyishan loess section and Zaoshugou loess section on the fourth Yellow River terrace (T4) show that the age of the fourth Yellow River terrace in Lanzhou area is 0.86 Ma BP rather than the previously believed 0. 6 Ma BP. This result answers a long-term question in the ge-omorphology community of whether there exists a 0. 8 Ma terrace in Lanzhou area. The discovery of the 1. 0 Ma Yellow River terrace and redating of the age of 0.6 Ma terrace in Lanzhou area provide new insights into further research on the evolution of Yellow River.     

Initial movement of the Karakorum Fault in western Tibet： constraints from SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons

The Karakorum Fault zone(KFZ)plays an important role in understanding the formation,evolvement and deformation of the Tibetan Plateau.The high-T dextral shearing metamorphic rocks,e.g.,mylonites or mylonitized gneisses-granites,locally crop out along the southeastern part of the KFZ in the Ayila Ri’gyüRange area.The SHRIMP U-Pb dating of the syn-kinematic crystallized zircons indicates that the initial age of the KFZ is~27 Ma,~10 Ma older than previous results.The extensive high-T dextral shearing along the KFZ started at least at 27-20 Ma,accompanied by the syn-kinematic emplacement of leuco-granites.Deformation and concomitant fluid circulation during shearing most likely occurred as early as at 25-13 Ma.The KFZ probably grew from southeast to northwest along the fault as a result of continuous convergence between the India plate and Eurasia plate.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of the Gangou granitoids, Central Tianshan Mountains, Northwest China and tectonic significances

Two types of granitoids, highly deformed eugen grenitoids end undeformed fine-grained grenitoids, ere widely distributed in Gangou area, Central Tianshen Mountains, Northwest China. The augen grenitoids are high-K calc-alkaline characterized by high K20, Rb, Y and Th, and low Sr and Sr/Y. They also have high contents of large ion lithophile elements （LILE）, such as Be, Rb, K and Th, and relatively low contents of high field strength elements （HFSE）, such as Zr, Y and Nb. The fine-grained granitoids are calc-alkaline cherecterlzed by high Sr, low Y and HREE, similar to adakitic rocks, and with Na20/K20〈2 （1.76-1.91）, high/sr （0.70689--0.70981）, and negative εNd（t） （-2.4-5.3）. High-precision SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating results indicate that the Gangou augen greniUods were formed at 428 ± 10 Me, and the fine-grained granitoids were emplaced at 361 -368 Me. These geochemical and U-Pb zircon data have significant implications for the timing of closure of the Mishigou-Gangou Ocean and the evolution of the Central Tianshan orogenic belt.     

Ages and tectonic significance of the collision-related granite porphyries in the Lhunzhub Basin, Tibet, China

The Paleocene collision-related granite porphyries are identified for the first time along the western margin of the Lhunzhub Basin, Tibet. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon analysis indicates that the granite porphyries were emplaced at 58.7±1.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.79) during the Indo-Asian continental collision. The granite porphyries are peraluminous and high in K, belonging to the calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline series. They are relatively enriched in LILE, Th and LREE and depletion in Ba, Nb, P and Ti, characterized by LREE-enriched patterns with slightly to moderately negative Eu anomalies. These Paleocene granite porphyries are interpreted as the products generated by partial melting of the pre-existing arc crustal rocks caused by the increase of pressures and temperatures during the crustal shortening at the early stages of the Indo-Asian continental collision since 65 Ma. Despite inherited geochemical features and tectonic settings of the arc protoliths, they are significantly different from the volcanic rocks of the Dianzhong Formation within the Linzizong Group and the Miocene granite por- phyries in the Gangdise belt.     

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.     

闽江河口第四纪地层划分和地质年代研究

本文系统地研究了闽江河口琅岐岛钻孔揭示的第四纪地层。根据孢粉、微古、硅藻和~(14)C测年等资料分析了沉积物形成时的气候波动、沉积相和沉积物年代,将闽江河口第四纪地层划分为上更新统上段(厚>15米)和全新统(厚49.80米)。全新统又可分为下全新统下段和上段、中全新统和上全新统。气候演化为:冷干→温暖略干→温暖湿润→炎热潮湿→温暖略干。沉积相演化为:冲积相、冲洪积相、湖沼相→冲积相、湖沼相→河口相、湖沼相→海湾相→河口相。     

闽江河口第四纪地层划分和地质年代研究

本文系统地研究了闽江河口琅岐岛钻孔揭示的第四纪地层。根据孢粉、微古、硅藻和~(14)C测年等资料分析了沉积物形成时的气候波动、沉积相和沉积物年代,将闽江河口第四纪地层划分为上更新统上段(厚>15米)和全新统(厚49.80米)。全新统又可分为下全新统下段和上段、中全新统和上全新统。气候演化为:冷干→温暖略干→温暖湿润→炎热潮湿→温暖略干。沉积相演化为:冲积相、冲洪积相、湖沼相→冲积相、湖沼相→河口相、湖沼相→海湾相→河口相。