Late Jurassic-Neocomian volcanism of the northern Okhotsk region: Geology, tectonic settings, and mineralization

Abstract

The paper deals with new data on the geology, geochronometry, and petrogeochemistry of the Upper Jurassic-Neocomian basaltic andesites constituting the base of the Cretaceous volcanogenic section in the northern Okhotsk region. The geochronometric data confirm the Late Jurassic-Neocomian age of these rocks (147–138 Ma, K-Ar method). Their characteristic features provide grounds for considering these rocks as fragments of the Uda volcanic belt. The comparison of the petrogeochemical characteristics with similar parameters of other different-age tectonic structures of the region under consideration that were formed in different geodynamic environments (intracontiental and continental marginal volcanogenic belts, island arcs) revealed similarity between the conditions of the formation of the Late Jurassic-Neocomian (Uda belt) and Albian-Cenomanian (Okhotsk-Chukotka belt) volcanics: both characterize continental marginal environments. It is assumed that the Late Jurassic-Neocomian volcanism associates with Au-Ag mineralization, which is also expected in other similar although poorly known volcanic structures.