Continental Margin Regime Research Articles

Fluid evolution of Au-Cu zones in Um Balad area, North Eastern Desert of Egypt: Implications from mineral chemistry and fluid inclusions

Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Electron microprobe (EMPA) and fluid inclusion studies of the ore body, as well as geochemical analyses of country rocks were performed to determine the nature and characteristics of the mineralizing fluid responsible for Au-Cu deposits in Um Balad area, Northern Eastern Desert of Egypt. The Um Balad Au-Cu deposits are confined to well developed-quartz veins and veinlets cutting through the hosting country rocks. Petrographic and geochemical investigations of the hosting rocks distinguished between two main rock units; 1) metagabbro-diorite rocks with tholeiitic nature derived in island arc/continental margin tectonic regime, and 2) granodiorite rocks formed from calc-alkaline magma in continental margin regime. Wallrock alterations are represented by propylitic and argillic types. The mineralized quartz veins are striking in NE-SW direction and dipping between (35°–45°) in SE direction, other mineralized mafic dykes enriched with auriferous quartz veinlets are trending NE-SW and dipping 70°/SE. The main ore minerals are represented by gold, chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, malachite, covellite and goethite. While, geffroyite, cuprite, chrysocolla, pseudomalachite, britholite, wolframite, scheelite, hematite and rutile are detected as minor constituents. Fluid inclusions microthermometry and isochore calculations combined with chlorite geothermometry revealed that the Um Balad deposits were formed at temperature ranging from 305 °C to 325 °C and pressure between (100–500 bar). The mineralization had been developed in the shallow levels, beneath the water table at depth of 350–1760 m, rather than common mesothermal vein-type deposits in Egypt. Magmatic water have been suggested as the main source for the mineralized fluid. The transportation of the gold metal seems to be happen as bisulfide complexes in moderately acidic environment. The deposition was resulted from combination of changes in physico-chemical parameters, temperature and pressure plus the instability of the reduced sulfur complexes. A contamination with metamorphic and/or meteoric water was also proposed that has strong influence during the depositional process.

Petrogenesis and geochronology of Mishao peraluminous I-type granites, Shalair valley area, NE Iraq

The Shalair area, which is located in northeastern Iraq, is considered to be part of the northern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (SaSZ) and contains several granitoid bodies. One of these bodies, the Mishao porphyritic-granite (MG), was crystallized at 111.6 ± 2.4 Ma, based on its zircon U-Pb age. Its geochemical characteristics suggest that the MG rocks are calc-alkaline, peraluminous, I-type granites with microgranular mafic enclaves. They are enriched in SiO2, Na2O, Al2O3 and Zr and depleted in MgO, Fe2O3, Nb and Ti; in contrast, the enclave sample records lower SiO2 content and higher contents of MgO and Fe2O3. These rocks show an enrichment of LREE relative to HREE, and pronounced negative Eu anomalies implying feldspar fractionation. The isotopic and geochemical characteristics of the MG samples suggest that these rocks are evolved through fractional crystallization. In the La/Nb-Nb diagram and Sm/Nd ratios, the MG rocks and the enclave samples exhibit strong evidence for crustal contamination. The MG rocks record high initial 87Sr/86Sr (0.70625–0.70740) and low 143Nd/144Nd(i) (0.51235–0.51274) ratios. These Sr-Nd isotopic data, combined with the presence of high Th/U and Rb/Sr ratios and significant depletions of Nb, Ta and Ti, show a relation of these bodies to an active continental margin regime. Based on the age and geochemical data of the MG, this study presents new information about the occurrence of Middle Cretaceous magmatic activities, which are related to the active continental margins in the SaSZ that run parallel to the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt.

Zircon U–Pb ages and Sr–Nd isotope ratios for the Sirstan granitoid body, NE Iraq: Evidence of magmatic activity in the Middle Cretaceous Period

The Sirstan granitoid (SG), comprising diorite and granodiorite, is located in the Shalair Valley area, in the northeastern part of Iraq within the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone (SSZ) of the Zagros Orogenic Belt. The U–Pb zircon dating of the SG rocks has revealed a concordia age of 110Ma, which is interpreted as the age of crystallization of this granitoid body during the Middle Cretaceous. The whole-rock Rb–Sr isochron data shows an age of 52.4±9.4Ma (MSWD=1.7), which implies the reactivation of the granitoid body in the Early Eocene due to the collision between the Arabian and Iranian plates. These rocks show metaluminous affinity with low values of Nb, Ta and Ti compared to chondrite, suggesting the generation of these rocks over the subduction zone in an active continental margin regime. The SG rocks are hornblende-bearing I-type granitoids with microgranular mafic enclaves. The positive values of ɛNd (t=110Ma) (+0.1 to +2.7) and the low (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios (0.7044 to 0.7057) indicate that the magma source of the SG granitoids is a depleted subcontinental mantle. The chemical and isotope compositions show that the SG body originated from the metasomatic mantle without a major role for continental contamination. Our findings show that the granitoid bodies distributed in the SSZ were derived from the continuous Neo-Tethys subduction beneath the SSZ in Mesozoic times and that the SSZ was an active margin in the Middle Cretaceous.

Depositional environment of cherts of the Sikhote-Alin region (Russia far east): Evidence from major, trace and rare earth elements geochemistry

The first data of geochemical study of the Benevka Section cherty rocks belonging to the Taukha terrane of the Sikhote-Alin Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous accretionary prism, Russia Far East are presented. These data demonstrate essential distinctions of major, trace and rare earth element concentrations in different parts of the measured stratigraphic section. The lower chert horizons exhibit high Fe2O3 and MnO contents, low concentrations of Al2O3 and TiO2, relatively high V/Y ratio, and extremely low value of negative Ce anomaly. In contrast the upper horizons composed of clayey cherts and siliceous mudstones are characterized by high Al2O3, TiO2 and K2O contents, low Fe2O3 and MnO values, low V/Y ratio, and slightly negative Ce anomaly. In the middle part of the Benevka Section, in which cherts gradually changed to clayey cherts, intermediate geochemical characteristics are present. Based on these data obtained the depositional environments correspond to proximal to the spreding ridge, open-ocean and near continental margin regimes were successfully reconstructed from bottom to top of the Benevka Section, that indicate that significant horizontal movement took place of the sea-floor, on which the cherts were deposited.

Tectonic Setting of the Pebble and Other Copper-Gold-Molybdenum Porphyry Deposits within the Evolving Middle Cretaceous Continental Margin of Northwestern North America

The Pebble Cu-Au-Mo deposit in southwestern Alaska, containing the largest gold resource of any known porphyry in the world, developed in a tectonic setting significantly different from that of the present-day. It is one of a series of metalliferous middle Cretaceous porphyritic granodiorite, quartz monzonite, and diorite bodies, evolved from lower crust and metasomatized lithospheric mantle melts, which formed along much of the length of the North American craton suture with the Peninsular-Alexander-Wrangellia arc. The porphyry deposits were emplaced within the northernmost two of a series of ca. 130 to 80 Ma flysch basins that define the suture, as well as into arc rocks immediately seaward of the two basins. Deposits include the ca. 100 to 90 Ma Pebble, Neacola, and other porphyry prospects along the Kahiltna basin-Peninsula terrane boundary, and the ca. 115 to 105 Ma Baultoff, Carl Creek, Horsfeld, Orange Hill, Bond Creek, and Chisna porphyries along the Nutzotin basin-Wrangellia terrane boundary. The porphyry deposits probably formed along the craton margin more than 1,000 km to the south of their present latitude. Palinspastic reconstructions of plate kinematics from this period are particularly difficult because magmatism overlaps the 119 to 83 Ma Cretaceous Normal Superchron, a period when sea-floor magnetic data are lacking. Our favored scenario is that ore formation broadly overlaps the cessation of sedimentation and contraction and the transition to a transpressional continental margin regime, such that the remnant ocean basins were converted to strike-slip basins. The basins and outboard Peninsular-Alexander-Wrangellia composite superterrane, which are all located seaward of the deep crustal Denali-Farewell fault system, were subjected to northerly dextral transpression for as long as perhaps 50 m.y., beginning at ca. 95 ± 10 Ma. The onset of this transpression was marked by development of the mineralized bodies along fault segments on the seaward side of the basins. Geochemical and radiogenic isotopic data for igneous rocks associated with the Pebble porphyry deposit suggest continuous melt derivation from enriched lithosphere of a recently metasomatized mantle. These geochemical characteristics, coupled with the arc-continent-related collisional setting, suggest that lithospheric thickening and postcollisional lithospheric melting are the most likely cause of the ore-related magmatism. Subsequent to translation of the Alaskan margin terranes and early Tertiary oroclinal bending of Alaska, the northernmost Kahiltna basin and the Pebble deposit, as well as the other porphyry systems, reached their present-day locations along southern Alaska.

Zircon U–Pb geochronological and geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of the Taishan sanukitoids (Shandong): Implications for Neoarchean subduction in the Eastern Block, North China Craton

Elemental, Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic and geochronological data are presented for the Taishan high-mg dioritic rocks (western Shandong) from the Eastern Block of the North China Craton in order to better understand the Archean tectonic evolution and crustal growth of the Craton. The rocks gave the zircon U–Pb age of 2536–2540 Ma. They show low SiO 2 and Al 2O 3 contents, high MgO, mg-number, Cr, Ni, Y, Yb, Sr and Ba, enriched LILEs and LREEs, depleted HFSEs and HREEs with (Nb/La) N of 0.07–0.12. They exhibit ɛ Nd( t) values of 1.53–3.30, ( 206Pb/ 204Pb) i of 11.20–15.30, ( 207Pb/ 204Pb) i of 14.14–14.83 and ( 208Pb/ 204Pb) I of 31.10–33.93. Such geochemical features with an affinity to both a mantle- and crust-like source for the Taishan dioritic rocks are similar to those of the typical Archean sanukitoids, suggesting an origination from a sub-arc mantle wedge variably metasomatized by the slab-derived dehydration fluids and melts before ∼50–100 Ma of the emplacement of the Taishan sanukitoid plutons. It is proposed that the Taishan sanukitoids resulted from the sudden change of the downgoing slab from a flat subduction to subsequently steeper subduction in an active continental margin regime during Neoarchean time.

The Influence of Geodynamic Factors on the Postsedimentary Lithogenesis of Jurassic Terrigenous Complexes of the Caucasus (Southern Dagestan)

The influence of geodynamic factors on the postsedimentary lithogenesis of terrigenous sequences during the replacement of the passive continental-margin regime to the active regime is considered with the Toarcian–Aalenian complexes of southern Dagestan as an example. It has been established that clayey rocks were lithified under conditions of subsidence lithogenesis, whereas the orogenic catagenesis of sandy rocks was related to stress initiated by the initial (amagmatic) subduction phase. The Kubler index has been used to reveal the postsedimentary zonality that is consistent with the intensity of folding and cleavage. The metagenesis zone fits the cleavage zone. The Rb–Sr and K–Ar datings of clayey rocks from the metagenesis zone yielded 180–190 Ma that can be interpreted as the timing of the maximal manifestation of postsedimentary lithogenesis.

Geochemistry of the Late Paleozoic radiolarian cherts within the NE Jiangxi ophiolite melange and its tectonic significance

Major and trace elements are presented for the late Paleozoic radiolarian cherts, which were spatially associated with the NE Jiangxi ophiolite melange. These chert samples show relatively low SiO2 (78.40%-89.28%) and high Al2O3 (3.42%-11.02%). Low Si/Al ratios (6.3-23) and tight negative correlation between Si/Al and Al2O3 of the samples indicate that they are muddy cherts containing high and variable contents of pelitic detritus. Geochemically, they are characterized by Al2O3/(Al2O3+Fe2O3) = 0.51-0.90, shale-normalized Lan/Cen = 0.76-1.11, Ce/Ce* = 0.91-1.22, V 40, resembling those of cherts formed in the continental margin regimes. It is therefore concluded that these late Paleozoic radiolarian muddy cherts were most likely formed in a continental margin regime, and not genetically related to the ophiolite suite in NE Jiangxi. It is also unlikely that an oceanic basin existed between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks during the late Paleozoic.

Rare earth elements as indicators of different marine depositional environments in chert and shale

Research Article| March 01, 1990 Rare earth elements as indicators of different marine depositional environments in chert and shale Richard W. Murray; Richard W. Murray 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley,California 94720 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marilyn R. Buchholtz ten Brink; Marilyn R. Buchholtz ten Brink 2Earth Sciences Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David L. Jones; David L. Jones 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley,California 94720 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David C. Gerlach; David C. Gerlach 3Nuclear Chemistry Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G.Price Russ, III G.Price Russ, III 3Nuclear Chemistry Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Richard W. Murray 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley,California 94720 Marilyn R. Buchholtz ten Brink 2Earth Sciences Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 David L. Jones 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley,California 94720 David C. Gerlach 3Nuclear Chemistry Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 G.Price Russ, III 3Nuclear Chemistry Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1990) 18 (3): 268–271. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0268:REEAIO>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Richard W. Murray, Marilyn R. Buchholtz ten Brink, David L. Jones, David C. Gerlach, G.Price Russ; Rare earth elements as indicators of different marine depositional environments in chert and shale. Geology 1990;; 18 (3): 268–271. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0268:REEAIO>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Differences in rare earth element (REE) relative fractionations and total abundances in marine cherts and shales reflect the depositional location of the sediments. Based on cerium anomaly (Ce/Ce*) and total REE abundance (ΣREE) variations preserved in interbedded chert and shale sequences of the Franciscan assemblage, the Claremont Formation, and the Monterey Formation of coastal California, we can resolve three depositional regimes: spreading ridge proximal, ocean-basin floor, and continental margin. This resolution of depositional environment, previously unattainable in otherwise physically indistinct marine sedimentary rocks, provides a potentially powerful new tool for tectonic and stratigraphic reconstructions. Chert and shale deposited near the spreading ridge (within ∼400 km) under the influence of metalliferous activity are characterized by extremely low Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* ∼0.29), those from an ocean-basin floor setting by well-developed yet less extreme Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* ∼0.55), and those from continental margin regimes by no or slight anomalies (Ce/Ce* ∼0.90 to 1.30). ΣREE in chert and shale are extremely low in regimes greatly influenced by continental input, owing to the high sedimentation rate, which minimizes exposure time to seawater and, thus, the adsorption of REE. Preliminary results indicate that the effect of diagenesis does not mask the primary REE depositional signature. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Sea-bird affinities for ocean and ice boundaries in the Antarctic

We have observed more sea birds near the Ross Sea continental slope and near ice than over the adjacent continental shelf, deep ocean, and ice-free regions. Bird concentrations near the continental margin occurred above th subsurface Antarctic Slope Front, defined by increased horizontal gradients in water temperature, salinity, density, chemistry, color, and transparency. A convergence between easterly and westerly currents near the continental shelf break may accumulate plankton and other positively bouyant material from oceanic gyres to the north and south. In addition, some sea-bird prey are believed to have life cycles adapted to the continental margin regime of upwelling deep water and sinking shelf water. Order-of-magnitude changes in bird abundance over relatively small distances indicate the importance of hydrographic and cryographic features to sea-bird distributions in the Southern Ocean.

Evolutionary Patterns in the Paleozoic Bivalvia: Documentation and Some Theoretical Considerations: Reply

Research Article| April 01, 1974 Evolutionary Patterns in the Paleozoic Bivalvia: Documentation and Some Theoretical Considerations: Reply PETER W. BRETSKY PETER W. BRETSKY 1Department of Earth and Space Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11790 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information PETER W. BRETSKY 1Department of Earth and Space Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11790 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1974) 85 (4): 667–668. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1974)85<667:EPITPB>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation PETER W. BRETSKY; Evolutionary Patterns in the Paleozoic Bivalvia: Documentation and Some Theoretical Considerations: Reply. GSA Bulletin 1974;; 85 (4): 667–668. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1974)85<667:EPITPB>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract No Abstract Available. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.