Abstract:Widely distributed in Gyangze-Chigu area, southern Tibet, NW- and nearly E-W-trending diabase(gabbro)-gabbro diorite dykes are regarded as the product of the large-scale spreading of the late Neo-Tethys Ocean. In order to constrain the emplacement age of these dykes, zircons of two samples from diabases in Nagarze were dated by using the U-Pb SHRIMP method. Two nearly the same weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages were obtained in this paper, which are 134.9±1.8 Ma (MSWD= 0.65) and 135.5±2.1 Ma (MSWD=1.40), respectively. They not only represent the crystallization age of the diabase, but also documented an important spreading event of the Neo-Tethys Ocean during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous. This dating result is of great significance to reconstruct the temporal framework of the late Neo-Tethys Ocean in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Abstract:1. Papers should be devoted mainly to various aspects of research concerning geosciences and related disciplines in China, such as stratigraphy, paleontology, origin and history of the Earth, structural geology, tectonics, mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology of mineral deposits, hydrogeology, engineering geology, environmental geology, regional geology and new theories and technologies of geological exploration. Those of scientific interest to the geological community in China or of international interest are also welcome.

Abstract:A new ceratopsian taxon Xuanhuaceratops niei gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on four fragmentary specimens collected from the Late Jurassic Houcheng Formation, Hebei Province, China. Xuanhuaceratops shares a number of derived features with, and is closely related to, another probable Late Juarassic ceratopsian Chaoyangsaurus youngi, from which it differs in only possessing a single premaxlllary tooth as well as in details of quadrate and scapular morphology. We hypothesize that these two taxa represent a primitive lineage of Ceratopsia that is basal to the psittacosauridneoceratopsian diversity, and propose the name Chaoyangsauridae for it.

Abstract:A new genus with one new species and five new species of genus Amblomma of fossil ommatids are described and illustrated: Euryomma tylodes gen. et sp. nov., Amblomma cyclodonta sp. nov., Amblomma miniscula sp. nov., Amblomma porrecta sp. nov., Amblomma eumeura sp. nov., and Amblomma protensa sp. nov. All of them were collected from the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China. A key to the species of Amblomma is given. The wide epipleural space shows that Euryomma may be a primitive genus in Ommatidae. Many different species of Amblomma occurred within the same sedimentary horizon in this area could be environmental changes caused by frequent volcanic activities during the deposition of the Yixian Formation.

Abstract:Based on a partial postcranial skeleton collected from the Lower Cretaceous Napai Formation of Guangxi, China, we erect a new sauropod taxon, Fusuisaurus zhaoi gen. et sp. nov. The holotype specimen consists of the left ilium, left pubis, anterior caudals, most of the dorsal ribs and distal end of the left femur. Fusuisaurus zhaoi is diagnosed by a unique combination of character states among the known sauropods. It displays several synapomorphies of Titanosauriformes but lacks many derived features seen in other titanosauriforms, suggesting that the new taxon represents the basalmost known titanosauriform and providing new evidence that Titanosauriformes originated from Asia. A size comparison suggests that Fusuisaurus zhaoi is among the largest Early Cretaceous sauropods, providing an important addition to the Early Cretaceous Chinese sauropod diversity.

Abstract:The Naij Tal Group-complex is a suite of tectonic-sedimentary melange aggregation of the Eastern Kunlun orogenic belt, which is composed of two parts, i.e. the exotic blocks of various ages and the matrix strata. On the basis of coral, brachiopod and gastropod fossils found in the exotic blocks, the age of this group-complex was once defined to the Late Ordovician or the Paleozoic. This paper reports for the first time 44 genera and 31 species of Mid-Late Oligocene sporopollen in samples from the matrix strata in this group-complex and the Paleogene Quercoidites-Persicarioipollis assemblage is named. The paper aims to provide some detailed evidence for determining the age of the matrix strata in this group-complex based upon a study at the Caiyuanzigou section, which would be of great geological significance for further understanding this group-complex as a suite of tectonic-sedimentary melange aggregation. The new finding will certainly benefit from now on the investigation of formation and evolution mechanism for the Eastern Kunlun orogenic belt.

Abstract:Dinomischus is a rare solitary epifaunal suspension feeder. The over-all morphology of Dinomischus consists of a conical calyx surrounded with elongate bracts and an elongate stem. Visceral mass and stomach sac are evident in the body cavity. Dinomischus is interpreted as a primative ancestor of living entoprocts based on similarities in morphology and mode of life. Previously, Dinomischus is only known in two localities: the mid-Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale Biota and the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Biota. A single specimen of Dinomischus cf. D. isolatus Cowry Morris, 1977 from the Kaili Biota, Guizhou, China is reported here. The discovery of Dinomischus in the Kaili Biota extends its geographical range and indicated that the rare Dinomischus could tolerate deeper water settings during the Middle Cambrian.

Abstract:The Liaonan metamorphic core complex (mcc) has a three-layer structure and is constituted by five parts, i.e. a detachment fault zone, an allochthonous upper plate and an supradetachment basin above the fault zone, and highly metamorphosed rocks and intrusive rocks in the lower plate. The allochthonous upper plate is mainly of Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic rocks weakly deformed and metamorphosed in pre-Indosinan stage. Above these rocks is a small-scale supradetachment basin of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks. The lower plate is dominated by Archean TTG gneisses with minor amount of supracrustal rocks. The Archean rocks are intruded by late Mesozoic synkinematic monzogranitic and granitic plutons. Different types of fault rocks, providing clues to the evolution of the detachment fault zone, are well-preserved in the fault zone, e.g. mylonitic gneiss, mylonites, brecciated mylonites, microbreccias and pseudotachylites. Lineations in lower plate granitic intrusions have consistent orientation that indicate uniform top-to-NW shearing along the main detachment fault zone. This also provides evidence for the synkinematic characteristics of the granitic plutons in the lower plate. Structural analysis of the different parts in the mcc and isotopic dating of plutonic rocks from the lower plate and mylonitic rocks from detachment fault zone suggest that exhumation of the mcc started with regional crustal extension due to crustal block rotation and tangential shearing. The extension triggered magma formation, upwelling and emplacement. This event ended with appearance of pseudotachylite and fault gauges formed at the uppermost crustal level. U-Pb dating of single zircon grains from granitic rocks in the lower plate gives an age of 130±5 Ma, and biotite grains from the mam detachment fault zone have 40Ar-39Ar ages of 108-119 Ma. Several aspects may provide constraints for the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc. These include regional extensional setting, cover/basement contact, temporal and spatial coupling of extension and magmatism, basin development and evolution of fault tectonites along detachment fault zone. We propose that the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc resulted from regional extension and thinning of crust or lithosphere in eastern North China, and accompanied with synkinematic intrusion of granitic plutons, formation of detachment fault zone, uplifting and exhumation of lower-plate rocks, and appearance of supradetachment basin.

Abstract:A suite of continental flood basalts sampled over a vast exposure and stratigraphic thickness in the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP), SW China was investigated for laser microprobe 40Ar/39Ar dating. There are two 40Ar/39Ar age groups for these basalts, corresponding to 259-246 Ma and 177-137 Ma, respectively. A well-defined isochron gives an eruption age of huge quantities of mafic magmas at 258.9±3.4 Ma, which is identical to previous dating and paleontological data. Much younger 40Ar/39Ar ages for some basalts with low-greenschist metamorphic facies probably recorded a late thermo-tectonic event caused by collision between the Yangtze and Qiangtang continental blocks during the Mesozoic, which resulted in the reset of argon isotope system. The 40Ar/39Ar age data, we present here, combined with previous dating and paleontological data, suggest relatively short duration (about 3 Ma) of mafic volcanism, which have important implication on mantle plume genesis of the Emeishan continental flood basalts in the LIP.

Abstract:The Huogeqi orefield located on the northern side of Mt. Langshan, Inner Mongolia occurs in the Middle Proterozoic Langshan Group metamorphic rocks, and the orebodies are stratiform. In the past twenty years, many Chinese geologists have conducted researches on the Huogeqi Cu-Pb-Zn deposit, but there has been still a controversy on its origin. Some advocate that the deposit is of sedimentary-metamorphic reworking origin, some hold that it is of sea-floor SEDEX origin, and others have a preference for magmatic superimposition origin. The crux of the controversy is that there is no common understanding about the source of ore-forming materials. In this paper, the Pb isotopic compositions of regional Achaean-Early Proterozoic basement rocks, various types of sedimentary-metamorphic rocks and volcanic rocks in the mining district, Late Proterozoic and Hercynian magmatic rocks are introduced and compared with the ore-lead composition, so as to constrain the source of the ore lead. The result indicates that (1) sulfides in the ores have homogeneous Pb isotopic compositions, showing a narrow variation range. Their 206Pb/204Pb ratios are within a range of 17.027-17.317; 207Pb/204Pb ratios, 15.451-15.786 and 208Pb/204Pb ratios, 36.747-37.669; (2) the Pb isotopic compositions of the regional Achaean-Early Proterozoic basement rocks are characteristic of the old Pb isotopic composition at the early-stage evolution of the Earth, which varies over a wider range, reflecting significant differences in Pb isotopic compositions of the ores. All this indicates that the source of ore lead has no bearing on the basement rocks; (3) the sedimentary-metamorphic rocks in the mining district are characterized by highly variable and more radiogenic Pb isotopic compositions and their Pb isotopic ratios are obviously higher than those of ores, demonstrating that ore lead did not result from metamorphic reworking of these rocks; (4) Pb isotopic compositions of Late Proterozoic diorite-gabbro and Hercynian granite are higher than those of ores. Meanwhile, the Pb isotopic compositions of sulfides in the small-sized strata-penetrating mineralized veinlets formed at later stages are completely consistent with that of sulfides in stratiform-banded ores, suggesting that these veinlets are the product of autochthonous reworking of the stratiform-banded ores during the period of metamorphism and the late magmatic superimposition-mineralization can be excluded; (5) amphibolite, whose protolith is basic volcanic rocks, has the same Pb isotopic compositions as ores, implying that ore lead was derived probably from basic volcanism. So, the source of ore-forming materials for the Huogeqi deposit is like that of the volcanic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. However, the orebodies do not occur directly within the volcanic rocks, and instead they overlie the volcanic rocks, showing some differences from those typical VMS-type deposits.

Abstract:The Maoniuping REE deposit, located about 22 km to the southwest of Mianning, Sichuan Province, is the second largest light REE deposit in China, subsequent to the Bayan Obo Fe-Nb-REE deposit in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Tectonically, it is located in the transitional zone between the Panxi rift and the Longmenshan-Jinpingshan orogenic zone. It is a carbonatite vein-type deposit hosted in alkaline complex rocks. The bastnaesite-barite, bastnaesite-calcite, and bastnaesite-microcline lodes are the main three types of REE ore lodes. Among these, the first lode is distributed most extensively and its REE mineralization is the strongest. Theδ34Sv-CDT values of the barites in the ore of the deposit vary in a narrow range of +5.0 to +5.1‰in the bastnaesite-calcite lode and +3.3 to +5.9‰in the bastnaesite-barite lode, showing the isotopic characteristics of magma-derived sulfur. Theδ13Cv-PDB values and theδ518OV-SMOW values in the bastnaesite-calcite lode range from -3.9 to -6.9‰and from +7.3 to +9.7‰, respectively, which fall into the range of "primary carbonatites", showing that carbon and oxygen in the ores of the Maoniuping deposit were derived mainly from a deep source. Theδ13Cv-PDB values of fluid inclusions vary from -3.0 to -5.6‰, with -3.0 to -4.0‰in the bastnaesite-calcite lode and -3.0 to -5.6‰in the bastnaesite-barite lode, which show characteristics of mantle-derived carbon. TheδDv-SMOW values of fluid inclusions range from -57 to -88‰, with -63 to -86‰in the bastnaesite-calcite lode and -57 to -88‰in the bastnaesite-barite lode, which show characteristics of mantle-derived hydrogen. Theδ18OH2OV-SMOW values vary from +7.4 to +8.6‰in the bastnaesite calcite lode, and +6.7 to +7.8‰in the bastnaesite-barite lode, almost overlapping the range of +5.5 to +9.5‰for magmatic water. The 4He content, R/Ra ratios are (13.95 to 119.58×10-6 (cm3/g)STP and 0.02 to 0.11, respectively, and 40Ar/36Ar is 313±1 to 437±2. Considering the 4He increase caused by high contents of radioactive elements, a mantle-derived fluid probably exists in the inclusions in the fluorite, calcite and bastnaesite samples. The Maoniuping deposit and its associated carbonatite-alkaline complex were formed in 40.3 to 12.2 Ma according to K-Ar and U-Pb data. All these data suggest that large quantities of mantle fluids were involved in the metallogenic process of the Maoniuping REE deposit through a fault system.

Abstract:In order to elucidate the origin and migration of basinal brines in the Bachu Bulge, Tarim Basin, we have carried out analyses on chemical composition, and boron, hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of formation waters together with the XRD of clay minerals from the Paleozoic strata. The waters show Ca, B, Li and Sr enrichment and SO4 depletion in the Carboniferous and Ordovician and K enrichment in part of the Ordovician relative to seawater. The relationship between δD and δ^18O shows that all the data of the waters decline towards the Global Meteoric Water Line with the intersection of them close to the present-day local meteoric water, suggesting that modern meteoric water has mixed with evaporated seawater. The ^87Sr/^86Sr ratios range from 0.7090 to 0.7011, significantly higher than those of the contemporary seawater. The δ^11B values range from ＋19.7 to ＋32.3‰, showing a decrease with the depth and B concentrations. The results suggest that isotopically distinct B and Sr were derived from external sources. However, since the percentages of illite are shown to increase with depth among clay minerals in the study area, i.e., illite is due to precipitation rather than leaching during deeper burial, it is unlikely for illite to have contributed a significant amount of B to the waters. Thus, B with low δ^11B values is interpreted to have been added mainly from thermal degradation of kerogen or the basalts in the Cambrian and Lower Ordovician.

Abstract:On the basis of observation of thin sections and 137Cs data, laminations in sediment are interpreted to be varves in Bolterskardet Lake (78°06' N, 16°01' E), Svalbard, the Arctic. Varves appear under a petrologic microscope as couplets of dark-silt and light-clay layers. The mechanism of varve formation is surmized as follows: each silt layer is the production of sediment inflow interpreted as mainly derived from snowmelt during summer; each clay layer was deposited in a stillwater environment during an ice-cover period. A light -clay layer provides an important index bed to identify the annual interface. The high accumulation rates, long period of ice cover, and topographically closed basin are probably all critical factors in forming and preserving varves. Varve thickness is known to be controlled mainly by summer temperature. The variation of varve thickness in Lake Bolterskardet can then be used to reconstruct summer temperature. The varve series show that there has been distinct decade-scale variability of summer temperature over the past 150 years. Warm periods occurred in the 1860s, around 1900, the 1930s, 1950s, and 1970s, and in the last 20 years. The varved sediments of Lake Bolterskarde preserve an ideal record for high-resolution paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental research in this data-sparse area.

Abstract:Gas hydrate, mainly composed of hydrocarbon gas and water, is considered to be a clean energy in the 21st century. Many indicators such as BSRs （Bottom-Simulating Reflections）, which are thought to be related to gas hydrate, are found in the South China Sea （SCS） in recent years. The northeastern part of the SCS is taken as one of the most potentials in the area by many scientists. It is situated in the conjunction of the northern divergent continental margin and the eastern convergent island margin, whose geological settings are much preferable for gas hydrate to occur. Through this study, brightness temperature anomalies recorded by satellite-based thermal infrared remotely sensed images before or within the imminent earthquake, the high content of hydrocarbon gas acid-degassed from subsurface sediment and the high radioactive thermoluminescence value of subsurface sediment were found in the region. Sometimes brightness temperature anomalies alone exist in the surrounding of the Dongsha Islands. The highest content of hydrocarbon gas amounts to 393 μL methane per kilogram sediment and the highest radioactive thermoluminescence value is 31752 unit; their geometric averages are 60.5 μL/kg and 2688.9 unit respectively. What is more inspiring is that there are three sites where the methane contents are up to 243, 268 and 359μL/kg and their radioactive thermoluminescence values are 8430, 9537 and 20826 unit respectively. These three locations are just in the vicinity of one of the highest confident BSRs identified by predecessors. Meanwhile, the anomalies are generally coincident with other results such as headspace gas anomaly in the sediment and chloride anomaly in the interstitial water in the site 1146 of Leg 184. The above-mentioned anomalies are most possibly to indicate the occurrence of gas hydrate in the northeastern SCS.

Abstract:The early diagenetic characteristics of pyrite formation processes in a Miocene freshwater sequence of mixed sediments (coal fragments in clays, sandstones or shales) alternating with continuous brown coal layers was investigated. Based on abundant minerals, the following main sedimentary environments were distinguished: the illite-montmorillonitic (I-M), calcitic (Ct) and coal-forming environment (CL). For these hydrogeochemically differing environments the effects of limiting factors on the pyrite formation process (availability of sulphate and Fe, amount of organic matter and participation of organic sulphur) were assessed by correlation analysis. Significant differences in the effects of these limiting factors in the particular environments were observed. These differences were explained taking in account the different oxidative activity, Fe-complex and surface complex forming properties of humic substances in dependence of pH of environment and the abundance of sorptionally active clay minerals. In environments having a relatively low pH and containing clay minerals (I-M-and CL-environments) the oxidative activity of humic substances (Hs) on pyrite precursors was greatly prevented however pyrite formation depended on reactive Fe availability as the consequence of complex formation. On the contrary, in environments with a relatively high pH, as it was the calcitic, the oxidative activity of Hs was greatly enhanced, thus oxidizing the sulfur precursors of pyrite. The oxidation degree of organic matter was probably also a consequence of the differing activity of the humic electron-acceptors.

Abstract:In order to study the damage mechanism of mineral dusts on the pulmonary alveolar macrophage (AM), the changes in their death ratio, malandialdthyde (MDA) content and activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured, and the technique of cell culture in vitro was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of six mineral dusts (twelve crystal habits) from twelve mineral deposits. The results show that wollastonite and clinoptilolite have no AM cytotoxicity, while other fibrous and grainy mineral dusts damage pulmonary AM in various degrees. The cytotoxicity of fibrous mineral dusts was greater than that of the grainy ones, and the cytotoxicity of dusts was positively correlated with the active OH- content in dusts, but not necessarily so with its SiO2 content. The high pH values produced by dust was unfavorable for the survival of cells and the dusts with low bio-resistance were safe for cells. The content of variable valence elements in dusts might influence their cytotoxicity and the surface charge of dusts was not a stable factor for their toxicity. It is demonstrated that the shape of mineral dusts was one of the factors affecting cytotoxicity, and that the cytotoxicity of mineral dusts depends mainly on their properties.

Abstract:Goethite, especially biogenic goethite, has high specific surface area and great capacity for the adsorption of many contaminants including metal ions and organic chelates. Chromium is a redox actively toxic metal ion that exists as either CrIII or CrVI in nature, and as such it is essential to understand its behavior of adsorption on natural goethite mineralized by iron bacteria, as Gallionella and Leptothrix in water body. The adsorption of Cr3+ and CrVI on naturally biomineralized goethite is studied in this paper. The results show that both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isothermal models are able to accurately describe the adsorption of these two ions. Investigation of SEM/EDS, TEM/EDS indicates that the two ions do not adsorb homogeneously on goethite owing to the different microstructures of goethite, and that the microspherical goethite has a greater adsorption capacity for chromium ions than the helical one. XPS data show that redox reaction of chromium on the surface of biomineralized goethite takes place in the adsorption of both Cr3+ and CrVI. The CrVI adsorbed on bio-goethite is much easier to transform into CrIII than the oxidization of CrIII on the bio-goethite.

Abstract:The Maochang bauxite in Guizhou Province is one of the important aluminum ore deposits in southwestern China. Ferruginous spherules, measuring about a few microns across, were found in the transitional layer of the deposit. The EDS and XRD results show that the microspherules are composed mostly of iron (hydr)oxide minerals (goethite) with only weak presence of aluminum and silicon. Occasionally, some pyrite micrograins with dissolved surface are found associated with goethite within the spherules. It is thus suggested that microspherules are linked to pyrite oxidization. It is also thought that microbial activities contribute not only to pyrite oxidization, but also to ball-like assemblage of the iron (hydr)oxides. The mechanism of the formation of ferruginous microspherules is also believed to be important in studying geomicrobiology of bauxite.

Abstract:Discovery of the Bivalvia-Qiyangia Assemblage in the Northern Qiangtang Area and Its Stratigraphic Significances LI Qian, LU Gang, ZHANG Nen, XU Hua, TANG Zhaoxia and WEI Xiaoyan (Guangxi Institute of Regional Geological Survey, Guilin, Guangxi 541003; No. 271 Team of Geological Survey, Guangxi Bureau of Geological Exploration, Guilin, Guangxi 541100) A set of Early Jurassic freshwater Bivalvia assemblage, Qiyangia assemblage, was discovered recently from the "Qoima Co Formation" in the Duxue Mountain area in the Qiangtang Basin, northern Tibet. The "Qoima Co Formation" overlies

Abstract:Sub-regional Descriptions of Global GPS Vector Field and Its Geodynamic Significance MA Zongjin, ZHANG Jin, REN Jinwei and LI Zhi (Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100029; Institute of Earthquake Science, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100036; Academy of Equipment Command & Technology, Beijing 101416) Based on the global vector field of plate movement shown by GPS stations chosen averagely, some characteristics of present plate tectonics can be distinguished as follows: (1) from the northern