Ophiolites in the southern belt (SB) occur as much larger peridotite massifs compared with those of the northern belt (NB), sporadically overlain by a thin layer of isotropic gabbro in the western part of Yarlung Zangbo suture zone (YZSZ) in Tibet, which in turn is tectonically thrust over a volcanic-sedimentary sequence. Geochemical data and radiolarian fauna of cherts and detrital zircon ages of litho-quartz sandstones in the sequence provide robust constraints to elucidate the stratigraphic and paleo-depositional environments in which these rocks formed. Eight cherts from Purang, Dongbo, Daba Qu, East Daba, and Labuzha massifs in the SB reveal Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous radiolarians; they are coeval with minimum detrital zircon U-Pb ages of 132 and 149 Ma, respectively, from two litho-quartz sandstones in the northwestern part of Purang massif. Thirty chert samples from five massifs geochemically show that they have high SiO2 contents of 86.51–95.93 wt%, and high mean ratios of ranging from 0.59 to 0.78, indicating a nonhydrothermal, biogenic, and terrigenous origin. Ce/Ce* ratios of cherts range from 0.93 to 1.52, combined with claystone interlayered with radiolarian chert sporadically overlying litho-quartz sandstone and quartzose sandstone, suggesting a continental slope setting. Given the structural and stratigraphic evidences of ophiolites associated with sedimentary strata and no arc-related magmatism in the SB, we propose that SB ophiolites and ophiolitic mélanges represent southward-thrust nappes from the NB.
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November 01, 2020
Radiolarian Biochronology, Detrital Zircon Geochronological and Geochemical Constraints on Provenance and Depositional Environment of Cherts in the Southern Belt of the Western Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone, Tibet Available to Purchase
Fei Liu;
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China
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Dongyang Lian;
3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China4.
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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Guangying Feng;
Guangying Feng
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
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Zhaoli Li;
Zhaoli Li
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
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Xiaolu Niu;
Xiaolu Niu
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
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Jingsui Yang
Jingsui Yang
2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China4.
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Search for other works by this author on:
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China4.
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Guangying Feng
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
Zhaoli Li
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Xiaolu Niu
1.
Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics of Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
Jingsui Yang
2.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China3.
Shandong Academician Workstation of Diamond Mineralization Mechanism and Exploration, Shandong No. 7 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Linyi 276006, China4.
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
Received:
17 Oct 2019
Accepted:
18 Aug 2020
First Online:
03 Nov 2023
Online ISSN: 1537-5269
Print ISSN: 0022-1376
© 2021 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
The University of Chicago
The Journal of Geology (2020) 128 (6): 535–562.
Article history
Received:
17 Oct 2019
Accepted:
18 Aug 2020
First Online:
03 Nov 2023
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CitationFei Liu, Dongyang Lian, Guangying Feng, Zhaoli Li, Xiaolu Niu, Jingsui Yang; Radiolarian Biochronology, Detrital Zircon Geochronological and Geochemical Constraints on Provenance and Depositional Environment of Cherts in the Southern Belt of the Western Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone, Tibet. The Journal of Geology 2020;; 128 (6): 535–562. doi: https://doi.org/10.1086/712185
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- absolute age
- Asia
- assemblages
- biochronology
- biostratigraphy
- chemical composition
- chemically precipitated rocks
- chert
- Cretaceous
- depositional environment
- electron microscopy data
- Indus-Yarlung Zangbo suture zone
- Jurassic
- Lower Cretaceous
- major elements
- Mesozoic
- microfossils
- micropaleontology
- nesosilicates
- orthosilicates
- oxides
- petrography
- provenance
- Radiolaria
- sedimentary rocks
- SEM data
- silicates
- trace elements
- U/Pb
- Upper Jurassic
- whole rock
- zircon
- zircon group
- detrital zircon
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