Occurrence of an Alaskan-type complex in the Middle Tianshan Massif, Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Inferences from petrological and mineralogical studies
Date
2012
Authors
Su, Ben-Xun
Qin, Ke-Zhang
Sakyi, Patrick Asamoah
Malaviarachchi, Sanjeewa
Liu, Pingping
Tang, Dong-Mei
Xiao, Qing-Hua
Sun, He
Ma, Yuguang
Mao, Qian
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Volume Title
Publisher
V.H. Winston & Sons
Abstract
The Xiadong mafic-ultramafic complex lies in the central part of the Middle Tianshan Massif (MTM), along the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). This complex is composed of dunite, hornblende (Hbl) clinopyroxenite, hornblendite, and Hbl gabbro. These rocks are characterized by adcumulated textures and variable alteration. Orthopyroxene is an extremely rare mineral in all rock units and plagioclase is absent in dunite and Hbl clinopyroxenite. Hbl, Fe-chromite, and Cr-magnetite are common phases. Olivines have forsterite (Fo) contents ranging from 92.3 to 96.6. Clinopyroxenes are Ca-rich, Ti-poor diopsides, and mostly altered to tremolites or actinolites. Chromites display low TiO 2 and Al 2O 3 contents and high Cr# and Fe 2+/(Fe 2++Mg) values. Primary and secondary Hbls show wide compositional variations. These petrological and mineralogical features as well as mineral chemistry are comparable to typical Alaskan-type complexes worldwide, which are widely considered to have formed above subduction zones. The chemistry of clinopyroxene and chromite supports an arc plate-tectonic origin for the Xiadong complex. Its confirmation as an Alaskan-type complex implies that the MTM, with Precambrian basement, was probably a continental arc during oceanic plate underflow and further supports the hypothesis of southward subduction of the Palaeozoic Junggar Ocean.
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Keywords
Keywords: basement rock; chemical composition; chromite; clinopyroxene; continental arc; dunite; gabbro; hornblende; mafic rock; mineralogy; olivine; orogenic belt; orthopyroxene; petrology; Precambrian; subduction zone; ultramafic rock Alaskan-type mafic-ultramafic complex; Central Asian Orogenic Belt; continental arc; mafic-ultramafic complex; Middle Tianshan Massif
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Source
International Geology Review
Type
Journal article
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2037-12-31
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