Guo Xinzhuan (China)

Email: guoxzhuan @yahoo.com.cn,
guoxinzhuan @hotmail.com

Thesis title:  Metamorphic petrology and geochronology of amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphic rocks of the Mashan complex in the southern Jiamusi massif.

Supervisor:  Prof. Akira Takasu (2006-2008).

The Jiamusi massif lies in eastern Heilongjiang province, and is limited by the Jiamusi-Yitong fault to the west and by the Dunhua-Mishan fault to the east. The Jiamusi massif, located in the junction between the middle Asia and western Pacific tectonic regimes, is one of a number of massifs in northeastern China. The Jiamusi massif is thus a very important tectonic element which could shed light on the evolutionary history of the two tectonic regimes.

The Mashan block consists of two metamorphic assemblages: the amphibolite to granulite facies Mashan Complex, and the Heilongjiang Complex, a blueschist-facies terrain. We think that the Mashan complex forms the basement of the Jiamusi massif. However, the formation age of the Mashan complex is not certain. Bai (1987) and Widle et al. (2000) have done some isotope chronological work, but detailed research on aspects such as the P-T conditions of the metamorphism is lacking.

The aims of my study are to:

1. To describe the granite in the Heilongjiang Complex petrologically, and carry out geochemical studies of trace element and REE abundances in the Mashan complex;
2. To determine the protolith age of the Mashan complex by CHIME method;
3. To establish the P-T conditions of the metamorphism.