نشریه علوم زمین
پیاپی 120 (تابستان 1400)

Joints and cracks are an integral part of rock structures. When load applied to these structures, growth, and interaction of the cracks lead them to failure. This aspect is particularly crucial in cyclic loading because failure occurs at stress levels lower than the yield point due to the fatigue process. This research aims to study the growth and interaction of the cracks in the fatigue process by the fluorescence thin section method. At first, different stages of fatigue for granite rock were determined, then samples loaded up to each stage. Later, the physical, mechanical, and crack properties of the samples were investigated. The results show that physical and mechanical properties declined by increasing the number of cycles. During the first stage of fatigue, crack initiated at a high rate, and in the second stage, the increasing rate descended, and energy mostly consumed to increase the length of the cracks. In the last staged, which is the failure stage, the rate of crack initiation increases again and forms a complicated network of cracks, which leads the sample to failure. Among the constituent minerals, feldspar exhibits the highest crack density, and biotite shows the lowest density of the cracks.

Investigation of probable source rocks in oil fields is very important. In this study, in addition to evaluating the hydrocarbon potential, the kinetic models of Lopatin and Arrhenius were used to more precisely assess the source rock maturity status as well as the percentage of oil generation in the Solabdar oil field. This field is southeast of Bibi Hakima Square, located in the Dezful embayment. Possible source rocks are scorpions, scorpions, Gurpi and Pabdeh. The samples were also analyzed kinetically and the transformation ratio (TR) of kerogen to the generated hydrocarbon was determined. According to the burial history, the source rock of Kazhdomi formation has reached the highest temperature and depth compared to other source rocks. According to the results of Lopatin method, the transformation rate of organic matter in formations, Gurpi and Pabdeh was determined by 41%, 30% and 30%, respectively. This transformation rate by Arrhenius method was 47%, 15%, and 13%, respectively. This difference is due to the two-factor assumptions that the article discusses.

Karaftu Cave is located in the 67 km northwest of Divandareh, Kurdistan province. It includes four floors, which the bottom of the second floor, in the bat’s hall, is covered by thick guano deposits. In this study, the distribution of trace elements plus rare earth elements, as well as age determination, based on 14C, of guano was investigated. Fresh guano decays through bacterial and fungal metabolism and can release organic and inorganic acids. Interactions between these acidic solutions with guano were caused by leaching and changing the distribution and ratios of elements. The rate of leaching is determined by changes in the patterns of distribution of elements and the ratios of Th/U and LREEs/HREEs. The Eu/Eu* and Ce/Ce* ratios are applied to obtain information about the paleoredox conditions of guano deposition. Based on this study, three different climatic conditions, including dry, wet, and dry terms, have been recognized. Geochemical data of guano samples on the La/Th-Hf and Th-Sc diagrams represent intermediate-mafic source rocks. Plot the samples on the Th-Sc-Zr/10 and La/Th-Sc/Ni diagrams, suggesting that their source rocks evolved in a continental island arc tectonic setting. Based on 14C dating, the onset of guano production is about 14260 ± 50 BP after the Last Glacial Maximum recorded worldwide and close to the study area in Zaribar Lake, Zagros Mountains, and Alpine Mountains. The average accumulation rate of guano deposits has been 3.7 mm/year in Karaftu Cave.

The Mohr circle is a well-known method for two-dimensional strain analysis. Due to the formation of the boudins during two stages of the progressive deformation (D1 and D4) in cherty marbles, from north Golpaygan metamorphic complex, they have been analyzed for strain in two-dimension. This analysis is based on estimating of the initial length of the boudins before deformation, and measuring the current length of the boudins, after deformation. Calculation of the longitudinal parameters of the strain and drawing Mohr circles show that the strain ratio varies between 1.06 to 2.35 for D1 stage, and between 1.10 to 2.84 for D4 stage. The mean shear angle for the D1 stage is 22 ° and for the D4 stage is 24 °.

Halokinetic Sequences are used for analyzing and connecting endogenous and exogenous influencing factors on the sedimentary sequences around the diapir. The most important effect of the diapir movement is the creation of different sedimentary spaces in the result of uplift and subsidence. So, the Handun Salt Plug has been selected as a classic example. In the Handun salt plug outcrop Upper Cretaceous to recent sediments. The most important effect of the salt plug movement is during the Eocene of the Jahrum. The initial phase of salt extrusion was observed in the Gurpi Formation. Continuation of salt extrusion carrying on hook forms in the deep- water shale of the Pabdeh Formation in the Paleocene-middle Eocene. In the middle Eocene, when the Jahrum carbonate sedimentation exceeds the salt rise, wedges onlap the salt plug. In addition, thrusting led to the emergence of the salt tongues and forming hook in the Formation. The final phase of salt extrusion has been seen in the hooks in the siliciclastic of the Razak Formation. Finally, ongoing shortening is recorded by Guri member growth strata of the Handun salt plug. Our results provide new insights into using Halokinetic Sequences in tectono-sedimentary analysis of the Zagros diapirs.

The placer ore deposit of Ataeieh is located in south west of Mashhad and central Iranian microplate. The petrography and mineralography studies of VTM placer ore deposit, showed that the main ores in this area from high to low amounts are: magnetite, titanomagnetite, hematite and ilmenite. It revealed that the ultramafic and gabbros are the main source for opak minerals by mineralography Studies. The SEM-EDS, EPMA and XRM studies on the placer ore deposit and their origion presentaded remarkable results. The SEM investigation showed that, in the magma crystallization the solid soulution is formed between titanomagnetite and ilmenite at 800°C and then with the decreasing of temperature up to 600°C the ilmenite and magnetite exsolution lamella segreqates and separated from titanomagnetite phase either the ophiolite sequence is the source of this deposit. Titaniumand Vanadium enter to the ilmenite and titanomagnetite in gabbroic rocks whit continuing of magma crystallization. The EPMA analysis on gabbroic units showed that these rocks are origion for Ti and V in placers.

Paleoecology of the Qom Formation ostracods in the Bojan and Varkan sections have been studied. The age of the sections has determined base on foraminifera and is Rupelian-chattian for the Bujan and Chattian for the Varkan Section. Ostracoda content of the Bujan and Varkan sections include 44 and 33 species respectively. The pecies of genus Cytheridea are the most abundant and the most dominant ostracods of the Bujan section. In the lower part of the Bujan section, different species of Cytherella and Cytheridea constitute the dominant ostracods, but upward the abundance of Cytherella is declined and Cytheridea, Neonesidea, and Bairdia are dominant. Podocopids constitute 76% and 86% of the Bujan section ostracods during Rupelin and Chattian, respectively. Neonesidea elegans, Bythocypris pseudoreniformis, Paracypris pandyai, Paracypris sapperi and Paracypris naalunensis constitute the dominant ostracods of the Varkan Section. Podocopid ostracods are dominant in the Varkan marls and constitute 77% of the ostracods. The high percentage of podocopid ostracods indicates that the environment was oxygen-rich and without the ecological stresses in both section; while in the Varkan Section, the ecological conditions are stable but in the Bujan section, the oxygen enriches upward and ecological conditions become closer to normal marin basins.

Kuhe Rig iron- strontium-(manganese) deposit is located in south of Shahrood, in the northern part of the central Iran zone. Mineralization occurred in the Eocene volcano-sedimentary sequence dominated by andesite basalt, basalt and crystal lithic tuffs. Geometry of main ore body is lense-shaped which is concordant with lithic tuff host rock layering. Vein-Veinlet mineralization occurs beneath the main ore lense. Based on stratigraphic position, mineralogy, and texture of mineralization, three different ore facies can be distinguished: vein-veinlet (feeder zone), bracciated ore and banded ore facies. Ore minerals includes: goethite, hematite, magnetite, celestite, pyrolusite, psilomelane, barite and iron hydroxides which are accompanied by calcite and quartz gangue minerals. Sericitization and chloritization are the main wall-rock alteration styles. Based on volcono-sedimentary host sequence, geometry of ore body, ore textures and facies, mineralogy, alteration zones and geochemical features, Kuhe Rig can be classified as volcanic-exhalative iron deposits. It's worth mentioning that high amounts of celestite is of special characters of the mineralization in Kuhe Rig deposit and any similar deposits has not been reported in Iran and the world.

The Middle and Upper Jurassic sedimentary well successions is located in the northwestern Damghan, (eastern Alborz range). The Dalichai Formation with a thickness of 618 meters in the studied section consists of marl, limestone and marly limestone. The lower boundary with the siliciclastic of the underlying Shemshak Formation is unconformable and in the upper boundary is gradually covered by the Lar Formation. From studied section, altogether 371 fossile sample were collected of which 15 sample were related to other taxon (Bellemnite, Bivalve, Coral and Sponge). Altogether, 51 species of ammonites from the Dalichai Formations belonging to 25 genera and 9 families and 14 zones are described. The following families are reported: Phylloceratidae, Lytoceratidae, Haploceratidae, Oppeliidae, Parkinsoniidae, Morphoceratidae, Reineckeiidae, Perisphinctidae and Aspidoceratidae. Based on ammonites, the Dalichai Formation ranges from the Upper Bajocian to Lower Kimmeridgin and can be subdivided, from bottom to top, into six informal members. Palaeobiogeographically the ammonite fauna is closely related to that of the sub-Mediterranean Province of the northwestern Tethys.

The Alborz mountain range accommodates some of the convergence between Central Iran and Eurasia. At present, the kinematics of the range involves a strain partitioning mechanism, and is associated with clockwise rotation of the South Caspian Basin. left-lateral strike-slip faulting is present along the entire of its central part, while reverse faulting is affects its northern and southern borders. Several slip-rate studies have been carried out along active faults in the internal and southern parts of the range. Our analysis provides new constraints on the activity of this important active thrust fault. We show that the fault generally is a hidden thrust fault, often associated with fault-bend and fault-propagation folds (forebergs). In the central part of the fault near Chamestan, radiocarbon dating on an old elevated terrace allows estimating the minimum vertical slip of 2.0± 0.5 mm / year. Considering a 34 degree slope for the fault, the minimum horizontal slip rate will be 3 mm/yr and the minimum slip rate along the fault plane will be up to 3.6 mm / year. Our results confirm that the Khazar Fault is a major active structure in northern Iran, and represents a significant seismic hazard for the entire Central Alborz region.

The sequence stratigraphic studies provide information regarding the distribution of different facies within sedimentary basins. With determining relationship between reservoir or non-reservoir facies and sequence stratigraphy, dissemination of reservoir zones can be achieved within sequence stratigraphic framework. In this paper, using petrographic studies correlated with Gamma-Ray deviation logs, the sedimentary environment, sequences and systems tracts of the Oligo-Miocene Asmari Formation were revealed in one of the Iranian oil fields. Moreover, based on the wireline logs and petrophysical analyses, the factors controlling reservoir quality including porosity, water saturation and shale volume were invistigated within sequences and their systems tracts. The study showed that in general, the highstand systems tracts have higher reservoir quality than the trangressive systems tracts. Distribution of grain-suported and nearshore facies and also absence of anhydrite facies in the upper parts of transgressive systems tracts and the lower parts of highstand systems tracts resulted in development of the best reservoir quality zones within each sequence. This type of studies is very helpful in analysing the sedimentary basins and discovering distribution of the hydrocarbon reserves, and thus it could assist in management of risk reduction in exploration and development activities.

The action of alteration processes on the Eocene tuffs has led to the formation of a spread argillic alteration zone in the Kamar district (south of Ardebil, Tarom-Hashtjin Zone). The aim of this study is to determine the factors controlling argillic alteration, using mineralogical studies and chemical alteration indices. Quartz, kaolinite, muscovite (sericite), rutile, anatase, illite, diaspore, alunite, albite, clinochlore, jarosite, gypsum, pyrite, orthoclase and dolomite are the mineral assemblage of this alteration zone. The mineralization of sulfides includes pyrite (predominantly), chalcopyrite, borneite, chalcocite, galena, and sphalerite. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values are between 51.55 to 74.3 %, and the mineralogical index of alteration (MI) values vary from 8.22 to 48.3%. The mafic index of alteration (MIA(O)) ranges from 55.88% to 87.48%, Depletion of a large number of elements, including some immobile elements (Zr, Y, LREEs, Al2O3), the presence of minerals indicating acidic pH, such as jarosite and alunite, and high-temperature minerals such as rutile and anatase, the presence of the vuggy quartz in some altered regions, and concomitant enrichment of As, Sb and Mo, in the Kamar argillic zone, bear similarities to the hot fluid alterations of high-sulfidation epithermal deposits.

The Elika Formation forms the major part of the Triassic carbonate sediments in the Alborz basin. In this study, facies and sedimentary environments of this formation were studied in Shahmirzad section whith a thickness of 746 meters and in Zereshk-Darreh section whith a thickness of 756 meters in the southern part of central Alborz. Based on facies studies, four carbonate facies associations (tidal tlat, shoal, lagoon and open marine) have been identified, including twelve carbonate microfacies and have been deposited in a carbonate ramp. Deposition of sediments in this sequence can be divided into three stages. In the first stage, most of vermiculate limestone deposits are composed of bioturbated mudstone and clotted peloidal mudstone. The high frequency of facies such as laminated stromatolite, intraclastic packstone-grainstone and laminated mudstone are characteristic features of the second stage of sedimentation (middle dolomite) and indicate a decrease in the depth of sedimentary environment. In the third stage, the environment was suitable for the expansion of barriers and formation of packstone-grainstone facies.

North Chargar Cu-Au mineralization located within the Tarom-Hashtjin sub-zone. This area composed of andesite and quartz-andesite lavas alternated with tuffaceouce rocks. The volcanic rocks have calc-alkaline nature and were formed in an active continental margin. Mineralization present as ore-bearing quartz vein-veinlets within a silicified zone. Based on mineralogical studies, chalcopyrite and pyrite are the main ore minerals, and malachite, covellite, chalcocite and goethite were formed by supergene processes. Quartz, barite and chlorite present as gangue minerals. Hydrothermal alterations include silicification, chloritization, sericitization and argillic. Ore and gangue minerals show disseminated, vein-veinlet, brecciated, cockade, comb, replacement, relict and open space filling textures. Based on field and microscopic studies, Cu-Au mineralization in the north Chargar can be divided into four stages: 1- the first stage is silicification of volcano-sedimentary host rock along with disseminated pyrite mineralization, 2- the second stage present as chalcopyrite and pyrite-bearing quartz vein-veinlets and hydrothermal breccia cement, 3- the third stage includes barite vein-veinlets crosscutting the previous stages of mineralization, 4- the last stage is related to supergene processes. Geological features, mineralogy and ore structure-textures in the north Chargar Cu-Au occurrence indicate most similarity with base metal epithermal (intermediate sulfidation) deposit type.

Study of carbon-oxygen isotopic variations in the gangue carbonate minerals and related host rocks has an important role in identifying carbonate hosted lead and zinc deposits and its mechanism of sulfide ore formation. The yellow color dolostone unit attributed to the Shotori Formation with the Middle Triassic age is the main host of sulfide mineralization which deposited on the shale horizon attributed to the Sorkh-Kuh Formation. Galena, sphalerite, pyrite and silver-bearing sulfosalts are the most important sulfide ore minerals in the area, which were formed accompanied with the first (Cal-1) and second (Cal-2) generation calcites. Based on the results of carbon-oxygen isotope data, δ13C and δ18O values in Cal-1 varies from -3.2 to -0.7 ‰ and 12.9 to 14.6 ‰, respectively; and δ13C and δ18O values in Cal-2 varies from -7.3 to -4.4 ‰ and 13.7 to 16.4 ‰, respectively. The carbon-oxygen isotopic composition in the dolostone host rock with compared to calcites has a higher δ13C content (varies between -3.2 to 2.9 ‰) and a wider δ18O range (varies between 22.6 to 28.8 ‰).

In the Talu area at NE Damghan in the Eastern Alborz Zone, the Permo-Triassic carbonate sequences host several mafic igneous inrusions with olivine gabbro, gabbro and alkali-diorite compositions. The most important rock-forming minerals of these intrusions are olivine, clinopyroxene, amphiboles and plagioclase. These rocks have alkaline nature and their major and trace elements characteristics correspond to OIB-like mantle source. The olivines of these rocks are chrysolite, and the plagioclases are characterized by albite, oligoclase and labradorite. Clinopyroxenes are diopside, augite and salite in composition and characterized with alkaline nature (Non-orogenic). They crystallized in 6-11 Kbar, 1200-1250˚C and high oxygene fugasity conditions. Amphiboles are of calcic and high-Ti kaersutite type and crystallized in igneous conditions with mantle source. The amphiboles were crystallized in temperatures and pressures over than 950˚C and 650-750 MPa (equivalent to 6.5-7.5 Kbar).

Zardkuh igneous complex is located in 35 km Southeast of Iranshahr and is geologically situated flysh zone and the Sistan-suture zone. Rock units in the area are Ophilitic rocks (upper Cretaceous), Eocene flysh and Oligomiocene intrusive and extrusive rocks (Zardkuh igneous complex). Patterns of minor and rare earth elements normalized to Primitive mantle and Chonderit show low enrichment to LREE such as La, Ce and Sm than to HREE such as Ho, Yb, Tb and Lu. The dip of digram is soft to HREE and in the extrusive rocks is low increased. . it is thought that the constituent magma of these rocks from the mantle wedge above the subduction plate, which is usually affected by the fluids released from the subducted plate and its elements (including Silica, potassium and sodium) can produce such magma. So these rocks are related to magmatism and subduction Neo-Tehyan oceanic between Lut and Sistan blocks.

The Gheshlaghe mil deposit is located in the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt. Vein- type mineralization is concordance within the rhyodacitic and rhyolite meta-tuff with Eocene age. Alteration zones of sericite, silica, argillic and iron oxides are observed in the investigated area. Primary sulfide minerals of pyrite, fine-grained chalcopyrite and Oxidized specularite and Secondary minerals goethite, limonite, malachite and quartz in Microscopic and field studies have been identified. Based on X-ray diffraction analysis studies minerals such as chlorite, illite, kaolinite, hematite, quartz, mica group and calcite have been observed in the bearing gold veins. According litho-geochemical studies, the gold element has a positive correlation with iron, molybdenum, nickel and lead. A number of 157 fluid inclusion studies in the Gheshlaghe Mil ore mineralization area has been showed mineralization temperature of 99 to 299 °C, rate of salinity ore deposit 1.81 and 12.30 equivalent to the Nacl weight percent. Using Raman laser studies (13 points), the presence of gaseous phases (CO2, N2, H2O) in the fluid inclusions have been demonstrated. Regarding to studies have been done in this area, the Gheshlaghe Mil ore mineralization can to know to a vein type- hydrothermal bearing gold-copper ore deposit.