Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

Journal of the Geological Society

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (15) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by CAMPBELL, S. D. G. Articles by SEWELL, R. J. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Structural control and tectonic setting of Mesozoic volcanism in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Geological Survey, Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering Building, 101 Princess Margaret Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous silicic volcanic rocks and granitoid plutons in Hong Kong form part of the broad, NE-trending Yanshanian tectonomagmatic belt, that extends through SE China. Pyroclastic deposits in Hong Kong are typically proximal and infill linear flared vents and ellipsoidal calderas. These pass down through elongate rift-like conduits into extensive multiple fault- and shear zone-hosted ('sheeted') dyke complexes and granitoid plutons. Dykes also emphasize the limits of calderas. The spatial distribution and geometry of the vents, calderas, dykes and plutons are structurally controlled during each of four temporally well-constrained periods of petrogenetically related volcanism and plutonism. E- and ENE-trending axes of extension, and transtension were dominant. NW-trending faults increased in importance with time, and their intersections with ENE-trending faults influenced the loci of volcanic centres. Nesting of the calderas confirms persistent reactivation of some faults. The loci of magmatism migrated over 25 Ma from NW to SE. Zones of silicic crust created during these magmatic episodes have a broadly tripartite crustal 'stratigraphy' (pluton, dyke, volcanic) reminiscent in very general terms of ophiolites. The zones were created during periods of unusually rapid extension, as the continental margin of SE China changed from an active margin, dominated by subduction, to a back-arc regime, and dextral strike-slip along ENE-trending faults gave way to sinistral strike-slip.

KEYWORDS: Hong Kong, Mesozoic, volcanism, plutonism, tectonics

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R.-Z. Hu, X.-W. Bi, M.-F. Zhou, J.-T. Peng, W.-C. Su, S. Liu, and H.-W. Qi Uranium Metallogenesis in South China and Its Relationship to Crustal Extension during the Cretaceous to Tertiary Economic Geology, May 1, 2008; 103(3): 583 - 598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. N. Fletcher, Lung. S. Chan, R. J. Sewell, S. D. G. Campbell, D. W. Davis, and J. Zhu Basement heterogeneity in the Cathaysia crustal block, southeast China Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2004; 226(1): 145 - 155. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. W. W. Ng, P. Guan, and Y. J. Shang Weathering mechanisms and indices of the igneous rocks of Hong Kong Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, May 1, 2001; 34(2): 133 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Z. DING and K. W. LAI Neotectonic fault activity in Hong Kong: evidence from seismic events and thermoluminescence dating of fault gouge Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 1997; 154(6): 1001 - 1007. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. A. KIRK, S. D. G. CAMPBELL, C. J. N. FLETCHER, and R. J. MERRIMAN The significance of primary volcanic fabrics and clay distribution in landslides in Hong Kong Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 1997; 154(6): 1009 - 1019. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. J. N. FLETCHER, S. D. G. CAMPBELL, R. M. CARRUTHERS, J. P. BUSBY, and K. W. LAI Regional tectonic setting of Hong Kong: implications of new gravity models Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 1997; 154(6): 1021 - 1030. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. J. SEWELL and S. D. G. CAMPBELL Geochemistry of coeval Mesozoic plutonic and volcanic suites in Hong Kong Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 1997; 154(6): 1053 - 1066. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. W. DAVIS, R. J. SEWELL, and S. D. G. CAMPBELL U-Pb dating of Mesozoic igneous rocks from Hong Kong Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 1997; 154(6): 1067 - 1076. [Abstract] [PDF]