New Chronological Evidence for Indosinian Diagenetic Mineralization in Eastern Xinjiang, NW China

There have been conflicting ideas about the Indosinian mineralization in E. Xinjiang, a subject that has attracted many geologists' attention over a long period. Isotopic dating shows that the Shiyingtan gold deposit located on the southern margin of the Turpan-Hami basin has a quartz fluid inclusion Rb-Sr isochron age of 237±9 Ma (95% conf.); the Shuangfengshan gold deposit on the southern margin of the Junggar orogenic belt has a quartz fluid inclusion Rb-Sr isochron age of 226 ±21 Ma (95% conf.); the Weiya vanadium-titanium magnetite in the E. Tianshan mountains has a mineral-whole rock Sm-Nd isochron age of 220 ±30 Ma (95% conf.); the Jinwozi and Jinwozi 210 gold deposits in the E. Tianshan mountains have quartz fluid inclusion Rb-Sr isochron ages of 228±22 Ma (95% conf.) and 230±6 Ma (95% conf.), respectively; and the Xiaobaishitouquan scheelite deposit in the E. Tianshan mountains has a quartz fluid inclusion Rb-Sr isochron age of 248±7 Ma (95% conf.). The metallogenetic ages mentioned above prove the existence of Indosinian mineralization in E. Xinjiang, and the metallogenetic event might have been related to Triassic intraplate magmatic evolution, intra-continent subduction, strike-slip shoving and ductile shearing in the studied area, representing another mineralization peak after the Late Paleozoic.

LA-ICPMS Zircon U-Pb Dating for Three Indosinian Granitic Plutons from Central Hunan and Western Guangdong Provinces and Its Petrogenetic Implications

The LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb geochronology of three typically Indosinian granitic plutons yielded weighted mean ^206pb/^238U ages of 214.1±5.9 Ma and 210.3±4.7 Ma for the biotite monzonitic granites from the Xiema and Xiangzikou plutons in Hunan Province, and 205.3±1.6 Ma for biotite granite from the Napeng pluton, western Guandong Province, respectively, showing a similar late Indosinian age of crystallization. In combination with other geochronological data from Indosinian granites within the South China Block （SCB）, it is proposed that those late Indosinian granites with an age of -210 Ma and the early Indosinian granites （230-245 Ma） have the similar petrogenesis in identical tectonic setting. The Indosinian granites within the SCB might be the products of anatexis of the thickening crust in a compressive regime. These data provide a further understanding for the temporal and spatial distribution of the Indosinian granites and the dynamic evolution of the SCB.

Indosinian Orogenesis in the Lhasa Terrane, Tibet: New Muscovite ^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar Geochronology and Evolutionary Process

Muscovite 40 Ar-39 Ar dating of muscovite-quartz schist, eclogite and retrograde eclogite indicates an Indosinian orogenesis occurred at 220-240 Ma in the Lhasa terrane, which is caused by the closure of Paleo-Tethyan ocean basin and the following collision of the northern Lhasa terrane and southern Gondwana land. This Indosinian orogenesis is further confirmed by the regional sedimentary characteristics, magmatic activity and ophiolite mélange. This evidence suggests that the Indosinian orogenic belt in the Lhasa terrane is widely distributed from the Coqen county in the west, and then extends eastward through the Ningzhong and Sumdo area, finally turning around the eastern Himalayan syntaxis into the Bomi county. Based on the evolutionary process, the geological development of Lhasa terrane from early Paleozoic to early Mesozoic can be divided into seven stages. All of the seven stages make up a whole Wilson circle and reveal a perfect evolutionary process of the Paleo-Tethys ocean between the northern Lhasa terrane and southern Gondwana land. The Indosinian orogenisis is a significant event for the evolution of the Lhasa terrane as well as the Tibetan Plateau.

Hercynian-Indosinian Sedimento-Tectonic Evolution of the Nanpanjiang Basin

Following the orogeny in the Early Palaeozoic, the tectonic evolution of the Nanpanjiang basin in the Hercynian-Indosinian stage constituted a complete Wilson Cycle, made up of the stages of early rifting (D-P1), late rifting and passive margin developement (P2-T1), and peripheral foreland basin developement (T2-T3). The REE data of the initial Early Triassic basalts from the southern part of the basin has verified the existence of the oceanic crust once in the basinal evolution. The basin developed into a foreland one in the Middle-Late Triassic, indicating that the Yangtze plate once collided with the Indo-Sinian plate along the Black River fracture zone.

Structural characteristics and evolution of the South Yellow Sea Basin since Indosinian

Based on the seismic data gathered in past years and the correlation between the sea and land areas of the Lower Yangtze Platform,the structural characteristics of the South Yellow Sea Basin since the Indosinian tectonic movement is studied in this paper.Three stages of structural deformation can be distinguished in the South Yellow Sea Basin since the Indosinian.The first stage,Late Indosinian to Early Yanshanian, was dominated by foreland deformation including both the uplifting and subsidence stages under an intensively compressional environment.The second stage,which is called the Huangqiao Event in the middle Yanshanian,was a change for stress fields from compression to extension.While in the third stage (the Sanduo Event)in the Late Himalayan,the basin developed a depression in the Neogene-Quatemary after rifting in the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene.The long-time evolution controlled 3 basin formation stages from a foreland basin,then a fault basin to a final depression basin.In conclusion,since the Indosinian,the South Yellow Sea Basin has experienced compressional fold and thrust,collisional orogen,compressional and tensional pulsation,strike-slip,extensional fault block and inversion structures,compression and convergence.The NE,NEE,nearly EW and NW trending structures developed in the basin.From west to east,the structural trend changed from NEE to near EW to NW.While from north to south,they changed from NEE to near EW with a strong-weak-strong zoning sequence.Vertically,the marine and terrestrial facies basins show a "seesaw"pattern with fold and thrust in the early stages,which is strong in the north and weak in the south and an extensional fault in later stages,which is strong in the north and weak in the south.In the marine facies'basin,thrust deformation is more prevailing in the upper structural layer than that in the lower layer.The tectonic mechanism in the South Yellow Sea Basin is mainly affected by the collision between the Yangtze and North China Block,while the stress environment of large-scale strike- slip faults was owing to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate.The southern part of the Laoshan uplift is a weak deformation zone as well as a stress release zone,and the Meso-Paleozoic had been weakly reformed in later stages.The southern part of the Laoshan uplift is believed,therefore,to be a promising area for oil and gas exploration.

Provenance Variability of the Triassic Strata in the TurpanHami Basin: Detrital Zircon Record of Indosinian Tectonic Reactivation in the Eastern Tianshan

The Triassic strata in the Turpan-Hami Basin potentially chronicled the missing sedimentary record of Indosinian tectonic evolution in the Eastern Tianshan.In this study,we conducted detrital zircon U-Pb geochronological analyses on subsurface Triassic samples collected from the Turpan-Hami Basin to unravel sedimentary response of Indosinian tectonic reactivation and its geodynamics.The detrital zircon age spectra of the Triassic samples are quite different,reflecting significant provenance variability.The zircon grains in the Lower Triassic sample were mainly from the Central Tianshan,while the Jueluotag acted as a minor provenance.By contrast,the Late Paleozoic rocks in Jueluotag act as the main provenance for the Middle-Upper Triassic samples,while the Central Tianshan acted as a minor provenance.Furthermore,zircon grains in the Middle Triassic sample were mainly from the Permian rocks in Jueluotag,while Indosinian strike-slipdriven rapid exhumation brought deeper Carboniferous rocks of Jueluotag as an important age population for the Upper Triassic sample.The inter-sample variability of age spectra of the Triassic samples provides sedimentary evidence for Indosinian tectonic reactivation in the Eastern Tianshan and its periphery,which could be attributed to differential exhumation of different sources driven by coeval strike-slip tectonics along deep faults.The Indosinian tectonic behavior in the Eastern Tianshan,which is characterized by partial melting of the pre-thickened crust and strike-slip deformation,acted as a far-field respond to the coeval continental accretion occurring along the southern Eurasian margin.Additionally,our new detrital zircon data,together with previously published data in the Turpan-Hami Basin,demonstrate that there are significant changes in source-to-sink system from the Permian to the Triassic,suggesting that the Permian-Triassic unconformity in the Eastern Tianshan and its periphery was generated by Late Permian-Early Triassic tectonic contraction and inversion rather than an increasingly arid climate.

A New Potential Caledonian–Indosinian Ore Concentration Area:Evidence from Diagenesis and Mineralization Ages of the Miao'ershan–Yuechengling Region

Objective The Miao＇ershan-Yuechengling composite granite, located in northern Guangxi at the western section of the Nanling Range, is a multi-period and multi-stage composite pluton with an exposed area of more than 3000 km2 （Fig. 1）. Paleozoic and Proterozoic strata are exposed around it, and magmatic activities mainly occurred during the Caledonian and Indosinian periods. Till now, more than one hundred W-Sn-Mo-Pb-Zn-Cu （U） deposits and ore occurrences have been discovered along the inner and outer contact zones of this granite. Through recent years＇ research, we infer that this area is not only a preferred area for studying granite and mineralization in Caledonian and lndosinian periods, but also a potential Caledonian- lndosinian ore-concentrated area.

Post-ore Modification and Preservation of the Indosinian Porphyry Copper Deposit in Geza Arc, Yunnan, SW China

Objective The post-ore modification and preservation of porphyry copper deposits is controlled and influenced by various geological processes, and the regional uplift and denudation is the most important factors. This study used biotite mineral geobarometer and Apatite Fission Track （AFT） to restore the uplift evolution of the granitic porphyries in the Geza arc and to obtain quantitative data of rock erosion degree and denudation rate.

Characteristics of soure region and tectonic implications of Early Indosinian Weiya gabbroic rock,eastern Tianshan mountains

Based on the detailed petrographic study,the characteristics of source region of the Weiya gabbro and tectonic implications were studied.The results show that the gabbroic rock consists mainly of gabbro,with less amount of ultra-mafic rocks.The ultra-mafic rocks show cumulate texture and are gradually transitional contact with gabbro,indicating that they are cumulate products of parental magma.The ultra-mafic rocks consist mainly of spinel periodite and spinel clinopyroxenite.The former is mainly composed of olivine(65%-70%),spinel(10%-15%),hornblende(5%-10%) and phlogopite(5%-10%);the latter consists mainly of clinopyroxene(70%-80%),spinel(15%-20%) and phlogopite(0-10%),with minor amounts of carbonate(0-2%).No olivine or orthopyroxene is found.The gabbro is composed mainly of clinopyroxene(35%-40%),plagioclase(An 55-65,40%-45%),hornblende(5%-15%),with variable amounts of carbonate(0-5%).Petrographic observations show that the source region of the Weiya gabbroic rock is water-rich due to intensive intra-continental A-type subduction occurring in this region during late Permian to early Triassic.

The Characteristics of the Indosinian Pacific-Type Ancient Continental Margin in the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet)-Sichuan-Yunnan Region

The Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and the 'Sanjiang' area②, where are extensively developed theTethys-type marine Triassic sequences with Indosinian tectonic disturbance and magmatism, provide an impor-tant region for the study of the tectonic evolution and the Indosinian movement of China as well as for thestudy of the boundary between Gondwana and Laurasia and the characteristics of the time-space distributionof the Tethys oceanic crust within the territory of China. Over a long period of time in the past, quite a numberof scholars made substantial studies and discussious from various viewpoints on the geotectonie and regionalgeological evolution of this region. Based on some new data obtained recently and the field observations by theauthor, and by using the plate tectonic theory, the author considers that there developed a Pacific-type (activetype) ancient continental margin bordering the Palaeo-Tethys ocean (or North Tethys ocean) in the south inLate Permian to Triassic times in the region of south-central Qinghai, northeastern Xizang (Tibet), western andsouthwestern Sichuan, and western Yunnan. Its characteristics basically represent the Indosinian tectonic evo-lution of this region.

The Metamorphism and Its Tectonic Implications of Indosinian High Pressure Granulites from the Badu Complex of the Cathaysia Block, Southwestern Zhejiang Province, South China

The Badu Complex is the oldest metamorphic rock in Cathaysia Block which experienced several episodes of metamorphism Especially indosinian metamorphic reworking in the southwestern Zhejiang Province, South China. The degree of indosinian metamorphism reaches granulite facies. However, there is still insufficient understanding of the characteristics of the Indosinian granulite metamorphism in the Cathaysia and many interpretations of its tectonic significance. Therefore, we present detailed petrology, mineral chemistry and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age in this paper from pelitic granulites of the Badu Complex, which is composed of "sillimanite + garnet + cordierite + spinel + biotite + k-feldspar" assemblage and garnet pyroxenite with garnet amphibolite which is consists of "garnet + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + amphibole + plagioclase". By comprehensive study we get following new findings: Pelitic granulites record four stages of metamorphic mineral assemblages, including prograde(M1), pressure peak(M2), Peak(M3) and post-peak decompressional and then cooling(M4) stages. The prograde M1 assemblage consists of garnet1(core) + staurolite + kyanite + biotite + quartz ± rutile ± chlorite;The pressure peak M2 assemblage consists of garnet1(mantle) + sudoite + rutile + kyanite + corundum + biotite + quartz;The peak M3 have garnet2(rim-mantle) + biotite + sillimanite + quartz ± K-feldspar ± plagioclase ± ilmenite assemblag;the M4 stage is consist of garnet + cordierite + biotite + sillimanite + quartz + ilmenite ± spine ± K-feldspar. The garnet pyroxenite and garnet amphibolites have experienced three stages of metamorphic evolution. Peak high-pressure granulite facies stage M2 consists of garnet + sahlite ± ilmenite ± quartz;Post-peak near isothermal decompression medium granulite facies stage M3 is characterized by typical decompression reaction textures and assemblage of orthopyroxene + plagioclase(An=90–92);amphibolites facies retrograde metamorphic stage M4 is characterized by amphibole + plagioclase(An=33–35) + ilmenite ± sahlite ± quartz mineral assemblage. By means of phase equilibrium simulation and traditional thermobarometer, P-T conditions of 785–820 ℃ and 8.9–9.9 kbar for M3 stage, 780–860 ℃ and 5.7–6.2 kbar for decompressional M4 stage, 705–720 ℃ and 4.5–4.7 kbar for cooling M4 stage in pelitic granulites were obtained. And also 11.6–12.5 kbar and 780–840 ℃ for M2 stage, 7.4–8.2 kbar and 800–880 ℃ for M3 stage, 6.6–7.5 kbar and 500–560 ℃ for M4 stage were obtained in garnet pyroxenite and garnet amphibolite. A clockwise P-T path is confirmed in the two type rocks of the Badu Complex which reflected a near-isothermal decompressional metamorphic process. The peak metamorphism can reach highpressure granulite facies. In addition, the mineral assemblage of garnet + rutile + kyanite + corundum in the peak metamorphic stage of pelitic granulite indicates that it may underwent ultra-high-pressure metamorphism, and the acidic plagioclase exsolution of clinopyroxene in garnet pyroxenite also suggests that it may be retrograded eclogites, which indicates that the deeper Cathaysian block may have eclogite metamorphism. Analyses of LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating indicate that the metamorphic age of pelitic granulite is 233.5 Ma–subduction/collision followed by rapid exhumation and cooling events. The events may relate with the amalgamation of the Indochina BlockSouth China Block North China Block in the paleo-Tethyan domain.

U-Pb zircon geochronology and Hf isotope study of metamorphosed basic-ultrabasic rocks from metamorphic basement in southwestern Zhejiang:The response of the Cathaysia Block to Indosinian orogenic event

A combined study using LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating, Hf isotopes, trace elements and the Ti-in-zircon geothermometer was carried out on zircons from the metamorphosed basic-ultrabasic rocks in the metamorphic basement of the Cathaysia Block, southwestern Zhejiang Province. The formation and metamorphic ages of the rocks from the metamorphic basement of the Cathaysia Block were determined based on zircon U-Pb geochronology. The age for the magmatic crystalline zircons from the protolith is about 1.85 Ga. The ε Hf (t) values of the older zircons were from ?7 to ?3, with two-stage model Hf ages (T DM2 LC ) of about 2.9 to 3.4 Ga, indicating that the source material was derived from anatexis and recycling of the Archean crust. The newly formed metamorphic zircons yielded U-Pb ages of 260–230 Ma. The metamorphic temperature calculated using the Ti-in-zircon geothermometer ranged from 610 to 720°C, consistent with the results from petrographic observations, indicating that the Cathaysia Block experienced an amphibolite facies metamorphism during the Indosinian. Results from this study provided an important timeframe for the tectonic evolution in South China and the Southeast Asia during the Late Permian and Early Triassic times.

Geochronological evidence of Indosinian(high-pressure) metamorphic event and its tectonic significance in Taxkorgan area of the Western Kunlun Mountains,NW China

The CL images,LA-ICP-MS in situ trace elements analysis,and U-Pb dating for zircons indicate that the metamorphic ages of the sillimanite-garnet-biotite gneiss and the garnet-amphibole gneiss from eastern Taxkorgan of the Western Kunlun Mountains are 220±2 and 220±3 Ma respectively,and their protolith ages are younger than 253±2 and 480±8 Ma respectively.Two samples were collected at the same outcrops with HP mafic granulite and HP pelitic granulite.Mineral assemblage of the sillimanite-garnet-biotite gneiss(Grt+Sill+Per+Q) is consistent with that of HP pelitic granulite at early high amphibolite-granulite facies stage.Mineral assemblage of the garnet-amphibole gneiss(Grt+Amp+Pl+Q) is consistent with retro-metamorphic assemblage of HP mafic granulite at amphibolite facies stage.The dating results suggest that these HP granulites underwent peak metamorphism at 220±2 to 253±2 Ma.Thus,the Kangxiwar tectonic zone was probably formed by subduction and collision of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean during Indosinian.Protolith ages of the two samples,together with previously published U-Pb zircon dating age,suggest that the sillimanite-garnet schist-quartzite unit is a late Paleozoic unit,not a part of the Paleoproterozoic Bulunkuole Group.

Discovery of the Indosinian aluminum A-type granite in Zhejiang Province and its geological significance

Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of the Jingju syenogranites in the southwestern part of Zhejiang Province shows that these rocks were crystallized in the Late Triassic at 215±2 Ma, rather than in the Cretaceous as previously proposed. The Jingju sy- enogranites are characterized by relatively high K2O and FeO＊, and low MgO. They have high concentrations of large ion lithophile elements （LIL） and LREE, such as K, Th, La, and Ce, but are depleted in high field strength elements （HFSE） such as Nb, Ta, and Ti. Their 104Ga/A1 ratios and （Zr＋Nb＋Ce＋Y） contents are also high. These characteristics are similar to those of A-type granites. The syenogranites have high Isr （0.7179-0.7203）, low eNa（t） （from --14.2 to --13.2）, and relatively old T2DM ages, similar to those of the ancient metamorphic basement in the Cathaysia Block. It is suggested that the Jingju syenogranites were formed by partial melting of the Cathaysia basement rocks during tectonic extension. This identification of Indosinian A-type granite in Jingju has significant implications for understanding the early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of South China.

Experimental remolding on the caprock's 3D strain field of the Indosinian-Yanshanian epoch in Tongling deposit concentrating area

Based on field observations and rheology analysis, we perform one analogue experiment and remold the 3D structural frame of Tongling deposit concentrating area firstly. Then we disassemble and dialyze the 3D structures of the model using the methods of "slicing" and "stripping". A series of sliced planes vertical to the fold hinges show similar landscapes of that in the drill hole profiles. Meanwhile, layer stripping analysis indicates that the deformation features of each layer in the model are qualitatively analogical to those obtained from field observations. Through contrasting the 3D structure between the experimental model and the field phenomena, we verify the following 3D deformation features of the caprock in this area: (1) the Tongling area mainly consists of three series of NE S-typed fold groups; (2) in the uniform stress field, the incoherent folds universally develop in different positions, along different axes as well as in different strata; (3) the faults propagate upward which are mostly inter-bedded detachment faults, while the fold amplitudes decrease while going deeper; and (4) the folds and cleavages are highly developed in the Silurian System indicating that the deformation effect of the Indosin-ian-Yanshanian structural layer terminates at this layer, which suggests that the Silurian System is the crucial layer for the inversion between brittle and plastic deformation domains and the underlying strata are subject to the control of another deformation system with distinct properties.

Records of Indosinian Orogenesis in Lhasa Terrane, Tibet

Based on the deformation characteristics of the ductile shear zones in Sumdo （松多） Group, the quartz fabric by EBSD （electron backscatter diffraction）, the data of muscovite 40Ar-39Ar geochronology （220-230 Ma） from ductile shear zones and the zircon SHRIMP U-Pb chronology （190 Ma） of granites in Sumdo region, Lhasa （拉萨） terrane is thought to have experienced an important Indosinian orogenic event at 220-230 Ma, which caused the closure of the paleo-Tethys Ocean along the tectonic zone of eclogite and the collision between northern part and southern part of the Lhasa terrane. The zircon SHRIMP U-Pb chronology of 190 Ma for biotite adamellite, with the distributing characteristics of the granite massif intruding in Sumdo Group, indicates that the biotite adamellite should be the late orogenic or post-orogenic granite resulting from the Indosinian orogenesis. The discovery of Indosinian orogenic belt in Lhasa terrane expansed the southern boundary of Indosinian orogenic belt in Qinghai （青海）-Tibet plateau to Lhasa terrane from Qiangtang （羌塘） terrane, which changed the understanding about the distribution of Indosinian orogenic belt in Qinghai-Tibet plateau and extended the ＂T＂ type Indosinian orogenic belt in China. The study is very important for the formation and distribution of paleo-Tethys Ocean in Tibet. The ancient terrane framework and evolution of Qinghai-Tibet plateau need further research.

Discovery and Geological Significance of an Indosinian(ca.244 Ma)Metamorphic Event in the Langshan Area,Western Inner Mongolia,China:New Evidence from Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb Dating

The Langshan Group is an important constituent of the Precambrian metamorphic rocks in the Langshan area.The accurate determination of its metamorphic age is of great scientific significance for the further study of the Precambrian geological evolution in the region.Disputes remain regarding the metamorphism and deformation overprinting of the Langshan Group.This paper presents a detailed study comprising a field geological investigation,petrological observations,and zircon U-Pb aging of garnet-bearing mica quartz schists in the BangBang District.The result of detrital zircon U-Pb dating from the metamorphosed volcanic sedimentary rock series and geological investigation of the garnet-bearing mica quartz schists suggest the strata formed in the Neoproterozoic.The results from cathodoluminescence(CL)image analysis and U-Pb dating of zircons indicate a large number of metamorphic zircons exist in the garnet-bearing mica quartz schists.The metamorphic overgrowth rims of zircon from two samples were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS.The ^(206)Pb/^(238)U weighted average age of ca.244 Ma of the zircon metamorphism rims represents the timing of Indosinian greenschist-amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Langshan area,which may be in response to the collision-type orogeny of the North China and Siberian plates in the Late Paleozoic.Acid-intermediate magmatic intrusive activities occurred in the Langshan area,and metamorphic events developed at the same time or at a later stage during the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology of Indosinian granites in Hunan Province and its petrogenetic implications

The SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology ofthree typically Indosinian granitic plutons with peralumi-nous and potassium-rich affinities (Tangshi ultraunit forWeishan and Baimashan, and Longtan ultraunit forGuandimiao) is presented in Hunan Province, South China.The analyses of zircons from biotite monozonite granites forWeishan, Baimashan and Guandimiao plutons show the sin-gle and tight clusters on the concordia, and yield theweighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 244±4, 243±3 and 239±3Ma, respectively, representing the crystallized ages of theseIndosinian granites. These data suggest that the Indosiniangranitic plutons as previously thought formed at a narrowage span. In combination with other data, it is inferred thatthe Indosinian granites within the South China Block proba-bly distributed in Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Guangdongprovinces as planar shape, and were the derivation of thecrustal materials in the intracontinental thickening setting.These precisely geochronological data provide importantconstraints for better understanding the spatiotemporal pat-tern of the Indosinian peraluminous granites and earlyMesozoic tectonic evolution of the South China Block.

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages and tectonic implications for Indosinian granitoids of southern Zhuguangshan granitic composite, South China

The large southern Zhuguangshan granitic batholith composite consists of granites with ages varying from the Caledonian through Indosinian to Yanshanian. Based on K-Ar dating data, the ages of the major parts of this composite were previously regarded as Yanshanian. In this study, the SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating method has been adopted for six plutons, Ledong, Longhuashan, Dawozi, Zhaidi, Baiyun and Jiangnan, in the southern Zhuguangshan composite, in which the four plutons other than Baiyun and Jiangnan were previously regarded as Yanshanian granites. Magmatic zircons from these six plutons, dated by this study, have yielded ages of 239±5 Ma (MSWD = 2.5), 239±5 Ma (MSWD = 2.5), 239±2 Ma (MSWD = 1.7), 239±4 Ma (MSWD = 3.2), 231±2 Ma (MSWD = 0.81) and 231±3 Ma (MSWD = 1.8), respectively. The results indicate that these plutons were formed by early Indosinian magmatism. Geochemical characteristics suggest that these granites were formed in an extensional tectonic environment. Therefore, the Indosinian period granites in the southern Zhuguangshan composite were formed by partial melting of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic crustal components during the collapse of thickened lithosphere after the collision between the South China and Indosinian plates.