Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic extension in southwestern Fujian Province, South China： Geochemical, geochronological and Hf isotopic constraints from basic-intermediate dykes

The tectonic evolution of SE China block since late Paleozoic remains debated. Here we present a new set of zircon U-Pb geochronological, Lu-Hf isotopic data and whole-rock geochemistry for two stages of basicintermediate dykes from the southwestern Fujian. The samples were collected from the NE-trending （mainly diabases） and NW-trending （mainly diabasic diorites） dykes and yielded zircon U-Pb ages of 315 and 141 Ma, with eHf（t） values of -8.90 to 7.49 and -23.39 to -7.15 （corresponding to TDM2 values of 850 to 1890 Ma and 737 to 2670 Ma）, respectively. Geochemically these rocks are characterized by low TiO2 （0.91-1.73 wt.%） and MgO （3.04-7.96 wt.%）, and high A1203 （12.5-16.60 wt.%） and K20 （0.60-3.63 wt.%）. Further they are enriched in LREEs and LILEs （Rb, Ba, Th and K）, but depleted in HFSEs （Nb, Ta and Zr）. The tectonic discrimination analysis revealed that the dykes were formed in an intraplate extensional envi- ronment. However, the NW trending dykes show crust-mantle mixed composition, which indicate an extensional tectonic setting with evidence for crustal contamination. The SE China block experienced two main stages of extensional tectonics from late Carboniferous to early Cretaceous. The tectonic evolution of the SE China block from late Devonian to Cretaceous is also evaluated.

Evolution of the magmatic–hydrothermal system and formation of the giant Zhuxi W–Cu deposit in South China

The Zhuxi deposit is a recently discovered W–Cu deposit located in the Jiangnan porphyry–skarn W belt in South China. The deposit has a resource of 3.44 million tonnes of WO3, making it the largest on Earth,however its origin and the evolution of its magmatic–hydrothermal system remain unclear, largely because alteration–mineralization types in this giant deposit have been less well-studied, apart from a study of the calcic skarn orebodies. The different types of mineralization can be classified into magnesian skarn, calcic skarn, and scheelite–quartz–muscovite(SQM) vein types. Field investigations and mineralogical analyses show that the magnesian skarn hosted by dolomitic limestone is characterized by garnet of the grossular–pyralspite(pyrope, almandine, and spessartine) series, diopside, serpentine,and Mg-rich chlorite. The calcic skarn hosted by limestone is characterized by garnet of the grossular–andradite series, hedenbergite, wollastonite, epidote, and Fe-rich chlorite. The SQM veins host highgrade W–Cu mineralization and have overprinted the magnesian and calcic skarn orebodies. Scheelite is intergrown with hydrous silicates in the retrograde skarn, or occurs with quartz, chalcopyrite, sulfide minerals, fluorite, and muscovite in the SQM veins.Fluid inclusion investigations of the gangue and ore minerals revealed the evolution of the ore-forming fluids, which involved:(1) melt and coexisting high–moderate-salinity, high-temperature, high-pressure(>450 ℃and >1.68 kbar), methane-bearing aqueous fluids that were trapped in prograde skarn minerals;(2) moderate–low-salinity, moderate-temperature, moderate-pressure(~210–300 ℃and ~0.64 kbar),methane-rich aqueous fluids that formed the retrograde skarn-type W orebodies;(3) low-salinity,moderate–low-temperature, moderate-pressure(~150–240 ℃and ~0.56 kbar), methane-rich aqueous fluids that formed the quartz–sulfide Cu(–W) orebodies in skarn;(4) moderate–low-salinity,moderate-temperature, low-pressure(~150–250 ℃and ~0.34 kbar) alkanes-dominated aqueous fluids in the SQM vein stage, which led to the formation of high-grade W–Cu orebodies. The S–Pb isotopic compositions of the sulfides suggest that the ore-forming materials were mainly derived from magma generated by crustal anatexis, with minor addition of a mantle component. The H–O isotopic compositions of quartz and scheelite indicate that the ore-forming fluids originated mainly from magmatic water with later addition of meteoric water. The C–O isotopic compositions of calcite indicate that the ore-forming fluid was originally derived from granitic magma, and then mixed with reduced fluid exsolved from local carbonate strata. Depressurization and resultant fluid boiling were key to precipitation of W in the retrograde skarn stage. Mixing of residual fluid with meteoric water led to a decrease in fluid salinity and Cu(–W) mineralization in the quartz–sulfide stage in skarn. The high-grade W–Cu mineralization in the SQM veins formed by multiple mechanisms, including fracturing, and fluid immiscibility, boiling, and mixing.

Genesis of Makeng-type Fe-polymetallic deposits in SE China:New constraints by geochronological and isotopic data from the Dapai–Makeng metallogenic system

The southwestern Fujian depression belt(SFDB)is an economically important Mesozoic Fe metallogenic belt in South China and is renowned for its Makeng-type Fe deposits,in which stratified skarn Fe orebodies generally occur in or near the contact zone between late Paleozoic carbonate sequences and Mesozoic granites.However,the genesis and geodynamic setting of these deposits remain unclear because the characteristics of the widely distributed Pb–Zn–Cu and Mo orebodies in these deposits and the temporal,spatial,and genetic relationships between magmatism and mineralization are poorly defined.The Dapai Fe polymetallic deposit in the SFDB is a typical example of Makeng-type Fe deposits but also has regional significance,whereby the stratified skarn Fe orebodies have overprinted the stratabound Pb–Zn–Cu mineralization followed by final fissure-filling by vein-disseminated Mo mineralization.A detailed geological investigation suggests that episodic magmatic–hydrothermal events were involved in the formation process of the Dapai Fe polymetallic deposit.Pyrite and sphalerite from the Pb–Zn–Cu orebodies yield an Rb–Sr isochron age of 175.5±3.3 Ma,which is regarded as the timing of Pb–Zn–Cu mineralization.Zircon grains from Fe-mineralized granodiorite porphyry and Mo-mineralized monzogranite yield weighted-mean 206Pb/238U ages of 146.3±0.9 Ma and 131.7±0.4 Ma,interpreted as the timings of Fe and Mo mineralization,respectively.Six zircons from granodiorite also yield a 206Pb/238U model age cluster of184 Ma,which coincides reasonably with the timing of Pb–Zn–Cu mineralization and implies the existence of an unidentified ore-related intrusion in the Dapai deposit.Five further zircons from the porphyritic granodiorite yield an age cluster of-150 Ma,consistent with the timing of Fe mineralization.Galena,pyrite,and sphalerite from the Dapai and Makeng deposits have similar S–Pb isotopic compositions and suggest a magmatic source.Combining our results with published isotopic data for the SFDB,we suggest that the Pb–Zn–Cu mineralization in this area was derived from crustal magmas that mixed with mantle-derived magma prior to emplacement.The d56Fe and d57Fe values of magnetite from Dapai and Makeng are both slightly lower than those of the orerelated granites,suggesting that Fe in the initial fluid in both deposits was derived mainly from coeval granitic rocks.The Fe isotopic variation between intrusions and skarn Fe orebodies is interpreted as resulting from mass fractionation that occurred during fluid exsolution from melt.Contents of Re in molybdenite from published data for the SFDB indicate crust–mantle mixed sources of Mo and Re.The Makeng-type Fe polymetallic deposits formed as a result of three magmatic–hydrothermal episodes,generating Pb–Zn–Cu mineralization at 185–160 Ma,Fe–Mo mineralization at 150–140 Ma,and Mo–Fe mineralization at 135–130 Ma.The different metal associations formed during multiple stages of magmatism caused by ongoing subduction and rollback and/or retreat of the paleo-Pacific Plate.

Early–Middle Triassic Intrusions in Western Inner Mongolia, China: Implications for the Final Orogenic Evolution in Southwestern Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt

The end-Permian to Early–Middle Triassic magmatic rocks in Inner Mongolia can provide valuable insights into the relationships between the collisional processes and the magmatic responses during the final orogenic evolution of Xing-Meng orogenic belt(XMOB). This paper presents zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes, whole rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data for the Early–Middle Triassic diabases and monzogranites from the Langshan area, southwestern XMOB. Our results suggest that the studied diabases and monzogranites were respectively formed during Early Triassic and Middle Triassic. The Early Triassic diabases are characterized by "arc-like" geochemical signatures, including enrichment in Rb, U and K, and depletion in Nb, Ta, P and Ti. They have negative to weak positive εNd(t) values(-3.1 to +1.5) and relatively high initial ratios of 208 Pb/204 Pb(35.968–37.346), 207 Pb/204 Pb(15.448–15.508) and 206 Pb/204 Pb(16.280–17.492), indicating a subduction-metasomatized enriched lithospheric mantle source. Their low Ba/Rb(2.72–6.56), Ce/Y(0.97–1.39) and(Tb/Yb)N ratios(1.31–1.45) suggest that the parental magma was likely originated from low degree partial melting of the phlogopite-bearing lherzolite in a spinel-stability field. The Middle Triassic monzogranites show high Sr/Y ratios, low Mg O, Cr and Ni contents, high Zr/Sm ratios(40–64), negative zircon εHf(t) values(-25.8 to-8.8), as well as relatively flat heavy rare earth element patterns. They were likely derived from low degree partial melting of a moderately thickened ancient lower crust. The diabases and the slightly postdated high Sr/Y granites in this study represent the magmatic responses to the final orogenic evolution in the southwestern XMOB. Together with regional works, we propose that the slab break-off of the Paleo-Asian oceanic lithosphere following the terminal collision between the North China Craton and the South Mongolia terranes triggered asthenospheric upwelling, and the ongoing convergence further initiated moderately crustal thickening and uplift in the XMOB.