Petrology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Zhongcang ophiolite, northern Tibet: implications for the evolution of the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean

Ophiolites are widespread along the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone, northern Tibet. However, it is still debated on the formation ages and tectonic evolution process of these ophiolites. The Zhongcang ophiolite is a typical ophiolite in the western part of the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone. It is composed of serpentinized peridotite, cumulate and isotropic gabbros, massive and pillow basalts, basaltic volcanic breccia, and minor red chert. Zircon SHRIMP Ue Pb dating for the isotropic gabbro yielded weighted mean age of 163.4 ± 1.8 Ma. Positive zircon ε Hf(t) values(+15.0 to +20.2) and mantle-like σ^(18)O values(5.29 ±0.21)% indicate that the isotropic gabbros were derived from a long-term depleted mantle source. The isotropic gabbros have normal mid-ocean ridge basalt(N-MORB) like immobile element patterns with high Mg O, low TiO_2 and moderate rare earth element(REE) abundances, and negative Nb,Ti, Zr and Hf anomalies. Basalts show typical oceanic island basalt(OIB) geochemical features, and they are similar to those of OIB-type rocks of the Early Cretaceous Zhongcang oceanic plateau within the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean. Together with these data, we suggest that the Zhongcang ophiolite was probably formed by the subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean during the Middle Jurassic. The subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan Ocean could begin in the Earlye Middle Jurassic and continue to the Early Cretaceous, and finally continental collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes at the west Bangong-Nujiang suture zone probably has taken place later than the Early Cretaceous(ca. 110 Ma).

Opening of the Longmu Co–Shuanghu–Lancangjiang ocean:constraints from plagiogranites

This paper reports new zircon U-Pb ages,and Hf isotope and whole-rock major and trace element data for Cambrian plagiogranites from the Tuobeiling ophiolite in central Qiangtang,Tibetan Plateau.Zircon SIMS and LAICP-MS U-Pb dating of the plagiogranites yield weighted mean ages of 504.8±4.2 and 491.6±1.5 Ma,respectively.The zircons from plagiogranites exhibit positive eHf(t)values(ranging from 11.46 to 15.16),indicating that the plagiogranites are derived from depleted mantle.These plagiogranites are characterized by high SiO2and Na2O,low K2O,low REE contents,and flat REE distribution patterns.These rocks have geochemical compositions typical of oceanic plagiogranite and,considered along with their petrography and field relationships,are interpreted to have derived from anatexis of hydrated amphibolites by ductile shearing during transports of the oceanic crust.The formation age of such type of plagiogranite is slightly younger than that of the associated section of oceanic crust.Thus the new results from these plagiogranites suggest that the Longmu Co–Shuanghu–Lancangjiang ocean had probably opened before the Middle Cambrian.

Pre-Cryogenian integrative stratigraphy,biotas,and paleogeographical evolution of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas

The composition and geological evolution of pre-Cryogenian material in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas have played an important role in studying the formation and evolution of early supercontinents on Earth.This paper systematically summarizes the characteristics of pre-Cryogenian sedimentation,paleontology,magmatism,and metamorphism in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas.Based on existing data,the records of pre-Cryogenian sedimentation and paleontology are mainly concentrated in the Meso-Neoproterozoic,with relatively few records from the Paleoproterozoic or earlier.The oldest geological record is the Hadean detrital zircons in the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of the Himalaya and Qamdo areas(ca.4.0 Ga).The Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas preserve records related to the formation and evolution of the Kenor supercraton,and the Columbia,Rodinia,and Gondwana supercontinents.Pre-Cryogenian basements can be divided into three types:Tarim-,Yangtze-,and Lhasa-type.The Tarim-type basement has a paleogeographic affinity with the northern margins of the Australian and Indian continents and lacks detrital zircon age peaks and magmatic-metamorphic records related to the Rodinia assembly(ca.1.3-0.9 Ga).The Yangtze-type basement records volcanic activity related to global cooling in the latest pre-Cryogenian period and contains Meso-Neoproterozoic stromatolite and micropaleoflora fossils,as well as magmaticmetamorphic records related to Rodinia assembly(ca.1.1-1.0 Ga).The Lhasa-type basement is characterized by Neoproterozoic rift-related sediment records(ca.900 Ma)and high-pressure metamorphic events(ca.650 Ma),with a prominent peak of detrital zircon ages of ca.1.2-1.1 Ga.It is likely to have a paleogeographic affinity with the African continent.

Petrology, Geochemistry and Geochronology of Gabbros from the Zhongcang Ophiolitic Mélange, Central Tibet: Implications for an Intra-Oceanic Subduction Zone within the Neo-Tethys Ocean

In order to investigate the evolution of Shiquanhe-Yongzhu-Jiali ophiolitic melange belt, the gabbros from new discovered Zhongcang ophiolitic melange are studied through petrology, whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotope. The gabbros investigated in this paper contain cumulate gabbro and gabbro dike, and they have undergone greenschist-amphibolite facies metamorphism. The chondrite normalized rare earth element （REE） patterns of most of these rocks show flat types with slightly light REE （LREE） depletion and the N-MORB normalized incompatible elements diagrams indicate depletion in high field strength elements （HFSE） （Nb, Ta） and enrichment in large ion lithophile elements （LILE）. These gabbros have island arc and mid-ocean ridge basalt af- finities, suggesting that they were originated in an oceanic back arc basin. Whole rock geochemistry and high positive εNd（t） values show that these gabbros were derived from -30% partial melting of a spinel lherzolite mantle, which was enriched by interaction with slab-derived fluids and melts from sediment. U-Pb analyses of zircons from cumulate gabbro yield a weighted mean age of 114.3±1.4 Ma. Based on our data and previous studies, we propose that an intra-oceanic subduction system and back arc basin operated in the Neo-Tethy Ocean of central Tibet during Middle Jurassic and Early Creta- ceous, resembling modern active intra-oceanic subduction systems in the western Pacific.

^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar Thermochronology Constraints on Jurassic Tectonothermal Event of Nyainrong Microcontinent

To reveal the Jurassic tectonothermal event occurring to the Nyainrong microcontinent which is gripped among the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone,^40Ar/^39Ar dating was carried out on the basement orthogneiss and Jurassic granitc gneiss in the microcontinent. In the heating stage, four sam- pies exhibited a flat plateau age, with the value Tp concentrated in the range of 166-176 Ma; isochron age Ti was concentrated in the range of 165-175 Ma, and their corresponding ages were the consistent within allowable range. The ages should be representative of the era of the final deformation of the Amdo gneiss and cooling emplacement of the magmatic rock in the Jurassic. The geochronological studies have shown that the final deformation of microcontinent crystalline basement and the cooling of the Mesozoic large-scale tectonothermal events occurred in late Middle Jurassic. In Middle Jurassic, Nyainrong microcontinent experienced strong tectonic movement. Combining with the geochronologi- cal with isotope geochemistry for the microcontinent, the cause of the tectonothermal event should be attributed to the collision between the Nyainrong microcontinent and South Qiangtang Block following the northward subduction of Bangong-Nujiang oceanic crust.