Early Devonian Post-collisional Granitic Magmatism in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt,Western China:Insights into Lithospheric Delamination and Orogenic Collapse

Post-collisional magmatism contains important clues for understanding the reworking and growth of continental crust,as well as lithospheric delamination and orogenic collapse.Early Devonian magmatism has been identified in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt(NQOB).This paper reports an integrated study of petrology,whole-rock geochemistry,Sm-Nd isotope and zircon U-Pb dating,as well as Lu-Hf isotopic data,for two Early Devonian intrusive plutons.The Yongchang and Chijin granites yield zircon U-Pb ages of 394-407 Ma and 414 Ma,respectively.Both of them are characterized by weakly peraluminous to metaluminous without typical aluminium-rich minerals,LREE-enriched patterns with negative Eu anomalies and a negative correlation between P_(2)O_(5) and SiO_(2) contents,consistent with geochemical features of I-type granitoids.Zircons from the studied granites display negative to weak positive ε_(Hf)(t)values(−5.7 to 2.1),which agree well with those of negative ε_(Nd)(t)values(−6.4 to−2.9)for the whole-rock samples,indicating that they were derived from the partial melting of Mesoproterozoic crust.Furthermore,low Sr/Y ratios(1.13-21.28)and high zircon saturation temperatures(745℃ to 839℃,with the majority being>800℃)demonstrated a relatively shallow depth level below the garnet stability field and an additional heat source.Taken together,the Early Devonian granitic magmatism could have been produced by the partial melting of ancient crustal materials heated by mantle-derived magmas at high-temperature and low-pressure conditions during postcollisional extensional collapse.The data obtained in this study,when viewed in conjunction with previous studies,provides more information about the tectonic processes that followed the closure of the North Qilian Ocean.The tectonic transition from continental collision to post-collisional delamination could be constrained to~430 Ma,which is provided by the sudden decrease of Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios and an increase in zircon ε_(Hf)(t)values for granitoids.A two-stage tectonic evolution model from continental collision to post-collisional extensional collapse for the NQOB includes(a)continental collision and crustal thickening during ca.455-430 Ma,characterized by granulite-facies metamorphism and widespread low-Mg adakitic magmatism;(b)post-collisional delamination of thickened continental crust and extensional collapse of orogen during ca.430-390 Ma,provided by coeval high-Mg adakitic magmatism,A-type granites and I-type granitoids with low Sr-Y ratios.

Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of the Silurian adakitic granitoids in the eastern segment of the Qilian Orogenic Belt,Northwest China

Geodynamic mechanism responsible for the generation of Silurian granitoids and the tectonic evolution of the Qilian orogenic belt remains controversial. In this study, we report the results of zircon U–Pb age, and systematic whole-rock geochemical data for the Haoquangou and Liujiaxia granitoids within the North Qilian orogenic belt and the Qilian Block, respectively, to constrain their petrogenesis, and the Silurian tectonic evolution of the Qilian orogenic belt. Zircon U–Pb ages indicate that the Haoquangou and Liujiaxia intrusions were emplaced at423 ± 3 Ma and 432 ± 4 Ma, respectively. The Haoquangou granodiorites are calc-alkaline, while the Liujiaxia granites belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series.Both are peraluminous in composition and have relatively depleted Nd isotopic [ε_(Nd)(t) =(-3.9 – + 0.6)] characteristics compared with regional basement rocks, implying their derivation from a juvenile lower crust. They show adakitic geochemical characteristics and were generated by partial melting of thickened lower continental crust. Postcollisional extensional regime related to lithospheric delamination was the most likely geodynamic mechanism for the generation of the Haoquangou granodiorite, while the Liujiaxia granites were generated in a compressive setting during continental collision between the Qaidam and Qilian blocks.

Zircon U-Pb geochronologic,geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope characteristics of the Beidaban granites in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt:Petrogenesis and tectonic implications

The tectonic evolution and crustal accretion process of the North Qilian Orogenic Belt(NQOB)are still under debate because of a lack of integrated constraints,especially the identifi cation of the tectonic transition from arc to initial collision.Here we present results from zircon U-Pb geochronology,whole-rock geochemistry,and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope geochemistry of the Beidaban granites to provide crucial information for geodynamic evolution of NQOB.Zircon U-Pb dating yields an age of 468±10 Ma for the Beidaban granites and most of the Beidaban samples contain amphibole,are potassium-rich,and have A/CNK values ranging from 0.7 to 0.9,illustrating that the Middle Ordovician Beidaban granites are K-rich,metaluminous,calc-alkaline granitoid.The geochemical characteristics indicate that the Beidaban granites are transitional I/S-type granitoids that formed in an arc setting.The isotopic compositions of initial(87 Sr/86 Sr)i values ranging from 0.70545 to 0.71082(0.70842 on average)andεNd(t)values ranging from−10.9 to−6.7(−8.8 on average)with two-stage Nd model ages(T DM2)of 1.74-2.08 Ga suggest that the Beidaban granites originated from Paleoproterozoic crustal materials.In addition,the initial Pb isotopic compositions(^(206)Pb/^(204)Pb=19.14-20.26;^(207)Pb/^(204)Pb=15.71-15.77;^(208)Pb/^(204)Pb=37.70-38.26)and geochemical features,such as high Th/Ta(17.43-30.12)and Rb/Nb(6.01-15.49)values,suggest that the Beidaban granite magma source involved recycled crustal components with igneous rocks.Based on these results in combination with previously published geochronological and geochemical data from other early Paleozoic igneous rocks,we suggest that the timing of the tectonic transition from arc to the initial collision to the fi nal closure of the North Qilian Ocean can be constrained to the Middle-Late Ordovician(ca.468–450 Ma).

Crustal S-velocity structure and radial anisotropy beneath the southern part of central and western North China Craton and the adjacent Qilian Orogenic Belt from ambient noise tomography

The crustal S-velocity structure and radial anisotropy along a dense linear portable seismic array with 64 broadband seismic stations were investigated from ambient noise tomography with about one-year-long ambient noise recordings. The array transverses the southern part of the central North China Craton(CNCC) and western NCC(WNCC) from east to west and reaches the adjacent Qilian Orogenic Belt(QOB). The phase velocity structures of Rayleigh waves at 5–35 s and Love waves at 5–30 s were measured. The crustal S-velocity structures(Vsv and Vsh) were constructed from the dispersion data(Rayleigh and Love waves,respectively) from point-wise linear inversion with prior information of the Moho depth and average crustal Vp/Vs ratio. The radial anisotropy along the profile was calculated based on the discrepancies between Vsv and Vsh as 2×(Vsh.Vsv)/(Vsh+Vsv). The results show distinct structural variations in the three major tectonic units. The crustal architecture in the southern CNCC is complicated and featured with wide-distributed low-velocity zones(LVZs), which may be a reflection of crustal modification resulting from Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonics and magmatic activities. The pronounced positive radial anisotropy in the lower-lowermost crust beneath the Shanxi-Shaanxi Rift and the neighboring areas could be attributed to the underplating of mantle mafic-ultramafic materials during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic activation. In southern Ordos, the overall weak lateral velocity variations, relative high velocity and large-scale positive radial anisotropy in mid-lower crust probably suggest that the current crustal structure has preserved its Precambrian tectonic characteristics. The low-velocity westward-dipping sedimentary strata in the Ordos Block could be attributed to the Phanerozoic whole-basin tilting and the uneven erosion since late Cretaceous. Integrated with previous studies, the systematic comparison of crustal architecture was made between the southern and northern part of CNCC-WNCC. The similarities and differences may have a relation with the tectonic events and deformation histories experienced before and after the Paleoproterozoic amalgamation of the NCC. The nearly flat mid-crustal LVZ beneath the southern QOB weakens gradually as it extends to the east, which is a feature probably associated with crustal vertical superpositionand ductile shear deformation under the intensive compressional regime due to the northeastward growth and expansion of the Tibetan Plateau.

Junction and Evolution of the Qinling,Qilian and Kunlun Orogenic Belts

As the main part of the “central mountain system” in the continent of China, the Qinling, Qilian and Kunlun orogenic belts have been comprehensively and deeply studied since the 1970s and rich fruits have been reaped. However, these achievements were mostly confined to an individual orogenic belt and the study of the mutual relationship among the three orogenic belts was obliged to depend on comparative studies. Different views were produced therefrom. The material composition and structural features of the junction region show that there are several epicontinental and intracontinental transform faults developed in different periods. Restricted by these transform faults, the large-scale lateral movements and, as a consequence, complicated magmatism and tectonic deformation took place in the orogenic belts. According to these features, the authors put forward a three-stage junction and evolution model and point out that there is not a single junction zone traversing from west to east but that the three orogenic belts have been joined progressively by the epicontinental and intracontinental transform faults.

Silurian Seismites in Hanxia,Yumen,North Qilian Mountains,and Their Tectonic Significance

The Caledonian orogenic belt of the North Qilian Mountains is an intensely active structure belt. In the process of the Late Caledonian syn-orogeny, the North Qilian-Hexi Corridor area was situated on the tectonic background of a syn-orogenic basin. In response to the orogenic process of the North Qilian Mountains, typical earthquake event deposits—seismites of the Silurian were widely distributed around Hanxia of Yumen City, the Liyuan River of Sunan County and Biandukou of Minle County. In the Hanxia area, where seismites are typically developed, clastic deposits of tidal-flat facies are the background deposits of the Hanxia Formation. The earthquake event deposits are characterized by sandy mudstone veins, synsedimentary microfractures, micro-corrugated laminations and earthquake breccias, which in turn constitute complex seismites, featuring seismic corrugation, shattering and liquefied sandy mudstone veins, auto-clastic breccias and intraclastic parabreccias. The seismites and tidal flat deposits formed typical sequences of earthquake event deposits.