Neoproterozoic Crustal Reworking and Growth in the Zhangbaling Uplift, Tan-Lu Fault Zone: Evidence from the Feidong Complex and Zhangbaling Group

Intensive mid-Neoproterozoic magmatism is the salient feature of the Yangtze Block,preserving abundant information about crustal reworking and growth.Zircon U-Pb-Lu-Hf isotope analysis was performed on material from the Feidong Complex(FDC)and Zhangbaling Group(ZBLG)of the Zhangbaling Uplift,in order to determine the age and magmatic source of the Neoproterozoic igneous rocks as well as the detrital provenance for the sedimentary rocks,to further provide important data for understanding the mid-Neoproterozoic crustal evolution of the Northeast Yangtze Block.The amphibolite and gneissic granites in the Feidong Complex(FDC)gave similar protolith ages of 782-776 Ma.The synmagmatic zircons exhibited variable negativeεHf(t)values of-26.9 to-8.3.Early(ca.2.4 Ga)to late Paleoproterozoic(ca.2.0-1.9 Ga)inherited zircons were found in the gneissic monzogranite,with negativeεHf(t)values of-11.2 to-7.2,indicating strong reworking of the ancient crustal materials of the Northeast Yangtze Block.Whereas the amphibolites represent minor crustal growth through emplacement of continental rifting-related mafic magmas.The quartz-keratophyres in the Xileng Formation of the ZBLG in contrast systematically yield young protolith crystallization ages of 754-727 Ma with highεHf(t)values of-2.0 to+5.6,indicating their derivation from the reworking of juvenile crustal materials.The detrital zircons from the metasiltstone in the Beijiangjun Formation yield variable^(206)Pb/^(238)U ages(871-644 Ma)with a peak age at 741±11 Ma andεHf(t)values of-4.3 to+5.3,which is consistent with those of the Xileng Formation,but distinct from the FDC,indicating that the provenance of the metasiltstone is primarily the underlying Xileng Formation.The mid-Neoproterozoic igneous and sedimentary rocks of the Zhangbaling Uplift were products from continental rifting zones along the northern margin of the Yangtze Block,situated in different positions from the Susong Complex and the Haizhou Group.The transition from ancient to juvenile crustal sources for felsic magmatic rocks is attributed to gradually increased crustal extension during continental rifting.

Crustal Accretion and Reworking within the Khanka Massif: Evidence from Zircon Hf Isotopes of Phanerozoic Granitoids

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt（CAOB）is one of the largest Phanerozoic accretionary orogen.（Windley et al.,1990,2007;Jahn et al.,2000a,b,c;Yakubchuk,2002,2004;Xiao et al.,2003,2004）.It is the optimal study area for revealing the accretion and reworking processes of the continental crust.The Khanka Massif is located in the most eastern part of the CAOB,and mainly crops out in the territory of Russia,with a small segment in NE China.In addition,a large number of multi-stage granitic rocks are formed in geological evolution in this area,recording amounts of information about crustal accretion and reworking processes（De Paolo et al.,1991;Rudnick,1995;Wu et al.,2011）.In view of this,this paper uses the spatial-temporal variations of trace elements and zircon Hf isotopic compositions of phanerozoic granitoids within the Khanka Massif as a case to reveal the crustal accretion and reworking processes of micro continental massifs from the orogenic belt,further to understand the formation and evolution processes and mechanisms of the global continental crust.According to the statistics of zircon U-Pb ages of granitoids in the Khanka Massif,indicate that the granitic magmatisms in the Khanka Massif have eleven peaks:492 Ma,460 Ma,445Ma,430Ma,425Ma,302Ma,287Ma,258Ma,249 Ma,216Ma and 213Ma,it can be divided into eight main stages:Late Cambrian,Middle-Late Ordovician,Middle Silurian,Late Carboniferous,EarlyPermian,Middle-Late Permian—Early Triassic,Late Triassic-Early Jurassic,Early Cretaceous.The Phanerozoic granitoids in Khanka massif are selectedinthispaperasasuiteof granodiorite-monzogranite-syenogranite.TheSi O2contents of the Phanerozoic granitoids exceed 65%,and has high Al2O3,low Mg#,TFe2O3,Cr,Co and Ni contents.This suggests that mixture with mantle-derived magma did not occur,and it should be a typical crustal source（Lu and Xu,2011）.Combined with evident characteristics of light rare-earth elements（LREEs）and large ion lithophile elements（LILEs）enrichment,and heavy rare-earth elements（HREEs）and high field-strength elements（HFSEs）loss,we suggest that the primary magma was derived by partial melting of lower crustal material（Xu et al.,2009）,and geochemical properties of the Phanerozoic granitoids essentially reflect the nature of the magmatic source region.According to the temporal variation of zircon Hf isotopic data of Phanerozoic granitioids,zircon Hf isotopic compositions of Phanerozoic granitoids have a obvious correlation with age.With the decrease of formation time ofthePhanerozoicgranitoids（Late Cambrian;iddle-LateOrdovician;iddle Silurian;arlyPermian;iddle-LatePermian–Early Triassic;ate Triassic-Early Jurassic）,εHf（t）values of zircons gradually increase,whereas their TDM2 ages gradually decrease（Paleoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic）,suggesting that the generation of granitic magmas from the Khanka Massif could have experienced the change from the melting of the ancient crust to the juvenile crust during Paleozoic to Mesozoic.According to the sample location,it can be found thatεHf（t）values of Phanerozoic granitoids have the tendency to decrease with latitude increase,showing that components of the ancient continental crust gradually increase from south to north.However,at the same latitude range,theεHf（t）values of Phanerozoic granitoids also inconsistent.Taken together,these differences reveal the horizontal and vertical heterogeneity of the lower continental crust within the Khanka Massif.According to the relative probability of two-stage model（TDM2）ages of zircon Hf isotope from Phanerozoic granitoids within the Khanka massif,it could be divided into three stages:（1）Late Paleoproterozoic（2）Mesoproterozoic（3）Neoproterozoic.It reveals that the main part of the continental crust within the Khanka MassifwereformedinLate Paleoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic.The Phanerozoic granitoids in the Khanka Massif reworked from the source rockswithdifferent ages（Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic）.

Chemical-Abrasion U-Pb zircon geochronology reveals 150 Myr of partial melting events in the Archean crust of the São Francisco Craton

Field observations and CA-LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon ages and Hf isotope compositions obtained from migmatitic orthogneisses and granitoids from the Belo Horizonte Complex,southern São Francisco Craton,indicate a major period of partial melting and production of felsic rocks in the Neoarchean.Our observations show that the complex is an important site for studying partial melting processes of Archean crystalline crust.Much of the complex exposes fine-grained stromatic migmatites that are intruded by multiple leucogranitic veins and sheeted dikes.Both migmatites and leucogranite sheets are crosscut by several phases of granitoid batholiths and small granitic bodies;both of which are closely associated with the host banded gneisses.Chemical abrasion followed by detailed cathodoluminescence imaging revealed a wide variety of zircon textures that are consistent with a long-lived period of partial melting and crustal remobilization.Results of U-Pb and Hf isotopes disclose the complex as part of a much wider crustal segment,encompassing the entire southern part of the São Francisco Craton.Compilation of available U-Pb ages suggests that this crustal segment was consolidated sometime between 3000 Ma and 2900 Ma and that it experienced three main episodes of partial melting before stabilization at 2600 Ma.The partial melting episodes took place between 2750 Ma and 2600 Ma as a result of tectonic accretion and peeling off the lithospheric mantle and lower crust.This process is likely responsible for the emplacement of voluminous potassic granitoids across the entire São Francisco Craton.We believe that the partial melting of Meso-Archean crystalline crust and production of potassic granitoids are linked to a fundamental shift in the tectonics of the craton,which was also responsible for the widespread intrusion of large syenitic bodies in the northern part of the craton,and the construction of layered mafic–ultramafic intrusions to the south of the BHC.

Detrital Zircon Ages of Hanjiang River:Constraints on Evolution of Northern Yangtze Craton,South China

Clastic sedimentary rocks are natural samples of the exposed continental crust over large areas. The Hanjiang （汉江） River drains the northern Yangtze craton, including the South Qinling （秦岭） belt and the northern parts of the Yangtze craton. Detrital zircons from this river thus provide an ideal sample for studying the formation and evolution of the northern Yangtze craton. Here we report laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer U-Pb ages of 122 detrital zircons from one sand sample of the Hanjiang River. The 110 concordant zircons reveal four major age groups of 768, 444, 212, and 124 Ma, which well correlate with known magmatic events in the northern Yangtze craton. A minor group is present at 1 536 Ma, which is less known in the study area. Only seven zircons have ages of 〉1 750 Ma. Our results show that the Early Paleozoic, Late Triassic, and Early Cretaceous are important episodes of zircon growth and crustal growth/reworking in addition to the previously documented Neoproterozoic event. Our results suggest very limited exposures of Paleoproterozoic and Archean rocks in the northern parts of the Yangtze craton.

Crustal Accretion and Reworking within the Khanka Massif： Evidence from Hf Isotopes of Zircons in Phanerozoic Granitoids

This paper presents a synthesis and analysis of geochronological, geochemical, and zircon Hf isotopic data of Phanerozoic granitoids within the Khanka massif, with the aim of revealing the ac- cretion and reworking processes of continental crust within the massif. Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that Phanerozoie granitic magmafism within the Khanka massif can be subdivided into eight stages： Late Cambrian, Middle-Late Ordovieian, Middle Silurian, Late Carboniferous, Early Permian, Middle--Late Permian to Early Triassic, Late Triassic-Early Jurassic, and Early Cretaceous. The zircon Hf isotopic compositions reveal that crustal accretionary events took place mainly in the Mesoprotero- zoie and Neoproterozoic. Through time, the zircon eHf（t） values gradually increase, indicating that the Phanerozoie granitic magmas were derived from the melting of progressively less ancient and more ju- venile crust. The zircon eHdt） values exhibit a gradual decrease with the increases in latitude, which im- plies that the amounts of ancient crustal components within the lower continental crust of the Khanka massif increased from south to north. At the same latitude range, the zircon Hf isotopic compositions also display some variations. We conclude, therefore, that significant horizontal and vertical heteroge- neities existed in the lower continental crust of the Khanka massif during the Phanerozoic.

Plate tectonics in the Archean:Observations versus interpretations

Plate tectonics theory,established in the 1960s,has been successful in explaining many geological phenomena,processes and events that occurred in the Phanerozoic.However,the theory has often struggled to provide a coherent framework in interpreting geological records in continental interior and Precambrian period.In dealing with the relationship between plate tectonics and continental geology,continental interior tectonics was often separated from continental margin tectonics in the inheritance and development of their structure and composition.This separation led to the illusion that the plate tectonics theory is not applicable to Precambrian geology,particularly in explaining the fundamental geological characteristics of Archean cratons.Although this illusion does not mean that the Archean continental crust did not originate from a regime of plate tectonics,it led to the development of alternative tectonic models,often involving vertical movements under a regime of stagnant lid tectonics,including not only endogenous processes such as gravitational sagduction,mantle plumes and heat pipes but also exogenous processes such as bolide impacts.These vertical processes were not unique to the Archean but persisted into the Phanerozoic.They result from mantle poloidal convection at different depths,not specific to any particular period.Upgrading the plate tectonics theory from the traditional kinematic model in the 20th century to a holistic kinematic-dynamic model in the 21st century and systematically examining the vertical transport of matter and energy at plate margins,it is evident that plate tectonics can explain the common geological characteristics of Archean cratons,such as lithological associations,structural patterns and metamorphic evolution.By deciphering the structure and composition of convergent plate margins as well as their dynamics,the formation and evolution of continental crust since the Archean can be divided into ancient plate tectonics in the Precambrian and modern plate tectonics in the Phanerozoic.In addition,there are the following three characteristic features in the Archean:(1)convective mantle temperatures were 200–300°C higher than in the Phanerozoic,(2)newly formed basaltic oceanic crust was as thick as 30–40 km,and(3)the asthenosphere had a composition similar to the primitive mantle rather than the depleted mantle at present.On this basis,the upgraded plate tectonics theory can successfully explain the major geological phenomena of Archean cratons.This approach provides a new perspective on and deep insights into the evolution of early Earth and the origin of continental crust.In detail,Archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite(TTG)rocks would result from partial melting of the over-thick basaltic oceanic crust at convergent plate margins.The structural patterns of gneissic domes and greenstone keels would result from the buoyancy-driven emplacement of TTG magmas and its interaction with the basaltic crust at convergent margins,and komatiites in greenstone belts would be the product of mantle plume activity in the regime of ancient plate tectonics.The widespread distribution of high-grade metamorphic rocks in a planar fashion,rather than in zones,is ascrible to separation of the gneissic domes from the greenstone belts.The shortage of calc-alkaline andesites in bimodal volcanic associations suggests the shortage of sediment accretionary wedges derived from weathering of granitic continental crust above oceanic subduction zones.The absence of Penrose-type ophiolites suggests that during the subduction initiation of microplates,only the upper volcanic rocks of the thick oceanic crust were offscrapped to form basalt accretionary wedges.The absence of blueschist and eclogite as well as classic paired metamorphic belts suggests that convergent plate margins were over-thickened through either warm subduction or hard collision of the thick oceanic crust at moderate geothermal gradients.Therefore,only by correctly recognizing and understanding the nature of Archean cartons can plate tectonics reasonably explain their fundamental geological characteristics.

Reworking of the Juvenile Crust in the Late Mesozoic in North Qinling,Central China

The Qinling Orogen resulted from the collision between the North and South China blocks in the Triassic.Mesozoic granitoids,ranging from the Triassic to the Cretaceous,are widely distributed in this orogen,and they provide excellent clues for understanding the crustal evolution and geodynamic evolution of the orogenic belt.The Triassic belt is mostly located in the South Qinling,whereas the Cretaceous belt is located mostly in the North Qinling.The Taibai complex pluton is located at the conjunction of the two belts.Here we present a data set comprising zircon U-Pb dating and elemental and Sr-Nd isotopic geochemistry for Late Mesozoic granite and microgranular enclaves(MME)exposed in the Taibai complex pluton.The granite and MME yield concordant U-Pb zircon ages of 124 to 118 Ma,indicating that they were products of roughly simultaneous magmatism in the Late Mesozoic.The granite rocks are high-K,calc-alkaline,and weakly peraluminous in compositions,and they are characterized by enrichment in large ion lithophile elements(e.g.,Rb,Ba),depletion in high field strength elements(e.g.,Nb,Ta,Zr,Ti),and variable Sr/Y ratios of 7.64 to 63.6.Low MgO,Cr,and Ni contents imply that the magma(s)were essentially crust-derived.Both the granite and the MME show relative depletion in Sr-Nd isotopic composition(initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr of 0.7044 to 0.7067,initialε_(Nd) values of-3.4 to-2.6),suggesting that the magma(s)originated from juvenile crustal rocks.These Sr-Nd isotopic characteristics are significantly different from those of other Late Mesozoic granitoids exposed elsewhere in the Qinling orogenic belt,which formed from much older and enriched sources and with negligible contributions from mantle or juvenile crust.We propose a reworking event of the juvenile crust during the Late Mesozoic that was triggered by the tectonic extension and subsequent asthenospheric upwelling that occurred in eastern China.