Late Mesozoic magmatism in the Jiaodong Peninsula,East China:Implications for crust-mantle interactions and lithospheric thinning of the eastern North China Craton

A section from the Linglong gold deposit on the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula,East China,containing Late Mesozoic magmatic rocks from mafic and intermediate dikes and felsic intrusions,was chosen to investigate the lithospheric evolution of the eastern North China Craton(NCC).Zircon U-Pb data showed that low-Mg adakitic monzogranites and granodiorite intrusions were emplaced during the Late Jurassic(~145 Ma) and late Early Cretaceous(112-107 Ma),respectively;high-Mg adakitic diorite and mafic dikes were also emplaced during the Early Cretaceous at^139 Ma and ~118 Ma,and 125-145 Ma and 115-120 Ma,respectively.The geochemical data,including whole-rock major and trace element compositions and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes,imply that the mafic dikes originated from the partial melting of a lithospheric mantle metasomatised through hydrous fluids from a subducted oceanic slab.Low-Mg adakitic monzogranites and granodiorite intrusions originated from the partial melting of the thickened lower crust of the NCC,while high-Mg adakitic diorite dikes originated from the mixing of mafic and felsic melts.Late Mesozoic magmatism showed that lithosphere-derived melts showed a similar source depth and that crust-derived felsic melts originated from the continuously thickened lower crust of the Jiaodong Peninsula from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous.We infer that the lower crust of the eastern NCC was thickened through compression and subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate beneath the NCC during the Middle Jurassic.Slab rollback of the plate from ~160 Ma resulted in lithospheric thinning and accompanied Late Mesozoic magmatism.

Recycling of crustal materials and implications for lithospheric thinning: Evidence from Mesozoic volcanic rocks in the Hailar-Tamtsag Basin, NE China

Late Mesozoic Nb-rich basaltic andesites and high-Mg adakitic volcanic rocks from the Hailar-Tamtsag Basin,northeast China,provide important insights into the recycling processes of crustal materials and their role in late Mesozoic lithospheric thinning.The Late Jurassic Nb-rich basaltic andesites(154±4 Ma)are enriched in large-ion lithophile and light rare earth elements,slightly depleted in high-field-strength elements,and have high TiO_(2),P_(2)O_(5),and Nb contents,and(Nb/Th)PM and Nb/U ratios,which together with the relatively depleted Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions indicate a derivation from a mantle wedge metasomatized by hydrous melts from subducted oceanic crust.The Early Cretaceous high-Mg adakitic volcanic rocks(129-117 Ma)are characterized by low Y and heavy rare earth element contents,and high Sr contents and Sr/Y ratios,similar to those of rocks derived from partial melting of an eclogitic source.They also have high Rb/Sr,K_(2)O/Na_(2)O,and Mg#values,and high MgO,Cr,and Ni contents.These geochemical features suggest that the adakitic lavas were derived from partial melting of delaminated lower continental crust,followed by interaction of the resulting melts with mantle material during their ascent.Our data,along with available geological,paleomagnetic,and geophysical evidence,lead us to propose that recycling of Paleo-Pacific oceanic crustal materials into the upper mantle due to flat-slab subduction and rollback of the Paleo-Pacific Plate during the late Mesozoic likely provided the precondition for lithospheric thinning in northeast China,with consequent lithospheric delamination causing recycling of continental crustal materials and further lithospheric thinning.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of Late Triassic Intrusive Rocks in the Xiuyan Area,Liaodong Peninsula,Eastern North China Craton:Petrogenesis and Implications for Lithospheric Thinning

The timing and mechanisms of lithospheric thinning and destruction of the North China Craton(NCC)remain controversial,and the overall geodynamics of the process are poorly understood.This paper documents Late Triassic igneous rocks including monzogranite,gabbro,and diorite from the Xiuyan District on the Liaodong Peninsula in the eastern NCC,which have LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb ages of 229.0±0.4 Ma,216.2±0.9 Ma,and 210.6±2.0 Ma,respectively.Monzogranite shows high-SiO_(2) adakite affinity,negative ε_(Hf)(t)values(-20.6 to-17.9),and old T_(DM2) ages(3.53-3.29 Ga),suggesting that their parental magma was derived from thickened Paleoarchean mafic lower crust and minor mantle materials that were also involved their generation.Gabbro is ultrapotassic,strongly enriched in LREEs and LILEs,depleted in HFSEs,and has evolved zircon Hf isotopes with negative ε_(Hf) of -10.04 to-5.85 and old T_(DM2) ages(2.59-2.22 Ga).These are diagnostic signatures of a crustal component,but their high contents of Mg O,Cr,Co,Ni indicate that the primary magma originated from enriched mantle.Diorite is enriched in LILEs and LREEs,depleted in HFSEs(with negative Nb,Ta,and Ti anomalies),and contains negative ε_(Hf)(t)values(-13.64 to-11.01).Compared with the gabbro,the diorite is relatively enriched in Nb,Ta and HREEs,and also contains younger T_(DM2) ages(2.11-1.94 Ga),suggesting that the diorite was formed by mixing between ancient lower crust-derived felsic magmas and asthenospheric mantle-derived magmas.Field observations,geochronology,geochemistry,and zircon Lu-Hf isotopes indicate that Late Triassic magmatism and tectonic activity resulted from deep subduction of the Yangtze Craton beneath the NCC in the Xiuyan area.This phase of tectonic activity was completed in the eastern NCC by the Late Triassic(216 Ma),and was subsequently followed by lithospheric thinning that began in the Late Triassic.

Emplacement Depths and Exhumation of Mesozoic Granitoids Responding to Lithospheric Destruction in the Jiaodong Peninsula, North China Craton

1 Introduction The North China Craton(NCC)has experienced lithospheric destruction in Mesozoic accompanied with crustal exhumation.Fission track or(U-Th)/He dating of zircon and apatite for the Mesozoic granitoids in the

THINNING OF THE THICKENED LITHOSPHERE AND ITS GEODYNAMIC CONSEQUENCE: APPLICATION FOR TIBETAN PLATEAU

As one of the most distinct tectonic blocks on the Earth’s surface, Tibetan Plateau draw great attention of the geoscientists from the world. Many authors have proposed various kinds of the mechanism to try to clarify the evolution of the plateau. While many studies are often restricted to crustal units, the important role of the mantle part of the lithosphere (mantle lithosphere) during and after the collision process has not been appreciated widely. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the dynamic process of the thinning (delamination and convective removal) of the thickened lithosphere and its influence upon the uplift of the plateau.1\ Thickened lithosphere root\;Parsons and McKenzie (1978) proposed that the continental lithosphere could be thought of as consisting of two distinct parts: the mechanical and thermal boundary layers. The lower, and hotter, part is the thermal boundary layer. Its viscosity is sufficiently low that the force of gravity acting on density contrasts between the thermal boundary layer and the underlying mantle lead to the episodic sinking of the thermal boundary layer and its replacement by hot asthenosphere. When continental crust shortens and thickens, the mantle directly beneath it must also be displaced downward. In other words, mountain building process shortens horizontally and thickens vertically the mechanical boundary layer, and presumably the thermal boundary layer. And the process stretches the isotherms vertically, thus reducing the geothermal gradient. Houseman’s numerical experiments (1981) show that thickening of the thermal boundary layer enhances the density contrasts between it and the underlying asthenosphere, and so leads to its removal and replacement with hot asthenosphere. This phenomenon is called the instability of the thickened lithosphere.

NUMERICAL MODELLING OF LITHOSPHERE EVOLUTION IN THE NORTH CHINA CRATON: THERMAL THINNING VERSUS TECTONIC EXTENSION THINNING

The boundary between lithosphere and asthenosphere essentially represents a thermal boundary (the solidus). Temperature variation across this boundary can lead to the change of lithosphere thickness. In the case of elevated temperatures in a lithospheric layer above 1 200℃, partial melting will begin and the result of that is a thinned lithosphere. The other mechanism that can also thin lithosphere is extension. Stretching during an extension event can result in a thinner and longer lithosphere. The two mechanisms above are the reason why we can alserve large variations in lithosphere thickness spatially across various continents and temporally throughout the geological history.

Thinning and destruction of the cratonic lithosphere:A global perspective

It has been proposed that the North China Craton(NCC)was thinned up to a thickness of>100 km during the Phanerozoic,and underwent an associated craton destruction.Evidently,it is an important topic worthy of future study to understanding the mechanism of cratonic destruction and its role played in the continental evolution.After synthesized the global cratons of India,Brazil,South Africa,Siberia,East Europe(Baltic)and North America,we found that lithospheric thinning is common in the cratonic evolution,but it is not always associated with craton destruction.Most cratons was thinned by thermal erosion of mantle plume or mantle upwelling,which,however,may not cause craton destruction.Based on the studies of the North American and North China Cratons,we suggest that oceanic subduction plays an important role in caton destruction.Fluids or melts released by dehydration of the subducted slabs metasomatize the mantle wedge above and trigger extensive partial melting.More importantly,the metasomatized mantle lost its original rigidity and make craton easier to be deformed and then to be destoyed.Therefore,we suggest that the widespread crust-derived granite and large-scale ductile deformation within the continental crust can be regarded as the petrological and structural indicators of craton destruction,respectively.

Dynamics of thinning and destruction of the continental cratonic lithosphere: Numerical modeling

Thinning of the cratonic lithosphere is common in nature, but its destruction is not. In either case, the mechanisms for both thinning and destruction are still widely under debate. In this study, we have made a review on the processes and mechanisms of thinning and destruction of cratonic lithosphere according to previous studies of geological/geophysical observations and numerical simulations, with specific application to the North China Craton(NCC). Two main models are suggested for the thinning and destruction of the NCC, both of which are related to subduction of the oceanic lithosphere. One is the "bottom-up" model, in which the deeply subducting slab perturbs and induces upwelling from the hydrous mantle transition zone(MTZ). The upwelling produces mantle convection and erodes the bottom of the overriding lithosphere by the fluid-meltperidotite reaction. Mineral compositions and rheological properties of the overriding lithospheric mantle are changed, allowing downward dripping of lithospheric components into the asthenosphere. Consequently, lithospheric thinning or even destruction occurs. The other is the "top-down" model, characterized by the flat subduction of oceanic slab beneath the overriding cratonic lithosphere. Dehydration reactions from the subducting slab would significantly hydrate the lithospheric mantle and decrease its rheological strength. Then the subduction angle may be changed from shallow to steep, inducing lateral upwelling of the asthenosphere. This upwelling would heat and weaken the overriding lithospheric mantle, which led to the weakened lithospheric mantle dripping into the asthenosphere. These two models have some similarities, in that both take the subducting oceanic slab and relevant fluid migration as the major driving mechanism for thinning or destruction of the overriding cratonic lithosphere. The key difference between the two models is the effective depth of the subducting oceanic slab. One is stagnation and flattening in the MTZ, whereas the other is flat subduction at the bottom of the cratonic lithosphere. In the NCC, the eastern lithosphere was likely affected by subduction of the Izanagi slab during the Mesozoic, which would have perturbed the asthenosphere and the MTZ, and induced fluid migration beneath the NCC lithosphere. The upwelling fluid may largely have controlled the reworking of the NCC lithosphere. In order to discuss and analyze these two models further, it is crucial to understand the role of fluids in the subduction zone and the MTZ. Here, we systematically discuss phase transformations of hydrous minerals and the transport processes of water in the subduction system. Furthermore, we analyze possible modes of fluid activity and the problems to explore the applied feasibility of each model. In order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms for thinning and destruction of cratonic lithosphere, we also consider four additional possible dynamic models: extension-induced lithospheric thinning, compression-induced lithospheric thickening and delamination, large-scale mantle convection and thermal erosion, and mantle plume erosion. Compared to the subduction-related models presented here, these four models are primarily controlled by the relatively simple and single process and mechanism(extension, compression, convection, and mantle plume, respectively), which could be the secondary driving mechanisms for the thinning and destruction of lithosphere.

深大断裂之郯庐断裂

郯庐断裂带是中国东部规模最大的一条岩石圈断裂带,也是中国东部最重要的一条中、新生代岩浆、成矿和构造活动带。不能很好地认识郯庐断裂,就不能很好地认识中国东部中生代的构造演化,也就不能很好地理解欧亚大陆的当今格局。本文从我们近年来对郯庐断裂带沿线中生代岩浆岩的研究成果出发,以任纪舜先生主编的《国际亚洲地质图》为指导思想,提出郯庐断裂的大型走滑启动应与早白垩世(~143 Ma)洋底高原与欧亚大陆的碰撞有关。郯庐断裂这一切割岩石圈深度的大型断裂是导致华北克拉通发生破坏的关键因素,为深部幔源物质的上涌提供了通道。郯庐断裂带两侧有规律地成群成带分布金矿等多金属矿产,多形成于郯庐断裂大型挤压走滑后(~123 Ma)的伸展背景。

Mesozoic mafic magmatism in North China:Implications for thinning and destruction of cratonic lithosphere

The North China Craton(NCC) has been thinned from >200 km to <100 km in its eastern part. The ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle(SCLM) has been replaced by the juvenile SCLM in the Meoszoic. During this period, the NCC was destructed as indicated by extensive magmatism in the Early Cretaceous. While there is a consensus on the thinning and destruction of cratonic lithosphere in North China, it has been hotly debated about the mechanism of cartonic destruction.This study attempts to provide a resolution to current debates in the view of Mesozoic mafic magmatism in North China. We made a compilation of geochemical data available for Mesozoic mafic igneous rocks in the NCC. The results indicate that these mafic igneous rocks can be categorized into two series,manifesting a dramatic change in the nature of mantle sources at ~121 Ma. Mafic igneous rocks emplaced at this age start to show both oceanic island basalts(OIB)-like trace element distribution patterns and depleted to weakly enriched Sr-Nd isotope compositions. In contrast,mafic igneous rocks emplaced before and after this age exhibit both island arc basalts(IAB)-like trace element distribution patterrs and enriched Sr-Nd isotope compositions.This difference indicates a geochemical mutation in the SCLM of North China at^121 Ma. Although mafic magmatism also took place in the Late Triassic, it was related to exhumation of the deeply subducted South China continental crust because the subduction of Paleo-Pacific slab was not operated at that time. Paleo-Pacific slab started to subduct beneath the eastern margin of Eruasian continent since the Jurrasic. The subducting slab and its overlying SCLM wedge were coupled in the Jurassic, and slab dehydration resulted in hydration and weakening of the cratonic mantle. The mantle sources of ancient IAB-like mafic igneous rocks are a kind of ultramafic metasomatites that were generated by reaction of the cratonic mantle wedge peridotite notonly with aqueous solutions derived from dehydration of the subducting Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust in the Jurassic but also with hydrous melts derived from partial melting of the subducting South China continental crust in the Triassic. On the other hand, the mantle sources of juvenile OIB-like mafic igneous rocks are also a kind of ultramafic metasomatites that were generated by reaction of the asthenospheric mantle underneath the North China lithosphere with hydrous felsic melts derived from partial melting of the subducting Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust. The subducting Paleo-Pacific slab became rollback at^144 Ma. Afterwards the SCLM base was heated by laterally filled asthenospheric mantle, leading to thinning of the hydrated and weakened cratonic mantle. There was extensive bimodal magmatism at 130 to 120 Ma, marking intensive destruction of the cratonic lithosphere. Not only the ultramafic metasomatites in the lower part of the cratonic mantle wedge underwent partial melting to produce mafic igneous rocks showing negative ε_(Nd)(t) values, depletion in Nb and Ta but enrichment in Pb, but also the lower continent crust overlying the cratonic mantle wedge was heated for extensive felsic magmatism. At the same time, the rollback slab surface was heated by the laterally filled astheno spheric mantle, resulting in partial melting of the previously dehydrated rocks beyond rutile stability on the slab surface. This produce still hydrous felsic melts, which metasomatized the overlying astheno spheric mantle peridotite to generate the ultramafic metasomatites that show positive ε_(Nd)(t) values, no depletion or even enrichment in Nb and Ta but depletion in Pb. Partial melting of such metasomatites started at^121 Ma, giving rise to the mafic igneous rocks with juvenile OIB-like geochemical signatures. In this context, the age of ~121 Ma may terminate replacement of the ancient SCLM by the juvenile SCLM in North China. Paleo-Pacific slab was not subducted to the mantle transition zone in the Mesozoic as revealed by moder seismic tomography, and it was subducted at a low angle since the Jurassic, like the subduction of Nazca Plate beneath American continent. This flat subduction would not only chemically metasomatize the cratonic mantle but also physically erode the cratonic mantle. Therefore, the interaction between Paleo-Pacific slab and the cratonic mantle is the first-order geodynamic mechanism for the thinning and destruction of cratonic lithosphere in North China.

Zircon U-Pb SHRIMP ages of the Taiping (calc-alkaline)-Huangshan (alkaline) composite intrusion:Constraints on Mesozoic lithospheric thinning of the southeastern Yangtze Craton,China

The Taiping-Huangshan composite intrusion is a unique complex with characteristics changing from calc-alkaline (Taiping intrusion) to alkaline (Huangshan intrusion). Huangshan intrusion samples show a spectacular tetrad effect in their REE distribution patterns as well as non-CHARAC (charge-and radius-controlled) trace element behavior, indicating a highly evolved late-stage magma component. This composite intrusion provides a rare opportunity to investigate the variance of tectonic setting and lithospheric thinning of the southeastern Yangtze Craton in late Mesozoic era. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb analyses yield an emplacement age of 140.6±1.2 Ma for the Taiping intrusion, and ages of 127.7±1.3, 125.7±1.4, 125.1±1.5, and 125.2±5.5 Ma for four samples from the Huangshan intrusion respectively. The ages for four different phases of the Huangshan intrusion agree within their small analytical errors, indicating that the emplacement was in a short time. The Taiping and Huangshan intrusions are intimately associated, but there is about 15 Ma interval between their intrusion, and the magma characters change from calc-alkaline to alkaline without transition. This probably corresponds to lithospheric thinning of the southeastern Yangtze Craton. This event possibly happened from about 141 Ma (the emplacement age of the Taiping intrusion), to 128 Ma (start of emplacement of the Huangshan intrusion). The thinning mechanism is dominantly delamination.

Geothermal Evidence of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Lithospheric Thinning in the Liaohe Depression

The Liaohe （辽河） depression is an important part of the Bohai （渤海） Bay Basin, and the Bohai Bay Basin located in the center of Hthospheric destruction and thinning in the eastern North China Craton. The North China Hthospheric thinning activities have been verified from evidences of structural geology, petrology, geochemistry and geophysics, but there are still some controversies on their timing, mechanism and controlling factors. The sedimentary basin is a thin-bedded geologic unit with a limited distribution in the upper lithosphere, and its formation and evolution represent the shal- low response of the deep geodynamic process. Therefore, its thermal evolution is closely related to the deep dynamic conditions. In this article, the Mesozoic-Cenozoic thermal history of the Liaohe depres- sion is reconstructed using the vitrinite reflectance and apatite fission track data. Meanwhile ＂thermal＂ ilthospheric thicknesses in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic are calculated using the geothermic method on the basis of the above thermal history results. The results show that the Liaohe depression has undergone the Cretaceous and Paleogene heat flow peaks, 81 and 83 mW/m2, respectively, corres- ponding to two strong rift movements. Accor- dingly, the depression has experienced two dif- ferent levels of thinning processes in the Creta- ceous and the Paleogene since the Mesozoic, and the ＂thermal＂ lithospheric thicknesses were 60 and 50 Ion, respectively. This may reveal that the depression has experienced two large-scale de- structions. The work may provide valuable geo- thermal evidence for initial revealing the time, process and stage of the lithospheric thinning in the Liaohe depression.

Formation time of the big mantle wedge beneath eastern China and a new lithospheric thinning mechanism of the North China craton—Geodynamic effects of deep recycled carbon

High-resolution P wave tomography shows that the subducting Pacific slab is stagnant in the mantle transition zone and forms a big mantle wedge beneath eastern China. The Mg isotopic investigation of large numbers of mantle-derived volcanic rocks from eastern China has revealed that carbonates carried by the subducted slab have been recycled into the upper mantle and formed carbonated peridotite overlying the mantle transition zone, which becomes the sources of various basalts. These basalts display light Mg isotopic compositions(δ26 Mg = –0.60‰ to –0.30‰) and relatively low87 Sr/86 Sr ratios(0.70314–0.70564) with ages ranging from 106 Ma to Quaternary, suggesting that their mantle source had been hybridized by recycled magnesite with minor dolomite and their initial melting occurred at 300-360 km in depth. Therefore, the carbonate metasomatism of their mantle source should have occurred at the depth larger than 360 km, which means that the subducted slab should be stagnant in the mantle transition zone forming the big mantle wedge before 106 Ma. This timing supports the rollback model of subducting slab to form the big mantle wedge. Based on high P-T experiment results, when carbonated silicate melts produced by partial melting of carbonated peridotite was raising and reached the bottom(180–120 km in depth) of cratonic lithosphere in North China, the carbonated silicate melts should have 25–18 wt% CO2 contents, with lower Si O2 and Al2 O3 contents, and higher Ca O/Al2 O3 values, similar to those of nephelinites and basanites, and have higher εNdvalues(2 to 6). The carbonatited silicate melts migrated upward and metasomatized the overlying lithospheric mantle, resulting in carbonated peridotite in the bottom of continental lithosphere beneath eastern China. As the craton lithospheric geotherm intersects the solidus of carbonated peridotite at 130 km in depth, the carbonated peridotite in the bottom of cratonic lithosphere should be partially melted, thus its physical characters are similar to the asthenosphere and it could be easily replaced by convective mantle. The newly formed carbonated silicate melts will migrate upward and metasomatize the overlying lithospheric mantle. Similarly, such metasomatism and partial melting processes repeat, and as a result the cratonic lithosphere in North China would be thinning and the carbonated silicate partial melts will be transformed to high-Si O2 alkali basalts with lower εNdvalues(to-2). As the lithospheric thinning goes on,initial melting depth of carbonated peridotite must decrease from 130 km to close 70 km, because the craton geotherm changed to approach oceanic lithosphere geotherm along with lithospheric thinning of the North China craton. Consequently, the interaction between carbonated silicate melt and cratonic lithosphere is a possible mechanism for lithosphere thinning of the North China craton during the late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. Based on the age statistics of low δ26 Mg basalts in eastern China, the lithospheric thinning processes caused by carbonated metasomatism and partial melting in eastern China are limited in a timespan from 106 to25 Ma, but increased quickly after 25 Ma. Therefore, there are two peak times for the lithospheric thinning of the North China craton: the first peak in 135-115 Ma simultaneously with the cratonic destruction, and the second peak caused by interaction between carbonated silicate melt and lithosphere mainly after 25 Ma. The later decreased the lithospheric thickness to about70 km in the eastern part of North China craton.

Mantle xenoliths from Late Cretaceous basalt in eastern Shandong Province: New constraint on the timing of lithospheric thinning in eastern China

The age of the alkali basalt from Daxizhuang in Jiaozhou, eastern Shandong, was determined to be 73.5±0.3 Ma by 40Ar-39Ar technique. The basalt gave high eNd(t) values of +7.5 and +7.6, suggesting that the primitive magma was derived from depleted asthenospheric mantle with a formation depth of about 65—95 km. Spinel-lherzolite xenoliths have been discovered in the basalt. The Fo values of olivine from the xenoliths range from 88 to 89. The estimated equilibrium P-T conditions of spinel-lherzolite xenoliths are about 2.0 GPa and 1010—1140℃, suggesting an equilibrium depth of about 65 km. Geochemical characteristics of the Late Mesozoic (125—115 Ma) mantle-derived rocks in Shandong Province suggest an enriched lithospheric mantle along the southern margin of the North China block. However, geochemical characteristics of the Late Cretaceous basalts in Daxizhuang and the equilibrium P-T condition estimated from the xenoliths suggest that the lithosphere at 73 Ma ago was as thick as that of the Cenozoic in the region. Additionally, the xenoliths are rich in basaltic-component, suggesting a derivation from a newly-formed lithosphere. Therefor, lithospheric thinning took place at a time interval between about 120 and 73 Ma along the southern margin of the North China block.

Peridotite-melt interaction:A key point for the destruction of cratonic lithospheric mantle

This paper presents an overview of recent studies dealing with different ages of mantle peridotitic xenoliths and xenocrysts from the North China Craton, with aim to provide new ideas for further study on the destruction of the North China Craton. Re-Os isotopic studies suggest that the lithospheric mantle of the North China Craton is of Archean age prior to its thinning. The key reason why such a low density and highly refractory Archean lithospheric mantle would be thinned is changes in composition, thermal regime, and physical properties of the lithospheric mantle due to interaction of peridotites with melts of different origins. Inward subduction of circum craton plates and collision with the North China Craton provided not only the driving force for the destruction of the craton, but also continuous melts derived from partial melting of subducted continental or oceanic crustal materials that resulted in the compositional change of the lithospheric mantle. Regional thermal anomaly at ca. 120 Ma led to the melting of highly modified lithospheric mantle. At the same time or subsequently lithospheric exten- sion and asthenospheric upwelling further reinforced the melting and thinning of the lithospheric mantle. Therefore, the destruction and thinning of the North China Craton is a combined result of peridotite-melt interaction (addition of volatile), enhanced regional thermal anomaly (temperature increase) and lithospheric extension (decompression). Such a complex geological process finally produced a "mixed" lithospheric mantle of highly chemical heterogeneity during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. It also resulted in significant difference in the composition of mantle peridotitic xenoliths between different regions and times.

Carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle: Implications for cratonic destruction in North China

The activity of melts and fluids may have played a key role in inducing the destruction of the eastern North China Craton in the early Cretaceous. Carbonate melts are important agents in mantle metasomatism and can significantly modify the physical and chemical properties of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Carbonate metasomatism can be identified by specific geochemical indices in clinopyroxene, such as high Ca/Al and low Ti/Eu ratios. This study presents the spatial and temporal variations of carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle beneath the eastern North China Craton. Three types of carbonate metasomatism are classified based on the geochemical compositions of clinopyroxene in mantle peridotites. Clinopyroxene formed by Type 1 carbonate metasomatism is characterized by very high Ca/Al ratios(15–70) and^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios(0.706–0.713). Clinopyroxene derived from Type 2 carbonate metasomatism shows relatively high Ca/Al ratios(5–18) and^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios(0.703–0.706). However, clinopyroxene resulting from Type 3 carbonate metasomatism has low Ca/Al ratios(5–9) and^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios(0.702–0.704). Deep(garnet-bearing) and shallow(spinel-bearing) lithospheric mantle beneath the Sulu orogen and surrounding areas in the eastern North China Craton were affected by intense Type 1 carbonate metasomatism before the late Triassic. The deep subduction of the South China Block with its accompanying carbonate sediments was the trigger for Type 1 carbonate metasomatism, which reduced strength of the lithospheric mantle and provided a prerequisite for the destruction of the eastern North China Craton in the early Cretaceous. After the destruction of the eastern North China Craton, the ancient relict lithospheric mantle, represented by spinel harzburgite xenoliths hosted in the late Cretaceous to Cenozoic basalts,only recorded Type 2 carbonate metasomatism. This implies that the lithospheric mantle experienced the intense Type 1 carbonate metasomatism was completely destroyed and not preserved during decratonization. Spinel lherzolite xenoliths hosted in the late Cretaceous to Cenozoic basalts represent the young, fertile lithospheric mantle formed after the cratonic destruction and only a few samples record Type 2 and 3 carbonate metasomatisms. We suggest that carbonate melts derived from the subduction-modified asthenospheric mantle with variable proportions of recycled crustal material was responsible for the Type 2 and 3 carbonate metasomatisms. The carbonate metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Jiaodong Peninsula and surrounding areas is very pervasive and is spatially consistent with the remarkable thinning of lithospheric mantle and giant gold deposits in this region. Therefore, we conclude that carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle played a crucial part in the modification, destruction and gold deposits in the eastern North China Craton.

Lithospheric thinning and ignition of a Cordilleran magmatic flare-up:Geochemical and O-Hf isotopic constraints from Cretaceous plutons in southern Korea

Northeast Asian continental margins contain the products of magma emplacement driven by prolonged subduction of the(paleo-)Pacific plate.As observed in many Cordilleran arcs,magmatic evolution in this area was punctuated by high-volume pulses amid background periods.The present study investigates the early evolution of the Cretaceous magmatic flare-up using new and published geochronological,geochemical,and O-Hf isotope data from plutonic rocks in the southern Korean Peninsula.After a long(~50 m.y.)magmatic hiatus and the development of the Honam Shear Zone through flat-slab subduction,the Cretaceous flare-up began with the intrusion of monzonites,granodiorites,and granites in the inboard Gyeonggi Massif and the intervening Okcheon Belt.Compared to Jurassic granitoids formed during the former flare-up,Albian(~111 Ma)monzonites found in the Eopyeong area of the Okcheon Belt have distinctly higher zirconε_(Hf)(t)(-7.5±1.3)andδ^(18)O(7.78‰±0.25‰)values and lower wholerock La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios.The voluminous coeval granodiorite and granite plutons in the Gyeonggi Massif are further reduced in Sr/Y and to a lesser extent,in La/Yb,and have higher zirconε_(Hf)(t)values(-13 to-19)than the Precambrian basement(ca.-30).These chemical and isotopic features indicate that Early Cretaceous lithospheric thinning,most likely resulting from delamination of tectonically and magmatically overthickened lithospheric keel that was metasomatized during prior subduction episodes,and consequent asthenospheric upwelling played vital roles in igniting the magmatic flare-up.The O-Hf isotopic ranges of synmagmatic zircons from the Albian plutons and their Paleoproterozoic and Jurassic inheritance attest to the involvement of lithospheric mantle and crustal basement in magma generation during this decratonization event.Arc magmatism then migrated trenchward and culminated in the Late Cretaceous,yielding widespread granitoid rocks emplaced at shallow crustal levels.The early Late Cretaceous(94-85 Ma)granites now prevalent in Seoraksan-Woraksan-Sokrisan National Parks are highly silicic and display flat chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns with deep Eu anomalies.Synmagmatic zircons in these granites mimic their host rock's chemistry.Delamination-related rejuvenation of crustal protoliths is indicated by zirconε_(Hf)(t)values of granites(-6 to-20)that are consistently higher than the Precambrian basement value.Concomitant core-to-rim variation in zircon O-Hf isotopic compositions reflects a typical sequence of crustal assimilation and fresh input into the magma chamber.

大别造山带双庙关金矿床成矿时代与成矿背景

湖北省麻城市双庙关金矿床隶属于秦岭-大别成矿带,近年来找矿进展显著,但成矿时代和成矿背景尚不清楚。矿区广泛发育新元古代片麻状二长花岗岩和变辉长岩,沿NE-NNE向和NW向断裂产出11条金矿(化)体。基于详细野外调查发现,矿区北部钾长花岗岩体、花岗斑岩体均被NE向含矿断裂穿切,为成矿前岩浆活动产物,矿区中部的闪长岩脉则穿切矿体,晚于成矿事件。钾长花岗岩体、花岗斑岩体和闪长岩脉的锆石U-Pb加权平均年龄分别为(133.6±1.1)Ma、(127.9±1.6)Ma和(126.6±1.3)Ma。因此,双庙关金矿床应形成于128~126 Ma,与小秦岭、熊耳山、桐柏等矿集区金爆发式成矿的时间一致,与中国东部岩石圈破坏导致的构造-岩浆事件密切相关。

Edge-driven convection and thinning of craton lithosphere:Two-dimensional thermal-mechanical modeling

There are usually abrupt changes in lithospheric thickness at the boundaries between ancient cratons and adjacent young mobile belts.Lateral variations in temperature and density between the two can trigger small-scale mantle convection(edge-driven convection,EDC).Here,we use two-dimensional thermal-mechanical simulations to explore the EDC caused by the lithospheric step between a craton and a mobile belt,and its role in the thinning of the craton lithosphere.The results show that the impact of EDC on a craton depends on the properties of the craton lithosphere and on their contrasts with the adjacent mobile belt,given the same initial condition.When the craton lithospheric density is relatively large,a high-strength craton has strong ability to resist EDC,and craton lithospheric thinning is limited to the edge.In contrast,the ability of a low-strength craton to resist EDC is weak,and the craton lithosphere is gradually eroded by the downward flow,eventually leading to large-scale thinning of the cratonic lithosphere.When the craton lithospheric density is relatively small,regardless of the strength of the cratonic lithosphere,the craton can well withstand the impacts of EDC.In this case,upwelling flow drives cratonic lithosphere materials to the base of the mobile belt,and lithospheric thinning only occurs at the edge of the craton lithosphere.The Archean North China Craton(NCC)was surrounded by Phanerozoic mobile belts,and its lithospheric thinning first occurred on the northern and eastern margins,a process that lasted for a long time.We suggest that EDC has played an important role in lithospheric thinning of the NCC,in particular the initiation of lithospheric thinning,but we cannot rule out the additional contributions from other mechanisms.

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for lamprophyre from Liaodong Peninsula: Constraints on the initial time of Mesozoic lithosphere thinning beneath eastern China

It is undebated fact that the lithospheric mantle beneath eastern China was considerably thinned during the Mesozoic time. However, it has no adequate evidence for the exact timing when the lithosphere thinning started. The Liaodong Peninsula is located in the eastern segment of the North China Craton and is one of the important domains to explore the event of lithosphere thinning. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating and geochemical study were carried out for the lamprophyre dike swarm that intruded into the magnesite ore-beds in the Dashiqiao Formation of Paleoproterozoic Liaohe Group at the Huaziyu magnesite ore district, Liaodong Peninsula. The results indicate that these lampro- phyre dikes were intruded in late Jurassic (155±4 Ma) and show some geochemical characteristics of potassic magmas. It is now accepted that the lithosphere thinning took place in the late Mesozoic, and the peak thinning stage occurred in early Cretaceous (130―120 Ma). Considering the potassic mafic magmatism marking the onset of the lithospheric thin- ning, we therefore suggest that the studied late Jurassic potassic lamprophyre dike swarm could imply that the late Jurassic is the time that lithosphere thinning started.