LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age of rhyolitic lithic-crystal tuffs in Erdaohezi lead-zinc deposit,Inner Mongolia

Erdaohezi lead-zinc deposit belongs to the Derbugan metallogenic belt lying on the northwestern Hailaer-Genhe Mesozoic volcanic basin, located on the western slope of the Da Hinggan Mountains. The deposit is considered as one of the hypabyssal low-temprature hydrothermal lead-zinc deposits associated with volca- nism. In order to lay the foundation on studying its diagenesis and mineralization ages, the detailed studies were carried out by dating the host rocks （i. e. rhyolitic lithic-crystal tufts） using zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb method. The dating results show three groups ot! ages. The first group is the captured zircons （the weighted mean ^206pb/238U age as 175.6± 2.3 Ma, MSWD = 0.70, n = 3）. The second group can be regarded as the rock- forming age （the weighted mean ^206pb/238U age as 165.3± 1.9 Ma, MSWD = 2.40, n = 14）. The third group should represent the late stage of the magmatic evolution （the weighted mean ^206pb/238U age as 161.0 ± 3.1 Ma, MSWD = 0.86, n = 4）. According to the ages and the crystal form or CL image characteristics of zircons, it is determined that the diagenesis occurred in the late Middle Jurassic. Based on the regional geology and geo- chronological research, the acidic pyroclastic rocks are space accompaniment and time connection with the Tamu- langou Formation intermediate-mafic volcanic rocks. Both of them constitute the host rocks of the deposit together. The rock combination also provides favorable conditions for large-scale silver, lead and zinc mineralization in this area.

Zircon U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry of Early Cretaceous granodiorite porphyries in Hutouya,western Shandong and their implications for petrogenesis

Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age and whole-rock geochemistry data are presented for the Hutouya grano-diorite porphyries in Mengyin, western Shandong, to restrict its petrogenesis. The analyzed zircons exhibit os-cillatory growth zoning and core-rim textures in the cathodoluminescence images and have high Th/U ratios （0.04-1.66）,indicating its magmatic origin. The youngest group of magmatic zircon yields weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 132 ±2 Ma, which represents the forming age of the granodiorite porphyries, i. e., the Early Cretaceous. The oldest group of magmatic zircon 207Pb/206Pb ages ranges from 2 398 Ma to 2 370 Ma, yielding a weighted mean age of 2 389 ±23 Ma,suggesting that the basement of the North China Craton should exist in the research area. Geochemically, the samples are characterized by high Si02（70. 38% and 64. 87% ） , low MgO （0.60% and 1. 53% ） and Mg# values （42. 92 and 50. 42）. Moreover, they show enrichment of light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements （e. g. Rb, Ba and K） , depletion of heavy rare earth ele-ments and high field strength elements （e. g. Nb and Ta） , positive anomaly of Pb, and negative anomaly of Ti. These results, together with previously published data, indicate that the Hutouya granodiorite porphyries were derived from partial melting of a delaminated lower continental crust and subsequent interaction with the mantle peridotites. They are consistent with the period of lithospheric thinning beneath the eastern North China Craton and may be formed in an extensional tectonic environment.

Zircon U-Pb age,geochemical and Nd isotopic data of Middle Jurassic high-Mg dioritic dike in Liaodong Peninsula,NE China

Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age, geochemical and Nd isotopic data are presented for a newly recognized high-Mg dioritic dike from Haicheng, Liaodong Peninsula, NE China, to constrain its petrogenesis. The zircons from the high-Mg diorite exhibit striped absorption and oscillatory growth zoning in the cathodoluminescence （CL） images, and have high Th/U ratios （0. 05-0.9）, indicating a magma origin. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating indicates that 206pb/238U ages of 12 spots of zircons are between 167 Ma and 178 Ma, yielding a weighted mean 206pb/238U age of 172 ＋ 2 Ma （MSWD =4. 1 ）, which represents the forming age of the high-Mg dioritic dike, i. e. Middle Jurassic. Geochemically, the samples have SiO2 =55.4-60. 6 wt. % , Na20 =2. 2-2.76 wt. % , K20 = 1.32-2. 02 wt. % and （Na2O ＋ K2O） =3.82--4. 47 wt. %, belonging to sub-alkaline series and displaying a calc-alkaline evolutionary trend. They are characterized by high MgO （4. 75-6.85 wt. % ）, Mg# （55-61）, Cr（130-262 ppm）, Ni（63-130 ppm）, Sr（568-857 ppm）, and Ba（484-1 130 ppm） contents, with geochemical features analogous to those of high-Mg adakites. They show variable end （t） values （ - 1.3 to - 3.9） , with a weighted value of - 2. 7, which plot intermediately between the field of the ancient continental crust and the depleted mantle source, indicating that both the lower crust and mantle source are necessary for the generation of the parent magma of the Haicheng high-Mg diorites. The Haicheng high-Mg dioritic dike in the Liaodong Peninsula and the Jurassic magmatism in the eastern North China Craton formed under a continental crustal thickening setting that may be related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate.

Constraints on sedimentary ages of the Chuanlinggou Formation in the Ming Tombs, Beijing, North China Craton: LA-ICP-MS and SHRIMP U–Pb dating of detrital zircons

Detrital zircons in five sedimentary samples, MC1 to MC5, from the bottom of the Chuanlinggou Formation in the Ming Tombs District, Beijing, were dated with the LA-ICP-MS and SHRIMP U-Pb methods. Age spectra of the five samples show a major peak at 2500 Ma and a secondary peak at 2000 Ma, suggesting their provenances were mainly from the crystalline basement of the North China Craton and the Trans-North China Orogen. The youngest zircon has an age of 1673 d： 44 Ma, indicating that the Chuanlinggou Formation was deposited after this age. From sample MC4 to MC5, lithology changed from a clastic rock （fine-grained sandstone） to a carbonate rock （fine-grained dolomite）, suggesting that the depositional basin became progressively deeper. The age spectrum of sample MC5 shows a major peak at 2500 Ma and a secondary peak at 2000 Ma. Sample MC4, which is stratigraphically lower than sample MC5, only had one peak at 2500 Ma. We conclude that there was a transgressive event when sediments represented by MC5 was deposited, and seawater carried ca. 2000 Ma clastic materials to the basin where the Chuanlinggou Formation was deposited, leading to the addition of ca. 2000 Ma detritus. Our research indicates that the source area for the sediments became more extensive with time. We conclude that the Chuanlinggou Formation in the Ming Tombs District was deposited in a low-energy mud fiat sedimentary environment in the inter-supra tidal zone because it is mainly composed of silty mudstone and fine-grained sandstone with relatively simple sedimentary structures.

Tracing the provenance of aeolian loess in the Yangtze River Delta through zircon U–Pb age and geochemical investigations

Given the conflicts over the proposed formation mechanisms of Xiashu loess, the question of the provenance of sediments comprising the Xiashu loess in the Yangtze River Delta has not been satisfactorily resolved. In this study, the provenance of aeolian sediments of the Yangtze River Delta, China was examined by applying the detrial zircon U–Pb dating technique, Sr–Nd isotopic and trace element compositional analysis. U-Pb dating analysis was conducted on the Xiashu loess at three locations over the Yangtze River Delta, including Huangnishan(HNS) hill, Shengshan(SS) island and the Xuancheng(XC) area. The Xiashu loess and the sediments of the Yangtze River Valley share considerable similarity in their zircon U-Pb age spectra with the same main age peak and comparable age distribution. By contrast, significant differences in the age spectra, existbetween the Xiashu loess and loess deposits of Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP). Coarse grains of the Yangtze River Delta loess may have a proximal material source identical to the sediments from the Yangtze River valley. Sr–Nd isotopic values of the Xiashu loess match those from the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Rare earth element ratios independent of grain size illustrate that the values from loess of the Yangtze River Delta mostly overlap with those of CLP loess. This feature implies that loess from the Yangtze River Delta has a dominant source of distant material similar as the CLP loess. As such, we conclude that multi-proxy analysis of sediments can shed new light on tracing the provenance of aeolian loess in the Yangtze River Delta.

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating for island arc volcanic rock of Fangniugou area in Yitong region of Jilin Province

Polymetallic iron ore sulphate deposits of marine volcanic rock have been developed in the Fangniugou area,Jilin Province,China,but the division of volcanic ore-bearing strata has not been specifically elucidated and there is disagreement about the division.The sampling and SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of volcanic rock for Daheishan in the Fangniugou area and the northeast slope of the Duanjiadian were described.The volcanic rock formation period and recorded the volcanic events in the Daheishan mountains were systematically researched.Two samples of high-precision U-Pb zircon dating were used to represent the volcanic rock fomation period of the Late Silurian.The measured data reflect that multiple volcanic activities occurred during the Middle Silurian,Early Silurian,Middle Ordovician and Silurian,and Late Ordovician,probably matching volcanic events in the Songnan Basin identified from zircon dating.At the same time,it is confirmed that a controversial "conglomerate of Daheishan" did in fact develop in the Late Silurian,and those sections of both the Dazigou and Xinlitun-Taoshan with graptolite had been reversed.

Diagenesis tectonic setting and U-Pb dating for zircon from Tanjianshan Group in northern margin of Qaidam Basin

The shape,texture,content and REE characteristics of zircons from the O2tnd-1,O3tnd-2,O3tnd-3pyroclastic rock of Tanjianshan Group on the north margin of Qaidam Basin indicate that the O2-3tndis the product of volcanism during the transitional period from ocean-land interim crust to oceanic crust.The U-Pb surface ages obtained from O3tnd-2and O3tnd-3can be divided into 9 groups,every age group coincides with the period when significant tectonic-heat event took place at Oulongbuluke micro-continental base of northern Qaidam,suggesting that the base rocks have provided materials for the formation of sedimentary and volcanic rock in O2-3tnd.The volcanic rocks of O3tnd-3formed at 440 Ma,with time gap 46 Ma to those of O1tna-1and O3tnd-3may represent the minor period that Xitieshan back-arc extension have lasted,the scale of back-arc basin that formed in Xitieshan extension may approach to 1 400 km.Based on the test of ithochemistry data for major elements and analysis of Sr isotope geochemistry for the clastic sedimentary rock in O1tna-2and O3tnd-2,the authors get the conclusion that the O1tna-2and O3tnd-2of Tanjianshan Group may form in back-arc basin environment,while the lithology difference between these two formations may reflect the changes of geodynamic processes as the diagenesis tectonic environment transformed from continental margin depression to adjacent sea basin.

末次冰期山东黄土物源研究:来自碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄的约束

胶东半岛北部海滨和山东中部山区北麓沉积了典型的风尘黄土,详细记录了晚更新世以来的气候变化,然而有关这些黄土究竟来自哪里,目前仍处于争议之中.锆石是黄土中常见的副矿物,其U-Pb年龄谱对比被广泛用于黄土的物源示踪研究.基于此,利用激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子质谱仪(LA-ICP-MS)对上述地区晚更新世典型的黄土剖面开展碎屑锆石(n=420)微区原位U-Pb年龄分析,结合Kolmogorov-Smirnov统计方法的多维判别图和前人已经发表的研究结果,发现胶东半岛北部海岸和山东中部山地北麓东段的晚更新世黄土主要来自渤海裸露的大陆架和华北平原的碎屑物质,受中国西北内陆干旱区的影响较小,但由于地理位置的差异,山东中部山地北麓西段的晚更新世黄土具有黄河下游和黄土高原的物质信号,而与晚更新世渤海末次冰期裸露在海底的沉积物的物源关系较弱.

阿拉善北大山乌布日布特地区晚古生代侵入岩的地球化学、年龄、Hf同位素特征及意义

内蒙古阿拉善西部的北大山北部出露一些古生代侵入岩,这些侵入岩的时空分布和源区物质组成特征对于确定北大山北部的构造属性以及探讨阿拉善西部的构造划分和构造演化具有重要意义。本文对北大山北部乌布日布特地区腰泉和沙枣泉两个花岗质岩体开展了详细的年代学、地球化学和锆石Hf同位素研究。锆石LA⁃ICP⁃MS U⁃Pb测年结果显示,腰泉黑云母正长花岗岩年龄为261.8±1.2 Ma,沙枣泉黑云母花岗岩年龄为303.1±1.6 Ma,均形成于晚古生代。腰泉黑云母正长花岗岩与沙枣泉黑云母花岗岩的稀土元素组成相似,均表现出轻稀土元素相对富集,重稀土元素相对亏损的特征,并显示有微弱—中等的Eu负异常。腰泉黑云母正长花岗岩与沙枣泉黑云母花岗岩均具有正的ε_(Hf)(t)值,腰泉黑云母正长花岗岩的ε_(Hf)(t)值为+1.93~+7.40,沙枣泉黑云母花岗岩的εHf(t)值为+0.52~+10.00,这与北大山北部其它古生代酸性侵入岩的锆石Hf同位素相似,表明北大山北部酸性岩浆的深部源区以新生地壳物质为主。北大山北部深部地壳物质组成特征与阿拉善中东部宗乃山—沙拉扎山地区相似,而与北大山南部和阿拉善中东部雅布赖—诺尔公—红古尔玉林地区具有明显差别。结合区域研究资料,推测北大山北部可能不属于阿拉善地块,而与阿拉善中东部的宗乃山—沙拉扎山地区具有相同的构造属性,是中亚造山带的组成部分。

Geochronology, petrogenesis and tectonic significance of Dahongliutan pluton in Western Kunlun orogenic belt, NW China

The Dahongliutan granitic pluton,in the eastern part of the West Kunlun orogenic belt,provides significant insights for studying the tectonic evolution of West Kunlun.This paper presents a systematic study of LA-ICP-MS zircon U Pb age,major and trace elements,Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes,and the first detailed Li isotope analysis of the Dahongliutan pluton.LA-ICP-MS zircon U Pb dating shows that the Dahongliutan granites were emplaced in the Late Triassic((213±2.1)Ma).Geochemical data show relatively high SiO2 contents(68.45 wt%73.62 wt%)and aluminum saturation index(A/CNK=1.111.21)indicates peraluminous high-K calc-alkaline granite.The Dahongliutan granites are relatively high in light rare earth elements(LREE)and large ion lithophile elements(LILEs)(e.g.,Rb,K,Th),and relatively depleted in high field strength elements(HFSEs)(e.g.,Nb,Ta,P,Ti).TheεNd(t)values range from 8.71 to 4.73,and(87Sr/86Sr)i=0.70870.71574.Zircons from the pluton yield 176Hf/177Hf values of 0.2826181 to 0.2827683,andεHf(t)values are around 0;the two-stage Hf model ages range from 0.974 to 1.307 Ga.Theδ7Li values are 0.76‰3.25‰,with an average of 2.53‰.Isotopic compositions of the pluton suggest a mixed trend between the partial melting of the Middle Proterozoic ancient crustal material and a juvenile mantle-derived material.This study infers that the Dahongliutan rock mass is formed in the post-collisional extension environment,when the collision between South Kunlun and the Tianshuihai terranes results in the closure of the Palaeo-Tethys.The mantle-derived magma results in partial melting of the lower crust.

Carboniferous Alaskan-type complex along the Sino–Mongolian boundary,southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

We present zircon ages and geochemical data for the Hongshishan Carboniferous Alaskan-type mafic–ultramafic complex exposed in the Beishan area along the Sino–Mongolian boundary, southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. This complex mainly consists of dunite,harzburgite, lherzolite, wehrlite, and gabbro, which intrudes Early Carboniferous volcanic rocks and reveals a zoned structure. Zircons of a gabbro sample yielded a 206Pb/238 U age of 357 ± 4 Ma, reflecting the time of Early Carboniferous magmatism. Zircon ages were also obtained for an andesite(322 ± 3 Ma) and a basaltic andesite(304 ± 2 Ma).High initial Nd isotope whole-rock values suggest that the Hongshishan gabbro [e_(Nd(t))= +9.6-+10.2] and basalt[eNd(t)= +10.0-+10.8] were derived from a depleted mantle source. Slightly lower eNd(t)values for the ultramafic rocks [eNd(t)= +8.5-+8.7] suggest some interaction of the parental magma with the continental crust. In contrast, the Late Carboniferous Quershan samples in this area represent subduction-related arc volcanic rocks with Adakite-like compositions. The early Carboniferous Hongshishan Alaskan-type complex was interpreted to represent the remnants of a magma chamber that crystallized at the base of a mature island arc, whereas the Quershan island arc volcanic rockssuggest the resurrection of the subduction process after arccontinent collision and uplift of the roots of the arc.

Geochronology,geochemistry and Hf isotopic study of Early Carboniferous granodiorites in Taerqi region,central Daxing'anling and its tectonic implication

Zircon U-Pb age,whole rock geochemical and zircon Hf isotopic data are presented for Late Paleozoic granodiorites from the Taerqi region,central Daxing'anling to constrain its petrogenesis and tectonic implication.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age data indicates that the Late Paleozoic granodiorites were emplaced with age of333.4 ± 2.2 Ma(Early Carboniferous).Geochemically,the granodiorite samples have Si O2= 60.54%-71.40%,Na2 O = 4.04%--4.66%,K2 O = 1.65%--4.27% and Mg O = 0.96%--3.53%,belonging to medium-K to high-K calc-alkaline I-type granites.They are slightly enriched in large ion lithophile elements(e.g.Rb,Th,U and K) and light rare earth elements,and depleted in high field strength elements(e.g.Nb,Ta and Ti),with εHf(t) values of 8.0--11.8 and Hf two-stage model ages of 586-829 Ma.All these geochemical features suggest that the primary magma was derived from partial melting of Neoproterozoic to Phanerozoic newly accreted lower crust.According to the geochemical data and regional geological investigations,the Early Carboniferous granodiorites formed in an island arc setting linked to the subduction of the Paleo-Asian Oceanic Plate beneath the Xing'an Terrane.This also implies that the Xing'an and Songliao terranes have not amalgamated before the Early Carboniferous.

Geochronology,geochemistry and Hf isotope of monzogranite in Niubiziliang of Qinghai

Zircon U-Pb dating, whole-rock geochemical analyses and Hf isotope are undertaken for the monzogranite in Niubiziliang area with the aim of constraining its formation time,petrogenesis and the regional tectonic setting. The zircons from monzogranite are euhedral-subhedral in shape,and display rhythm growth zoning,indicating a magmatic origin. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating indicates the monzogranite formed most probably in the Late Devonian( 359. 0 ± 2. 6 Ma). The monzogranite has Si O2= 74. 69%--76. 11%,Al2O3=12. 07%--12. 81%,Na2 O + K2 O = 8. 24%--8. 70%,Na2 O / K2 O = 0. 60--0. 68,A / CNK > 1,which shows that it belongs to high-Si and high-K weakly peraluminous calc-alkaline series. The monzogranite is enriched in K,Rb,Th( LILEs) and La,Ce,Sm,Nd( LREEs); and depleted in Ba,U( HREEs) and Ta,Nb( HFSEs).Their zircon εHf( t) values range from 1. 21 to 3. 46,in response to their two-stage Hf model ages( TDM2) ranging from 1 034 Ma to 1 159 Ma,respectively,indicating that the primary magma was derived from the young crust in Meso-Neoproterozoic. Combined with the regional geological evolution background,it is considered that the Niubiziliang monzogranite formed the closure of North Qaidam ocean,which was the stretching stage product after the collision between Qaidam block and Qilian block.

Timing of the granulite facies metamorphism in the Sanggan area,North China craton:zircon U-Pb geochronology

Zircon U-Pb ages are reported for three samples of intrusive rocks in Khondalite series in the Sanggan area, North China craton. The age of meta-granite is dated as 2005±9 Ma, implying that the sedimentary sequences in Khondalites series formed before 2.0Ga. The age of 1921 ±1Ma for the meta-diorite constrain the age of granulite facies metamorphism younger than this date. The age of 1892±10 Ma for garnet granite is obtained, but the granite crystallization age seems a little younger than the date considering the morphology of zircons. On the basis of these dates and of a concise review of previous age data, it is inferred that the Khondalite series was subjected to granulite facies metamorphism at about 1.87Ga together with tonalitic granulites and HP basic granulites in the Sanggan area.

U-Pb zircon age and Hf isotope compositions of Mesoproterozoic sedimentary strata on the western margin of the Yangtze massif

The Mesoproterozoic sedimentary strata on the western margin of the Yangtze massif are a clastic-carbonate rock association intercalated with a small amount of tuff and basalt and deposited in a relatively stable environment. They are termed as the Kunyang Group, the Huili Group, and the Dongchuan Group respectively in different regions. We performed zircon U-Pb da- ting of the tuff from the groups. The results, coupled with the detrital zircon U-Pb ages of clastic rocks from the Kunyang Group and the Dongchuan Group, indicate that the sedimentation ages of the Kunyang Group and the Huili Group range from 1050 to 1000 Ma and that the Kunyang Group and the Huili Group belong to a sedimentary association with contemporaneous heterotopic facies. The detrital zircon ages and Hf isotope compositions reveal that the clastic materials in the Kunyang Group and the Huili Group are derived primarily from the Cathaysia massif. Zircons of the tuff in the Dongchuan Group yields an age of ca. 1.5 Ga and all the zircon ages of clastics in the Dongchuan Group are older than 1.5 Ga, indicating that the sedimentation of the Dongchuan Group occurred during the late Mesoproterozoic Changcheng Period. Age spectra of the detrital zircons in- dicate that the clastic materials of the Dongchuan Group are derived primarily from the ancient basement of the Yangtze mas- sif. A systematic Hf isotope determination of various types of zircons in the above three stratigraphic units shows that there is a rapid elevation in the initial Hf value of zircon at -1.5 and 1.0 Ga. Previous studies on the sedimentary characteristics of the Kunyang Group and the Huili Group show that both were deposited in a foreland basin. Combining our data with previous studies, we suggest that the Kunyang Group and the Huili Group are foreland basin sedimentary successions formed along the southern side of the Yangtze massif after an amalgamation between the Yangtze massif and the Cathaysia massif during the Grenvillian. The assembly of the Yangtze massif and the Cathaysia massif developed gradually from the west to the east and was finally completed in the eastern segment of the Yangtze massif at 0.9 Ga, representing the last stage of the Rodinia super- continent assembly, Hf isotope compositions in zircon indicate that the supercontinent cycle has an intimate relation with crus- tal growth.

In-situ U-Pb dating of uraninite by fs-LA-ICP-MS

In this study, the Pb/U fractionation between zircon and uraninite during femtosecond Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry （fs-LA-ICP-MS） analysis was studied in detail. The results show significant Pb/U fractionation between zircon and uraninite during fs-LA-ICP-MS analysis that when calibrated against the zircon standard M257, the obtained U-Pb age of the Chinese national uraninite standard GBW04420 is 17% older than the recommended value. Thus, the accurate in-situ U-Pb dating of uraninite by LA-ICP-MS requires matrix-matched external standards for calibration. Uraninite in thin sections of two U-mineralized leucogranite from the Gaudeanmus in Namibia was analyzed by a fs-LA-ICP-MS equipped with a Signal Smooth Device （SSD）, using laser spot and frequency of 10 μm and 1 Hz, respectively. When calibrated using GBW04420 as the external standard, two samples give weighted mean 2066pb/238U ages of 504±3 Ma （2σ, n=21） and 503±3 Ma （2σ, n=22）, and only one of two samples yields a concordia U-Pb age of 507±1 Ma （2or, n=21）. These results are consistent with ID-TIMS U-Pb ages of 509±1 and 508±12 Ma and are also indistinguishable from zircon U-Pb upper intercept ages of 506±33 Ma （2σ, n=29） and 501±51 Ma （2σ, n=29）. The present study shows that in-situ U-Pb dating of uraninite can deliver more reliable formation ages of the deposit than dating coeval high-U zircon because the latter commonly suffer significant Pb loss after formation. Our results confirm that GBW04420 is an ideal matrix matching standard for in-situ U-Pb dating of uraninite.

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the Neoproterozoic Chengjiang Formation in central Yunnan Province(SW China) and its geological significance

The Chengjiang Formation is the earliest continental clastic deposit after the Jinning Orogeny in central Yunnan Province,and therefore its accurate depositional age is significant for understanding the formation and evolution of the Neoproterozoic rift basins in southern China.However,hampered by accuracy of the dating technique,the existing age data for the Chengjiang Formation are not very reliable.A large number of magmatic zircons were obtained from the tuff interbed in the lower part of the Chengjiang Formation in Jinyang area and the bottom part of the Chengjiang Formation in Dongchuan area,central Yunnan Province,and high-precision SHRIMP U-Pb dating was carried out on these zircons.The results show that the weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U ages are 797.8±8.2 and 803.1±8.7 Ma respectively.In combination with related geological evidence,it has been demonstrated that the bottom boundary age of the Chengjiang Formation should be 800±5 Ma,whereas the top boundary age could be ca 725 Ma.By synthetically analyzing the latest age data for the relevant strata,it has been confirmed that the Chengjiang Formation should be correlated with the Suxiong Formation and the Kaijianqiao Formation in western Sichuan Province,the Liantuo Formation in the middle and lower Yangtze,the Hongchicun Formation and the Shangshu Formation in northern Zhejiang Province,the Puling Formation in southern Anhui Province,the Luokedong Formation and the Majianqiao Formation in northwestern Jiangxi Province,the Wuqiangxi Formation in northwestern Hunan Province,the Fanzhao Formation and the Qingshuijiang Formation in southeastern Guizhou Province,and the Sanmenjie Formation and the Gongdong Formation in northern Guangxi Province.Sedimentary cycle analysis shows that the sedimentary filling sequence of the Neoproterozoic rift basins in southern China can be divided into four cycles.Among them,Cycle II began at ca.800 Ma,accompanied by intensive tectonic-thermal events.The zircon U-Pb ages from the bottom of the Chengjiang Formation reported in this paper indicate that the Neoproterozoic Kangdian rift subbasin probably started to develop at ca.800 Ma and therefore missed Cycle I of the Neoproterozoic sedimentary filling sequence in southern China.

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age, geochemical, Sr-Nd isotopic, and in-situ Hf isotopic data of the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian plutons in the northern margin of the North China Craton

The main rock types of the Boluonuo and Daguangding plutons are diorite, quartz diorite, tonalite, granodiorite, and subordi- nate plagioclase-bearing hornblendite and hornblende gabbro. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating for a quartz diorite of the Boluo- nuo pluton suggests that the pluton was emplaced at about 296 ± 4 Ma. Plagioclase-bearing hornblendites show typical cumu- lative textures, which, in combination with their convex-upward REE patterns and the large variation of compatible elements such as Co, V and Sc, suggests that these hornblendites formed through accumulation of hornblende during magma evolution. Microgranular mafic enclaves （MMEs） are common in the Boluonuo and Daguangding intermediate to felsic plutons. Many plagioclase grains show compositional and textural disequilibrium, with calcium-rich cores （An46-50） mantled abruptly by sodium-rich plagioclase （An26-33）. Whole-rock samples of the plutons are characterized by quite negative εNd（t） values （-16.5 to -11.8） and εNt（t） values （-22.5 to -16.8）, and the εNd（t） values are negatively correlated with silica contents. All these fea- tures suggest that the intermediate to felsic plutons formed through magma mixing of enriched mantle-derived, evolved basal- tic magma with granitic, crustal melts, followed by fractional crystallization of mainly hornblende and small amounts of py- roxene, apatite and zircon. The hornblende-dominated fractionation contributed significantly to the adakite-like features of the intermediate to felsic plutons, like the high Sr and Sr/Y ratios and low Yb abundance. In addition, the Boluonuo and Daguang- ding plutons are highly enriched in LILEs （e.g., Ba and Sr）, but depleted in HFSEs （e.g., Nb, Zr and Ti）, which is typical of arc magmas. Therefore, the formation of Boluonuo and Daguangding plutons was probably related to the subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic slab beneath the North China Craton in the Paleozoic.

Accuracy of LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb age determination:An inter-laboratory comparison

LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating has been greatly advanced and widely applied in the past decade because it is a cheap and fast technique.The internal error of LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating can be better than 1%,but reproducibility(accuracy)is relatively poor.In order to quantitatively assess the accuracy of this technique,zircons from two dioritic rocks,a Mesozoic dioritic microgranular enclave(FS06)and a Neoproterozoic diorite(WC09-32),were dated independently in eight laboratories using SIMS and LA-ICPMS.Results of three SIMS analyses on FS06 and WC09-2 are indistinguishable within error and give a best estimate of the crystallization age of 132.2 and 760.5 Ma(reproducibility is^1%,2RSD),respectively.Zircon U-Pb ages determined by LA-ICPMS in six laboratories vary from 128.3±1.0 to 135.0±0.9 Ma(2SE)for FS06 and from 742.9±3.1 to777.8±4.7 Ma(2SE)for WC09-32,suggesting a reproducibility of^4%(2RSD).Uncertainty produced during LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb analyses comes from multiple sources,including uncertainty in the isotopic ratio measurements,uncertainty in the fractionation factor calculation using an external standard,uncertainty in the age determination as a result of common lead correction,age uncertainty of the external standards and uncertainty in the data reduction.Result of our study suggests that the uncertainty of LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating is approximately 4%(2RSD).The uncertainty in age determination must be considered in order to interpret LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb data rationally.

Provenance of the Paleoproterozoic Hutuo Group basal conglomerates and Neoarchean crustal growth in the Wutai Mountains,North China Craton:Evidence from granite and quartzite pebble zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes

Zircon U-Pb ages(SHRIMP and LA-ICPMS) and Lu-Hf isotope data(LA-ICPMS) are presented for two granite and two quartzite pebbles from the basal conglomerates of the Sijizhuang Formation in the Hutuo Group from the Wutai Mountains area in the North China Craton.These two granite pebbles give zircon 207 Pb/206 Pb ages of 2513±8 Ma and 2527±8 Ma respectively,which are consistent with the emplacement ages of the Wangjiahui grey granite and Guangmingsi or Shifo granite in the Wutai Mountains.Detrital zircons from those two quartzite pebbles are mostly 2550-2490 Ma old with lesser number of 2800-2550 Ma grains,which is similar to the ages of detrital zircons from quartzites in the Gaofan Subgroup of the Neoarchean Wutai Group.Thus,the pebbles in the Hutuo Group basal conglomerates were derived locally from Wutai Mountains Neoarchean sources.Zircons from the Sijizhuang Formation conglomerate granite and quartzite pebbles mostly have positive ε Hf(t) values,a minority with ε Hf(t) values like model depleted mantle(DM) of the same age,but with most showing DM model ages 200-100 Ma.This indicates that most of the source materials were derived from the mantle within the previous 200 million years,whereas some are derived from 2550-2510 Ma juvenile crustal additions.This additional evidence suggests that in the North China Craton there was important initial polycyclic crustal formation and cratonization in the late Neoarchaean,prior to superimposed Palaeoproterozoic orogenic cycles.