Genesis of LCT Pegmatites during Early Paleozoic Orogeny of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt,China:Emplacement Conditions and Structural Control

The Guanpo pegmatite field in the North Qinling orogenic belt(NQB),China,hosts the most abundant LCT pegmatites.However,their emplacement conditions and structural control remain unexplored.In this contribution,we investigated it combining pegmatite orientation measurement with oxygen isotope geothermometry and fluid inclusion study.The orientations of type A1 pegmatites(P_(f)<σ_(2))are predominantly influenced by P-and T-fractures due to simple shearing in Shiziping dextral thrust shear zone during D_(2)deformation,whereas type A2 pegmatites(contemporaneous with D_(4))are governed by hydraulic fractures aligned with S_(0)and S_(0+1)stemming from fluid pressure(P_(f)<σ_(2)).Additionally,type B pegmatites(P_(f)≤σ_(2))exhibit orientations shaped by en echelon extensional fractures in local ductile shear zones(contemporaneous with D_(3)).The albite-quartz oxygen isotope geothermometry and microthermometric analysis of fluid inclusions in elbaites from the latest pegmatites(including types B and A2)suggest that the crystallization P-T for late magmatic and hydrothermal stages are 527.5-559.2℃,320℃,3.1-3.6 kbar and 2.0 kbar,respectively.Our observations along with previous studies suggest that the genesis of the LCT pegmatites was a long-term,multi-stage event during early Paleozoic orogeny(including the collision stage)of the NQB,and was facilitated by various local fractures.

M agmatic Gold Mineralization in the Western Qinling Orogenic Belt: Geology and Metallogenesis of the Baguamiao,Liba and Xiaogouli Gold Deposits

The superlarge Baguamiao, large Liba and Xiaogouli gold deposits represent three typical gold deposits different from the Carlin type in the western Qinling Orogenic Belt. Based on Ar-Ar dating of quartz from ores, U-Pb dating of single zircon from granite, tracing of H and O isotopes and studies on the mineralogy and texture of spots and bleached alteration developed in wall rocks, this paper focuses the relations between gold deposits and granite to clarify the origin of gold deposits and the metallogenesis in the tectonic evolution of the Qinling Orogenic Belt. The comprehensive studies show that the age of the granite (148.1-244 Ma) is identical with that of the gold deposits (131.91-232.56 Ma). It is suggested that the granite has close temporal, spatial and genetic relationship with the gold deposits. The granite provides a heat source, water source and considerable amount of ore-forming material. Finally, it is concluded that the orogeny by collision, emplacement of the granite and positioning of the gold deposits represent a successive process. Both the granite and gold deposits resulted from the syn-orogeny and post-orogeny tectonic evolution.

Xiba Granitic Pluton in the Qinling Orogenic Belt, Central China: Its Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

Xiba granitic pluton is located in South Qinling tectonic domain of the Qinling orogenic belt and consists mainly of granodiorite and monzogranite with significant number of microgranular quartz dioritic enclaves. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb isotopic dating reveals that the quartz dioritic enclaves formed at 214±3 Ma, which is similar to the age of their host monzogranite （218±1 Ma）. The granitoids belong to high-K calc-alkaline series, and are characterized by enriched LILEs relative to HFSEs with negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies, and right-declined REE patterns with （La/Yb） N ratios ranging from 15.83 to 26.47 and δEu values from 0.78 to 1.22 （mean= 0.97）. Most of these samples from Xiba granitic pluton exhibit εNd（t） values of 8.79 to 5.38, depleted mantle Nd model ages （T DM ） between 1.1 Ga and 1.7 Ga, and initial Sr isotopic ratios （ 87 Sr/ 86 Sr） i from 0.7061 to 0.7082, indicating a possible Meso-to Paleoproterozoic lower crust source region, with exception of samples XB01-2-1 and XB10-1 displaying higher （ 87 Sr/ 86 Sr） i values of 0.779 and 0.735, respectively, which suggests a contamination of the upper crustal materials. Quartz dioritic enclaves are interpreted as the result of rapid crystallization fractionation during the parent magmatic emplacement, as evidenced by similar age, texture, geochemical, and Sr-Nd isotopic features with their host rocks. Characteristics of the petrological and geochemical data reveal that the parent magma of Xiba granitoids was produced by a magma mingling process. The upwelling asthenosphere caused a high heat flow and the mafic magma was underplated into the bottom of the lower continent crust, which caused the partial melting of the lower continent crustal materials. This geodynamic process generated the mixing parent magma between mafic magma from depleted mantle and felsic magma derived from the lower continent crust. Integrated petrogenesis and tectonic discrimination with regional tectonic evolution of the Qinling orogen, it is suggested that the granitoids are most likely products in a post-collision tectonic setting.

Metamorphism of the East Sector of the Southern Qinling Orogenic Belt and Its Geological Significance

The east sector of the southern Qinling belt is, lithologically, composed mainly of metapelites, ***qüartzites, marbles and small amount of metabasites and gneisses, whose protoliths are the Silurian, Devonian and less commonly the Sinian and Upper Palaeozoic. They have been subjected at least to two epochs of metamorphism. The early epoch belongs to progressive metamorphism which is centered on high amphibolite-granulite fades in the Fuping area and changed outwards into low amphibolite facies (staurolite-kyanite zone), epidote amphibolite facies (garnet zone) and greenschist facies (chlorite and biotite zones), the metamorphic age of which is about 220–260 Ma. This early-epoch metamorphism belongs to different pressure types: the rocks from greenschist to low amphibolite facies belong to the typical medium-pressure type which shows geothermal gradients of about 17–20 ***C/km and was probably produced by a crustal thickening process related to continental collision, and the high amphibolite-granulite facies belongs to the low-pressure type which shows geothermal gradients of about 25–38 ***C/km and was probably affected by some magmatic heats. Based on the basic characteristics of the P-T paths of the different facies calculated from the garnet zonations, it can be deduced that the metamorphism of medium-pressure facies series took place during an imbricated thickening process, rather than during the uplifting process after thickening. The late-epoch metamorphism belongs to dynamic metamorphism of greenschist facies which is overprinted on the early-epoch metamorphic rocks and is Yanshanian or Himalayan in age, probably related to intracontinental orogeny.

Geochronology,Petrogenesis and Tectonic Setting of the Late Jurassic I-type Granites in the North Qinling Orogenic Belt,Central China

The North Qinling Orogenic Belt(NQOB)is a composite orogenic belt in central China.It started evolving during the Meso-Neoproterozoic period and underwent multiple stages of plate subduction and collision before entering intra-continental orogeny in the Late Triassic.The Meso-Cenozoic intra-continental orogeny and tectonic evolution had different responses in various terranes of the belt,with the tectonic evolution of the middle part of the belt being particularly controversial.The granites distributed in the Dayu and Kuyu areas in the middle part of the NQOB can provide an important window for revealing the geodynamic mechanisms of the NQOB.The main lithology of Dayu and Kuyu granites is biotite monzogranite,and the zircon U-Pb dating yielded intrusive ages of 151.3±3.4 Ma and 147.7±1.5 Ma,respectively.The dates suggest that the biotite monzogranite were formed at the end of the Late Jurassic.The whole-rock geochemistry analysis shows that the granites in the study areas are characterized by slightly high SiO_(2)(64.50-68.88 wt%)and high Al_(2)O_(3)(15.12-16.24 wt%)and Na_(2)O(3.55-3.80 wt%)contents.They are also enriched in light rare earth elements,large ion lithophile elements(e.g.,Ba,K,La,Pb and Sr),and depleted in high field strength elements(HFSEs)(e.g.,Ta,Nb,P and Ti).Additionally,the granites have weakly negative-slightly positive Eu anomalies(δEu=0.91-1.19).Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic analysis showedε_(Hf)(t)=-6.1--3.8,and the two-stage model age is T_(2DM(crust))=1.5-1.6 Ga.The granites in the study areas are analyzed as weak peraluminous high-K calc-alkaline I-type granites.They formed by partial melting of the thickened ancient lower crust,accompanied by the addition of minor mantle-derived materials.During magma ascent,they experienced fractional crystallization,with residual garnet and amphibole for a certain proportion in the magma source region.Comprehensive the geotectonic data suggest that the end of the Late Jurassic granite magmatism in the Dayu and Kuyu areas represents a compression-extension transition regime.It may have been a response to multiple tectonic mechanisms,such as the late Mesozoic intra-continental southward subduction of the North China Craton and the remote effect of the Paleo-Pacific Plate subduction.

Geochronological,geochemical,and Nd-Hf isotopic studies of the Qinling Complex,central China:Implications for the evolutionary history of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt

The Qinling Complex of central China is thought to be the oldest rock unit and the inner core of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt （NQOB）. Therefore, the Qinling Complex is the key to understanding the pre- Paleozoic evolution of the NQOB. The complex, which consists of metagraywackes and marbles, un- derwent regional amphibolite-facies metamorphism. In this study, we constrained the formation age of the Qinling Complex to the period between the late Mesoproterozoic and the early Neoproterozoic （ca. 1062-962 Ma）, rather than the Paleoproterozoic as previously thought. The LA-ICP-MS data show two major metamorphic ages （ca. 499 and ca. 420-400 Ma） for the Qinling Complex. The former age is consistent with the peak metamorphic age of the high- and ultra-high pressure （HP-UHP） rocks in the Qinling Complex, indicating that both the HP-UHP rocks and their country rocks experienced intensive regional metamorphism during the Ordovician. The latter age may constrain the time of partial melting in the NQOB between the late Silurian and early Devonian. The Qinling Complex is mostly affiliated with subduction-accretion processes along an active continental margin, and should contain detritus deposited in a forearc basin.

Qinling Orogenic Belt:Its Palaeozoic-Mesozoic Evolution and Metallogenesis

The formation, development and evolution of the Qinling orogenic belt can be divided into three stages: (1) formation and development of Precambrian basement in the Late Archaean-Palaeoproterozoic (3.0–1.6 Ga), (2) plate evolution (0.8–0.2 Ga), and (3) intracontinental orogeny and tectonic evolution in the Mesozoic.

Rock Assemblages and Formation Ages of the Baishuijiang Group in the Southwest Qinling Orogenic Belt, Northwest China

The Baishuijiang Group, located in the southwest Qinling orogenic belt, is divided into three belts according to the characteristic of the matrix and rock blocks based on the large scale geological mapping. The north belt and south belt are composed of abyssal mudstone and siltstone, and limestone, chert and basic and ultrabasic rock blocks. The middle belt consists of a few limestone blocks and turbidites, which were formed in the trench environment. At present, in the Baishuijiang Group, many fossils were found in matrix and rock blocks, the fossils contain the Cambrian small shell fossils(Xiao, 1992;Tao et al., 1992), Silurian chitinozoas, scolecodonts and spores, and Ordovician graptolites, and middle Devonian Coral and conodonts in limestone and chert blocks(Wang et al., 2011a), and Permian radiolarians in the matrix(Wang et al., 2007). The volcanic rock blocks have undergone different degree of metamorphism. Their geochemical characteristics indicate that the rocks are similar to oceanic island arc and seamount(Wang et al., 2009), and SHRIMP U-Pb dating yielded ages from Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic(Yan et al., 2007;Wang et al., 2009, 2011b). Therefore, comprehensive analysis of regional data, the Baishuijiang group is an accretionary complex which was consisted of matrix and blocks, and was finally formed during Permian-Triassic.

Feldspar Lead Isotopic Composition of Granitoids from the Eastern Qinling Orogenic Belt and Their Tectonic Significance

This paper reports 48 feldspar lead isotope analyses from 27 granitic intrusions,which formed from the Late Proterozic to Mesozoic within the Eastern Qinling oregenic belt. Itis found that the granitic rocks of South Qinling are characterized by a strong block-effect anddepletion in U-Pb and Th-Pb, showing that these rocks came from the same lead isotopetectono-geochemical province, while those of North Qinling are characterized by higher U-Pband Th-Pb for Late Proterozoic to Early Paleozoic ones and lower U-Pb and Th-Pb forLate-Palaeozoic and younger ones in their feldspar lead isotopic composition. In the NorthQinling block, lead isotopic signatures reflect that the source of granitic magma had changedsince the Late Palaeozoic. Comparison of feldspar lead isotopic composition between SouthQinling and North Qinling shows that there is marked difference in lead isotopic compositionfor pre-Palaeozoic granitoids, indicating that the South Qinling and the North Qinling blocksbelong to different tectonic units, but the similarities in lead isotopic composition are quiteclear, which indicates that the South Qinling block had been welded with the North Qinlingblock and that the magma sources of both blocks were identical. The analysis provides directevidence for underplating of the continental crust of South Qinling beneath the North Qinlingblock in the continent-continent interaction stage of the Eastern Qinling oregenic belt.

Petrological Study on the Ductile Shear Zones in the Core of the Eastern Qinling Orogenic Belt in Western Henan

A series of ductile shear zones of the overthrust and strike-slip-types and related ductile shear metamorphicrocks, including tectonic melange and mylonites. were formed in the core of the Qinling orogenic belt in thecourse of the Caledonian-Indosinian ductilc and brittle-ductile reworking. The study on their petrography. va-riations in composition and conditions of formation is conducive to revealing the metamorphism-deformationhistory of the core of the Qinling orogenic belt and further to understanding the dynamic mechanism of its evo-lution.

Re-Os and U-Pb Geochronology of the Erlihe Pb-Zn Deposit,Qinling Orogenic Belt,Central China,and Constraints on Its Deposit Genesis

The Erlihe Pb-Zn deposit is an important mine of the Pb-Zn metallogenic zone in the South Qinling Orogen.It has been considered a sedimentary exhalative deposit in previous investigations because the ore body occurs concordantly at the transitional location of an upright fold.Re and Os isotopic analyses for paragenetic pyrites with sphalerite and galena from the ore body have been used to determine the timing of mineralization and to trace the source of metallogenic materials.The Re-Os isotopic data of four pyrite samples construct an isochron,yielding a weighted average age of 226±17 Ma（mean square weighted deviation=1.7）,which is considered the main mineralization age.A dioritic porphyrite vein sample,showing weaker mineralization,was also dated using the SHRIMP zircon UPb isotopic method to constrain the youngest metallogenic age of the ore deposit,because it distributes along a group of tensional joints cutting not only the upright fold in the deposit field,but also the main ore bodies.The dioritic porphyrite sample yields a weighted mean ^（206）Pb/^（238）U age of 221±3 Ma,which is slightly younger than the Re-Os isotopic isochron age of the pyrites,considered as the upper age limit of the mineralization,namely the ending age of the mineralization.The Os isotopic compositions of sulfide minerals distribute within a range between Os isotopic compositions of the crust and the mantle, indicating that the ore deposit can be derived from magma-related fluid,and the metallogenic materials are most likely derived from the mixing source of the crust and the mantle.The Erlihe Pb-Zn deposit and associated dioritic porphyrite vein,important records of Qinling tectonic-magmatism-mineralization activities,were formed during the Triassic collisional orogeny processes.

Structural Geology and Chronology of Shear Zones along the Shangdan Suture in Qinling Orogenic Belt,China:Implications for Late Mesozoic Intra-Continental Deformation of East Asia

The Shangdan suture zone(SDZ)in the Qinling orogenic belt(QOB)is a key to understanding the East Asia tectonic evolution.The SDZ gives information about convergent processes between the North China Block(NCB)and South China Block(SCB).In the Late Mesozoic,several shear zones evolved along the SDZ boundary that helps us comprehend the collisional deformation between the NCB and SCB,which was neglected in previous studies.These shear zones play an essential role in the tectonic evolution of the East Asia continents.This study focuses on the deformation and geochronology of two shear zones distributed along the SDZ,identified in the Shaliangzi and Maanqiao areas.The shear sense indicators and kinematic vorticity numbers(0.54–0.90)suggest these shear zones have sinistral shear and sub-simple shear deformation kinematics.The quartz’s dynamic recrystallization and c-axis fabric analysis in the Maanqiao shear zone(MSZ)revealed that the MSZ experienced deformation under green-schist facies conditions at∼400–500℃.The Shaliangzi shear zone deformed under amphibolite facies at∼500–700℃.The^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar(muscovite-biotite)dating of samples provided a plateau age of 121–123 Ma.Together with previously published data,our results concluded that QOB was dominated by compressional tectonics during the Late Early Cretaceous.Moreover,we suggested that the Siberian Block moved back to the south and Lhasa-Qiantang-Indochina Block to the north,which promoted intra-continental compressional tectonics.

Provenance of the Lower Jurassic pyroclastic sediments in the Zigui Basin:Implication for crustal thickening in the eastern Qinling orogenic belt

The Late Triassic witnessed significant collisional orogenic events in the Qinling orogenic belt,accompanied by magma underplating and tectonic deformation.These processes potentially resulted in substantial crustal thickening and uplift of the Qinling orogen.However,due to the absence of igneous rock records from this period in the eastern section of the Qinling orogen,the changes in crustal thickness during this orogenic process have not been thoroughly investigated.A series of foreland basins emerged during the Early Mesozoic to the south of the East Qinling orogenic belt.These basins have preserved clastic sedimentary rocks derived from the uplift and erosion of the orogenic belt.These sedimentary records serve as crucial records to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the Qinling orogen.To further clarify the collisional orogenic process of the Qinling orogenic belt,this study conducted in situ volcanic lithic fragment geochemistry,detrital zircon U-Pb chronology and trace element composition analysis on the sandstones of the Lower Jurassic Tongzhuyuan Formation in the Zigui Basin.The results suggest that the sandstones,which exhibit a significant abundance of volcanic lithic fragments,has a characteristic detrital zircon age group of 250–200 Ma,indicating a major provenance from the Triassic volcanic rocks.Combined with regional correlation and paleocurrent analysis,the detrital zircon U-Pb age data show that the source area of volcanic rocks should be in the Qinling orogenic belt to the north of the basin.This interpretation is further supported by the Triassic granitic rocks exposed in the western part of the orogenic belt,representing the magmatism during the Triassic collisional orogenesis in the Qinling orogen.Based on the co-varying relationships between present-day crust thickness with the chemical compositions of granite rocks and zircons,the La/Yb ratio of volcanic lithic fragments in the Tongzhuyuan Formation and the Eu/Eu*ratio of detrital zircons with Triassic ages indicate that the Qinling orogen experienced crustal thickening during the Late Triassic,reaching its maximum thickness of 60–70 km at ca.220–210 Ma.This crustal thickening in the eastern Qinling orogen is temporally consistent with that in the western orogen as recorded by the Triassic granitic rocks and may be related to large-scale crustal shortening and magmatism during the collisional orogeny.

Geochemistry of ophiolite cherts from the Qinling orogenic belt and implications for their tectonic settings

Paleozoic cherts from the Mianl and the Erlangping ophiolite zones of the Qinling orogenic belt are characterized by low Si/Al ratios (52.14-683.52 in the Mianle cherts, 12.29-58.62 in the Erlangping cherts), Fe2O3 (0.01-0.35 and 0.02-1.24) and high Al2O3/(Al2O3+Fe2O3) ratios (0.82-0.99 and 0.83-0.99). The negative correlation between Si2O and Al2O3 in the cherts reflects the important role of terrigenous components. The Erlangping cherts have Lan/Cen=0.9-1.15 and Ce/Ce*=0.95-1.15 with low contents of V, Ni and Cu, consistent with those of cherts forming on the continental margin. In contrast, the Ce/Ce* ratios of the Mianle cherts range from 0.71 to 1.18 and Lan/Cen from 0.88 to 1.43 with slightly high V, Ni and Cu, which are similar to cherts found in the mid-ocean ridges and pelagic basins. Combined with the features of basic lavas associated with the cherts, it is suggested that during the Paleozoic, when the back-arc basin represented by the Erlangping ophiolite commenced shrinking in size in the mid-Ordovician, the southern Qinling was still in an extensional regime and finally grew into a new limited oceanic basin in the early Carboniferous.

Discovery of late Paleozoic fossils in tectonic blocks of the Dabao Formation in the South Qinling Orogenic Belt and their significance

The Dabao Formation in the South Qinling Orogenic Belt was previously regarded as Ordovician in age and consists of clastic matrix and blocks of siltstone,limestone,chert,and volcanic rocks.However,some Middle Devonian corals,conodonts,and other fossil fragments within the limestone blocks were discovered in recent field investigations,indicating that the Dabao Formation was formed during late Paleozoic.Combined with other regional geological data,the Dabao Formation in the Southern Qinling Orogenic Belt is considered to be a late Paleozoic or early Mesozoic accretionary complex.

Mesozoic uplift of the Dabashan and Micangshan-Hannan Dome in the South Qinling orogenic belt

The topographic evolution of continental orogens is important for understanding continental orogenic processes,geodynamic mechanisms,and climatic and environmental changes.The Qinling Orogen is a major orogenic belt in China,and its uplift history can provide insights into the tectonic configuration and geodynamics of China and East Asia.Previous studies have shown that the Dabashan and Micangshan-Hannan Dome(MHD)in the South Qinling orogenic belt were uplifted during the Mesozoic.However,the magnitude of the uplift remains unclear.In this study,using sedimentary records in the northern Sichuan Basin and lithospheric flexural modeling,we estimated the magnitude of Mesozoic uplift of the Dabashan and MHD,along with the effective elastic thickness(Te)of the Sichuan Basin.The Dabashan and MHD were uplifted by approximately 1220 and 880 m during the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous,respectively.Therefore,we propose that the present-day elevation of the Dabashan and MHD is primarily the result of Mesozoic uplift.The differences in the duration and amount of uplift between different tectonic units indicate that the uplift processes and driving mechanisms in the South Qinling orogenic belt were different in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic.Mesozoic uplift was the result of convergence of the North China and South China blocks advanced from east to west,whereas Cenozoic uplift was driven by ongoing indentation of the Indian Plate into Eurasia from southwest to northeast.The lithospheric strength of the northern Sichuan Basin was weakened from the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous,and Tedecreased from 73 to 57 km.This may have been caused by the flexure-related bending stresses in the lithosphere that developed due to the large topographic loading.

Zircon U-Pb Ages and Sr-Nd-Hf Isotopic Characteristics of the Huichizi Granitic Complex in the North Qinling Orogenic Belt and Their Geological Significance

The Huichizi granite complex is the largest Paleozoic 1-type intrusion located in the North Qinling orogenic belt （NQB）. In this study, we present systematic geochemical element data, zircon U-Pb ages, Ln-Hf isotopic data, and Sr-Nd isotopic data for the Huichizi granites. In terms of mineral and chemical compositions, these granites are biotite monzonitic and alkali-feldspar granites, both of which are characterized by high SiO2 and total alkali contents and low MgO, TiO2, and TFeO contents. These granites are weakly peraluminous （A/CNK values are 1-1.06 for biotite mon- zonitic granites and 1.04-1.09 for alkali-feldspar granites） and possess the geochemical characteristics of adakitic rocks, e.g., high Sr contents （319 ppm-633 ppm）, Sr/Y ratios （18.5-174）, and （La/Yb）N ratios （17.6-57） and low MgO （0.04 wt.%-0.83 wt.%）, Y （3.0 ppm-17.2 ppm）, and heavy rare-earth element （HREE） contents. This indicates that these rocks were most likely derived from the partial melting of a thickened lower crust. In situ zircon U-Pb dating of these granites yields Early Caledonian ages （437 Ma for biotite monzonitic granites and 424 Ma for alkali-feldspar granites）, indicating that the Huichizi granitic complex is the product of multi-periodic magmatism. The positive but varying zircon tHe（t） values （＋0.6 to ＋8.5） suggest that this thickened lower crust was mainly juvenile, i.e., accreted from depleted mantle during the Neo-Mesoproterozoic Period, but involved the ancient recycled crust. Biotite monzonitic granites formed during crust thickening at the extrusion stage, whereas the alkali granites formed during crust thickening at the extension stage （post extrusion）. The Huichizi granite complex witnessed the process of extrusion to extension because of the collision between the NCB and the Qinling microcontinent in the Caledonian.

A Comparison about Metamorphism among the Oldest-Rock Units from Orogenic Belts of Dabie,Eastern Qinling and Eastern Kunlun of Central Mountain Ranges,China

The Dabie orogen, Eastern Qinling orogen and Eastern Kunlun orogen are the major components of the Central Mountain Ranges of China and each has distinctively metamorphic processes in their oldest rock units. The Dabie orogen oldest rock units had experienced an intermediate-higher pressure, upper amphibolite to lower granulite facies metamorphism in the Indosinian intracontinental subduction collision event. The clockwise pt path, synchronous attainment of t max and p max and a segment of high slope retrograde path suggest a tectono driven rapid exhumation of the oldest rock units to upper middle crustal level following the end of the subduction collision process. The oldest rock units, also called Qinling Group, of Eastern Qinling Mountains suffered intensively collisional metamorphism at an immature plate tectonic framework during Jinningian movement about 1 000 Ma ago. The clockwise pt path with reach of t max following several hundreds of MPa decreasing from p max suggests that the denudation of the deeply burial rock units was due essentially to isostatic relaxation. During the Caledonian stage, the highly metamorphosed oldest rock units suffered from a high t thermal event in arc environment and superimposed by contact metamorphism. After thermal peaks, the rock units were exhumed in a short distance and cooled down isobarically. No regional metamorphism higher than upper greenschist facies condition since 300 Ma has been traced within exposed rocks in the eastern portion of Northern Qinling orogen. The oldest rock units in the Eastern Kunlun orogen were metamorphosed to upper amphibolite facies to lower granulite facies rocks early or during the Luliang movement (some 1 800 Ma ago). The high grade metamorphic rock units had a long resident time at the deep crustal level, and were exhumed to middle upper crustal level during the Caledonian to Hercynian tectonometamorphic events. Shallow erosion of the orogenic belt led to good preservation of the low pressure metamorphic belt.

Zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic characteristics of the Dehe biotite monzonitic gneiss pluton in the North Qinling orogen and their geological significance

The Dehe granitic pluton intruded the Xiahe Group which is in the core complex of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt(NQOB).It shows gneissic bedding and possesses typical S-type granite minerals such as muscovite and garnet.LA-ICP-MS U-Pb isotopic dating of the Dehe granite yielded a weighted average age of 925±23 Ma which represents the emplacement age of the pluton.Most of the εHf(t) values are negative,and the two-stage model ages are consistent with the age of the Qinling Group.The isotope data show that the Dehe granite was formed in the following geological setting:in the syn-collision setting of the NQOB in the Neoproterozoic,crustal thickening induced partial melting of materials derived from the Qinling complex,and then the maga upwelled and intruded into the Xiahe Group.The formation of the Dehe S-type granite implied the occurrence of a convergent event in the QOB during the Neoproterozoic.

In Situ Rb-Sr Dates of Muscovite and Sulfur Isotope of Pyrite from the Yangshan Gold Deposit in Western Qinling,China

Located along the southern part of the West Qinling orogenic belt,the Yangshan gold deposit is one of the largest in China.The major gold ores of Yangshan are disseminated in metasedimentary host rocks with minor native gold amounts in stibnite-gold quartz veins.Pyrite and arsenopyrite are the major Au-bearing minerals.Hydrothermal muscovite from gold-bearing quartz veins was dated using the in situ Rb-Sr method to determine the formation age of the Yangshan gold deposit.The Rb-Sr isochron date of the muscovite yielded 210.1±5.6 Ma(MSWD=1.2).This date is near the lower end of the period of the mineralized granitic dykes(210.49-213.10 Ma).Two stages of gold enriching process are recognized in the gold-bearing pyrite:the first is incorporated with the Co,Cu,As,Ni enrichment;and the second is accompanied by Bi,Co,Ni,Pb,Cu,Sb concentration.The in-situ sulfur isotopic values of pyrites show a restrictedΔ34s range of-1.43‰to 2.86‰with a mean value of 0.43‰.Trace-element mapping and in-situ sulfur isotopic analysis of pyrite suggest that the sulfur deposits are likely derived from a magmatic source and likely assimilated by sulfur from the sedimentary bedrock.Thus,magmatism plays a critical role in the formation of the Yangshan gold deposit.