Metamorphic P-T conditions and ages of garnet-biotite schists in the Dahongshan Group from the southwestern Yangtze Block

The Dahongshan Group,situated at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block,represents a geological unit characterized by relatively high-grade metamorphism in the region.This paper investigates the garnet-biotite schist from the Laochanghe Formation of the Dahongshan Group,employing an integrated approach that includes petrological analysis,phase equilibrium modeling,and zircon U-Pb dating.The schist is mainly composed of garnet,biotite,plagioclase,quartz,rutile,and ilmenite.Phase equilibrium modeling revealed the peak metamorphic conditions of 8-9 kbar and 635-675°C.By further integrating the prograde metamorphic profile of garnet and geothermobarometric results,a clockwise P-T metamorphic evolution path is constructed,which includes an increase in temperature and pressure during the prograde stage.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and zircon Ti thermometry constrains the post-peak metamorphic age of 831.2±7.2 Ma.Integrated with previously reported results,it is revealed that the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block experienced a large-scale regional metamorphism during the Neoproterozoic(890-750 Ma),which is related to the collisional orogenic process.This may be associated with the late-stage assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent or with local compression and subduction processes during the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent.

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb Ages,Geochemistry and Nd-Hf Isotopes of~1.0 Ga A-Type Felsic Rocks in the Southwestern Yangtze Block,South China:Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

The petrogenesis and tectonic affinity of Late Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks in the Yangtze Block are important to understand its tectonic evolution within the context of the Rodinia supercontinent’s reconstruction.Here,we report the SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages,geochemistry,and Nd-Hf isotopic data for dacite from the Zegu Formation of the Dengxiangying Group in southwestern Yangtze Block.The crystallization age of the Zegu dacite is 1037 Ma.These rocks have relatively high Ga,Zr,Hf,and HREE contents,as well as high(10000×Ga)/Al(2.7-2.9)and FeOt/MgO(3.8-10.5)ratios,showing a geochemical affinity of A-type granitoids.Moreover,they are characterized by negativeεNd(t)(-3.6 to-7.5)and zirconεHf(t)values(-0.3 to-14.4),indicating that they likely generated via partial melting of an ancient continental crust source.The tectonic discriminant diagrams showed that the Zegu dacites have high Y and Nb contents(plotted in the‘within-plate’magmatic rocks field).In conclusion,the geochemistry and isotopic data indicated that the 1037 Ma felsic volcanic rock in the Dengxiangying Group generated during an intra-plate rift basin along a passive margin.Our work thus argues against a Grenvillian orogen’s existence in the Yangtze Block.In view of the subsequent Neoproterozoic subduction-related magmatism in the region,we suggest that the Yangtze Block might have been along the periphery of the Rodinia.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of the 890 Ma I-Type Granites in the Southwestern Yangtze Block:Petrogenesis and Crustal Evolution

The tectonic evolution of the southwestern Yangtze Block during the Early Neoproterozoic period is still controversial because of the limited quantities of 1000–860 Ma magmatic rocks.In this study,our new LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results demonstrate that the Yanbian granodiorites in the southwest Yangtze Block were emplaced at 894.6±7.4 Ma,representing the product of an 894 Ma magmatism.The Yanbian granodiorites are metaluminous to weak peraluminous with A/CNK values of 0.8–1.1,resembling Itype granitoids.They are characterized by right-inclined REE patterns with moderate to insignificant negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.6–0.9).Their primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns are characterized by depletion of Nb,Ta and Ti and weakly enrichment of Th.Considering the positive whole-rockεNd(t)(+5.8 to+6.8),we propose that these granodiorites originated from the partial melting of juvenile mafic lower crust.The Yanbian I-type granitoids have low Y and Nb contents similar to volcanic arc igneous rocks in the Y-Nb plot for tectonic discrimination.In conclusion,Early Neoproterozoic Yanbian granodiorites have generated in a compression setting in an active continental margin.Together with previous studies from the southwestern Yangtze Block,we suggest that the 894 Ma subduction-related Yanbian granodiorites represent the early stage of subduction at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block.

Ca. 1.7 Ga Magmatism on Southwestern Margin of the Yangtze Block: Response to the Breakup of Columbia

This paper presents some data of the Jiaopingdu gabbro and Caiyuanzi granite at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block,on the geochemical compositions,zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic data.The Jiaopingdu gabbro gives the age of 1721±5 Ma,the Caiyuanzi granite 1732±6 Ma and 1735±4 Ma,and the Wenjiacun porphyry granite 1713±4 Ma,suggesting nearly contemporaneous formation time of the gabbro and granite.The bimodal feature is demonstrated by the gabbro Si O2 content of 44.64-46.87 wt%and granite 73.81-77.03 wt%.In addition,the granite has high content of Si O2 and Na2 O+K2 O,low content of Al2 O3 and Ca O,enriched in REEs(except Eu)and Zr,Nb,Ga and Y,depleted in Sr,implying it belongs to A-type granite geochemistry and origin of within-plate environment.The zirconε(Hf)(t)of the granite and gabbro is at the range of 2-6,which is near the 2.0 Ga evolution line of the crust,implying the parent magma of the gabbro being derived from the depleted mantle and a small amount of crustal material,and the parent magma of the granite from partial melting of the juvenile crust and some ancient crustal material at the same time.Compared with 1.8-1.7 Ga magmatism during breakup of other cratons in the world,we can deduce that the Columbia has initially broken since ca.1.8 Ga,and some continental marginal or intra-continental rifts occurred at ca.1.73 Ga.

Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic Tectonic Evolution of the SW Yangtze Block, South China: Evidence from U-Pb Geochronology and Lu-Hf Isotopes of Detrital Zircons from Sedimentary Rocks

In situ zircon U-Pb geochronological and Lu-Hf isotope studies of detrital zircons from Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic sedimentary units on the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block have important implications for the tectonic evolution of the Yangtze Block.The Huili Group contains zircons whose ages are mainly Late Archean to Mesoproterozoic(2650-2450,2100-1800,and 1350-1150 Ma).The Dengxiangying Group has one major age population of 1900-1600 Ma,and two subordinate age populations of 1350-1100 and 2300-2000 Ma.Yanbian Group sedimentary rocks have a zircon age population mainly in the range of 970-850 Ma,contemporaneous with the ages of widespread arc-related magmatism in the western Yangtze Block.Combining these results with previous work,the Huili and Dengxiangying groups were most likely deposited during ca.1160 to 1000 Ma in an intra-continental rift basin setting,while the Yanbian Group accumulated during>920 to 782 Ma in a back-arc basin setting at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block.In addition,all these results further suggest a tectonic transition from a continental rift basin to a convergent environment at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block at 1000-970 Ma.