Timing of Metamorphism and Provenance of the Metamorphic Basement of the Xiangshan Uranium Orefield, Jiangxi Province, China

The origin, age and evolution of the Precambrian metamorphic basement of southern China provide useful insights into early crustal development. Here, we present new laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （LA-ICP-MS） U-Pb age data for detrital zircons from five samples of the Precambrian metamorphic basement of the Xiangshan uranium orefield. Two of these samples, from the northern Xiangshan volcanic basin, yielded a total of 140 U-Pb ages that cluster within the Neoproterozoic （773-963 Ma; 79.3% of data points）, with the rest being scattered through the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic, along with a single Archean age. These ages indicate that this basement material is associated with the Cathaysia Block. In comparison, the 172 concordant ages from the other three samples from the southern part of the Xiangshan volcanic basin cluster within the Neoproterozoic （767-944 Ma; 59.8%） as well as the Proterozoic （37.8%） and the Archean （2502-2712 Ma; 14.5%）. These samples are also free of zircons with Grenvillian ages, indicating that these units are associated with the southeastern Yangtze Block. Combining these data with the geochemistry of these units, which suggests that the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks within the northern and southern parts of the Xiangshan basin have a common component from a magmatic island arc that formed during the early Neoproterozoic, we infer that the basin was located along the boundary between the Cathaysian and Yangtze blocks. In addition, the zircons within the samples from the southern and northern parts of the Xiangshan basin show different pre-Neoproterozoic （963 Ma） age populations but similar post- Neoproterozoic zircon populations, indicating that the amalgamation of the Cathaysian and Yangtze blocks occurred after the Neoproterozoic （960 Ma）, with magmatism peaking at 830 Ma and rifting starting at -770 Ma, leading to the subsequent deposition （from bottom to top） of the Shenshan, Kuli, and Shangshi formations.

Paleozoic convergence processes in the southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt:Insights from U–Pb dating of detrital zircons from West Junggar,northwestern China

The West Junggar orogen,located in the southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB),preserves an abundant record of tectonic processes associated with the evolution of the Junggar Ocean.In this study,we use detrital zircon U–Pb age data from Ordovician to Carboniferous sandstones in the southern and central West Junggar domains,complemented by literature data,to better constrain the tectonic evolution of the southwestern CAOB.The Kekeshayi,Qiargaye,and Laba formations in the southern West Junggar domain were deposited during the Darriwilian-Sandbian,Katian-Aeronian,and Homerian-Emsian,respectively.Detrital zircon provenances of these formations display a marked shift from the southern West Junggar domain to the Paleo-Kazakhstan Continent(PKC).This suggests that the southern West Junggar intra-oceanic arc might have gradually accreted to the northern margin of the PKC prior to the Emsian,which has significantly contributed to the lateral growth of the PKC.The Carboniferous strata,Xibeikulasi,Baogutu,and Tailegula formations,in the central West Junggar domain represent a coherent sequence of volcaniclastic turbidites and were deposited in a progressively shrinking remnant oceanic basin during the Visean to Moscovian.They contain unimodal detrital zircon distributions and are derived from the local and coeval magmatic rocks in the central West Junggar domain.We propose that the final closure of the Junggar Ocean likely occurred in the end of the Late Carboniferous in response to regional amalgamation events in the southwestern CAOB,which marks the final assembly of the Kazakhstan Orocline.The central and southern West Junggar domains underwent individual evolution in the Paleozoic,and were recombined by the significant intra-continental reworking along the large-scale strike-slip faults.

Lower Cretaceous turbidites in the Shiquanhe–Namco Ophiolite Mélange Zone, Asa area, Tibet: Constraints on the evolution of the Meso-Tethys Ocean

Turbidites fromthe Shiquanhe–Namco OphioliteMélange Zone(SNMZ)record critical information about the tectonic affinity of the SNMZand the evolutionary history of theMeso-Tethys Ocean in Tibet.This paper reports sedimentologic,sandstone petrographic,zircon U-Pb geochronologic,and clastic rocks geochemical data of newly identified turbidites(Asa Formation)in the Asa Ophiolite Mélange.The youngest ages of detrital zircon from the turbiditic sandstone samples,together with~115 Ma U-Pb concordant age from the tuff intercalation within the Asa Formation indicate an Early Cretaceous age.The sandstone mineral modal composition data show that the main component is quartz grains and the minor components are sedimentary and volcanic fragments,suggesting that the turbidites were mainly derived froma recycled orogen provenancewith a minor addition of volcanic arc materials.The detrital U-Pb zircon ages of turbiditic sandstones yield main age populations of 170–120 Ma,300–220 Ma,600–500 Ma,1000–700 Ma,1900–1500 Ma,and~2500 Ma,similar to the ages of the Qiangtang Terrane(age peak of 600–500 Ma,1000–900 Ma,~1850 Ma and~2500 Ma)and the accretionary complex in the Bangong–Nujiang Ophiolite Zone(BNMZ)rather than the age of the Central Lhasa Terrane(age peak of~300 Ma,~550 Ma and~1150 Ma).The mineral modal compositions,detrital U-Pb zircon ages,and geochemical data of clastic rocks suggest that the Asa Formation is composed of sediments primarily recycled from the Jurassic accretionary complex within the BNMZ with the secondary addition of intermediate-felsic island arc materials from the South Qiangtang Terrane.Based on our new results and previous studies,we infer that the SNMZ represents a part of the Meso-Tethys Suture Zone,rather than a southward tectonic klippe of the BNMZ or an isolated ophiolitic mélange zone within the Lhasa Terrane.The Meso-Tethys Suture Zone records the continuous evolutionary history of the northward subduction,accretion,arc-Lhasa collision,and Lhasa-Qiangtang collision of the Meso-Tethys Ocean from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous.

Detrital zircon constraints on late Paleozoic tectonism of the Bogda region(NW China)in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Chinese North Tianshan(CNTS)in the southern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB)has undergone multistage accretion-collision processes during Paleozoic time,which remain controversial.This study addresses this issue by tracing the provenance of Late Paleozoic sedimentary successions from the Bogda Mountain in the eastern CNTS through U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analyses of detrital zircons.New detrital zircon U-Pb ages(N=519)from seven samples range from 261±4 Ma to 2827±32 Ma.The most prominent age peak is at 313 Ma and subordinate ages vary from 441 Ma to 601 Ma,with some Precambrian detrital zircon ages(~7%)lasting from 694 Ma to 1024 Ma.The youngest age components in each sample yielded weighted mean ages ranging from 272±9 Ma to 288±5 Ma,representing the maximum depositional ages.These and literature data indicate that some previously-assumed"Carboniferous"strata in the Bogda area were deposited in the Early Permian,including the Qijiaojing,Julideneng,Shaleisaierke,Yangbulake,Shamaershayi,Liushugou,Qijiagou,and Aoertu formations.The low maturity of the sandstones,zircon morphology and provenance analyses indicate a proximal sedimentation probably sourced from the East Junggar Arc and the Harlik-Dananhu Arc in the CNTS.The minor Precambrian detrital zircons are interpreted as recycled materials from the older strata in the Harlik-Dananhu Arc.Zircon EHf(t)values have increased since^408 Ma,probably reflecting a tectonic transition from regional compression to extension.This event might correspond to the opening of the Bogda intraarc/back arc rift basin,possibly resulting from a slab rollback during the northward subduction of the North Tianshan Ocean.A decrease of zirconεHf(t)values at^300 Ma was likely caused by the cessation of oceanic subduction and subsequent collision,which implies that the North Tianshan Ocean closed at the end of the Late Carboniferous.

Provenance of sediments from Barra del Tordo and Tesoro beaches, Tamaulipas State, northwestern Gulf of Mexico

The mineralogy, bulk sediment geochemical composition, and U–Pb ages of detrital zircons retrieved from the Barra del Tordo(Tordo) and Tesoro beach sediments in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were analyzed to determine their provenance. The beach sediments are mainly composed of quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, titanite,zircon, and anorthite. The weathering proxies such as the Chemical Index of Alteration(CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering(CIW), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration(PIA), reveal a moderate-to-high intensity of weathering in the source area. The chondrite-normalized rare earth element(REE) patterns are similar to felsic igneous rocks, with large negative europium anomaly(Eu/Eu^(*)= ~ 0.47–0.80 and ~ 0.57–0.67 in the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments,respectively).Three major zircon U–Pb age groups are identified in the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments, i.e., Proterozoic(~2039–595 Ma), Mesozoic(~ 244–70.3 Ma), and Cenozoic(~ 65.9–1.2 Ma). The differences of the zircon age spectrum between the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments are not significant. The comparison of zircon U–Pb ages in this study with ages of potential source terranes suggests that the Mesozoic and Cenozoic zircons of the studied Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments were derived from the Eastern Alkaline Province(EAP) and Mesa Central Province(MCP). Similarly, the likely sources for the Proterozoic zircons were the Sierra Madre Oriental(SMOr) and Oaxaquia in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The results of this study further indicate that the sediments delivered to the beaches by rivers and redistributed by longshore currents were crucial in determining the sediment provenance.