Zircon U–Pb dating,geochemical,and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotopic constraints on the age and origin of intermediate to felsic igneous rocks at South Altyn,Xinjiang,China

As a part of a giant trending fault system in the Asian continent and one where a strong zone of left strikeslip fault is present,the Altyn Orogenic belt(AOB)has become an important focus for research.Magmatic rocks are widely distributed across the AOB.However,many investigations have focused primarily on Paleozoic igneous rocks;discussion of Mesozoic related igneous activity is often ignored.Here we present the result of studies of representative diorite and granite rocks outcropping in the AOB,within the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,South Altyn,China.We present new zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age,geochemical,and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic data for these sample suites,identifying them as typical igneous rocks formed between 238±1.5 and 238.8±1.1 Ma.The rocks that we studied fall into the alkaline series,also enriched in light rare earth elements(LREE),some large ion lithophile elements(LILE;e.g.,Rb,Ba,Sr,and K),Pb,Th and U,and depleted in heavy rare earth elements(HREE),Nb,Ta,Hf,and Ti.The granite and diorite have high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios(0.7062-0.7114),negativeεNd(t)values(-8.8 to-11.3),εHf(t)values(-8.7 to-18.7),and relatively constant Pb isotopic ratios((206-Pb/204Pb)i=6.74-17.884,(207Pb/204Pb)i=15.51-15.58,and(208Pb/204Pb)i=35.36-38.04),respectively.This suggests that the magmas parental to these rocks were generated from the partial melting of the ancient crust.The parental magmas to these rocks experienced a degree of fractionation of plagioclase,K-feldspar,and hornblende,possibly during rapid magma ascent.Based on these studies,we propose a reasonable model for the origin of the investigated rocks from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of South Altyn,which involves crustal thickening,lithospheric extension,and asthenosphere upwelling,that induced crustal melting.

Early Silurian Wuchuan–Sihui–Shaoguan exhalative sedimentary pyrite belt, South China: constraints from zircon dating for K-bentonite of the giant Dajiangping deposit

The Wuchuan-Sihui-Shaoguan(WSS)exhalative sedimentary pyrite belt in the southwestern part of the Qinzhou-Hangzhou(Qin-Hang)belt is the most important sulfur industry base in China.However,a wide range of metallogenetic ages spanning from Ediacaran to Devonian has been reported in the literature.This age range does not support the idea that the typical character of"coeval mineralization"in an exhalative sedimentary mineralization belt in China and worldwide.Therefore,the precise determination of mineralization ages of representative deposits is necessary to provide guides for exploration and metallogenetic models.The Dajiangping pyrite deposit is a typical example of this kind of deposits and is also the largest deposit with a proven reserve of 210 Mt.This deposit was thought to have formed in Ediacaran or Devonian.In this study,2-3 layers of 10-25 cm thick 2M1-type microcrystalline muscovite slate abruptly embedded in the No.Ⅳmassive orebody of the deposit has been identified to be low-grade metamorphic K-bentonite.A Concordia zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of 432.5±1.3 Ma(mean standard weighted deviation of concordance and equivalence=1.2;N=11)has been yielded for the low-grade metamorphic K-bentonite.This age is distinctly different from the Rb-Sr isochron age of630.1±7.3 Ma for siliceous rock at the top of the No.Ⅲbanded orebody and the Re-Os isochron age of 389±62 Ma for pyrites from a laminated orebody.Instead,it is close to the intercept age(429 Ma)of the youngest detrital zircons from sandstone interlayers of the No.Ⅲbanded orebody.The Concordia age is also coincident with those of the Late Caledonian(400-460 Ma)magmatism-metamorphism events which are widely distributed in Cathaysia Block.Particularly,it agrees well with that of the Early Silurian extensional volcanism(434-444 Ma)which have been revealed in the Dabaoshan,Siqian-Hekou,and Nanjing volcanic basins in northern Guangdong Province and southern Jiangxi Province.Hence,the dating result in this study confirms that the sedimentary time of the ore-host Daganshan Formation is Early Silurian,and implies that the mineralization age of the Dajiangping pyrite deposit should also be Early Silurian.In combination with the Early Silurian age of Shezui pyrite deposit and the Dabaoshan volcanic basin along the WSS pyrite belt,it could be inferred that the WSS pyrite belt provides a record of the northern expanding of Qinzhou-Fangcheng trough in Early Silurian and that the exhalative pyrite mineralization was triggered by the postcollisional extension of the margin of Cathaysia Block after the intracontinental collision between Cathaysia Block and Yangtze Block during Late Caledonian stage.

Episodic crustal growth and reworking at the southeastern margin of the North China Craton: evidence from zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes of Archean tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite gneisses in the Bengbu-Wuhe area

The cratonization history of the North China Craton(NCC)and the nature of tectonothermal events are still highly controversial.Tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite(TTG)gneisses,as the dominant lithological assemblages in Archean metamorphic terranes,can provide significant clues to the magmatic and metamorphic evolution of Precambrian crust.This study presents zircon laser-ablation inductively-coupled-plasma mass spectrometry U–Pb ages,trace-element,and in-situ LA-MC-ICPMS zircon Hf isotope data for the TTG gneisses from the Bengbu-Wuhe area on the southeastern margin of the NCC.Cathodoluminescence images and trace elements indicated that magmatic zircons display the characteristics of euhedral-subhedral crystals with oscillatory growth zoning structures,high RREE contents,marked Ce positive anomalies,and Pr–Eu negative anomalies.The metamorphic zircons display the spherical-oval crystals with distinct core-rim structures,high and homogeneous luminescent intensity,lower RREE,Nb,Ta,Hf contents,relative flat REE patterns,weak Ce positive anomalies,and Pr-Eu negative anomalies.The Ti–in–zircon geothermometer data indicate that the crystallization temperature of the TTG gneiss ranged from 754 to 868℃.Zircon U–Pb ages indicate that the TTG gneisses formed at 2.79–2.77 Ga and 2.50 Ga and underwent metamorphism at 2.57–2.52 Ga.The Hf isotopic data indicate that the magmatic zircons exhibit high,positive eHf(t)values close to those of the coeval depleted mantle,whereas the metamorphic zircons exhibit negative or nil eHf(t)values.This implies that the TTG gneisses were derived from the partial melting of the~2.9–2.6 Ga juvenile crustal sources mixed with~3.0–2.8 Ga ancient crustal materials.Combined with the regional tectonic evolution,we propose that the metamorphic basement at the southeastern margin of the NCC underwent episodic crustal growth at~2.7 and~2.5 Ga and subsequently underwent crustal reworking or re-melting of the ancient crust during the Neoarchean.The Neoarchean TTG gneisses might have been derived from the partial melting of lower crustal materials related to plate subduction.

U–Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronology of polygenetic zircons from Beshta and Kamenistaya intrusions(the Greater Caucasus)

The Beshta-Kamenistaya intrusions are located in the Main Range structural zone of the Greater Caucasus.They are composed of tonalitic gneisses that genetically resemble granites of the tholeiitic series of the ophiolitic complexes.The Beshta-Kamenistaya orthogneisses and associated rocks of the nappes differ markedly from those of the Main Range zone.All of them were overthrust to the Main Range zone during the Bretonian orogeny.The age of their protolith and the metamorphism are still not defined.Using the zircon U-Pb LA-ICP-MS dating two age populations of zircons have been distinguished in the rocks of the Beshta-Kamenistaya intrusions.The age of the main population of zircons from orthogneisses is 426-300 Ma.Several age groups can be distinguished in this population.The main group yielded a Concordia age of386.9±1.4 Ma.There are also smaller peaks at 409-405,375-373,and 351 Ma.The oldest ages(426-395 Ma)were detected in the core parts of the complex crystals.We assume that the crystallization of the parental for orthogneisses rocks(tonalities)took place at 410-395 Ma,whereas the Concordia age of 386.9±1.4 Ma and a peak at 375-373 Ma correspond to the metamorphic event.The whole metamorphic cycle,including progressive and regressive stages,occurred between 395 and 370 Ma.Zircons,dated in the Beshta-Kamenistaya intrusion at350 Ma and younger,correspond to the Late Variscan orogeny.Zircons dated 3102-2769 Ma represent xenocrysts captured by the melts during their formation from the ancient rocks in the crystalline basement.

Geochronological and geochemical constraints on the granitic gneiss in the Huozhou Complex: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Trans-North China Orogen

The Trans-North China Orogen is a major Neoarchean Paleoproterozoic collisional orogenic belt above the North China Craton, formed due to prolonged and complex processes. Even though many NeoarcheanPaleoproterozoic magmatic and metamorphic activities have been reported, due to the Huozhou Complex’s small outcropping range, little attention has been paid to the origin of various igneous rocks of the Huozhou Complex in the center of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou Complex, located south of the Luè liang, Wutai, and Hengshan complexes, is an important window into the Early Precambrian structure and evolution of the North China Craton. Its magma and metamorphism are crucial to understanding the development of the structural evolution of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou metamorphic complex area exposes a range of Precambrian metamorphic rocks, among which the most extensively dispersed is felsic biotite plagioclase gneiss. In this study comprehensive geological field survey, micropetrology,chronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotope analysis were carried out for the Qinggangping and Anziping gneiss in the north of the Huozhou Complex. The results show that the magmatic zircon age of the Qinggangping gneiss is2196 ± 14 Ma, and its protolith is I-type granite, formed by partial melting of igneous rocks in the absence of weathering. Its source is mainly the juvenile crust from depleted mantle dating 2431–2719 Ma, with a small amount of mantle-derived material. The Anziping gneiss has a metamorphic zircon age of 1931 ± 13 Ma with an S-type granite protolith belonging to peraluminous granite.The Anziping gneiss is formed by recycling pre-existing crustal components at 2613–2848 Ma. A minor quantity of mantle-derived magma is also introduced to the crust simultaneously. The samples of Qinggangping gneiss and Anziping gneiss show the characteristics of obvious negative Nb, Ti, and P elements in the spider diagram of primitive mantle standardization. This implies that the rocks have the characteristics of magmatic rocks in an island arc or subduction environment, which could have formed in the tectonic environment of the continental margin arc.

Geochronology and geochemistry of magmatic rocks in the Dongzi–Changhanboluo Pb–Zn ore district in Chifeng,Inner Mongolia,and their relationship with metallogenesis

Bulk-rock elements,isotopes,and zircon U–Pb ages are reported for magmatic rocks in the Dongzi–Changhanboluo Pb–Zn ore district in Chifeng,Inner Mongolia,China.Zircon U–Pb dating identified four stages of magmatism:Late Silurian gabbroic diorite(*420 Ma),Middle Permian monzonite(*274 Ma),Late Jurassic quartz porphyry and ignimbrite,breccia tuff(153–158 Ma)and Early Cretaceous andesitic porphyrite(*127 Ma).Integrating field observations,geochronology,and element and isotope geochemistry indicated a complex petrogenetic history of the magmatic rocks.The gabbroic diorite may have been sourced from EM1-type mantle.The source of the monzonite may have been mantle metasomatized by melt from the subducting plate.The Jurassic volcaniclastic rocks formed in a medium-pressure,high-temperature environment,possibly in the background of crustal thickening in a syncollisional stage and an early postcollisional stage.During this process,shaly sedimentary rocks were brought into the deep crust and heated,followed by the rapid isostatic uplift of the crust,which caused partial melting of the sedimentary rocks.Quartz monzonite porphyry and quartz porphyry formed by partial melting of mantle metasomatized by subducted sediments,but the quartz porphyry experienced high-degree differentiation and evolution.The andesitic porphyrite has characteristics similar to those of Permian monzonite,indicating that its source area was also the zone of mantle metasomatized by subducted sediment.The late Silurian and Permian magmatic rocks in this area most likely formed against a continental arc background related to the subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean Plate beneath the North China Plate.The Late Jurassic magmatic rocks suggest that the northern margin of the North China Craton may have been in a postcollisional setting during the Late Jurassic,with no obvious crustal thinning.The Cretaceous andesitic porphyrite may have formed against the background of lithospheric extension and thinning.According to the comprehensive analysis of geological characteristics,diagenetic and metallogenic epochs,and Pb isotope data,the formation of ore bodies in the Dongzi–Changhanboluo ore district was closely related to the Jurassic quartz porphyry.

Ages, Sources and Tectonic Settings of the Triassic Igneous Rocks in the Easternmost Segment of the East Kunlun Orogen, Central China

U–Pb analysis of zircons from igneous rocks in the Elashan Mountain, easternmost segment of the East Kunlun Orogen yielded 252–232 Ma. Geochemically, these rocks are mainly high in SiO_2, K_2O and K_2O＋Na_2O contents, low in P_2O_5 and TiO_2 contents, depleted in Ba, Sr, P, Ti and enriched in U, Hf, Zr, showing features of I–type granite. The zircon εHf（t） values of the Early Triassic Jiamuge＇er rhyolite porphyry（252±3 Ma） are positive（＋1.6 to ＋12.1）, suggesting a juvenile crustal source mixing with little old crustal component, and the zircon εHf（t） values of the Middle Triassic Manzhang＇gang granodiorite（244±3 Ma） and Dehailong diorite（237±3 Ma） are predominately negative（-8.4 to ＋1.0）, indicating an older crustal source. In comparison, the zircon εHf（t） values of the Late Triassic syenogranites from Suigen＇ergang（234±2Ma）, Ge＇ermugang（233±2 Ma） and Yue＇ergen（232±3 Ma） plutons vary from-3.8 to ＋5.0, suggesting a crust-mantle mixing source. From Early–Middle Triassic（252–237 Ma） to Late Triassic（234–232 Ma）, the geochemical characteristics of these rocks show the change from a subduction–collision setting to a post-collision or within-plate setting. By comparing of these new age data with 77 zircon U–Pb ages of igneous rocks of the eastern part of East Kunlun orogen from published literatures, we conclude that the igneous rocks of Elashan Mountain and these of the eastern part of East Kunlun Orogen belong to one magmatic belt. All these data indicate that the Triassic magmatic events of the eastern part of East Kunlun Orogen can be divided into three stages： 252–238 Ma, 238–226 Ma and 226–212 Ma. Statistically, the average εHf（t） values of the threestage igneous rocks show a tendency, from the old to young, from-0.75±0.25 to lower-2.65±0.52 and then to-1.22±0.25, respectively, which reveal the change of their sources. These characteristics can be explained as a crust-mantle mixing source generated in a subductional stage, mainly crust source in a syn–collisional stage and a crust-mantle mixing source（lower crust with mantle-derived underplating magma） in a post-collisional stage. The identification of these three magmatic events in the Elashan Mountain, including all the eastern part of East Kunlun Orogen, provides new evidence for better understanding of the tectonic evolution of the northward subduction and closure of the Paleo-Tethyan（252–238 Ma）, the collision of the Songpan–Ganzi block with the southern margin of Qaidam block（238–226 Ma）, and the post–collisional setting（226–212 Ma） during the Early Mesozoic period.

Geochemical and Geochronological Constraints on the Origin of the Meta-basic Volcanic Rocks in the Tengtiaohe Zone, Southeast Yunnan

The meta-basic volcanic rocks in the Tengtiaohe Zone yield zircon U–Pb ages of 258.8±2.5 Ma and 259.2±1.8 Ma, respectively which agree with the ages of flood basalts of ELIP and are similar to the basaltic rocks and komatiites from the Song Da Zone in northern Vietnam. The results suggest that the age of meta-basic volcanic rocks is Late Permian, rather than the Early Permian or Early Carboniferous ages as previously inferred. Most meta-basic volcanic rocks are strongly enriched in LREEs relative to HREEs and display trace element patterns similar to the ELIP high-Ti basalts, and are enriched in LILEs with negative Sr anomalies. Their initial 87^Sr/86^Sr ratios range from 0.705974 to 0.706188 and εNd（t） from-0.82 to-2.11. Their magmas were derived from an enriched and deep mantle source without significant crustal contamination. These meta-basic volcanic rocks formed in ELIP. Therefore, the Tengtiaohe Zone is not an ophiolite zone and can link to the Song Da Zone in northern Vietnam.

Timing of mineralization at the Shihu gold deposit in the middle segment of the Taihang Mountain, China

The Shihu gold deposit, located in the middlesouth section of the core of the Fuping mantle branch structure, is hosted in the Archean Fuping Group and adjacent to the quartz diorite porphyrite. The gold deposit is the only large gold deposit with reserves of more than 30 tons gold discovered in western Hebei Province so far. In order to constrain the timing of mineralization of this ore deposit, this paper focuses on the isotopic dating of zircon and pyrite. Zircons in gold-bearing quartz veins are magmatic in origin and no hydrothermal zircon has been found in such quartz veins, indicating that zircons were derived from the wall rocks. U–Pb ages of zircons fall mainly in the two domains: 2492 ± 82 and 136 ± 4 Ma, respectively,indicative of the contribution of the Fuping-Group TTG gneiss and Yanshanian igneous rocks, respectively. The Re–Os isotopic compositions of pyrites in the gold-bearing quartz veins yield an isochron age of 127 ± 31 Ma. Combined with other dating results, we suggest that the main metallogenic age of the Shihu gold deposit is 120–127 Ma.

Timing of formation of the Western Jinshajiang and Ganze–Litang sutures:evidence from the Duocai Granite in the Zhiduo region,West China

The timing of the closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in West China remains debated.To investigate this problem,we examined the geochemical characteristics,zircon U-Pb chronology,and Hf isotopes of monzogranites and quartz diorites from the Duocai granite in the Zhiduo region,at the intersection of the Jinshajiang and GanzeLitangsutures.The monzogranites have the chemical characteristics of calc-alkalineⅠ-type granites and yield a weighted mean zircon U-Pb age of 234.6±0.9 Ma[mean square weighted deviation(MSWD)=0.36].InitialεHf(-t)values are high and positive,ranging from+7.9 to+13.6 with a mean of+10.7,corresponding to two-stage Hf isotope model ages(TDM2)of 762-395 Ma.Geochemical and isotopic data indicate that the source magma of the monzogranites formed from mantle-derived magmas mixed with the overlying crustal materials.The quartz diorites,which also have compositional characteristics of calcalkaline I-type granites,yield a weighted mean zircon UPb age of 209.1±0.7 Ma(MSWD=0.29).InitialεHf(-t)values range from-2.5 to+0.6 with a mean of-1.5,with the corresponding TDM2 of 1402-1210 Ma.Geochemical and isotopic data indicate that the primary magma of the quartz diorites was derived mainly from partial melting of the mafic lower crust and small amount mantle-derived magma involved.Combining these results with regional data,the studied granites are inferred to have formed as a result of continuous subduction of plates underlying the Western Jinshajiang Ocean-Ganze-Litang Ocean from 234 to 209 Ma,and were unrelated to subduction of the South Jinshajiang oceanic plate.We suggest that the Western Jinshajiang Ocean-Ganze-Litang Ocean closed by the end of Late Triassic.

Late Mesozoic topographic evolution of western Transbaikalia:Evidence for rapid geodynamic changes from the Mongol-Okhotsk collision to widespread rifting

The Mesozoic geodynamic evolution of Transbaikalia has been largely controlled by the scissors-like closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean that separated Siberia from Mongolia-North China continents.Following the oceanic closure,the tectonic evolution of that region was characterized by collisional uplift and subsequent extension that gave rise to the formation of metamorphic core complexes.This complex tectonic setting prevailed simultaneously between 150 Ma and 110 Ma both in Transbaikalia,North Mongolia,and within the North China Craton.Published paleobotanical and paleontological data show that the oldest Mesozoic basins had formed in western Transbaikalia before the estimated age of extension onset.However no precise geochronological age is available for the onset of extension in Transbaikalia.The Tugnuy Basin,as probably the oldest Mesozoic basin in western Transbaikalia,is a key obj ect to date the onset of extension and following changes in tectonic setting.In this study,U-Pb(LA-ICP-MS)dating of detrital zircons from three key Jurassic sediment formations of the Tugnuy Basin are used to identify the potential source areas of the sediments,understand the changes in sediment routing and provide insights on the topographic evolution of western Transbaikalia.Our results show several significant changes in tectonic regime after the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean.A wide uplifted plateau formed during the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean,determining the Early Jurassic drainage system reaching the AngaraVitim batholith to the north and shedding sediments to the continental margin to the South.The following collisional event at the end of the Early Jurassic led to the uplift of the collision zone,which partially inverted the drainage system toward the North.A strike-slip displacement induced by the oblique collision initiated some of the early Transbaikalian depressions,such as the Tugnuy Basin at about 168 Ma.A phase of basin inversion,marked by folding and erosion of the Upper Jurassic sediments,could correspond to the short-term collision event that took place during the latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt.The following inversion in tectonic regime from compression to extension is consistent with the mid-lower-crustal extension that led to the formation of the numerous metamorphic core complexes throughout northeastern continental Asia during the Early Cretaceous.