Grenvillian orogeny in the Southern Cathaysia Block: Constraints from U-Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotopes in zircon from metamorphic basement

Metamorphic basement rocks in the Cathaysia Block are composed mainly of meta-sediments with different ages. New zircon U-Pb geochronological results from the meta-sedimentary rocks exposed in the Zengcheng and Hezi areas, southern Cathaysia Block, show that they consist dominantly of early Neoproterozoic （1.0-0.9 Ga） materials with minor Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic and late Neoproterozoic （0.8-0.6 Ga） components, suggesting that the detritus mostly come from a Grenvillian orogen. The youngest detrital zircon ages place a constraint on the deposition time of these sediments in Late Neoproterozoic. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate that the Grenvillian zircons were derived from the reworking of Mesoproterozoic arc magmatic rocks and Paleoproterozoic continental crust, implying an arc-continent collisional setting. Single-peak age spectra and the presence of abundant euhedral Grenvillian zircons suggest that the sedimentary provenance is not far away from the sample location. Thus, the Grenvillian orogen probably preexisted along the southern margin of the Cathaysia Block, or very close to the south. Similarity in the ages of Grenvillian orogeny and the influence of the assembly of Gondwana in South China with India and East Antarctic are discussed, with suggestion that South China was more likely linked with the India-East Antarctica continents in Early Neoproterozoic rather than between western Laurentia and eastern Australia.     

Paleoproterozoic reworking of ancient crust in the Cathaysia Block, South China: Evidence from zircon trace elements, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes

A combined study of zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating, trace elements and Hf isotope was carried out for gneissic granite from the Sanzhishu area in Jingning, SW Zhejiang Province. Nearly all the zircons separated from the granite exhibited oscillatory zoning and high Th/U ratios (>0.1). The REE profile showed a pronounced positive Ce anomaly, negative Eu anomaly and an enrichment of HREE, which are typical characteristics of magmatic zircon. Thirteen concordant or nearly concordant analytical data yielded a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 1860±13 Ma (MSWD=0.084), representing the formation age of the granite. The magmatic zircons had negative εHf(t) values of −15.6 to −10.0 and two-stage Hf model ages of 3.1 to 3.4 Ga, indicating that the granites were formed by reworking of ancient crust. The major- and trace-element data indicate that the gneissic granites are metaluminous high-K calc-alkaline rocks and exhibit the same geochemical characteristics as aluminous A-type granites, implying the emplacement of the granite in a post-orogenic extensional tectonic setting. We conclude that the Paleoproterozoic crustal reworking event in the Cathaysia Block of South China marked the transition from assembly to break-up of the Columbia supercontinent. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40873004), Special Funds for National Scientific Research of Commonweal Industries, the Ministry of Land and Resources of China (Grant No. 2008110015), Opening Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University (Grant No. 06LCD12) and the Project of Land and Resources Bureau of Zhejiang Province (Grant No. 2004005)     

Caledonian reworking of Paleoproterozoic basement in the Cathaysia Block: Constraints from zircon U-Pb dating,Hf isotopes and trace elements

A combined study of zircon U-Pb dating, Hf isotopes and trace elements has been carried out for granodioritic neosomes of migmatites from the Tianjingping area in northwestern Fujian Province. Zircons are characterized by zoning, higher Th/U ratios （mostly≥0.1）, HREE enrichment, and positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies, and show features similar to magmatic or anatectic zircons. Apparent ^206Pb/^238U ages for the zircons are 447±2 Ma （95 % conf., MSWD=0.88）, corresponding to a Caledonian event. εHf（t） values are -13.3 to -9.7, indicating a crustal source. Two-stage Hf model ages are 1.7 to 1.9 Ga, suggesting that protolith of the migmates was probably formed in the Paleoproterozoic. The granodioritic neosomes have the characteristics of peraluminous calc-alkaline granite, and their REE patterns and trace elements spidergrams show features of middle to upper crustal rocks. Together with previous studies, we conclude that the protolith of the Cathaysia basement in the Tianjingping area was likely formed in the middle-late Paleoproterozoic and experienced partial melting during the Caledonian period. The recognition of Caledonian reworking of the Paleoproterozoic basement in the Cathaysia Block provides a new insight into the tectonic evolution of the Cathaysia Block in the Caledonian period and the interaction between the Cathaysia Block and the Yangtze Block.     

Zircon U-Pb ages of the basement rocks beneath the Songliao Basin, NE China

The basement of the Songliao Basin is mainly composed of slightly-metamorphosed or unmetamorphosed Paleozoic strata, granites and gneiss. Petrographical studies indicate that the gneiss was originally the granitic intrusions which were deformed in the later stage. One undeformed granitic rock sample gives a U-Pb age of (305±2) Ma, and the mylonitic granite yields a U-Pb age of (165±3) Ma. Both of the two samples contain no inherited zircon, which suggests that there is no large-scale Precambrian crystalline basement beneath the Songliao Basin.     

Paleoproterozoic lower crust beneath Nushan in Anhui Province： Evidence from zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating on granulite xenoliths in Cenozoic alkali basalt

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating was carried out for an intermediate granulite xenolith in Cenozoic alkali basalt from Nushan. The results suggest that the lower crust beneath Nushan may have formed at about 2400—2200 Ma, and have been subjected to granulite-facies metamorphism at 1915 27 Ma. The old age of the Nushan lower crust is consistent with the geochemical similarities between Nushan granulite xenoliths and Archean-Paleoproterozoic granulite terrains in the North China craton, but it is not distinguishable from high-grade metamorphic rocks in the Yangtze craton where such old ages were also reported. Significant Pb-loss occurs in the Nushan zircons, implying important influence of widespread Mesozoic to Cenozoic underplating in East China on the lower crust beneath Nushan.     

华夏地块生长与演化：来自赣江河流沉积物碎屑锆石Lu-Hf同位素的制约

为研究赣江河流沉积物的物质来源及源区地壳生长和演化规律,对已报道年龄的123个赣江河流沉积物碎屑锆石中的80个代表性锆石开展Lu-Hf同位素组成分析。研究表明:赣江碎屑锆石年龄分布特征与华夏地块的年龄分布非常一致,表明赣江沉积物主要来源于华夏地块;结合Hf同位素分析结果,能够反映源区华夏地块的形成与演化历史。新太古代锆石的εHf(t)值近似为0,表明该时期发生了强烈的壳幔混合作用;中-新元古代锆石εHf(t)值既有正值也有负值,说明源区物质既有古老地壳物质的再循环,也有新生地壳物质的加入;显生宙以来,εHf(t)值绝大多数为负值,且对应的两阶段模式年龄以古元古代-中元古代的年龄为主,说明显生宙以来的岩浆活动主要来源于古元古代-中元古代新生地壳的再造,直接来源于亏损地幔的物质很少。2.1~1.1 Ga是华夏地块地壳生长的主要阶段,此阶段形成的物质构成现今华夏地块全部地壳物质的80%以上。     

SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the zircons from the Precambrian basement of the Qilian Block and its geological significances

Origin and tectonic evolution of the Qilian Precambrian basement on NW China were investigated using zircon U-Pb ages with collaborating stratigraphic and paleontological evidence. Zircon grains were separated from two schists, two granitic gneisses and one mylonized gneiss and dated with SHRIMP. Seventy percent of sixty-one detrital zircon ages from two schists ranges from 0.88 Ga to 3.09 Ga, mostly within 1.0 Ga to 1.8 Ga with a peak at 1.6 Ga to 1.8 Ga, and twenty percent varies from 2.0 Ga to 2.5 Ga. A few falls in the Archean and Neoproterozoic periods. The two granitic gneisses were dated 930±8 Ma and 918±14 Ma, whereas the mylonized granitic gneiss was dated 790±12 Ma. These ages represent two periods of magmatisms, which can be correlated with the early and late stages of magmatisms associated with the Jinningian movement on the Yangtze Blocks. The results from this and previous studies indicate that the ages of the Precambrian detrital zircons from the Qilian Block are widely distributed in the Proterozoic era, distinct from the North China Block which was stable in the Neo-Mesoproterozoic era. By contrast, the age histograms of the detrital zircons from the Qilian Block is similar to those from Precambrian basement of the Yangtze Craton. Therefore, it is suggested that the Qilian Block had a strong affinity toward the Yangtze Craton and might belong to the supercontinent Gondwana in the Neoproterozoic time. This inference is supported by Nd model age (TDM), stratigraphic, and paleontological evidence. It is further considered that the Qilian Block was rifted from the supercontinent Gondwana during late Sinian to form an isolated continent in the Proto-Tethyan Ocean, moving towards the Alaxa Block in the North China Craton. The part of Proto-Tethyan Ocean between the Qilian and Alaxa Blocks should correspond to the so-called Paleo-Qilian Ocean. Following the closure of the Paleo-Qilian Ocean in the early Paleozoic, the Qilian Block collided with the Alaxa Block to form the North Qilian Orogenic Belt. Based on this tectonic explanation, the North Qilian ophiolites should represent parts of lithosphere from the Proto-Tethyan Ocean. Lithological and geochronological evidence also indicates that the Qilian Block underwent continental reactivation possibly induced by the deep northward subduction of the North Qaidam Block in early Paleozoic time.     

U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton

In situ U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analysis were carried out for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southern margin of the North China Craton （NCC）. The results provide further constraints on the crustal formation and evolution history of NCC. Four ^207Pb/^206Pb age populations were obtained from 99 analyses, with clusters at -3.40 Ga, 2.77-2.80 Ga, -2.50 Ga and 2.34 Ga, respectively. The 3.40 Ga old zircons have similar Hf isotopic compositions to those from Archean rocks in the Jidong and Anshan areas of NCC. However, crustal remnants older than 3.6 Ga have been identified in the southern margin of NCC, the South China Craton, the northwestern part of the Qinling Orogen and its adjacent area. Thus, it is not easy to trace the source rock from which the 3.40 Ge detrital zircons were derived. It can be inferred that the crustal remnants older than 3.40 Ga might have been widely distributed in the North China Craton. The 2.77-2.80 Ga zircons make up a relatively small proportion and have the highest εHf（t） values （up to 6.1±1.6）, consistent with the Hf isotopic composition of the depleted mantle at 2.83 Ga. Their single-stage Hf model age of 2.83 Ga is close to their crystallized age, suggesting that their source rocks were extracted from the contemporaneous depleted mantle. The -2.50 Ga zircon grains constitute about 85% of the total grain population and their Hf isotopic compositions indicate major growth of juvenile crust at -2.50 Ga but minor reworking of ancient crust. The youngest zircon dated in this study gave an U-Pb age of 2337±2.3 Ma, which can be considered the maximum depositional age of the formation of the Songshan Group.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for lamprophyre from Liaodong Peninsula： Constraints on the initial time of Mesozoic lithosphere thinning beneath eastern China

It is undebated fact that the lithospheric mantle beneath eastern China was considerably thinned during the Mesozoic time. However, it has no adequate evidence for the exact timing when the lithosphere thinning started. The Liaodong Peninsula is located in the eastern segment of the North China Craton and is one of the important domains to explore the event of lithosphere thinning. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating and geochemical study were carried out for the lamprophyre dike swarm that intruded into the magnesite ore-beds in the Dashiqiao Formation of Paleoproterozoic Liaohe Group at the Huaziyu magnesite ore district, Liaodong Peninsula. The results indicate that these lamprophyre dikes were intruded in late Jurassic （155±4 Ma） and show some geochemical characteristics of potassic magmas. It is now accepted that the lithosphere thinning took place in the late Mesozoic, and the peak thinning stage occurred in early Cretaceous （130-120 Ma）. Considering the potassic mafic magmatism marking the onset of the lithospheric thinning, we therefore suggest that the studied late Jurassic potassic lamprophyre dike swarm could imply that the late Jurassic is the time that lithosphere thinning started.     

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope of Quanyishang A-type granite in Yichang: signification for the Yangtze continental cratonization in Paleoproterozoic

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope, and major and trace element compositions were reported for granite at Quanyishang, which intruded into the Kongling complex in Yichang, Hubei Province. The results show that the Quanyishang granite is rich in silicon and alkalis but poor in calcium and magnesium, and displays enrichment in Ga, Y, Zr, Nb but depletion in Sr and Ba, exhibiting the post-orogenic A-type affinity. 90% zircons from the granite are concordant, and give a middle Paleoproterozoic magmatic crystallization age (mean 1854 Ma). Initial Hf isotope ratios (176Hf/177Hf)i of the middle Paleoproterozoic zircons range from 0.280863 to 0.281134 and they have negative eHf(t) values with a minimum of -26.3. These zircons give the depleted mantle model ages (TDM) of 2.9―3.3 Ga (mean 3.0 Ga), and the average crustal model ages (Tcrust) of 3.6―4.2 Ga (mean 3.8 Ga). A Mesoarchean grain with 207Pb/206Pb age of 2859 Ma has a slightly high TDM (3.4 Ga) but similar Tcrust (3.8 Ga) to the Paleoproterozoic zircons. All these data suggest that the source materials of the Quanyishang A-type granite are unusually old, at least ≥2.9 Ga (even Eoarchean). The event of crustal remelting, which resulted in the formation of the Quanyishang granite in the middle Paleoproterozoic, recorded the cratonization of the Yangtze conti-nent. The process may have relation to the extension and collapse of the deep crust with Archean ages, in response to the transition stage of the assembly and breakup of the Columbia supercontinent.     

Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke from Kongling terrain in the Yangtze Craton and its implication

Mafic dyke is a sign of regional extension, and thus has important tectonic significance. A great amount of mafic dykes occur in the Kongling terrain of the Yangtze Craton, which have great bearing on the early evolution of the Yangtze Craton. Their ages, however, have not been well constrained. In this paper we report an integrated study of zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope compositions for a mafic dyke in the Kongling terrain. The zircons yielded a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 1852±11Ma, which represents its intrusion age. They have ɛ _Hf(t) values of −6.3 to 0.5, with a weighted mean of −3.06±0.88, suggesting that the mafic dyke came from metasomatic mantle. The results indicate that the Yangtze Block had transformed into post-collisional extensional regime at ca. 1850 Ma. In the same period, the Yangtze Craton shows enough rigidity to produce brittle rupture, and thus has the characteristics of a craton. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40772042, 90714010 and 40521001), the Ministry of Education of China (Grant Nos. IRT0441, B07039 and NCET-06-0659), and Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University     

Paleoproterozoic glaciation: Evidence from carbon isotope record of the Hutuo Group,Wutai Mountain area of Shanxi Province,China

Palaeoproterozoic global glaciation (～2.3 Ga) may have been the first “snowball” Earth event in Earth history. North China has well-exposed sedimentary deposits of this time period with minimal postdepositional alteration. Sedimentary evidence of a glaciation event has been lacking, however. Here we analyzed carbon isotope composition of the Paleoproterozoic Hutuo Group (2.5–2.2 Ga) in the Wutai Mountain area, Shanxi Province, North China. Our data show, in an older to younger chronostratigraphic order, (1) positive δ ¹³C_carb values in the Dashiling Formation of the Doucun Subgroup (3.2‰ to 1.0‰, VPDB); (2) a decrease in δ ¹³C_carb values from the Wenshan Formation to the middle Daguandong Formation (from 2.0‰ to–1.2‰), during which time the occurrence of stromatolites declined; (3) a pronounced negative excursion in the upper Daguandong Formation, at the boundary of the Daguandong and Huaiyincun formations (from 1.4‰ to ?3.3‰), where stromatolites disappeared; and (4) a gradual increase of δ ¹³C_carb values in the Beidaxing and Tianpengnao formations (from ?1.2‰ to 1.4‰), during which time stromatolites returned. We argue that the negative carbon isotope excursion recorded from the Jian’ancun Formation to the middle Daguandong Formation of the Hutuo Group may have been North China’s response to the Palaeoproterozoic global glaciation.     

Petrogenesis of keratophyes in the Pingshui Group, Zhejiang: Constraints from zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes

Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic as well as whole-rock geochemical data are reported for keratophyes in the Pingshui Group, Zhejiang. The results are used to discuss their petrogenesis and geological significance. The keratophyes were dated at 904±8 to 906±10 Ma. These intermediate-felsic rocks are characterized by high LREE contents and depletion of HREE and HFSE (e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti, P), resembling arc-derived rocks. The keratophyes exhibit positive εHf(t) values of 8.6 to 15.4, consistent with the...     

江西南部版石盆地火山岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

应用SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年方法,对江西南部三南-寻乌火山岩带版石盆地原鸡笼嶂组凝灰岩和原版石组流纹岩开展年代学研究.结果表明,凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(142.5±1.3)Ma,流纹岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(131.4±1.3)Ma.根据新的国际地层表,晚侏罗世与早白垩世的界线划在(145.5...     

Activation of northern margin of the North China Craton in Late Paleozoic: Evidence from U-Pb dating and Hf isotopes of detrital zircons from the Upper Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation in the Ningwu-Jingle basin

LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb dating has been performed on detrital zircons from the Upper Carboniferous Tai-yuan Formation (N-8) in the Ningwu-Jingle Basin, west of the North China Craton (NCC). The ages of 72 detrital zircon grains are divided into three groups: 303―320 Ma (6 grains), 1631―2194 Ma (37 grains, peaked at 1850 Ma), 2318―2646 Ma (29 grains, peaked at 2500 Ma). Detrital zircons of Group 2 and Group 3 were likely derived from the basement of the NCC. Group 1 zircons exhibit 176Hf/177Hf ratios ranging from 0...     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of tuff from the Kunyang Group in central Yunnan： Evidence for Grenvillian orogeny in South China

Whether or not Grenvillian orogeny occurred in South China still remains highly controversial because high-quality,discriminating data are lacking,and therefore,the key to resolve this matter is to find datable volcanic and/or sedimentary rocks related to Grenvillian orogeny. Such rocks are apparently present in the Fuliangpeng Member from the lower-middle part of Kunyang Group in central Yunnan; here the unit is more than 100 m thick and consists of andesitic ignimbrite,tuffite,terrigeous clastic rocks and carbonates. These volcanic rocks,developed south of the Sibao fold-thrust belts,represent the earliest calc-alkaline volcanic activity in late Precambrian time from central Yunnan and are coeval with both a change in sedimentary facies from detritus to carbonates and the beginning of seismite development elsewhere. Two samples for SHRIMP analysis were collected from this volcanic unit. Sample G3-29-2,from the bottom of Fuliangpeng Member,is an ignimbrite,and about 100 zircon crys-tals recovered from it have euhedral shapes and display relatively simple sector zonation under cathodoluminescent (CL) imaging,suggesting a magmatogenic origin. Twenty-five of the zircons were analyzed and a weighed-mean U-Pb age of 1032±9 Ma was obtained. Sample G3-29-3 from uppermost part of Fuliangpeng Member is a tuffite,and many rounded,evidently detrital zircons were recovered. Nine of these zircons were analyzed,and the oldest single-grain U-Pb zircon age is 1938±26 Ma,im-plying that Paleoproterozoic basement developed in Cathaysia. The dating result,combined with the geotectonic research on the Fuliangpeng Member,leads us to conclude that late Mesoproterozoic orogenic volcanic activity occurred in the western part of South China,and that the related collision of Yangtze and Cathaysian cratons was an integral part of the assembly of Rodinia.     

Geochemistry and zircon U-Pb ages of granulite xenolith from Tuoyun basalts, Xinjiang： Implications for the petrogenesis and the lower crustal nature beneath the southwestern Tianshan

The continental lithosphere growth mainly includes the horizontal accretion at the plate boundaries and vertical accretion within the plate[1]. Mafic magmatic materials, as the products of crust-mantle interaction[2,3], became more and more important in studying the formation and evolu- tion of the lower crust. The previous geologic researcheson Tianshan, extending nearly 2500 km from east to west, and the neighbor area were mainly focused on the Paleozoic collision structure[4 ― 6], Mesozoi…     

Finding of Neoproterozoic （～775 Ma） magmatism recorded in metamorphic complexes from the North Qilian orogen： Evidence from SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating

The Qilian Mountain is considered a part of the Cen- tral Orogenic Belt of China[1]. The Central Orogenic Belt of China, extending for a distance of about 4000 km long in the E-W direction from the east coast west- ward through the mainland China all the …     

湖南宁乡钾镁煌斑岩及相关岩石重砂锆石地球化学特征、U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

 对湖南宁乡等地多个含有金刚石的钾镁煌斑岩及相关岩石的重砂矿物进行了分离,利用电子探针、阴极发光图像及LA-ICPMS等对其中的锆石进行了主微量元素成分、内部结构及U-Pb同位素年龄的分析。结果表明,不同地点钾镁煌斑岩重砂锆石的地球化学特征具有一定相似性;与钾镁煌斑岩有关锆石的U-Pb年龄显示研究区的岩浆活动具有多期次的特点,其中宁乡Ⅰ号及Ⅲ号岩管钾镁煌斑岩4颗重砂锆石的²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄为(101.6 ± 5.1)Ma,显示出较为年轻的特点,但石门上五通地区白垩系红层中也发现具有²⁰⁷Pb/ ²⁰⁶Pb 谐和年龄为(2 008±29)Ma古老岩浆结晶锆石的存在,证实该地和金刚石有关火山物质的来源具有复杂性。     

Origin of ore-forming fluid in the Piaotang tungsten deposit in Jiangxi Province: Evidence from helium and argon isotopes

The Piaotang tungsten deposit in Jiangxi Province is one of the most important tungsten deposits in the South China Tungsten Metallogenic Province.In this study,we selected wolframite and chalcopyrite from the main mineralizing stage of the Piaotang tungsten deposit,and analyzed the helium and argon isotopic compositions in fluid inclusions of these minerals.The results show a 3He/4He ratio of 0.17 to 0.86 R/Ra,which fall within the range between continental crust(0.01―0.05 R/Ra) and air-saturated water(1 R...