SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology of Indosinian granites in Hunan Province and its petrogenetic implications

The structure, magmatism and sedimentation within the South China Block (SCB) related to the Indosinian Orogeny had attracted considerable attention since De-prat[1] and Fromagat[2] proposed the “Indosinian move-ment” based on two unconformities between Pre-Norian and Pre-Rhaetian during Triassic in Vietnam. However, Indosinian tectonic evolution of the SCB has been long debated[3―6]. Some researchers believed that the compli-cated structure-magmatism-sedimentation within the SCB w…     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages and tectonic implications for Indosinian granitoids of southern Zhuguangshan granitic composite,South China

The large southern Zhuguangshan granitic batholith composite consists of granites with ages varying from the Caledonian through Indosinian to Yanshanian. Based on K-Ar dating data, the ages of the major parts of this composite were previously regarded as Yanshanian. In this study, the SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating method has been adopted for six plutons, Ledong, Longhuashan, Dawozi, Zhaidi, Baiyun and Jiangnan, in the southern Zhuguangshan composite, in which the four plutons other than Baiyun and Jiangnan were previously regarded as Yanshanian granites. Magmatic zircons from these six plutons, dated by this study, have yielded ages of 239±5 Ma (MSWD = 2.5), 239±5 Ma (MSWD = 2.5), 239±2 Ma (MSWD = 1.7), 239±4 Ma (MSWD = 3.2), 231±2 Ma (MSWD = 0.81) and 231±3 Ma (MSWD = 1.8), respectively. The results indicate that these plutons were formed by early Indosinian magmatism. Geochemical characteristics suggest that these granites were formed in an extensional tectonic environment. Therefore, the Indosinian period granites in the southern Zhuguangshan composite were formed by partial melting of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic crustal components during the collapse of thickened lithosphere after the collision between the South China and Indosinian plates.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the youngest exposed pluton in eastern China

Analysis using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) shows that the Yongsheng pluton, located to the south of Huadian County, Jilin Province, in the North China Craton, has a zircon U-Pb isotopic emplacement age of (31.6±1.3) Ma. It is therefore the youngest exposed pluton so far recognized in eastern China. Although geochemical data indicate intensive crystal fractionation, the Sr-Nd isotopic features suggest that the magmatic source region of the lithospheric mantle was weakly depleted. This implies that the previous enriched lithospheric mantle had been replaced by juvenile asthenospheric mantle before or during the Palaeogene. This recognition has great significance for future work on the Mesozoic-Cenozoic geological evolution and deep geological processes in eastern China.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages of Kalatongke No. 1 and Huangshandong Cu-Ni-bearing mafic-ultramafic complexes,North Xinjiang,and geological implications

In Xinjiang, northwestern China, there are some veryimportant magmatic Cu-Ni sulfide deposits hosted by ma-fic-ultramafic complexes. In addition to the Jingbulake inwestern Tianshan and the Xingdi in northeastern Tarimblock, the others are concentrated in the Kalatongke andHuangshan-Jingerquan mafic-ultramafic complex beltsand two largest Cu-Ni sulfide deposits occur in the Kala-tongke No.1 and Huangshandong complexes. In the pastdecade, a great number of researches have been conductedfo…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology and its implications on the Xilin Gol Complex,Inner Mongolia,China

The Xilin Gol Complex was referred to the meta-morphic rocks exposed near Daqing Pasturage, east of Xilinhot, for the first time by the Hebei Geological Survey in 1958[1]. Similar metamorphic rocks have been increas-ingly identified in the Xilin Gol-Xiwuqi-Balinyouqi re-gion since then. They all are collectively grouped into the Xilin Gol Complex and considered as a part of the Bao- yintu Group (Pt1by)[1]. However, the timing of its deposi-tion and subsequent deformation and metamorphi…     

赣南苗云岩体U-Pb年代学、地球化学特征及其成因

位于武夷—云开造山带中部的广东始兴—江西全南一带,是研究华南早古生代构造属性的重要区域;以盆地内苗云岩体二云母花岗岩为研究对象,通过系统的年代学和地球化学研究,分析其成因,对早古生代赣南地区构造属性特征进行补充。结果表明:苗云岩体二云母花岗岩具有高硅、高碱、富铝等特征,且相对富钾贫钠,属于高钾钙碱性系列过铝质S型花岗岩类;岩石富集大离子亲石元素Rb、K和Th,亏损Ba、Nb、Ta、Sr等元素,具有岛弧岩浆岩的特征;稀土元素总量较低,富集轻稀土,轻重稀土分馏明显,具有中等Eu负异常,暗示其主要来自于地壳熔融;构造判别图显示其形成于同碰撞的挤压环境,表明苗云岩体可能形成于陆陆碰撞所导致的陆壳加厚环境。SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄分析结果显示,其加权平均年龄为(442. 7±3. 2) Ma,为晚奥陶末期—早志留初期岩浆产物;结合区域地质特征,表明赣南地区在晚奥陶末期—早志留初期已由俯冲环境转换到陆陆碰撞环境。     

SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the detrital zircons from the Longshoushan Group and its tectonic significance

Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the present study. Eighty percents of these dates range from 1.7 Ga to 2.2 Ga with a peak at 1.8-2.0 Ga and twenty percents from 2.3 Ga to 2.7 Ga. The youngest detrital zircon is dated at 1724±19 Ma which is interpreted as the maximum depositional age of the metasedimentary rocks. Therefore, the age for the diagenesis and lithification of the original sedimentary rocks of the Longshoushan Group before the metamorphism must be younger than 1724±19 Ma. Comparison of the age histograms of these detrital zircons with the ages of the igneous rocks on the surrounding older massifs suggests that the sediments of the Longshoushan Group were most likely derived from the Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton. This implies that the affinity between Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton was strong and that they might have been a unified craton during middle-early Proterozoic time.     

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...     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for Qiashikansayi granodiorite, the Northern Altyn Tagh Mountains and its geological implications

The Qiashikansayi granodiorite is foliated resulting in a granodioritic gneiss. Its geochemical features, such as alumina saturation index(A/CNK) of 0.81-0.99, Na2O/K2O values>1, TiO2 contents <1.0%, LREE enrichment with high fractionation factors, weakly negative or no Eu anomalies, and significant Ba and Ti negative anomalies, suggest that it is similar to a typical island arc pluton. The trace elements of the Qiashikansayi granodiorite are plotted in the island arc field in the tectonic setting discrimination diagrams as well. Cathodoluminescence images demonstrated that the zircons have clear rhythmic crystallized zoning, without any remnant core and new crystallized rim, suggesting the zircons be magmatic ones. Their U and Th contents vary in the range of 574-870 μg/g, and 279-556μg/g respectively, with the Th/U ratio in the range of 0.52-0.68. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating yielded the 481.5±5.3 Ma age for the intrusion of the granodiorite, which is coeval with the island arc volcanic rocks in the no     

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.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, Yunnan Province, SW China

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating gives ages of 260.6± 3.5 Ma and 260.7± 5.6 Ma for serpentinised wehrlite and plag-hornblendite in the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, respectively. The results indicate that the Jinbaoshan intrusion was emplaced at ca.260 Ma and contemporaneous with the Emeishan continental flood basalts (ECFB), similar to other mafic-ultramafic intrusions of the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP). The new ages provide a geochronological constraint on the origin of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion. It confirms that the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion belongs to the Emeishan LIP that formed at ca. 260 Ma. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-111), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40573020 and 40773033) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB411408)     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for subduction-related granitic rocks in the northern part of east Junggar, Xinjiang

A great deal of studies have recently devoted to the Central Asian orogenic belt (CAOB). Some of the studies have proposed that CAOB is a tectonic frame ofcomplex mosaic fragments, link of multiple suture zone and mountain-basin coupling, and has undergon…     

U-Pb zircon dating constraints on formation time of Qilian high-grade metamorphic rock and its tectonic implications

In order to constrain the formation time of high-grade metamorphic rocks in the Qilian Mountains, U-Pb zircon dating was carried out by using LA-ICPMS technique for a paragneiss of the Hualong Group in the Qilian Mountains basement series and a weakly foliated granite that intruds into the Hualong Group. Zircons from the paragneiss consist dominantly of detrital magma zircons with round or sub-round shape. They have 207Pb/206Pb ages mostly ranging from 880 to 900 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 891 ±9 Ma, which is interpreted as the magma crystallization age of its igneous provenance and can be taken as a lower age limit for the Hualong Group. Magma crystallization age for the weak-foliated granite is 875±8 Ma, which can be taken as an upper age limit for the Hualong Group. Accordingly, the formation time of the Hualong Group is constrained at sometime between 875 and 891 Ma. A few zir- cons from both paragneiss and weak-foliated granite display old inherited ages of 1000 to 1700 Ma and young metamorphic ages of Early Paleozoic. The zircon age distribution pattern confirms that the Qilian Mountains and the northern margin of Qaidam Basin had a united basement, with geotectonic affinity to the Yangtze Block. The results also reveal that sediments of the Hualong Group formed by rapid accumulation due to rapid crustal uplift-erosion. This process may result from intensive Neoproterozoic orogenesis due to assembly of the suppercontinent Rodinia.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for volcanic rocks of the Dasi Formation in southeast Hubei Province, middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and its implications

The Jinniu Basin in southeast Hubei,located at the westernmost part of middle-lower val-ley of the Yangtze River,is one of the important vol-canic basins in East China. Volcanic rocks in the Jin-niu Basin are distributed mainly in the Majiashan Formation,the Lingxiang Formation and the Dasi Formation,consisting of rhyolite,basalt and basaltic andesite,(trachy)-basalt and basaltic trachy-andesite and (trachy)-andesite and (trachy)-dacite and rhyolite respectively,in which the Dasi volcanism is volumet-rically dominant and widespread. The Dasi volcanic rocks were selected for SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating to confirm the timing of volcanism. The results indi-cate that there exist a large amount of magmatic zir-cons characterized by high U and Th contents in the volcanic rocks. The concordia ages for 13 points are 128 ± 1Ma (MSWD = 3.0). On account of the shape of zircons and Th/U ratios,this age is considered to represent the crystallization time of the Dasi volcan-ism. The volcanic rocks in the Dasi,Majiashan and Lingxiang Formations share similar trace elementand REE partition patterns as well as Sr-Nd isotopic compositions. In combination with the regional geol-ogy,it is proposed that the southeast Hubei volcanic rocks were formed mainly during the Early Creta-ceous,just like other volcanic basins in middle-lower Yangtze valley. A lithospheric extension is also sug-gested for tectonic regime in this region in the Cre-taceous Period.     

New material of microfossils from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Zhangcunping area, Yichang, Hubei Province and its zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age

The Zhangcunping area is located at the north limb of the Huangling anticline in Yichang, Hubei Province. Here, the sedimentary succession of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation is similar with that in the Weng’an area, Guizhou Province. A large number of new microfossils (mainly acanthoacritarchs) from the Doushantuo Formation in this area are reported in this paper. The fossil assemblage shows similarity as the phosphatized biota of the Doushantuo Formation at Weng’an, Guizhou Province and the silicified biota of the Doushantuo Formation at the Yangtze Gorges, which suggests that the Zhangcunping area is a key for correlation of the Doushantuo Formation between the Weng’an area, Guizhou Province and the Yangtze Gorges. Besides, a new zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age (614.0±7.6 Ma) is first obtained from a horizon underneath the exposed surface in the middle of the Doushantuo Formation in the Zhangcunping area. This age not only provides a new datum for subdivision of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation, but also indicates that the age of the exposed surface in the middle of the Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Platform should be posterior to 614.0±7.6 Ma. Due to the horizon of the Weng’an biota situated above the exposed surface, the age of the Weng’an biota should be posterior to 614.0±7.6 Ma as well. Supported jointly by the Basic Foundation of scientific research work from Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No. J0716), Science and Technology of China for fundamental work (Grant No. 2006FY120300-2), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40772013 and 40672022) and China Geological Survey (1212010611801-3)     

Permian volcanisms in eastern and southeastern margins of the Jiamusi Massif, northeastern China: zircon U-Pb chronology, geochemistry and its tectonic implications

LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical data for the Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks from eastern and southeastern margins of the Jiamusi Massif are presented to understand the regional tectonic evolution. Zircons from eight representative volcanic rocks are euhedral-subhedral in shape and display striped absorption and fine-scale oscillatory growth zoning as well as high Th/U ratios （0.33-2.37）, implying a magmatic origin. The dating results show that the Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks in the study area can be divided into two stages, i.e., the Early Permian （a weighted mean 205^Pb/238^U age of 288 Ma） and the Middle Permian volcanisms （a weighted mean 205^Pb/238^U age of 268 Ma）. The former is composed mainly of basalt, basaltic-andesite, andesite and minor dacite. They are characterized by low SiO2 contents, high Mg^# （0.40-0.59）, enrichment in Na （Na2O/K2O = 1.26-4.25） and light rare earth elements （LREEs）, relative depletion in heavy rare earth elements （HREEs） and high field strength elements （HFSEs）, indicating that an active continental margin setting could exist in the eastern margin of the Jiamusi Massif in the Early Permian. The latter consists mainly of rhyolite and minor dacite with high SiO2 （77.23%-77.52%）, low MgO （0.11%-0.14%）, enrichment in 1（20 （Na2O/K2O ratios 〈 0.80） and Rb, Th, U and depletion in Eu, Sr, P and Ti, implying a crust-derived origin. Therefore, it is proposed that the Middle Permian volcanic rocks could have formed under the collision of the Jiamusi and the Khanka Massifs.     

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology and petrogenesis of the plagiogranites from the Lagkor Lake ophiolite, Gerze, Tibet, China

Field relationship, along with petrographical, petrological, and geochemical characteristics, and zircon populations, indicates that the plagiogranites from the Lagkor Lake ophiolite in the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone (~ 20 km south of Gerze County, central Tibet, China), derived from anatexis of hydrated gabbros by ductile shearing during transport of the oceanic crust. Therefore, this kind of plagiogranite is coeval to or little later than the spreading of the oceanic crust. Zircon SHRIMP age of 166 ± 2.5 Ma for the plagiogranites indicates that an oceanic basin existed in the western part of the Bangong-Nujiang zone in the Middle Jurassic.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of the Gangou granitoids, Central Tianshan Mountains, Northwest China and tectonic significances

Two types of granitoids, highly deformed eugen grenitoids end undeformed fine-grained grenitoids, ere widely distributed in Gangou area, Central Tianshen Mountains, Northwest China. The augen grenitoids are high-K calc-alkaline characterized by high K20, Rb, Y and Th, and low Sr and Sr/Y. They also have high contents of large ion lithophile elements （LILE）, such as Be, Rb, K and Th, and relatively low contents of high field strength elements （HFSE）, such as Zr, Y and Nb. The fine-grained granitoids are calc-alkaline cherecterlzed by high Sr, low Y and HREE, similar to adakitic rocks, and with Na20/K20〈2 （1.76-1.91）, high/sr （0.70689--0.70981）, and negative εNd（t） （-2.4-5.3）. High-precision SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating results indicate that the Gangou augen greniUods were formed at 428 ± 10 Me, and the fine-grained granitoids were emplaced at 361 -368 Me. These geochemical and U-Pb zircon data have significant implications for the timing of closure of the Mishigou-Gangou Ocean and the evolution of the Central Tianshan orogenic belt.     

Zircon SHRIMP geochronology and geochemistry of TTG rocks in Sushui Complex from Zhongtiao Mountains with its geological implications

The tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) rocks in Sushui Complex of Zhongtiao Block can be divided into two series according to their zircon U-Pb ages and geochemical characteristics: one is subduction-related (SR) and the other collision-related (CR). The SR TTG rocks, together with other Late Archean island arc magmatism, were developed as a result of oceanic subduction between the Eastern and Western blocks in Late Archean; while the CR TTG rocks formed in a thickened crustal environment, which was responding to the collision between the Eastern and Western blocks in Paleoproterozoic. All these features support a model that the Zhongtiao Block is a part of the Trans-North China Orogen in the middle of North China Craton.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for the dacite of the Sangxiu Formation in the central segment of Tethyan Himalaya and its implications

The Tethyan Himalaya is located between the In-dus-Yarlung Zangbo suture zone to the north and HigherHimalayan crystallines to the south, paleogeographicallybelonging to the northern margin of “Greater India”. TheSangxiu Formation is used to define a series of specialstrata with rich volcanic interbeds, and is only distributedto the southeast of Yangzuoyong Co within 200 km×50 km along the eastern part of central Tethyan Hima-laya[1]. Based on overlapped relationships of strata andfos…