仲巴地体的板块亲缘性:来自碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素的证据

仲巴地体位于青藏高原西南部,其南北两侧均为雅鲁藏布蛇绿岩或蛇绿混杂岩。仲巴地体主要由一套断续出露的前寒武系构造基底、古生代和三叠系地层组成,岩性主要包括石英砂岩、含白云母石英岩、泥质石英粉砂岩,白云母方解石片岩和大理岩等。岩相学揭示这套地层总体上为滨浅海-陆棚-外陆棚环境。碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素分析表明,锆石年龄出现特征年龄峰值530Ma和950Ma,与西羌塘、特提斯喜马拉雅以及高喜马拉雅地体非常类似,并且950Ma左右的碎屑锆石群具有与上述地体上报道的同期碎屑锆石群相似的εHf(t)值和地壳模式年龄。这种碎屑锆石年龄和Hf同位素组成特征明显区别于拉萨地体,后者以出现约1170Ma的特殊年龄群为特征。基于碎屑锆石特征和沉积学研究,本文认为仲巴地体属于西羌塘-大印度-特提斯喜马拉雅构造体系,与拉萨地体具有不同的板块构造亲缘性。     

西藏拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩中继承锆石的物源区示踪及其古地理意义

富含继承锆石的过铝质花岗岩一般来源于富铝质岩石(如变泥质岩)的部分熔融,因而分析这些继承锆石的U-Pb年龄可以像分析沉积岩碎屑锆石的U-Pb年龄一样,提供过铝质花岗岩源区物质中碎屑沉积物物源区的丰富信息。本文报道了中部拉萨地块早侏罗世过铝质花岗岩的全岩地球化学和锆石U-Pb年代学数据,结合拉萨地块已有二叠纪和晚三叠世过铝质花岗岩的继承锆石年代学数据,总结了目前已有的拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩的继承锆石U-Pb年龄特征(共199个谐和测点)。这些过铝质花岗岩属强过铝质S型花岗岩,其中的继承锆石定义了1250~1100Ma(峰值1181±14Ma)和550~450Ma(峰值494±7Ma)2个最突出的年龄群,分别可比于拉萨地块古生代沉积岩的碎屑锆石年龄峰值(约1170Ma)和寒武纪火山岩的侵位时代,明显不同于西羌塘、安多和特提斯喜马拉雅新元古代-古生代沉积岩中的碎屑锆石年龄频谱。拉萨地块过铝质花岗岩中约1181Ma的继承锆石,可能与拉萨地块古生代沉积岩中的同期碎屑锆石一样,都来自澳大利亚南西部Albany-Fraser造山带和东南极Wilkes等地,而约494的继承锆石,既可能来自澳大利亚西部,也可能来自拉萨地块本地。本文提供了拉萨地块与澳大利亚大陆北缘具有古地理联系的过铝质花岗岩继承锆石U-Pb年龄证据。拉萨地块的研究实践表明,采用过铝质花岗岩继承锆石和古生代沉积岩碎屑锆石相结合的锆石U-Pb年代学方法,可为重建冈瓦纳大陆北缘其它微陆块的古地理和构造岩浆演化提供重要约束。     

拉萨地体的起源和古生代构造演化

早期由于资料有限,对拉萨地体古生代时期的裂解、漂移、俯冲和碰撞历史的认知程度还很低。本文利用目前已有
地质和地球化学资料,分析了拉萨地体的中生代岩石圈结构,探讨了拉萨地体的起源和古生代演化历史。大量长英质岩石
的锆石Hf 同位素和全岩Nd 同位素表明,南部和北部拉萨地体以新生地壳为主,部分地区可能存在前寒武纪结晶基底,而
中部拉萨地体是具有古元古代甚至太古代结晶基底的条带状微陆块。大量古生代沉积岩的碎屑锆石U-Pb 年龄数据表明,拉
萨地体约1170 Ma 的碎屑锆石年龄指标,明显不同于以约950 Ma 为碎屑锆石年龄指标的安多、羌塘和特提斯喜马拉雅。拉
萨地体起源于澳大利亚大陆北缘是目前资料情况下的最合理解释。中部拉萨地体约492 Ma 的双峰式火山岩形成于活动大陆
边缘背景,代表了古地理上位于澳大利亚大陆北缘的岩浆弧的一部分,可能与原特提斯洋岩石圈板片的断离有关。拉萨地
体南缘和南羌塘的泥盆纪末期-石炭纪早期片麻状花岗岩类为存在明显幔源物质输入的S 型花岗岩,可能形成于最终演化
为松多特提斯洋的弧后盆地背景。中二叠世末期发生的拉萨地体与澳大利亚大陆北缘的碰撞造山事件可能触发了班公湖-
怒江特提斯洋岩石圈的南向俯冲,并随后对拉萨地体的中生代构造岩浆演化发挥关键性作用。     

西藏东巧—北拉地区班公湖—怒江洋俯冲闭合及对南羌塘盆地演化的制约

应用地层对比、砂岩岩相学和碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学的方法,重建东巧—北拉地区物源转换和班公湖—怒江洋多期次俯冲及微陆块的拼合过程。研究表明：东卡错微陆块南侧的中下侏罗统希湖群下段表现为上三叠统确哈拉群的再旋回沉积,而北侧上段则开始出现来自羌塘地区的物质。这标志着北侧早侏罗世俯冲的东巧分支洋盆消亡,东卡错微陆块在中侏罗世与羌塘地块拼合开始形成初始周缘前陆盆地。接奴群的物源完全来自南羌塘地区,表明周缘前陆盆地在微陆块南侧北拉洋俯冲挤压下持续发育。晚侏罗世—早白垩世(147～141 Ma)拉萨地块和羌塘地块东西向全面碰撞,至早白垩世晚期(约120 Ma)南侧的分支洋盆北拉洋消亡代表碰撞结束。南羌塘地区受班公湖—怒江洋俯冲作用控制在早侏罗世发育由弧前—岩浆弧—弧后盆地组成的“一隆两坳”古地貌,并沉积了曲色组页岩和布曲组石灰岩。微陆块碰撞导致南羌塘盆地的隆起和海平面的下降,形成夏里组含膏质泥岩的潮坪相沉积。随着拉萨地块和羌塘地块的全面碰撞,南羌塘盆地从弧相关盆地卷入前陆盆地褶皱冲断带中,发生差异埋藏和隆升剥蚀。晚侏罗世—早白垩世,南羌塘盆地曲色组烃源岩和布曲组石灰岩在构造挤压作用下发生快速埋藏,进...     

藏北安多地区花岗片麻岩锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb定年

安多花岗片麻岩出露于藏北安多县城以南约30km,构成聂荣微陆块上聂荣岩群的主体岩性。聂荣微陆块呈大透镜体夹持在藏北冈底斯-念青唐古拉板片与羌塘-三江复合板片之间的班公湖-怒江板块缝合带内。所采样品黑云母二长片麻岩锆石CL图像具明显的韵律环带,Th/U比值范围为0.63～1.04,平均为0.85,具有典型岩浆锆石的特征。获得片麻岩中锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb原位同位素年龄488.0Ma±4.2Ma。定年结果表明,安多花岗片麻岩原岩侵位于泛非期,证实聂荣微陆块受到晚泛非热运动的影响,为解决聂荣微陆块基底性质和构造演化问题提供了重要的年代学依据。     

喜马拉雅早古生代造山作用:来自尼泊尔帕朗花岗质片麻岩锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素证据

尼泊尔帕朗花岗质片麻岩是加德满都逆冲席体的一部分,其主要矿物组成为石英、斜长石、钾长石、微斜长石和白云母。片麻岩中的锆石发育核-边结构,由继承碎屑锆石核和韵律环带的岩浆锆石边组成。LAICP-MS U-Pb定年结果显示,边部岩浆锆石的加权平均年龄为(485.5±1.4)Ma和(455.1±3.1)Ma,指示片麻岩原岩为早古生代早期的花岗岩,并记录了两期岩浆作用。锆石边部εHf(t)值变化范围为-8.7~-3.5,Hf同位素两阶段模式年龄TCDM为2.01~1.69Ga,结合岩石学特征并对比大喜马拉雅和小喜马拉雅变质沉积岩的Hf同位素成分,认为原岩花岗岩来自大喜马拉雅变泥质岩的部分熔融。帕朗花岗质片麻岩的研究结果和现有的年代学数据表明,喜马拉雅地区存在早古生代造山事件,这一事件可与相邻的拉萨地体、羌塘地体以及青藏高原东南缘的保山-腾冲地体内同一时代的构造事件对比,是早古生代早期原特提斯洋岩石圈沿冈瓦纳大陆北缘俯冲的安第斯型造山作用的产物,而与冈瓦纳大陆内部块体聚合过程中陆-陆碰撞的泛非造山作用无关。     

保山地体新元古代——早古生代沉积岩碎屑锆石年代学及其构造意义

滇西潞西地区位于青藏高原东南缘,大地构造位置上属于保山地体。由于新生代强烈的陆内变形作用,保山地体与青藏高原腹地体的对应关系难以确定。野外观察及LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年结果表明,潞西新元古代—早古生代地层(震旦系—寒武系蒲满哨群及下奥陶统大矿山组)大部分碎屑锆石Th/U0.1,说明其大多为岩浆成因。U-Pb年龄跨度较大,太古宙—早古生代都有分布,且具有明显的562Ma、892Ma及2265Ma年龄峰,以及较弱的1680Ma和2550Ma年龄峰。保山地体潞西地区沉积岩碎屑锆石年龄分布特征与特提斯喜马拉雅、南羌塘沉积地层碎屑锆石年龄分布特征相似,说明其具有相同的物源——冈瓦纳大陆北部的印度大陆。在新元古代晚期—早古生代,保山地体位于印度大陆北缘,与南羌塘、喜马拉雅地体相邻。伴随着俯冲相关的增生造山过程,保山地体形成相应的新元古代末期—早古生代沉积地层。     

青藏高原安多高压麻粒岩同位素年代学研究

本文报道了聂荣微陆块中新发现的高压麻粒岩锆石U-Pb定年结果及其围岩花岗片麻岩中黑云母Ar-Ar同位素年代学结果.高压麻粒岩中的锆石可分为两类,第一类具有核-边显微结构,核部残留锆石具典型岩浆结晶锆石特征,锆石U-Pb年龄541±8Ma～ 834±11Ma;第二类锆石具典型的变质锆石成因的结构特征,锆石U-Pb谐和年龄为179.0±1.7Ma.花岗片麻岩中黑云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为166.7±1.1Ma.年代学资料显示麻粒岩与其围岩均具有泛非期的年龄信息,麻粒岩的原岩经历了晚元古代-早古生代造山作用,并于早-中侏罗世发生了峰期高压变质作用改造,该变质事件可能代表着聂荣微陆块与羌南板块的碰撞拼合.伴随着早-中侏罗世的岩浆作用,麻粒岩及其围岩迅速抬升,抬升的时间跨度在13Myr左右,于166.7Ma左右抬升至地壳浅层部位或近地表.     

青藏高原泛非—早古生代造山事件研究重大进展藏北安多地区花岗片麻岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年

安多花岗片麻岩出露于藏北安多县城以南约30km,构成聂荣微陆块上聂荣岩群的主体岩性。聂荣微陆块呈大透镜体夹持在藏北冈底斯-念青唐古拉板片与羌塘-三江复合板片之间的班公湖-怒江板块缝合带内。所采样品黑云母二长片麻岩锆石CL图像具明显的韵律环带,Th/U比值范围为0.63~1.04,平均为0.85,具有典型岩浆锆石的特征。获得片麻岩中锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb原位同位素年龄488.0Ma±4.2Ma。定年结果表明,安多花岗片麻岩原岩侵位于泛非期,证实聂荣微陆块受到晚泛非热运动的影响,为解决聂荣微陆块基底性质和构造演化问题提供了重要的年代学依据。     

班公湖- 怒江缝合带同碰撞海沟盆地砂岩物源分析及其大地构造意义

同碰撞海沟沉积可为重建板块缝合带大地构造演化、约束陆块初始碰撞时间提供重要信息。本文对班公湖-怒江缝合带西段的改则县亚多组和日土县多仁组进行了沉积学、岩相学、碎屑锆石年代学、重矿物研究。沉积学分析表明,多仁组、亚多组沉积于海底扇环境。最年轻的碎屑锆石年龄限制了最早沉积时代为晚侏罗世。多仁组、亚多组砂岩Q：F：L分别为52：4：44、32：8：60,均以丰富的沉积岩和酸性火成岩岩屑及少量的变质岩屑为特征;重矿物以磷灰石、锆石、电气石等稳定重矿物为主。多仁组和亚多组具有相似的碎屑锆石年龄分布模式,主峰分布在350～200 Ma、550～450 Ma、900～750 Ma、1900～1800 Ma、2550～2450 Ma范围内。这些数据表明,亚多组、多仁组碎屑物质来源于沉积区北侧的班公湖-怒江缝合带增生杂岩及南羌塘岩浆岩。多仁组、亚多组出现的大量沉积岩岩屑,表明物源区经历了广泛的构造缩短作用,导致沉积岩和同期岩浆岩被剥蚀,因此多仁组、亚多组是拉萨-羌塘同碰撞的产物。据此推断,沿班公湖-怒江缝合带改则-日土区域拉萨-羌塘初始碰撞发生在晚侏罗世多仁组、亚多组沉积之前。     

藏北羌塘奥陶纪平行不整合面的厘定及其构造意义

西藏羌塘块体有无变质基底、其前新生代构造属性与演化过程是长期争论的议题。本文报道南羌塘块体北部,中、上奥陶统塔石山组底砾岩平行不整合于浅变质中厚层石英砂岩夹薄层泥灰岩之上。近600粒碎屑锆石测年结果表明浅变质石英砂岩的最大沉积年龄为527±7Ma,300余粒碎屑锆石测年结果表明塔石山组底部石英砂岩的最大沉积年龄为471±6Ma。不整合面上、下石英砂岩最大沉积年龄之差达56Myr,表明这两套石英砂岩之间存在明显的沉积间断,证实了该平行不整合面的时代为奥陶纪早期。另一独立的证据是在邻区发现了早奥陶世花岗岩类岩石(471~477Ma)侵位于该浅变质石英岩,因此将不整合面之下的浅变质石英岩暂命名为荣玛组,归入寒武系地层。阴极发光与年代学研究进一步表明不整合面之上的碎屑锆石主要来源于在"泛非"运动晚期形成的结晶岩,为近源锆石,表明"泛非运动"晚期所形成的结晶岩在奥陶纪早期就已隆升,遭受剥蚀,为区内中上奥陶统沉积岩的形成提供物质来源。该奥陶纪平行不整合面的发现,表明南羌塘块体与喜马拉雅、拉萨等块体相似,同属冈瓦纳大陆体系。南、北羌塘早古生代地层系统之间的显著差异表明在寒武-奥陶纪之交,南、北羌塘块体就已被古大洋盆分隔开,开始各自独立演化。     

青藏高原南部拉萨地体的变质作用与动力学

拉萨地体位于欧亚板块的最南缘,它在新生代与印度大陆的碰撞形成了青藏高原和喜马拉雅造山带。因此,拉萨地体是揭示青藏高原形成与演化历史的关键之一。拉萨地体中的中、高级变质岩以前被认为是拉萨地体的前寒武纪变质基底。但新近的研究表明,拉萨地体经历了多期和不同类型的变质作用,包括在洋壳俯冲构造体制下发生的新元古代和晚古生代高压变质作用,在陆-陆碰撞环境下发生的早古生代和早中生代中压型变质作用,在洋中脊俯冲过程中发生的晚白垩纪高温/中压变质作用,以及在大陆俯冲带上盘加厚大陆地壳深部发生的两期新生代中压型变质作用。这些变质作用和伴生的岩浆作用表明,拉萨地体经历了从新元古代至新生代的复杂演化过程。(1)北拉萨地体的结晶基底包括新元古代的洋壳岩石,它们很可能是在Rodinia超大陆裂解过程中形成的莫桑比克洋的残余。(2)随着莫桑比克洋的俯冲和东、西冈瓦纳大陆的汇聚,拉萨地体洋壳基底经历了晚新元古代的(～650Ma)的高压变质作用和早古代的(～485Ma)中压型变质作用。这很可能表明北拉萨地体起源于东非造山带的北端。(3)在古特提斯洋向冈瓦纳大陆北缘的俯冲过程中,拉萨地体和羌塘地体经历了中古生代的(～360Ma)岩浆作用。(4)古特提斯洋盆的闭合和南、北拉萨地体的碰撞,导致了晚二叠纪(～260Ma)高压变质带和三叠纪(～220Ma)中压变质带的形成。(5)在新特提斯洋中脊向北的俯冲过程中,拉萨地体经历了晚白垩纪(～90Ma)安第斯型造山作用,形成了高温/中压型变质带和高温的紫苏花岗岩。(6)在早新生代(55～45Ma),印度与欧亚板块的碰撞,导致拉萨地体地壳加厚,形成了中压角闪岩相变质作用和同碰撞岩浆作用。(7)在晚始新世(40～30Ma),随着大陆的继续汇聚,南拉萨地体经历了另一期角闪岩相至麻粒岩相变质作用和深熔作用。拉萨地体的构造演化过程是研究汇聚板块边缘变质作用与动力学的最佳实例。     

Sedimentary record of Jurassic northward subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean: insights from detrital zircons

The subduction polarity and related arc–magmatic evolutional history of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean, which separated the South Qiangtang terrane to the north from the North Lhasa terrane to the south during the Mesozoic, remain debated. This study tries to reconstruct the subduction and evolution of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean on the basis of U–Pb and Hf isotopic analyses of detrital zircons in samples from sedimentary rocks of the middle-western section of the Bangong–Nujiang suture zone in Gerze County, central Tibet. The Middle Jurassic Muggargangri Group in the Bangong–Nujiang suture zone was deposited in a deep-sea basin setting on an active continental margin. The Late Jurassic strata, such as the Sewa Formation, are widely distributed in the South Qiangtang terrane and represent deposition on a shelf. The Early Cretaceous Shamuluo Formation in the Bangong–Nujiang suture zone unconformably overlies the Muggargangri Group and was probably deposited in a residual marine basin setting. The detrital zircons of the Muggargangri Group contain seven U–Pb age populations: 2.6–2.4 Ga, 1.95–1.75 Ga, 950–900 Ma, 850–800 Ma, 650–550 Ma, 480–420 Ma, and 350–250 Ma, which is similar to the age populations in sedimentary rocks of the South Qiangtang terrane. In addition, the age spectra of the Shamuluo Formation are similar to those of the Muggargangri Group, indicating that both had a northern terrane provenance, which is conformed by the north-to-south palaeocurrent. This provenance indicates northward subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang oceanic crust. In contrast, two samples from the Sewa Formation yield variable age distributions: the lower sample has age populations similar to those of the South Qiangtang terrane, whereas the upper possesses only one age cluster with a peak at ca. 156 Ma. Moreover, the majority of the late Mesozoic detrital zircons are characterized by weakly positive εHf(t) values that are similar to those of magmatic zircons from arc magmatic rocks in the South Qiangtang terrane. The findings, together with information from the record of magmatism, indicate that the earliest prevalent arc magmatism occurred during the Early Jurassic (ca. 185 Ma) and that the principal arc–magmatic stage occurred during the Middle–Late Jurassic (ca. 170–150 Ma). The magmatic gap and scarcity of detrital zircons at ca. 140–130 Ma likely indicate collision between the Qiangtang and Lhasa terranes. The late Early Cretaceous (ca. 125–100 Ma) magmatism on both sides of the Bangong–Nujiang suture zone was probably related to slab break-off or lithospheric delamination after closure of the Bangong–Nujiang Ocean.     

U-Pb geochronology of basement rocks in central Tibet and paleogeographic implications

The ages and paleogeographic affinities of basement rocks of Tibetan terranes are poorly known. New U-Pb zircon geochronologic data from orthogneisses of the Amdo basement better resolve Neoproterozoic and Cambro-Ordovician magmatism in central Tibet. The Amdo basement is exposed within the Bangong suture zone between the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes and is composed of granitic orthogneisses with subordinate paragneisses and metasedimentary rocks. The intermediate-felsic orthogneisses show a bimodal distribution of Neoproterozoic (920-820 Ma) and Cambro-Ordovician (540-460 Ma) crystallization ages. These and other sparse basement ages from Tibetan terranes suggest the plateau is underlain by juvenile crust that is Neoproterozoic or younger; its young age and weaker rheology relative to cratonic blocks bounding the plateau margins likely facilitated the propagation of Indo-Asian deformation far into Asia. The Neoproterozoic ages post-date Rodinia assembly and magmatism of similar ages is documented in the Qaidaim-Kunlun terrane, South China block, the Aravalli-Delhi craton in NW India, the Eastern Ghats of India, and the Prince Charles mountains in Antarctica. The Amdo Neoproterozoic plutons cannot be unambiguously related to one of these regions, but we propose that the Yangtze block of the South China block is the most likely association, with the Amdo basement representing a terrane that possibly rifted from the active Yangtze margin in the middle Neoproterozoic. Cambro-Ordovician granitoids are ubiquitous throughout Gondwana as a product of active margin tectonics following Gondwana assembly and indicate that the Lhasa-Qiangtang terranes were involved in these tectono-magmatic events. U-Pb detrital zircon analysis of two quartzites from the Amdo basement suggest that the protoliths were Carboniferous-Permian continental margin strata widely deposited across the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes. The detrital zircon age spectra of the upper Paleozoic Tibetan sandstones and other rocks deposited in East Gondwana during the late Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic are all quite similar, making it difficult to use the age spectra for paleogeographic determinations. There is a suggestion in the data that the Qiangtang terrane may have been located further west along Gondwana’s northern boundary than the Lhasa terrane, but more refined spatial and temporal data are needed to verify this configuration.     

Metamorphism and tectonic evolution of the Lhasa terrane,Central Tibet

The Lhasa terrane in southern Tibet is composed of Precambrian crystalline basement, Paleozoic to Mesozoic sedimentary strata and Paleozoic to Cenozoic magmatic rocks. This terrane has long been accepted as the last crustal block to be accreted with Eurasia prior to its collision with the northward drifting Indian continent in the Cenozoic. Thus, the Lhasa terrane is the key for revealing the origin and evolutionary history of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen. Although previous models on the tectonic development of the orogen have much evidence from the Lhasa terrane, the metamorphic history of this terrane was rarely considered. This paper provides an overview of the temporal and spatial characteristics of metamorphism in the Lhasa terrane based mostly on the recent results from our group, and evaluates the geodynamic settings and tectonic significance. The Lhasa terrane experienced multistage metamorphism, including the Neoproterozoic and Late Paleozoic HP metamorphism in the oceanic subduction realm, the Early Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic MP metamorphism in the continent–continent collisional zone, the Late Cretaceous HT/MP metamorphism in the mid-oceanic ridge subduction zone, and two stages of Cenozoic MP metamorphism in the thickened crust above the continental subduction zone. These metamorphic and associated magmatic events reveal that the Lhasa terrane experienced a complex tectonic evolution from the Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic. The main conclusions arising from our synthesis are as follows: (1) The Lhasa block consists of the North and South Lhasa terranes, separated by the Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the subsequent Late Paleozoic suture zone. (2) The crystalline basement of the North Lhasa terrane includes Neoproterozoic oceanic crustal rocks, representing probably the remnants of the Mozambique Ocean derived from the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent. (3) The oceanic crustal basement of North Lhasa witnessed a Late Cryogenian (~ 650 Ma) HP metamorphism and an Early Paleozoic (~ 485 Ma) MP metamorphism in the subduction realm associated with the closure of the Mozambique Ocean and the final amalgamation of Eastern and Western Gondwana, suggesting that the North Lhasa terrane might have been partly derived from the northern segment of the East African Orogen. (4) The northern margin of Indian continent, including the North and South Lhasa, and Qiangtang terranes, experienced Early Paleozoic magmatism, indicating an Andean-type orogeny that resulted from the subduction of the Proto-Tethys Ocean after the final amalgamation of Gondwana. (5) The Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes witnessed Middle Paleozoic (~ 360 Ma) magmatism, suggesting an Andean-type orogeny derived from the subduction of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. (6) The closure of Paleo-Tethys Ocean between the North and South Lhasa terranes and subsequent terrane collision resulted in the formation of Late Permian (~ 260 Ma) HP metamorphic belt and Triassic (220 Ma) MP metamorphic belt. (7) The South Lhasa terrane experienced Late Cretaceous (~ 90 Ma) Andean-type orogeny, characterized by the regional HT/MP metamorphism and coeval intrusion of the voluminous Gangdese batholith during the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. (8) During the Early Cenozoic (55–45 Ma), the continent–continent collisional orogeny has led to the thickened crust of the South Lhasa terrane experiencing MP amphibolite-facies metamorphism and syn-collisional magmatism. (9) Following the continuous continent convergence, the South Lhasa terrane also experienced MP metamorphism during Late Eocene (40–30 Ma). (10) During Mesozoic and Cenozoic, two different stages of paired metamorphic belts were formed in the oceanic or continental subduction zones and the middle and lower crust of the hanging wall of the subduction zone. The tectonic imprints from the Lhasa terrane provide excellent examples for understanding metamorphic processes and geodynamics at convergent plate boundaries.     

The origin and pre-Cenozoic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau

Different hypotheses have been proposed for the origin and pre-Cenozoic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau as a result of several collision events between a series of Gondwana-derived terranes (e.g., Qiangtang, Lhasa and India) and Asian continent since the early Paleozoic. This paper reviews and reevaluates these hypotheses in light of new data from Tibet including (1) the distribution of major tectonic boundaries and suture zones, (2) basement rocks and their sedimentary covers, (3) magmatic suites, and (4) detrital zircon constraints from Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks. The Western Qiangtang, Amdo, and Tethyan Himalaya terranes have the Indian Gondwana origin, whereas the Lhasa Terrane shows an Australian Gondwana affinity. The Cambrian magmatic record in the Lhasa Terrane resulted from the subduction of the proto-Tethyan Ocean lithosphere beneath the Australian Gondwana. The newly identified late Devonian granitoids in the southern margin of the Lhasa Terrane may represent an extensional magmatic event associated with its rifting, which ultimately resulted in the opening of the Songdo Tethyan Ocean. The Lhasa−northern Australia collision at ~ 263 Ma was likely responsible for the initiation of a southward-dipping subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan Oceanic lithosphere. The Yarlung-Zangbo Tethyan Ocean opened as a back-arc basin in the late Triassic, leading to the separation of the Lhasa Terrane from northern Australia. The subsequent northward subduction of the Yarlung-Zangbo Tethyan Ocean lithosphere beneath the Lhasa Terrane may have been triggered by the Qiangtang–Lhasa collision in the earliest Cretaceous. The mafic dike swarms (ca. 284 Ma) in the Western Qiangtang originated from the Panjal plume activity that resulted in continental rifting and its separation from the northern Indian continent. The subsequent collision of the Western Qiangtang with the Eastern Qiangtang in the middle Triassic was followed by slab breakoff that led to the exhumation of the Qiangtang metamorphic rocks. This collision may have caused the northward subduction initiation of the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean lithosphere beneath the Western Qiangtang. Collision-related coeval igneous rocks occurring on both sides of the suture zone and the within-plate basalt affinity of associated mafic lithologies suggest slab breakoff-induced magmatism in a continent−continent collision zone. This zone may be the site of net continental crust growth, as exemplified by the Tibetan Plateau.