Mesozoic age of the uril formation of the Amur Group, Lesser Khingan terrane of the Central Asian foldbelt: Results of U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic studies of detrital zircons

U-Pb (LA-ICPMS) geochronological studies established the minimum age of detrital zircons from metasedimentary rocks of the Uril Formation of the Amur Group of ～240 Ma, which approximately corresponds to the lower age boundary of formation of their protoliths. The upper boundary of accumulation of sedimentary rocks of this formation is governed by the age of superimposed structural-metamorphic transformations (220–210 Ma). It follows that the age of protoliths of metasedimentary rocks of the Uril Formation is Triassic in contrast to the previously suggested Early Precambrian age. At the same time, previous estimations of the Nd model age of metasedimentary rocks of the Tulovchikha Formation of the Amur Group and intruding gabbroic rocks are 1.7 and 0.5 Ga, respectively. In other words, the age of this formation is 1.7–0.5 Ga. All of this indicates a combination of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of different ages in the section of the Amur Group. Judging from the Lu-Hf isotopic-geochemical studies of zircons, the major sources of protoliths for metasedimentary rocks of the Uril Formation are Neoproterozoic igneous rocks and also Early and Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic igneous rocks, the formation of which was related to the reworking of the Neo- and Mesoproterozoic continental crust.