40Ar/39Ar Dating of Xuebaoding Granite in the Songpan-Garzê Orogenic Belt, Southwest China, and its Geological Significance

<正>Thus far,our understanding of the emplacement of Xuebaoding granite and the occurrence and evolution of the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt has been complicated by differing age spectra results.Therefore,in this study,the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar and sensitive high resolution ion micro-probe(SHRIMP) U-Pb dating methods were both used and the results compared,particularly with respect to dating data for Pankou and Pukouling granites from Xuebaoding,to establish ages that are close to the real emplacements.The results of SHRIMP U-Pb dating for zircon showed a high amount of U,but a very low value for Th/U.The high U amount,coupled with characteristics of inclusions in zircons,indicates that Xuebaoding granites are not suitable for U-Pb dating.Therefore,muscovite in the same granite samples was selected for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pukouling granite in the Xuebaoding,gave a plateau age of 200.1±1.2 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 200.6±1.2 Ma.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pankou granite in the Xuebaoding gave another plateau age of 193.4±1.1 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 193.7±1.1 Ma. The ~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar intercept of 277.0±23.4(2σ) was very close to the air ratio,indicating that no apparent excess argon contamination was present.These age dating spectra indicate that both granites were emplaced at 200.6±1.3 Ma and 193.7±1.1 Ma,respectively.Through comparison of both dating methods and their results,we can conclude that it is feasible that the muscovite in the granite bearing high U could be used for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating without extra Ar.Based on this evidence,as well as the geological characteristics of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit and petrology of granites,it can be concluded that the material origin of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit might partially originate from the Xuebaoding granite group emplacement at about 200 Ma.Moreover,compared with other granites and deposits distributed in various positions in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt,the Xuebaoding emplacement ages further show that the main rare metal deposits and granites in peripheral regions occurred earlier than those in the inner Songpan-Garze.Therefore,~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of Xuebaoding granite will lay a solid foundation for studying the occurrence and evolution of granite and rare earth element deposits in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt.

^40Ar/^39Ar Dating of Xuebaoding Granite in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt, Southwest China, and its Geological Significance

Thus far, our understanding of the emplacement of Xuebaoding granite and the occurrence and evolution of the Songpan‐Garzê Orogenic Belt has been complicated by differing age spectra results. Therefore, in this study, the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and sensitive high resolution ion micro‐probe (SHRIMP) U‐Pb dating methods were both used and the results compared, particularly with respect to dating data for Pankou and Pukouling granites from Xuebaoding, to establish ages that are close to the real emplacements. The results of SHRIMP U‐Pb dating for zircon showed a high amount of U, but a very low value for Th/U. The high U amount, coupled with characteristics of inclusions in zircons, indicates that Xuebaoding granites are not suitable for U‐Pb dating. Therefore, muscovite in the same granite samples was selected for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pukouling granite in the Xuebaoding, gave a plateau age of 200.1±1.2 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 200.6±1.2 Ma. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pankou granite in the Xuebaoding gave another plateau age of 193.4± 1.1 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 193.7±1.1 Ma. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar intercept of 277.0±23.4 (2σ) was very close to the air ratio, indicating that no apparent excess argon contamination was present These age dating spectra indicate that both granites were emplaced at 200.6±1.3 Ma and 193.7±1.1 Ma, respectively. Through comparison of both dating methods and their results, we can conclude that it is feasible that the muscovite in the granite bearing high U could be used for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating without extra Ar. Based on this evidence, as well as the geological characteristics of the Xuebaoding W‐Sn‐Be deposit and petrology of granites, it can be concluded that the material origin of the Xuebaoding W‐Sn‐Be deposit might partially originate from the Xuebaoding granite group emplacement at about 200 Ma. Moreover, compared with other granites and deposits distributed in various positions in the Songpan‐Garzê Orogenic Belt, the Xuebaoding emplacement ages further show that the main rare metal deposits and granites in peripheral regions occurred earlier than those in the inner Songpan‐Garzê. Therefore, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of Xuebaoding granite will lay a solid foundation for studying the occurrence and evolution of granite and rare earth element deposits in the Songpan‐Garzê Orogenic Belt.