Geochemistry of the high-Mg andesites at Zhangwu, western Liaoning: Implication for delamination of newly formed lower crust

Ten volcanic samples at Zhangwu,western Liaoning Province,North China were selected for a sys-tematic geochemical,mineralogical and geochronological study,which provides an opportunity to ex-plore the interaction between the continental crust and mantle beneath the north margin of the North China craton.Except one basalt sample(SiO2= 50.23%),the other nine samples are andesitic with SiO2 contents ranging from 53% to 59%.They have relatively high MgO(3.4%―6.1%,Mg#=50―64) and Ni and Cr contents(Ni 27×10?6―197×10?6,Cr 51×10?6―478×10?6).Other geochemical characteristics of Zhangwu high-Mg andesites(HMAs) include strong fractionation of light rare earth elements(LREE) from heavy rare earth elements(HREE),and Sr from Y,with La/Yb greater than 15,and high Sr/Y(34― 115).Zircons of andesite YX270 yield three age groups with no Precambrian age,which precludes ori-gin of the Zhangwu HMAs from the partial melting of the Precambrian crust.The oldest age group peaking at 253 Ma is interpreted to represent the collision of the Siberia block and the North China block,resulting in formation of the Central Asian orogenic belt by closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean.The intermediate age group corresponds to the basalt underplating which caused the wide-spread coeval granitoids in the North China craton with a peak 206Pb/238U age of 172 Ma.The youngest age group gives a 206Pb/238U age of 126±2 Ma,which is interpreted as the eruption age of the Zhangwu HMAs.The high 87Sr/86Sri(126 Ma)>0.706 and low εNd(t)= ?6.36―?13.99 of the Zhangwu HMAs are distinct from slab melts.The common presence of reversely zoned clinopyroxene phenocrysts in the Zhangwu HMAs argues against the origin of the Zhangwu HMAs either from melting of the water saturated mantle or melting of the lower crust.In light of the evidence mentioned above,the envisaged scenario for the formation of the Zhangwu HMAs is related to the basaltic underplating at the base of the crust,which led to the thickening of the lower crust and formation of lower crustal eclogite,followed by foundering of the eclogitic lower crust into the asthenosphere.The foundered eclogite then melted and the resul-tant melts interacted with surrounding peridotite during their upward transport,which finally produced the high-Mg andesites.This well explains the high-Mg adakitic characters and absence of ancient in-herited zircon in the Zhangwu lavas.     

Geochemical and Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of Indosinian granitoids from the Bikou block,northwest of the Yangtze plate:Constraints on petrogenesis,nature of deep crust and geodynamics

This paper reports geochemical and Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of the Indosinian Yangba (215 Ma),Nanyili (225 Ma) and Mopi granitoids from the Bikou block of the northwestern margin of the Yangtze plate. These granitoids are enriched in Al (Al2O3:14.56%―16.48%) and Sr (352 μg/g―1047 μg/g),and depleted in Y (<16 μg/g) and HREE (e.g. Yb<1.61 μg/g),resulting in high Sr/Y (36.3―150) and (La/Yb)N (7.8―36.3) ratios and strongly fractionationed REE patterns. The Indosinian granotoids show initial Sr isotopic ratios (ISr) from 0.70419 to 70752,εNd(t) values from-3.1 to -8.5,and initial Pb isotopic ratios 206Pb/204Pb=17.891-18.250,207Pb/204Pb=15.494-15.575,and 208Pb/204Pb=37.788-38.335. Their geochemi-cal signatures indicate that the granitoids are adakitic. However,they are distinct from some adakites,generated by partial melting of subducted oceanic slab and/or underplated basaltic lower crust,be-cause they have high K (K2O: 1.49%―3.84%) and evolved Nd isotopic compositions,with older Nd iso-topic model ages (TDM=1.06―1.83 Ga). Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions suggest that the magmas of the Insoninian adakitic rocks in the Bikou block were derived from partial melting of thick-ened basaltic lower crust. Combined with regional analyses,a lithospheric delamination model after collision between the North China and South China plates can account for the Indosinian adakitic magma generation. On the other hand,based on the Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic probing to the magma sources of the adakitic rocks,it is suggested that there is an unexposed continent-type basement under the exposed Bikou Group volcanic rocks. This can constrain on the Bikou Group volcanic rocks not to be MORB-or OIB-type.     

Geology and geochemistry of basaltic lava flows and dikes from the Trans-Koolau tunnel, Oahu, Hawaii

A 200-m section of Koolau basalt was sampled in the 1.6-km Trans-Koolau (T–K) tunnel. The section includes 126 aa and pahoehoe lava flows, five dikes and ten thin ash units. This volcanic section and the physical characteristics of the lava flows indicate derivation from the nearby northwest rift zone of the Koolau shield. The top of the section is inferred to be 500–600 m below the pre-erosional surface of the Koolau shield. Therefore, compared with previously studied Koolau lavas, this section provides a deeper, presumably older, sampling of the shield. Shield lavas from Koolau Volcano define a geochemical end-member for Hawaiian shields. Most of the tunnel lavas have the distinctive major and trace element abundance features (e.g. relatively high SiO₂ content and Zr/Nb abundance ratio) that characterize Koolau lavas. In addition, relative to the recent shield lavas erupted at Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, most Koolau lavas have lower abundances of Sc, Y and Yb at a given MgO content; this result is consistent with a more important role for residual garnet during the partial melting processes that created Koolau shield lavas. Koolau lavas with the strongest residual garnet signature have relatively high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, and low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. These isotopic characteristics have been previously interpreted to reflect a source component of recycled oceanic crust that was recrystallized to garnet pyroxenite. This component also has high La/Nb and relatively low ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, geochemical characteristics which are attributed to ancient pelagic sediment in the recycled crust. Although most Koolau lavas define a geochemical endmember for Hawaiian shield lavas, there is considerable intrashield geochemical variability that is inferred to reflect source characteristics. The oldest T–K tunnel lava flow is an example. It has the lowest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, Zr/Nb and La/Nb, and the highest ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio found in Koolau lavas. In most respects it is similar to lavas from Kilauea Volcano. Therefore, the geochemical characteristics of the Koolau shield, which define an end member for Hawaiian shields, reflect an important role for recycled oceanic crust, but the proportion of this crust in the source varied during growth of the Koolau shield. Received: 1 June 1998 / Accepted: 30 August 1998     

Geochemistry of high-Mg andesites from the early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, western Liaoning: Implications for lower crustal delamination and Sr/Y variations

The Yixian Formation at Sihetun in western Liao- ning Province has attracted considerable attention over the last two decades due to discovery of a wide range of well-preserved ‘feathered’ dinosaurs and primitive bird fossils[1―4]. This formation is dominated by vol- canic rocks, with fossil-bearing lacustrine sedimentary rocks at the upper part of the section[4]. The sedimen- tary rocks contain thin layers of tuff. According to previous studies[4], the total thickness of the Yixian Form…     

Geochemistry, K–Ar geochronology and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope compositions of pitchstone in Gohado, southwestern Okcheon Belt, South Korea

Abstract Geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope characteristics, as well as K–Ar geochronology of a massive pitchstone (volcanic glass) stock erupted into Late Cretaceous lapilli tuff and rhyolite in the Gohado area, southwestern Okcheon Belt, South Korea, are reported. The pitchstones are highly evolved with SiO₂ contents ranging from ～72 to 73 wt%, K₂O/Na₂O ratios of 1.04–1.23 and low MgO/FeO^t values (0.17–0.20). The pitchstones are weakly peraluminous and the ASI (molar Al₂O₃/Na₂O + K₂O + CaO) values are significantly lower than 1.1. The pitchstones also display a general calc‐alkaline nature with significant alkali contents. The rare earth elements (REE) compositions show moderately fractionated nature with (La/Yb)_N ranging from 11 to 16. Chondrite normalized REE patterns show relative enrichment of light REE over heavy REE and moderate Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* ratio varies from 0.53 to 0.57). A distinct negative Nb anomaly is observed for all pitchstones on a primitive mantle normalized trace element diagram, typical of subduction‐related magmatism and crustal‐derived granites. All these features are characteristic of I‐type granites derived from a continental arc. The pitchstones have Zr contents of 98.5–103.5 ppm with zircon thermometry yielding temperatures of 749–755°C (mean 752°C). The K–Ar analyses of representative pitchstone samples yielded ages of 58.7 ± 2.3 and 62.4 ± 2.1 Ma with a mean age of 61 Ma. The rocks show nearly uniform initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios of 0.7104–0.7106 and identical ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd initial ratio of 0.5120. The rocks display negative εNd (61 Ma) values of ?12. The depleted mantle model ages (T_DM) range from 1.54 Ga to 1.57 Ga. The Pb isotope ratios are ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.522–18.552, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.642–15.680 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.794–38.923. These ratios suggest that the Gohado pitchstones were formed in a continental arc environment by partial melting of a 1.54 Ga to 1.57 Ga parental sources of lower crustal rocks probably of mafic or intermediate compositions.     

Geochemistry and U-Pb zircon geochronology of Late-Mesozoic lavas from Xishan, Beijing

The North China craton (NCC) is distinctively dif-ferent from other Archean craton around the world due to violent construction-magmatic activity, ore deposi-tion and basin formation process and the deep dynam-ics could be probably related with lithospher…     

The isotopic and chemical evolution of Mount St. Helens

Isotopic and major and trace element analysis of nine samples of eruptive products spanning the history of the Mt. St. Helens volcano suggest three different episodes; (1) 40,000–2500 years ago: eruptions of dacite with ε_Nd = +5, ε_Sr = ?10, variable δ¹⁸O,²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ～ 18.76, Ca/Sr ～ 60, Rb/Ba ～ 0.1, La/Yb ～ 18, (2) 2500-1000 years ago: eruptions of basalt, andesite and dacite with ε_Nd = +4 to +8, ε_Sr = ?7 to ?22, variable δ¹⁸O (thought to represent melting of differing mantle-crust reservoirs), ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 18.81?18.87, variable Ca/Sr, Rb/Ba, La/Yb and high Zr, (3) 1000 years ago to present day: eruptions of andesite and dacite with ε_Nd = +6, ε_Sr = ?13, δ¹⁸O～6‰, variable²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, Ca/Sr ～ 77, Rb/Ba= 0.1, La/Yb ～ 11. None of the products exhibit Eu anomalies and all are LREE enriched. There is a strong correlation between⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and differentiation indices. These data are interpreted in terms of a mantle heat source melting young crust bearing zircon and garnet, but not feldspar, followed by intrusion of this crustal reservoir by mantle-derived magma which caused further crustal melting and contaminated the crustal magma system with mafic components. Since 1000 years ago all the eruptions have been from the same reservoir which has displayed a much more gradual re-equilibration of Pb isotopic compositions than other components suggesting that Pb is being transported via a fluid phase. The Nd and Sr isotopic compositions lie along the mantle array and suggest that the mantle underneath Mt. St. Helens is not as depleted as MORB sources. There is no indication of seawater involvement in the source region.     

Geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic characteristics of the Mugouriwang Cenozoic volcanic rocks from Tibetan Plateau:Constraints on mantle source of the underplated basic magma

The Mugouriwang Cenozoic volcanic rocks exposed in the north Qiangtang Block of Tibetan Plateau are mainly composed of basalt and andesitic-basalt,both characterized by the lower SiO2 (51%―54%),high refractory elements (i.e. Mg,Cr,Ni) as well as the moderate enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to a slight depleted in Eu and high strength field elements (HFSE,i.e. Nb,Ta,Ti). Be-sides,the fairly low Sm/Yb value (3.07―4.35) could signify that the rocks should be derived directly from partial melting of the spinel lherzolite at the upper part of the asthenosphere. These rocks have radiogenic Sr and Pb (87Sr/86Sr = 0.705339 to 0.705667; 208Pb/204Pb = 38.8192 to 38.8937; 207Pb/204Pb = 15.6093 to 15.6245; 206Pb/204Pb = 18.6246 to 18.6383),and non-radiogenic Nd (143Nd/144Nd = 0.512604 to 0.512639; εNd = 0.02 to -0.66) in agreement with those values of the BSE mantle reservoir. The DUPAL anomaly of the rocks can be evidently attested by the △8/4Pb = 66.82 to 74.53 ,△7/4Pb = 9.88 to 11.42,△Sr>50,implying that the Mugouriwang volcanic rock is likely to be generated by partial melting of a Gondwana-bearing asthenospheric mantle ever matasomatised by the fluid from subduction zone. Depending on the previous study on the high-K calc-alkaline intermediate-felsic volcanics in the study area,this paper proposed that the fluids derived from the subducted Lhasa Block metasomatised the asthenosphere beneath the Qiangtang Block,and induced its partial melting,and then the melt under-plated the thickened Qiangtang lithosphere and caused the generation of the Cenozoic adakite-like felsic magmas in the Qiangtang region.     

Lower crustal melting via magma underplating: Elemental and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic constraints from late Mesozoic intermediate–felsic volcanic rocks in the northeastern North China Block

Ar–Ar dating, major and trace element analyses, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope results of two groups of Lower Cretaceous (erupted at 126 and 119 Ma, respectively) intermediate–felsic lava from the northeastern North China Block (NCB) suggest their derivation from melting of mixtures between the heterogeneous lower crust and underplated basalts. Both groups exhibit high‐K calc‐alkaline to shoshonitic affinities, characterized by light rare earth element (LREE) and large ion lithophile element (LILE) enrichment and variable high field strength element (HFSE, e.g. Nb, Ta and Ti) depletion, and moderately radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd and Pb isotopic compositions. Compared with Group 2, Group 1 rocks have relatively higher K₂O and Al₂O₃/(CaO + K₂O + Na₂O) in molar ratio, higher HFSE concentrations and lower Nb/Ta ratios, and higher Sr–Nd–Pb isotope ratios. Group 1 rocks were derived from a mixture of an enriched mantle‐derived magma and a lower crust that has developed radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd and Pb isotopic compositions, whereas the Group 2 magmas were melts of another mixture between the same mantle‐derived component and another type of lower crust having even lower Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic ratios. Shift in source region from Group 1 to Group 2 coincided with a change in melting conditions: hydrous melting of both the underplated basalt and the lower crust produced the earlier high‐Nb and low‐Nb/Ta melts with little or no residual Ti‐rich phases; while the younger low‐Nb and high‐Nb/Ta magmas were melted under a water‐deficient system, in which Ti‐rich phases were retained in the source. Generation of the two groups of intermediate–felsic volcanic rocks was genetically linked with the contemporaneous magma underplating event as a result of lithospheric thinning in the eastern NCB.     

The Early Paleozoic Tiefosi syn-collisional granite in the northern Dabie Orogen:Geochronological and geochemical constraints

The Tiefosi granitic pluton is located 5 km northwest of Xinyang City,northern Dabie Orogen,and was emplaced in the Proterozoic Qinling Group. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating suggests its crystallization at 436 ± 11 Ma. It is composed of monzogranite and syenogranite containing some amounts of muscovite and few mafic minerals. The rocks are characterized by high and restricted SiO2 content,low FeO,Fe2O3 and MgO contents,high K2O/Na2O ratio,and display high-K calc-alkaline and peraluminous (ACNK>1.1) characteristics. They are generally enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE). They can be divided into three groups in light of rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements. Group I is moderate in ΣREE and characterized by the absence of Eu anom-aly,high (La/Yb)N ratio,and moderate Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios. Group Ⅱ has moderately negative Eu anomaly,low (La/Yb)N ratio and high ΣREE contents,Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios. Group Ⅲ displays positive Eu anomaly,moderate (La/Yb)N ratio,and low ΣREE,Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios. The calculated εNd(440Ma) values of the rocks vary from 8.8 to 9.9 and Nd depleted mantle model ages are about 2.0 Ga,which resemble those of the paragneisses from the Qinling Group. The results indicate that the Tiefosi granite is crust-derived,syn-collisional S-type granite. Generation of Group I was related to low degree melting of the Qinling Group,while Group Ⅱ was formed by fractionational crystallization of plagioclase from Group I magmas,and Group Ⅲ resulted possibly from magma mingling with plagioclase cumulates. The Tiefosi granite was formed within crustal level related to the collision between the North China and South China blocks in the Early Paleozoic time.     

Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotopic studies of mafic igneous rocks from the Ryoke plutono-metamorphic belt in the Setouchi area, Southwest Japan: implications for the genesis and thermal history

Abstract Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isochron ages were determined for whole rocks and mineral separates of hornblende‐gabbros and related metadiabases and quartz‐diorite from Shodoshima, Awashima and Kajishima islands in the Ryoke plutono‐metamorphic belt of the Setouchi area, Southwest Japan. The Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd whole‐rock‐mineral isochron ages for six samples range from 75 to 110 Ma and 200–220 Ma, respectively. The former ages are comparable with the Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron ages reported from neighboring Ryoke granitic rocks and are thus due to thermal metamorphism caused by the granitic intrusions. On the contrary, the older ages suggest the time of formation of the gabbroic and related rocks. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios of the gabbroic rocks (0.7070–0.7078 and 0.51217–0.51231 at 210 Ma, respectively) are comparable with those of neighboring late Cretaceous granites and lower crustal granulite xenoliths from Cenozoic andesites in this region. Because the gabbroic rocks are considered to be fragments of the lower crustal materials interlayered in the granulitic lower crust, their isotopic signature has been inherited from an enriched mantle source or, less likely, acquired through interaction with the lower crustal materials. The Sr and Nd isotopic and petrologic evidence leads to a plausible conclusion that the gabbroic rocks have formed as cumulates from hydrous mafic magmas of light rare earth element‐rich (Sm/Nd < 0.233) and enriched isotopic (?_Sr > 0 and ?_Nd < 0) signature, which possibly generated around 220–200 Ma by partial melting of an upper mantle. We further conclude that they are fragments of refractory material from the lower crust caught up as xenoblocks by granitic magmas, the latter having been generated by partial melting of granulitic lower crustal material around 100 Ma.     

Geochemical and Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of granitoids from western Qinling belt: Constraints on basement nature and tectonic affinity

Geochemical and Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of five Indosinian granitoid intrusions from the western Qinling belt provide insights into basement nature and tectonic affinity. The results show that the western Qinling granitoids incline towards basic in their bulk chemical composition. The granitoids belong to high-K to shoshonitic series with K2O/Na2O=1.04-1.86 and are dominantly metaluminous with A/CNK=0.90-1.05 (most samples have A/CNK of <1.0). They have similar trace elemental compo- sitional patterns. In Sr-Nd isotopic compositions, they display some extent heterogeneity with Isr=0.70682-0.70845, εNd(t)=?4.85 to ?9.17 and TDM=1.26-1.66 Ga. They are characterized by high ra- diogenic Pb isotopic compositions. Their initial Pb isotopic ratios are 206Pb/204Pb=17.996-18.468, 207Pb/204Pb=15.565-15.677 and 208Pb/204Pb=38.082-38.587. Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic composi- tions reveal that magma for the granitoids was derived from partial melting of high-K (Rb) basaltic rocks, which might be formed in 900-1400 Ma. It is suggested that a large amount of the Proterozoic high-K (Rb) basaltic rocks, which underlie the Phanerozoic sedimentary cover, constitute the crustal basement of the western Qinling belt. Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositional comparison between the east- ern Qinling and the western Qinling Indosinian granitoids indicates that the crustal basement of the western Qinling is distinct from that of the eastern Qinling. The Baoji-Chengdu railway close to south-north orientation can be taken as an approximate boundary between both basements. The Pb-Nd isotopic compositional characteristics of the western Qinling granitoids suggest that the basement of the western Qinling belt has an affinity with the Yangtze block.     

Isotope geochemistry and origin of calc-alkaline lavas from a caledonian continental margin volcanic arc

Analyses for major and trace elements, including REE, and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes are reported from a suite of Siluro-Devonian lavas from Fife, Scotland. The rocks form part of a major calc-alkaline igneous province developed on the Scottish continental margin above a WNW-dipping subduction zone. Within the small area (ca. 15 km²) considered, rock types range from primitive basalts and andesites (high Mg, Ni and Cr) to lavas more typical of modern calc-alkaline suites with less than 30 ppm Ni and Cr. There is a marked silica gap between these rocks (< 62%) and the rare rhyolites (> 74%), yet the latter can be generated by fractional crystallization from the more mafic lavas. In contrast, variation in incompatible element concentrations and ratios in the mafic lavas can not be generated by fractional crystallization processes. Increasing SiO₂ is accompanied by increasing Rb, K, Pb, U and Ba relative to Sr and high field strength elements, increasing LREE enrichment and increasing _Sr calculated at 410 Ma, and by decreasing HREE, Eu/Eu*, Sm/Nd and _Nd (410). _Nd and _Sr are roughly anticorrelated and have more radiogenic compositions than the mantle array, in common with data reported elsewhere from this part of the arc. The correlation extrapolates up to cross the mantle array within the composition field of the contemporary MORB source, and extrapolates down towards the probable compositional range of Lower Palaeozoic greywackes, which may form the uppermost 8 km of the crust, or may be supplied to the source by subduction. One sample, however, lies within the mantle array, and closely resembles lavas from northwestern parts of the arc, where a mantle source with mild time-integrated Rb/Sr and LREE enrichment has been inferred. The lavas have relatively high initial ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb for their ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, a feature which has been interpreted elsewhere as the result of incorporation of a sediment component into arc magmas. The systematic changes with increasing SiO₂ in isotopic and chemical parameters can be explained by mixing of a greywacke-derived component with depleted mantle. The various possible mixing mechanisms are discussed, and it is considered most likely that mixing occurred in the mantle source through greywacke subduction. The bulk of the Rb, K, Ba and Pb in the lavas is probably recycled from the crust, whereas less than some 40% of the Sr and Nd is recycled. The calc-alkaline chemical trends are solely a function of mixing with the sediment component.     

Contribution of subducted Pacific slab to Late Cretaceous mafic magmatism in Qingdao region, China: A petrological record

Abstract The occurrence of the Pishikou mafic dike in the Qingdao region, China provides important constraints on the origin of Late Cretaceous (86–78 Ma) mafic magmatism on the eastern North China craton. The Pishikou mafic dike is distributed in the Cretaceous Laoshan granitoid body, Qingdao region and contains peridotitic and granulitic xenoliths, xenocrysts, and megacrysts. Rocks from the Pishikou mafic dike are basanites and have low SiO₂ (< 42 wt%) and Al₂O₃ (12.5 wt%) contents, and high MgO (> 8 wt%), total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O > 4.8 wt%, Na₂O/K₂O > 1), TiO₂ (> 2.5 wt%), CaO (> 9 wt%) and P₂O₅ (> 1 wt%). In trace element abundances, they are highly enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare‐earth elements (LREEs) (ΣREE = 339–403 ppm, (La/Yb)_N = 39–42) without high field strength element (HFSE) depletion. These rocks have radiogenic Sr and Pb, and less radiogenic Nd isotopic compositions [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i > 0.7059, εNd ≈ 2.7–3.8 (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i ≈ 18.0 ± 0.1]. The diagnostic elemental ratios, such as Nb/La, Nb/U, and Nb/Th, are compatible with those of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs) and oceanic island basalts (OIBs). Therefore, the Pishikou mafic dike has a geochemical feature completely different from those of the Early Cretaceous mafic dikes from the Qingdao region, but similar to those of back‐arc basalts from the Japan Sea. This geochemical feature suggests that the Pishikou mafic dike was derived from an asthenosphere source, but contaminated by materials from the subducted Pacific slab. The discovery of this mafic dike thus provides a petrological evidence for the contribution of subducted Pacific slab to the Late Cretaceous magmatism in the Qingdao region of the eastern North China craton.     

Rheology of the lower crust beneath the northern part of North China: Inferences from lower crustal xenoliths from Hannuoba basalts, Hebei Province, China

Lower crustal xenoliths brought up rapidly by basaltic magma onto the earth surface may provide di-rect information on the lower crust. The main purpose of this research is to gain an insight into the rheology of the lower crust through the detailed study of lower crustal xenoliths collected from the Hannuoba basalt, North China. The lower crustal xenoliths in this area consist mainly of two pyroxene granulite, garnet granulite, and light-colored granulite, with a few exception of felsic granulite. The equilibration temperature and pressure of these xenoliths are estimated by using geothermometers and geobarometers suitable for lower crustal xenoliths. The obtained results show that the equilibration temperature of these xenoliths is within the range of 785―900℃, and the equilibrium pressure is within the range of 0.8―1.2 GPa, corresponding to a depth range of 28―42 km. These results have been used to modify the previously constructed lower crust-upper mantle geotherm for the studied area. The dif-ferential stress during the deformation process of the lower crustal xenoliths is estimated by using recrystallized grain-size paleo-piezometer to be in the range of 14―20 MPa. Comparing the available steady state flow laws for lower crustal rocks, it is confirmed that the flow law proposed by Wilks et al. in 1990 is applicable to the lower crustal xenoliths studied in this paper. The strain rate of the lower crust estimated by using this flow law is within the range of 10-13―10-11 s-1, higher than the strain rate of the upper mantle estimated previously for the studied area (10-17―10-13 s-1); the equivalent viscosity is estimated to be within the range of 1017―1019Pa·s, lower than that of the upper mantle (1019―1021 Pa·s). The constructed rheological profiles of the lower crust indicate that the differential stress shows no significant linear relation with depth, while the strain rate increases with depth and equivalent vis-cosity decrease with depth. The results support the viewpoint of weak lower continental crust.     

Possible origin of K-rich volcanic rocks from Virunga,East Africa,by metasomatism of continental crustal material: Pb,Nd and Sr isotopic evidence

The isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd and Pb together with the abundances of Rb, Sr, U and Pb have been determined for mafic and felsic potassic alkaline rocks from the young Virunga volcanic field in the western branch of the East African rift system.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr varies from 0.7055 to 0.7082 in the mafic rocks and from 0.7073 to 0.7103 in the felsic rocks. The latter all come from one volcano, Sabinyo. Sabinyo rocks have negative ε_Ndvalues ofε_Nd = ?10. Nd and Sr isotopic variations in the basic potassic rocks are correlated and plot between Sabinyo and previously reported [1] compositions (ε_Nd = +2.5;⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr≈ 0.7047) for Nyiragongo nephelinites. The Pb isotopic compositions for Sabinyo rocks are nearly uniform and average²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb≈ 19.4,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 15.79–15.84,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb≈ 41.2. The basic potassic rocks have similar²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values but range in²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb from the Sabinyo values to less radiogenic compositions.Excellent correlations of⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr with Rb/Sr, 1/Sr and²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb for Sabinyo rocks suggest these to be members of a hybrid magma series. However, the nearly uniform Pb compositions for this series points to radiogenic growth of⁸⁷Sr in the magma source region following an event which homogenized the isotopic compositions but not Rb/Sr. The Rb-Sr age derived from the erupted Sabinyo isochron-mixing line is consistent with the ～500 Myr Pb-Pb age from Nyiragongo [1], which suggests that this event affected all Virunga magma sources. The event can again be traced in the Pb-Pb, Pb-Sr and Nd-Sr isotopic correlations for all Virunga rocks, including Nyiragongo, when allowances are made for radiogenic growth subsequent to this mixing or incomplete homogenization event. Inferred parent/daughter element fractionations point to a metasomatic event during which a mantle fluid invaded two lithospheric reservoirs: a +ε_Nd reservoir sampled by the Nyiragongo nephelinites and suggested to be the subcontinental mantle and a ?ε_Nd reservoir sampled by the mafic and felsic potasssic volcanism. Whether this ?ε_Nd reservoir is the crust, continental crustal material in the mantle or anomalous mantle cannot be decided from the data. The simplest answer, that this reservoir is the continental crust, seems to be at variance with experimental evidence suggesting a subcrustal origin for basic potassic magmas. Partial melting of the ancient metasomatised lithospheric domains and ensuing volcanism seems to be entirely a response to decompression and rising geotherms during rifting and thinning of the lithosphere.     

Indian Ocean-MORB-type isotopic signature of Yushigou ophiolite in North Qilian Mountains and its implications

Many researchers have focused on the tectonic evolution of North Qilian Mountains (NQM) since the 1970s[1―7]. However, the tectonic affinity of the an- cient oceanic mantle in early Paleozoic remains in de-bate. Three general explanations for it have been pro- posed. The first one suggests that the ancient ocean was a part of Proto-Tethys, and the tectonic evolution of NQM should be regarded as a portion of the562 Science in China: Series D Earth Sciences Tethyan tectonic domain[1]. …     

Cretaceous volcanic-intrusive magmatism in western Guangdong and its geological significance

The Nanling Mountains lying in the southern part of South China are an economically important gran-ite-related multi-metallogenic province. The Nanling Mountains granites can be described as: temporally spanning from Caledonian to Yanshanian and spatially distributed as three EW trending zones: the north one in Zhuguangshan-Qingzhangshan, the middle one in Dadongshan-Guidong, and the south one in Fogang-Xinfengjiang with two neighboring zones’ midline having an interval of ca. latitude …     

Implications of correlated Nd and Sr isotopic variations for the chemical evolution of the crust and mantle

Published data showing a linear correlation between initial Nd and Sr isotope compositions in young basalts indicate the existence of a spectrum of isotopically distinct reservoirs in the mantle which represent either (1) mixtures of two homogeneous endmember reservoirs, one of which may be undifferentiated material or (2) fractionated reservoirs all derived from a homogeneous initial reservoir with the same ratio of enrichment factors for Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr. The slope of the correlation, which can be described approximately by (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) = ?3.74114 (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd) + 2.61935orε_Nd = ?2.7 ε_Sr, places constraints on the origin of these reservoirs and hence on the chemical evolution of the crust-mantle system. The reservoirs could be residual regions of the mantle left after ancient partial melting events. If so, the requirement of constant relative fractionation of Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr in refractory residues is a strong constraint on partial melting models. Calculations suggest that batch melting models are more compatible with this constraint than are fractional melting models, but models incorporating currently accepted distribution coefficients and residual phase assemblages cannot reproduce the observed isotope effects except under highly specific conditions. The slope of the correlation is not consistent with the hypotheses that chemical structure in the mantle is due to accretional heterogeneity or variable loss of elements to the core. If the mantle reservoirs are complementary in composition to the continental crust, and if the crust + mantle has ε_Nd = 0andε_Sr = 0 and chondritic Sr/Nd, then Rb/Sr in the crust is calculated to be less than 0.10, suggesting that the crust may be more mafic in composition and contain a smaller proportion of the earth's Rb and heat-producing elements than previously estimated.     

Aoyitake plagiogranite in western Tarim Block, NW China: Age, geochemistry, petrogenesis and its tectonic implications

SHRIMPP U-Pb zircon age and geochemical and Nd isotopic data are reported for the Aoyitake plagiogranite in western Tarim Block, NW China. The plagiogranite intruded the Middle Pro- terozoic and Lower Carboniferous with an exposure area of ca. 60 km2 and crystallized at 330.7±4.8 Ma. Rock types mainly include tonalite, trondhjemite and minor amounts of diorite and quartz-diorite. Feldspars in the rocks are dominated by oligoclase-andesine, and minor perthite observed locally. The granites are sodic with Na/K ratios (molar) between 4 and 87. Total REE (50-220 ppm) show a clear positive correlation with SiO2. There is no LRRE/HREE fractionation (LaN/YbN=0.5-1.5), me- dium negative Eu anomalies (δ Eu=0.3-0.6), high Y content and low Sr/Y ratio (~1.0). These granites exhibit relatively juvenile Nd T2DM model ages of 470 to 580 Ma and positive εNd(331 Ma) values of 6.23 to 7.65. The aforementioned characteristics are similar to those of ocean island or ocean ridge plagiogranites. However, the regional geology, especially its scale, precludes that the plagiogranite pluton was derived directly from fractionational crystallization of mantle-derived basaltic magma. We interpreted that the primary magma of the pluton might be tonalitic in composition generated by ca. 50% partial melting of the juvenile basaltic crust. The primary magma experienced intensive frac- tionational crystallization, and intruded into the middle to upper crusts to form the granite pluton. In combination with the previous regional geological data, it is concluded that the plagiogranite pluton was emplaced within the Tarim Block in respond to the Carboniferous continental rifting along the Tianshan orogenic belt.