Combined U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope data on turbidites of the Paleozoic basement of NW Argentina and petrology of associated igneous rocks: Implications for the tectonic evolution of western Gondwana between 560 and 460 Ma

New combined U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope analyses on zircon from three turbidite deposits, and petrologic data for associated igneous rocks were used to study the evolution of the Paleozoic basement of Eastern Cordillera, NW Argentina. Maximum and minimum ages for turbidite deposits, considered to be part of the Puncoviscana Fm., are reported. In the Tastil area, turbidites were deposited in a fore-arc setting after 560 Ma and intruded at 534 Ma by the Tastil batholith. In the El Niño Muerto Hill area turbidites with maximum depositional age of 496 ± 11 Ma were intruded by high-K dacites at 483 ± 3 Ma. In the Río Blanco Valley, the turbiditic/hemipelagitic sediments, with maximum depositional age of 463 ± 11 Ma were contemporaneous with E-MORB/OIB volcanism. The U–Pb and Lu–Hf data permitted to distinguish two major periods of magmatic activity during Late Mesoproterozoic–Early Neoproterozoic (0.95 to 1.2 Ga) and Late Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic (0.75 to 0.46 Ga) times, the former dominated by the input of juvenile crust and the latter by arc magmatism and recycling of Meso- to Paleoproterozoic crust. On the basis of new data we suggest that western margin of Gondwana was controlled by subduction processes and accretion of small terrains during Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic times.     

Mesoproterozoic (Grenville-age) terranes in the Kyrgyz North Tianshan: Zircon ages and Nd–Hf isotopic constraints on the origin and evolution of basement blocks in the southern Central Asian Orogen

The North Tianshan orogenic belt in Kyrgyzstan consists predominantly of Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic assemblages and tectonically interlayered older Precambrian crystalline complexes and formed during early Paleozoic accretionary and collisional events. One of the oldest continental fragments of late Mesoproterozoic (Grenvillian) age occurs within the southern part of the Kyrgyz North Tianshan. Using SHRIMP zircon ages, we document two magmatic events at ~ 1.1 and ~ 1.3 Ga. The younger event is characterized by voluminous granitoid magmatism between 1150 and 1050 Ma and is associated with deformation and metamorphism. The older event is documented by ~ 1.3 Ga felsic volcanism of uncertain tectonic significance and may reflect a rifting episode. Geochemical signatures as well as Nd and Hf isotopes of the Mesoproterozoic granitoids indicate melting of still older continental crust with model ages of ca 1.2 to 2.4 Ga.The Mesoproterozoic assemblages are intruded by Paleozoic diorites and granitoids, and Nd and Hf isotopic systematics suggest that the diorites are derived from melts that are mixtures of the above Mesoproterozoic basement and mantle-derived material; their source is thus distinct from that of the Mesoproterozoic rocks. Emplacement of these plutons into the Precambrian rocks occurred between 461 and 441 Ma. This is much younger than previously assumed and indicates that small plutons and large batholiths in North Tianshan were emplaced virtually synchronously in the late Ordovician to early Silurian.The Mesoproterozoic rocks in the North Tianshan may be remnants of a once larger continental domain, whose fragments are preserved in adjacent blocks of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Comparison with broadly coeval terranes in the Kokchetav area of northern Kazakhstan, the Chinese Central Tianshan and the Tarim craton point to some similarities and suggests that these may represent fragments of a single Mesoproterozoic continent characterized by a major orogenic event at ~ 1.1 Ga, known as the Tarimian orogeny.     

Tectono-thermal events in East Kunlun,Northern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from zircon U–Pb geochronology

The widely distributed high-grade gneisses in the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt (EKOB) are keys to understand the Precambrian tectonic evolution of the Northern Tibetan Plateau. In this study, new LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb ages from paragneiss and schist of the Proterozoic Jinshuikou Group and quartzite of the Proterozoic Binggou Group are reported in an attempt to evaluate the Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic tectono-thermal events of the EKOB. These geochronologic data can be classified into 4 groups: Group 1 ages ranging from 2243 Ma to 3701 Ma are represented by inherited zircons from protolith and confirm the existence of Eoarchean to Paleoproterozoic continental nucleus in the source region of the Jinshuikou Group. Group 2 ranging from 928 Ma to 1849 Ma yields lower intercept ages of 0.9–1.0 Ga which represent the Neoproterozoic tectono-thermal event. This event, similar to that of the northern margin of Qaidam, might be a response to the assembly of Rodinia. Group 3 ranges from Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic with lower intercept ages which are identical to the weighted mean ages of Group 4. These two age groups confirm the tectono-thermal event related to Paleozoic oceanic subduction. Moreover, based on the youngest age of 2.2 Ga in Group 1 and the upper intercept age of 1.8 Ga in Group 2, the depositional timing of the Jinshuikou and Binggou groups can be defined as Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic, respectively.     

Formation and evolution of Precambrian continental lithosphere in South China

An overview is presented for the formation and evolution of Precambrian continental lithosphere in South China. This is primarily based on an integrated study of zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopes in crustal rocks, with additional constraints from Re–Os isotopes in mantle-derived rocks. Available Re–Os isotope data on xenolith peridotites suggest that the oldest subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath South China is primarily of Paleoproterozoic age. The zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotope studies reveal growth and reworking of the juvenile crust at different ages. Both the Yangtze and Cathaysia terranes contain crustal materials of Archean U–Pb ages. Nevertheless, zircon U–Pb ages exhibit two peaks at 2.9–3.0 Ga and ~ 2.5 Ga in Yangtze but only one peak at ~ 2.5 Ga in Cathaysia. Both massive rocks and crustal remnants (i.e., zircon) of Archean U–Pb ages occur in Yangtze, but only crustal remnants of Archean U–Pb ages occur in Cathaysia. Zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in the Kongling complex of Yangtze suggest the earliest episode of crustal growth in the Paleoarchean and two episodes of crustal reworking at 3.1–3.3 Ga and 2.8–3.0 Ga. Both negative and positive ε_Hf(t) values are associated with Archean U–Pb ages of zircon in South China, indicating both the growth of juvenile crust and the reworking of ancient crust in the Archean. Paleoproterozoic rocks in Yangtze exhibit four groups of U–Pb ages at 2.1 Ga, 1.9–2.0 Ga, ~ 1.85 Ga and ~ 1.7 Ga, respectively. They are associated not only with reworking of the ancient Archean crust in the interior of Yangtze, but also with the growth of the contemporaneous juvenile crust in the periphery of Yangtze. In contrast, Paleoproterozoic rocks in Cathaysia were primarily derived from reworking of Archean crust at 1.8–1.9 Ga. The exposure of Mesoproterozoic rocks are very limited in South China, but zircon Hf model ages suggest the growth of juvenile crust in this period due to island arc magmatism of the Grenvillian oceanic subduction. Magmatic rocks of middle Neoproterozoic U–Pb ages are widespread in South China, exhibiting two peaks at about 830–800 Ma and 780–740 Ma, respectively. Both negative and positive ε_Hf(t) values are associated with the middle Neoproterozoic U–Pb ages of zircon, suggesting not only growth and reworking of the juvenile Mesoproterozoic crust but also reworking of the ancient Archean and Paleoproterozoic crust in the middle Neoproterozoic. The tectonic setting for this period of magmatism would be transformed from arc–continent collision to continental rifting with reference to the plate tectonic regime in South China.     

Precambrian terranes in the southwestern framing of the Siberian craton: isotopic provinces,stages of crustal evolution and accretion-collision events

We studied geology and main rock assemblages of the Precambrian Kan, Arzybei, and Derba terranes of the Central Asian Fold Belt which border the Siberian craton in the southwest. The Precambrian terranes include three isotopic provinces (Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, and Neoproterozoic) distinguished from the Sm-Nd isotope compositions of granitoids, felsic metavolcanics, and metasediments. The terranes formed in three stages of crustal evolution: 2.3–2.5, 0.9–1.1, and 0.8–0.9 Ga. Proterozoic juvenile crust was produced by subduction-related magmatism; it was originally of transitional composition and transformed into continental crust by potassic plutonism as late as the Late Vendian-Cambrian. Terrigenous sediments in the Arzybei and Derba terranes vary in T(DM) Nd model ages from 1.0 to 2.0 Ga. The Nd ages of the underlying metavolcanics and lowest T(DM) of metasediments indicate that terrigenous sedimentation started in the Neoproterozoic. It was maintained by erosion of Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic crust and, to a lesser extent, of Early Precambrian rocks on the craton margin or in Paleoproterozoic terranes. Ar-Ar dating of amphiboles and biotites from metamorphic rocks and U-Pb dating of zircons from granitoids yielded 600–555 and 500–440 Ma, respectively, corresponding to the Vendian and Early Paleozoic stages of nearly synchronous metamorphism and plutonism. Accretion and collision events caused amalgamation of the Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, and Neoproterozoic terranes in the Vendian and their collision with the Siberian craton. The lateral growth of the paleocontinent completed in the Late Ordovician.     

Detrital and xenocrystic zircon ages from Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic arc terranes of Mongolia: Significance for the origin of crustal fragments in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt contains many Precambrian crustal fragments whose origin is unknown, and previous speculations suggested these to be derived from either Siberia, Tarim or northern Gondwana. We present an age pattern for detrital and xenocrystic zircons from Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic arc and microcontinental terranes in Mongolia and compare this with patterns for Precambrian rocks in southern Siberia, the North China craton, the Tarim craton and northeastern Gondwana in order to define the most likely source region for the Mongolian zircons. Our data were obtained by SHRIMP II, LA-ICP-MS and single zircon evaporation and predominantly represent arc-related low-grade volcanic rocks and clastic sediments but also accretionary wedges and ophiolitic environments.The Mongolian pattern is dominated by zircons in the age range ca. 350–600 and 700–1020 Ma as well as minor peaks between ca. 1240 and 2570 Ma. The youngest group reflects cannibalistic reworking of the Palaeozoic arc terranes, whereas the Neoproterozoic to late Mesoproterozoic peak reflects both reworking of the arc terranes as well as Neoproterozoic rifting and a Grenville-age crust-formation event.The 700–1020 Ma peak does not exist in the age spectra of the Siberian and North China cratons and thus effectively rules out these basement blocks as potential source areas for the Mongolian zircons. The best agreement is with the Tarim craton where a major Grenville-age orogenic event and early Neoproterozoic rifting have been identified. The age spectra also do not entirely exclude northeastern Gondwana as a source for the Mongolian zircons, but here the Neoproterozoic age peak is related to the Pan-African orogeny, and a minor Grenville-age peak may reflect a controversial orogenic event in NW India.Our Mongolian detrital and xenocrystic age spectrum suggests that the Tarim craton was the main source, and we favour a tectonic scenario similar to the present southwestern Pacific where fragments of Australia are rifted off and become incorporated into the Indonesian arc and microcontinent amalgamation that will evolve into a future orogenic belt.     

Evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Supercollage since Late Neoproterozoic revised again

Revision of crustal architecture and evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Supercollage (CAOS) between the breakup of Rodinia and assembly of Pangea shows that its internal pattern cannot be explained via a split of metamorphic terranes from and formation of juvenile magmatic arcs near the East European and Siberian cratons, followed by zone-parallel complex duplication and oroclinal bending of just one or two magmatic arcs/subduction zones against the rotating cratons. Also, it cannot be explained by breakup of multiple cratonic terranes and associated magmatic arcs from Gondwana and their drift across the Paleoasian Ocean towards Siberia. Instead, remnants of early Neoproterozoic oceanic lithosphere at the southern, western and northern periphery of the Siberian craton, as well as Neoproterozoic arc magmatism in terranes, now located in the middle of the CAOS, suggest oceanic spreading and subduction between Eastern Europe and Siberia even before the breakup of Rodinia at 740–720 Ma. Some Precambrian terranes in the western CAOS and Alai-Tarim-North China might have acted as a bridge between Eastern Europe and Siberia.The CAOS evolution can be rather explained by multiple regroupings of old and juvenile crust in eastern Rodinia in response to: 1) 1000–740 Ma propagation of the Taimyr-Paleoasian oceanic spreading centres between Siberian and East European cratons towards Alai-Tarim-North China; 2) 665–540 Ma opening and expansion of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean, collision of Siberian and East European cratons with formation of the Timanides and tectonic isolation of the Paleoasian Ocean; 3) 520–450 Ma propagation of the Dzhalair-Naiman and then Transurals-Turkestan oceanic spreading centres, possibly from the Paleotethys Ocean, between Eastern Europe and Alai-Tarim, essentially rearranging all CAOS terranes into a more or less present layout; and 4) middle to late Paleozoic expansion of the Paleotethys Ocean and collision of Alai-Tarim-North China cratons with CAOS terranes and Siberian craton to form the North Asian Paleoplate prior to its collision with Eastern Europe along the Urals to form Laurasia. Two to five subduction zones, some stable long-term and some short-living or radically reorganized in time, can be restored in the CAOS during different phases of its evolution.     

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.     

Provenance of lateritic bauxite deposits in the Wuchuan–Zheng’an–Daozhen area,Northern Guizhou Province,China: LA-ICP-MS and SIMS U–Pb dating of detrital zircons

The provenance of the large and super-large scale bauxite deposits developed in the Wuchuan–Zheng’an–Daozhen (WZD) alumina metallogenic province in the Yangtze Block of South China is poorly understood. LA-ICP-MS and SIMS U–Pb dating of detrital zircons from bauxite ores and the underlying Hanjiadian Group in the WZD area provide new constrains on the provenance of the WZD bauxite and provide new insight on the bauxite ore-forming process. The ages of the detrital zircons in the bauxites and the zircons in the Hanjiadian Group are similar suggesting that the bauxites are genetically related to the Hanjiadian sediments. The detrital zircon populations of the four samples studied show four primary age peaks: 2600–2400 Ma, 1900–1700 Ma, 1300–700 Ma and 700–400 Ma. The age distribution of detrital zircons indicates that they are probably derived from various sources including Neoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, Paleoproterozoic, Archean and some minor Paleozoic sources. The most abundant age population contains a continuous range of ages from 1300 to 700 Ma, ages consistent with subduction-related magmatic activities (1000–740 Ma) along the western margin of the Yangtze Block and the worldwide Grenville orogenic events (1300–1000 Ma). Thus, it is suggested that the main provenances of the WZD bauxite and the Hanjiadian Group are the Neoproterozoic igneous rocks in the western Yangtze Block and the Grenville-age igneous rocks in the southern Cathaysia Block. In addition, this work verifies that the global Grenville orogenic events and subduction-related magmatic activities associated with the Yangtze Block had a significant influence on the formation of the WZD bauxite deposits.     

Provenance of metasedimentary rocks from the Beishan orogenic collage,southern Altaids: Constraints from detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data

The origin and tectonic settings of metasedimentary sequences in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt have been a matter of debate regarding their contributions with some proposals of being microcontinents or accreted material, largely due to a lack of high resolution geochronological data. This paper reports detrital zircon U–Pb age and Hf isotopic data for the previously mapped Precambrian metasedimentary rocks from the Beishan orogenic collage, southern Altaids. Our data show that Precambrian ages dominate all the analyzed samples, but two samples yield Paleozoic zircons which suggest that they were not deposited in the Precambrian. The late Paleoproterozoic–early Mesoproterozoic group (~ 2000–1300 Ma) is the largest age population among the six samples analyzed. This age population (~ 2000–1300 Ma) corresponds to the assembly and subsequent break-up of the Columbia supercontinent. Only one sample (11SYS01) yields Neoproterozoic ages (with two peaks at 930 and 785 Ma), which shows a possible affinity with the Tarim Craton. Hence, the age spectra presented here are generally different from that of the Tarim Craton and the metasedimentary rocks from the Central Tienshan. Our data show that the Tarim Craton is not the main source area for the metasedimentary rocks from the Beishan orogenic collage, but instead multiple source areas may have contributed to the Beishan collage. Combining our new results with published data, we favor an allochthonous origin for the metasedimentary sequences which may be associated with major thrust tectonics. Therefore, a long-lived arc accretionary model is proposed for the tectonic evolution of the Beishan orogenic collage.     

Signature of Precambrian extension events in the southern Siberian craton

We investigate extension events in the southern Siberian craton between 1.8 and 0.7 Ga. Signature of Late Paleoproterozoic within-plate extension in the Northern Baikal region is found in 167 4± 29 Ma dike swarms. A Mesoproterozoic extension event was associated with intrusion of the 1535 ± 14 Ma Chernaya Zima granitoids into the Urik-Iya graben deposits. Neoproterozoic extension recorded in the Sayan-Baikal dike belt (740-780 Ma dike complexes) was concurrent with the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent and the initiation of the Paleoasian passive margin along the southern edge of the Siberian craton. The scale of rifting-related magmatism and the features of the coeval sedimentary complexes in the southern Siberian craton indicate that Late Paleoproterozoic and Early Mesoproterozoic extension did not cause ocean opening, and the Paleoasian Ocean opened as a result of Neoproterozoic rifting.     

The Pacific Gondwana margin in the late Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic: Detrital zircon U–Pb ages from metasediments in northwest Argentina reveal their maximum age,provenance and tectonic setting

U–Pb detrital zircon ages are reported from Puncoviscana Formation (late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian) and Mesón Group (Late Cambrian) greywackes of northwest Argentina, to constrain provenance and depositional environment.The new data are combined with previously-published detrital zircon ages, to show that Puncoviscana Formation age patterns contain two broad groups: late Mesoproterozoic–early Neoproterozoic (1150–850 Ma) and late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian (650–520 Ma); with their relative proportions varying inversely with youngest component age. The 1150–850 Ma age components are dominant in greywackes with oldest late Neoproterozoic components > 600 Ma. The former diminish considerably when late Neoproteozoic components become dominant and younger, to 520 Ma. A northernmost greywacke sample from Purmamarca, Jujuy, is distinctive: whilst its zircon age pattern partly resembles other Puncoviscana Formation samples, it contains no Cambrian–late Neoproterozoic ages, the youngest ages being early Neoproterozoic. This may reflect an early, Neoproterozoic, passive-margin depocentre for the Formation, or an older (early Neoproterozoic) succession within it, which may predate the Brasiliano orogeny in Brazil. The youngest age components, c. 520 Ma, in a greywacke from Rancagua (Cachi, Salta province), dominate an almost unimodal pattern suggestive of contemporary volcanic sources at a late Early Cambrian depocentre. Detrital zircon age patterns of the Mesón Group (Lizoite Formation) have major Cambrian–latest Neoproterozoic components resembling those of the Puncoviscana Formation, but its Mesoproterozoic component is diminished, and there are no significant age components of this age. Small youngest components at c. 500 Ma suggest a maximum Late Cambrian stratigraphic age. The Puncoviscana Formation detrital zircon patterns suggest a provenance in a continental hinterland having a stabilised, extensive late Mesoproterozoic orogen (with minor Paleoproterozoic and Archean precursors), and a more variable late Neoproterozoic orogen containing an evolving sequence of less extensive subcomponents. A direct relationship with the Brazilian Shield is suggested; with sediment supplies originating within active-margin orogens of the interior and collisional orogens at the suture between African and South American cratons, but ultimate deposition in passive-margin environments of western Gondwanaland.     

Silurian magmatism in eastern Senegal and its significance for the Paleozoic evolution of NW-Gondwana

Submarine basalt and trachyte of the Nandoumba group occur in eastern Senegal within the Bassarides branch of the Mauritanides orogen. The unit forms part of the parautochthonous domain which is stacked between underlying Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic foreland and overlying Variscan nappes. The crystallisation age of the volcanic to subvolcanic rocks has been determined by U–Pb single zircon SHRIMP method at 428 ± 5.2 Ma whereas zircon xenocryst ages vary from 500 to 2200 Ma. The shape of the xenocryst grains document proximal Neo- and Paleoproterozoic and distal Mesoproterozoic provenance areas for assimilated sediments. This is compatible with the Paleoproterozoic Birimian basement and Neoproterozoic cover rocks nearby whereas an origin from the Amazonian craton could be assumed for distal Mesoproterozoic zircons.Geochemical and Sm–Nd isotope whole rock analysis show that basalts of the Nandoumba group are similar to modern transitional to alkaline volcanic lavas in intraplate settings. Those basalts have a deep mantle source with a great contribution of a recycled mantle component such as EM1 and/or EM2. The basalts resemble in their composition those from the Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia which are of similar age suggesting a common source and therefore connection of Meguma with Gondwana during this period. Review of circum-Atlantic Silurian magmatism indicates ongoing fragmentation of NW-Gondwana that started in Cambro/Ordovician times.     

The early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Russian Altai: Implications from geochemical and detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic studies of meta-sedimentary complexes in the Charysh–Terekta–Ulagan–Sayan suture zone

The Charysh–Terekta–Ulagan–Sayan suture zone was regarded as a tectonic boundary separating two distinct subduction–accretion systems in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). In the north, magmatic arcs, such as the Gorny Altai terrane, formed in the southwestern periphery of the Siberian continent, whereas in the south, arc-prism systems, such as the Altai–Mongolian terrane, formed around the so-called Kazakhstan–Baikal composite continent with Gondwana affinity. When did these two systems amalgamate and whether the metamorphic complexes in the suture zone represent Precambrian micro-continental slivers are critical for our understanding of the accretionary orogenesis and crustal growth rate in the CAOB. A combined geochemical and detrital zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopic study was conducted on the meta-sedimentary rocks from the Ulagan (also referred to Bashkaus) and Teletsk Complexes in the suture zone. The results indicate that the protoliths of these rocks were dominated by immature sediments deposited in a time period between 500 and 420 Ma. Thus, Precambrian micro-continental slivers may not exist in the suture zone and even in the whole Altai Orogen.The meta-sedimentary rocks from the Ulagan Complex yield geochemical compositions between those of common intermediate and felsic igneous rocks, implying that these kinds of rocks possibly served as dominant sources. Detrital zircons from this complex consist of a major population of ca. 620–500 Ma, a subordinate one of ca. 931–671 Ma and rare grains of ca. 2899–1428 Ma. This age spectrum is compatible with the magmatic records of the western Mongolia. We propose that the Ulagan Complex possibly represents part of a subduction–accretion complex built upon an active continental margin of the western Mongolia in the early Paleozoic. The remarkable similarities in source nature, provenance, and depositional setting to the early Paleozoic meta-sedimentary rocks from the northern Altai–Mongolian terrane imply that the Ulagan Complex was possibly fragmented from this terrane.The meta-sedimentary rocks from the Teletsk Complex show similar detrital zircon populations but contain higher proportions of mafic sediments and have more depleted whole-rock Nd isotopic compositions. Our data suggest that the detritus mostly came from the same source as that for the Ulagan Complex but those from the Gorny Altai terrane also contributed. This implies that the Gorny Altai and Altai-Mongolian terranes possibly amalgamated prior to the early Devonian rather than in the middle Devonian to early Carboniferous as previously thought. Thus, the widespread Devonian to early Carboniferous magmatism within these two terranes was possibly generated in a similar tectonic setting. Moreover, the dominant Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic detrital zircons from the Teletsk Complex yield largely varied ɛ_Hf(t) values of − 23.8 to 12.4, indicating that crustal growth and reworking are both important in the accretionary orogenesis.     

The Arequipa Massif of Peru: New SHRIMP and isotope constraints on a Paleoproterozoic inlier in the Grenvillian orogen

The enigmatic Arequipa Massif of southwestern Peru is an outcrop of Andean basement that underwent Grenville-age metamorphism, and as such it is important for the better constraint of Laurentia–Amazonia ties in Rodinia reconstruction models. U–Pb SHRIMP zircon dating has yielded new evidence on the evolution of the Massif between Middle Paleoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic. The oldest rock-forming events occurred in major orogenic events between ca. 1.79 and 2.1 Ga (Orosirian to Rhyacian), involving early magmatism (1.89–2.1 Ga, presumably emplaced through partly Archaean continental crust), sedimentation of a thick sequence of terrigenous sediments, UHT metamorphism at ca. 1.87 Ga, and late felsic magmatism at ca. 1.79 Ga. The Atico sedimentary basin developed in the Late-Mesoproterozoic and detrital zircons were fed from a source area similar to the high-grade Paleoproterozoic basement, but also from an unknown source that provided Mesoproterozoic zircons of 1200–1600 Ma. The Grenville-age metamorphism was of low-P type; it both reworked the Paleoproterozoic rocks and also affected the Atico sedimentary rocks. Metamorphism was diachronous: ca. 1040 Ma in the Quilca and Camaná areas and in the San Juán Marcona domain, 940 ± 6 Ma in the Mollendo area, and between 1000 and 850 Ma in the Atico domain. These metamorphic domains are probably tectonically juxtaposed. Comparison with coeval Grenvillian processes in Laurentia and in southern Amazonia raises the possibility that Grenvillian metamorphism in the Arequipa Massif resulted from extension and not from collision. The Arequipa Massif experienced Ordovician–Silurian magmatism at ca. 465 Ma, including anorthosites formerly considered to be Grenvillian, and high-T metamorphism deep within the magmatic arc. Focused retrogression along shear zones or unconformities took place between 430 and 440 Ma.     

Neoproterozoic and Hercynian metamorphic events in the Central Mauritanides: Implications for the geodynamic evolution of West Africa

Field and petrostructural investigations in the Central Mauritanides provide new precisions on the polyorogenic character of the nappe edifice of this belt. The upper structural unit exposed in the Gaouâ area includes anatectic gneisses and high-grade metasediments affected by medium temperature, high-pressure metamorphism and cut by granitoids. They represent a basement unconformably overlain by a monometamorphic cover, the Gaouâ Group, of assumed lower Paleozoic age. Late Paleozoic regional metamorphism of metapelites from this cover is characterized by pyrophyllite–kyanite–chloritoid assemblages equilibrated at T around 420 °C and P = 1 GPa. In the lower structural unit exposed in the south around Boufkerine-Farkâkâ, metapelites of the Gadel Group display slightly retrogressed garnet–kyanite–staurolite–rutile assemblages that equilibrated at T around 600 °C and P ? 1.2 GPa before the intrusion of 639 Ma old plutons . The Gadel Group locally overlies in unconformity polycyclic gneisses. This continental assemblage represents an outboard terrane inserted between two monocyclic greenschist facies terranes: remnants of oceanic lithosphere in the east and arc-derived metasediments and metavolcanics cut by 670 Ma old calc-alkaline plutons in the west. All units have been involved in late Paleozoic nappes emplaced to the east above the West African craton and its late Neoproterozoic to Cambro-ordovician cover. Though an east-directed vergence is locally recorded in the Neoproterozoic units, most early E-W trending stretching and mineral lineations are synchronous with greenschist facies metamorphism developed during the Late Paleozoic and roughly coeval with the Applachian nappe system.     

Subduction-related metasomatic mantle source in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Evidence from amphibolites in the Xilingol Complex,Inner Mongolia,China

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) formed mainly in the Paleozoic due to the closure of the Paleo-Asian oceanic basins and accompanying prolonged accretion of pelagic sediments, oceanic crust, magmatic arcs, and Precambrian terranes. The timing of subduction–accretion processes and closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean has long been controversial and is addressed in a geochemical and isotopic investigation of mafic rocks, which can yield important insight into the geodynamics of subduction zone environments. The Xilingol Complex, located on the northern subduction–accretion zone of the CAOB, mainly comprises strongly deformed quartzo-feldspathic gneisses with intercalated lenticular or quasi-lamellar amphibolite bodies. An integrated study of the petrology, geochemistry, and geochronology of a suite of amphibolites from the complex constrains the nature of the mantle source and the tectono-metamorphic events in the belt. The protoliths of these amphibolites are gabbros and gabbroic diorites that intruded at ca. 340–321 Ma with positive εHf_(t) values ranging from + 2.89 to + 12.98. Their T_DM1 model ages range from 455 to 855 Ma and peak at 617 Ma, suggesting that these mafic rocks are derived from a depleted continental lithospheric mantle. The primitive magma was generated by variable degrees of partial melting of spinel-bearing peridotites. Fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene and hornblende has played a dominant role during magma differentiation with little or no crustal contamination. The mafic rocks are derived from a Late Neoproterozoic depleted mantle source that was subsequently enriched by melts affected by slab-derived fluids and sediments, or melts with a sedimentary source rock. The Carboniferous mafic rocks in the northern accretionary zone of the CAOB record a regional extensional event after the Early Paleozoic subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Both addition of mantle-derived magmas and recycling of oceanic crust played key roles in significant Late Carboniferous (ca. 340–309 Ma) vertical crustal growth in the CAOB. Amphibolite–facies metamorphism (P = 0.34–0.52 GPa, T = 675–708 °C) affected these mafic rocks in the Xilingol Complex at ca. 306–296 Ma, which may be related to the crustal thickening by northward subduction of a forearc oceanic crust beneath the southern margin of the South Mongolian microcontinent. The final formation of the Solonker zone may have lasted until ca. 228 Ma.     

Petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of Neoproterozoic and Late Paleozoic magmatism in the Manzhouli–Erguna area of Inner Mongolia,China: Geochronological,geochemical and Hf isotopic evidence

U–Pb dating and Hf isotopic analyses of zircons from various granitoids, combined with major and trace element analyses, were undertaken to determine the petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of Neoproterozoic and Late Paleozoic magmatism in the Manzhouli–Erguna area of Inner Mongolia, China. The Neoproterozoic granitoids are mainly biotite monzogranites with zircon U–Pb ages of 894 ± 13 Ma and 880 ± 10 Ma, and they are characterised by enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Ba, K) and light rare earth elements (LREEs), depletion in high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). The Late Devonian granitoids are dominantly syenogranites and mylonitised syenogranites with zircon U–Pb ages of 360 ± 4 Ma, and they form a bimodal magmatic association with subordinate gabbroic rocks of the same age. The Late Devonian syenogranites have A-type characteristics including high total alkalis, Zr, Nb, Ce and Y contents, and high FeOt/MgO, Ga/Al and Rb/Sr ratios. The Carboniferous granitoids are mainly tonalites, granodiorites and monzogranites with U–Pb ages varying from 319 to 306 Ma, and they show very strong adakitic characteristics such as high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios but low Y and Yb contents. The Late Permian granitoids are dominated by monzogranites and syenogranites with zircon U–Pb ages ranging between 257 and 251 Ma. Isotopically, the ε_Hf(t) values of the Neoproterozoic granitoids range from +4.3 to +8.3, and the two-stage model ages (T_DM2) from 1.2 to 1.5 Ga. The Late Devonian granitoids are less radiogenic [ε_Hf(t) from +12.0 to +12.8 and T_DM2 from 545 to 598 Ma] than the Carboniferous [ε_Hf(t) from +6.8 to +9.5 and T_DM2 from 722 to 894 Ma] and Late Permian granitoids [ε_Hf(t) from +6.1 to +9.4 and T_DM2 in the range of 680–895 Ma]. These data indicate (1) the Neoproterozoic granitoids may have been generated by melting of a juvenile crust extracted from the mantle during the Mesoproterozoic, probably during or following the final stages of assembly of Rodinia as a result of the collision and amalgamation of Australia and the Tarim Craton; (2) the Late Devonian granitoids may have formed by partial melting of a new mantle-derived juvenile crust in a post-orogenic extensional setting; (3) the Carboniferous granitoids appear to have been produced by melting of garnet-bearing amphibolites within a thickened continental crust during and following the collision of the Songnen and Erguna–Xing’an terranes; and (4) the Late Permian granitoids may have been generated by melting of garnet-free amphibolites within the Neoproterozoic juvenile continental crust, probably in the post-collisional tectonic setting that followed the collision of the North China and Siberian cratons.     

Identification and isotopic studies of early Cambrian magmatism (El Carancho Igneous Complex) at the boundary between Pampia terrane and the Río de la Plata craton,La Pampa province,Argentina

We have identified late Early Cambrian metaigneous rocks very poorly exposed at the Estancia El Carancho, in central La Pampa province, Argentina. They comprise calc–alkaline metadiorite and metagranite, and tholeiitic metapyroxenite and metagabbro. They are jointly referred to as the El Carancho Igneous Complex, and regarded to pertain to the Pampean magmatic arc and backarc, respectively. Titanite U–Pb SHRIMP dating of the metapyroxenite yielded 528 ± 5 Ma, and zircon U–Pb SHRIMP dating of the metadiorite yielded 520 ± 1.4 Ma. Hafnium isotope determinations on the dated zircons show ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios corresponding to positive εHf values from + 7.18 to + 9.37; Hf model ages of the Cambrian zircons yielded 884 Ma. It is interpreted that the metadiorites of the Complex crystallized from an Early Neoproterozoic (Tonian) juvenile source. We argue that the inferred occurrence of juvenile Tonian magmatic rocks in the (otherwise, mostly Paleo-Mesoproterozoic) substratum of the southern Pampia terrane could indicate a zone of thinned basement possibly associated with the early stage of Rodinia's breakup. In addition, the studied segment of the Pampean magmatic arc is contaminated by also juvenile, Late Mesoproterozoic crust, as evidenced by the presence of xenocrystic cores of 1140–1194 Ma – T_DM-Hf 1720 Ma and εHf values of + 3.24 to + 4.85 – in the Cambrian zircons, hence suggesting that the studied segment of the Pampean magmatic arc was intruded into juvenile Late Mesoproterozoic magmatic arc rocks. The El Carancho Igneous Complex would be located at the tectonic boundary between the Pampia terrane and the Río de la Plata craton. This boundary stands out in the aeromagnetic data as a change in the structural orientation about a roughly N-S line located approximately at 65° W and representing the suture zone between the Pampia terrane and the Río de la Plata craton. Our geotectonic model envisages westward dipping subduction of oceanic crust beneath the Pampia terrane; the El Carancho Igneous Complex would, therefore, have been originated on the Pampia side (upper plate) of the suture. Slivers of the arc- and backarc-type rocks would have been tectonically imbricated in the suture zone during the Pampean orogeny.     

Postcollisional magmatism: Geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of Mesozoic granitoids in the Sulu orogen,China

A combined study of zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopes, mineral O isotopes, whole-rock elements and Sr–Nd isotopes was carried out for Mesozoic granitoids from the Shandong Peninsula in east-central China, which tectonically corresponds to the eastern part of the Sulu orogen that formed by the Triassic continental collision between the South and North China Blocks. Four plutons were investigated in this region, with the Linglong and Guojialing plutons from the northwestern part (Jiaobei) and the Kunyushan and Sanfoshan plutons from the southeastern part (Jiaodong). The results show that these granitoids mostly have high Sr, low Yb and Y contents, high (La/Yb)_N and Sr/Y ratios with negligible to positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.69–1.58), which are similar to common adakites. On the other hand, they have relatively low MgO, Cr, Ni contents and thus low Mg#. Zircon U–Pb dating yields Late Jurassic ages of 141 ± 3 to 157 ± 2 Ma for the Linglong and Kunyushan plutons, but Early Cretaceous ages of 111 ± 2 to 133 ± 3 Ma for the Guojialing and Sanfoshan plutons. Some zircon cores from the Linglong and Kunyushan granitoids have Neoproterozoic U–Pb ages. All the granitoids have variably negative zircon ε_Hf(t) values of ?39.6 to ?5.4, with Mesoproterozoic to Paleoproterozoic Hf model ages of 1515 ± 66 to 2511 ± 97 Ma for the Sanfoshan pluton, but Paleoproterozoic to Paleoarchean Hf model ages of 2125 ± 124 to 3310 ± 96 Ma for the other three plutons. These indicate that the Mesozoic granitoids formed in the postcollisional stage and were derived mainly from partial melting of the subducted South China Block that is characterized by Paleoproterozoic juvenile crust and Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks along its northern edge. However, there are some differences between the Jiaobei and Jiaodong plutons. Compared to the Jiaodong granitoids, the Jiaobei granitoids have very old zircon Hf model ages of 3310 ± 96 Ma suggesting the possible involvement of a Paleoarchean crust that may be derived from the North China Block. Therefore, the continental collision between the two blocks would bring crustal materials from both sides into the subduction zone in the Triassic, yielding subduction-thickened crust as the magma source for the adakite-like granitoids. While lithospheric extension and orogenic collapse are considered a major cause for postcollisional magmatism, anatexis of the subducted mafic crust is proposed as a mechanism for chemical differentiation of the continental crust towards felsic composition.