Relationship of the Tarim Craton to the Central Asian Orogenic Belt: insights from Devonian intrusions in the northern margin of Tarim Craton,China

ABSTRACT

The boundary and relation of the Tarim Craton to the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and its role in the formation history of the CAOB remain controversial. This article presents ages and Hf-in-zircon isotopic and geochemical results for gabbroic, dioritic, and granitic plutons from the northern margin of Tarim Craton (NMTC), and discusses their petrogenesis and tectonic regimes as well as the boundary between the CAOB and the Tarim Craton. These plutons yield zircon ages of 424–385 Ma. In the Quruqtagh zone south of the Xinger Fault, the gabbroic pluton shows enrichment in LREEs and LILEs, depletion in HFSEs and positive ε_Hf(t) values (+4.0 to +11.4), suggesting that parental magmas of gabbros were likely derived by partial melting of a depleted mantle wedge previously metasomatized by slab-derived aqueous fluids. In the Hulashan Zone north of the Xinger Fault, the studied rocks include one dioritic pluton and three granitic plutons. The geochemical characteristics and petrogenesis of the dioritic pluton are similar to those of the studied gabbroic with positive ε_Hf(t) values (+3.0 to +9.4). The three granitic plutons display relative depletion in HFSEs and enrichment in LILEs. Their variable ε_Hf(t) values range from ?2.1 to +8.9, with T_DM2 ages of 858–1503 Ma, suggesting complex crustal sources with different proportions of juvenile and ancient materials. This article confirms and evidences an Andean-style active continental margin of the Tarim Craton due to southward subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean. Furthermore, our Hf isotopic data, together with regional data from the literature, show that the Hulashan zone to the north to the Xinger Fault has younger continental materials in deep than these of NMTC south of the fault, and is similar to microcontinental fragments in the CAOB. This suggests that the Xinger fault may be the boundary between the Tarim Craton and Tianshan orogen.     

华北和扬子陆块及秦岭-大别造山带地表和深部太古宙基底的新信息

本文根据华北和扬子陆块及秦岭-大别造山带地表和深部出露的各种岩石中发现的继承性锆石的测年数据,报道了太古宙基底和岩浆事件的新信息,并简要地论述其地质意义。华北陆块东北缘、东南缘、北缘、西北缘共6个地区的深部都存在新太古代和中、古太古代岩浆事件的新信息;南缘深部也存在古太古代岩浆事件的新信息。在华北陆块早前寒武纪同位素年龄直方图(以太古宙岩浆事件为主)上,最高峰值位于2.45-2.6 Ga区间,而以2.5-2.55 Ga最为突出,显示该区间岩浆事件最为强烈,可能代表一次重要的碰撞事件。此外还见有2.7 Ga,2.8 -2.85 Ga,2.95-3.0 Ga,3.1-3.15 Ga,3.3-3.4 Ga,3.45-3.5 Ga,3.6 Ga和3.8 Ga等较高峰值,反映了岩浆事件不同活动阶段的演化趋势。扬子陆块北缘地表和深部有与华北陆块相似的太古宙古老基底信息。扬子陆块中部的长江中下游地区、东南缘相当于江南古陆的地区以及扬子陆块西南缘地区在地壳深部均保留有新太古代和/或古太古代岩浆锆石的年龄信息。秦岭-大别造山带从东到西,多处(主要是深部)也发现有新-中太古代残余岩浆锆石的年龄信息。     

恒山绿岩带的构造特征—晚太古代大陆裂谷作用证据

恒山太古宙绿岩带呈断片或复式向形穿插于片麻岩基底内，绿岩带地层连续性较好，可以恢复出完整的沉积－火山地层序列。主要经历二期变形，早期逆冲褶皱变形和晚期右旋走滑变形。为绿帘角闪岩相－角闪岩相变质。构造恢复表明，绿岩带的形成明显晚于基底，并整合其上，且在其演化过程中对基底产生叠加影响，最合适的构造环境为大陆裂谷，在大陆裂谷闭合过程中。绿岩带及克拉通基底曾发生双向的逆冲作用，基底发生重新活动，并且受到开裂时形成的正断层的控制。当裂谷闭合到一定程度，由于受北部刚性基底的制约，横向挤压不再能调节压应力时，发生了右旋走滑变形，并使早先构造线向ＮＥＥ－ＥＷ向偏转。恒山绿岩带对应于五台山区、太行山北段、灵丘南山等地的五台群，有力地证明绿岩带形成于太古代末期－早元古代陆内裂谷环境，代表华北克技通演化过程中的重要事件，标志着晚太古代华北克拉通已达到相当大的规模，并发生ＮＥ向的刚性破裂。     

Initiation of the North China Craton destruction: Constraints from the diamond-bearing alkaline basalts from Lan'gan,China

The North China Craton (NCC) is an atypical ancient landmass that suffered lithospheric destruction. Previous studies suggest that the eastern part of the lithospheric mantle of the NCC has been thinned and modified in the Mesozoic. However, the initiation time and mechanism of the destruction remain controversial. Mafic magmatism could provide a unique window into deciphering the lithospheric mantle composition and its evolution. Here we present geochemical and geochronological data of the diamond-bearing alkaline basalts from Lan'gan, located in the southeastern margin of the NCC. Zircon U-Pb dating yielded an average age of 174 ± 14 Ma, representing the first reported Jurassic basalts in the eastern NCC. The Lan'gan basalts are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE) and large ion lithosphile elements (LILE). Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(t) = 0.70646–0.70925, εNd(t) = −2.1 to −4.9, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb(t) = 17.14–18.12, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb(t) = 15.28–15.61, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb(t) = 37.82–38.67, and zircon εHf(t) = −17 to −21) are enriched compared to depleted mantle. The presence of primary amphibole indicates that the magma source of the basalts was water enriched. These observations suggest that, the lithospheric mantle of the eastern NCC were significantly refertilized, likely by slab derived fluids/melts from the Paleo-Pacific subduction. Owing to the Paleo-Pacific subduction, the lithospheric mantle of the eastern NCC were reduced in viscosity and intensity, and finally promoted partial melting in a limited scale to generate the investigated alkaline basalts. Hence, the discovery of diamond in the Lan'gan basalts demonstrates that the lithosphere of the NCC remained thick, and that large-scale destruction had not initiated in the early Jurassic beneath this region.     

基于断层滑动数据反演的燕山中西段晚中生代古构造应力场:对华北克拉通破坏峰期应力状态的启示

在燕山中西段晚中生代岩体中的116个观测点中共采集到2 321组断层和破裂面滑动数据,利用Tensor软件进行古构造应力状态反演。将反演结果与区域构造变形及构造演化过程研究结果相结合,发现研究区在侏罗纪末-白垩纪初以来存在5期可识别的构造应力场:(1)晚侏罗世末-早白垩世初近N-S向挤压应力场(D1,148~127 Ma);(2)早白垩世NW-SE向挤压应力场(D2,143~127 Ma);(3)垂向挤压主导的多向水平伸展应力场(D3,120~110 Ma);(4)NE-SW向挤压(D4);(5)E-W向挤压的应力场(D5)。D1和D2可能分别与蒙古-鄂霍茨克洋消减关闭作用的远程构造效应,以及古太平洋板块向欧亚大陆板块下的俯冲作用有关,且这两大构造系统在该时期可能同时作用于燕山地区。D3期应力场可能反映源自壳下深部地幔活动引起的垂向挤压动力作用。D4、D5期应力场相对较弱,其动力学背景尚待今后研究进一步分析。本区古构造应力场研究结果表明,华北克拉通破坏峰期期间,主要的伸展作用并不完全符合西太平洋板块后撤主导的被动伸展裂谷模型,而是表现为深部地幔活动引起的垂向挤压作用主导的水平方向多向伸展。     

北秦岭构造带与华北板块关系探讨: 来自宽坪杂岩变碎屑岩锆石U-Pb年代学与变质作用证据

宽坪杂岩是连接北秦岭构造带和华北板块的重要岩石-构造单元之一,其物质组成和变质变形特征可为探讨北秦岭构造带与华北板块构造关系及演化提供重要证据。本文在已有研究基础上,对宝鸡-眉县-洛南一带宽坪变碎屑岩进行了系统的岩石学、矿物学和碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学研究。结果表明,宽坪碎屑岩最年轻碎屑锆石年龄峰值为~550Ma,最主要碎屑锆石年龄集中区为~2.5Ga和1.0~0.9Ga,次要年龄集中区为1.3~1.0Ga和850~750Ma。通过与周缘可能物源区的年代学特征对比揭示,宽坪碎屑岩物源主要来自北秦岭新元古代花岗岩与秦岭岩群副片麻岩,部分来自南秦岭和扬子板块北缘新元古代花岗岩以及太古宙基底岩系,缺乏华北板块物质;宽坪碎屑岩的碎屑锆石年龄谱特征与南侧的二郎坪碎屑岩近乎一致,暗示两者可能形成于同一沉积盆地。相平衡模拟结果显示,洛南红土岭宽坪杂岩含石榴子石石英片岩记录了顺时针P-T演化轨迹,峰期变质条件为P=7.17~7.92kbar,T=557~563℃,形成于大陆碰撞过程。结合前人报道宽坪杂岩~440Ma的变质年龄,我们认为在早志留世时期宽坪和二郎坪沉积盆地闭合,北秦岭构造带与华北板块碰撞形成现今的构造格局,在此之前北秦岭构造带与华北板块不具有亲缘性。

     

华北克拉通减薄的岩浆岩响应:来自河北武安洪山含霓石斑状正长岩的证据

洪山碱性杂岩体出露于河北省邯郸市永年县,地处太行山南段,出露面积约53 km²,岩性以正长岩类为主体,侵位于晚古生代—中生代地层中。洪山碱性杂岩体中正长岩属于钾质的碱性系列岩石,形成于拉张环境,其形成年龄为(120.1±4.6) Ma,是华北克拉通岩浆作用峰期的产物。岩体稀土元素配分图中无Eu异常,表现为轻稀土元素富集的配分型式。富集Rb、K、Sr等大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti等高场强元素,具有大陆地壳特征。野外观察到岩石具有从深成到浅成-超浅成的特征,电子探针发现长石出现反环带,正长岩中不含继承锆石等特征,结合若要使地壳内岩石部分熔融产生无铕异常的正长质岩浆,那么压力应大于20 kbar,说明洪山碱性杂岩体形成于加厚地壳局部熔融,后经历了少量幔源岩浆混合及地幔流体的注入等过程,导致正长岩出现一定的地幔Hf、Nd同位素印记,而未改变其主微量元素特征,随后在拉张环境下快速上升至地表浅处。     

华北克拉通孔兹岩带东端孤山剖面石榴石基性麻粒岩的变质作用及年代学研究

大同孤山石榴石基性麻粒岩出露在华北克拉通孔兹岩带与中部带的构造接触部位,以大小不等的透镜体形式产于孔兹岩带内的夕线石榴片麻岩和紫苏二长片麻岩中.根据岩相学观察、矿物化学研究、P-T视剖面图和传统温压计计算结果,揭示孤山石榴石基性麻粒岩经历了4个阶段的变质演化:早期进变质阶段(M1)的主要矿物组合为石榴石核心及其内部包体矿物单斜辉石+角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿±金红石.反环带斜长石富钠核部记录了早期压力可达11k bar;峰期变质阶段(M2)的矿物组合是石榴石斑晶和基质中的单斜辉石+斜方辉石+斜长石+钛铁矿+石英,记录的温压条件为850～900℃、9～10kbar;峰期后降压阶段(M3)的标志是石榴石外围发育的后成合晶和冠状环,主要有单斜辉石+斜长石、斜方辉石+斜长石和角闪石+斜长石组合,其形成温压条件为760 ～820℃、5～8kbar;晚期低角闪岩相角闪石的生长表明岩石又经历了降温冷却的过程(M4),温度降至690℃以下.石榴石基性麻粒岩记录了含有近等温降压(ITD)阶段的顺时针变质作用P-T轨迹,揭示了阴山地块与鄂尔多斯地块之间俯冲碰撞加厚下地壳的折返过程.石榴石基性麻粒岩的变质锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年得到了两组变质年龄数据,分别为1945±25Ma和1828±36Ma,它们与阴山地块、鄂尔多斯地块碰撞形成孔兹岩带的时代及华北克拉通东、西陆块碰撞形成中部带的时代一致.结合该地区其他研究结果推断,石榴石基性麻粒岩在～ 1.95Ga鄂尔多斯地块与阴山地块碰撞过程中俯冲进入下地壳底部,经历早期的高压麻粒岩阶段,随后缓慢地抬升到下地壳上部;之后在～1.85Ga东、西部陆块碰撞过程中,石榴石基性麻粒岩折返到中上地壳.     

Earliest Paleoproterozoic supracrustal rocks in the North China Craton recognized from the Daqingshan area of the Khondalite Belt: Constraints on craton evolution

The Upper Wulashan “Subgroup” at Daqingshan in the Khondalite Belt of the Western Block of the North China Craton contains an Early Paleoproterozoic (2.5–2.45 Ga) supracrustal sequence, incorporating banded iron formations, which we refer to as the Daqingshan Supracrustal Rocks. They contain rounded to elliptical zircon grains that commonly show core–rim or core–mantle–rim structures and precise SHRIMP U–Pb dating of these domains allows the discrimination of a series of tectono-thermal events that straddle the Archean/Proterozoic boundary. Detrital zircon cores with oscillatory zoning have formation ages ranging from 2.55 to 2.50 Ga, indicating derivation from Late Neoarchean magmatic rocks. As a result of exhumation and erosion, these became incorporated in earliest Paleoproterozoic sediments that were deposited between 2.50 and 2.45 Ga and then underwent high-grade metamorphism at 2.45–2.40 Ga. This event variously recrystallized the cores into two main domains: a dark inner domain and a gray outer domain, as imaged in cathodoluminescence. The gray domains commonly show sector zoning and have Th/U ratios of 0.1–0.5, a feature commonly noted in zircons recrystallized under high-grade metamorphic conditions. Metamorphic mantles are generally more homogeneous in structure and have lower Th/U ratios (commonly < 0.1) than the recrystallized domains, although they show similar age distributions. However, they are difficult to distinguish when only two domains are present in the zircon and they represent a continuum of recrystallization. The rocks then underwent a second episode of high-grade metamorphism in the Late Paleoproterozoic, as revealed by thin overgrowth rims that are homogeneous or show only weak zoning, have low Th/U ratios (commonly < 0.1), and record ages of 1.95–1.90 Ga. This is the first time that two tectono-thermal events of Early and Late Paleoproterozoic age have been identified in single rock samples from the Western Block of the North China Craton. The conclusion that unequivocal earliest Paleoproterozoic sediments are present in the North China Craton is also supported by evidence that the Daqingshan Supracrustal Rocks are cut by anatectic garnet granite, previously dated at 2.39 Ga. Combined with evidence obtained here and elsewhere in the North China Craton, we conclude that the 2.45–2.40 Ga metamorphism was not an extension of the well-established, craton-wide Late Neoarchean tectono-thermal event, but a previously unrecognized episode that followed a short quiescent period that allowed sedimentation of the Daqingshan Supracrustal Rocks.     

秦岭发现金刚石:横贯中国中部巨型超高压变质带新证据及古生代和中生代两期深俯冲作用的识别

在秦岭北带榴辉岩及其围岩片麻岩的锆石中发现金刚石和大量石墨包裹体。金刚石具典型的1331～1334cm~(-1)拉曼谱峰。变质金刚石的发现证明秦岭北带榴辉岩及其围岩片麻岩经历了超高压变质作用,其俯冲深度>120 km。片麻岩锆石的SHRIMP定年表明,锆石核部代表岩浆事件的年龄或之前的残核年龄为1200～1800 Ma,超高压变质新增生边部的年龄为507±38 Ma,属早古生代。认为北秦岭超高压变质带与印支期大别超高压变质带(240～200 Ma)是时空上两个带。北秦岭超高压变质带向西可以与南阿尔金—柴北缘早古生代(490～440Ma)超高压变质带相连,向东与大别西北部的熊店和浒湾早古生代榴辉岩(420～400 Ma)相连,组成一条沿中央造山带北部分布的加里东期超高压变质带。认为主要分布在大别山南部的印支期超高压变质带应与南秦岭的高压蓝片岩带相连,组成一条分布在中央造山带南部的印支期高压超高压变质带。北秦岭超高压变质带的发现,为中央造山带存在一条西起阿尔金,东至苏鲁的近4000 km的世界上最大的一条超高压变质带的确定提供了新的关键性证据。而沿中央造山带分布的两条超高压变质带说明:①中国南北大陆在早古生代就已拼接在一起,其后,又有印支期的俯冲和碰撞叠加,加里东期超高压变质带主要分布在北部,后者在南部,两者时     

华北克拉通孔兹岩带中段大青山-乌拉山变质杂岩立甲子基性麻粒岩年代学及地球化学研究

大青山-乌拉山变质杂岩立甲子基性麻粒岩主要由角闪二辉麻粒岩、含榴角闪二辉麻粒岩和黑云角闪二辉麻粒岩所组成,并以变形岩墙和不规则透镜体形式赋存于富铝片麻岩和花岗质片麻岩之中.立甲子基性麻粒岩中变质锆石含有单斜辉石(Cpx)+角闪石(Amp)+斜长石(Pl)+磷灰石(Ap)的包体矿物,与寄主岩石——基性麻粒岩矿物组合及其化学成分十分一致,相应的207 pb/206 Pb表面年龄变化于1933±39Ma ～ 1834±40Ma,加权平均年龄为1892±7Ma(MSWD =0.50,n=46),应代表立甲子基性麻粒岩原岩经历中低压麻粒岩相的变质时代.在变质过程中,以大离子亲石元素(K、Na、Sr、Rb)为代表的活动元素发生了显著的改变;而高场强元素(Nb、Zr、Ti)和稀土元素基本无变化,保持稳定.立甲子基性麻粒岩原岩属于拉斑玄武质岩石系列,其SiO2集中变化于45.58％ ～51.40％,Mg#值集中介于41 ～54之间;在球粒陨石标准化稀土配分图中,立甲子基性麻粒岩具有平坦型的稀土配分曲线特征((La/Yb)cN=1.30～1.51),Eu异常不明显(Eu/Eu*=0.93～1.04).与显生宙岛孤拉斑玄武岩类似,立甲子基性麻粒岩所有样品皆具有Nb、Zr、Ti负异常特征.综合分析认为,立甲子基性麻粒岩原岩形成于2450～1930Ma,并于～1900Ma经历中低压麻粒岩相变质作用的改造,其主量元素和微量元素组成具有岛弧拉斑玄武质岩石的地球化学特征,其原岩可能是板块汇聚动力学背景下,岛弧构造环境中形成的辉长岩或辉绿岩.     

Palaeoproterozoic tectonothermal evolution and deep crustal processes in the Jiao‐Liao‐Ji Belt,North China Craton: a review

The Palaeoproterozoic Jiao‐Liao‐Ji Belt is located in the eastern margin of the Eastern Block of the North China Craton. In this paper, we synthesize the tectonothermal evolution and deep crustal processes in the Jiao‐Liao‐Ji Belt based on recent information. A mantle plume‐related underplating from 2.53 to 2.36 Ga is envisaged which led to the emplacement of the 2.47–2.33 Ga alkali granite plutons and mafic dyke swarms, followed by the development of the Jiao‐Liao‐Ji Rift and bi‐modal volcanism. The underplating resulted not only in different sedimentary environments in the upper crust, but also in a differentiation of the initial thermal structure in the rift. This controlled the metamorphism and style of P‐T‐t paths in the different parts of the rift. Subsequent underplating resulted in the emplacement of the A‐type Liaoji granites of ca. 2.17 Ga in the lower crust, and the formation of associated pegmatites of 2.2 and 2.0 Ga, together with the development of a bedding‐parallel extension. However, the main orogeny occurred between 1.93 and 1.88 Ga with closing of the rift, compressional deformation and high‐pressure granulite metamorphism in the southern part of the orogen. Subsequently, lithospheric blocks were possibly delaminated at ∼1.85 Ga; anorogenic magmatic rocks such as rapakivi granite, alkaline granites and syenite were intruded, and pegmatite veins and mafic dyke swarms were emplaced cross‐cutting all the earlier structural traces. We identify that the underplating styles, collision processes and delamination types in the deep lithosphere controlled the tectonothermal evolution of the crust in the Jiao‐Liao‐Ji region. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phase equilibria modelling and zircon age dating of pelitic granulites in Zhaojiayao,from the Jining Group of the Khondalite Belt,North China Craton

The Jining Group occurs as the eastern segment of the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton and is dominated by a series of granulite facies rocks involving ‘normal’ pelitic granulites recording peak temperatures of ~850 °C and ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) pelitic granulites recording peak temperatures of 950–1100 °C. The P–T paths and ages of these two types of granulites are controversial. Three pelitic granulite samples in the Jining Group comprising two sillimanite–garnet gneiss samples (J1208 and J1210) and one spinel–garnet gneiss sample (J1303) were collected from Zhaojiayao, where ‘normal’ pelitic granulites occur, for determination of their metamorphic evolution and ages. Samples J1208 and J1210 are interpreted to record cooling paths from the T_max stages with P–T conditions respectively of ~870–890 °C/7–8 kbar and >840 °C/>7.5 kbar constrained from the stability fields of the observed mineral assemblages and the isopleths of plagioclase, garnet and biotite compositions in pseudosections. Sample J1303 is interpreted to record pre‐T_max decompression from the kyanite‐stability fields to the T_max stage of 950–1020 °C/8–9 kbar and a post‐T_max cooling path revealed mainly from the stability field of the observed mineral assemblage, the plagioclase zoning and the biotite composition isopleth in pseudosections. The post‐T_max cooling stage can be divided into suprasolidus and subsolidus stages. The suprasolidus cooling may not result in an equilibrium state at the solidus in a rock. Therefore, different minerals may record different P–T conditions along the cooling path; the inferred maximum temperature is commonly higher than the solidus as well as different solidi being recorded for different samples from the same outcrop but experiencing different degrees of melt loss. Plagioclase compositions, especially its zoning in plagioclase‐rich granulites, are predicted to be useful for recording the higher temperature conditions of a granulite's thermal history. The three samples studied seem to record the temperature range covering those of the ‘normal’ and UHT pelitic granulites in the Jining Group, suggesting that UHT conditions may be reached in ‘normal’ granulites without diagnostic UHT indicators. LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U–Pb data provide a continuous trend of concordant ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages from 1.89 to 1.79 Ga for sample J1210, and from 1.94 to 1.80 Ga for sample J1303. These continuous and long age spectrums are interpreted to represent a slow cooling and exhumation process corresponding to the post‐T_max cooling P–T paths recorded by the pelitic granulites, which may have followed the exhumation of deeply buried rocks in a thickened crust region resulted from a collision event at c. 1.95 Ga as suggested by the pre‐T_max decompression P–T path.     

Initial accretion of the North Qinling Terrane to the North China Craton before the Grenville orogeny: constraints from detrital zircons

Whether the North Qinling Terrane (NQT) was accreted to the North China Craton (NCC) in the Proterozoic is still a matter of debate. We report the first detrital zircon study from the Baishugou Formation, which forms the uppermost part of the Mesoproterozoic Guandaokou Group, at the southernmost NCC margin. Detrital zircons from carbonaceous silty phyllite in the lower part of the Baishugou Formation yield U–Pb ages peaking at ca. 2500 Ma, with minor peaks at ca. 2300–2000, 1800, and 1600 Ma, and εHf(t) values ranging from ?10.8 to +9.1. These zircons are considered to have been sourced from the NCC. In contrast, the middle-to-upper part of the formation contains detrital zircons which yield an age group ranging from 1800 to 1000 Ma, with peaks at 1800, 1500, 1300, and 1100 Ma; the zircons with ages of 1500–1300 Ma dominantly have εHf(t) values greater than +5 and the majority plot along the depleted mantle evolution curve. The striking difference between the U–Pb ages of the detrital zircons from the upper and lower parts of the formation suggests a shift in provenance. Magmatism at 1500–1300 Ma has not been reported from the southern margin of the NCC but has been discovered in the NQT. Hence, we deduce that the zircons from the upper part of the formation were primarily derived from the NQT, where an episode of crustal growth and magmatism is recorded between 1500 and 1100 million years. The variable sediment provenances imply that the NCC and NQT could be connected during the late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic. The pattern of detrital zircon ages in the new sediments from the Baishugou Formation is distinct from those in the Kuanping Group and the Palaeozoic Erlangping Complex, which are at present sandwiched between the NCC and the NQT. The detrital zircons from these two groups are dominated by an age peak at ca. 1000 Ma, which is formed as the result of amalgamation of the NQT and the Rodinia Supercontinent during the Grenville orogeny. It is possible that the new sediments of the Baishugou Formation were deposited before Grenville orogeny.     

Application of Zr-in-rutile thermometry: a case study from ultrahigh-temperature granulites of the Khondalite belt, North China Craton

Zr-in-rutile thermometry was applied to ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) granulites from three localities, Dongpo, Tuguishan, and Dajing/Tuguiwula of the Khondalite belt, North China Craton. Zr concentrations of analyzed rutiles were detected by LA-ICP-MS and EMP, which display a mutative composition zoning, a large inter-grain variation, a bimodal distribution at around 1,500 and 6,000?ppm, and no relationship with the textural setting (matrix vs. inclusion). These characteristics were likely caused by post-peak diffusional resetting associated with slow cooling rates and the presence of a CO₂-rich fluid. The grains with lower Zr concentrations (~500 to ~3,000?ppm) and temperature estimates (~650 to ~850°C) occur close to or in contact with zircon, which was easily affected by post-peak processes (for example: diffusion, dissolution/reprecipitation). The lowest temperatures (~650 to ~700°C) we obtained represent the closure temperature of Zr-in-rutile. Rutiles with higher Zr concentrations (~3,000 to ~8,000?ppm) and calculated temperatures (~850 to ~1,000°C) were least affected by late resetting, giving near-peak metamorphic temperatures. These temperature results higher than 900°C, even in excess of 1,000°C from the three localities, reconfirm the presence of UHT metamorphism. Our results also suggest that Zr-in-rutile thermometry is valid for ultrahigh-temperature estimates. In addition, there are positive correlations between concentrations of Zr and Hf, Nb and Ta of the investigated rutiles, but the correlations weaken as the concentrations increase, especially for Nb and Ta, implying fractionation of Nb and Ta.     

SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Dating of Gabbro and Granite from the Huashan Ophiolite, Qinling Orogenic Belt, China： Neoproterozoic Suture on the Northern Margin of the Yangtze Craton

The recently identified Huashan ophiolitic melange was considered as the eastern part of the Mianliie suture in the Qinling orogenic belt. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology on gabbro from the Huashan ophiolite and granite intruding basic volcanic rocks indicates crystallization ages of 947±14 Ma and 876±17 Ma respectively. These ages do not support a recently proposed Hercynian Huashan Ocean, but rather favor that a Neoproterozoic suture assemblage (ophiolite) is incorporated into the younger (Phanerozoic) Qinling orogenic belt.