Genesis of post-collisional granitoids and basement nature of the Junggar Terrane, NW China: Nd–Sr isotope and trace element evidence

The post-collisional magmatism of the Junggar Terrane is characterized by intrusion of large amounts of granitoids and minor basic/ultrabasic rocks. The granitoids comprise two magmatic suites: calc-alkaline and alkaline, which were emplaced contemporaneously at about 294 Ma. The calc-alkaline rocks are typically sodium-rich (Na₂O/K₂O=1.1–3.5) and metaluminous (A/NK >1.0, A/CNK=0.78–1.04). They show mildly fractionated REE patterns ((La/Yb)_N<15) and spidergrams with strong depletion of Nb, Ti and, to a lesser extent, Sr. The alkaline granites have high contents of SiO₂ (75–78%), alkalis, Nb, HREE, Y, Sn, F and high FeO/MgO ratios and huge Sr and Eu depletion in the spidergrams. Moreover, they display characteristic tetrad REE patterns and non-CHARAC trace element behaviour. The two rock suites have similar initial Nd and Sr isotopic compositions, with _Nd(T) in the range +5.2 to +7.1 and I_Sr mostly in the range 0.7031–0.7041. This points to a predominance of juvenile components in their sources. The calc-alkaline rocks are most probably derived by dehydration-melting of a basic lower crust leaving behind a granulite residue. The process was probably triggered by underplating of mantle-derived basic magmas in an extensional regime. The alkaline granites are considered to have formed by differentiation of the calc-alkaline granitoids. Our study argues for a juvenile continental crust for the basement of the Junggar terrane, which is likely dominated by early Paleozoic oceanic crust and arc complex that were deeply buried during the late Paleozoic subduction and accretion.     

Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of Neoproterozoic, highly fractionated A-type granites from Mianning, South China

The origin of Neoproterozoic intrusions (ca. 860–750 Ma) along the western part of the Yangtze Craton has been the subject of debate in recent years, with two competing models proposed. The plume model argues for an extensional setting and emphasizes the role of a superplume in the Rodinia breakup, whereas the arc model argues for the presence of a subduction zone in the Yangtze Craton. As a contribution to this animated dispute, geochronologic and geochemical analyses have been carried out on the Mianning granite, which is the largest pluton (700 km²) in the northern Kangdian rift of the western Yangtze Craton. It is shown that the Mianning granites were emplaced at ca. 780 Ma and display highly fractionated feature (i.e., SiO₂ > 75 wt%; Eu/Eu* = 0.03–0.50; enrichment of K, Rb, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Y and REEs; depletion of Nb, Ta, Ba, Sr, P, Eu and Ti). They are metaluminous to strongly peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.93–1.55) and contain abundant perthite and minor alkali riebeckite and sphene, sharing the petrological and geochemical characters of A₂-type granites. Positive _Nd (t) (2.97–5.24) and zircon _Hf (t) (9.2–12.1) values are consistent with a derivation by partial melting of a relatively young crust formed about 1000–900 Ma. Given the general absence of A-type granites in arc settings, the Mianning A-type granites are suggestive of an anorogenic, crustal extensional environment for the western Yangtze Craton during the Neoproterozoic. The data presented in this study are therefore consistent with an intracontinental rift model, but are not sufficient to identify plume involvement in the Neoproterozoic magmatism.     

SHRIMP zircon dating and Sm/Nd isotopic investigations of Neoproterozoic granitoids, Eastern Desert, Egypt

There is an increasing evidence for the involvement of pre-Neoproterozoic zircons in the Arabian–Nubian Shield, a Neoproterozoic crustal tract that is generally regarded to be juvenile. The source and significance of these xenocrystic zircons are not clear. In an effort to better understand this problem, older and younger granitoids from the Egyptian basement complex were analyzed for chemical composition, SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages, and Sm–Nd isotopic compositions. Geochemically, the older granitoids are metaluminous and exhibit characteristics of I-type granites and most likely formed in a convergent margin (arc) tectonic environment. On the other hand, the younger granites are peraluminous and exhibit the characteristics of A-type granites; these are post-collisional granites. The U–Pb SHRIMP dating of zircons revealed the ages of magmatic crystallization as well as the presence of slightly older, presumably inherited zircon grains. The age determined for the older granodiorite is 652.5 ± 2.6 Ma, whereas the younger granitoids are 595–605 Ma. Xenocrystic zircons are found in most of the younger granitoid samples; the xenocrystic grains are all Neoproterozoic, but fall into three age ranges that correspond to the ages of other Eastern Desert igneous rocks, viz. 710–690, 675–650 and 635–610 Ma. The analyzed granitoids have (+3.8 to +6.5) and crystallization ages, which confirm previous indications that the Arabian–Nubian Shield is juvenile Neoproterozoic crust. These results nevertheless indicate that older Neoproterozoic crust contributed to the formation of especially the younger granite magmas.     

A Jurassic garnet-bearing granitic pluton from NE China showing tetrad REE patterns

NE China is characterized by the massive distribution of Phanerozoic granitoids. Most of them are of I- and A-type granites, whereas S-type granites are rarely documented. The present work deals with the Dongqing pluton, a small granitic body emplaced in the southern Zhangguangcai Range. The pluton comprises a two-mica (±garnet) granite and a garnet-bearing muscovite granite; the latter occurs as veins in the former. The pluton shows a gradational contact with the surrounding host granites. Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotope analyses on whole-rocks and minerals reveal that the two types of granites were emplaced synchronously at about 160 Ma. The pluton was emplaced coeval with the surrounding I-type granitic pluton, and had a rapid cooling history. It is characterized by an initial Sr isotopic ratio of 0.706, slightly negative _Nd(T) values (−0.5 to −1.9) and young depleted-mantle model ages (970–1090 Ma). This suggests that the parent magma originated from partial melting of relatively juvenile crust, which is largely compatible with the general scenario for much of the Phanerozoic granitoids emplaced in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.Geochemically, the granites of the Dongqing pluton are peraluminous, with a Shand Index (molar ratio A/CNK) of 1.0–1.1 for the two-mica granites and 1.2–1.3 for the garnet-bearing granites. All the garnet-bearing granites and some of the two-mica granites show tetrad REE patterns (=tetrad group), whereas most two-mica granites show normal granitic REE patterns (=normal group). The normal group granites exhibit depletion in Nb, Ta, P and Ti in spidergrams, and generally weak positive Eu anomalies in REE patterns. By contrast, the tetrad group granites manifest depletion in Ba, Nb, Ta, Sr, P, and Ti and significant negative Eu anomalies. The trace element data constrain the parental magmas to having undergone extensive magmatic differentiation. During their late stage magmatic evolution, intense interaction of residual melts with aqueous hydrothermal fluids resulted in the non-CHARAC (charge and radius controlled) trace element behavior and the tetrad effect in REE distribution patterns. This, in turn, leads to the invalidation of the commonly used tectonic discrimination criteria derived from trace element abundances of normal granites. In view of this and previous studies, we conclude that there were probably no S-type granites produced in NE China during the Phanerozoic. Consequently, weathered sedimentary material did not play an important role in the genesis of the strongly peraluminous granites in the Zhangguangcai Range.     

Geochemistry and geochronology of the bimodal volcanic rocks of the Suguti area in the southern part of the Musoma-Mara Greenstone Belt, Northern Tanzania

The Suguti volcanic rocks of the southern Musoma-Mara greenstone belt in northern Tanzania comprise mainly of a bimodal suite of tholeiitic basalts-basaltic andesites and calc-alkaline rhyolites with a subordinate amount of intermediate rocks. Zircon U–Pb and whole rock Sm–Nd geochronology suggests that the two suites are cogenetic and were emplaced at 2755 ± 1 Ma with a common initial _Nd value of 2.1.The tholeiitic basalts are characterised by relatively flat chondrite-normalised REE patterns with La/Yb_CN ratios of 0.8–1.6 (mean = 1.0). The basalts also exhibit negative Ti and Nb anomalies in primitive mantle-normalised multi-element diagrams. The flat REE patterns, the presence of prominent negative Nb anomalies and the positive initial _Nd value of 2.1 suggest that the basalts were formed by low pressure melting of a mantle wedge in an active continental margin setting.Compared to the tholeiitic basalts, the calc-alkaline rhyolites are characterised by low abundances of the transition elements (Cr < 20 ppm, Ni < 20 ppm) and moderately high HFSE (e.g. Zr = 111–250 ppm) abundances. The rhyolites display strongly fractionated, slightly concave upward chondrite normalised REE patterns that are characterised by a slight depletion of the MREE relative to the HREE and minor to large negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.3–0.9) and their epsilon Nd values range from +2.05 to +2.33. The depletion of the MREE relative to the HREE is an indication of fractionation of clinopyroxene and hornblende during petrogenesis whereas the negative Eu anomalies indicate plagioclase fractionation. The rhyolites are interpreted to have formed from the parental magma of the basalts by fractional crystallization and/or partial melting of a relatively young basaltic crust.     

Geochemistry and Nd–Sr isotopic studies of Late Mesozoic granitoids in the southeastern Hubei Province, Middle–Lower Yangtze River belt, Eastern China: Petrogenesis and tectonic setting

A geochemical and isotopic study was carried out for the Mesozoic Yangxin, Tieshan and Echeng granitoid batholiths in the southeastern Hubei Province, eastern China, in order to constrain their petrogenesis and tectonic setting. These granitoids dominantly consist of quartz diorite, monzonite and granite. They are characterized by SiO₂ and Na₂O compositions of between 54.6 and 76.6 wt.%, and 2.9 to 5.6 wt.%, respectively, enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREE) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), and relative depletion in Y (concentrations ranging from 5.17 to 29.3 ppm) and Yb (0.34–2.83 ppm), with the majority of the granitoids being geochemically similar to high-SiO₂ adakites (HSA). Their initial Nd (ε_Nd = − 12.5 to − 6.1) and Sr ((⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i = 0.7054–0.7085) isotopic compositions, however, distinguish them from adakites produced by partial melting of subducted slab and those produced by partial melting of the lower crust of the Yangtze Craton in the Late Mesozoic. The granitoid batholiths in the southeastern Hubei Province exhibit very low MgO ranging from 0.09 to 2.19 wt.% with an average of 0.96 wt.%, and large variations in negative to positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu = 0.22–1.4), especially the Tieshan granites and Yangxin granite porphyry (Eu/Eu = 0.22–0.73). Geochemical and Nd–Sr isotopic data demonstrate that these granitoids originated as partial melts of an enriched mantle source that experienced significant contamination of lower crust materials and fractional crystallization during magma ascent. Late Mesozoic granitoids in the southeastern Hubei Province of the Middle–Lower Yangtze River belt were dominantly emplaced in an extensional tectonic regime, in response to basaltic underplating, which was followed by lithospheric thinning during the early Cretaceous.     

Two magma series and associated ore deposit types in the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

The Late Middle Permian ( 260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province in SW China contains two magmatic series, one comprising high-Ti basalts and Fe-rich gabbroic and syenitic intrusions, the other low-Ti basalts and mafic–ultramafic intrusions. The Fe-rich gabbros are spatially and temporally associated with syenites. Each series is associated with a distinctive type of mineralization, the first with giant Fe–Ti–V oxide ore deposits such as Panzhihua and Baima, the second with Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposits such as Jinbaoshan, Limahe and Zhubu. New SHRIMP zircon U–Pb isotopic data yielded 263 ± 3 Ma for the Limahe intrusion, 261 ± 2 Ma for the Zhubu intrusion and 262 ± 2 Ma for a syenitic intrusion. These new age dates, together with previously reported SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages, suggest that all these intrusions are contemporaneous with the Emeishan flood basalts and formed during a major igneous event at ca. 260 Ma.The oxide-bearing intrusions have higher Al₂O₃, FeO (as total iron) and total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O) but lower MgO than the sulfide-bearing intrusions. All intrusions are variably enriched in LREE relative to HREE. The oxide-bearing intrusions display positive Nb- and Ti-anomalies and in certain cases negative Zr–Hf anomalies, whereas the sulfide-bearing intrusions have obvious negative Nb- and Ti-anomalies, a feature of crustal contamination. Individual intrusions have relatively small ranges of Nd(t) values. All the intrusions, however, have Nd(t) values ranging from − 3.9 to + 4.6, and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0.7039 to 0.7105. The syenites have very low MgO (< 2 wt.%) but highly variable Fe₂O₃ (2.5 to 13 wt.%) with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios ranging from 0.7039 to 0.7089. Magmas from both series could have derived by melting of a heterogeneous mantle plume: the high-Ti series from a Fe-rich, more fertile source and the low-Ti series from a Fe-poor, more refractory source. In addition, the low-Ti series underwent significant crustal contamination. The two magma series evolved along different paths that led to distinct mineralization styles.     

Timing of post-collisional H-type to A-type granitic magmatism: U–Pb titanite ages from the Alpine central Anatolian granitoids (Turkey)

The last stages of the continental collision during the closure of the Neotethyan ocean in central Anatolia are characterized by post-collisional H- and A-type granitoids intruding both the metamorphic country rocks and allochthonous ophiolitic rocks of the central Anatolian crystalline complex. Available Rb–Sr and K–Ar whole-rock and mineral age data on the H- and A-type granitoids in central Anatolia are inconsistent. To better constrain the geological relevance and the timing of the change in the chemical character of magmatism in the wake of the Alpine orogeny in Anatolia, we re-evaluated the geochemical characteristics and dated titanite from representative H- (Baranadag quartz-monzonite: BR) and A-type (Çamsari quartz-syenite: CS) granitoids by the U–Pb method. BR is a high-K calc-alkaline intrusion with mafic microgranular enclaves and shows enrichment of LILE relative to HFSE. The alkaline CS displays higher SiO₂, Na₂O+K₂O, Fe/Mg, Rb, Th and HFSE with corresponding depletion in CaO, MgO, Fe₂O₃^tot, P₂O₅, Ba, Sr, and Ti. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the BR and CS samples have LREE-enriched and flat HREE patterns, whereas CS differs from BR by higher LREE enrichment and lower MREE and HREE contents. Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics suggest that BR and CS were not products of the same magma source. BR was derived from a subduction-modified depleted hybrid-source and CS had an enriched mantle source with significant crustal contribution. The U–Pb titanite ages of the H-type central Anatolian granitoids (BR) and the A-type granitoids (CS) are 74.0±2.8 and 74.1±0.7 Ma, respectively. The coeval evolution of post-collisional/calc-alkaline H- to A-type magmatism was possibly associated with source heterogeneity and variable involvement of continental materials during the evolution of these granitoids. These new age data constrain the timing of the onset of a post-collision extensional period following the Alpine thickening within the passive margin of the Tauride–Anatolide platform, which occurred before the opening of the latest Cretaceous central Anatolian basins.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Geochemistry of the Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite (Albania) and the MORB to SSZ evolution of a marginal basin oceanic crust

The Middle Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite in northern Albania is part of an ophiolite belt occurring between the Apulian and Pelagonian subcontinents in the Balkan Peninsula. The upper mantle and crustal units of the Mirdita Ophiolite show major changes in thickness, rock types, and chemical compositions from west to east as a result of its complex evolution in a suprasubduction zone (SSZ) environment. The  3–4-km-thick Western Mirdita Ophiolite (WMO) includes lherzolite–harzburgite, plagioclase–lherzolite, plagioclase–dunite in its upper mantle units and a plutonic complex composed of olivine gabbro, troctolite, ferrogabbro, and gabbro. These peridotites and gabbroic rocks are overlain directly by a  600-m-thick extrusive sequence containing basaltic pillow lavas and hyaloclastites. Sheeted dikes are rare in the WMO. The  12-km-thick Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite (EMO) includes tectonized harzburgite and dunite with extensive chromite deposits, as well as ultramafic cumulates including olivine clinopyroxenite, wehrlite, olivine websterite, and dunite forming a transitional Moho with the overlying lower crustal section. The plutonic rocks are made of pyroxenite, gabbronorite, gabbro, amphibole gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, and plagiogranite. A well-developed sheeted dike complex has mutually intrusive relations with the underlying isotropic gabbros and plagiogranites and feeds into the overlying pillow lavas. Dike compositions change from older basalt to basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, quartz diorite, to late-stage andesitic and boninitic dikes as constrained by crosscutting relations. The  1.1-km-thick extrusive sequence comprises basaltic and basaltic andesitic pillow lavas in the lower 700 m, and andesitic, dacitic and rhyodacitic massive sheet flows in the upper 400 m. Rare boninitic dikes and lavas occur as the youngest igneous products within the EMO. The basaltic and basaltic andesitic rocks of the WMO extrusive sequence display MORB affinities with Ti and Zr contents decreasing upsection (TiO₂ = 3.5–0.5%, Zr = 300–50 ppm), while _Nd(T) (+ 8 to + 6.5) varies little. These magmas were derived from partial melting of fertile MORB-type mantle. Fractional crystallization was important in the evolution of WMO magmas. The low Ti and HREE abundances and Cs and Ba enrichments in the uppermost basaltic andesites may indicate an increased subduction influence in the evolution of the late-stage WMO magmas. Basaltic andesites in the lower 700 m of the EMO volcanic sequence have lower TiO₂ ( 0.5%) and Zr ( 50 ppm) contents but _Nd(T) values (+ 7 to + 6.5) are similar to those of the WMO lavas. These rocks show variable enrichment in subduction-enriched incompatible elements (Cs, Ba, Th, U, LREE). The basaltic andesites through dacites and boninites within the upper 400 meters of EMO lavas show low TiO₂ ( 0.8–0.3%) and _Nd(T) (+ 6.5 to + 3.0). The mantle source of these rocks was variably enriched in Th by melts derived from subducted sediments as indicated by the large variations in Ba, K, and Pb contents. EMO boninitic dikes and lavas and some gabbroic intrusions with negative _{Nd (T)} values (− 1.4 and − 4.0, respectively) suggest that these magmas were produced from partial melting of previously depleted, ultra-refractory mantle. The MORB to SSZ transition (from west to east and stratigraphically upwards in the Mirdita Ophiolite and the progression of the _Nd(T) values from + 8.0 to − 4.0 towards the east resulted from an eastward shift in protoarc–forearc magmatism, keeping pace with slab rollback in this direction. The mantle flow above the retreating slab and in the arc-wedge corner played a major role in the evolution of the melting column, in which melt generation, aggregation/mixing and differentiation occurred at all levels of the sub-arc/forearc mantle. The SSZ Mirdita Ophiolite evolved during the intra-oceanic collapse and closure of the Pindos marginal basin, which had a protracted tectonic history involving seafloor spreading, protoarc rifting, and trench-continent collision.     

Geochemistry of paleozoic basalts from the Juchatengo complex of southern Mexico: tectonic implications

Analyses of Lower Permian or older basalts and associated dykes of the Juchatengo sequence indicate that they are rift tholeiites that formed in a continental rift or back-arc tectonic setting. Age constraints include a Middle Permian fossil recovered from the tectonically overlying sediments and a cross-cutting, post-tectonic pluton dated by K/Ar on hornblende at 282±6 Ma. A location adjacent to the Oaxacan Complex or other old continental crust is suggested by (1) an Nd_i isotopic value of −8.95 and a T_DM age of 1487 Ma in the overlying sediments, which are similar to the Oaxacan Complex; (2) enrichment of incompatible elements in the lavas, suggesting old crustal contamination; and (3) the presence of Permian–Triassic calc-alkaline plutons that stitch the Juchatengo–Oaxaca boundary. The possible tectonic models depend on the age of the Juchatengo basalts, which requires future geochronological work. If the Juchatengo basalts are Permo-Carboniferous, they could have formed near the eastern edge of a back-arc basin: the contemporaneous arc would have rifted away to the west. Eastward migration of the arc magmatism indicated by the Permian–Triassic calc-alkaline plutonism may reflect shallowing of the dip of the subduction zone, which probably also produced the deformation of the Juchatengo sequence.     

Age and origin of middle Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in southern Yangtze Block and relevance to the break-up of Rodinia

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon age, geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic data are reported for mid-Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks and mafic intrusions in northern Guangxi (Guibei) and western Hunan (Xiangxi) Provinces along the southern margin of the Yangtze Block. The mafic igneous rocks studied are generally synchronous, dated at  765 Ma. The least-contaminated dolerite samples from Xiangxi are characterized by high εNd(T) value of 3.3 to 5.3 and OIB-type geochemical features, indicating that they were derived from an OIB-like mantle source in a continental rift setting. The spilites and gabbros in Guibei show basaltic compositions transitional between the tholeiitic and calc-alkaline series. Despite depletion in Nb and Ta relative to La and Th, they have Zr/Sm = 27–35 and Ti/V = 30–40, affinitive to intraplate basalts. Their εNd(T) values are variable, ranging from − 1.2 to 3.2 for the spilites and from − 1.7 to 2.9 for the gabbros, suggesting that these spilites and gabbros crystallized from crustal-contaminated mafic magmas derived from a metasomatised subcontinental lithospheric mantle source. We conclude that the  765 Ma mafic magmatic rocks in Guibei and Xiangxi were formed in a single continental rift setting as part of the broadly concurrent  780–750 Ma rift magmatism over much of South China, which may be related to the plume activities during the breakup of Rodinia.     

1891–1883 Ma Southern Bastar–Cuddapah mafic igneous events, India: A newly recognized large igneous province

A newly recognized remnant of a Paleoproterozoic Large Igneous Province has been identified in the southern Bastar craton and nearby Cuddapah basin from the adjacent Dharwar craton, India. High precision U–Pb dates of 1891.1 ± 0.9 Ma (baddeleyite) and 1883.0 ± 1.4 Ma (baddeleyite and zircon) for two SE-trending mafic dykes from the BD2 dyke swarm, southern Bastar craton, and 1885.4 ± 3.1 Ma (baddeleyite) for a mafic sill from the Cuddapah basin, indicate the existence of 1891–1883 Ma mafic magmatism that spans an area of at least 90,000 km² in the south Indian shield.This record of 1.9 Ga mafic/ultramafic magmatism associated with concomitant intracontinental rifting and basin development preserved along much of the south-eastern margin of the south Indian shield is a widespread geologic phenomenon on Earth. Similar periods of intraplate mafic/ultramafic magmatism occur along the margin of the Superior craton in North America (1.88 Ga Molson large igneous province) and in southern Africa along the northern margin of the Kaapvaal craton (1.88–1.87 Ga dolerite sills intruding the Waterberg Group). Existing paleomagnetic data for the Molson and Waterberg 1.88 Ga large igneous provinces indicate that the Superior and Kalahari cratons were at similar paleolatitudes at 1.88 Ga but a paleocontinental reconstruction at this time involving these cratons is impeded by the lack of a robust geological pin such as a Limpopo-like 2.0 Ga deformation zone in the Superior Province. The widespread occurrence of 1.88 Ga intraplate and plate margin mafic magmatism and basin development in numerous Archean cratons worldwide likely reflects a period of global-scale mantle upwelling or enhanced mantle plume activity at this time.     

The 2.40 Ga Ringvassøy mafic dykes, West Troms Basement Complex, Norway: The concluding act of early Palaeoproterozoic continental breakup

A north to northwest trending mafic dyke swarm of gabbronoritic and gabbroic composition makes up a significant part of the Archean basement on the island of Ringvassøy in northern Norway. U–Pb geochronology of zircon and baddeleyite in a gabbronorite provides an age of emplacement of 2403 ± 3 Ma. Metamict zircon in a plagioclase phyric dyke yield data that are discordant but consistent with the age of the gabbronoritic dyke. Titanite indicates a metamorphic overprint at 1768 ± 4 Ma. The two types of dyke show some distinct chemical characteristics. They are both tholeiitic, enriched in LREEs and LILE elements but depleted in HFS elements including Nb. Their Nd isotopic composition yields _Nd values of −1.5 to −1.8 for gabbronorites and −0.4 to +1.3 for the plagioclase phyric dykes. The chemical and isotopic constraints are typical of continental basalts.The Ringvassøy mafic dykes correlate broadly with a global Palaeoproterozoic magmatic event that formed extensive bimodal intrusive and extrusive suites in most Archaean cratons, including the northeastern Fennoscandian Shield. In detail, the 2403 ± 3 Ma Ringvassøy dykes postdated most episodes of magmatism at this time. On the regional scale there is a distinct trend from a 2505–2490 Ma suite present in the Kola Peninsula, over a second 2460–2440 Ma suite present both in Kola and further south in Karelia, to the 2403 Ma dykes on Ringvassøy. This variation suggests that the locus of maximum extension and magmatic activity may have been shifting with time.     

A deformed alkaline igneous rock–carbonatite complex from the Western Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina: Evidence for late Neoproterozoic opening of the Clymene Ocean?

A deformed ca. 570 Ma syenite–carbonatite body is reported from a Grenville-age (1.0–1.2 Ga) terrane in the Sierra de Maz, one of the Western Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina. This is the first recognition of such a rock assemblage in the basement of the Central Andes. The two main lithologies are coarse-grained syenite (often nepheline-bearing) and enclave-rich fine-grained foliated biotite–calcite carbonatite. Samples of carbonatite and syenite yield an imprecise whole rock Rb–Sr isochron age of 582 ± 60 Ma (MSWD = 1.8; Sri = 0.7029); SHRIMP U–Pb spot analysis of syenite zircons shows a total range of ²⁰⁶Pb–²³⁸U ages between 433 and 612 Ma, with a prominent peak at 560–580 Ma defined by homogeneous zircon areas. Textural interpretation of the zircon data, combined with the constraint of the Rb–Sr data suggest that the carbonatite complex formed at ca. 570 Ma. Further disturbance of the U–Pb system took place at 525 ± 7 Ma (Pampean orogeny) and at ca. 430–440 Ma (Famatinian orogeny) and it is concluded that the Western Sierras Pampeanas basement was joined to Gondwana during both events. Highly unradiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values in calcites (0.70275–0.70305) provide a close estimate for the initial Sr isotope composition of the carbonatite magma. Sm–Nd data yield Nd₅₇₀ values of +3.3 to +4.8. The complex was probably formed during early opening of the Clymene Ocean from depleted mantle with a component from Meso/Neo-proterozoic lower continental crust.     

Zircon U–Pb geochronological and geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of the Taishan sanukitoids (Shandong): Implications for Neoarchean subduction in the Eastern Block, North China Craton

Elemental, Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic and geochronological data are presented for the Taishan high-mg dioritic rocks (western Shandong) from the Eastern Block of the North China Craton in order to better understand the Archean tectonic evolution and crustal growth of the Craton. The rocks gave the zircon U–Pb age of 2536–2540 Ma. They show low SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contents, high MgO, mg-number, Cr, Ni, Y, Yb, Sr and Ba, enriched LILEs and LREEs, depleted HFSEs and HREEs with (Nb/La)_N of 0.07–0.12. They exhibit _Nd(t) values of 1.53–3.30, (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i of 11.20–15.30, (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i of 14.14–14.83 and (²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_I of 31.10–33.93. Such geochemical features with an affinity to both a mantle- and crust-like source for the Taishan dioritic rocks are similar to those of the typical Archean sanukitoids, suggesting an origination from a sub-arc mantle wedge variably metasomatized by the slab-derived dehydration fluids and melts before 50–100 Ma of the emplacement of the Taishan sanukitoid plutons. It is proposed that the Taishan sanukitoids resulted from the sudden change of the downgoing slab from a flat subduction to subsequently steeper subduction in an active continental margin regime during Neoarchean time.     

Age constraints on the formation and emplacement of Neoproterozoic ophiolites along the Allaqi–Heiani Suture, South Eastern Desert of Egypt

Ophiolites are key components of the Neoproterozoic Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS). Understanding when they formed and were emplaced is crucial for understanding the evolution of the ANS because their ages tell when seafloor spreading and terrane accretion occurred. The Yanbu–Onib–Sol Hamed–Gerf–Allaqi–Heiani (YOSHGAH) suture and ophiolite belt can be traced  600 km across the Nubian and Arabian shields. We report five new SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages from igneous rocks along the Allaqi segment of the YOSHGAH suture in southernmost Egypt and use these data in conjunction with other age constraints to evaluate YOSHGAH suture evolution. Ophiolitic layered gabbro gave a concordia age of 730 ± 6 Ma, and a metadacite from overlying arc-type metavolcanic rocks yielded a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 733 ± 7 Ma, indicating ophiolite formation at  730 Ma. Ophiolite emplacement is also constrained by intrusive bodies: a gabbro yielded a concordia age of 697 ± 5 Ma, and a quartz-diorite yielded a concordia age of 709 ± 4 Ma. Cessation of deformation is constrained by syn- to post-tectonic granite with a concordia age of 629 ± 5 Ma. These new data, combined with published zircon ages for ophiolites and stitching plutons from the YOSHGAH suture zone, suggest a 2-stage evolution for the YOSHGAH ophiolite belt ( 810–780 Ma and  730–750 Ma) and indicate that accretion between the Gabgaba–Gebeit–Hijaz terranes to the south and the SE Desert–Midyan terranes to the north occurred as early as 730 Ma and no later than 709 ± 4 Ma.     

Neoproterozoic,Paleozoic, and Mesozoic granitoid magmatism in the Qinling Orogen,China: Constraints on orogenic process

The Qinling Orogen is one of the main orogenic belts in Asia and is characterized by multi-stage orogenic processes and the development of voluminous magmatic intrusions. The results of zircon U–Pb dating indicate that granitoid magmatism in the Qinling Orogen mainly occurred in four distinct periods: the Neoproterozoic (979–711 Ma), Paleozoic (507–400 Ma), and Early (252–185 Ma) and Late (158–100 Ma) Mesozoic. The Neoproterozoic granitic magmatism in the Qinling Orogen is represented by strongly deformed S-type granites emplaced at 979–911 Ma, weakly deformed I-type granites at 894–815 Ma, and A-type granites at 759–711 Ma. They can be interpreted as the products of respectively syn-collisional, post-collisional and extensional setting, in response to the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. The Paleozoic magmatism can be temporally classified into three stages of 507–470 Ma, 460–422 Ma and ∼415–400 Ma. They were genetically related to the subduction of the Shangdan Ocean and subsequent collision of the southern North China Block and the South Qinling Belt. The 507–470 Ma magmatism is spatially and temporally related to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the studied area. The 460–422 Ma magmatism with an extensive development in the North Qinling Belt is characterized by I-type granitoids and originated from the lower crust with the involvement of mantle-derived magma in a collisional setting. The magmatism with the formation age of ∼415–400 Ma only occurred in the middle part of the North Qinling Belt and is dominated by I-type granitoid intrusions, and probably formed in the late-stage of a collisional setting. Early Mesozoic magmatism in the study area occurred between 252 and 185 Ma, with the cluster in 225–200 Ma. It took place predominantly in the western part of the South Qinling Belt. The 250–240 Ma I-type granitoids are of small volume and show high Sr/Y ratios, and may have been formed in a continental arc setting related to subduction of the Mianlue Ocean between the South Qinling Belt and the South China Block. Voluminous late-stage (225–185 Ma) magmatism evolved from early I-type to later I-A-type granitoids associated with contemporaneous lamprophyres, representative of a transition from syn- to post-collisional setting in response to the collision between the North China and the South China blocks. Late Mesozoic (158–100 Ma) granitoids, located in the southern margin of the North China Block and the eastern part of the North Qinling Belt, are characterized by I-type, I- to A-type, and A-type granitoids that were emplaced in a post-orogenic or intraplate setting. The first three of the four periods of magmatism were associated with three important orogenic processes and the last one with intracontinental process. These suggest that the tectonic evolution of the Qinling Orogen is very complicated.     

Post-collisional potassic granitoids from the southern and northwestern parts of the Late Neoproterozoic East African Orogen: a review

Potassic metaluminous granitoids with enrichments of HFS elements constitute part of widespread post-collisional magmatism related to the Late Neoproterozoic Pan-African orogeny in northeastern Africa (Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia) and Madagascar. The plutons were emplaced between 580 and 470 Ma and comprise both subsolvus and hypersolvus biotite–granite, biotite–hornblende–granite, quartz–monzonite and quartz–syenite. Pyroxene-bearing granitoids are subordinate. Basic dikes and enclaves of monzodioritic composition are locally associated with the granitoid plutons. Granitoids emplaced in pre-Neoproterozoic crust have Sr_i-ratios between 0.7060 and 0.7236 and _Nd(t) values between −15.8 and −5.6 while those emplaced in, or close to the contact with, juvenile Neoproterozoic crust have lower Sr_i-ratios (0.7036–0.7075) and positive _Nd(t) values (4.6). However, it is unlikely that the potassic granitoids represent products of crustal melting alone. The association with basic magmas derived from subduction-modified enriched mantle sources strongly suggests that the granitoids represent hybrid magmas produced by interaction and mixing of mantle and crust derived melts in the lower crust. The most intense period of this potassic granitoid magmatism occurred between 585 and 540 Ma, largely coeval with HT granulite facies metamorphism in Madagascar and with amphibolite facies retrogression in northeastern Africa (Somalia, Sudan). Granitoid magmatism and high-grade metamorphism are probably both related to post-collisional lithospheric thinning, magmatic underplating and crustal relaxation. However, the emplacement of potassic granites continued until about 470 Ma and implies several magmatic pulses associated with different phases of crustal uplift and cooling. The potassic metaluminous granites are temporally and spatially associated with post-collisional high-K calc-alkaline granites with which they share many petrographical, geochemical and isotopical similarities, except the incompatible element enrichments. The resemblance indicates a strongly related petrogenesis of both granite associations.     

Neoproterozoic adakitic plutons in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block, China: Partial melting of a thickened lower crust and implications for secular crustal evolution

Numerous Neoproterozoic felsic and mafic–ultramafic intrusions occur in the Hannan region at the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. Among these, the Wudumen and Erliba plutons consist of granodiorites and have SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages of  735 Ma. The rocks have high K₂O (0.8–3.6 wt.%) and Na₂O (4.4–6.4 wt.%) and low MgO (0.4–1.7 wt.%). They also have high Sr/Y (32–209) and (La/Yb)_n ratios (4.4–38.6). Their εNd values range from − 0.41 to − 0.92 and zircon initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios from 0.282353 to 0.282581. These geochemical features are similar to those of adakitic rocks produced by partial melting of a thickened lower crust. Our new analytical results, combined with the occurrence of voluminous arc-related mafic–ultramafic intrusions emplaced before 740 Ma, lead us to propose that the crustal evolution in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block during Neoproterozoic involved: (1) rapid crustal growth and thickening by underplating of mafic magmas from the mantle which was modified by materials coming from the subducting oceanic slab from  1.0 to  0.74 Ga, and (2) partial melting of the thickened lower crust due to a thermal anomaly induced by upwelling of asthenosphere through an oceanic slab window, producing the  735 Ma adakitic Wudumen and Erliba plutons. Our model suggests that the crustal thickness was more than 50 km at the northern margin of the Yangtze Block at  735 Ma, and rule out the possibility of a mantle plume impact causing the > 735 Ma magmatism in the region.     

Syntectonic emplacement of the Middle Jurassic Concón Mafic Dike Swarm, Coastal Range, central Chile (33° S)

The Concón Mafic Dike Swarm (CMDS) consists of basaltic to andesitic dikes emplaced into deformed Late Paleozoic granitoids during the development of the Jurassic arc of central Chile. The dikes are divided into an early group of thick dikes (5–12 m) and a late group of thin dikes (0.5–3 m). Two new amphibole ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates obtained from undeformed and deformed dikes, constrain the age of emplacement and deformation of the CMDS between 163 and 157 Ma. Based on radiometric ages, field observations, AMS studies and petrographic data, we conclude that the emplacement of the CMDS was syntectonic with the Jurassic arc extension and associated with sinistral displacements along the NW-trending structures that host the CMDS. The common occurrence of already deformed and rotated xenoliths in the dikes indicates that deformation in the granitoids started previously.The early thick dikes and country rocks appear to have been remagnetized during the exhumation of deep-seated coastal rocks in the Early Cretaceous (around 100 Ma). The remanent magnetization in late thin dikes is mainly retained by small amounts of low-Ti magnetite at high temperature and pyrrhotite at low temperature. The magnetization in these dikes appears to be primary in origin. Paleomagnetic results from the thin dikes also indicate that the whole area was tilted  23° to the NNW during cooling of the CMDS.The NNW–SSE extension vectors deduced from the paleomagnetic data and internal fabric of dikes are different with respect to extension direction deduced for the Middle–Late Jurassic of northern Chile, pointing to major heterogeneities along the margin of the overriding plate during the Mesozoic or differences in the mechanisms driving extension during such period.