Evolution of the Proto-Tethys in the Baoshan block along the East Gondwana margin: constraints from early Palaeozoic magmatism

Zircon U–Pb ages and geochemical and isotopic data for Late Ordovician granites in the Baoshan Block reveal the early Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the margin of East Gondwana. The granites are high-K, calc-alkaline, metaluminous to strongly peraluminous rocks with A/CNK values of 0.93–1.18, are enriched in SiO₂, K₂O, and Rb, and depleted in Nb, P, Ti, Eu, and heavy rare earth elements, which indicates the crystallization fractionation of the granitic magma. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that they formed at ca. 445 Ma. High initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.719761–0.726754, negative ?_Nd(t) values of –6.6 to –8.3, and two-stage model ages of 1.52–1.64 Ga suggest a crustal origin, with the magmas derived from the partial melting of ancient metagreywacke at high temperature. A synthesis of data for the early Palaeozoic igneous rocks in the Baoshan Block and adjacent Tengchong Block indicates two stages of flare-up of granitic and mafic magmatism caused by different tectonic settings along the East Gondwana margin. Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician granitic rocks (ca. 490 Ma) were produced when underplated mafic magmas induced crustal melting along the margin of East Gondwana related to the break-off of subducted Proto-Tethyan oceanic slab. In addition, the cession of the mafic magmatism between late Cambrian-Early Ordovician and Late Ordovician could have been caused by the collision of the Baoshan Block and outward micro-continent along the margin of East Gondwana and crust and lithosphere thickening. The Late Ordovician granites in the Baoshan Block were produced in an extensional setting resulting from the delamination of an already thickened crust and lithospheric mantle followed by the injection of synchronous mafic magma.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of early Paleozoic granitic and coeval mafic rocks from the Tannuola terrane (Tuva,Russia): Implications for transition from a subduction to post-collisional setting in the northern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

Early Paleozoic magmatism of the Tannuola terrane located in the northern Central Asian Orogenic Belt is important to understanding the transition from subduction to post-collision settings. In this study, we report in situ zircon U-Pb ages, whole rock geochemistry, and Sr-Nd isotopic data from the mafic and granitic rocks of the eastern Tannuola terrane to better characterize their petrogenesis and to investigate changing of the tectonic setting and geodynamic evolution. Zircon U-Pb ages reveal three magmatic episodes for about 60 Ma from ∼510 to ∼450 Ma, that can be divided into the late Cambrian (∼510–490 Ma), the Early Ordovician (∼480–470 Ma) and the Middle-Late Ordovician (∼460–450 Ma) stages. The late Cambrian episode emplaced the mafic, intermediate and granitic rocks with volcanic arc affinity. The late Cambrian mafic rocks of the Tannuola terrane may originate from melting of mantle source that contain asthenosphere and subarc enriched mantle metasomatized by melts derived from sinking oceanic slab. Geochemical and isotopic compositions indicate the late Cambrian intermediate-granitic rocks are most consistent with an origin from a mixed source including fractionation of mantle-derived magmas and crustal-derived components. The Early Ordovician episode reveal bimodal intrusions containing mafic rocks and adakite-like granitic rocks implying the transition from a thinner to a thicker lower crust. The Early Ordovician mafic rocks are formed as a result of high degree melting of mantle source including dominantly depleted mantle and subordinate mantle metasomatized by fluid components while coeval granitic rocks were derived from partial melting of the high Sr/Y mafic rocks. The latest Middle-Late Ordovician magmatic episode emplaced high-K calc-alkaline ferroan granitic rocks that were formed through the partial melting the juvenile Neoproterozoic sources.These three episodes of magmatism identified in the eastern Tannuola terrane are interpreted as reflecting the transition from subduction to post-collision settings during the early Paleozoic. The emplacement of voluminous magmatic rocks was induced by several stages of asthenospheric upwelling in various geodynamic settings. The late Cambrian episode of magmatism was triggered by the slab break-off while subsequent Early Ordovician episode followed the switch to a collisional setting with thickening of the lower crust and the intrusion of mantle-induced bimodal magmatism. During the post-collisional stage, the large-scale lithospheric delamination provides the magma generation for the Middle-Late Ordovician granitic rocks.     

Meimechites, porphyritic alkaline picrites, and melanephelinites of Siberia: Conditions of crystallization, parental magmas, and sources

The investigation of rocks, minerals, and melt inclusions showed that porphyritic alkaline picrites and meimechites crystallized from different parental magmas. At a similar ultrabasic composition, the alkaline picrite melts were enriched in K₂O relative to Na₂O, and contained up to 0.12–0.13 wt % F and less Cr, Ni, and H₂O (only 0.01–0.16 wt % H₂O, versus 0.6–1.6 wt % in the meimechite melts) compared with the meimechite magmas. The crystallization of alkaline picrite melts occurred under stable conditions at relatively low temperatures without abrupt changes: olivine and clinopyroxene crystallized at 1340–1285 and 1230–1200°C, respectively, as compared with 1600–1450 and 1230–1200°C in the meimechites. The alkaline picrite melts evolved toward melanephelinite, nephelinite, tephrite, and trachydolerite; whereas the meimechite magmas gave rise to subalkaline picritic rocks. The partitioning of vanadium between olivine and melt suggests that the meimechite magma crystallized under more oxidizing conditions compared with the alkaline picrite melts: the K_DV values for the meimechite melts (0.011–0.016) were three times lower than those for the alkaline picrite melts (0.045–0.052). The parental magmas of the alkaline picrites and meimechites were enriched in trace elements relative to mantle levels by factors of tens to hundreds. The alkaline picrite magma showed lower LILE and LREE contents compared with the meimechite magma. The magmas had also different indicator ratios of incompatible elements, including those immobile in aqueous fluids. It was concluded that the meimechite and alkaline picrite melts were derived from different mantle sources. The former were generated at lower degrees of melting of an undepleted mantle source, and the meimechite melts were produced by high-degree melting of a probably lherzolite-harzburgite source.     

Sources of Archean sanukitoids (High-Mg subalkaline granitoids) in the Karelian craton: Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic-geochemical evidence

The Sm-Nd systematics of sanukitoids with an age of 2715–2740 Ma in the Western, Eastern, and Central domains of the Karelian craton with various crustal evolutionary histories indicates that the mafic and acid rocks of the sanukitoid series were derived from two contrasting sources: enriched lithospheric mantle and lower crust. The basic sanukitoids of the Western domain were derived from the mantle enriched long before its melting [?_Nd(2715) = ?0.48 ± 0.22]. The source of the acid magmas was the young juvenile crust of TTG composition [?_Nd(2715) increases to +1.2]. The mantle source of mafic sanukitoids in the Eastern domain was enriched shortly before melting [?_Nd(2740) = +1.58 ± 0.01], whereas the acid melts came from an ancient crustal source [?_Nd(2740) decreases to ?3.0]. For sanukitoids in the Central domain, the time span between the enrichment of the mantle source and its melting was the shortest [?_Nd(2725) = +2.05 ± 0.15], and the contribution of the juvenile TTG crust was insignificant [?_Nd(2725) deceases to +1.7]. The variations in the isotope characteristics of the acid members of the sanukitoid series are consistent with the known age heterogeneity of the crust of the domains. The lateral isotopic-geochemical heterogeneity of the lithospheric mantle source of the sanukitoids is thought to have been related to its two-stage reworking (at 3.2 and 2.8–2.9 Ga) under the effect of TTG granitoids, which are regarded as the melting products of the subducted oceanic crust. The sanukitoids provide information on the geochemical structure of the Archean lithosphere, which is reflected in Archean crust-building processes. The Rb-Sr isotope system of the Neoarchean sanukitoids underwent transformations on the mineralogical scale and within small massifs in the course of at least two Paleoproterozoic tectono-thermal events. A trace of the event at ～2.1 Ga is left in the Rb-Sr system of monomineralic fractions from a weakly deformed syenite of the sanukitoid series in the Central Domain. Later event (～1.7 Ga) was recorded in the minerals of the Teloveis sanukitoid massif, which hosts a gold mesothermal deposit in the Western domain. Monomineralic fractions of muscovite and biotite from the wall-rock metasomatites and of plagioclase, microcline, and biotite from metasomatites away from the orebodies yield isochron ages of 1719 ± 60 and 1717 ± 27 Ma. This age of the metasomatic alterations of the Neoarchean sanukitoids is able to explain the broad and unsystematic variations in the Rb-Sr isotope-geochemical characteristics of these rocks. Our data on the Paleoproterozoic age of the mesothermal gold ore mineralization at the Teloveis deposit provide additional lines of evidence for the complex tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the Karelian GGT in the Early Precambrian.     

Generation of the Early Cenozoic adakitic volcanism by partial melting of mafic lower crust,Eastern Turkey: Implications for crustal thickening to delamination

Early Cenozoic (48–50 Ma) adakitic volcanic rocks from the Eastern Pontides, NE Turkey, consist of calc-alkaline and high-K calc-alkaline andesite and dacite, with SiO₂ contents ranging from 56.01 to 65.44 wt.%. This is the first time that Early Eocene volcanism and adakites have been reported from the region. The rocks are composed of plagioclase, amphibole, quartz, and Mg-rich biotite. They have high and low-Mg# values ranging from 55 to 62 and 13 to 42, respectively. High-Mg# rocks have higher Ni and Co contents than low-Mg# samples. The rocks exhibit enrichments in large ion lithophile elements including the light rare earth elements, depletions in Nb, Ta and Ti and have high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios. Their relative high I_Sr (0.70474–0.70640) and low ε_Nd (50 Ma) values (? 2.3 to 0.8) are inconsistent with an origin as partial melts of a subducted oceanic slab. Combined major- and trace element and Sr–Nd isotope data suggest that the adakitic magmas are related to the unique tectonic setting of this region, where a transition from a collision to an extension stage has created thickening and delamination of the Pontide mafic lower crust at 50 Ma. The high-Mg adakitic magmas resulted from partial melting of the delaminated eclogitic mafic lower crust that sank into the relatively hot subcrustal mantle, and its subsequent interaction with the mantle peridotite during upward transport, leaving garnet as the residual phase, elevates the MgO content and Mg# of the magmas, whereas low-Mg# magmas formed by the melting of newly exposed lower crustal rocks caused by asthenospheric upwelling, which supplies heat flux to the lower crust. The data also suggest that the mafic lower continental crust beneath the region was thickened between the Late Cretaceous and the Late Paleocene and delaminated during Late Paleocene to Early Eocene time, which coincides with the initial stage of crustal thinning caused by crustal extensional events in the Eastern Pontides and rules out the possibility of an extensional regime before ~ 50 Ma in the region during the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic.     

Archaean TTGs as sources of younger granitic magmas: melting of sodic metatonalites at 0.6–1.2 GPa

Two natural, low K₂O/Na₂O, TTG tonalitic gneisses (one hornblende-bearing and the other biotite-bearing) were partially melted at 0.8–1.2 GPa (fluid-absent). The chief melting reactions involve the breakdown of the biotite and hornblende. The hornblende tonalite is slightly less fertile than the biotite tonalite, but melt volumes reach around 30% at 1,000°C. This contrasts with results of most previous work on more potassic TTGs, which generally showed much lower fertility, though commonly producing more potassic melts. Garnet is formed in biotite-bearing tonalitic protoliths at P > 0.8 GPa and at > 1.0 GPa in hornblende-bearing tonalitic protoliths. All fluid-absent experiments produced peraluminous granitic to granodioritic melts, typically with SiO₂ > 70 wt.%. For the biotite tonalite, increasing T formed progressively more melt with progressively lower K₂O/Na₂O. However, the compositions of melts from the hornblende tonalite do not vary significantly with T. With increasing P, melts from the biotite tonalite become less potassic, due to the increasing thermal stability of biotite. For the hornblende tonalite, again there is no consistent trend. Fluid-absent melting of sodic TTGs produces melts with insufficient K₂O to model the magmas that formed the voluminous, late, potassic granites that are common in Archaean terranes. Reconnaissance fluid-present experiments at 0.6 GPa imply that H₂O-saturated partial melting of TTGs is also not a viable process for producing magmas that formed these granites. The protoliths for these must have been more potassic and less silicic. Nevertheless, at granulite-facies conditions, sodic TTGs will produce significant quantities of broadly leucogranodioritic melt that will be more potassic than the protoliths. Upward abstraction of this melt would result in some LILE depletion of the terrane. Younger K-rich magmatism is unlikely to represent recycling of TTG crust on its own, and it seems most likely that evolved crustal rocks and/or highly enriched mantle must be involved. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Geochemical and thermodynamic modeling of the petrogenesis of A1-type granites and associated intermediate rocks: A case study from the central Fennoscandian Shield

The origin of ferroan A-type granites in anorogenic tectonic settings remains a long-standing petrological puzzle. The proposed models range from extreme fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas to partial melting of crustal rocks, or involve combination of both. In this study, we apply whole-rock chemical and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions and thermodynamically constrained modeling (Magma Chamber Simulator, MCS) to decipher the genesis of a suite of A1-type peralkaline to peraluminous granites and associated intermediate rocks (monzodiorite-monzonite, syenite) from the southwestern margin of the Archean Karelia craton, central Finland, Fennoscandian Shield. These plutonic rocks were emplaced at ca. 2.05 Ga during an early stage of the break-up of the Karelia craton along its western margin and show trace element affinities to ocean island basalt-type magmas. The intermediate rocks show positive ε_Nd(2050 Ma) values (+1.3 to +2.6), which are only slightly lower than the estimated contemporaneous depleted mantle value (+3.4), but much higher than average ε_Nd(2050 Ma) of Archean TTGs (–10) in the surrounding bedrock, indicating that these rocks were essentially derived from a mantle source. The ε_Nd(2050 Ma) values of the peralkaline and peraluminous granite samples overlap (–0.9 to +0.6 and –3.2 to +0.9, respectively) and are somewhat lower than those in the intermediate rocks, suggesting that the mafic magmas parental to granite must have assimilated some amount of older Archean continental crust during their fractionation, which is consistent with the continental crust-like trace element signatures of the granite members. The MCS modeling indicates that fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas can explain the major element characteristics of the intermediate rocks. The generation of the granites requires further fractional crystallization of these magmas coupled with assimilation of Archean crust. These processes took place in the middle to upper crust (∼2–4 kbar, ∼7–15 km) and involved crystallization of large amounts of clinopyroxene, plagioclase and olivine. Our results highlight the importance of coupled FC-AFC processes in the petrogenesis of A-type magmas and support the general perception that magmas of A-type ferroan granites become more peraluminous by assimilation of crust. They further suggest that variable fractionation paths of the magmas upon the onset of assimilation may explain the broad variety of A-type felsic and intermediate igneous rocks that is often observed emplaced closely in time and space within the same igneous complex.     

The limited extent of plume-lithosphere interactions during continental flood-basalt genesis: geochemical evidence from Cretaceous magmatism in southern Brazil

It has been suggested that large areas of the Earth's lithospheric mantle undergo pervasive dehydration melting during the impact of mantle plumes and the Early-Cretaceous Paraná-Etendeka continental flood-basalt (CFB) province has repeatedly been cited as evidence of this phenomenon. During the Cretaceous, however, southern Brazil experienced two phases of mafic magmatism. These igneous events occurred ～50?Ma apart and therefore represent distinct episodes of melt genesis in the underlying mantle. The first phase of magmatism, in the Early Cretaceous, included the emplacement of lava flows associated with the Paraná-Etendeka CFB province and also the intrusion of small-volume mafic alkaline magmas (e.g. Anitápolis, Jacupiranga and Juquiá) in the Dom Feliciano and Ribeira mobile belts. During the Late Cretaceous, both sodic and potassic mafic magmas were emplaced on the margin of the adjacent Luis-Alves craton and intrude the flood-basalts at Lages. On the basis of variations in incompatible trace-element concentrations (e.g. Ba?=?1000 to 2000?ppm), initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7048–0.7064) and ?_Nd values (?3 to ?12), we suggest that all of the Late-Cretaceous mafic potassic magmas were derived from the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) which was metasomatically enriched during the Proterozoic. We propose that these relatively low temperature, volatile-rich, mafic melts provide direct evidence that the underlying SCLM did not melt wholesale during the previous Early-Cretaceous Paraná-Etendeka CFB event. Late-Cretaceous melting of the SCLM beneath southern Brazil may have been caused by heat conduction from either: (1) ponded ～132?Ma Tristan plume-head material; or (2) ～85?Ma Trindade plume-head material channelled southwards between the thick cratonic keels of the Amazonas and São Francisco cratons. The Late-Cretaceous magmatism appears to have been contemporaneous with uplift across southern Brazil and Paraguay; we suggest that both of these phenomena represent the widespread effects of the impact of the Trindade mantle plume on the base of the SCLM. Plate margin stresses and lithospheric extension associated with the opening of the South Atlantic may also have changed the geothermal gradient beneath southern Brazil and contributed to mantle melting.     

新疆准噶尔北缘北塔山组火山岩年龄及岩石成因

对准噶尔北缘北塔山组辉石玄武岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb 年龄测定, 获得了玄武岩的喷发年龄380.5±2.2Ma,表明北塔山组火山岩形成于中泥盆世。该地层火山岩中辉石玄武岩和无斑玄武岩的SiO₂含量为47.55%~52.97%、Al₂O₃的含量为8.44%~20.00%、TiO₂为0.5%~1.2%,MgO含量为2.8%~15.35%、CaO为3.98%~14.83%、FeO^T为9.46%~19.23%,具有亚碱性拉斑玄武岩的特征。其微量元素显示富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)和轻稀土元素(LREE),亏损Nb、Ta和Ti,Eu异常不明显。它们具有极低的初始⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr同位素比值(0.703835~0.704337)和高的ε_Nd(381Ma)值(+6.84~+12.3,t=381Ma)的亏损地幔源区特征。结合区域地质背景,北塔山组火山岩形成于与俯冲作用相关的构造环境,是准噶尔古洋盆于泥盆世时发生的俯冲-消减所引发的岛弧岩浆作用的地质记录。岩浆源区为被流体或沉积物熔体交代改造的地幔楔和软流圈地幔,不同类型的岩石系不同成分的原始岩浆经不同演化过程的产物。     

Origin of Middle Cambrian and Late Silurian potassic granitoids from the western Kunlun orogen,northwest China: a magmatic response to the Proto-Tethys evolution

This paper presents new SHRIMP zircon U–Pb chronology, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data of two Early Paleozoic granitic plutons (Yierba and North Kudi) from the western Kunlun orogen, in attempt to further constrain the Proto-Tethys evolution. SHRIMP zircon U–Pb dating shows that the Yierba pluton was emplaced in the Middle Cambrian (513?±?7 Ma) and the North Kudi pluton was emplaced in the Late Silurian (420.6?±?6.3 Ma). The Yierba pluton consists of quartz monzodiorite, quartz monzonite and granodiorite. These granitoids are metaluminous and potassic, with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7072–0.7096, ε_Nd (T) of ?0.2 to ?1.6 and ε_Hf (T) (in-situ zircon) of ?1.2. Elemental and isotopic data suggest that they were formed by partial melting of subducted sediments, with subsequent melts interacting with the overlying mantle wedge in an oceanic island arc setting in response to the intra-oceanic subduction of Proto-Tethys. The North Kudi pluton consists of syenogranite and alkali-feldspar granite. These granites are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous and potassic. They show an affinity of A₁ subtype granite, with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7077–0.7101, ε_Nd (T) of ?3.5 to ?4.0 and ε_Hf (T) (in-situ zircon) of ?3.9. Elemental and isotopic data suggest that they were formed by partial melting of the Precambrian metamorphic basement at a shallow depth (<30 km) during the post-orogenic regime caused by Proto-Tethyan oceanic slab break-off. Our new data suggest that the subduction of the Proto-Tethyan oceanic crust was as early as Middle Cambrian (～513 Ma) and the final closure of Proto-Tethys was not later than Late Silurian (～421 Ma), most probably in Middle Silurian.     

Late Paleozoic granitoids in western Transbaikalia: sequence of formation,sources of magmas,and geodynamics

The evolution of Late Paleozoic granitoid magmatism in Transbaikalia shows a general tendency for an increase in the alkalinity of successively forming intrusive complexes: from high-K calc-alkaline granites of the Barguzin complex (Angara–Vitim batholith) at the early stage through transitional from calc-alkaline to alkaline granites and quartz syenites (Zaza complex) at the intermediate stage to peralkaline granitoids (Early Kunalei complex) at the last stage. This evolution trend is complicated by the synchronous development of granitoid complexes with different sets and geochemical compositions of rocks. The compositional changes were accompanied by the decrease in the scales of granitoid magmatism occurrence with time. Crustal metaterrigenous protoliths, possibly of different compositions and ages, were the source of granitoids of the Angara–Vitim batholith. The isotopic composition of all following granitoid complexes points to their mixed mantle–crustal genesis. The mechanisms of granitoid formation are different. Some granitoids formed through the mixing of mantle and crustal magmas; others resulted from the fractional crystallization of hybrid melts; and the rest originated from the fractional crystallization of mantle products or the melting of metabasic sources with the varying but subordinate contribution of crustal protoliths. Synplutonic basic intrusions, combined dikes, and mafic inclusions, specific for the post-Barguzin granitoids, are direct geologic evidence for the synchronous occurrence of crustal and mantle magmatism. The geodynamic setting of the Late Paleozoic magmatism in the Baikal folded area is still debatable. Three possible models are proposed: (1) mantle plume impact, (2) active continental margin, and (3) postcollisional rifting. The latter model agrees with the absence of mafic rocks from the Angara–Vitim batholith structure and with the post-Barguzin age of peralkaline rocks of the Vitim province.     

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf-O isotope insights into genesis of Permian Tarim felsic rocks,NW China: Implications for crustal melting in response to a mantle plume

Deciphering the contribution of crustal materials to A-type granites is critical to understanding their petrogenesis. Abundant alkaline syenitic and granitic intrusions distributed in Tarim Large Igneous Province, NW China, offer a good opportunity to address relevant issues. This paper presents new zircon Hf-O isotopic data and U-Pb dates on these intrusions, together with whole-rock geochemical compositions, to constrain crustal melting processes associated with a mantle plume. The ∼280 Ma Xiaohaizi quartz syenite porphyry and syenite exhibit identical zircon δ¹⁸O values of 4.40 ± 0.34‰ (2σ) and 4.48 ± 0.28‰ (2σ), respectively, corresponding to whole-rock δ¹⁸O values of 5.6‰ and 6.0‰, respectively. These values are similar to mantle value and suggest an origin of closed-system fractional crystallization from Tarim plume-derived melts. In contrast, the ∼275 Ma Halajun A-type granites have higher δ¹⁸O values (8.82–9.26‰) than the mantle. Together with their whole-rock ε_Nd(t) (−2.0–+0.6) and zircon ε_Hf(t) (−0.6–+1.5) values, they were derived from mixing between crust- and mantle-derived melts. These felsic rocks thus record crustal melting above the Tarim mantle plume. At ∼280–275 Ma, melts derived from decompression melting of Tarim mantle plume were emplaced into the crust, where fractional crystallization of a common parental magma generated mafic-ultramafic complex, syenite, and quartz syenite porphyry as exemplified in the Xiaohaizi region. Meanwhile, partial melting of upper crustal materials would occur in response to basaltic magma underplating. The resultant partial melts mixed with Tarim plume-derived basaltic magmas coupled with fractional crystallization led to formation of the Halajun A-type granites.     

Petrogenesis of Late Silurian volcanism in SW Yunnan (China) and implications for the tectonic reconstruction of northern Gondwana

ABSTRACT

Early Palaeozoic magmatic records and tectonic reconstructions along the northern margin of Gondwana are still pending problems. In this paper, Late Silurian Dawazi and Dazhonghe volcanics in SW Yunnan Province (China) were studied. The Dazhonghe volcanics (419 Ma) have variable chemical compositions with SiO₂ ranging between 49.8 and 79.5 wt.%, whereas, the Dawazi volcanics (417–429 Ma) form a bimodal volcanic suite consisting mainly of silicic rocks and subordinate basaltic rocks with a SiO₂ content gap of ca. 15 wt.%. The Dazhonghe volcanics display calc-alkaline elemental compositions with enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREEs), and depletion in high field strength elements (HFSEs) (e.g. Nb, Ta and Ti) and positive ε_Nd(t) values (+ 4.0 to + 5.5). The Dawazi basaltic rocks are calc-alkaline, depleted in HFSEs, enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) (e.g. Cs, Rb, U and K), and have high ε_Nd(t) values of ?1.7 to + 5.4. The Dawazi silicic rocks have high Na₂O/K₂O ratios and positive ε_Nd(t) values of + 2.4 to + 5.0, which are equivalents of calc-alkaline I-type granites. The Dazhonghe volcanics are dominated by fractional crystallization (FC) from a calc-alkaline primary magma which originated from an enriched mantle source metasomatized by subduction-related, sediment-derived fluid. The Dawazi basaltic rocks were derived from partial melting of an enriched mantle source metasomatized by subducted oceanic sediment/slab-derived fluids; the Dawazi silicic rocks originated from partial melting of the juvenile mafic lower crust with extensive FC. Both the Dazhonghe and Dawazi volcanics were generated in a continental back-arc extension setting. Combined with previous geological observations, a Late Silurian Prototethyan arc and back-arc extension system is proposed along the northern margin of Gondwana in SW China.     

Chemical composition of melts of the Early Eocene volcanic center at Cape Khairyuzova,western Kamchatka: Evidence from inclusions in minerals

Original authors’ data on the mineralogy and composition of melt inclusions in two samples show that the Early Eocene magmatic rocks at Cape Khairyuzova were formed by mixing melts of mafic, intermediate, and acid composition, which were derived from different sources. The mafic melt was rich in MgO, and its temperature was 1100–1150°C. The temperature of the acid melt varied from 1070 to 1130°C. The melts are also different in concentrations of trace elements and in their ratios. All three melt types are enriched in LILE and LREE and depleted in HFSE and were likely derived in suprasubductional environments. The mafic and intermediate magmas were formed by melting a mantle wedge and subsequent fractionation of the melts. The acid melts could be formed by melting crustal rocks when they were overheated in the newly formed orogen of significant thickness. When ascending, the mantle melts could mix in variable proportions with acid melts in crustal chambers.     

Source and tectonic implications of tonalite-trondhjemite magmatism in the Klamath Mountains

 In the Klamath Mountains, voluminous tonalite-trondhjemite magmatism was characteristic of a short period of time from about 144 to 136 Ma (Early Cretaceous). It occurred about 5 to 10 m.y. after the ∼165 to 159 Ma Josephine ophiolite was thrust beneath older parts of the province during the Nevadan orogeny (thrusting from ∼155 to 148 Ma). The magmatism also corresponds to a period of slow or no subduction. Most of the plutons crop out in the south-central Klamath Mountains in California, but one occurs in Oregon at the northern end of the province. Compositionally extended members of the suite consist of precursor gabbroic to dioritic rocks followed by later, more voluminous tonalitic and trondhjemitic intrusions. Most plutons consist almost entirely of tonalite and trondhjemite. Poorly-defined concentric zoning is common. Tonalitic rocks are typically of the low-Al type but trondhjemites are generally of the high-Al type, even those that occur in the same pluton as low-Al tonalite. The suite is characterized by low abundances of K₂O, Rb, Zr, and heavy rare earth elements. Sr contents are generally moderate (∼450 ppm) by comparison with Sr-rich arc lavas interpreted to be slab melts (up to 2000 ppm). Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ ¹⁸O, and ɛ _Nd are typical of mantle-derived magmas or of crustally-derived magmas with a metabasic source. Compositional variation within plutons can be modeled by variable degrees of partial melting of a heterogeneous metabasaltic source (transitional mid-ocean ridge to island arc basalt), but not by fractional crystallyzation of a basaltic parent. Melting models require a residual assemblage of clinopyroxene+garnet±plagioclase±amphibole; residual plagioclase suggests a deep crustal origin rather than melting of a subducted slab. Such models are consistent with the metabasic part of the Josephine ophiolite as the source. Because the Josephine ophiolite was at low T during Nevadan thrusting, an external heat source was probably necessary to achieve significant degrees of melting; heat was probably extracted from mantle-derived basaltic melts, which were parental to the mafic precursors of the tonalite-trondhjemite suite. Thus, under appropriate tectonic and thermal conditions, heterogeneous mafic crustal rocks can melt to form both low- and high-Al tonalitic and trondhjemitic magmas; slab melting is not necessary. Received: 1 September 1994 / Accepted: 28 August 1995     

Variations in the Nd isotopic ratios and canonical ratios of concentrations of incompatible elements as an indication of mixing sources of alkali granitoids and basites in the Khaldzan-Buregtei massif and the Khaldzan-Buregtei rare-metal deposit in western Mongolia

The paper reports data on the Nd isotopic composition and the evaluated composition of the sources of magmatism that produced massifs of alkali and basic rocks of the Khaldzan-Buregtei group. The massifs were emplaced in the terminal Devonian at 392–395 Ma in the Ozernaya zone of western Mongolia. The host rocks of the massifs are ophiolites of the early Caledonian Ozernaya zone, which were dated at 545–522 Ma. The massifs were emplaced in the following succession (listed in order from older to younger): (1) nordmarkites and dolerites syngenetic with them; (2) alkali granites and syngenetic dolerites; (3) dike ekerites; (4) dike pantellerites; (5) rare-metal granitoids; (6) alkali and intermediate basites and quartz syenites; and (7) miarolitic rare-metal alkali granites. Our data on the Nd isotopic composition [?_Nd(T)] and conventionally used (canonical) ratios of incompatible elements (Nb/U, Zr/Nb, and La/Yb) in rocks from the alkaline massifs and their host ophiolites indicate that all of these rocks were derived mostly from mantle and mantle-crustal enriched sources like OIB, E-MORB, and IAB with a subordinate contribution of N-MORB (DM) and upper continental crustal material. The variations in the ?_Nd(T) values in rocks of these massifs suggest multiple mixing of the sources or magmas derived from them when the massifs composing the Khaldzan-Buregtei group were produced. The OIB and E-MORB sources were mixed when the rocks with mantle signatures were formed. The occurrence of nordmarkites, alkali granites, and other rocks whose isotopic and geochemical signatures are intermediate between the values for mantle and crustal sources testifies to the mixing of mantle and crustal magmas. The crustal source itself, which consisted of rocks of the ophiolite complex, was obviously isotopically and geochemically heterogeneous, as also were the magmas derived from it. The model proposed for the genesis of alkali rocks of the Khaldzan-Buregtei massifs implies that the magmas were derived at two major depth levels: (1) mantle, at which the plume source mixed with an E-MORB source, and (2) crustal, at which the ophiolites were melted, and this gave rise to the parental magmas of the nordmarkites and alkali granites. The basites were derived immediately from the mantle. The mantle syenites, pantellerites, and rare-metal granitoids were produced either by the deep crystallization differentiation of basite magma or by the partial melting of the parental basites and the subsequent crystallization differentiation of the generated magmas. Differentiation likely took place in an intermediate chamber at depth levels close to the crustal (ophiolite) level of magma generation. Only such conditions could ensure the intense mixing of mantle and crustal magmas. The principal factor initiating magma generation in the region was the mantle plume that controlled within-plate magmatism in the Altai-Sayan area and the basite magmas related to this plume, which gave rise to small dikes and magmatic bodies in the group of intrusive massifs.     

Revisiting Early–Middle Jurassic igneous activity in the Nanling Mountains,South China: Geochemistry and implications for regional geodynamics

Early–Middle Jurassic igneous rocks (190–170 Ma) are distributed in an E–W-trending band within the Nanling Tectonic Belt, and have a wide range of compositions but are only present in limited volumes. This scenario contrasts with the uniform but voluminous Middle–Late Jurassic igneous rocks (165–150 Ma) in this area. The Early–Middle Jurassic rocks include oceanic-island basalt (OIB)-type alkali basalts, tholeiitic basalts and gabbros, bimodal volcanic rocks, syenites, A-type granites, and high-K calc–alkaline granodiorites. Geochemical and isotopic data indicate that alkaline and tholeiitic basalts and syenites were derived from melting of the asthenospheric mantle, with asthenosphere-derived magmas mixing with variable amounts of magmas derived from melting of metasomatized lithospheric mantle. In comparison, A-type granites in the study area were probably generated by shallow dehydration-related melting of hornblende-bearing continental crustal rocks that were heated by contemporaneous intrusion of mantle-derived basaltic magmas, and high-K calc-alkaline granodiorites resulted from the interaction between melts from upwelling asthenospheric mantle and the lower crust. The Early–Middle Jurassic magmatic event is spatially variable in terms of lithology, geochemistry, and isotopic systematics. This indicates that the deep mantle sources of the magmas that formed these igneous rocks were significantly heterogeneous, and magmatism had a gradual decrease in the involvement of the asthenospheric mantle from west to east. These variations in composition and sourcing of magmas, in addition to the spatial distribution and the thermal structure of the crust–mantle boundary during this magmatic event, indicates that these igneous rocks formed during a period of rifting after the Indosinian Orogeny rather than during subduction of the paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.     

Juvenile granite in the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone,NW Iran: Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous arc–continent collision

The Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone (SSZ) of western Iran is characterized by numerous granitoids of mainly calc-alkaline affinities. Several leucogranite and monzonite bodies crop out in the eastern Sanandaj. Whole-rock Rb–Sr isochrons demonstrate that the Mobarak Abad monzonite (MAM) formed in two phases at 185 and 131 Ma. Low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i) (i represents initial) and high ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd(i) ratios, resulting in positive ?^t _Nd, imply that the source magma originated from a depleted mantle; large ion lithophile element (LILE) and light rare earth element (LREE) enrichments imply that slab fluid was involved in the evolution of the parent magma. Geochemical characteristics of the MAM rocks show an affinity with I- and A-type granites, and the positive values of ?^t _Nd (+2 to +6), confirm that the MAM represents juvenile granite. Therefore, the MAM rocks are different from Himalayan, Hercynian, and Caledonian granites. Based on the geology of granitic host rocks that form the protoliths of metamorphic rocks, it is likely that the mafic part of the MAM formed in an island arc setting on Neo-Tethyan oceanic crust during Early to Middle Jurassic time. Subsequent collision of the island arc with the western part of the SSZ occurred in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Metamorphism, accompanied by partial melting, occurred during collision. Finally, leucogranite magmas of the young Mobarak Abad dikes and the Suffi Abad body were generated in this collision zone. This new model suggests a Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous arc–continental collision before final closing of the Neo-Tethys.     

Geochemistry, Nd Isotopic Characteristics of Metamorphic Complexes in Northern Hebei： Implications for Crustal Accretion

The middle segment of the northern margin of the North China Craton （NCC） consists mainly of metamorphosed Archean Dantazi Complex, Paleoproterozoic Hongqiyingzi Complex and unmetamorphosed gabbro-anorthosite-meta-alkaline granite, as well as metamorphosed Late Paleozoic mafic to granitoid rocks in the Damiao-Changshaoying area. The -2.49 Ga Dantazi Complex comprises dioritic-trondhjemitic-granodoritic-monzogranitic gneisses metamorphosed in amphibolite to granulite facies. Petrochemical characteristics reveal that most of the rocks belong to a medium- to high-potassium calc-alkaline series, and display Mg^# less than 40, right-declined REE patterns with no to obviously positive Eu anomalies, evidently negative Th, Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies in primitive mantlenormalized spider diagrams, εNd（t）=＋0.65 to -0.03, and depleted mantle model ages TDM=2.78-2.71 Ga. Study in petrogenesis indicates that the rocks were formed from magmatic mixing between mafic magma from the depleted mantle and granitoid magma from partial melting of recycled crustal mafic rocks in a continental margin setting. The 2.44-2.41 Ga Hongqiyingzi Complex is dominated by metamorphic mafic-granodioritic-monzogranitic gneisses, displaying similar petrochemical features to the Dantazi Complex, namely medium to high potassium calc-alkaline series, and the mafic rocks show evident change in LILEs, negative Th, Nb, Ta, Zr anomalies and positive P anomalies. And the other granitiod samples also exhibit negative Th, Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies. All rocks in the Hongqiyingzi Complex show right-declined REE patterns without Eu anomaly. The metamorphic mafic rocks with εNd（t） = -1.64 may not be an identical magmatic evolution series with granitoids that have εNd（t） values of ＋3.19 to ＋1.94 and TDM ages of 2.55-2.52 Ga. These granitic rocks originated from hybrid between mafic magma from the depleted mantle and magma from partial melting of juvenile crustal mafic rocks in an island arc setting. All the -311 Ma Late Paleozoic metamorphic mafic rocks and related granitic rocks show a medium-potassium calc-alkaline magmatic evolution series, characterized by high Mg^#, obviously negative Th, Nb, Ta anomalies and positive Sr anomalies, from no to strongly negative Ti anomalies and flat REE patterns with εNd（t） = ＋8.42, implying that the maflc magma was derived from the depleted mantle. However the other granitic rocks are characterized by right-declined REE patterns with no to evidently positive Eu anomalies, significantly low εNd（t） = -13.37 to -14.04, and TDM=1.97-1.96 Ga, revealing that the granitoid magma was derived from hybrid between maflc magma that came from -311 Ma depleted mantle and granitoid magma from Archean to Early Paleoproterozoic ancient crustal recycling. The geochemistry and Nd isotopic characteristics as well as the above geological and geochronological results indicate that the middle segment of the northern margin of the NCC mainly experienced four crustal growth episodes from Archean to Late Paleozoic, which were dominated by three continental marginal arc accretions （-2.49, -2.44 and 311 Ma）, except the 1.76-1.68 Ga episode related to post-collisional extension, revealing that the crustal accretion of this segment was chiefly generated from arc accretion and amalgamation to the NCC continental block.     

The passive margin of northern Gondwana during Early Paleozoic: Evidence from the central Tibet Plateau

The central–south domain of the Tibet Plateau represents an important part of the northern segment of Gondwana during the early Paleozoic. Here we present zircon U–Pb, Lu–Hf isotope, and whole–rock geochemical data from a suite of early Paleozoic magmatic rocks from the central Tibet Plateau, with a view to gain insights into the nature and geotectonic evolution of the northern margin of Gondwana. Zircon grains in four granitic rocks yielded ages of 532−496 Ma with negative ε_Hf(t) values (−13.7 to −0.6). Zircon grains in meta–basalt and mafic gneiss yielded ages of 512 ± 5 Ma and 496 ± 6 Ma, respectively. Geochemically, the granitic rocks belong to high–K calc–alkaline and shoshonitic S–type granite suite, with the protolith derived from the partial melting of ancient crustal components. The mafic gneiss and meta–basalt geochemically resemble OIB (Oceanic Island Basalt) and E–MORB (Enriched Mid–Ocean Ridge Basalt), respectively. They were derived from low degree (∼5–10%) partial melting of an enriched mantle (garnet and spinel lherzolite) that was contaminated by upper crustal components. The parental magmas experienced orthopyroxene–dominated fractional crystallization. Sedimentological features of the Cambrian–Ordovician formations indicate that the depositional cycle transformed from marine regression to transgression leading to the formation of parallel/angular unconformities between the Cambrian and Ordovician strata. The hiatus associated with these unconformities are coupled with the peak of the early Paleozoic magmatism in Tibet Plateau, indicating a tectonic control. We conclude that the Cambrian–Ordovician magmatic suite and sedimentary rocks formed in an extensional setting, and we correlate this with the post–peak stage of the Pan–African orogeny. The post–collision setting associated with delamination, orogenic collapse or lithospheric extension along the northern margin of Gondwana, can account for the Cambrian–Ordovician magmatism and sedimentation, rather than oceanic subduction along the external margin. We thus infer a passive margin setting for the northern Gondwana during the Early Paleozoic.