Provenance of the Langjiexue Group to the south of the Yarlung-Tsangpo Suture Zone in southeastern Tibet: Insights on the evolution of the Neo-Tethys Ocean in the Late Triassic

ABSTRACT

The Upper Triassic Langjiexue Group, which lies immediately south of the Yarlung-Tsangpo Suture Zone in the Shannan area of southeastern Tibet, represents an important part of the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence (THS). Its provenance and palaeogeography have been the subject of debate. We present new data on petrographic composition, whole-rock geochemistry, and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology to constrain the provenance of the Langjiexue Group. The dominance of quartz grains and felsic volcanic lithic fragments suggests that the sandstones are litho-quartzose. The trace element geochemical signatures (V–Ni–Th*10, Co/Th–La/Sc, Eu/Eu*–Th/Sc) suggest derivation from felsic igneous sources. The detrital zircon age spectra display three major peaks: a Meso-to-Neoproterozoic peak (1200–900 Ma, 7–18%), a Neoproterozoic-to-Late Cambrian peak (750–500 Ma, 32–65%), and a Late Carboniferous-to-Late Triassic peak (300–200 Ma, 11–33%). The maximum depositional age of early Carnian (236–235 Ma) is obtained by calculating weighted average ages of the youngest zircons (≤250 Ma). The youngest age cluster (300–200 Ma) is incompatible with sources from neighbouring terranes, including the South Qiangtang terrane, Lhasa terrane, THS, and Higher Himalayan Crystalline. Correlations of the Permian–Triassic zircons with those of time-equivalent strata in northwest Australia, west Burma, and the Banda Arc unveil a potential connection to the Tasmanides along the convergent margin of eastern Australia. The New England Orogen (300–230 Ma) could have supplied the Langjiexue Group with magmatic materials via continent-scale drainage systems or a submarine fan complex. This scenario provides a new perspective into the transport of detritus from distal orogens to sedimentary basins thousands of kilometres away.     

The tectono-magmatic evolution of the West Junggar terrane (NW China) unravelled by U–Pb ages of detrital zircons in modern river sands

ABSTRACT

The West Junggar terrane (WJT) is an outstanding laboratory for studying the tectonic evolution of the Junggar–Balkhash Ocean, because it contains widespread Paleozoic magmatism in different tectonic settings. We attempt to reconstruct the tectono-magmatic evolution of WJT through U–pb analysis of detrital zircons from three modern river sand samples from the Harabura, Baibuxie, and Aletengyemule rivers in the Barleik Mountains of the central WJT. A total of 232 concordant spots show Th/U ratios of 0.14–1.69, typical of igneous origin, and they contain abundant Paleozoic (96%) and few Precambrian (4%) ages, with major age populations at 450–530, 400–430, 320–380, and 265–320 Ma. The first two groups may be derived from the early subduction- and accretion-related magmatic rocks of the WJT, whereas the third group is congruent with magmatic activities related to the final subduction and basin-filling processes within a framework of the remnant Junggar–Balkhash Ocean. By combining with the regional data, the last group of magmatic events is referred to as post-subduction magmatism. The missing Mesozoic–Cenozoic magmatism clearly indicates a pre-Permian closure for the Junggar–Balkhash Ocean, nearly coeval with the closure of other oceans in the southwestern Palaeo-Asian Ocean.     

Geochemistry and zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopes of the 780 Ma I-type granites in the western Yangtze Block: petrogenesis and crustal evolution

ABSTRACT

Neoproterozoic I-type granites could provide vital insights into the crust–mantle interaction and the crustal evolution along the western Yangtze Block, South China. This paper presents new zircon U–Pb ages, bulk-rock geochemistry, and in situ zircon Lu–Hf isotope on the Dalu I-type granites from the southwestern Yangtze Block. Zircon U–Pb dating show the crystallization ages of 781.1 ± 2.8 Ma for granodiorites and 779.8 ± 2.0 Ma for granites, respectively. The Dalu granodiorites are Na-rich, calc-alkaline, metaluminous to slightly peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.94–1.08). Zircons from granodiorite have positive εHf(t) values (+2.16 to +7.39) with crustal model ages of 1.21–1.54 Ga, indicating juvenile mafic lower crust source. The Dalu granites are high-K calc-alkaline, peraluminous rocks. They have variable zircon εHf(t) values (?4.65 to +5.80) with crustal model ages of 1.31–1.97 Ga, suggesting that they were derived from the mature metasediment-derived melts by the mixing of newly formed mafic lower crust-derived melts. The geochemical variations in Dalu pluton is dominated not only by the different source rocks but also by the different melting temperatures. Combining with the geochemistry and isotopic compositions of I-type granitoids and tectonic setting in the western Yangtze Block, we propose that the Dalu I-type granodiorites–granites associations are the magmatic response from different crustal levels, which were induced by the heat anomaly due to the asthenosphere upwelling in the subduction-related setting.     

Detrital zircon ages and Hf isotopic compositions of metasedimentary rocks in the Wuqia area of Southwest Tianshan,NW China: implications for the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Tianshan orogenic belt

ABSTRACT

The Chinese Southwest Tianshan Orogenic Belt is located along the boundary between the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and the Tarim Block (TB), NW China. It records the convergence of the Tarim Block and the Middle Tianshan, and is, therefore, a crucial region for understanding the Eurasia continental growth and evolution. The Wulagen (geographical name) metasedimentary rocks of the Wuqia area (mainly metamorphic sandstones and mica schists) form one of the metamorphic terranes in the Southwestern Tianshan Orogenic Belt. The geochronology of these rocks is poorly known, which hampers our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the belt. We analyzed 517 zircon grains for detrital zircon U–Pb dating and 93 zircon grains for in situ Lu–Hf isotopic compositions from the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks. The analyzed zircon grains yield Neoarchean to late Paleozoic U–Pb ages with major age peaks at ~2543 Ma, 1814 Ma, 830 Ma, 460 Ma, and the youngest cluster of zircon (magmatogene) ages is 395 Ma. The zircon U–Pb data show that the late Paleozoic (Early Devonian) is the maximum depositional age of the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks, rather than the previously considered Precambrian period. The zircons with Paleozoic ages yield εHf(t) values of ?22.0 to +11.3 and two-stage model ages (TDM₂) of 3.95 to 1.30 Ga, suggesting that the parental magmas were formed from partial melting of pre-existing crustal rocks. Our zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic data indicate the major source regions for the Wulagen metasedimentary rocks was the Kyrgyzstan North Tianshan. The zircon age population of 600–400 Ma (peak at ~460 Ma) has negative εHf(t) values (?15.0 to ?0.6) and Mesoproterozoic two-stage model ages, suggesting that the early Paleozoic magmatism resulted mainly from the melting of ancient crust, which played an important role in crustal evolution in the southern CAOB.     

澜沧江南带三叠纪火山岩岩石学、地球化学特征、Ar-Ar年代学研究及其构造意义

滇西三江地区澜沧江南带广泛发育三叠纪火山岩。在北部云县一带,中晚三叠世火山岩出露齐全,自下而上可划分为中三叠统忙怀组(T₂m),上三叠统小定西组(T₃x)和上三叠统芒汇河组(T₃mh)。忙怀组以酸性火山岩为主,为一套流纹岩夹火山碎屑岩组合;小定西组发育为中基性火山熔岩夹火山碎屑岩;芒汇河组具有流纹质火山碎屑岩与玄武岩共存的"双峰式"火山岩特征。地球化学特征表明,南澜沧江带三叠纪火山岩具有弧火山岩与大陆板内火山岩的双重属性,推测其形成环境为过渡型的大陆边缘造山带环境。对南澜沧江带南部景洪附近采集到的石英安山岩样品进行Ar-Ar年龄测试,得到的坪年龄为236.7±2.2Ma,为中三叠世。结合火山岩年代学结果,推测澜沧江洋主碰撞期为早三叠世,中三叠世与晚三叠世早期分别为碰撞后的应力松弛阶段与洋盆继续俯冲期,到晚三叠世末期,俯冲作用结束,澜沧江洋关闭。     

西南天山科桑溶洞新元古代-早奥陶世花岗岩锆石U-Pb年代学研究

在新疆西南天山科桑溶洞地区,新厘定出一套斜长角闪岩-花岗岩地质单元:侵入斜长角闪岩中的新元古代白云母花岗岩(片麻状构造)、以及侵入上述古老岩石单元的早奥陶世花岗岩(块状构造)。片麻状白云母花岗岩中锆石具有热液锆石边、岩浆锆石幔和碎屑锆石核(边-幔-核结构),剔除被热液锆石和碎屑锆石混染的SHRIMP测点,获得岩浆锆石幔的加权平均年龄752.3±5.1Ma(MSWD=0.95),代表岩浆的结晶年龄。块状花岗岩的锆石具有边-核结构,热液锆石边的U-Pb年龄(419.5±5.7Ma)明显偏低。剔除热液锆石和碎屑锆石,获得岩浆锆石的平均U-Pb年龄481.1±4.4Ma(MSWD=0.88),代表花岗岩的结晶年龄。早奥陶世早期,岩浆侵入新元古代片麻状白云母花岗岩中。在晚志留世或者更晚时期,两类花岗岩共同经受了变质热液改造,变质流体交代岩浆锆石,导致锆石溶蚀再生长。     

西天山CuNi-VTiFe复合型矿化镁铁-超镁铁杂岩 ——哈拉达拉岩体成岩成矿背景特殊性讨论

西天山哈拉达拉镁铁-超镁铁杂岩为一CuNi-VTiFe复合型矿化岩体,主要由橄长岩、橄榄辉长岩、角闪辉长岩、辉长岩和辉绿岩组成。获得岩体中橄榄辉长岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为308.8±1.9Ma,辉长岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄307.3±8.2Ma。岩石具堆晶结构、辉长-辉绿结构,岩体韵律层发育;各类岩石稀土和微量元素配分曲线模式相似,多具Eu,Sr正异常,它们可能为同一岩浆结晶分异演化的产物;Sr-Nd同位素特征(87Sr/86Sr初始比值=0.703913～0.705259,εNd(t)=4.00～8.42)表明原始岩浆来自于亏损地幔源区。推测哈拉达拉岩体形成于后碰撞造山早期伸展环境、叠加近同期地幔柱活动的特殊地质背景中。     

新疆西准噶尔红山岩体及其中闪长质岩墙的时代——来自锆石LA-ICP-MS定年的证据

作为一种特殊产状的岩浆岩,岩墙保存有岩浆活动和地球动力学背景等方面的重要信息。为了研究和探讨西准噶尔乃至中亚地区古生代晚期的地球动力学环境,我们对西准噶尔地区侵入花岗岩的暗色岩墙开展了卫星遥感影像解译、地表地质调查和相关室内研究工作。研究发现,新疆西准噶尔红山花岗岩体中发育大量环状和非环状闪长岩岩墙。环状岩墙从中心到外围,岩墙宽度逐渐变窄,矿物粒度也逐渐变细;非环状岩墙切割环状岩墙,宽度和矿物粒度都没有明显变化。为了确定这些岩墙的形成时代,对3个环状岩墙样品、2个非环状岩墙和1个花岗岩样品进行了锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb定年,得到环状岩墙的年龄为:304±1Ma、302±1Ma、303±1Ma;非环状岩墙的年龄为:302±1Ma、302±1Ma;花岗岩的年龄为304±1Ma。结合不同类型岩墙及其与岩体的穿切关系,确定红山岩体的形成时代为304Ma左右,环状岩墙的形成时代为303Ma左右,非环状岩墙的形成时代为302Ma左右。这一年代学研究成果揭示出西准噶尔地区在石炭纪末期发育不同类型的岩浆活动,闪长质岩墙所占据的裂隙是在石炭纪末期形成的;为从岩浆活动和由这些岩墙所占据的裂隙研究,探讨该区古生代晚期的地球动力学环境,提供了有力的时间约束。     

华北克拉通对罗迪尼亚超大陆事件的响应——GOSEN连接假设

中元古代晚期—新元古代早期的华北克拉通与塔里木、扬子克拉通存在明显差异,那里没有十分强烈的与罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚及裂解有关的热-构造事件的地质记录,因此对华北克拉通与罗迪尼亚超大陆的关联存在不同的推测。近年来,在郯庐断裂带两侧新元古代碎屑岩地层中,从辽宁的榆树砬子群,经山东烟台蓬莱群至土门群,陆续测得众多具经典格林威尔期的碎屑锆石年龄。这一信息与西伯利亚东南缘上里菲碎屑岩中的碎屑锆石年龄谱十分相似。这些碎屑锆石的时代均不是华北或西伯利亚本土所具有的特点,说明华北东缘、西伯利亚东南缘与劳伦大陆东南缘格林威尔造山带存在某种亲缘关系。根据这种推测,笔者等提出了劳伦大陆格林威尔造山带、西伯利亚东南缘和华北东部(GOSEN)连接的假设。     

滇南新元古代的岩浆作用：来自瑶山群深变质岩SHRIMP锆石 U-Pb年代学证据

滇南瑶山—哀牢山地区出露一套呈NW—SE向狭长条带状展布的深变质岩系——下元古界瑶山群和哀牢山群,并认为存在前寒武纪的结晶基底。本文选取瑶山群眼球状花岗质糜棱岩和金平阿得博的片麻状花岗岩作为研究对象,进行SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年。结合阴极发光图像,获得岩浆锆石的结晶年龄为828±6.2Ma(N=11,MSWD=1.8)和748～801Ma。同时,作者在墨江-元江剖面的哀牢山群黑云母花岗闪长质片麻岩中获得SHRIMP锆石核部U-Pb年龄为769～893Ma。研究揭示滇南的瑶山和哀牢山地区存在新元古代岩浆作用。瑶山群中古老残余锆石核部的984Ma年龄和哀牢山群中古老残余锆石核部年龄1104～1353Ma及2655Ma,表明该区存在中元古代或太古代的结晶基底,研究区很可能位于南华裂谷与康滇裂谷的交汇部位,新元古代的岩浆活动可能与Rodinia超大陆聚合——裂解过程有关。这为构筑Rodinia超大陆聚散过程和揭示华南大地构造演化史提供年代学方面证据。