Ca. 2.1 Ga low-δ18O gabbro-diorite association in southern North China Craton: Implications for an intraplate rifting

Abstract

Although widespread ca. 2.2–2.1 Ga igneous activities were identified through the North China Craton (NCC), their petrogenesis and implications for the Paleoproterozoic tectonic regime of the NCC are still under hot debate. Here we present the 2.18–2.14 Ga gabbro-diorite plutons in the Xiong'ershan Taihua Complex, southern North China Craton. They are dominantly gabbros with minor as gabbroic-dioritic rocks. The samples exhibit transitional geochemical characteristics from tholeiitic to calc-alkali series with enrichment in LREEs (e.g., La/Yb N = 1.90–13.9) and LILEs (e.g., Rb, Ba and Sr) but depletion in HFSE (e.g., Nb, Ta and Ti), corresponding to affinity of arc-related magmatism. The high Fe 2 O 3 (8.90–14.91 wt%), CaO (6.78–9.81 wt%) contents, and Ti/Y ratios (179–635), low Th concentrations (0.11–4.08 ppm), and consistent La/Nb and Th/Nb ratios, preclude significant crustal contamination during magma emplacement. The samples show negative zircon ε Hf (t) (−7.3–−1.6) and whole-rock ε Nd (t) (−4.0–+0.9) values with much older model ages ( T DM Hf = 2811–2606 Ma and T DM Nd = 3069–2711 Ma) than their formation ages, along with high La/Nb (1.69–6.21) and low La/Ba (0.01–0.05) ratios, indicating a refertilized Archean lithospheric mantle source. Considering that zircons of 2.18–2.14 Ga gabbro-diorite in the Xiong'ershan area lack metamict features and exhibit originally low but homogeneous δ 18 O values in the mantle source (3.04‰ to 5.07‰, 4.21‰ on average), we prefer they derived from preexisting 18 O-depleted mantle source, which might be a highly heterogeneous metasomatized SCLM by subducted-fluid during the Archean cratonization. The consistent Sm/Yb and La/Sm ratios indicate ∼5–30% partial melting of the garnet-spinel dominant source region. Combing the low δ 18 O signature and within-plate (high Zr, Zr/Y, Th/Hf and Ta/Hf) geochemical features, we suggest a thermal anomaly linked to a rift setting could account for the mantle melting. The intraplate ca. 2.1 Ga low-δ 18 O magmatism possibly resembles those during the Neoproterozoic glaciations associated with major dispersal periods of Rodinia. To better understand the Paleoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the NCC, we have also comprehensively compiled all the published ages and geochemical data of the 2.2–2.1 Ga mafic-felsic igneous rocks. The mafic suites can be divided into two groups based on ages and geochemical affinities. Mafic rocks of Group 1 (2.19–2.12 Ga) belong to rift-related basalts, together with spatially associated 2.19–2.13 Ga A-type granitic rocks and volcano-sedimentary associations, likely indicating an intraplate rift setting. Whereas mafic rocks of Group 2 (2.15–2.06 Ga) show geochemical affinity of island arc calc-alkaline basalts, together with coeval 2.18–2.05 Ga I-S type granitic associations, implying an arc-related setting and recording a possible tectonic transition from extension to subduction-collision. The rifting events in the NCC during 2.2–2.1 Ga may coincide with the global lithospheric break-up of the supercontinent, and the subsequent tectonic transition could correspond to development of the globally orogenesis at 2.1–1.8 Ga. • The Paleoproterozoic low-δ 18 O gabbro-diorite plutons were formed at 2.18–2.14 Ga. • The mafic association was derived from an ancient metasomatized SCLM source. • They were formed in an intraplate rifting system. • The extensive 2.2–2.1 Ga magmatism in the NCC corresponds to global breakup event.