Complex evolution of the lower crust beneath the southeastern North China Craton: The Junan xenoliths and xenocrysts: Comment

Abstract

The Junan granulite xenoliths and xenocrysts have a distinct overlap in U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions with the Precambrian basement of the Yangtze craton. We thus believe that the Junan granulite cannot be derived from the North China lower crust. Moreover, broad deep seismic and magnetotelluric probing across the Sulu UHP terrane indicates the former is well coupled with the lower crust of the Yangtze craton. Therefore, we suggest that the Junan granulites are most likely to have been derived from the Yangtze Precambrian basement and their zircon U–Pb–Lu–Hf isotope systematics are more likely to indicate the complex evolution of the Precambrian lower crust along the northern margin of the Yangtze craton.