Cretaceous crust–mantle interaction and tectonic evolution of Cathaysia Block in South China: Evidence from pulsed mafic rocks and related magmatism

Abstract

Cretaceous tectono-magmatic evolution of the Cathaysia Block in South China is important but their mechanism and geodynamics remain highly disputed. In this study we carried out a detailed geochemical study on the recently found Kuokeng mafic dikes in the western Fujian Province (the Interior Cathaysia Block) to reveal the petrogenesis and geodynamics of the Cretaceous magmatism. Kuokeng mafic dikes were emplaced in three principal episodes: ~129Ma (monzogabbro), ~107Ma (monzodiorite), and ~97Ma (gabbro). Geochemical characteristics indicate that the monzogabbros were derived from the unmodified mantle source, while gabbros were likely derived from metasomatized mantle by subducted slab (fluids and sediments). Sr–Nd isotope compositions indicate that the parental magmas of the monzodiorites were generated by mixing of enriched, mantle-derived, mafic magmas and felsic melts produced by partial melting of crustal materials. Until the Early Cretaceous (~123Ma), the dominant ancient Interior Cathaysia lithospheric mantle exhibited insignificant subduction signature, indicating the melting of asthenospheric mantle and the consequent back-arc extension, producing large-scale partial melting of the crustal materials under the forward subduction regime of the paleo-Pacific plate. The monzodiorites and gabbros appear to be associated with northwestward subduction of Pacific plate under an enhanced lithospheric extensional setting, accompanying with mantle modification, which triggered shallower subduction-related metasomatically enriched lithospheric mantle to melt partially. After ca. 110Ma, the coastal magmatic belts formed due to a retreat and rollback of the subducting Pacific Plate underneath SE China in the continental margin arc system.