Crust–mantle interaction during subduction zone processes: Insight from late Mesozoic I-type granites in eastern Guangdong, SE China

Abstract

Zircon U–Pb dating and in-situ Hf–O isotopic compositions, combined with whole-rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotope data, are systematically presented to constrain the timing and petrogenesis of the late Mesozoic granitoids in eastern Guangdong Province, SE China. Zircon U–Pb chronology shows that two intrusions were emplaced from the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (166–144 Ma). All the granitoids are classified as calc-alkaline I-type granites with highly diverse elemental and isotopic compositions. The systematic variations in zircon Hf–O isotopes show that the granites can be categorized into three groups. The Donggang granitic porphyries (166 Ma) have the highest zircon δ18O values of 6.3–8.2‰ (average of 7.7‰) but the lowest εHf(t) values of −8.0 to −1.4, with the oldest Hf model ages of 1.30–1.70 Ga. The Liuzhoushan monzogranites (144 Ma) have intermediate zircon δ18O values of 6.0–6.9‰ (average of 6.4‰) and εHf(t) values of −5.0 to 0.3, with Hf model ages of 1.17–1.51 Ga. The late Early Cretaceous granitoids have the lowest δ18O values of 4.9–6.6‰ (average of 5.5‰) but the highest εHf(t) values of −3.2 to 3.3, with the youngest Hf model ages of 0.95–1.36 Ga. Zircon saturation temperatures of the Donggang, Liuzhoushan, and Xinwei (Sanrao) intrusions are calculated to be 642 °C, 722 °C, and 748 °C, respectively. Together with the variations in Sr–Nd isotopes, it appears that these granitoids were derived from the mixing of different proportions of mantle-derived components with Paleoproterozoic basement crust-derived magmas. The underplating of mantle-derived magmas into the continental crust, which supplied both heat and material contribution, was likely responsible for the generation of the most late Mesozoic I-type granites in eastern Guangdong. From Middle Jurassic to late Early Cretaceous, the increasing εHf(t) and εNd(t) values as well as the decreasing δ18O values and TDM2 ages indicate a progressive role of the crust–mantle interaction, corresponding to a gradually enhanced extensional tectonic environment. The northeast (NE)-ward younging trend and the enhanced crust–mantle interaction along coastal SE China were probably induced by the changing direction of the subducted plate from oblique to parallel to the continental margin.