Genesis and implications of the Late Jurassic Hailesitai granites in the northern Greater Khingan Range: evidence from zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotope

Abstract

AbstractThe tectonic setting and geodynamic model of the Greater Khingan Range (GKR) is highly controversial due to the lack of reliable geological, isotopic and geochronological evidence. In the current study, the Hailesitai pluton, located at the west of the suture between the northern and southern GKR in the east of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is selected to address this issue. These granites of the high potassium calc-alkaline series belong to the A1-type granites with typical geochemical characteristics including high contents of Al2O3, extremely low contents of Ti, P, enriched LREE, LILE, depleted HFSE, and a medium Eu negative anomaly. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U−Pb dating indicates that the granites can be divided into two stages: c. 152 and c. 161 Ma. The intrusion of A1-type granites at ~161 Ma implies that intra-plate orogenesis of the northern GKR started at c. 161 Ma at latest. The Hailesitai pluton has relatively homogeneous Hf isotope compositions with a εHf (t) value (+6.0 − +9.0), and two-stage depleted mantle model ages of 579−738 Ma show that the original magma is a mixture of juvenile and crustal source rocks. Extensional collapse of the Mongol−Okhotsk belt between the Siberia block and the northern GKR resulted in the formation of late Jurassic A1-type granites in the northern GKR. The Hailesitai pluton formed in response to post-orogenic extensional collapse of the Mongol–Okhotsk belt, coupled with back-arc extension related to Palaeo-Pacific plate subduction.