Huge sedimentary hiatus in the southern margin of the North China Craton from mid-Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Meso- to Neoproterozoic Eras were characterized by environmental, evolutionary, and lithospheric stability in the North China Craton (NCC). It is controversial that huge uplift(s) occurred in the North China Craton during this period. The southern NCC developed early terrestrial deposition in the late-Paleoproterozoic and glacial sequence in the late Neoproterozoic record integrated geological history of the NCC in the intervening interval. Geochemistry compositions of mid-Mesoproterozoic carbonaceous slates (ca. 1330 Ma) show similar provenances to the underlying Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks in the southern NCC. Detrital zircons from the mid-Mesoproterozoic strata yield U–Pb ages from ca. 2450 to 1850 Ma with minor ages of 2950 and 2750 Ma. U–Pb ages of detrital zircons from the Neoproterozoic strata yield from ca. 1700 to 1000 Ma besides peak ages of 2600, 2400, and 1950 Ma. The early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks also display peak ages between ca. 1850 and 1000 Ma along with peaks at ca. 2500 and 2300 Ma. These detrital zircon ages are quite different from those of the Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks in the NCC. According to paleogeography study, the late-Paleoproterozoic to the early Mesoproterozoic clastic sequences are controlled by Xiong’er volcanic event in the southern NCC and carbonate platform developed later. The Mesoproterozoic sequences are overlain disconformably by the Neoproterozoic strata. In combination with compiled magmatic and detrital zircon ages, a sedimentary gap spanned at least 300 Ma from mid-Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic in the southern NCC. Thus, the disconformity between the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic sedimentary sequences in the southern NCC should represent a huge sedimentary hiatus. Both the variable provenances and huge sedimentary hiatus between the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic sedimentary sequences support that the NCC might not split from relict landmass of Columbia Supercontinent before Neoproterozoic. The relict landmass was involved in aggregation of the Rodinia supercontinent.