Petrogenesis and Geodynamic Implications of Early Cretaceous (∼130 Ma) Magmatism in the Baingoin Batholith, Central Tibet: Products of Subducting Slab Rollback

Abstract

AbstractThe Baingoin batholith is one of the largest granitic plutons in the North Lhasa terrane. Its petrogenesis and tectonic setting have been studied for decades, but remain controversial. Here we report data on geochronology, geochemistry and isotopes of Early Cretaceous granitoids within the Baingoin batholith, which provide more evidence to uncover its petrogenesis and regional geodynamic processes. The Early Cretaceous magmatism yields ages of 134.4–132.0 Ma and can be divided into I‐type, S‐type and highly fractionated granites. The I‐ and S‐type granites exhibit medium SiO2, high K2O/Na2O with negative εNd(t) and εHf(t) values, whereas, the albite granites have very high SiO2 (79.04%–80.40%), very low K2O/N2O, negative εNd(t) and a large variation in εHf(t). Our new data indicate that these granitoids are derived from unbalanced melting in a heterogeneous source area. The granodiorites involved had a hybrid origin from partial melting of basalt‐derived and Al‐rich rocks in the crust, the porphyritic monzogranites being derived from partial melting of pelitic rocks. The albite granites crystallized from residual melt separated from K‐rich magma within the ‘mush’ process and underwent fractionation of K‐feldspar. We believe that the Early Cretaceous magmatism formed in an extensional setting produced by the initial and continuous rollback of a northward‐subducting slab of the NTO.