Polyphase tectonothermal events recorded in metamorphic basement rocks from the northern Altyn Tagh, southeastern Tarim Craton

Abstract

<p>  Paleoproterozoic is a pivotal time for understanding the geochronological framework of the Tarim Craton. Located on the southeastern margin of the Tarim Craton, the northern Altyn Tagh is the main exposed region for Paleoproterozoic magmatic-metamorphic rocks. These rocks are diverse, diachronous and modified by multiple magmatic and/or metamorphic events. In this study, we performed systematic analyses on the amphibolite, felsic gneisses, and metasedimentary rocks in the Aketashitage area, southeastern Tarim Craton, including petrography, mineral chemistry, and whole-rock geochemistry, as well as in-situ zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes, to examine the Paleoproterozoic magmatic-metamorphic events in the northern Altyn Tagh. Geochemically, the amphibolite and felsic gneisses in the Aketashitage area seemingly represent the typical bimodal associations of mafic and acidic volcanic rocks. In addition, the felsic gneisses are characterized by high Sr and low Y contents, with high Sr/Y and La<sub>N</sub>/Yb<sub>N</sub> ratios, and indistinctive Eu anomalies, closely resembling high-SiO<sub>2</sub> adakites derived from subducted basaltic slab-melt. The palimpsest textures and geochemical features of the Aketashitage metasedimentary rocks suggest that their protoliths are argillaceous rocks. The amphibolite has a metamorphic age of 1.96 Ga, and the felsic gneisses yield crystallization ages of 2.54-2.52 Ga. For the metasedimentary rocks, the major age peaks of 2.72 Ga, 2.05 Ga and 1.97 Ga are consistent with the magmatic and/or metamorphic events in the study area. The minimum age peak suggests that the depositional age is no earlier than 1.97 Ga. The geochemical and geochronological evidences documented by the exposed rock associations in the Aketashitage area suggest a subduction-related tectonic setting in the Paleoproterozoic. Our new data combined with the previous studies indicate that the Paleoproterozoic magmatism and metamorphism in the northern Altyn Tagh area are nearly synchronous, and both are likely related to oceanic subduction.</p>