Remnants of late Permian–Middle Triassic ocean islands in northern Tibet: Implications for the late-stage evolution of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean

Abstract

In this paper we present new data for the Tianquan (TQ) and Dabure (DB) ocean islands in the western segment of the Longmuco–Shuanghu–Lancangjiang suture zone, northern Tibet, including the results of major and trace element analyses, zircon U–Pb dating, and Hf isotope analyses. Our aim was to assess the genesis of these ocean islands and to consider the implications for the tectonic evolution of the region as a whole. Both TQ and DB retain an ocean-island-type double-layered structure comprising a volcanic basement (basalt and andesite) and an oceanic sedimentary cover sequence (conglomerate, limestone, and chert). The basalts and andesites in the TQ and DB are enriched in light rare earth elements and high field strength elements (Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Ti), yielding chondrite-normalized REE patterns and primitive-mantle-normalized trace element patterns that are similar to those of ocean island basalts. Given the small and generally positive εHf(t) values of the TQ andesites (+4.25 to +6.22) and DB andesites (−0.59 to +1.97, mostly >0), we conclude that the basalts were derived from the partial melting of garnet peridotite in the mantle and that the andesites were formed by fractional crystallization of the mafic parent magma derived from the garnet peridotite mantle. The ascending magmas underwent varying degrees of fractional crystallization but were not contaminated by crustal material. These features indicate that both TQ and DB are typical ocean islands that formed in an ocean basin. Geochemical analyses of cherts from TQ and DB show that they contain terrigenous material, indicating the proximity of a continental margin. The andesites of TQ contain zircons that yield two U–Pb ages of 251Ma. Given that ages of 246, 247, and 254Ma had been reported previously, we conclude that TQ formed during the late Permian–Early Triassic. The andesites of DB contain zircons that yield U–Pb ages of 242 and 246Ma. Taking into account the youngest age of 244Ma from the DB basalt, we conclude that DB formed during the Middle Triassic. These data, combined with the geological history of the region, indicate that the development of the Longmuco–Shuanghu–Lancangjiang Paleo-Tethys Ocean continued after the early Permian and that the closure of this ocean was diachronous from east to west. The eastern segment of the ocean closed during the Early Triassic; however, the western segment remained at least partially open until the Middle Triassic, although the ocean was relatively small at this time. The ocean finally closed in the Late Triassic.