Early Mesozoic Magmatism Research Articles

Early Mesozoic magmatism and tectonic evolution of east-central Tibet

The Early Mesozoic granitoids in the east-central Tibet are the key to understand the tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, three stages of Early Mesozoic granitic magmatism were indicated by LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating on 14 samples. The Early Triassic (248–243 Ma) and the Late Triassic (213–208 Ma) were distributed in the North Qiangtang terrane, and the Early Jurassic (ca. 187 Ma) occurred in the Tongka and Jiayuqiao blocks. The Late Triassic and Early Jurassic granitoids show similar negative zircon eHf(t) values (− 5.5 to − 16.6) with TDM2 model ages of 1.60–2.28 Ga, suggesting a Paleoproterozoic crustal source, whereas the Early Triassic granitoids have zircon eHf(t) values from − 3.4 to + 5.3 with TDM2 model ages of 0.94–1.50 Ga, indicating a Mesoproterozoic crustal source. Based on the whole-rock geochemical data, we suggest that the Early Triassic rocks from the North Qiangtang terrane include I- and S-type granites and the Late Triassic rocks are S-type granites, which were related to the northward subduction of the Longmu Tso–Shuanghu–Dingqing Paleo-Tethys Ocean and subsequent collision between the North Qiangtang terrane and Tongka block, respectively. The Early Jurassic granitoids from the Tongka and Jiayuqiao blocks also included both I- and S-type granites and were probably generated in an arc-related setting during the northward subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethys Ocean. Therefore, we suggest a collision–accretion model that attributes the Early Mesozoic tectonic-magmatic event to the sequential multistage subduction and collision in the east of central Tibet.

Middle Triassic ultrapotassic rhyolites from the Tanggula Pass, southern Qiangtang, China: A previously unrecognized stage of silicic magmatism

There is a Mid–Late Mesozoic (Jurassic–Cretaceous) arc magmatic belt in southern Qiangtang subterrane associated with the north-dipping subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean. Early Mesozoic (Triassic) magmatism, tectonic evolution of the southern Qiangtang subterrane, and the mechanism of its crustal growth, however, remain unclear. This paper reports zircon U–Pb age, whole-rock major, trace elemental, and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic components for the Mesozoic Tanggula Pass rhyolites in southern Qiangtang subterrane. Our new data reveal a significant, previously unrecognized stage of magmatism in southern Qiangtang subterrane. The Tanggula Pass rhyolites are moderately-strongly peraluminous (A/CNK=1.09–1.54), highly fractionated (SiO2>73%) and ultrapotassic (K2O/Na2O>44%). Zircon U–Pb dating by LA-ICP-MS yields a concordant age with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 235.9±0.86Ma (n=18, MSWD=0.25). The large variations of major and trace element concentrations are mainly attributed to fractional crystallization of plagioclase, hornblende, Fe-Ti oxides, and accessory minerals such as apatite, allanite, monazite, and zircon in the shallow level. K-feldspar mainly occurs as cumulated mineral, resulting in high K2O contents and K2O/Na2O ratios. The rhyolites were derived by partial melting of mixed source rocks including older sedimentary rocks in the upper crust and juvenile materials, triggered by north-dipping subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. The eruption age of Middle Triassic suggests that the initiation of northward subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan ocean took place earlier than is currently assumed. Whole-rock Nd (ca. 1.55 to 2.34Ga) and zircon Hf (ca. 1.77 to 2.33Ga) data reflect the presence of the Proterozoic basement in the southern Qiangtang subterrane. Basaltic magma underplating and accretion of intra-oceanic arc complexes and oceanic plateau contributed to vertical crustal growth and lateral crustal growth, respectively.

Stages of late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic magmatism in the Song Ma belt, NW Vietnam: evidence from zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotope composition

The Song Ma zone in NW Vietnam bears important tectonic implications as a potential subduction corridor between the Indochina and South China blocks. On the basis of U–Pb ages, the Hf isotopic characteristics of zircons and the geochemical composition of granitoids, a two-stage magmatic evolution process of the Song Ma zone at ~290–260 and ~245–230 Ma can be proposed. Isotopic analyses indicate magmatic contributions from Neoproterozoic oceanic island basalt, Proterozoic continental crust, and depleted mantle or juvenile lithosphere. By combining geochronological and geochemical data from the granitoid rocks, we suggest that the staged magmatic processes of Song Ma zone may be related to a long-lasting period of ocean subduction (ca. 290–260 Ma) and subsequent syn-/post-collisional evolution (ca. 245–230 Ma).

Early Mesozoic granitoid and rhyolite magmatism of the Bureya Terrane of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Age and geodynamic setting

Early Mesozoic granitoids and volcanic rocks are widespread throughout the structures of all of the continental massifs in the eastern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, although its tectonic setting is not yet clear. Generally, they are associated with subduction and plume processes or rifting. Such uncertainty is mostly explained by the unequal investigation of Early Mesozoic magmatism. This paper presents the results of geochemical, Sm-Nd isotope, and U–Pb geochronologic (ID-TIMS) studies of “key-type” Early Mesozoic magmatic rock complexes of the Bureya Terrane. This is one of the largest continental massifs in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt and knowledge of its geological structure is of fundamental importance in understanding the history of its formation. It has been established that the leucogranites of the Altakhtinsky Complex and the trachyrhyolites of the Talovsky Complex are practically coeval (~209–208Ma). The subalkaline leucogranites of the Kharinsky Complex have a slightly younger age of ~199Ma. These data correspond to the general stage of Early Mesozoic magmatic and metamorphic events (236–180Ma) in most continental massifs in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. We believe that large-scale Early Mesozoic events were related to the amalgamation of the continental massifs of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt into a single continental structure (the Amur superterrane or microcontinent Amuria) and collision with the North Asian Craton. It should be noted that the collision processes were followed by crustal thickening, thus creating the conditions for metamorphism and formation of magmatic rock complexes of various geochemical types.

Late Permian to Early Triassic crustal evolution of the Kontum massif, central Vietnam: zircon U–Pb ages and geochemical and Nd–Hf isotopic composition of the Hai Van granitoid complex

The Hai Van granitoid complex constitutes an important part of the Indosinian batholith of the northern Kontum massif in central Vietnam. The Kontum massif is a key region for understanding the palaeo-Tethyan accretionary history and the crustal evolution of the Indochina terrane. In this study, zircon U–Pb ages and geochemical data on the Hai Van complex are reported to shed more light on these geological processes. Zircon U–Pb isotopic analyses of six representative samples by the LA-ICP-MS technique show that granitoids from this complex crystallized between 242 and 224 Ma, indicating a prolonged period of magmatism in a late orogenic stage. Rocks from the Hai Van complex have S-type geochemical characteristics with high SiO2, Na2O + K2O, and Zr contents as well as typical S-type minerals such as cordierite and muscovite. Trace elements of the samples are depleted in Ba, Nb, P, Sr, and Ti and enriched in Rb, K, Th, U, and Pb. Negative Eu-anomalies indicate feldspar fractionation during magma crystallization. The Hai Van granitoids exhibit Nd–Hf isotopic features similar to Proterozoic rocks exposed in South China, with low initial ɛHf and initial ɛNd values and two-stage Hf model ages of 1.9–1.7 Ga. It is suggested that during the palaeo-Tethyan orogeny, central Vietnam experienced strong early Mesozoic magmatism that originated from partial melting of crustal material similar in composition to the basement of the South China block.

Early Mesozoic magmatism of the Bureinskii terrane of the Central Asian foldbelt: Age and geodynamic setting

Early Mesozoic magmatism of the Bureinskii terrane of the Central Asian foldbelt: Age and geodynamic setting

Neoproterozoic, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic granitoid magmatism in the Qinling Orogen, China: Constraints on orogenic process

The Qinling Orogen is one of the main orogenic belts in Asia and is characterized by multi-stage orogenic processes and the development of voluminous magmatic intrusions. The results of zircon U–Pb dating indicate that granitoid magmatism in the Qinling Orogen mainly occurred in four distinct periods: the Neoproterozoic (979–711Ma), Paleozoic (507–400Ma), and Early (252–185Ma) and Late (158–100Ma) Mesozoic. The Neoproterozoic granitic magmatism in the Qinling Orogen is represented by strongly deformed S-type granites emplaced at 979–911Ma, weakly deformed I-type granites at 894–815Ma, and A-type granites at 759–711Ma. They can be interpreted as the products of respectively syn-collisional, post-collisional and extensional setting, in response to the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. The Paleozoic magmatism can be temporally classified into three stages of 507–470Ma, 460–422Ma and ∼415–400Ma. They were genetically related to the subduction of the Shangdan Ocean and subsequent collision of the southern North China Block and the South Qinling Belt. The 507–470Ma magmatism is spatially and temporally related to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the studied area. The 460–422Ma magmatism with an extensive development in the North Qinling Belt is characterized by I-type granitoids and originated from the lower crust with the involvement of mantle-derived magma in a collisional setting. The magmatism with the formation age of ∼415–400Ma only occurred in the middle part of the North Qinling Belt and is dominated by I-type granitoid intrusions, and probably formed in the late-stage of a collisional setting. Early Mesozoic magmatism in the study area occurred between 252 and 185Ma, with the cluster in 225–200Ma. It took place predominantly in the western part of the South Qinling Belt. The 250–240Ma I-type granitoids are of small volume and show high Sr/Y ratios, and may have been formed in a continental arc setting related to subduction of the Mianlue Ocean between the South Qinling Belt and the South China Block. Voluminous late-stage (225–185Ma) magmatism evolved from early I-type to later I-A-type granitoids associated with contemporaneous lamprophyres, representative of a transition from syn- to post-collisional setting in response to the collision between the North China and the South China blocks. Late Mesozoic (158–100Ma) granitoids, located in the southern margin of the North China Block and the eastern part of the North Qinling Belt, are characterized by I-type, I- to A-type, and A-type granitoids that were emplaced in a post-orogenic or intraplate setting. The first three of the four periods of magmatism were associated with three important orogenic processes and the last one with intracontinental process. These suggest that the tectonic evolution of the Qinling Orogen is very complicated.

Early Mesozoic Plutonism of the Cordillera de la Costa (34°–37°S), Chile: Constraints on the Onset of the Andean Orogeny

New isotopic ages constrain the onset of the Andean Orogeny in central Chile (34°–37°S). They define three pulses of Early Mesozoic magmatism in the Cordillera de la Costa: granitic magmatism at 225–220 Ma, bimodal magmatism at 210–197 Ma, and mafic magmatism at 170–150 Ma. Each pulse has distinct field, petrographic, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic characteristics and crystallization conditions. Major magmatic sources are the regional Mesozoic subarc-subcontinental mantle and the Paleozoic Chilean continental crust, with the importance of juvenile contributions increasing with time. All three Early Mesozoic magmatic pulses display geochemical signatures that are characteristic of subduction-related magmas of magmatic arcs, such as a Nb-Ta trough and a positive Pb anomaly. The 210–197-Ma magmatism is peculiar for its bimodal nature, the occurrence of transitional A-type granitoids, the presence of fayalite granites, and its association with an episode of crustal extension. A contemporaneous accretionary wedge nevertheless indicates ongoing subduction at that time. The 210–197-Ma magmatic pulse thus was formed in an extensional suprasubduction zone environment. It marks the transition from the Gondwana Orogeny to Andean-style subduction magmatism. We argue that the onset of the Andean Orogeny was related to a reconfiguration of the tectonic conditions of plate convergence during overall near-continuous subduction and arc magmatism since the Paleozoic.

Phanerozoic mafic magmatism in the southern Siberian craton: geodynamic implications

The Phanerozoic history of mafic magmatism in the southern Siberian craton included three major events. The earliest event (∼500 Ma) recorded in dolerite dikes occurred during accretion and collision at the early stage of the Central Asian orogen. Injection of mafic melts into the upper crust was possible in zones of diffuse extension within the southern Siberian craton which acted as an indenter. The Late Paleozoic event (∼275 Ma) produced dikes that intruded in a setting of subduction-related extension at the back of the active continental margin of Siberia during closure of the Mongolia–Okhotsk ocean, as well as slightly older volcanics (290 Ma) in the Transbaikalian segment of the Central Asian orogen. Early Mesozoic magmatism in the southern Siberian craton resulted in numerous 240–250 Ma mafic intrusions in the Angara–Taseeva basin. The intrusions (Siberian traps) appeared as the subducting slab of the Mongolia–Okhotsk ocean interacted with a lower mantle plume. The post-Late Paleozoic ages of flood basalts (290–275 Ma) correspond to progressive northwestward (in present coordinates) motion of the slab beneath the southern craton margin which likely ceased after the slab had reached the zone of the Siberian superplume. Since its consolidation after the Early Mesozoic activity, the crust in the area has no longer experienced extension favorable for intrusion of basaltic magma.

Paleozoic and early mesozoic magmatism manifestations in the early Precambrian structure of the South Yenisei Ridge

This study characterizes some issues of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonomagmatic evolution of Precambrian structures from the southwestern margin of the Siberian craton. The relationship between the Devonian and Triassic magmatic events is demonstrated from the example of the Severnaya rift-related structure, South Yenisei Ridge. U-Pb SHRIMP dating yielded ages of 387 ± 5 Ma for leucogranites and 240 ± 3 Ma for the overlying alkaline trachytes. These ages show good agreement with Ar-Ar geochronological data (392–387 Ma) obtained for micas from paragneisses and leucogranite dykes of the Yenisei suture zone, the extension of which is superimposed by the studied rift-related structure. The previous geological evidence and the Devonian age estimate first obtained for magmatic rocks of the Yenisei Ridge allow us to interpret the studied leucogranites as products of Devonian continental rifting, similar to volcanic and intrusive rocks of the North Minusa depression and Agul graben. Like other localities within the western margin of Siberian craton, the formation of Triassic alkaline rocks may be related to the Siberian superplume activity.

Mesozoic tectonics in the Eastern Block of the North China Craton: implications for subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian plate

Abstract The Jiao-Liao massif is located in the hanging wall of the north-dipping Dabie–Sulu suture zone and is an important part of the Eastern Block of the North China Craton. Several important tectonic models for the tectonic evolution of Eastern Asia rely on critical information from the Jiao-Liao massif. This paper combines new sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb zircon ages of the Dandong Granite in the southern Liaoning Province, China, with extensive field data for the eastern North China Craton, including the Bohai Bay Basin. Combined with other recent SHRIMP dating, we use this information to summarize the Mesozoic tectonic reactivation and evolutionary processes of the Jiao-Liao massif of the Eastern Block of the North China Craton. In this study we identify a c . 160 Ma episode of partial melting of Palaeoproterozoic plutons in the Jiao-Liao massif. Cathode luminescence and backscatter electron imagery reveal c . 167–157 Ma magmatic euhedral single zircons and magmatic zircon rims surrounding c . 2100 Ma cores in the Dandong Granites near the Liaonan Neoarchaean terrane. This partial melting is probably related to in situ remelting of ancient lower continental material, mostly the North China Craton. The Dandong plutons are aligned in a NE–SW direction and are extensively deformed by subhorizontal ductile thrust-related shearing and subsequent NNE–SSW trending folds. Here, we show that for the Dandong area the first deformation occurred between 195 and 193 Ma, based on K–Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of muscovites from east–west-trending shear zones on the Liaodong Peninsula. Based on the field relationships between the plutons and structural fabrics, a range from 153 to 145 Ma is defined as the duration of the second deformation in the Dandong Granites. The third deformation is marked by the formation of NNE–SSW strike-slip faults between 135 and 95 Ma. This deduced age range is similar to an 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age range of 128–132 Ma of initial sinistral strike-slip faulting of the Tan-Lu fault in Anhui Province and to a biotite cooling age of 100±2.3 Ma of the Yilan–Yitong segment of the Tan-Lu fault in the Jilin Province. These faults are transtensive and controlled the formation of pull-apart basins. However, during the third deformation, some metamorphic core complexes in Eastern China formed in the overlapping area between the large-scale sinistral faults. Our SHRIMP data also indicate that the Liaodong basement and its Early Mesozoic magmatism are similar to the Jiaodong basement and its Mesozoic magmatism. Therefore, the Early Mesozoic evolution of the Liaodong area, similar to that of the Jiaodong area, was also closely related to the Sulu orogen in the Early Mesozoic and to the Pacific subduction throughout the Mesozoic.

Pacific subduction coeval with the Karoo mantle plume: the Early Jurasssic Subcordilleran belt of northwestern Patagonia

Abstract The Early Mesozoic magmatism of southwestern Gondwana is reviewed in the light of new U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages (181 ± 2 Ma, 181 ± 3 Ma, 185 ± 2 Ma, and 182 ± 2 Ma) that establish an Early Jurassic age for the granites of the Subcordilleran plutonic belt in northwestern Argentine Patagonia. New geochemical and isotopic data confirm that this belt represents an early subduction-related magmatic arc along the proto-Pacific margin of Gondwana. Thus, subduction was synchronous with the initial phase of Chon Aike rhyolite volcanism ascribed to the thermal effects of the Karoo mantle plume and heralding rifting of this part of the supercontinent. Overall, there is clear evidence that successive episodes of calc-alkaline arc magmatism from Late Triassic times until establishment of the Andean Patagonian batholith in the Late Jurassic involved westerly migration and clockwise rotation of the arc. This indicates a changing geodynamic regime during Gondwana break-up and suggests differential rollback of the subducted slab, with accretion of new crustal material and/or asymmetrical ‘scissor-like’ opening of back-arc basins. This almost certainly entailed dextral displacement of continental domains in Patagonia.

Zircon U-Pb age of the Paramo Rico tonalite-granodiorite, Santander Massif (Cordillera Oriental, Colombia) and its geotectonic significance

We present the first U-Pb data, which document the existence of early Mesozoic magmatism in the Santander Massif, within the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia. Zircon fractions separated from a tonalite and a granodiorite of the Paramo Rico intrusion yield crystallization ages of 205–210 Ma. Biotite K-Ar ages of other intrusions in this region range from 177 to 210 Ma, overlapping these data, but are reinterpreted as cooling ages after the solidification of the magmatic melts. The Late Triassic/Early Jurassic magmatic activity documented here indicates that the geotectonic position of the Cordillera Oriental was similar to the present-day position of the South American plate to the Nazca plate, (i.e., subduction related).