Subduction Of Oceanic Plate Research Articles

Provenance of Carboniferous-Permian sedimentary units in southern Mexico: evidence for peri-arc basin evolution during the Pangea assembly

ABSTRACT The Oaxacan Complex Carboniferous-Permian sedimentary cover in southern México records provenance shifts through time, reflecting the collision between Gondwana and Laurentia to amalgamate Pangea. The integration of petrological analysis and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon geochronology from Santiago, Ixtaltepec and Yododeñe formations compared with adjacent terranes suggests that: (1) during the Early Mississippian, the Santiago Formation received sediments mainly from local sources such as the Oaxacan Complex and Tiñu Formation, with minor contributions from adjacent peri-Gondwana sources. The magmatic activity may have started during this time (~359–346 Ma) (2) during the Late Mississippian (Ixtaltepec Formation), detrital zircon grains of Ediacaran-Cambrian age are dominant, derived from sediments either related to the Pan-African/Brasiliano orogeny or the opening of the Iapetus Ocean; (3) during the Late Mississippian-Middle Pennsylvanian, intercalated marine volcaniclastic sandstone (Ixtaltepec Formation) provides the first record of Carboniferous arc-related volcanism reported in southern Mexico, dated between 330 and 308 Ma; (4) the early Permian Yododeñe Formation records the exhumation and erosion of the sedimentary cover during the final stage of Pangea assembly. Rhyodacitic subvolcanic sills and lavas dated at ~282–270 Ma are present throughout the succession. Volcanism and ca. 360–308 Ma detrital zircon grains could be associated with a Carboniferous magmatic arc formed by subduction of the Rheic oceanic plate beneath Gondwana. Slightly younger detrital zircon and subvolcanic rocks dated at ~300–270 Ma are linked to a western Pangea arc developed in response to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean following Pangea assembly. Our results suggest that the Carboniferous-Permian units were deposited in a peri-arc basin, sharing sediment provenance with the Maya and Coahuila blocks, the Sierra de Juárez Complex, and northwestern South America.

Isotope Geochemistry of the Heihaibei Gold Deposit within the Kunlun River Area in the Eastern Kunlun Orogen in Northwest China and Its Metallogenic Implications

The Heihaibei gold deposit is located in the Eastern Kunlun Orogen in Northwest China. The gold mineralization here occurs predominantly in quartz veins within faulted granite zones. The sulfide mineral assemblage is dominated by pyrite and arsenopyrite, with minor chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite, and micro-native gold. Weak alterations in Heihaibei granites include silicification and sericitization, with minor chloritization and carbonatization. The measured δDH2O and δ18Oquartz values of quartz in auriferous quartz veins range from −104.2‰ to −81.1‰ and +9.2‰ to +13.9‰, respectively. The δ34S values of sulfides in auriferous quartz veins range from +7.60‰ to +8.65‰, and the lead isotope compositions of sulfides in ores range from 18.7219 to 19.0007 for 206Pb/204Pb, 15.6959 to 15.7062 for 207Pb/204Pb, and 37.7359 to 38.8055 for 208Pb/204Pb. The Pb isotope compositions of potassic feldspars from Heihaibei granites vary from 18.3532 to 19.4864 for 206Pb/204Pb, 15.6475 to 15.6812 for 207Pb/204Pb, and 37.1750 to 38.4598 for 208Pb/204Pb. Collectively, the isotope (H, O, S, and Pb) geochemistry suggests that the ore-forming fluid was a special metamorphic water evolved from the deep slab-derived fluids, and the sulfur and lead were predominantly sourced from such metamorphic fluids, and from the deep parts of the Heihaibei granites. Therefore, the Heihaibei gold deposit can be classified as an orogenic gold deposit, which is closely associated with the subduction of the Paleo-Tethys oceanic plate, and even the final closure of this ocean by the Later Triassic.

Triassic record of Paleo-Tethyan subduction: Evidence from prograde metamorphic P–T paths of the Baqing eclogite, eastern Qiangtang, central Tibet

ABSTRACT The prograde metamorphic P–T conditions of eclogites correspond to the subduction processes of oceanic plates. The conditions may be recorded in mineral inclusions and the compositional zoning of garnets, and they play significant roles in revealing the dehydration depth, geothermal structure of the subduction plate and in understanding arc magmatism. The P–T conditions of the Baqing eclogite have been determined previously using traditional geothermobarometers and Ti-in-zircon geothermometers. To obtain more precise prograde metamorphic P–T conditions and details of the Paleo-Tethyan subduction process, we carried out phase equilibrium modeling for a newly collected Baqing eclogite sample. The sample is characterized by well-developed prograde zonings in metamorphic garnets with increasing Mg and decreasing Mn contents from cores to rims, a peak metamorphic mineral assemblage of garnet + omphacite + phengite + rutile + quartz, and a retrograde metamorphic mineral assemblage of amphibole + plagioclase that replaced omphacite. We calculated the peak metamorphic conditions of the Baqing eclogite using the Garnet–Omphacite–Phengite–Quartz thermobarometers to be 26.5 ± 1 kbar and 730 ± 60°C, consistent with the results (23.5–27.5 kbar, 730–750°C) calculated using a P–T pseudosection. The prograde metamorphic P–T conditions were constrained to be ~21.4 kbar and ~580°C using pyrope and grossular isopleths. These results are consistent with previous calculations for the Baqing eclogite. Eclogites of the Central Qiangtang metamorphic belt, the Baqing metamorphic complex, and Changning–Menglian metamorphic belt show parallel P–T paths with different geothermal gradients, that relate to their different protoliths but similar heating and burial processes during Triassic subduction of the Shuanghu Paleo-Tethyan oceanic plate.

Subduction development along extinct mid-ocean ridges versus weakened passive continental margins

Where subduction zones develop is a fundamental issue in subduction dynamics. Intra-oceanic settings and continental margins are the main regions for subduction development, and various tectonic settings are further proposed based on these two categories, including extinct mid-ocean ridges and passive continental margins. Mid-ocean ridges often locate adjacent to passive continental margins since they formed in successive extension processes. However, it remains enigmatic how these two tectonic settings compete in terms of subduction initiation and development. Here, we use a 2-D numerical model to investigate how subduction develops in the tectonic setting where mid-ocean ridges and passive continental margins are juxtaposed. The results exhibit three oceanic plate subduction types: continental margin subduction, ridge-inversed subduction, and a transitional type featured by double subduction along ridges and margins. The physical parameters that influence the formation of the three types of subduction, including the geometry of weakened passive margins, the cooling age of extinct mid-ocean ridges, the direction and magnitude of convergence rates, and the ridge-margin distance, are systematically investigated. Small cooling ages, pushing from oceanic plates, short ridge-margin distances, and strong continental margins favor ridge-inversed subduction, while large cooling ages, pushing from overriding plates, long ridge-margin distances, and weakened continental margins facilitate continental margin subduction. We emphasize the importance of preexisting weakness along the passive margins, which primarily promote subduction development along margins. Our model results shed new light on the natural examples of subduction development along extinct mid-ocean ridges and weakened passive margins.

Large-scale Permo-Triassic back-arc extensions of the Mongol- Okhotsk Ocean

The Late Paleozoic−Mesozoic Mongol-Okhotsk orogenic belt marks the final aggregation of East Asia. The geodynamics of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate subduction are still poorly understood due to its curved orogenic architecture, complex kinematics, and the protracted active continent margin that developed during oceanic subduction. Here, we report the discovery of an ophiolite within the southern paleo-active margin of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogenic belt. The ophiolitic slices are composed of serpentinites, metagabbros, and metabasalts, and interleaved with deformed volcaniclastic rocks. Using zircon U-Pb dating, we determined an age of 253 ± 2 Ma for the metagabbro, which suggests that the ophiolite formed during the Late Permian. Geochemical data and geologic relationships indicate that this ophiolite formed in a back-arc setting. The contemporaneous granitic dikes (ca. 255 Ma) intruding the basalts of the ophiolite were likely formed by crustal anatexis during the back-arc extension. Detrital zircon in sandstone associated with the ophiolite shows a prominent peak age of ca. 273 Ma that probably represents the sediments of the back-arc basin. Combining our discovery with the available data from the literature, we suggest that a >5000-km-long back-arc extension belt existed in the southwestern segment of the Mongol-Okhotsk belt, which indicates a probable Western Pacific-type active margin rather than the previously proposed Andean-type margin that formed during the Permo-Triassic period.

Polyphase deformation of the Youjiang fold-and-thrust belt during the Mesozoic: Implications for the tectonic transition of the South China block

The South China block (SCB) experienced the tectonic transition from the Paleo-Tethys to the Paleo-Pacific tectonic domains during the Mesozoic, but the transition process is hotly debated. The Youjiang fold-and-thrust belt (YFTB), in the interior of the Youjiang Basin in the southwestern SCB, is located in a junction of these two tectonic domains and thus witnessed their tectonic evolution. It also separates the northern thin-skinned structures from the southern thick-skinned structures in the basin. Therefore, the YFTB is an intriguing window into the Mesozoic evolution in the southwestern SCB and the Mesozoic tectonic transition of the SCB. In this study, we conduct structural analysis at the middle of the YFTB and discuss the Mesozoic tectonic transition of the SCB. Four phases of deformation are identified in the YFTB during the Mesozoic. The first phase of deformation (D1) is characterized by a series of conjugate joints, NW–SE trending thrust faults and folds resulting from NE–SW shortening that was related to the collision between the SCB and Indochina block. The second phase of deformation (D2) is manifested by the pre-existing NW–SE striking thrust faults transformed to normal faults and the Late Triassic mafic magmatism. Our structural observations, combined with previous geochronological data for mafic dykes, suggest the study area experienced post-orogenic extension in the Late Triassic. The third phase of deformation (D3), accompanied with the westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate, is represented by a series of conjugate joints and NE–SW-striking faults formed by NW–SE compression. As a result of the continuous subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate and its subsequent slab rollback, the fourth phase of deformation (D4) is featured with normal faults, magmatic-hydrothermal activities, and regional mineralization, which are associated with the nearly E–W extension setting. Our study results indicate that, in the Early Mesozoic, the Youjiang Basin was dominated by the Paleo-Tethys domain and then transitioned to the Paleo-Pacific domain. Together with the magmatic lull between the Triassic and the Early-Middle Jurassic identified in the SCB, we propose that the tectonic transition process manifested in the YFTB more likely initiated in the Early Jurassic.

Tsunami scenario triggered by the activity of the Mentawai Fault Zone offshore western Sumatra Island

Subduction zones worldwide pose tsunami risks, mainly linked to megathrust activity near subduction trenches. However, tsunamis can originate from various sources, including marine volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides, and strike-slip earthquakes. In the Sumatra subduction zone, a seismic gap in the Mentawai region heightens the tsunami risk. This region’s tectonics are complex due to the oblique subduction of the India-Australia oceanic plate beneath the Eurasian continental plate, leading to the sliver faults system of Mentawai Fault Zone (MFZ) and Sumatra Fault Zone (SFZ). The SFZ on Sumatra Island has limited tsunami potential, except at its northern and southern offshore extensions. In contrast, the MFZ, situated in the marine Northern Bengkulu basin, holds a higher tsunami-generation potential. This study aims to assess the MFZ activity in generating tsunamis, estimate the maximum wave height, and analyze propagation, and arrival times at several crucial sites in Western Sumatra Province. We utilized the COMCOT tsunami model to simulate scenarios with two fault mechanisms, i.e., strike-slip and back thrust, and two magnitudes (Mw 7.6, and 8.2). The results indicate that the most hazardous tsunami, generated by a strike-slip fault with Mw 8.2, produces a 2-meter tsunami on the east coast of Siberut Island and the west coast of Padang City, West Sumatra. The scenarios reveal that Mentawai Island’s eastern part lacks evacuation time, with an almost instantaneous tsunami arrival. In contrast, western Sumatra, including Pariaman and Padang City, has 13 to 20 minutes for evacuation planning. Thus, disaster risk reduction strategies in these locations should consider these findings.

Arc-like magmatism in syn- to post-collisional setting: The Ediacaran Angra Fria Magmatic Complex (NW Namibia) and its cross-Atlantic correlatives in the south Brazilian Florianópolis Batholith

Ediacaran syn-tectonic plutonic rocks (amphibole gabbros, quartz diorites/tonalites to biotite- and muscovite-bearing granites) of the Angra Fria Magmatic Complex (Kaoko Belt, north-western Namibia) belong to two compositionally similar, magnesian, transitional tholeiitic–calc-alkaline suites, the Older (∼625–620 Ma) and the Younger (∼585–575 Ma). Both have counterparts in the broadly contemporaneous Florianópolis Batholith (southern Brazil), from which they were separated during the Cretaceous opening of the southern Atlantic. In the Angra Fria Magmatic Complex, the only unequivocal mantle contributions are identified in mingling zones of the Younger Suite and hybrid mafic–intermediate dykes of uncertain age. Previously published Hf-in-zircon isotopic data, together with new whole-rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic signatures, underline an important role of crustal anatexis of a material with late Palaeoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic mean crustal residence (1.9–1.5 Ga). This interval resembles some of the published Nd model ages for Tonian ‘Adamastor Rift’-related felsic magmatic rocks in the Namibian Coastal and Uruguayan Punta del Este terranes. In detail, the Older Suite probably originated mainly by fluid-present melting of metabasalts and metatonalites, followed by (near) closed-system fractional crystallization (with or without accumulation) of amphibole ± plagioclase. For the Younger Suite, the principal process was the dehydration melting of relatively felsic lower crustal protoliths (metagreywackes or intermediate–acid orthogneisses >> metapelites), leaving garnet in the residue. Based on the geological context, the conspicuous enrichment of hydrous-fluid-mobile large ion lithophile over the conservative high field strength elements is not interpreted through a classic model of oceanic plate subduction, devolatilization, and fluxed-melting of the overriding mantle wedge. Instead, it is thought to reflect high-grade metamorphism of deeply buried continental crust and attendant water-fluxed melting of the overlying crustal lithologies, connected with inversion of the Tonian ‘Adamastor Rift’.

Triassic volcanism on the North margin of the North China Craton: Insights for lithospheric modification during closure of Paleo-Asian Ocean

As a key tectonic region linking the northern margin of the North China craton (NCC) and eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), western Liaoning, with extensively distributed magmatic activity, provides natural samples to investigate the evolutionary history of the Paleo-Asian Ocean plate subduction to closure. The Middle Triassic (ca. 241 Ma) trachyandesites and Late Triassic (ca. 223 Ma) basaltic andesites were first identified from the Tiaojishan Formation, western Liaoning. They have variable SiO 2 contents (52.48–60.31 wt%) and alkaline or high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonite compositions, and belong to the metaluminous series. Middle Triassic trachyandesites are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), high field strength elements (HFSEs), and light rare earth elements (LREEs) with high Nb/La ratios (0.63–0.76). They have homogeneous whole-rock Sr Nd ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i = 0.704684–0.704808, ε Nd (t) = −4.6 to −4.0) and variable zircon Hf isotopic signatures (ε Hf (t) = −10.3 to 8.2), indicating that they probably originated from the partial melting of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle with the addition of asthenosphere materials. In contrast, the Late Triassic basaltic andesites show arc-related geochemical affinities, such as LILEs and LREEs enrichment and HFSEs depletion. They have more enriched whole-rock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i (0.704895–0.705394), ε Nd (t) (−16.1 to −14.0), and zircon ε Hf (t) (−13.1 to −8.8) than the Middle Triassic trachyandesites, suggesting that they probably represent partial melts of the subduction-related fluids-modified lithospheric mantle. The modification of the northern margin of the NCC lithospheric mantle is closely related to the final subduction of the Palaeo-Asian oceanic plate and the subsequent post-orogenic extension. • Triassic volcanic rocks are founded in Tiaojishan Formation, Western Liaoning. • Study area was in a post-orogenic extensional setting in the Middle-Late Triassic. • Ocean Subduction modified the North China Craton lithosphere in the Triassic.

Provenance change in Carboniferous-early Permian sedimentary successions in the North Qaidam tectonic belt, northern Tibetan Plateau: Implications for the Kunlun oceanic plate subduction process

• The age of tuff layer from the lower Zhabusagaxiu Formation indicates that the North Qaidam tectonic belt has early Permian sedimentary succession. • The major provenance of the North Qaidam tectonic belt evolved southward from the North Qaidam tectonic belt to the East Kunlun Orogen during the Carboniferous to early Permian. • Carboniferous to Permian sedimentary successions in the North Qaidam tectonic belt were deposited in a retroarc setting. Late Paleozoic sedimentary successions are widespread in the North Qaidam tectonic belt (NQTB), providing an ideal window to constrain the coeval tectonic background of the NQTB to East Kunlun Orogen (EKO). However, little attention has been devoted to these sedimentary-related records. In this study, stratigraphic and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronologic investigations were undertaken on the late Paleozoic successions in the NQTB to reveal multistage tectonic transitions. A weighted mean age of 293±3 Ma was obtained for a tuff sample from the basal Zhabusagaxiu Formation, yielding a first-order time estimate that assigns an early Permian age. Stratigraphic correlation and paleocurrent reconstruction indicate that Carboniferous to early Permian sedimentation in the NQTB took place in a north-dipping neritic environment. Sandstone petrology and detrital zircon geochronology converge to reveal that the major provenance of the NQTB evolved southward from the North Qaidam Orogen in the early Carboniferous, via the EKO and the Qaidam Block in the late Carboniferous, to the EKO in the early Permian. Detrital zircons with crystallization ages of Carboniferous to early Permian in all samples implicate that Carboniferous to Permian magmatism should be common in the EKO. The north-dipping paleogeography and occurrence of syn-depositional magmatic zircons in the provenance further suggest that the tectonic evolution of the NQTB should occur in a retroarc portion, rather than a passive continental margin deepening southwards to the Kunlun Ocean.

The Carboniferous shoshonitic (s.l.) gabbro–monzonitic stocks of Veiros and Vale de Maceira, Ossa-Morena Zone (SW Iberian Massif): Evidence for diverse subduction-related lithospheric metasomatism

Post-collisional potassium-rich rocks are a critical petrogenetic and geodynamic marker across the European Variscan Belt. We present a detailed characterization of the only potassium-rich mafic intrusions identified so far in the Ossa-Morena Zone (Iberian Massif). Using new major, trace and SmNd isotopic whole-rock analyses, as well as mineral chemistry analyses, we discussed the petrogenesis of the early Carboniferous potassium-rich Veiros and Vale de Maceira (Portugal) stocks in the geotectonic framework of the southern Iberia, marked by the collision of the Ossa-Morena Zone, a Gondwanan terrane, with the South Portuguese Zone, a Laurussian terrane. The Veiros and Vale de Maceira shoshonites (s.l.) range from gabbros to syenites, with a predominance of monzonites and monzogabbros, characterized by different proportions of olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, phlogopite and brown hornblende. The Veiros stock is mainly composed of fine-grained ultrapotassic rocks, and the Vale de Maceira stock is composed chiefly of medium-grained shoshonite rocks. A small group of hornblende-bearing medium-grained calk-alkaline rocks was also identified. The stocks have high contents of K2O, MgO, total alkalis, Th and other LILE, high ratios of LREE/HREE and LREE /HFSE, and show a Nb-Ta-Ti negative anomaly, typical of orogenic settings. Sr and Nd isotopes yielded moderate radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd, that might suggest the involvement of a crustal component. However, the combined use of isotopic and elemental compositions rules out significant contamination by crustal materials upon ascent and emplacement. Instead, a source metasomatised by subduction-related fluids and hydrous melts from the slab is proposed. This diversely metasomatised source was a phlogopite-amphibole-bearing and (phlogopite-free) amphibole-bearing lherzolite at the upper part of the garnet stability field in the sub-continental lithospheric mantle. The Devonian mafic volcanic rocks point to a northward dipping (present coordinates) subduction of the Rheic oceanic plate underneath the Ossa-Morena Zone during the Variscan Orogeny. However, the Veiros and Vale de Maceira magmas originated during the post-collisional stage from the partial melting of the supra-subduction metasomatized lithosphere. The melting occurred during a period of enhanced heat due to asthenospheric upwelling related to the slab break-off of the Rheic's slab. The stocks are concomitant with the profusion of granitoid intrusions, which is compatible with a post-collisional tectonic setting. They are also coeval with the opening of the Beja-Acebuches back-arc, likely related to slab roll-back of a segment of the Rheic oceanic crust, implying polyphasic subduction and a complex geodynamic setting for the late stages of oceanic closure in southern Iberia.

Temperature distribution for interplate seismic events in the southcentral Alaska subduction zone based on 3-D thermomechanical modeling

In the southcentral Alaska subduction zone, the Pacific plate and an oceanic plateau, known as the Yakutat terrane, are subducting at a convergence rate of ∼4.7 cm/yr in the direction of N21.5°W with respect to the current North American plate. We constructed a 3-D thermomechanical model to simulate the simultaneous subduction of the Pacific plate and Yakutat terrane. In the numerical simulation, the oceanic plate subducts along a 3-D geometry model obtained from the seismic data, with a spatiotemporally changing convergence rate that was provided based on the past plate motion model. Under these conditions, we obtained the time-dependent temperature and mantle flow velocity fields from 18 Ma to the present. As a result, we discovered that the interplate temperature for the source region of the 1964 Alaska earthquake with a coseismic slip larger than 2 m was estimated to be 155–323 °C at depths of approximately 10–20 km. We also estimated the temperature for the slip area with cumulative slip larger than 5 cm of the northeastern 2009–2013 long-term slow slip event (L-SSE) and the southwestern 2010–2012 L-SSE to be 337–570 °C and 300–381 °C, respectively. In the southcentral Alaska subduction zone, the temperature at the boundary between the downdip of the seismogenic zone and the updip of the L-SSEs is estimated to be approximately 350 °C, which is consistent with the temperature at the transition from frictional instability to stability at the plate boundary proposed in previous studies.

Early Late Triassic retro-foreland basin in response to flat subduction of the Paleo-Tethyan oceanic plate, SE Tibet

Syn-subduction basins bear significant implications to understand tectonic evolution of any fossil subduction zone. The late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic (Paleo-Tethyan) tectonics of the eastern and southeastern Tibetan Plateau (i.e., the Sanjiang Orogenic Belt) is featured by ocean-continent subduction systems. A huge pile of volcanic-absent sedimentary succession developed in the middle segment of the Sanjiang orogenic belt, its age and tectonic nature remain unclear. Detailed geological mapping and zircon U-Pb dating results demonstrate that the early Late Triassic volcanic-absent succession comprises the nonmarine Maichuqing Formation in the lower part and the shallow marine Sanhedong Formation in the upper part. The Maichuqing Formation consists of coarse to fine-grained sandstone, siltstone and mudstone with abundant basal erosional surfaces, trough and planar cross-beddings, ripples, mudcracks, and plant fragments. The Sanhedong Formation comprises predominantly bioclastic limestones interlayered with marl, calcareous-muddy siltstone, and calcareous sandstone with abundant bivalve fossils. Syn-sedimentation deformation structures, such as slump folds and associated normal faults are common, suggesting intense tectonism during deposition. Synthesizing sedimentary data, paleocurrent and provenance results, combined with other available data, demonstrate that the volcanic-absent succession deposited within a retro-foreland basin along the rear part of the Permian-Triassic Jomda-Weixi-Yunxian arc in response to flat-subduction of the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean during the early Late Triassic time.

Petrogenesis and geodynamic mechanisms of the Late Cretaceous magmatic ‘flare-up’ in the southern Lhasa Terrane, Tibet

Exploring magmatic ‘flare-up’ events can be used to unravel dynamic Earth processes including plate subduction and crustal growth. However, the cause and mechanism of magmatic ‘flare-up’ remain unresolved. The abundant magmatic records that are preserved in the Lhasa Terrane on the southern Tibetan Plateau make it an important region to study the episodic nature of the secular magmatism. This paper presents geochronological, mineralogical, and geochemical data that describes the Dazhuka diorites in the central-western and Sangri granites in the eastern parts of the southern Lhasa Terrane. Zircon LA–ICP–MS U Pb data indicate that these rocks were generated around ~95–90 Ma. Both are enriched in large ion lithophile elements and depleted in high field strength elements, indicating geochemical affinity with subduction-related magmatic rocks. The Dazhuka diorites have low SiO 2 contents (54.49–56.72 wt%), with moderate Mg# (41.7–42.7) and rare earth element fractionation ((La/Yb) N = 6.9–8.6), and homogeneous whole-rock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i (0.704204–0.704480), ε Nd (t) (+3.5 − +4.1), and zircon ε Hf (t) (+10.2 − +13.3). These features suggest that the Dazhuka diorites originated in the spinel-garnet transition zone within the lithospheric mantle of a mantle wedge environment. The Sangri granites have high SiO 2 (64.36–69.54 wt%), Al 2 O 3 (14.27–15.61 wt%), and (La/Yb) N (4.6–49.6) and Sr/Y (34.7–119.3) ratios, indicating geochemical affinity with adakites. Low MgO (1.3–2.22 wt%) and depleted Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes (whole-rock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i = 0.704099–0.705453, ε Nd (t) = +2.9 − +3.5, zircon ε Hf (t) = +7.1 − +9.3) suggest that the granites were derived from oceanic crust. The types of magmatic rocks that are distributed over the central-western and the eastern parts of the southern Lhasa Terrane differ, with higher magmatic temperatures in the east as compared to the central-west. These results indicate that different areas in the southern Lhasa Terrane may have experienced different geodynamic processes, with oceanic ridge subduction in the eastern part of the southern Lhasa Terrane and normal oceanic plate subduction in the central-western part. These different types of subduction processes are likely to have caused the magmatic ‘flare-up’ and variation in the magmatism of southern Tibet. • Both Dazhuka diorites and Sangri granites formed in early Late Cretaceous. • Dazhuka diorites were derived from the lithospheric mantle. • Sangri granites with adakitic affinity were sourced from the oceanic crust. • Multiply Neo-Tethys Ocean plate subduction processes result in magmatic ‘flare-up’.

Batholith recorded mesozoic multistage tectonic evolution of the South china block: A case study of the guandimiao intrusions

South China is a well-known grand felsic igneous rocks province. However, it is still controversial and not well understood whether the Mesozoic tectono-magmatic pattern is dominated by the subduction of the paleo-Pacific oceanic plate. In this study, we address this question by concentrating on the long-term evolutionary Guandimiao batholith, which has complex lithofacies with different formation ages and can be a superb record of the Mesozoic tectonic evolution in South China. Geochronologically, four stages of magmatism can be identified combined with previous reports: granodiorite (G1, 239 Ma), biotite monzogranite (G2-1) and two-mica monzogranite (G2-2) (230–203 Ma), granite porphyry (G3, 211–190 Ma), and lamprophyre (L4, 121 Ma). G1 and G2-1 have an affinity with I-type granite and were derived from metabasaltic to metatonalitic sources, whereas G2 and G3 show S-type granite characteristics and were derived from the para-metamorphic basement of the Cathaysia block. The L4 was derived from partial melting of garnet and spinel lherzolite and underwent mixing between Mesoproterozoic pelagic and/or terrigenous sediments and the subcontinental lithosphere mantle (SCLM) of South China. The granitoids of the Guandimiao batholith underwent intensely fractional crystallization of feldspar, Ti-bearing minerals, allanite and monazite. The zircon U–Pb dating of L4 in the Guandimiao batholith completely records the six stages of pre-Mesozoic tectonic events in the SCB. During the Mesozoic, the main body of the Guandimiao batholith (G1, G2-1 and G2-2) recorded the closure of the paleo-Tethys Ocean in the Triassic and the subsequent regional extension of the postcollision. G-3 and L4 of the Guandimiao batholith documented the transition of tectonic and dynamic regimes in the early Yanshanian and the rollback and steep subduction of the paleo-Pacific Ocean in the late Yanshanian.

Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implication of the Hongtaiping High-Mg Diorite in the Wangqing Area, NE China: Constraints from Geochronology, Geochemistry and Hf Isotopes

This study presents new data from zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotope analysis, as well as whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions of the Hongtaiping high-Mg diorite in the Wangqing area of Yanbian, NE China. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) zircon U–Pb dating gives an eruption age of ca. 267 Ma for the high-Mg diorite. These samples have MgO contents of 13.30% to 16.58% and high transition metal element concentrations, classified as sanukite. Their rare earth element (REE) contents range from 45.2 to 68.4 ppm and are characterized by slightly positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 1.08–1.17). They show enrichment in light REEs (LREEs) and depletion in heavy REEs (HREEs), with LREE/HREE ratios = 6.54–6.97 and (La/Yb)N values = 7.24–8.08. The Hongtaiping high-Mg diorite is enriched in Rb, U, K, and Sr, but depleted in Th, Nb, and Ta. High MgO contents, Mg# values, and transition metal element concentrations imply that the magma experienced insignificant crystallization fractionation and crustal contamination. Relatively homogenous positive Hf isotopic values indicate that the original magma was generated by the partial melting of a depleted mantle wedge that was metasomatized by subducting slab fluids. The magma was generated by the moderate degree partial melting (20%–30%) of a garnet lherzolite source. Combined with previous studies, this shows that the high-Mg diorite was formed by the northward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate during the Middle Permian.

Petrogenesis, tectonic setting, and metallogenic significance of the Middle Permian volcanic rock system of the Miaoling Formation, Yanbian area, NE China: Constraints from geochronology, geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopes

The volcanic rock system of the Miaoling Formation contains the main ore-bearing rocks of two volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS)-type deposits in the Yanbian area of NE China. Investigation of the VRSMF is needed to better understand the formation of these VMS-type deposits and the tectonic evolution of the Yanbian area. To determine the petrogenesis, material sources, and formation age of the VRSMF, and elucidate its late Paleozoic tectonic evolution and metallogenic significance, this paper presents new petrological, geochronological, geochemical, whole-rock Sr–Nd and in situ zircon Hf isotopic data for the VRSMF. The VRSMF is composed of marine carbonate, intermediate–felsic volcanic rocks (andesite–trachyandesite–dacite) and pyroclastic rocks. Laser-ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry zircon U–Pb dating gives an eruption age of ca. 265 Ma for the pyroclastic rocks in the VRSMF. These rocks are classified as low- to medium-K calc-alkaline series. They are characterized by enrichments in large-ion lithophile elements (e.g., K, Rb, and Ba) and light rare earth elements, and depletions in high field-strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti) and heavy rare earth elements, showing affinity to igneous rocks formed in arc-related tectonic settings. These features, together with homogeneous zircon εHf(t) values of 10.9–15.7 and depleted Sr–Nd isotopic compositions [εNd(t) values of 2.4–5.0], suggest that the parental magma was derived from the partial melting of depleted mantle that had been metasomatized by subduction-related fluids. These results, along with findings of regional geological investigations, suggest that the formation of the VRSMF was related to subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate during the middle Permian. The VMS-type mineralization in the Hongtaiping and Dongfengnanshan deposits is interpreted to have formed in a bimodal–felsic setting in a back-arc extensional tectonic environment.

Age, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting of granitic gneiss and amphibolite from the Weizigou gold deposit, Heilongjiang Province, NE China: Constraints from geochronology and geochemistry

The Weizigou gold deposit is located in the western Jiamusi Massif, Northeast China. Gold mineralization is hosted in the amphibolite, which intruded the granitic gneiss. Although the deposit shows similarities to iron-oxide–copper–gold deposits, the detailed ore-forming process remains uncertain. To determine the formation age, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting of the granitic gneiss and amphibolite, LA–ICP–MS zircon, titanite, and monazite UPb dating, whole-rock major- and trace-element analyses, and LA–ICP–MS in situ zircon Hf isotope analyses were conducted on samples from these rocks. The granitic gneiss yielded two age populations of 951–882 Ma, and ca. 500 Ma, with a monazite UPb concordia age of 501.5 ± 5.1 Ma. The amphibolite yielded a crystallization age of 292 Ma, consistent with the results for magmatic titanite UPb dating, and a metamorphic age of 272–258 Ma. The granitic gneiss contains typical aluminum-rich minerals, such as garnet and muscovite, mean SiO2 = 73.31 wt%, and molar ratio Al2O3/(CaO + K2O + Na2O) values of 1.02–1.07, indicating an S-type granite protolith. The amphibolite belongs to the tholeiitic basalt series and has low SiO2 and high MnO contents. These results, together with εHf(t) values and two-stage model ages ranging from −9.5 to 2.3 and − 0.3 to 5.7, and from 2010 to 1659 Ma and from 1331 to 947 Ma, respectively, allow us to infer that the parental magmas of the granitic gneiss and amphibolite were derived from the partial melting of Paleoproterozoic lower crust and the partial melting of metasomatized depleted mantle, respectively. The granitic gneiss is characterized by positive Th and Hf anomalies, and negative Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti anomalies, whereas the amphibolite is enriched in K, Rb, and depleted in Ba, Nb, Ti, and Zr. These geochemical features suggest that the S-type granite was formed in an active continental margin during the Neoproterozoic and underwent granulite-facies metamorphism during the early Paleozoic. The protolith of the amphibolite was gabbro that formed in an extensional setting (e.g., a backarc basin) associated with westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate beneath the eastern Jiamusi Massif during the early Permian. The gold mineralization can most likely be attributed to contact metasomatic metamorphism of gabbro during the middle–late Permian.

Detrital zircon age signatures of the basal Cambrian sandstone unit in North China: implications for drainage divides during global Sauk transgression and separation from Gondwanaland

ABSTRACT The basal Cambrian sandstone unit in the North China craton (NCC) is an example of globally widespread siliciclastic succession that resides on the Great Unconformity and deposited on a hypothesized low-lying peneplain during the Cambrian global eustatic sea-level rise. Detrital zircon age signatures from this distinct sequence enable recognition of the ancient drainage system of the NCC in deep time and track its potential linkage with the Gondwana landmass. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating of the fossil-calibrated basal Cambrian (Series 2) detrital zircon samples from seven measured sections reveal marked spatial changes in their age signatures that can be divided into three distinct types. The first is generally characterized by the bimodal age populations with broad peaks at ~1.85 Ga and ~2.5 Ga that correlate with the Archean to Paleoproterozoic basement inboard of the NCC. The second is featured by multimodal distribution with diagnostic Neoproterozoic peaks that correspond to subregional magmatic record. The third also shows multiple-zircon age populations, but yields significant crystallization ages close to the early Cambrian age. Comparing our new data with existing age spectra for the Cambrian strata across the NCC and the northern Gondwana demonstrates that separate drainage systems did exist in the peneplained basement during global Cambrian transgression and the basal Cambrian unit in the NCC was not a part of the far-travelled sand sheet across the northern margin of Gondwana. The most suitable source for Cambrian-aged grains constrained by paleogeographic restoration is the arc terrane developed along the northern margin of the NCC as a result of subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate. Our new continental-scale detrital zircon provenance signatures in the basal Cambrian unit suggest that the NCC should be considered a discrete continental block separated by the Proto-Tethys Ocean in the Cambrian, rather than an integral part of the northern Gondwana.

Rapid early Permian tectonic reorganization of Laurentia’s plate margins: Evidence from volcanic tuffs in the Permian Basin, USA

Early Permian arc magmatism is critical to understanding the final assembly of the supercontinent Pangea and subsequent plate reorganization. Here we report the geochronology and geochemistry of Cisuralian and Guadalupian volcanic tuffs in southwestern Laurentia and infer the magmatic sources and plate reorganization related to Laurentia-Gondwana collision. Zircon CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb dates of tuffs in the Wolfcamp B, Wolfcamp A and lower Spraberry units in the Permian Basin provide the first set of absolute ages of Cisuralian deposits in this basin. Zircon geochemistry data further show that the parent melts of these tuffs were granitic melts that formed in continental arcs. Syn-depositional zircons from the Wolfcamp B tuff beds (288.2 ± 1.7 Ma) have an average εHf value of +5.5 and TDM2 model ages between 675 and 1207 Ma, reflecting a mixture of juvenile mantle melts and Precambrian crust. The isotopic signature is consistent with Mississippian Laurentian tuffs derived from a northern Gondwana arc formed by the subduction of the Rheic oceanic plate. However, zircons from a Wolfcamp A tuff bed (287.2 ± 0.5 Ma) show an average εHf value of −4.5, much more evolved than the inferred northern Gondwana arc, but consistent with granitoids of similar or younger age in the Oaxaquia terrane. This change in εHf most likely reflects magmatism related to subduction of a paleo-Pacific oceanic plate beneath western Pangea. Our interpretation suggests a late Cisuralian plate reorganization that was caused by plate reorganization following Pangea assembly led to rapid (∼1 Myr) initiation of subduction beneath western Pangea. This study also compares tuff dates from LA-ICPMS and CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb dating and concludes that the weighted mean date of the youngest dominant KDE mode (WMYDM) is the best way to approximate LA-ICPMS dates to true depositional ages.