High-temperature magma generation process and granulite-facies metamorphism can provide important information about mantle-crustal interaction and tectonic evolution. The strongly peralu- minous monzonite pluton, the Jinshuikou cordierite granite on the southern margin of the Qaidam Block, can provide important information about the mantle-crustal interaction and constraints on tectonic tran- sition from Proto-Tethys to Paleo-Tethys. This pluton develops enclaves of mafic granulite, amphibolite and quartzofeldspathic rocks, and is cut by massive monzonitic leuco-granite veins. Zircon and monazite U-Pb dating for the cordierite granite, the granulite enclaves and a massive monzonitic leuco-granite vein reveal that the cordierite granitic magma was generated from Mesoproterozoic continental crust with protolith derived from a provenanee that was composed of 〉2.8 Ga old recycled crustal materials and re- corded a -1.7 Ga magmatic event. The continental crust underwent low-pressure granulite-facies metamorphism at -380 Ma ago, whereas the cordierite granite magmas was generated and emplaced during 380 Ma, followed by intrusion of the massive monzonitic leuco-granite vein at circa 370-330 Ma. These data suggest that after the final closure of Proto-Tethys Ocean spreading along the southern Qaidam Block at -420 Ma, break-off of the subducted slab or delamination of the lower crustal base and upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle beneath the southern Qaidam Block occurred before the Mid-Devonian, and that the initiation of the Paleo-Tethys tectonics might initiate near the end of Early-Carboniferous in the East Kunlun-Qaidam region, East Asia.
Jin BaLu ZhangChuan HeNeng-Song ChenTimothy M.KuskyQinyan WangYusheng WanXiaoming Liu
The Quanji (全吉) Massif is located in the Northwest China, which is interpreted as a micro-continent that is composed of metamorphic basement and stable cover strata. There are some controversies of genetic relationship between the Quanji Massif and the major cratons in China. In this study, we obtained in situ zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic compositions of the Yingfeng (鹰峰) rapakivi granites from the northwest Quanji Massif by application of LA-MC-ICP-MS technique. Twenty U-Pb age measurements points are concordant or near concordant, and their weighted mean 207pb/206pb age is 1 793.9±6.4 Ma (MSWD= 1.09), yields an upper intercept age of 1 800±17 Ma (MSWD=0.41); 19 Hf isotope measurements yield a two-stage Hf model ages (TDM2) of 2.63 to 2.81 Ga, with a weighted average age of about 2.70±0.02 Ga and till(t)values variate between -8.91 to -5.35. This indicates that magma source of the Yingfeng rapakivi granites were produced from partial melting of late stage of Neoarchean juvenile crust, and suggests a significant crustal growth event occurred in the Quanji Massif at that time. The Quanji Massif might be an ancient continental segment detached from the Tarim Craton based on the crustal growth history and other geological records. The Tarim Craton (including the Quanji Massif) and the North China Craton had a similar or homological early crustal evolution around -2.7 Ga, which implies that Tarim Craton might be one of the component parts of North China Craton. of the Yingfeng rapakivi granites were produced from partial melting of late stage of Neoarchean juve- nile crust, and suggests a significant crustal growth event occurred in the Quanji Massif at that time. The Quanji Massif might be an ancient continental segment detached from the Tarim Craton based on the crustal growth history and other geological records. The Tarim Craton (including the Quanji Massif) and the North China Craton had a similar or homological early crustal evolution around -2.7 Ga, which implies that
The metamorphosed Early Paleoproterozoic granitoids in the Quanji massif, Northwest- ern China provide constraints for relationship between the Tarim Craton and North China Craton. Among granitoids batholiths, rocks of the Mohe quartz-diorite show typically adakitic geochemical characteristics, with medium K2O/Na2O ratios (0.56-1.17) and high Sr (519-619 ppm) low Y (9.37-20.40 ppm) and Yb (0.97-1.77 ppm) concentrations. The rocks have εNd(t) values between +2.4 and +4.4 and depleted mantle Nd model ages of 2.43-2.59 Ga. The magmatic zircons have positive εHf(t) values ranging from +0.40 to +7.60 and depleted mantle Hf model ages of 2.43-2.70 Ga, with major peaks at -2.54 and -2.65 Ga. The geochemical and Nd-Hf isotopic characteristics indicate that the Mohe quartz-dioritic rocks might be formed by partial melting of high-pressure metamorphosed juve- nile crustal rocks in post-orogenic extensional regime in the Early Paleoproterozoic. It suggests that important crustal growth occurred in the Quanji massif and the Tarim Craton at -2.4 and 2.5-2.7 Ga. The Quanji massif and Tarim Craton might share a similar crustal evolution history with the North China Craton in the Neoarchean.
Songlin GongNengsong ChenHongyan GengMin SunLu ZhangQinyan Wang