Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the early Palaeozoic appinite-granite complex in the Western Kunlun Orogenic Belt, NW China: implications for Palaeozoic tectonic evolution

AbstractThe Datong pluton, the largest early Palaeozoic granitoid in the Western Kunlun Orogenic Belt (WKOB) in NW China, is a typical appinite-granite complex. It consists of diorites, quartz diorites, monzodiorites, quartz monzodiorites, monzonites, quartz monzonites, syenites, granodiorites and monzogranites. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U–Pb dating yielded crystallization ages of 459 ± 3 Ma for the quartz monzonites and 452 ± 5 Ma for the monzogranites (Late Ordovician). The rocks possess a wide range of SiO2 (56.0–73.4 wt %), MgO (0.17–4.55 wt %) and Mg no. (25–60), with high K2O (2.83–5.29 wt %) contents, exhibiting high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic traits. They are characterized by enrichments in large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare Earth elements (LREEs), as well as depletions in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs). The rocks have initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7086–0.7185, negative εNd(t) values of –3.72 to –1.79 and εHf(t) values vary from –1.6 to +4.7. These features are modelled to show that they were most likely derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle source and that fractional crystallization with minor crustal contamination was involved in their petrogenetic process. Considering the distribution and chronology of the Palaeozoic intrusions – such as Kegang, Bulong, Qiukesu, Yierba, North Kudi, Dongbake, Buya, Ayilixi and Warengzilafu granitoid plutons with ages of c. 420–530 Ma – in conjunction with the Palaeozoic metamorphic overprinting in the WKOB, we propose a divergent double-subduction model to explain the destruction of the Proto-Tethys Ocean and suggest that the Datong pluton was likely emplaced in a post-collisional setting following the termination of subduction in response to slab break-off.

Download Full-text

Genesis of the Wuxing Pt–Pd-rich Cu–Ni sulfide deposit in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: evidences from geochronology, elemental geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data

Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjes-2018-0233 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 380-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jing-gui Sun ◽

Yun-peng He ◽

Ji-long Han ◽

Zhong-yu Wang

Keyword(s):

Crustal Contamination ◽

Early Period ◽

Orogenic Belt ◽

Central Asian Orogenic Belt ◽

Geochemical Data ◽

Sulfide Deposit ◽

Late Period ◽

Enriched Mantle ◽

Central Asian ◽

T Values

The Wuxing Pt–Pd-rich Cu–Ni sulfide deposit in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, is located to the northeast of the Dunhua–Mishan fracture of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The mafic–ultramafic complex consist of early-period hornblende–olivine pyroxenite, diopsidite, and hornblende pyroxenite and late-period gabbro and diabase units. An early-period hornblende pyroxenite yielded a zircon U–Pb age of 208.2 ± 2.6 Ma and a late-period diabase yielded a U–Pb age of 205.6 ± 1.1 Ma, with zircon εHf(t) values of +1.24 to +8.13. The early- and late-period lithofacies are relatively enriched in LILE (Rb, Ba, and Sr) and LREE, and variably depleted in HFSE (Nb, Ta). The whole-rock and single-mineral analyses of the early-period lithofacies yield (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7055–0.7083 and εNd(t) ratios of −7.98–+3.10. These geochemical data suggest that the parental magmas of the Wuxing complex are high-Mg subalkaline basaltic in nature and were derived from an enriched mantle source. The magmas chamber formed after the injection of magma into the crust along with crustal contamination, producing early crystalline minerals and ore-bearing magmas. The rupturing of the magma chamber released evolved magmas, which then ascended and generated Pt–Pd-bearing lithofacies and Cu–Ni sulfide orebodies by fractional crystallization, accumulation, and liquation. During the late period, the residual magma invaded the early lithofacies and Cu–Ni orebodies. The fluids exsolved from the gabbroic magmas concentrated the mineralized metal elements and enhanced the precipitation of Pt–Pd-bearing veinlet-disseminated orebodies and Pt–Pd–Cu–Ni orebodies.

Download Full-text

Geochronological and Geochemical Constraints on the Origin of the Hutouya Polymetallic Skarn Deposit in the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt, NW China

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min10121136 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1136

Author(s):

Hongchang Gao ◽

Fengyue Sun ◽

Bile Li ◽

Ye Qian ◽

Li Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lower Crust ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Orogenic Belt ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Skarn Deposit ◽

Nw China ◽

Inductively Coupled ◽

East Kunlun ◽

Ore Minerals ◽

East Kunlun Orogenic Belt

The Hutouya polymetallic skarn deposit lies in the Qimantagh area of the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt, NW China. Skarnization and mineralization at the deposit are closely associated with contemporary felsic intrusions. In this paper, zircon U-Pb ages and zircon Hf isotope as well as whole-rock geochemical and whole-rock Sr-Nd isotope data are reported for intrusive rocks and crystal tuff of the Elashan Formation in the Hutouya area. Moreover, Re-Os ages and S-Pb isotopes are also reported for the ore minerals in the Hutouya deposit. The Zircon laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) U-Pb age of granodiorite and Re-Os isochron age of molybdenite suggest that mineralizations occurred at ca. 227 Ma and that the granodiorite and molybdenite are closely related petrogenetically. All the granitoids in the Hutouya deposit are high-K calc-alkaline and metaluminous to weakly peraluminous I-type granitoids. Among them, the ore-forming granitoids were derived by the mixing of crust-derived (either juvenile or ancient mature lower crust) and mantle-derived magmas, whereas the non-ore-related granite porphyry was generated by the partial melting of a single ancient mature lower crust. The magmas of all the granitoids underwent extensive fractionation–crystallization during the process of rising and emplacement. The sulfur of the analyzed samples from the northern and middle zone of Hutouya deposit (including No. II, III, IV, and VI ore belts) belongs to deep magmatic sulfur, while the sulfur of samples from the southern zone of Hutouya deposit (No. VII ore belt) includes not only deep magmatic sulfur but also a contribution of strata sulfur. All the ore mineral samples in the Hutouya deposit have similar Pb compositions that are consistently derived from a mixed source of upper crust and mantle. Tectonic discrimination diagrams indicate a post-collisional setting for all granitic rocks of the Hutouya skarn deposit, which is therefore considered a product of a the post-collision extensional system and is consistent with other porphyry-skarn deposits within the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt.

Download Full-text

Provenance and tectonic setting of siliciclastic rocks associated with the Neoproterozoic Dahongliutan BIF: Implications for the Precambrian crustal evolution of the Western Kunlun orogenic belt, NW China

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jseaes.2017.07.018 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 147 ◽

pp. 95-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jun Hu ◽

He Wang ◽

Min Wang

Keyword(s):

Tectonic Setting ◽

Orogenic Belt ◽

Crustal Evolution ◽

Nw China ◽

Western Kunlun ◽

Siliciclastic Rocks

Download Full-text

Granitoids of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and continental growth in the Phanerozoic

Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh ◽

10.1017/s0263593300007367 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 91 (1-2) ◽

pp. 181-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 552

Author(s):

Bor-ming Jahn ◽

Fuyuan Wu ◽

Bin Chen

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Basaltic Magma ◽

Orogenic Belt ◽

Source Rocks ◽

Central Asian Orogenic Belt ◽

Central Asian ◽

Wide Range ◽

Mantle Component ◽

T Values ◽

Lower Crustal

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), also known as the Altaid Tectonic Collage, is characterised by a vast distribution of Paleozoic and Mesozoic granitic intrusions. The granitoids have a wide range of compositions and roughly show a temporal evolution from calcalkaline to alkaline to peralkaline series. The emplacement times for most granitic plutons fall between 500 Ma and 100 Ma, but only a small proportion of plutons have been precisely dated. The Nd-Sr isotopic compositions of these granitoids suggest their juvenile characteristics, hence implying a massive addition of new continental crust in the Phanerozoic. In this paper we document the available isotopic data to support this conclusion.Most Phanerozoic granitoids of Central Asia are characterised by low initial Sr isotopic ratios, positive εNd(T) values and young Sm—Nd model ages (TDM) of 300-1200 Ma. This is in strong contrast with the coeval granitoids emplaced in the European Caledonides and Hercynides. The isotope data indicate their ‘juvenile’ character and suggest their derivation from source rocks or magmas separated shortly before from the upper mantle. Granitoids with negative εNd(T) values also exist, but they occur in the environs of Precambrian microcontinental blocks and their isotope compositions may reflect contamination by the older crust in the magma generation processes.The evolution of the CAOB is probably related to accretion of young arc complexes and old terranes (microcontinents). However, the emplacement of large volumes of post-tectonic granites requires another mechanism, probably through a series of processes including underplating of massive basaltic magma, intercalation of basaltic magma with lower crustal granulites, partial melting of the mixed lithologic assemblages leading to generation of granitic liquids, followed by extensive fractional crystallisation. The proportions of the juvenile or mantle component for most granitoids of Central Asia are estimated to vary from 70% to 100%.

Download Full-text