Hanwen Zhou

Grenvillian continental collision in south China : New SHRIMP U-Pb zircon results and implications for the configuration of Rodinia

The timing of continental collision between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks of south China is an issue that bears on the accretion of Asia, as well as on the assembly and configuration of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia. We report in this paper SHRIMP (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe) evidence that suggests a Grenvillian continental collision in south China, including (1) evidence for 1.3–1.0 Ga metamorphism on both sides of the Sibao orogen between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and (2) sedimentary provenance of possible foreland-basin deposits on the Yangtze side of the orogen that were derived from the Cathaysia block and the Sibao orogen during the continental collision. The occurrence of ca. 1430 Ma granodiorites in southern Cathaysia, along with ca. 1800 Ma basement and Archean protoliths in northern Cathaysia, makes Cathaysia a possible western extension of the Mojave province in southwestern Laurentia. Together with regional data, we suggest that the Sibao orogen could be one of the Grenvillian sutures at the center of Rodinia assembly that brought Australia, Yangtze, and Cathaysia-Laurentia together by ca. 1000 Ma.

U-Pb zircon geochronology, geochemistry and Nd isotopic study of Neoproterozoic bimodal volcanic rocks in the Kangdian Rift of South China: implications for the initial rifting of Rodinia

Abstract SHRIMP U–Pb zircon age, geochemical and Nd isotopic data are reported for the Neoproterozoic Suxiong volcanic rocks in the Kangdian Rift, western South China. These volcanic rocks are bimodal, consisting mainly of mildly alkaline basalts and trachydacites to rhyolites. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon age determination indicates that they were erupted at 803±12 Ma. Most basaltic rocks are characterized by high positive eNd(T) values (+5 to +6), pronounced enrichment in Th, Ta, Nb, LREEs, Sr, P, Zr, Hf, Ti, smooth LREE-enriched patterns and generally ‘humped’ trace element spidergrams. They resemble the alkali basalts of the Hawaiian oceanic island basalts (OIB) and the Ethiopian continental flood basalts (CFB). These features suggest that the basaltic rocks were most probably derived from an OIB-like mantle source without appreciable crustal/lithospheric contamination. Differentiated basalt and trachyandesite samples show relatively low eNd(T) values (+1.7 to +2.4) and Nb–Ta depletion due to contamination by the mafic lithosphere and/or crustal materials. The rhyolite and dacite samples have small positive eNd(T) values (+1.1 to +2.6), general enrichment in most incompatible trace elements (K, Rb, Th, Zr, Hf and REEs) but significant depletion in Nb, Ta, Sr, P, Eu and Ti. They share geochemical characters of A2-type granites, and are likely generated by shallow (P≤4 kbar) dehydration melting of hornblende-bearing granitoids. Geochemical and Nd isotopic characters and high-volcanicity of the Suxiong bimodal volcanic successions are consistent with their formation in a continental rift environment, such as the Ethiopian rift. The Kangdian Rift is considered as part of a wider continental rift system produced by a starting mantle plume beneath South China during the Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia.

Jurassic intraplate magmatism in southern Hunan-eastern Guangxi: Ar-40/Ar-39 dating, geochemistry, Sr-Nd isotopes and implications for the tectonic evolution of SE China

Abstract The Mesozoic geology of SE China is characterized by intensive and widespread magmatism. However, the tectonic regime that accounted for the Mesozoic magmatism has been an issue with little consensus. A comprehensive study of 40Ar-39Ar dating, geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopes has been conducted on basalts from southern Hunan and syenite intrusions from eastern Guangxi. Three episodes of Jurassic magmatism, i.e. alkaline basalts of c.175 Ma in age, syenitic intrusions of c.160 Ma and high-Mg basalts of c.150 Ma, are identified. The older, c.175 Ma alkaline basalts are characterized by low Sr (ISr = 0.7035–0.7040) and high Nd (εNd(T) = 5 to 6) isotopic compositions and OIB-like trace-element patterns (e.g. Nb/La > 1). In contrast, the younger, c.150 Ma high-Mg basalts have high Sr (ISr c.0.7054) and low Nd (εNd(T) c.-2) isotopic compositions and incompatible trace-element patterns of arc affinity. The c.160 Ma syenitic intrusions display a relatively large range of Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (ISr = 0.7032–0.7082, εNd(T) = 5.5 to −4.1), with the Qinghu syenites having the lowest ISr, highest εNd(T) and OIB-type incompatible trace-element patterns analogous to the c.175 Ma alkaline basalts. Such a secular variation in rock types and geochemical and isotopic characteristics reveals changes in melt segregation depth and mantle sources, which are inferred to have resulted from the post-Indosinian orogenic lithosphere extension and thinning. The c.175 Ma alkaline basalts are suggested to have formed by small degrees of decompression melting of the asthenosphere or an enriched lithospheric mantle source accreted by asthenosphere-derived melts during the initial extension. The c.160 Ma syenitic and c.150 Ma high-Mg basaltic rocks mainly originated from the enriched lithospheric mantle that melted owing to a raised geotherm caused by lithosphere thinning. This interpretation is at odds with the active continental margin related to the subduction of palaeo-Pacific plate, but consistent with continental rifting and extension for the Mesozoic of SE China.

Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotopic Characteristics of Late Paleogene Ultrapotassic Magmatism in Southeastern Tibet

Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic data are reported for late Paleogene potassic lamprophyres from western Yunnan, southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. These lamprophyres are mostly ultrapotassic in composition with K2O/Na2O = 2.1 to 5.2, except for a few samples with shoshonitic affinity showing slightly lower K2O/Na2O = 1.6 to 1.7. They are characterized by high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70624 to 0.70924; negative εNd(T) values of -1.7 to -4.6; enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements, light rare-earth elements, and Pb; and depletion in high-field-strength elements, resembling those of high K/Ti and low-Ti potassic magmas formed in subduction-related settings. These lamprophyres were generated by partial melting of a metasomatized, phlogopite-bearing spinel harzburgite lithospheric mantle source, followed by crystal fractionation and varying degrees of crustal assimilation. Relatively constant incompatible trace element ratios, such as Rb/ Sr (˜0.2), Rb/Ba (˜0.1), La/Sm (˜5), Th/K (˜0.0003), and Nb/La (˜0.2), and limited Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in the ultrapotassic rocks possibly reflect an evenly distributed metasomatized mantle source. With a general similarity in geochemistry, the potassic and ultrapotassic magmas from southeastern (40-30 Ma) and northern (<15 Ma) parts of the Tibetan Plateau display obvious differences in Th/U, Rb/Sr, and Sr-Nd isotopes. These differences in geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopes suggest contrasting subcontinental lithosphere mantle bulk compositions beneath the southeastern and northern parts of the Tibetan Plateau, caused by metasomatism involving subducted sediments from distinct crustal provenances.

Shoshonitic intrusive suite in SE Guangxi: Petrology and geochemistry

A NE-direction Mesozoic shoshonitic intrusive suite in SE Guangxi has been identified in terms of geological, petrological and geochemical investigations. The shoshonitic intrusives are characterized by enrichment of LILE, HFSE and LREE and no obvious Nb-Ta depletion, similar to those potassic rocks formed in within-plate and rifting environments. Unlike most shoshonitic rocks forming in arc settings, the SE Guangxi shoshonitic intrusives were likely generated during regional lithosphere extension induced by upwelling of asthenosphere mantle.

Metamorphosed mafic rocks with N-type MORB geochemical features in Hainan Island—Remnants of the Paleo-Tethys Oceanic Crust?

A number of metamorphosed mafic rocks occurred within the Paleozoic strata in the Chenxing and Bangxi regions at the northern side of the Changjiang-Qionghai Fault in Central Hainan Island. These metamorphosed mafic rocks are tholeiites in chemistry. They are characterized by extreme depletion of Th, Nb, Ta and LREEs, resembling the depleted N-type mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). Field relations suggest that the protolith of the metamorphosed mafic rocks were likely formed in Paleozoic. These metamorphosed mafic rocks with N-type MORB geochemical features were probably the remnants of the Paleo-Tethys oceanic crust.

New Research Progress on the Pre-Sinian Tectonic Evolution and Neotectonics of the Huangling Anticline Region, South China

In this paper the authors briefly introduce and review the new progress of the newly discovered Proterozoic Miaowan (庙湾) ophiolite and Neoproterozoic Huangling (黄陵) granitoids in the southern Huangling anticline in the Yangtze craton, and the tectonic evolution significance of assemblage and breakup of Rodinia and Columbia supercontinent in South China.

Age of granulite from Huangtuling, Dabie Mountain: Pb-Pb dating of garnet by a stepwise dissolution technique

A new stepwise dissolution scheme, involving acids with different properties, enables the selective recovery of radiogenic and common Pb from a mineral, and makes single-mineral Pb-Pb dating possible. Garnet from a granulite sample from Huangtuling, northern Dabie Mountain yields a Pb-Pb isochron age of (1998 ±35) Ma, which is interpreted as the timing of peak metamorphism of granulite facies.

Two fresh types of eclogites in the Dabie-Sulu UHP metamorphic belt, China: Implications for the deep subduction and earliest stages of exhumation of the continental crust

Two fresh types of eclogites, namely the massive eclogite and foliated eclogite, are discernible in large eclogite bodies surrounded by country rock gneisses from the Dabie (大别)-Sulu (苏鲁) UHP metamorphic zone. They are different in mineral assemblage, texture and structure at various scales. The massive eclogite has a massive appearance with a metamorphic inequigranular and granoblastic texture, which consists mainly of nominally anhydrous minerals such as garnet, omphacite, rutile with inclusions of coesite and rare microdiamond. Massive eclogites which formed at the peak UHP metamorphic conditions (∼3.1–4.0 GPa, 800±50 °C) within the coesite to diamond stability field recorded the deep continental subduction to mantle depths greater than 100 km during the Triassic (∼250–230 Ma). The diagnostic UHP minerals, mineral assemblages and absence of notable macroscopic deformation indicate the peak metamorphic’ forbidden-zone’ P-T conditions, an extremely low geothermal gradient (≤7 °C·km−1) and low differential stress. The foliated eclogite is composed of garnet+omphacite+rutile+phengite+kyanite+zoisite+talc+nyböite±coesite/quartz pseudomorphs after coesite. It is quite clear that the foliated eclogite bears relatively abundant hydrous mineral, and shows well-developed penetrative foliation carrying mineral and stretching lineation reflecting intense plastic deformation or flow of eclogite minerals. The foliated eclogite occurred at mantle levels and recorded the earliest stages of exhumation of UHP metamorphic rocks. At a map scale, the foliated eclogites define UHP eclogite-facies shear zones or high-strain zones. Asymmetric structures are abundant in the zones, implying bulk plane strain or dominant non-coaxial deformation within the coesite stability field. The earliest stages of exhumation, from mantle depths to the Moho or mantle-crust boundary layering, were characterized by a sub-vertical tectonic wedge extrusion, which occurred around 230-210 Ma. The three-dimensional relationship between the massive and foliated eclogites is well displayed a typical ‘block-in-matrix’ rheological fabric pattern indicating the partitioning of deformation and metamorphism in the UHP petrotectonic unit. The existing data support the now widely accepted concept of deep continental subduction/collision and subsequent exhumation between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean cratons. The pressure is a constitutive geological variable. The influence of tectonic overpresure on UHP metamorphism is rather limited.

Neoproterozoic bimodal volcanic rocks and granites in the western Dabie area, northern margin of Yangtze block, China: implications for extension during the break-up of Rodinia

ABSTRACT To better understand the Neoproterozoic tectonic evolution along the northern margin of Yangtze Block, we have determined the geochronological and geochemical compositions of newly recognized bimodal volcanic suite and coeval granites from the western Dabie terrain. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating reveals that the felsic and mafic volcanics from the Hong’an unit have crystallization ages of 730 ± 4Ma and 735 ± 5Ma, respectively, indicating that the bimodal suite was erupted during the Neoproterozoic. The Xuantan, Xiaoluoshan, and Wuchenhe granites yield U-Pb ages of 742 ± 4 Ma, 738 ± 4 Ma, and 736 ± 4 Ma, respectively. The felsic volcanic rocks show peraluminous characteristics, and have a close affinity to S-type granite. The mafic volcanic rocks are basalt in compositions, and are likely generated from a depleted mantle source. The granites belong to high-K calc-alkaline and calc-alkaline series, display metaluminous to peraluminous, and are mainly highly fractionated I-type and A-type granite. The granites and felsic volcanics have zircon εHf(t) values of −16.4 to + 5.6 and two-stage Hf model ages (TDM2) of 1.28 to 2.40 Ga, suggesting that they were partial melting of varying Mesoproterozoic–early-Neoproterozoic crust. The granites have εNd(t) of -14.7 to -1.5, and the two-stage Nd model ages (TDM2) values of 1.54 to 2.61 Ga, also implying the Yangtze crustal contribution. These Neoproterozoic bimodal suite and coeval granites were most likely generated in a rifting extensional setting, triggered by the mantle upwelling, associated with crust–mantle interaction. Intensive magmatic rocks are widespread throughout the South Qingling, Suizhao, western Dabie and eastern Dabie areas during 810–720 Ma, and show peak ages at ~ 740 Ma. Combining regional geology, we support a continental rifting extensional setting for the north margin of the Yangtze Block during the break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia.