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Geochemistry and zircon ages of the Yushigou diabase in the Longshoushan area, Alxa Block: implications for crust–mantle interaction and tectonic evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2020

Ren-Yu Zeng*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Jian-Qing Lai*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Xian-Cheng Mao
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Jie Yan
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
Chen-Guang Zhang
Affiliation:
College of Geographic Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, 464000, China
Wen-Zhou Xiao
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
*
Author for correspondence: Jian-Qing Lai and Ren-Yu Zeng, Emails: ljq@csu.edu.cn; zengrenyu@126.com
Author for correspondence: Jian-Qing Lai and Ren-Yu Zeng, Emails: ljq@csu.edu.cn; zengrenyu@126.com
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Abstract

The North Qilian orogenic belt in North China has been defined as a subduction–collision zone between the Alxa Block and the Qilian Block. We present petrography, zircon U–Pb geochronology, major- and trace-element geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotope analysis for the Yushigou diabase from the Longshoushan area, which is located SW of the Alxa Block, aiming to understand its petrogenetic link to subduction processes. The Yushigou diabase belongs to the tholeiite series, and shows enrichment in light rare earth and large-ion lithophile elements, and a depletion in heavy rare earth and high-field-strength elements. Laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry U–Pb zircon dating yielded an emplacement age of 414 ± 9 Ma, with an ϵHf(t) value in the range of −10.3 to 1.8. The whole-rock initial 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios of the diabase range over 16.811–17.157, 15.331–15.422 and 37.768–37.895, respectively. The (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios vary between 0.7086 and 0.7106, and ϵNd(t) values vary between −14.4 and −13.4, which are significantly higher than the ϵHf(t) value (Nd–Hf decoupling). An interpretation of the elemental and isotopic data suggests that the Yushigou diabase was derived from partial melting of an enriched mantle I (EM-I) -type lithospheric mantle in the spinel–garnet transitional zone. Based on the geochemical features and previous regional geological data, we propose that the Silurian magmatism was most likely triggered by slab break-off after the closure of the North Qilian Ocean, and ancient continental materials from the subduction slab metasomatized the overlying lithospheric mantle during exhumation.

Information

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Fig. 1. (a) Tectonic units of China (after Song et al. 2013). (b) Geological map of the NQOB and the southern margin of Alxa Block (modified from Song et al. 2013). YC –Yangtze Craton; CB – Cathaysian Block; AB – Alxa Block; CQB – Central Qilian Block; QDB – Qaidam Block; CAOB – Central Asian Orogenic Belt; NQOB – North Qilian Orogenic Belt; N. Qaidam UHP belt – North Qaidam ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic belt.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Geological map of the Jinchuan mineral area.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Photographs and corresponding micrographs. (a) Diabase dyke intruding marble and migmatite of the Longshoushan Complex. (b) Contact between diabase and marble. (c) Diabasic texture (perpendicular polarized light). Mineral abbreviations: Px – pyroxene; Pl – plagioclase.

Figure 3

Table 1. Major element (wt%) and trace element (ppm) compositions of the Yushigou diabase

Figure 4

Table 2. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb isotopic data and ages of the Yushigou diabase

Figure 5

Table 3. Zircon Hf isotopic data of the Yushigou diabase

Figure 6

Table 4. Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of the Yushigou diabase

Figure 7

Fig. 4. (a) Total alkali versus silica diagram (after Middlemost, 1994). (b) FeOT/MgO versus SiO2 diagram (after Miyashiro, 1974).

Figure 8

Fig. 5. (a) Chondrite-normalized REE patterns. (b) Primitive mantle-normalized trace-element patterns. Chondrite, primitive mantle, OIB (oceanic island basalt), N-MORB (N-type mid-ocean ridge basalt) and E-MORB (E-type mid-ocean ridge basalt) values are from Sun & McDonough (1989).

Figure 9

Fig. 6. (a–f) Harker diagrams.

Figure 10

Fig. 7. (a) CL images of zircons. (b) Concordia diagrams for zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb analyses. Numbers in the circles are the spot numbers. Numbers near the analytical spots are the U–Pb ages (Ma).

Figure 11

Fig. 8. (a) (207Pb/204Pb)i versus (206Pb/204Pb)i diagram. (b) (208Pb/204Pb)i versus (206Pb/204Pb)I diagram. (c) ϵNd(t) versus (87Sr/86Sr)i diagram. (d) ϵNd(t) versus ϵHf(t) diagram (after Vervoort et al. 1999). Data sources include I-MORB (Indian mid-ocean ridge basalt), P&N-MORB (Pacific and North Atlantic mid-ocean ridge basalt), EM-I (enriched mantle type-I) and EM-II (enriched mantle type-II) as well as NHRL (Northern Hemisphere reference line) and 4.55 Ga geochron from Barry & Kent (1998), Zou et al. (2000), Hart (1984) and Zindler & Hart (1986). S&K (crustal lead evolution) is from Stacey & Kramers (1975). LCC (lower continental crust), MCC (middle continental crust) and UCC (upper continental crust) are from Jahn et al. (1999). Jinchuan ore-bearing mafic–ultramafic rock data are from Zhang et al. (2004), Duan et al. (2016) and Tang et al. (2018). Adakites derived from slab melting and from thickened lower crust in North Qilian are from Zhang et al. (2017b).

Figure 12

Fig. 9. (a) SiO2 versus Mg no. diagram. (b) (Th/Nb)N versus Mg no. diagram. (c) (87Sr/86Sr)i versus Mg no. diagram. (c) (207Pb/204Pb)i versus Mg no. diagram.

Figure 13

Fig. 10. (a) La/Sm versus La diagram (after Treuil & Joron, 1975). (b) CaO/Al2O3 versus Mg no. diagram. (c) Ni versus Cr diagram. (d) LaN/YbN versus La diagram.

Figure 14

Fig. 11. (a) Th/Yb versus Nb/Yb diagram (after Pearce & Peate, 1995). (b) (Hf/Sm)N versus (Ta/La)N diagram (after LaFlèche et al. 1998). (c) Rb/Sr versus Ba/Rb diagram. (d) Sm/Yb versus Sm diagram. Modelling results of mantle melting with different starting materials (garnet lherzolite, garnet-spinel lherzolite and spinel lherzolite) are shown, based on the non-batch melting equations of Shaw (1970). The dashed and solid lines are the melting trends for depleted mantle (DM, Sm = 0.3 ppm and Sm/Yb = 0.86, McKenzie & O’Nions, 1991) and enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM, Sm = 0.6 ppm and Sm/Yb = 0.96, Aldanmaz et al. 2000), respectively. Partition coefficients used in the modelling are from McKenzie & O’Nions (1991). The numbers beside the lines are degrees of partial melting for a given mantle source. Average N-MORB (normal-MORB) value is after Sun & McDonough (1989).

Figure 15

Fig. 12. (a) Zr/Y versus Zr diagram (after Pearce, 1982). (b) 2Nb – (Zr/4) – Y diagram (after Meschede, 1986). WPB – within-plate basalt; MORB – mid-ocean ridge basalt; IAB – island-arc basalt; WPA – within-plate alkali basalts; WPT – within-plate tholeiites; VAB – volcanic-arc basalts.

Figure 16

Fig. 13. Tectonic evolution of the NQOB in two phases during the middle–late Silurian period.