Evidence for tritium production in the Earth's interior

We have made a new investigation on the vertical profiles of tritium and helium isotopes in Lakes Van and Nemrut(Eastern Turkey),using experimental data from the reference by Kipfer et al.for study of long-term vertical mixing and deep water renewal in Lake Van.Lakes Van and Nemrut are crater lakes.Lake Nemrut is at the western border of Lake Van.The 3He and 4He are injected at the bottom of Lakes Van and Nemrut,and the both helium isotopes are confirmed from the mantle source.From 3H(tritium) data in Lakes Van and Nemrut,we have observed "3H anomaly" at the vertical profile of 3H concentrations in Lake Nemrut.The 3H concentration at the lake bottom is 10% higher than at the surface.The difference of 3H concentrations between surface and bottom is about 3.7±1.2 TU.This excess 3H should be injected from the lake bottom.An investigation on the origin of the injected tritium has been made.The results show the conventional origins are excluded,such as residence of precipitation tritium from nuclear testing in the early 1950s-1960s and tritium from known nuclear reactions.Based on the correlation of excess 3H with 3He and heat flow in Lake Nemrut,we infer that the 3He and 3H might be all from the mantle source,and produced by the supposed natural-nuclear-fusion,which might occur in an environment rich in water(H) and(U Th) at high temperature and high pressure in the deep Earth.Detection of tritium in the Earth's interior is a key evidence for exploration of natural nuclear fusion in the deep Earth.Based on the published data,we have found that the excess 3He and 3H injected at the bottom of Lake Laacher(Germany) were also released from the mantle source.The present work will be helpful to the further study of mechanism of natural nuclear fusion in the Earth's interior.     

He and Ar isotopes in mantle megacryst minerals from Nushan and Yingfengling in Southeast China

He and Ar isotopic compositions of megacrystal minerals from mantle xenoliths were measured by the technique of vacuum crushing extraction. The used samples were clinopyroxene, garnet and ilmenite in Cenozoic alkaline basalts, which were from Nushan in Anhui Province and Ying-fengling in Guangdong Province, respectively, and represented materials from the upper mantle in the continental margin of SE China. The results show ^3He/^4He ratios of 7.99 Ra to 8.58 Ra, consistent with the characteristic ratios of the MORB-type mantle. ^40Ar／^39Ar ratios vary from 313 to 909, suggesting a binary mixing between the MORB-type mantle and air argons. This may reflect the incorporation of the air argon absorbed in oceanic sediments into the mantle beneath the continental margin by subduction of oceanic plate. This study presents the first report that ilmenite megacrysts contain abundant fluid inclusions and noble gases in the mantle xenoliths.     

Holocene volcanic rocks in Jingbo Lake region ? Diversity of magmatism

During the time from 5500 a to 5200 a BP more than 10 Holocene volcanoes in Jingbo Lake region erupted and the volcanic rocks covered an area of about 500 km2. Holocene volcanic rocks in Jingbo Lake region belong to the potassium?rich rocks and contain three rock types: trachybasalts, basanites and phonotephrites. Various types of magmatism formed in a small area and in a short period of time came from partial melting of potassically?metasomatised lithospheric mantle. The diversity of magmatism can be explained by that Jingbo Lake is situated in the back?arc extensional region of East Asian continent subducted by the Pacific Ocean, and potassic fluid derived from mantle wedge or dehydration of subducted slab can result in a high heterogeneity of the mantle beneath this region. Based on the pressure estimation of clinopyroxene megacrysts, we estimate that phonotephrite magma fractionally crystallize at ca. 52?54 km down the earth.     

He-Ar isotope geochemistry of the Yaoling-Meiziwo tungsten deposit,North Guangdong Province: Constraints on Yanshanian crust-mantle interaction and metallogenesis in SE China

Isotopic abundances and ratios of He and Ar found in inclusion fluids in pyrites formed in the Yaoling-Meiziwo tungsten miner-alization epoch show that the concentration of 4He varies widely,from 1.54×10-7 cm3 STP/g to 2609×10-7 cm3 STP/g.3He is 0.759×10-12 cm3 STP/g-3.463×10-12 cm3 STP/g.3He/4He is 0.0043-4.362 Ra,varying from crustal to mantle values.The concen-tration of 40Ar ranges from 0.624×10-7 cm3 STP/g to 8.89×10-7 cm3 STP/g.The 40Ar/36Ar varies extensively,from 330 to 2952,between atmospheric and crustal or mantle radiogenic values.Mantle-derived He is present in ore-forming fluids and the calcu-lated average proportion of the mantle He is 22%;the maximum is 67%.Our research results show that mantle-derived fluids play a significant role in tungsten mineralization.The fractionation of He and Ar indicate that there was 4He-enriched air-saturated water(MSAW) in the ore-forming fluid.The ore-forming fluid was a mixture of mantle fluid,crustal magmatic fluid and MSAW.The occurrence of a mantle component in ore-forming fluid indicates the large-scale W and Sn mineralization,including Yaol-ing-Meiziwo,in southeastern China was the result of crust and mantle interaction.The underplating or intrusion of voluminous basaltic magma formed by partial melting of the upper mantle provided the necessary heat to cause partial melting of the crust and the generation of voluminous S-type granitic magmas.Crustal magmatic fluid and mantle fluid with high 3He/4He were released from magma crystallization and fractionation,mixed with the circulating modified air-saturated water,and filled the extensional tectonic fractures,leading to the formation of world-class W and Sn deposits in southeastern China.     

Helium and argon isotope trace in ore-forming fluid of Sawuer gold belt in Xinjiang,China

The helium and argon isotope compositions of fluid inclusions hosted in pyrite have been measured from Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits in Sawuer gold belt, northern Xinjiang. The results show that fluidinclusion ^3He/^4He ratios are 0.64 Ra-4.25 Ra and 1.16 Ra-9.48 Ra, ^40Ar/^36Ar ratios are 282-359 and 312-525 for Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits respectively.The ore-forming fluids of two deposits possessed the same source and derived mainly from mantle beneath the island arc (including oceanic crust and oceanic sediments by subduction of oceanic plate). They were diluted by incorporating meteoric water to form a mixture of mantle- and partial meteoric water-derived fluid. The ore-forming fluids of twodeposits are of the same evolutionary histories. From the early to the late mineralization stages, the ratios of meteoric water/mantle- derived fluid in ore-forming fluid increasedgrad ually. Based on these results and detailed geological and geochemical studies on the two deposits, it is proposed that the geneses of the two gold deposits are the same, being volcanogenic late-stage hydrothermal gold deposits occurring in the same volcanic apparatus.     

Oxygen isotope variation in the water cycle of the Yamzho lake Basin in southern Tibetan Plateau

Given the potential use of stable isotope in the paleoclimate reconstruction from lacustrine records as well as in the local hydrology cycle, it is crucial to understand the processes of stable isotope evolution in catchment in the Tibetan Plateau region. Here we present a detailed study on the water oxygen isotope based on 2 years observation including precipitation, river water and lake water in the Yamzho Lake, south of the Tibetan Plateau. Temporal variation of local precipitation 5180 shows an apparent ＂monsoon cycle＂. In monsoon season, 5180 in waters is lower. In non-monsoon season, δ^18O in precipitation and lake water is higher and higher river δ^18O exists in spring, probably reflecting the effect of land surface evaporation, together with the higher δ^18O values in spring precipitation. It is also found that the surface lake water δ^18O varies seasonally and annually. The lower lake water δ^18O in the late summer is apparently related to the summer monsoon precipitation. The mean δ^18O value of lake water in 2007 is 1.2‰ higher than that in 2004, probably due to the less monsoon precipitation in summer of 2007, as can be confirmed from the precipitation data at the Langkazi meteorological data. It is also found that an obvious shift of vertical lake water δ^18O reflects the fast mixture of lake water. δ^18O values of lake water are over 10‰ higher than those of precipitation and river water in this region due to the evaporation fractionation. The modeled results show that the evaporation process of the lake water is sensitive to relative humidity, and the present lake water δ^18O reflects a relative humidity of 51% in the Yamzho Lake. It shows that the lake will take 30.5 years to reach present lake water δ^18O given a large shift in the input water δ^18O. The modeled results also reveal that surface lake water temperature and inflow δ^18O have slight effect on the isotopic balance process of lake water in the Yamzho Lake.     

Pollen evidence of early human activities in Erhai basin, Yunnan Province

The evidence of human activities around Erhai Lake catchment was revealed by pollen records from a sediment core in the lake, northwest Yunnan Province. The chronologic sequence based on AMS ^14C data made it possible for pollen results to compare with archaeological records and historical documents. The preliminary deforestation started from the selective clearance at about 5500 ^14C a BP, marked by the loss of vertically distributed montane forest and the expansion of second pine woodland across the catchment. The deforestation resulted in the increase of surface runoff and the enhanced erosion in the catchment. The increased herbs of pasture and crop suggested the primitive agriculture and stockbreeding in study region. With the limited human activity, as well as the suitable climatic condition, second pine forest expanded quickly, resulting in the weakened soil erosion around the basin. The strong forest clearance inferred from pollen occurred since 2160 ^14C a BP, paralleling to the first dense immigration of population, when Yeyu County was first set up around west coast of Erhai Lake, documented in historic record. The development of agriculture led to the steady enhancement of soil erosion from farming land, increasing the input of fine materials and nutrients to the lake. Moreover, the serious deforestation by human activity stressed the vulnerability in ecosystem of the landscape. The time of primary anthropologic impact recorded from pollen is earlier than that of the oldest archaeological record by 1500 a (^14C year).     

Of pH and Eh on release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments of West Lake

The effects of pH and Eh on release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments of West Lake under different conditions were investigated by simulation test. Results showed that the net flux of NH4^ -N re-lease from sediments increased with pH, but NO3^- -N showed negative-going release at all tested pH levels.The net flux of NH4^ -N release from sediments was higher under anaerobic or aerobic condition of the overly-ing water, but only under aerobic condition would net release of NO3^- -N occur. It was also shown that phos-phorus released was mainly in its inorganic form, higher pH and anaerobic conditions of overlying water greatly stimulated release of phosphorus. In situ measurement at several West Lake locations indicated that sediment resuspension induced by boat propeller stimulated nutrients release from sediment into overlying water.     

Continental subduction channel processes: Plate interface interaction during continental collision

The study of subduction-zone processes is a key to development of the plate tectonic theory. Plate interface interaction is a basic mechanism for the mass and energy exchange between Earth＇s surface and interior. By developing the subduction channel model into continental collision orogens, insights are provided into tectonic processes during continental subduction and its products. The continental crust, composed of felsic to mafic rocks, is detached at different depths from subducting continental lithosphere and then migrates into continental subduction channel. Part of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge, composed of perido- tile, is offscrapped from its bottom. The crustal and mantle fragments of different sizes are transported downwards and upwards inside subduction channels by the corner flow, resulting in varying extents of metamorphism, with heterogeneous deformation and local anatexis. All these metamorphic rocks can be viewed as tectonic melanges due to mechanical mixing of crust- and man- lie-derived rocks in the subduction channels, resulting in different types of metamorphic rocks now exposed in the same orogens. The crust-mantle interaction in the continental subduction channel is realized by reaction of the overlying ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge peridotite with aqueous fluid and hydrous melt derived from partial melting of subducted continental basement granite and cover sediment. The nature of premetamorphic protoliths dictates the type of collisional orogens, the size of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic terranes and the duration of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.     

Editor's note

Yoshiyuki （Yoshi） Tatsumi is currently the Program Director of the Institute for Research on Earth Evolution of Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology （IFREE/JAMSTEC）. He received a BSc in Geology with honors （1978） and an MS （1980） from Kyoto University, and a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Tokyo in 1983. He held research/visiting positions at the University of Manchester, UK （1983--1984） and the University of Tasmania, Australia （1989--1990） while holding Assistant and Associate Professorships at Kyoto University （1983--1996）. He has been full Professor of School of Earth Sciences, Institute of Geothermal Sciences at the Kyoto University, and Ocean Research Institute at the University of Tokyo since 1996. Yoshi is a world-renowned igneous petrologist and authority on magma generation and evolution associated with subduction zones. He uses magmatism as a tool to understand the evolution of the solid Earth. He has published over 120 research papers in leading journals such as Nature, Science, Geology, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal of Petrology, Contributions to Petrology and Mineralogy, Chemical Geology, etc. Every igneous petrologist today, in particular those who study the petro- genesis of subduction-zone igneous rocks, is impressed with and influenced by Yoshi＇s classic book 《Subduction Zone Magmatism》 （Tatsumi Y. and Eggins S., Blackwell Publishing, 1995, 1--224）, which has been widely cited in research papers and used in classrooms. His thinkina goes bevond magmatism.     

Ecological Water Requirement Estimates for Typical Areas in the Huaihe Basin

Aquatic ecosystems require ecological water allocation to prevent from being damaged by natural disasters and undue exploitation. This paper discusses and estimates the ecological water requirements （EWRs） of typical areas in the Huaihe Basin to determine rational allocations of water resources and pro- mote regional improvements of the ecological environment. The main river course, including Hongze Lake and Nansi Lake, was selected as the study subject. Calculational methods for the river and lake EWRs were based on the reasonableness of the results and data availability. The monthly guarantee rate method was used to calculate monthly, flood period, non-flood period, and annual EWRs for the main river course and the main tributaries at two different guarantee rates. The minimum water level method was used to calculate annual EWRs for Hongze Lake and the upper and lower Nansi Lake of 1.521×10^9 m^3, 0.637×10^9 m^3, and 0.306×10^9 m^3. The results were used to evaluate the rationality of the quantity of water resources allocated to ecological uses in the Huaihe Basin during 1998-2003. The result shows that the present water resource allocations in the Huaihe Basin cannot satisfy the basic ecological requirements for some years, especially years with less precipitation.     

Hydrochemical characteristics and recharge sources of Lake Nuoertu in the Badain Jaran Desert

We present a case study of physical and chemical indicators and isotope characteristics of Lake Nuoertu,one of the largest and deepest lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert.We analyze the concentrations of eight ions,total dissolved solids,and stable isotope composition of the lake and groundwater,as well as radioactive isotope tritium concentration in groundwater.The results show that annual and seasonal variations of the physical and chemical characteristics of Lake Nuoertu water are significantly greater than those of groundwater.The lake is uniformly mixed in the horizontal and vertical directions,and the hydrochemical types of the lake at different depths are consistent for Na–Cl–CO3–(SO4).Stable isotope composition of the lake and groundwater at Nuoertu is distributed along the local evaporation line(EL)slope,which is less than the slope of the global meteoric water line.The comparatively small slope shows the characteristic strong evaporation in the study area.Lake water isotopes are mostly in the upper right corner of the EL,whereas groundwater is mostly in the lower left corner.The main recharge source of Nuoertu lake water is groundwater,in combination with lake water and groundwater level change.The age of tufa springs around Nuoertu is about75–80 a,which shows that the initial recharge source of the lake is a mix between modern and 1952 or older;however,further research is required.     

He and Ar isotope geochemistry of pyroxene megacrysts and mantle xenoliths in Cenozoic basalt from the Changle–Linqu area in western Shandong

We performed a combined study of He–Ar isotopes and element geochemistry for pyroxene megacrysts and mantle xenoliths from Cenozoic basalt in the Changle–Linqu area in western Shandong.The results are used to trace the evolution of subcontinental lithospheric mantle after destruction of the North China Craton.The3He/4He ratios of pyroxene megacrysts,websterite,and dunites are 7.0–7.7 Ra,7.4 Ra,and 7.0–7.7 Ra,respectively.They are related to the origin of host basalts,and are slightly lower than that of mid-ocean ridge basalts(MORB).Their40Ar/36Ar ratios are much lower than that of MORB and close to that of air.The lherzolites and wehrlites represent the fragments of the newly accreted lithospheric mantle,and their REE and trace elements indicate that they experienced melt metasomatism and partial melting.The3He/4He ratios of their olivine are slightly lower than that of MORB,but3He/4He ratios of their clinopyroxene are low(2.3–7.1 Ra)and display an inverse correlation with(La/Yb)N.The40Ar/36Ar ratios of these clinopyroxene are much lower than that of MORB and close to the air ratio.Combining existing studies of petrology,Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes,O isotopes,trace elements,and Mg isotopes,we infer that the juvenile lithospheric mantle in the Changle–Linqu area was metasomatized by oceanic crust-derived melts,which transfer the supracrustal Ar isotope signatures to the mantle sources.The low4He abundance and low3He/4He ratios of clinopyroxene in the lherzolites and wehrlites are ascribed to metasomatism by crustal melts from the subducted Pacific plate.     

An experimental study of phase transformations in olivine under pressure and temperature conditions corresponding to the mantle transition zone

High-pressure polymorphs of olivine (wadsleyite and ringwoodite) are major minerals in the mantle transition zone (MTZ).Phase transformations in olivine are important for a series of geodynamic problems such as the mineralogical and evolutionary history of the mantle,mantle convection patterns,and deep focus earthquakes in subduction zones.In this study,we examine phase transformations in olivine with two compositions,namely Mg 2 SiO 4 (Fo 100) and (Mg 0.9 Fe 0.1) 2 SiO 4 (Fo 90),at pressures between 14.1 and 20 GPa and a constant temperature of 1400°C,using the newly installed multi-anvil system at the Laboratory for Studies of the Earth’s Deep Interior (SEDI),China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).At 14.1 GPa,Fo 90 transformed completely into the wadsleyite structure (β),while Fo 100 remained as olivine (α).Between 14.8 and 15.6 GPa,both Fo 100 and Fo 90 transformed into the wadsleyite structure.Wadsleyite crystals were identified by two characteristic Raman peaks between 722 and 723 and 917 and 919 cm 1.They exhibit a bimodal grain size distribution:large-crystals with average grain sizes greater than 100 μm and microcrystals less than 10 μm.The population of microcrystals increased with pressure,apparently due to the increase in over-pressure (the difference between the experimental pressure condition and the equilibrium transformation pressure at 1400°C),which promotes nucleation and retards grain growth.All run charges contained large numbers of wadsleyite microcrystals,because of the low activation energy of the nucleation process.The experimentally observed microstructure may shed light on the morphology of wadsleyite observed in shocked meteorites.At 19.5 GPa,wadsleyite coexisted with ringwoodite (γ) in Fo 100,but was absent in Fo 90.At 20 GPa,both samples transformed completely into ringwoodite,which was characterized by the 798 and 840 cm 1 Raman lines.Ringwoodite crystals are euhedral grains (average grain size 10-20 μm),with well-developed triple junctions.The complex upper mantle structure in eastern China determined from seismological studies cannot be explained by the simple transformation sequence of the olivine system alone.Phase transformations in other pyroxene-normative components (including pyroxenes and garnets) and the interaction of these components with olivine may be responsible for the complex structure.High-pressure and high-temperature experimental studies on complex systems (e.g.olivine-pyroxene),combined with data from geophysical exploration,may help in establishing a more realistic geological-petrological model for eastern China and further our understanding of the possible physical mechanisms that are responsible for the complex structure.Such studies will have profound implications for understanding the dynamic processes in the deep Earth interior.     

Noble gases in corundum megacrysts from the basalts in Changle, Shandong Province, eastern China

This study presents noble gaseous data of the corundum megacrysts from the Cenozoic basalts in Changle, Shandong Province, eastern China. It is known that no noble gaseous data of corundum megacryst have been documented before. The 3He/4He ratios (1.13-7.37 Ra) of the corundums from Changle vary from atmosphere to MORB values; the 20Ne/22Ne (9.67-10.75) and 21Ne/22Ne (0.0280-0.0372) data define two linear trends on Ne three-isotope diagram, respectively, along the MFL and the correlation line between atmosphere and MORB; the 38Ar/36Ar (0.177-0.194) ratios, the 40Ar/36Ar (280.9 -404.2) ratios and the 128-136Xe/132Xe ration with obvious 129Xe excess are generally higher than at-mospheric component, but the 40Ar/36Ar ratios are much closer to atomospheric ratio. The isotopic compositions of noble gases (particularly for He and Ar) of the corundums are similar to those of py-roxene, anorthoclase megacrysts, and mantle-derived xenoliths from this area, and those of man-tle-derived xenoliths from several areas in eastern China. Therefore, the noble gases trapped in the corundums probably are from mantle source, representing a ‘mixed fluid' produced by the interaction between the lithospheric mantle and fluids releasing from the convective plate. Both the noble gas isotopic compositions and the oxygen isotopic compositions of the solid corundums are not the characteristics of crustal source. These suggest that the corundums crystallized from mantle-derived magmas with minimal crustal contamination.     

Editor''''s note

Robert (Bob) J. Stern is a Professor of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. He received a BSc in Geology with honors from the University of California at Davis in 1974, and a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of California at San Diego (Scripps Institution of Oceanography) in 1979. He held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institution of Washington     

Simulation or meridional overturning in the upper layer of the South China Sea with an idealized bottom topography

The large-scale upper circulations and meridional overturning in the upper layer of the South China Sea (SCS) with idealized bottom topography in winter and summer are investigated. Simulations with the GFDL general circulation model are carried out under the conditions of open or enclosed boundary regarding transport in the Luzon Strait. The intrusion area of Kuroshio, its impact on the meridional overturning in the upper layer of the SCS and seasonal characteristic of this impact are explored, respectively. The model is forced by climatological wind stress and relaxed to monthly mean climatological temperature and salinity. The resultant meridional overturning is non-enclosed, wit htransporting from north to south in the surface and returning to north at the depth of about 500 m in winter, about 200 m in summer, with amplitudes of 10^5 m^3/s. It shows the transporting path of intermediate water of the SCS and offers an idealized reference for further study on dynamics of wind-driven and thermohaline circulation of the SCS.     

Preliminary evidence indicating Dome A （Antarctica） satisfying preconditions for drilling the oldest ice core

Lowest temperature and snow accumulation rate are preconditions for retrieving the oldest ice core from the polar ice sheets. The 10-m depth firn temperature at Dome A, the summit of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, recorded by an automatic weather station （AWS） was -58.3℃ in 2005 and -58.2℃ in 2006, respectively. The 10-m firn temperature is an approximation of the annual mean air temperature （AMAT）, and this is the lowest AMAT that has been recorded on the surface of the Earth. The stable isotopic ratios （δ^18O and δD） of surface snow at Dome A are also lower than at other ice sheet domes along the East Antarctic Ice Divide such as Dome C, Dome F, Dome B and Vostok. These facts indicate that Dome A is the ＂pole of cold＂ on the Earth. The total amount of snow accumulation rate in 2005 and 2006 was only 0.16 cm, equaling 0.016 m water equivalent per year, the lowest precipitation ever recorded from Antarctica. Preliminary evidences indicate that Dome A is a candidate site for recovering the oldest ice core.     

Hf isotopes of zircon megacrysts from the Cenozoic basalts in eastern China

Cenozoic basalts are widely distributed in eastern China, and some of them contain zircon megacrysts which are considered to be constituent mineral of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle （SCLM） and petrogenetically related to mantle metasomatism induced by addition of crustal materials. Using the Laser Ablation Multiple Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry （LA-MC-ICPMS）, zircon megacrysts from the Cenozoic basalts at Changle in Shandong, Mingxi in Fujian, and Penglai in Hainan provinces have been used for Hf isotopic analyses. The data indicate that there is no significant deviation for the different zircon grains in each locale, except those from Penglai. The obtained ^176Hf /^177Hf ratios are 0.28302- 0.28308 for Changle, 0.28297-0.28300 for Mingxi, and 0.28288-0.28293 for Penglai, with corresponding ear values of 8.7-10.8, 7.0-7.9, and 3.9-5.7, respectively. These data display that there existed some regional heterogeneity, but the Hf model ages clustere in the Phanerozoic. Therefore, it is inferred that metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle beneath eastern China took place in the Phanerozoic, most probably in the Mesozoic-Cenozoic. However, the formation time of the iithospheric mantle is not clearly constrained based on the present Hf isotopic data.     

U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton

In situ U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analysis were carried out for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southern margin of the North China Craton （NCC）. The results provide further constraints on the crustal formation and evolution history of NCC. Four ^207Pb/^206Pb age populations were obtained from 99 analyses, with clusters at -3.40 Ga, 2.77-2.80 Ga, -2.50 Ga and 2.34 Ga, respectively. The 3.40 Ga old zircons have similar Hf isotopic compositions to those from Archean rocks in the Jidong and Anshan areas of NCC. However, crustal remnants older than 3.6 Ga have been identified in the southern margin of NCC, the South China Craton, the northwestern part of the Qinling Orogen and its adjacent area. Thus, it is not easy to trace the source rock from which the 3.40 Ge detrital zircons were derived. It can be inferred that the crustal remnants older than 3.40 Ga might have been widely distributed in the North China Craton. The 2.77-2.80 Ga zircons make up a relatively small proportion and have the highest εHf（t） values （up to 6.1±1.6）, consistent with the Hf isotopic composition of the depleted mantle at 2.83 Ga. Their single-stage Hf model age of 2.83 Ga is close to their crystallized age, suggesting that their source rocks were extracted from the contemporaneous depleted mantle. The -2.50 Ga zircon grains constitute about 85% of the total grain population and their Hf isotopic compositions indicate major growth of juvenile crust at -2.50 Ga but minor reworking of ancient crust. The youngest zircon dated in this study gave an U-Pb age of 2337±2.3 Ma, which can be considered the maximum depositional age of the formation of the Songshan Group.