SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the youngest exposed pluton in eastern China

Analysis using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) shows that the Yongsheng pluton, located to the south of Huadian County, Jilin Province, in the North China Craton, has a zircon U-Pb isotopic emplacement age of (31.6±1.3) Ma. It is therefore the youngest exposed pluton so far recognized in eastern China. Although geochemical data indicate intensive crystal fractionation, the Sr-Nd isotopic features suggest that the magmatic source region of the lithospheric mantle was weakly depleted. This implies that the previous enriched lithospheric mantle had been replaced by juvenile asthenospheric mantle before or during the Palaeogene. This recognition has great significance for future work on the Mesozoic-Cenozoic geological evolution and deep geological processes in eastern China.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, Yunnan Province, SW China

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating gives ages of 260.6± 3.5 Ma and 260.7± 5.6 Ma for serpentinised wehrlite and plag-hornblendite in the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, respectively. The results indicate that the Jinbaoshan intrusion was emplaced at ca.260 Ma and contemporaneous with the Emeishan continental flood basalts (ECFB), similar to other mafic-ultramafic intrusions of the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP). The new ages provide a geochronological constraint on the origin of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion. It confirms that the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion belongs to the Emeishan LIP that formed at ca. 260 Ma. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-111), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40573020 and 40773033) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB411408)     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for volcanic rocks of the Dasi Formation in southeast Hubei Province, middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and its implications

The Jinniu Basin in southeast Hubei,located at the westernmost part of middle-lower val-ley of the Yangtze River,is one of the important vol-canic basins in East China. Volcanic rocks in the Jin-niu Basin are distributed mainly in the Majiashan Formation,the Lingxiang Formation and the Dasi Formation,consisting of rhyolite,basalt and basaltic andesite,(trachy)-basalt and basaltic trachy-andesite and (trachy)-andesite and (trachy)-dacite and rhyolite respectively,in which the Dasi volcanism is volumet-rically dominant and widespread. The Dasi volcanic rocks were selected for SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating to confirm the timing of volcanism. The results indi-cate that there exist a large amount of magmatic zir-cons characterized by high U and Th contents in the volcanic rocks. The concordia ages for 13 points are 128 ± 1Ma (MSWD = 3.0). On account of the shape of zircons and Th/U ratios,this age is considered to represent the crystallization time of the Dasi volcan-ism. The volcanic rocks in the Dasi,Majiashan and Lingxiang Formations share similar trace elementand REE partition patterns as well as Sr-Nd isotopic compositions. In combination with the regional geol-ogy,it is proposed that the southeast Hubei volcanic rocks were formed mainly during the Early Creta-ceous,just like other volcanic basins in middle-lower Yangtze valley. A lithospheric extension is also sug-gested for tectonic regime in this region in the Cre-taceous Period.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology of Indosinian granites in Hunan Province and its petrogenetic implications

The structure, magmatism and sedimentation within the South China Block (SCB) related to the Indosinian Orogeny had attracted considerable attention since De-prat[1] and Fromagat[2] proposed the “Indosinian move-ment” based on two unconformities between Pre-Norian and Pre-Rhaetian during Triassic in Vietnam. However, Indosinian tectonic evolution of the SCB has been long debated[3―6]. Some researchers believed that the compli-cated structure-magmatism-sedimentation within the SCB w…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of tuff from the Kunyang Group in central Yunnan： Evidence for Grenvillian orogeny in South China

Whether or not Grenvillian orogeny occurred in South China still remains highly controversial because high-quality,discriminating data are lacking,and therefore,the key to resolve this matter is to find datable volcanic and/or sedimentary rocks related to Grenvillian orogeny. Such rocks are apparently present in the Fuliangpeng Member from the lower-middle part of Kunyang Group in central Yunnan; here the unit is more than 100 m thick and consists of andesitic ignimbrite,tuffite,terrigeous clastic rocks and carbonates. These volcanic rocks,developed south of the Sibao fold-thrust belts,represent the earliest calc-alkaline volcanic activity in late Precambrian time from central Yunnan and are coeval with both a change in sedimentary facies from detritus to carbonates and the beginning of seismite development elsewhere. Two samples for SHRIMP analysis were collected from this volcanic unit. Sample G3-29-2,from the bottom of Fuliangpeng Member,is an ignimbrite,and about 100 zircon crys-tals recovered from it have euhedral shapes and display relatively simple sector zonation under cathodoluminescent (CL) imaging,suggesting a magmatogenic origin. Twenty-five of the zircons were analyzed and a weighed-mean U-Pb age of 1032±9 Ma was obtained. Sample G3-29-3 from uppermost part of Fuliangpeng Member is a tuffite,and many rounded,evidently detrital zircons were recovered. Nine of these zircons were analyzed,and the oldest single-grain U-Pb zircon age is 1938±26 Ma,im-plying that Paleoproterozoic basement developed in Cathaysia. The dating result,combined with the geotectonic research on the Fuliangpeng Member,leads us to conclude that late Mesoproterozoic orogenic volcanic activity occurred in the western part of South China,and that the related collision of Yangtze and Cathaysian cratons was an integral part of the assembly of Rodinia.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating for subduction-related granitic rocks in the northern part of east Junggar, Xinjiang

A great deal of studies have recently devoted to the Central Asian orogenic belt (CAOB). Some of the studies have proposed that CAOB is a tectonic frame ofcomplex mosaic fragments, link of multiple suture zone and mountain-basin coupling, and has undergon…     

Rare earth elements and carbon isotope geochemistry of the Doushantuo Formation in South China: Implication for middle Ediacaran shallow marine redox conditions

The middle Ediacaran Shuram excursion, the largest negative δ 13 C carb excursion in Earth history, has been interpreted as indirect evidence for episodic oxidation and remineralization of deep ocean DOC (dissolved organic carbon). It has been hypothesized that such oxidation event may have occurred when anoxic DOC-laden deep water was brought to shallow shelves during oceanic upwelling, which is expected to cause localized anoxia in shallow environments. To test this prediction, we systematically analyzed rare earth elements (REE) and δ 13 C carb of the upper Doushantuo Formation carbonates in the Yangtze Gorges area of South China, which were deposited in an inner shelf environment and record a large negative δ 13 C carb excursion correlated to the Shuram event. The REE data show a significant positive shift in Ce/Ce* values, synchronous with a pronounced negative δ 13 C carb shift. This positive Ce/Ce* shift is interpreted to represent an oceanic anoxia event in shallow shelf environments, which may have been caused by the upwelling or impingement of oxygen-depleted and 12 C-enriched deep water onto shelves. This anoxia event coincides with a sharp decline in the abundance and diversity of Ediacaran acanthomorphic acritarchs, raising the possibility that these two geobiological events may be causally related.     

A new discovery of macroscopic fossils from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area

The Ediacaran section in the Yangtze Gorges area, South China, is one of the most important in the worldand contains abundant fossils[1-4]. The earliest discov- ery of macrofossils in 1984, including macroscopic algal fossils from the uppermost Doushantuo…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for the dacite of the Sangxiu Formation in the central segment of Tethyan Himalaya and its implications

The Tethyan Himalaya is located between the In-dus-Yarlung Zangbo suture zone to the north and HigherHimalayan crystallines to the south, paleogeographicallybelonging to the northern margin of “Greater India”. TheSangxiu Formation is used to define a series of specialstrata with rich volcanic interbeds, and is only distributedto the southeast of Yangzuoyong Co within 200 km×50 km along the eastern part of central Tethyan Hima-laya[1]. Based on overlapped relationships of strata andfos…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of tuff at the bottom of the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation,Zunyi, South China

A SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology study of the tuff at the bottom of the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation at Songlin, Zunyi, South China yielded a mean ^206Pb/^238U age of 518±5 Ma. It is significantly younger than the Re-Os ages of 537--542 Ma for the overlying polymetallic Ni-Mo-PGE-rich layer in the basal Niutitang Formation at Songlin, suggesting that the Re-Os ages might represent that of the original magma chamber for the Ni-Mo-PGE-rich layer rather than the formation age of the strata. The intra-basinal stratigraphic correlation also implies that the absolute age of the Chengjiang biota should be younger than 518±5 Ma. Our new result, together with the SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age for the K-bentonite in the Zhongyicun member of the Zhujiaqing Formation at the Meishucun section, Yunnan Province, provides a temporal constraint for the Lower Cambrian of the Yangtze Platform in South China.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology of Yangfang aegiriteaugite syenite in Wuyi Mountains of South China and its tectonic implications

In addition to the wide spread peraluminous granites, some alkaline or alkali-rich intrusive rocks were recently observed in the Wuyi Mountains. The Yangfang aegiriteaugite syenites in the Wuyi Mountains are strongly enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE), K, Ba, Ga, Zr and Y. What is more, differentiations of REE are obvious. In addition, the Yangfang aegiriteaugite syenites have also some characteristics similar to A-type granite. Zircons are selected from the Yangfang aegiriteaugite syenites for Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP-Ⅱ) U-Pb geochronology study. 15 analyses give concordant 206Pb/238U ages in a narrow range of 233—249 Ma, which correspond to a single age population with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 242 4 Ma, which records the crystallization time of the aegiriteaugite syenites. It is suggested that: (1) there were early Triassic peralkaline intrusive rocks in South China; (2) the early Indosinian extension event was probably active in local area, South China. This discovery provides a new insight for farther understanding of 揑ndosinian orogeny in South China.     

The age of the base of the paleoproterozoic Hutuo Group in the Wutai Mountains area,North China Craton: SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of basaltic andesite

Basalt and basaltic andesite metamorphosed at greenschist facies occurs with conglomerate layers at the bottom of the Paleopro-terozoic Hutuo Group in the Wutai Mountains area, North China Craton. Detailed geological surveying confirms that these volcanic rocks are conformable within the neighboring sedimentary rocks. The SHRIMP results on basaltic andesite are divided into two groups. In one group the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages are from 2433 to 2558 Ma, which is consistent with the basement crustal age in Fuping and Wutai areas. In the other group, 13 grains yielded a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2140±14 Ma. The latter is interpreted as the eruption age of the basaltic andesite, and gives the age of the base of the Hutuo Group. This result further suggests that the Hutuo Group formed in the middle Paleoproterozoic, not the early Palaeoproterozoic or late Archaean, as thought before, and is related to a 2.2–2.1 Ga rifting event in the Central North China Craton.     

江西南部版石盆地火山岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

应用SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年方法,对江西南部三南-寻乌火山岩带版石盆地原鸡笼嶂组凝灰岩和原版石组流纹岩开展年代学研究.结果表明,凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(142.5±1.3)Ma,流纹岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(131.4±1.3)Ma.根据新的国际地层表,晚侏罗世与早白垩世的界线划在(145.5...     

浙西北钟吕群流纹岩锆石U-Pb年龄及其年代地层学意义

 钟吕群出露于浙西北地区,为一套强变形、浅变质的碎屑岩-火山岩系,其下未见底,上被南华纪休宁组不整合覆盖。传统上将其对比于赣东北双桥山群。本文主要研究钟吕群流纹岩的锆石U-Pb 年龄。样品A120408-4 采自苏庄断层以北,层位上属钟吕群的中上部,岩性为灰白色致密块状流纹岩,强烈片理化。样品A120408-4 中获得大量锆石,完成LA-ICP-MS 锆石UPb定年测点38 个,获得年龄加权平均值为(777.1±3.6)Ma,结合地层特点及变质变形特征,得出钟吕群主体相当于河上镇群上墅组,应属扬子古陆新元古代晚期大陆裂谷的地质记录。     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages of Kalatongke No. 1 and Huangshandong Cu-Ni-bearing mafic-ultramafic complexes,North Xinjiang,and geological implications

In Xinjiang, northwestern China, there are some veryimportant magmatic Cu-Ni sulfide deposits hosted by ma-fic-ultramafic complexes. In addition to the Jingbulake inwestern Tianshan and the Xingdi in northeastern Tarimblock, the others are concentrated in the Kalatongke andHuangshan-Jingerquan mafic-ultramafic complex beltsand two largest Cu-Ni sulfide deposits occur in the Kala-tongke No.1 and Huangshandong complexes. In the pastdecade, a great number of researches have been conductedfo…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for Qiashikansayi granodiorite, the Northern Altyn Tagh Mountains and its geological implications

The Qiashikansayi granodiorite is foliated resulting in a granodioritic gneiss. Its geochemical features, such as alumina saturation index(A/CNK) of 0.81-0.99, Na2O/K2O values>1, TiO2 contents <1.0%, LREE enrichment with high fractionation factors, weakly negative or no Eu anomalies, and significant Ba and Ti negative anomalies, suggest that it is similar to a typical island arc pluton. The trace elements of the Qiashikansayi granodiorite are plotted in the island arc field in the tectonic setting discrimination diagrams as well. Cathodoluminescence images demonstrated that the zircons have clear rhythmic crystallized zoning, without any remnant core and new crystallized rim, suggesting the zircons be magmatic ones. Their U and Th contents vary in the range of 574-870 μg/g, and 279-556μg/g respectively, with the Th/U ratio in the range of 0.52-0.68. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating yielded the 481.5±5.3 Ma age for the intrusion of the granodiorite, which is coeval with the island arc volcanic rocks in the no     

Mesoproterozoic age for Xiamaling Formation in North China Plate indicated by zircon SHRIMP dating

Zircon grains of magmatic origin from tuffite layers in the Xiamaling Formation at Zhaojiashan Village, Xuanhua area, Hebei Province, were used for zircon dating with a Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe （SHRIMP Ⅱ）, which gives a weighted mean ^207Pb/^206Pb age of 1366±9 Ma. It shows a very similar age （1368±12 Ma） as the zircon dating from the Xiamaling Formation in Western Hill, Beijing. This age proposes that the Xiamaling Formation in the North China plate should be of Mesoproterozoic, instead of Neoproterozoic based on K-Ar, Ar-Ar dating. The new zircon age also indicates the development of macrofossils algae from the Mesoproterozoic age.     

Triassic U-Pb age for zircon from granites in the Tonghua area and its response to the Dabie-Sulu ultrahigh-pressure collisional orogenesis

Single-grain zircon U-Pb dating was carried out to constrain the emplacement timing of granitic plutons at Chaxinzi, Xiaoweishahe and Longtou in the Tonghua area, south of Jilin Province. The results show that these plutons formed in the Triassic with ages of 203—217 Ma. Geological and geochemical characteristics indicate that the plutons are composed of quartz diorite and granite. The former was derived from partial melting of mafic lower crust, whereas the latter originated from thickened crust with garnet as the residue in the source. It appears that protoliths of these two types of granitits are different although they have the same emplacement age. Considering that these plutons are petrologically different from the coeval granites in the Xingmeng (Xing‘an-Mongolian) to Jihei (Jilin-Heilongjiang) orogenic belt in the north, it is suggested that their formation was related to the Dabie-Sulu ultrahigh-pressure collisional orogenesis since their ages are only 10—20 Ma younger than timing of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism, but comparable to that of the first rapid exhumation of the ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks and the emplacement of the post-collisional granites.     

SHRIMP U-Pb dating for a K-bentonite bed in the Tieling Formation,North China

A SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 1437±21 Ma was obtained for a recently discovered K-bentonite bed in the Tieling Formation, situated northeast of Beijing at the boundary between Liaoning and Hebei provinces, on the northern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). The SHRIMP U-Pb age places Tieling Formation near the end of the Calymmian Period of the early Mesoprote-rozoic Era. In addition, a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon date of 1372±18 Ma was acquired for K-bentonite beds in the overlying, dark-shale-dominated Xiamaling Formation from the same location northeast of Beijing. This date assigns a similar Mid-Mesoproterozoic (Ectasian Period) age for the Xiamaling Formation, as have previously determined dates from other sections northwest of Beijing. These dates indicate that the Tieling and Xiamaling formations, as well as the related succession in the eastern part of the Yanshan Mountains, represented by the well-known Meso- to Neoproterozoic standard section in Jixian, can be correlated well with sections northwest of Beijing in the western part of the Yanshan Mountains. In other words, the boundary between the Calymmian and Ectasian periods in the northern parts of the NCC is marked by the unconformity between the Tieling and Xiamaling formations in the northern NCC. This boundary was previously ascribed to the “Qinyu Orogeny” and thought to be of Grenville age. In this regard, the conventional “Qinyu Orogeny” should now be regarded as a short-lived regional uplift during Early Mesoproterozoic time, rather than a result from the Grenvillian assembly of the NCC to the Rodinia Supercontinent (~1.0 Ga).     

Genesis of zircon and its constraints on interpretation of U-Pb age

Zircon U-Pb dating is the most commonly used method for isotopic geochronology. However, it has been a difficult issue when relating zircon U-Pb ages to metamorphic conditions in complex metamorphic rocks. Much progress has been made in the past decade with respect to the genesis of zircon and its constraints on interpretation of U-Pb age. Three methods have been proposed to link zircon U-Pb age to metamorphic conditions: ( i ) internal structure; ( ii ) trace element feature; (iii) mineral inclusion composition. Magmatic zircon shows typical oscillatory zoning and/or sector zoning, whereas metamorphic zircon has internal structures such as no zoned, weakly zoned, cloudy zoned, sector zoned, planar zoned, and patched zoned ones. Zircons formed in different geological environments generally have characteristic internal structures. Magmatic zircons from different rock types have variable trace element abundances, with a general trend of increasing trace element abundances in zircons from ultramafic through mafic to granitic rocks. Zircons formed under different metamorphic conditions have different trace element characteristics that can be used to relate their formation to metamorphic conditions. It is an effective way to relate zircon growth to certain P-T conditions by studying the trace element partitioning between coexisting metamorphic zircon and garnet in high-grade metamorphic rocks containing both zircon and garnet. Primary mineral inclusions in zircon can also provide unambiguous constraints on its formation conditions. Therefore, interpretation of zircon U-Pb ages can be constrained by its internal structure, trace element composition, mineral inclusion and so on.