Does the North China Craton Show Evidence of NeoArchean Microblock Amalgamation?

Neoarchean convergent margin tectonics associated with microblock amalgamation in the North China Craton: Evidence from the Yishui Complex

Authors:

Li et al

Abstract:

Archean tectonic history of the North China Craton (NCC) involved complex processes of amalgamation of microcontinents along multiple subduction zones prior to the consolidation of the major crustal blocks and their assembly into unified cratonic architecture. Here we report a suite of granitoids, diabase, metabasalts, volcanic tuff, banded iron formations and quartzite from the Yishui Complex along the southern margin of the Jiaoliao microblock within the Eastern Block of the NCC. The geochemical features of the magmatic suite are consistent with calc-alkaline magmatism in a convergent margin setting. In tectonic discrimination diagrams, the mafic suite shows variable IAB, MORB and OIB affinities typical of rocks formed in an arc-related subduction environment. Zircon grains in most of the rocks from Yishui Complex display core-rim texture with the cores showing magmatic crystallization and the narrow structureless rims corresponding to metamorphic overgrowth. The 207Pb/206Pb ages of magmatic zircons show 2504±19 Ma for the volcanic tuff, 2581±21 Ma for the granitoid, 2501±19 Ma for the metavolcanics, 2537±38 Ma for the pyroxenite, and 2506±13 Ma for the diabase. Metamorphism is constrained from the 2451±18 Ma and 2466±23 Ma age groups in the metavolcanics and (meta-) pyroxenites. Zircons from BIF show multiple population with the oldest showing a spot age of 2503 Ma, followed by a number of distinct groups of Paleoproterozoic zircons corresponding to later thermal events. The oldest population of magmatic zircons from the quartzite shows 207Pb/206Pb mean age of 2495±24 Ma. The dominantly positive εHf(t) values of the magmatic zircons from the Yishui suite are broadly consistent with a depleted mantle source with only minor input of crustal components. Their Hf crustal residence ages (TDMC) range from 2586 to 3181 Ma and Hf depleted mantle model ages(TDM) are in the range of 2548-2927 Ma. The data indicate that magma production involved Meso- to Neoarchean juvenile sources within a continental arc setting, suggesting the Jiaoliao microblock as one of the ancient continental nuclei in the NCC. We trace the continuity of a Neoarchean subduction system along the western and southern margins of the Jiaoliao microblock with convergence of the Qianhuai and Xuhuai microblocks towards the Jiaoliao microblock with subduction-accretion-collision during the Archean- Proterozoic transition