Evolution of the South China Craton in the NeoProterozoic

Neoproterozoic arc-trench system and breakup of the South China Craton: Constraints from N-MORB type and arc-related mafic rocks, and anorogenic granite in the Jiangnan orogenic belt

Authors:

Yao et al

Abstract:

The early Neoproterozoic Jiangnan orogenic belt, located in the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Block, is considered to mark the suture zone between the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks. The eastern part of this belt consists of the Huaiyu and Jiuling terranes, separated by the NE Jiangxi fault zone which represents the back-arc marginal sea. The western part of the Jiangnan orogenic belt is characterized by the Jiangnan arc and back-arc sea. Neoproterozoic mafic–ultramafic rock suites are exposed along both the Jiangshan-Shaoxing-Pingxiang-Shuangpai and the NE Jiangxi suture zones, whereas I-, S- and A-type granites occur widely in the Jiangnan region. Here, we present new LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb data, Hf isotopes and whole rock geochemistry for the mafic rocks and granite from the Jiangnan orogenic belt. The N-MORB (normal mid-ocean ridge basalts) type basalts from the Nanqiao of Liuyang area in the west Jiangnan orogenic belt show low K2O contents (0.74–0.16 wt.%), belonging to tholeiitic series, and display LREE (light rare earth element) depleted REE (rare earth element) patterns, with positive Pb, Sr anomaly and minor negative Ti anomalies. The other mafic suites in the Daolinshan, Yiyang and Liuyang areas exposed in the eastern and western segments of the Jiangnan orogenic belt show distinctive geochemical signatures of volcanic arc, with zircon U–Pb ages of 863 ± 6 Ma. Most of these rocks show negative Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and Sr anomalies and have LREE enriched REE patterns, with minor negative Eu anomaly. These features coincide with those of the arc and fore-arc rock assemblages in the eastern Huaiyu Terrane and adjacent areas. Anorogenic granites of 790 ± 5 Ma are also found in the Daolinshang area. Our Hf isotopic data further reveal that the zircons from both the dolerite and A-type granite in the Daolinshan area possess positive ɛHf(t) values, yielding latest Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic model ages. Combined with previous studies, our data confirm the existence of an arc-trench system in the Jiangnan orogenic belt at ca. 863 Ma. Therefore, we infer that the amalgamation of the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks in the eastern part occurred at some time after ca. 863 Ma. This was followed by breakup at ca. 790 Ma which was triggered by mantle upwelling, as evidenced by the Daolinshan A-type granite with positive ɛHf(t) values