Triassic magmatism in Northeast (NE) China was geodynamically controlled by the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean (MOO), Palaeo-Asian Ocean (PAO), and Palaeo-Pacific Ocean (PPO) tectonic regimes. To define the mechanisms of crustal accretion and geodynamics, the magmatic processes generated by ocean closure and plate subduction must be determined. In the present study, we assembled geochronological, geochemical, Cu (Mo)-porphyry deposit, and zircon Hf isotopic data from magmatic rocks throughout NE China. Central-NE China harbours more reworking of juvenile continental crustal material than the NE China margin. The widespread Triassic felsic magmas in NE China are primarily due to the recycling of juvenile and ancient crustal components during the tectonic evolution of the PAO. During the Triassic, NE China was subjected to a syn- to post-collisional orogenic regime accompanied by scissor-like basin closure and bidirectional subduction of the eastern PAO, before transitioning to the PPO tectonic regime in the latest Triassic. Magmatism in the Erguna and the central–northern Xing’an blocks was more affected by the MOO tectonic regime. Magmatism in the central–southern Xing’an Block, the southwestern Songliao Basin, and northern Lesser Xing’an–Zhangguangcai Range was linked to the closure of the PAO. Triassic magmatic rocks along the eastern Songliao Basin are extensional and formed during the opening of the Mudanjiang Ocean. The NE margin of Eurasia was a passive continental margin in the Late Triassic.
Tracing coupled ocean closure and intra-continental orogenic processes using tectonomagmatic thermal events is important for performing plate reconstructions. In this study, we collected geochronological data obtained from Jurassic–Early Cretaceous volcanic sequences in the Great Xing apos; an Range (GXR) and compared and merged the data to obtain a better understanding of the timing of volcanism in the GXR. Jurassic–Early Cretaceous volcanism, which is mainly represented by the Tamulangou, Manketouebo, and Manitu formations, are ubiquitous in the GXR and do not contain a magmatic hiatus. Thus, ‘diachronous’ volcanism did not occur in the GXR. The volcanic sequences in these formations are also slightly ambiguous and therefore cannot be used to determine the timing of volcanism. However, absolute ages and rock assemblages can provide better constraints on this timing. Combined with data from Jurassic–Early Cretaceous tectonomagmatic thermal events in Mongolia, Siberia, and NE China, we re-evaluated the influences of the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean (MOO), as well as the subduction and rollback of the Izanagi Plate, at different times in the GXR. The GXR likely underwent flat-slab subduction during the Late Jurassic–early Cretaceous as the MOO closed in an irregular ‘scissor-like’ fashion (i.e. not in a progressive west to east manner). Large-scale lithospheric delamination likely led to a large pulse of magmatism and mineralisation in the GXR during the late Early Cretaceous.
Abstract The Xinlin ophiolite in NE China is generally considered to mark the suture between the Erguna and Xing'an blocks. Compared with the Maihantewula ophiolite and Jifeng‐Gaxian ophiolite in the southern and central parts of the Xinlin–Xiguitu suture zone, the Xinlin ophiolite in the northern part of the suture has not been as thoroughly investigated. Many studies acknowledge the indicators of the Xinlin ophiolite as a suture, but detailed studies of this unit are scarce. In the present work, we provide the geochemical data to constrain the origin of the gabbros in Xinlin ophiolites. The gabbros from the Xinlin ophiolites are texturally heterogeneous, ranging from fine‐grained aplitic to coarse‐grained pegmatitic. The fine‐grained gabbros have flat to slightly enriched LREE patterns, which are geochemically comparable to transitional (T‐MORB) and enriched mid‐ocean ridge basalt (E‐MORB). The pegmatite gabbros exhibit slightly LREE‐depleted patterns, similar to typical N‐MORB that derived from a depleted mantle source. Generally, gabbros from the Xinlin ophiolites are MORB‐like, but also have some arc characteristics such as high Th and low Ta concentrations. Such features is typical in Supra‐subduction zone (SSZ) type ophiolites. Our data, combined with other regional results, suggest that the geochemical signatures of the Xinlin gabbros that vary between arc‐like and MORB‐like were possibly indicative of their derivation from a subduction‐modified depleted mantle.
To determine the emplacement age, petrogenesis, and geodynamic setting of the Xizhelimu diorite in Keyouzhongqi, Inner Mongolia of northeastern China, a detailed study of the petrography, geochronology, and whole-rock geochemistry has been conducted. Geological and petrographic studies show that the Xizhelimu diorite is zoned: the central lithofacies zone is composed of medium-fine-grained monzodiorite and quartz diorite, and the marginal lithofacies zone is fine-grained diorite. The zircon U–Pb dating results show that the ages of the central and marginal facies are 133.5 ± 1.9 and 133.4 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively. The whole-rock rare earth and trace element characteristics of the Xizhelimu diorite show an O-type adakite affinity. Combining the analysis of zircon Hf isotope composition ( ε Hf(t) values of +7.7 to +10.0), the geochemical features of whole rock, and the results of partial melting modeling, we suggest that the parental magma of the Xizhelimu diorite was derived from the partial melting of altered oceanic crust mixing with subducting sediments at shallow depths. In the early stage of early Cretaceous, the Xizhelimu diorite originated in an extensional setting, mainly related to the closure of the western part of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean. The upwelling asthenospheric flow in this extensional setting induced partial melting of the paleo-oceanic crust to form the parental magma of the Xizhelimu diorite.
Triassic magmatism in Northeast (NE) China was geodynamically controlled by the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean (MOO), Palaeo-Asian Ocean (PAO), and Palaeo-Pacific Ocean (PPO) tectonic regimes. To define the mechanisms of crustal accretion and geodynamics, the magmatic processes generated by ocean closure and plate subduction must be determined. In the present study, we assembled geochronological, geochemical, Cu (Mo)-porphyry deposit, and zircon Hf isotopic data from magmatic rocks throughout NE China. Central-NE China harbours more reworking of juvenile continental crustal material than the NE China margin. The widespread Triassic felsic magmas in NE China are primarily due to the recycling of juvenile and ancient crustal components during the tectonic evolution of the PAO. During the Triassic, NE China was subjected to a syn- to post-collisional orogenic regime accompanied by scissor-like basin closure and bidirectional subduction of the eastern PAO, before transitioning to the PPO tectonic regime in the latest Triassic. Magmatism in the Erguna and the central–northern Xing'an blocks was more affected by the MOO tectonic regime. Magmatism in the central–southern Xing'an Block, the southwestern Songliao Basin, and northern Lesser Xing'an–Zhangguangcai Range was linked to the closure of the PAO. Triassic magmatic rocks along the eastern Songliao Basin are extensional and formed during the opening of the Mudanjiang Ocean. The NE margin of Eurasia was a passive continental margin in the Late Triassic.
Late Triassic–Early Jurassic intrusions of the Erguna Block, Northeast China, are located along the southern margin of the Mongol–Okhotsk orogenic belt. They comprise granodiorite, monzogranite, syenogranite, and lesser gabbro–diorite, of adakitic and calcalkaline affinity. The adakite-like and calcalkaline granites share similar light rare earth elements (LREE) characteristics; however, their heavy rare earth elements (HREE) trends differ from one another. The relative abundances of HREE in the calcalkaline granites are relatively consistent and are similar to those of intrusive rocks formed from dehydration melting of garnet-free amphibolitic source rocks at relatively low pressures. In contrast, the adakite-like granites show more prominent HREE fractionation trends, indicating that they crystallized at higher pressures, where garnet in the source rocks was stable. At least two isotopically distinct sources were involved in the petrogenesis of the granites, but the extent to which they contributed varies between plutons. Most intrusions have incorporated an isotopically primitive component, possibly juvenile mafic crust. The other sources include a small proportion of old continental crustal material and isotopically evolved wall rocks. The gabbro–diorites have high MgO contents (>7 wt.%), a high Mg# (>0.6), and show moderate LREE and HREE fractionation, indicating they formed from the melting of subducted metasomatized lithospheric mantle. All of the intrusions in the study area are characterized by a relative enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depletion in high field strength elements (HFSE), indicating they were emplaced in an Andean-type active continental margin setting related to southward subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate.
This study presents new information on the petrogenesis and tectonic setting of a hornblende gabbro in the northern Great Xing'an Range of northeastern China using new whole‐rock geochemical, mineral geochemical, and in situ zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data obtained for samples taken from near the town of Tayuan. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the hornblende gabbro was emplaced during the late Carboniferous (~311 Ma). The hornblende gabbros are alkaline with high K 2 O + Na 2 O (4.25–6.42 wt.%), low SiO 2 (41.69–50.22 wt.%), and variable MgO (4.49–7.16 wt.%) and TiO 2 (1.23–2.77 wt.%) contents. The pressure and temperature conditions of gabbro crystallization were determined using amphibole–plagioclase and amphibole thermobarometry, which indicate that the Tayuan hornblende gabbro formed at pressures of 4.1–6.9 kbar and temperatures of 686–762 °C, respectively. The hornblende gabbros are enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, are depleted in the heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements, and have positive zircon ε Hf (t) values (+3.9 to +9.9), all of which are indicative of formation from magmas generated by the partial melting of a depleted region of the lithospheric mantle that was previously metasomatized by subducted slab‐derived fluids and/or melts just before the generation of the hornblende gabbro magmas. The field observational, geochronological, geochemical, mineral geochemical, and zircon Hf isotopic data presented here are indicative of a complex petrogenetic history that involved crystal fractionation and magma mixing. These hornblende gabbros were emplaced in an extensional setting associated with the collision of the Xing'an and Songnen massifs.