<p>The late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic strata in the Yangtze Block hold a key position in deciphering the tectonic evolution of the South China Block and implicate upon the reconstruction of the Rodinia supercontinent. The sedimentological, geochronologic, and geochemical data on the Kunyang Group, southwestern Yangtze Block, were evaluated for a better understanding of the regional geodynamics and refinement in its paleoposition in the Rodinia supercontinent. Our findings constrain the deposition of the Kunyang Group sediments occurring during 1152 Ma and 1000 Ma, under a stable environment with alternating neritic and littoral facies sedimentation. In contrast, deposition of the Meidang Formation, traditionally thought to represent the upper part of the Kunyang Group, continued up to 866 Ma in an active setting at varying basin depths and hydrodynamic conditions. Moderate to high SiO<sub>2</sub> contents (57.7-95.4 wt%), highly variable K<sub>2</sub>O/Na<sub>2</sub>O ratios (0.01-55.8), and critical trace element abundances (Zr: 57.6-578 ppm, Th: 1.95-28.3 ppm, Sc: 0.75-24.3 ppm), detrital zircon age distribution, sedimentological characteristics, and bimodal magmatism cumulatively underline a transition from continental rift to passive continental margin setting, followed by an active continental marginsetting. The onset of oceanic subduction below the SW-NW margin of the Yangtze Block caused a hiatus in sedimentation, marked by an unconformity between the Kunyang Group and Meidang Formation.</p><p>Paleocurrent data, zircon U-Pb ages, and Lu-Hf isotopic characteristics indicate that the Kunyang Group received detritus from some interior sources and exotic terranes, such as the Gawler Craton in Australia, the Transantarctic Mountains in East Antarctica, and the Ongole domain in the Eastern Dharwar Craton of India. The Yangtze Block was likely located to the west of Australia and East Antarctica and north of India in the Rodinia supercontinent. Paleocurrent data also confirm an external location for the Yangtze Block in the Rodinia paleogeographic configuration.</p>
Numerous late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic mafic magmatic rocks are exposed in the southwestern Yangtze Block of South China, corresponding to the early breakup of the Nuna supercontinent. The geochronological data reveal three episodes of mafic magmatism at ~1740 Ma, 1700 Ma and 1500 Ma. The two older generations have MORB-like Nb/Ta ratios and superchondritic Nd-Hf isotopes, indicating that they were likely derived from partial melting of asthenospheric mantle. In contrast, the ~1500 Ma mafic rocks possess OIB-like Nb/Ta (16.7-19.1) and Zr/Hf (41.0-45.1) ratios, εNd (t) values (-0.8 to +0.1) and εHf (t) values (-3.3 to +8.4), suggesting that they originated from a mantle plume. These three pulses of mafic magmatic activity in the Yangtze Block have geochemical features (such as TiO2 contents, Nb/Y and La/Yb values), similar to coeval mafic rocks in Siberia and Laurentia, consistent with detrital zircon provenance studies which show a spatial linkage of the Yangtze Block with northern Laurentia and southern Siberia in the Nuna configuration. Taking all synchronous mafic magmatism into account, a mantle plume beneath southern Siberia initiated at ~1750 Ma forming a broad region of mafic magmatism that extended into the Yangtze Block and resulted in lithospheric extension. The Yangtze Block was possibly the nearest neighbor to western part of the Siberian Craton at ~1500 Ma. It subsequently drifted from the Nuna supercontinent induced by the ~1500 Ma Kuonamka mantle plume, heralding a period of limited magmatic activity and tectonic quiescence that extended throughout the remainder of the Mesoproterozoic.
Abstract The role of the Cathaysia Block, South China, and its linkage with orogenesis in the Rodinia and Gondwana supercontinents remain unresolved because of uncertainties in its paleoposition in supercontinental reconstructions. The lithostratigraphic, geochronologic, geochemical (including isotopic), and paleocurrent data on late Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic sub-basins in the Cathaysia Block reveal spatio-temporal, tectono-sedimentary, and provenance diversity that show linkages with previously adjacent terranes and orogens in East Gondwana. An abundance of siliceous and conglomeratic rocks, local unconformities, and pinch-out in certain layers indicate a late Cryogenian proximal deposition, late Ediacaran transgression, and Middle Cambrian uplift. Cryogenian to early Ordovician strata contain predominantly 1000–900 Ma (late Grenvillian age) detrital zircon population, whereas 1300–1050 Ma (early Grenvillian age) zircons are only dominant in strata earlier than late Ediacaran. Besides, 850–700 Ma zircons are the most prominent group in the Middle Cambrian strata along with an occasional increase in the 650–500 Ma (Pan-African age) zircons. The Grenvillian age zircon groups exhibit significant sediment input from the eastern Indian terrane (990–950 Ma) and western Australia (1300–1050 Ma), underlining the fact that the Cathaysia Block was located between these two terranes in the northern part of East Gondwana. The diminishing contribution of early Grenvillian components in the late Ediacaran strata can be linked to the Pinjarra Orogeny (550–520 Ma), which led to uplift that blocked the transport of detritus from Australia. Middle Cambrian provenance variation with high abundance of 850–700 Ma components indicates the presence of intrinsic sediment from the Wuyishan terrane of South China. Given that the Cathaysia Block was a passive continental margin, this change was caused by the uplift of the southeastern Cathaysia Block, which was related to the far-field stress effects of the late phase of the Kuunga Orogeny (530–480 Ma). The decrease in abundance of early Grenvillian and Pan-African zircons in space implies that they were transported into the basins through independent drainage systems. This is consistent with the local and temporal variations in paleocurrent orientations during the Cambrian, further implying diverse and complex drainage systems in the southwestern Cathaysia Block during this period.
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