Neoproterozoic subduction along the Ailaoshan zone, South China : geochronological and geochemical evidence from amphibolite
Abstract
Lenses of amphibolites occur along the Ailaoshan suture zone at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block, South China. Petrological, geochemical and zircon U-Pb geochronological data indicate that they are divisible into two coeval groups. Group 1, represented by the Jinping amphibolite, has mg-number of 71-76 and (La/Yb)cn ratios of 7.2-7.7, and displays a geochemical affinity to island arc volcanic rocks. Group 2 amphibolites occur at Yuanyang and are characterized by high Nb contents (14.3-18.4 ppm), resembling Nb-enriched basalts. The epsilon(Nd)(t) values for Group 1 range from -3.45 to -2.04 and for Group 2 from +4.08 to +4.39. A representative sample for Group 1 yields a U-Pb zircon age of 803 7 Ma, whereas two samples for Group 2 give U-Pb zircon ages of 813 +/- 11 Ma and 814 +/- 12 Ma. Petrogenetic analysis suggests that Group 1 originated from an orthopyroxene-rich source and Group 2 from a mantle wedge modified by slab-derived melt. In combination with other geological observations, these amphibolites are inferred to constitute part of an early Neoproterozoic (similar to 815-800 Ma) arc-back-arc basin system. The Neoproterozoic amphibolites and related rocks along the Ailaoshan zone may be the southward extension of the Neoproterozoic supra-subduction zone that developed along the western margin of the Yangtze Block. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation
Cai , Y , Wang , Y , Cawood , P A , Fan , W , Liu , H , Xing , X & Zhang , Y 2014 , ' Neoproterozoic subduction along the Ailaoshan zone, South China : geochronological and geochemical evidence from amphibolite ' , Precambrian Research , vol. 245 , pp. 13-28 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2014.01.009
Publication
Precambrian Research
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0301-9268Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2014. Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Precambrian Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Precambrian Research, 245, May 2014 DOI 10.1016/j.precamres.2014.01.009
Description
This study was supported by China Natural Science Foundation (41190073 and 41372198), National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB440901) and Natural Environment Research Council (grant NE/J021822/1).Collections
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