Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Single zircon U-Pb dating of the Kongling high-grade metamorphic terrain: Evidence for >3.2 Ga old continental crust in the Yangtze craton

  • Published:
Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Single zircons from two trondhjemitic gneisses and two clastic metasedimentary rocks without Eu anomaly of the Kongling high-grade metamorphic terrain are dated by thein situSHRIMP U-Pb method. The results show that the trondhjemitic magma emplaced at 2947-2903 Ma. Concordant age of as old as 3.3 Ga is present in the detrital zircons from the clastic metasedimentary rocks. Together with the depleted mantle Nd model age (TDM =3.2-3.3 Ga) of the clastic metasedimentary rocks, this documents the presence of Paleoarchean continental crust in the Yangtze craton.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Liu, G. L., New progress in the geochronology of the Kongling terrain, Regional Geology of China, 1987, 1: 95.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Zheng, W. Z., Liu, G. L., Wang, X. W., Geochronology of the Archean Kongling terrain, Bull. Yichang Inst. Geol. Miner. Resour. (in Chinese), 1991, 16: 97–105.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yuan, H. H., Zhang, Z. L., Liu, W. et al., Dating of zircons by evaporation method and its application, Mineral. Petrol. (in Chinese), 1991, 11: 72–79.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ling, W. L., Gao, S., Zheng, H. F. et al., Sm-Nd isotopic dating of Kongling terrain, Chinese. Sci. Bull., 1998, 43(1): 86–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gao, S., Ling, W. L., Qiu, Y. et al., Contrasting geochemical and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions of Archean metasediments from the Kongling high-grade terrain of the Yangtze craton: evidence for cratonic evolution and redistribution of REE during crustal anatexis, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1999, 63: 2071–2088.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Gao, S., Zhang, B. R., The discovery of Archean TTG gneisses in northern Yangtze craton and their implications, Earth Sci. (in Chinese, with English abstract), 1990, 15: 675–679.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dong, S. B., Metamorphism and Its Relation to the Crustal Evolution in China (in Chinese), Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Composton, W., Williams, I. S., Meyer, C., U-Pb geochronology of zircons from lunar breccia 73217 using sensitive high mass-resolution ion microprobe, J. Geophys. Res., 1984, 89(B): 252–534.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Williams, I. S., Composton, W., Black, L. P et al., Unsupported radiogenic Pb in zircon: a case of anomalously high Pb-Pb, U-Pb and Th-Pb ages, Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1984, 88: 322–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Nelson, D. R., Evolution of the Archean granite-greenstone terrains of the Eastern Goldfileds, Western Australia: SHRIMP U-Pb zircon constraints, Precambrian Res., 1997, 83: 57–81.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ling, W. L., Geochronology and crustal growth of the Paleoproterozoic basements along the northern margin of the Yangzte craton, Earth Sci., 1996, 21(5): 491–493.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Northwest University, 710069, Xi’an, China

    Shan Gao

  2. Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, 430074, Wuhan, China

    Shan Gao & Wenli Ling

  3. Key Center for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, The University of Western Australia, 6907, Nedlands, Perth, Australia

    Yumin Qiu, McNaughton Neal J. & Groves David I.

Authors
  1. Shan Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yumin Qiu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wenli Ling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. McNaughton Neal J.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Groves David I.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shan Gao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gao, S., Qiu, Y., Ling, W. et al. Single zircon U-Pb dating of the Kongling high-grade metamorphic terrain: Evidence for >3.2 Ga old continental crust in the Yangtze craton. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 44, 326–335 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907103

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907103

Keywords

Search

Navigation