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Zircon U–Pb dating of eclogite from the Qiangtang terrane, north-central Tibet: a case of metamorphic zircon with magmatic geochemical features

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Abstract

Zircon is probably the most important mineral used in the dating formation of high-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks. The origin of zircon, i.e., magmatic or metamorphic, is commonly assessed by its external morphology, internal structure, mineral inclusions, Th/U ratios and trace element composition. In this study, we present an unusual case of metamorphic zircon from the Qiangtang eclogite, north-central Tibet. The zircon grains contain numerous eclogite-facies mineral inclusions, including omphacite, phengite, garnet and rutile; hence, they are clearly of metamorphic origin. However, they display features similar to common magmatic zircon, including euhedral crystal habit, high Th/U ratios and enriched heavy rare earth elements pattern. We suggest that these zircon grains formed from a different reservoir from that for garnet where no trace elements was present and trace element equilibrium between zircon and garnet was achieved. U–Pb dating of zircon gave an age of 232–237 Ma for the eclogite, and that of rutile yielded a slightly younger age of ca. 217 Ma. These ages are consistent with the reported Lu–Hf mineral isochron and phengite Ar–Ar ages. The zircon U–Pb and mineral Lu–Hf isochron ages are interpreted as the time of the peak eclogite-facies metamorphism, whereas the rutile U–Pb and phengite Ar–Ar ages represent the time of exhumation to the middle crust. Thus, the distinction between metamorphic and magmatic zircons cannot be made using only Th/U ratios and heavy REE compositions for HP–UHP metamorphic rocks of oceanic derivation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Zhen-yu Chen, Li Su, Yu Liu and Guo-qiang Tang for help with the laboratory work. We also thank Prof. J. G. Liou and another anonymous reviewer for their constructive reviews and Prof. Wolf-Christian Dullo and Wen-jiao Xiao for careful editorial handling. This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFC0600304), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41522204 and 41502216) and Chinese Geological Survey Project (Grant No. DD20160123-05). Bor-ming Jahn acknowledges financial support from the National Science Council (Taiwan) through grants NSC 100-2116-M-002-024.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, 26 Baiwanzhuang Road, Beijing, 100037, China

    Qing-guo Zhai, Jun Wang, Pei-yuan Hu & Suo-han Tang

  2. Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan

    Bor-ming Jahn & Ru-yuan Zhang

  3. Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Xian-hua Li, Qiu-li Li, Ya-nan Yang & Tong Liu

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  1. Qing-guo Zhai
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Zhai, Qg., Jahn, Bm., Li, Xh. et al. Zircon U–Pb dating of eclogite from the Qiangtang terrane, north-central Tibet: a case of metamorphic zircon with magmatic geochemical features. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 106, 1239–1255 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-016-1418-9

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