Skip to main content
Log in

SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the detrital zircons from the Longshoushan Group and its tectonic significance

  • Articles
  • Geochemistry
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the present study. Eighty percents of these dates range from 1.7 Ga to 2.2 Ga with a peak at 1.8–2.0 Ga and twenty percents from 2.3 Ga to 2.7 Ga. The youngest detrital zircon is dated at 1724±19 Ma which is interpreted as the maximum depositional age of the metasedimentary rocks. Therefore, the age for the diagenesis and lithification of the original sedimentary rocks of the Longshoushan Group before the metamorphism must be younger than 1724±19 Ma. Comparison of the age histograms of these detrital zircons with the ages of the igneous rocks on the surrounding older massifs suggests that the sediments of the Longshoushan Group were most likely derived from the Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton. This implies that the affinity between Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton was strong and that they might have been a unified craton during middle-early Proterozoic time.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jin W S, Wang R H, et al. Chinese Standard of Palaeoproterozoic (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1996. 35–36

    Google Scholar 

  2. Huang C C, Ren J S, Jiang C F, et al. An outline of the tectonic characteristics of China. Acta Geol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 1977, 51(2): 117–135

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ren J S, Jiang C F, Zhang Z K, et al. The Tectonics of China and Its Evolution (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1980. 124

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bai J, Hunag X G, Wang H C, et al. The Precambrian Crustal Evolution of China. 2nd ed. (in Chinese with English abstract). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1993. 259

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lu S N. Preliminary Study of Precambrian Geology in the North Tibet-Qinghai Plateau (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 2002. 41–43

    Google Scholar 

  6. Xiu Q Y, Lu S N, Yu H F, et al. The Isotopic age evidence for main Longshoushan Group contributing to Palaeoproterozoic. Prog Precam Res(in Chinese with English abstract), 2002, 25(2): 93–96

    Google Scholar 

  7. Xiu Q Y, Yu H F, Li Q, et al. Discussion on the Petrogenic Time of Longshoushan Group, Gansu Province. Acta Geol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2004, 78(3): 366–373

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Gansu Province. Regional Geology of Gansu Province (in Chinese with English abstract). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1989. 10–12

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wan Y S, Zhang Q D, Song T R. Shrimp ages of detrital zircons from the Changcheng System in the Ming Tombs area, Beijing: Constraints on the protolith nature and maximum depositional age of the Mesoproterozoic cover of the North China Caton. Chin Sci Bull, 2003, 48(22): 2500–2506

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Gansu Province. Stratigraphy (lithostratic) of Gansu Province. Wuhan: China University of Geosciences Press, 1997. 62–64

    Google Scholar 

  11. Yang Z D, Pan X S, Yang Y F. Tectonic Characteristics and Deposits in Alaxa Adjacent Area (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1988. 1–254

    Google Scholar 

  12. Chung C H. Nd-Sr isotopic and geochemical studies of granitoids, metabasalts and metasediments along the southern margin of the Alashan Terrane, NE China. Master degree Thesis (in Chinese with English abstract). Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, 1999. 94

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wan Y S, Xu Z Q, Yang J S, et al. The Precambrian high-grade basement of the Qilian Terrane and neighboring areas: Its ages and compositions. Acta Geosci Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2003, 24(4): 319–324

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Tang Z L, Bai Y L. Geotectonic framework and metallogenic system in the southwest margin of North China Paleocontinent. Earth Sci Front (in Chinese), 1999, 6(2): 271–283

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Tang Z L, Bai Y L. The Geotectonic setting of the large and superlarge mineral deposits in the southwest margin of North China Paleoplate. Acta Geologica Gansu (in Chinese with English abstract), 2000, 9(1): 1–15

    Google Scholar 

  16. Tang Z L, Bai Y L. The two types of the tectonic foundation block and its metallogenic systems in the Northern Qilianshan orogenic belt. Acta Geologica Gansu (in Chinese with English abstract), 2001, 10(2): 1–11

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Darby B J, Gehrels G. Detrital zircon reference for the North China block. J Asian Earth Sci, 2006, 26(6): 637–648

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gehrels G E, Yin A, Wang X F. Detrital-zircon geochronology of the northeastern Tibetan plateau. Geol Soc Am Bull, 2003, 5(7): 881–896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yue Y J, Graham S A, Ritts B D, et al. Detrital zircon provenance for large-scale extrusion along the Altyn Tagh Fault. Tectonophysics, 2005, 406: 165–178

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhao G C, Wilde S A, Cawood P A, et al. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages of the Fuping Complex: implications for late Archean to Paleoproterozoic accretion and assembly of the North China Craton. Am J Sci. 2002, 302: 191–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Xia X P, Sun M, Zhao G C, et al. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from the Jining Complex, North China Craton and its tectonic significance. Prec Res, 2006, 144: 199–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Xia X P, Sun M, Zhao G C, et al. U-Pb and Hfisotopic study of detrital zircons from the Wulashan khondalites: Constraints on the evolution of the Ordos Terrane, Western Block of the North China Craton. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2006, 241: 581–593

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Compston W, Williams I S, Meyer C. U-Pb gesochronology of zircons from lunar breccia 73217 using a sensitive high mass-resolution ion microprobe. Proceedings of the 14th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Part 2. J Geophys Res, 1984, 89: B525–534

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Black L P, Kamo S L, Allen C M, et al. TEMORA 1: A new zircon standard for Phanerozoic U-Pb geochronology. Chem Geol, 2003, 200: 155–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ludwig K R, Isoplot/Ex version 2.4. A Geochronological Toolkit for Microsoft Excel, Berkeley Geochron Centre Spec Publ, 2000. 1–56

  26. Spear F S, Parrish R R. Petrology and cooling rates of the Valhalla complex, British Columbia, Canada. J Petrol, 1996, 37: 733–765

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Shen Q H, Geng Y S, Wang X S, et al. Petrology, geochemistry, formation environment and age of Precambrian amphibolites in Alaxa region. Acta Petrol Mineral (in Chinese with English abstract), 2005, 24(1): 21–31

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Shen Q H, Geng Y S, Song B, et al. New information from the surface outcrops and deep crust of Archean rocks of the North China and Yangtze Blocks, and Qinling-Dabie Orogenic Belt. Acta Geol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2005, 79(5): 616–627

    Google Scholar 

  29. Guo Z J, Zhang Z C, Liu S W, et al. U-Pb geochronological evidence for the early Precambrian complex of the Tarim Craton, NW China. Acta Petrol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2003, 19(3): 537–542

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Gehrels G E, Yin A. Wang X F. Magmatic history of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. J Geophys Res, 2003, 108(B9): ETG5-1-14

    Google Scholar 

  31. Li X H, Su L, Song B, et al. Shrimp U-Pb zircon age of the Jingchuan ultramafic intrusion and its geological significance. Chin Sci Bull, 2004, 49(4): 420–422

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Li X H, Su L, Chung S L, et al. Formation of the Jingchuan ultramafic intrusion and world’s third Largest Ni-Cu sulfide deposit: Associated with the ∼ 825 Ma south China mantle plume? Geochem Geophys Geosystems, 2005, 6(11): 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  33. Xu B, Jian P, Zheng H F, et al. U-Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks in the Tarim Block of northwest China: implications for the breakup of Rodinia supercontinent and Neoproterozoic glaciations. Prec Res, 2005, 136: 107–123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Huang B C, Xu B, Zhang C X, et al. Paleomagnetism of the Baiyisi volcanic rocks (ca. 740 Ma) of Tarim, Northwest China: A continental fragment of Neoprozoic Western Australia? Prec Res, 2005, 142: 83–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Xu Z Q, Yang J S, Zhang J X, et al. A comparison between the tectonic units on the two sides of the Altun Sinitral strike-slip fault and the mechanism of lithospheric shearing. Acta Geol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 1999, 73(3): 193–205

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ge X H, Liu J L. Broken “Western China Craton”. Acta Petrol Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2000, 16(1): 59–66

    Google Scholar 

  37. Wang Y S, Chen J N. Metamorphic Zones and Metamorphism in Qinghai Province and Its Adjacent Area (in Chinese with English abstract). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1987. 268

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to KuoAn Tung.

Additional information

Supported by the Chinese Development and National Science Council (Grant Nos. 91-2116-M-006-16 and 92-2116-M-006-010)

About this article

Cite this article

Tung, K., Yang, H., Liu, D. et al. SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the detrital zircons from the Longshoushan Group and its tectonic significance. CHINESE SCI BULL 52, 1414–1425 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-007-0189-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-007-0189-x

Keywords

Navigation