Abstract
The Wulian complex occurring in the north-western part of the Sulu orogen consists of metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks at greenschist-facies. Zircon U-Pb dating for three granite intrusions within it yields concordant ages of (672±4), (742±9) and (747±14) Ma, respectively. These ages indicate that the granites are the Neoproterozoic intrusions in the northern margin of the Yangtze plate, and correspond to the magmatic complex at Luzhenguan in the eastern part of the Beihuaiyang belt in the Dabie orogen. They were tectonic slices scraped off from the Yangtze plate during Triassic subduction and thus belong to a part of the accretionary wedge of the Yangtze plate subduction. The discovery of extensive Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks in the Wulian area suggests that the suture location between the North China and the Yangtze plates lies north of the Wulian complex.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Okay, A. I., Xu, S.-T., Sengor, A. M. C., Coesite from the Dabieshan eclogites, Central China, Eur. J. Mineral., 1989, 1: 595–598.
Xu, S. T., Okay, A. I., Ji, S. Y. et al., Diamond from the Dabie Shan metamorphic rocks and its implication for tectonic setting, Science, 1992, 256: 80–82.
Liou, J. G., Zhang, R.-Y., Eide, E. A. et al., Metamorphism and tectonics of high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure belts in the Dabie-Sulu region, China, The Tectonics of Asia (eds. Harrison, M.T., Yin, A.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996, 300–344.
Hacker, B. R., Ratschbacher, L., Webb, L. et al., U/Pb zircon ages constrain the architecture of the ultrahigh-pressure Qinling-Dabie Orogen, China, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1998, 161: 215–230.
Xu Jiawei, Horizontal shift of the Tancheng-Lujian fault and its implications for geological exploration, Study of Geology and Mineral Resources (in Chinese), 1978(5): 1–30.
Wang Qingchen, Cong Bolin, Tectonic framework of ultrahigh pressure metamorphic belt in Dabieshan, Acta Petrologica Sinica (in Chinese with English abstract), 1998, 14(4): 481–492.
Cong Bolin, Wang Qingchen, The Dabie-Sulu UHP rocks belt: review and prospect, Chinese Sci. Bull., 1999, 44(12): 1074–1085.
Suo, S.-T., Zhong, Z.-Q., You, Z.-D., Location of Triassic tectonic suture between collided Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons in Dabie-Sulu region, China, J. China Univ. Geosci., 1999, 10(4): 281–286.
Zhai, M.-G., Cong, B.-L., Guo, J.-H. et al., Sm-Nd geochronology and petrology of garnet pyroxene granulites in the northern Sulu region of China and their geotectonic implication, Lithos, 2000, 52: 23–33.
Zhai, M.-G., Where in the north China-South China block boundary in eastern China? Comment. Geology, 2002, 30(7): 667.
Faure, M., Lin, W., Breton, N. L., Where is the North China-South China block boundary in eastern China? Geology, 2001, 29(2): 119–122.
Faure, M., Breton, N. L., Lin, W. et al., Where is the North China-South China block boundary in eastern China? Reply, Geology, 2002, 30(7): 668.
Zhao Da, Cheng Liren, Liu Maoxiu, The discovery of solenopora in the Wulian group in the Jiaonan area, Shandong, and its significance, Regional Geology of China (in Chinese with English abstract), 1995, 14(4): 379–384.
Guo Zhengyi, Sun Xiuzhu, Discovery of Oolitic limestone gravels and foraminifer and fusulinidfossils in the Upper Jurassic on the southern margin of the Jiao-Lai Depression, eastern Shandong and their tectonic significance, Geol. Rev. (in Chinese with English abstract), 1985, 31(2): 179–182.
Zhou Jianbo, Zheng Yong-Fei, Li Long et al., On low-grade metamorphic rock within Dabie-Sulu ultrahigh pressure metamorphic belt, Acta Petrologica Sinica (in Chinese with English abstract), 2001, 17(1): 39–48.
Zhou, J.-B., Zheng, Y.-F., Li, L. et al., Accretionary wedge of the subduction of Yangtze plate, Acta Geologica Sinica (in Chinese with English abstract), 2001, 75(3): 338–352.
Krogh, T., A low-contamination method for hydrothermal decomposition of zircon and extraction of U and Pb for isotopic age determinations, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1973, 37(3): 485–494.
Zheng, Y-F., The three-dimensional U-Pb method: Generalized models and implications for U-Pb two-stage systrmatics, Chem. Geol., 1992. 100: 3–18.
Hacker, B. R., Ratschbacher, L., Webb, L. et al., Exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure continental crust in east central China: Late Triassic-Early Jurassic tectonic unroofing, J. Geophys. Res., 2000, B105: 13339–13364.
Ma, W. P., Wang, G.-Y., Wang, G.-S., Jinningian plutonic belt in the Foziling Group and its tectonic implication, Geol. Rev. (in Chinese with English abstract), 2001, 47(5): 476–482.
Dong, S.-W., Wang, X.-F., Huang, D.-Z., Discovery of low-grade metamorphic volcanic rock sheets within UHP in the Dabie Mts and its implications, Chinese Sci. Bull., 1997, 42(14): 1199–1203.
Ames, L., Zhou, G., Xiong, B., Geochronology and geochemistry of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism with implications for collision of the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons, central China, Tectonics, 1996, 15: 472–489.
Rowley, D. B., Xue, F., Tucker, R. D. et al., Ages of ultrahigh pressure metamorphism and protolith orthogneisses from the eastern Dabie Shan: U/Pb zircon geochronology, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1997, 151: 191–203.
Chen, D.-G., Isachsen, C., Zhi, X.-C. et al., Zircon U/Pb ages for gneiss from Qianshan, Anhui, Chinese Sci. Bull., 2000, 45: 764–767.
Xie, Z., Chen, J.-F., Zhang, X. et al., Zircon U-Pb dating of gneiss from Shizhuhe in North Dabie and its geological implications, Acta Petrol. Sin. (in Chinese with English abstract), 2001, 17: 139–144.
Xu, H.-F., Yang, T.-N., Liu, F.-L. et al., Multi age-time evolution of granite gneisses-granite in the southern Sulu HP-UHP metamorphic belt, Acta Geol. Sin., 2001, 75: 371–378.
Xue, H.-M., Dong, S.-W., Liu, X.-C., U/Pb zircon dating of granitic gneisses in eastern Dabie Mountains, central China, Chinese J. Geol. (in Chinese with English abstract), 2002, 37(2): 165–173.
Tang Jiafu, Qian Cunchao, Gao Tianshan, Association of low-grade metamorphic volcaniclastics within eclogite belt in Dabieshan and its geological significance, Anhui Geology (in Chinese with English abstract), 1995, 5(2): 29–36.
Qian Cunchao, Geological features and tectonic settings of low-grade metamorphic volcaniclastics within eclogite belt in Dabieshan, Anhui Geology (in Chinese with English abstract), 1996, 6(2): 15–20.
Gao, T.-S., Tan, J.-F., Zhou, C.-T. et al., The discovery of eclogite dikes in low-greenschist facies volcaniclastic rocks of the Dabie Mountains, Chinese Sci. Bull., 1997, 42(20): 1726–1729.
Oberhaensli, R., Martinotti, G., Schmid, R. et al., Preservation of primary volcanic textures in the ultrahigh-pressure terrain of Dabie Shan, Geology, 2002, 30: 699–702.
Dong, S.-W., Oberhaensli, R., Schmidt, R. et al., Occurrence of metastable rocks in deeply subducted continental crust from the Dabie Mountains, central China, Episodes, 2002, 25: 84–89.
Wallis, S. R., Ishiwatari, A., Hirajima, T. et al., Occurrence and field relationships of ultrahigh-pressure metagranitoid and coesite eclogite in the Su-Lu terrane, eastern China, J. Geol. Soc. London, 1997, 154: 45–54.
Zhang, R. Y., Liou, J. G., Partial transformation of gabbro to coesite-bearing eclogite from Yangkou, the Sulu terrane, eastern China, J. Metamor. Geol., 1997, 15: 183–202.
Zheng, Y.-F., Fu, B., Li, Y.-L. et al., Oxygen and hydrogen isotope geochemistry of ultrahigh pressure eclogites from the Dabie Mountains and the Sulu terrane, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1998, 155: 113–129.
Zheng, Y.-F., Fu, B., Xiao, Y.-L. et al., Hydrogen and oxygen isotope evidence for fluid-rock interactions in the stages of pre- and post-UHP metamorphism in the Dabie Mountains, Lithos., 1999, 46: 677–693.
Oxburgh, E. R., Flake tectonics and continental collision, Nature, 1972, 239: 202–204.
Zhai Mingguo, Jiang Laili, Wang Qingchen et al., Call in question and discussion: Are there sandwiched low-grade metamorphic slabs within UHP metamorphic belt in the Dabie terrane? Chinese Sci. Bull., 2000, 45(2), 181–189.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, J., Zheng, Y. & Wu, Y. Zircon U-Pb ages for Wulian granites in northwest Sulu and their tectonic implications. Chin.Sci.Bull. 48, 379–384 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03183234
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03183234