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LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb geochronological constraints on the tectonothermal evolution of the Early Paleoproterozoic Dakendaban Group in the Quanji Block, NW China

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Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

The Quanji Block, situated between the northern margin of the Qaidam Block and the South Qilian orogenic belt in the NE Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, is thought to represent a remnant continental crust. In this study, LA-ICPMS U-Pb analyses of detrital zircon grains from two mesosomes in the migmatitic Dakendaban Group yield ages of 2467+28/−26 Ma and 2474+66/−52 Ma, respectively. Zircon grains from a leucosome give two distinct ages of 2471+18/−16 Ma and 1924+14/−15 Ma. Zircon from a granitic pegmatite that intruded into the Dakendaban Group yields an age of 2427+44/−38 Ma. These data suggest that the Early Paleoproterozoic Dakendaban Group deposited between ∼2.43 to ∼2.47 Ga and has been subject to an intrusive event at 2.43 Ga, and regional metamorphism-anatexis at 1.92 Ga. The common lower intercept age of ∼0.9 Ga probably records a significant Early Neoproterozoic event in the Quanji Block.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    QinYan Wang, NengSong Chen, XiaoYan Li & Shuang Hao

  2. Tianjin Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, China Geological Survey, Tianjin, 300170, China

    Shuang Hao

  3. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    HaiHong Chen

Authors
  1. QinYan Wang
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  2. NengSong Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to QinYan Wang.

Additional information

Supported by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (Grant No. 20050491506), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40772041) and the Open Research Program of State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources at China University of Geosciences (Grant No. GPMR0510)

We thank Lu Songnian for his instruction and guidance on our investigation of Precambrian Geology in Northwest China, Mao Qian and Ma Yuguang for analytical assistance with CL imaging at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, and anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. The manuscript benefited from the thoughtful revision of Professor Pan Yuanming (University of Saskatchewan).

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Wang, Q., Chen, N., Li, X. et al. LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb geochronological constraints on the tectonothermal evolution of the Early Paleoproterozoic Dakendaban Group in the Quanji Block, NW China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 53, 2849–2858 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0265-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0265-x

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