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High-volume volcanic fields which are observed at continental intraplate setting are generally known as the large igneous provinces (LIPs), fed by hot and active plumes upwelling from the deep mantle. However, the source and mechanism of low-volume effusive volcanism within continental interiors remains poorly unknown. Here, we present a combined study of 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, mineral chemistry, whole-rock major and trace elements as well as Sr-Nd isotopes of Jurassic basalts from the Karamay area, Junggar terrane (NW China), aiming to determine their formation ages, constrain the petrogenesis and reveal their tectonic implications. New whole-rock 40Ar/39Ar dating yields consistent ages of 189.4–193.3 Ma for magma emplacement. The basalts exhibit a columnar joint structure and porphyritic texture with phenocryst minerals of olivine (Fo63–79), clinopyroxene (Wo39–46En38–47Fs12–22) and plagioclase (An25–54). They have SiO2 contents ranging from 45.0–51.8 wt% and belong to alkaline series (δ 2.7–13.3, average of 5.0). The basalts are characterized by oceanic island basalt (OIB)-like trace element distribution patterns with enrichment in L-MREE, HFSE (e.g., Nb and Ta) and LILE (e.g., K, Sr and Ba), and slight depletion in HREE, relative to normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (N-MORB). Positive eNd(t) (+3.0), low to moderate 87Sr/86Sri (0.7048–0.7049) isotopic compositions, and trace element ratios (e.g., high Nb/U > 49.0 and Ce/Pb > 13.9) suggest that crust contamination was insignificant in the formation process. P–T estimates of major phenocryst minerals in these basalts reflect high crystallization temperatures (>1100 °C) but low pressures (

Understanding the rheological behavior of the Tibetan Plateau and its response to geodynamic processes requires a clear knowledge of the composition, evolution and lithological properties of the deep crust. Here we present U–Pb–Hf isotopes of zircons, bulk-rock geochemistry and mineral compositions for seven intermediate gneiss xenoliths and their host Early Mesozoic granites (205 ± 6 Ma) in the central Lhasa terrane to probe the deep crust beneath Southern Tibet. The xenoliths contain plagioclase, amphibole, titanite, allanite, quartz, biotite and muscovite, with accessory Fe–Ti oxides, apatite and zircon. Bulk-rock and mineral geochemistry suggests that these xenoliths have a magmatic origin and experienced deformation and amphibolite-facies metamorphism (equilibration at pressures of 0.46–0.83 GPa and temperatures of ~ 650 °C), before they were captured by the host granite at ~ 205 Ma. Zircons in these xenoliths show complex microstructures, including inherited cores, magmatic or metamorphic bands, and high U–Th hydrothermal rims. Inherited zircon cores record U–Pb ages from 2277 Ma to 517 Ma. Igneous zircons show a range of concordant U–Pb ages, suggesting a protracted magmatism from 236 Ma to 203 Ma. Metamorphic zircon zones record the timing of amphibolite-facies metamorphism from 224 to 192 Ma, while the high U–Th hydrothermal rims show a subsequent fluid activity until ~ 150 Ma. Unradiogenic Hf isotopic compositions of both xenoliths and host granites [xenolith e Hf (t) = − 11.2 to 0; host granite e Hf (t) = − 17.3 to − 3.3] indicate that the Early Mesozoic deep crust in the central Lhasa terrane originated mainly from ancient (i.e., Proterozoic) crust, with little or no interaction with juvenile magmas. This study suggests a possible continental differentiation mechanism during crustal reworking; progressive melting may initiate from the lower mafic crust (at ca. 236 Ma) and gradually migrate into the sediment-rich upper crust (until ca. 203 Ma). The reworking results in the transition from small fluxes of intermediate magmas to voluminous peraluminous S-type granite in a convergent depth.

Peridotite xenoliths from the northern North China Craton (NCC) are characterized by lithological and chemical heterogeneity, related to mantle accretion and metasomatism. However, the accretion mechanism and origin of metasomatic agent are contentious. Here, we report the petrology, whole-rock major elements and Re Os isotopes, and in situ mineral major- and trace-elements as well as Sr isotopic compositions for peridotite xenoliths in the Nangaoya area to evaluate the evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the northern NCC. Nangaoya peridotites can be divided into Group A harzburgites and Group B lherzolites. Group A harzburgites are refractory with high Fo contents (91.8–92.9) in olivine and have low whole-rock 187Os/188Os ratios of 0.11418, giving ~2.1 Ga TRD age. Clinopyroxenes in Group A show enrichment of incompatible element with low Ti/Eu and high (La/Yb)N ratios. These characteristics indicate that Group A harzburgites should be the relics of the Archean–Paleoproterozoic “cratonic” mantle and witness carbonatite metasomatism with its agent from asthenosphere. Comparatively, Group B lherzolites are transitional with low Fo contents (90.2–91.9) in olivine and have high whole-rock 187Os/188Os ratios (0.11635–0.112502), giving 1.8–1.2 Ga TRD age. Thus, these lherzolites are considered as accretive mantle components formed by the cooling and re-extracting of the upwelling asthenosphere related to the collision of Eastern and Western blocks. Furthermore, Group B lherzolites can be subdivided into two sub-groups. Group B1 clinopyroxenes without sieve-textured rims are depleted in incompatible element, which was interpreted as weak or without metasomatism, whereas those in Group B2 lherzolites with sieve-textured rims display enriched light rare earth elements (LREE) and various trace element patterns, resulted from different types of strong metasomatism. Clinopyroxenes in Group B2–1 exhibit depletion of high field strength elements (HFSE), with high Ti/Eu but low (La/Yb)N ratios, and the cores of them have higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70355–0.70443) than the rims (0.70352–0.70406), demonstrating that Group B2–1 lherzolites may have witnessed hydrous CO2-rich silicate metasomatism from subducted plates in cores and a new stage silicate melt metasomatism from asthenosphere in rims. Group B2–2 lherzolites just record later silicate melt metasomatism. These two stage metasomatisms may be triggered by the mantle accretion events in response to the peripheral subduction in the northern NCC during the Phanerozoic. Based on the above results, we suggest that the lithospheric mantle beneath the Nangaoya area underwent multiple modifications through crust–mantle recycling or asthenosphere–lithosphere interaction related to subduction/collision processes, which plays important roles in the evolution of the mantle in the northern NCC.

To better understand the origin of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like mafic magmas and its geodynamic implications for the subduction zone system, we present an integrated study of petrology, mineralogy, geochronology and geochemistry of newly-discovered diabase dykes from the Chinese Altai, southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The diabases have zircon U Pb ages of ~386 Ma, and are mainly composed of clinopyroxene (Wo43–55En17–27Fs26–34) and albite (An0–1Ab92–99Or0–7). Although the clinopyroxenes have consistent Mg# values (up to 75) that appear to be in equilibrium with bulk compositions, they can be divided into two groups based on their differences in other geochemical variables: type ǀ has high SiO2 and CaO but low TiO2 and Al2O3 contents while type ǁ displays low SiO2 and CaO but high TiO2 and Al2O3 contents. This indicates that the two types of clinopyroxenes may share a common source but crystallized at different depths under different P-T conditions (e.g., type ǀ: 6.3 kbar (~20 km), 1227 °C; type ǁ: 15.5 kbar (~49 km), 1332 °C). The dykes have low SiO2 (44.5–48.2 wt%) and K2O (0.17–0.33 wt%), but high (Fe2O3)T (11.2–13.6 wt%) and MgO (7.16–9.90 wt%) contents, placing them within the low-K tholeiitic series. With both N-MORB- and arc-like geochemical characteristics, including weakly fractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns ((La/Yb)N 1.43–1.62), enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) (e.g., Pb) and slightly depletion of high field strength elements (HFSE) (e.g., Nb, Ta and Ti), and highly depleted Sr Nd isotopic compositions (87Sr/86Sri 0.7039–0.7042, ɛNd(t) +8.3 to +8.6), the diabase dykes were probably derived by partial melting of a N-MORB-like asthenospheric mantle source metasomatized by subduction-related fluids under spinel-facies conditions. Melting temperatures and pressures for the primary magmas were estimated at 1371 1394 °C and 2.2 2.4 GPa, respectively. The dykes underwent insignificant crustal contamination, but trace-element modeling indicates that minor subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) components could have been involved in their source region. We suggest that the MORB-like magmatism was triggered by asthenospheric upwelling in a back-arc extensional setting, in response to the roll-back subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic slab. Combined with the coeval arc magmatism in the study area, we envisage that an active arc–back-arc basin system developed in the Chinese Altai during Devonian time, linked to the northward subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. This study emphasizes that MORB-like mafic rocks in paleo-subduction zones could be an important tectonomagmatic process-indicator (e.g., back-arc extension), which offers a new perspective in reconstructing past tectonic regimes.

U-Pb and Hf-isotope analyses of zircon xenocrysts from drilling-sampled Carboniferous volcanic rocks suggest the presence of unexposed Eoarchean crust beneath the Junggar Basin (NW China), southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The oldest zircon population with U-Pb ages of 3.8 Ga shows chondritic eHf(t) of −0.7 to +0.7, and Hf model ages of 3900–3952 Ma (TDM) and 3973–4062 Ma (Tcrust). Three slightly younger populations at 3.7, 3.62 and 3.45 Ga have eHf(t) of −5.7 to +2.4, TDM of 3.6–3.9 Ga and Tcrust of 3.7–4.1 Ga. The youngest xenocrysts yield U-Pb ages of 2.55 Ga with eHf(t) values of +3.7 to +8.0. Crustal mineral inclusions and the trace-element compositions of all these zircons show that they probably crystallized from granitic magmas. The observation of deeply hidden Archean crust significantly older than the exposed Phanerozoic upper crust suggests that the juvenile origin in CAOB may be overestimated, and the study of crustal growth rates through time for young orogens will require revision. By comparing the Hf isotopic signatures of ancient zircons (>3.4 Ga) worldwide, we infer that there may have been a great change in early crustal evolution at the Hadean–Archean transition (~3.9 Ga), possibly linked to the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB).