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• The Oulongbuluke Block records ca. 1.5–1.45 Ga and ca. 1.1 Ga magmatic and metamorphic events. • The Oulongbuluke Block was a response to the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent. • The Oulongbuluke Block was a response to the assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent. The Oulongbuluke Block, which is one of several ancient micro-continents on the southeast margin of Tarim in NW China, has been considered a nearly extinct fragment of the Tarim Craton. Here, zircon U-Pb, Lu-Hf isotope, petrologic and geochemical studies were carried out on the migmatites, grey felsic gneisses, mafic granulites and augen granitic gneisses from Wulan County on the eastern margin of the Oulongbuluke Block. Macroscopic and microscopic observations show that the felsic migmatite is mainly composed of plagioclase-rich leucosomes and melanosomes. The plagioclase-rich leucosomes with positive Eu and Sr anomalies occur as layers and veins, showing in situ partial melting features. Zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotope analyses on the melanosome, grey felsic gneisses, mafic granulites and augen granitic gneisses from the Oulongbuluke Block yield three age populations at 1500–1496 Ma, 1454–1443 Ma and 1113–1104 Ma. The ca. 1.5 Ga magmatic zircon cores of the grey felsic gneiss and melanosome possess ε Hf (t) values between −3.5 and 3.9, with two-stage Hf model ages (T DMC) between 2.4 Ga and 2.0 Ga. The ca. 1.1 Ga zircons from samples of augen granitic gneiss have ε Hf (t) values of −5.2 to 0.5, and the corresponding T DMC values range from 2.2 to 1.9 Ga. Petrological, geochemical and geochronological data suggest that ca. 1.5 Ga magmatic protoliths of grey felsic gneisses were produced by dehydration melting in predominant lower crust setting and experienced metamorphism and anatexis at 1.45 Ga in a rift setting. The precursor magmas of augen granitic gneisses were derived from partial melting of mafic crustal sources in an active continental margin environment. Comparing the tectonothermal events recorded in the Oulongbuluke Block with those in other cratons, the Oulongbuluke Block, Tarim Craton and North China Craton have similar evolutionary histories before the late Mesoproterozoic, suggesting that they were linked together and involved in the assembly and break-up of the Columbia supercontinent. However, the South China Craton, Qilian Block, Oulongbuluke Block, North Qaidam and Tarim Craton were likely temporarily connected during the late Mesoproterozoic-early Neoproterozoic (1.1–0.9 Ga), which corresponded to the assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Grenvillian orogeny of Rodinia in Oulongbuluke Block systematically investigated. • Metabasite, augen granitic gneiss, paragneiss ages of 1132 ± 33, 1118 ± 9, 1124 ± 12 Ma. • Peak metamorphic P-T conditions of 4.8–5.8 kbar and 652–700 °C. • Metabasites resemble the geochemical characteristics of Andean arc magmatism. • Oulongbuluke Block likely temporarily connected to Qilian Block and Tarim Craton. Abstract A systematic petrologic, geochemical, and zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic investigation of an ∼1.1 Ga arc magmatism and metamorphism was studied to evaluate the Grenvillian orogeny and assembly of Rodinia in the Oulongbuluke Block in NW China. The peak metamorphic P-T conditions of the paragneiss were restricted to 4.8–5.8 kbar and 652–700 °C based on P-T pseudosection and conventional geothermobarometry. Zircon U-Pb ages of 1132 ± 33 Ma, 1118 ± 9 Ma, and 1124 ± 12 Ma were determined for the metabasite, augen granitic gneiss, and paragneiss, respectively, indicating magmatic intrusion and a metamorphism event in the late Mesoproterozoic. The metabasites exhibited enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depletion of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high-field-strength elements (HFSEs), resembling the geochemical characteristics of Andean arc magmatism. The whole-rock geochemistry and in-situ zircon ε Hf (t) values of 4.3 and 11.2 suggested that the protolithic mafic magma originated from a subduction-modified lithospheric mantle. The low zircon ε Hf (t) values of −5.2 and −0.5 also suggested that the calc-alkaline augen granitic gneisses were derived from the partial melting of a late Paleoproterozoic crustal source. The ∼1.1 Ga arc-related magmatism and metamorphism in the Oulongbuluke Block indicated the occurence of a tectonic-thermal event in an Andean-type active continental margin in the late Mesoproterozoic. In this regard, the Oulongbuluke Block was likely temporarily connected to the Qilian Block and Tarim Craton, forming a single continuous block with similar Grenville age during the late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic (1.1–0.9 Ga). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oulongbuluke Block, which is located in the northeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau, has traditionally been considered to be a fragment of the Tarim Craton. Here we present a systematic petrologic, geochemical, and zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic investigation on mafic granulite and migmatite in the Oulongbuluke Block. The mafic granulite is mainly composed of clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, plagioclase, amphibole and quartz, with peak metamorphic P-T contions of 6.5–8.8 kbar, 745–770 °C. Macroscopic and microscopic observations provide strong evidence for in situ partial melting of the felsic gneiss involving breakdown of biotite within the Oulongbuluke Block. The Pl-rich leucosomes with positive Eu anomalies and higher Sr contents were generated as the early-formed feldspar cumulate, and the Kfs-rich pegmatite with negative Eu anomalies and lower Sr contents may represent percolating fractionated melt that was trapped during cooling. Zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotopic analyses on the mafic granulite and migmatite of the Oulongbuluke Block reveal two distinct age populations: the early Paleoproterozoic (∼2.37 Ga) and late Paleoproterozoic (1.93–1.92 Ga). The ∼2.37 Ga magmatic zircon cores of the migmatite have ε Hf (t) values between −4.3 and 0.4, with two-stage Hf model ages (T DMC ) mainly between 2.82 Ga and 3.05 Ga. The age of 1.93–1.92 Ga obtained from the mafic granulite and migmatite is interpreted as the age of Late Paleoproterozoic metamorphism and anatexis. Most of the 1.93–1.92 Ga metamorphic and anatectic zircons have significantly lower 176 Lu/ 177 Hf ratios but higher 176 Hf/ 177 Hf (t) values than the inherited magmatic zircon cores, which demonstrates that both the zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope compositions were significantly reset during metamorphism and anatexis. The late Paleoproterozoic metamorphic and anatectic event coincided with global orogenic events that are recorded in many continental fragments, which suggests their link to the Columbia supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]