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The Woduhe area of Heilongjiang Province is located in the eastern side of the Greater Xing'an Range. This area has experienced the evolution of the Palaeo‐Asian Ocean, the Palaeo‐Pacific, and the Mongolia–Okhotsk Ocean, and it can be used to discuss the transformation process of these palaeo‐oceanic plates to continental plates. However, controversies exist over its time period and the process of transformation. The 1:250000 Woduhe Geological Map shows that Early Cretaceous granitic batholith developed near the Dajinshan area. However, the LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U–Pb dating presented in this paper shows that the trondhjemites from the southern part of the Dajinshan area were formed at 156.9 ± 2.2 Ma, syenogranites were formed at 131.7 ± 1.6 Ma, and diorite porphyrite dikes were formed at 126.0 ± 3.1 Ma. Therefore, Early Cretaceous batholiths should be reclassified as different, separate units. The Late Jurassic intrusive rocks belong to TTGG assemblages (tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite‐granite). Trace element spider diagrams show that the rocks are enriched in K, Pb, Zr, and Hf; depleted in Nb, Ta, and Eu; with higher Sr; and lower Y content. The rare earth element pattern is right‐sloping (La/Yb > 12). The Early Cretaceous intrusive rocks belong to G assemblages (granodiorite). Combined with the tectonic settings, we determined that the Late Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous granites were formed in a magmatic arc setting related to subduction. Late Jurassic intrusive magma mainly originated from the partial melting of the thickened lower crust under the Xing'an arc, and was likely contaminated by mantle material. Early Cretaceous intrusive magma originated from the partial melting of the Xing'an sub‐arc crust. Based on the distribution of the Late Jurassic TTG (N and NE) and G (S and SW) assemblages, intrusive records of the southward and southwestward subduction of the Mongolia–Okhotsk Ocean can be observed. In addition, the grade of maturity of the Xing'an arc is increasing during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale Mesozoic granitoids are exposed in the Greater Khingan Mountains. Their relationship with the Mongolia–Okhotsk and the Paleo-Pacific Ocean is still under discussion and a matter of debate. In this study, field observations were made and a total of 18 granitoids exposed in the vicinity of the Heihe–Baishilazi area in the northern part of the Greater Khingan Mountains were sampled for petrological, geochronological, and geochemical research. In addition, to complement this study, 90 granitic samples from the Xinghua, Dajinshan, Yili, Chabaqi, and Sankuanggou areas in the Greater Khingan Mountains were compiled in order to reveal rock assemblages, magma sources, and then inquire into the tectonic background. Zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb dating indicates that two samples from the Heihe area were formed in the Early Jurassic period (194.2 ± 1.4 Ma and 183.1 ± 1.3 Ma), and the εHf(t) values and TDM2 of the zircons were mainly +5.8 to +10.7 and 528 Ma to 834 Ma, respectively, with a large variation range. The intrusive rocks from the Greater Khingan Mountains (108 in total) belonging to the T1T2G1G2 assemblage contained tonalites (T1), trondhjemites (T2), granodiorites (G1), and granites (G2). These granitoids are presented as subalkaline series in a plot of total alkali versus SiO2 (TAS diagram), medium-K calc-alkaline and high-K calc-alkaline series on SiO2 versus K2O diagram, with metaluminous to peraluminous characteristics on an A/CNK versus A/NK diagram. These are shown as a MA (magnesium andesite) series and LMA (lower (or non) magnesium andesite) series on a SiO2 versus MgO diagram, which can be further divided into the higher-pressure TTG subtype of the MA (corresponding to high-SiO2 adakite (HSA)) series and the lower-pressure TTG subtype of LMA (corresponding to typical calc-alkaline suprasubduction zone rocks). In addition, granitoids were enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depleted in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high-field-strength elements (HFSEs), corroborating a suprasubduction zone environment. Regional correlations as well as geochemical characteristics indicate that the rocks from the Greater Khingan Mountains formed in a subduction zone environment during the Early Jurassic; primary magma had presumably originated from the melting of young and hot oceanic crust under eclogite to amphibolite facies conditions. According to the spatial variation in rock assemblages (T1T2G1 to G1G2 and G2), we speculate that the northeastern Heihe, Baishilazi, and Xinghua areas as well as the westward Dajinshan area were adjacent to the ocean and formed an outer subduction zone, whereas the southwestward Sankuanggou, Yili, and Chabaqi areas were adjacent to the continent, forming an inner subduction zone. The distribution sites of the inner and outer subduction zones indicate southward and southwestward ocean subduction. Therefore, we propose a direct connection with southward subduction of the Mongolia–Okhotsk Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New zircon U–Pb age data, Hf isotopes, whole‐rock major and trace elements, and Sr–Nd isotopic data for Early–Middle Triassic intrusive rocks from the Jiawula and Tsagenbulagen area in the southern part of the Erguna Massif provide valuable constraints on the southward subduction of the Mongolia–Okhostk Ocean lithosphere. The Jiawula–Tsagenbulagen granitoids mainly consist of granodiorite, quartz monzonite, and biotite granite. These granitoids, long believed to be mainly Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (ca. 150–139 Ma) and minor Permian (ca. 278 Ma and 254–253 Ma), are newly found to contain a latest Early Triassic to Middle Triassic generation (zircon U–Pb age: ca. 248–244 Ma). Geochemically, the Early to Middle Triassic granitoids are characterized by high SiO2 (74–77 wt.%) and Al2O3 (12.2–15.95 wt.%), low Mg# values (12.98–37.32), and variable Na2O/K2O ratios (0.62–1.75). They are metaluminous to peraluminous and belong to the high‐K calc‐alkaline series. Moreover, they show enrichment in light rare earth elements and large‐ion lithophile elements and depletion in heavy rare earth elements and high‐field‐strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti). They have an increased amount of SiO2/Al2O3 but lower V/Th ratios and negative correlations between V/Th and SiO2/Al2O3 ratios, indicating that the magmas experienced various degrees of biotite and/or plagioclase fractional crystallization. Their whole‐rock εNd(t) and zircon εHf(t) values ranged from +1.07 to +4.15 and from +0.5 to +2.9, respectively, indicating that the primary magmas were probably generated by partial melting of juvenile crustal material with the help of mantle‐derived mafic magmas. These magmas subsequently underwent fractional crystallization, magma mixing, and a small amount of crustal contamination during their emplacement. The geochemical characteristics of these Early–Middle Triassic intrusive rocks have affinities with intrusive rocks from active continental margin settings. Therefore, we conclude that the Early–Middle Triassic magmatism in the Erguna Massif was generated within an Andean‐type arc setting related to the southwards subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate beneath the Erguna Massif. We summarized previous age data of the Early to Late Triassic magmatic rocks from Erguna and Central Mongolia and identified arc setting granites and post‐orogenic granites. Thus, a tectonic evolutionary model was proposed for the geological observations in the Erguna and Central Mongolia massifs, involving the Triassic continuous southward subduction in the Erguna Massif and the Late Triassic slab‐rollback and back‐arc basin extension in the south‐eastern Central Mongolia Massif. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wurinitu molybdenum deposit, located in Honggor, Sonid Left Banner of Inner Mongolia, China, is recently discovered and is considered to be associated with a concealed fine-grained granite impregnated with molybdenite. The wall rocks are composed of Variscan porphyritic-like biotite granite and the Lower Ordovician Wubin'aobao Formation. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of the fine-grained granite reveals two stages of zircons, one were formed at 181.7±7. 4 Ma and the other at 133.6±3.3 Ma. The latter age is believed to be the formation age of the fine-grained granite, while the former may reflect the age of inherited zircons, based on the morphological study of the zircon and regional geological setting. The Re-Os model age of molybdenite is 142.2±2.5 Ma, which is older than the diagenetic age of the fine-grained granite. Therefore the authors believe that the metallogenic age of the Wurinitu molybdenum deposit should be nearly 133.6±3.3 Ma or slightly later, i.e., Early Cretaceous. Combined with regional geological background research, it is speculated that the molybdenum deposits were formed at the late Yanshanian orogenic cycle in the Hingganling-Mongolian orogenic belt, belonging to the relaxation epoch posterior to the compression and was associated with the closure of the Mongolia-Okhotsk Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]