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The activity of melts and fluids may have played a key role in inducing the destruction of the eastern North China Craton in the early Cretaceous. Carbonate melts are important agents in mantle metasomatism and can significantly modify the physical and chemical properties of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Carbonate metasomatism can be identified by specific geochemical indices in clinopyroxene, such as high Ca/Al and low Ti/Eu ratios. This study presents the spatial and temporal variations of carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle beneath the eastern North China Craton. Three types of carbonate metasomatism are classified based on the geochemical compositions of clinopyroxene in mantle peridotites. Clinopyroxene formed by Type 1 carbonate metasomatism is characterized by very high Ca/Al ratios (15-70) and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.706-0.713). Clinopyroxene derived from Type 2 carbonate metasomatism shows relatively high Ca/Al ratios (5-18) and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.703-0.706). However, clinopyroxene resulting from Type 3 carbonate metasomatism has low Ca/Al ratios (5-9) and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.702-0.704). Deep (garnet-bearing) and shallow (spinel-bearing) lithospheric mantle beneath the Sulu orogen and surrounding areas in the eastern North China Craton were affected by intense Type 1 carbonate metasomatism before the late Triassic. The deep subduction of the South China Block with its accompanying carbonate sediments was the trigger for Type 1 carbonate metasomatism, which reduced strength of the lithospheric mantle and provided a prerequisite for the destruction of the eastern North China Craton in the early Cretaceous. After the destruction of the eastern North China Craton, the ancient relict lithospheric mantle, represented by spinel harzburgite xenoliths hosted in the late Cretaceous to Cenozoic basalts, only recorded Type 2 carbonate metasomatism. This implies that the lithospheric mantle experienced the intense Type 1 carbonate metasomatism was completely destroyed and not preserved during decratonization. Spinel lherzolite xenoliths hosted in the late Cretaceous to Cenozoic basalts represent the young, fertile lithospheric mantle formed after the cratonic destruction and only a few samples record Type 2 and 3 carbonate metasomatisms. We suggest that carbonate melts derived from the subduction-modified asthenospheric mantle with variable proportions of recycled crustal material was responsible for the Type 2 and 3 carbonate metasomatisms. The carbonate metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Jiaodong Peninsula and surrounding areas is very pervasive and is spatially consistent with the remarkable thinning of lithospheric mantle and giant gold deposits in this region. Therefore, we conclude that carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle played a crucial part in the modification, destruction and gold deposits in the eastern North China Craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mechanisms of lithospheric transformation beneath the North China Craton (NCC) were widely discussed, but the northern NCC was less studied compare to the eastern part. In this research, In-situ major and trace element and Sr isotopic compositions of spinel peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths carried by the Yangyuan Tertiary basalt were analyzed to constrain subduction style of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate (PAOP) and its influence on the northern NCC. These xenoliths were classified into dunite, pyroxenite, and two groups of lherzolites according to their petrography and chemical features. The petrography and mineral chemistry suggest that the dunite, pyroxenite, and Group 1 lherzolites are residues of partial melting which experienced subsequent hydrous metasomatism. Correlations between 87Sr/86Sr with the Zr/La and Zr/Nb ratios in clinopyroxenes from these xenoliths suggest that the metasomatic agents should be fluids derived from the subducted PAOP. Mineral Rb Sr isochron of the pyroxenite show that the minimum age of the metasomatism event should be 295 ± 38 Ma. Major element compositions of minerals in the Group 2 lherzolites are more fertile compare to the dunite and Group 1 lherzolites. Clinopyroxenes in these xenoliths exhibit LREE-depleted REE patterns with relatively high HREE contents and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70403–0.70482). Chemical zonations are preserved in several clinopyroxenes with incompatible elements depleted from core to rim, which should be the results of melt depletion after metasomatism. Patches of silica-rich glasses were present along the grain boundaries. These glasses have sediment-like Pb isotopic compositions and trace elements distribution patterns and thus are supposed to represent the melt from recycled sediments. Combined with geophysical and tectonic evidences, we propose that roll-back of the southward low-angle subducted PAOP in the late stage of subduction contributed to remelting of the PAOP subduction-modified mantle wedge beneath the northern NCC. Highlights • The Yangyuan basalt-borne xenoliths record subduction related metasomatism • Rb Sr isochron gives the minimum age of 295 ± 38 Ma for the metasomatism event. • Slab roll-back resulted in remelting of the subduction-modified mantle wedge. • Patches of silica-rich glass were derived from the subducted sediment diapirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ major and trace elements and Sr isotopic compositions of peridotite xenoliths of the Datong Quaternary alkaline basalt were analyzed to evaluate the influences of the southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate (PAOP) on the lithospheric mantle transformation of the North China Craton (NCC). These peridotite xenoliths including spinel harzburgites and lherzolites were classified into three groups. The type 1 peridotites have the lowest temperatures (961–1007 °C). Clinopyroxenes in these peridotites exhibit LREE-depleted REE patterns and have the lowest 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of 0.70243–0.70411. The type 2 and 3 peridotites show higher temperatures (1017–1022 °C). Clinopyroxenes in the type 2 peridotite have V-shaped REE patterns and relatively higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of 0.70418–0.70465. Clinopyroxenes in the type 3 peridotite have concave-downward REE patterns and unusually high 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of 0.70769–0.70929. Carbonatitic veinlets are found in the type 1 peridotites. They show steep LREE-enriched REE patterns with enrichment in LILE and depletion in HFSE, and have the highest 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of 0.71145–0.71285. The mineral chemistries and modal calculations suggest that the protolith of these peridotites experienced a variable degree of partial melting. The type 2 and 3 peridotites sampled from deeper depth experienced latter cryptic carbonatitic metasomatism. The carbonatitic veinlets have generally consistent trace element patterns and Sr isotopic ratios with the calculated melts equilibrated with clinopyroxenes in the type 3 peridotite, which may represent the percolated carbonatitic melt quickly solidified in the relatively cold and shallow mantle. The remarkable negative Eu anomalies (0.37–0.61) and highly radiogenic Sr isotopic compositions of the calculated metasomatic agents preclude indicate melt derived from carbonated peridotite or carbonated eclogite but point to a crustal sedimentary origin. Considering the tectonic setting and geophysical research, it is speculated that the carbonatitic melt was derived from the carbonated pelite carried by the southward subducted PAOP under the NCC. The PAOP subduction-related carbonatitic melt–peridotite reaction could have contributed to the transformation of the lithospheric mantle beneath the northern margin of the NCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]