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The Qinling‐Dabie‐Sulu orogen is the eastern part of the Central China Orogenic Belt. Looking back on previous studies of the sedimentary record we systematically compiled the dataset of detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotopes for this orogenic belt. The dataset incorporates a comprehensive compilation of 32,449 detrital zircon U–Pb ages and 979 Hf isotopes. The findings demonstrate that distinct tectonic units within the orogenic belt exhibit unique tectonic evolution histories during various geological epochs. This dataset can be used to constrain the tectonic framework and orogenic evolution including ocean subduction, continental collision and orogen exhumation. It can be integrated with other geological datasets to improve our understanding of the Central Orogenic Belt in China, and possibly plate tectonics globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvements in analytical technique and data processing lead to a large deposit of detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data in published journal articles, thesis and reports. With the support of Deep‐time Digital Earth Big Science Program, OneSediment Project conducted a team‐working effort to assemble the detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data for mainland China and adjacent regions. Entity‐relationship diagram was constructed for detrital zircon data to determine what information need to be collected. Researchers and students from 13 institutions were organized together to fulfil this task and generated 13 detrital zircon datasets. The assembled datasets totally include 6635 samples and 560,596 analyses. The samples were checked in terms of lithology and stratigraphy according to the latest stratigraphic framework. Collected detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data were recalculated for the best U–Pb age and εHf(t) values. They can be used to track crustal growth, tectonic evolution, provenance analysis and palaeogeographical change in regional and, when combined with other dataset, global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicic volcanic rocks generally constitute a minor, but key product to track the magmatic evolution in mafic rock dominated large igneous provinces (LIPs). However, for their generally late-stage nature of the silicic volcanic rocks they have a poor preservation potential due to extensive post-eruption erosion. We track the eroded volcanic rocks from the ∼260 Ma Emeishan LIP by analyzing the provenance of the LIP-derived sedimentary rocks. Sandstones from a cored succession of the Late Permian Longtan Formation in the northern Youjiang Basin are rich in volcanic rock fragments, and associated mudstones have low Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 ratios. Detrital zircon grains from the Longtan Formation display typical unimodal U–Pb age spectra with a prominent peak at ca. 260 Ma. These detrital zircons show an overall geochemical affinity akin to those crystallized from within-plate/anorogenic magmas. Such petrological and geochemical characteristics are consistent with a dominant source from the Emeishan volcanic rocks. Through the sampled succession, zircon grains of ∼260 Ma from the lower Longtan Formation generally display lower U/Yb (most < 0.5) and Th/Nb (most < 10) ratios and higher εHf(t) values (mostly in the range of +3 to +8) than those from the upper part. A similar sequential variation has also been observed in the Shaiwa Formation, which is an offshore time-equivalent unit to the Longtan Formation. These consistent temporal variations through the sedimentary successions in the Youjiang Basin are interpreted to reflect erosional unroofing of the Emeishan LIP during the Late Permian. These results, integrated with previous studies on the rhyolites and trachytes in Emeishan LIP, reveal a fractional crystallization dominated petrogenetic process with diminishing crustal assimilation for the late-stage silicic volcanism. Image 1 • Provenance of the Late Permian sediments in the northern Youjiang Basin was determined. • The Emeishan LIP volcanic rocks were the primary sedimentary source. • A sequential variation in zircon chemical compositions through the Late Permian successions is highlighted. • It reflects the magmatic evolution of the silicic volcanic rocks in the eroded Emeishan LIP sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Paleozoic Lian-Shao Basin, South China, is a syn-orogenic basin that developed on the northern margin of Gondwana in response to the Kwangsian orogeny. U–Pb detrital zircon age patterns from Middle Ordovician to Lower Silurian sandstones around the Jiangnan Uplift within the basin provide evidence for exhumation and erosion of the basin basement. The majority of the samples from both east and west of the Jiangnan Uplift display similar age distributions with a dominant peak between 1000 and 900 Ma and subordinate peaks at ~ 2500 Ma, ~ 1700 Ma and 600–500 Ma. However, the zircon age spectrum of one sample from the west side of the Uplift is distinct with a main peak at 880 Ma and lacking grains younger than 650 Ma. Combined geochronological and paleocurrent data suggest that detritus within the syn-orogenic basins was derived from the northern segment of East Gondwana but with additional input of detritus from the Jiangnan Uplift by the late Early Silurian. This information together with analysis of time equivalent strata along strike to the northeast suggests that the Jiangnan Uplift was not a continuous barrier to sediment transport from the southeast but represented part of a discontinuous series of islands supplying local detritus that was mixed with sediment transported from northern Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The provenance of the Jiyuan basin was established by the detrital zircon U-Pb data. [•] The unroofing pattern of Qinling orogen was established. [•] Comparison of the uplift-denudation of Qinling-Dabie orogen is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huangshi foreland basin developed on the southern margin of the Dabie Mountains as a result of tectonic loading during Triassic collisional suturing between the North China and South China cratons. Modal and detrital zircon data for Jurassic samples within the basin suggest a multicomponent source with input from both the South China Craton and Dabie Orogen. Samples are predominantly quartz arenites derived, on the basis of framework compositions, from a recycled orogen source. Detrital zircons range in age from Archean to Triassic with a dominant component in the late Paleoproterozoic between 1.9-1.7 Ga and subsidiary components at 2.6-2.2 Ga, 0.8-0.7 Ga, 0.5-0.4 Ga, and 0.33-0.2 Ga. Age data integrated with cathodoluminescence and trace element data for the zircons indicate that the Archean and Proterozoic detritus was derived from igneous and metamorphic sources that overlap with time-equivalent pulses of such activity within the South China Craton. Phanerozoic zircon ages overlap the times of the Ordovician, Carboniferous and Triassic high-pressure metamorphism in the Dabie Mountains. The provenance record, integrated with paleocurrent and regional relations, enables a paleogeographic reconstruction in which the Huangshi Basin was fed by a major axial flowing trunk river system carrying detritus from eastern and southern sources within the South China Craton and was also fed by short south flowing tributaries supplying some detritus from the evolving Dabie Orogen. The dominance of cratonic-derived detritus within the provenance record of the Huangshi Basin contrasts with that of the Hefei foreland basin that lies to the north of the Dabie Mountains, which is dominated by Neoproterozoic - Mesozoic detritus derived directly from the Dabie Mountains and lacks any significant older Paleoproterozoic or Archean components. Easterly extensions of the Dabie-Sulu collisional suture and of the resultant Huangshi Basin occur in Korea and Japan over an along strike length of some 2000 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Devonian strata in the North Qilian Belt of the Qilian Orogen accumulated in a foreland basin formed through collision between the North China Craton and the Central Qilian Belt. U–Pb age data for 393 detrital zircons from four sandstone samples from the Lower to Middle Devonian Laojunshan Formation and Upper Devonian Shaliushui Formation range in age from 3.6Ga to 0.4Ga and indicate input from a multi-component source. Detrital zircons older than the early Mesoproterozoic (1.4Ga) were likely derived from the North China Craton, whereas late Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic zircons were derived from the Central Qilian Belt. Early Paleozoic zircons were derived from the North Qilian continental arc and associated ophiolites. The occurrence of Neoproterozoic zircons indicates that their source, the Central Qilian Belt, was likely once part of the Yangtze Block of the South China Craton prior to its separation from the craton in the late Neoproterozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]