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This paper presents first U–Pb detrital zircon ages, major and trace element geochemical data and whole-rock Nd and Hf-in-zircon isotope data from sandstones of the Char and Zharma zones of eastern Kazakhstan. Petrographically the sandstones represent greywackes. The U–Pb ages of detrital zircons show unimodal distributions peaked at 345–340 and 330–325 Ma indicating post-Early Carboniferous deposition. The sandstones have high CIA values (60–68), suggesting moderate to weak chemical weathering. Their high ICV values (1.1–1.3) and relatively high MgO and low Y, Nb indicate an immature probably mafic–intermediate igneous source (low La/Th, medium Hf). Positive whole-rock εNd(t) and zircon εHf(t) indicate dominantly juvenile character of igneous rocks in the provenance. In total, the unimodal character of U–Pb detrital zircon age patterns, the chemical composition of sandstones similar to that of associated volcanic rocks and the positive values of εNd(t) and εHf(t) suggest their derivation from one or more intra-oceanic arcs. The data from eastern Kazakhstan fit those obtained from late Paleozoic greywacke sandstones of NW China. The new geochemical and geochronological data from sandstones and published data from oceanic and supra-subduction ophiolites of eastern Kazakhstan suggest an extended Pacific-type subduction system in the western Paleo-Asian Ocean in Devonian–early Carboniferous time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zircon U–Pb dating of the Tonaru metagabbro body in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, southwest Japan, suggests that igneous events at ca 200–180 Ma were involved in the protolith formation. The trace element compositions of the Tonaru zircons are enriched in U (a fluid‐mobile element) and Sc (an amphibole‐buffered element), and depleted in Nb (a fluid‐immobile element), suggesting that the parental magmas related to the Tonaru metagabbros formed in an arc setting. Integration of our results with previous studies of the metasedimentary rocks in the Tonaru body clearly indicates that the protoliths of the Tonaru body were produced by oceanic‐arc magmatism. With the previous geochronological and geological studies, the tectono‐magmatic–metamorphic history of the Tonaru and other mafic bodies in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt may be summarized as follows: (i) the protolith formation by the oceanic‐arc magmatic event had occurred at 200–180 Ma; (ii) the protoliths were accreted in the trench at ca 130–120 Ma; and (iii) they were completely subducted into the depth of the eclogite‐facies condition after 120 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The Mikabu greenstones in SW Japan are fragments of accreted oceanic plateau. • Zircon U-Pb ages from the Mikabu greenstones show an igneous age of 155 Ma. • Zircon trace elements suggest depleted source mantle for the Mikabu protolith. • The Mikabu greenstones were parts of Jurassic oceanic plateau like Shatsky Rise. Abstract The Mikabu greenstones form accreted fragments of an ancient oceanic plateau, which are currently incorporated within the Cretaceous high P/T-type Sanbagawa metamorphic belt in SW Japan. Previous geological and petrological studies indicate that protoliths of the Mikabu greenstones were mafic/ultramafic volcano-plutonic rocks of oceanic plateau and/or islands. Despite their rock assemblage and metamorphic nature, their protolith age has been poorly constrained. By measuring U-Pb age of igneous zircon grains using LA-ICPMS, this study identified for the first time a Late Jurassic age for the protoliths of the Mikabu greenstones in the eastern Kii Peninsula (the Shurei complex). With an overlap within 2-sigma error, measured U-Pb ages of zircon grains have a weighted mean age of 154.6 ± 1.6 Ma (the Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic), which is slightly younger than the radiolarian ages (Middle Jurassic) of deep-sea pelagic cherts associated with the Mikabu greenstones. This age difference indicates that mafic magmas intruded pelagic deep-sea sediments to form a volcanic edifice onto the pre-existing oceanic lithosphere. New measurements of trace element composition of the dated zircon grains further confirmed that the dated zircon grains are more similar to those in oceanic crusts rather than in continental crusts. In addition, the trace element composition suggests that the host mafic magma of the zircon grains was derived from depleted mantle similar to the mid-oceanic ridge-type source, rather than fertile mantle source like Hawaii and Iceland. On the basis of the common occurrence of similar mafic rocks from the Shatsky Rise in the modern NW Pacific Ocean, we conclude that the protoliths of the Mikabu greenstones had formed a part of an oceanic plateau/island, which was generated by the Late Jurassic intra-plate mafic magmatism in ancient mid-Pacific, probably together with the Shatzky Rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]