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Comprehensive petrological, in situ zircon U–Pb dating, Ti-in-zircon temperature and Hf isotopic compositions, whole rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data are reported for the Jintonghu monzonitic intrusions in the western Fujian Province (Interior Cathaysia Block), South China. The Jintonghu monzonitic intrusions were intruded at 95–96 Ma. Their Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions are similar to the coeval and nearby enriched lithospheric mantle-derived mafic and syenitic rocks, indicating that the Jintonghu monzonitic rocks were likely derived from partial melting of the enriched mantle sources. Their high Nb/Ta ratios (average 21.6) suggest that the metasomatically enriched mantle components were involved, which was attributed to the modification of slab-derived fluid and melt by the subduction of the paleo-Pacific Plate. The presence of mafic xenoliths, together with geochemical and isotopic features indicates a mafic-felsic magma mixing. Furthermore, the Jintonghu intrusions may have experienced orthopyroxene-, biotite- and plagioclase-dominated crystallization. Crust–mantle interaction can be identified as two stages, including that the Early Cretaceous mantle metasomatism and lithospheric extension resulted from the paleo-Pacific slab subduction coupled with slab rollback, and the Late Cretaceous crustal activation and enhanced extension induced by dip-angle subduction and the underplating of mantle-derived mafic magma.

The North China Craton is a classic case for the destruction of an ancient craton, in that it records the loss of more than 100 km of ancient refractory lithospheric mantle during the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic. However, the mechanisms for this lithospheric thinning remain controversial in large part due to the lack of any systematic investigations of the Mesozoic asthenospheric mantle via its derived mafic rocks, which are key to understand the thinning processes. In this paper, we present detailed zircon U–Pb geochronology, elemental geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data for lamprophyres and diabase-porphyries of the Jiaodong Peninsula, in the eastern North China Craton in order to place constraints on models for lithospheric thinning. Our results show that the lamprophyres and diabase-porphyries are derived from the convective asthenospheric mantle via different degrees of partial melting, and that this mantle source was previously modified by carbonatitic liquids. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating suggests an emplacement age for these rocks of 123–121 Ma, the earliest evidence for asthenospherically-derived melts in the Jiaodong Peninsula so far. This emplacement age indicates that the thickness of the lithosphere in the Jiaodong Peninsula was relatively thin at that time. Co-occurrence of the asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle-derived mafic rocks as well as high-Mg adakites record a rapid transition from lithospheric to asthenospheric mantle sources, indicating that the lithosphere beneath the Jiaodong Peninsula was rapidly detached just prior to ca. 120 Ma. Lithospheric thinning of the North China Craton may have been initiated from the Jiaodong Peninsula and Bohai Sea and then propagated towards the interior of the craton.

Mesozoic lamprophyres are widely present in gold province in the Jiaodong Peninsula. In this study, we analyzed major and trace elements and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions of lamprophyres from the Linglong and Penglai Au-ore districts in the Jiaodong Peninsula, in an attempt to better understand Mesozoic lithospheric evolution beneath the eastern North China Craton. These lamprophyre dikes are calc-alkaline in nature, and are characterized by low concentrations of SiO2, TiO2 and total Fe2O3, high concentrations of MgO, Mg# and compatible element, enriched in LREE and LILE but variably depleted in HFSE. They display initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.709134–0.710314, eNd(t) values of − 13.2 to − 18.3, 206Pb/204Pb of 17.364–17.645, 207Pb/204Pb of 15.513–15.571 and 208Pb/204Pb of 37.995–38.374. Interpretation of elemental and isotopic data suggests that the Linglong and Penglai lamprophyres were derived from partial melting of a phlogopite- and/or amphibole-bearing lherzolite in the spinel–garnet transition zone. The parental magma might have experienced fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene, and minor crustal materials were incorporated during ascent of these mafic magmas. Before ~ 120 Ma of emplacement of these calc-alkaline lamprophyres, the ancient lithospheric mantle was variably metasomatized by hydrous fluids rather than melts from subducted/foundered continental crust. It is proposed that continuous modification by slab-derived hydrous fluids from the Paleo-Pacific plate converted the old cratonic lithospheric mantle to Mesozoic enriched lithospheric mantle. Geodynamic force for generation of these lamprophyres may be related to large scale lithospheric thinning coupled with upwelling of the asthenosphere beneath the North China Craton. Continental arc-rifting related to the Paleo-Pacific plate subduction is favored as a geodynamic force for the cratonic lithosphere detachment.

Lithospheric thinning and destruction of the North China Craton have been topics of active discussion throughout the last two decades, but the specific processes associated with lithospheric thinning remains controversial. Here we report co-occurrence of low-Ti (TiO 2 2 > 2 wt.%, Ti/Y > 370) types of lamprophyres in the Jiaodong Peninsula, eastern North China Craton in order to address this issue. Low-Ti lamprophyres are depleted in HFSE and enriched in Pb, both typical subduction signatures. We suggest they were derived from partial melting of an ancient and enriched lithospheric mantle, which was previously modified by slab-derived hydrous fluids. In contrast, the high-Ti lamprophyre has trace element patterns similar to many oceanic basalts with depletion of Pb but little or no HFSE depletion. We infer that they originated from partial melting of a convective asthenospheric mantle. Zircon U–Pb dating shows that both types of lamprophyres intruded the eastern North China Craton about 121 Myr ago. Their indistinguishable ages thus appear to record a rapid transition from lithospheric to asthenospheric mantle source, suggesting further that the lithosphere beneath the eastern North China Craton was removed, potentially delaminated ca. 121 Myr ago beneath Jiaodong Peninsula. The detachment of cratonic lithosphere is likely related to continental arc-rifting which resulted from Palaeo-Pacific plate subduction in the Mesozoic.

The Linglong granite is one of the most important Mesozoic plutons in the Shandong Peninsula, eastern China, and its petrogenesis has long been controversial, particularly with regard to the nature of source region and geodynamic setting. Our new precise zircon U–Pb dating results reveal that the Linglong granite was emplaced in the Late Jurassic (157–160 Ma). In addition, abundant inherited zircons are identified in the granite with four groups of age peaked at ~ 208, ~ 750, ~ 1800 and ~ 2450 Ma. Geochemical studies indicate that the Linglong granite is weakly peraluminous I–type granite, and is characterized by high SiO 2 , Sr and La, but low MgO, Y and Yb contents, strongly fractionated REE pattern and high Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios. It also exhibits high initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.7097 to 0.7125), low e Nd (t) (− 17.7 to − 20.3) and variable zircon e Hf (t) (− 22.2 to − 8.7) values. Calculation of the zircon saturation temperature (T Zr ) reveals that the magma temperatures are 760 ± 20 °C, and the lowest T Zr value of 740 °C may be close to initial magma temperature of this inheritance-rich rock. Interpretation of the elemental and isotopic data suggests that the Linglong granite has some affinities with the adakite, and was most likely derived from partial melting of thickened lower crust without any significant contribution of mantle components. The presence of a large number of inherited zircons and variable Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions reveal that the Linglong granite probably has multiple sources consisting of the lower crust of both South China Block and North China Block, as well as the collision-related alkaline rocks and UHP metamorphic rocks. The continental arc-rifting related to the Izanagi plate subduction was the most likely geodynamic force for formation of the Jurassic Linglong adakatic granite in the Shandong Peninsula.

Two suites of granitoids, the Late Jurassic (158 ± 3 Ma) Linglong suite and the Early Cretaceous (130–126 Ma) Guojialing suite, crop out in the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula, eastern China. The Linglong suite is a monzogranite, comprising alkali feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and Fe-rich biotite. The Guojialing suite includes at least five plutonic bodies of both granodiorite and monzo-granite. The rocks are composed of plagioclase, alkali feldspar, quartz, Mg-rich amphibole and Mg-rich biotite. Both the Linglong and Guojialing suites have adakitic affinity. They are enriched in LREE with high La/Yb ratios and show positive Eu anomalies. The rocks are also enriched in LILE and depleted in HFSE with high Sr/Y ratios. The Linglong granite shows very uniform Sr–Nd isotopic compositions with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7119–0.7126 and εNd (T) values of −21.3 to −21.6, which are similar to those of the local Neoarchaean basement. The Guojialing suite has variable initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7108–0.7120) and εNd (T) values (−10.8 to −17.2), which are distinct both from those of the Neoarchaean basement and from those of the local enriched lithospheric mantle inferred from the coeval mafic dykes in the studied area. Detailed petrological and geochemical data indicate that the Linglong suite was derived by partial melting of Neoarchaean metamorphic lower-crustal rocks at depth of > 50 km with a eclogite residue, whereas the Guojialing suite was formed by the reaction of delaminated eclogitic crust-derived melt with the upwelling asthenospheric mantle. The petrogenesis of these two contrasting adakitic granitoids suggests intensive lower-crustal delamination during Early Cretaceous times, following a crustal thickening process from the late stage of the Early Jurassic to early stage of the Late Jurassic with crustal thickness of < 32 km to > 50 km, respectively.