Late Jurassic granitoids in the Xilamulun Mo belt, Northeastern China: geochronology, geochemistry, and tectonic implications

• Published in: International geology review Vol. 58; no. 5; pp. 588 - 602
• Main Authors: Zeng, Qingdong, Guo, Weikang, Chu, Shaoxiong, Duan, Xiaoxia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 03-04-2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: geochemistry; Granitoid; NE China; U-Pb zircon age; Xilamulun Mo belt
• ISSN: 0020-6814; 1938-2839
• DOI: 10.1080/00206814.2015.1099479

The Xilamulun Mo belt of Northeastern China, located in the southeastern segment of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is composed of large deposits of porphyry Mo and quartz-vein-type Mo, which are related to Mesozoic granitoids. Previous studies led to the conclusion that all granitoids in the region formed during the Cretaceous and Triassic, but our new laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U-Pb zircon dating of magmatic zircons from five samples of four mineralized plutons (Nailingou, Longtoushan, and Hashitu granites and Erbadi and Hashitu granite porphyries) reveals that these range in age from 143.8 ± 1.2 to 149.5 ± 1.0 Ma. These granites show post-collisional (A-type) geochemical characteristics (e.g. enrichment in total alkali, LILE, and LREE and depletion in Eu, Ba, P, and Nb). The Erbadi, Longtoushan, Hashitu, and Longtoushan granitoids exhibit moderately positive Hf isotopic compositions (ε
Hf(t)
 = −0.3 to 10.2), indicating that granitic magmas may reflect mixtures of mantle melts and continental crust. These mineralized granites were all emplaced along a major fault over a time span of ~6 million years during the Late Jurassic. We conclude that igneous activity and mineralization resulted from the rollback of the subducted Palaeo-Pacific plate beneath Eurasia. Confirming that the Late Jurassic granitic intrusives are related to the Mo mineralization is useful for understanding the Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the Xilamulun Mo belt and also has significant implications for the regional exploration of ores.