Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Age and chemical composition of Archean metapelites in the Zhongxiang Complex and implications for early crustal evolution of the Yangtze Craton

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Wang, K.
    Dong, S.
    Li, Zheng-Xiang
    Han, B.
    Date
    2018
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Wang, K. and Dong, S. and Li, Z. and Han, B. 2018. Age and chemical composition of Archean metapelites in the Zhongxiang Complex and implications for early crustal evolution of the Yangtze Craton. Lithos. 320-321: pp. 280-301.
    Source Title
    Lithos
    DOI
    10.1016/j.lithos.2018.09.027
    ISSN
    0024-4937
    School
    School of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS)
    Funding and Sponsorship
    http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FL150100133
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/73077
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Chemical composition of sedimentary rocks bears important clues on source rock characteristics and sedimentary processes, providing a critical record of the evolving continental crust. Whole-rock major and trace elements, and detrital zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic data for metapelites of the Archean Yangpo “Group” in the newly discovered Zhongxiang Complex, South China, are employed to investigate the age, provenance, and sedimentary processes of the protoliths, so as to further characterize the early crustal evolution of the Yangtze Craton. Detrital zircon cores from the metapelites yielded a youngest age of around 2.70 Ga with metamorphic rims dated at 1.95 Ga, which in combination with previous geochronological studies on granitic bodies intruding the Yangpo “Group” constrain the depositional age between 2.70 and 2.67 Ga. This makes the protolith of the Yangpo “Group” the oldest sedimentary unit in the Yangtze Craton. Geochemical signatures of the metapelites indicate relatively weak chemical weathering of the source area and weak to moderate post-depositional silicification and K-metasomatism. Diagnostic trace element ratios and REE patterns suggest that the protoliths of the Yangpo metapelites are compositionally immature with a mixed source of (ultra)-mafic (>60%) and felsic rocks, which possibly accumulated in a basin near an active continental margin. Detrital zircons in the Yangpo metapelites are dominated by 2.92–2.85 Ga and 2.80–2.73 Ga age populations with two prominent peaks at 2.87 Ga and 2.78 Ga, which are in agreement with the zircon ages and Hf isotopic compositions of the known older magmatic rocks in the Zhongxiang Complex, indicating that the proximal basement rocks were the principal detrital source. Integrated zircon age and Hf-isotope data suggest that the Archean continental crust of the Zhongxiang Complex was built through three major episodes of crustal growth at 3.55–3.45 Ga, 3.40–3.0 Ga, and 2.92–2.85 Ga, followed by two major episodes of crustal reworking at 2.80–2.70 Ga and 2.67–2.62 Ga. Such a crustal history distinguishes the Zhongxiang Complex from other Archean crustal provinces of the Yangtze Craton, pointing to a complex Archean evolutionary history for the Yangtze Craton.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Early crustal evolution of the Yangtze Craton, South China: New constraints from zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopes and geochemistry of ca. 2.9–2.6 Ga granitic rocks in the Zhongxiang Complex
      Wang, K.; Li, Zheng-Xiang; Dong, S.; Cui, J.; Han, B.; Zheng, T.; Xu, Y. (2018)
      We report here new zircon U-Pb age and Hf-isotope as well as geochemical analyses of the recently discovered Archean-Paleoproterozoic Zhongxiang Complex in the northern-central Yangtze Craton, South China, and interpret ...
    • Detrital zircon U–Pb age and Hf isotope constrains on the generation and reworking of Precambrian continental crust in the Cathaysia Block, South China: A synthesis
      Li, X.; Li, Zheng-Xiang; Li, W. (2014)
      The South China Block, consisting of the Yangtze and the Cathaysia blocks, is one of the largest Precambrian blocks in eastern Asia. However, the early history of the Cathaysia Block is poorly understood due largely to ...
    • Provenance and depositional age of Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Kuluketage Block, northern Tarim Craton: Implications for tectonic setting and crustal growth
      Long, X.; Wilde, Simon; Yuan, C.; Hu, A.; Sun, M. (2015)
      Precambrian geology of the Tarim Craton, especially for the crustal evolution, is poorly constrained. Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks are extensively exposed in the Kuluketage Block, northern Tarim Craton, and thus ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.