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Gondwana Research

Volume 23, Issue 1, January 2013, Pages 141-160
Gondwana Research

Inhomogeneous lithospheric thinning in the central North China Craton: Zircon U–Pb and S–He–Ar isotopic record from magmatism and metallogeny in the Taihang Mountains

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2012.02.006Get rights and content

Abstract

The large scale Mesozoic magmatism and related metallogeny in the Taihang Mountains (TM) provide important clues for the lithospheric thinning of the North China Craton (NCC). Among the ore deposits, the vein gold mineralization of Shihu in the Fuping region and the skarn ore deposit of Xishimen in the Wu'an region represent typical Mesozoic metallogeny in the TM. In the Shihu gold mine, the Mapeng batholith is dominantly composed of monzogranite and granodiorite, whereas, the Wu'an pluton in the Xishimen iron mine mainly comprises monzonite and diorite. Here we present zircon LA–ICP-MS U–Pb data from 8 samples which reveal the timing of magmatism in the TM as ca. 130 Ma, which is contemporaneous with the large-scale metallogeny in the margins of the NCC. The δ34S values recorded in the sulfide minerals from the Shihu gold deposit and the Xishimen skarn iron deposit show a range of 2.2‰–5.0‰, and 11.6‰–18.7‰, respectively. Helium isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions in pyrite from the Shihu gold deposit vary from 0.12 to 1.98 Ra (where Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air = 1.39 × 10 6), with calculated mantle helium values of 1.4%–25%, whereas, those of the Xishimen skarn iron deposit range from 0.06 to 0.19 Ra, with calculated mantle helium of 0.7%–2.2%. The S–He–Ar isotopic data suggest a lower crustal origin for the ore-forming components, with variable inputs of mantle source. The large population of inherited zircons in our samples, with 207Pb/206Pb ages ranging between 2500 Ma and 1800 Ma, also supports crustal participation. Our data reveal that the Shihu gold deposit witnessed greater mantle input than the Xishimen skarn iron deposit, suggesting that the continental lithosphere is markedly thinner under the Fuping region than that under the Wu'an region. Our interpretation is also supported by published data from two ultra-broadband high-precision magnetotelluric sounding profiles across the TM region showing a variation in the lithosphere thickness from 155 km to 70 km while moving from the south (Wu'an region) to the north (Fuping region). Our study suggests that inhomogeneous lithospheric thinning in the central NCC occurred at least as early as ca. 130 Ma ago.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

► Zircon U–Pb data constrain timing of magmatism and metallogeny in the Taihang Mountains as ca. 130 Ma. ► S–He–Ar isotopic data suggest a lower crustal origin for the ore-forming components, with varying input from mantle sources. ► Inhomogeneous lithospheric thinning in the central NCC occurred at least as early as ca. 130 Ma.

Introduction

The North China Craton (NCC), one of the fundamental Precambrian nuclei in Asia, has been in recent focus with regard to studies on craton destruction (e.g., Fan and Menzies, 1992, Menzies et al., 1993, Deng et al., 2003, Deng et al., 2004, Gao et al., 2009, Xu et al., 2009, Xu et al., 2010a, Xu et al., 2010b, Zheng and Wu, 2009, Zhu and Zheng, 2009, Zheng and Wu, 2009, Zhang et al., 2002, Zhang et al., 2011a, Zhang et al., 2011b). The timing, characteristics, mechanisms and implications of the destruction and refertilization of the NCC have been addressed in various studies including petrological, geochemical, geochronological, structural and geophysical investigations (e.g., Wu et al., 2003, Chen, 2009, Chen et al., 2009a, Chen et al., 2009b, Zhang, 2009, Zheng, 2009, Santosh, 2010, Zhu et al., 2011, Tang et al., 2012). Several studies have also brought to light the link between Mesozoic metallogenic events in the northern, southern and eastern margins of the NCC with the lithospheric thinning or transition of tectonic orientation, and the transition from shortening to extension in the evolution of continental collision (e.g. Zhai et al., 2002, Yang et al., 2003, Mao et al., 2005, Chen et al., 2007, Chen et al., 2009a, Chen et al., 2009b). The timing and duration of the destruction of the NCC are debated, with some workers considering that the destruction took place mainly during the Jurassic (e.g., Gao et al., 2004) or Cretaceous (e.g., Jiang et al., 2005, Wu et al., 2005a, Wu et al., 2005b) within a short period, whereas others hold that the destruction processes record a long history of more than 100 Ma (e.g., Xu et al., 2009).

A better understanding of the Phanerozoic tectonic reactivation and destruction of the NCC warrants a detailed knowledge on the deep structural features of the region. The structural images of the lithosphere and the upper mantle along three profiles that traverse the western, central and eastern parts of the NCC have been constructed recently from dense seismic array data, revealing substantial differences among these domains (Chen, 2009, Chen et al., 2010). Recent geophysical investigations from two ultra-broadband high-precision magnetotelluric (MT) sounding profiles through the Fuping ore-cluster region (north TM) and Wu'an ore-cluster region (south TM), assign lithospheric thickness of 155 km under the Wu'an region with only 70 km beneath the Fuping region (Wei et al., 2008). This distinct contrast in thickness provides an important clue to understand the destruction and thinning processes of the NCC. A large scale Mesozoic magmatic event and related metallogeny have been documented from the TM. Although a number of investigations have addressed the magmatism of the TM (e.g. Luo et al., 1997, Chen et al., 2002, Chen et al., 2005, Chen et al., 2009a, Peng et al., 2004, Xu et al., 2009), and the geodynamic significance of the ore deposits located at the junctions of the TM and the north and south margins of the NCC (e.g. Mao et al., 2005, Chen et al., 2007, Chen et al., 2009b), detailed information on the signatures of metallogeny and their possible link with lithospheric thinning under the TM (especially under its central and southern portions) are lacking.

In this paper, we provide new zircon LA–ICP-MS U–Pb data and S–He–Ar isotopic compositions of ore-forming minerals from the Shihu vein quartz gold deposit and related Mapeng batholith in the Fuping region, and the Xishimen skarn iron deposit with associated plutons in the Wu'an region. Based on the results, we evaluate the characteristics, timing, mechanisms and origin of the ore mineralization. In conjunction with the published MT results from this region, we interpret the signatures of lithospheric thinning beneath the TM region.

Section snippets

Geological setting

The early Precambrian crustal evolution history of the NCC is still controversial and has been debated in several studies (e.g. Zhai and Bian, 2001, Kusky and Li, 2003, Zhai et al., 2003, Zhao et al., 2005, Zhao et al., 2007, Santosh et al., 2006, Santosh et al., 2007, Santosh et al., 2009, Santosh et al., 2010, Santosh, 2010, Kusky, 2011, Zhai and Santosh, 2011, Zhang et al., 2011a, Zhang et al., 2011b). Based on the lithological characteristics and regional structures, Zhai et al. (2003)

North TM

The Shihu gold deposit occurs within the Fuping ore cluster region in north TM (Figs. 2 and 3a). The basement rocks here belong to the late Archean Fuping Complex, which are mainly intruded by Mesozoic Mapeng granitoid and intermediate dikes (Fig. 3a; e.g. Liu et al., 2004). The Fuping Complex is characterized by gray gneisses intercalated with plagioclase amphibolite, dolomite marble and banded iron formations (e.g. Liu et al., 2004). The Mapeng granitoid is exposed around an area of 64.5 km2,

Analytical methods

Zircon U–Pb dating was performed on a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (LA–ICP-MS) at the State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources (GPMR), China University of Geosciences in Beijing (samples from the Shihu gold deposit), and the Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS, samples from the Xishimen skarn iron deposit). The analytical procedures are the same as

Mapeng granitoid and quartz dioritic dikes in the north TM

LA–ICP-MS U–Pb analysis of zircons was carried out on two samples from the Mapeng granitoid (sample SH003 and SH008) and quartz dioritic dikes (SH015 and SH300-17). The U–Pb data are presented in Table 1.

Sample SH003 (GPS co-ordinates N38°40'36"; E114°02'18", see Fig. 3) is a granodiorite with mineral assemblage of plagioclase (~ 45%), K-feldspar (~ 15%), quartz (~ 25%), hornblende (~ 10%), biotite (~ 5%), and accessory magnetite, sphene, apatite, and zircon (Fig. 5a). Most of the zircon grains

Timing of the magmatism and metallogenesis in the TM

Previous studies have reported numerous K–Ar, Ar–Ar, Rb–Sr, U–Pb, and Re–Os isotopic age data from the major intrusive rocks and the related ore deposits in the TM as compiled by Wang et al. (2010) and some of the research reports compiled by the first author (Li et al., 2009; oral presentation). Large differences exist on geochronological data from the individual plutons. The Wang'anzhen pluton, for example, was dated as 95 to 187 Ma (Wang, et al., 2010). The ages reported from the Mapeng

Conclusions

  • 1.

    The U–Pb analyses of zircons in this study show that the Mapeng pluton and the quartz dioritic dikes in the Fuping ore cluster region in the north TM are of ca. 130 Ma. The gold mineralization of the Shihu gold deposit took place slightly later than the emplacement of the Mapeng pluton and the intermediate dikes. The Wu'an pluton in the south TM formed at 127–134 Ma ago (127 to 131 Ma of monzonite; 134 Ma for diorite), which is concordant with the ore-forming age (133 Ma) of the Xishimen skarn iron

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to all the colleagues of Shijiazhuang Comprehensive Geological Brigade, Shihu Gold Company and Xishimen Iron Company for their help at field work. Thanks should particularly extend to friends, Wen-Xue Wang, Li-Gang Zhong, Yong-Li Zhao, and Bao-De Wang for their sincere cooperation. We are grateful to Academicians Yu-Sheng Zhai, Xuan-Xue Mo, Shu-Guang Li and the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and constructive suggestions. We thank engineer Xiu-Bao Zhang and

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