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Geoscience ›› 2021, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (03): 763-775.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2021.034

• Petrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Northward Subduction of Subashi Ocean in Eastern Part of the West Kunlun Orogen: Evidence from Early-Middle Permian Volcanic Rocks

ZHANG Yu1,2(), TANG Mingying3, CUI Xiaofeng1, HE Yuliang2,4, DONG Weidong4   

  1. 1. Henan Institute of Geosciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
    2. Henan Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Geological Processes and Resource Utilization, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001
    3. No.8 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Rizhao, Shandong 276826, China
    4. Henan Institute of Geosciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
  • Received:2020-04-16 Revised:2020-12-01 Online:2021-06-23 Published:2021-06-24

Abstract:

The Karaletash Group in the southern side of the Subashi ophiolite belt is characterized by widespread distribution of felsic and intermediate-felsic volcanic rocks. In this study, we conducted LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry and zircon Lu-Hf isotope analyses on representative rock assemblages of the Karaletash Group. LA-MC-ICP zircon U-Pb dating shows that felsic cystal tuff and basalt were formed from the early-Middle Permian (284.2±1.6 Ma and 262.6±2.0 Ma). The volcanic rocks are rich in Al, Na and Fe, and are enriched in large ion lithophilic elements (LILEs, e.g., K, Rb and Ba) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs, e.g., Sr, Ta, Nb and Ti). Compositions of the mafic volcanic rocks fall into the calc-alkaline-tholeiite field, with chondrite-normalized REE patterns similar to oceanic tholeiite, with Nd/Th = 8.91-13.76 and La/Nb = 0.39-2.28. The zirconεHf(t) value are -0.15 to 4.95, which indicates that the mafic volcanic rocks were mainly originated from the mantle with some crust material input. Compositions of the felsic volcanic rocks fall into the calc-alkaline field, with relatively negative anomalies of P and Zr, and with Nd/Th = 1.92-4.10 and La/Nb = 2.52-3.39. The zircon εHf(t) value are 0.94-3.78 and 8.26-12.45, which together with two-staged Hf model ages (1.07-1.25 Ga and 0.51-0.78 Ga), indicating that the felsic volcanic rocks were mainly originated from the re-melting of ancient crust materials and juvenile crust. Geochemical characteristics of the Karaletash Group resemble rocks formed in island arc environment. The Karaletash Group and Subashi ophiolite belt were closely related in their formation ages, the spatial distribution and the geochemical characteristics of the mafic rocks. Combined with deep-water flysch of Liuhuangdaban Formation sandstone in the Subashi ophiolite belt, these rock units constitute the orogenic-trench-arc-basin system. All these indicate that the subduction of the Subashi basin was north-dipping, and that the tectonic background was probably a forearc basin.

Key words: Karaletash group, geochemistry, zircon U-Pb dating, zircon Lu-Hf isotopes, Subashi ophiolite belt, west Kunlun Orogen

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