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Discovery of a Neoproterozoic granite in the Northern Alxa region, NW China: its age, petrogenesis and tectonic significance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2015

WEN ZHANG
Affiliation:
Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Ministry of Education, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
VICTORIA PEASE
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
QINGPENG MENG
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Ministry of Education, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
RONGGUO ZHENG
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Ministry of Education, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
TONNY B. THOMSEN
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10 DK-1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
CORA WOHLGEMUTH-UEBERWASSER
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
TAIRAN WU*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Ministry of Education, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
*
Author for correspondence: trwupku@163.com

Abstract

A Neoproterozoic granite (Western Huhetaoergai granite) from the Northern Alxa region, southern Central Asia Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is first recognized by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb zircon dating (889±8 Ma). It is a highly fractionated potassium-rich calc-alkaline pluton with low εNd(t) (−2.6 to −1.1) and high (87Sr/86Sr)t (0.727305–0.735626), and is probably derived from a mantle source and assimilated crustal rocks with very high 87Sr/86Sr. Regional geology implies that it may reflect the existence of a microcontinent, and the formation of the Western Huhetaoergai granite is related to the assembly of Rodinia.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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