The Zircon LA−ICP−MS U−Pb dating and geochemistry of the Yagan intermediate-acid volcanics in the northern margin of the Alxa block: Constraints on regional tectonic evolution

LEI Congcong; GAO Qi; WANG Wenbao; LI Weixing; MA Jun; YAN Zhenjun

doi:10.12097/gbc.2022.11.030

2025 Vol. 44, No. 2~3

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LEI Congcong, GAO Qi, WANG Wenbao, LI Weixing, MA Jun, YAN Zhenjun. 2025. The Zircon LA−ICP−MS U−Pb dating and geochemistry of the Yagan intermediate-acid volcanics in the northern margin of the Alxa block: Constraints on regional tectonic evolution. Geological Bulletin of China, 44(2~3): 459-476. doi: 10.12097/gbc.2022.11.030

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LEI Congcong, GAO Qi, WANG Wenbao, LI Weixing, MA Jun, YAN Zhenjun. 2025. The Zircon LA−ICP−MS U−Pb dating and geochemistry of the Yagan intermediate-acid volcanics in the northern margin of the Alxa block: Constraints on regional tectonic evolution. Geological Bulletin of China, 44(2~3): 459-476. doi: 10.12097/gbc.2022.11.030

The Zircon LA−ICP−MS U−Pb dating and geochemistry of the Yagan intermediate-acid volcanics in the northern margin of the Alxa block: Constraints on regional tectonic evolution

Hohhot General Survey of Natural Resources Center, China Geological Survey, Hohhot 010020, Inner Mongolia, China

More Information

Corresponding author: GAO Qi, 3320932997@qq.com

Received Date: 23 November 2022

Revised Date: 15 January 2023

Publish Date: 15 March 2025

Abstract

Abstract

Objective
The northern Alxa block is the key area for studying the closing of the Paleo−Asian Ocean. Since the Permian volcanics have been rarely investigated in the Yagan area, the tectonic evolution of the Yagan Fault in the Paleozoic remains uncertaintu; and more importantly, the closing timing of the Paleo−Asian Ocean in northern Alxa block is restricted.
Methods
In this paper, we carried out a systematic study of the petrography, geochemistry, zircon U−Pb dating for the intermediate−acid volcanics, which are located in the south of the Yagan Fault.
Results
The intermediate−acid volcanics in the Yagan region are mainly composed of andesite, rhyolite, dacite, rhyolitic crystal tuff and dacitic crystal tuff. The zircon LA−MC−ICP−MS U−Pb dating results show that the rhyolite and dacite were formed during the Early Permian at 278±2 Ma, 279±2 Ma, and 283±1 Ma. The Yagan intermediate−acid volcanics are characterized by high K calc−alkaline or calc−alkaline feature, relative enrichment in large ion lithophile elements, such as Rb,U and Th, and depleted in high field strength elements, such as Nb,Ta,P and Ti. They show right−leaning chondrite−normalized patterns,which indicate enrichment in LREE and depletion in HREE, and exhibit relatively moderate−strong negative Eu anomalies (average value of δEu is 0.42~0.67).
Conclusions
Based on the formation age and geochemical characteristics, it is concluded that the Yagan intermediate−acid volcanics were likely formed in a continental margin arc setting as products of the subduction of the Paleo−Asian ocean during Early Permian.Combined with regional geological background, it is inferred that the closure of the Paleo−Asian ocean in the northern margin of the Alxa block should postdate the late period of the Early Permian.
- northern margin of the Alxa block /
- Yagan Fault /
- LA−ICP−MS zircon U−Pb dating /
- Early Permian /
- continental arc

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