Episodic crustal growth in the Tanzania Craton: evidence from Nd isotope compositions

Kai Sun; Lin-lin Zhang; Zhi-dan Zhao; Fu-qing He; Sheng-fei He; Xing-yuan Wu; Lei Qiu; Xiao-dong Ren

doi:10.31035/cg2018025

2018 Vol. 1, No. 2

Article Contents

Article navigation > China Geology > 2018 > 1(2): 210-224

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Kai Sun, Lin-lin Zhang, Zhi-dan Zhao, Fu-qing He, Sheng-fei He, Xing-yuan Wu, Lei Qiu, Xiao-dong Ren, 2018. Episodic crustal growth in the Tanzania Craton: evidence from Nd isotope compositions, China Geology, 1, 210-224. doi: 10.31035/cg2018025

Citation:

Episodic crustal growth in the Tanzania Craton: evidence from Nd isotope compositions

a.
Tianjin Centre, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
b.
China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
c.
Sinomine Rock and Mineral Analysis (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300270, China

More Information

Corresponding author: Kai Sun, E-mail: tjcentersk@foxmail.com

Received Date: 15 April 2018

Revised Date: 28 May 2018

Accepted Date: 01 June 2018

Available Online: 15 June 2018

Publish Date: 25 June 2018

Abstract

Abstract

The analysis of available Nd isotope data from the Tanzania Craton places important constraints on the crust-mantle separation ages, and events marking juvenile crustal addition and crustal recycling. Nd model ages date the oldest crust extraction to 3.16 Ga in the Tanzania Craton, although a rock record of such antiquity is yet to be found there. The most significant period of juvenile crustal addition as well as crustal recycling is 2.7–2.6 Ga. The Nd isotopes of mafic samples show that chemical heterogeneity existed in the mantle beneath the Tanzania Craton, with some samples originating from significantly depleted mantle, and most samples originating from the mixture of primitive mantle and depleted mantle. The Nd isotope section reveals significant differences in Nd isotopes between the north craton and central craton; compared to the north craton, the central craton yields a Nd model age that is approximately 100 Ma older, and itsε_Nd(t) values are more negative, indicating that the two parts of the craton have different mantle source regions. Different types of granitoids are distributed in the Tanzania Craton, such as high-K and low-Al granite, calc-alkaline granite, peraluminous granite and transitional types of tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorites (TTGs). Most of the granitoids formed later than the mafic rocks in syn-collision and post-collision events.
- Nd isotope /
- Tanzania Craton /
- Crustal addition /
- Crustal recycling /
- Block boundary

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References

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