| Citation: |
Xiao-ming Zhao, Xiao-fei Qiu, Zhi-hui An, Nian-wen Wu, Li Tian, Yun-xu Wei, Tuo Jiang, 2019. Redefinition of Early Mesoproterozoic (1800–1600 Ma) stratigraphy in the northern Kongling area, China: The nucleus of Yangtze Craton and its tectonic significance, China Geology, 2, 157-168. doi: 10.31035/cg2018085
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Redefinition of Early Mesoproterozoic (1800–1600 Ma) stratigraphy in the northern Kongling area, China: The nucleus of Yangtze Craton and its tectonic significance
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Abstract
The Wujiatai Formation, which is well exposed in Huangjiatai-Xichahe region of the northern Kongling area of central Yangtze Craton, is a suite of epimetamorphic conglomerates to pebbly sandstones to fine sandstone-dolostones deposited in littoral-carbonate platform facies. The formation has angular unconformity contacts with both the overlying Neoproterozoic Nantuo Formation and the underlying Paleoproterozoic Huanglianghe Formation complex. Detrital zircons from metafine sandstones of the lower Wujiatai Formation have ages ranging from 3377–1828 Ma, with the youngest zircons dating to about 1828 Ma. In addition, whole-rock Pb-Pb isochron ages from dolostones in the upper Wujiatai Formation yield an age of 1718±230 Ma. These dates constrain the depositional age of the Wujiatai Formation between 1800 Ma and 1600 Ma. These are the earliest Mesoproterozoic sedimentary records reported in the Kongling region, and fill the gaps in Early Mesoproterozoic stratigraphy in Yangtze Craton. Histograms of detrital zircon ages for the Wujiatai Formation reveal four major peaks at 2039 Ma, 2691 Ma, 2966 Ma and 3377 Ma, which is consistent with the ages of the basement rocks that underlie the center of Yangtze Craton, indicating that sediment provenance is mainly from the Kongling complex. The lower Wujiatai Formation mainly consists of clastic rocks, whereas the upper Wujiatai Formation consists of dolostones. This stratigraphic change implies a deepening sequence in an expanding basin with an initial cratonic rifting tectonic setting, corresponding to the initial breakup of the Columbia super-continent in Yangtze Craton.
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References
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Xiao-ming Zhao, Xiao-fei Qiu, Zhi-hui An, Nian-wen Wu, Li Tian, Yun-xu Wei, Tuo Jiang, 2019. Redefinition of Early Mesoproterozoic (1800–1600 Ma) stratigraphy in the northern Kongling area, China: The nucleus of Yangtze Craton and its tectonic significance, China Geology, 2, 157-168. doi: 10.31035/cg2018085
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Figure 1.
Geologic map of Mesoproterozoic rocks in the northern Kongling area, China.
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Figure 2.
Mesoproterozoic the Wujiatai Formation (PM012) in the northern Kongling area and the sample locations. 1−Meta-conglomerate; 2−meta-pebbly sandstone; 3−meta-fine sandstone; 4−meta-feldspar-quartz sandstone; 5−tillite; 6−muddy siltstone; 7−dolostone; 8−stromatolite dolostone; 9−phyllite; 10−parallel and angular unconformity; 11−Huanglianghe Formation complex; 12−Wujiatai Formation; 13−Nantuo Formation; 14−Doushantuo Formation; 15−sample sites.
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Figure 3.
Mesoproterozoic the Wujiatai Formation and some typical sedimentary structures. a−Distant view of the contact relationship of the Wujiatai Formation and the Huanglinghe Formation complex; b−meta-conglomerates at the base of the Wujiatai Formation (yellow rectangle is enlarged and displayed in “d”); c−meta-fine sandstone in the lower Wujiatai Formation; d−the normal sequence of bedding observed in the lower Wujiatai Formation; e−stromatolite in the upper Wujiatai Formation; f−sampling locations in PM012 section used for age dating; g−angular unconformity between the Wujiatai Formation and the Nantuo Formation.
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Figure 4.
CL images of the typical zircon grains of the Wujiatai Formation in the northern Kongling area, showing spot number and locations of analytical spots with the corresponding apparent ages.
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Figure 5.
U–Pb Concordia diagram and probabilistic histogram for the Huangjiatai Formation in the northern Kongling area, China.
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Figure 6.
Pb-Pb isochron of the Wujiatai Formation in the northern Kongling area.