The Alxa region, located in the southernmost part of Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is a key region for understanding the tectonic processes associated with the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Issues of late Paleozoic...The Alxa region, located in the southernmost part of Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is a key region for understanding the tectonic processes associated with the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Issues of late Paleozoic tectonic settings and tectonic unit divisions of the Alxa region still remain controversial. In this study, we report a new ophiolitic mélange named the Tepai ophiolitic mélange in the northern Alxa region, northwest of Alxa Youqi. The tectonic blocks in the Tepai ophiolitic mélange are mainly composed of serpentinized peridotites, serpentinites, mylonitized gabbros, gabbros, basalts, and quartzites, with a matrix comprising highly deformed clastic rocks. A gabbro exhibits a zircon LA-ICP-MS Ue Pb age of278.4 ± 3.3 Ma. Gabbros exhibit high Mg O and compatible element contents, but extremely low TiO_2,totally rare earth element and high field strength element contents. These rocks exhibit light rare earth element depleted patterns, and display enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and depleted in high field strength elements. Boninite-like geochemical data show that they were formed in a subductionrelated environment, and derived from an extremely depleted mantle source infiltrated by subduction-derived fluids and/or melts. The Tepai ophiolitic mélange exhibits similar zircon U-Pb-O isotopic compositions and whole-rock geochemical characteristics to those of the Quagan Qulu ophiolite.Therefore, we propose that the Tepai ophiolitic mélange may have been the western continuation of the Quagan Qulu ophiolite. Our new finding proves the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean might have taken place later than the early Permian.展开更多
基金jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41502214 and 41230207)the Outlay Research Fund of Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (J1706)+3 种基金the CPSF-CAS Joint Foundation for Excellent Postdoctoral Fellows (Grant No. 2015LH0049)the China Postdoctoral Foundation funded project (No. 2016M590990)the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDB18020203)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences, CAS (QYZDJ-SSW-SYS012)
文摘The Alxa region, located in the southernmost part of Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is a key region for understanding the tectonic processes associated with the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Issues of late Paleozoic tectonic settings and tectonic unit divisions of the Alxa region still remain controversial. In this study, we report a new ophiolitic mélange named the Tepai ophiolitic mélange in the northern Alxa region, northwest of Alxa Youqi. The tectonic blocks in the Tepai ophiolitic mélange are mainly composed of serpentinized peridotites, serpentinites, mylonitized gabbros, gabbros, basalts, and quartzites, with a matrix comprising highly deformed clastic rocks. A gabbro exhibits a zircon LA-ICP-MS Ue Pb age of278.4 ± 3.3 Ma. Gabbros exhibit high Mg O and compatible element contents, but extremely low TiO_2,totally rare earth element and high field strength element contents. These rocks exhibit light rare earth element depleted patterns, and display enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and depleted in high field strength elements. Boninite-like geochemical data show that they were formed in a subductionrelated environment, and derived from an extremely depleted mantle source infiltrated by subduction-derived fluids and/or melts. The Tepai ophiolitic mélange exhibits similar zircon U-Pb-O isotopic compositions and whole-rock geochemical characteristics to those of the Quagan Qulu ophiolite.Therefore, we propose that the Tepai ophiolitic mélange may have been the western continuation of the Quagan Qulu ophiolite. Our new finding proves the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean might have taken place later than the early Permian.
