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The Western Qinling Orogen is marked by secular Triassic magmatism, a thorough understanding of the mechanism of which could provide critical insights into the reconstruction of the Palaeo-Tethys tectono-magmatic activity. Here, we present new geochemical, geochronological and Lu-Hf isotopic data for three batholiths and review regional data. These batholiths have similar rock assemblages (mainly granodiorite and monzogranite), which are characterized by dominantly plagioclase, quartz, and K-feldspar, subsequently amphibole and biotite. Zircon U-Pb data reveal that they represent the long-duration magmatism during the Triassic (ca. 251–223 Ma). Mineralogical characteristics and geochemical affinities manifest that these rocks in the Zeku district can be explicitly delineated as high-K, calc-alkaline, weakly fractionated I-type granites. They yield significantly negative εHf(t) values ranging from −12.81 to −1.26 with old two-stage mantle depleted model ages between 2054 and 1319 Ma. In tandem with Th/Nb (0.98), Th/La (0.39) and La/Nb (2.40) ratios and moderate pressure conditions (ca. 7–10 kbar), the studied granites were derived from partial melting of the Middle Paleoproterozoic to Middle Mesoproterozoic lower crust source region with minor mafic hydrous magma addition. Our new understandings, in conjunction with the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics of magmatism in the West Qinling Orogen, as well as the regional tectonic evolution, suggest that the superimposed orogeny evolved from the northward subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean (264–225 Ma) through syn-collision (225–215 Ma) to post-collision (beginning at ca.215 Ma) between the North China Craton and South China Block. In this scenario, at the convergent continental margin, the oceanic plate may have undergone melting producing the melts parental to the Zeku granites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xiangpishan complex in the Zongwulong‐Qinghainanshan Tectonic Belt, Northeast (NE) Tibetan Plateau, is a composite concentric pluton consisting of a felsic core (granodiorite) surrounded by quartz diorite in the middle to diorite and minor gabbro at the margin with locally less volume of monzogranite. Many dioritic enclaves are unevenly distributed within host granitoids. We evaluate the petrogenesis of the complex by geochemical, geochronological, and Hf isotopic data in tandem with regional data in the belt. The results show that felsic rocks were emplaced during the Late Permian (ca. 262–256 Ma); whilst gabbros yielded a younger age of ca. 249 Ma. As the hybrid phase from mixing between felsic and mafic magmas, enclaves and diorites have analogous ages (ca. 257–254 Ma) to both. Zircons from gabbro and enclaves are marked by higher εHf(t) value up to +1.82; whilst granodiorites have lower εHf(t) value of −5.48, consistent with hybrid diorites possessing intermediate εHf(t) values of −3.14 to 0.34. Furthermore, the quantitative calculation from Mass Balances Modelling suggests that the mass of mafic magma (ca. 67%–79%) is involved to achieve the hybridization. Geochemically, these rocks crystallized from calc‐alkaline magma with different sources, but demonstrated consistent arc‐like signatures, as they are enriched in large‐ion lithophile elements and light rare earth element (LREE), and depleted in high‐ field‐strength elements and heavy rare earth element (HREE). Besides, they present negative Nb–Ta anomalies together with significant P and Ti troughs. Finally, an evolutional model has been proposed that the asthenosphere‐lithosphere interaction played an important role during the emplacement of the complex, where the limited volumes of mantle‐derived melt act as the suppliers of heat and mass (mainly volatile components) to induce partial melting of the juvenile mafic lower crust and mixed (or mingled) with the produced crust‐derived magma during the oceanic subduction, which led to the generation of diorites as well as mafic microgranular enclaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesozoic magmatism and lithospheric destruction in East China exerted significant control on gold metallogeny. Here, we investigate the mineralogy, geochemistry, geochronology, and isotopic systematics of the Dongyang gold deposit in southeast China to constrain its origin and geodynamics. This is a newly discovered epithermal gold deposit along the Circum–Pacific metallogenic belt and is characterized by intense silicification and sericitization. The C–H–O isotope data suggest deep magmatic sources of the ores and indicate that the ore‐forming fluids comprised a mixture of magmatic water and meteoric water. The S–Pb values of the pyrite indicate magmatic origin for the sulfur, and deposit was derived mostly from crustal sources, mixed with mantle materials. The Rb–Sr dating of the pyrite from the ore deposit shows an age of 164.2 ± 9.9 Ma, whereas the zircon U–Pb SHRIMP ages of the rhyolite porphyry is 160.9 ± 0.5 Ma, suggesting that the timing of mineralization is close to that of the crystallization of the dykes. In conjunction with previous studies on similar deposits, we suggest that the gold mineralization was the response of continental lithospheric thinning in southeast China triggered by the subduction of the Palaeo‐Pacific Ocean Plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-feldspar, sphene and zircon in quartz monzonite from Shahewan, south Qinling, showing strong zoning structure. Characteristics of microstructure and chemical compositions of K-feldspar, sphene and zircon with zoning structure were investigated using advanced instruments of electron probe micro analyses equipped with wavelength dispersive spectrometer (EPM-WDS), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) and laser ablation--inductively coupled plasma--mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Our study suggests that K+ could be substituted by small amounts of Na+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Fe2+ and Ce3+. Ca2+ in sphene could be replaced by V3+, Ce3+, Ba2+ and Ti4+ could be substituted by both Fe2+ and Al3+. Zircon contains trace elements like Fe, Th, U, Nb, Ta, Y, Hf, Yb and Pb. Concentration of Si, Al, K, Ca, Na, Mg and Ba in K-feldspar ranked from high to low, among which the contents of K and Na are negatively correlated, the lighter part of BSE images featuring K-feldspar is attributed to comparably higher Ba content, additionally, Si and K contents are elevated while Na content decreased rimward. Ca, Si, Ti, Ba, V, Ce, Al and Fe concentration listed downward, among which higher iron content corresponds to brighter portion of BSE images. Element concentration of zircon could be ranked from high to low as Zr, Si, Nd, Ce, Hf, U, Pb and Th, in which Hf and Zr exhibit negatively correlated. Zr concentration increased while Hf, U and Th concentration decreased from core to rim.