Petrogenesis of the Neoproterozoic bimodal volcanic rocks along the western margin of the Yangtze Block: New constraints from Hf isotopes and Fe/Mn ratios.

High-precision major element and Hf isotope data are reported for the Neoproterozoic Suxiong volcanic rocks along the western margin of the Yangtze Block. These volcanic rocks have variable ϵHf(T) values and Fe/Mn ratios. The relatively primitive basalts have high Fe/Mn ratios and high Hf-Nd isotopic compositions, indicating that they were generated by partial melting of garnet clinopyroxene in mantle plume at high pressure. Thus, the Suxiong basalts are genetically related to the proposed Neoproterozoic super-plume. On the contrary, a few differentiated basalts have low Fe/Mn ratios and low Hf-Nd isotopic compositions. They are likely to experience assimilation-fractional crystallization process. The Suxiong rhyolites have consistent Hf and Nd model ages of 1.3–1.4 Ga. They are likely generated by shallow dehydration melting of pre-existing young arc igneous rocks associated with the basaltic underplating/intrusion in a continental rift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]