Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators
The South China Craton comprises the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and is one of the largest Precambrian continental blocks in East Asia. However, the early geological and geographical evolution of the Cathaysia block is relatively poorly understood, due to the sparse exposure of pre-Neoproterozoic r...
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/10/1199 |
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| author | Renbo Huang Zhiyuan He Johan De Grave |
| author_facet | Renbo Huang Zhiyuan He Johan De Grave |
| author_sort | Renbo Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The South China Craton comprises the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and is one of the largest Precambrian continental blocks in East Asia. However, the early geological and geographical evolution of the Cathaysia block is relatively poorly understood, due to the sparse exposure of pre-Neoproterozoic rocks and reworking during Phanerozoic polyphase magmatism and metamorphism. In this contribution, we carried out detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology and sedimentary analyses on five Proterozoic meta-sedimentary rocks collected from the northeastern Cathaysia block, which belong to the previously defined Chencai, Mayuan, and Mamianshan Groups (strata). LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating results of the detrital zircons show various ~1.85–1.35 Ga maximum depositional ages. They are significantly older than the previously constrained Neoproterozoic formation ages of these Proterozoic strata of northeastern Cathaysia, suggesting that their deposition and formation were probably initiated as early as the late Paleoproterozoic. Provenance analyses reveal that the late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic detrital zircons with igneous-origin were derived from in situ contemporary crystalline basements in eastern Cathaysia. In addition, by implication, the easternmost part of Cathaysia was probably an emerged area (i.e., the “proto-Cathaysia Land”) under active erosion. It had a ~NWW orientation and provided detrital sediments to the neighboring marine basin (i.e., the Cathaysia Sea) during the late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic. Finally, the Paleoproterozoic evolution of Cathaysia was involved in the assembly of the Nuna supercontinent. Our results, together with the published data, reveal a distinct late Paleoproterozoic (~1.8 Ga) detrital zircon age peak, which seems to support the view that eastern Cathaysia had close tectonic affinities with terranes such as the Precambrian terranes of current northern India, in the framework of the Nuna supercontinent reconstruction. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-3cac217ba161439692a97d96b8541fba2023-11-24T01:28:38ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2022-09-011210119910.3390/min12101199Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary IndicatorsRenbo Huang0Zhiyuan He1Johan De Grave2School of Environment & Resource, Xichang University, Xichang 615000, ChinaLaboratory for Mineralogy and Petrology, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLaboratory for Mineralogy and Petrology, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumThe South China Craton comprises the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and is one of the largest Precambrian continental blocks in East Asia. However, the early geological and geographical evolution of the Cathaysia block is relatively poorly understood, due to the sparse exposure of pre-Neoproterozoic rocks and reworking during Phanerozoic polyphase magmatism and metamorphism. In this contribution, we carried out detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology and sedimentary analyses on five Proterozoic meta-sedimentary rocks collected from the northeastern Cathaysia block, which belong to the previously defined Chencai, Mayuan, and Mamianshan Groups (strata). LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating results of the detrital zircons show various ~1.85–1.35 Ga maximum depositional ages. They are significantly older than the previously constrained Neoproterozoic formation ages of these Proterozoic strata of northeastern Cathaysia, suggesting that their deposition and formation were probably initiated as early as the late Paleoproterozoic. Provenance analyses reveal that the late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic detrital zircons with igneous-origin were derived from in situ contemporary crystalline basements in eastern Cathaysia. In addition, by implication, the easternmost part of Cathaysia was probably an emerged area (i.e., the “proto-Cathaysia Land”) under active erosion. It had a ~NWW orientation and provided detrital sediments to the neighboring marine basin (i.e., the Cathaysia Sea) during the late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic. Finally, the Paleoproterozoic evolution of Cathaysia was involved in the assembly of the Nuna supercontinent. Our results, together with the published data, reveal a distinct late Paleoproterozoic (~1.8 Ga) detrital zircon age peak, which seems to support the view that eastern Cathaysia had close tectonic affinities with terranes such as the Precambrian terranes of current northern India, in the framework of the Nuna supercontinent reconstruction.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/10/1199Cathaysia blockdirectional structuresdetrital zircon U-Pb datingPaleo-mesoproterozoicNuna supercontinent |
| spellingShingle | Renbo Huang Zhiyuan He Johan De Grave Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators Minerals Cathaysia block directional structures detrital zircon U-Pb dating Paleo-mesoproterozoic Nuna supercontinent |
| title | Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators |
| title_full | Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators |
| title_fullStr | Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators |
| title_full_unstemmed | Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators |
| title_short | Did a Late Paleoproterozoic-Early Mesoproterozoic Landmass Exist in the Eastern Cathaysia Block? New Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Sedimentary Indicators |
| title_sort | did a late paleoproterozoic early mesoproterozoic landmass exist in the eastern cathaysia block new evidence from detrital zircon u pb geochronology and sedimentary indicators |
| topic | Cathaysia block directional structures detrital zircon U-Pb dating Paleo-mesoproterozoic Nuna supercontinent |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/10/1199 |
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