Ocean–Continent Conversion in Beishan Orogenic Belt: Evidence from Geochemical and Zircon U-Pb-Hf Isotopic Data of Luotuoquan A-Type Granite

Abstract

Devonian magmatism is one of the most important tectonothermal events in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). However, little is known regarding the petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of the widely distributed Devonian granitoids in the eastern Southern Beishan Orogenic Belt (SBOB). Early-Devonian granitic magmatism has been recognized from the Luotuoquan area, and the granites were emplaced between 404.9 Ma and 399.4 Ma according to LA-ICPMS zircon U–Pb dating. Geochemically, the granites exhibit high SiO2 and Al2O3 contents and are enriched in light rare earth elements as well as Rb, Th, Nd, Zr, and Hf, while being depleted in heavy rare earth elements and Ba, U, Sr, and Ti, with distinct rare earth element fractionation and pronounced negative Eu anomalies. According to the comprehensive analysis, they closely resemble the features typically associated with A-type granites. The zircons εHf(t) values are within the range of +0.90–+5.19 (averaged 3.23) for the monzogranite and syenogranite, whereas their TDM2 values fall between 1.05 and 1.34 Ga, suggesting that the magma source of the monzogranite–syenogranite originated from the partial melting of the Mesoproterozoic crust dominated by metagreywackes. Furthermore, the monzogranite and syenogranite exhibit high temperatures (average 782 °C), thin crustal thickness (average 30 km), and A-type characteristics, suggesting their formation in post-collision extensional settings. We propose the closure of the Beishan Ocean occurred before the early Devonian, followed by a transition in the Southern Beishan Orogenic Belt from a compressional to an extensional setting.