Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2024, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (3): 40-58.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.5.30

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Genetic mechanism of Late Carboniferous intermediate-acid volcanic rocks in southern West Junggar and its constraints on the closure of the Junggar Ocean

ZHI Qian1,2(), REN Rui1, DUAN Fenghao3, HUANG Jiaxuan2, ZHU Zhao2, ZHANG Xinyuan2, LI Yongjun2,*()   

  1. 1. Shaanxi Health Geological Research Center, Shaanxi Hydrogeological, Engineering and Environment Geological Survey Center, Shaanxi Institute of Geological Survey, Xi’an 710068, China
    2. School of Earth Science and Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
    3. School of Geological Engineering and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
  • Received:2022-11-30 Revised:2023-04-28 Online:2024-05-25 Published:2024-05-25

Abstract:

Carboniferous magmatic rocks are exclusively discovered in West Junggar, and investigating their petrogenesis and geodynamic mechanisms can offer crucial insights into understanding the Late Paleozoic tectonic framework, evolutionary history, and the closure of the Junggar Ocean. This study presents petrological, geochronological, and geochemical data on Late Carboniferous intermediate-acid volcanic rocks, including andesite, dacitic andesite, rhyolitic dacite porphyry, and rhyolite in the Hala’alate Mountain of southern West Junggar, aiming to elucidate their genetic mechanisms. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of andesite and rhyolite revealed crystallization ages of 308-305 million years ago, indicating the presence of middle to late Late Carboniferous volcanic rocks in West Junggar. These volcanic rocks are geochemically characterized by enrichment in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, as well as depletion in high field strength elements (such as Nb, Ta). They exhibit high sodium content and low potassium content, falling within the low-K tholeiitic to medium-K calc-alkaline series, resembling island arc volcanic rocks.The andesite and dacitic andesite have high content of SiO2 (56.15%-66.13%), Al2O3 (16.03%-17.94%), Na2O (3.44%-5.59%), Sr (364-576)×10-6, high Na2O/K2O (3.20-6.40) and Sr/Y (33.5-55.6) ratios, and also exhibit low content of MgO (1.59%-2.68%), Y (10.0-16.0)×10-6 and Yb (1.08-1.83)×10-6 with positive Eu anomalies (δEu=1.09-1.22), showing some features of typical adakite in arc settings, and are believed to be derived from the partial melting of subducted oceanic crust in garnet amphibolite-facies without significant interaction with the overlying mantle wedge. Rhyolitic dacite porphyry and rhyolite have high content of SiO2 (69.59%-75.03%) and total alkali (Na2O+K2O: 7.81%-8.89%), and very low content of TFe2O3 (0.94%-1.57%) and MgO (0.12%-0.97%) with weak negative Eu anomalies (δEu=0.63-1.00), indicating that they are metaluminous I-type rhyolites, and are probably originated from the partial melting of basaltic lower crust, with addition of a small amount of mantle-derived materials. The findings presented, combined with previously published research in the region, suggest that an island arc-back-arc basin evolutionary system persisted in the study area during the late Late Carboniferous. Furthermore, the closure of the Junggar Ocean in southern West Junggar likely occurred later than the early Early Permian.

Key words: island arc volcanic rocks, Late Carboniferous, arc-basin system, southern West Junggar, Junggar Ocean

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