Age and geochemistry of western Hoh-Xil–Songpan-Ganzi granitoids, northern Tibet: Implications for the Mesozoic closure of the Paleo-Tethys ocean

• Adakitic and I-type granitoids were reported in the western HXSG complex.
• We report major and trace element geochemistry, Sr–Nd–Hf isotope and U–Pb data.
• Granitoids were produced at a mobile active margin setting.
• Rollback of subducting Paleo-Tethys slab developed beneath the HXSG complex.
• The HXSG complex was underlain by more continental arc crust than previously thought.

A geologic investigation was undertaken in the Hoh-Xil–Songpan-Ganzi (HXSG) complex, northern Tibet in order to better understand magma genesis and evolution during the late stages of Paleo-Tethys ocean closure. The HXSG complex is composed of vast accumulations of Middle–Upper Triassic marine gravity flow deposits that were extensively intruded by igneous rocks. These early Mesozoic rocks exposed in this area record a rich history of accretionary tectonics during the amalgamation of the Tibetan Plateau terranes. Eight plutons sampled from the western HXSG complex yield zircon U–Pb ages that range from 225 to 193 Ma. Muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages for the Hudongliang and Zhuonai Lake plutons yield ages of 210.7 ± 2.5 Ma and 212.7 ± 2.5 Ma, respectively. These plutonic rocks can be subdivided into two geochemically distinct groups. Group 1 (221–212 Ma: Dapeng Lake, Changhong Lake and Heishibei Lake plutons) is composed of high-K calc-alkaline rocks that have strongly fractionated REE patterns with high (La/Yb)N ratios (91–18) and generally lack Eu anomalies (Eu*/Eu = 1.02–0.68). Rocks in Group 1 display pronounced negative Nb–Ta and Ti anomalies on primitive mantle-normalized spidergrams. Group 1 rocks exhibit high Sr (782–240 ppm) and low Y (6.3–16.0 ppm) contents with high Sr/Y ratios (84–20). Based on Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data (87Sr/86Sri = 0.7079–0.7090, εNd(t) = − 7.7–− 4.7, εHf(t) = − 5.7–− 0.8) and low MgO contents (MgO = 1.10–2.18%), Group 1 rocks are geochemically similar to adakitic rocks and were probably derived from partial melting of the downgoing Paleo-Tethys oceanic slab and overlying marine sediments. Group 2 plutons (225–193 Ma: Daheishan, Yunwuling, Zhuonai Lake, Malanshan and Hudongliang plutons) display lower P2O5 with increasing SiO2 and are medium-K to high-K I-type calc-alkaline bodies with low Sr (14–549 ppm) and high Y (22.3–10.5 ppm) contents. Group 2 rocks have variable fractionated REE patterns ((La/Yb)N = 3–38) and negative Eu anomalies (Eu*/Eu = 0.02–0.86). Together with Sr–Nd–Hf isotopes (87Sr/86Sri = 0.7072–0.7143, εNd(t) = − 6.6–− 2.0, εHf(t) = − 0.6–+ 3.0), Group 2 rocks are most likely formed by partial melting of the juvenile crustal sources. Collectively, these data suggest that the Hoh-Xil turbidites were underlain by more continental arc crust than previously thought. We propose that rollback of the subducting Paleo-Tethys oceanic slab led to partial melting of overlying continental arc fragments which developed beneath the HXSG gravity flow deposits.