Petrogenesis of the Kekesai composite intrusion, western Tianshan, NW China: Implications for tectonic evolution during late Paleozoic time

The late Carboniferous to Permian is a critical period for final amalgamation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), which is characterized by voluminous igneous rocks, particularly granitoids. The Kekesai composite granitoid porphyry intrusion, situated in the Chinese western Tianshan (southwest part of CAOB) includes two intrusive phases, a monzogranite phase, intruded by a granodiorite phase. LA–ICPMS U–Pb zircon analyses suggest that the monzogranitic rocks were formed at 305.5 ± 1.1 Ma, with a wide age range of inherited zircons (358–488 Ma and 1208–1391 Ma), whereas the granodioritic rocks formed at 288.7 ± 1.5 Ma. The monzogranitic and granodioritic phases have similar geochemical features and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions. They exhibit high and variable SiO2 (66–71 wt.%) and MgO (0.41–2.14 wt.%) contents with some arc-like geochemical characteristics (e.g., enrichment of large ion lithophile elements and negative anomalies of Nb, Ta and Ti) and relatively high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (ISr = 0.7055–0.7059), low positive εNd(t) (+ 0.84 to + 1.03) as well as a large variation in Hf isotopic compositions with εHf(t) between + 3.43 and + 14.8, implying both of them were derived from similar source materials. These geochemical characteristics suggest that they might be mainly derived from the partial melting of arc-derived Mesoproterozoic mafic lower crust with involvement of a mantle-derived component in variable proportions by mantle-derived magma underplating. The presence of late-Ordovician to earliest early Carboniferous inherited zircons and the Hf isotopic compositions in the monzogranitic sample, similar to that of the widespread juvenile arc rocks, indicates some crust contamination during magma emplacement. Our new data, combined with previous studies, imply that extensive post-collisional magmatism due to underplating of mantle-derived magma, could plausibly be explained by slab break-off regime.

► C2–P1 Kekesai intrusion was studied to understand amalgamation of the CAOB.
► These granites were chiefly derived from partial melting of ancient lower crust.
► The characteristics of post-collisional rocks exclude involvement of mantle plume.
► Slab break-off regime was initiated during C2 in the Chinese western Tianshan.