Petrogenesis and geochronology of the Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic granitoid and monzonitic gneisses in the Taihua complex: Episodic magmatism of the southwestern Trans-North China Orogen

• Three TTG and granitoid plutons in the Luoning terrane formed between 2.85 and 2.00 Ga.
• These plutons were derived from partial melting of thickened lower crust.
• Episodic magmatism records the evolved lower crust in the Palaeoproterozoic.

The Taihua metamorphic complex exposes in the southern Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) and records at least three episodes of magmatism. The Shanxian TTG gneisses obtained at 2.54–2.48 Ga have high SiO2, variable Mg# with high (La/Yb)N and Sr/Y ratios (15.08–93.26 with average of 37.31 and 7.33–115.05 with average of 49.59, respectively). They show negative Nb and Ta but positive Zr and Hf anomalies with low Nb/Ta and Gd/Yb, and high Zr/Hf and Zr/Sm ratios (4.97–18.8, 1.92–6.37, 23.71–50.26, and 29.18–75.23, respectively), and have positive εHf (t) values (+1.7 to +7.9) and εNd(t) values (+0.72 to +2.55), indicating that they were possibly produced by partial melting of lower crust derived from metasomatized lithospheric mantle with the residue of minor garnet. The Sihe granitic gneisses recorded at 2.35–2.30 Ga are enriched in silica, Al2O3 contents (13.59–15.33), K2O/Na2O ratios (1.13–1.7), defined as high-Al TTG. They exhibit high Sr/Y, Zr/Sm and Zr/Hf ratios and low Nb/Ta and Gd/Yb ratios (44.71–83.09, 47.79–62.58, 36.05–37.43, 12.04–16.36, and 2.95–3.68, respectively) with negative Eu anomaly. Combined with Hf and Nd isotopes (−2.5 to +4.7 and −0.74 to +0.36), the Sihe granitic gneiss was possibly generated from partial melting of lower crust with minor ancient material contributions, leaving residual amphibole and minor garnet in the source. The Muce monzonitic gneisses emplaced at 2.17–2.16 Ga have high Mg#, Ni and Cr contents, constant Sr/Y and (La/Yb)N (42.39–50.33, 19.8–41.4, 33.6–74.2, 31.32–34.14, and 15.32–16.7, respectively), with relatively low and constant Dy/Yb ratio (1.82–1.85). Together with Hf and Nd isotopes (−6.5 to −0.9 and −2.07 to −2.86), the Muce monzonitic gneisses might be derived from partial melting of Neoarchean pre-existing crustal materials, possibly in an arc setting. It is therefore found that four episodes of crustal growth and/or reworking in the southern segment of the TNCO have occurred at 2.85–2.72 Ga, 2.57–2.48 Ga, 2.35–2.30 Ga and 2.2–2.0 Ga, respectively, likely to connect with the subduction–collision between the Eastern and Western Blocks along the TNCO in the North China Craton.