Precambrian tectonothermal evolution of South Qinling and its affinity to the Yangtze Block: Evidence from zircon ages and Hf-Nd isotopic compositions of basement rocks

• Orthogneisses of the South Qinling basement record granitic magmatism of ∼2.5 Ga.
• High-grade metamorphism of ∼0.8 Ga is traced in zircon rim domains of paragneisses.
• Divergence in crustal growth and thermal overprint between South Qinling and the Archean Kongling terrene.

South Qinling is a tectonic block in the Mesozoic Qinling orogenic belt, central China, which is generally believed to have had tight affinity with the Yangtze Block during Precambrian times. In recent years, it has been recognized that the South Qinling Block hosts several Precambrian basement complexes. Here we report U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic data for zircons and Sr-Nd isotopic data for whole-rocks of the Douling complex, the oldest rock unit exposed in South Qinling, to reveal the early evolution of this basement. The Douling complex mainly consists of paragneisses and granitic orthogneisses. Zircons of magmatic origin from three orthogneiss samples give U-Pb ages of c. 2.5 Ga, suggesting an early Paleoproterozoic magmatic activity. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions imply the growth of juvenile crust since c. 3.0 Ga. The magmatic activity at c. 2.5 Ga points to differences in the Precambrian history between South Qinling and the Archean Kongling terrene, the oldest basement of the Yangtze Block. Three paragneiss samples contain complex detrital zircons of different ages and origins. Their U-Pb ages mainly cluster around 2.5 Ga, 2.0 Ga, 1.5 Ga and 800 Ma. Zircon grains with ages of 2.0 Ga and 800 Ma have low Th/U ratios and no oscillatory zoning, implying two episodes of metamorphic overprint. Such Paleoproterozoic metamorphic event has also been traced in the Yangtze Block, confirming its close relationship with South Qinling. The record of Neoproterozoic amphibolite-facies metamorphism in detrital zircons suggest that the tectonic transition from convergent to extensional environments in the Yangtze Block must have occurred later than 800 Ma ago.