Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the North Qinling orogenic belt: Evidence from geochemistry, phase equilibrium modeling and geochronology of metamorphosed mafic rocks from the Songshugou ophiolite

• High pressure metamorphic rocks from the north part of the Songshugou ophiolite
• Peak metamorphic P–T conditions estimated as 750–850 °C and 15–19 kbar
• Emplacement time of ophiolite constrained as 515 ± 12 Ma
• HP metamorphism related to northward subduction of Shangdan oceanic crust

The Shangdan suture zone (SSZ) is the main collisional boundary between the North China Craton and the South China Craton, along which discontinuous Paleozoic ophiolites and subduction–accretion related volcanic arc assemblages occur. Here we report the petrology, geochemistry, geochronology and phase equilibria modeling of garnet amphibolite from the Songshugou ophiolite which is one of the largest ophiolite outcrops in the northern side of the SSZ. From petrological studies, we identify: (1) prograde stage, defined by garnet + clinopyroxene + calcic amphibole + ilmenite + rutile + epidote + plagioclase + quartz; (2) peak stage with garnet + clinopyroxene + ilmenite + rutile + quartz; and (3) retrograde stage with amphibole + plagioclase + titanite + ilmenite. Our pseudosection analysis defines stability of the peak assemblage at 750–850 °C, 15–19 kbar and traces a clockwise P–T path in the system Na2O–CaO–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–Fe2O3 (NCFMASHTO), suggesting high pressure (HP) metamorphism. Subsequently, the rocks experienced rapid decompression and cooling. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analyses of zircons from the garnet amphibolite yield a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 515 ± 12 Ma. This Early Paleozoic metamorphic age represents the emplacement time of the Songshugou ophiolite, and suggests that the HP metamorphism is possibly related to the northward deep subduction of the Shangdan oceanic crust in Early Paleozoic.

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