Geochronological and geochemical constrains on petrogenesis of the Huangyangshan A-type granite from the East Junggar, Xinjiang, NW China

The Huangyangshan pluton occurs in the Kalamaili region which is situated in the central part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, East Junggar, Xinjiang (NW China). The granitoid rocks are composed of medium-grained biotite (richterite, arfvedsonite) alkali-feldspar granite, fine grained arfvedsonite alkali-feldspar granite and microgranular enclaves. The granites have a pronounced A-type affinity: they are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous and calc-alkaline to alkaline in composition with high concentrations of Na2O + K2O varying from 8.4 to 9.2 wt.%, high FeOt/MgO and 10,000 Ga/Al ratios, low abundances of CaO, MgO and TiO2, enrichment in some LILEs (such as Rb and Th) and HFSEs (such as Zr, Y and REEs except Eu), depletion in Sr and Ba. Moreover, they display characteristic tetrad REE patterns and non-CHARAC trace element behavior, which is well demonstrated in highly differentiated rocks with strong hydrothermal interaction. The U–Pb zircon LA-ICP-MS ages of the host rocks and enclaves are 311 ± 5 Ma and 300 ± 6 Ma, respectively. The similar of these two ages suggests that host rocks and enclaves formed at a same time. Furthermore, the time span closely corresponds to known ages of post-collisional A-type granitoids of the Junggar terrane. Geochemical, geochronological and isotopic data (εNd(T) in the range +5.2 to +6.6 and ISr mostly in the range 0.7031–0.7041) suggest that the Huangyangshan intrusions, and the enclaves are of mixed origin and are most probably formed by the interaction between the lower crust- and mantle-derived magmas in the Late Carboniferous post-collisional tectonic setting (A2 type granite). The magma for the Huangyangshan granites was derived by partial melting of an enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) that was modified by slab-derived components from an earlier subduction event, this melting resulted from heat supplied from the asthenosphere through an opening created during the break-off of an oceanic slab. This further proves the important contribution of the Late Paleozoic granitic magmatism in terms of vertical crustal growth in northern Xinjiang.

Research highlights
► Geochronological data from the Huangyangshan pluton in East Junggar is presented.
► The age data provide constraints on magma mixing in the post-collisional period.
► The granites have a pronounced A-type affinity (A2 type granite).
► A model of partial melting of an lithospheric mantle with slab-break off.