Geochronological and Geochemical study of Palaeoproterozoic gneissic granites and clinopyroxenite xenoliths from NW Fujian, SE China: Implications for the crustal evolution of the Cathaysia Block

U–Pb zircon dating of gneissic granite samples in northwestern Fujian Province, Southeast China, gave Neoarchean to Palaeoproterozoic ages (2.6–1.9 Ga) for the rounded zircon cores and Palaeoproterozoic upper intercept ages (1851 ± 21 Ma, 1857 ± 29 Ma, respectively) for zoned rims that have oscillatory growth zoning and yield εHf(t) values between −8.8 and +3.7 and TDM model ages between 2.1 and 2.6 Ga. These gneissic granites are peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.94–1.28), characterized by high SiO2 (68–72 wt.%), Al2O3 (14–15 wt.%) and low CaO, MgO, FeOt, TiO2 and P2O5 contents. They also possess relatively low REE contents and moderate LREE/HREE fractionation and display pronounced negative anomalies in Nb, Ta, Sr, P and Ti. All these features indicate that the precursor magmas were likely formed by partial melting of sedimentary rocks.Clinopyroxenite xenoliths with gneissosity structures are found in these gneissic granites and they have high MgO, Ni and Cr, but low contents of TiO2, and are characterized by high CaO/Al2O3 (4.1–5.3), low Al2O3/TiO2 ratios (8.7–9.5) and HREE depletion. These features are similar to the typical Al-depleted type komatiites. Their geochemical characteristics, such as high (Gd/Yb)N and low HREE, Y, Zr and Hf suggest partial melting of the upper mantle source with residual garnet. The negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies indicate a strong arc-related affinity.Our results and recently published data for granitic and mafic basement rocks in this region, reveal that 1.85 Ga was an important period for the evolution of the Cathaysia Block, possibly related to the Columbia supercontinent assembly. Large amount of granitic magma was emplaced, probably as a result of partial melting of old Neoarchean to Palaeoproterozoic materials.

Research highlights
► ∼1.85 Ga granitic magmatism occurred in NW Fujian Province, Cathaysia Block.
► Clinopyroxenites from mantle lithosphere were carried by the magmatism as xenoliths.
► The magmatism may be caused by collisional events during the assembly of Columbia.