Phase equilibrium modelling and SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of medium-pressure pelitic granulites in the Helanshan complex of the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton, and their tectonic implications

The Helanshan complex in the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton (NCC) is characterized by the occurrence of both medium-pressure (MP) and high-pressure (HP) pelitic granulites. This paper presents new results from phase equilibrium modelling and SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating on the MP garnet-sillimanite granulites, in order to better understand the relationship between the MP and HP pelitic granulites, the tectonic implications of the MP pelitic granulites for the formation of the Khondalite Belt, and their geodynamic implications for the Paleoproterozoic orogenesis. Based on petrographic observations, the metamorphic evolution can be divided into four stages (M1-M4). The M1-M3 stages are suprasolidus as reflected by the migmatitic structure on the outcrop. The peak metamorphic stage (M1) is represented by the rim of garnet porphyroblasts along with inclusions of sillimanite + quartz ± biotite, and rutile relicts + plagioclase + K-feldspar in the matrix; the M2 is defined by the ilmenite that have partially replaced rutile; and the M3 is characterized by the replacement of garnet by cordierite. The subsolidus mineral assemblage is garnet + biotite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + sillimanite + cordierite + ilmenite + quartz (M4). Combined with the phase equilibrium modelling in the Na2O-CaO-K2O-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O-TiO2-O2 chemical system, the MP pelitic granulites record a clockwise P-T path, which is characterized by near-isothermal decompression (ITD) from ∼10.1 kbar at ∼830 °C to ∼5.8 kbar at ∼800 °C and subsequent close-to-isobaric cooling (IBC). SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating yielded a metamorphic age of 1931 ± 21 Ma, interpreted as the time of the retrograde cooling. Integrated with previously reported results, we propose that slab break-off subsequent to Yinshan-Ordos collision at ca. 1.95 Ga led to uplift of the MP and HP granulites in the Khondalite to the middle crustal level in an extensional regime as indicated by their ITD evolution, which was followed by slow cooling at ca. 1.93 Ga as evidenced by their nearly IBC evolution.