Derivation of Mesozoic adakitic magmas from ancient lower crust in the North China craton

Three Mesozoic plutons were intruded into the Archean granulite terrains in northern margin of the North China craton adjacent to the granulite xenolith-bearing Tertiary Hannuoba basalts. They are Triassic Guzuizi and Honghualiang granites and Early Cretaceous Zhuanzhilian diorite. Rocks of the three intrusions are characterized by high Sr (576–1216 ppm) and Na2O (⩾4.0%), low Y (⩽18 ppm) and heavy rare-earth elements (Yb < 1.8 ppm). These features are similar to modern adakites (siliceous rocks with high sodium, aluminum and strontium and low heavy rare-earth element and yttrium contents) from island arcs and Archean high-Al tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG). However, they are distinctly potassium-rich and their evolved strontium, neodymium, and hafnium isotopic compositions and inherited zircon ages coincide with those of the Archean granulites and the Hannuoba granulite xenoliths. Such features cannot readily be explained with previous models of the origin of adakites and TTGs. We propose that these adakitic rocks are formed by partial melting of ancient lower crust, and that the restites are represented by some of the Hannuoba granulite xenoliths; we further argue that this could be one major mechanism to generate voluminous Mesozoic adakitic magmas in the eastern North China craton. Our hypothesis can also explain the discrepancies in ages and compositions between the granulite terrains and xenoliths, and implies that crustal anatexis may be one of the major processes controlling the chemical differentiation of the continental crust.