U–Pb detrital zircon geochronology and its implications: The early Late Triassic Yanchang Formation, south Ordos Basin, China

U–Pb detrital zircon geochronology has been used to identify provenance and document sediment delivery systems during the deposition of the early Late Triassic Yanchang Formation in the south Ordos Basin. Two outcrop samples of the Yanchang Formation were collected from the southern and southwestern basin margin respectively. U–Pb detrital zircon geochronology of 158 single grains (out of 258 analyzed grains) shows that there are six distinct age populations, 250–300 Ma, 320–380 Ma, 380–420 Ma, 420–500 Ma, 1.7–2.1 Ga, and 2.3–2.6 Ga. The majority of grains with the two oldest age populations are interpreted as recycled from previous sediments. Multiple sources match the Paleozoic age populations of 380–420 and 420–500 Ma, including the Qilian–Qaidam terranes and the North Qilian orogenic belt to the west, and the Qinling orogenic belt to the south. However, the fact that both samples do not have the Neoproterozoic age populations, which are ubiquitous in these above source areas, suggests that the Late Triassic Yanchang Formation in the south Ordos Basin was not derived from the Qilian–Qaidam terranes, the North Qilian orogenic belt, and the Qinling orogenic belt. Very similar age distribution between the Proterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and the early Late Triassic Yanchang Formation in the south Ordos Basin suggests that it was most likely recycled from previous sedimentary rocks from the North China block instead of sediments directly from two basin marginal deformation belts.

► U–Pb detrital zircon dating of two Yanchang Formation samples. ► Six age groups – 0.25–0.3, 0.32–0.38, 0.38–0.42, 0.42–0.5, 1.8–2.0, and 2.2–2.8 Ga. ► Two old age groups are recycled from previous sedimentary rocks. ► Most young sediments are directly derived from the North China block.