Granitic Magmatism in Eastern Tethys Domain (Western China) and their Geodynamic Implications
Authors: LAI Shaocong , ZHU Renzhi , QIN Jiangfeng , ZHAO Shaowei , ZHU Yu 
Published: February 2022

AbstractWestern China locates in the eastern section of the Tethys domain, granitic rocks in this region with variable formation ages and geochemistry record key information about the crust‐mantle structure and thermal evolution during the convergent process of Tethys. In this study, we focus on some crucial granitic magmatism in the western Yangtze, Qinling orogen, and western Sanjiang tectonic belt, where magma sequence in the convergent orogenic belt can provide important information about the crust‐mantle structure, thermal condition and melting regime that related to the evolution processes from Pre‐ to Neo‐Tethys. At first, we show some features of Pre‐Tethyan magmatism, such as Neoproterozoic magmatism (ca. 870–740 Ma) in the western margin of the Yangtze Block were induced by the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. The complication of voluminous Neoproterozoic igneous rocks indicated that the western Yangtze Block underwent the thermodynamic evolution from hot mantle‐cold crust stage (ca. 870–850 Ma) to hot mantle and crust stage (ca. 850–740 Ma). The Neoproterozoic mantle sources beneath the western Yangtze Block were progressively metasomatized by subduction‐related compositions from slab fluids (initial at ca. 870 Ma), sediment melts (initial at ca. 850 Ma), to oceanic slab melts (initial at ca. 825–820 Ma) during the persistent subduction process. Secondly, the early Paleozoic magmatism can be well related to three distinctive stages (variable interaction of mantle‐crust to crustal melting to variable sources) from an Andeans‐type continental margin to collision to extension in response to the evolution of Proto‐Tethys and final assembly of Gondwana continent. Thirdly, the Paleo‐Tethys magmatism, Triassic granites in the Qinling orogenic display identical formation ages and Lu‐Hf isotopic compositions with the related mafic enclaves, indicate a coeval melting event of lower continental crust and mantle lithosphere in the Triassic convergent process and a continued hot mantle and crust thermal condition through the interaction of subducted continental crust and upwelling asthenosphere. Finally, the Meso‐ and Neo‐Tethyan magmatism: Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tengchong Block are well responding to the subduction and closure of Bangong‐Nujiang Meso‐Tethys, recycled sediments metasomatized mantle by subduction since 130 Ma and subsequently upwelling asthenosphere since ca. 122 Ma that causes melting of heterogeneous continental crust until the final convergence, this process well recorded the changing thermal condition from hot mantle‐cold crust to hot mantle and crust; The Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic magmatism well recorded the processes from Neo‐Tethyan ocean slab flat subduction, steep subduction, to initial collision of India‐Asia, it resulted in a series of continental arc magmatism with enriched mantle to crustal materials at Late Cretaceous, increasing depleted and/or juvenile materials at the beginning of early Cenozoic, and increasing evolved crustal materials in the final stage, implying a continued hot mantle and crust condition during that time. Then we can better understand the magmatic processes and variable melting from the mantle to crust during the evolution of Tethys, from Pre‐, Paleo‐, Meso‐, to Neo‐, both they show notably intensive interaction of crust‐mantle and extensive melting of the heterogeneous continent during the final closure of Tethys and convergence of blocks, and thermal perturbation by a dynamic process in the depth could be the first mechanism to control the thermal condition of mantle and crust and associated composition of magmatism.