Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau

The Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau preserves well-developed Late Triassic flysch sequences, making it an ideal region for investigating the provenance and tectonic evolution of the basin. This study aimed to constrain the provenance and tectonic setting of the basin by analy...

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Main Authors: Hong-Xu Mu, Dan-Ping Yan, Liang Qiu, Ruo-Yan Kong, Ling-Xiao Gong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: X
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590056025000052
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author Hong-Xu Mu
Dan-Ping Yan
Liang Qiu
Ruo-Yan Kong
Ling-Xiao Gong
author_facet Hong-Xu Mu
Dan-Ping Yan
Liang Qiu
Ruo-Yan Kong
Ling-Xiao Gong
author_sort Hong-Xu Mu
collection DOAJ
description The Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau preserves well-developed Late Triassic flysch sequences, making it an ideal region for investigating the provenance and tectonic evolution of the basin. This study aimed to constrain the provenance and tectonic setting of the basin by analyzing whole-rock geochemistry and detrital zircon U-Pb ages from Late Triassic flysch sediments. The flysch sequences show low SiO2 (average 51.16 wt%), Al2O3 (average 9.85 wt%) and Fe2O3T + MgO (average 6.56 wt%) values, and K2O/Na2O (average 2.71) ratios, along with high SiO2/Al2O3 ratios (averaging 6.99), suggesting a continental arc setting. They also exhibit moderate chemical weathering (CIA: 60.32–83.72) and high component variability (0.9–2.34, average 1.61), revealing a moderately weathered source. Tectonic discrimination diagrams based on La-Sc-Th and Th-Sc-Zr/10 ratios suggest a continental arc setting. U-Pb ages of detrital zircons mainly range from 222 to 300 Ma and 450 to 520 Ma, reflecting the time of the emplacement of Paleozoic to Late Triassic plutons in the Qinling orogenic belt and Kunlun arc. Minor age peaks (720–850 Ma, 950–1300 Ma and 1400–2400 Ma) suggest subordinate contribution from the northern and western margins of the Yangtze Block. Cumulative proportion curves of zircon U-Pb ages for lower formations exhibit a steep accumulation trend, suggesting a convergent tectonic setting. In contrast, upper formations display a relatively flat accumulation curve, indicative of a collisional environment. This shift in curve characteristics suggests that the sedimentary environment evolved from convergent to collisional settings among the North China, South China, and Qiangtang blocks.
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spelling doaj-art-6113edde3b1c42a48ada994de74ed87f2025-08-20T03:47:02ZengElsevierJournal of Asian Earth Sciences: X2590-05602025-06-011310019410.1016/j.jaesx.2025.100194Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan PlateauHong-Xu Mu0Dan-Ping Yan1Liang Qiu2Ruo-Yan Kong3Ling-Xiao Gong4The State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; National Key Laboratory of Uranium Resource Exploration-Mining and Nuclear Remote Sensing, Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology, Beijing 100029, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; Corresponding author.The State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, ChinaJiangxi Geological Survey and Exploration Institute, Nanchang 330030 Jiangxi, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyThe Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau preserves well-developed Late Triassic flysch sequences, making it an ideal region for investigating the provenance and tectonic evolution of the basin. This study aimed to constrain the provenance and tectonic setting of the basin by analyzing whole-rock geochemistry and detrital zircon U-Pb ages from Late Triassic flysch sediments. The flysch sequences show low SiO2 (average 51.16 wt%), Al2O3 (average 9.85 wt%) and Fe2O3T + MgO (average 6.56 wt%) values, and K2O/Na2O (average 2.71) ratios, along with high SiO2/Al2O3 ratios (averaging 6.99), suggesting a continental arc setting. They also exhibit moderate chemical weathering (CIA: 60.32–83.72) and high component variability (0.9–2.34, average 1.61), revealing a moderately weathered source. Tectonic discrimination diagrams based on La-Sc-Th and Th-Sc-Zr/10 ratios suggest a continental arc setting. U-Pb ages of detrital zircons mainly range from 222 to 300 Ma and 450 to 520 Ma, reflecting the time of the emplacement of Paleozoic to Late Triassic plutons in the Qinling orogenic belt and Kunlun arc. Minor age peaks (720–850 Ma, 950–1300 Ma and 1400–2400 Ma) suggest subordinate contribution from the northern and western margins of the Yangtze Block. Cumulative proportion curves of zircon U-Pb ages for lower formations exhibit a steep accumulation trend, suggesting a convergent tectonic setting. In contrast, upper formations display a relatively flat accumulation curve, indicative of a collisional environment. This shift in curve characteristics suggests that the sedimentary environment evolved from convergent to collisional settings among the North China, South China, and Qiangtang blocks.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590056025000052Detrital zircon geochronologyWhole-rock geochemistryFlyschSongpan-Ganzi BasinLate Triassic
spellingShingle Hong-Xu Mu
Dan-Ping Yan
Liang Qiu
Ruo-Yan Kong
Ling-Xiao Gong
Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: X
Detrital zircon geochronology
Whole-rock geochemistry
Flysch
Songpan-Ganzi Basin
Late Triassic
title Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
title_full Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
title_fullStr Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
title_full_unstemmed Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
title_short Fate of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi Basin in the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Geochemical and geochronological constraints in the NE Tibetan Plateau
title_sort fate of the late triassic songpan ganzi basin in the eastern paleo tethys ocean geochemical and geochronological constraints in the ne tibetan plateau
topic Detrital zircon geochronology
Whole-rock geochemistry
Flysch
Songpan-Ganzi Basin
Late Triassic
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590056025000052
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