Genesis of Neoproterozoic Amphibolite in Diancangshan, West Yunnan: Evidence from Zircon U-Pb Age and Whole-Rock Geochemistry

The current research on Neoproterozoic magmatism on the southwestern Yangtze Block is still weak, which restricts the complete understanding of the Neoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the South China Plate. Detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological and whole-rock geochemical analyses of amphibolite in the Diancangshan area in western Yunnan were carried out in this study. The amphibolite samples can be divided into two groups based on their Nb/La ratios. Group 1 has Nb/La ratios of 0.75-0.76, greater than 0.5, resembling those of Nb-enriched basalt, while Group 2 has Nb/La ratios of 0.20-0.21, and shows obvious negative Nb and Ta anomalies, and thus are similar to those of arc basalt. The group 1 samples have SiO2 contents of 52.4%-52.6%, MgO of 4.1%-4.2%, FeOt of 8.7%-8.8%, and Mg# of 53. The group 2 samples are characterized by lower SiO2 contents (47.4%-47.5%), and higher MgO (5.4%-5.5%), FeOt (9.8%-9.9%) contents, and Mg# (57). Both of the two group samples show slightly high degree of fractionation. The group 1 samples have (La/Yb)cn ratios of 3.0-3.2, and (Gd/Yb)cn ratios of 1.42-1.51, and show negative Eu anomalies (δEu =0.75-0.76). The group 2 samples have (La/Yb)cn ratios of 14.0-14.3, and (Gd/Yb)cn ratios of 1.85-1.93, and show unobvious Eu anomalies (δEu =0.99-1.13). LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results show that two representative amphibolite samples yield ages of 764±6 Ma and 779±9 Ma, suggesting that there is mafic magmatic activity in the Diancangshan area during the Neoproterozoic. Integrated with regional data, the amphibolite was likely to be produced in a back-arc basin which was caused by oceanic crustal subduction along the southwestern Yangtze Block in the Neoproterozoic. © 2021, Editorial Department of Earth Science. All right reserved.