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Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Geochronology and Provenance of the Hebukesaier Formation in the Shaerbuerti Mountains, Northern West Junggar: Implication for Devonian Subduction of the Junggar–Balkhash Ocean
Author(s) -
LIANG Hao,
CHEN Jiafu,
MA Xu,
YANG Hongzhang,
XIN Mingyang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta geologica sinica ‐ english edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1755-6724
pISSN - 1000-9515
DOI - 10.1111/1755-6724.14327
Subject(s) - zircon , geology , devonian , provenance , geochronology , late devonian extinction , paleozoic , paleontology , subduction , geochemistry , ordovician , tectonics , carboniferous , structural basin
Limited Devonian magmatic record in northern West Junggar leads to contrasting models on its tectonic evolution. In this study, we conducted LA‐ICP‐MS U‐Pb dating on detrital zircons of two sandstones from the Hebukesaier Formation in the Shaerbuerti Mountains. Detrital zircons with oscillatory zoning are characterized by high Th/U (> 0.3) and low La/Yb (< 0.15), indicating their magmatic origin. The youngest zircon ages of two samples are 402 ± 2 Ma and 406 ± 2 Ma, respectively, suggesting that the Hebukesaier Formation was deposited at the Early Devonian. Detrital zircon age patterns show single peaks (at ca. 424 Ma, n = 157), which indicates that these clastics were likely proximal accumulation after short distance transportation. Provenance of the Hebukesaier Formation was the Xiemisitai and Shaerbuerti Mountains. Detrital zircon ages range from 481 Ma to 395 Ma, which indicates that there was relatively continuous Early Paleozoic magmatism in the Xiemisitai and Shaerbuerti Mountains since the Early Ordovician. Age spectrums of sampled detrital zircons are distinct from those of Lower Devonian strata either in southern West Junggar or in East Junggar, which implies for individual tectonic evolution of northern West Junggar. We favor that Lower Devonian Hebukesaier Formation was developed in a fore–arc setting due to the northward subduction of the Junggar–Balkhash Ocean.