Precambrian rocks are necessary to understand the tectonic and crustal evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, especially the tectonic affinities of embedded microcontinents. We conducted a combined analysis of whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology, and Hf isotope on the Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks from the Zhusileng-Hangwula Belt of the northern Alxa area to investigate its tectonic affinity. The zircon ages show that the gneissic granites, metagabbro, and amphibolite formed at 1,433-1,424 Ma, 1,383, and 1,373 Ma, respectively. Furthermore, zircon xenocrysts from the rhyolite in the Zhusileng area exhibit a 206 Pb/ 238 U ages cluster at about 1.4 Ga. Geochemically, the gneissic granites are high-potassium calc-alkaline granitoids and exhibit light rare earth element-enriched pattern, pronounced significant negative Eu anomalies, negative Nb-Ta anomalies, positive ε Hf (t) values (3.2-11.3), and young two-stage model ages (2.21-1.46 Ga), indicating that they were derived from a magma source of rapid reworking of juvenile mantle-derived materials with a limited ancient crustal contamination. The FeO T , CaOm and MgO contents of mategabbros and amphibolite are high, but their total rare earth elements are relatively low . They are characterized by relatively positive zircon ε Hf (t) values (5.3-11.0), and very young twostage model ages (1.98-1.49 Ga), indicating that they were generated from the depleted mantle. Our geochemical data suggest that these Mesoproterozoic rocks in the Zhusileng-Hangwula Belt are consistent with the formation period and tectonic environment of juvenile basement rocks from the Central Tianshan Arc and southern Beishan Orogenic Belt, whereas a Mesoproterozoic correlation with the Tarim Craton is highly unlikely. Thus, we believe that the Zhusileng-Hangwula Belt has an analogous tectonic evolution and a close affinity with the Central Tianshan Arc and southern Beishan Orogenic Belt during the Mesoproterozoic.
