Interpretations of seismic, gravity and magnetic anomalies and structural data on the coastal zone of southern part of Central Viet Nam (SCVN) and the adjacent Tertiary basins suggest several phases in the tectonic evolution of the study region since the Late Cretaceous to Quaternary. In this paper, we try to clarify the tectonic evolution of SCVN and the adjacent continental margin. The Cretaceous -Paleocene tectonic phase commenced after cessation of the West Pacific plutonic magmatic activity that produced numerous diabases and aplite dykes of mainly submeridian orientation. It was characterized by N-S compression and E-W extension. The geomorphology and geology of SE Asia were considerably changed during the Neotectonic phases caused by collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasian continent. Two tectonic phases -Early and Late Neotectonic -are separated by a regional unconformity represented by a boundary surface between below strongly deformed strata (synrift) and above less deformed formations (post-rift). The Early Neotectonic phase was related to the left-lateral movement of the Red River Fault Zone (RRFZ) and includes two tectonic sub-phases: Eocene -Oligocene (NW-SE compression), and Oligocene -Miocene (E-W compression). Activity in the Oligocene-Miocene sub-phase gave birth to rift basins in the continental margin of the SCVN. The Late Neotectonic phase began since the RRFZ stopped left-lateral movement and the East Viet Nam (or South China) Sea stopped spreading. The Late Neotectonic phase is also divided into two tectonic sub-phases: Late Early Miocene (sub-meridian compression), and Late Miocene -Pliocene (NE-SW compression). The Late Miocene -Pliocene sub-phase is characterized by vertical movements that caused episodic uplifting of the onland terrains, and subsidence of the offshore Phu Khanh basin. Besides, Miocene -Pliocene-Quarternary basaltic eruptions were widespread all over the southern Indosinian terrain and the continental margin.

The whole rock K-Ar ages of basalts from the South China Sea basin vary from 3.8 to 7.9 Ma, which suggest that intra-plate volcanism after the cessation of spreading of the South China Sea (SCS) is comparable to that in adjacent regions around the SCS, i.e., Leiqiong Peninsula, northern margin of the SCS, Indochina block, and so on. Based on detailed petrographic studies, we selected many fresh basaltic rocks and measured their major element, trace element, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions. Geochemical characteristics of major element and trace element show that these basaltic rocks belong to alkali basalt magma series, and are similar to OIB-type basalt. The extent of partial melting of mantle rock in source region is very low, and magma may experience crystallization differentiation and cumulation during the ascent to or storing in the high-level magma chamber. Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data of these basaltic rocks imply an inhomogeneous mantle below the South China Sea. The nature of magma origin has a two end-member mixing model, one is EM2 (Enriched Mantle 2) which may be originated from mantle plume, the other is DMM (Depleted MORB Mantle). Pb isotopic characteristics show the Dupal anomaly in the South China Sea, and combined with newly found Dupal anomaly at Gakkel ridge in Arctic Ocean, this implies that Dupal anomaly is not only limited to South Hemisphere. In variation diagrams among Sr, Nd and Pb, the origin nature of mantle below the SCS is similar to those below Leiqiong peninsula, northern margin of the SCS and Indochina peninsula, and is different from those below north and northeast China. This study provides geochemical constraints on Hainan mantle plume.Cenozoic alkali basalt, Dupal anomaly, Hainan mantle plume, the South China Sea, geochemistry.

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