No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The results of Sm-Nd isotope geochemical investigations of the Paleozoic terrigenous sequences of the Oldoi terrane and U-Pb dating of detrital zircons by the LA-ICP-MS technique showed that the clas tic material was mainly derived from Late Precambrian granitoids and Early to Middle Paleozoic granitoids and volcanics, which were formed owing to the reworking of the Late Precambrian continental crust. During the Silurian, the main source of terrigenous material in the sedimentation basin was the erosion of Late Pre cambrian and Early Paleozoic granitoids. In the Devonian, provenances became more diverse, and the sedi mentation basin was additionally supplied by the decomposition products of Middle Paleozoic granitoids and silicic volcanics. The age ranges obtained for detrital zircons from the sandstones of the Middle-Late Devo nian Oldoi Formation and the Early Carboniferous Tipara Formation are almost identical to the stratigraphic ages of the formations, which indicates that terrigenous sedimentation in the Oldoi terrane had been accom panied, at least since the Middle Devonian, by vigorous magmatic activity and occurred in an environment of a mature island arc or an active continental margin.

The Chiron Basin extends along the southern periphery of the Siberian Craton and the western margin of the Mongol–Okhotsk Belt. Here, we present whole-rock geochemical data (major and trace elements and Sm–Nd isotopes) along with zircon U–Pb geochronology and Lu–Hf isotopic data from Paleozoic sedimentary rocks within the Chiron Basin to investigate their provenance and tectonic history. εNd(t) values of the siliciclastics rocks of the Khara–Shibir, Shazagaitui, and Zhipkhoshi formations vary from −17.8 to −6.6, with corresponding two-stage Nd model ages (tNd(C)) ranging from 2.56 to 1.65 Ga. Detrital zircon grains from these rocks are predominantly Archean, Paleoproterozoic, and Carboniferous–Devonian in age. The data suggest that the southern flank of the Siberian Craton is the only viable source area for Archean and Paleoproterozoic zircon grains with Hf model ages (tHf(C)) of >2.20 Ga. The majority of zircon grains from sandstones from the Khara–Shibir, Shazagaitui, and Zhipkhoshi formations are Devonian–Carboniferous in age. With respect to their Hf model ages, the zircon grains can be subdivided into two groups. The first group of Devonian–Carboniferous zircon grains is characterized by relatively old (mainly Paleoproterozoic) tHf(C) model ages of 2.25–1.70 Ga and the source was the southern margin of the Siberian Craton. The second group of Devonian–Carboniferous zircon grains is characterized by significantly younger (mainly Neoproterozoic) tHf(C) model ages of 1.35–0.36 Ga, which are consistent with a juvenile source, most likely eroded island arcs. Our data, show that sedimentary rocks of the Chiron Basin likely formed in a back-arc basin on the southern periphery of the Siberian Craton facing the Paleozoic Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean.