Archaean granitoids: an overview and significance from a tectonic perspective

Halla, Jaana; Whitehouse, Martin J.; Ahmad, Talat; Bagai, Zibisani

doi:10.1144/sp449.10

Cited by 65 publications

(27 citation statements)

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“…Recent metamorphic, geochemical, and thermal modeling studies endorse the onset of plate tectonics and associated accretionary orogens by 3.2–3.0 Ga [ Cawood et al ., ; Brown , ; Gerya , ; Hawkesworth et al ., ]. Collectively, the diversification of granitoids started globally at ~3.0 Ga, recording vigorous crust‐mantle interactions possibly within a mobile‐lid Earth system [ Halla et al ., ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sodic tonalite‐trondhjemite‐granodiorite (TTG) and potassic granitoid gneisses are major components of Archean continental crust and preserve valuable information about Early Precambrian planetary differentiation and continental growth [ Martin et al ., , ; Moyen , , Moyen and Martin , ; Condie , ; Laurent et al ., ; Halla et al ., ]. In this paper, we document a record of crustal evolution involving Neoarchean granitoid gneisses from Northern Liaoning Terrane (NLT) of northeastern North China Craton (NCC, Figure ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cyclic formation and stabilization of Archean lithosphere by accretionary orogenesis: Constraints from TTG and potassic granitoids, North China Craton

et al. 2017

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Accretionary orogens are major sites of modern continental growth, yet their role in the development of Archean continental crust remains enigmatic. Diverse granitoid suites from tonalite‐trondhjemite‐granodiorite (TTG) to potassic granitoids appeared during late Archean, representing a period of major continental formation and stabilization. In this study, whole‐rock geochemical and zircon U‐Pb and Lu‐Hf isotopic data are reported for Neoarchean granitoid gneisses from the Northern Liaoning Terrane, northeastern North China Craton (NCC). Older granitoid gneisses (~2592–2537 Ma) define three magmatic zones migrating from southeast to northwest, each showing a common magmatic evolution from high‐pressure TTGs to medium‐/low‐pressure TTGs and potassic granitoids. They have depleted zircon ƐHf(t) of +0.5 to +8.7. Younger ~2529–2503 Ma potassic granitoids and TTGs occur throughout the terrane, which are marked by variable zircon ƐHf(t) of −4.7 to +8.1, and are coeval with regional high‐grade metamorphism. Petrogenetic modeling and changing Sr/Y and (La/Yb)N of the granitoids suggest that the crust experienced episodic thickening and thinning and became progressively evolved through development of potassic granitoids and sedimentary successions. The metavolcanic basement to the granitoids display tholeiitic to calc‐alkaline affinities, together with the top‐to‐the‐northwest thrusting and associated volcanogenic massive sulfide‐type Cu‐Zn deposits, suggesting cyclic crustal formation of Northern Liaoning within an accretionary orogen with a SE‐dipping subduction polarity. Cyclic crustal thickening and thinning is related to tectonic switching from advancing to retreating relations between the downgoing and overriding plate. After ~2530 Ma, this accretionary system accreted to the ancient continental nucleus of NCC (Anshan‐Benxi Terrane), signifying final lithosphere stabilization.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cyclic formation and stabilization of Archean lithosphere by accretionary orogenesis: Constraints from TTG and potassic granitoids, North China Craton

et al. 2017

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“…The igneous rock record across the Archean-Proterozoic transition is characterized by dramatic changes in lithology and chemistry (Condie, 1989;Condie & O'Neill, 2010;Keller & Schoene, 2012;Keller & Schoene, 2018). The continental crust in the early Archean (>2Á8 Ga) was dominated by Na-rich tonalitetrondjhemite-granodiorite (TTG) suites (as well as less abundant ultramafic to mafic greenstone terranes), but underwent a transition to being characterized by a more K-rich granite-granodiorite series in the Neoarchean (2Á5-2Á8 Ga) and Proterozoic (Barker, 1979;Hill et al, 1992;Smithies & Champion, 2000;Champion & Smithies, 2001;Moyen 2003;Martin et al, 2009;Condie & O'Neill, 2010;Laurent et al, 2014;Halla et al, 2017;Joshi et al, 2017). Simultaneously, komatiites decreased in abundance in the volcanic rock record, being replaced by lower-MgO basalts typical of those erupted at the present day (Grove & Parman, 2004;Arndt et al, 2009;Condie & O'Neill, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strongly Peraluminous Granites across the Archean–Proterozoic Transition

Bucholz

Spencer

2019

Journal of Petrology

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Strongly peraluminous granites (SPGs) form through the partial melting of metasedimentary rocks and therefore represent archives of the influence of assimilation of sedimentary rocks on the petrology and chemistry of igneous rocks. With the aim of understanding how variations in sedimentary rock characteristics across the Archean–Proterozoic transition might have influenced the igneous rock record, we compiled and compared whole-rock chemistry, mineral chemistry, and isotope data from Archean and Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic SPGs. This time period was chosen as the Archean–Proterozoic transition broadly coincides with the stabilization of continents, the rise of subaerial weathering, and the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), all of which left an imprint on the sedimentary rock record. Our compilation of SPGs is founded on a detailed literature review of the regional geology, geochronology, and inferred origins of the SPGs, which suggest derivation from metasedimentary source material. Although Archean and Proterozoic SPGs are similar in terms of mineralogy or major-element composition owing to their compositions as near-minimum melts in the peraluminous haplogranite system, we discuss several features of their mineral and whole-rock chemistry. First, we review a previous analysis of Archean and Proterozoic SPGs biotite and whole-rock compositions indicating that Archean SPGs, on average, are more reduced than Proterozoic SPGs. This observation suggests that Proterozoic SPGs were derived from metasedimentary sources that on average had more oxidized bulk redox states relative to their Archean counterparts, which could reflect an increase in atmospheric O2 levels and more oxidized sedimentary source rocks after the GOE. Second, based on an analysis of Al2O3/TiO2 whole-rock ratios and zircon saturation temperatures, we conclude that Archean and Proterozoic SPGs formed through partial melting of metasedimentary rocks over a similar range of melting temperatures, with both ‘high-’ and ‘low-’temperature SPGs being observed across all ages. This observation suggests that the thermo-tectonic processes resulting in the heating and melting of metasedimentary rocks (e.g. crustal thickening or underplating of mafic magmas) occurred during generation of both the Archean and Proterozoic SPGs. Third, bulk-rock CaO/Na2O, Rb/Sr, and Rb/Ba ratios indicate that Archean and Proterozoic SPGs were derived from partial melting of both clay-rich (i.e. pelites) and clay-poor (i.e. greywackes) source regions that are locality specific, but not defined by age. This observation, although based on a relatively limited dataset, indicates that the source regions of Archean and Proterozoic SPGs were similar in terms of sediment maturity (i.e. clay component). Last, existing oxygen isotope data for quartz, zircon, and whole-rocks from Proterozoic SPGs show higher values than those of Archean SPGs, suggesting that bulk sedimentary 18O/16O ratios increased across the Archean–Proterozoic boundary. The existing geochemical datasets for Archean and Proterozoic SPGs, however, are limited in size and further work on these rocks is required. Future work must include detailed field studies, petrology, geochronology, and constraints on sedimentary source ages to fully interpret the chemistry of this uniquely useful suite of granites.

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“…Although both TTGs and sanukitoids in many cratons around the world are thought to have formed in subduction zone settings, the sanukitoids formed over a much shorter time period than the TTGs and concentrated in the late Archaean (Halla et al, ; Laurent et al, ), indicating that the formation of sanukitoids needs some special trigger (Heilimo et al, ). The lithospheric delamination of the lower crust or slab breakoff would be possible triggers for mantle upwelling, resulting in the melting of mantle wedge (Davies & von Blanckenburg, ; Heilimo et al, , Heilimo, Halla, Andersen, & Huhma, ; Halla et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zircon U–Pb ages and geochemistry of the late Archaean granitoids in the Zanhuang Complex: Records of an arc–continent collision event at the end of Archaean

Zhang

Wang

et al. 2019

Geological Journal

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The late Archaean witnessed a critical transition of the composition of the continental crust from predominantly sodic tonalite‐trondhjemite‐granodiorites (TTGs) to a combination of TTGs and increasing proportion of potassic calc‐alkaline granitoids. This shift is also well recorded in the Zanhuang Complex located in the central part of the North China Craton (NCC). In this work, we present a detailed geochemical study of these granitoids and subdivide them into four groups, that is, TTGs, sanukitoids, crustal‐sourced granitoids, and hybrid granitoids. The TTGs in the Zanhuang Complex may have formed at a longer and earlier period during ~2.7 to ~2.5 Ga as the first stage. They show typical TTG characteristics, such as high SiO2, Na2O, and Sr/Y and depletion of Nb, Ta, Ti, and HREE. The TTGs are interpreted to have formed in a subduction‐related environment. The other three groups of granitoids formed at a shorter and later stage. The sanukitoid sample shows high MgO and Mg# and other geochemical signatures of typical Archaean sanukitoid affinity, yielding a weighted mean zircon 207Pb/206Pb age of 2,517 ± 5 Ma as the crystallization age. The sanukitoid magma derived from partial melting of a hydrous mantle peridotite source metasomatized by slab‐derived melts or fluids. The crustal‐sourced granitoids, including a new sample (~2,510 Ma) in this work, the Jiandeng granite (~2,490 Ma), and the Huangcha/Wangjiazhuang granite (2,488 to 2,517 Ma) show signatures of a mainly crustal source such as high SiO2 and K2O, low MgO and Mg# values, and weakly peraluminous. The hybrid granitoids represented by the Haozhuang granitoid (2,511 to 2,528 Ma) are characterized by enrichment in both incompatible (LILE and LREE) and compatible (Mg, Ni, and Cr) elements and may have formed by mixing/contamination of multiple magmas or sources. The temporal and spatial distributions of these groups of granitoids indicate that the Zanhuang Complex experienced a subduction–collision event between the Fuping arc and the Eastern Block of the NCC at the end of Archaean.

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Archaean granitoids: an overview and significance from a tectonic perspective

Cited by 65 publications

References 49 publications

Cyclic formation and stabilization of Archean lithosphere by accretionary orogenesis: Constraints from TTG and potassic granitoids, North China Craton

Cyclic formation and stabilization of Archean lithosphere by accretionary orogenesis: Constraints from TTG and potassic granitoids, North China Craton

Strongly Peraluminous Granites across the Archean–Proterozoic Transition

Zircon U–Pb ages and geochemistry of the late Archaean granitoids in the Zanhuang Complex: Records of an arc–continent collision event at the end of Archaean

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