Remagnetization of the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic limestones in the western Lhasa Terrane and its tectonic implications

Abstract

Summary The drift history of the Lhasa terrane plays an essential role in understanding the tectonic evolution of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan Ocean and the Neo-Tethyan Ocean, as well as the evolutionary history of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, a combined rock magnetic, petrographic, and palaeomagnetic study is performed on the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic limestones (∼259–251 Ma) in the western Lhasa terrane. The site-mean direction for the 28 sites is Dg = 32.1°, Ig = 50.3°, kg = 47.9, and α95 = 4.0° in situ and Ds = 342.9°, Is = 32.7°, ks = 43.2, and α95 = 4.2° after tilt-correction, yielding a palaeopole at 68.9° N, 314.4° E with A95 = 4.3°, corresponding to a palaeolatitude of 18.0° ± 4.3° N. The fold tests are not significant because the sampling section shows monoclinic features with minor variations in their bedding attitudes. The palaeopoles for the directions before and after tilt-correction are compared with reliable Late Permian–Palaeogene palaeopoles obtained from the Lhasa terrane. Based on these comparisons, the studied limestones were remagnetized prior to tilting and this remagnetization most likely occurred during the Early Cretaceous. The depositional environment of the limestones may have changed from anoxic to suboxic and oxic during the Early Cretaceous, leading to the oxidation of iron sulphide to authigenic magnetite. Meanwhile, the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous convergence between the western Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes may have resulted in tectonic fluid migration and the formation of calcite veins and stylolites in the limestones. This is supported by the presence of small calcite veins and stylolites in some samples, as well as the fact that the framboidal oxides were formerly sulphides (mostly pyrite), implying that the majority of the iron oxides observed in the limestones were authigenic. These processes indicate that chemical remanent magnetization caused by the growth of magnetic minerals related to tectonic fluid migration was most likely the mechanism for the limestone remagnetization.