Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125

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Across-arc geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic variations of mafic

intrusive rocks at the southern Central Qilian block, China
Lu Tao a, Hongfei Zhang a,⁎, Zhong Gao a, He Yang b, Liqi Zhang a, Liang Guo a, Fabin Pan a
a
State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources and School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
b
Xinjiang Research Center for Mineral Resources, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The cause of across-arc geochemical and isotopic variations above subduction zone is still controversial. The re-
Received 22 April 2017 searches on petrogenesis of arc-type mafic intrusive rocks may give important insights into the cause of the var-
Received in revised form 4 March 2018 iations. Here we undertakes an integrated study of U–Pb zircon dating, geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic
Accepted 5 March 2018
compositions for the rear-arc (Keqianyakou and Jinyuan plutons) and arc-front mafic intrusive rocks
Available online 12 April 2018
(Liushendong and Yishenchun plutons) in the southern Central Qilian block. These mafic rocks have magma crys-
Handling Editor: I. Safonova tallization ages of 454–465 Ma. Their evolved Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions and relatively low Ba/Th, Sr/Th
and high La/Sm ratios indicate that they were derived from mantle sources modified by slab sediment melt. Com-
Keywords: pared to the rear-arc mafic rocks ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7046–0.7054, εNd(t) = +0.8 to +2.4 and εHf(t) = +8.4 to
Arc magmatism +11.9), the arc-front mafic rocks are more enriched in strongly incompatible elements and have more evolved
Across-arc variation Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7092–0.7116, εNd(t) = −4.3 to −5.4 and εHf(t) = −1.2 to
Lithospheric processes −0.1). Sr–Nd and Nd–Hf two-endmember (depleted mantle and slab sediment melt) mixing models reveal
Proto-Tethys Ocean that ~0.7% slab sediment melt was incorporated into the magma sources of the mafic rocks in the rear arc,
Qilian block
while up to 4.5% was incorporated into those in the arc front. This difference probably reflects release of hydrous
fluid from the slab, which contributed to fluid-fluxed melting of the slab sediment. In response to the decreasing
involvement of slab sediment melt with depth, degree of partial melting (F) of the modified mantle decreases
across the arc (i.e. F = 9% in the arc front and F = 5% in the rear arc). The results indicate that the extent of
slab sediment melting and the degree of partial melting of the mantle wedge can account for the across-arc geo-
chemical and isotopic variations of arc-type mafic rocks. We thus suggest that the northward subduction of the
South Qilian (North Qaidam–West Qinling) Ocean (a branch of the Proto-Tethys Ocean) is responsible for the
Early Paleozoic arc-type mafic magmatism at the southern Central Qilian block.
© 2018 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction ratios, represented by 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and 206Pb/204Pb (Elburg

Arc magmatism has attracted great attention due to its significant
contribution to continental crustal growth (Chu et al., 2006;
Hawkesworth and Kemp, 2006; Lee et al., 2007) and to subducted slab
material recycling (Pearce and Peate, 1995; Plank and Langmuir, 1993;
Tatsumi, 2005). The ubiquitous overprinting of the slab signature in
arc magmas arouses controversial topics on how the slab components
contribute to magmatism and what causes result in spatial geochemical
and isotopic variations for arc magmas (i.e. across arc, along arc, within
segments of the arc and even within a single volcano) (Elburg et al.,
2005; Martynov et al., 2010; Patino et al., 2000; Rychert et al., 2008;
Sendjaja et al., 2009). The systematic variations in fluid-mobile ele-
ments (e.g. Ba, Pb and Sr) and their related elemental ratios
(Hochstaedter et al., 2001; Patino et al., 2000), radioactive isotopic
⁎ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: hfzhang@cug.edu.cn. (H. Zhang).
et al., 2005; Martynov et al., 2010), elements and isotopes enriched in
sediment/oceanic crust (such as 10Be and B) (Ishikawa and Tera, 1997;
Leeman et al., 1994) and stable isotopic fractionation like δ7Li and δ11B
(Ishikawa and Nakamura, 1994; Moriguti and Nakamura, 1998) all
have received great attention and have served as significant petroge-
netic indicators.
Many studies have discussed the causes of geochemical and isotopic
variations of arc magmas in space. Generally, the along-arc variations
are attributed to discrepancies in (1) subducted components (Elburg
et al., 2005; Peate and Pearce, 1998) and/or mantle source composition
(Peate and Pearce, 1998); (2) subducted slab geometry (Patino et al.,
2000) and/or physical conditions (Leeman et al., 1994); (3) thermal
structure of the overriding wedge (Rychert et al., 2008) and (4) crustal
contamination (Hildreth and Moorbath, 1988). For the across-arc varia-
tions, two prevalent but opposite phenomena have been reported.
Firstly, incompatible elemental contents, 87Sr/86Sr and 207Pb/204Pb ra-
tios increase and 143Nd/144Nd ratios decrease from the arc front (AF)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2018.03.014
1342-937X/© 2018 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125
to the rear arc (RA) (Sendjaja et al., 2009; Whitford et al., 1979). This
phenomenon was interpreted as increasing involvement of slab fluids
or melts (Whitford et al., 1979), and/or decreasing degree of partial
melting of metasomatized mantle wedge with depth (Sendjaja et al.,
2009; Whitford et al., 1979), and/or heterogeneity of mantle wedge
(Whitford et al., 1979), and/or discrepancy in fluid composition
(Sendjaja et al., 2009). Secondly, δ7Li, δ11B, 207Pb/204Pb and 87Sr/86Sr ra-
tios decrease, whereas 143Nd/144Nd ratio increases with increasing
depth (Ishikawa and Nakamura, 1994; Moriguti and Nakamura, 1998;
Shibata and Nakamura, 1997). This was attributed to continuously de-
creasing involvement of subducted components with increasing
depth. In addition, other complex situations have also been reported
(e.g. Martynov et al., 2010; Tatsumi et al., 1992). Although widespread
attention has been drawn to the spatial variations of the modern arcs,
spatial variations in paleo-subduction zones are rarely identified due
to the lack of knowledge of the slab geometry and of the precise compo-
sitions of subducted slab and mantle wedge.
As mentioned above, the causes of across-arc variations are diverse
and complex. Among them, the differences in slab fluid/melt flux rate
and the extent of mantle wedge partial melting are ubiquitous across
the arcs. Generally, higher fluid/melt flux rate would lead to higher par-
tial melting extent of the mantle wedge. Higher proportion of fluid/melt
incorporated into the mantle source could enhance the overprinting of
the slab signature in the resultant magma, while higher partial melting
extent has an opposing effect. Thereby, in order to evaluate which role
dominates the process, quantitative geochemical models need to be
set up. For partial melting in an open system, the arc basalt simulator
(ABS) model has been proposed by Sendjaja et al. (2009). As for in a
closed system, Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions of arc-type mafic rocks
can be employed to constrain the incorporated proportion of slab mate-
rial, and incompatible element compositions may be used to estimate
the partial melting extent of the mantle wedge.
The Hualong–Lajishan area, as a segment of the Early Paleozoic
tectono-magmatic belt in the southern Central Qilian block, NW China
(Fig. 1), witnessed the northward subduction of the South Qilian
(North Qaidam–West Qinling) Ocean (Fu et al., 2014; Wang et al.,
2016; Zhang et al., 2014). Recently, it has drawn great attention due to
the discovery of several magmatic Cu–Ni–(PGE) sulfide deposits in
small mafic-ultramafic intrusions (Zhang et al., 2014). The mafic-ultra-
mafic intrusive rocks, along with the coeval intermediate-acid intrusive
rocks and relevant volcanics, display arc-type magmatic geochemical
signatures. The crystallization ages of these rocks mainly range from
450 to 465 Ma (Guo et al., 2015; Yu et al., 2012; Zhong, 2015), which
are earlier than the prevalent eclogite-facies peak metamorphism ages
(i.e. 430–450 Ma) in the North Qaidam belt, on the south of the Qilian
block (Fig. 1a) (Mattinson et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2010). Therefore,
the coeval arc-type magmatism from Hualong (AF) to Lajishan (RA),
on the north of Hualong, provides a good opportunity to study the
across-arc variations in a paleo-subduction zone. In this study, we pres-
ent an integrated study of U–Pb zircon chronology, geochemistry and
Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions for the mafic intrusive rocks in
Hualong–Lajishan area. Our objectives are (1) to delineate their petro-
genesis; (2) to establish the geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic varia-
tions across the arc; and (3) to discuss the causes of the across-arc
variations and the tectonic evolution of the Qilian Orogenic belt.
2. Geologic setting and sample description
2.1. Geologic setting
The Qilian Orogenic belt, located in northwest China, extends
~1200 km in length and ~300 km in width (Tseng et al., 2009). To the
north and northeast of the belt are the Alxa and Ordos blocks, respec-
tively, and to the south are the North Qaidam and West Qinling belts.
To the west, the orogen is separated from the Tarim block by the
Altyn Tagh fault. Internally, the Qilian Orogenic belt is divided into the
109
South Qilian belt, the Central Qilian block and the North Qilian belt
(Fig. 1a) (Feng and He, 1996).
The South Qilian belt, between the North Qaidam belt and the Cen-
tral Qilian block, is composed of Cambrian–Ordovician lavas, pyroclastic
rocks as well as abyssal and bathyal deposits, Silurian flysch, Devonian
molasse and Late Paleozoic granitoids (Fig. 1a) (Xu et al., 2006). The
North Qilian belt, sandwiched between the Alxa and Central Qilian
blocks, comprises Neoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic ophiolites, Early
Paleozoic arc-related volcanics and intrusive rocks, high-pressure meta-
morphic rocks, Silurian flysch and Devonian molasse (Fig. 1a)
(BGMRGP, 1989; Song et al., 2013). This belt had witnessed subduction
of the North Qilian oceanic slab and subsequent continental collision
during the Early Paleozoic (Song et al., 2013). The Central Qilian block
mainly consists of Precambrian metamorphic basements, Early Paleo-
zoic granitoids and Paleozoic sedimentary sequences (Fig. 1a) (Feng
and He, 1996). The basements had experienced high greenschist-facies
to amphibolite-facies metamorphism and consist of schist, gneiss, am-
phibolite and marble (Tung et al., 2007). The granitoids with magma
crystallization ages of 482–415 Ma resulted from the northward sub-
duction of the South Qilian (North Qaidam-West Qinling) oceanic slab
(Xu et al., 2006) and subsequent syn- and/or post-collisional processes
(Li et al., 2010; Yang et al., 2016), although some researchers argued
that the southward subduction of the North Qilian Oceanic slab is re-
sponsible for their generation (Cowgill et al., 2003; Gehrels et al.,
2003; He et al., 2008).
The Hualong arc terrane, in the southern margin of the Central Qilian
block, is a NW–SE trending elongated mountain range with width of
~20 km and length of ~160 km (Fig. 1b). It consists of Precambrian
metamorphic basement (the Hualong Group), Early Paleozoic felsic to
ultramafic intrusions and Tertiary terrestrial sandstones and conglom-
erates. The Hualong Group, dated as Neoproterozoic (He et al., 2011;
Xu et al., 2007; Yan et al., 2015), mainly consists of quartzite, amphibo-
lite and gneiss. It was intruded by large-volume Early Paleozoic granit-
oids and numerous 440–455 Ma dike-like mafic–ultramafic rocks (Guo
et al., 2015; Yu et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2012a; Zhang et al., 2012b).
The E-W-trending Lajishan tectonic belt, on the north of the Hualong
arc terrane, extends from Riyue Mountain in the west to Guanting in the
east. It is 200 km in length and 10–30 km in width and bordered by two
faults on both the south and north sides (Fig. 1b) (Yang et al., 2002). The
belt consists of Early Paleozoic acid-basic volcanic strata and subordi-
nate contemporaneous felsic to ultramafic intrusive rocks (Yang et al.,
2002). These strata are unconformably overlain by Silurian flysh and
Devonian mollasse (BGMRQP, 1991). The mafic-ultramafic intrusive
rocks together with some basic volcanic and siliceous sedimentary
rocks have been considered to represent an ophiolite suite in the past
few decades (Yang et al., 2002). However, the tectonic setting for the
ophiolite and associated igneous rocks is debated. Competing hypothe-
ses include (1) they were related to the spreading of a small oceanic
basin evolved from a continental rift (Yang, 2000), (2) they represent
the suture zone of the northward subducted South Qilian ocean (Y.
Zhang et al., 2017), and (3) they recorded opening of the Lajishan
back-arc basin (Pan et al., 1997). The widespread Early Paleozoic arc-
type magmatic rocks in Hualong (Wang et al., 2016; Zhang, 2013), on
the south of Lajishan, absolutely contradicts the second viewpoint. Re-
cently, Fu et al. (2014) reported the MORB-like and ca.491 Ma OIB-like
diabases in western Lajishan (Fig. 1b), and Wang et al. (2017) reported
ca. 493 Ma arc-type ultramafic intrusion in the northern margin of cen-
tral Lajishan (Fig. 1b). These, together with the ca.494 Ma arc-type pil-
low basalt and ca.471 Ma OIB-like basalt (our unpublished data),
suggest that the Lajishan belt could develop from rifting of an arc to
opening of a back-arc basin.
2.2. Sample description
As shown in Fig. 1b, samples from four plutons, including the
Keqianyakou and Jinyuan plutons in Lajishan area (RA) and the
110 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125

Fig. 1. (a) Geological sketch map of the Qilian Orogenic belt and its adjacent areas (modified after Xia et al., 2016). (b) Simplified geological map of Lajishan–Hualong area.
(Modified after geological survey team in Qinghai province in 1964)

Liushendong and Yishenchun plutons in Hualong area (AF), were col-
lected across the arc. The plutons are dike- or stock-like in the field
(Fig. 2a–c). For the plutons in Hualong area, they show intrusive contact
with the Hualong Group (e.g. Fig. 2a), and for the plutons in Lajishan
area, they are fragmentized (Fig. 2c) and show tectonic contact with
volcanics. The detailed descriptions of the plutons and samples are
listed in Table 1.
Photomicrographs of representative samples are shown in Fig. 2. The
Keqianyakou hornblende gabbros show a cumulate texture, character-
ized by subhedral to euhedral hornblendes with interstices filled by
anhedral plagioclases (Fig. 2d). The euhedral clinopyroxenes in the
Jinyuan clinopyroxenite and olivine clinopyroxenite (Fig. 2e) also dis-
play cumulate textures. Hornblendes in the Jinyuan hornblende
clinopyroxenite are poikilitic and enclose rounded and/or embayed
clinopyroxenes, which are indicative of sub-solidus re-equilibrium.
The Jinyuan hornblende gabbros are abundant in plagioclases. Horn-
blendes are present as intergranular grains among plagioclases (Fig.
2f). Subhedral to anhedral hornblendes in the Liushendong diorites
are encompassed by anhedral quartzs, plagioclases and/or K-feldspars
(Fig. 2g). The Yishenchun gabbros show a cumulate texture, which
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125 111

Fig. 2. Field photographs of plutons (a–c) and photomicrographs of representative samples (d–i) from Lajishan–Hualong area. (a) Liushendong pluton; (b) Yishenchun pluton; (c) Jinyuan
pluton; (d) Keqianyakou hornblende gabbro (sample QL1423); (e) Jinyuan olivine clinopyroxenite (sample QL1514); (f) Jinyuan hornblende gabbro (sample QL1482); (g) Liushendong
diorite (sample QL1536); (h) Yishenchun gabbro (sample QL1546); and (i) Yishenchun hornblende gabbro (sample QL1549). Note: (d), (f), (h) and (i) are in cross-polarized light, (e) and
(g) are in plane-polarized light. Mineral abbreviations as those in Table 1.

Table 1
Descriptions of the plutons and samples.

Location Pluton (GPS) Rock type (sample number) Mineral (proportion)

Lajishan Keqianyakou hornblende gabbro (5) Hbl (50–60 vol%), Pl (40–50 vol%),
(102°19′49.2″E, 36°12′41.6″N) Oxd (1 vol%)
Jinyuan Olivine clinopyroxenite (1) Cpx (85 vol%), Ol (10 vol%),
(102°33′35.74″E, 36°06′26.36″N) Bi (3 vol%), Hbl (1 vol%), Oxd (1 vol%)
Clinopyroxenite (1) Cpx (90 vol%), Pl (10 vol%)
Hornblende clinopyroxenite (1) Cpx (70 vol%), Hbl (25 vol%),
Bi (4 vol%), Oxd (1 vol%)
Hornblende gabbro (4) Pl (60–70 vol%), Hbl (25–35 vol%),
Cpx (4 vol%), Oxd (1 vol%)
Hualong Liushendong Hornblende gabbro (4) Hbl (60–70 vol%), Pl (25–35 vol%),
(102°14′36.65″E, 36°03′26.53″N) Bi (1–4 vol%), Oxd (1%)
Diorite (3) Hbl (45–55 vol%), Pl (35–45 vol%),
Bi (1–5 vol%), Q (2–5 vol%),
Kf (0–5 vol%), Oxd (b1 vol%)
Yishenchun Gabbro (3) Opx (50–55 vol%), Cpx (25–30 vol%),
(102°08′40.26″E, 36°02′47.07″N) Pl (20 vol%), Bi (1 vol%), Oxd (b1 vol%)
Hornblende gabbro (1) Hbl (45 vol%), Pl (50 vol%), Bi (4 vol%), Oxd (1% vol%)
Diorite (2) Hbl (40–45 vol%), Pl (50–55 vol%),
Bi (2–4 vol%), Q (2% vol%)

Notes: Mineral abbreviations: Q = quartz, Pl = plagioclase, Hbl = hornblende, Cpx = clinopyroxene, Opx = orthopyroxene, Ol = olivine, Bi = biotite, Kf = K-feldspar, Oxd = Fe-Ti
oxides.
112 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125
appears as subhedral to euhedral orthopyroxenes and clinopyroxenes
with their intergranular interstices filled by anhedral plagioclases (Fig.
2h). Hornblendes and plagioclases in the Yishenchun hornblende gab-
bro are fine-grained and anhedral (Fig. 2i).
3. Analytical technique
3.1. Whole-rock major and trace element analyses
The selected fresh rock samples were crushed to smaller than
200 mesh in grain sizes for geochemical analyses. Whole-rock major el-
ement compositions were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) at
the State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources
(GPMR), China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China. And the loss-
on-ignition (LOI) was measured on dried sample powder by heating
in a pre-heated crucible to 105 °C for 2 h. The crushed sample powders
were converted into glass fusion discs by adding fusing assistants in a
high-frequency melting furnace at 1000 °C prior to measurement. The
analytical uncertainty for major elements is generally b5% and the
data quality was monitored by Chinese National standards (Supplemen-
tary Table A1). Whole-rock trace element compositions were measured
by an Agilent 7500a inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
(ICP-MS) after acid digestion of the samples in Teflon bombs at GPMR.
The analytical uncertainty is generally b5% for elements with content
N10 ppm, and b10% for those b10 ppm. Analyses of trace element for
the reference standards are given in Supplementary Table A2. For the
detailed digestion of samples and precisions ICP-MS analytical proce-
dures see description of J. Zhang et al. (2017) and Liu et al. (2008),
respectively.
3.2. Whole-rock Sr and Nd isotope analyses
Whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopic data were measured by a Triton ther-
mal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) at GPMR. The preprocessing
of the selected samples is similar to J. Zhang et al. (2017). For a detailed
description of the analytical procedures see Gao et al. (2004). The mea-
sured Sr and Nd isotopic ratios were normalized to 86Sr/88Sr = 0.1194
and 146Nd/144Nd = 0.7219, respectively. 87Rb/86Sr and 147Sm/144Nd ra-
tios were calculated from Rb, Sr, Sm and Nd contents determined by
ICP-MS. εNd(t) values were calculated from present-day (147Sm/144Nd)
143
CHUR = 0.1967 and ( Nd/144Nd)CHUR = 0.512638.
3.3. Zircon U–Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotope analyses
Zircon grains were firstly separated by heavy-liquid and magnetic
methods and selected by examination with a binocular microscope.
Then they were mounted in epoxy resin and polished to expose their
center. Cathodoluminescence (CL) images were then carried out to
check the internal textures of the zircons so as to provide guidance for
U–Pb dating. Trace element analysis of zircon U–Pb dating was con-
ducted simultaneously by LA-ICP-MS at GPMR. Detailed operating con-
ditions are the same as in Liu et al. (2010). The laser spot is 32 μm in
diameter. Reference zircon standard 91500 and NIST SRM610 glass
were served as an external standard for Pb/U ratio and content, respec-
tively. Common Pb correction followed ComPbCorr#3–17 procedure
(Andersen, 2002). Off-line selection and integration of background
and analyte signals, quantitative calibration and time-drift correction
were conducted by ICPMSDataCal (Liu et al., 2010). The data were proc-
essed by the ISOPLOT program (Ludwig, 2003).
In situ zircon Lu–Hf isotopic analysis was carried out by a Neptune
Plus MC-ICP-MS at GPMR. Analytical spots were chosen close to the
LA-ICP-MS spots or on the same growth domain as deduced from CL im-
ages. The analysis was conducted using an 8 Hz repetition rate and a
laser power of 60 mJ/pulse. The laser spot size is 44 μm in diameter. Zir-
con 91500, GJ-1 and Temora were used as the reference standard. For
detailed analytical method and operating conditions for the laser
ablation system and the MC-ICP-MS instrument see Hu et al. (2012).
Off-line selection and integration analyte signals, and isobaric interfer-
ence and mass fractionation correction of Lu–Hf isotopic ratios were
conducted by ICPMSDataCal (Liu et al., 2010). The decay constant for
176
Lu was 1.865 × 10−11 year−1 (Scherer et al., 2001). Initial
176
Hf/177Hf ratios of the zircon were calculated on the basis of the
206
Pb/238U age. The εHf(t) values were calculated relative to the chon-
dritic reservoir with a 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.0332 and 176Hf/177Hf of
0.282772 (Blichert-Toft and Albarede, 1997).
4. Results
4.1. Zircon U–Pb geochronology
Zircon U–Pb data are listed in Supplementary Table A3. Representa-
tive zircon CL images and concordia diagrams are shown in Fig. 3. All the
zircons are subhedral to euhedral stubby prismatic crystals with a
length of 75–250 μm and length/width ratios of 1.5:1–3:1. Most of the
zircon grains show regular broad zoning, which are similar to typical ig-
neous zircons from gabbroic rocks (Rubatto and Gebauer, 2000).
For the Keqianyakou pluton (RA), two hornblende gabbros (samples
QL1423 and QL1435) were chosen for dating. Ten analyzed spots of
sample QL1423 show 857–6554 ppm Th, 1080–4733 ppm U and Th/U
ratios of 0.79–1.84, and eleven analyzed spots of sample QL1435 show
604–2162 ppm Th, 894–2261 ppm U and Th/U ratios of 0.62–0.96. Sam-
ple QL1423 exhibits 206Pb/238U ages of 455–466 Ma, with a weighted
mean age of 460 ± 3 Ma, and sample QL1435 displays 206Pb/238U ages
of 451–465 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 459 ± 3 Ma (Fig. 3a, b).
Zircon grains of one hornblende gabbro (sample QL1469) from the
Jinyuan pluton (RA) were used for analysis. The Th, U contents and
Th/U ratios of twelve analyses are 179–1207 ppm, 266–1139 ppm and
0.57–1.23, respectively. Their 206Pb/238U ages range from 447 to
461 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 454 ± 3 Ma (Fig. 3c).
For the Liushendong pluton (AF), one hornblende gabbro (sample
QL1527) was dated. Thirteen zircon analyses show 346–7068 ppm Th,
2139–10,394 ppm U and Th/U ratios of 0.16–0.68. They have
206
Pb/238U ages of 458–471 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 465 ±
3 Ma (Fig. 3d). For the Yishenchun pluton (AF), thirteen analyses of zir-
cons from one hornblende gabbro (sample QL1549) display Th, U con-
tents, Th/U ratios and 206Pb/238U ages of 644–5763 ppm, 1316–
5882 ppm, 0.34–0.98 and 448–463 Ma, respectively. This sample
yielded a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 456 ± 3 Ma (Fig. 3e).
These chronological data indicate that the magma crystallization
ages of the mafic intrusive rocks from Hualong–Lajishan area range
from 454 to 465 Ma. On the whole, there is no obvious difference be-
tween the AF and RA mafic intrusive rocks in magma crystallization
ages.
4.2. Major and trace elements
Major and trace element data for our analyzed samples are listed in
Supplementary Table A4.
For plutons in Lajishan area (RA), five hornblende gabbro samples
from the Keqianyakou pluton show SiO2 of 46.61–49.84 wt%, CaO of
9.52–10.69 wt%, Na2O of 2.03–2.71 wt% and Mg# of 66–73. Their
Al2O3 and MgO vary from 10.51 wt% to 17.19 wt% and from 8.84 wt%
to 13.78 wt%, respectively. All the samples are subalkaline in the total al-
kali versus silica (TAS) diagram (Fig. 4a) and dominantly belong to the
calc-alkaline series in the FeOT/MgO versus SiO2 diagram (Fig. 4b). In
the primitive mantle-normalized diagrams (Fig. 5a), they are relatively
enriched in Pb and Sr (partially) and depleted in Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and Ti. In
addition, they display weakly fractionated REE patterns ((La/Yb)N =
2.6–3.3) and have no obvious Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.90–0.97)
(Fig. 5c). In contrast to the Keqianyakou mafic rocks, major element
contents of the Jinyuan mafic rocks vary from one rock-type to another.
An olivine clinopyroxenite sample shows high MgO (22.35 wt%) and
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125 113

Fig. 3. U-Pb zircon concordia diagrams and representative CL images. (a) Keqianyakou hornblende gabbro (sample QL1423); (b) Keqianyakou hornblende gabbro (sample QL1435); (c)
Jinyuan hornblende gabbro (sample QL1469); (d) Liushendong hornblende gabbro (sample QL1527); and (e) Yishenchun hornblende gabbro (sample QL1549).

Mg# (78), low SiO2 (43.37 wt%), Al2O3 (4.52 wt%) and Na2O (0.27 wt%).
By contrast, four hornblende gabbro samples have high Al2O3 (17.58–
22.18 wt%) and Na2O (3.23–4.61 wt%), low MgO (4.19–6.12 wt%) and
Mg# (50–55). One clinopyroxenite sample and one hornblende
clinopyroxenite sample display intermediate MgO (11.37 wt%,
13.88 wt%), SiO2 (48.13 wt%, 47.17 wt%), Al2O3 (8.36 wt%, 7.21 wt%),
Na2O (1.45 wt%, 0.86 wt%), CaO (12.30 wt%, 13.81 wt%) and Mg# (70,
71). All the lithologies are plotted near, or straddle, the border between
alkaline and subalkaline fields (Fig. 4a) and belong to tholeiite series
(Fig. 4b). In spite of their variational major element compositions,
these lithologies display similar trace element patterns with enrichment
of Rb, Ba, Pb and Sr (partially) and depletion of Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and Ti (Fig.
5a). Additionally, they have weakly fractionated REE patterns ((La/Yb)N
= 3.6–7.3) as well as weakly negative to no Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* =
0.82–1.06) except for sample QL1482 (Eu/Eu* = 1.69) (Fig. 5c).
For the plutons from Hualong area (AF), four hornblende gabbro
samples from the Liushendong pluton display SiO2 of 44.40–52.62 wt
%, MgO of 11.44–14.39 wt%, Al2O3 of 8.43–14.39 wt%, CaO of 9.31–
10.87%, Na2O of 0.67–1.52 wt% and Mg# of 66–76. Three diorite samples
have SiO2 of 53.07–54.16 wt%, MgO of 9.05–14.44 wt%, Al2O3 of 7.51–
13.48 wt%, CaO of 8.58–10.87%, Na2O of 0.89–1.24 wt% and Mg# of
68–76. All the samples are calc-alkaline (Fig. 4b). Both the hornblende
gabbros and diorites are relatively enriched in Rb, U and Pb, depleted
in Nb, Zr, Hf and Ti (Fig. 5b) and exhibit weakly fractionated REE pat-
terns ((La/Yb)N = 2.8–5.6) and moderately–weakly negative Eu anom-
alies (Eu/Eu* = 0.57–0.81) (Fig. 5d). For different lithologies from the
Yishenchun pluton, three gabbro samples show SiO2 of 51.44–
52.10 wt%, MgO of 18.07–19.46 wt%, Al2O3 of 6.00–8.03 wt%, CaO of
8.89–9.46 wt%, Na2O of 0.59–0.99 wt% and Mg# of 79–80, while two di-
orite samples have relatively high SiO2 (54.98–56.53 wt%), Al2O3

Fig. 4. Plots of (a) total alkali versus silica (after Middlemost, 1994) and (b) FeOT/MgO versus SiO2 (after Miyashiro, 1974) for mafic rocks in Hualong–Lajishan area.
114 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125

Fig. 5. (a, b) Primitive mantle-normalized trace element spider diagrams and (c, d) chondrite-normalized REE patterns. Coeval arc-type mafic rocks from Wang et al. (2016), Yang et al.
(2015) and Zhang (2013). Average continental arc basalt from Kelemen et al. (2003a). Chondrite, primitive mantle normalized values and N-MORB from Sun and Mcdonough (1989).

(14.94–15.93 wt%) and Na2O (2.13–2.38%), low MgO (5.89–7.25 wt%),
CaO (5.58–6.55 wt%) and Mg# (62–66). Compared with the gabbros
and diorites, one hornblende gabbro sample displays an intermediate
composition in major element contents. They are calc-alkaline (Fig.
4b) and show quite similar appearance with Rb, U and Pb enrichment
and Nb, Zr, Hf and Ti depletion (Fig. 5b). They have weakly to moder-
ately fractionated REE patterns ((La/Yb)N = 3.4–11.5) and moderately
to weakly negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.62–0.90) (Fig. 5d).
It should be noted that almost all samples except for four Jinyuan
hornblende gabbro samples display high Cr and Ni contents (Supple-
mentary Table A4). Overall, the samples from the four plutons are dom-
inated by subalkaline gabbros and gabbroic diorites and belong to the
calc-alkaline series. However, compared with the RA mafic rocks, the
mafic rocks from the AF show higher LILE, Th, U and LREE contents
and more strongly fractionated REE patterns.
4.3. Sr and Nd isotopes
The Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of the studied mafic rocks show
clear variations across the arc (Table 2). As a whole, the mafic rocks
from the AF have more evolved Sr–Nd isotopic compositions than
those from the RA.
In Lajishan area (RA), the Keqianyakou mafic rocks have (87Sr/86Sr)i
values of 0.7049 to 0.7050 and εNd(t) values of +1.1 to +2.4 (calculate
at t = 459 Ma). The Jinyuan mafic rocks show (87Sr/86Sr)i values of
0.7046 to 0.7054 and εNd(t) values of +0.8 to +2.2, (calculate at t =
454 Ma).
By contrast, in Hualong area (AF), the Liushendong and Yishenchun
mafic rocks show (87Sr/86Sr)i values of 0.7099 to 0.7116 (calculate at t
= 465 Ma) and 0.7092 to 0.7110 (calculate at t = 456 Ma), respectively.
The εNd(t) values range from −5.2 to −4.3 for the Liushendong mafic
rocks and from −5.4 to −5.2 for the Yishenchun mafic rocks.
4.4. Zircon Hf isotopes
Five samples were selected for in situ zircon Lu–Hf isotopic analysis
(Supplementary Table A5). As displayed in the εHf(t) versus U–Pb ages
diagram (Fig. 6), the mafic rocks from the AF have more evolved zircon
Hf isotopic compositions than those from the RA, which are in accor-
dance with the Nd isotopic variation.
Ten spot analyses of zircons from sample QL1423 (Keqianyakou
hornblende gabbro) yielded εHf(t) values of +8.6 to +13.4 (a weighted
mean = +11.9). And eleven spot analyses of zircons from sample
QL1435 (Keqianyakou hornblende gabbro) gived εHf(t) values of +7.9
to +9.4 (a weighted mean = +8.4). Total twelve zircons were analyzed
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125 115

Table 2
Data of whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopes.
87
Location Age (Ma) Sample no. Rb/86Sr 87
Sr/86Sr ±2σ (87Sr/86Sr)i 147
Sm/144Nd 143
Nd/144Nd ±2σ εNd(t) Data source

Keqianyakou 459 QL1423 0.2258 0.706490 4 0.7050 0.1725 0.512621 7 1.1 Our study
(Rear arc) QL1435 0.1504 0.705889 12 0.7049 0.1497 0.512620 5 2.4
Jinyuan 454 QL1469 0.22181 0.706164 4 0.7047 0.1494 0.512604 21 2.1 Our study
(Rear arc) QL1485 0.2633 0.706855 5 0.7052 0.1526 0.512617 8 2.2
QL1513 0.3196 0.707431 9 0.7054 0.1418 0.512581 4 2.1
QL1514 0.0831 0.705588 16 0.7051 0.1610 0.512571 5 0.8
QL1518 0.3291 0.706741 7 0.7046 0.1538 0.512553 2 0.8
Liushendong 465 QL1527 0.5462 0.546188 6 0.7116 0.1609 0.512264 3 −5.2 Our study
(Arc front) QL1530 0.3065 0.306466 12 0.7111 0.1409 0.512225 7 −4.7
QL1532 0.3639 0.363891 10 0.7107 0.1369 0.512234 3 −4.3
QL1533 1.0780 1.077968 12 0.7099 0.1732 0.512304 6 −5.1
Yishenchun 456 QL1543 1.7515 1.751479 6 0.7096 0.1249 0.512155 3 −5.2 Our study
(Arc front) QL1546 0.6275 0.627505 21 0.7094 0.1657 0.512278 6 −5.2
QL1548 1.1789 1.178927 5 0.7092 0.1324 0.512169 3 −5.4
QL1549 0.4063 0.406276 6 0.7110 0.1399 0.512197 5 −5.3
Yaqu 441 YQ-1 0.2950 0.711540 11 0.7097 0.1343 0.512238 5 −4.3 Zhang (2013)
(Arc front) YQ-9 0.2898 0.709542 5 0.7077 0.1353 0.512252 7 −4.1
Xiashentang 450 XST-1 0.5434 0.713069 14 0.7096 0.1430 0.512348 1 −2.6
(Arc front) XST-2 0.4288 0.711756 9 0.7090 0.1481 0.512367 6 −2.5
XST-3 0.4340 0.711797 27 0.7090 0.1488 0.512371 6 −2.5
Yulonggou 443 YL-7 1.5785 0.723819 11 0.7139 0.1426 0.512134 5 −6.9
(Arc front) YL-11 0.8287 0.716661 21 0.7114 0.1609 0.512247 6 −5.6
YL-8 1.4630 0.722729 3 0.7135 0.1294 0.512049 11 −7.7
YL-9 0.9637 0.717914 9 0.7118 0.1315 0.512061 7 −7.6
Qianhu 456 LJQ1 0.2459 0.705983 12 0.7044 0.1526 0.51259 8 1.6 Wang et al. (2016)
(Intermediate area) LJQ2 0.4041 0.707809 8 0.7052 0.1304 0.512443 10 0.1
LJQ3 0.4249 0.708085 10 0.7053 0.1332 0.512507 9 1.1
LJQ5 0.3034 0.713624 14 0.7117 0.1430 0.512407 10 −1.4
LJQ6 0.1269 0.707916 10 0.7071 0.1477 0.512357 10 −2.6
LJQ10 0.3826 0.706883 12 0.7044 0.1283 0.512541 7 2.1
LJQ11 0.4062 0.710697 13 0.7081 0.1071 0.512159 10 −4.1
LJQ13 0.5019 0.708567 11 0.7053 0.1289 0.512438 7 0.1
LJQ18 0.4711 0.708686 11 0.7056 0.1667 0.512507 7 −0.8
LJQ19 0.6605 0.711674 9 0.7074 0.1503 0.512264 10 −4.6
Bamishan 449 Q1041 0.1754 0.708042 4 0.7069 0.1303 0.512396 3 −0.9 Yang et al. (2015)
(Rear arc) Q1042 0.1819 0.707324 5 0.7062 0.1276 0.512400 2 −0.7
Heishishan 447 Q1028 0.3660 0.707398 5 0.7051 0.1083 0.512407 7 0.5
(Rear arc) Q1031 0.3965 0.708715 4 0.7062 0.1088 0.512268 3 −2.2

for sample QL1469 (Jinyuan hornblende gabbro), which yielded εHf(t) −2.6 to +1.1 (a weighted mean = −1.2) and − 0.7 to +1.3 (a
values of +9.3 to +11.1 (a weighted mean = +10.1). By contrast, weighted mean = −0.1), respectively.
nine spot analyses of zircons from sample QL1527 (Liushendong horn-
blende gabbro) and eight spot analyses of zircons from sample 5. Discussion
QL1549 (Yishenchun hornblende gabbro) displayed εHf(t) values of
5.1. Tectonic setting for the mafic magma generation

Fig. 6. Plots of εHf(t) versus U–Pb ages for studied mafic rocks in Hualong–Lajishan area.
Abbreviations here: CHUR = chondritic uniform reservoir; DM = depleted mantle.
Almost all the samples for this study show high MgO, Cr, Ni contents
and Mg#, which is in accordance with the characteristics of mantle-de-
rived magmas. Their geochemical compositions (i.e. enriched in LILE
and depleted in HFSE) show typical features of arc-type magma and
are comparable to the “average continental arc basalt” (Kelemen et al.,
2003a) and coeval arc-type mafic rocks from Hualong–Lajishan and its
adjacent areas (Wang et al., 2016; Yang et al., 2015; Zhang, 2013) (Fig.
5). One of the most distinct features of arc magmatism is the high H2O
contents in the primary magma. Our studied samples exhibit a high
H2O signature as evidenced by the following observations. (1) The
euhedral hornblendes crystallized earlier than the anhedral plagioclases
in the Keqianyakou mafic rocks. The Jinyuan mafic rocks followed a
mineral crystalline sequence of olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase.
In addition, rocks from the Yishenchun pluton also show earlier crystal-
lization of pyroxenes than plagioclases. The lack of plagioclase as an
early phase and early crystallization of the euhedral hornblendes indi-
cate a H2O-rich circumstance for their parental magma, because many
experiments have confirmed that H2O destabilizes plagioclase but pro-
motes hornblende as an early crystallizing phase (Muntener et al.,
2001; Sisson and Grove, 1993a). (2) Orthopyroxene is absent, while
clinopyroxenes are abundant in the Jinyuan pluton. It also indicates a
high H2O content in their parental magma since H2O-rich basaltic
116 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125
magma stabilizes high-Ca clinopyroxene relative to orthopyroxene
(Sisson and Grove, 1993a). (3) High H2O content increases the propor-
tion of Fe-Mg silicates during the early magma evolution. Fractional
crystallization of Fe-Mg silicates depletes FeO and MgO in the residual
liquid and increases silica as well as alkalis to produce low-MgO high-
alumina basalts (Muntener et al., 2001; Sisson and Grove, 1993a),
which are present in the Jinyuan pluton. Sisson and Grove (1993b)
have argued that the low-MgO high-alumina basalts could not be de-
rived from any anhydrous primary melts. Instead, they are probably dif-
ferentiates of primary melts with 4 wt% or more H2O at crustal
pressures. Therefore, the primary magma of the Jinyuan pluton was
likely to have had a significant H2O content. (4) As suggested by
Sisson and Grove (1993a), H2O-rich magmas tend to follow calc-alka-
line differentiation trends, which is in accordance with the majority of
our samples (Fig. 4b).
The arc setting for the magma generation of our studied mafic rocks
is also supported by the fact that the exhumed subducted continental
crustal rocks in the North Qaidam belt have HP/UHP metamorphism
ages of 430–450 Ma (Mattinson et al., 2006; Yu et al., 2013; Zhang et
al., 2010). This means that the initial continental collision occurred
slightly earlier than 450 Ma, which coincides with the angular unconfor-
mity between the Middle Ordovician Chafu Group and the overlying
Upper Ordovician Yaoshuiquan Group in the eastern Central Qilian
block (BGMRQP, 1991). Furthermore, the arc magmatism would not
cease immediately after the initial collision because of on-going subduc-
tion of the oceanic slab at depth. For example, the present Banda arc on
the north Australian continental margin is suffering arc-continent colli-
sion at shallow levels, while continuing arc magmatism at depth
(Spakman and Hall, 2010).
The above lines of evidence are strongly indicative of an arc setting
and H2O-rich environment for the generation of our studied mafic
rocks. The H2O-rich circumstance of primary magma could impact on
the mineral crystallization sequence and thus the magmatic differentia-
tion trend. Therefore, the evolved magmas could display different geo-
chemical compositions. For example, the Jinyuan and the Yishenchun
plutons have diverse lithologies and their geochemical compositions
are variable due to the cumulation and/or fractional crystallization of
different minerals. However, in spite of the differences in incompatible
trace element contents, their trace element patterns are very similar
(Fig. 5). This is mainly attributed to the comparable compatibility of
most incompatible elements in the minerals (e.g. pyroxene, plagioclase
and hornblende) during magmatic differentiation. In other words, the
trace element patterns of the studied mafic rocks are mainly controlled
by compositions of their primary magmas.
5.2. Crustal contamination and fractional crystallization
Assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) is a prevalent pro-
cess when magma passes through the continental crust (Depaolo,
1981). Because of the striking geochemical contrast between the
emplaced magma and its wall-rock, the magnitude of crustal assimila-
tion can usually be estimated (Pearce and Stern, 2006). Most samples
in this study show high Cr and Ni contents (Supplementary Table A4),
which are consistent with mantle-derived magma without obvious
crustal assimilation. The absence of inherited zircon in our samples fur-
ther supports such an inference. Sr–Nd isotopic composition is a further
effective index to evaluate the role of crustal contamination, especially
for samples in Hualong area, where the Precambrian crystalline base-
ment provides the wall-rock of the mafic rocks. Incorporation of such
crustal materials could increase the (87Sr/86Sr)i but decrease the εNd(t)
values of the mafic rocks. However, as shown in Fig. 7, there are no ob-
vious correlations between (87Sr/86Sr)i, εNd(t) values and Mg# for the
mafic rocks, which rules out the possibility of significant crustal contam-
ination during their magma ascent.
As mentioned in Section 2.2, the prevalent cumulate textures ob-
served in the Keqianyakou, Jinyuan and Yishenchun plutons indicate
the widespread cumulation and fractional crystallization during their
magma evolution. The Harker diagram is widely used to evaluate the
role of mineral fractional crystallization. As shown in Fig. 8a, the positive
relationship between Ni contents and Mg# for the mafic rocks indicates
fractional crystallization of olivine and/or pyroxene. Samples with Ni
contents b300 ppm are probably dominated by fractional crystallization
of pyroxene, while those with Ni contents higher than 300 ppm may be
controlled by fractional crystallization of olivine. The positive relation-
ship between Cr contents and Mg# (Fig. 8b) implies pyroxene and/or
hornblende fractional crystallization. For the Jinyuan olivine
clinopyroxenite (sample QL1514) (Ni = 752 ppm and Cr =
1995 ppm), cumulation of olivine and clinopyroxene is probably ac-
countable, while for the Yishenchun gabbros (Cr = 1600–1762 ppm),
cumulation of pyroxene plays a leading role (Fig. 8a and b). For the
mafic rocks from the Jinyuan, Liushendong and Yishenchun plutons,
the roughly positive correlation between CaO contents and Mg# (Fig.
8c) is probably related to fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene
and/or hornblende. Olivine, pyroxene and hornblende are relatively de-
pleted in Al2O3, and their fractional crystallization gave rise to the neg-
ative correlation between Al2O3 contents and Mg# (Fig. 8d). Plagioclase
did not crystallize until the magma evolved into an intermediate com-
position. Fractional crystallization of aluminum-poor minerals (olivine,
pyroxene and hornblende) as well as cumulation of plagioclase (Fig.
8d) together resulted in high Al2O3 contents of the Jinyuan hornblende
gabbros (samples QL1469, QL1482, QL1485 and QL1513).
5.3. Metasomatic agent
The geochemical characteristics for the studied mafic rocks (see
Section 4.2) indicate the involvement of subducted slab component
(s). However, whether the slab sediment (SED) or the altered basaltic
oceanic crust (ABOC) plays a major role needs further discussion. Gen-
erally, the SED has evolved Sr–Nd isotopic compositions (i.e. high
87
Sr/86Sr and low 143Nd/144Nd ratios), especially for that from the conti-
nental margin (Plank and Langmuir, 1998). The ABOC has MORB-like
Nd isotopic ratio (i.e. high 143Nd/144Nd), whereas its 87Sr/86Sr ratio is
higher than that of the MORB due to seawater alteration (Hauff et al.,
2003; Verma, 1992). Therefore, incorporating the SED into the mantle
wedge would significantly enhance 87Sr/86Sr ratio and lower
143
Nd/144Nd ratio of the resultant magma. By contrast, the mantle
wedge modified by the ABOC-derived components would display a
slightly higher 87Sr/86Sr ratio, but its 143Nd/144Nd ratio would not be sig-
nificantly changed. The evolved Sr–Nd isotopic compositions (i.e. high
87
Sr/86Sr and low 143Nd/144Nd ratios) for the studied mafic rocks
(Table 2) indicate that their mantle sources had probably been modified
by the SED. The SED is the major host for many incompatible elements
(e.g. LILE, LREE, Th) in the slab (Plank and Langmuir, 1993, 1998). There-
fore, it is more capable than the ABOC in supplying most incompatible
elements for arc lava. The relatively high LILE, LREE and Th contents in
our studied samples (Fig. 5) also suggest significant contribution of
the SED.
Generally, the SED release most aqueous fluid beneath the accretion-
ary prism through compaction and low-grade metamorphic
devolatilization reactions such as breakdown of clay minerals
(Peacock, 1990). Thus, compared with aqueous fluid, the SED melt is a
more practicable agent to incorporate the SED into the mantle wedge.
Additionally, as confirmed by a number of studies, Ba, Sr and Pb are pref-
erentially incorporated into the aqueous fluid when dehydration of the
slab takes place (Gill and Condomines, 1992; Johnson and Plank, 1999),
while Th and LREE are efficiently transferred from the slab only when
sediment melt is involved (Johnson and Plank, 1999; Plank, 2005).
Hence, elevated Ba/La, Ba/Th and Sr/Th ratios for arc-type rocks are typ-
ically taken as indicators of the role of hydrous fluid from slab (Pearce et
al., 2005; Turner and Foden, 2001), whereas high Th/Yb, Th/Ce, Th/Nb
and La/Sm ratios can serve as proxies for slab sediment involvement
in arc magmas (Elliott, 2003; Labanieh et al., 2012; Woodhead et al.,
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125 117

Fig. 7. Plots (a) (87Sr/86Sr)i versus Mg# and (b) εNd(t) versus Mg#. Symbols as those in Fig. 4.

2001). As shown in the Ba/Th versus La/Sm diagram (Fig. 9a), most sam-
ples display low Ba/Th, high and variable La/Sm ratios, which indicate
the dominant role of the SED melt. Likewise, in the Sr/Th versus La/Sm
diagram (Fig. 9b), the role of the SED melt is also observed except for
five plagioclase-rich hornblende gabbro samples and one Th-poor sam-
ple. For these plagioclase-rich hornblende gabbro samples, high Sr/Th
ratios are attributed to cumulation of plagioclases. As a consequence,
for our studied mafic rocks, the SED melt was the leading transport
agent for the slab signature.
5.4. Implications for across-arc variations
5.4.1. Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic perspective
The Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions of our studied mafic rocks, to-
gether with the collected data of coeval arc-type mafic rocks from
Hualong–Lajishan and its adjacent areas (see Fig. 1a, b for sample loca-
tions), show systematic across-arc variations. From the AF to the RA
mafic rocks, εNd(t) and εHf(t) values increase and (87Sr/86Sr)i decrease
(see Table 2 and Fig. 10).
In this study, we employed two-endmember (depleted-mantle
(DM) and SED melt) mixing model to account for the Sr–Nd and Nd–
Hf isotopic variations. The model is based on the following assumptions.
The subducted slab suffers on-going dehydration beneath the fore-arc.
Arc magmatism is not generated until fluid-fluxed melting of the SED
occurs at sub-arc depth. The composition of the resultant melt are
mainly inherited from the SED (i.e. contribution of the slab fluid is neg-
ligible). The SED melt is then incorporated into the overlying mantle
wedge to induce partial melting of the magmatic source. In this sce-
nario, loss of the SED melt and interaction between the SED melt and
its wall-rock during their ascent are considered to be insignificant.
It is worth noting that during partial melting of the SED, numerous
factors (e.g. partition coefficients, residual mineral phases and their pro-
portion and partial melting extent) can affect trace element contents of
the resultant SED melt. However, as described by Hermann and
Spandler (2008) and Hermann and Rubatto (2009), the minor and/or

Fig. 8. Harker plots for mafic intrusions in Hualong–Lajishan area. Symbols as those in Fig. 4.
118 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125

Fig. 9. Plots of (a) Ba/Th versus La/Sm and (b) Sr/Th versus La/Sm (modified after Labanieh et al., 2012). Symbols as those in Fig. 4.

accessory minerals (e.g. rutile, phengite, apatite, zircon and allanite)
persisted in eclogite at sub-arc condition can buffer abundant elements
such as LILE, HFSE, LREE, Th and U. Moreover, abundant garnets in
eclogite host a large proportion of HREE. Under these conditions, the el-
ements mentioned above in melt phase are saturated (Hermann, 2002;
Klimm et al., 2008). In other words, elemental contents in SED melt
principally depend on temperature (i.e. the composition is buffered),
rather than partition coefficient (Hermann and Rubatto, 2009). In sub-
arc condition, the experiment conducted by Hermann and Rubatto
(2009) showed that Nd and Hf contents of the SED melt were almost
equal to abundances in the starting material (i.e. the SED), while Sr con-
tent was twice as much as the content of the starting material. We here
assumed that the Sr, Nd and Hf contents of the SED melt were equal to
those of the initial SED in consideration of Sr loss during previous
dehydration.
For the Sr–Nd isotopic model (Fig. 10a), (87Sr/86Sr)i and εNd(t)
values of the DM are assumed to be the average composition of the
ophiolites from the Qilian Orogenic belt and its adjacent area (Hou et
al., 2006a; Hou et al., 2006b; Qian and Zhang, 2001; Qian et al., 2001;
G. Zhang et al., 2008). Because Sr–Nd isotopic data for contemporaneous
sedimentary rocks in Qilian area are not available, we used an average
εNd(t) value (calculate at t = 460 Ma) of the Precambrian rocks from
Qilian and North Qaidam areas (Wan et al., 2003; Xu, 2007; Zhang et
al., 2006) as the εNd(t) value of the subducted SED. Meanwhile, variable
(87Sr/86Sr)i values were chosen because of the widely dispersed data.
Additionally, Sr and Nd contents of the DM were adopted from Salters
and Stracke (2004), and Sr and Nd contents of the SED melt were
equal to the upper crust of the Yangtze craton with sedimentary carbon-
ate rocks free (Gao et al., 1998) in view of the strong affinity between
the Qilian block and the Yangtze craton (Tung et al., 2013; Xu et al.,
2007; Yan et al., 2015). Detailed parameters for Sr–Nd isotopic model
were listed in Table 3. The simulation result matches well with the Sr–
Nd isotopic compositions of the mafic rocks in this study. It shows that
variable proportions of SED melt had been incorporated into the mantle
source across the arc (Fig. 10a); for our studied mafic rocks in the AF,
about 4.5% SED melt had been involved into their mantle sources,
which fall into the field of the coeval AF mafic rocks (2%–10%) (Zhang,
2013), while for our studied samples in the RA, as little as 0.7% SED
melt had been incorporated into their mantle sources, which is slightly
less than those (1%–2%) in the eastern Central Qilian block (with

Fig. 10. (a) (87Sr/86Sr)i versus (143Nd/144Nd)i and (b) εNd(t) versus εHf(t) diagrams for the mafic rocks in Hualong–Lajishan and its adjacent area. Data sources: Qilian basement from Xu
(2007). Literature data of mafic rocks from Wang et al. (2016), Yang et al. (2015) and Zhang (2013). Mantle array (C), Mantle array (P) and Terrestrial array after Chauvel et al. (2008),
Pearce et al. (2007) and Vervoort et al. (2011), respectively. Fields of different SED lithologies after Chauvel et al. (2008). All the isotopic data were calculated at t = 460 Ma. Detailed
descriptions see Section 5.4.1 and relative parameters for each line see Tables 3 and 4 for details. Other symbols as those in Fig. 4.
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125 119

Table 3
Parameters for Sr-Nd and Nd-Hf two-endmember mixing models.

Sr-Nd model Nd-Hf model

DM SED melt DM SED melt

All Lines Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 All Lines Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 Line 4
87 86
( Sr/ Sr)i 0.703 0.712 0.716 0.719 εNd(t) 6.46 −10.74
εNd(t) 6.46 −10.74 εHf(t) 14 −13 −15.44 −13 −15.44
Sr (ppm) 9.8 263 Nd (ppm) 0.713 32.8
Nd (ppm) 0.713 32.8 Hf (ppm) 0.199 5.42 11.02

Notes: Values selection for each parameter see Section 5.4.1 for details.

comparable distance from the suture zone) (Yang et al., 2015). For coe-
val mafic rocks in intermediate area (Wang et al., 2016), the amount of
SED melt that had been involved into their source region is transitional
(0.8%–4%).
For the Nd–Hf isotopic model, all the samples deviate positively from
the mantle Nd–Hf array (Fig. 10b). This phenomenon is probably attrib-
uted to the following three potential causes. The first one is the long-
lived high Lu/Hf ratio mantle, which due to the existence of garnet-
rich or clinopyroxene-rich or carbonate-bearing peridotite or other
mechanism (Bizimis et al., 2003; Choi and Mukasa, 2012). The second
one is the persistence of residual minerals such as zircon during the
SED melting (Tollstrup and Gill, 2005). Zircon has high DHf/DNd ratio
and DHf can approach several thousand (Fujimaki, 1986; Mahood and
Hildreth, 1983). Hence, the SED melt equilibrating with zircon displays
a low Hf/Nd ratio. Therefore, the mixing Nd–Hf isotopic curve of the
mantle wedge and SED melt would shift upward. The last one is the sed-
iments constitution (Chauvel et al., 2008; Choi et al., 2013). Zircon con-
tains abundant Hf, but far less of the Nd rock budget. Sorting of zircon in
sediments would lead to a remarkable change in Hf, while scarcely af-
fecting the Nd contents. Therefore, different lithologies with variable
zircon abundances hold different Hf isotopic compositions (Vervoort
et al., 2011).
To assess which mechanism(s) is/are responsible for the Nd–Hf iso-
topic decoupling, we tested different solutions. For solution (1), εNd(t)
values of the DM and SED were the same as the Sr–Nd isotopic model.
εHf(t) value of the DM (+11.5) was firstly calculated by the Hf–Nd man-
tle array of Chauvel et al. (2008) and εHf(t) values of the SED were based
on different lithologies. This solution absolutely failed to account for the
Nd–Hf isotopic compositions of samples in Lajishan area, because the
DM with εHf(t) = +11.5 is too low to account for samples with εHf(t)
= +8.4, +10.2 and + 11.8. For solution (2), we assumed that the
Nd–Hf isotopic constitution of the DM deviated positively from the
Mantle Nd–Hf array. This assumption is coupled with the fact that the
mantle reservoir in Qilian area is the Indian MORB-type (Hou et al.,
2006a; Hou et al., 2006b), whose Hf–Nd isotopic constitution deviates
positively above the boundary line (Fig. 10b) defined by Pearce et al.
(2007). As a consequence, the DM with εHf(t) = +14 was assumed to
mix with different SED melts (with zircon residue). Hf and Nd contents
of the DM and SED melt with zircon residue were after Salters and
Stracke (2004) and Gao et al. (1998), respectively. Other parameters
were the same as for solution (1) and were listed in Table 3 (Line 1,
2). The results were displayed in Fig. 10b (Line 1, 2). Line 1 therein fits
our data quite well. Similar to the Sr–Nd isotopic model, the Hf–Nd iso-
topic model shows that about 0.7% and 4.5% SED melt had been incorpo-
rated into the RA and AF mantle wedge, respectively. For solution (3),
we assumed that there was no zircon residue during the SED melting.
We carried out a further two mixing lines (Line 3, 4) with partition co-
efficient utilized since there was no buffered phase for Hf. Relevant pa-
rameters for this solution are listed in Table 3 (Line 3, 4) and Table 4. The
resultant lines in Fig. 10b clearly cannot account for the Hf–Nd isotopic
compositions of the samples.
As a result, the Hf–Nd isotopic decoupling of the samples is probably
attributed to mantle composition and zircon residue during the SED
partial melting. Zircon is highly compatible for Zr and Hf and has DZr
N DHf, thus the melt equilibrating with zircon displays negative Zr and
Hf anomalies as well as subchondritic Zr/Hf ratio (Zr/Hf = 37)
(Blundy and Wood, 2003), which is in consistency with the majority
of our samples (Supplementary Table A4).
5.4.2. Geochemical perspective
The diversities of the four plutons in lithology and geochemistry, es-
pecially for the Jinyuan and Yishenchun plutons, prevent us from pre-
cisely identifying the compositions of their primitive magmas. Hence
we consider the average compositions of the representative samples
from each pluton, whose major element compositions are most compa-
rable with the average primitive continental arc basalts (Kelemen et al.,
2003a), as representative approximations for their primitive magmas
(Table 5). In spite of the similarity in major element composition and li-
thology of the selected samples, their respective average trace element
compositions vary from one pluton to another. Overall, the mafic rocks
in Hualong area (AF) are more enriched in most incompatible elements
(e.g. Rb, Pb, LREE, Th and U) than those in Lajishan area (RA). In addi-
tion, the MREE–HREE contents of the Liushendong mafic rocks are sig-
nificantly higher than others, which is probably attributed to their
derivation from a garnet-free (shallower) magma source.
To explain the variations, we adopted the batch partial melting
equation to calculate contents of the representative trace elements.
Those fluid-mobile elements (e.g. Ba, Sr, Pb and Rb) were ruled out in
order to avoid potential influence of fluid and post-magmatic alteration.
The compositions of the enriched mantle were modeled after the Sr–Nd
and Nd–Hf isotopic calculations (i.e. incorporating 4.5% and 0.7% SED
melt into the DM beneath the AF and RA, respectively). The lithologies
prior to metasomatism in the partial melting zone were considered to
be garnet harzburgite for the Jinyuan, Keqianyakou and Yishenchun
plutons and spinel harzburgite for the Liushendong pluton. The as-
sumed mineral proportions and other parameters were listed in Table
5. Finally, the model results displayed in Fig. 11 fit well with our data.
The Line 3 (equilibrating with garnet harzburgite, melt fraction F =
0.05) is used to account for trace element compositions of the mafic
rocks in Lajishan area (RA), and the Line 4 (equilibrating with garnet
harzburgite, F = 0.09) and Line 5 (equilibrating with spinel harzburgite,
F = 0.09) match well with trace element compositions of the
Yishenchun and Liushendong mafic rocks in Hualong area (AF),
respectively.
Table 4
Parameters for Hf content calculation of “Line 3” and “Line 4” in Fig. 8b and Table 3.
Mineral Volume % DHf DHf(total) F SEDHf CHf
Garnet 50 0.53 0.365 0.2 5.42 11.02
Coesite/quartz 48 0
Rutile 2 4.98
Notes: DHf = Hf partition coefficient between mineral and melt; DHf(total) = total partition
coefficient of Hf; F = degree of partial melting; SEDHf = Hf content in the SED; CHf = Hf
content in melt; DHf of garnet and rutile from Irving and Frey (1976) and Foley et al.
(2000), respectively. DHf of coesite/quartz was assumed as 0. Other minor and accessory
minerals persisted in eclogitic facies (e.g. phengite, apatite and monazite) were not
taken into consideration since their extremely low DHf values or/and low proportions. F
was supposed to be 0.2.
120 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125

Table 5
Parameters and results for geochemical model.

Element Th U Nb La Ce Nd Sm Eu Tb Y Yb Lu

ppm

DM 0.014 0.0047 0.21 0.23 0.77 0.71 0.27 0.11 0.075 4.07 0.40 0.063
SED 9.31 1.62 12 37.9 69.9 32.8 5.18 1.22 0.9 18.1 2.34 0.36
SED melt 9.31 3.24 12 37.9 69.9 32.8 2.59 0.61 0.45 1.81 0.23 0.036
Line 1 (f = 0.7%) 0.079 0.027 0.29 0.50 1.26 0.94 0.29 0.11 0.078 4.05 0.40 0.063
Line 2 (f = 4.5%) 0.43 0.15 0.74 1.93 3.88 2.16 0.37 0.13 0.092 3.97 0.39 0.062
KD1 0.0002 0.0002 0.010 0.0020 0.0046 0.017 0.042 0.074 0.099 0.15 0.17 0.16
KD2 0.0002 0.0002 0.0088 0.0015 0.0027 0.0061 0.0092 0.013 0.018 0.030 0.051 0.051
Line 3 (F = 0.05, KD1) 1.57 0.54 4.89 9.58 23.1 14.2 3.18 0.92 0.54 21.4 1.92 0.30
Line 4 (F = 0.09, KD1) 4.79 1.67 7.45 21.0 41.2 20.5 2.92 0.82 0.51 17.7 1.63 0.26
Line 5 (F = 0.09, KD2) 4.79 1.67 7.56 21.1 42.0 22.6 3.81 1.27 0.86 33.8 2.89 0.45
Keqianyakou 2.37 0.69 6.13 8.65 18.3 10.7 3.17 1.07 0.64 21.9 1.87 0.26
Jinyuan 1.33 0.48 3.63 11.7 25.8 13.8 3.32 1.10 0.49 16.3 1.58 0.24
Liushendong 4.33 2.54 12.9 18.9 41.9 21.7 5.31 1.05 0.87 34.0 3.39 0.47
Yishenchun 7.75 2.15 5.99 18.5 40.5 18.3 4.07 0.97 0.56 19.2 1.82 0.25

Notes: Trace element contents of SED melt were based on the experiment of Hermann and Rubatto (2009): Th, Nb, La, Ce, Nd contents of SED melt were equal to those in the SED; U was
twice, Sm, Eu, Tb were a half and Y, Yb, Lu were one-tenth of the SED. KD1 and KD2 represent bulk partition coefficients based on residual mineral assemblages of 75% Ol + 20% Opx + 2%
Cpx + 3% Gt and 75% Ol + 20% Opx + 2% Cpx + 3% Sp, respectively. Partition coefficients of these minerals were from Adam and Green (2006), Green et al. (2000), Hauri et al. (1994),
Johnson (1998), McKenzie and Onions (1992) and Nielsen et al. (1992). “Line 1 (f = 0.7%)” and “Line 2 (f = 4.5%)” mean incorporating 0.7% and 4.5% SED melt into the DM, respectively,
the f values were after Sr-Nd and Nd-Hf isotopic models. “Line 3”, “Line 4” and “Line 5” represent simulated results at hypothetical degree of partial melting (F) and partition coefficient
(KD1, KD2). “Keqianyakou”, “Jinyuan”, “Liushendong”and “Yishenchun” are average compositions of “QL1423 and QL1437”, “QL1469 and QL1513” “QL1528 and QL1530” and “QL1548 and
QL1549”, respectively. Mineral abbreviations: Gt = garnet, Sp = spinel, others as those in Table 1.

5.5. Geodynamic implications
Many previous studies have proposed that fluid liberated from the
subducted slab rather than slab melt was the transport agent for slab
materials, because early thermal modeling favored that most subduc-
tion zones were too cold to allow slab to melt (Davies and Stevenson,
1992; Peacock, 1990; Peacock, 1996). However, this raises several ques-
tions. Firstly, for many arc systems, little hydrous fluid is released from
the slab directly beneath the AF when combining hydrous mineral sta-
bility with the thermal conditions of subduction zones (Hacker, 2008;
van Keken et al., 2011). Secondly, compared with hydrous melts, high
pressure aqueous fluids are too dilute to transport most trace elements
(Hermann and Rubatto, 2009; Hermann and Spandler, 2008; Manning,
2004; Spandler et al., 2007). In contrast to the early thermal models,
which assumed an isoviscous mantle wedge and relatively cold slab
geotherm (Davies and Stevenson, 1992; Peacock et al., 1994), recent
Fig. 11. Trace element spider diagram for geochemical simulation result. “Line 1”, “Line 2”,
“Line 3”, “Line 4” and “Line 5” represent the resultant lines and are detailedly described in
Table 5. Other symbols as those in Fig. 5.
thermal models applied more realistic wedge geometry and structure.
These recent thermal models proposed that the top of the slab experi-
enced rapid heating due to corner flow when the slab passed from
cold mantle lithosphere to convective hot asthenospheric mantle
(Kelemen et al., 2003b; Peacock et al., 2005; van Keken et al., 2002). In
this circumstance, fluid-fluxed melting of the SED probably occurred
at sub-arc depth. In response, the sub-arc slab surfaces for many sub-
duction zones are expected to be hot enough for the SED to cross the
wet solidus (Cooper et al., 2012; Hermann and Spandler, 2008;
Labanieh et al., 2012).
The North Qaidam and the North Qilian belts were regarded as cold
subduction zones due to the low geothermal gradient (6–8 °C/km) cal-
culated from the exposed lawsonite-bearing eclogites and eclogitic oce-
anic crust (Song et al., 2007; J. Zhang et al., 2008; Zhang et al., 2009;
Zhang et al., 2007). However, as mentioned above, the slab surface
would undergo substantial heating during the increase in depth from
the fore-arc to the sub-arc (Syracuse et al., 2010; van Keken et al.,
2002). Furthermore, the subduction channel beneath the cold litho-
spheric mantle wedge provided more favorable conditions for exhuma-
tion than that beneath the hot convective mantle wedge. Therefore, the
geothermal gradient calculated from the exposed HP/UHP terranes
probably represents preferential sampling from the slab at relatively
shallow depth (Spandler and Pirard, 2013). Alternatively, water-satu-
rated melting of the SED or ABOC, can also be achieved by fast subduc-
tion of the cold plate, such as is the case for the Pacific Plate offshore
Kamchatka (Portnyagin et al., 2007). As a consequence, the recorded
low geothermal gradient of the HP/UHP metamorphic rocks is not con-
tradictory with our conclusion that fluid-fluxed melting of the SED took
place at sub-arc depth in the Qilian area.
It is believed that before fluid-fluxed melting of the SED occurs, ad-
ditional fluid is required because the subducted SED is likely to lose
most of the H2O beneath the fore-arc region (Spandler and Pirard,
2013). The required fluids are probably derived from dehydration of
serpentinized oceanic mantle lithosphere under the slab Moho
(Kodolanyi et al., 2012; Ranero et al., 2003) or down-dragged hydrated
mélange in the subduction channel above the slab surface (Hyndman
and Peacock, 2003; Savov et al., 2007; Tatsumi, 1989). In the former sce-
nario, the fluid would advect towards the hot slab surface via faults in
the slab and trigger allopatric melting of slab components (John et al.,
2012; Spandler et al., 2011). In the latter scenario, SED melting would
probably occur almost in situ since the fluid is in close proximity to
the SED (Spandler and Pirard, 2013).
 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125
The Sr–Nd and Nd–Hf isotopic calculations indicate that variable
proportions of SED melt had been incorporated into overlying mantle
wedge beneath the Central Qilian block across the arc: approximately
4.5% for magma sources beneath Hualong area (the AF) and ~0.7% for
those in Lajishan area (the RA). This systematic variation was probably
in response to progressive dehydration of the slab with increasing depth
(Portnyagin et al., 2007; Ryan et al., 1995; Schmidt and Poli, 1998). On
the other hand, it resulted in decreasing degree of partial melting of
the overlying mantle wedge from the AF to the RA (Fig. 12). Here we
employ a simplified cartoon to illustrate tectonic-magmatic process
for the Middle-Late Ordovician (ca. 460 Ma) magmatism in Hualong–
Lajishan area which illustrates the following sequence: (1) During
early subduction stage of the South Qilian oceanic slab, the SED and
ABOC lost most H2O beneath the fore-arc region (Fig. 12a); (2) At sub-
arc depths, fluid either released from the serpentinised oceanic mantle
lithosphere under the slab Moho (advecting towards the hot slab sur-
face via faults, pathway ① in Fig. 12c) or the hydrated mélange in the
subduction channel above the slab (nearly in situ with the SED, pathway
② in Fig. 12c) to trigger fluid-fluxed melting of the SED; (3) SED melt
rose up from the slab surface towards the partial melting zone in over-
lying mantle wedge (Fig. 12a); and (4) the modified mantle wedge
crossed the wet solidus and gave rise to the magmatism in Hualong
and Lajishan areas (Fig. 12a). During the above processes, both the
fluids, SED melts and arc magmas decreased in volume from the AF to
the RA (Fig. 12b). This geodynamic model can reasonably account for
the relatively shallower depth of magma source of the Liushendong
mafic rocks in the AF than those of the Keqianyakou and Jinyuan mafic
rocks in the RA, and the across-arc geochemical and isotopic variations
of the mafic rocks. Hence, despite uncertainties concerning the cause
of the Early Paleozoic arc-type magmatism in the Central Qilian block
(i.e. northward subduction of the South Qilian oceanic slab versus
southward subduction of the North Qilian oceanic slab), our study
Fig. 12. Simplified tectonic model to illustrate geodynamic process for the Middle-Late Ordovician (ca. 460 Ma) magmatism in Hualong–Lajishan area.
121
strongly indicate that, at least the arc magmatism in the southern Cen-
tral Qilian block resulted from the northward subduction of the South
Qilian oceanic slab. Consequently, we prefer that in paleo-subduction
zones, the geochemical and isotopic variations of arc-type mafic rocks
can probably provide important constraints on subduction polarity.
The prevalence of Grenville-age magmatism in the Central Qilian
block and its adjacent micro-continents such as the Qaidam and East
Qunlun blocks indicates that they witnessed the aggregation of the su-
percontinent Rodinia (Chen et al., 2017; Song et al., 2014 and reference
therein). Afterwards, ca. 850–600 Ma continental rift-related
magmatism and continental flood basalts therein recorded the break-
up of the Rodinia (Ren et al., 2011; Xia et al., 2016 and reference
therein), which made these micro-continents be isolated fragments
surrounded by the newly formed Proto-Tethys Ocean. The North Qilian
and the North Qaidam belts have been identified as relics of the two
branches (i.e. the North Qilian Ocean and the South Qilian Ocean) of
the Proto-Tethys Ocean from their Indian Ocean-MORB-like Sr–Nd–Pb
isotopic compositions of the constituent ophiolites (Hou et al., 2006a,
2006b). To the west, the two suture zones are proposed to extend to
the North Altyn and South Altyn belts, respectively (Mattinson et al.,
2007; Zhang et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2015). The North Qilian Ocean
and the South Qilian Ocean appear to record similar time span from sub-
duction initiation (N500 Ma) to closure (ca. 450 Ma) (Xia et al., 2016).
The Early Paleozoic HP/LT metamorphic belts, accretionary wedge,
ophiolitic mélange, intra-oceanic arc and back-arc magmatic rock asso-
ciation (i.e. trench–arc–basin system) in the North Qilian belt between
the Alxa and Central Qilian blocks suggest that it was an accretionary
orogenic belt like the Central Asian Orogenic belt, where trench–arc–
basin systems were prevalent and as many as 21 intra-oceanic arcs
have been identified (Safonova et al., 2016; Safonova et al., 2017). By
contrast, the North Qaidam belt, similar to other typical collisional oro-
genic belts (e.g. the Dabie–Sulu and Himalayan belts), is characterized
122 L. Tao et al. / Gondwana Research 59 (2018) 108–125
by outcrops of continental collision-related HP-UHP metamorphic rocks
and no remarkable relics of the fore-arc accretionary system. Therefore,
we conclude that the accretionary North Qilian Orogenic belt (north
branch of the Proto-Tethys Ocean) and the collisional North Qaidam
Orogenic belt (south branch of the Proto-Tethys Ocean) record the
nearly synchronous northward subduction within a convergent
geodynamic setting.
6. Conclusions
The mafic rocks in Hualong (AF, arc front) and Lajishan (RA, rear-
arc) display magma crystallization ages of 454–465 Ma. They show
arc-type magmatic features with enrichment of LILEs (e.g. Rb and Pb)
and depletion of HFSEs (e.g. Nb, Zr, Hf and Ti). The evolved Sr–Nd isoto-
pic compositions and low Ba/Th, Sr/Th and high La/Sm ratios of these
mafic rocks indicate that they were derived from mantle wedge modi-
fied by slab sediment melt. Their petrographic characteristics, elemental
correlations and relatively constant Sr–Nd isotopic compositions sug-
gest that during their magma evolution, cumulation and fractional crys-
tallization played significant roles while crustal contamination was
negligible.
In spite of their comparable petrogenesis, the (87Sr/86Sr)i of the
mafic rocks decrease from 0.7092–0.7116 in the AF to 0.7046–0.7054
in the RA, and the εNd(t) and εHf(t) values increase from −4.3 to −5.4
and −1.2 to −0.1 in the AF to +0.8 to +2.4 and + 8.4 to +11.9 in
the RA. In addition, mafic rocks in the AF are more enriched in strongly
incompatible elements than those in the RA.
The Sr-Nd and Nd-Hf isotopic models indicate that the flux rate of
SED melt into overlying mantle wedge decreased with increasing
depth: ~0.7% into the mantle wedge beneath the RA, while up to ~4.5%
into that beneath the AF. The batch partial melting model reveals that
the magma sources of the Keqianyakou and Jinyuan plutons had expe-
rienced 5% partial melting of garnet harzburgite, while magma source
of the Yishenchun pluton and magma source of Liushendong pluton
had experienced 9% partial melting of garnet harzburgite and spinel
harzburgite, respectively.
The above across-arc variations in fluid/melt flux rates and degree of
partial melting is consistent with the magmatism being derived from
the northward subduction of the South Qilian oceanic slab. As a conse-
quence, we suggest that the South Qilian Ocean and the North Qilian
Ocean, as two branches of the Proto-Tethys Ocean, experienced nearly
simultaneous northward subduction within a convergent geodynamic
setting.
Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.gr.2018.03.014.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the National Science Foundation of China
(grants: 41373040, 41573021 and MSFGPMR201601-2). We would like
to thank Dr. Yongsheng Liu sincerely for his help during zircon U–Pb
analyses, Dr. Lian Zhou for whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic analyses and Dr.
Zhaochu Hu for zircon Hf isotopic analyses. We would also like to thank
Associate Editor Inna Safonova and other anonymous reviewers for
their honest and practical comments. We are grateful to Prof. Nigel Har-
ris for his language editing that improves the quality of this paper.
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