Tectonic evolution of the Sibumasu–Indochina terrane collision zone in Thailand and Malaysia: constraints from new U–Pb zircon chronology of SE Asian tin granitoids

Three principal granite provinces are defined across SE Asia, as follows. (1) The Western Thailand–Myanmar/Burma province consists of hornblende–biotite I-type granodiorite–granites and felsic biotite–K-feldspar (± garnet ± tourmaline) granites associated with abundant tin mineralization in greisen-type veins. New ion microprobe U–Pb dating results from Phuket Island show zircon core ages of 212 ± 2 and 214 ± 2 Ma and a thermal overprint with rims of 81.2 ± 1.2 and 85–75 Ma. (2) The North Thailand–West Malaya Main Range province has mainly S-type biotite granites and abundant tin mineralization resulting from crustal thickening following collision of the Sibumasu plate with Indochina during the Mid-Triassic. Biotite granites around Kuala Lumpur contain extremely U-rich zircons (up to 38000 ppm) that yield ages of 215 ± 7 and 210 ± 7 Ma. (3) The East Malaya province consists of dominantly Permian–Triassic I-type hornblende–biotite granites but with subordinate S-type plutons and A-type syenite–gabbros. Biotite–K-feldspar granites from Tioman Island off the east coast of Malaysia also yield a zircon age of 80 ± 1 Ma, showing Cretaceous magmatism in common with province 1. Geological and U–Pb geochronological data suggest that two east-dipping (in present-day coordinates) subduction zones are required during the Triassic, one along the Bentong–Raub Palaeo-Tethyan suture, and the other west of the Phuket–Burma province 1 belt.