Palaeoproterozoic magmatic–metamorphic history of the Quanji Massif, Northwest China: implications for a single North China-Quanji-Tarim craton within the Columbia supercontinent?

The Quanji Massif (QM), in the northeast part of Tibet, consists of Palaeoproterozoic metamorphic rocks, granitoids, and mafic dikes. U–Pb dating of a diorite gneiss and a mafic dike in the QM yielded a crystallization age of 2272 ± 15 Ma and a metamorphic age of 1928 ± 11 Ma, respectively. Although some post-emplacement alteration has occurred, the mafic dikes display a sub-alkaline signature with slight light rare earth element-enrichment, depletion in Th, Nb, Ta, and Ti, and have a rare earth element pattern consistent with volcanic arc basalts. Based on the geochronology and field relationships, we conclude that the mafic dikes formed in an extensional setting within either a fore-arc or back-arc environment. We argue that the metamorphism that affected the dikes occurred shortly after intrusion. Our diorite gneiss and monzodiorite samples are characterized by relatively high Mg# (47–56) and Sr contents (367–1070 ppm), low-to-moderate Sr/Y (10–90), low Rb/Sr (0.03–0.28) and high K/Rb (179–775). These felsic melts likely originated from partial melting of a mafic source. Our new data, combined with results from previous studies, indicate that the QM formed between 2.50 and 2.30 Ga and underwent metamorphism around 1.95–1.75 Ga that may relate to the dispersal of Neoarchaean ‘Kenorland’ and the formation of the Columbia supercontinent. The similarity between the Palaeoproterozoic events in the Tiekelik, North Altyn–Dunhuang, Alashan blocks, and QM suggests that QM was part of either the Tarim or the North China Craton in the late Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic. If the model is correct, then there was a single ‘North China–Quanji–Tarim Craton’ that was later disrupted by Neoproterozoic to Phanerozoic tectonic events.