Detrital zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopes from the Yanliao intracontinental rift sediments: Implications for multiple phases of Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic juvenile crustal growth in the North China Craton

Late Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic marks a major period of continental growth and recycling, the culmination of which witnessed the assembly of the Columbia supercontinent and its subsequent breakup. The North China Craton (NCC) preserves important records of tectonic activities and crust building and recycling processes during this time. In this study, we carried out U-Pb geochronology and Lu-Hf isotopic analyses of detrital zircon grains from four sedimentary formations of the Changcheng Group in the Yanliao intracontinental rift in NE NCC. Our isotopic ages constrain the timing of initiation of the Yanliao rift as ca. 1680 Ma. The zircon U-Pb data show two major age populations at 2.7-2.5 Ga and 2.2-1.9 Ga, with high and positive epsilon(Hf)(t) values of + 0.1 to + 34.6. Both the Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic detrital zircon populations were derived from the basement rocks of the NCC. The results from our study indicate major juvenile crust accretion during Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic associated with the craton building process of the NCC. (C) 2021 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The Late Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic period marked a significant time of continental growth and recycling, with the assembly and subsequent breakup of the Columbia supercontinent. The North China Craton preserves important records of tectonic activities and crust building processes during this time. The study findings suggest significant juvenile crust accretion in the Yanliao intracontinental rift during the Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic periods.