Zircons from the Tarim basement provide insights into its positions in Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents

Journal Pre-proofs Zircons from the Tarim basement provide insights into its positions in Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents Peng Wang, Guochun Zhao, Qian Liu, Yigui Han, Jinlong Yao, Jianhua Li PII: DOI: Reference:

S0301-9268(19)30237-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2020.105621 PRECAM 105621

To appear in:

Precambrian Research

Received Date: Revised Date: Accepted Date:

18 April 2019 4 December 2019 8 January 2020

Please cite this article as: P. Wang, G. Zhao, Q. Liu, Y. Han, J. Yao, J. Li, Zircons from the Tarim basement provide insights into its positions in Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents, Precambrian Research (2020), doi: https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2020.105621

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1

Zircons from the Tarim basement provide insights into its

2

positions in Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents

3 4

Peng Wang1, Guochun Zhao1, 2*, Qian Liu1, Yigui Han2, Jinlong Yao1, 2, Jianhua Li4

5 6

1

7

2 State

8

Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Northern Taibei

Street 229, Xi’an 710069, China

9

3

School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China

10

4

Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

11 12

ABSTRACT

13

The positions of the Tarim Craton in two Precambrian supercontinents Columbia and

14

Rodinia still remains unknown or controversial due to the lack of geological and

15

paleomagnetic data as the craton is largely covered by desert in the central part and

16

sparse Precambrian basement rocks are scattered at its margins. In this contribution, we

17

attempt to use new in situ zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic data, combined with

18

comprehensive compiled data from Precambrian basement rocks at its margins, to

19

provide new insights into positions in two pre-Pangean supercontinents. Available data

20

indicate that the northern margin of Tarim most likely developed as an active margin at

21

2.5-2.7 Ga, which collided with the southern margin of Siberia at 1.8-2.0 Ga, and then

22

drifted away at 0.9-1.5 Ga, without any record for Grenvillian events in the northern

23

margin of Tarim, which was an active margin in the Neoproterozoic (600-800 Ma). In

24

southern Tarim, Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks were closely related with the

25

evolution of Rodinia. The ~0.9 Ga Ma gneissic granites were formed in collisional

26

settings due to collision between the Southern Tarim and North India during the

27

assembly of Rodinia, which is supported by comparable zircon age spectra and Hf

28

isotopes from Neoproterozoic strata in two terrenes. The ~800 Ma granitic intrusions

29

and mafic dikes were generated in continental rifting settings associated with the

30

breakup of Rodinia. This model considers the Tarim Craton remaining as a single block

31

in the period from Columbia to Rodinia.

32

Keywords: Igneous rock, Detrital zircon, Columbia; Rodinia; Tarim Craton

33 34

1. Introduction

35 36

Positioning blocks in Precambrian supercontinents like Columbia and Rodinia is much

37

difficult due to limited Precambrian strata and reliable paleomagnetic data (Evans and

38

Mitchell 2011; Li et al., 2008; Zhao et al., 2004, 2018). This is particularly the case

39

with the Tarim Craton of China, and its positions in the two pre-Pangean

40

supercontinents remain unknown or controversial. The Tarim Craton is largely

41

occupied by desert in its central part, and only few Precambrian basements and

42

Paleozoic to Mesozoic strata sporadically outcrop along its margins. In addition to

43

limited Precambrian rocks, magmatic rocks in northern Tarim and southern Tarim have

44

similar ages but markedly different tectonic settings, and detrital zircons from

45

equivalent strata also show distinct age spectra. These discrepancies have also

46

significantly hindered us from relocating its positions in supercontinents (Xu et al.,

47

2013). Some models proposed that the Tarim Craton is composed of discrete terranes

48

and experienced complicated assembly and breakup (Wen, et al., 2017; Xu, et al., 2013;

49

Zhang, et al., 2019). Alternatively, other models considered the Tarim Craton as one

50

unified block in the pre-Pangean supercontinents (Li et al., 1996; Huang et al., 2005).

51

To date, a few studies have located the positions of the Tarim Craton in the Columbia

52

and Rodinia supercontinents, popularly quoting or agreeing with the view that the

53

northern Tarim Craton was connected to the Kimberley Block in NW Australia during

54

Paleoproterozoic to Early Cambrian time, as it was thought that two blocks have similar

55

Paleoproterozoic

56

Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions (Li et al., 1996; Turn, S.A., 2010; Zhao et al.,

57

2004). However, newest available geochronological dating has shown that no

58

Mesoproterozoic strata were developed in northern Tarim, except for only two small

59

Mesoproterozoic diabase exposed in this area (Table S1). Moreover, comprehensive

60

compiled data have revealed that Neoproterozoic strata in northern Tarim almost

61

certainly lack 1.1-1.7 Ga detrital zircons, remarkably distinct from those of strata in

62

NW Australia characterized by Grenville-age zircons (Cawood et a., 2015; He et al.,

63

2014). To locate the Tarim Craton in the the Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents, it

64

is fundamentally important to decrypt discrepancies in magmatic activities and age

65

spectra of detrital zircons between the northern Tarim and southern Tarim. In this

66

contribution, we decipher and compare tectonic settings of magmatic activities and

67

trace provenance of Proterozoic strata based on comprehensive zircon U-Pb ages and

68

Hf isotopic data. We infer that the Tarim Craton was possibly an integrated block at

69

least during Proterozoic time. While the northern Tarim Craton might have been

70

assembled on the southern Siberia within Columbia, the southern Tarim Craton was

71

connected with the northern Indian within Rodinia.

basement

rocks

and

weakly-metamorphosed

Meso-

to

72 73

2. Settings of the Tarim Craton

74 75

The Tarim Craton is bounded by the Tianshan Mountain to the north, the Kunlun

76

Mountain to the south and the Altyn Tagh mountain to the southeast (Fig. 1a). The

77

craton is largely occupied by desert in its central part, and only few Precambrian

78

basement rocks and Paleozoic to Mesozoic strata sporadically outcrop along its margins.

79

The basement rocks are mostly exposed along its margins and also identified in drill

80

cores in the central part (Xu et al., 2013). Until now, Archean rocks are predominantly

81

exposed in the Dunhuang area and the Altyn Tagh Mountain (Fig. 1a), and the oldest

82

rocks are ca. 3.7 Ga tonalitic gneisses (Ge et al., 2018). In northern Tarim, other well-

83

documented Precambrian rocks are mainly distributed in the Kuluketage and Aksu

84

areas (Fig. 1), and the oldest rocks are subduction-related ca. 2.7 Ga Korla complex in

85

the Kuluketage area (Ge et al., 2014). Igneous rocks are characterized by mafic-felsic

86

suites with ages from 2.7 Ga to 0.7 Ga in the Kuluketage area, and some Neoproterozoic

87

mafic to felsic rocks were identified in the Aksu area (Wu et al., 2018). In southern

88

Tarim, the oldest rocks are represented by ca. 2.4 Ga Heluositan complex (Ye et al.,

89

2016). Notably, the exposed Archean rocks along the margins of Tarim have distinct

90

two-stage Hf model ages (TDMC), which led some researchers to regard the Tarim

91

Craton as discrete terranes that amalgamated during Neoproterozoic time (Ye et al.,

92

2016). This inference has also been used to interpret time-equivalent magmatism and

93

strata formed in distinct settings along northern and southern margins (Xu et al., 2013;

94

Zhang et al., 2019). In the Kukuketage area, Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic strata

95

are exposed, with the former consisting of glacial deposits, volcanic rocks, and marine

96

sediments, and the latter composed of sedimentary clastic and carbonate rocks (Long

97

et al., 2011). Localized Neoproterozoic blueschist-dominated strata are distributed in

98

the Aksu area. In southern Tarim, Precambrian igneous rocks are dominated by felsic

99

rocks and well-constrained Precambrian metasediments are Neoproterozoic schist-

100

dominated strata deposited in continental extensional settings (Wang et al., 2011) (Fig.

101

1a).

102 103

3. Methods

104 105

Cathodoluminescence images for the zircons were obtained with a MonoCL3 (Gatan,

106

Abingdon, UK) cathodoluminescence instrument attached to a scanning electron

107

microscope (JSM-6510A, JEOL, Tokyo) at Jinyu Technology, Chongqing, China.

108

Zircons were separated using heavy-liquid and magnetic techniques at Laboratory of

109

Geological Team of Heibei Province, China. All analytical jobs were conducted at

110

Nanjing FocuMS Technology Co. Ltd, China. Analytical procedures were summarized

111

in the following text.

112

Most of zircons analyzed have clear oscillatory zonings, using a Photon Machines

113

excimer 193-nm LA-ICPMS. A laser repetition rate of 7 Hz, energy of 6.71 J/cm2 were

114

used. Zircon 91500 and GJ-1 were used for U-Pb isotopic ratio correction (Jackson et

115

al., 2004). The raw data were processed offline with ICPMSDataCal. Concordia

116

diagrams and weighted mean calculations were made using Isoplot (version 3.0).

117

Zircons Hf isotope compositions were made on the same age domains previously

118

analyzed for U-Pb dating. And only zircons with good Concordia ages were analyzed.

119

Australian Scientific Instruments RESOlution LR laser-ablation system (Canberra,

120

Australian) and Nu Instruments Nu Plasma II MC-ICP-MS (Wrexham, Wales, UK)

121

were combined for the experiments. The 193 nm ArF excimer laser, homogenized by a

122

set of beam delivery systems, was focused on zircon surface with fluence of 3.5J/cm2.

123

Ablation protocol employed a spot diameter of 50 um at 8 Hz repetition rate for 40

124

seconds (equating to 320 pulses). Helium was applied as carrier gas to efficiently

125

transport aerosol to MC-ICP-MS. Standard zircons (including GJ-1, 91500, Plešovice,

126

Mud Tank, Penglai) were treated as quality control every five unknown samples.

127 128

4. Results

129 130

Five Neoproterozoic schists in the southern Hetian area and two Mesoproterozoic

131

quartzites in the southern Yutian area were collected for zircon U-Pb dating (Fig. 1a

132

and b). A total of 422 detrital zircon ages were obtained and 172 of them were chosen

133

for Lu-Hf isotopic analyses. Representative cathodoluminescence images of zircons

134

and corresponding

135

values are shown in Fig. 2. These prismatic zircons display narrow oscillatory zones

136

and high Th/U ratios (most > 0.2) and U/Yb ratios (most > 0.1), indicating a continental

137

magmatic origin (Grimes et al., 2007) (Fig. 3).

207Pb/206Pb

ages (>1.0 Ga),

206Pb/238U

ages (< 1.0 Ga) and εHf(t)

138

Zircons from five Neoproterozoic schists yielded similar U-Pb age patterns: one

139

prominent age population at 800 Ma and a small amount of other ages (Fig. 4). Five

140

samples restricted the maximum depositional age at 760-800 Ma (Fig. 4). Ninety-four

141

zircons from Mesoproterozoic quartzite 17WP55 defined a dominant age population at

142

1350 Ma and two subordinate peaks at 1250 Ma and 1600 Ma, with a maximum

143

depositional age at 998 Ma (Fig. 5). Ninety-nine zircons from Mesoproterozoic

144

quartzite 17WP47 yielded one prominent age population at 1500 Ma, one subordinate

145

age population at 1220 Ma and a maximum depositional age at 1023 Ma (Fig.5). A total

146

of 122 Lu-Hf isotopic analysis of zircons from five Neoproterozoic schists yielded εHf(t)

147

values ranging from -17 to 11. Ca. 800 Ma zircons are characterized by εHf(t) values

148

ranging from -15 to -5. In contrast, 55 zircons from two Mesoproterozoic quartzites

149

show mostly positive εHf(t) values (0 to 10).

150

151

5. Discussion

152 153

4.1 Igneous rocks

154

In northern Tarim, igneous rocks record the evolution of the Columbia supercontinent

155

from amalgamation to breakup (Fig. 6). The well-documented ~2.7 Ga rocks consist

156

mainly of orthogneiss (probably meta-volcanics) and amphibolite (meta-mafic rocks),

157

which are enriched in light rare elements (LREE) and Th, and depleted in Nb-Ta and

158

Ti, indicative of arc-related settings (Fig. 7) (Ge et al., 2014). In addition, these rocks

159

have heterogeneous zircon εHf(t) values ranging from -5 to10, suggesting materials from

160

both depleted mantle and ancient continental crust (Fig. 8) . Thus, it is inferred that the

161

~2.7 Ga rocks were formed in continental arc settings (Ge et al., 2014). Similarly, the

162

~2.5 Ga rocks include (meta-) gabbro, diorite, and granodiorite, in which the

163

granodiorites have significantly negative Nb-Ta-Ti anomalies, strongly fractionated

164

REE patterns, and mostly negative zircon εHf(t) values, defining typical continental arc

165

settings (Fig. 6) (Long et al., 2011). The 1.8-2.0 Ga intermediate-acidic meta-igneous

166

rocks were sourced from crust-dominated sources in collisional settings, as supported

167

by strongly negative εHf(t) values approaching -20 and strong depletions in Nb-P-Ti and

168

significant negative Eu anomalies (Wang, XD et al., 2018) (Fig. 8a). These collision-

169

related 1.8-2.0 Ga magmatism and the ~1.8 Ga regional high-grade metamorphism are

170

genetically related to the assembly of Columbia. The ~1.5 Ga meta-diabases show

171

geochemical features akin to within-plate basalts, such as no or slight Nb-Ta negative

172

anomalies, positive Eu anomalies, and enrichments in Zr and Ti elements (Wu et al.,

173

2014; Zhang J et al., 2018). These rocks have relatively homogenous zircon εHf(t)

174

values ranging from -4 to 2 (Fig. 8a), which were considered as derivation from

175

enriched continental lithospheric mantle within rifting settings corresponding to the

176

initial breakup of Columbia (Fig. 6) (Wu et al., 2014). In contrast to these

177

aforementioned consensus views about the tectonic settings of Meso-Paleoproterozoic

178

rocks, the tectonic settings of the Neoproterozoic igneous rocks (600-800Ma) have been

179

hotly disputed, with different authors proposing different settings from long-lasting

180

subduction to the breakup of Rodinia or mantle plume (Long, et al., 2011).

181

In southern Tarim, Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks are closely related with the

182

evolution of Rodinia (Fig. 6). The ~2.4 Ga granitic gneisses have negative zircon εHf(t)

183

values and are products of recycled Archean crust due to upwelling of hotter mantle in

184

extensional continental environments (Fig. 8a) (Ye et al., 2016). Unlike northern Tarim,

185

no collision-related rocks associated with the assemblage of Columbia have been

186

identified in southern Tarim, and instead minor 1.8-2.0 Ga A-type granites defined

187

intraplate settings based on geochemical data (Zhang et al., 2019). The ~1.4 Ga A-type

188

gneissic granites, with zircon εHf(t) values clustering around 0, are products of partial

189

melting of mafic lower crust and juvenile crust in extensional anorogenic settings

190

related to the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent (Ye et al., 2016). The ~0.9 Ga

191

gneissic granites, with variable zircon εHf(t) values ranging from -28 to 12, but an

192

average of 0, were originated from mixing sources and formed in collisional/ post-

193

collisional settings corresponding to the assembly of Rodinia (Wang et al., 2013). The

194

mafic dikes (~800 Ma), with εHf(t) negative zircon values ranging from -10 to -2, were

195

sourced from mafic lower crust in continental rifting settings, recording the initial

196

breakup of Rodinia (Zhang et al., 2018) (Fig. 6).

197

Although the northern and southern margins of Tarim record intense magmatism

198

during early Neoproterozoic time, two regimes show distinct rock assemblages with

199

different zircon εHf(t) values and geochemical characters, indicative of subduction and

200

continental rifting settings, respectively (Fig.6 and 8). In northern Tarim, the ca. 800

201

Ma intermediate-acidic rocks are enriched in LREEs and large-ion lithophile elements,

202

and depleted in Nb-Ta-Ti, and have negative zircon εHf(t) values (-30 to -10) (Fig. 7,

203

8a) (Ge et al., 2014). Similarly, the younger ca. 640 Ma rocks include granodiorites,

204

mafic dikes, rhyolites, and basalts, in which the felsic units show geochemical

205

similarities, such as depletions in Nb-Ta-Ti, but have relatively higher zircon εHf(t)

206

values (-10 to -2) (Ge et al., 2014). Their geochemical compositions of both ca. 800 and

207

ca. 640 magmatic rocks define arc settings, as also evidenced by the ca. 700 Ma

208

blueschists and ca. 640 glacial diamictites in the Aksu area in northern Tarim (Fig. 6)

209

(Nakajima et al., 1990). In particular, advancing and retreating subduction settings can

210

be inferred for the ca. 800 Ma and ca. 640 Ma magmatism, as indicated by switch of

211

zircon Hf isotopic compositions (Fig. 2a) (Collins et al., 2011). The later has increasing

212

zircon εHf(t) values indicating more contribution of mantle-derived juvenile materials

213

due to crustal extensional of overriding plate, which is typical of accretionary process

214

(Han et al., 2016). Comparatively, in southern Tarim, the ca. 800 Ma granites exhibit

215

strong intraplate affinities closely related to continental rifting settings, which are

216

consistent with the worldwide breakup of Rodinia (Zhang et al., 2018).

217

4.2 Proterozoic strata

218

New and compiled zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic data characterize Proterozoic strata

219

along the northern and southern margins of the Tarim Craton. The complied data

220

mainly include Neo- and Paleoproterozoic strata exposed in the Kuluketage and the

221

Aksu areas in northern Tarim, and Neo- and Mesoproterozoic strata distributed in

222

southwestern Tarim. Data from southern Tarim show a continuous spectrum of ages

223

from ca. 3000 to ca. 600 Ma, with a dominant peak at ~800 Ma, and minor several

224

peaks at ~1200 Ma, ~1300 Ma, and ~1850 Ma (Fig. 9a). Comparatively, data from

225

northern Tarim are characterized by two dominant peaks at ~800 Ma and ~1900 Ma,

226

respectively (Fig. 9b). The ~800 Ma detrital zircons have various εHf(t) values (-20 to

227

10), clustering at -10, and the ~740 Ma zircons have more concentrated εHf(t) values

228

from -5 to 5 (Fig. 8). These values match well with those of zircons from time-

229

equivalent igneous rocks that are closely linked with advancing subduction and

230

retreating subduction settings, respectively (Fig. 8). It is worth noting that almost no

231

1.1-1.7 Ga detrital zircons identified in the Proterozoic strata (Fig. 8), together with

232

no traces of Grenville-age event recognized in northern Tarim, are similar to that of

233

the southern Siberia Craton (Fig. 9c) (Gladkochub et al., 2019). Given that the

234

northern Tarim was involved in collisional events associated with the assembly of

235

Columbia, it is inferred that the northern Tarim was probably linked to the southern

236

Siberia within Columbia, and that both were on the periphery of Rodinia or not

237

involved in Rodinia (Fig. 10a, b). This inference is also supported by their similar

238

age populations of Neoproterozoic strata in northern Tarim and southern Siberia (Fig.

239

9). The departure time of the northern Tarim from Siberia occurred during 0.9-1.5

240

Ga, constrained by the existence of ca. 0.9 Ma oceanic crust and ca.1.5 Ga diabase

241

sills/ dikes in northern Tarim, and ca. 1.5 Ga diabase dikes in southern Siberia (Ernst,

242

et al., 2000; Qu et al., 2011; Zhang J et al., 2018), but more work is needed to

243

constrain the accurate timing of detachment.

244

Unique to the Mesoproterozoic quartzites strata in southern Tarim are abundant 1.0

245

-1.7 Ga detrital zircons with mostly positive εHf(t) values (Fig. 8b). The

246

Mesoproterozoic quartzites, with a maximum depositional age of ~1.0 Ga, were

247

deposited in collisional settings associated with the assembly of Rodinia (Fig. 6). In

248

contrast, the ca. 800 Ma detrital zircons have mostly negative εHf(t) values (mostly -5

249

to -15), indicating crust-dominated magmatic sources in continental extensional

250

settings (Fig. 6) (Wang et al., 2011). Specifically, the continental extensional settings

251

possibly corresponded to the breakup of Rodinia during early Neoproterozoic time,

252

posterior to ca. 940 Ma collision-related granitic rocks in southern Tarim related to

253

the assembly of Rodinia (Zhao et al., 2018). In other worlds, the southern Tarim

254

might have collided with a terrane in Rodinia at ~940 Ma and subsequently begun to

255

drift away at ca. 800 Ma (Fig. 10c). The possible terrane is North India, as indicated

256

by similar age spectra of detrital zircons and well comparable Hf isotopic

257

compositions (Fig. 6b, 10) (Wang W et al., 2018). In addition, the detrital zircon age

258

distribution of the Neoproterozoic strata in southern Tarim is similar to that of Neo-

259

Mesoproterozoic strata in South China, implying adjacent positions in Rodinia

260

(Cawood et al., 2015). However, the age spectrum of the southern Tarim is different

261

from that of western Australia which has a prominent age population of ca. 1.2 Ga,

262

precluding that they had a common provenance within Rodinia (Fig. 8) (Li et al.,

263

1996).

264

Our new model considers the Tarim Carton as an integrated block and first links the

265

northern Tarim Craton with southern Siberia within Columbia and the southern Tarim

266

Craton with North India within Rodinia. Our result also provides new insights into

267

interpretation in the different igneous activities and provenance of strata in northern

268

and southern Tarim.

269 270 271

6. Conclusions

272

The northern Tarim possibly collided with the southern Siberia at 1.8-2.0 Ga within

273

Columbia, and drifted away at 0.9-1.5 Ga. No Grenvillian events have been found in

274

northern Tarim in the Neoproterozoic. The southern Tarim possibly collided with North

275

India during the assembly of Rodinia and drifted away at 800 Ma. This model considers

276

the Tarim Craton remaining as a single block in the period from Columbia to Rodinia.

277 278

Reference

279

Collins, W.J., Belousova, E.A., Kemp, A.I.S., Murphy, J.B., 2011. Two contrasting

280

Phanerozoic orogenic systems revealed by hafnium isotope data. Nature Geoscience

281

4, 333-337.

282

Cawood, P.T., Wang, Y.J., Xu, Y.J., Zhao, G.C., 2015. Locating South China in

283

Rodinia and Gondwana: A fragment of greater India lithosphere? Geology 41,

284

903-906.

285 286

Evans, D.A.D., Mitchell, R.N., 2011. Assembly and breakup of the core of Paleoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna. Geology 39, 443-446.

287

Ernst, R.E., Buchan, K.L., Hamilton, M.A., Okrugin, A.V., Tomshin, M.D., 2000.

288

Integrated Paleomagnetism and U-Pb Geochronology of Mafic Dikes of the Eastern

289

Anabar Shield Region, Siberia: Implications for Mesoproterozoic Paleolatitude of

290

Siberia and Comparison with Laurentia. Journal of Geology 108, 381-401.

291

Ge, R.F., Zhu, W.B., Wilde, S.M., He, J.W., Cui, X., Wang, X., Zheng, B.H., 2014.

292

Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic long-lived accretionary orogeny in the northern Tarim

293

Craton. Tectonics 33, 302-329.

294

Ge, R.F., Zhu, W.B., Wilde, S.A., Wu, H.L., He, J.W., Zheng, B.H., 2014. Archean

295

magmatism and crustal evolution in the northern Tarim Craton: Insights from zircon

296

U-Pb-Hf-O isotopes and geochemistry of ∼2.7 Ga orthogneiss and amphibolite in

297

the Korla Complex. Precambrian Research 252, 145-165 (2014).

298 299

Ge, R.F., Zhu, W.B., Wilde, S.A., Wu, H.L., 2018. Remnants of Eoarchean continental crust derived from a subducted proto-arc. Science advances 4, 3159 (2018)

300

Gladkochub, D.P., Donskaya T.V., Stanevich A.M., Pisarevsky S.A., Zhang S., Motova

301

Z.L., Mazukabzov A.M., Li, H., 2019. U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and

302

provenance of Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks in southern Siberia: New insights

303

into breakup of Rodinia and opening of Paleo-Asian Ocean. Gondwana Research 65,

304

1-16.

305

Grimes, C.B., John, B.E., Kelemen, P.B., Mazdab, F.K., Wooden, J.L., Cheadle, M.J.,

306

Hanghoj, K., Schwartz, J.J., 2007. Trace element chemistry of zircons from oceanic

307

crust: A method for distinguishing detrital zircon provenance. Geology 35, 643-646.

308

Han, Y.G., Zhao, G.C., Cawood, P.A., Sun, M., Eizenhöfer, P.R., Hou, W.Z., Zhang,

309

X.R., Liu, Q., 2016. Tarim and North China cratons linked to northern Gondwana

310

through switching accretionary tectonics and collisional orogenesis. Geology 44, 95-

311

98.

312

Huang, B.C., Xu, B., Zhang, C.X., Li, Y.A., Zhu, R.X., 2005. Paleomagnetism of the

313

Baiyisi volcanic rocks (ca. 740 Ma) of Tarim, Northwest China: A continental

314

fragment of Neoproterozoic Western Australia? Precambrian Research 142, 83-92.

315

He, J.W., Zhu, W.B., Ge, R.F., Zheng, B.H. & Wu, H.L. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages and

316

Hf isotopes of Neoproterozoic strata in the Aksu area, northwestern Tarim Craton:

317

Implications for supercontinent reconstruction and crustal evolution. Precambrian

318

Research 254, 194-209 (2014).

319

Jackson, S.E., Pearson, N.J., Griffin, W.L., Belousova, E.A., 2004. The application of

320

laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to in situ U-Pb zircon

321

geochronology. Chemical Geology 211, 47-69 (2004).

322

Li, Z.X., Zhang, L., Powell, C.McA., 1996. Positions of the East Asian cratons in the

323

Neoproterozoic Supercontinent Rodinia. Australian Journal of Earth Science 43,

324

593-604.

325

Li, Z.X., Bogdanova, S.V.b., Collins A.S., Davidson A., Waele, B.De., Ernst R.E.,

326

Fitzsimons, I.C.W., Fuck, R.A., Gladkochub, D.P., Jacobs, J., Karlstrom, K.E., Lu

327

S., Natapov L.M., Pease, V., Pisarevsky, S.A., Thrane, K., Vernikovsky V., 2008.

328

Assembly, configuration, and break-up history of Rodinia: A synthesis.

329

Precambrian Research 160, 179-210.

330

Long, X.P., Yuan, C., Sun, M., Kröner, A., Zhao, G.C., Wilde, S., 2011. Hu, A.Q.

331

Reworking of the Tarim Craton by underplating of mantle plume-derived magmas:

332

Evidence from Neoproterozoic granitoids in the Kuluketage area, NW China.

333

Precambrian Research 187, 1-14.

334

Merdith, A.S., Collins, A.S., Williams, S.E., Pisarevsky, S., Foden, J.D., Archibald,

335

D.B., Blades, M.L., Alessio, B.L., Armistead, S., Plavsa, D., Clark, C., and Müller,

336

R.D., 2017. A full-plate global reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic. Gondwana

337

Research, 50, 84-134.

338

Nakajima, T., Maruyama, S., Uchiumi, S., Lious, J.G., Wang, X., Xiao, X., Graham,

339

S.A., 1990. Evidence for late Proterozoic subduction from 700-Myr-old blueschists

340

in China. Nature 346, 263-265 (1990).

341

Pearce, J.A., Harris, N.B.W., 1984. Tindle, A.G. Trace element discrimination

342

diagrams for the tectonic interpretation of granitic rocks. Journal of Petrology 25,

343

956-983 (1984).

344

Qu, J.F., Xiao, W.J., Windley, B.F., Han, C.M., Mao, Q.G., Ao, S.J., Zhang, J.E.,

345

2011. Ordovician eclogites from the Chinese Beishan: implications for the tectonic

346

evolution of the southern Altaids. Journal of Metamorphic Geology 29, 803-820.

347

Sun, S.S., McDonough, W.F., 1989. Chemical and isotopic systematics of oceanic

348

basalts: Implications for mantle composition and processes. In: Saunders, A.D.,

349

Norry, M.J. (Eds.), Magmatism in Ocean Basins. Geological Society London,

350

Special Publications 42, 313-345 (1989).

351 352 353

Turn, S.A., 2010. Sedimentary record of Late Neoproterozoic rifting in the NW Tarim Basin, China. Precambrian Research 181, 85-96 (2010). Wang, C., Liu, L., He, S.P., Li, R.S., Yang, W.Q., Cao, Y.T., 2011. Timing of

354

Precambrian basement from east segment of Tiekelike tectonic belt, Southwestern

355

Tarim, China: Constrains from zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic. Journal of Earth

356

Science 23,142-154.

357

Wang, C., Liu, L., Yang, W.Q., Zhu, X.H., Cao, Y.T., Kang, L., Chen, S.F., Li,

358

Rong, R.S., He, S.P., 2013. Provenance and ages of the Altyn Complex in Altyn

359

Tagh: Implications for the early Neoproterozoic evolution of northwestern China.

360

Precambrian Research 230, 193-208 (2013).

361

Wang, X.D., Lv, X.B., Cao, X.F., Wang, Y.F., Liu, W., 2018. Palaeo-

362

Mesoproterozoic magmatic and metamorphic events from the Kuluketage block,

363

northeast Tarim Craton: geochronology, geochemistry and implications for

364

evolution of Columbia. Geological Journal 53, 120-138.

365

Wen, B., Evans, D.A.D., Li, Y.X., 2017. Neoproterozoic paleogeography of the

366

Tarim Block: An extended or alternative “missing-link” model for Rodinia? Earth

367

and Planetary Science Letters 458, 92-106.

368

Wu, C.Z., Santosh, M., Chen, Y.J., Samon, I.M., Lei, R.X., Dong, L.H., Qu, X., Gu,

369

L.X., 2014. Geochronology and geochemistry of Early Mesoproterozoic meta-

370

diabase sills from Quruqtagh in the northeastern Tarim Craton: Implications for

371

breakup of the Columbia supercontinent. Precambrian Research 241, 29-43.

372

Wu, G.H., Xiao, Y., Bonin, B., Ma, D.B., Li, X., Zhu, G.Y., 2018. Ca. 850 Ma

373

magmatic events in the Tarim Craton: Age, geochemistry and implications for

374

assembly of Rodinia supercontinent. Precambrian Research 305, 489-503 (2018).

375

Wang, W., Cawood, P.T., Pandit, M.K., Xia, X.P., Zhao, J.H., 2018. Coupled

376

Precambrian crustal evolution and supercontinent cycles: Insights from in-situ U-

377

Pb, O- and Hf-isotopes in detrital zircon, NW India. American Journal of Science

378

318, 989-1017.

379

Whalen, J.B., Currie, K.L., Chappell, B. W., 1987. A-type granites: geochemical

380

characteristics, discriminations and petrogenesis. Contributions to Mineralogy and

381

Petrology 95, 407-419.

382

Xu, Z.Q., He, B.Z., Zhang, C.L., Zhang, J.X., Wang, Z.M., Cai, Z.H., 2013. Tectonic

383

framework and crustal evolution of the Precambrian basement of the Tarim Block in

384

NW China: New geochronological evidence from deep drilling samples.

385

Precambrian Research 235, 150-162

386

Ye, X.T., Zhang, C.L., Santosh, M., Zhang, J., Fan, X.K., Zhang, J.J., 2016. Growth

387

and evolution of Precambrian continental crust in the southwestern Tarim terrane:

388

New evidence from the ca. 1.4 Ga A-type granites and Paleoproterozoic intrusive

389

complex. Precambrian Research 275, 18-34.

390

Zhao, G.C., Sun, M., Wilde, S.A., Li, S.Z., 2004. A Paleo-Mesoproterozoic

391

supercontinent: Assembly, growth and breakup. Earth-Science Reviews 67, 91-

392

123.

393

Zhao, G.C., Wang, Y.J., Huang, B.C., Dong, Y.P., Li, S.Z., Zhang, G.W., Yu, S.,

394

2018. Geological reconstructions of the East Asian blocks: From the breakup of

395

Rodinia to the assembly of Pangea. Earth-Science Reviews 186, 262-286.

396

Zhang, C.L., Zou, H.B., Ye, X.T., Chen, X.Y., 2018. A newly identified Precambrian

397

terrane at the Pamir Plateau: The Archean basement and Neoproterozoic granitic

398

intrusions. Precambrian Research 304, 73-87.

399 400

Zhang, C.L., Ye, X.T., Ernst, R.E., Zhong, Y., Zhang, J., Li, H.K., Long, X.P., 2019. Revisiting the Precambrian evolution of the Southwestern Tarim terrane:

401

Implications for its role in Precambrian supercontinents. Precambrian Research

402

324, 18-31.

403

Zhang, J., Li, H.K., Zhang, C.L., Tian, H., Zhong, Y., Ye, X.T., 2018. New evidence

404

for the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent from the northeastern margin of

405

Tarim Craton: Rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf-O isotopic

406

compositions of the ca. 1.55 Ga diabase sills in the Kurultage area. Earth Science

407

Frontier 25, 106-123.

408 409

Acknowledgements

410

This work was funded by the National Science Foundation of China (41730213 and

411

41190075). We thank all members from the Nanjing FocuMS Technology Co. Ltd for

412

the assistance in experimental analyses.

413 414

Figure caption

415

Fig. 1 a: Simplified map showing the Precambrian strata in the Tarim Craton. Insert

416

map showing the Tarim Craton and adjacent Cratons. b: Geological map of the southern

417

Hetian showing dating samples; c: Geological map of the southern Yutian showing

418

dating samples.

419 420

Fig. 2 Representative cathodoluminescence images of zircons and corresponding

421

207Pb/206Pb

ages (>1.0 Ga), 206Pb/238U ages (< 1.0 Ga) and εHf(t) values.

422 423

Fig. 3 a: Th vs. U; b: U/Yb vs. Y for zircons analyzed in this study (Grimes et al., 2007).

424 425

Fig. 4 Detrital zircons U-Pb concordia diagrams, maximum depositional ages,

426

histograms and normalized probability curves for Neoproterozoic schists in south

427

Hetian.

428

429

Fig. 5 Detrital zircons U-Pb concordia diagrams, maximus depositional ages

430

histograms and normalized probability curves for detrital zircon ages for

431

Mesoproterozoic quartzite in south Yutian.

432 433

Fig. 6 Ages of rocks, rock assemblages, and corresponding tectonic settings for rocks

434

from the northern Tarim and southern Tarim (data sources are in Supplementary

435

Information). Orthogneisses and amphibolite refer to rocks whose protolith are not

436

certain or complicated. The passive continental margin in southern Tarim at 1.1 Ga is

437

inferred from the age of assembly of Rodinia (1.1-0.9 Ga, Zhao et al., 2018), lack of

438

arc-related Mesoproterozoic rocks, and ~1.0 Ga depositional age of the

439

Mesoproterozoic quartzite formed in collisional settings in this study.

440 441 442

Fig. 7 a and b: Tectonic discrimination diagrams for granitic samples from the Tarim

443

Craton (after Pearce et 1984); c and d: A-type granite discrimination diagrams (after

444

Whalen et al., 1987); e and f: Average chondrite-normalized rare elements and

445

primitive-mantle-normalized trace elements diagrams (normalizing values are from

446

Sun and McDonough (1989)). In figure e, n indicates the number of values. (data

447

sources are in Supplementary Information)

448

449

Fig. 8 Zircon Hf isotope compositions for igneous rocks and strata in the northern Tarim,

450

southern Tarim, and North India (data sources in Supplementary Information). Detrital

451

zircons from Neoproterozoic strata in North India and those from Neo-Mesoproterozoic

452

strata in southern Tarim show broadly similar zircon εHf(t) values. n-number of single-

453

grain zircon εHf(t) values.

454 455

Fig. 9 Histograms and normalized probability curves for detrital zircon ages for rocks

456

from North Tarim, South Tarim, South Siberia, North India, West Australia, and South

457

China (Data sources in Supplementary Information). Zircon ages > 1.0 were calculated

458

using 207Pb/206Pb and ages < 1.0 Ga were calculated using 206Pb/238U. Two downward

459

black arrows indicate approximate depositional ages of Neoproterozoic strata in Hetian

460

and Mesoproterozoic strata in Yutian (at 760 Ma and 1000 Ma, respectively, Fig. S3).

461

n-number of single-grain zircon ages.

462 463

Fig. 10 a: reconstruction of Columbia showing the position of Tarim Craton (modified

464

from Zhao et al., 2004); b: reconstruction of Rodina showing the position of Tarim

465

Craton (after Cawood et al., 2015); c: Series of schematic evolution model for the Tarim

466

Craton during Proterozoic. N-north, S-south.

467 468

Table captions

469

Table 1 Complied data of igneous rock in Tarim Craton.

470

Table 2 Zircon U-Pb data for Neo-Mesoproterozoic strata in south Tarim in this study.

471

Table 3 Hf data of zircons for Neo-Mesoproterozoic strata in south Tarim in this study.

472

473 474

The authors declare no conflict of interest

475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483

 Northern Tarim possibly collided with southern Siberia at 1.8-2.0 Ga within Columbia, and drifted away at 0.9-1.5 Ga.  Southern Tarim possibly collided with north India during the assembly of Rodinia and drifted away at 800 Ma.  This model considers the Tarim Craton as a single block in the period from Columbia to Rodinia