Precambrian Tectonic Evolution of Southern Kongling Terrane, Yangtze Craton: Constraint From the Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Geochronology of the Metasedimentary Rocks

Abstract

Abstract The Kongling terrane (Huangling dome) outcrops Precambrian metamorphic basement of the Yangtze craton. However, the Precambrian tectonic evolution of the southern Kongling terrane remains poorly constrained. In this contribution, we report zircon geochronology of the metasedimentary rocks from southern Kongling terrane of the Yangtze craton. Zircon U‐Pb dating results yielded magmatic age clusters at ca. 3,000 Ma, ca. 1,520 Ma, ca. 1,150 Ma, ca. 860 Ma, 900–920 Ma, and 980 Ma, and metamorphic age at ca. 2,900 Ma. These data display that the southern Kongling terrane witnessed Mesoarchean magmatism and metamorphic event, Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic magmatism. In combination with previous studies, it is proposed that the Precambrian metamorphic basement of the Yangtze craton was amalgamated by the multi‐stage subduction‐collision processes at ca. 3,000–2,900 Ma, ca. 2,000–1,800 Ma, and ca. 1,100–940 Ma. In addition, the Proterozoic processes were related to the assembly and breakup of Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents.

Keywords

• Yangtze craton
• metasedimentary rocks
• geochronology
• Mesoarchean magmatism and metamorphic event
• Precambrian tectonic evolution