@article{KroenerAlexeievKovachetal.2017, author = {Kr{\"o}ner, A. and Alexeiev, D. V. and Kovach, V. P. and Rojas-Agramonte, Y. and Tretyakov, A. A. and Mikolaichuk, A. V. and Xie, H. and Sobel, Edward}, title = {Zircon ages, geochemistry and Nd isotopic systematics for the Palaeoproterozoic 2.3-1.8 Ga Kuilyu Complex, East Kyrgyzstan}, series = {Journal of Asian earth sciences}, volume = {135}, journal = {Journal of Asian earth sciences}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {1367-9120}, doi = {10.1016/j.jseaes.2016.12.022}, pages = {122 -- 135}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Precambrian microcontinents represent key tectonic units in the accretionary collages of the western Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and their geological history is reasonably well established since the Mesoproterozoic but remains weakly constrained for older epochs due to a scarcity of exposed Palaeoproterozoic and Archaean rocks. Early Precambrian rocks were previously reported from several metamorphic complexes in the Kyrgyz Tianshan orogenic belt, mainly based on multigrain conventional zircon dating, but the present study only confirmed such rocks at one site, namely in the Kuilyu Complex of eastern Kyrgyzstan. New single grain SHRIMP II zircon ages, geochemical data, and whole-rock Nd isotopic compositions for granitoid gneisses of the Kuilyu Complex elucidate the age, origin and tectonic settings of this oldest continental fragment in the Tianshan. The Kuilyu Complex is part of the basement in the Ishim - Middle Tianshan microcontinent. It consist of a strongly deformed and metamorphosed supracrustal assemblage of paragneisses and schists which are tectonically interlayered with amphibolites, migmatites and granitoid gneisses. Our zircon dating indicates that the Kuilyu Complex contains two suites of Palaeoproterozoic granitoid gneisses with magmatic protolith ages of ca. 2.32-2.33 Ga and 1.85 Ga. Granitoid magmatism at 1.85 Ga was almost immediately followed by amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca 1.83 Ga, evidenced by growth of metamorphic zircon rims. The older, ca 2.3 Ga granitoid gneisses chemically correspond to calc-alkaline, metaluminous, I-type magnesian quartz diorite and granodiorite. The protolith of the younger, ca. 1.85 Ga granite-gneiss is an alkalic-calcic, metaluminous to peraluminous, ferroan medium-grained porphyric granite with chemical features resembling A-type granites. The 2.3 Ga and 1.85 Ga granitoid gneisses have slightly to distinctly negative initial epsilon(Nd) values of -1.2 and -6.6, and similar depleted mantle Nd model ages of 2.7-2.6 Ga, which imply melting of Neoarchaean continental crust. The zircon age patterns of the Kuilyu Complex resemble those of exposed rocks in the Tarim Craton, where episodes of granitoid magmatism at ca. 2.3-2.4 and 1.85 Ga, followed by amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca 1.85 Ga, are also recorded. Similarities in the early Precambrian magmatic and metamorphic episodes as well as similar histories during the Neoproterozoic and early Palaeozoic suggest that the Ishim-Middle Tianshan microcontinent was rifted off the Tarim Craton. Similar age patterns also suggest possible tectonic links of the Kuilyu and Tarim continental blocks with the Baidrag Block of central Mongolia. In contrast, substantial differences in age and Precambrian evolution between the Anrakhai block of southern Kazakhstan and the Kuilyu Complex argue against a previous connection and suggest the former to represent an independent continental terrane. Current data show that early Precambrian rocks in the western CAOB outside Tarim only occur at two sites, namely in the Anrakhai Complex of southern Kazakhstan and in the Kuilyu Complex of eastern Kyrgyzstan. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} } @article{KroenerO'BrienNemchinetal.2000, author = {Kr{\"o}ner, Alfred and O'Brien, Patrick J. and Nemchin, A. A. and Pidgeon, R. T.}, title = {Zircon ages for high pressure granulites from South Bohemia, Czech Republic, and their connection to Carboniferous high temperature processes}, year = {2000}, language = {en} } @article{KronerWildeO'Brienetal.2005, author = {Kroner, Alfred and Wilde, S. A. and O'Brien, Patrick J. and Li, J. H. and Passchier, C. W. and Walte, N. P. and Liu, Dun Yi}, title = {Field relationships, geochemistry, zircon ages and evolution of a late Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic lower crustal section in the Hengshan Terrain of northern China}, issn = {1000-9515}, year = {2005}, abstract = {The Hengshan complex forms part of the central zone of the North China Craton and consists predominantly of ductilely-deformed late Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic high-grade, partly migmatitic, granitoid orthogneisses, intruded by mafic dykes of gabbroic composition. Many highly strained rocks were previously misinterpreted as supracrustal sequences and represent mylonitized granitoids and sheared dykes. Our single zircon dating documents magmatic granitoid emplacement ages between 2.52 Ga and 2.48 Ga, with rare occurrences of 2.7 Ga gneisses, possibly reflecting an older basement. A few granitic gneisses have emplacement ages between 2.35 and 2.1 Ga and show the same structural features as the older rocks, indicating that the main deformation occurred after similar to 2.1 Ga. Intrusion of gabbroic dykes occurred at similar to 1920 Ma, and all Hengshan rocks underwent granulite-facies metamorphism at 1.88-1.85 Ga, followed by retrogression, shearing and uplift. We interpret the Hengshan and adjacent Fuping granitoid gneisses as the lower, plutonic, part of a late Archaean to early Palaeoproterozoic Japan-type magmatic arc, with the upper, volcanic part represented by the nearby Wutai complex. Components of this arc may have evolved at a continental margin as indicated by the 2.7 Ga zircons. Major deformation and HP metamorphism occurred in the late Palaeoproterozoic during the Luliang orogeny when the Eastern and Western blocks of the North China Craton collided to form the Trans-North China orogen. Shear zones in the Hengshan are interpreted as major lower crustal discontinuities post-dating the peak of HP metamorphism, and we suggest that they formed during orogenic collapse and uplift of the Hengshan complex in the late Palaeoproterozoic (< 1.85 Ga)}, language = {en} } @article{KroenerWildeZhaoetal.2006, author = {Kr{\"o}ner, Alfred and Wilde, Simon A. and Zhao, Guochun and O'Brien, Patrick J. and Sun, Min and Liu, Dun Yi and Wan, Yusheng and Liu, S. W. and Guo, Jianbin H.}, title = {Zircon geochronology and metamorphic evolution of mafic dykes in the Hengshan Complex of northern China: Evidence for late Palaeoproterozoic extension and subsequent high-pressure metamorphism in the North China Craton}, issn = {0301-9268}, doi = {10.1016/j.precamres.2006.01.008}, year = {2006}, abstract = {Magmatic and metamorphic zircons have been dated from ductilely deformed gabbroic dykes defining a dyke swarm and signifying crustal extension in the northern part of the Hengshan Complex of the North China Craton, These dykes now occur as boudins and deformed sheets within migmatitic tonalitic, trondhjemitic, granodioritic and granitic gneisses and are conspicuous due to relics of high-pressure granulite or even former eclogite facies garnet + pyroxene-bearing assemblages. SHRIMP ages for magmatic zircons from two dykes reflect the time of dyke emplacement at similar to 1915 Ma, whereas metamorphic zircons dated by both SHRIMP and evaporation techniques are consistently in the range 1848-1888 Ma. The Youngest granitoid gneiss yet dated in the Hengshan has an emplacement age of 18 2 17 Ma. These results complement recent geochronological studies from the neighbouring Wutai and Fuping Complexes, to the SE of the Hengshan, showing that a crustal extension event Occurred in the late Palaeoproterozoic. This preceded a major high-pressure collision- type metamorphic event in the central part of the North China Craton that occurred in the Palaeoproterozoic and not in the late Archaean as previously thought. Our data support recent suggestions that the North China Craton experienced a major, craton-wide orogenic event in the late Palaeoproterozoic after which it became cratonized and acted as a stable block.}, language = {en} } @article{SchneiderHoffmannMuenkeretal.2019, author = {Schneider, K. P. and Hoffmann, J. E. and M{\"u}nker, C. and Patyniak, Magda and Sprung, P. and Roerdink, D. and Garbe-Sch{\"o}nberg, D. and Kr{\"o}ner, A.}, title = {Petrogenetic evolution of metabasalts and metakomatiites of the lower Onverwacht Group, Barberton Greenstone Belt (South Africa)}, series = {Chemical geology : official journal of the European Association for Geochemistry}, volume = {511}, journal = {Chemical geology : official journal of the European Association for Geochemistry}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0009-2541}, doi = {10.1016/j.chemgeo.2019.02.020}, pages = {152 -- 177}, year = {2019}, abstract = {A well-preserved sequence, by Archean standards, of mantle-derived metabasalts and metakomatiites forms large parts of the lower Onverwacht Group of the Barberton Greenstone Belt (South Africa). To elucidate the origin of mafic and ultramafic rocks from this 3.55 to 3.45 Ga sequence, we present a comprehensive geochemical dataset including major and trace elements as well as Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotope compositions for a variety of metavolcanic rocks. These include metabasalts of the amphibolite-facies Sandspruit and Theespruit Formations as well as metabasalts and metakomatiites of the lower greenschist-facies Komati Formation. Based on their incompatible trace element patterns, the basalts of the Sandspruit and Theespruit Formations can be subdivided into a light rare earth element (LREE) depleted group, a LREE-undepleted group, and a LREE-enriched group. Positive epsilon Hf-(t) and epsilon Nd-(t) values of ca. +3 to +4 and 0 to +2, respectively, together with depletions in Th and La-CN/Yb-CN indicate derivation of the LREE-depleted basalts from a depleted mantle source. However, chondritic epsilon Hf-(t) and epsilon Nd-(t) values combined with positive Th and La-CN/Yb-CN of the LREE-enriched samples indicate a contribution from older granitoid crust in the petrogenesis of these samples. Trace element patterns of komatiites and basalts of the Komati Formation are generally flat relative to primitive mantle with slight depletions in heavy rare earth elements and Th and overall positive epsilon Hf-(t) of + 2.5 +/- 3.5 (2 s.d.) and epsilon Nd-(t) of + 0.5 +/- 2.2 (2 s. d.). The coherence in trace element characteristics suggests a common magmatic origin for basalts and komatiites. This study reveals that the two lavas were derived from the same mantle plume, i. e. komatiites were formed by high degrees of melting of a depleted mantle source containing residual garnet and the basalts were formed by moderate degrees of partial melting in shallower regions of the mantle. Based on the current dataset, combined with published data, we propose a geodynamic model for the oldest units of the Barberton Greenstone Belt that describes the development from a submerged continental setting (for the Sandspruit and Theespruit Formations) to a submarine plateau setting (for the Komati Formation) as a consequence of continental rifting.}, language = {en} }