Zircon U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry and geological significance of the Zhaduding A-type granites in northern Gangdise, Tibet

Abstract: Early Cretaceous granites are widely distributed in northern Gangdise, Tibet. The Zhaduding intrusive body, which belongs to monzogranite in lithology, is widely distributed and occurs in the form of batholith, being a typical case of the granites. Petrogeochemically it is characterized by high SiO2 (70.05%-74.97%) and K2O (4.09%-5.35%), low CaO (0.93%-2.19%), TiO2 (0.22%-0.52%) and Al2O3 (12.81%-14.24%). Moreover, it belongs to metaluminous or weak peraluminous (A/CNK=0.99-1.06) high-K calc-alkaline series. The rocks are characterized by high REE content (∑REE=199.36×10-6-247.91×10-6), rich LREE relative to HREE (LREE/HREE=5.82-6.88), and significant negative Eu anomalies (δEu=0.30-0.45). Chondrite-normalized REE patterns exhibit V-type with slight right-oblique feature. Trace elements show that the rocks are enriched in Rb, Th, K, Zr and Hf and depleted in Nb, Ta, Sr, Ba, P and Ti, with average (Zr+Nb+Ce+Y) 427.63. Bulk-rock?zircon?saturation?temperature (828-838°C) shows that the temperature of magma formation was pretty high. The petrogeochemical characteristics show that the Zhaduding rock body is A-type granite. The LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age of 103.8±1.0Ma indicates that Zhaduding rock body was formed in late Early Cretaceous, and is located in the post-collisional A2-type granite area in discrimination diagrams. It was formed by a certain degree of mixing of the lithosphere mantle and the crustal partial melts, resulting from asthenosphere material upwelling in the post-collision extensional setting.