Petrogenesis of the Taishanmiao A-type Granite in the Eastern Qinling Orogenic Belt: Implications for Late Cretaceous Tectonic Transition and Mineralization

Numerous late Mesozoic (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous) granitic plutons are present along the southern margin of the North China Craton (s-NCC), which belongs to the northernmost tectonic unit of the eastern Qinling orogenic belt. This tectonic unit records multiple tectonothermal and metallogenic events that occurred after continental collision of the North and South China Cratons in the late Early to Middle Triassic. This study reports the zircon U-Pb ages and the whole-rock and apatite geochemical compositions of the Taishanmiao granite, one of the largest late Mesozoic plutons in eastern Qinling. Three phases of this granite, emplaced between similar to 125 and similar to 113 Ma, are characterized by uniformly high SiO2 and K2O but low CaO, (Fe2O3)-Fe-T, and MgO contents and enriched Nd isotopic composition with initial epsilon(Nd) values of -13.5 to -12.7. Geochemical features reveal that these are A-type granites derived from partial melting mainly of ancient crust. Temperatures obtained from Ti-in-zircon thermometry and oxygen fugacity (fO(2)) data indicate that the magma(s) formed at high crystallization temperatures (similar to 800 degrees-840 degrees C) and fO(2) levels (fayalite-magnetite-quartz [FMQ] buffer -1.5 to +1.5). Comparison with neighboring granites, such as the similar to 150-130 Ma adakitic Heyu granite and the similar to 115 Ma Donggou ore-bearing granite porphyry, implies that the Heyu granite formed from thickened crust and that the Donggou granite porphyry and Taishanmiao granite likely originated from a consistent magma system during the crustal thinning that occurred similar to 125-113 Ma, except the porphyry rock was more evolved. This finding implies that their uniform magma chamber could provide sufficient metals and associated materials and even energy for the Donggou Mo deposit.