Diversity in early crustal evolution: 4100 Ma zircons in the Cathaysia Block of southern China

Guang-Fu Xing; Xiao-Lei Wang; Yusheng Wan; Zhi-Hong Chen; Yang Jiang; Kouki Kitajima; Takayuki Ushikubo; Phillip Gopon

doi:10.1038/srep05143

Diversity in early crustal evolution: 4100 Ma zircons in the Cathaysia Block of southern China

Guang-Fu Xing, Xiao-Lei Wang, Yusheng Wan, Zhi-Hong Chen, Yang Jiang, Kouki Kitajima, Takayuki Ushikubo, Phillip Gopon

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Abstract

Zircons are crucial to understanding the first 500Myr of crustal evolution of Earth. Very few zircons of this age (>4050Ma) have been found other than from a ∼300km diameter domain of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Here we report SIMS U-Pb and O isotope ratios and trace element analyses for two ∼4100Ma detrital zircons from a Paleozoic quartzite at the Longquan area of the Cathaysia Block. One zircon (207 Pb/ 206 Pb age of 4127 ± 4Ma) shows normal oscillatory zonation and constant oxygen isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O = 5.8 to 6.0‰). The other zircon grain has a ∼4100Ma magmatic core surrounded by a ∼4070Ma metamorphic mantle. The magmatic core has elevated δ¹⁸O (7.2 ± 0.2‰), high titanium concentration (53 ± 3.4ppm) and a positive cerium anomaly, yielding anomalously high calculated oxygen fugacity (FMQ + 5) and a high crystallization temperature (910°C). These results are unique among Hadean zircons and suggest a granitoid source generated from dry remelting of partly oxidizing supracrustal sediments altered by surface waters. The ∼4100Ma dry melting and subsequent ∼4070Ma metamorphism provide new evidence for the diversity of the Earth's earliest crust.

Original language	English
Article number	5143
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep05143
Publication status	Published - 3 Jun 2014
Externally published	Yes

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Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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title = "Diversity in early crustal evolution: 4100 Ma zircons in the Cathaysia Block of southern China",

abstract = "Zircons are crucial to understanding the first 500Myr of crustal evolution of Earth. Very few zircons of this age (>4050Ma) have been found other than from a ∼300km diameter domain of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Here we report SIMS U-Pb and O isotope ratios and trace element analyses for two ∼4100Ma detrital zircons from a Paleozoic quartzite at the Longquan area of the Cathaysia Block. One zircon (207 Pb/ 206 Pb age of 4127 ± 4Ma) shows normal oscillatory zonation and constant oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O = 5.8 to 6.0‰). The other zircon grain has a ∼4100Ma magmatic core surrounded by a ∼4070Ma metamorphic mantle. The magmatic core has elevated δ18O (7.2 ± 0.2‰), high titanium concentration (53 ± 3.4ppm) and a positive cerium anomaly, yielding anomalously high calculated oxygen fugacity (FMQ + 5) and a high crystallization temperature (910°C). These results are unique among Hadean zircons and suggest a granitoid source generated from dry remelting of partly oxidizing supracrustal sediments altered by surface waters. The ∼4100Ma dry melting and subsequent ∼4070Ma metamorphism provide new evidence for the diversity of the Earth's earliest crust.",

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AU - Chen, Zhi-Hong

AU - Jiang, Yang

AU - Kitajima, Kouki

AU - Ushikubo, Takayuki

AU - Gopon, Phillip

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Diversity in early crustal evolution: 4100 Ma zircons in the Cathaysia Block of southern China

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