Tectonic setting of the South China Block in the early Paleozoic: Resolving intracontinental and...

Tectonic setting of the South China Block in the early Paleozoic:Resolving intracontinental and ocean closure modelsfrom detrital zircon U‐Pb geochronology

Yuejun Wang,1 Feifei Zhang,1 Weiming Fan,1 Guowei Zhang,2 Shiyue Chen,3

Peter A. Cawood,4,5 and Aimei Zhang1

Received 3 June 2010; revised 9 September 2010; accepted 20 September 2010; published 30 December 2010.

[1] Zircon U‐Pb geochronological data on over 900zircon grains for Cambrian to Silurian sandstone sam-ples from the South China Block constrain the pre‐Devonian tectonic setting of, and the interrelationshipsbetween, the constituent Cathaysia and Yangtzeblocks. Zircons range in age from 3335 to 465 Ma.Analyses from the Cathaysia sandstone samples yieldmajor age clusters at ∼2560, ∼1850, ∼1000, and 890–760 Ma. Zircons from the eastern and central Yangtzesandstone samples show a similar age distribution withclusters at ∼2550, ∼1860, ∼1100, and ∼860–780 Ma.A minor peak at around 1450 Ma is also observed inthe Cathaysia and central Yangtze age spectra, anda peak at ∼490 Ma represents magmatic zircons fromMiddle Ordovician sandstone in the eastern Yangtzeand Cathaysia blocks. The Cambrian and Ordovicianstrata show a transition from a carbonate‐dominatedsuccession in the central Yangtze Block, to an inter-stratified carbonate‐siliciclastic succession in the east-ern Yangtze Block, to a neritic siliciclastic successionin the Cathaysia Block. Paleocurrent data across thissuccession consistently indicate directions toward theW‐NNW, from the Cathaysia Block to the YangtzeBlock. Our data, together with other geological con-straints, suggest that the Cathaysia Block constitutes afragment on the northern margin of east Gondwanaand both Cathaysia and east Gondwana constitutedthe source for the analyzed early Paleozoic samples.The similar age spectra for the Cambrian to Siluriansandstone samples from the Yangtze and Cathaysiablocks argue against the independent developmentand spatial separation of these blocks in the early

Paleozoic but rather suggest that the sandstone unitsaccumulated in an intracontinental basin that spannedboth blocks. Subsequent basin inversion and Kwangsianorogenesis possibly at 400–430 Ma also occurred in anintracontinental setting probably in response to the inter-action of the South China Block with the Australian‐Indian margin of east Gondwana. Citation: Wang, Y.,F. Zhang, W. Fan, G. Zhang, S. Chen, P. A. Cawood, andA. Zhang (2010), Tectonic setting of the South China Block inthe early Paleozoic: Resolving intracontinental and ocean closuremodels from detrital zircon U‐Pb geochronology, Tectonics, 29,TC6020, doi:10.1029/2010TC002750.

1. Introduction[2] The South China Block formed through the amal-

gamation of the Yangtze Block to the Cathaysia Block(Figure 1) at ∼1000–860 Ma during the assembly of theRodinia supercontinent [X. Li and McCulloch, 1996; X. Liet al., 2002, 2008; Zhou, 2003]. However, the subsequentrelationship between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocksis uncertain with some authors suggesting they remainedcontiguous [e.g., Z. X. Li et al., 2010; C. Xu et al., 2000;X. L. Wang et al., 2006, 2007] whereas others have sug-gested they rifted apart to form the early Paleozoic HuananOcean prior to reuniting during the middle Paleozoic [e.g.,Liu and Xu, 1994; H. D. Chen et al., 2006; Ma et al., 2004;Hsü et al., 1990]. This uncertainty derives from the origin ofmiddle Paleozoic orogenesis in the South China Block,which is represented in part by an angular unconformitybetween pre‐Silurian and post‐Lower Devonian strata andextensive crust‐derived granitic intrusions [e.g.,Bureau ofGeologyand Mineral Resources of Hunan Province (BGMRHP), 1988;Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Jiangxi Province(BGMRJP), 1984; Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources ofFujian Province (BGMRFP), 1985; Y. J. Wang et al., 2007].This event is usually referred to as the Caledonian orogeny(traditionally regarded as to be at 430–400 Ma) in Chineseliterature in comparison with the Caledonian of Europe [e.g.,Huang et al., 1980; Ren, 1991; Y. J. Wang et al., 2007].Z. X. Li et al. [2010] recently named this event in the easternSouth China Block as the Wuyi‐Yunkai orogenesis, but weherein propose the term “Kwangsian orogeny,” which wassuggested by Ting [1929] for orogenic activity in the SouthChina Block between the Middle Devonian and EarlySilurian period. Models suggesting a separate and discreteearly Paleozoic evolution for the Yangtze and Cathaysia

1Key Laboratory of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry,Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Guangzhou, China.

2Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, China.3College of Georesources and Information, China University of

Petroleum, Dongying, China.4School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia,

Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.5Also at Department of Earth Sciences, University of St. Andrews,

St. Andrews, UK.

Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.0278‐7407/10/2010TC002750

TECTONICS, VOL. 29, TC6020, doi:10.1029/2010TC002750, 2010

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010TC002750

blocks relate the driver for orogenesis to ocean closure, whereas an intracratonic setting for orogeny requires that it devel-oped in response to far‐field effects [e.g., Cawood et al.,2009]. One way to test these models for the Neoproterozoicto early Paleozoic history of the South China Block is toexamine the provenance of the detrital zircons in sandstonethat accumulated in the basin between, or at the juncture of,the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks during this period. In themodel that postulates the development of the early PaleozoicHuanan Ocean (Figure 1b), the Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault (alsonamed the Jiang‐Shao Fault in Chinese literature), whichdelineates the boundary between the Yangtze and Cathaysiablocks, would represent the suture along which the inter-vening early Paleozoic ocean was consumed (Figure 1b[Shui, 1987; B. Xu and Qiao, 1989; Liu and Xu, 1994;Lingzhi et al., 1984, 1989; X. S. Xu et al., 1996; H. D. Chenet al., 2006; Mei et al., 2005; Ma et al., 2004]). The prove-nance of sandstone that accumulated in the early Paleozoic

prior to ocean closure from either side of the Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault area should be different due to the contrastingbasement ages of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks. Incontrast, in the model proposing an early Paleozoic intra-continental setting, the Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault represents alithofacies boundary between the siliciclastic‐dominatedsuccession of the Cathaysia Block to the east and the car-bonate‐rich Yangtze platform to the west [e.g., C. Xu et al.,2000; Jia‐yu et al., 2002, 2007; Ren, 1991;Wan et al., 2010;Y. J. Wang et al., 2007; Z. X. Li et al., 2010].[3] To achieve a better understanding of the Kwangsian

tectonic regime of the South China Block, and to specifi-cally test whether an early Paleozoic Huanan Ocean devel-oped between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks, we havegathered the U‐Pb geochronological data on 917 grainsfrom twenty sandstone samples from Cambrian, Ordovicianand Silurian strata across the Yangtze and Cathaysiablocks. We then integrate these data into a model for the

Figure 1. (a) Tectonic outline of China and (b) simplified geological map of the South China Blockshowing the sampling locations (revised after BGMRHP [1985], BGMRJP [1984], BGMRGP [1988],and BGMRFP [1985]).

WANG ET AL.: EARLY PALEOZOIC TECTONIC SETTING OF SCB TC6020TC6020

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Figure 2. (a) Composite stratigraphic section of the Cambrian to Silurian sequences showing thestratigraphic ages of the dating samples; (b) sedimentary facies of the lower Paleozoic strata of theCathaysia and Yangtze blocks; and paleogeographical pattern for the Cambrian, Ordovician, and LowerSilurian sandstone successions in the (c and d) central Yangtze, (e–g) eastern Yangtze, and (h–l)Cathaysia blocks.


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paleogeographic setting of the South China Block within theRodinia and Gondwana supercontinents.

2. Geological Background[4] The crystalline basement rocks of the Yangtze Block,

represented by the Kongling Group, have yielded ages in therange 3.2–2.9, 2.7–2.4, and 2.1–1.8 Ga [e.g., Gao et al.,1999; Qiu et al., 2000; Zheng et al., 2006]. The Cathaysiabasement is largely Paleoproterozoic (2.0 to 1.8 Ga [e.g., Liuet al., 2008; Yu et al., 2009, 2010]) and is dominantlycomposed of gneisses, amphibolites and migmatites, whichare intruded by Jingningian (770–850 Ma), Kwangsian(probably 430–400 Ma), Indosinian (200–245 Ma), andYanshanian (170–120 Ma) granites [e.g., BGMRFP, 1985;BGMRJP, 1984; Yu et al., 2007; Wan et al., 2010].[5] The boundary between the Cathaysia and Yangtze

blocks has traditionally been taken as the Anhua‐LuochengFault (Figure 1 [J. F. Chen and Jahn, 1998]). However,recent data suggest that the boundary lies along theChenzhou‐Linwu Fault, which extends from the IndochinaBlock to the Korean peninsula (Figure 1 [Huang et al.,1980; Charvet et al., 1994; Ren, 1991]). Evidence in favorof the latter interpretation includes the ProterozoicShuangxiwu arc, which lies between the Anhua‐Luochengand Chenzhou‐Linwu faults, and has geological and geo-chemical affinities with basement of the Yangtze Blockto the northwest but is distinct from the Cathaysia basement[e.g., X. Li et al., 2009; Xiang et al., 2008]. Furthermore,there is a major change in crustal structure across theChenzhou‐Linwu Fault with Moho depth changing from of34–36 km to the west of the fault to 30–32 km to the east ofthe fault [e.g., Z. J. Zhang and Wang, 2007]. Sr‐Nd‐Pbisotopic systematics shows that the Chenzhou‐Linwu Faultforms a Mesozoic lithospheric boundary separating theYangtze EM1‐ (enriched lithospheric mantle I) dominant

reservoir from the Cathaysia EM2‐ (enriched lithosphericmantle II) like (with minor DMM) reservoir [Y. J. Wanget al., 2003, 2008]. In this paper we consider the regionbetween the Anhua‐Luocheng and Chenzhou‐Linwu faultsconstitutes the eastern Yangtze Block.[6] Basement rocks of the Cathaysia and eastern Yangtze

blocks are uncomfortably overlain by Neoproterozoic to lowerPaleozoic strata, which are in turn overlain across an angularuncomformatity by an upper Paleozoic succession. The latteris uncomfortably overlain by Upper Triassic‐Lower Jurassicterrestrial siliciclastic rocks. In the central Yangtze Block,the lower Paleozoic strata are separated along a para-conformity from Devonian sandstone or Carboniferous lime-stone successions.[7] The lower Paleozoic successions have distinct litho-

logical characteristics on either side of the Chenzhou‐LinwuFault (Figures 2a and 2b). East of the fault, within theCathaysia Block, the 4350–5850 m thick Cambrian suc-cession consists of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone withinterlayered limestone and plagioclase‐bearing sandstone.The Lower to Middle Ordovician successions are composedof phyllite, slate, sandstone and mudstone with minorinterstratified limestone [e.g., BGMRHP, 1988; BGMRJP,1984; BGMRFP, 1985]. Upper Ordovician and Silurianstrata are absent (Figures 2a and 2b).[8] In the eastern Yangtze Block, between the Chenzhou‐

Linwu and Anhua‐Luocheng faults, the lower Paleozoicsuccessions are characterized by a mixed carbonate andsiliciclastic succession (e.g., Guiyang and Xingning sec-tions in Figure 2a). The Cambrian unit ranges in thicknessfrom 345 to 4000 m and consist of slate and limestone.The Ordovician succession is composed of limestone withminor siltstone and sandstone. Lower Silurian strata arepresent in the central Hunan Province in the western part ofeastern Yangtze Block, and are characterized by shales and

Table 1. Summary of Sample Numbers, Locations, Lithology, and Stratigraphic Age

Samples Location Lithology Latitude (N), Longitude (E) Stratigraphic Age

East of Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault (Cathaysia Block)JX‐4 Shikou, Yongxin quartz sandstone N26°48′644″, E114°00′368″ upper segment of Middle OrdovicianJX‐8 Shikou, Yongxin gray, fine sandstone N26°48.644′, E114°00′368′ upper segment of Middle OrdovicianJX‐25 Guopu, Chongyi gray, fine sandstone N25°43.607′, E114°13′712′ Middle OrdovicianJX‐32 Guanting, Chongyi gray, fine sandstone N25°36.247′, E114°05′071′ Middle OrdovicianJX‐12 Xiache, Jinggangshan gray, fine sandstone N26°25.244′, E114°13′807′ Upper CambrianJX‐16 Penzhu, Suichuan gray, fine sandstone N26°21.716′, E114°27′154′ Lower Cambrian

Between the Chenzhou‐Linwu and Anhua‐Luocheng Faults (Eastern Yangtze Block)HG‐65 Pingpo, Xupu gray, siltstone N27°54.956′, E110°51.090′ Lower SilurianE‐300 Muzi, Anhua gray, siltstone N28°06.890′, E111°20.878′ Lower SilurianHu‐48 Shuishi, Ningyuan gray, fine sandstone N25°24.989′, E111°54.883′ Middle OrdovicianHu‐68 Sanduoshui, Xinning gray, fine sandstone N26°35.156′, E111°10.036′ Upper CambrianHu‐46 Shuishi, Ningyuan gray, fine sandstone N25°24.023′, E111°54.099′ Middle CambrianHu‐54 Baishui, Guiyang gray, fine sandstone N26°05.891′, E112°21.713′ Middle CambrianHu‐64 Yunuxi, Chengbu gray, fine sandstone N26°12.001′, E110°12.347′ Middle CambrianHu‐37 Reshui, Rucheng gray, fine sandstone N25°32.791′, E113°51.837′ Lower Cambrian

West of Anhua‐Luocheng Fault (Central Yangtze Block)HG‐46 Xiangyang, Longshan purple fine sandstone N29°15.217′, E109°34.514′ Middle SilurianHG‐45 Xiangyang, Longshan purple fine sandstone N29°15.237′, E109°34.460′ Middle SilurianG‐26a Wentang, Shuangzhi gray sandstone N29°11.453′, E110°10.220′ Middle SilurianS‐199 Liaoshan, Xiushui purple fine sandstone N29°08.093′, E114°35.965′ Middle SilurianHG‐32 Xiaoxi, Shuangzhi gray fine sandstone N29°22.243′, E110°14.293′ Lower SilurianHG‐47 Xiangyang, Longshan gray pelitic siltstone N29°14.909′, E109°34.740′ Lower Silurian


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sandstone deposits ranging in thickness from 723 to 4000 m(Figure 2a). The older rocks are capped by unconformitybound packages of Devonian to Middle Triassic and UpperTriassic to Lower Jurassic siliciclastic strata.[9] Within the central Yangtze Block, west of the Anhua‐

Luocheng Fault (e.g., Longshan section, Figure 2a), theCambrian succession is dominated by a carbonate, andpasses up into an Ordovician succession of interstratifiedlimestone with minor shale and muddy sandstone thataccumulated in a platform environment. Lower and MiddleSilurian strata consist of 2000–3500 m thick shale andsandstone that accumulated in a neritic environment. Crossbedding in the Lower Silurian sandstone indicate flow fromeast to west (Figure 2c) or SES to NWN (Figure 2d).[10] Kwangsian granites intrude pre‐Silurian strata as stocks

and batholiths in the eastern Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks,but are absent from the central Yangtze Block (Figure 1b [e.g.,BGMRHP, 1988; BGMRJP, 1984; BGMRFP, 1985]).

3. Sampling and Analytical Methods[11] Twenty lower Paleozoic sandstone samples from

Cathaysia, eastern Yangtze, and central Yangtze blockswere collected for zircon separation and U‐Pb dating. Allthe samples have a similar composition that includes quartz,mica, and plagioclase with minor rutile, epidote, zircon andapatite. Their lithology, sampling locations and stratigraphicassemblages are summarized in Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2.[12] Detrital zircons were separated from the samples

using conventional heavy liquid and magnetic techniques.Zircons were then handpicking under a binocular micro-

scope, mounted on adhesive tape, enclosed in epoxy resinand polished, and then photographed in reflected andtransmitted light. The internal structure of zircons wasexamined using cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging via ascanning electron microprobe at the Guangzhou Institute ofGeochemistry (GIG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).U–Pb analyses were carried out at the University of HongKong, using a VGPQ‐Excel ICP‐MS with 213 nm Nd‐YAGlaser ablation system. Raw count rates for 29Si, 204Pb, 206Pb,207Pb, 208Pb, 232Th and 238U were collected for age deter-mination. 207Pb/206Pb and 206Pb/238U ratios were calculatedusing GLITTER 4.0 (GEMOC, Macquarie University,Sydney, Australia). The instrumental setting and detailedanalytical procedure have been described by Xia et al.[2004]. Spot size during data collection was in the rangeof 40–50 mm. The CN92–2 zircon (1143 Ma) was used todetermine the elemental discrimination that occurs duringsputter ionization. Individual analyses are presented with 1serror in data tables and in concordia diagrams and uncer-tainties in age results are quoted at 95% level (2s). Com-plete U‐Pb analytical results are listed in Data Set S1.1

4. Results[13] Zircons grains from these samples show a wide range

of sizes and morphologies. They range from light brown, pink,and red to colorless, and are transparent to semitransparent.

1Auxiliary materials are available at ftp://ftp.agu.org/apend/tc/2010tc002750.

Figure 3. The cathodoluminescence (CL) images of representative zircons from the (a) Cathaysia,(b) eastern Yangtze, and (c and d) central Yangtze blocks showing the appearance of well‐rounded(Figures 3b and 3d), poorly rounded (Figure 3a), and subhedral and euhedral (Figure 3c) zircons.


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Figure 4. Concordia diagrams of Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(LA‐ICP‐MS) zircon U‐Pb data for the Cambrian to Silurian sandstone samples from the CathaysiaBlock. (a) JX‐4 sample for upper segment of Middle Ordovician sequence at Shikou in Yongxincounty, (b) JX‐8 sample for upper segment of Middle Ordovician sequence at Shikou in Yongxincounty, (c) JX‐25 Middle Ordovician sandstone at Guopu in Chongyi county, (d) JX‐32 sandstonefor upper segment of Middle Ordovician sequence at Guanting in Chongyi county, (e) JX‐12 UpperCambrian sandstone at Xiache in Jinggangshan county, and (f) JX‐16 Lower Cambrian sandstone atPenzhu in Suichuan county.


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A mixture of fragmented, well‐rounded, poorly rounded, andsubhedral and euhedral zircons are present (Figures 3a–3c).They are mostly oscillatory zoned, a feature typical ofmagmatic zircons (Figures 3a–3c). The U‐Pb ages for thesegrains are mostly concordant or only slightly disconcordant(Figures 4–6 and Data Set S1), and only grains with less than10% discordance are considered in this study. 207Pb/206Pbages are used for zircons older than 900 Ma and 206Pb/238Uages for younger grains [e.g., X. S. Xu et al., 2005, 2007].

4.1. Age Pattern of Zircons From the Cathaysia Block

[14] Detrital zircon U‐Pb ages were determined on 284grains from six lower Paleozoic sandstone samples eastof the Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault (Table 1 and Data Set S1).The detrital zircons are generally subround to euhedral(Figure 3a), suggesting short distant transportation for thesezircons. Concentric oscillatory zoning of the majority of thezircons (Figure 3a), with variable Th/U ratios generallygreater than 0.10 (Data Set S1 and Figure 7), suggests anigneous origin. Most analyses plot on or near the concordiacurve (Figures 4a–4f). The oldest grains are Mesoarcheanwith ages between 3230 Ma and 3014Ma. The four youngestgrains are all from sample JX‐25 and give ages in the range465–497 Ma, which represents a maximum depositionalage of Middle Ordovician (472–461 Ma [Gradstein et al.,2004]), considerably younger than the previously assignedLate Cambrian age. Age groups around 2600–2200 Ma,1100 Ma, and 950–700 Ma are present in each sample fromthe Cathaysia Block. These groups are highlighted on thecombined histogram diagram (Figure 8a) with age peaksat ∼2580 Ma, 1847 Ma, 1097 Ma, and 850 Ma, which rep-resent 9%, 8%, 18%, and 35%, respectively, of the analyzedgrains. An age group at ∼490 Ma is present in the MiddleOrdovician sandstone. A secondary age group is clusteredat ∼1485 Ma.

4.2. Age Pattern of Zircons From the EasternYangtze Block

[15] In the eastern Yangtze Block, 362 detrital zirconswere analyzed from eight lower Paleozoic sandstone sam-ples (Table 1 and Data Set S1). The zircons are mostlyequigranular and rounded or subhedral (Figure 3b), sug-gestive of longer distance of transport than samples from theCathaysia Block. They commonly show concentric oscilla-tory zoning (Figure 3b) and have Th/U ratios greater than0.10 (Figure 7). Concordia plots for each sample from theeastern Yangtze Block are presented in Figures 5a–5h. Fourspots in Hu‐54 yield ages of 467–486 Ma, roughly consistentwith those of the depositional age of the Middle Ordoviciansuccession. The oldest grains, with ages of 3237 Ma and

3167 Ma, occur in sample Hu‐54 (spots of Hu‐54‐26and Hu‐54‐2, respectively, Data Set S1). Three major ageclusters, comprising 65% of the analyzed grains, are at∼1094 Ma, ∼860 Ma and ∼780 Ma (Figure 8b). A combined35 analyses from the samples define a group ranging from2604 to 2484 Ma with a 207Pb/206Pb age peak at 2550 Ma.Two secondary age clusters have peaks at 1861 Ma and491 Ma. Combined histogram plots for the Lower Siluriansamples show similar age spectra to the Cambrian andOrdovician sandstone samples (Figures 5a–5h and 8b).

4.3. Age Patterns of Zircons From the CentralYangtze Block

[16] Only Lower Silurian sandstone samples from thecentral Yangtze Block were analyzed since sandstone islargely absent from the Cambrian and Ordovician succes-sions. Two hundreds and seventy one zircon grains fromsix samples are partly fragmented, poorly rounded andsubhedral (Figure 3c), and partly subrounded to rounded(Figure 3d), which is suggestive of variable distance oftransport. They exhibit concentric oscillatory zoning(Figures 3e and 3f) with Th/U ratios ranging from 0.18 to5.54 (Figure 7). Almost all of the analyses plot on or nearConcordia and give a wide range of U‐Pb apparent agesfrom 3335 Ma to 532 Ma (Figures 6a–6f). The most sig-nificant age cluster, constituting 28% of analyzed grains,lies between 1200 Ma to 950 Ma and has an age peakat 1088 Ma (Figure 8c). Subordinate age peaks exist at2556 Ma, 1820 Ma, 1493 Ma, and 835 Ma. No Paleozoicage peak is present in these samples.

5. Discussions

5.1. An Early Paleozoic Intracontinental Basin Modelof the South China Block

[17] Lower Paleozoic sandstone samples from Cathaysia,eastern Yangtze and central Yangtze blocks contain detritalzircons showing major late Mesoproterozoic and Neopro-terozoic age peaks at ∼1100–1080 Ma, 890–860 Ma and790–760 Ma, along with subordinate late Archean and latePaleoproterozoic peaks at ∼2550 Ma and 1880–1820 Ma(Figures 8a–8c). An age cluster at ∼490 Ma is given by theyoungest grains from the Middle Ordovician sandstonesamples. The sandstone samples from the Cathaysia andcentral Yangtze blocks also yield a peak at 1490 Ma. Thesimilar provenance of the Cambrian to Silurian sandstonesamples on either side of the Chenzhou‐Linwu Fault, whichis taken as the boundary between the Yangtze and Cathaysiablocks, argues against separation of the blocks by an openocean in the early Paleozoic.

Figure 5. Concordia diagram of LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U‐Pb data for the Cambrian to Silurian sandstone samples from theeastern Yangtze Block. (a) HG‐65 Lower Silurian sandstone at Pingpo in Xupu county, (b) E‐300 Lower Silurian sandstoneat Muzi in Anhua county, (c) Hu‐48 sandstone from the upper segment of Middle Ordovician at Shuishi in Ningyuan coun-ty, (d) Hu‐68 Upper Cambrian sandstone at Sandushui in Xinning county, (e) Hu‐46 Middle Cambrian sandstone at Shuishiin Ningyuan county, (f) Hu‐54 Middle Cambrian sandstone at Baishui in Guiyang county, (g) Hu‐64 Middle Cambriansandstone at Yunuxi in Chengbu county, and (h) Hu‐37 upper Sinian sandstone at Reshui in Rucheng county.


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Figure 5


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Figure 6. Concordia diagram of LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U‐Pb data for the Silurian sandstone samples fromthe central Yangtze Block. (a) HG‐46 Middle Silurian sandstone at Xiangyang in Longshan county,(b) HG‐45 Middle Silurian sandstone at Xiangyang in Longshan county, (c) G‐26a Middle Cambriansandstone at Wentang in Shuangzhi county, (d) S199 Middle Silurian sandstone at Liaoshan in Xiushuicounty, (e) HG‐32 Lower Silurian sandstone at Xiaoxi in Shuangzhi county, and (f) HG‐47 LowerSilurian sandstone at Xiangyang in Longshan county.


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[18] The lower Paleozoic strata from the Cathaysia Blockhave traditionally been considered to represent deep waterturbidite deposits, and this has been proposed as theimportant signature for the early Paleozoic Huanan Oceanmodel [e.g., B. Xu and Qiao, 1989; Liu and Xu, 1994; X. S.Xu et al., 1996; H. D. Chen et al., 2006]. Recent fieldinvestigations however, have showed that (1) there areshallow water sedimentary structures in the Cambrian andOrdovician units including ripple marks and small‐dune‐scale cross bedding (Figures 9a and 9b); (2) the CathaysiaBlock throughout the Cambrian and Ordovician periodconsisted of a siliciclastics‐dominated succession in theshallow water and slope environment (Figures 10a and 10b);and (3) paleocurrent data from all three regions (CathaysiaBlock, and central and eastern Yangtze blocks) indicate aconsistent sediment transport toward the west and northwest(Figures 2h–2l).[19] In the eastern Yangtze Block, the lower Paleozoic

siliciclastic‐dominated units pass into carbonate‐dominatedsuccessions from east to west (e.g., Guiyang, Xinning andChengbu sections in Figures 2a and 2b) with sediment trans-port to the northwest and north‐northwest (Figures 2e–2g).An interstratified carbonate‐siliciclastic succession evolvedfrom a Cambrian slope setting marked by turbidites (Figure 9c)into an Ordovician shallow water basin containing cross‐beddedsandstone units (Figures 2a, 2b, 9d, 10a, and 10b).[20] In the central Yangtze Block, the Cambrian and

Ordovician units are dominantly carbonate that accumulatedin a platform environment (Figures 1 and 2b). Figures 10aand 10b show a progressive infilling from southeast tonorthwest of a Cambrian and Ordovician intracratonic basindeveloped on the substrate of older Cathaysia Block and

Yangtze Block lithologies [e.g., Charvet et al., 1994; Shuet al., 2008; Y. J. Wang et al., 2007; Z. X. Li et al., 2010;Wan et al., 2010; C. Xu et al., 2000; Jia‐yu et al., 2002,2007], which is herein named the Lian‐Shao Basin. TheLower and Middle Silurian sandstone units were predomi-nantly deposited in the central Yangtze Block and around theAnhua‐Luocheng Fault, and are absent in the eastern partof the eastern Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks (Figures 2aand 10c). As shown in Figures 9e and 9f, ripple marksand cross‐bedding sedimentary signatures in the MiddleOrdovician and Lower Silurian sandstone units are indicativeof accumulation in the shallow marine setting. Paleocurrentdata for these Silurian units also indicate sediment transportto the west and north–northwest (Figures 2c and 2d).[21] Further evidence against early Paleozoic Huanan

Ocean between the Cathaysia and Yangtze blocks includes:(1) absence of early Paleozoic ophiolitic suites and arc mag-matism associated with possible closure of the proposedHuanan ocean [e.g., BGMRHP, 1988; BGMRJP, 1984;BGMRFP, 1985]; (2) linked and continuous biostratigraphicaland paleoecological evolution from the Yangtze to Cathaysiablocks [e.g., C. Xu et al., 2000; Jia‐yu et al., 2002, 2007; Liuand Xu, 1994]; (3) Kwangsian granites in the eastern Yangtzeand Cathaysia blocks are largely sourced from Precambrianbasement with little input of a newly mantle‐derived compo-nent [e.g., BGMRHP, 1988; Zeng et al., 2008; John et al.,1990; J. F. Chen and Jahn, 1998; Zhou, 2003; Z. X. Liet al., 2010; F. F. Zhang et al., 2010; A. M. Zhang et al.,2010; Y. J. Wang et al., unpublished data, 2010]; (4) con-temporaneous mafic rocks are poorly developed within theSouth China Block, suggestive of the lack of juvenile input.Previously proposed “early Paleozoic basic rocks” in the

Figure 7. Age (Ma) versus Th/U ratio for Cambrian to Silurian sandstone samples from the Cathaysiaand eastern and central Yangtze blocks.


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Chencai‐Zhenghe‐Jian’ou areas of the Cathaysia Block haveyielded the U‐Pb zircon ages of 860–800 Ma [e.g., BGMRFP,1985; Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of ZhejiangProvince (BGMRZP), 1996; Shu et al., 2008; L. S. Shu et al.,personal communication, 2009]; and (5) lower Paleozoicsedimentary rocks in the South China Block have stronglynegative "Nd(t) values, consistent with those of the associatedbasement [e.g., X. Li and McCulloch, 1996; J. F. Chen andJahn, 1998].

5.2. East Gondwana Source for Detritus andPaleogeographic Implications

[22] Comparison of age spectra for the detrital zircongrains from the Cambrian‐Silurian sandstone samples fromthe Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks indicate derivation froma similar, and likely common source. The paleogeographicalpatterns (Figures 10a–10c) argue against transport of detri-tus into the Cathaysia Block from the western YangtzeBlock across a Cambrian‐Ordovician carbonate platform.Paleocurrent data (Figures 2a–2l) are consistent, showing aW‐NNW orientated transport direction from the CathaysiaBlock across to the central Yangtze Block. The morpho-logical characteristics of the analyzed detrital zircons favor ashorter transport distance of the Cathaysia Cambrian andOrdovician sandstones than those of the eastern YangtzeBlock. Longitudinal filling of the Lian‐Shao basin from anorthern source is unlikely due to increasing water depthtoward the north associated with the development of theearly Paleozoic Qinling Ocean between the North China andSouth China blocks (see Figures 1a and 1b for locationsof the Qinling‐Dabie orogenic belt and North China Block[e.g., G. W. Zhang et al., 2001; Ma et al., 2004; Mattaueret al., 1985; Zhao et al., 2001, 2005; Yang et al., 2009]).These data suggest that the source lay to the southeast, eitherwithin the southeastern Cathaysia block or beyond thecurrent margins of the block.[23] Cathaysia basement is of a suitable age to supply the

Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic grains of the analyzedlower Paleozoic samples. Numerous Paleoproterozoic andNeoproterozoic igneous rocks occur in the Wuyishanand Yunkaidashan domains of the Cathaysia Block [e.g.,Gan et al., 1995; Shu et al., 2008; X. Li, 1997; Wanet al., 2007, 2010; Y. J. Wang et al., 2007; Y. J. Wanget al., unpublished data, 2010]. The abundant inheritedgrains with Paleoproterozoic and some Mesoarchean toMesoproterozoic ages were likely derive from the Neopro-terozic gneissic rocks within the Wuyishan, Nanling, andYunkaidashan domains of the Cathaysia Block [e.g., Wanet al., 2007, 2010; X. S. Xu et al., 2005, 2007]. In addi-tion, the Nd isotopic compositions of the lower Paleozoicsedimentary rocks are similar to those of the Cathaysiabasement [e.g., X. Li and McCulloch, 1996; J. F. Chen andJahn, 1998].[24] Grenville age grains with a peak at ∼1100 Ma are

abundant in the Cambrian‐Silurian sandstone samples fromthe Cathaysia and Yangtze blocks. In the Yunkaidashandomain of the Cathaysia Block, some amphibolite andgarnet pyroxenite yield U‐Pb zircon ages of 900–1200 Ma[Qin et al., 2006; Y. J. Wang et al., unpublished data, 2010].

Figure 8. Histograms of LA‐ICP‐MS detrital zircon U‐Pbages with a plotting increment of 25 Ma for (a) zircons(n = 284) from Cambrian to Ordovician sandstone samplesfor the Cathaysia Block, (b) grains (n = 364) from Cambrianto Silurian sandstone samples for the eastern Yangtze Block,and (c) zircons (n = 271) from Lower to Middle Siluriansandstone samples for the central Yangtze Block. Ages greaterthan 1100Ma are based on 207Pb/206Pb apparent ages whereasages less than 1100 Ma are based on 206Pb/238U ages.


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The analyzed sandstone samples also contain detrital zircongrains with an age around 1490–1450 Ma. Granitoidsand felsic volcanic rocks with an age of ∼1450 Ma have onlybeen identified from Precambrian rocks on Hainan Island[Z. X. Li et al., 2002, 2008]. The full extent of potentialMesoproterozoic source rocks in the Cathaysia Block isuncertain due to the widespread and thick Mesozoic andCenozoic volcanic sedimentary cover [BGMRFP, 1985;Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of GuangdongProvince (BGMRGP), 1988; BGMRZP, 1996], and thetruncation of the coastal provinces further to the east by themodern continent‐ocean boundary.

[25] Derivation of detritus from beyond the truncatedeastern margin of the Cathaysia Block is possible andGrenville age belts are widespread globally, including east-ern North America and Baltica [e.g., Rivers, 1997; Bingenet al., 2008], South America [Tohver et al., 2005], andsouth‐central Africa and Antarctica [Boger et al., 2000;Fitzsimons, 2000; Harley and Kelly, 2007]. Geologic pro-vinces of ∼1.4 Ga age are less widespread than Grenvillianage belts and include small occurrences in central Africa,the Brazilian Shield and the Cathaysia Block [Oliver et al.,1998; Geraldes et al., 2001; Z. X. Li et al., 2002, 2008],east Antarctica [Goodge and Vervoort, 2006; Goodge et al.,

Figure 9. (a) Ripple marks in the Cambrian sandstone at Huangpu (Nankang), and (b) small‐dune‐scalecross bedding in the Middle Ordovician sandstone unit at Guting (Chongyi), showing the shallow watersedimentary signatures for the Cathaysia Block. (c) Turbidite signature with showing the slope setting inthe Middle Cambrian sandstone at Baishui (Guiyang), and (d) large‐scale cross bedding in the MiddleOrdovician sandstone unit at Shuishi (Ningyuan) for the eastern Yangtze Block. Shallow water sedimen-tary signatures for the central Yangtze Block with (e) ripple marks in the Middle Ordovician sandstone atChangpo (Wufeng), and (f) large‐scale cross bedding in the Lower Silurian sandstone unit at Wentang(Zhangjiajie). See Figures 10a–10c for the locations of these photographs.


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2008] and the transcontinental igneous province in SWLaurentia [Finley‐Blasi, 2006; Goodge et al., 2004; Hansonet al., 2004].[26] In early Neoproterozoic reconstructions of the super-

continent Rodinia, the South China Block is located closeto Australia [e.g., Zhao and Cawood, 1999, Z. X. Li et al.,1995]. Given the above distribution of age provinces in theSouth China Block, we believe it was part of east Gondwanaduring the Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic, and in addi-tion to the Cathaysia Block, the continent may have actedas a sediment source to the Cathaysia Block and the SouthChina Block. Recently, Myrow et al. [2009, 2010] reportedthat detrital zircons from Cambrian and Ordovician strataalong the Himalaya between Pakistan and Bhutan containsignificant populations of ∼1100 Ma and ∼1400 Ma thatwere derived from adjoining Gondwana sources. If theSouth China Block occurred along strike to the east [Zhaoand Cawood, 1999] then it could have received similar agedetritus (Figure 11).

5.3. Provenance of 490 Ma Grains and Its Implicationto Position of South China Block in Gondwanaland

[27] Detrital magmatic zircon grains with an age peak at∼490 Ma in Middle Ordovician (472–460 Ma) sandstones inthe eastern Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks suggest rapidunroofing in the source region during the Early and MiddleOrdovician. A similar age peak is not observed in the LowerSilurian sandstone samples from the central Yangtze Block

(Figure 8c). Considering that the complex appearance forzircons grains in these samples in the central Yangtze Block(Figures 3c and 3d), it is inferred that the Xuefengshandomain along the Anhua‐Luocheng Fault (Figures 1b) mighthave some uplift during Early Silurian period, as shownin Figure 10c. These data, together with a similar overallpattern of age spectra among Cambrian to Silurian samples(Figures 8a–8c), and derivation from an overall northwestflowing sediment source, all favor a rapid uplift at, and amajor supply from, the Cathaysia Block (Figure 10c) or itsoffshore extensions in east Gondwana. Igneous rocks withan age of 510–470 Ma are not known to exist in the SouthChina Block. In contrast, such an age is comparable with thetiming of events in east Gondwana at this time. This includesthe 530–480 Ma Ross–Delamerian orogeny of the TerraAustralis orogen along the Pacific margin of Gondwana(Figure 11 [Cawood, 2005; Cawood and Buchan, 2007]),and the Bhimphedian orogeny (550–470 Ma) of the NorthIndian orogen along the Tethyan margin of Gondwana[Cawood et al., 2007]. Location of the South China Block asa microcontinental fragment along the northern margin ofeast Gondwana would have allowed it to capture detritusfrom these sources and provides a possible link betweenthe Ross‐Delamerian and Bhimphedian orogens (Figure 11).This link is further supported by that the angular unconfor-mity between the Ordovician conglomerate and Cambriansuccession was developed not only in northern India [e.g.,Hughes, 2002;Myrow et al., 2006, 2009], but also in Hainanand Yunkai domains of the eastern Cathaysia, which is

Figure 10. The paleogeographical pattern for the Cathaysia and Yangtze blocks at (a) Early Cambrian,(b) Middle Ordovician, and (c) Early Silurian.


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termed as Yu’nanian movement in Chinese literature [e.g.,BGMRGP, 1988].[28] In conjunction with above mentioned discussion and

other geological observations [e.g., Z. X. Li et al., 1995,2010; Cawood et al., 2007; Jia‐yu et al., 2002, 2007], weherein propose that early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks inCathaysia, eastern, and central Yangtze blocks accumulatedwithin an intracontinental basin, the Lian‐Shao Basin, ratherthan on opposing continental margins to the Huanan Ocean.Sedimentation terminated and the strata were deformedduring Kwangsian orogenesis of the South China Blockbetween Middle Devonian and Early Silurian period. Thelocation of the South China Block on the northern margin ofGondwana suggests orogenesis could be a far‐field response

to rapid northward clockwise rotation of east Gondwana[Z. X. Li, 1998; Z. X. Li and Powell, 2001; Stampfli andBorel, 2002; Y. J. Wang et al., 2007].

[29] Acknowledgments. We would like to thank P.‐F. Zhang andT.‐P. Peng for their fieldwork help and sample collecting. X.‐P. Xia isthanked for help with zircon U‐Pb analyses. We are grateful to PaulMyrow, Guochun Zhao, Paul Kapp, and Todd Ehlers for their critical andconstructive reviews on this paper. This study was jointly funded by theNational Basic Research Program of China (2007CB411403), ChineseAcademy of Science (KZCX1‐YW‐15‐1 and KZCX2‐YW128), ChinaNatural Science Foundation (40825009 and 40772129), and China Petro-leum and Chemical Corporation grants (08YPH004). This is a contributionto Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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P. A. Cawood, Department of Earth Sciences,University of St. Andrews, North Street, St. AndrewsKY16 9AL, UK.

S. Chen, College of Georesources and Information,China University of Petroleum, Dongying, 257061, China.

W. Fan, Y. Wang, A. Zhang, and F. Zhang, KeyLaboratory of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry,Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academyof Sciences, P.O. Box 1131, Guangzhou 510640, China.([email protected])

G. Zhang, Department of Geology, NorthwestUniversity, Xi’an, 710069, China.


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Tectonic setting of the South China Block in the early Paleozoic: Resolving intracontinental and...

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