Spatiotemporal evolution of large igneous provinces and their related rifts in the North China craton: role in craton breakup and destruction

Abstract

The North China craton is encircled by four successive triple-conjugated rifts, which are respectively centers of large igneous provinces (LIPs) of bimodal compositions, i.e., Xiong'er rift (south, ca. 1.78 Ga Taihang LIP), Yanliao rift (north, ca. 1.32 Ga Yanliao LIP), Xuhuai rift (east, ca. 1.23 Ga Licheng and ca. 0.92 Ga Dashigou LIPs), and Langshan rift (west, ca. 0.82 Ga Qianlishan LIP). These rifts are genetically related with their contemporaneous LIPs based on their consistent geometry. Spatial migration of these rifts and LIPs indicates their propagation from along one marginal side to the opposite side of the craton, which may results in the sequential breakup of the proto-North China craton from one side to another during 1.8-0.8 Ga. However, the observation that the lithosphere under the LIP-associated rift regions is less destructed (decratonized) in the Mesozoic indicates a possible role of LIPs in strengthening intracratonic steady state. This study shows that LIPs may change craton stability in either direction.

Earth's one‐of‐a‐kind fault: The Tanlu fault

“…After restoration of the fault, these correlative and presumably connected basins are juxtaposed, forming a consistent basin axis with each other (Figure 3b). This restored configuration is also consistent with the depocentre of the Xuhuai rift that was the magmatic centre of both the 1,230 Ma Licheng and 920 Ma Dashigou LIPs (Peng et al, 2022; Wang, Oh, et al, 2020; Wang, Peng, et al, 2020). This restoration also allows a better geometric correlation of the 1,230 Ma dikes on the two sides of the Tanlu fault (Figure 3b).…”

“…Both the Xuhuai and Yanliao rifts were cut by the Tanlu fault (tectono-stratigraphic sequences after Peng et al, 2021). The Xiong'er rift is west of the Tanlu fault along the southern margin of the craton with a branch extending into the central craton (Peng et al, 2022). The Ordos basin is situated in the west of the craton and is well known for the Triassic shale oil (Zhao, Liu, et al, 2020).…”

“…Foliations of other regions are from local geological maps (after the geological survey of China, geocloud.cgs.gov.cn). (b) Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic rift systems and large igneous provinces (Peng et al, 2022). (c) Ordovician kimberlites (Zhang et al, 2010) as well as the carboniferous–Permian coalfields (Dai & Finkelman, 2017; Paek et al, 1996) and the igneous/volcanic province (Zhang et al, 2014).…”

“…Licheng and 920 Ma Dashigou LIPs (Peng et al, 2022;Wang, Oh, et al, 2020;. This restoration also allows a better geometric correlation of the 1,230 Ma dikes on the two sides of the Tanlu fault (Figure 3b).…”

Proterozoic large igneous provinces and implications for paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions

“…元古宙大火成岩省这种宽泛的年龄范围，一方面与其多 期次脉冲式活动有关， 另一方面可能与不同测年方法(TIMS、 SIMS、 LA-ICP-MS、 40 Ar/ 39 Ar、Sm-Nd 等时线)的测试精度及误差有关 [99] . 因此，在大火成岩省年龄对 比及其环境影响研究中， 要注意区分其年龄范围大的原因及多期次脉冲式岩浆活 (2) 利用大火成岩省重建元古宙超大陆，探讨超大陆旋回动力学：大火成岩 省在重建超大陆格局方面有其特殊优势 [11,17,68] ；同时，大火成岩省对了解超大陆 旋回动力学、超大陆形成及裂解方式、超大陆形成之前是否存在"巨大陆" 、超 大陆旋回与地幔旋回的关系等都有其独特的意义 [102~104] . 以上问题均值得进一步 开展工作.…”