Study on the Tectonic Setting for the Ophiolites in Xigaze, Tibet

Abstract:The Xigaze ophiolite is located in the middle section of the Yarlung Zangbo River ophiolite belt and includes a well‐preserved sequence section of seven ophiolite blocks. The relatively complete ophiolitic sequence sections are represented by Jiding, Dejixiang, Baigang, and Dazhuqu ophiolites and consist of three–four units. The complete ophiolite sequence in order from the bottom to top consists of mantle peridotite, cumulates, sheeted sill dike swarms, and basic lavas±radiolarian chert. These cumulates are absent in the remaining blocks of Dejixiang and Luqu. The age of radiolaria in the radiolarian chert is Late Jurassic–Cretaceous. The basalt and ultramafic rock of the ophiolite also are overlaid by Tertiary Liuqu conglomerate, which contains numerous pebble components of ophiolite, indicating that the Tethys Ocean began to close at the end of Cretaceous Period. The isotopic data of gabbro, diabase, and albite granite in the Xigaze ophiolite are approximately 126–139 Ma, which indicates that the ophiolite formed in the Early Cretaceous. The K‐Ar age of amphibole in garnet amphibolite in the ophiolite mélange is 81 Ma, indicating that tectonic ophiolite emplacement occurred at the end of Late Cretaceous. Research in petrology, petrological chemistry, mineralogy, and geochemistry of volcanic rocks and dikes of the Xigaze ophiolite indicate the following characteristics: (1) They are mainly composed of basalt, basaltic andesite, dolerite, and diabase and are characterized by high TiO2 (0.7–1.47%), low MgO (mostly less than 8%), and low SiO2 (mostly less than 53%). (2) The volcanic rocks and dikes of the Xigaze ophiolite show light rare earth element (LREE)‐depleted rare earth element (REE) patterns. (3) The spider diagrams of the volcanic rocks and dikes of the Xigaze ophiolite exhibit LILE depletion relative to high‐field‐strength element (HFSE) patterns with left oblique features. (4) No protogenetic olivine and clinoenstatite was detected. (5) Some dikes show low TiO2 and high MgO, in which a few of Cr‐enriched spinels and a very few pseudomorphs of olivine, orthopyroxene can be seen. They show more distinctive affinity as boninitic rock and canbe classified to boninite series rock. The previously mentioned features of the volcanic rocks and dikes in the Xigaze ophiolite implies that these ophiolites formed in a mid‐ocean ridge (MOR) in the earlier stage and than forearc extension of subduction initiation occurred once at the later stage of the evolution of the Xigaze ophiolite. The forearc extention caused further melting of the residue‐depleted mantle, resulting in the formation of melts with lower TiO2 and higher MgO. These melts formed as dikes and intruded into the oceanic crust formed in the earlier stage, resulting in a close association of mid‐ocean ridge basalt and the boninite rock of the Xigaze ophiolite.