Genesis of high-potassium calc-alkaline peraluminous I-type granite: New insights from the Gaoligong belt granites in southeastern Tibet Plateau

Silicic magmas, primarily felsic I- and S-type granite (sensu lato), play a key role in understanding the compositional evolution and differentiation of the continental crust. However, the genetic models of felsic I-type granites remain controversial. Herein we investigate the Gaoligong granite (sensu lato) belt in southern Tibet and compare its features with an extensive dataset that we compiled on high‑potassium calc-alkaline peraluminous I-type granite from typical granitic belts around the word with a view to gain insights on the genesis of felsic I-type granites. The Early-Cretaceous granites from Gaoligong belt mostly belong to high-K calc-alkaline peraluminous I-type series. Zircon LuHf (εHf(t) = −16.3 – +0.9) and whole-rock SrNd isotopic data (εNd(t) = −14.6 – +3.0) on these rocks show highly variable and evolved nature, suggesting that the granites were generated by partial melting of lower crustal materials with possible involvement of upper crustal materials, followed by mixing, leading to marked variation in source compositions. Compilation of the dataset and comparison with felsic I- and S-type granites show the following salient features: (1) possibly distinct trends of Al2O3, P2O5, K2O, Rb, Sr, Pb, Th, U and Ga vs. MgO + FeOT between the felsic I-type granites and those S-types; and (2) there are notably higher and variable zircon Hf (εHf(t) > 10ε units) and whole-rock SrNd (εNd(t) > 5ε units) isotopic compositions of I-type granites than those of the S-types. Comparison with experimental liquids and other typical cases around the world, indicate that the felsic I-type granites from Gaoligong are similar to those secondary I-type granites, where mixing processes and extensive partial melting of the heterogeneous lower crust by a mantle-like magma control the variable components. The range of compositional diversity is significantly higher for the studied felsic I-type granites than those typical S-type granites from north Queensland. Our study provides further insights into the application of geochemical and isotopic proxies to differentiate felsic I- and S-type granites. •Melting of lower crustal materials followed by mixing in source compositions.•Higher variable isotopic compositions of I-type granites than those S-types.•Distinctly geochemical evolution between the felsic I- and S-type granites.•Genesis indicators for the high-K calc-alkaline peraluminous I-type granites