Detrital zircon trace elements from the Mesozoic Jiyuan Basin, central China and its implication on tectonic transition of the Qinling Orogenic Belt

The Qinling Orogen and the Jiyuan Basin constitute a basin-mountain system during the Early Mesozoic. Therefore, sediments from the Jiyuan Basin can be used to deduce the orogenic process of the Qinling Orogen. This paper attempts to use detrital zircon trace elements with ages ranging from the Late Carboniferous to the Middle Triassic that were obtained from the Jiyuan Basin to discuss the tectonic evolution of Qinling Orogen. On the tectonic setting discriminating diagrams, most grains are concentrated in convergent continental margins/orogenic settings,whereas the remaining samples (268 Ma, 265Ma, 264 Ma and 254Ma) are plotted in anorogenic field. Compared to the Early Paleozoic (400-500Ma) zircons, 306Ma and 281Ma grains represent higher Th/ Nb ratios, which might be related to the Mianlve oceanic crust subduction. The lower Th/Nb ratios containing 268 Ma, 265Ma, 264 Ma and 254Ma grains might indicate lithospheric extension subsequently. The final continent-continent collision between South China and North China blocks took place after the Middle Triassic (242Ma).