Early Jurassic tectonism occurred within the Basu metamorphic complex, eastern central Tibet: Implications for an archipelago-accretion orogenic model

The Basu metamorphic complex, surrounded by ophiolitic melanges and intruded by a large volume of undeformed granitoid rocks along the eastern segment of the Bangong-Nujiang suture, holds one of the keys to understanding the pre-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of central Tibet. Zircon U-Pb dating of rocks from the Basu metamorphic complex reveals that meta-igneous rocks yield Early Paleozoic crystallization ages of 500–492Ma and an Early Jurassic metamorphic age of ~173Ma, and that undeformed granitoid rocks yield crystallization ages of approximately 186–174Ma. Whole rock geochemical and zircon Lu-Hf isotopic data indicate that the undeformed granitoid rocks originated mainly from partial melting of ancient crustal sources, which may reflect a collisional orogenic setting. 40Ar/39Ar dating of biotite from a sillimanite-garnet-biotite paragneiss shows cooling to 300±50°C at ~165Ma. These data indicate significant Early Jurassic tectonism, during which most of the Basu metamorphic complex was formed. Furthermore, the age data resemble those of the Amdo metamorphic complex located approximately 500km to the west along the Bangong-Nujiang suture. Together, these complexes may represent a “destroyed or unrecognized” block, i.e., the Amdo-Tongka block, which may be the eastern extension of the South Qiangtang terrane. Based on the tectonic outlines of the multiple ophiolitic zones and magmatic belts, we suggest a new archipelago-accretion model that attributes the Early Jurassic tectonism to an arc-continent/micro-continent collision. This model further enables the reconstruction of the eastern Tethyan Ocean and the orogenic processes of central Tibet during the Mesozoic. •Early Jurassic tectonism occurred at the Basu metamorphic complex.•A “destroyed or unrecognized” Amdo-Tongka block is identified.•An archipelago-accretion model may explain the Mesozoic tectonics of central Tibet.