Early Permian Sunidyouqi suprasubduction-zone ophiolites in the central Solonker suture zone (Inner Mongolia, China)

Different final closing ages have been proposed for the evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO), including Late Silurian, pre-Late Devonian, Early Permian, Late-Permian and Late Permian–Early Triassic. Ophiolites represent fragments of ancient oceanic crust and play an important role in identifying the suture zone and unveiling the evolutionary history of fossil oceans. Our detailed geological, geochemical and geochronological investigations argue for the existence of Early Permian (297 Ma) SSZ type ophiolites in the Sunidyouqi area of central Inner Mongolia, China. The gabbros and basalts show LREE depleted REE patterns and left-leaning primitive mantle-normalized spider diagrams with variable negative Nb-Ta anomalies (Nb* = 0.24–1.28 and 0.29–0.55, respectively). The Sunidyouqi ophiolites were generated in a mature back-arc basin. The Sunidyouqi ophiolites share the same petrological, geochemical and geochronological characteristics with the other ophiolites along the Solonker suture zone, delineating a Late Paleozoic ocean and arc-trench system. This Late Paleozoic ocean and arc-trench system coincides with a Permian paleobiogeographical boundary, i.e. the boundary between the northern cold climate (Boreal faunal–Angaraland floral realm), and a southern warm climate (Tethys faunal–Cathaysian floral realm). A tectonic scenario was proposed at last for the closure of the SE PAO involving (1) Late Ordovician to Middle Permian continuous southward subduction beneath the northern margin of North China; (2) Carboniferous to Middle Permian continuous northward subduction the forming the Northern Accretionary Orogen; (3) Late Permian final closure of the SE PAO. [Display omitted] •297 Ma SSZ-type ophiolites were identified in Sunidyouqi area (Inner Mongolia, China).•Samples show N-MORB like spider diagrams with notable Nb-Ta negative anomalies.•The Sunidyouqi ophiolites were generated in a mature back-arc basin.