Geochemical comparison of two suites of Cenozoic potassic volcanic rocks in western Yunnan reveals the existence of two mantle domains beneath this region, which corre- spond to their respective tectonic affinity. The Erhai ultrapotassic rocks (42—24Ma) in western Yangtze Craton are characterized by LILE enrichment, HFSE depletion, low TiO2 content (<1%), high initial Sr/86Sr (0.7064—0.7094) and negative εNd (?3.84—?4.64). Geochemically similar to 87 K-rich volcanism in subduction setting, they were probably originated from a refractory spinel harzburgitic source metasomatized by subduction-related fluids. In contrast, the Maguan potas- sic magmas (<16Ma) in the South China Block show an OIB-type trace elemental signature, high TiO2 content (>2%), low initial 87 Sr/86Sr (0.7041—0.7060) and positive εNd (5.46—7.03). These features resemble the typical intraplate potassic rocks around the world. These rocks are thus interpreted as melting products of a fertile garnet lherzolitic source which has been infiltrated by small-volume, asthenosphere-derived silicate melts. The temporal and spatial distribution of these two types of K-rich rocks cannot be explained by any unified tectonic model. It is proposed that the Oligocene magmatism in the Erhai area may have resulted from convective thinning of the thickened lithosphere, whereas the post-Miocene volcanism in the Maguan area was related to the opening of South China Sea.
Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating was carried out for an intermediate granulite xenolith in Cenozoic alkali basalt from Nushan. The results suggest that the lower crust beneath Nushan may have formed at about 2400—2200 Ma, and have been subjected to granulite-facies metamorphism at 1915±27 Ma. The old age of the Nushan lower crust is consistent with the geochemical similarities between Nushan granulite xenoliths and Archean-Paleoproterozoic granulite terrains in the North China craton, but it is not distinguishable from high-grade metamorphic rocks in the Yangtze craton where such old ages were also reported. Significant Pb-loss occurs in the Nushan zircons, implying important influence of widespread Mesozoic to Cenozoic underplating in East China on the lower crust beneath Nushan.
