SHRIMP ion microprobe zircon U-Pb Age and Sm-Nd isotopic characteristics of the NE Jiangxi ophiolite and its tectonic implications

The new SHRIMP zircon U-Pb isotopic study suggests that the crystallization age of a highly fractionated magma in the NE Jiangxi ophiolite suite is 968±23 Ma. Re-calculated Sm-Nd isochron age of 955±44 Ma is within analytical errors. consistent with the zircon U-Pb age. With the exception of two anomalous Sm-Nd data, the remaining 15 analyses so far obtained for the ophiolite gaveεNd (T) values falling into a limited range from +4.3 to +6.7, indicating that the ophiolite was derived from a relatively strongly depleted mantle source. Sm-Nd isotopic systematics in some samples may have been strongly affected by post-magmatic events, such as alteration, deformation and metamorphism, resulting in anomalousεNd (T) values. Combined with published40Ar39Ar age data, it can be concluded that the collision between the Yangtze and South China Blocks occurred during 0.97-0.80 Ga.