Abstract:
The formation and evolution of the Earth’s early continental crust remain a central theme in Precambrian geology. As a key natural laboratory for studying early crustal growth, the Yangtze Block exhibits debated regional variations in its early evolutionary history. This study presents integrated field investigations, zircon U-Pb geochronology, and whole-rock geochemical analyses of amphibolites from the Yudongzi Complex in the northwestern Yangtze Block. The amphibolites yield a metamorphic age of (
2492 ± 22) Ma, recording a significant tectono-thermal event in the Early Paleoproterozoic. Geochemically, they show light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment and high-field-strength element (HFSE) depletion, indicative of protolith-derived magmas originating from a metasomatized lithospheric mantle. Combined with previous data, these results reveal four major tectono-thermal episodes in the northwestern Yangtze margin: Meso- to Neoarchean crustal rejuvenation and reworking; Neoarchean juvenile crustal growth and crustal recycling; Early Paleoproterozoic crustal remelting and high-grade metamorphism; and Late Paleoproterozoic regional metamorphism. By synthesizing petrological, geochronological, and zircon Hf isotopic data from basement rocks across the northern, northwestern, and southwestern margins of the Yangtze Block, we propose that these regions experienced divergent Archean but convergent Paleoproterozoic crustal evolution. The Early to Middle Paleoproterozoic crustal reworking (peaking at 1.90 Ga) likely reflects the amalgamation of isolated ancient micro-blocks to form the proto-Yangtze Craton, synchronous with the assembly of the Columbia (Nuna) supercontinent. In contrast, Late Paleoproterozoic vertical crustal accretion was associated with extensional tectonics during supercontinental breakup. These findings provide important constraints on the Yangtze Block’s incorporation into global Precambrian supercontinent cycles.