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Figure 1. Geological sketch map of the study area and sample locations map. (a) The geological map and sample locations (all of white regions stand for strata

of post Cambrian); (b) the locations of the researched area between Yangtze Block and Cathaysia Block.

the range 1 900–1 700 Ma, 1 400 Ma and 1 000–700 Ma and are mainly distributed in the northeastern (Wuyishan area) and southwestern (Yunkai area) parts of the Cathaysia Block. After the period at ca. 825 Ma, rift basins were formed in South Chi-na Block (Feng et al., 2016; Shu, 2006; Li et al., 2003a, b). The basement rocks of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks are un-conformably overlain in turn by the Upper Neoproterozoic– Lower Paleozoic, Devonian–Lower Triassic and Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic strata (e.g., Wang et al., 2014; Shu et al., 2011; Wan et al., 2010; Yu et al., 2010). During the Later Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran or Sinian)–Cambrian, most of Yangtze Block was covered by carbonate platform system (Xu et al, 2012; Jiang et al., 2011); meanwhile the Cathaysia Block was broken up into three sub-blocks, namely, the Wuyi, South Jiangxi-Nanling and Yunkai, which were separated from one another by intracontinental rift zones (Yao et al., 2011; Shu, 2006). The intracontinental rift basins in the Cathaysia Block were mainly covered by clastic rocks (Zhou et al., 2016; Shu, 2006; Guangdong BGMR, 1988; Hunan BGMR, 1988; Gua-ngxi BGMR, 1985; Jiangxi BGMR, 1985).

The exposed strata of this study area are Sinian –Cambrian, Devonian–Permian, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Pa-leogene sequences. The Sinian–Cambrian strata are conforma-ble in sequence and composed mainly of clastic rocks. The pre-Devonian and Devonian strata present unconformable con-

tact, the Devonian and Carboniferous strata present conforma-ble contact, the Carboniferous and Permian strata present con-formable or parallel unconformable contact (Yin, 1997). The Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene strata, corresponding to terrestrial facies, are sporadically scattered in the study area. Most of the granitic plutons in the study area were emplaced during Yanshanian periods and few of them were emplaced during Indosinian or Caledonian. The Sinian–Cambrian and Devonian–Permian strata occurred regional folding. In the researched area, the fault strike is mainly NNE-NE with partial NW or close to SN. The fault experienced the multiphased overprinting.

2 SAMPLING

Figure 1 shows sampling locations. Figure 2 shows field pictures of sample locations and photomicrographs of samples. Sample 712-10 (N24°54.487′, E112°01.292′) is col-lected from a meta-siltstone layer in the Sinian stratum in Mashi Town, Jianghua County, Hunan Province. Sample 802-1 (N23°45.257′, E110°39.170′) from the Cambrian sand-stone is taken from near the national highway 321 in Dongrong Town, Teng County, Guangxi Province. Sample 802-6 (N24°06.195′, E110°35.490′) is a Cambrian sandstone near the national highway 321, ~500 m in the north of Hua-ngcun town, Mengshan County, Guangxi Province.

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Figure 2. Field pictures of sample locations (left) and photomicrographs of samples (right).

3 ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES

We followed a standard mineral separation procedure in-cluding crushing, hand washing, magnetic separation, sepa-rated by alcohol or heavy liquid, selection under microscope, then random selection of zircon grains under binocular, stick-ing grains into target and fixing it by epoxy resin, polishing it by polish plate. The selected zircon grains were examined with JXA-8100 EPMA and each grain’s CL (cathodolumi-nescence) images were taken. In-situ U-Pb dating was con-ducted using Agilent 7500a LA-ICPMS with a laser ablation system of GeoLas 2005. The diameter of the laser beam spot is 32 μm. The external standard sample of element content adopts NIST SRM 610 and the internal standard adopts 29Si. The isotope ratios standard sample adopts 91500 and GJ-1. In the dating process, 5 to 6 zircon grains are dated every 91500 dating twice. The original data were processed by ICPMSDa-taCal (Liu et al., 2008). The U-Pb concordia diagram was generated using Isoplot 3.75 (Ludwig, 2012). The U-Pb dating

were performed at the State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geos-ciences (Wuhan). 4 RESULTS

In this study, we examined internal structures of 110 zircons for Sample 712-10, 106 zircons for Sample 802-1 and 113 zircons for Sample 802-6. Most of these zircons are hy-pidiomorphic to idiomorphic with linear dimensions of 50–260 μm (sample 712-10), 100–300 μm (802-1), and 100–400 μm (802-6), respectively. Zircon grains are colorless to light pink and are euhedral tosubhedral crystals or crystal fragments. A few grains are subrounded to rounded crystals with pitted surfaces (Fig. 3). The euhedral-subhedral grains suggest little sedimentary transport, whereas the rounded grains suggest input of material that underwent prolonged and possibly multicycle transport. Most of the zircons have clear evidence of oscillatory zoning (Fig. 3). It is generally

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Figure 3. Representative CL images. Circles stand for the analysis spots and numbers stand for U-Pb ages (Ma). (a), (b), (c) stand for sample 712-10, 802-1,

802-6, respectively.

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considered that Th/U ratio for the magmatic zircon is greater than 0.2 whereas the metamorphic zircons have Th/U ratios of <0.10 (Rubatto, 2002; Hoskin and Schaltegger, 2003). The majority of our grains yielded Th/U greater than 0.2, indicat-ing a magmatic origin.

Most of the U-Pb ages are concordant (Fig. 4). Because 207Pb/206Pb ages are commonly considered to be more reliable than 206Pb/238U ages for older zircons with the age of more than 1 000 Ma (Compston et al., 1992), 207Pb/206Pb ages for samples are used. For young grains with 206U/238Pb ages<1 000 Ma, we used their 206U/238Pb ages for further discussion.

Figure 4. The 207Pb／235U–206Pb／238U concordia plots.

Figure 5 shows the U-Pb age distributions for three sam-ples. The U-Pb ages are concentrated in four groups: 514–618, 631–1 278, 1 306–2 047, 2 131–2 886 and >3000 Ma. The three samples yield three most prominent peaks at 991, 964 and 974 Ma. The age pattern corresponds to the timing of Grenvil-lian magmatic activities, and possibly marked the formation of Rodinia supercontinent (Li et al., 2008). The period of 514–618 Ma can correspond to Pan-Africa movement and 1 306–2 047 Ma roughly correspond to the formation of Columbia super-continent (Zhao et al., 2004; Rogers and Santosh, 2009). The age group of 2 131–2 886 Ma is probably related to the forma-tion of the Kenorland supercontinent (Pesonen et al, 2003). The oldest age group (>3 000 Ma) is composed of relatively small number of zircons, but they recorded the early formation of the Earth.

5 DISCUSSIONS 5.1 The Identification of Provenance Areas

To identify provenances of the Sinian–Cambrian strata, we compared the new zircon ages with published geochronologic data from the nearby areas, including the Precambrian strata of southeastern Yangtze Block and southwestern Cathaysia Block (Fig. 5). The U-Pb ages obtained from detrital zircons in the Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of southeastern Yangtze Block concentrate on Jinningian Period (ca. 800 Ma). The age peak is at 819 Ma, which is within the range reported from various rocks in Yangtze Block (800–850 Ma; Wang et al., 2010a). This period corresponds to the breakup of the Rodinia continent (Li et al., 2003a, b). The U-Pb ages of the detrital zircons in the Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of southwes-tern Cathaysia Block are grouped on the Grenvillian Period (ca. 1000 Ma), with the peak at 956 Ma. This suggests that a large scale magmatic activity occurred in Cathaysia Block in the Grenvillian Period, or Cathaysia Block was very close to a Grenvillian orogen (Wang et al, 2008). In fact, recent study showed that granitic gneisses from the Wuyi-Yunkai domain in Cathaysia Block gave zircon U-Pb ages of 985–913 Ma, indi-cating the presence of the Early Neoproterozoic granitic mag-matism in the Cathaysia interior (Wang et al., 2014).

The morphological characteristics of most of our analyzed detrital zircons from the Sinian–Cambrian sandstone samples favor a shorter transport distance. In addition, the paleocurrent data of lower Paleozoic strata in South China Block showed a W‐NNW orientated transport direction from Cathaysia Block across to the central Yangtze Block (Wang et al, 2010b). These data suggest that the source lay to the southeast, either within the southeastern Cathaysia Block or beyond the current margins of the block. Since numerous Paleoproterozoic and Neoprote-rozoic igneous rocks exposed in the Wuyishan and Yunkaida-shan domains of Cathaysia Block (e.g., Li et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2014; Wan et al., 2010, 2007; Shu, et al., 2008), Cathaysia Block is of a suitable age to supply the Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic grains of the analyzed Sinian–Cambrian sam-ples.

In Cathaysia Block, there are age distributions from Arc-heozoic to Neoproterozoic Period and peaks around 1 700–1 800 Ma and 2 500 Ma. This phenomenon shows that magmatic thermal events occurred in the same period and were

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recorded by Yangtze Block. The Sinian–Cambrian strata of Yangtze Block are mainly composed of carbonates but those of Cathaysia Block are mainly composed of clastic rocks. This means that detritus could not extend readily across the margin of Yangtze Block because of the intervening carbonate plat-form.

Until now, igneous rocks with ages of ~2 490 Ma and ~590 Ma have not yet been found in Cathaysia Block. However, there are metavolcanic rocks which chemically fall into tra-chyandesitic and rhyolitic sections with U-Pb zircon age of 527 Ma existed in Tunchang, Hainan Island (Ding et al., 2002). The ages of 537 Ma to 507 Ma found in Guzhai pluton located in eastern Guangdong province are interpreted as the Cambrian magmatic event (Ding et al., 2005). Also, Chen et al. (2009) argued for the existence of a magmatic or thermal event exis-tent in South China Block during the Cambrian time (ca. 526 Ma). On the other hand, according to geochemical, provenance,

and paleontological data, it was suggested that during the Neo-proterozoic and Early Paleozoic, South China Block lay along the northern margin of Gondwana (Zhao and Cawood, 2012). Recent work of provenance data in combination with general geological information has suggested that South China Block was located at the nexus between India, Antarctica, and Aus-tralia, along the northern margin of East Gondwana during the Cambrian (Xu et al., 2013, 2014; Cawood et al., 2013), so a few of our detrital zircons with ages of ~2 500 Ma and ~590 Ma probably came from this portion of northeast Gondwana.

Therefore, the main evidence to identify the provenances of Sinian–Cambrian sedimentary rocks is which provides the ages of the detrital zircons, Grenvillian Period (ca. 1 000 Ma) or Jinning Period (ca. 800 Ma). It is apparently shown that the U-Pb ages of the three sample detrital zircons are consistent with the ages of the detrital zircons in the Precambrian strata of southwestern Cathaysia Block. This shows that most of the

Figure 5. The comparison between the U-Pb age patterns of the detrital zircon in this study and the published data in southeastern Yangtze Block and south-

western Cathaysia Block. (a), (b), (c) are the U-Pb age patterns of 712-10, 802-1 and 802-6, respectively; (d) is the U-Pb age pattern of total our three samples;

(e) and (f) are the U-Pb age patterns of southeastern Yangtze Block and southwestern Cathaysia Block, respectively. The age data of the southeastern Yangtze

Block is from Wang et al. (2012, 2010a), Wang and Zhou (2012). The age data of the southwestern Cathaysia Block is from Yu et al. (2010, 2008), Wang et al.

(2008).

 

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Figure 6. The isopach map of the Nanhua–Cambrian strata in Eastern Guangxi area.

detrital zircons in our three samples probably come from the Cathaysia Block, and a few of the detrital zircons with ages of ~2 500 and ~590 Ma probably have some relationship with Gondwana. 5.2 Constraints on the Yangtze-Cathaysian Boundary

We acquire the Nanhua–Cambrian overall thickness con-tour map (Fig. 6) by Kriging interpolation based on the many locations’ thickness measurement (Chen et al., 2006). Seen from the figure, there are two sedimentary centers which sedi-mentary thicknesses are up to 4 000 m, even 6 000 m.

One sedimentary center locates to the north of Guilin- Yongfu faultwhere sediments are mainly carbonate rocks. By this center, the samples from Nanhua stratum by Wang and Zhou (2012) and Sinian–Cambrian stratum by Wang et al. (2013) have shown their provenances are from Yangtze Block. The other sedimentary center locates to the south of Lipu fault where sediments are mainly clastic rocks (Chen et al., 2006). Our samples locate by this clastic sedimentary center, which shows their provenance is Cathaysia Block. In addition, Wang et al. (2013) acquired some samples from the Sinian–Cambrian stratum in Jinjiling Mountain which also shows sediments come from the Cathaysia Block.

Based on the thickness contour map and all the samples’ locations relatively arranging on both sides, we present that Luzhai uplift (i.e., the uplift between Guilin-Yongfu fault and Lipu fault and with few Nanhua–Cambrian sediment) is a very important area. If the timing of collision is the Early Neopro-terzoic, we are more inclined to accept the opinion that there was not an ocean basin between the two blocks during the Sinian–Cambrian Period (Shu, 2012, 2006; Wang et al., 2010b).

But if the timing of collision is the Early Paleozoic (e.g., Qin et al., 2015), we can say that Luzhai uplift beyond the west of Dayaoshan region might be one part of southwestern sedimen-tation boundary of Cathaysia Block and Yangtze Block.

5.3 Identification of Old Zircons (>3 000 Ma)

Among the 328 zircon grains in this study, thirteen yielded U-Pb ages of older than 3 000 Ma (Appendix Table 1). They have (1) Th/U ratios are between 0.17 and 0.78, and (2) oscil-latory zones suggesting the magmatic origin of these zircon grains.

Twelve ages (between 3 018–3 639 Ma) with over 90% concordance are selected for statistical analysis (Fig. 7a) with those published U-Pb age data over 3 000 Ma of detrital zircons from the Cambrian and Precambrian strata in Cathaysia Block (Wang P M et al., 2012; Li et al., 2009;Yu et al., 2008, 2007; Wan et al., 2007). The results show a very weak supply be-tween 3 000–3 300 Ma (Fig. 7a). We also analyzed statistically (Fig. 7b) the published U-Pb age data over 3 000 Ma of detrital zircons from the Cambrian and Precambrian strata in Yangtze Block (Chen et al., 2013; Wang L J et al., 2012; Xiao, 2012; Gao et al., 2011; Zhao et al., 2010; Jiao et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2006), the results show a cluster of 3200–3300 Ma (Fig. 7b). Furthermore, the published U-Pb age data over 3 000 Ma of detrital zircons from Permian and older strata in South China Block (Chen et al., 2013; Li et al., 2012, 2009; Wang P M et al., 2012; Wang L J et al., 2012; Wang Y J et al., 2010; Xiao, 2012; Xu et al., 2012; Yao et al., 2012, 2011; Gao et al., 2011; Xiang and Shu, 2010; Zhao et al., 2010; Jiao et al., 2009; Yu et al., 2008, 2007; Wan et al., 2007; Liu et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2006), the results also shows a cluster of

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3 200–3 300 Ma (Fig. 7c). All of the three results show that there maybe occurred some magmatic thermal events before 3 000 Ma. The summit period maybe is between 3 200–3 300 Ma. As mentioned before, most of the detrital zircons in our three samples probably come from Cathaysia Block. However, we cannot make sure that the magmatic thermal events before 3 000 Ma occurred in Cathaysia Block since the grains might be repeatedly transported or transported from an exotic Arc-hean continent (probably from Gondwana).

6 CONCLUSIONS

(1) The detrital zircons LA-ICPMS U-Pb age spectrum of 3 Sinian–Cambrian sandstone samples in the Eastern Guangxi area have the most notable age summits being 991, 974, and 964 Ma. These summits are similar to the summit of detrital zir-cons U-Pb age in the Precambrian strata of the adjacent southwest Cathaysia Block, which means most of the studied three sample detrital zircons probably come from Cathaysia Block.

(2) We are more inclined to accept the opinion that there was not an ocean basin between the two blocks during the

Figure 7. The pattern for detrital zircon U-Pb ages of over 3 000 Ma from

the Cathaysia (a), Yangtze (b) and South China Block (c), respectively

(a)U-Pb age data over 3 000 Ma distribution of detrital zircons from the

Cambrian and Precambrian strata in Cathaysia Block; (b)U-Pb age data over

3 000 Ma distribution of detrital zircons from the Cambrian and Precam-

brian strata in Yangtze Block; (c) U-Pb age data over 3 000 Ma distribution

of detrital zircons from the Permian and earlier strata in South China Block.

Sinian–Cambrian period if the timing of collision is the Early Neoproterzoic. But if the timing of collision is the Early Pa-leozoic, we present that Luzhai uplift beyond the west of Dayaoshan regionmight be one part of southwestern sedimen-tation boundary of Cathaysia Block and Yangtze Block.

(3) We get 13 detrital zircons acquired with over 3 000 Ma U-Pb ages. This shows that there occurred some magmatic thermal events before 3 000 Ma. Combining with the former studies we think the summit of these thermal events maybe is ca. 3 200–3 300 Ma. But we cannot make sure that the mag-matic thermal events before 3 000 Ma occurred in Cathaysia Block since the grains might be repeatedly transported or transported from an exotic Archean continent.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41102131), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (No. 12lgpy22), Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (No. 2015A030313193), China Geological Survey (No. 1212011121064), Chinese Association for science and technology project (No. 2014XSJLW01-02) and China Scholarship Council. We are grateful to Shi’ai Chen, Miaoji Lao and Gang Yang for their assistance in field work. The final publication is available at Sprin-ger via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12583-017-0723-y. Electronic Supplementary Material: Supplementary material (Appendix Table 1) is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12583-017-0723-y. REFERENCES CITED

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