Rapid recycling of sediment-derived granites in accretionary orogens: implications from the Alataw Mountains, NW China

Yin, Jiyuan, Huang, He, Bindeman, Ilya, Petrone, Chiara Maria, Fowler, Mike, Kerr, Andrew C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5569-4730, Tao, Zaili, Wang, Tao, Sun, Min, Zhao, Guochun and Xiao, Wenjiao 2025. Rapid recycling of sediment-derived granites in accretionary orogens: implications from the Alataw Mountains, NW China. Chemical Geology Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The origin of S- and I-type granites in accretionary orogens remains contentious24 due to complex geochemical and isotopic signatures, challenging traditional granite25 classifications. We present new zircon U-Pb-Hf-O, quartz O isotope and whole-rock26 geochemical data from two-mica (S-type) and biotite (nominally I-type) granites in the27 Alataw Mountains, northwest China, showing both are derived from sediment-28 dominated protoliths. Zircon U-Pb dating indicates emplacement at 303-298 Ma, with29 differing inherited ages of 443–397 Ma and 1404–811 Ma. The two-mica granites were30 derived from metapelitic sources and are strongly peraluminous, while the biotite31 granites are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with many “I-type” characteristics.32 Both types exhibit high SiO2, low MgO, elevated zircon δ18O, high quartz δ18O and33 high ’17O values consistent with sedimentary sources, but depleted εNd(t) and εHf(t)34 values that require a juvenile origin. Phase equilibrium modeling indicates that these35 granites formed through water-fluxed partial melting of variable Carboniferous36 sedimentary rocks. Thus, crustal melts appear juvenile and S-type granites appear to be37 I-type. Our findings highlight the critical role of rapid crustal recycling via sediment38 melting during the reworking of juvenile crust within arc-related accretionary orogens39 and suggest the need for caution when considering granite origins based on traditional40 typological classifications.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Earth and Environmental Sciences
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0009-2541
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	12 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	3 December 2025
Last Modified:	15 Dec 2025 15:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183180

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