Time and tectonic setting of the Xixiang Group: Constraints from zircon U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry

The present paper reports the research development in the timing and tectonic setting of the Xixiang Group, northwestern margin of the Yangtze block. U-Pb concordant ages of (946 ± 18) Ma and (904±18) Ma of zircons were obtained from the upper and lower units of the Xixiang volcanic succession, respectively. Elemental and Nd isotope characteristics show that the volcanic suite has the affinities of arc island magmatism as well as an evolution trend of tectonic setting from front-arc to back-arc. The volcanic rocks suffered from some extensive post-stage tectono-thermal events, resulting in the resetting of their Rb-Sr isotopic system.