High-precision Geochronology of Mesozoic Volcanic Rocks from the Ning-Wu Basin, Eastern China: Implications for Geological Evolution

Authors

  • Yan Zhang

    Geological Data Archives of Jiangsu Province, Technology Innovation Center for Geological Data Intelligent Application of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018, China
  • Yi Liu

    Nanjing Center, China Geological Survey, Nanjing 210016, China
  • Jiannian Zeng

    School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
  • Yong Zeng

    Nanjing Center, China Geological Survey, Nanjing 210016, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i7.10115
Received: 20 May 2025 | Revised: 17 June 2025 | Accepted: 4 July 2025 | Published Online: 25 July 2025

Abstract

The Ning-Wu Basin is an important part of the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt in eastern China. It contains well-preserved Mesozoic volcanic sequences that document significant geodynamic evolution. However, uncertainties surrounding the ages of eruptions and the temporal relationships between the four main volcanic cycles — the Longwangshan, Dawangshan, Gushan and Niangniangshan formations — have hindered our understanding of magmatic pulsation and its connection to iron mineralisation. Here, high-precision LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of four fresh volcanic samples (one per formation) reveals weighted mean ages of 132.3 ± 1.0 Ma (Longwangshan; MSWD = 1.3), 130.4 ± 1.6 Ma (Dawangshan; MSWD = 1.3), 128.1 ± 1.9 Ma (Gushan; MSWD = 2.0) and 127.2 ± 1.1 Ma (Niangniangshan; MSWD = 0.23). These dates constrain volcanic activity to the Early Cretaceous Valanginian–Hauterivian interval and show a systematic trend of increasingly younger ages spanning ~8 Ma (133–125 Ma). This magmatism can be subdivided into three phases: initiation (133–132 Ma), peak activity (132–130 Ma) and cessation (128–125 Ma). The episodic volcanism correlates with the accelerating rollback of the Pacific subduction zone, which drives crustal melting and asthenospheric upwelling. Notably, these cycles supplied the thermal energy, fluids and iron-rich melts that were essential for the formation of porphyritic iron deposits in the basin. By establishing a high-resolution chronostratigraphic framework, this study sheds light on the spatiotemporal evolution of the Ning-Wu Basin, elucidating the coupling between crust-mantle dynamics, volcanic cyclicity and ore-forming processes across eastern China’s metallogenic belt.

Keywords:

Volcanic Rocks; Zircon U-Pb Age; Chronology; Plate Rollback; Ning-Wu Basin

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How to Cite

Zhang, Y., Yi Liu, Jiannian Zeng, & Zeng, Y. (2025). High-precision Geochronology of Mesozoic Volcanic Rocks from the Ning-Wu Basin, Eastern China: Implications for Geological Evolution. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(7), 328–339. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i7.10115

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 7 (July 2025): In Progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Yan Zhang, Yi Liu, Jiannian Zeng, Yong Zeng

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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