Timing of the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean: Evidence from sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Linxi Formation in southeastern Inner Mongolia, China

The Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO) had multiple collage systems and closed along multiple sutures. The final timing of the closure of the PAO was closely related to the formation of Pangea. The final timing of closure of the eastern PAO is controversial and may have been from the Middle Permian to the Middle Triassic. This paper presents new zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotope data for sedimentary and volcanic rocks layer in the Linxi Formation in the Xingmeng Orogenic Belt (XMOB). We also obtained geochemical data for the volcanic rocks layer to constrain the timing and mechanisms of the PAO closure. Detrital zircon U-Pb dating yielded the youngest ages peak of ca. 263 and 260 Ma for two sandstone samples. Combined with the crystallization age of the volcanic rocks layer (254.2 +/- 1.3 Ma), this indicates the Linxi Formation was deposited during the Late Permian. Age spectra and Hf isotopic compositions of the detrital zircons from the Linxi Formation suggest that detrital zircons with ages of <1500 Ma were derived from the XMOB, whereas those with ages of 2100-1600 Ma were derived from both the XMOB and the North China Craton (NCC). The detrital zircons with ages of >2400 Ma were derived from the NCC. Geochemical features of the volcanic rocks layer are consistent with eruption in a compressional tectonic setting and derivation by partial melting of the lower crust. Based on our data and the Late Permian history of magmatism and sedimentation, the Linxi Formation was likely deposited in a tectonic setting that transitioned from convergence to collision. Finally, we suggest the PAO closed in a 'scissor-like' fashion in the eastern CAOB during the Late Permian, in a setting of tectonic compression.