Archean-Paleoproterozoic crustal evolution of the Ordos Block in the North China Craton: Constraints from zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes for gneissic granitoids of the basement

Abstract The Ordos Block has been considered as an Archean micro-block in North China Craton. However, its formation and evolution are poorly understood for a long time due to lack of available basement rocks. Our LA-ICPMS and SIMS zircon U–Pb dating of gneissic granitoids from the Ordos Block basement identified two distinct periods of granitic magmatism at ∼2.5 Ma and 2.2–2.0 Ga, and two phases of metamorphisms at ∼1.95 Ga and ∼1.85 Ga, respectively. Of which most zircons of ∼2.5 Ga granitoids show positive ɛ Hf ( t ) values ranging from +0.1 to +4.1 with a peak T DM of ∼2.7 Ga. Minor zircons have negative ɛ Hf ( t ) values from −3.8 to −0.02 and T Hf C of 2.8–3.1 Ga. Moreover, the 3.40 G…