In an attempt to investigate the nature and origin of mantle heterogeneities beneath the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge (SMAR), we report new whole-rock Sr, Nd, Pb, and Hf isotopic data from eight basalt samples at four dredge stations along the SMAR between 18°S and 21°S. Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic data from SMAR mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) at 18–21°S published by other researchers were also utilized in this study. The SMAR MORBs at 18–21°S feature the following ratio ranges: ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.70212 to 0.70410, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.512893 to 0.513177, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.05 to 19.50, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.47 to 15.71, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 37.87 to 38.64, and ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf = 0.283001 to 0.283175. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios of these MORBs varied considerably along the SMAR axis. The variable compositions of the Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotopes, combined with the corresponding whole-rock major and trace elemental abundances reported in previous studies, suggest that the SMAR MORBs at 18–21°S were probably derived from a heterogeneous mantle substrate related to a mixture of depleted mantle (DM) materials with a small amount (but variable input) of HIMU (high-μ, where μ = ²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb)- and enriched (EMII)-type materials. The HIMU-type materials likely originated from the proximal St. Helena plume and may have been transported through “pipe-like inclined sublithospheric channels” into the SMAR axial zone. The EMII-type materials possibly originated from a recycled metasomatized oceanic crust that may have been derived from the early dispersion of other plume heads into the subcontinental asthenosphere prior to the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. In addition, the contributions of subducted sediments, continental crust, and subcontinental lithospheric mantle components to the formation of the SMAR MORBs at 18–21°S may be nonexistent or negligible.

Magmatic activity is crucial for identification of the tectonic framework of the ancient oceanic crust. In this study, systematic investigation, including a field survey, zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating, and whole-rock geochemical analysis, has been carried out on the intrusive quartz- and granodiorites within the Meso-Tethyan Shiquanhe Ophiolitic Mélange (SQM), Tibet. Zircon U-Pb dating yields the weighted mean ages of 174.7 ± 1.4 Ma (quartz diorite) and 178.9 ± 1.2 Ma (granodiorite), respectively, demonstrating the Early Jurassic formation age. The quartz diorite samples are metaluminous (A/NKC = 0.77–0.95) (molar/Al₂O₃/(CaO + Na₂O + K₂O)), while the granodiorite samples are weakly peraluminous (A/NKC = 0.95–1.21), and both of them exhibit tholeiitic to calc-alkaline geochemical characteristics and can be classified as I-type granites. The right-dipping rare-earth element (REE) patterns, enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs: Rb, Ba, Th), and depletion in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs: Nb, Ta, Ti), as well as relatively high (La/Yb)_N ratios, are features compatible with an island arc setting. Combined with previous works, we suggest that the Shiquanhe ophiolitic mélange not only preserves records of mid-late Jurassic island arc magmatic activity but also contains evidence of island arc magmatism from the late Early Jurassic.

The magmatic activity is crucial for identify the tectonic framework of ancient ocean. In this study, a systematically work including field survey, zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating, and whole-rock geochemical analysis is carried on to investigated the intrusive magmatic rocks of quartz diorite and granodiorite within the Meso-Tethyan Shiquanhe Ophiolitic Mélange (SQM), Tibet. Zircon U-Pb dating yields the weighted mean ages of 174.7±1.4 Ma (quartz diorite) and 178.9±1.2 Ma (granodiorite) respectively, indicating the Early Jurassic formation age. The quartz diorite is metaluminous (A/NKC = 0.77-0.95), while the granodiorite is weakly peraluminous (A/NKC = 0.95-1.21), and both of them exhibit tholeiitic–calc-alkaline geochemical characteristics and classified as I-type granites. The right-dipping rare earth element (REE) patterns, enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs: Rb, Ba, Th), and depletion in high field strength elements (HFSEs: Nb, Ta, Ti), as well as relatively high (La/Yb)N ratios represent the is-land arc TTG-like magmatism origin. Combine with the previous works, we suggest the Shiquanhe opiolitic mélange represent an island arc and back-arc assemblage rather than an independent ocean basin. Meanwhile, this Early Jurassic island arc magmatism initiated a new era of the Mesozoic mineralization in Shiquanhe area.