The Changchun-Yanji belt recorded widespread Permo-Triassic magmatism, but their origins remain unclear, inhibiting a comprehensive understanding of the magmatic response to the final closure of the Paleo-Asian ocean in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Here, we present new geochronological, geochemical, and Hf isotopic data for the Permo-Triassic plutons from Northern Liaoning province, NE China. Combined the published ages with our new data, the Permo-Triassic magmatism in the eastern CAOB can be divided into five episodes: early Permian (293–274 Ma), middle–late Permian (270–257 Ma), latest late Permian–Middle Triassic (255–242 Ma), Late Triassic (240–215 Ma), and latest Late Triassic (209–200 Ma). The middle Permian and Late Triassic mafic plutons (i.e. ~266 Ma Mengjiagou gabbro–diorite, ~240 Ma Jiancaicun gabbro and ~224 Ma Shudetun gabbro-diorite) contain relatively high TFe₂O₃, MgO, Cr and Ni contents with positive ε_Hf(t) values (+1.2 to +7.2), suggesting a depleted mantle origin. These mafic rocks together with the coeval granitoids make up typical bimodal associations, suggesting that they were formed under an extensional environment. The conclusions are also supported by occurrence of A-type granites during 270–257 Ma and 240–215 Ma. By contrast, the granitoids of 255–242 Ma in the eastern CAOB, including the Jianshanzi (~251 Ma) and Daganhe (~242 Ma) monzogranites, show typical geochemical features of adakitic granites, with high Sr/Y ratios and negative ε_Hf(t) values (–8.6 to – 22.0), suggesting that the magmas were generated through partial melting of thickened ancient lower crust. Combined with previous studies, a four-stage tectonic evolution scenario was proposed: (1) active continental margin stage during 293–274 Ma; (2) continuing subduction resulted in the initiation collision, moderate crustal thickening, and slab break-off during 270–257 Ma; (3) final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean associated with continued crustal thickening occurred during 255–242 Ma; (4) lithospheric delamination in a post-collisional extensional environment occurred during 240–215 Ma.

Geological mapping and zircon U–Pb laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) dating has identified a Mesoarchean (2857 ± 17 Ma) geological unit in the Luanjiajie area of the northern margin of the North China Craton, within the northern part of Liaoning Province, China. This unit is dominated by tonalitic and trondhjemite gneisses that form part of a typical tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) rock assemblage. These Mesoarchean gneisses are enriched in Na and depleted in K, yield K₂O/Na₂O ratios of 0.34–0.50, have Rittmann index (σ) values of 1.54–3.04, and are calc-alkaline. They have Eu_N/Eu_N* values of 0.77–1.20 (average of 1.03), indicating that these samples have negligible Eu anomalies, and yield high La_N/Yb_N values (4.92–23.12). These characteristics indicate that these Mesoarchean gneisses have fractionated rare earth element (REE) compositions that are enriched in the light REE (LREE) and depleted in the heavy REE (HREE), with steeply dipping chondrite-normalized REE patterns. These gneisses are also enriched in Rb, Th, K, Zr, and Hf, and are relatively depleted in Ta, Nb, P, and Ti. In summary, the magma that formed these tonalitic and trondhjemite gneisses was most likely derived from the partial melting of lower-crustal basaltic rocks during subduction. The timing of formation (2.85 Ga) of the Luanjiajie tonalite and trondhjemite gneisses probably represents the timing of initiation of plate tectonics within the LongGang Block during a SE-directed subduction event. The presence of inherited zircons with ages of >3.0 Ga within the Luanjiajie gneisses suggests that this area may contain as yet undiscovered rocks that formed before 3.0 Ga.