LAUSR

ABSTRACT We report geochemical data and zircon SHRIMP U-Pb ages for Late Mesozoic granitoids from the western Zhejiang province and southern Anhui province (the WZSA region) from southeast China. In combination with published geochronological and geochemical data, the granitoids in the region can be divided into three stages: 171–141 Ma, 140–121 Ma, and 120–95 Ma. The first stage of these granitoids is mainly composed of granite porphyry and granodiorite which are similar to I-type granitoids, including having weakly negative Eu anomalies with enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREE), Rb, Th, and U. The second stage of granitoids consists of monzogranite, syenogranite, and granite with the characteristics of both A-type and I-type granitoids including strongly negative Eu anomalies; depletion of Ba, Sr, and Ti; and enrichment of K, Rb, and high field strength elements (HFSEs) (such as Th and U). The third stage of granitoids is mainly composed of granite, quartz monzonite, quartz diorite, and mafic rocks with weakly negative Eu anomalies and also enrichment in LREE, Rb, Th, U, and K. From our work, we propose a transition from compressional to extensional magmatism at ~141 Ma. Based on the geochemical characteristics of these granites and coeval mafic rocks, we propose that the formation of the A-type magmatism in the WZSA region formed as the result of lithospheric extension and asthenospheric upwelling during the Early Cretaceous.