Late Paleozoic intra-oceanic arc and its accretionary complex in East Junggar (NW China): implications for multiple arc amalgamation in the southern Altaids

The East Junggar is a key to understanding the accretionary history of the southern Altaids. However, the tectonic setting and amalgamation history of the East Junggar during the Carboniferous–Permian remain controversial. Here we report new field, geochronological and geochemical data for the Carboniferous–Permian volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Jiangjun unit and the Hongliugou ophiolitic complex of East Junggar to constrain its tectonic evolution. Carboniferous volcanic rocks, with zircon and apatite U–Pb ages from 337 ± 2 to 303 ± 32 Ma, display arc-related geochemical characteristics. Carboniferous–Permian sedimentary rocks predominantly contain Carboniferous–Permian detrital zircons and have maximum depositional ages from 318 ± 5 to 281 ± 6 Ma. Provenance analysis indicates that the sediments from the west Jiangjun unit were sourced from the Yemaquan arc and those from the east Jiangjun unit may be sourced solely from a new intra-oceanic arc. Integrated data indicate that Carboniferous–Permian strata in the Jiangjun unit were formed in the intra-oceanic arc setting that remained until the middle Permian. These analyses suggest an amalgamation process of multiple convergence and accretion for the southern Altaids during the formation of NE Pangaea in the late Paleozoic.