Petrogenesis of an Early Permian granite intrusion in the Wushitala area in the South Tianshan and its tectonic significance

<p indent="0mm"> Permian magmatism in the South Tianshan is of great significance for elucidating the mode and timing of the final amalgamation between the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and the Tarim Craton. This study carries out a systematic investigation of petrology, geochemistry, and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic compositions of zircons of samples from a K-feldspar granite intrusion within the Wushitala area in the South Tianshan. The results reveal that the granite was formed at 292±<sc>4.8 Ma.</sc> Geochemically, it belongs to the metaluminous to slightly peraluminous I-type granite (A/CNK = 1.02~1.04). Its samples have relatively enriched Rb, Th, U, and light rare earth elements (LREEs), but relatively depleted high field strength elements (HFSEs) such as Nb and Ta and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), with obviously negative Eu anomalies (δEu = 0.32~0.38) and ε_Hf(<italic>t</italic>) values varying from -0.4 to -3.1. Based on the comprehensive analysis, it is believed that the K-feldspar granite intrusion in the Wushitala area belongs to the I-type granite. Its parental magma was mainly originated from the partial melting of intermediate-basic rocks within the South Tianshan accretionary complex, Meanwhile, significant contributions were made from sedimentary rocks in the generation or evolution stages of the magma. It is proposed that the granite was likely generated in a subduction-related tectonic setting, and was a product of the southward rollback of the South Tianshan oceanic lithosphere.