Fortunately, peridotite xenoliths contained in the Cenozoic volcanic rocks (mainly alkali basalts) are direct samples of the deep lithosphere. Previous studies on Voreloxin xenoliths from the Wudalianchi–Erkeshan–Keluo (WEK), Shuangliao, Jiaohe, Wangqing and Yitong volcanic areas (Fig. 1a) revealed that the lithospheric mantle underneath these areas is compositionally heterogeneous, mainly shows geochemical similarity with the mantle beneath the oceanic basins (Wu et al., 2003, Xu et al., 1998a, Xu, 2001, Yu et al., 2009, Zhang et al., 2000, Zhang et al., 2011 and Zhou et al., 2010), while old refractory mantle relics were locally preserved (Fan et al., 2011, Sui et al., 2011, Zhang et al., 2007 and Zhao and Fan, 2011). Such characteristics also have been observed in many locations throughout eastern China, and are considered to be related to the upwelling of the asthenosphere, which resulted in the strong modification of the lithospheric mantle, especially beneath the eastern part of the North China Craton (Griffin et al., 1998, Liu et al., 2012, Menzies et al., 1993, Xu et al., 2000, Zhang, 2005, Zhang et al., 2008a, Zhang et al., 2008b, Zheng et al., 1998, Zheng et al., 2001, Zheng et al., 2004a and Zheng et al., 2007). In contrast, the lithospheric mantle beneath the western part of NE China is less well-constrained. Recent studies of peridotite xenoliths from the Xilinhot area (Fig. 2a) have suggested a widespread juvenile fertile provenance (Zhang et al., 2012), but older (probably Proterozoic) moderately refractory relics may exist locally (Pan et al., 2013). Here, we present detailed petrologic, major- and trace-element data on minerals and whole-rocks of peridotite xenoliths from the Cenozoic volcanic fields in the central part of the Great Xing\'an Range (GXR), NE China (Fig. 1a). These data allow us to constrain the nature of the lithospheric mantle and the geological process involved in its evolution, and to provide some constraints on the post-formation modification of the mantle beneath the eastern part of the CAOB.
↧