The Taiping-Huangshan composite intrusion is a unique complex with characteristics changing from calc-alkaline (Taiping intrusion) to alkaline (Huangshan intrusion). Huangshan intrusion samples show a spectacular tetrad effect in their REE distribution patterns as well as non-CHARAC (charge-and radius-controlled) trace element behavior, indicating a highly evolved late-stage magma component. This composite intrusion provides a rare opportunity to investigate the variance of tectonic setting and lithospheric thinning of the southeastern Yangtze Craton in late Mesozoic era. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb analyses yield an emplacement age of 140.6±1.2 Ma for the Taiping intrusion, and ages of 127.7±1.3, 125.7±1.4, 125.1±1.5, and 125.2±5.5 Ma for four samples from the Huangshan intrusion respectively. The ages for four different phases of the Huangshan intrusion agree within their small analytical errors, indicating that the emplacement was in a short time. The Taiping and Huangshan intrusions are intimately associated, but there is about 15 Ma interval between their intrusion, and the magma characters change from calc-alkaline to alkaline without transition. This probably corresponds to lithospheric thinning of the southeastern Yangtze Craton. This event possibly happened from about 141 Ma (the emplacement age of the Taiping intrusion), to 128 Ma (start of emplacement of the Huangshan intrusion). The thinning mechanism is dominantly delamination.
The Yangxin composite intrusive consists of three generations of plutons, among which 90% are the second generation intrusions. The second generation intrusion has U-Pb SHRIMP zircon age of 134±2 Ma, substantially younger than the early stage of the Yanshanian. Amphibole and biotite, major mafic minerals in the Yangxin plutons, are rich in magnesium, suggesting a deep source of their parental magma, possibly derived from the upper mantle. Whole rock geochemical data on these rocks show that they have high Al2O3 (15.92%―16.38%), relatively high alkali (Na2O+K2O = 6.95%―7.37%) and higher Na2O contents than K2O (Na2O/K2O = 1.47―1.94). They also have high Sr con-tents (816―897 μg/g) are enriched in strong incompatible elements such as Rb, U, Th, K and LREE, but depleted in HREE and Y. Strong fractionation of LREE from HREE as indicated by high (La/Yb)N ratios ranging from 17.83 to 20.86. Although with little difference, the whole characteristics of the Yangxin intrusive body are greatly similar to the adakite, referring that the formation of the parental magma may relate with the partial melting of the basalt underplating from the mantle after delamina-tion of the mountain root of the Dabie orogen. The body has been uplifted about 5 km since cooling concretion, the average rate was only about 0.04 mm/a,much slower than that of the Dabie orogen in late Mesozoic, but the rates of denudation in two area are similar in Cenozoic.
