Late Permian back-arc extension of the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean: Evidence from the East Kunlun Orogen, Northern Tibetan Plateau

The East Kunlun Orogen is located in the northern part of the Tibetan Plateau and has received significant attention in tracing the evolution of Paleo-Tethys Ocean. In this study, we present U-Pb zircon geochronology, geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopic data on the Kengdenongshe tholeiitic gabbro in the eastern part of the orogen. The gabbro is characterised by high and variable MgO and Fe2O3, as well as low K2O and TiO2 contents, typical of low-K...