Autogenic minerals were tried to constrain the initial depositional time of Changcheng Group.
SIMS U–Pb and Pb–Pb dating were conducted on monazite and xenotime at <5 μm scale.
A wide age spectrum on a single xenotime overgrowth indicates a prolonged precipitation.
The minimum initial depositional time of Changcheng Group is determined at 1716 ± 3 Ma.