TECTONIC STYLES IN THE SOUTHWEST QINLING AND RELATIONS WITH DYNAMICS OF QINGHAI—TIBET PLATEAU

Based on the studies of geology and geochemistry, A’nymaque—Mianlue limited oceanic basin is comparable to the Paleo\|Tethys on time, sedimentary, biocoenosis, and the type of ophiolite (Coleman, 1984; Deng, 1984; Xu, 1996;Chenliang, 1999). The A’nyemaqen—Mianlue oceanic basin was one of a northeast branches of Paleo\|Tethys (Zhang Guowei, 1995; 1996) .Our researches on deformations reveal that tectonic styles of the Southwest Qinling orogenic belt is obviously influenced by the dynamics of Qinghai—Tibet plateau.Structural deformation analysis suggested that the southwest part of Qinling have undergone 3 major deformation stages in Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Firstly, rock folding at deep\|middle tectonic level and progressively thrusting shearing characterized the deformation of collision. The thrust tectonics are south\|directed, such as A’nymaque, Wenxian—Kangxian and Mianlue thrusting systems, and the deformations took place in T\-2—T\-3. Secondly, the middle\|tectonic level thrusting and sinistral strike\|slip formed at early intracontinental period (J—K), the thrust tectonics was south\|directed and the regional penetrative left\|lateral slips were NW or NWW. Finally, the east\|west extensional deformations which occurred in late Mesozoic and Cenozoic, a series of north\|south directing basins came into being in this stage, Huixian—Chengxian basin and Lixian basin for example, which overlapped the former deformation styles.