全球天然氢气勘探开发利用进展及中国的勘探前景

在全球能源脱碳背景下,天然氢气作为一种一次能源,因其零碳、可再生的优点而备受关注,但中国目前还未开展专门针对天然氢气的勘探工作。通过介绍全球已知高含量天然氢气(体积分数大于10%)气藏的主要形成地质环境及成因类型,系统总结了天然氢气富集的有利地质条件,并结合国外天然氢气的勘探开发现状,评价了中国天然氢气的勘探前景。研究结果表明:(1)全球高含量天然氢气主要发育于蛇绿岩带、裂谷和前寒武系富铁地层中,且以无机成因为主,富铁矿物的蛇纹石化过程是天然氢气最主要的成因来源,其次为地球深部脱气和水的辐解。(2)优质的氢源与良好的运移通道是氢气富集的前提,而盖层的封盖能力是天然氢气能否成藏的关键要素;天然氢气作为伴生气时,传统盖层对其具备封盖能力,但当其含量较高时,传统盖层可能难以形成有效封盖;裂谷环境、蛇绿岩发育区以及断裂发育的前寒武系富铁地层是富氢气藏的勘探有利区。(3)国外多个国家和地区已制定了天然氢气的勘探开发和利用计划,其中,马里已实现天然氢气的商业开采,美国、澳大利亚也已成功钻探天然氢气勘探井。(4)中国高含量氢气区与富氢地质条件高度匹配,天然氢气勘探前景良好,郯庐断裂带及周缘裂陷盆地区、阿尔金断裂带及两侧盆地区、三江构造带—龙门山断裂带及周缘盆地区的天然氢气勘探潜力较大;中国应尽快开展天然氢气普查工作,加强氢气成藏过程研究和潜力评价,并进行勘探技术、开采分离技术和储运技术的攻关,为天然氢气的大规模开发利用做好技术储备。

新疆阿尔金西段瓦石峡南锂铍稀有金属矿成矿背景与勘查进展

锂、铍等稀有金属矿产是重要的战略矿产资源。近年来,在阿尔金地区发现了多处稀有金属伟晶岩型矿床,已成为我国一处新的稀有金属成矿带,但调查研究水平总体较低。通过对阿尔金造山带的成矿动力背景的讨论,得出阿尔金造山带的稀有金属成矿作用涵盖了多个不同的造山运动构造演化阶段,证明该区域具备良好的稀有金属成矿条件,并具有巨大的找矿潜力。通过对位于阿尔金西段的瓦石峡南锂铍稀有金属矿进行勘查评价,发现其具有大型远景:瓦石峡南锂铍稀有金属矿体主要赋存于绿片岩相-角闪岩相变质岩系中的伟晶岩脉中,矿床类型为花岗伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床;已有勘查成果显示此矿床目前推断的稀有金属资源量达到中型以上矿床规模,并且随着勘查工作的进行,在深部及外围还有极大增储空间。研究成果对在阿尔金造山带内寻找同类型矿床具有借鉴意义。

柴北缘骆驼泉剖面新生代地层磁组构特征及其构造意义

青藏高原东北部新生代构造演化对理解高原隆升和变形模式具有重要意义,而目前对于该地区挤压应力方向转变过程仍存在很大争议.本文对柴北缘逆冲带北西部骆驼泉剖面新生代地层开展系统磁组构(本文特指磁化率各项异性)研究,以揭示该地区挤压应力方向的转变特征.系统岩石磁学结果表明,骆驼泉剖面新生代样品中主要磁性矿物是顺磁性组分和赤铁矿以及少量磁铁矿.通过对磁组构特征分析及其与古水流方向对比表明,骆驼泉剖面新生代地层磁组构主要为初始变形磁组构,可用于指示沉积成岩时期的挤压应力方向.磁组构结果揭示,骆驼泉地区挤压应力方向在上干柴沟组下部沉积时期为NNE-SSW向,而上干柴沟组上部和油砂山组沉积时期转变为NE-SW向.结合柴北缘逆冲带已有磁组构结果指出,该地区早期N-S向或NNE-SSW向挤压应力可能与印度—欧亚板块早新生代以来近N-S向碰撞挤压过程有关,指示印度—欧亚碰撞的挤压应力自下干柴沟组下部沉积时期就已传播至高原东北部地区;而后期NE-SW向挤压应力方向与该地区现今GPS揭示的上地壳运动方向一致,可能与该时段高原东北部巨型走滑断裂构造体系(尤其是阿尔金断裂)有关.此外,柴北缘逆冲带新生代挤压应力方向转变在其北西部起始于上干柴沟组下部沉积时期,而南东部起始于上油砂山组下部沉积时期,与地震反射剖面揭示的断裂活动等地质证据共同揭示柴北缘逆冲带新生代的构造活动自靠近阿尔金断裂的北西部向南东部传播和扩展.综合分析青藏高原东北部地区挤压应力方向转变和其他地质证据发现,挤压应力方向转变显示出自柴北缘逆冲带北西部向东、西和南向扩展特征,与阿尔金断裂在上干柴沟组下部-上油砂山组下部沉积时期剪切应力集中于断裂本身,而上油砂山组下部沉积以来开始散布于高原东北部内部地区的两阶段走滑活动相关.

阿尔金卡尔恰尔地区超大型萤石成矿带地质特征与流体性质

1地质特征卡尔恰尔超大型萤石矿带位于青藏高原北缘,大地构造位置处于塔里木地块与柴达木地块之间,构造单元划分属于阿中地块。卡尔恰尔超大型萤石矿带内自东向西依次分布小白河沟、卡尔恰尔西南、拉依旦北、库木塔什和托盖里克等一系列大中型萤石矿床。这些矿床主要受控于北东向区域断裂及北东东、东西向次级断裂.

Geochemistry and Zircon U-Pb Dating of Changshagou Adakite from the South Altyn UHPM Terrane: Evidence of the Partial Melting of the Lower Crust

Changshagou adakite, an outcrop in the middle segment of the South Altyn Tagh ultra-high pressure metamorphism （UHPM） terrane, contains medium-K cal-alkaline and weakly peraluminous compositions （SiO2 = 66.79% to 68.65%, Al2O3 = 17.48% to 18.31%, K20 ＋ Na20 = 6.32% to 6.88%, K2O/Na2O = 0.25 to 0.33, A/CNK = 1.01 to 1.06）. This outcrop is also enriched with large ion lithophile elements but with depleted high-field strength elements （HFSE） showing clearly negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies. REE distribution patterns show a positive anomaly of Eu （6Eu = 1.15 to 1.31） and weakly enriched with LREE compared with HREE （LREE/HREE = 1.02 to 4.20）. Experimental results and several characteristics, including relatively low Nb/Ta ratios （6.03 to 8.45） and high Sr, Sr/Y, （La/Yb）N and low Y and Yb, which indicate the presence of residual garnet and the absence of plagioclase in the source region, show that adakite may form at a pressure ranging from 1.2 GPa to 1.5 GPa and at a temperature of approximately 900~C. Low Cr, Ni, and Mg# values, trace element patterns, and SiO2- Mg# and SiO2-MgO diagrams indicate that rocks are formed by the partial melting of a thickened lower continental crust. LA-ICP-MS in situ U-Pb dating yields two group ages： 503.1±1.7 Ma （core） and 453.1±3.0 Ma （rim）. The Th/U ratios of the core and the rim are 0.11 to 0.40 and 0.03 to 0.07, respectively. Considering the zircon CL image characteristics, Th/U ratios, and previous studies on regional UHPM rocks, adakite formed at 503.1 ± 1.7 Ma and underwent a tectothermal event as a result of the break-off of the Altyn deep subducted continental crust at 453.1 ± 3.0 Ma.

LASER PROBE ^(40)Ar/ ^(39)Ar DATING OF MICAS ON THE DEFORMED ROCKS FROM ALTYN FAULT AND ITS TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS,WESTERN CHINA

Recently, the Altyn strike\|slip fault in western China has become a hot topic to the research on continental dynamics of Tibetan Plateau. The chronological research is very important to constrain the age of tectono\|thermal event within Altyn fault belt. Many isotopic dating researches, related to the ophiolites, high\|pressure metamorphic rocks and some granitic rocks, have been done by Chinese and foreign geologists in the area. There, however, are only few isotopic dating researches on the syntectonic\|growing minerals within Altyn fault. We collected a sample of Caledonian mylonitized granite (At3a) in the north of Dangjin pass and two samples of Jurassic meta\|sedimentary rocks in Qaidam gate fault\|valley (At37c) and Geshi fault\|valley (At30d). All the samples contain the syntectonic\|growing minerals such as white mica, chlorite, sericite and biotite etc. By dating these minerals, we can constrain the time of the tectonic events occurred in Altyn fault belt.Sample At3a, mylonitized granite, has been strongly deformed with undulating extinction of quartz. The plagioclase and quartz were elongated and surrounded by fine\|grained white micas and chlorites with strain shadow texture. These suggest that the sample has been suffered ductile deformation. The estimation of p\|T condition is 350℃, 180MPa. The isochronal age of (89.2±1.6)Ma has been obtained by laser probe 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating analyses of six white mica grains.

RESEARCH PROGRESS OF ALTYN FAULT IN WESTERN CHINA

As the northern boundary of Tibetan Plateau, the Altyn strike\|slip fault in western China has a very important implication to the tectonic division in the middle Asia continent, and has become a hot topic for the research on continental dynamics of Tibetan Plateau. During the research of our project funded by NSFC, we collected a sample of Caledonian mylonitized granite in the north of Dangjin pass and two samples of Jurassic meta\|sedimentary rocks in Qaidam gate fault\|valley and Geshi fault\|valley. The texture study shows that all samples were reformed by ductile deformation with undulating extinction and elongated quartzes. The metamorphic p\|T condition are estimated to be 350～500℃ and 150～450MPa They contain the syntectonic\|growing minerals such as white mica, chlorite, sericite and biotite etc. By dating these minerals, we obtain a group white mica 40 Ar/ 39 Ar isochronal age of 89 2～91 7Ma and a (46 6±6 4)Ma sericite 40 Ar/ 39 Ar apparent age. These data are very important to determine the strike\|slip age of Altyn fault.The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age data (91～46Ma), we obtained, are reported for the first time in the researches of Altyn fault belt. The ages of 91～89Ma indicate that Altyn fault began to slip with slight metamorphism around late Jurassic. These ages are consistent with the ages of the collision between Kohistan\|Ladakh massif (northwestern India) and Eurasian continent at 102～85Ma.This suggests that the strike\|slip movement of Altyn fault should be related to the formation of the so\|called“Western tectonic joint" in Nepal\|western Kunlun area. The age of 46Ma should represent the overprint age of the tectono\|thermal event during main collision between Indian and Eurasian continents along the Yarlung Zangbo River. With the continent\|continent collision of Indian and Eurasian Plates, Altyn fault underwent Multi\|phase strike\|slip events in late Paleocene—Oligocene (37～35Ma), Miocene (22～20Ma), Miocene—Pliocene (8～6Ma), Pliocene (2 5Ma) and early Pleistocene (1～0 7Ma), respectively. The eastern extension of Altyn fault has two branches, one to Xar Moron River with around 3500km length, and another to Okhotsk Ocean with about 4500km length. So Altyn fault is the biggest strike\|slip fault in Cenozoic in the Middle Asia continent, it is characterized by sinistral strike\|slip movement. The basins and tectonic belts, formed before late Jurassic, on the both side of Altyn fault should be displaced. Therefore, the tectonic outline of western China should be re\|recognized.

The Tashisayi nephrite deposit from South Altyn Tagh, Xinjiang,northwest China

The Tashisayi nephrite deposit is located in South Altyn Tagh.in Qiemo County,Xinjiang Province,northwest China.It is a recent discovery in the vast,well-known Kunlun-Altyn nephrite belt distributed along the south of the Tarim Basin,producing more than half of the nephrite from the whole belt in 2017.Field investigations revealed that it is a dolomitic marble-related(D-type)nephrite deposit,but little is known about its age of formation and relationships between the granites and marble.Here we report field investigations,petrography of the neph rite,as well as petrography,geochemistry,geochronology of the zoisite-quartz altered intrusive rock and adjacent granites.An A-type granite is identified with a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 926±7 Ma,suggesting it was emplaced in an extensional tectonic environment at that time.The altered intrusive rock has a cluster of U-Pb zircon age of 433±10 Ma.with similar trace element features to the A-type granite,suggesting it was formed in an extensional regime at this later time.Nephrite formed because of the metasomatism of dolomite marble by hydrothermal fluids.It is inferred that Ca^2+was released from the dolomitic marble by metasomatism forming Ca-rich fluids,which caused alteration of both the intrusive rocks(6.00-8.22 wt.%CaO)and granite(1.76-3.68 wt.%CaO)near the nephrite ore bodies.It is also inferred that Fe^2+from the granite migrated towards the dolomite marble.The fluids gave rise to the formation of Ca-minerals.such as zoisite,in the nephrite and altered intrusive rock,and epidote in the granite.Based on the contact relationships.similarity in hydrothermal processes,and consumption of Ca^2+,the Tashisayi nephrite is considered to have formed at the same time as the alteration of the intrusive rocks,i.e.~433 Ma.The geochronological similarity(~926 Ma.433 Ma)of South Altyn and North Qaidam may suggest that tectonically they belong to one single complex in the past,which was offset by the Altyn Tagh fault(ATF).The similar formation ages of the nephrites from Altyn Tagh(433 Ma)and the previously studied areas of West Kunlun(378-441 Ma)and East Kunlun(416 Ma)indicate that these nephrites formed during the closure of Proto-Tethys and in the accompanving post-collisional.extensional environment.

Late Quaternary Tectonic Deformation of the Eastern End of the Altyn Tagh Fault

The Quaternary activity of the faults at the eastern end of the Altyn Tagh fault, including the Dengdengshan-Chijiaciwo, Kuantanshan and Heishan faults, was studied on the basis of interpretation of satellite images, trenching, geomorphologic offset measurements and dating. The Altyn Tagh fault has extended eastwards to Kuantanshan Mountain. The left-slip rates of the Altyn Tagh fault decreased through the Qilianshan fault and were transformed into thrust and folds deformation of many NW-trending faults within the Jiuxi basin. Meanwhile, under NE-directed compression of the Tibetan plateau, thrust dominated the Dengdengshan-Chijiaciwo fault northeast of the Kuantanshan uplift with a rate lower than that of every fault in the Jiuxi basin south of the uplift, implying that tectonic deformation is mainly confined to the plateau interior and the Hexi Corridor area. From continual northeastward enlargement of the Altyn Tagh fault, the Kuantanshan uplift became a triangular wedge intruding to the east, while the Kuantanshan area at the end of this wedge rose up strongly. In future, the Altyn Tagh fault will continue to spread eastward along the Heishan and Jintananshan faults. The results have implications for understanding the propagation of crustal deformation and the mechanism of the India-Eurasian collision.

Timing,Displacement and Growth Pattern of the Altyn Tagh Fault:A Review

The Altyn Tagh Fault（ATF） is the longest, lithospheric scale and strike-slip fault in East Asia. In the last three decades, multidisciplinary studies focusing on the timing, displacement of strikeslip and growth mechanics of the ATF have made great progresses. Most studies revealed that the ATF is a sinistral strike-slip and thrust fault, which underwent multiple episodes of activation. The fault is oriented NEE with a length of 1600 km, but the direction, timing of activity and magnitude of its extension eastward are still unclear. The AFT was predominately active during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, in relation to the Mesozoic collision of the Cimmerian continent（Qiangtang and Lhasa block） and Cenozoic collision of India with Asia. The AFT strike-slipped with a left-lateral displacement of ca. 400 km during the Cenozoic and the displacement were bigger in the western segment and stronger in the early stage of fault activation. The slip-rates in the Quaternary were bigger in the middle segment than in the western and eastern segment. We roughly estimated the Mesozoic displacement as ca. 150-300 km. The latest paleomagnetic data showed that the clockwise vertical-axis rotation did not take place in the huge basins（the Tarim and Qaidam） at both side of ATF during the Cenozoic, but the rotation happened in the small basins along the ATF. This rotation may play an important role on accommodating the tectonic deformation and displacement of the ATF. Even if we have achieved consensus for many issues related to the ATF, some issues still need to be study deeply; such as：（a） the temporal and spatial coupling relationship between the collision of Cimmerian continent with Asia and the history of AFT in the Mesozoic and（b） the tectonic deformation history which records by the sediments of the basins within and at both side of AFT and was constrained by a high-resolution and accurate chronology such as magnetostratigraphy and paleomagnetic data.

NORMAL-SLIP ALONG THE NORTHERN ALTYN TAGH FAULT, NORTH TIBET

The east\|west striking Northern Altyn Tagh Fault, about 240km long between Bashkaogong (90°E, 39°25′N) and Lapeiquan (92°15′E, 39°25′N), was previously mapped as a north\|dipping thrust, juxtaposing late Archean\|Mesoproterozoic gneisses in the hanging wall over Paleozoic volcanics, plutons, turbidite, and melange complexes in the footwall. In order to estimate the total magnitude of slip along the Cenozoic Altyn Tagh fault, we conducted geologic mapping along four traverses across the Jinyan Shan where the fault lies. Our field observations suggest that the fault is south\|dipping, with dip angles varying from <25° in the east to about 40° in the west. The eastern fault zone exhibits mylonitic fabrics, whereas the western fault zone is characterized by cataclastic deformation. Kinematic indicators in the ductily deformed mylonitic shear zone consistently show a top\|to\|the\|south sense of shear, suggesting that the Northern Altyn Tagh fault is a south\|dipping normal fault, not a north\|dipping thrust.. The ductile shear zone is typically 30～40m thick, consisting of highly sheared metasediments (pelite and marble), granites, and granitic veins.The latter are systematically cut by small\|scale, south\|dipping ductile normal faults with displacements between 10s of cm to several meters, forming spectacular asymmetric boudinages in the sheared meta\|pelite matrix.The minimum displacement along the detachment is about 20km, as measured by the north\|south width of the exposed footwall gneisses. We renamed the Northern Altyn Tagh Fault in the Jinyan Shan region as the Lapeiquan detachment fault to avoid confusion with other east\|west trending Cenozoic faults to the west along the northern edge of the Altyn Tagh range (e.g., the Cenozoic Jianglisai fault near Qiemo), collectively known as the Northern Altyn Tagh fault system (see Cowgill et al., Geology,in press). The lower age bound of the Lapeiquan fault is Ordovician, as the fault cuts Ordovician volcanics and plutons in its hanging wall. As the Ordovician volcanic rocks are folded together with Carboniferous marbles and Jurassic sedimentary strata, it is likely that normal faulting along the Lapeiquan detachment postdates the Jurassic. The Lapeiquan detachment fault is covered by Quaternary sediments of the Tarim basin in the west, and is apparently truncated by the Cenozoic left\|slip Altyn Tagh fault to the east as indicated by regional geologic maps. If true, this relationship implies that the Lapeiquan fault predates the Cenozoic Altyn Tagh fault. The apparent truncational relationship between the Lapeiquan fault and the Altyn Tagh fault posses an important question: where is the counterpart of the Lapeiquan fault south of the Altyn Tagh fault? Preliminary mapping in the Yema Nan Shan south of the Altyn Tagh fault reveals a fragment of a low\|angle mylonitic shear zone, which is interpreted as a detachment fault because it puts lower\|grade meta\|pelite over higher\|grade mylonitic quartzite. The correlation of detachment faults in the Yema Nan Shan and the Lapeiquan area would imply an amount of about 280～300km left slip along the Altyn Tagh fault. Alternatively, movement along the Lapeiquan detachment fault could have been synchronous with the development of the Cenozoic Altyn Tagh fault. This interpretation requires no counterpart of the Lapeiquan fault south of the Altyn Tagh fault. Instead, it implies that a major topographic collapse event occurred in the Cenozoic along the northern edge of the Tibetan plateau during movement along the Altyn Tagh fault. On\|going thermochronologic analysis will provide constraints on the age of the detachment fault and a test for the two distinctive hypotheses.

AGE OF THE ALTYN TAGH STRIKE—SLIP FAULT

A 100～500m\|wide mylonite zone in the Altun Group of Lower Proterozoic age was discovered along the Altyn Tagh strike\|slip fault. The zone is mainly composed of amphibolitic and granitic mylonites. The planar joints of the rocks strike in NE70 and dip steeply (nearly vertical), coincident with the striking of Altyn Tagh fault zone, and their stretched lineations are nearly horizontal. Shear strains are well developed and show sinistral sheared. The amphibolitic and granitic mylonites are most probably the products of deep\|seated melting caused by sinistral strike\|slip shearing as suggested by the evidence below: (1) The migmatization is intensely developed and spatially controlled by the shear zone, and the rock has a set of NNE perspective foliation which is in accord with the direction of the Altyn Tagh strike\|slip fault zone. (2) The recrystallized hornblende aggregate is distributed in band with obvious nebulous texture, indicating the characteristics of anatexis, and the hornblendes are oriented and form the nearly horizontal stretching lineation; some hornblendes have titanite inclusions, and magmatic long\|columnar zircons are in directional arrangement.(3) The banded felsic material is developed, and the plagioclase is characteristic of high\|temperature plastic deformation and shows sinistral shear stain. (4) In mylonites, all the axis C fabric of quartz shows the feature of sinistral shearing and the majority is generally middle to low temperature fabric, but there also exists high temperature fabric, which suggests that high temperature shearing occur in the early stage of strike\|slip deformation and it is characterized by middle to low temperature shearing at the beginning of anatexis or in the late stage of the deformation. (5) On the XZ plane of mylonite and mylonitized rocks, there exists the consistent sinistral shear stain, which suggests the products of the same strike\|slip shearing.Zircons were separated from three samples of mylonitized granitic rocks for age dating. Two groups of zircon were distinguished in morphology: one is elongate prismatic grains, and the other shows slight rounding. Some zoned structure of selected grains were examined by cathodoluminescence. Dating was completed in the SHRIMP laboratory of Stanford University. Fifteen analyses were made on 14 zircon grains. Sample S99\|25 show two obvious two age groups, one is 527～549Ma, and the other is 466～472Ma. Sample S99\|9 contains two age groups either, one is 475～507Ma and the other is 279Ma. Sample S99\|6 shows three groups: ① 528Ma; ② 365Ma and③ 238～243Ma, here the 365Ma is explained as mixture age between the other two age groups according to its exact location in the grain. In summary, from the three samples we found at least three age groups: 507～548Ma; 466～472Ma; 238～243Ma.The ages of 507Ma to 548Ma and 466Ma to 472Ma represent the deformation and metamorphism of Early Paleozoic age, which is most likely correspond to the close of the Qilian Sea and continental subduction and collision reported in recent papers (Yang Jingsui et al., 1998; Zhang Jianxin et al., 1999; Xu Zhiqin et al., 1999). The 238～243Ma most likely represent the formational age of the Altyn Tagh strike\|slip fault, which is consistent with the formational age (200～240Ma) of the large\|scale sinistral strike\|slip fault zone of the South Margin of East Kunlun (Li Haibing et al., 1996), and both can be attributed to the oblique subduction and collision of the Bayan Har terrane with the East Kunlun terrane during Indosinian period.

SEDIMENTARY PROCESS OF THE CENOZOIC BASIN AND ITS RESPONSE TO THE SLIP-HISTORY OF THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT, NW CHINA

The NEE\|striking Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) has been well known as one major point to know the growth history of the Tibetan plateau. Lots of investigations done since 1970’s were mostly focus on active features, particularly on determining slip, slip rate and their distribution along the fault. However, Cenozoic slip\|history of this fault remains poorly understood, and the age of initiation and total offset are controversial. Several Cenozoic sedimentary basins develop in Suo’erkulinan to Mangya regions (Fig.1). Their sedimentary processes are closely related with the ATF. The studies of the Neogene sedimentary sequences and the reconstruction of the paleo\|geography are essential to establish the displacement history of the fault during Late Cenozoic.Located at the southern side of the ATF, the Suo’erkulinan basin consists of more than 600\|meter\|thick Pliocene Shizigou Formation below and about 120\|meter\|thick Early to Middle Pleistocene Qigequan Formation above according to the 1∶200000 geological map by Xinjiang Province. An obvious erosional surface can be seen on the top of the lower sequence. Sediments in the Shizigou Formation are characterized by 400\|meter\|thick yellow to red cobble\|sized conglomerates in the bottom, up\|grading to sandstones and grey\|green mudstones. This indicated that the sedimentary facies changed from alluvial fan to fluvial fan and sediments became more and more mature. The upper sequence, the Qigequan Formation, corresponds to an alluvial facies series composed of yellow to white cobble\|sized conglomerates intercalated with lenticular sandstones. Paleo\|current indicators showed that the Shizhigou conglomeratic series were sourced from northwest. Well\|developed syn\|sedimentary faults, normal faults mostly inherited from syn\|sedimentary faults, and some striation lineations on the surface indicated transtensional tectonic environment of the strike\|slip faulting.

THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF ALTYN TAGH FAULT SYSTEM AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE GROWTH OF TIBETAN PLATEAU

One of the focus views of the uplifting of Tibetan Plateau is the growth history of the plateau. This is an unresolved question because of the poor study in north margin, where the ATF (Altyn Tagh Fault) is acting an important role in the growth and deformation of the plateau. The fault links two huge contractional belts, e.g. Qilian Nan Shan and West Kunlun, and merges a series of thrusting\|folding arcs in southeast. Mapping of piercing points, such as unconformities between Cenozoic, Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata, and magmatic arcs, shows left slips of ca. 240km and ca. 550km along the middle and western segments of the ATF. About 140～450km of crustal shortening, approximately the same magnitude as the west segment of the ATF, is deduced from balanced sections in West Kunlun foreland thrusting belt. This implies that left\|slip displacement along the west segment of the ATF was absorbed by the contraction in West Kunlun. The ATF system merged bunches of WNW arcuated fold\|fault belts in Qaidam basin, implying anti\|clockwise rotation. Tertiary and some Lower to Middle Pleistocene strata involved in fold\|fault belts, and dip in ESE due to the uplifting of Altyn Tagh. The newest strata involved in the deformation is more and more younger from south to north, that is, from Lower Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene, showing the uplifting trends from south to north in the SE side of the fault.

LARGEST ALTYN TAGH LITHOSPHERIC SHEAR FAULT IN CENTRAL ASIA

The Altyn Tagh fault (ATF) extending in NEE—SWW direction lying at the northwestern boundary of Qinghai—Tibet plateau is the largest strike\|slip fault in Central Asia. On the basis of recent geologic mapping and detailed study of lithotectonic characteristics for the paleotectonic units at the two sides of the Altyn Tagh Fault ( Altun Mt. to west and the Qilian Mt. to east ) we propose that the paleotectonic units in the Altun Mt. can be correlated with those in the Qilian Mt. assuming 400km left\|lateral displacement for the Altyn Tagh fault. Natural seismic data across the Altun Mt. indicate that the Altyn Tagh fault is a lithospheric shear fault and the lithospheric shearing is probably related to southward intracontinental oblique subduction of the Tarim terrane beneath the Altun Mt.1\ Comparison of the major paleotectonic units at the two sides of the Altyn Tagh fault\;(1) The Alxa\|Dunhuang Massif:The Alxa massif lying at the southern margin of the Sino\|Korean craton consists mainly of an Early Proterozoic basement including high\|grade and middle\|grade metamorphic rocks, which were intruded by granite at 1719Ma. The Paleozoic passive margin sediments is well developed. In the Altun Mt., the Early Proterozoic and late Archean basement of the Duhuang massif includes high\|grade and middle\|grade metamorphic rocks dating 2789Ma (Sm\|Nd method) and 2405Ma (U\|Pb method).

Present-day tectonic activity along the central section of the AltynTagh fault derived from time series InSAR

The Altyn Tagh Fault(ATF) is a large-scale complex tectonic system. In this study, the present-day crustal deformation of the central section of the ATF(90.8E-91.58E) was obtained using 14 images on a descending track acquired between 2007 and 2010 from Advanced Land Observing Satellite(ALOS). To improve the accuracy of the interferograms, ALOS World 3 De30 m(AW3 D-30)Digital Surface Model(DSM) from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency was used in Small Baseline Subset(SBAS) Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar(InSAR) processing. The Line of Sight(LOS) deformation map show that there is an obvious zoning feature. With the main ATF as the boundary, the north block is concentrated around -35~ -60 mm, and the south block is concentrated around -9 ~ 11 mm. Based on the InSAR velocity map, we inverted for the strike-slip rate and locking depth of the fault using the twodimensional strike-slip fault buried-dislocation model. The inversion results for the strike-slip rate at three selected cross-section locations perpendicular to the ATF were 6.1 mm/a, 5.3 mm/a and 7.9 mm/a from west to east;the corresponding locking depths were 9.5 km, 6.8 km and 12.3 km from west to east.The location and trend of the fault obtained by inversion are coincides with the Xorkol seismic belt.

Lithospheric Electrical Structure across the Eastern Segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault on the Northern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Project INDEPTH （InterNational DEep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya） is an interdisciplinary program designed to develop a better understanding of deep structures and mechanics of the Tibetan Plateau. As a component of magnetoteUuric （MT） work in the 4th phase of the project, MT data were collected along a profile that crosses the eastern segment of the Altyn Tagh fault on the northern margin of the plateau. Time series data processing used robust algorithms to give high quality responses. Dimensionality analysis showed that 2D approach is only valid for the northern section of the profile. Consequently, 2D inversions were only conducted for the northern section, and 3D inversions were conducted on MT data from the whole profile. From the 2D inversion model, the eastern segment of the Altyn Tagh fault only appears as a crustal structure, which suggests accommodation of strike slip motion along the Altyn Tagh fault by thrusting within the Qilian block. A large-scale off-proffie conductor within the mid-lower crust of the Qilian block was revealed from the 3D inversion model, which is probably correlated with the North Qaidam thrust belt. Furthermore, the unconnected conductors from the 3D inversion model indicate that deformations in the study area are generally localized.

新疆阿尔金地区黄龙岭超大型伟晶岩型锂矿床的发现及找矿意义

阿尔金造山带位于青藏高原北缘,处于柴达木地块、祁连-昆仑造山带及塔里木地块之间,是由原特提斯洋俯冲碰撞/增生造山作用所形成的复合型造山带。阿尔金地区花岗伟晶岩相当发育,2018年以来,在这些花岗伟晶岩中陆续发现了瓦石峡南锂矿、恰达克锂矿、吐格曼锂铍矿、阿亚克锂矿、库木萨依锂矿、沙梁西锂矿、塔什达坂锂矿等一批中型矿床,使该地区也成为了我国伟晶岩型锂矿的找矿新区带。研究团队通过多次野外勘查、系统取样与室内化验分析,确认在新疆若羌县库木达坂东的黄龙岭地区发现了一处超大型花岗伟晶岩型锂多金属矿床。初步圈定出一条长大于4500m、宽大于1000m的含锂辉石矿伟晶岩脉群;在该伟晶岩群内圈出16个矿体,各矿体长约370~4230m,厚1.2~40.85m,Li_(2)O平均品位1.26%~3.60%。初步估算矿区潜在Li_(2)O资源量为186.08万t,伴生4.95万t BeO和11.85万t Rb_(2)O,达到超大型远景规模,有望成为一个世界级的巨型锂矿床。黄龙岭超大型锂矿的发现,实现了阿尔金地区稀有金属矿产找矿的重大突破,该地区有望成为我国一个新的重要锂资源基地。

CENOZOIC DISPLACEMENT HISTORY OF THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT:GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FROM FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN SOUERKULI AND MANGAR REGIONS, NW CHINA

The ENE\|striking Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) has been well known as a large, active left\|lateral strike\|slip fault that bounds the thrusting systems in NE Tibet.This fault has been the focal point in the debate between the discrete extrusion vs. distributed crustal shortening models. Although its active left\|lateralstrike\|slip features have been largely investigated and well documented by both satellite imagery and air\|photo interpretations and field observations, little study has been done upon its Cenozoic displacement history. Questions about the age of initiation and total offset accumulated on the fault remain controversial. A key area to resolve such question is located along the central segment of the fault in the Souerkuli and Mangar regions, where Neogene sedimentary basins well develop and are mostly distributed in three zones, namely from east to west: the Gobiling, Yitunbulak and Yusuale Tagh (Fig.1). Our field investigations were conducted along the ATF cutting the Yitunbulak and Gebiling Neogene sedimentary basins. Two stratigraphic unconformities observed within this Neogene conglomeratic series allow a separation of three major stratigraphic sequences and record the initiation and major deformational episodes of ATF during Cenozoic. An early stratigraphic unconformity occurred between a yellow depositional series below and early Pliocene red\|colored conglomeratic mudstones above. A later stratigraphic unconformities occurred between early and late Pliocene sedimentary series. The lower series below the early stratigraphic unconformities is mainly composed of a conglomeratic rocks containing cobbles and pebbles of basement rock units (mostly mylonitic granites, limestones and quartzes); this series has been poorly mapped and dated; its age could be assigned to late Oligocene to early Miocene; this series tilts to NW with an angle of about 30° and is overlain in angular unconformity by early Pliocene pebble\|sized conglomerates. A weathering zone on top of the lower conglomeratic series is clearly seen, that represents a long period of uplift and erosion. This lacuna occurred between early Miocene and early Pliocene in the west Qaidam basin, which has been documented only locally. Early Pliocene deposits correspond to alluvial to lacustrine facies rocks deposited in strike\|slip basin probably originated at releasing bend of the strike\|slip ATF; late Pliocene deposits is composed by fluviatile conglomerates and fanglomerates lying in unconformity on the upper Pliocene rocks. Early Quaternary deposits are absent along the ATF and have been well documented in the Qaidam basin. Late Quaternary fanglomerates infills active fault valleys.

CENOZOIC ALTYN TRANSFORM FAULT OF THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

The transform fault is essentially a displacement fault whose terminal part is adjusted by other tectonic types, its displacement component is absorbed by other structures intersected with it by high angles or meet at right angles. The main elements of transform fault are the sleep\|dipping displacement faults and the adjusted structures intersected with it at high angles. According to the combination of tectonic features formed by its two ends of displacement fault and the structures intersected with it, the transform fault can be divided into three types, including the adjusted transform fault of extensional normal fault, the adjusted transform fault of compressive fold and thrust fault, and the compound transform fault. The transform fault is different from the displacement fault, its horizontal displacement may be increased or decreased or not be changed at all as the time of fault movement extended, but for parallel displacement the dislocation will be increased. Therefore, the study of transform fault is very important for the recognition of long time disputed displacement components of huge displacement fault. The traditional Altyn fault is the adjusting fault of the compression deformation of the Western Kunlun and Northern Qilian mountains of the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau since Cenozoic.