^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar Dating of Xuebaoding Granite in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt,Southwest China,and its Geological Significance

Thus far, our understanding of the emplacement of Xuebaoding granite and the occurrence and evolution of the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt has been complicated by differing age spectra results. Therefore, in this study, the ^40Ar/^39Ar and sensitive high resolution ion micro-probe （SHRIMP） U-Pb dating methods were both used and the results compared, particularly with respect to dating data for Pankou and Pukouling granites from Xuebaoding, to establish ages that are close to the real emplacements. The results of SHRIMP U-Pb dating for zircon showed a high amount of U, but a very low value for Th/U. The high U amount, coupled with characteristics of inclusions in zircons, indicates that Xuebaoding granites are not suitable for U-Pb dating. Therefore, muscovite in the same granite samples was selected for ^40Ar/^39Ar dating. The ^40Ar/^39Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pukouling granite in the Xuebaoding, gave a plateau age of 200.1±1.2 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 200.6±1.2 Ma. The 4^40Ar/^39Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pankou granite in the Xuebaoding gave another plateau age of 193.4±1.1 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 193.7±1.1 Ma. The ^40Ar/^36Ar intercept of 277.0±23.4 （2σ） was very close to the air ratio, indicating that no apparent excess argon contamination was present. These age dating spectra indicate that both granites were emplaced at 200.6±1.3 Ma and 193.7±1.1 Ma, respectively. Through comparison of both dating methods and their results, we can conclude that it is feasible that the muscovite in the granite bearing high U could be used for ^40Ar/^39Ar dating without extra Ar. Based on this evidence, as well as the geological characteristics of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit and petrology of granites, it can be concluded that the material origin of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit might partially originate from the Xuebaoding granite group emplacement at about 200 Ma. Moreover, compared with other granites and deposits distributed in various positions in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt, the Xuebaoding emplacement ages further show that the main rare metal deposits and granites in peripheral regions occurred earlier than those in the inner Songpan-Garze. Therefore, ^40Ar/^39Ar dating of Xuebaoding granite will lay a solid foundation for studying the occurrence and evolution of granite and rare earth element deposits in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt.

A DISCUSSION ON THE STRUCTURE AND TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE ALTUN OROGENIC ZONE

The Altun faulted Zone has been focused by lots of geologists for many years because it lies in a boundary area of several main tectonic units in the western China and is a geographically northern boundary line of Tibet plateau.The latest achievements show that the Altun faulted zone is not only a Cenozoic strike\|slip faulted system but also an orogenic zone which underwent mutually subduction\|collision among paleo\|plates (or terrains) in its early stage and consists of geological bodies of different ages and tectonic environments. Based on the results of geological characteristics,petrology, geochemistry and isotopic dating, the Altun Orogenic Zone can be divided into four tectonic units and is considered to have undergone five stages during its tectonic evolution.The four tectonics units are :(1) Abei metamorphic block, which consists of Archean metamorphic complex of granulite facies;.(2) Hongliugou—Lapeiquan tectonic melange belt, which is composed of ophiolite blocks(belt), OIB blocks, pelagic silicalite, shallow\|bathyal sedimentary rock blocks and high\|pressure metamorphi c rock blocks. (3) Milanhe—Jinyanshan island\|arc block, which consists of mid\|uplifting belt and the south and north active margins. The uplifting belt is composed of metasandstone, marble, overlying thick stromatolite (Jinyanshan Group of Jixian System). Metamorphic rocks of 450Ma occur in both south and north hactive margin. Post\|collision bimodal volcanic rocks and A\|type granite occur in the middle and the north side.(4) Apa—Mangya tectonic melange belt, which consists of ophiolite(including ultramafic rocks, gabbro, plagiogranite and basalt) and flysch and eclogite of late Ordovician.

A Uniform Orogen-parallel Extension System of the Shear Zones in the Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt, Central China

Large-scale magmatism affected the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt during post-collisional lateral tectonic extension in the Cretaceous, which was suggested to account for the widespread deformation and migmatization in the Tongbai-Dabie complexes. However, it cannot explain the most deformations in the shear zones. The northwest-southeast shear zones are developed around or wrapped the Tongbai-Dabie complexes. They play an important role for the interpretation of the tectonic evolution of the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt. By a systematically observation and description of the geometry and kinematics of these shear zones, we found that the shear zones to the north dip NE and have a uniform sinistral shear sense, the shear zone to the south dips SW and has a uniform dextral shear sense, and the shear zones at the core are sub-horizontal and have a uniform top-to-NW sense of shear. Combining with the comparison of previous and our geochronological studies, we interpret these associations as indicating that these shear zones were originally a single, more flat-lying and sub- horizontal shear zone with a uniform top-to-NW shear sense before the folding-doming of the Tongbai- Dabie complexes and suggest that the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt experienced a uniform top-to-NW orogen-paraUel extension in the ductile lithosphere before the widespread magmatism in the Cretaceous.

Early Paleozoic Ocean Plate Stratigraphy of the Beishan Orogenic Zone, NW China: Implications for Regional Tectonic Evolution

The Beishan orogenic zone is a key area to understand evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt that is an accretionary factory well-enough preserved in the Paleozoic. In early Paleozoic, the tectonic mélange zone containing the coherent unit and mélange unit is triggered by the complicated accretionary process of the Beishan area. The early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Beishan orogenic zone is investigated in this study using sedimentology and stratigraphic correlations of the lowe Paleozoic deposits. From the Cambrian to the middle Ordovician, this region was characterized by geographically extensive, flat-bedded siliceous mudstone, indicating the existence of a large ocean basin. The oceanic plate entered the convergence phase in terms of the Wilson Circle during the Middle Ordovician, when numerous magmatic arcs formed along two opposite sides of the ocean. The magmatic arcs became the widest during the Silurian, suggesting that the Hongliuhe-Niujuanzi-Xichangjing Ocean(HNX;a southern branch of the Paleo Asian Ocean) was reduced to a small residual ocean in the central Beishan region by that time, and probably lasted till the Carboniferous or later by newly published data.

Relation between structural evolution of the Longmenshan orogenic zone and sedimentation of its foreland basin

In order to determine the area for oil and gas exploration in China’s north Sichuan basin,we have divided the time during which the Longmenshan foreland basin was formed into five periods,based on the sedimentary response relationship of the foreland basin to structural evolution: 1) a late Triassic Noric period;2) an early-Middle Jurassic period;3) a late Jurassic to early Cretaceous period;4) a late Cretaceous to Paleogene-Neogene period and 5) the Quaternary period. As well,we analyzed the sedimentary environment and lithologic features of every basin-forming period. The results show that there are several favorable source-reservoir-cap assemblages in our study area,making it a major region for future oil and gas exploration in China’s northern Sichuan basin.

The Geological Significance of the Deformation and Geochronology of the Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone in the Dabie Orogenic Belt(East-Central China)

The Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone(XMSZ)is the boundary of the Dabie High-grade Metamorphic Complex(DHMC)and the North Huaiyang Tectonic Belt.It was deformed in ductile conditions with a top-to-NW/WNW movement.Geothermometers applied to mineral parageneses in mylonites of the shear zone give a temperature range of 623–691°C for the predeformation and 515–568°C for the syndeformation,respectively,which indicates a retrograde process of evolution.A few groups of zircon U-Pb ages were obtained from undeformed granitic veins and different types of deformed rocks in the zone.Zircons from the felsic ultramylonites are all magmatic,producing a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 754±8.1 Ma,which indicates the time of magmatic activities caused by rifting in the Neoproterozoic.Zircons from the granitic veins,cutting into the mylonites,are also of magmatic origin,producing a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 130±2.5 Ma,which represents the time of regional magmatic activity in the Cretaceous.Zircons from the mylonitic gneisses are of anatectic-metamorphic origins and are characterized by a core-mantle interior texture,which yielded several populations of ages including the Neoproterozoic ages with a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 762±18 Ma,similar to that of the felsic ultramylonites and the Early Cretaceous ages with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 143±1.8 Ma,indicating the anatectic metamorphism in the Dabie Orogenic Belt(DOB).Based on integrated analysis of the structure,thermal conditions of ductile deformation and the contact relations of the dated rocks,the activation time of the Xiaotian–Mozitan Shear Zone is constrained between~143 Ma and 130 Ma,during which the DOB was undergoing a transition in tectonic regime from compression to extension.Therefore,the deformation and evolution of this shear zone plays an instrumental role in fully understanding this process.This research also inclines us to the interpretation of it as an extensional detachment,with regard to the tectonic properties of the shear zone.It may also be part of a continental scale extension in the background of the North China Block’s cratonic destruction,dominated by the subduction and roll-back of the Paleo-Pacific plate,but more detailed work is needed in order to unravel its complicated development.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN P-T CONTITIONS OF TWO PHASES OF TAN-LU STRIKE-SLIP SHEAR ZONES AND DELAMINATION OF OROGENIC BELTS ON THE EASTERN MARGIN OF THE DABIE MOUNTAINS

The Tan-Lu fault zone joins the Dabie Mountains on its eastern margin, and offsets the Dabie and Sulu orogenic belts sinistrally for about 500 kin. On the basis of calculation of temperature and pressure experienced by the two phases of the fault zone as well as the thermo-chronological information on mylonite from the earlier and later Tan-Lu fault zones on the eastern margin of the Dabie Mountains, this paper discusses the delamination history and uplifting magnitudes of the Dabie Mountains from earlier Jurassic to earlier Cretaceous. From mineral assemblages, mineral deformation and muscovite-chlorite geothermometry calculation, it is known that the temperature experienced by the two phases of Tan-Lu fault zones are between 40℃ and 450℃, and the confining pressures are between 0.25Gpa and 0.36GPa for the earlier shear zones and 0.24-0.39GPa for the late shear zones. According to the geobarometry of Si-in-phengite and by considering shear heating and tectonic over-pressure, it is concluded that the maximum formation depths for the two phases of the ductile shear zones are not more than 12 kin. Differential formation depths for the two phases of shear zones are 1-2 km at most. At about 190 Ma and 128 Ma, the Tan-Lu fault zone experienced two phases of cooling events. During this period, the eastem margin of the Dabie Mountains experienced a tectonic calm period and no uplifting. According to information from the Tan-Lu fault zone, the uplifting magnitudes of the Dabie orogenic belts are not more than 12 km during the earlier Cretaceous.

Ray equation migration of wide-angle reflections in Dabie orogenic zone

ay equation migration of wide-angle reflections in 2-D medium is one kind of Kirchhoff prestack depth migration method. Based on ray theory, this method can be used extensively in 2-D inhomogeneous medium, and shows its advantage in wide-angle reflection study. After calculating ray fields, we can get the wave fields of sources and receivers by interpolation, and the intensity (or amplitude) AP corresponding to the depth point P at travel-time tP=tSP+tPR can be found in seismograms. Ray equation migration is completed by transforming AP according to the specific relation, migrating it to the depth point, then calculating the ray fields of lots of sources and receivers in the same way and finally stacking the outcomes. Numerical calculation has yielded satisfactory results. Data processing of the Zhuangmu-Yuexi-Huangmei-Zhanggongdu profile passing through the Dabie orogenic zone provides a structural form of M-discontinuity along the profile. The result shows that the high pressure metamorphic rock zone of South Dabie rock mass is related to the uplifting of M-discontinuity here. 'Mountain root' exists under North Dabie rock mass, which conforms with gravity isostasy theory. The Xiaotian-Mozitan fault is a suture zone as a result of the collision of North China plate with Yangtze plate, and extends through M-discontinuity. The abyssal fault near Liu'an is the extended eastern section of the Luonan-Minggang fault, which is also confirmed here.

Petrological Study on the Ductile Shear Zones in the Core of the Eastern Qinling Orogenic Belt in Western Henan

A series of ductile shear zones of the overthrust and strike-slip-types and related ductile shear metamorphicrocks, including tectonic melange and mylonites. were formed in the core of the Qinling orogenic belt in thecourse of the Caledonian-Indosinian ductilc and brittle-ductile reworking. The study on their petrography. va-riations in composition and conditions of formation is conducive to revealing the metamorphism-deformationhistory of the core of the Qinling orogenic belt and further to understanding the dynamic mechanism of its evo-lution.

Tectonites in the Shear Zone Array of the Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt

A series of tectonites were formed in the shear zone array of the Tongbai--Dabie Orogenic Belt, including mylonites, blastomylonites, semi--plastic mylonites and foliated cataclasitesas a result of multiple strain localization, strain softening and deformation partitioning.

The giant Jiaodong gold province： The key to a unified model for orogenic gold deposits？

Although the term orogenic gold deposit has been widely accepted for all gold-only lode-gold deposits,with the exception of Carlin-type deposits and rare intrusion-related gold systems,there has been continuing debate on their genesis.Early syngenetic models and hydrothermal models dominated by meteoric fluids are now clearly unacceptable.Magmatic-hydrothermal models fail to explain the genesis of orogenic gold deposits because of the lack of consistent spatially- associated granitic intrusions and inconsistent temporal relationships.The most plausible,and widely accepted,models involve metamorphic fluids,but the source of these fluids is hotly debated.Sources within deeper segments of the supracrustal successions hosting the deposits,the underlying continental crust,and subducted oceanic lithosphere and its overlying sediment wedge all have their proponents.The orogenic gold deposits of the giant Jiaodong gold province of China,in the delaminated North China Craton,contain ca.120 Ma gold deposits in Precambrian crust that was metamorphosed over 2000 million years prior to gold mineralization.The only realistic source of fluid and gold is a subducted oceanic slab with its overlying sulfide-rich sedimentary package,or the associated mantle wedge.This could be viewed as an exception to a general metamorphic model where orogenic gold has been derived during greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism of supracrustal rocks：basaltic rocks in the Precambrian and sedimentary rocks in the Phanerozoic.Alternatively,if a holistic view is taken,Jiaodong can be considered the key orogenic gold province for a unified model in which gold is derived from late-orogenic metamorphic devolatilization of stalled subduction slabs and oceanic sediments throughout Earth history.The latter model satisfies all geological,geochronological,isotopic and geochemical constraints but the precise mechanisms of auriferous fluid release,like many other subduction-related processes,are model-driven and remain uncertain.

Crustal structure beneath the Qilian Orogen Zone from multiscale seismic tomography

The Qilian Orogen Zone(QOZ), located in the north margin of the Tibetan Plateau, is the key area for understanding the deformation and dynamics process of Tibet. Numerous geological and geophysical studies have been carried out on the mechanics of the Tibetan Plateau deformation and uplift; however, the detailed structure and deformation style of the Qilian Orogen Zone have remained uncertain due to poor geophysical data coverage and limited resolution power of inversion algorithms. In this study, we analyze the P-wave velocity structure beneath the Qilian Orogen Zone, obtained by applying multi-scale seismic tomography technique to P-wave arrival time data recorded by regional seismic networks. The seismic tomography algorithm used in this study employs sparsity constraints on the wavelet representation of the velocity model via L1-norm regularization. This algorithm can deal efficiently with uneven-sampled volumes, and can obtain multi-scale images of the velocity model. Our results can be summarized as follows:(1) The crustal velocity structure is strongly inhomogeneous and consistent with the surface geological setting. Significant low-velocity anomalies exist in the crust of northeastern Tibet, and slight high-velocity anomalies exist beneath the Qaidam Basin and Alxa terrane.(2)The Qilian Orogen Zone can be divided into two main parts by the Laji Shan Faults: the northwestern part with a low-velocity feature, and the southeastern part with a high-velocity feature at the upper and middle crust.(3) Our tomographic images suggest that northwestern and southeastern Qilian Orogen Zones have undergone different tectonic processes. In the northwest Qilian Orogen Zone, the deformation and growth of the Northern Tibetan Plateau has extended to the Heli Shan and Beida Shan region by northward overthrusting at the upper crust and thickening in the lower crust. We speculate that in the southeast Qilian Orogen Zone the deformation and growth of the Northern Tibet Plateau were of strike-slip style at the upper crust; in the lower crust, the evidence suggests ductile shear extrusion style and active frontage extension to the Alxa terrane.(4) The multi-scale seismic tomography technique provides multiscale analysis and sparse constraints, which has allowed to us obtain stable, high-resolution results.

Crustal structure beneath the Songpan——Garze orogenic belt

The Benzilan-Tangke deep seismic sounding profile in the western Sichuan region passes through the Song-pan-Garze orogenic belt with trend of NNE. Based on the travel times and the related amplitudes of phases in the record sections, the 2-D P-wave crustal structure was ascertained in this paper. The velocity structure has quite strong lateral variation along the profile. The crust is divided into 5 layers, where the first, second and third layer belong to the upper crust, the forth and fifth layer belong to the lower crust. The low velocity anomaly zone gener-ally exists in the central part of the upper crust on the profile, and it integrates into the overlying low velocity basement in the area to the north of Ma'erkang. The crustal structure in the section can be divided into 4 parts: in the south of Garze-Litang fault, between Garze-Litang fault and Xianshuihe fault, between Xianshuihe fault and Longriba fault and in the north of Longriba fault, which are basically coincided with the regional tectonics division. The crustal thickness decreases from southwest to northeast along the profile, that is, from 62 km in the region of the Jinshajiang River to 52 km in the region of the Yellow River. The Moho discontinuity does not obviously change across the Xianshuihe fault based on the PmP phase analysis. The crustal average velocity along the profile is lower, about 6.30 km/s. The Benzilan-Tangke profile reveals that the crust in the study area is orogenic. The Xianshuihe fault belt is located in the central part of the profile, and the velocity is positive anomaly on the upper crust, and negative anomaly on the lower crust and upper mantle. It is considered as a deep tectonic setting in favor of strong earthquake's accumulation and occurrence.

New U-Pb Geochronological Constraints on Formation and Evolution of the Susong Complex Zone in the Dabie Orogen

Objective The Susong complex zone（SCZ）is a relatively lowgrade metamorphic unit mostly with an epidoteamphibolite facies,located in the southernmost part of the Dabie orogen.However,its rock compositions,ages,

Transpressive Deformation across Tongbo-Dabie Orogenic Belt

Deformation characteristics of the dextral Dashankou ductile shear zone , parallel to the Tongbo-Dabie Orogenic Belt and regional stretching lineation patterns within the blueschist belt in Northern Hubei , China , are examined at various scales , respectively . The new data , combined with those obtained in the Wudangshan area , indicate a transpressive deformation involving a WNW directed nearly horizontal shearing accompanied by shortening across the orogenic belt . A kinematic model is proposed for development of the deformation within the Tongboshan segment . Based on these findings it can be seen that the convergence and collision between the North China Craton and the Yangtze Craton may locally be oblique during the Proterozoic Jinningian Orogeny . This oblique collision is probably related to a certain extent to the shapes of the older craton margins .

Location of the Suture Zone between the South and North China Blocks in Eastern Dabie Orogen

The Dabie Mountains are a collisional orogen between the South and North China blocks. The rock assemblages, isotopic dating and tectonic relationship of the tectonic-petrologic units in the eastern Dabie orogen indicate that the orogen is mainly composed of the different-grades metamorphic basement with minor low-grade metamorphic cover. No ophiolitic mélange and the Paleozoic volcanic-intrusive rock associated with the southern margin of the North China block were found there, suggesting that they belong to the northern margin of the South China block. The boundary between the tectonic-petrologic units is generally an extensional shear zone developed in the exhumation process of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks. In the northern part of the Dabie Mountains, the extensional-thrust and nappe structure represent the products of extensional tectonism. That is, there is no key tectonic boundary to indicate the occurrence of the suture zone there. Therefore, neither the Shuihou-Wuhe shear zone, nor the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault, is the suture zone between the South and North China blocks. The zone is believed to be at the front area of the Xinyang-Shucheng fault, covered by the Mesozoic-Cenozoic deposits within the Hefei basin.

Intracontinental Orogenic Igneous Rocks and Orogenic Processes in Qinghai-Xizang-Himalaya

Based on the discussion on the intracontinental orogenic igneous rocks formed after India-Asia collision (40 or 45 Ma),the intracontinental orogenic processes of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet )-Himalaya are traced . Muscovite/two mica granite is considered as a petrological record of intracontinental subduction. Volcanic rocks of shoshonite series are believed to be the products of the orogenic and outside cratonic lithosphere convergence . The intracontinental orogenic igneous rocks are developed only on the margins of the orogenic belt. The pairing phe nomenon of the igneous rock zones is regarded as one of the best signs to recognize the special range of orogenic belt . The stage of magmatic activity is a representation and indicator of orogenic episode . Three pairs of the igneous events in Oligocene , Miocene and Pleistocene and their space distribution indicate three corresponding orogenic episodes and the horizontal expansion across the orogenic belt , respectively . On the northern and southern margins of the orogenic belt are always developed the volcanic eruption of the shoshonite series and the muscovite two mica granite intrusion ,indicating the different nature of the margins .In the former case the colder crust and hotter mantle . as well as the double crust resulted from the horizontal shortening are developed , and in the latter case the hotter crust and colder mantle , the double crust by the overlapping of two crusts are formed . During the Pleistocene orogenic episode the interior of the orogenic belt , i. e. the Gandise - Qiangtang might be going to the stage of the orogenic collapse . and the compressional orogeny might occur only at both the mar gins . The orogenic processes mentioned above show that beneath the Qinghai - Xizang (Tibet ) Himalaya,the deeper mantle has been always undergoing a descending convergence , rather than the simple orogeny resulted from the underthrusting of the India continent only . The dynamic forces that results in rapid uplift of the plateau since Pleistocene come from the buoyances caused by the compressional stress and mountain root at the margins and by the lithosphere delamination and mountain root in the interior .

Structural Geology and Chronology of Shear Zones along the Shangdan Suture in Qinling Orogenic Belt,China:Implications for Late Mesozoic Intra-Continental Deformation of East Asia

The Shangdan suture zone(SDZ)in the Qinling orogenic belt(QOB)is a key to understanding the East Asia tectonic evolution.The SDZ gives information about convergent processes between the North China Block(NCB)and South China Block(SCB).In the Late Mesozoic,several shear zones evolved along the SDZ boundary that helps us comprehend the collisional deformation between the NCB and SCB,which was neglected in previous studies.These shear zones play an essential role in the tectonic evolution of the East Asia continents.This study focuses on the deformation and geochronology of two shear zones distributed along the SDZ,identified in the Shaliangzi and Maanqiao areas.The shear sense indicators and kinematic vorticity numbers(0.54–0.90)suggest these shear zones have sinistral shear and sub-simple shear deformation kinematics.The quartz’s dynamic recrystallization and c-axis fabric analysis in the Maanqiao shear zone(MSZ)revealed that the MSZ experienced deformation under green-schist facies conditions at∼400–500℃.The Shaliangzi shear zone deformed under amphibolite facies at∼500–700℃.The^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar(muscovite-biotite)dating of samples provided a plateau age of 121–123 Ma.Together with previously published data,our results concluded that QOB was dominated by compressional tectonics during the Late Early Cretaceous.Moreover,we suggested that the Siberian Block moved back to the south and Lhasa-Qiantang-Indochina Block to the north,which promoted intra-continental compressional tectonics.

A Large-Scale Palaeozoic Dextral Ductile Strike-Slip Zone:the Aqqikkudug-Weiya Zone along the Northern Margin of the Central Tianshan Belt,Xinjiang,NW China

Abstract The nearly E-W-trending Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone, more than 1000 km long and about 30 km wide, is an important segment in the Central Asian tectonic framework. It is distributed along the northern margin of the Central Tianshan belt in Xinjiang, NW China and is composed of mylonitized Early Palaeozoic greywacke, volcanic rocks, ophiolitic blocks as a mélange complex, HP/LT-type bleuschist blocks and mylonitized Neoproterozoic schist, gneiss and orthogneiss. Nearly vertical mylonitic foliation and sub-horizontal stretching lineation define its strike-slip feature; various kinematic indicators, such as asymmetric folds, non-coaxial asymmetric macro- to micro-structures and C-axis fabrics of quartz grains of mylonites, suggest that it is a dextral strike-slip ductile shear zone oriented in a nearly E-W direction characterized by “flower” strusture with thrusting or extruding across the zone toward the two sides and upright folds with gently plunging hinges. The Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone experienced at least two stages of ductile shear tectonic evolution: Early Palaeozoic north vergent thrusting ductile shear and Late Carboniferous-Early Permian strike-slip deformation. The strike-slip ductile shear likely took place during Late Palaeozoic time, dated at 269±5 Ma by the40Ar/39Ar analysis on neo-muscovites. The strike-slip deformation was followed by the Hercynian violent S-type granitic magmatism. Geodynamical analysis suggests that the large-scale dextral strike-slip ductile shearing is likely the result of intracontinental adjustment deformation after the collision of the Siberian continental plate towards the northern margin of the Tarim continental plate during the Late Carboniferous. The Himalayan tectonism locally deformed the zone, marked by final uplift, brittle layer-slip and step-type thrust faults, transcurrent faults and E-W-elongated Mesozoic-Cenozoic basins.

Thermal Evolution of the Tanlu Fault Zone on the Eastern Margin of the Dabie Mountains and Its Tectonic Implications

Five samples of muscovite from mylonites of the earlier Tanlu ductile shear zone on the eastern margin of the Dabie Mountains yield 40Ar/39Ar ages ranging from 178 Ma to 196 Ma. Three of them have reliable plateau ages of 188.7±0.7 Ma, 189.7±0.6 Ma and 192.5±0.7 Ma respectively, which indicates a syn-orogenic, sinistral strike-slip thermal event. This displacement movement derived from the continent-continent collision of the North and South China blocks took place in the Early Jurassic and after uplifting of high-pressure to ultrahigh-pressure slabs to the mid-crust. It is suggested that during the collision the Tanlu fault zone was an intracontinental transform fault caused by differential subduction speeds. The 40Ar/39Ar ages of mylonite whole-rock and muscovite from the later Tanlu ductile shear zone suggest another sinistral strike-slip cooling event at 128 Ma. During this strike-slip faulting, large-scale intrusion and doming uplift occurred in the eastern part of the Dabie orogenic belt. Data of K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar MDD and apatite fission-track analysis from metamorphic rocks indicate two high-speed cooling events experienced by the Tanlu fault zone, which took place at 90 Ma and 45-58 Ma respectively. They correspond respectively to two phases of extensional activities in the Late Cretaceous and Eogene as well as development of the Qianshan fault-controlled basin to the east of the Tanlu fault zone. The cooling times recorded by K-feldspar and apatite show that the uplifting in the Dabie orogenic belt occured earlier than that on the eastern margin occupied by the Tanlu fault zone. The above phenomena suggest that the uplifting of the Dabie orogenic belt during the Late Cretaceous to Eogene was not controlled by the Tanlu normal faulting, but as a result of the lithospheric delamination.