Based on the analysis of heavy mineral assemblages in Cenozoic southwestern Qaidam Basin, we found that different areas have variable heavy mineral assemblage characteristics, which suggested that there were two sourc...Based on the analysis of heavy mineral assemblages in Cenozoic southwestern Qaidam Basin, we found that different areas have variable heavy mineral assemblage characteristics, which suggested that there were two source areas--the Altyn Moun- tains and the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains. In Ganchaigou-Shizigou-Huatugou (Area A), which was mainly source from the Altyn Mountains, its heavy minerals were mainly composed of zircon, Ti-oxides, and wollastonite in the Paleocene- early Eocene and mainly of unstable minerals, especially amphibole, in the middle Eocene-Oligene. Since the late Oligocene- Miocene, the heavy minerals were still mainly unstable minerals, but the content of epidote increased and the content of am- phibole decreased. In Qigequan-Hongliuquan (Area B), which was the mixed source from the Altyn Mountains and the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains, its heavy minerals were mainly garnet, epidote, and amphibole. The source of Lticaotan- Dongchaishan-Kunbei (Area C) was mainly from the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains, heavy minerals in the sediments in Area C were mainly zircon and Ti-oxides in Paleogene and garnet, epidote, and amphibole in Neogene. In Yuejin-Youshashan (Area D), where the stable minerals and unstable minerals were present simultaneously, the heavy mineral assemblages was controlled by multi-direction source. The variation of heavy mineral assemblages in southwestern Qaidam Basin shows that Altyn Mountains was of low-lying topographic relief in Paleocene-early Eocene, and the rapid uplift of Altyn Mountains started from the middle Eocene. In Paleogene, the Altyn Tagh Fault had a slow strike-slip velocity, but the strike-slip velocity increased greatly since the late Oligocene, leading to a strike-slip displacement above 300 km since Neogene. Meanwhile, the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun fault zone was under a stable tectonic stage in Paleogene with the Qimen Tagh Mountain being low- lying hills; since the late Oligocene, the fault zone started to activate and the Qimen Tagh Mountain began to uplift rapidly.展开更多
The main old lands in China include the North China Block(NCB),South China Block(SCB)and Tarim Block(TRB),all of which have individual tectonic evolving histories.The NCB experienced complex geological evolution since...The main old lands in China include the North China Block(NCB),South China Block(SCB)and Tarim Block(TRB),all of which have individual tectonic evolving histories.The NCB experienced complex geological evolution since the early Precambrian onwards,and carries important records from the old continental nuclei,giant crustal growth episode and cratonization(stabilitization),then to the Paleoproterozoic rifting-subduction-accretion-collision with imprints of the Great Oxygen Event(GOE),and to the Late Paleoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic multi-stage rifting representing North China platform tectonic features.The TRB has two-layer basement of the Early Precambrian metamorphic complexes and Neoproterozoic sedimentary sequences.Three till sheets have been reported.The SCB consists of the Yangtze Block(YZB)and Cathaysia Block(CTB)that were cohered in the Neoproterozoic.The YZB recorded tectonic processes of the Early Precambrian crustal growth,1.0–0.9 Ga and 0.8–0.6 Ga metamorphic-magmatic events,and two Neoproterozoic glaciations.The CTB consists of ca.1.8Ga,1.0 to 0.9 Ga and ca.0.8 Ga granitic gneisses and metamorphic rocks,indicating there was a vast Precambrian basement.The Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks overlie partly on the basement.That the YZB and CTB have a Neoproterozoic uniform cover layer illustrates the SCB should form,at least,during 1.0–0.9 Ga,corresponding to the Rodinia Supercontinent.The Central Chinese Orogenic System with high-ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks supports a suggestion that the abovementioned three old lands were collided to assemble a unified Chinese Continent during the Pangea orogenic period.展开更多
基金supported by National S&T Major Project(Grant No.2011ZX05009-001)
文摘Based on the analysis of heavy mineral assemblages in Cenozoic southwestern Qaidam Basin, we found that different areas have variable heavy mineral assemblage characteristics, which suggested that there were two source areas--the Altyn Moun- tains and the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains. In Ganchaigou-Shizigou-Huatugou (Area A), which was mainly source from the Altyn Mountains, its heavy minerals were mainly composed of zircon, Ti-oxides, and wollastonite in the Paleocene- early Eocene and mainly of unstable minerals, especially amphibole, in the middle Eocene-Oligene. Since the late Oligocene- Miocene, the heavy minerals were still mainly unstable minerals, but the content of epidote increased and the content of am- phibole decreased. In Qigequan-Hongliuquan (Area B), which was the mixed source from the Altyn Mountains and the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains, its heavy minerals were mainly garnet, epidote, and amphibole. The source of Lticaotan- Dongchaishan-Kunbei (Area C) was mainly from the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun Mountains, heavy minerals in the sediments in Area C were mainly zircon and Ti-oxides in Paleogene and garnet, epidote, and amphibole in Neogene. In Yuejin-Youshashan (Area D), where the stable minerals and unstable minerals were present simultaneously, the heavy mineral assemblages was controlled by multi-direction source. The variation of heavy mineral assemblages in southwestern Qaidam Basin shows that Altyn Mountains was of low-lying topographic relief in Paleocene-early Eocene, and the rapid uplift of Altyn Mountains started from the middle Eocene. In Paleogene, the Altyn Tagh Fault had a slow strike-slip velocity, but the strike-slip velocity increased greatly since the late Oligocene, leading to a strike-slip displacement above 300 km since Neogene. Meanwhile, the Qimen Tagh-East Kunlun fault zone was under a stable tectonic stage in Paleogene with the Qimen Tagh Mountain being low- lying hills; since the late Oligocene, the fault zone started to activate and the Qimen Tagh Mountain began to uplift rapidly.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2012CB4166006)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41030316 and 41210003)
文摘The main old lands in China include the North China Block(NCB),South China Block(SCB)and Tarim Block(TRB),all of which have individual tectonic evolving histories.The NCB experienced complex geological evolution since the early Precambrian onwards,and carries important records from the old continental nuclei,giant crustal growth episode and cratonization(stabilitization),then to the Paleoproterozoic rifting-subduction-accretion-collision with imprints of the Great Oxygen Event(GOE),and to the Late Paleoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic multi-stage rifting representing North China platform tectonic features.The TRB has two-layer basement of the Early Precambrian metamorphic complexes and Neoproterozoic sedimentary sequences.Three till sheets have been reported.The SCB consists of the Yangtze Block(YZB)and Cathaysia Block(CTB)that were cohered in the Neoproterozoic.The YZB recorded tectonic processes of the Early Precambrian crustal growth,1.0–0.9 Ga and 0.8–0.6 Ga metamorphic-magmatic events,and two Neoproterozoic glaciations.The CTB consists of ca.1.8Ga,1.0 to 0.9 Ga and ca.0.8 Ga granitic gneisses and metamorphic rocks,indicating there was a vast Precambrian basement.The Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks overlie partly on the basement.That the YZB and CTB have a Neoproterozoic uniform cover layer illustrates the SCB should form,at least,during 1.0–0.9 Ga,corresponding to the Rodinia Supercontinent.The Central Chinese Orogenic System with high-ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks supports a suggestion that the abovementioned three old lands were collided to assemble a unified Chinese Continent during the Pangea orogenic period.