Thermal and exhumation history of the Songnan Low Uplift,Qiongdongnan Basin:constraints from the apatite fission-track and zircon(U-Th)/He thermochronology

Significant advancements have been made in the study of Mesozoic granite buried hills in the Songnan Low Uplift(SNLU)of the Qiongdongnan Basin.These findings indicate that the bedrock buried hills in this basin hold great potential for exploration.Borehole samples taken from the granite buried hills in the SNLU were analyzed using apatite fission track(AFT)and zircon(U-Th)/He data to unravel the thermal history of the basement rock.This information is crucial for understanding the processes of exhumation and alteration that occurred after its formation.Thermal modeling of a sample from the western bulge of the SNLU revealed a prolonged cooling event from the late Mesozoic to the Oligocene period(~80-23.8 Ma),followed by a heating stage from the Miocene epoch until the present(~23.8 Ma to present).In contrast,the sample from the eastern bulge experienced a more complex thermal history.It underwent two cooling stages during the late Mesozoic to late Eocene period(~80-36.4 Ma)and the late Oligocene period(~30-23.8 Ma),interspersed with two heating phases during the late Eocene to early Oligocene period(~36.4-30 Ma)and the Miocene epoch to recent times(~23.8-0 Ma),respectively.The differences in exhumation histories between the western and eastern bulges during the late Eocene to Oligocene period in the SNLU can likely be attributed to differences in fault activity.Unlike typical passive continental margin basins,the SNLU has experienced accelerated subsidence after the rifting phase,which began around 5.2 Ma ago.The possible mechanism for this abnormal post-rifting subsidence may be the decay or movement of the deep thermal source and the rapid cooling of the asthenosphere.Long-term and multi-episodic cooling and exhumation processes play a key role in the alteration of bedrock and contribute to the formation of reservoirs.On the other hand,rapid post-rifting subsidence(sedimentation)promotes the formation of cap rocks.

Mineral Geochemistry of Apatite in the Jiama PorphyrySkarn Deposit,Tibet and its Geological Significance

The Jiama deposit,a significant porphyry-skarn-type copper polymetallic deposit located within the Gangdese metallogenic belt in Tibet,China,exemplifies a typical porphyry metallogenic system.However,the mineral chemistry of its accessory minerals remains under-examined,posing challenges for resource assessment and ore prospecting.Utilizing electron microprobe analysis and LA-ICP-MS analysis,this study investigated the geochemical characteristics of apatite in ore-bearing granite and monzogranite porphyries,as well as granodiorite,quartz diorite,and dark diorite porphyries in the deposit.It also delved into the diagenetic and metallogenic information from these geochemical signatures.Key findings include:(1)The SiO_(2) content,rare earth element(REE)contents,and REE partition coefficients of apatite indicate that the dark diorite porphyry possibly does not share a cogenetic magma source with the other four types of porphyries;(2)the volatile F and Cl contents in apatite,along with their ratio,indicate the Jiama deposit,formed in a collisional setting,demonstrates lower Cl/F ratios in apatite than the same type of deposits formed in a subduction environment;(3)compared to non-ore-bearing rock bodies in other deposits formed in a collisional setting,apatite in the Jiama deposit exhibits lower Ce and Ga contents.This might indicate that rock bodies in the Jiama deposit have higher oxygen fugacity.Nevertheless,the marginal variation in oxygen fugacity between ore-bearing and non-ore-bearing rock bodies within the deposit suggests oxygen fugacity may not serve as the decisive factor in the ore-hosting potential of rock bodies in the Jiama deposit.

Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology of Granite from the Xiazhuang Uranium Ore Field,South China:Implications for Exhumation History and Ore Preservation

Xiazhuang uranium ore field,located in the southern part of the Nanling Metallogenic Belt,is considered one of the largest granite-related U regions in South China.In this paper,we contribute new apatite fission track data and thermal history modeling to constrain the exhumation history and evaluate preservation potential of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.Nine Triassic outcrop granite samples collected from different locations of Xiazhuang Uranium ore field yield AFT ages ranging from 43 to 24 Ma with similar mean confined fission track lengths ranging from 11.8±2.0 to 12.9±1.9μm and Dpar values between 1.01 and 1.51μm.The robustness time-temperature reconstructions of samples from the hanging wall of Huangpi fault show that the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field experienced a time of monotonous and slow cooling starting from middle Paleocene to middle Miocene(~60-10 Ma),followed by relatively rapid exhumation in the late Miocene(~10-5 Ma)and nearly thermal stability in the Pliocene-Quaternary(~5-0 Ma).The amount of exhumation after U mineralization since the Middle Paleogene was estimated as~4.3±1.8 km according to the integrated thermal history model.Previous studies indicate that the ore-forming ages of U deposits in the Xiazhuang ore field are mainly before Middle Paleocene and the mineralization depths are more than 4.4±1.2 km.Therefore,the exhumation history since middle Paleocene plays important roles in the preservation of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.

Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology in the Tamusu Area,Bayingobi Basin,NW China,and its Geological Significance

The Bayingobi basin is located in the middle of Central Asia Orogenic Belt,at the intersection of Paleo-Asian Ocean and Tethys Ocean,as well as the junction of multiple tectonic plates.This unique tectonic setting underpins the basin's intricate history of tectonic activity.To unravel the multifaceted tectono-thermal evolution within the southwestern region of the basin and to elucidate the implications of sandstone-hosted uranium mineralization,granitic and clastic rock samples were collected from the Zongnai Mts.uplift and Yingejing depression,and apatite fission track(AFT)dating and thermal history simulation analysis were performed.AFT dating findings reveal that the apparent ages of all samples fall within the range of 244 Ma to 112 Ma.In particular,the bedrock of the Zongnai Mts.and Jurassic detrital apatite fission tracks have undergone complete annealing,capturing the uplift-cooling age.Meanwhile,the AFT ages of Cretaceous detrital rocks are either equivalent to or notably exceed the age of sedimentary strata,signifying the cooling age of the provenance.A comprehensive examination of AFT ages and palaeocurrent direction analyses suggests that the Cretaceous source in the Tamusu area predominantly originated from the central and southern sectors of the Zongnai Mts.uplift.However,at a certain juncture during the Late Early Cretaceous,the Cretaceous provenance expanded to include the northern part of the Zongnai Mts.uplift.Based on the results of thermal history simulations and previous studies,it is considered that the Tamusu area has undergone four distinct tectonic uplift events since the Late Paleozoic.The first is the Late Permian to Early Triassic(260-240 Ma),which is associated with the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean and the accretionary orogeny within the Alxa region.The second uplift event took place in the Early Jurassic(190-175 Ma)and corresponded to intraplate orogeny following the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.The third uplift event is the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous(160-120 Ma),which is linked to the East Asia's position as the convergence center of multiple tectonic plates during this period.The fourth uplift event is linked to the Late Early Cretaceous(112-100 Ma),driven either by the westward subduction of the eastern Pacific plate or the mantle upwelling resulting from the Bangong-Nujiang oceanic lithosphere subduction and slab break-off.The primary stress orientation for the first three tectonic uplift phases approximated a nearly SN direction,while the fourth stage featured a principal stress direction of NW.The fourth tectonic uplift event of the Late Early Cretaceous and basaltic eruption thermal event during this period likely exerted a significant influence on the formation of the Tamusu sandstone-hosted uranium deposit.

Removal of dolomite and potassium feldspar from apatite using simultaneous flotation with a mixed cationic-anionic collector

This study aims to investigate the effect of a cationic-anionic mixed collector(dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide/sodium oleate(DTAB/NaOL)on the selective separation of apatite,dolomite,and potassium feldspar.Herein,several experimental methods,including flotation experiments,zeta-potential detection,microcalorimetry detection,XPS analysis and FTIR measurements,were used.The flotation tests showed that dolomite and potassium feldspar can be successfully removed from apatite simultaneously when the molar ratio of DTAB to NaOL was 2:1 with pH 4.5.Zeta-potential and microcalorimetry detection suggested that NaOL and DTAB were adsorbed on the surface of dolomite and potassium feldspar respectively,and part of NaOL and DTAB formed co-adsorption on the surface of potassium feldspar to enhance the floatability of potassium feldspar.The XPS and FTIR spectra analysis demonstrated that the cationic collector,DTAB,was first adsorbed on the surface of potassium feldspar through electrostatic attraction in the DTAB/NaOL mixture system.Subsequently,the anionic NaOL collector and cationic DTAB collector form an electron neutralisation complex,thereby resulting in co-adsorption on the surface of potassium feldspar.NaOL was chemically reacted and adsorbed on dolomite surface,but almost no collector was adsorbed on apatite surface.Finally,the adsorption models of different collectors on mineral surface were obtained.

Apatite Geochemical and Nd Isotopic Insights into Trachyte Petrogenesis in the Tianchi Volcanic Area of Changbai Mountain,NE China

We report the oxide,element geochemistry and Nd isotopic geochemical data of apatite in the middle Pleistocene medium-and fine-grained trachyte in the Tianchi volcanic area(TVA)of Changbai Mountain,discussing the relationship between apatite and the composition of the whole rock.The purpose is to use the apatite geochemical data to constrain the evolutionary process of trachytic magma and the petrogenesis of trachyte in the cone-forming period of the Tianchi volcano.Apatite(Ca_(5)(PO_(4))_(3)(OH,F,Cl))is a common accessory mineral that occurs widely in volcanic rocks in the TVA.The apatites in the trachyte are mainly subhedral-anhedral,having the characteristics of magmatic apatite.In terms of oxide and element geochemistry,they have homogeneous Al_(2)O_(3),SiO_(2),MgO,P_(2)O_(5),K_(2)O,CaO and heterogeneous TiO2,with high F content.They are generally enriched in Th,U and LREEs,depleted in Nb,Ta,Zr,Hf and HFSEs,showing negative Ba,Sr and Ti anomalies,similar to those of the whole-rock host trachytes.The ratios of high(La/Yb)_(N),low δEu(Eu/Eu*),Sr/Y value and ΣREE content in apatite,and the F,Sr,Y,Th/U,La/Sm,and Nd/Tb with ΣREE andδEu anomalies showed a linear correlation,all of those indicating that the host magma has the characteristic of high differentiation.The apatite grains generally having ^(147)Sm/^(144)Nd,^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd ratios and ε_(Nd)(t)values of 0.1072-0.1195,0.5123-0.5126 and -3.49 to -0.10,respectively,are similiar to those of the host rock.The Nd model ages TDM1 are 949-803 Ma in apatite.Combined with theεNd(t)value of the apatite core(-7.06 to-3.49),we conclude that the initial magma of the host trachyte was derived from the partial melting of Proterozoic crustal material and there was an assimilation of wall rocks during its evolution.

Exhumation and Preservation of the Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE Deposit under the East Longshou Mountain Thermal Evolution,Revealed by Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology

Uplift and exhumation are important factors affecting the preservation of deposits.The anatomy of uplift-cooling evolution and exhumation in the East Longshou Mountain is of significant research value in understanding changes in the Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit since its formation.This study uses apatite fission track(AFT)thermochronology to reconstruct the thermal history of the East Longshou Mountain,including the Jinchuan mine,revealing the uplift and exhumation history of the East Longshou Mountain and elucidating the preservation status of the Jinchuan deposit.The AFT ages in the East Longshou Mountain are distributed from 62.3±3.0 Ma to 214.7±14 Ma,with significant differences in ages in distinct areas,the central and pooled ages being consistent within the margin of error.Inverse thermal history models reveal two rapid cooling events associated with exhumation from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous(200–100 Ma)and since the Miocene(15–0 Ma),the former attributable to the far-afield response to the closure of the PaleoTethys Ocean and plate assembly at the southern margin of Eurasia,the latter associated with the initial India-Eurasia plate collision.A slow cooling event from the Early Cretaceous to the Miocene(100–15 Ma)is thought to be related to the arid environment in northwest China since the Cretaceous.These cooling events have diverse responses and cooling rates in different blocks of the East Longshou Mountain:the southwest and centre of which are mainly cooled over 200–120 Ma and 120–0 Ma,with cooling rates of~0.25 and~0.33°C/Ma(~1.25 and~0.33°C/Ma in the centre);the Jinchuan mine primarily cooled over 160–100 Ma,100–15 Ma and 15–0 Ma,with cooling rates of~1.33,~0.25 and~2.00°C/Ma.These differentiated coolings imply that the uplift of the East Longshou Mountain before the Miocene(~15 Ma)was integral.Strong uplift then occurred in the vicinity of the mining area,which is a critical period for the uplift of the Jinchuan deposit to the surface,meaning that the Jinchuan deposit was exposed no earlier than the Miocene(~15 Ma).Based on mineralization depth information obtained by previous researchers,in conjunction with the calculation and simulation results of this study,it can be seen that the bulk of the Jinchuan intrusion may still be preserved at depth.

(U-Th)/He热年代学方法研究进展及其应用

(U-Th)/He热年代学方法基于矿物中U、Th、Sm发生衰变产生和累积的4He进行定年。由于低的封闭温度和对近地表地质过程的敏感性,因此在定量揭示地壳浅部所经历冷却及剥露事件的时间-空间-温度特征方面具有不可替代的优势。本文简要回顾了(U-Th)/He定年原理并对不同测试方法的优缺点进行评述,在此基础上总结探讨了(U-Th)/He热年代学在辐射损伤影响机制、退火动力学以及4He扩散模型方面取得的进展以及存在的不足,并对如何完善这些不足进行未来展望。此外本文还综述了(U-Th)/He热年代学方法在约束成矿时代、造山带剥露历史研究、矿床保存性评价方面的应用实例以及部分局限性。

Tectonic-thermal history and hydrocarbon potential of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea:Insights from borehole apatite fission-track thermochronology

The Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB)is one of the most petroliferous basins on the northern margin of the South China Sea.Knowledge of the thermal history of the PRMB is significant for understanding its tectonic evolution and for unraveling its poorly studied source-rock maturation history.Our investigations in this study are based on apatite fission-track(AFT)thermochronology analysis of 12 cutting samples from 4 boreholes.Both AFT ages and length data suggested that the PRMB has experienced quite complicated thermal evolution.Thermal history modeling results unraveled four successive events of heating separated by three stages of cooling since the early Middle Eocene.The cooling events occurred approximately in the Late Eocene,early Oligocene,and the Late Miocene,possibly attributed to the Zhuqiong II Event,Nanhai Event,and Dongsha Event,respectively.The erosion amount during the first cooling stage is roughly estimated to be about 455-712 m,with an erosion rate of 0.08-0.12 mm/a.The second erosion-driven cooling is stronger than the first one,with an erosion amount of about 747-814 m and an erosion rate between about 0.13-0.21 mm/a.The erosion amount calculated related to the third cooling event varies from 800 m to 3419 m,which is speculative due to the possible influence of the magmatic activity.

Fish Canyon Tuff榍石He扩散及(U-Th)/He年代学研究

榍石富含U和Th,是(U-Th)/He定年的理想矿物之一。本文以Fish Canyon Tuff榍石为例,开展了榍石He扩散行为和榍石(U-Th)/He定年实验方法研究。榍石分步加热扩散实验结果表明He扩散系数ln(D/a2)与温度倒数呈负相关,与期望的热活化扩散过程一致。测试Fish Canyon Tuff榍石(U-Th)/He年龄分布在28.3~24.6 Ma之间,平均值为26.7±1.2 Ma(1σ),Th/U分布在4.6~5.5之间,平均值为5.2±0.2,在误差范围内与国际上已出版数据一致,表明建立的榍石(U-Th)/He定年实验方法可靠。本次测试15粒榍石碎片外表层(~20μm)存在不同程度的磨蚀(即不完整晶体),且榍石表层磨蚀厚度随着等效半径的增加而增大。榍石碎片(U-Th)/He年龄介于完整晶体(U-Th)/He年龄和真实(U-Th)/He年龄之间,且随着榍石等效半径及表层磨蚀厚度(<20μm)的增大,(U-Th)/He年龄更接近真实年龄,这表明榍石(U-Th)/He年龄不确定度与等效半径大小和表层磨蚀厚度有关。

Cenozoic Exhumation and Thrusting in the Northern Qilian Shan,Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau:Constraints from Sedimentological and Apatite Fission-Track Data

The Qilian Shan lies along the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. To constrain its deformation history, we conducted integrated research on Mesozoic-Cenozoic stratigraphic sections in the Jiuxi Basin immediately north of the mountain range. Paleocurrent measurements, sandstone compositional data, and facies analysis of Cenozoic stratigraphic sections suggest that the Jiuxi Basin received sediments from the Altyn Tagh Range in the northwest, initially in the Oligocene （-33 Ma）, depositing the Huoshaogou Formation in the northern part of the basin. Later, the source area of the Jiuxi Basin changed to the Qilian Shan in the south during Late Oligocene （-27 Ma）, which led to the deposition of the Baiyanghe Formation. We suggest that uplift of the northern Qilian Shan induced by thrusting began no later than the Late Oligocene. Fission-track analysis of apatite from the Qilian Shan yields further information about the deformation history of the northern Qilain Shan and the Jiuxi Basin. It shows that a period of rapid cooling, interpreted as exhumation, initiated in the Oligocene. We suggest that this exhumation marked the initial uplift of the Qilian Shan resulting from the India-Asia collision.

Late Mesozoic-Cenozoic Exhumation of the Northern Hexi Corridor：Constrained by Apatite Fission Track Ages of the Longshoushan

The apatite fission track（AFT） ages and thermal modeling of the Longshoushan and deformation along the northern Hexi Corridor on the northern side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau show that the Longshoushan along the northern corridor had experienced important multi-stage exhumations during the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The AFT ages of 7 samples range from 31.9 Ma to 111.8 Ma.Thermal modeling of the AFT ages of the samples shows that the Longshoushan experienced significant exhumation during the Late Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic（-130-25 Ma）. The Late Cretaceous exhumation of the Longshoushan may have resulted from the continuous compression between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks and the flat slab subduction of the Neo-Tethys oceanic plate, which affected wide regions across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. During the Early Cenozoic, the Longshoushan still experienced exhumation, but this process was caused by the Indian-Eurasian collision. Since this time,the Longshoushan was in a stable stage for approximately 20 Ma and experienced erosion. Since -5 Ma,obvious tectonic deformation occurred along the entire northern Hexi Corridor, which has also been reported from the peripheral regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, especially in the Qilianshan and northeastern margin of the plateau. The AFT ages and the Late Cenozoic deformation of the northern Hexi Corridor all indicate that the present northern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is situated along the northern Hexi Corridor.

The Exhumation History of North Qaidam Thrust Belt Constrained by Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology:Implication for the Evolution of the Tibetan Plateau

Determining the spatio-temporal distribution of the deformation tied to the India-Eurasian convergence and the impact of pre-existing weaknesses on the Cenozoic crustal deformation is significant for understanding how the convergence between India and Eurasia contributed to the development of the Tibetan Plateau. The exhumation history of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau was addressed in this research using a new apatite fission track （AFT） study in the North Qaidam thrust belt （NQTB）. Three granite samples collected from the Qaidam Shan pluton in the north tied to the Qaidam Shan thrust, with AFT ages clustering in the Eocene to Miocene. The other thirteen samples obtained from the Luliang Shan and Yuka plutons in the south related to the Luliang Shan thrust and they have showed predominantly the Cretaceous AFT ages. Related thermal history modeling based on grain ages and track lengths indicates rapid cooling events during the Eocene-early Oligocene and since late Miocene within the Qaidam Shan, in contrast to those in the Cretaceous and since the Oligocene-Miocene in the Luliang Shan and Yuka region. The results, combined with published the Cretaceous thermochronological ages in the Qaidam Shan region, suggest that the NQTB had undergo rapid exhumation during the accretions along the southern Asian Andean-type margin prior to the India-Eurasian collision. The Cenozoic deformation initially took place in the North Qaidam thrust belt by the Eocene, which is consistent with the recent claim that the deformation of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau initiated in the Eocene as a response to continental collision between India and Eurasia. The immediate deformation responding to the collision is tentatively attributed to the preexisting weaknesses of the lithosphere, and therefore the deformation of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau should be regarded as a boundary-condition-dependent process.

Meso-Cenozoic Tectonic Events Recorded by Apatite Fission Track in the Northern Longmen-Micang Mountains Region

There is a cross-cutting relationship between the E-W trending structures and the NE- trending structures in the northern Longmen-Micang Mountains region, which reflects possible regional tectonic transition and migration. Apatite fission track （AFT） analyses of 15 samples collected from this area yield apparent ages varying from 30.3±4.2 Ma to 111.7±9.0 Ma and confined-track-lengths ranging from 10.6±0.3 pm to 12.4±0.1 μm. Four specific groups were identified on the basis of the Track Age Spectrum Calculation （TASC） patterns, i.e., 143-112 Ma, 93.6-88 Ma, 42-40 Ma and -25.6 Ma. These age groups correspond to the spatial distributions of datasets and may represent four tectonic events. Together with the regional deformation patterns, the four age groups are interpreted to indicate tectonic superposition, transition and migration during the Meso-Cenozoic with the following possible order： （1） the Micang Mountains belt was dominated by the E-W trending structure during 143-112 Ma; （2） the contraction of the Longmen Mountains belt from the NW to the SE during 93.6-88 Ma led to the superposition of the NE-trending structures over the E-W trendinding structures; （3） dextral strike-slip shear dominated the Longmen Mountains belt at 42-40 Ma; （4） westward migration of the active tectonic belt occurred from 93.6-25.6 Ma in a break-back sequence in the northern Longmen Mountains belt. The Late Cenozoic tectonics in the northern Longmen Mountains belt are characterized by the dextral strike-slip shear and the occurrence of westward break-back sequence of deformations. As a result, north-south differences in deformations along the Longmen Mountains belt were intensified since the Miocene time and strains were mainly accumulated in the hinterland of the Longmen Mountains instead of being propagated to the foreland basin.

Geochemistry of Apatite from the Apatite-rich Iron Deposits in the Ningwu Region,East Central China

Four types of apatite have been identified in the Ningwu region. The first type of apatite is widely distributed in the middle dark colored zones （i.e. iron ores） of individual deposits. The assemblage includes magnetite, apatite and actinolite （or diopside）. The second type occurs within magnetite-apatite veins in the iron ores. The third type is seen in magnetite-apatite veins and （or） nodules in host rocks （i.e. gabbro-diorite porphyry or gabbro-diorite or pyroxene diorite）.The fourth type occurs within apatite-pyrite-quartz veins f＇dfing fractures in the Xiangshan Group. Rare earth elements （REE） geochemistry of apatite of the four occurrences in porphyry iron deposits is presented. The REE distribution patterns of apatite are generally similar to those of apatites in the Kiruna-type iron ores, nelsonites. They are enriched in fight REE, with pronounced negative Eu anomalies. The similarity of REE distribution patterns in apatites from various deposits in different locations in the world indicates a common process of formation for various ore types, e.g. immiscibility. Early magmatic apatites contain 3031.48-12080 ×10^-6 REE. Later hydrothermal apatite contains 1958 ×10^-6 REE, indicating that the later hydrothermal ore-forming solution contains lower REE. Although gabbro-diorite porphyry and apatite show similar REE patterns, gabbro-diorite porphyries have no europium anomalies or feeble positive or feeble negative europium anomalies, caused both by reduction environment of mantle source region and by fractionation and crystallization （immiscibility） under a high oxygen fugacity condition. Negative Eu anomalies of apatites were formed possibly due to acquisition of Eu^2＋ by earlier diopsite during ore magma cooling. The apatites in the Aoshan and Taishan iron deposits yield a narrow variation range of ^87Sr/^86Sr values from 0.7071 to 0.7073, similar to those of the volcanic and subvolcaulc rocks, indicating that apatites were formed by liquid immiscibility and differentiation of intermediate and basic magmas.

New Apatite Fission-Track Ages of the Western Kuqa Depression:Implications for the Mesozoic–Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of South Tianshan,Xinjiang

The Mesozoic–Cenozoic uplift history of South Tianshan has been reconstructed in many ways using thermochronological analyses for the rocks from the eastern Kuqa Depression. The main difference in the reconstructions concerns the existence and importance of Early Cretaceous and Paleogene tectonic activities, but the existence of a Cenozoic differential uplift in the Kuqa Depression remains enigmatic. Here, we present new apatite fission-track ages obtained for 12 sandstone samples from the well-exposed Early Triassic to Quaternary sequence of the Kapushaliang section in the western Kuqa Depression. The results reveal that there were four pulses of tectonic exhumation, which occurred during the Early Cretaceous（peak ages of 112 and 105 Ma）, Late Cretaceous（peak age of 67 Ma）, Paleocene–Eocene（peak ages at 60, 53, and 36 Ma）, and early Oligocene to late Miocene（central ages spanning 30–11 Ma and peak ages of 23 and 14 Ma）, respectively. A review of geochronological and geological evidence from both the western and eastern Kuqa Depression is shown as follows.（1） The major exhumation of South Tians Shan during the Early Cretaceous was possibly associated with docking of the Lhasa block with the southern margin of the Eurasian plate.（2） The Late Cretaceous uplift of the range occurred diachronically due to the far-field effects of the Kohistan-Dras Arc and Lhasa block accretion.（3） The Paleogene uplift in South Tianshan initially corresponded to the far-field effects of the India–Eurasia collision.（4） The rapid exhumation in late Cenozoic was driven by the continuous far-field effects of the collision between India and Eurasia plates. The apatite fission-track ages of 14–11 Ma suggest that late Cenozoic exhumation in the western Kuqa Depression prevailed during the middle to late Miocene, markedly later than the late Oligocene to early Miocene activity in the eastern segment. It can be hypothesized that a possible differential uplift in time occurred in the Kuqa Depression during the late Cenozoic.

Late Mesozoic Thermotectonic Evolution of the Jueluotage Range,Eastern Xinjiang,Northwest China:Evidence from Apatite Fission Track Data

Although many authors have emphasized the Cenozoic history of deformation, exhumation and cooling in the Tiaushan area related to the India-Asia collision, very little is known about the Mesozoic history of compression and uplift within the Tianshan. In order to obtain information about the Mesozoic exhumation history and processes of cooling in eastern Tianshan, fission track methods on apatite were used. Sampling was made in the Jueluotage Range. Three samples （Z001-Z003） were taken from granite in borehole ZK6301 of Yandong pluton; the ages range from 97.0 to 87.6 Ma that are much younger than the pluton age which was dated by U-Pb zircon at 334±2 Ma. Two samples in northern piedmont of the Jueluotage Range were collected from Jurassic strata in Dikaner （DK001） and Dananhu （D001） whose ages are 91.5 and 93.4 Ma respectively. The average apparent exhumation rate is 0.039 nun/a calculated by extrapolation on the basis of Yandong samples, indicating an extremely slow exhumation in the Jueluotage Range since the Late Cretaceous. Two Jurassic samples reached the maximum depths after deposition and experienced the maximum temperatures of ca. 105 and 108℃ until the late Early Cretaceous before a period of cooling and exhumation occurred at 114 and 106 Ma.

Apatite fission track thermochronology in the Kuluketage and Aksu areas,NW China:Implication for tectonic evolution of the northern Tarim

Tarim Precambrian bedrocks are well exposed in the Kuluketage and Aksu areas, where twenty four samples were taken to reveal the denudation history of the northern Tarim Craton. Apatite fission track dating and thermal history modeling suggest that the northern Tarim experienced multi-stage cooling events which were assumed to be associated with the distant effects of the Cimmerian orogeny and India-Eurasia collision in the past. But the first episode of exhumation in the northern Tarim, occurring in the mid-Permian to Triassic, is here suggested to be induced by docking of the Tarim Craton and final amalgamation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The cooling event at ca. 170 Ma may be triggered by the Qiangtang-Eurasia collision. Widespread Cretaceous exhumation could be linked with docking of the Lhasa terrane in the late Jurassic. Cenozoic reheating and recooling likely occurred because of the northpropagating stress, however, this has not affected the northern Tarim much because the Tarim is characterized by rigid block-like motion.

Evolution of Tectonic Uplift, Hydrocarbon Migration, and Uranium Mineralization in the NW Junggar Basin： An Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology Study

The Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic movement largely controls the northwest region of the Junggar Basin（NWJB）, which is a significant area for the exploration of petroleum and sandstone-type uranium deposits in China. This work collected six samples from this sedimentary basin and surrounding mountains to conduct apatite fission track（AFT） dating, and utilized the dating results for thermochronological modeling to reconstruct the uplift history of the NWJB and its response to hydrocarbon migration and uranium mineralization. The results indicate that a single continuous uplift event has occurred since the Early Cretaceous, showing spatiotemporal variation in the uplift and exhumation patterns throughout the NWJB. Uplift and exhumation initiated in the northwest and then proceeded to the southeast, suggesting that the fault system induced a post spread-thrust nappe into the basin during the Late Yanshanian. Modeling results indicate that the NWJB mountains have undergone three distinct stages of rapid cooling： Early Cretaceous（ca. 140–115 Ma）, Late Cretaceous（ca. 80–60 Ma）, and Miocene–present（since ca. 20 Ma）. These three stages regionally correspond to the LhasaEurasian collision during the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous（ca. 140–125 Ma）, the Lhasa-Gandise collision during the Late Cretaceous（ca. 80–70 Ma）, and a remote response to the India-Asian collision since ca. 55 Ma, respectively. These tectonic events also resulted in several regional unconformities between the J3/K1, K2/E, and E/N, and three large-scale hydrocarbon injection events in the Piedmont Thrust Belt（PTB）. Particularly, the hydrocarbon charge event during the Early Cretaceous resulted in the initial inundation and protection of paleo-uranium ore bodies that were formed during the Middle–Late Jurassic. The uplift and denudation of the PTB was extremely slow from 40 Ma onward due to a slight influence from the Himalayan orogeny. However, the uplift of the PTB was faster after the Miocene, which led to re-uplift and exposure at the surface during the Quaternary, resulting in its oxidation and the formation of small uranium ore bodies.