Zircon U-Pb age of Fengxian acid pyroclastic rocks and its enlightenment to the existence of Pan-African orogeny in the West Qinling Orogenic Belt, China

1.Objective The formation of East Gondwana and its combination with West Gondwana is a result of a series of complex orogenic events,known as Pan-African orogeny.The Northern Qinling Mountain is a microcontinent that formed on the ancient oceanic crust in the northern of Yangtze craton before Neoproterozoic.It is likely that the North Qinling,even the Yangtze craton and its surrounding oceanic crust belong to the ancient Gondwana tectonic domain and be a part of East Gondwana supercontinent(Chen Q,2007).

The late Early-Paleozoic granitic magmatism in Northwestern Fujian, China: constraints on intraplate orogeny in the South China block

The Early Paleozoic tectono-thermal event was a significant orogenic activity during the Phanerozoic era,which had a profound impact on the early crust of the South China Block(SCB) and established the foundation for later tectonic activity.The Wuyi-Yunkai orogenic belt in Southeastern China was extensively exposed to Early Paleozoic magmatism,the genetic mechanism of which remains controversial.To shed light on this issue,detailed petrological,geochemical,and zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic studies were carried out on two granitoids,namely the Yuntongshan pluton and the Gaoqiao pluton,identified in the central Wuyishan.Zircon U-Pb chronology of the Yuntongshan and Gaoqiao bodies yielded ages of437±4 Ma(MSWD=2.2) and 404±2 Ma(MSWD=12),respectively,indicating that they were emplaced during the Early Silurian and Early Devonian periods.These granitoids are primarily composed of biotite-granite and biotite-monzonitic-granites,with high concentrations of S_(i)O_(2)(73.59-75.91 wt%),K_(2)O+Na_(2)O(8.31-8.73wt%),and low contents of MgO,CaO,Cr,Ni.They are classified as high-K calc-alkaline and weakly metaluminous-strongly peraluminous S-type granites.These granitoids are enriched in light rare earth elements(LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements(LILEs) and depleted in heavy rare earth elements(HREEs) and high field strength elements(HFSEs) with arc affinity.The εHf(t) values of-3.3 to-15.4 with two-stage Hf model ages ranging from 2829 to 1644 Ma,combined with the presence of Neoproterozoic inherited zircons,suggest that the primary magma of these granitoids was derived from the partial melting of Neoproterozoic crust with a Paleoproterozoic crustal model age.These findings,combined with the spatio-temporal distribution of regional magmatism,reveal that the late Early-Paleozoic granitoids formed in the intraplate orogenic background originating from the subduction of the proto-Tethys Ocean and proto-Pacific Ocean around the margin of the east Gondwana supercontinent.

Deformation correlations,stress field switches and evolution of an orogenic intersection:The Pan-African Kaoko-Damara orogenic junction,Namibia

Age calibrated deformation histories established by detailed mapping and dating of key magmatic time markers are correlated across all tectono-metamorphic provinces in the Damara Orogenic System.Correlations across structural belts result in an internally consistent deformation framework with evidence of stress field rotations with similar timing,and switches between different deformation events.Horizontal principle compressive stress rotated clockwise ~180°in total during Kaoko Belt evolution,and^135° during Damara Belt evolution.At most stages,stress field variation is progressive and can be attributed to events within the Damara Orogenic System,caused by changes in relative trajectories of the interacting Rio De La Plata,Congo,and Kalahari Cratons.Kaokoan orogenesis occurred earliest and evolved from collision and obduction at ~590 Ma,involving E-W directed shortening,progressing through different transpressional states with ~45° rotation of the stress field to strike-slip shear under NW-SE shortening at ~550-530 Ma.Damaran orogenesis evolved from collision at ~555-550 Ma with NW-SE directed shortening in common with the Kaoko Belt,and subsequently evolved through ~90°rotation of the stress field to NE-SW shortening at ~512-508 Ma.Both Kaoko and Damara orogenic fronts were operating at the same time,with all three cratons being coaxially convergent during the 550-530 Ma period;Rio De La Plata directed SE against the Congo Craton margin,and both together over-riding the Kalahari Craton margin also towards the SE.Progressive stress field rotation was punctuated by rapid and significant switches at ~530-525 Ma,~508 Ma and ~505 Ma.These three events included:(1)Culmination of main phase orogenesis in the Damara Belt,coinciding with maximum burial and peak metamorphism at 530-525 Ma.This occurred at the same time as termination of transpression and initiation of transtensional reactivation of shear zones in the Kaoko Belt.Principle compressive stress switched from NW-SE to NNW-SSE shortening in both Kaoko and Damara Belts at this time.This marks the start of Congo-Kalahari stress field overwhelming the waning Rio De La Plata-Congo stress field,and from this time forward contraction across the Damara Belt generated the stress field governing subsequent low-strain events in the Kaoko Belt.(2)A sudden switch to E-W directed shortening at ~508 Ma is interpreted as a far-field effect imposed on the Damara Orogenic System,most plausibly from arc obduction along the orogenic margin of Gondwana(Ross-Delamerian Orogen).(3)This imposed stress field established a N-S extension direction exploited by decompression melts,switch to vertical shortening,and triggered gravitational collapse and extension of the thermally weakened hot orogen core at ~505 Ma,producing an extensional metamorphic core complex across the Central Zone.

Intra-continental Orogeny:Insights from Magnetotelluric Data into the Mesozoic Uplift History of the Eastern Jiangnan Orogen in South China

Despite extensive efforts to understand the tectonic evolution of the Jiangnan Orogen in South China,the orogenic process and its mechanism remain a matter of dispute.Previous geodynamic studies have mostly focused on collisional orogeny,which is commonly invoked to explain the Jiangnan Orogen.However,it is difficult for such hypotheses to reconcile all the geological and geophysical data,especially the absence of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks.Based on the magnetotelluric data,we present a group of resistivity models produced through the combination of two-dimensional and three-dimensional inversions,revealing the geo-electrical structures of Jiangnan and a typical collisional orogen.In our models,the resistive crust is separated into three parts by a prominent conductive layer with opposite dipping directions on both sides.A special thrust-nappe system,which is different from that developed in a typical collisional process,is revealed in the Jiangnan Orogen.This structure suggests a process different from the simple collisional orogeny.To interpret our observations,an'intra-continental orogeny'is proposed to address the development of the Jiangnan Orogen in the Mesozoic.Furthermore,this'reworked'process may contain at least two stages caused by the decoupling of the lithosphere,which is revealed by an extra conductive layer beneath Jiangnan.

大陆下地壳

大陆下地壳是连接岩石圈地幔和上地壳的“纽带”,是地壳与地幔交换最活跃的部位。上地幔与下地壳的部分熔融及下地壳一些岩石的拆沉还可直接导致壳-幔物质的交换、循环与重组。换言之,下地壳是壳-幔作用的一个极其重要的场所,底垫、拆沉、深熔、高级变质和其他作用都在下地壳中发生和实现。然而,下地壳是以往研究地球深部和浅部关系时被“跳”过去的部位,没有得到足够的重视。克拉通化定义为大陆原来混沌的原地壳分异并形成稳定的上地壳和下地壳,并由此构建了稳定的壳-幔结构,这种空前的稳定关系从形成起一直维持到现在,是大陆演化、洋-陆与壳-幔相互作用的基础。在板块边界的造山过程中,如洋-陆的俯冲碰撞特别是陆-陆碰撞,可以形成不同大陆地块的陆壳叠置、加厚、垮塌、拆沉、底垫和重新稳定,在造山带根部形成新的下地壳,即造山带型下地壳。本文重点讨论了克拉通型下地壳演化过程,强调了其动力学意义及其在大陆动力学研究中的重要地位,建议在深地研究和学科布局中给与充分重视。

青藏高原陆陆碰撞-挤出活动构造体系控震作用:以1990年以来强震活动为例

青藏高原是地中海-喜马拉雅地震带上强震活动最频繁的区域之一,深入认识该区的活动构造体系控震效应对于区域强震危险性分析具有重要科学意义。从陆陆碰撞-挤出活动构造体系角度,对青藏高原自1990年以来的MW≥6.0强震活动及控震构造机制进行分析发现,青藏高原陆陆碰撞-挤出构造体系对区域强震活动起到显著控制作用,区域强震事件尤其是MW≥6.5地震主要出现在构造体系的主要边界断裂带上,并显示出相对有规律的时空迁移过程,而且青藏高原东部的多层次挤出-旋转活动构造体系构成了1990年以来强震过程的主要控震构造,其次是喜马拉雅主前缘逆冲断裂带。因此,青藏高原挤出构造体系应是未来强震活动趋势分析最值得关注的区域,尤其是当前最为活跃的巴颜喀拉次级挤出构造单元。对比分析土耳其安纳托利亚板块及周边的强震活动发现,该区具有类似的陆陆碰撞-挤出构造体系及控震效应,表明该构造体系是陆内造山中的一种典型的控震构造。进一步综合分析认为,活动构造体系控震效应的主要表现:一是构造体系中主要断块的边界断裂带通常是强震活动的主要场所;二是构造体系中不同构造带的强震活动常具有联动效应或相互触发关系,其中的复杂或特殊构造部位则是易出现双震或震群活动的场所;三是当构造体系中某个构造单元或构造带处于活跃阶段时,便会出现强震丛集现象。另外,充分认识构造体系中主要活动断层间的协调变形关系,活动断层带上的强震活动的分段破裂行为,以及活动断层上强震原地复发通常存在“周期长、准周期性和丛集性”的特点等,有助于在根据活动构造体系分析区域未来强震活动趋势时更为准确地判定活动断层带的未来强震危险性。

锂的圈层循环与资源富集过程:从高原盐湖到造山带伟晶岩

盐湖卤水型锂矿与富锂伟晶岩是目前最为主要的可利用锂资源,前者是经地表风化/高温水岩淋滤形成的水体通过蒸发作用浓缩而成的卤水,而后者被认为是陆表风化沉积物熔融产物经高演化形成的富锂硬岩。大陆地壳是此类表生物质循环最根本的物源,因而探究富锂地壳的形成及其表生风化剥蚀对于理解盐湖与伟晶岩锂成矿至关重要。本文将从元素循环视角切入,结合内生高温-外生低温过程中锂的元素地球化学行为,梳理锂在俯冲带各圈层的循环过程,探讨富锂地壳的形成机制及其对高原盐湖与造山带伟晶岩锂资源发育的影响。研究发现:(1)俯冲板片对弧岩浆锂的物质贡献有限;(2)厚地壳环境下的弧岩浆具有更高的锂含量;(3)造山带富锂弧岩石的循环应是盐湖与伟晶岩锂成矿的重要控制因素。

Characteristics of Gold Mineralization at the Baguiomo Gold Panning Site, Koudougou Region, Burkina Faso, West Africa

The Birimian Baguiomo formations are located in the northern part of the Boromo greenstone belt. In this belt, the volcanic rocks (tholeiitic basalt, calcalkaline basalt, andesite) hosting the gold mineralization are located in the Kwademen-Baguiomo shear zone. This mineralization, located only a few kilometers from the Kwademen gold deposit, is uncharacterized and, together with the latter, could constitute a gold potential capable of being economically exploitable. It is in this sense that this work is carried out with a view to characterizing the gold mineralization of the Baguiomo gold panning site. To carry out this work, we have made direct field measurements, combined with microstructures, and combined all this with data from geochemical rock analysis of the basalts that are the main host formations. Geochemical data show that tholeitic basalts formed from a mantle plume that was emplaced in an oceanic plateau context. Calc-alkaline basalts and andesites are comparable to Paleoproterozoic tholeitic basalts (PTH3), which are slightly enriched in light rare earths. Fertility tests show that these basalts concentrate between 3 and 6 ppb of gold at the time of accretion, which is sufficient for remobilization of this primary gold during the Eburnian orogeny to yield a deposit of around 4 - 5 Moz. Gold mineralization is associated with pyrite crystals when the latter are disseminated in the rock mass, whereas it is associated with hematite in quartz veins concordant with S1 shear deformation. It is mainly the pyrite crystals in the pressure shadows that contain the gold grains, whose development would be synchronous with micro-shear zone reactivation during the first phase of D1B deformation. The second phase of D2B deformation, which is a crenulation or fracture schistosity, does not significantly affect the shear deformation that controls mineralization.

基于背景噪声反演华南块体岩石圈三维S波速度结构

利用背景噪声方法,对布设在华南块体及其周边区域数个流动地震台阵中共704个地震台站的连续数据进行分析,反演得到华南岩石圈的三维S波速度结构。结果表明,地表附近S波速度结构与华南块体的地表构造高度相关,低速异常区集中在四川盆地和江汉盆地等沉积层较厚的区域。江南造山带的中上地壳呈现明显的高速异常,该高速异常即为华夏块体与扬子块体的分界区域。华夏块体中地壳低速异常区与该区域广泛分布的中生代花岗岩对应较好。华南上地幔岩石圈的东部与西部存在显著的速度差异,西部呈现显著的高速异常,反映西部四川盆地底部稳固的克拉通结构;上地幔的低速异常揭示华南东部岩石圈因太平洋板块俯冲的影响而明显减薄(<70km)。推测华夏块体以琼州海峡为中心的上地幔显著低速区可能对应海南地幔柱的热物质上涌。

Regional Tectonic Transformation in East Kunlun Orogenic Belt in Early Paleozoic: Constraints from the Geochronology and Geochemistry of Helegangnaren Alkali-feldspar Granite

The Helegangnaren feldspar granite exposed in the eastern part of East Kunlun, is characterized by high concentrations of SiO2 and alkaline, low abundances of Fe, Mg and Ca, metaluminous-weak peraluminous. Trace elements analysis shows that the granite is depleted extremely in Ba, Sr and Eu, and rich in some large-ion lithophile elements and high field strength elements. Besides, the granite has high Ga contents, the values of 104（Ga/AI） vary from 2.50 to 2.77, which is mainly greater than the lower limit of A-type granites （2.6）, and is higher than the I- and S- type granites＇ average （2.1 and 2.28, respectively）. Rare earth element （REE） is characterized by relatively high fractionations of light REE （LREE） and heavy REE （HREE） （LREE/HREE=9.3-13.60, （La/Yb）N=10.92-18.02）, pronounced negative Eu anomalies （JEn=0.08-0.13）, and exhibits right- dipping gull pattern. Major elements, rare elements and trace elements features show the granite is ascribed to A-type granite and A2 subtype in tectonic genetic type. They are plotted into post-collision or within-plate area in a variety of tectonic discriminations. Geological and geochemical data comprehensively suggest that the granite is formed in a post-collision extensive tectonic setting. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （LA-ICP-MS） zircon U-Pb dating yields a weighted mean age of 425 Ma, belonging to Middle Silurian, which is similar to the age of the post- collision geological events in the region. The differences of magmatic rocks in formation age, rocks assemblage and rocks series systematically indicate that the regional tectonic stress regime in the East Kunlun orogenic belt experienced a major transformation from compress to extension in Middle Silurianin, and the Helegangnaren feldspar granite intruded in the early stage of tectonic transformation.

^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar Thermochronological Constraints on the Timing of Collisional Orogeny in the Mian-Lite Collision Belt,Southern Qinling Mountains

Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous geological bodies in the Mianxian-Lueyang (Mian-Lue) collisional belt (MLB) and its neighbouring areas, southern Qinling Mountains, China, show similar characteristics of having undergone deformation of two stages. The earlier one, which is inferred to be related to collisional orogeny between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents based on previous geological data, is responsible for large-scale, north-verging recumbent folds and overthrusts, and associated with low greenschist fades metamorphism. 40Ar/39Ar dating of three muscovite samples taken from different localities yields plateau ages of 226.9±0.9 and 219.5±1.4 Ma and an apparent age of 194.5±3.0 Ma. Thus, the late Triassic collision between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean palaeocontinents has been constrained.

The Yanshanian Orogeny and Two Kinds of Yanshanides in Eastern-Central China

The Tan-Lu Fault was once a transform fault in the Paleotethys, west of which was the Qinling-Dabie Ocean separating the Yangtze Craton from the North China Craton, and east of which was the Su-Lu Ocean separating the Su-Wan Block from the Jiao-Liao Craton. The Qinling-Dabie Ocean closed in the Indosinian orogeny, which created the China-Southeast Asia Subcontinent, with the Tan-Lu Fault becoming a marginal shear zone along the newly-formed amalgamated subcontinent. The Su-Lu Ocean subducted partly in the Indosinian.orogeny, but not closed. In the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, the Su-Wan Block drifted northwards with subduction of the Su-Lu Ocean and moved westwards to converge the subcontinent by sinistral sheafing of the ENE-striking fractures. The Su-Lu Ocean finally closed and the Su-Wan Block collided with the Jiao-Liao Craton in the Early Cretaceous, which constituted a part of the magnificent interplate Yanshanides. The interplate orogeny rejuvenated the fossil sutures and deep fractures, as well as the Indosinian orogen, and the intraplate （intracontinental） Yanshanian orogeny occurred in the subcontinent. The East Asia Yanshanides, consisting of the interplate orogens in the outer side and the intraplate orogens in the inner side, collapsed quickly in the latest Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous. The eastern China area entered a tensile period from the Eogene, and the tectonic differentiation between the central and eastern China areas since the Jurassic was further strengthened.

Intracontinental Collisional Orogeny During Late Permian-Middle Triassic in South China: Sedimentary Records of the Shiwandashan Basin

Sedimentary response to an orogenic process is important for determining whether South China had compressional or extensional orogeny during the period from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic besides the tectonic and magmatologic evidence. An intracontinental collision event took place between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Late Permian. Beginning at the Late Triassic, the tectonic movement was completely changed in nature and entered a post-collisional extensional orogenic and basin-making process. This paper presents sedimentological evidence from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic in the Shiwandashan basin at the southwestern end of the junction zone between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks.

Zircon geochronology reveals polyphase magmatism and crustal anatexis in the Buchan Block,NE Scotland:Implications for the Grampian Orogeny

The type locality for high-temperature,low-pressure regional metamorphism,the Buchan Block in NE Scotland,exhibits profound differences to the rest of the Grampian Terrane.These differences have led some to regard the Buchan Block as an exotic crustal fragment comprising Precambrian basement gneisses and cover rocks thrust into their current position during Grampian orogenesis.Although rocks of the Buchan Block are now generally correlated with Dalradian strata elsewhere,the origin of the gneisses and the cause of the high heat flow and associated magmatism is debated.We report SIMS U-Pb and LA-ICPMS Hf isotopic data in zircon from high-grade rocks from the northeast(Inzie Head Gneiss)and northwest(Portsoy)corners of the Buchan Block.Around Inzie Head,upper amphibolite to granulite facies metasedimentary gneisses coexist with diorite sheets that were emplaced contemporaneously with partial melting of their host rocks,at least locally.U-Pb geochronology indicates a crystallisation age for the diorite of 486±9 Ma.Highly-deformed diorites within the Portsoy Gabbro have a crystallisation age of 493±8 Ma.Ages of ca.490 Ma for magmatism and high-grade metamorphism,which are broadly contemporaneous with ophiolite obduction and the onset of orogenesis,are significantly older than the established peak of Grampian metamorphism(ca.470 Ma).We propose a new model for the Grampian Orogeny involving punctuated tectonothermal activity due to tectonic switching during accretionary orogenesis.Rollback of a NW-dipping subduction zone at ca.490 Ma produced a back-arc environment(the Buchan Block)with associated arc magmatism and high dT/dP metamorphism.Arrival of an outboard arc resulted in shortening(the initial phase of the Grampian Orogeny)at ca.488 Ma.Rollback of a NW-dipping subduction zone to the SE of the ca.488 Ma suture began at 473 Ma and led to lithospheric-scale extension,decompression melting and advective heating of the middle crust,producing the widespread ca.470 Ma Grampian(classic Barrovian and Buchan)regional metamorphism.Resumed hinge advance and the final phase of shortening cut off the heat supply at ca.465 Ma,marking the end of the Grampian Orogeny.

Isotope Geochronologic and Geochemical Constraints on the Magmatic Associations of the Collisional Orogenic Zone in the West Kunlun Orogen, China

The Jiajiwaxi pluton in the southern portion of the West Kunlun Range can be divided into two collision-related intrusive rock series, i.e., a gabbro-quartz diorite-granodiorite series that formed at 224±2.0 Ma and a monzonitic granite-syenogranite series that formed at 222±2.0 Ma. The systematic analysis of zircon U-Pb geochronology and bulk geochemistry is used to discuss the magmatic origin （material source and thermal source）, tectonic setting, genesis and geotectonic implications of these rocks. The results of this analysis indicate that the parent magma of the first series, representing a transition from I-type to S-type granites, formed from thermally triggered partial melting of deep crustal components in an early island-arc-type igneous complex, similar to an I-type granite, during the continental collision orogenic stage. The parent magma of the second series, corresponding to an S-type granite, formed from the partial melting of forearc accretionary wedge sediments in a subduction zone in the late Palaeozoic-Triassic. During continued collision, the second series magma was emplaced into the first series pluton along a central fault zone in the original island arc region, forming an immiscible puncture-type complex. The deep tectonothermal events associated with the continent-continent collision during the orogenic cycle are constrained by the compositions and origins of the two series. The new information provided by this paper will aid in future research into the dynamic mechanisms affecting magmatic evolution in the West Kunlun orogenic belt.

The Late Mesozoic Orogenic Processes of Mongolia-Okhotsk Orogen: Evidence from Field Investigations into Deformation of the Mohe Area, NE China

Based on field investigation in 1999, two deformational domains with d ifferent dynamics have been distinguished from the Jurassic geological outcrops in the Mohe area of NE China, i.e. northern ductile and southern plastic-brittl e ones. Their deformational features are stated in this paper. And then, three st ages of structural deformation of the area relative to the late Mesozoic orogeni c processes of Mongolian-Okhotsk orogen are reconstructed as follows, (1) south w ards thrusting in the middle-late Jurassic, (2) eastwards thrusting and strike -s lipping parallel to the orogen in the late Jurassic, and (3) southeastwards thru sting in the early Cretaceous.

Large-scale Migration of Fluids toward Foreland Basins during Collisional Orogeny: Evidence from Triassic Anhydrock Sequences and Regional Alteration in the Middle-Lower Yangtze Area

The middle-lower Yangtze area underwent a series of complex tectonic evolution, such as Hercynian extensional rifting, Indosinian foreland basining, and Yanshanian transpression-transtension, resulting in a large distinctive Cu-Fe-Au metallogenic belt. In the tectonic evolution, large-scale migration and convergence of fluids toward foreland basins induced during the collisional orogeny of the Yangtze and North China continental blocks were of vital importance for the formation of the metallogenic belt. Through geological surveys of the middle-lower Yangtze area, three lines of evidence of large-scale fluid migration are proposed: (1) The extensive dolomitic and silicic alteration penetrating Cambrian-Triassic strata generally occurs in a region sandwiched between the metallogenic belt along the Yangtze River and the Dabie orogenic belt, and in the alteration domain alternately strong and weak alteration zones extend in a NW direction and are controlled by the fault system of the Dabie orogenic belt; it might record the locus of the activities of long-distance migrating fluids. (2) The textures and structures of very thick Middle-Lower Triassic anhydrock sequences in restricted basins along the river reveal the important contribution of the convergence of regional hot brine in restricted basins and the chemical deposition or their formation. (3) Early-Middle Triassic syndepositional iron carbonate sequences and Fe-Cu-Pb-Zn massive sulfide deposits alternate with anhydrock sequences or are separated from the latter, but all of them occur in the same stratigraphic horizon and are intimately associated with each other, being the product of syndeposition of high-salinity hot brine. According to the geological surveys, combined with previous data, the authors propose a conceptual model of fluid migration-convergence and mineralization during the Dabie collisional orogeny.

Tectono-Metallogenic System in the Altay Orogenic Belt,China

The Altay orogenic belt of China is an important metallogenic belt of base metals, rare metals and gold. The main orogenic-metallogenic epoch is the Hercynian (Late Palaeozoic). Hercynian orogeny underwent two tectonic stages: the early volcano-passive continental margin extension (D1-D2) and late subduction-collision (D3-P). There correspondingly developed two different metallogenic systems. One is the stratabound massive sulphide and iron metallogenic system related to volcano-passive continental margin, and the other is the epigenetic gold and granite-associated rare metals system formed by collision. Very few mineralizations were formed during the subduction time.

Rejuvenation of Fossil Sutures and Related Mesozoic Intracontinental Orogenies in South China

The Huanan (South China) subcontinent was created by amalgamation of the Yangtze, Xianggan, Cathaysia and Zhemin microcontinents by the Guangxi orogeny in the Early Palaeozoic. The closure of the Tethyan Ocean and subsequent collision event outside the amalgamated continent reactivated fossil sutures and resulted in intracontinental (ensialic) orogenies in the Mesozoic. Based on evidence from deformation, molasse and granitoids, the Sichuan-Guizhou-Hunan—southern Hubei and Hunan-Jiangxi-Fujian Yanshanian fold-thrust systems and the Lower Yangtze-northwestern Fujian Indosinian fold-thrust system are thought to be intracontinental orogens. Their main features are as follows: intracontinental orogenies occurred areally, thrusting propagated towards the interior of the continental, they extend parallelly to the strikes of the fossil sutures, and the details of the temporal-spatial evolution of the orogens depend on subduction-collision events.

A Comparison of Nd Isotopes of Granitoids from the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and Qinling-Dabie Orogen,and Implications for Understanding of Crustal Growth from Accretion to Collision

Orogens can generally be divided into two types:accretionary and collisional.The fundamental differences in deep-crustal compositions and architecture from accretion to collision and how to identify them is not well understood.This is one of the major aims of the IGCP 662 project(www.igcp662.org.cn).