Triassic Nappe in the Central Part of the Southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt(Ejinaq,NW China):Evidence from Structural Analysis and Geothermochronology

The thrust nappe played an important role in the Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the middle part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB).However,the timing,structural style and kinematic processes of the thrust nappe remain controversial,particularly the detail of the thrust nappe in the Guaizihu region(110 km east of Ejinaq).In this study,we investigate new field mapping,seismic sections,geochronology and low-temperature thermochronometric dating to provide constraints on the history of this thrust nappe in the Chaheilingashun area(northwestern Guaizihu region).The field mapping,seismic sections and structural analysis reveal that the autochthonous system had developed a series of strong fold structures in the upper Permian strata.The allochthonous system mainly contains Devonian monzogranite(U-Pb age,ranges from 386.7 to 389.0 Ma)and Meso–Neoproterozoic schists(the maximum depositional age,~880 Ma),which were thrust upon the upper Permian strata during Middle to Late Triassic.Based on similar rocks,geochronological dating and the Yagan thrust,we suggest that the postulated root zone of this allochthon might have originated from the Huhetaoergai area(40–60 km northwest of the study area).The geochronological results reveal that the lower age limit of this thrust nappe is constrained by the Lower–Middle Triassic syntectonic sediments(tuffaceous sandstone,~247 Ma),which is the sedimentary response of the fold structure.,The timing of the termination of this thrust nappe is defined by the cooling age(^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar data,217–211 Ma)of the Devonian monzogranite and Meso–Neoproterozoic schists.Thus,we consider this thrust event in the study area to potentially have occurred in the period from 247 Ma to 211 Ma,which may represent the tectonic response to the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.

Early Cretaceous Thrust and Nappe Tectonics in North Qilian Shan,Northern Tibetan Plateau:Evidence from Field Mapping,Geochronology,and Deep Structural Analysis

The North Qilian Shan fold and thrust belt,located at the northern Tibetan Plateau and southern margin of the Hexi Corridor,is a key tectonic unit to decode the formation and expansion of the plateau.Previous studies emphasize the Cenozoic deformation due to the far-field response to the Indo-Asian collision,but the Mesozoic deformations are poorly constrained in this area.We conducted detailed field mapping,structural analysis,geochronology,and structural interpretation of deep seismic reflectional profiling and magnetotelluric(MT)sounding,to address the superposed results of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic deformation.The results recognized the North Qilian thrust and nappe system(NQTS),the root and the frontal belt are the North Qilian thrust(NQT),and the Yumu Shan klippe(YK),respectively.The middle belt is located between the NQT and the YK.Monzonitic granite zircon U-Pb dating from the middle belt yields an age of ca.415 Ma,which is similar to south NQT.The thrusting displacement is estimated at ca.48 km by structural interpretation of deep profiles.The timing is constrained in the early stage of the Early Cretaceous by the formation of simultaneous growth strata.We suggest that the NQTS has resulted from the far-field effect of the Lhasa-Qiangtang collision,and the Yumu Shan is uplifted by the superposed Cenozoic deformation.

Mechanical genesis of Henan(China) Yima thrust nappe structure

Considering the serious coal and rock dynamic disasters around the main slip plane called F16 in the coal mining area) of Henan Yima(China) thrust nappe structure,the mechanical genesis of the Yima thrust nappe structure was studied comprehensively using geomechanics,fault mechanics,elastic mechanics,and Coulomb's law of friction.First,using the centrifugal inertia force of Earth's rotation as a source,a mechanical model of N-S compression superimposed with W-E reverse torsion was established to explain the formation of the early Yima coal basin and Jurassic Yima Group coal measures.Second,an equation for the ultimate stress in the forming stage of F16 was derived using the plastic slip-line field theory and the parabolic Mohr failure criterion.Moreover,the distribution of ultimate stress and the geometric characteristics of the fault profile were obtained using the field model parameters.Finally,the stress field of F16 and the mechanical genesis of the large-scale reverse thrust sheet were discussed based on elastic mechanics theory and Coulomb's law of friction.The results show that the tectonic framework of the early Yima coal basin and the formation pattern of Jurassic Yima Group coal measures given by the model are consistent with the in-situ explorations.The geometric characteristics of the fault profile obtained by numerical calculation can better reflect the shape of F16 in its forming stage,and the mechanical genesis of the large-scale reverse thrust sheet also concurred with the field situations.Thus,this work can provide a foundation for further studies on the genesis of the thrust nappe structure,the mechanism of rock bursts induced by F16,and the characteristics of the residual stress field in the Yima mining area.

THE THRUST AND NAPPE TECTONIC ZONE ALONG THE SOUTHERN MARGIN OF THE COAL-FORMING REGION OF NORTH CHINA

A thrust and nappe tectonic zone with imbricate branch thrusts is developed along the southern margin of the coal-forming region of North China. This tectonic zone is tightly related to the Qinling-Dabie collision orogen in genesis and belongs to the frontal zone of a huge thrust system developed during Yanshanian episode at the northern foot of the orogen. It is pointed out that thrusting had distorted the original depositional margin of the coal-forming region and some new coal-bearing blocks would be found out in the frontal sheets and under the undulate sole thrust.

THRUST NAPPE STRUTRUE IN THE JINGGANG MOUNTAIN: CHARACTERISTICS AND SIGNIFICANCE FOR PROSPECTION OF ORE DEPOSITS

Nappe structure, as was first discovered by the authors during the regional geological survey at the scale of 1:50,000 in The Jinggang Mountain, is mainly comprised of a series of NNE-NE-striking thrust fault zones and thrust sheets among them. Sinian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Devonian, Carboniferous,Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous strata are involved in the thrust nappe system. The nappe structure is of the type of duplex structures formed as a result of the earlier stage migration from SE to NW and late stage migration from E to W of sedimentary cover or basement strata. Formation of the nappe structure in the studied area involves two main epochs: Early Yanshanian and Late Yanshanian to Early Himalayan. The mineral deposits and the buried coalfields in the area, especially the latter, are extensively controlled by the nappe structure.

Analysis of Nappes and Glided Nappes in China

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Contrast of Seismic Reflection Characteristics of Gas Hydrate Distribution between Northeast SCS Slope and Hengchun Ridge

By analyzing and interpreting the newly acquired seismic profile supported by the national 973 Program and synthesizing the data with other geologic ＆ geographic information, we draw conclusions as follows, a） Two seismic reflections located at the northeast South China Sea （SCS） slope and the Hengchun ridge are the Bottom Simulated Reflections （BSRs）. Yet, the genesis and process of the gas hydrate in these two areas are different because of different regional tectonics and geological environments; b） The genesis of gas hydrate located at the northeast SCS slope area is related to the broadly existing fracture zones, slumping tectosomes, and the distinctive shielding environment of pressure masking field formed by them. But the genesis of the gas hydrate at the Hengchun ridge is associated with the thrust nappe structures and accretionary wedges formed along the Manila subduction zone and the related sub-floor fluid channel system built by them; c） Since the analogous geologic bodies are broadly distributed at slope areas around SCS and the temperature-press environment is very suitable to the formation and conservation of the gas hydrate, we suggest that much more of this resource should be stored in these areas.

Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd Isochron Ages of the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn Ore Deposits in the Yushu area, southern Qinghai and Their Geological Implications

Located on the northeast margin of the Qiangtang terrane between the Jinshajiang suture zone and Bangonghu-Nujiang suture zone,the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn deposits in the Yushu area of Qinghai Province are representative Pb-Zn deposits of the Pb-Zn-Cu polymetallic mineralization belt in the northern part of the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang area,which are in the front belt of the Yushu thrust nappe system.The formed environments of these two deposits are different from those of sediment-hosted base metal deposits elsewhere in the world.The authors hold that they were formed during the Indian-Asian continental collision and developed within the fold-thrust belt combined with thrust and strike-slip-related Cenozoic basins in the interior of the collisional zone.Studying on the metallogenic epochs of these two deposits is helpful to the understanding of ore-forming regularity of the regional Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization belt and also to the search for new deposits in this region.The age of the Dongmozhazhua deposit has been determined by the Rb-Sr isochron method for sphalerite residues,whereas the age of the Mohailaheng deposit has been determined by the Rb-Sr isochron method for sphalerite residues and the Sm-Nd isochron method for fluorite.The age of the Dongmozhazhua deposit is 35.0-±0.0 Ma （（87Sr/86Sr）0=0.708807） for sphalerite residues.The age of the Mohailaheng deposit is 32.2±0.4 Ma （（87Sr/86Sr）o=0.708514） for sphalerite residues and 31.8±0.3 Ma （（143Nd/144Nd）o=0.512362） for fluorite with an average of 32.0 Ma.Together with the regional geological setting during mineralization,a possible tectonic model for metallogeny of the Dongmozhazhua and Mohailaheng Pb-Zn deposits has been established.These two ages are close to the ages of the Pb-Zn deposits in the Lanping and Tuotuohe basins,indicating that it is possible that the narrow 1000-kilometer-long belt controlled by a thrust nappe system on the eastern and northern margins of the Tibetan plateau could be a giant Pb-Zn mineralized belt.

Characteristics and geological significance of germanium in Taiyuan coal formation of Huainan Coalfield,Anhui,China

HN-1#is the first fully working coring well of the Taiyuan Formation(Ty)in the Huinan Coalfield and exploration studies are currently underway on the associated resources of the coal-bearing strata.The HN-1#well is located in the Fufeng thrust nappe structural belt in the south of the Huainan Coalfield.Three coal samples from the Ty were collected from HN-1#and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry were used to determine the Ge content of each sample.Based on proximate and ultimate analyses,microscopy data,and analyses of the ash products,some important findings were made.The Ty coal samples had a relatively high total sulfur(Sud)content(4.24%),thus the coal was considered to be a lower ranked coal(high volatility bituminous coal),which also had a low coal ash composition index(k,1.87).Collodetrinite was the main submaceral of the Ty coal.Small amounts of pyrite particles were found in the coal seams of the Ty,while the contents of pyrite and algae in the top and bottom sections of the coal seam were relatively high,which meant that the swampy peat conditions which existed during the formation of the coal seams were affected by seawater;also the degree of mineralization of the coal seam was relatively high,which is consistent with reducing conditions in a coastal environment setting.Atomic force microscopy(AFM)experiments showed that the modes of occurrence of Ge in the Ty coal were mainly those for organic-bound and adsorbed Ge species.The organic carbon isotope values for the Ty coal ranged from-24.1‰to-23.8‰,with an average value of-24.0‰,which is equivalent to the value for terrestrial plants(average value-24.0‰).The Ge content of the Ty coal was 13.57 mg/kg.The Ge content was negatively correlated with volatile matter and the ash yield.