The Sachakou Deposit in West Kunlun of Xinjiang: A Pb-Zn Polymetallic Deposit Associated with Magmatic Metasomatism of Carbonate Rock

Objective The Sachakou Pb-Zn polymetallic deposit is located in Hetian County, Xinjiang （geographical coordinates of E78° 57＇ 54.30＂-78°59＇ 53.63＂, N34° 39＇ 27.50＂-34° 40＇ 57.21＂）. It belongs to the West Kunlun orogenic belt on the northwest edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is connected to the Sanjiang orogenic belt to the south （Spurlin et al., 2005）. In recent years, a series of Pb-Zn mineralized spots and deposits have been discovered in this area one after another, which is called the Huoshaoyun ore concentration area. Among them, the Sachakou Pb-Zn deposit has reserves up to140 Mt, which has reached a large scale. However, the study on the genesis of deposits in this area has only just begun. This work studied the genesis ofthis Pb-Zn deposit in order to provide new ideas for the genesis of regional deposits and regional prospecting.

First Report of Zircon U-Pb Chronology and Hf Isotope Evidence of the Heluositan Group Granulite in West Kunlun, Xinjiang

Objective As the uplift belt on the southem margin of the Tarim block, the Tiekelike block consists mainly of a set of Precambrian metamorphic rocks with granulite and gneisses. The Heluositan group-complex is the most ancient rock series in the area, and is a key area for studying the formation and evolution of the Precambrian basement of the Tarim craton. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotopic analysis of granulite in this area provide new evidence for revealing the formation and evolution of the Precambrian basement in the Tarim Basin.

Ore-forming Conditions and Prospecting in the West Kunlun Area,Xinjiang, China

The West Kunlun ore-forming belt is located between the northwestern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and southwestern Tarim Basin. It situated between the Paleo-Asian Tectonic Domain and Tethyan Tectonic Domain. It is an important component of the giant tectonic belt in central China (the Kunlun-Qilian-Qinling Tectonic Belt or the Central Orogenic Belt). Many known ore-forming belts such as the Kunlun-Qilian Qinling ore-forming zone, Sanjiang (or Three river) ore-forming zone, Central Asian ore-forming zone, etc. pass through the West Kunlun area. Three ore-forming zones and seven ore-forming subzones were classified, and eighteen mineralization areas were marked. It is indicated that the West Kunlun area is one of the most favorable region for finding out large and superlarge ore deposits.

Surface Processes Driving Intracontinental Basin Subsidence in the Context of India–Eurasia Collision:Evidence from Flexural Subsidence Modeling of the Cenozoic Southern Tarim Basin along the West Kunlun Foreland,NW Tibetan Plateau

The India–Eurasia collision has produced a number of Cenozoic deep intracontinental basins,which bear important information for revealing the far-afield responses to the remote collision.Despite their significance,their subsiding mechanism remains the subject of debate,with end-member models attributing it to either orogenic or sedimentary load.In this study,we conduct flexural subsidence modeling with a two-dimensional finite elastic plate model on the Hotan-Mazatagh section along the southern Tarim Basin,which defines a key region in the foreland of the West Kunlun Orogen,along the NW margin of the Tibetan Plateau.The modeling results indicate that the orogenic load of West Kunlun triggers the southern Tarim Basin to subside by up to less than ~6 km,with its impact weakening towards the basin interiors until ~230 km north from the Karakax fault.The sedimentary load,consisting of Cenozoic strata,forces the basin to subside by ~2 to~7 km.In combination with the retreat of the proto-Paratethys Sea and the paleogeographic reorganization of the Tarim Basin,we propose that surface processes,in particular a shift from an exorheic to an endorheic drainage system associated with the consequent thick sedimentary load,played a decisive role in forming deep intracontinental basins in the context of the India-Eurasia collision.

Geochemistry of the Cenozoic Potassic Volcanic Rocks in the West Kunlun Mountains and Constraints on Their Sources

The geochemical characteristics of the Cenozoic volcanic rocks from the north Pulu, east Pulu and Dahongliutan regions in the west Kunlun Mountains are somewhat similar as a whole. However, the volcanic rocks from the Dahongliutan region in the south belt are geochemically distinguished from those in the Pulu region (including the north and east Pulu) of the north belt. The volcanic rocks of the Dahongliutan region are characterized by relatively low TiO2 abundance, but more enrichment in alkali, much more enrichment in light rare earth elements and large ion lithosphile elements than those from the Pulu region. Compared with the Pulu region, volcanic rocks from the Dahongliutan region have relatively low 87Sr/86Sr ratios, and high εNd, 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb. Their trace elements and isotopic data suggest that they were derived from lithospheric mantle, consisting of biotite- and hornblende-bearing garnet lherzolite, which had undertaken metasomatism and enrichment. On the primitive mantle-normalized patterns, they display remarkably negative Nb and Ta anomalies, indicating the presence of early-stage subducted oceanic crust. The metasomatism and enrichment resulted from the fluid released from the crustal materials enclosed in the source region in response to the uplift of asthenospheric mantle. Based on the previous experiments it can be inferred that the thickness of the lithosphere ranges from 75 to 100 km prior to the generation of the magmas. However, the south belt differs from the north one by its thicker lithosphere and lower degree of partial melting. The different thickness of the lithosphere gives rise to corresponding variation of the degree of crustal contamination. The volcanic rocks in the south belt are much more influenced by crustal contamination. In view of the tectonic setting, the generation of potassic magmas is linked with the uplift of asthenosphere resulted from large-scale thinning of the lithosphere after the collision of Indian and Eurasian plates, whereas the thinning of the lithosphere may result from delamination. The potassic magmas mainly resulted from partial melting of lithosphere mantle caused by the uplift of asthenosphere.

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 Discovery of ～310 Ma Back-Arc Basin Basalt in the West Junggar,Xinjiang,NW China and its Geological Significance

Objective Mafic magmas can form in different tectonic settings with various geochemical characteristics depending on their mantle sources. Basalts generated in back-arc basins provide valuable perspectives on mantle structure and composition, on controls for melt generation, and on the sources responsible for arc magma genesis.

Discovery of Enclaves from Cenozoic PuluVolcanic Rocks in West Kunlun Mountains and ItsGeological Implications

In this paper, we present the occurrence and mineral components of the enclaves firstly discovered in the Cenozoic Pulu volcanic rocks in west Kunlun Mountains, and propose that the enclave is accumulated by fractional crystallization within high-level magma chamber. In addition, the chemical compositions of its primary magma are calculated. The calculated compositions are similar to those of the Kangxiwa volcanic rocks that belong to the same volcanic belt in the Pulu volcanic region, suggesting their origin from the same source region. However, the temperatures and oxygen fugacity of magmas at high-level magma chamber decreased along with fractional crystallization.

The Petrology and Geochemistry of Listwaenite in the Sartohay Ophiolitic Melange of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China

The west Junggar,located in the eastern part of Balkash-Junggar tectonic province,is a major component of the core of the Central Asian metallogenic region.This area is characterized by occurrences of ophiolitic mélanges,such as the Sartohay ophiolitic mélange in the NE and the Tangbale ophiolitic mélange in the west.As a hydrothermal alteration product of serpentinite in the Sartohay ophiolitic mélange,listwaenite lenses are gold-mineralized and crop out on surface in the ophiolitic mélange via weathering of exhumated hanging wall of fault zone.Listwaenite is mainly composed of magnesite,quartz,dolomite,and trace amounts of mariposite,chromian spinel,talc and sulfide.A vertical thermal gradient model for the hydrothermal alteration shows that serpentinite would first be transformed to talc schist,then into listwaenite as the ophiolite slices continued to rise along shear zone,with XCO2,oxygen and sulfur fugacity increase and temperature decrease.Both serpentine and magnetite were progressively destroyed during the transformation from serpentinite to talc schist,andcompletely vanished in listwaenite,while mariposite generated in weakly deformed to mylonitized listwaenite.Concentrations of most trace elements including high field strength elements and metallogenic elements,increasing from undeformed,through weakly deformed,to mylonitized listwaenite,show a positive correlation with deformation degree and content of apatite,rutile,monazite,zircon and sulfide in listwaenite.The shear zone served as pathways for percolation and accumulation of fluid and trace elements during the metasomatism from serpentinite to listwaenite.Compared to undeformed listwaenite,mylonitized listwaenite will be more favorable to be fractured and brecciated due to more intense shearing,which caused strong metasomatic reaction and then induced trace element-bearing mylonitized listwaenite.

Comparative Research on the Economic Development of Xinjiang i n the Perspective of Development of the West Regions

In the context of Development of the West Regions, by using the annual data from 1999 to 2009 in whole China and 12 provinces of the western regions, we analyze the achievements of socio-economic development of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 1999 to 2009 as follows: the economic aggregate has increased prominently and the growth rate is increasing ceaselessly; the primary industry, secondary industry and tertiary industry develop evenly, and the industrial structure is incessantly optimized; the quality of economic growth is promoted increasingly and the living standard of people is improved greatly; the primary industry, secondary industry and tertiary industry stride in tandem, and the momentum of growth is strong. We conduct horizontal comparison on the main economic indicators of Xinjiang, 12 provinces of the western regions and whole China, which include GDP and its growth rate, investment of fixed assets, structure of the primary industry, secondary industry and tertiary industry, the industrial added value, GDP per capita, gross retail sales of social consumption, export and import trade, net income per capita of peasants and herdsmen, and general budget revenue. The result shows that although the implementation of the strategy of Development of the West Regions and the economic development of Xinjiang have achieved some remarkable results, there is a conspicuous gap in comparison with the expected effect. The problems existing in the operation of Xinjiang's economy are analyzed as follows: the industrial level is low, and the economic growth mode is yet to be transformed; the disposable income per capita of urban residents grows slowly, and the increasing gap between the urban areas and rural areas has no trend of dwindling; the investment aggregate is very low, and the momentum of economic growth is short. In order to make the central government and 19 provinces and cities offer pointed aid for Xinjiang, promote the implementation of new strategic development of Western China, and promote the better economic development of Xinjiang in the period of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, we put forward some feasible suggestions as follows: Xinjiang should grasp favorable opportunities and quicken the pace of industrial structural adjustment; continue to open up to the outside world unswervingly, and improve investment environment ceaselessly; strive to maintain the continuous and rapid development of economy, and improve the living standard of people.

LA-ICP-MS Zircon U-Pb Age of Newly Discovered Hatu Tectonic Mélange in the West Junggar, Xinjiang, NW China

Objective The West Junggar, situated in the southwestern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is considered to be an important area for Phanerozoic crustal growth owing to the excellent exposures of diverse rock types and multiple generations of structures and magmatic rocks. Recently, a new tectonic mélange has been identified in the southern West Junggar during geological mapping at a scale of 50000.

The Ophiolitic Mélanges in Strike-slip Fault Zones in West Junggar,Xinjiang,NW China

The West Junggar region of western China,located in the far eastern end of the Kazakhstan orocline,occupies the junction of the Siberia,Tarim and Kazakhstan blocks,which is crucial for palinspastic reconstruction of the CAOB.The principal rock assemblages in West Junggar include Paleozoic ophiolitic mélanges and a thick,undeformed Upper Devonian–Lower Carboniferous sedimentary succession as the boundary of the mélanges,both of which are intruded by sub-circular Upper Carboniferous granitoid plutons and intermediate-basic-mafic dykes.On the basis of the sedimentary structures like cross bedding and convolute bedding and the geochronology data,the Upper Devonian–Lower Carboniferous sedimentary successions were identified as the Tailegula,Baogutu,and Xibeikulasi formations from the bottom up,which is an apparent shallowing-upwards ocean basin fill succession,from radiolarian cherts through 2000 meters of flysch to a more neritic Baogutu Formation to a fluvial Xibeikulasi Formation.At the bottom of the Tailegula Formation there is a peperite-bearing unit:a succession of extrusive mafic rock,mainly basaltic lava,with interbeds or blocks of sedimentary rocks including carbonate,radiolarian chert,calcareous siltstone and minor fine-grained tuffaceous sandstone.Peperites in the Tailegula are thickest and best developed as the type section.Four types of peperites were identified based on of the volcanic clast shapes and sediment-matrix properties in Tailegula:(1)arbonatesediment-hosted fluidal peperites,(2)sandstone-hosted fluidal peperites,(3)tuff-hosted mixed fluidal and blocky peperites and(4)carbonate-sediment-hosted blocky peperites.Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of a tuff lens enclosed by lava showed that the peperites formed in the Late Devonian(ca.364 Ma).The widespread peperitebearing succession in the Tailegula Formation is of variablethickness at different sites in West Junggar,such as the Tailegula,Baijiantan,Kalaxiuka,Saertuohai,Dagun,west of the Akebastaw granite and Shinaizha areas.The peperite-bearing unit is generally undeformed in contrast to the highly deformed slices of ophiolite,and is continuously distributed as a stratigraphic section regionally on either side of the Darbut and Baijiantan ophiolitic belts.It can be taken as a mark layer to demonstrate the existence of a shallow remnant ocean basin from the end of Devonian in West Junggar,which is an important component of oceanic crust in the remnant ocean basin.Peperite,underlying Devonian or earlier oceanic crust developed in the spreading process of the ocean basin,and overlying Carboniferous remnant ocean basin-fill succession constitute the complete evolution sequence of the remnant ocean basin.The Darbut and Baijiantan ophiolitic belts should not be interpreted as significant plate boundaries and represent the underlying ocean crust uplifted along tectonic lineaments within a continuous shallow remnant ocean basin.The Baijiantan and Darbut ophiolites are both steep fault zones(>70°)of serpentinite mélange,in contact on either side with regionally distributed and undeformed Upper Devonian–Lower Carboniferous ocean-floor peperitic basalts and overlying sedimentary successions.Ultramafic rocks is serpentinized and foliated to form the matrix of mélange.Some small blocks of peridotite are mylonitic and strongly foliated.Blocks of gabbro generally underwent prehnitization,epidotization and chloritization and many are metasomatized to rodingite.Pods of medium to fine grained amphibolites are encased in serpentinite and display relict gabbroic textures and amphibolite-facies assemblages.The Baijiantan ophiolitic mélange also includes amphibolite brecciasconsistingofcentimeter-sizedmylonitic amphibolite clasts embedded within a serpentinite matrix.Basalt lavas cropping out in the Baijiantan ophiolitic mélange are of two types:type 1 and type 2 lavas.The type1 lavas occur within the fault zones as small blocks withinthe matrix of ultramafic rocks,tectonically juxtaposed against other rocks.The type 2 basalt lava came from the peperite-bearing unit.Besides the ultramafic rocks,gabbros,and basalt lavas,the other supracrustal rocks in the ophiolitic mélange include sandstone,chert,tuff,and very rare limestone.Sandstones predominate and most of them are tuffaceous;their characteristics are consistent with the sandstones from surrounding Lower Carboniferous sedimentary formations.Sandstone blocks within the mélanges also have detrital zircon age distributions(300-400 Ma)and characteristics similar to surrounding Carboniferous sediments.The rock assemblages in the mélanges indicate the ophiolitic mélanges consist of locally derived rocks,in contrast to conventional ophiolitic mélanges.The ophiolitic mélanges show classic structural features of strike-slip shearing regimes,including subhorizontal slickenside lineations(<20°),consistent steeply dipping foliation(>75°)in the matrix,and elongated shapes of blocks aligned parallel to the shear zone.Consistent shear-sense indicators including slip-fiber lineations,Riedel shears,asymmetric blocks,shear band cleavages and veins indicate a horizontal sinistral sense of movement.The occurrence of the amphibolite and ultramafic mylonite in the mélanges probably record early,deep-seated strike slip,indicating that the fault zones extended downward through the oceanic crust.The amphibolite-facies metamorphism then was superimposed by brittle deformation at a shallow level to form fault breccias during the mélange formation.So the ophiolitic mélanges originated from crustal-scale sinistral strike-slip fault zones,not as major plate boundaries or subduction-suture zones.The youngest units of the mélanges are the deformed blocks of Lower Carboniferous basin-fill sedimentary rocks,indicating that the ultimate formation of the mélanges was after deposition of the Lower Carboniferous strata(detrital zircon age modes:320-330 Ma),but before the age of the intruding granite and the dike cutting the mélanges(~310 Ma).Based on above discussions and taking into consideration of the previous studies,a tectonic evolution scenario is proposed for the Devonian to Carboniferous in the West Junggar region.In the middle Devonian or earlier(>390Ma),a paleo-ocean basin existed,stretching across North Xinjiang from Darbut-Baijiantan area in West Junggar to the Kalamaili area in East Junggar.This basin was most likelyaback-arcbasinrelatedtothe Boshchekule–Chengiz–Yemaquan arc.Subduction ended in thepaleo-oceanbasinrepresentedbythe Hongguleleng-Kujibai-Armantai ophiolite belt by late Devonian(375-360 Ma),leading to slab break-off and upwelling of asthenosphere under the remnant ocean basin,which induced The OIB-like basalts in West Junggar.The oceanic basin started to receive sufficient sediment deposition into which OIB-like basalts flows could bulldoze to form the regional distributed peperites(~360 Ma).A little later,in the early Carboniferous(~340 Ma),continent-continent collision took place between the Junggar block and the Yemaquan arc,and Kalamaili ophiolite obduction occurred in the eastern part of Junggar block.The remnant ocean basin was preserved in the western part of the Junggar Block.Accompanying the relative motion between Junggar block and ocean basin in West Junggar during collision,a series of NW trending sinistral strike-slip faults were triggered and activated parallel to the western boundary of the Junggar block.During the late stage of the Early Carboniferous(~320 Ma),the remnant ocean basin was almost filled with sediments.The collision between the Yili and Junggar blocks at the beginning of the late Carboniferous reactivated the strike-slip faults,which disrupted the oceanic crust and basin-fill successions and caused diapirs of serpentinite to form the Baijiantan and Darbut ophiolitic mélanges.The emplacement of Upper Carboniferous(~310 Ma)stitching A-type granitoid plutons indicates the evolutionary history of the remnant ocean basin and strike-slip fault zone ophiolitic mélanges terminated by that time.

A Report of the Newly Discovered Cu–Ni Ore Deposit in the West of East Tianshan, North Xinjiang, China

Objective The Early Permian mafic-ultramafic intrusions （298- 270 Ma, Mao et al., 2008）, which are widely distributed in different tectonic domains in North Xinjiang, host magmatic sulfide ore deposits, making North Xinjiang the second most important region for Ni resources in China. The bulk of Cu-Ni ore deposits in East Tianshan, making up a large portion of Ni resources in North Xinjiang, were concentrated in the east of East Tianshan （the Huangshan- Jing＇erquan region） （Feng Yanqing, et al., 2017）, while no any analogue was discovered in the west of East Tianshan until the Lubei Cu-Ni （Co） ore deposit （90°21＇E, 42°10rN） was identified by Xinjiang Geological Survey in 2014. The Lubei Cu-Ni （Co） ore deposit is a medium- to large- sized deposit with Ni and Cu grades in the range 0.2%- 7.76% and 0.2%-2.30%, respectively. This work has initiated the prospection for a large-sized Cu-Ni ore deposit in the west of East Tianshan.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL CONTENTS OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN SOILS OF KARAKORUM-WEST KUNLUN MOUNTAIN REGION

Natural contents of 23 elements in soils of Karakorum-West Kunlun Mts are studied. By comparison of natural contents andcalculation of regional differentiation coefficients, similarity anddchrence of elemental contents between soils of the region and thatof China and of the world are discussed. Through main componentanalysis, relation of intergrowth and realignment among elementsin soils and characteristics of cluster expressed in soil types are alsodiscussed. Coherence of elements in soi1s and characteristics ofregional dtherence of the elements are clarified. The concernedregion is abound in natural resources. Research on natural contentsof chemical elements in soils of the region is significant forstudying elemental chemical geography and environmentalgeochemistry. Besides, it also offers necessary data for explorationand development of this region.

Tectonic evolution of the West Kunlun Orogenic Belt along the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau:Implications for the assembly of the Tarim terrane to Gondwana

The West Kunlun orogenic belt(WKOB) along the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is important for understanding the evolution of the Proto-and Paleo-Tethys oceans. Previous investigations have focused on the igneous rocks and ophiolites distributed mostly along the Xinjiang-Tibet road and the China-Pakistan road, and have constructed a preliminary tectonic model for this orogenic belt. However, few studies have focused on the so-called Precambrian basement in this area. As a result, the tectonic affinity of the individual terranes of the WKOB and their detailed evolution process are uncertain. Here we report new field observations, zircon and monazite U-Pb ages of the "Precambrian basement" of the South Kunlun terrane(SKT) and the Tianshuihai terrane(TSHT), two major terranes in the WKOB. Based on new zircon U-Pb age data, the amphibolite-facies metamorphosed volcanosedimentary sequence within SKT was deposited during the late Neoproterozoic to Cambrian(600-500 Ma), and the flysch-affinity Tianshuihai Group, as the basement of the TSHT, was deposited during the late Neoproterozoic rather than Mesoproterozoic. The rock association of the volcano-sedimentary sequence within SKT suggests a large early Paleozoic accretionary wedge formed by the long-term lowangle southward subduction of the Proto-Tethys Ocean between Tarim and TSHT. The amphibolitefacies metamorphism in SKT occurred at ca. 440 Ma. This ca. 440 Ma metamorphism is genetically related to the closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean between Tarim and the Tianshuihai terrane, which led to the assembly of Tarim to Eastern Gondwana and the final formation of the Gondwana. Since the late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic, the northward subduction of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean along the HongshihuQiaoertianshan belt produced the voluminous early Mesozoic arc-signature granites along the southern part of NKT-TSHT. The Paleo-Tethys ocean between TSHT and Karakorum closed at ca. 200 Ma, as demonstrated by the monazite age of the paragneiss in the Kangxiwa Group. Our study does not favor the existence of a Precambrian basement in SKT.

Glacier Changes during the Past 40 Years in the West Kunlun Shan

Recent studies on glaciers in the West Kunlun Shan, northwest Tibetan Plateau, have shown that they may be stable or retreating slightly. Here, we assess changes in the mass of the glaciers in the West Kunlun Shan(WKS) in an attempt to understand the processes that control their behavior. Glaciers over the recent 40 years(1970-2010) have shrunk 3.4±3.1%in area, based on a comparison between two Chinese glacier inventories. Variations of surface elevations, derived from ICESat-GLAS(Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-Geoscience Laser Altimeter System) elevation products(GLA14 data) using the robust linear-fit method, indicate that the glaciers have been gaining mass at a rate of 0.23±0.24 m w.e./a since 2003. The annual mass budget for the whole WKS range from 2003 to 2009 is estimated to be 0.71±0.62 Gt/a. This gain trend is confirmed by MOD10A1 albedo for the WKS region which shows a descent of the mean snowline altitude from 2003 to 2009.

DEEP SEISMIC SOUNDING EVIDENCE FOR TECTONIC INTERACTION BETWEEN TARIM AND WEST KUNLUN MT

The Tarim basin, located in the northern margin of Tibet, plays a key role in comprehending Tibetan plateau rapid uplift process. Focuses have been on the contribution of basin block to create high mountain (e.g.,Chen and Molnar,1977, Molnar et al.,1993, Ph. Matte, Tapponnier et al.,1996) since 1970. The models, which mainly depend on result of geological survey and other geophysical observation in the region excepted Deep Seismic Sounding, remained unsure because of blank(or absence ) of DSS data until our experiment was performed. How Tarim and west Kunlun to contact in depth ? What different is in crust structure between Tarim and west Kunlun Mt.? This is what we will reply to in our program.We finished the program in 1997. A total of 120 set seismograms (with 3\|component sensors) and 18000kg (AT and TNT) dynamos were used for the DSS field project. 6 shot in Tarim basin and 1 shot in west Kunlun Mt. (Quanshuigou) had been shoot successfully. One shot (Pishan shot) is used as fan\|shape observation (offset is from 150km to 220km) in 6 shots located in Tarim basin. The survey line is along Hotan river across the Tarim basin from the north to the south. In particular, we carried 20 set seismic recorders to Kunlun Mt. to make a short line about 60 km as the southern tendency of our line. The seismic recorders were placed in an interval of 3km from one stations to the next and covered a distance of more than 300km. The stations have to be moved their location per 2\|shotting to form a meeting system or a tracing system (layout). Fig.1 showed our survey line and location of shot as well as recorder stations. Finally we gained 625 cassettes with original seismic record (include cassettes of shooting time recorder et al.). After data process total 1147 quite high\|quality three\|component digital records have been used to analyze. Here, only results of analyzing P wave data is given.

GRANITOIDS AND TETONIC EVOLUTION OF THE WEST KUNLUN OROGENIC BELT

The West Kunlun orogenic belt, one of the least studied areas in China, is located at the junction between the Qinghai—Tibetan Plateau and Tarim Basin and has undergone intense tectonic action and frequent magmatism.The West Kunlun orogenic belt can be divided into five tectonic\|magmatic evolution stages according to the character of the igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, sedimentation mode, tectonic phases and isotopic ages(Fig 1).Active stages have dominated with only short intervening stable stages. This kind of evolution is not simply repeated but that a later stage is elevation and development of its former stage.Space\|time distribution of granitoids varies with each different tectonic\| magmatic stage as well as within different periods of the same tectonic\| magmatism stage. Take time into condition , It is an important turning movement of tectonics\|magmatism evolution during the Indo\|Sinian movement, as space the middle fault (Jiang Chunfa 1982) of the West Kunlun orogenic belt is a significant border o f tectonics\|magmatism evolution. Granitoids formed before Indo\|Sinian movement are mainly distributed to the north of the middle fault of West Kunlun. These granitoids are mostly granites of early and middle Proterozoic, Caledonian and Hercynian ages. A unique control on the granitoid evolution is that they become younger from NE to SW, crossing the regional structure line. Granitoids formed after Indo\|Sinian movement are mainly distributed to the south of the middle fault. But distribution of granitoids of early Yanshan cycle cut across the middle fault of West Kunlun Mountain. Their age distribution shows a bidirectional control with the granitoids becoming younger across the regional structural lines from NE and SW boundary fault to the interior of the fracture belts.

Caledonian Low-Temperature Granulite-Facies Metamorphism in the West Kunlun Orogenic Belt-SHRIMP Chronological Evidence from Zircon

The West Kunlun orogenic belt is located at the conjunction of the paleo\|Asian tectonic system and the Tethys tectonic system. Petrological and mineralogical studies of the Early Cambrian metamorphic surface crust in this region have shown that in case the metamorphism reached low\|temperature granulate facies, the typical mineral assemblage is biotite\|garnet\|silimanite\|K feldspar\|plagioclase\|quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures are within the range of 720-740℃ and the pressure is \{0.6\} GPa±. Three types of metamorphic zircon have been detected in the metamorphic rocks: the complex inclusion\|bearing type; the early relic zircon inclusion\|bearing type; and the inclusion\|free type. SHRIMP age determination of these three types of metamorphic zircon have revealed that these zircons were formed principally during 400-460 Ma, indicating that pre\|Cambrian metamorphic surface crust rocks underwent low\|temperature granulite facies metamorphism during the Caledonian. In combination with the geological characteristics of this region, it is considered that when the oceanic basin was closed, there occurred intense intracontinental subduction (type A), bringing part of the Early Cambrian metamorphic basement in this region downwards to the lower crust. Meanwhile, there were accompanied with tectonic deformation at deep levels and medium\| to high\|grade metamorphism. This study provided important chronological and mineralogical evidence for the exploration of the evolutionary mechanism and process of the West Kunlun Early Paleozoic.

TECTONIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WEST KUNLUN FOLD-THRUST-BELT AND THE TARIM SOUTHWEST DEPRESSION

The evolution of the Tarim southwest depression lying at the piedmont of the West Kunlun orogen differs completely from the evolution of the main part of Tarim basin after Later Palaeozoic because the former strongly subsides many times.. Subsidence is related closely to the West Kunlun fold thrust\|belt, thus the evolution of the Depression and the fold\|thrust\|belt reflects clearly the formation and evolution of the West Kunlun and even the Tibet.1 Evolution of the West Kunlun fold\|thrust\|belt\;Thrusting of the fold\|thrust\|belt can be classified into three stages:(1) Devonian thrusting:This is the oldest thrusting distinguished in the northern margin of the West Kunlun while the Silurian—Devonian thrusting was discriminated a few years ago by seismic data in the northern part of the East Kunlun. The Devonian thrusting is proved by the Upper Devonian dynamometamorphic rocks outcropping at the core of the anticline in the Sangzhu lying at the fold\|thrust\|belt. The rocks consist of slightly metamorphic clastic rock and have always been regarded as the Mid\|Proterozoic strata. But they are actually Upper Devonian strata according to the amount of perfect plant fossils that we found recently in the metamorphic rock, and they are overburdened `with an angular unconformity by another reliable Upper\|Devonian conglomerate in the core of the Aqike anticline. A possible explanation for this and its limited lined distribution parallel to the West Kunlun orogen is that they are subjected to metamorphism during the Later Devonian thrusting.