SHRIMP Geochronology of Volcanics of the Zhangjiakou and Yixian Formations, Northern Hebei Province, with a Discussion on the Age of the Xing'anling Group of the Great Hinggan Mountains and Volcanic Strata of the Southeastern Coastal Area of China

A zircon U-Pb geochronological study on the volcanic rocks reveals that both of the Zhangjiakou and Yixian Formations, northern Hebei Province, are of the Early Cretaceous, with ages of 135-130 Ma and 129-120 Ma, respectively. It is pointed out that the ages of sedimentary basins and volcanism in the northern Hebei -western Liaoning area become younger from west to east, i. e. the volcanism of the Luanping Basin commenced at c. 135 Ma, the Luotuo Mount area of the Chengde Basin c. 130 Ma, and western Liaoning c. 128 Ma. With a correlation of geochronological stratigraphy and biostratigraphy, we deduce that the Xing'anling Group, which comprises the Great Hinggan Mountains volcanic rock belt in eastern China, is predominantly of the early-middle Early Cretaceous, while the Jiande and Shimaoshan Groups and their equivalents, which form the volcanic rock belt in the southeastern coast area of China, are of the mid-late Early Cretaceous, and both the Jehol and Jiande Biotas are of the Early Cretaceous, not Late Jurassic or Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. Combining the characteristics of the volcanic rocks and, in a large area, hiatus in the strata of the Late Jurassic or Late Jurassic-early Early Cretaceous between the formations mentioned above and the underlying sequences, we can make the conclusion that, in the Late Jurassic-early Early Cretaceous, the eastern China region was of high relief or plateau, where widespread post-orogenic volcanic series of the Early Cretaceous obviously became younger from inland in the west to continental margin in the east. This is not the result of an oceanward accretion of the subduction belt between the Paleo-Pacific ocean plate and the Asian continent, but rather reflects the extension feature, i.e. after the closure of the Paleo-Pacific ocean, the Paleo-Pacific ancient continent collided with the Asian continent and reached the peak of orogenesis, and then the compression waned and resulted in the retreating of the post-orogenic extension from outer orogenic zone to inner part (or collision zone). The determination of the eruption age of the volcanics of the Zhangjiakou Formation definitely constrains the switch period, which began in the Indosinian and finished in the Yanshanian, that is, 140-135 Ma. The switch is concretely the change from the approximate E-W Paleo-Asian tectonic system to the NE to NNE Pacific system, and the period is also the apex of a continent-continent collision and orogenesis of subduction, being consumed and eventually disappearing of the Paleo-Pacific ancient continent, and all the processes commenced in the Indosinian. While the following post-orogenic large-scale eruption in the Early Cretaceous marks the final completeness of the Paleo-Pacific structure dynamics system.

Chronology and Sources of Mesozoic Intrusive Complexes in the Xuzhou-Huainan Region, Central China: Constraints from SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Dating

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating in the Liguo and Jiagou intrusives indicates that they were formed at -130 Ma in the Early Cretaceous. Most inherited zircons in the Liguo intrusive were formed at 2509±43 Ma. Most inherited and detrital zircons in the Jiagou intrusive were formed at -2500 Ma, -2000 Ma and -1800 Ma. The SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating in two gneiss xenoliths from the Jiagou intrusive yields the ages of 2461±22 Ma and 2508±15 Ma, respectively. The dating results from inherited and detrital zircons in the intrusives and the gneiss xenoliths imply that the magmas could be derived from the partial melting of the basement of the North China Block (NCB). The magmatism is strong and extensive in the periods from 115 to 132 Ma, which is of typical bimodal characteristics. It is suggested that the lithospheric thinning in the eastern North China Block reached its peak in 115-132 Ma.

Minerogenic Theory of the Superlarge Lop Nur Potash Deposit, Xinjiang, China

Located in the eastern part of the Tarim basin, Xinjiang, the Lop Nur was an ultimate water catchment area of the Tarim basin during the Quaternary. Through nearly ten years of investigation and research, the authors have found a superlarge brine potash deposit in the Luobei subbasin—a secondary basin of the Lop Nur depression. The deposit has been mined now. On that basis, the authors propose new theories on the genesis of the potash rock deposit. In the tectonic and geomorphologic contexts, the Tarim basin lies in a 'high mountain-deep basin' environment. At the beginning of the Quaternary, influenced by the neotectonic movement, the Lop Nur evolved into a 'deep basin' in the Tarim basin. At the end of the middle Pleistocene, neotectonic migration began to take place in the interior of the Lop Nur and a new secondary deep basin—the Luobei subbasin—formed gradually. Despite its small area, it is actually the deepest subbasin in the Lop Nur depression, where brines of the Lop Nur Salt Lake gather and evaporate, thus providing materials for the formation of a superlarge brine potash rock deposit. With respect to the phenomenon of brine concentration and change with deepening of the lake, the authors propose a model of 'high mountain-deep basin' tectonic migration for potash concentration. In the sedimentological context, the honeycomb-shaped voids developed in glauberite rock in the subbasin are good space for potash-rich brine accumulation. Study indicates that the deposition of glauberite requires recharge of calcium-rich water. In the Tarim area the calcium-rich water might come from deep formation water or oilfield water, and the river water recharging the Lop Nur Salt Lake was rich in sulfate radicals and other components; in addition, the climate in the area was very dry and the brine evaporated steadily, thus resulting in deposition of substantial amount of glauberite, potash accumulation in intercrystal brine and final formation of the potash deposit. Generally, potash formation in a salt lake undergoes a three-stage process of 'carbonates—?sulfates (gypsum and glauberite)—^chlorides (halite etc.)', but in the study area there only occurred a two-stage process of 'carbonates—>sulfates (gypsum and glauberite)'. The authors call this new geological phenomenon the 'two-stage potash formation' model. In conclusion, the superlarge Lop Nur potash deposit is the result of combined 'high mountain-deep basin' tectonism and 'two-stage potash formation'.

Re-Os Age of Cu-Ni Ores from the Huangshandong Cu-Ni Sulfide Deposit in the East Tianshan Mountains and Its Implication for Geodynamic Processes

An isochron age of 282±20 (95% conf. limit) Ma of the sulfide ores in the Huangshandong Cu-Ni sulfide deposit, the East Tianshan Mountains has been obtained through Re-Os isotopic measurement. The age implies that the Cu-Ni sulfide deposit and other related deposits in the same area occurred in a Permian extensional environment of post-collision instead of Devonian-Early Carboniferous ophiolite-related oceanic or island arc environments inferred before. It shares the same ages with the orogenic and epithermal gold deposit systems in the same area. An initial 187Os/188Os ratio of 0.25±0.04 (1σ) and a γos value of 99 on average display the participation of large quantities of crustal components into the rock-forming and ore-forming system during mineralization and magmatic emplacement.

Dating of the Dachang Superlarge Tin-polymetallic Deposit in Guangxi and Its Implication for the Genesis of the No. 100 Orebody

The Dachang superlarge Sn-polymetal deposit in Guangxi, China, is one of the largest tin deposit all over the world. However, this deposit has long been in debate as to its origin. One of the opinions is that the Dachang deposit was formed by replacement of hydrothermal solution originating from Yanshanian granites, and the other is that this deposit was formed by submarine exhalation in the Devonian. This paper presents some new isotopic geochronology data obtained with the 40Ar-39Ar method for quartz and sanidine from massive ore in the No. 91 and No. 100 orebodies. Analytic results show that the No. 91 orebody was formed at 94.52±0.33 Ma (the plateau age obtained with the 40Ar-39Ar method for quartz) or 91.4±2.9 Ma (the plateau age obtained with the 40Ar-39Ar method for feldspar), while the No. 100 orebody was formed at 94.56±0.45 Ma (the plateau age obtained with the 40Ar-39Ar method for quartz), suggesting that both the No. 91 and the No. 100 orebodies were formed at the Late Yanshanian instead of the Devonian. The No. 100 orebody might be formed by filling of ore materials into caves in Devonian reef limestone. Because the ore-bearing solution released its pressure and lowered its temperature suddenly in a cave environment, ore minerals were formed concentratedly while water and other materials such as CO2 evaporated quickly, resulting less alteration of host rocks.

40Ar-39Ar Dating of Albite and Phlogopite from Porphyry Iron Deposits in the Ningwu Basin in East-Central China and Its Significance

40Ar-39Ar dating of albite from the Meishan and Taocun iron deposits yields plateau ages of 122.90±0.16 Ma and 124.89±0.30 Ma, and isochron ages of 122.60±0.16 Ma and 124.90±0.29 Ma, respectively. Phlogopite from the Zhongshan-Gushan ore field has a plateau age of 126.7±0.17 Ma and an isochron age of 127.21±1.63 Ma. Analysis of regional geodynamic evolution of the middle-lower Yangtze River region suggests that the porphyry iron deposits were formed as a result of large-scale lithosphere delamination and strong sinistral strike-slip movement of the Tancheng Lujiang fault zone. The copper, molybdenum and gold deposit system in the middle-lower Yangtze River region was formed during the stress transition period of the eastern China continent.

Thrusting of the North Lhasa Block in the Tibetan Plateau

A huge thrust system, the North Lhasa Thrust (NLT), was discovered in the northern Lhasa block of the Tibetan Plateau based on geological mapping of the Damxung region and its vicinity, the Deqen-Lunpola traverse and the Amdo-Bam Co profile. The NLT consists of the Dongqiao-Lunpola thrust (DLT), the west Namco thrust (WNT) and the south Damxung thrust (SDT) and ductile shear zones, ophiolite slices and folds extending in a WNW direction. Major thrust faults of the NLT seem to merge into a single deep-seated detachment of the upper-crust and totally displaced southward as far as 100-120 km. Chronological analyses with 39Ar-40Ar of plagioclase and hornblende, Rb-Sr isochron of minerals and fission-tracks of apatite from mylonite within the WNT yield ages of 174-173 Ma, 109 Ma and 44 Ma, showing 3 periods of thrusting in the north Lhasa block caused by subduction of the Tethys oceanic plate and the India-Eurasia continental collision respectively.

SHRIMP Age and Geochemistry of the Bikou Volcanic Terrane:Implications for Neoproterozoic Tectonics on the Northern Margin of the Yangtze Craton

The Bikou volcanic terrane is predominated by subalkaline tholeiitic lavas. Rock samples display lower initial ratios of Sr and Nd, 0.701248-0.704413 and 0.511080-0.512341 respectively. 207Pb and 208Pb are significantly enriched in the lavas. Most samples have positive εNd, which indicates that the magma was derived from EM-type mantle source, while a few samples with negative εNd indicate that there was contamination in the magma evolution. Magma differentiation is demonstrated by variations of LREE and LILE from depletion to enrichment. Additionally, normalized REE patterns and trace elements showed that lavas from the Bikou volcanic terrane have similar characteristics to those of basalts in arc settings caused by subduction and collision. Analyses showed that the Bikou volcanic terrane is a volcanic arc. New evidence proved that the Hengdan Group, north of the Bikou arc, is a turbidite terrane filling a forearc basin. Consequently, the Bikou volcanic terrane and the Hengdan turbidite terrane construct an arc-basin system. New SHRIMP ages showed that this arc-basin system developed on the northern margin of the Yangtze craton in the Neoproterozoic (846-776 Ma), and this arc-basin system is in agreement with the tectonic processes of Rodinia in the Neoproterzoic.

Late Paleozoic base and precious metal deposits,East Tianshan, Xinjiang, China： Characteristics and geodynamic setting

The East Tianshan is a remote Gobi area located in eastern Xinjiang, northwestern China. In the past several years, a number of gold, porphyry copper, and Fe(-Cu) and Cu-Ag-Pb-Zn skarn deposits have been discovered there and are attracting exploration interest.The East Tianshan is located between the Junggar block to the north and early Paleozoic terranes of the Middle Tianshan to the south. It is part of a Hercynian orogen with three distinct E-W-trending tectonic belts: the Devonian-Early Carboniferous Tousuquan-Dananhu island arc on the north and the Carboniferous Aqishan -Yamansu rift basin to the south, which are separated by rocks of the Kanggurtag shear zone. The porphyry deposits, dated at 322 Ma, are related to the late evolutionary stages of a subduction-related oceanic or continental margin arc. In contrast, the skarn, gold, and magmatic Ni-Cu deposits are associated with post-colli-sional tectonics at ca. 290-270 Ma. These Late Carboniferous - Early Permian deposits are associated with large-scale emplacement and eruption of magmas possibly caused by lithosphere delamination and rifting within the East Tianshan.

U-Pb zircon age from the base of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Yangtze Gorges,South China： constraint on the age of Marinoan glaciation

The reported new U-Pb age by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP Ⅱ) on zircon was obtained from a tuff sample at the basal Doushantuo Formation in the Jiuqunao section, which situated at the western limb of the Huangling anticline in the Yangtze Gorges in Zigui, Hubei, South China. Eighteen spots of zircons were analyzed and they form two clusters: one includes three spots, with an inherited age of 784+ 15 Ma (MSWD=0.05); the other consists of 15 spots and gives a weighted mean ^206pb/^238U age of 628.3±5.8 Ma (MSWD=0.86). It is the first SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age obtained nearly the base of the Doushantuo Formation of Ediacaran and represents a maximum age of the Doushantuo Formation It also forms an age constraint on the upper limit age of the Nantuo (Marinoantype) glaciation.

Geological Characteristics of the Furong Tin Orefield, Hunan,^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar Dating of Tin Ores and Related Granite and Its Geodynamic Significance for Rock and Ore Formation

Furong, Hunan, is a large tin orefield discovered in China in recent years, which is mainly of the skarn-greisen-chlorite type. On the basis of the geological characteristics of the orefield, 40Ar-39Ar dating was performed on muscovite from greisen-type tin ore and biotite from related amphibole-biotite granite, which yielded three sets of age data, i.e., a plateau age of 157.5±0.3 Ma and an isochron age of 156.9±3 Ma for amphibole-biotite granite; a plateau age of 156.1±0.4 Ma and an isochron age of 155.7±1.7 Ma for the Sanmen greisen-type tin ore; and a plateau age of 160.1±0.9 Ma and an isochron age of 157.5±1.5 Ma for the Taoxiwo greisen-type tin ore. The three sets of age data coincide well with each other. They not only accurately reflect the timing of rock and ore formation but also indicate close relations between granite and tin deposits. In addition, the plateau ages of all three sets suggest that no subsequent thermal perturbation event occurred after the formation of granite and tin deposits. The Furong tin orefield is a component part of the southern Hunan large tungsten-tin polymetallic deposit concentration area and also a representative deposit formed in the time interval of 160-135 Ma in four peaks of Mesozoic tungsten-tin mineralization in the South China region. They might still correspond to the middle and late stages of the major geodynamic transition from a N-S- to an E-W-direction in eastern China.

A New Basal Titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new dinosaur of Early Cretaceous age was recently discovered from the Mazongshan area of northwestern Gansu Province, China. The new dinosaur represents a new genus and species of Sauropoda, and is among the most basal members of Titanosauria. Its finding also suggests that titanosaurs might have originated in Asia no later than the Early Cretaceous.

U-Pb SHRIMP Dating of Zircon from Quartz Veins of the Yangshan Gold Deposit in Gansu Province and Its Geological Significance

The Yangshan gold deposit is a super-large fine-grained disseminated gold deposit located in southern Gansu Province. Its metallogenic age has been determined by using the cathodoluminescence image and ion probe U-Pb dating techniques. It is found that zircons from quartz veinlet of the fine-grained disseminated gold ore show characters of magmatic origin with prism idiomorphism, oscillatory zoning and dominant Th/U ratios of 0.5-1.5. Three main populations of zircons are obtained, giving average 206Pb/238U ages of 197.6±1.7 Ma, 126.9±3.2 Ma and 51.2±1.3 Ma respectively. The first age corresponds to the K-Ar age of the plagiogranite dike, while the latter two ages indicate that buried Cretaceous and Tertiary intrusives exist in the orefield, suggesting that the Yangshan gold deposit was genetically related to the three magmatic hydrothermal activities. By contrast, zircons from coarse gold-bearing quartz vein in the mining area are much older than the host rock, indicating that the vein was formed earlier and was not contaminated by later magmatic fluids. It is concluded that the coupling of multiperiodic hydrothermal activities in the mining area has contributed a lot to mineralization of the Yangshan gold deposit.

Post-collisional Adakitic Porphyries in Tibet:Geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb Isotopic Constraints on Partial Melting of Oceanic Lithosphere and Crust-Mantle Interaction

The distribution of Neogene felsic porphyries intruding in earlier granitic batholiths was mainly controlled by north-south-tending rifting zones and normal faults. The main rock types of the felsic porphyries include granodiorite-porphyry, monzonitic granite-porphyry and quartz monzonitic porphyry. The porphyries are characterized by high SiO2 ((?)64.26%) and Al2O3 (>15% at 70% SiO2), low Y and HREE (Yb) contents, strong enrichment of LILE and LERR, especially K and ST. Geochemical features of the porphyries show distinct adakitic magma affinity. Nd, Sr and Pb isotopic compositions of the porphyries form a linear alignment from MORB to EM2, suggesting a mixing of the MORB reservoir with the metasomatized mantle reservoir. Considering also the geochemical characteristics of the porphyries and the sequence of observable structural-thermal-magmatic events at Gangdise, it is thought that the Neogene porphyries were formed by partial melting of dead subducted oceanic crust in a post-collision setting. K-enrichment in the porphyries is attributed to the interaction of slab-derived melts, i.e., adakites, with the metasomatized mantle during the ascent. There might be a delamination of residual eclogites or amphibole eclogites before the eruption of potassic lava on the Tibetan plateau since 13 Ma.

Trend of Salt Lake Changes in the Background of Global Warming and Tactics for Adaptation to the Changes

Salt lakes are a mirror of climatic changes and provide holographic records of environmental changes of lakes. According to a study of geological hazards in typical salt lake areas in China and other regions, the authors explain how geological hazards in salt lake areas are caused by natural agents and how humans can seek benefits, avoid hazards and reduce losses on the premise that they have monitored and mastered the trend of salt lake changes in advance and even can store flood and recharge water in lakes and extract saline resources. The climate in western China is probably turning from warm-dry to warm-moist. The authors analyze the change trend of salt lakes sensu lato (with salinity≥0.3 wt% (NaCl)eq) and salt lakes sensu stricto (with salinity ≥3.5 wt% (NaCl)eq) in China in such climatic conditions and distinguish three types of salt lake areas (i.e. lake water rising type, lake water falling type and lake water rising and unstable type) according to the characteristics of lake water rising and shrinking. In order to conform to the climatic and lake changes in China's salt lake areas, the authors propose to add and improve hydrological and meteorological observation stations and integrate observations with remote sensing monitoring in important salt lake areas and set up multidisciplinary and interdepartmental basic projects to monitor and study recent climatic and environmental changes in salt lake areas of western China. Moreover, it is necessary to build additional flood-control and drought-preventing water conservancy facilities in key salt lake areas and work out measures for ecological protection in salt lake areas. Full consideration should be given to the influence of flooding when building saltfields and implementing capital projects.

Re-Os Dating of the Pulang Porphyry Copper Deposit in Zhongdian,NW Yunnan, and Its Geological Significance

The Pulang porphyry copper deposit is located in the Zhongdian island arc belt, NW Yunnan, in the central part of the Sanjiang area, SW China, belonging to the southern segment of the Yidun island arc belt on the western margin of the Yangtze Platform. In the Yidun island arc, there occur well-known 'Gacun-style' massive sulfide deposits in the northern segment and plenty of porphyry copper deposits in the southern segment, of which the Pulang porphyry copper deposit is one of the representatives. Like the Yulong porphyry copper deposit, this porphyry copper deposit is also one of the most important porphyry copper deposits in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. But it is different from other porphyry copper deposits in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (e.g. those in the Gangdise porphyry copper belt and Yulong porphyry copper belt) in that it formed in the Indosinian period, while others in the Himalayan period. Because of its particularity among the porphyry copper deposits of China, this porphyry copper deposit is of great significance for the study of the basic geology and the evaluation and prediction of mineral resources in the Zhongdian island arc belt. However, no accurate chronological data are available for determining the timing of mineralization of the porphyry copper deposit. By field observation in the study area and Re-Os dating of molybdenite and K-Ar dating of hydrothermal minerals and whole rock from the typical geological bodies, the timing of mineralization of the porphyry copper deposit has systematically been determined for the first time. The K-Ar age for the hydrothermal mineralization of biotite-quartz monzonitic porphyry that has undergone patassic silicate (biotite and K-feldspar) alteration ranges from 235.4±2.4 to 221.5±2.0 Ma and the Re-Os age for molybdenite in the quartz-molybdenite stage is ~213±3.8 Ma. These data are very close to each other, suggesting that the ore-forming processes of the Pulang porphyry copper deposit was completed in the Indosinian. But the K-feldspar K-Ar age of the main orebodies suggests that the hydrothermal activity related to porphyry copper mineralization continued till ~182.5±1.8 Ma. This indicates that the lifespan of the hydrothermal system related to porphyry copper mineralization may have lasted at least 40 Ma. This hydrothermal thermal system with such a long lifespan may be one of the necessary conditions for forming large porphyry copper deposits with a high grade. No late Yanshanian and/or Himalayan magmatism (mineralization) were superimposed in the Pulang porphyry copper deposit.

Giant Mineral Deposits and Their Geodynamic Setting in the Lanping Basin, Yunnan, China

There are giant mineral deposits, including the Jinding Zn-Pb and Baiyangping Ag-Co-Cu, and otherimportant mineral deposits (e.g., Baiyangchang Ag-Cu, Jinman Cu deposits, etc.) in the Lanping Mesozoic-Cenozoic Basin, Yunnan Province, China. The tabular ore-bodies and some veins hosted in terrestrial clastic rocks of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic age and no outcropping of igneous rocks in the giant deposits lead to the proposal of syngenetic origin, but the giant mineral deposits are not stratabound (e.g. MVT, sandstone- and Sedex-type). They formed in a continental red basin with intense crust movement. The mineralization is controlled by structures and lithology and occurs in different strata, and no sedimentary nature and no exhalative sediments are identified in the deposits. The deposits show some relations with organic matter (now asphalt and petroleum) and evaporates (gypsum). The middle-low-temperature (mainly 110℃ to 280℃) mineralization took place at a depth of about 0.9 km to 3.1 km during the early Himalayan (58 to 67 Ma). The salinity of ore-forming fluids is surprisingly low (1.6% to 18.0 wt% (NaCl)eq). Affected by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, the mantle is disturbed under the Lanping Basin. The large-scale mineralization is closely linked with the geodynamics of the crust movement, the mantle and mantle-flux upwelling and igneous activity. Giant mineral deposits and their geodynamic setting are unique in the Lanping Basin.

Cascaded Evolution of Mantle Plumes and Metallogenesis of Core- and Mantle-derived Elements

Mineral deposits are unevenly distributed in the Earth's crust, which is closely related to the formation and evolution of the Earth. In the early history of the Earth, controlled by the gravitational contraction and thermal expansion, lighter elements, such as radioactive, halogen-family, rare and rare earth elements and alkali metals, migrated upwards; whereas heavier elements, such as iron-family and platinum-family elements, base metals and noble metals, had a tendency of sinking to the Earth's core, so that the elements iron, nickel, gold and silver are mainly concentrated in the Earth's core. However, during the formation of the stratified structure of the Earth, the existence of temperature, pressure and viscosity differences inside and outside the Earth resulted in vertical material movement manifested mainly by cascaded evolution of mantle plumes in the Earth. The stratifications and vertical movement of the Earth were interdependent and constituted the motive force of the mantle-core movement. The cascaded evolution of mantle plumes opens the passageways for the migration of deep-seated ore-forming material, and thus elements such as gold and silver concentrated in the core and on the core-mantle boundary migrate as the gaseous state together with the hot material flow of mantle plumes against the gravitational force through the passageways to the lithosphere, then migrate as the mixed gas-liquid state to the near-surface level and finally are concentrated in favorable structural expansion zones, forming mineral deposits. This is possibly the important metallogenic mechanism for gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper and other many elements. Take for example the NE-plunging crown of the Fuping mantle-branch structure, the paper analyzes ductile-brittle shear zone-type gold fields (Weijiayu) at the core of the magmatic-metamorphic complex, principal detachment-type gold fields (Shangmingyu) and hanging-wall cover fissure-vein-type lead-zinc polymetallic ore fields (Lianbaling) and further briefly analyzes the source of ore-forming material and constructs an ore-forming and -controlling model.

A New Ornithocheirid from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China

Based on a nearly complete skeleton with skull from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ornithocheirid pterosaur: Boreopterus cuiae gen. et sp. nov. is erected. Boreopterus cuiae is different from other pterosaurs preserved with skulls known from the western liaoning Province and its neighboring areas. This new pterosaur has more and larger teeth than those in other ornithocheirids. Its anterior nine pairs of teeth are larger than other teeth. The fourth pair of upper and lower teeth are slightly larger than the third pair. Overall, Boreopterus cuiae shows much small range of tooth size variation than Anhanguera piscator and Coloborhynchus robustus. The new taxon shares with other ornithocherids in having a relatively large size of the third and fourth pairs of teeth.

Progress in the Study of Deep Profiles of Tibet and the Himalayas (INDEPTH)

This paper introduces 8 major discoveries and new understandings with regard to the deep structure and tectonics of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau obtained in Project INDEPTH, They are mainly as follows. (1) The upper crust, lower crust and mantle lithosphere beneath the blocks of the plateau form a 'sandwich' structure with a relatively rigid-brittle upper crust, a visco-plastic lower crust and a relatively rigid-ductile mantle lithosphere. This structure is completely different from that of monotonous, cold and more rigid oceanic plates. (2) In the process of north-directed collision-compression of the Indian subcontinent, the upper crust was attached to the foreland in the form of a gigantic foreland accretionary wedge. The interior of the accretionary wedge thickened in such tectonic manners as large-scale thrusting, backthrusting and folding, and magmatic masses and partially molten masses participated in the crustal thickening. Between the upper crust and lower crust lies a large detachment (e.g. the Main Himalayan Thrust in southern Tibet, 5-8 km thick) or a very thick shear-schistose zone (e.g. the Main Qiangtang Thrust-MQT in northern Tibet, up to 20 km thick), which causes the decoupling of the upper crust and lower crust and separation of tectonic activities. (3) During the collision-compression, the Indian mantle lithosphere was delaminated into two layers from where the crust thickened most rapidly (beneath the High Himalayas). The upper layer extends to 34.5°N and the lower layer to 33.5°. They have been underthrust to depths of 250-300 km into the asthenosphere. Meanwhile the Asian lithosphere (possibly the Qaidam terrane) has also been subducted southwards. Very thick mantle lithosphere does not exist beneath the plateau. (4) The oceanic lithosphere, in light of its lithology and dynamic behaviour, might be close to those of the continental lithosphere and its front might enter the asthenosphere before the continental lithosphere. (5) A 150-200 km deep low-velocity body below 35°N and a wide low-velocity zone below the area between 33.5° and 35°N dip north at very steep angles. Volcanism took place frequently in northern Tibet and anisotropy variations are prominent at depths, which might indicate a zone of large-scale eastward transfer of deep-seated materials.