Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
    • Special Volumes and Special Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Subscribers
    • Pricing
    • FAQ
    • Terms & Conditions for use of AJS Online
  • Instructions to Authors
  • Site Features
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Usage Statistics
    • RSS
  • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • The Journal

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Journal of Science
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
American Journal of Science

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
    • Special Volumes and Special Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Subscribers
    • Pricing
    • FAQ
    • Terms & Conditions for use of AJS Online
  • Instructions to Authors
  • Site Features
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Usage Statistics
    • RSS
  • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • The Journal
  • Follow ajs on Twitter
  • Visit ajs on Facebook
  • Follow ajs on Instagram
Research ArticleArticle

Proterozoic-Mesozoic development of the Quanji block from northern Tibet and the cratonic assembly of eastern Asia

Chao Wang, David A. D. Evans, Meng Li, Ji-Heng Zhang, Jian Han, Bin Wen, Jian Wang and Jun-Feng Zhao
American Journal of Science May 2022, 322 (5) 705-727; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2475/05.2022.03
Chao Wang
*State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, P R China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: chaowang@nwu.edu.cn
David A. D. Evans
**Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8109, USA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Meng Li
***Orogen Research Centre of China Geological Survey, Xi'an Center of Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Xi'an 710054, P R China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ji-Heng Zhang
§College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jian Han
*State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, P R China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Bin Wen
§§School of Earth Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jian Wang
***Orogen Research Centre of China Geological Survey, Xi'an Center of Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Xi'an 710054, P R China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jun-Feng Zhao
*State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, P R China
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Unraveling the timing, location, and mechanisms of cratonic aggregation in Earth's continental jigsaw puzzle is a key factor for plate tectonic reconstructions. The Quanji Block (QB) is a sliver of anomalously old and well-preserved continental crust embedded within the Paleozoic-Mesozoic tectonic collage of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and has played a critical role in Proto-/Paleotethys paleogeographic reconstructions. New geological mapping, stratigraphic logging, and geochronological analysis lead to a refined understanding of QB's history from Paleoproterozoic to present. Deposited atop a largely Paleoproterozoic basement, the Quanji Group records rifting and epicratonic cover at 1.7 to 1.6 Ga. The Quanji Group is unconformably overlain by the Xiaogaolu Group, which preserves black shale, Ediacaran-type Charnia, ribbon-shaped fossils and a late Ediacaran glaciation. U-Pb detrital zircon ages from Cambrian Olongbuluke Group marine platform deposits are quite different from ages in underlying units, with a minor component of Neoproterozoic (880–815 Ma) ages. The apparent change in detrital zircon sources coincides with a regionally expressed Great Unconformity during the Precambrian–Cambrian transition. The new stratigraphy and U-Pb geochronology of QB suggest that the late Paleoproterozoic to Cambrian history of QB has a remarkable similarity to that of the southern margin of North China Block (NCB), indicating that the QB has been displaced dextrally from an initial location adjacent to NCB. The transform motion occurred in stages between ca. 350 and 200 Ma, which suggests that transform tectonism appears to be an essential element of any viable model for kinematic development of the Paleo-Tethyan oceanic domains and the ultimate cratonic assembly of eastern Asia.

  • Paleoproterozoic
  • Ediacaran
  • Great Unconformity
  • transform tectonism
  • Quanji block
  • Tibet
View Full Text

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
Previous
Back to top

In this issue

American Journal of Science: 322 (5)
American Journal of Science
Vol. 322, Issue 5
1 May 2022
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • About the Cover
  • Index by author
  • Ed Board (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Journal of Science.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Proterozoic-Mesozoic development of the Quanji block from northern Tibet and the cratonic assembly of eastern Asia
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Journal of Science
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Journal of Science web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
2 + 11 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Proterozoic-Mesozoic development of the Quanji block from northern Tibet and the cratonic assembly of eastern Asia
Chao Wang, David A. D. Evans, Meng Li, Ji-Heng Zhang, Jian Han, Bin Wen, Jian Wang, Jun-Feng Zhao
American Journal of Science May 2022, 322 (5) 705-727; DOI: 10.2475/05.2022.03

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Proterozoic-Mesozoic development of the Quanji block from northern Tibet and the cratonic assembly of eastern Asia
Chao Wang, David A. D. Evans, Meng Li, Ji-Heng Zhang, Jian Han, Bin Wen, Jian Wang, Jun-Feng Zhao
American Journal of Science May 2022, 322 (5) 705-727; DOI: 10.2475/05.2022.03
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • PRE-CENOZOIC GEOLOGICAL SETTING
    • METHODS AND SAMPLING
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • CONCLUSIONS
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    • SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Weathering intensity and lithium isotopes: A reactive transport perspective
  • Partial molar volumes of metal oxides in silicate melts: Effects of Coulombic interactions
Show more Article

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • Paleoproterozoic
  • Ediacaran
  • Great Unconformity
  • transform tectonism
  • Quanji block
  • Tibet

Navigate

  • Current Issue
  • Archive

More Information

  • RSS

Other Services

  • About Us

© 2022 American Journal of Science

Powered by HighWire