中国西部新生代沉积盆地演化

新生代期间中国西部发生了多次强烈的构造运动, 经历了复杂的构造-地貌演化历史.地质构造背景和地球动力学过程则控制了中国西部大陆新生代期间的构造-地貌演化.盆-山系统是中国西部新生代构造的基本格局, 盆-岭体系是中国西部新生代的主要地貌单元.根据盆地的几何学、动力学与构造演化特征, 中国西部新生代盆地可以划分为压陷盆地、断陷盆地、走滑拉分盆地以及残留海-前陆盆地4类.这些新生代封闭盆地均被造山带所围限, 而盆地与山脉之间由挤压型活动断裂(逆冲断层和走滑断层)所分割.新生代以来印度板块与欧亚板块的碰撞以及其后印度板块的向北俯冲挤压, 对中国西部新生代沉积盆地的发育和演化产生了重大影响.中国西部新生代盆地构造岩相古地理演化与板块运动和构造隆升之间存在明显的耦合.      

南海打开模式:右行走滑拉分与古南海俯冲拖曳

南海作为东亚大陆边缘最大的边缘海,位于太平洋、印澳和欧亚三个板块的夹持之下,处于特提斯构造域和太平洋构造域的联合作用部位,是揭示新生代两大动力学体系交接转换特征的良好场所。南海海盆为菱形洋盆,包括西北次海盆、东部次海盆和西南次海盆,均在古近纪—中中新世形成,同时伴随着南海北部、西部和南部盆地群发育,盆地边缘油气资源丰富,被称为第二个"波斯湾"。本文搜集了前人对南海洋盆深部形态、磁条带、转换断层等成果,以及南海周边盆地群的沉积体系、沉积相、不整合面相关资料,综合对比了南海北部、西部和南部盆地群的沉积序列、沉积相、沉积厚度,厘定了盆地群断裂体系、断裂组合特征,揭示了南海北部、南部盆地群及西部盆地群中的中建南和万安盆地都是在右行右阶走滑拉分背景下形成的。北部盆地群新生代古近系西厚东薄,新近系东厚西薄,NNE—NE向断裂体系活动早期西强东弱,而晚期东强西弱,从西向东依次停止。同时指出,南海是在NNE向断裂体系右行右阶走滑拉分和古南海俯冲拖曳的联合作用下打开:于34~32 Ma西北次海盆和东部次海盆受控于NNE向断裂的右行右阶走滑拉分作用,沿着NNE-SSW方向开启;32~23 Ma,NNE向走滑断裂活动自西向东逐步停止;于23 Ma左右,"消失"的南海以西的NNE向走滑断裂完全停止活动,同时由于婆罗洲地块逆时针旋转,古南海的俯冲带走向由近E-W向变为NE向,俯冲板块拖曳力也转变为NW-SE向并且占据主导地位,在拖曳力作用下礼乐—巴拉望地块后缘陆壳伸展,导致西南次海盆打开,东部次海盆的扩张方向由NNE-SSW转变为NW-SE向。于15Ma,礼乐—巴拉望地块与婆罗洲地块碰撞,南海停止扩张。     

广西375铀矿床微量元素地球化学特征

<正>1地质特征广西375矿床位于十万大山盆地东南侧。十万大山盆地为一中新代继承性内迭式断陷盆地。处于华夏古陆区,广西山字型弧顶的西南侧、南岭纬向复杂构造带西段与新华夏系第二沉降带南段十万大山沉段带的复合部位。盆地基底为印支期花岗斑岩和下中三叠统及古生界,盖层主要为中生界和新生界红色碎屑建造。按基底形态,基底构造可划分为西部凹陷、中部隆起和东部凹陷三个构造单元,375矿床位于东部凹陷区东南缘。     

南海北部新生代海陆变迁与不同盆地的沉积充填响应*

新生代以来南中国海的多幕旋回运动形成了其北部陆坡性质各异、演化有别的多个陆缘沉积盆地。依据各盆地新生界发育特征、主干地震剖面及钻井资料对南海北部的相对海平面变化与沉积环境进行系统分析,采用年代地层对比的方法探讨南海北部构造演化序列与海陆变迁规律的内在联系,再现了南海北部陆缘新生代的海陆变迁过程,从而建立了南海北部陆缘裂谷盆地、走滑拉分盆地和陆内裂谷盆地的构造—沉积充填一体化模式。新生代海平面整体呈上升趋势,古近纪各盆地以陆相河流、粗粒三角洲湖相沉积为主;而新近纪主要发育滨浅海及三角洲相,呈现出明显的早陆后海的规律。靠近陆地一侧的陆内裂谷盆地北部湾盆地海侵最晚,其古近系充填厚度明显大于新近系,以发育近源扇三角洲为特色;而靠近海域一侧的走滑拉分盆地(莺歌海盆地)则以新近纪海相沉积占优势;陆缘裂谷盆地(琼东南与珠江口盆地)古近纪陆相与新近纪海相相对均衡发育,发育大型三角洲与碳酸盐岩台地。不同盆地的沉积充填特征主要受构造运动与海侵规模控制,并由此奠定了不同盆地的资源前景。     

塔里木盆地东南缘新生代构造变形特征研究

塔里木盆地东南缘新生代变形特征研究对探讨阿尔金构造带新生代的活动特征及阿尔金构造带与西昆仑构造带的相互作用具有重要意义。本文在野外地质调查的基础上,结合地球物理和沉积学资料,探讨了塔里木盆地东南缘的新生代变形及演化特征。塔里木盆地东南缘新生代构造变形受西昆仑构造带、阿尔金构造带和车尔臣断裂带的控制,且变形由西向东减弱。西南部的构造样式主要表现为受西昆仑向北冲断作用控制的冲断构造;东南部为受阿尔金断层走滑作用控制的走滑-冲断构造;而北部则为受车尔臣断层走滑作用控制的基底卷入走滑-冲断构造。中新世,盆地东南缘受西昆仑构造带大规模的冲断活动影响,导致民丰山前盆地挠曲沉降和冲断层发育,而车尔臣断裂仅有微弱活动;上新世开始,构造变形扩展到整个研究区,不仅西昆仑构造带和车尔臣断裂带表现出强烈变形,而且阿尔金断层走滑作用强烈,导致北侧次级断层的强烈走滑冲断作用和若羌山前挤压挠曲盆地的形成。新生代时期,西昆仑构造带北向冲断作用要早于阿尔金构造带的走滑变形,阿尔金构造带的走滑作用对西昆仑构造带北向冲断构造有强烈的改造。     

黄骅坳陷孔南地区新生代断裂特征及其与油气关系

黄骅坳陷孔南地区新生代盆地演化经历了断陷期、断坳期及坳陷期。盆地内部发育复杂断裂系统,根据断层活动特征可以分为沧东伸展断裂系统与徐西右旋走滑断裂系统。沧东断层剖面上具有铲式正断层特征,向深部滑脱,控制了孔南地区的构造变形;徐西断层可以看作是其上盘上的次级断层。在孔店组沉积期,沧东断层与徐西断层均表现出伸展正断层的特征,控制了其上盘孔店组沉积。在沙河街组三段沉积期,受基底断层右旋走滑影响,徐西断层及其上盘分支断层表现出右旋走滑特征。在伸展与走滑的共同作用下,在孔南地区中北部聚集了丰富的油气。     

阿尔金断裂系的组成及相关中新生代含油气盆地的成因特征

阿尔金构造带是多次俯冲—碰撞而形成的塔里木板块东南边缘,构造带内的走滑活动始于奥陶纪中晚期,中新生代强烈活动,并将北部不同构造单元的一些地质体拖曳到断裂带中,形成北山与敦煌构造楔。北山—阿拉善及断裂两侧的其他地质体受到走滑拉分作用的强烈改造,形成许多中新生代含油气盆地,共同构成我国中西部一条巨型走滑断裂系。     

中国南海不同板块边缘沉积盆地构造特征

基于科学考察区域联测剖面资料,结合南海大地构造背景研究,对南海主要的新生代沉积盆地的构造特征进行了对比分析。研究表明,区域联测剖面穿越的沉积盆地的构造特征具有显著的差异,具体表现在大地构造背景、重磁场特征、盆地基底、断裂性质、构造线方向以及火成岩发育等方面。南海断裂的发育与盆地形成具有密切的关系,南海北部主要表现为NE向张性断裂控制的沉积盆地;西部主要表现为NW向和近SN向走滑断裂控制的沉积盆地;南部比较复杂,张性、压性、剪性断裂都有发育,但以NE向的南沙海槽逆冲断裂及其控制的南沙海槽盆地最具代表性;东部主要指南海中央海盆,断裂和海底火山共同控制了该区上新世-第四纪沉积。     

万安盆地西部南昆嵩地区渐新世以来构造事件的沉积响应

南昆嵩地区位于万安盆地西部,晚中新世其北部断陷逐渐被沉积充填,南昆嵩地区成为万安盆地重要的物源输入通道,独特的构造位置使其成为研究万安盆地西部沉积充填演化与万安断裂走滑活动的窗口。对研究区开展地震资料的解释工作,综合运用沉积盆地分析和层序地层学等方法,通过对地震相的精细刻画,结合研究区几次重要构造事件之间的联系,分析南昆嵩地区构造事件的沉积响应。研究结果表明：南昆嵩地区区域地质构造具有明显南北分区的特征,北部为箕状断陷湖盆,南部为向西北方向倾斜的缓坡;南昆嵩地区渐新世以来主要发育断陷湖、下切河谷、扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲、陆架三角洲等类型的沉积相;现今南海扩张的背景下产生的一系列构造运动以及万安断裂多期左旋—右旋走滑运动对南昆嵩地区沉积充填演化具有控制作用。     

南海北缘古近纪断裂活动规律及控盆特征:以阳江东凹为例

南海北缘发育了一系列新生代陆缘盆地,从西向东可划分为北部湾盆地、琼东南盆地、珠江口盆地及台西南盆地,这些盆地记录了新生代南海北缘构造演化过程。为加深对南海北部陆缘新生代盆地断裂活动及构造演化的认识,本文以珠三坳陷阳江东凹为例,基于覆盖阳江东凹研究区的高分辨率三维地震资料,对该地区的断裂体系进行了系统解剖,阐述了古近纪断裂的展布特征,并对主干断裂的活动速率进行定量计算,探讨了断裂体系演化规律及沉积中心迁移过程,并利用2Dmove软件对典型地震剖面进行了构造演化恢复。结果表明,文昌组沉积期阳江东凹主要以NE-NEE向断裂活动为主,且活动强度大;恩平组沉积期,NWW向断裂大量发育,少数NE-NEE向断裂继续活动。阳江东凹的断裂活动表现出从早到晚,同沉积主干断裂走向由NE-NEE向转变为近E-W向和NWW向,同时沉积中心相应的整体向西、向南迁移。而单一主干断裂在不同位置不同时期,其活动强度也存在差异。基于断裂体系展布特征和平衡剖面分析,本文认为阳江东凹的基底作为中生代华南陆缘的一部分,经历了多次变形作用,形成了NE向和NWW向基底卷入型共轭断裂;早-中始新世, NE向先存断裂在NW-SE向应力作用下优先复活,其断裂活动强度达到最大;进入中-晚始新世, NE向断裂活动继承性发展, NEE向断裂大量发育,在右旋应力作用下,早期NE向断裂呈右行右阶走滑,控制着地层沉积与断裂构造样式;至渐新世,NE向断裂少数继承性活动,近E-W向及NWW向断裂大量发育,以左行走滑方式存在。因此,阳江东凹裂陷期主要经历了文三段沉积期NW-SE向伸展、文二段沉积期NE向右行右阶走滑拉分和文一段-恩平组沉积期NWW向左行左阶走滑拉分的三阶段演化过程。结合前人对南海北部陆缘研究成果可知,南海北缘盆地群宏观格局主要为受NE向断裂控制的拉分成盆,其产生的NEE向次级断裂分别控制着各坳陷内部各个凹陷的次级构造和沉积充填,晚期经历了NWW向断裂走滑叠加改造。     

南海盆地中生代海相沉积地层分布特征及勘探潜力分析

南海盆地中生代海相地层是古南海沉积产物,主要分布于南海北部陆架珠江口盆地东部,南海南部西北巴拉望、礼乐滩和南薇西-北康盆地及其附近,地层厚度在2 500~5 000 m,分布面积合计在125 000 km²以上。南北两地中生界被古老基底和新生代洋壳隔开,加里曼丹岛北侧-北巴拉望一线为古南海消亡的缝合带。南海盆地中生代生物源以浮游生物为主,干酪根为III型,以生气为主。油气生成、运移与圈闭形成的匹配关系良好,可形成自生自储型油气藏、新生古储型油气藏和古生新储型油气藏。由此可见,南海盆地中生代海相沉积岩具有较好的勘探潜力。     

志留纪以来的云开地块

桂南－粤西的云开地块,位于特提斯构造带和环太平洋构造带的交汇处。其变质基底仅出露于两广边境的云开大山地区,但古生代海相沉积盖层分布广泛,甚至跨越北部湾。地块北缘的古生代深水沉积带,也延展到越南东北沿海地区。云开地块的范围,可能西起红河三角洲,东达珠江三角洲。晚古生代时,它可能为地处南纬低纬度海域的碳酸盐台地。古南海于中晚二叠世开始张开,使云开地块北移,与大明山地体碰撞,形成云开北缘的造山带。中晚三叠世,古南海的进一步扩张和桂西－越北的古特提斯向南消减,又形成晚二叠世造山带以北的印支期岩浆弧和磨拉石。也是东古特提斯闭合过程的重要部分。新生代早期南海张开前,古南海北侧的南沙地块可能和云开地块相接,总面积可能超过50万km2,在东南亚地质演化中起重要作用。     

Characteristics of the Density and Magnetic Susceptibility of Rocks in Northern Borneo and their Constraints on the Lithologic Identification of the Mesozoic Rocks in the Southern South China Sea

Based on the volume magnetic susceptibility and specific gravity measurements and mineral and lithologic identification results for 540 samples,the rock type,density,and magnetic susceptibility of rocks from northern Borneo were analyzed,and the applicability of gravity and magnetic data to the lithologic identification of the Mesozoic strata in the southern South China Sea was assessed accordingly.The results show that there are 3 types and 25 subtypes of rocks in northern Borneo,mainly intermediate-mafic igneous rocks and exogenous clastic sedimentary rocks,with small amounts of endogenous sedimentary rocks,felsic igneous rocks,and metamorphic rocks.The rocks that are very strongly-strongly magnetic and have high-medium densities are mostly igneous rocks,tuffaceous sandstones,and their metamorphic equivalents.The rocks that are weakly magnetic-non-magnetic and have medium-very low densities are mostly conglomerates,sandstones,siltstones,mudstones,and coal.The rocks that are weakly magnetic-diamagnetic and have highmedium densities are mostly limestones and siliceous rocks.The Cenozoic rocks are characterized by low densities and medium susceptibilities;the Mesozoic rocks are characterized by medium densities and medium-high susceptibilities;and the pre-Mesozoic rocks are characterized by high densities and low magnetism.Based on these results and the distribution characteristics of the various rock types,it was found that the pre-Mesozoic rocks produce weak regional gravity anomalies;the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks produce negative regional gravity anomalies;whereas the Mesozoic igneous rocks produce positive regional gravity anomalies;and the Cenozoic igneous rocks produce positive regional gravity anomalies.The regional high magnetic anomalies in the southern part of the South China Sea originate from the Mesozoic mafic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents;and the regional medium magnetic anomalies may be produced by the felsic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents.Accordingly,the identification of the Mesozoic lithology in the southern South China Sea shows that the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks are distributed over a large area of the southern South China Sea.Thus,it is concluded that the Mesozoic strata in this area have the potential for oil and gas exploration.     

中国东北地区主要地质特征和地壳构造格架

中国东北地区位于亚洲大陆东缘,发育中国乃至地球上最古老的地质记录、多个时代的古洋岩石圈残片和活动陆缘及陆间碰撞岩浆岩带,具有独特的盆山-山脉相间地貌特征,蕴藏着丰富的自然资源。迄今为止,对于该区古生代构造单元如何划分,一直存在截然不同的认识;对于该区中生代以来的构造格架,缺乏系统的论述。本文在简要介绍现今不同山脉和盆地等地理单元地质特征的基础上,基于断裂构造和地貌特征等方面的资料,把该区新生代构造单元划分为大兴安岭、小兴安岭、阴山-燕山和长白山等4个隆起带,海拉尔-锡林浩特、松辽、三江-兴凯湖和下辽河等4个断陷带。基于岩浆活动和沉积盆地分布,结合区域地球动力学背景,提出了该区晚三叠世至中侏罗世、晚侏罗世、早白垩世早期和早白垩世晚期至古新世等不同阶段构造单元划分的初步方案。基于对已有资料的综合研究,对该区古生代构造单元的特征、松辽盆地的基底组成、早古生代和晚古生代华北克拉通北部边界的位置以及古生代洋盆演化及结束时间等重大地质构造问题,进行了初步探讨,提出了阴山-燕山地区在古生代晚期由克拉通转化为陆缘活化造山带;松辽盆地基底具有与周缘造山系相同的地质组成;该区古生代构造单元是陆缘造山带与碰撞造山带的复合而不是地块拼贴;该区在二叠纪晚期遭受了碰撞造山并在华北北缘形成了高耸的近东西走向的碰撞造山带等新认识。根据洋岩石圈残片和古陆缘岩浆岩的分布,把该区古生代构造单元划分为大兴安岭、阴山-燕山、小兴安岭、张广才岭和老爷岭等5个造山系及华北克拉通,简要介绍了不同造山系的地质特征。     

Tectonic Evolution of China and Its Control over Oil Basins

This paper is a brief review of the tectonic frame and crustal evolution of China and their control over the oil basins. China is subdivided into three regions by the Hercynian Ertix-Almantai(EACZ) and Hegenshan (HGCZ) convergent zones in the north, and the Indusinian Muztagh-Maqen(MMCZ) and the Fengxiang-Shucheng (FSCZ) convergent zones in the south. The northern region represents the southern marginal tract of the Siberian platform. The middle region comprises the SinoKorea (SKP), Tarim (TAP) platforms and surrounding Paleozoic orogenic belts. The southern region includes the Yangtze platform (YZP), the Cathaysia (CTA) paleocontinent and the Caledonides between them in the eastern part, and the Qinghai-Tibet plateau composed of themassifs and Meso-and Cenozoic orogenic belts in the western part. The tectonic evolutions of China are described in three stages: Jinningian and pre-Jinningian, Caledonian to Indusinian, and post-Indosinian. Profound changes occurred at the end of Jinningian (ca. 830 Ma) and the Indusinian (ca. 210 Ma) tectonic epochs, which had exerted important influence on the formation of different types of basins. The oil basins distribute in four belts in China, the large superimposed basins ranging from Paleozoic to Cenozoic(Tarim and Junggar) in the western belt, the large superimposed basins ranging from Paleozoic to Mesozoic (Ordos and Sichuan) in the central belt, the extensional rift basins including the Cretaceous rift basins (Songliao) and the Cenozoic basin (Bohaiwan) in the eastern belt, and the Cenozoic marginal basins in the easternmost belt in offshore region. The tectonic control over the oil basins consists mainly in three aspects: the nature of the basin basement, the coupling processes of basin and orogen due to the plates interaction, and the mantle dynamics, notably the mantle upwelling resulting in crustal and lithuspheric thinning beneath the oil basins.     

Tectonics of the Longmen Shan and Adjacent Regions,Central China

The Longmen Shan region includes, from west to east, the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern part of the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt. In the northeast, it merges with the Micang Shan, a part of the Qinling Mountains. The Longmen Shan region can be divided into two major tectonic elements: (1) an autochthon/parautochthon, which underlies the easternmost part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt; and (2) a complex allochthon, which underlies the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. The allochthon was emplaced toward the southeast during Late Triassic time, and it and the western part of the autochthon/parautochthon were modified by Cenozoic deformation.

The autochthon/parautochthon was formed from the western part of the Yangtze platform and consists of a Proterozoic basement covered by a thin, incomplete succession of Late Proterozoic to Middle Triassic shallow-marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks interrupted by Permian extension and basic magmatism in the southwest. The platform is bounded by continental margins that formed in Silurian time to the west and in Late Proterozoic time to the north. Within the southwestern part of the platform is the narrow N-trending Kungdian high, a paleogeographic unit that was positive during part of Paleozoic time and whose crest is characterized by nonmarine Upper Triassic rocks unconformably overlying Proterozoic basement.

In the western part of the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon is composed mainly of a very thick succession of strongly folded Middle and Upper Triassic Songpan Ganzi flysch. Along the eastern side and at the base of the allochthon, pre-Upper Triassic rocks crop out, forming the only exposures of the western margin of the Yangtze platform. Here, Upper Proterozoic to Ordovician, mainly shallow-marine rocks unconformably overlie Yangtze-type Proterozic basement rocks, but in Silurian time a thick section of fine-grained clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited, marking the initial subsidence of the western Yangtze platform and formation of a continental margin. Similar deep-water rocks were deposited throughout Devonian to Middle Triassic time, when Songpan Ganzi flysch deposition began. Permian conglomerate and basic volcanic rocks in the southeastern part of the allochthon indicate a second period of extension along the continental margin. Evidence suggests that the deep-water region along and west of the Yangtze continental margin was underlain mostly by thin continental crust, but its westernmost part may have contained areas underlain by oceanic crust. In the northern part of the Longmen Shan allochthon, thick Devonian to Upper Triassic shallow-water deposits of the Xue Shan platform are flanked by deep-marine rocks and the platform is interpreted to be a fragment of the Qinling continental margin transported westward during early Mesozoic transpressive tectonism.

In the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon, carrying the western part of the Yangtze continental margin and Songpan Ganzi flysch, was emplaced to the southeast above rocks of the Yangtze platform autochthon. The eastern margin of the allochthon in the northern Longmen Shan is unconformably overlapped by both Lower and Middle Jurassic strata that are continuous with rocks of the autochthon. Folded rocks of the allochthon are unconformably overlapped by Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks in rare outcrops in the northern part of the region. They also are extensively intruded by a poorly dated, generally undeformed belt, of plutons whose ages (mostly K/Ar ages) range from Late Triassic to early Cenozoic, but most of the reliable ages are early Mesozoic. All evidence indicates that the major deformation within the allochthon is Late Triassic/Early Jurassic in age (Indosinian). The eastern front of the allochthon trends southwest across the present mountain front, so it lies along the mountain front in the northeast, but is located well to the west of the present mountain front on the south.

The Late Triassic deformation is characterized by upright to overturned folded and refolded Triassic flysch, with generally NW-trending axial traces in the western part of the region. Folds and thrust faults curve to the north when traced to the east, so that along the eastern front of the allochthon structures trend northeast, involve pre-Triassic rocks, and parallel the eastern boundary of the allochthon. The curvature of structural trends is interpreted as forming part of a left-lateral transpressive boundary developed during emplacement of the allochthon. Regionally, the Longmen Shan lies along a NE-trending transpressive margin of the Yangtze platform within a broad zone of generally N-S shortening. North of the Longmen Shan region, northward subduction led to collision of the South and North China continental fragments along the Qinling Mountains, but northwest of the Longmen Shan region, subduction led to shortening within the Songpan Ganzi flysch basin, forming a detached fold-and-thrust belt. South of the Longmen Shan region, the flysch basin is bounded by the Shaluli Shan/Chola Shan arc—an originally Sfacing arc that reversed polarity in Late Triassic time, leading to shortening along the southern margin of the Songpan Ganzi flysch belt. Shortening within the flysch belt was oblique to the Yangtze continental margin such that the allochthon in the Longmen Shan region was emplaced within a left-lateral transpressive environment. Possible clockwise rotation of the Yangtze platform (part of the South China continental fragment) also may have contributed to left-lateral transpression with SE-directed shortening. During left-lateral transpression, the Xue Shan platform was displaced southwestward from the Qinling orogen and incorporated into the Longmen Shan allochthon. Westward movement of the platform caused complex refolding in the northern part of the Longmen Shan region.

Emplacement of the allochthon flexurally loaded the western part of the Yangtze platform autochthon, forming a Late Triassic foredeep. Foredeep deposition, often involving thick conglomerate units derived from the west, continued from Middle Jurassic into Cretaceous time, although evidence for deformation of this age in the allochthon is generally lacking.

Folding in the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt along the eastern side of the Sichuan Basin can be dated as Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous in age, but only in areas 100 km east of the westernmost folds. Folding and thrusting was related to convergent activity far to the east along the eastern margin of South China. The westernmost folds trend southwest and merge to the south with folds and locally form refolded folds that involve Upper Cretaceous and lower Cenozoic rocks. The boundary between Cenozoic and late Mesozoic folding on the eastern and southern margins of the Sichuan Basin remains poorly determined.

The present mountainous eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in the Longmen Shan region is a consequence of Cenozoic deformation. It rises within 100 km from 500–600 m in the Sichuan Basin to peaks in the west reaching 5500 m and 7500 m in the north and south, respectively. West of these high peaks is the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, an area of low relief at an elevations of about 4000 m.

Cenozoic deformation can be demonstrated in the autochthon of the southern Longmen Shan, where the stratigraphic sequence is without an angular unconformity from Paleozoic to Eocene or Oligocene time. During Cenozoic deformation, the western part of the Yangtze platform (part of the autochthon for Late Triassic deformation) was deformed into a N- to NE-trending foldandthrust belt. In its eastern part the fold-thrust belt is detached near the base of the platform succession and affects rocks within and along the western and southern margin of the Sichuan Basin, but to the west and south the detachment is within Proterozoic basement rocks. The westernmost structures of the fold-thrust belt form a belt of exposed basement massifs. During the middle and later part of the Cenozoic deformation, strike-slip faulting became important; the fold-thrust belt became partly right-lateral transpressive in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan. The southern part of the fold-thrust belt has a more complex evolution. Early Nto NE-trending folds and thrust faults are deformed by NW-trending basementinvolved folds and thrust faults that intersect with the NE-trending right-lateral strike-slip faults. Youngest structures in this southern area are dominated by left-lateral transpression related to movement on the Xianshuihe fault system.

The extent of Cenozoic deformation within the area underlain by the early Mesozoic allochthon remains unknown, because of the absence of rocks of the appropriate age to date Cenozoic deformation. Klippen of the allochthon were emplaced above the Cenozoic fold-andthrust belt in the central part of the eastern Longmen Shan, indicating that the allochthon was at least partly reactivated during Cenozoic time. Only in the Min Shan in the northern part of the allochthon is Cenozoic deformation demonstrated along two active zones of E-W shortening and associated left-slip. These structures trend obliquely across early Mesozoic structures and are probably related to shortening transferred from a major zone of active left-slip faulting that trends through the western Qinling Mountains. Active deformation is along the left-slip transpressive NW-trending Xianshuihe fault zone in the south, right-slip transpression along several major NE-trending faults in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan, and E-W shortening with minor left-slip movement along the Min Jiang and Huya fault zones in the north.

Our estimates of Cenozoic shortening along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau appear to be inadequate to account for the thick crust and high elevation of the plateau. We suggest here that the thick crust and high elevation is caused by lateral flow of the middle and lower crust eastward from the central part of the plateau and only minor crustal shortening in the upper crust. Upper crustal structure is largely controlled in the Longmen Shan region by older crustal anisotropics; thus shortening and eastward movement of upper crustal material is characterized by irregular deformation localized along older structural boundaries.     

Basement of the South China Sea Area: Tracing the Tethyan Realm

The basement of the South China Sea (SCS) and adjacent areas can be divided into six divisions (regions) – Paleozoic Erathem graben-faulted basement division in Beibu Gulf, Paleozoic Erathem strike-slip pull-apart in Yinggehai waters, Paleozoic Erathem faulted-depression in eastern Hainan, Paleozoic Erathem rifted in northern Xisha (Paracel), Paleozoic Erathem strike-slip extending in southern Xisha, and Paleozoic-Mesozoic Erathem extending in Nansha Islands (Spratly) waters. The Pre-Cenozoic basement in the SCS and Yunkai continental area are coeval within the Tethyan tectonic domain in the Pre-Cenozoic Period. They are formed on the background of the Paleo-Tethyan tectonic domain, and are important components of the Eastern Tethyan multi-island-ocean system. Three branches of the Eastern Paleo-Tethys tectonic domain, North Yunkai, North Hainan, and South Hainan sea basins, have evolved into the North Yunkai, North Hainan, and South Hainan suture zones, respectively. This shows a distinctive feature of localization for the Pre-Cenozoic basement. The Qiongnan (i.e. South Hainan) Suture Zone on the northern margin of the South China Sea can be considered the vestige of the principal ocean basin of Paleo-Tethys, and connected with the suture zone of the Longmucuo-Shuanghu belt–Bitu belt –Changning-Menglian-Bentong-Raub belt, the south extension of Bitu-Changning-Menglian–Ching Mai belt–Chanthaburi-Raub-Bentong belt on the west of South China Sea, and with the Lianhua-Taidong suture zone (a fault along the east side of Longitudinal Valley in Taiwan)–Hida LP/HT (low pressure-high temperature) metamorphic belt–Hida-marginal HP/LT metamorphic belt in southwestern Honshu of Japan, on the east of the South China Sea. The Qiongbei (North Hainan) suture zone may eastwards extended along the Wangwu-Wenjiao fault zone, and connects with the Lufeng-Dapu-Zhenghe-Shangyu (Lianhuashan) deep fault zone through the Pearl River Mouth Basin. The Meso-Tethys developed on the south of the South China Sea. The Nansha Trough may be considered the vestige of the northern shelf of the Meso-Tethys. The oceanic crust of the Meso-Tethys has southwards subducted along the subduction-collision-thrust southern margin of the Nansha Trough with a subduction-pole opposite to those of the Yarlung Zangbo-Mytkyina-Bago zone on the west of the South China Sea, and the Meso-Tethyan (e.g. Northern Chichibu Ocean of the Meso-Tethys) suture zone “Butsozo tectonic line” in the outer belt of the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous terrene group in southwest Japan, on the east of the South China Sea.     

中国潜质页岩形成和分布

我国页岩盆地发育的大地构造背景复杂,板块规模偏小且地质活动性较强,彼此之间相互影响且在中、新生代以来受外缘板块环境影响较大,表现为南海北陆、南早北晚、南升北降等重大差异,在东西方向上,也由于塔里木与华北板块之间的演变差异而出现较大区别。中国页岩的分布主要受控于板块特点及构造、沉积之间的相互匹配,板块及其相互之间的相对运动造成了不同时代沉降沉积中心的迁移变化。塔里木、华北、华南三个板块均发生了四次沉降沉积中心的转移,但总体上表现为早古生代海相时期的由东向西转移、晚古生代海陆交互相时期的背离板块汇聚中心式转移、中生代陆相和海陆交互相时期的由东向西转移、新生代陆相时期的由西向东转移。潜质页岩及页岩气主要发育在中部地区,具有时代交替、南海北陆、东西分异、时空变迁等特点。南方下古生界海相页岩气原始地质条件优越,但有机质热演化程度高且后期改造强,页岩气的有利区分布既受控于构造与沉积条件,也更决定于构造与沉积两者的相互匹配;晚古生代为主的海陆交互相页岩分布范围广、累积厚度大,常与砂岩、煤系及灰岩频繁互层,有机质热演化程度较为适中,是我国页岩气进一步勘探开发的重要目标层系。北方以中新生代陆相为代表的页岩分布受控于盆地结构,是我国页岩油发育的主体区域。针对各套潜质页岩特点,页岩气勘探宜分别考虑。     

The Earlier Spreading of South China Sea Basin due to the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic Extension of South China Block： Structural Styles and Chronological Evidence from the Dulong-Song Chay Metamorphic Dome, Southwest China

INTRODUCTION Whatmechanismresultedinthespreadingof SouthChinaSeabasin(SCSB)?Wasitreallypro ducedbytheinteractionofperipheralplatesofthe SCSBorAilaoshan RedRiversinistralfault(Fig.1)? Figure1.AnoutlinetectonicmapofSouthChinablockandIndochinablock(modified…     

Certain laws governing development of mobile belt in central and mountainous Asia

The tectonic evolution of a large, complex, mobile region in Central and mountainous Asia is summarized and documented from early Paleozoic to Middle Tertiary. Four basic stages are recognized: the epi-Proterozoic platform, the geosyncline, the young platform, and the activated platform. Generally, the timing coincides with late Precambrian, middle-late Paleozoic, middle-late Mesozoic, and Cenozoic, respectively. Each of these stages started and finished at different times in different parts of the composite mobile belt. The sedimentary, volcanic, and orogenic record is summarized and interrelated in the northern Tien-Shan, Central Tien-Shan, southern Tien-Shan, Kun-Lun and northern Pamir, southern Pamir and Karakorum, and Himalayan provinces. — L.T. Grose.