DISCOVERY OF RADIOLARIAN FOSSILS IN THE CHERT GRAVELS OF TRIASSIC CONGLOMERATE IN THE WEST OF SOUTH TIANSHAN, NW CHINA

1. Introduction Kurgan, a frontier station in the south foot of the Southwest Tianshan Mountains, is located on the NW margin of the Tarim Basin (Fig. 1). The Mesozoic coal-bearing molasses there is the most west Mesozoic outcrop of the Kuqa Depression, a tectonic unit of Tarim and its adjacent area. It is very difficult for geologist to access there. This results in the lack of geological works in this area. Meanwhile, only a few petroleum exploration works have been accomplished in t…