Structural Characteristics and Formation Mechanism in the Micangshan Foreland,South China

Lying at the junction of the Dabashan, Longmenshan and Qinling mountains, the Micangshan Orogenic Belt coupled with a basin is a duplex structure and back‐thrust triangular belt with little horizontal displacement, small thrust faults and continuous sedimentary cover. On the basis of 3D seismic data, and through sedimentary and structural research, the Micangshan foreland can be divided into five subbelts, which from north to south are: basement thrust, frontal thrust, foreland depression‐back‐thrust triangle, foreland fold belt or anticline belt, and the Tongjiang Depression. Along the direction of strike from west to east, the arcuate structural belt of Micangshan can be divided into west, middle and east segments. During the collision between the Qinling and Yangtze plates, the Micangshan Orogenic Belt was subjected to the interaction of three rigid terranes: Bikou, Foping, and Fenghuangshan (a.k.a. Ziyang) terranes. The collision processes of rigid terranes controlled the structural development of the Micangshan foreland, which are: (a) the former collision between the Micangshan‐Hannan and Bikou terranes forming the earlier rudiments of the structure; and (b) the later collision forming the main body of the structural belt. The formation processes of the Micangshan Orogenic Belt can be divided into four stages: (1) in the early stage of the Indosinian movement, the Micangshan‐Hannan Rigid Terrane was jointed to the Qinling Plate by the clockwise subduction of the Yangtze Plate toward the Qinling Plate; (2) since the late Triassic, the earlier rudiments of the Tongnanba and Jiulongshan anticlines and corresponding syncline were formed by compression from different directions of the Bikou, Foping and Micangshan‐Hannan terranes; (3) in the early stage of the Himalayan movement, the Micangshan‐Hannan Terrane formed the Micangshan Nappe torwards the foreland basin and the compression stresses were mainly concentrated along both its flanks, whereas the Micangshan‐Hannan Terrane wedged into the Qinling Orogenic Belt with force; (4) in the late stage of the Himalayan movement, the main collision of the Qinling Plate made the old basement rocks of the terrane uplift quickly, to form the Micangshan Orogenic Belt. The Micangshan foreland arcuate structure was formed due to the non‐homogeneity of terrane movement.