Stratigraphic framework of late Paleozoic in northeastern China

Late Paleozoic strata in northeastern China are distributed in a zonal pattern around the old-land on the Jiamusi-Mongolia Block． They are composed of active deposits in the regular distributed tectonic lithofacies zones． This indicates that the late Paleozoic strata belong to continental margin deposits． According to the strong conformability of the sedimentary strata in the same continental margin and distinct differences among the three continental margins，three stratigraphical regions of the Jiamusi-Mongolia Stratigraphical Province are recognized along the northern，southern and eastern margins of the Jiamusi-Mongolia Block，named respectively as Xing'an Stratigraphical Region，Inner Mongolia grass--Songhua River Stratigraphical Region and Baoqing--Hunchun Stratigraphical Region． Due to the characteristics of continental margin deposits and active sediments，the strata can be correlated on the level of formation by the methods of analysing the rock association in the same stratigraphic region． Therefore，some revisions of the lithological formations of the late Paleozoic strata in northeastern China have been made，and a new chart of lithostratigraphic correlation has been proposed． Furthermore，the present stratigraphic framework is setting on the International Stratigraphic Chart on the level of stage，after comprehensive researches to lithostratigraphy，biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy，especially the conodont biostratigraphy and isotopic ages of volcanic rocks obtained in recent years．