Tectonic affinity and significance of the Qilian Block: Evidence from river sediments in the Central Qilian Belt

The tectonic affinity of the Qilian Block is crucial to reconstructing the ocean-continent configuration of Rodinia. This study integrates previous studies with new whole-sample Nd and zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic data from modern river sediments to identify the origin of the Qilian Block and its tectonic role in the Rodinia supercontinent cycle. Zircon U-Pb-Hf data in combination with whole-sample/whole-rock Nd and Pb isotopic data indicate that the Central Qilian Belt (CQB) shows close tectonic affinity with the Hualong and North Wulan terranes and together constituted a coherent Qilian Block crustal domain, whereas the Quanji Block likely underwent an independent evolution prior to the early Paleozoic orogeny. A comprehensive assessment of geochronological and whole-rock geochemical-isotopic data reveal that the Precambrian basement of the Qilian and Alxa blocks experienced similar historical evolutions and possibly formed a coherent Qaidam-Altyn-Qilian-Alxa continent before the breakup of Rodinia. Moreover, the Qaidam-Altyn-Qilian-Alxa continent was probably once part of the Yangtze Block, laying along the periphery of the supercontinent Rodinia. Therefore, the northwestern boundary of the Yangtze-affinity block can extend to the Alxa Block and the Qilian Ocean is a branch of the proto-Tethys Ocean. A micro-block can serve as a window into reconstructing the ocean-continent configurations of supercontinents during certain periods.