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NEOPROTEROZOIC CONTINENTAL BL0CK COLLAGE OF CHINA AND RODINIA SUPERCONTINENT
- GUO Jin-jing1, Zhang Guo-wei1, Lu Song-nian2, Zhao Feng-qing2
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1999, 5(2):
148-156.
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Investigation of the Meso-Neoproterozoic collage and rifting of craton blocks in China continent is vital to the reconstruction of global Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercontinent. However, the collage configuration of the blocks in China continent during Meso-Neoproterozoic era, the position of these blocks in the Rodinia supercontinent are still open to discussion. Based on the available literatures and data about the Meso-Neoproterozoic tectonic framework of China, as well as the results of our recent study on the proterozoic baseement in eastern Mid- Qilian massif, the authors will try to analyze the problems mentioned above in a comprehensive way.
The blocks distributed in the China continent mainly include Cathaysia, Yangtze, North China, A1ashan-Qilan- Caidam, and Tarim block. The 90OMa collional collage zone between the Cathysia and Yangtze block has been recognized by Chinese geologists, although the Jinningian collisional zone between North China and Yangtze block is stil1 disputed. Based upon the existence of 1000～ 900Ma ophiolite suite and collisional granite belts, occurrence of a large amount of 1 O0O～800Ma tetono-thermal event data, intensive and common Jinningian deformation in the Proterozoic basement scattered within the Qinling orogenic belt, we suggest that North China block had collided with the Yangtze block. Although the collage configuration of the blocks in western China is unclear, recognition of the Jinningian coilisional zone in the western margin of Yangtze block, preservation of the 900Ma collision zone in the eastern Mid- Qilian massif and the eclogite zone in the north margin of Caidam block all suggest that the blocks in Western China had collided with each other during Jinningian period. Furthermore, the Sinicanearly Paleozoic sediments covered on the Cathaysia, Yangtze, Caidam , and Tarim blocks have the same features, such as the Sinican glacial bed, similar sedimentary facies and sequences, and Gondwana biota, which all imply that these blocks were still a unified collage block at the beginning of the rifting of Rodinia Supercontinent.
Based on the above analysis, we believe that the Cathaysia block, Yangtze block, North Chian block, Alashan- Qilian-Caidam block and Tarim block collaged with each other through the Jinningian collision zones during the early Neoproterozoic(1 000～900Ma), forming a Jinningian unified Sinican block. This coilisional collage may represent a part of the global Grenvillian orogenic events and the assemblage of Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercontinent. Futhermore, we suggest that the early Neoproterozoic collaged unified Sinican block was probably situated in the central- northern part of Rodinia supercontinent and between Laurentia, Siberia and Australia blocks, and that major craton blocks of China were only several small craton blocks engulfed in the global mega-Grenvillian orogenic belts, and were aim situated in central part of the broken late Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercontinent.
