Timing of uplift and evolution of the Liiliang Mountains, North China Craton

• Published in: 中国科学：地球科学英文版 2016 (1), p.58-69
• Main Author: ZHAO JunFeng LIU ChiYang Nigel MOUNTNEY LU JianJun CAO JiLong YANG Yao XUE Rui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 华北克拉通; 地球动力学背景; 山脉隆升; 时间; 演化; 西太平洋板块; 鄂尔多斯盆地东部; 隆起
• ISSN: 1674-7313; 1869-1897

This study analyses evidence for reformed basin development and basin-mountain coupling associated with devel- opment of the Ordos Basin and the Laliang Mountains, China. Gaining an improved understanding of the timing and nature of uplift and evolution of the Ltiliang Mountains is important for the reconstruction of the eastern sedimentary boundary of the Ordos Basin （a major petroliferous basin） as well as for providing insight into the evolution and breakup of the North China Craton （NCC）. Based on systematic sampling for fission track analysis, it is suggested that the main phase of uplift of the Laliang Mountains occurred since later part of the Early Cretaceous. Three evolutionary stages of uplift and development are identified： slow initial uplift （120-65 Ma）, accelerated uplift （65-23 Ma）, and intensive uplift （23 Ma to present）, with the ma- jority of the uplift activity having occurred during the Cenozoic. The history of uplift is non-equilibrium and exhibits complex- ity in temporal and spatial aspects. The middle and northern parts of the Ltiliang Mountains were uplifted earlier than the southern part. The most intensive episode of uplift activity commenced in the Miocene and was associated with a genetic cou- pling relationship with the eastern neighboring Cenozoic Shanxi Grabens. The uplifting and evolutionary processes of the Ltiliang Mountains area since later part of the Early Cretaceous share a unified regional geodynamic setting, which was ac- companied by uplift of the Mesozoic Ordos Basin and development of the neighboring Cenozoic Shanxi Grabens. Collectively, this regional orogenic activity is related principally to the far-field effects of both the compression sourced from the south- western Tibet Plateau and westward subduction of the Pacific Plate in Cenozoic.