Paleogene-Neogene stratigraphic realm and tectonic-sedimentary evolution of the Qilian Mountains and their surrounding areas

• Published in: Science China. Earth sciences 2017-05, Vol.60 (5), p.992-1009
• Main Authors: Yang, LiRong, Li, JianXing, Yue, LePing, Wang, HongLiang, Guo, HuaiJun, Zhu, XiaoHui, Zhu, Tao, Du, Kai, Zhang, Rui, Zhang, YunXiang, Gong, HuJun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basins; Biological evolution; Cenozoic; Clay; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Eocene; Evolution; Extrusion; Miocene; Mountains; Neogene; Oligocene; Orogeny; Palaeocene; Paleocene; Paleogene; Pelagic clay; Pliocene; Research Paper; Sedimentary basins; Sedimentation; Stratigraphic correlation; Stratigraphy; Topography (geology); Uplift; 古近系; 地层对比; 新近纪; 构造沉积演化; 沉积盆地; 盆地形成; 祁连山; 邻区
• ISSN: 1674-7313; 1869-1897
• DOI: 10.1007/s11430-016-9030-2

The Cenozoic uplift of Qilian Mountains is critical to comprehend the uplift and extension of the Tibet Plateau as well as the formation of the first and second steps in China＇s topography. This study summarized dynamic stratigraphic realm comprehensively on the basis of stratigraphic correlation of different Cenozoic sedimentary basin regions of the Qilian Mountains and adjacent mountains. This facilitated the re-creation of the tectonic-sedimentary evolutionary process of the Qilian Mountains and their surrounding areas. The results indicate that during the Early Paleogene（Paleocene-Eocene）, the Qilian Mountains were part of an uplift realm. During the Oligocene, Guide-Xining-Lanzhou-Linxia sag basin at the northern margin of the West Qinling Mountains came into being and was subjected to sedimentation. The Suli Basin located between the North and South Qilian paleo-uplifts began to form and undergo sedimentation. Intracontinental orogenic extrusion and basin detachment occurred at the Qilian Mountains during the Miocene, which caused successive uplifts of various mountains, including the Laji, South Qinghai,Jishi, Liupan, and South Shule Mountains. Until Pliocene, Qilian Mountains uplifted continuously and resulted in the shrink,extinction and being eroded of the basins, and aeolian red clay started to accumulate.