A new geological map of the western Junggar, north Xinjiang (NW China): Implications for Paleoenvironmental reconstruction

Abstract

Recently, new geochronological data and geological observations including the discovery of garnet amphibolite, Ordovician micro-fossils, unconformable contact between the ophiolitic melange related flysch and the Devonian to Early Carboniferous terrestrial volcano-sedimentary strata provide critical evidences for Paleo-environmental reconstruction in the western Junggar (Xinjiang, China). Two different geological layers could be clearly identified: the Early Paleozoic metamorphic terrane mainly consists of ophiolitic melange and flysch, and the Late Paleozoic volcano-sedimentary units lying on the ophiolitic melange and flysch. Both of these layers were intruded by granitic to dioritic magma during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian period. Based on these data, a new geological map for the western Junggar has been compiled, which is essential not only for better understanding of the geological evolution but also for exploration of mineral resources.