Cambrian tectonic evolution of the northwestern Ordos Terrane, North China: constraints of stratigraphy, sedimentology and zircon U–Pb geochronology

Abstract

The Helanshan Tectonic Belt and its environs within the northwestern Ordos Terrane, western North China Craton, have been envisaged as aulacogen or plate boundary separating the Alxa Massif from the Ordos Block during Cambrian. However, it conflicts with geological and geophysical facts. This study presents integrated stratigraphic, sedimentary and geochronological data from the Cambrian strata in the northwestern Ordos Terrane to constrain the Cambrian tectonic evolutionary process of the western North China Craton. The Cambrian successions comprise, in ascending order, evaporite platform facies, restricted-open platform facies and evaporite platform facies, featuring a vertical transgression–regression sequence. An eastward-shoaling paleogeography was documented, evidenced by shallow-water dolomite layers enriched in the east and the detritus derived from northeast. Ages of detrital zircons span from 2566 to 1649 Ma with predominant two peaks around 2500 and 1850 Ma, suggesting these Cambrian detritus were sourced from the Archean–Paleoproterozoic rocks in the Yimeng highland. Comparable fossil associations and unified paleogeography system supported that there was no Cambrian plate boundary in the northwestern Ordos Terrane, implying the Alxa Massif was part of the North China Craton during the Cambrian. The westward-deepening facies differentiation with low-angle topography contradicts with the tectonic model of “Helan aulacogen”. In combination with the relatively low subsidence rate and rare magmatic–metamorphic activities, we argue that the Cambrian shallow marine system in the western North China Craton was the continent-ward extension of passive continental margin basin system related to the spreading of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.