Early proterozoic tectonic styles and associated mineral deposits of the North China Platform

Abstract

The remarkable change in tectonic style from Archean granite-greenstone belts and high grade terrains to linear sedimentary basins marks the beginning of the Early Proterozoic in China. The different evolutionary histories of, and accumulations in, the Early Proterozoic basins result in different Archean-Early Proterozoic boundaries. Two time limits, 2.8 and 2.5 Ga, are significant for the boundary in eastern China. Early Proterozoic basins displaying different tectonic styles contain different mineral deposits. The Liaodong Peninsula type of Early Proterozoic basin contains the most abundant mineral resources and deposit types, including stratabound BFe and Pb-Zn deposits in the eugeosynclinal facies of the Liaojitite Suite, and pyrite, P and magnesite deposits in miogeosynclinal facies rocks. The magnesite deposits in Liaodong Peninsula are the largest in the world and were formed in a unique geological setting.