Tectonic Evolution Research Articles

Early Cretaceous–Late Miocene Basin–Mountains Pattern in the Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, NW China: Evidence From Detrital Zircon Chronology in the Lanzhou Basin

ABSTRACTThe basin‐mountain tectonic system along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau represents a structural signature formed through Cenozoic collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates and subsequent tectonic adjustments, though the mechanisms controlling its tectonic deformation and uplift remain subjects of ongoing scientific debate. The Cenozoic sedimentary sequences preserved in the Lanzhou Basin provide critical archives documenting both provenance variations and tectonic evolution of adjacent orogenic belts. In this study, we employed detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology combined with bulk sediment geochemical analysis (major and trace elements) to reconstruct source‐to‐sink relationships. Quantitative provenance discrimination was achieved through DZmix and DZstats modelling to determine relative contributions from potential source terrains. Analysis of the modelling results showed that During the Early Cretaceous and Late Palaeocene, the Indo‐Eurasian collision affected the West Qinling (50.3% contribution) and North Qilian (34.6%) orogen belts. A significant provenance shift occurred during the Eocene when large‐scale planation surfaces developed across the northeastern Tibetan Plateau margin, resulting in complete cessation of West Qinling‐derived sediments (3% contribution) to the Lanzhou Basin. Subsequent Early Oligocene stratigraphic records indicate resurgent West Qinling input (31%), marking its secondary uplift phase. Multiphase uplift‐denudation cycles characterised both Qilian and West Qinling domains throughout the Early Cretaceous to Late Miocene. Notably, spatiotemporal disparities emerged between North and South Qilian uplift histories, with differential exhumation timing and sediment routing generating distinct provenance signatures in basin fills.

Tectonic Evolution and Structural Control of Dike-Hosted Orogenic Gold Deposits in the Yana–Kolyma Collision Orogen (Eastern Siberia): Insights from the Eastern Margin of the Siberian Craton

The Yana–Kolyma collision orogen, Eastern Siberia, is one of world-class gold economic belts, where large gold deposits are localized, mainly in the Upper Paleozoic and Lower Mesozoic clastic rocks. Dike-hosted orogenic gold deposits are found and to a lesser extent studied, but they are important for understanding the structural control of mineralization within the framework of the orogen. Orogenic gold deposits of the Vyun ore field are hosted in Kimmeridgian–Titonian mafic, intermediate and felsic dikes, but they have no genetic connection with dikes. The late formation of deposits led to the fact that previously reactivated polydeformed structures were subsequently mineralized. The study of the structural control of mineralization is also complicated by superimposed late tectonic events. Based on the analysis of collected field materials, this paper presents the results of the study of deformation structures of the Vyun ore field within the framework of the Mesozoic evolution history throughout the geological time of the eastern convergent margin of the Siberian Craton. Four stages of deformations are identified. The pre-mineralization deformations and metamorphic and magmatic events share a common NE-SW shortening (D1 phase), which is related to the subduction of the Oymyakon oceanic slab and collision of the Kolyma–Omolon superterrane from the eastern margin of the Siberian Craton. This first stage is characterized by the superposition of several tectonic events under conditions of compression and progressive deformations (D1/1 and D1/2). Ore mineralization was formed at the end of compression in the same stress field (D1/2). Its structural control is determined by reactivation of older dikes and faults. Dikes are areas of heterogeneous stress and heterogeneous strain, being favorable for the concentration of ore fluids. The metallogenic time of formation of the gold mineralization is synchronous with the tectonic event, which likely reflects the final stages of the Kolyma–Omolon microcontinent–Siberian Craton collision of the Valanginian during crustal thickening. The main impulse of the Au mineralization D1/2 phase coincided with a slowdown in convergence. The post-mineralization tectonic regime was related to the Aptian–Late Cretaceous tectonic transition from compression to transpression. Transpressional tectonics were determined accordingly by W-E (D2 phase) and N-S (D3 phase) stress fields caused by several accretion events in the Cretaceous on the northern and eastern margins of Siberia. D4 phase extensional structures were caused by the opening of the Eurasian Oceanic basin in the Arctic in the Paleocene. The obtained results have a first-order impact on the understanding of the structural control of orogenic gold deposits and their relationship to the evolution of the host orogen. The new findings improve the tectonic knowledge of an area of interest for ore deposit exploration targeting orogenic gold deposits in Phanerozoic terranes of craton margins.

Thermochronological constraints for reconstructing the tectonic history of the northern Central Cordillera (Serranía de San Lucas), Colombia

The Northern Andes are characterized by episodes of exhumation at around 80, 60–50, 40, 25 and 15–0 Ma in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras, Santander Massif, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Merída Andes. Here we present a preliminary set of low-temperature thermochronological data from the Serranía de San Lucas in the northern Central Cordillera, which demonstrate that the timing of exhumation of this region is different from that of the surrounding massifs such as the Antioquia batholith, the Santander Massif or the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The thermochronological data show that the volcanic rocks of the Early Jurassic Noreán Formation exposed in the Serranía de San Lucas to the west of the Middle Magdalena River basin and the northern Santander Massif were buried beneath 6–7 km of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous/Paleocene sedimentary rocks, then slow erosional exhumation resumed at about 80–60 Ma as reflected by slow cooling rates of 2–4°C/myr. No evidence is found for exhumation at 25 Ma as it has been previously detected in the Antioquia batholith or the Santander Massif. The Serranía de San Lucas tectonic evolution is seen in connection with Mid-Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous extension and Late Cretaceous compression and accretion of oceanic blocks to the western margin of the South American plate, and flat slab subduction of the Caribbean plate during the Eocene–Oligocene.

Petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of lamprophyres and related rocks in the South China continent: Insights from apatite U-Pb geochronology, Nd isotopes, and whole-rock major- and trace elements of diamond-bearing lamprophyre from Northern Guangxi Province, China

Mantle-derived rocks provide a unique perspective for understanding Earth’s interior and tectonic evolution. This study employs laser ablation−inductively coupled plasma−mass spectrometry U-Pb dating of apatite, in situ micro-area Nd isotope analysis, and comprehensive assessments of major- and trace elements in the Leidong minette of South China to elucidate its petrogenesis and geodynamic significance. The SiO2 content of Leidong minette ranges from 53.19 wt% to 55.08 wt%, classifying it as an intermediate magma. It is characterized by high concentrations of K2O (7.64−7.96 wt%), MgO (5.02−5.22 wt%), and K2O/Na2O(molar) ratios (21.22−23.41) indicating that it is an ultrapotassic rock. U-Pb isotopic analysis of apatite reveals an age of ca. 108 Ma, potentially in response to the retreat of the ancient Pacific subduction zone. The apatite 143Nd/144Nd (0.51198−0.51210) and (143Nd/144Nd)i (0.511780−0.511922) show slight variations, with relatively consistent εNd(t) (−14.0 to −11.2). The whole-rock samples show enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements, depletion in high field strength elements, and negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, and Ti. They also exhibit high Th/Yb (31.7−36.3) and Ta/Yb (1.1−1.2). These data, in conjunction with previously reported whole-rock Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic characteristics, suggest that the source of the Leidong minette is predominantly enriched mantle type II altered by fluid metasomatism from an ancient slab. The geophysical data and whole-rock geochemistry, with (Gd/Yb)N (5.0−5.3), support the hypothesis that the source region for the diamond-bearing minette was at depths of at least 100 km (∼3 GPa). Regionally, the lamprophyres and related rocks (ca. 250−90 Ma) in central and northern Guangxi Province, China, represent an orogenic setting, primarily modified by subduction-related fluids, whereas the related rocks (ca. 490−438 Ma) in southeastern Guizhou Province are associated with an intraplate environment, influenced by melt enrichment. This indicates that the boundary between the western margin of the Cathaysia Block and Yangtze Craton may lie between these regions and their amalgamation time is not the late early Paleozoic but the Neoproterozoic. From the analysis of diamond ore-forming conditions, it appears that high-grade, large-scale diamond deposits are unlikely to have formed in the South China region.

3D structure and genesis of synrift uplift within the Baiyun Sag, northern South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) is located in the region of convergence between the Eurasian, Indo-Australian and Pacific plates. In previous studies, the diachronic movement of these plates led to a complex picture of tectonic evolution of the rifting stage before opening of the SCS. The Yundong Low Uplift (YLU) is a synrift uplift with an asymmetric structure located in the Baiyun Sag in the northern SCS. In this study, the formation process of the YLU is studied on the basis of 3D seismic reflection data. Based on multiple profiles comparing the 3D structures, we determined that the detachment faults controlling the formation of the YLU are composed of several secondary faults. There is significant cross-cutting and uplift on these secondary faults, accompanied by rotation of the fault blocks, denudation of the strata and some synrift magmatism. Therefore, the cross-cutting and merging relationships of multiple faults revealed in the seismic profiles indicate that the formation of the YLU in the northern SCS is consistent with the classical listric normal fault-controlled model proposed for North American metamorphic core complexes. Finally, we determined that the YLU formed during the synrift stage and underwent three uplift processes, and the formation of the YLU corresponded to the Huizhou movement ( c. 43 Ma) defined by previous studies in the Zhu 1 Depression. This study enriches the model for genesis of synrift uplift in the northern SCS margin, and also contributes to our understanding of the regional tectonic evolution.

40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology and petrophysics of Ediacaran granites, northern Borborema Province, Brazil: implications for cooling of the Brasiliano–Pan-African Orogeny

The Borborema Province, in northeastern Brazil, encompasses tectonic domains separated by high-temperature shear zones. Argon geochronology and thermal modelling of Ediacaran plutons, complemented by existing zircon U–Pb ages, provide insights into its magmatic cooling history and implications for its tectonic evolution during the Brasiliano–Pan-African Orogeny. Hornblende and biotite from eight plutons along a 700 km SE–NW transect (hosting zircons with U–Pb ages in the range 633–571 Ma) were analysed via laser incremental heating 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology. Hornblende crystals yield plateau ages ranging from 570.8 ± 5.1 to 489.5 ± 3.2 Ma, whereas biotite crystals display plateau ages from 557 ± 4 to 491 ± 3 Ma. Thermobarometric calculations indicate pressures of 2.1–5.8 kbar and temperatures of 621–783°C for magma emplacement. Integration of all data reveals that the Borborema Province was assembled from blocks with different geothermal gradients (40–70°C km −1 ), featuring the highest temperature near the plutons and diverse cooling trajectories. Petrophysical data indicate an overall cooling rate (based on U–Pb zircon and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar hornblende ages) ranging from 0.3 to 4.0°C Ma −1 . This variation suggests (re)activation of low- and high-temperature shear zones by the end of the Ediacaran. This study also demonstrates the possibility of elucidating the cooling trajectory of plutons unaffected by shear zones.

Petrography and geochemistry of Paleoproterozoic metasediments of Bougouni Region, Southern Mali: Implication for provenance and tectonic setting

This study investigates the geochemical and petrographic characteristics of Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks (greywackes, mica-schists and talc-schists) from the Bougouni region, southern Mali to assess their provenance, tectonic setting and paleo-weathering. These rocks are crucial for understanding the geodynamic evolution of the Birimian terrane in West Africa. Petrographic analysis, geochemical characterisation (including trace and major elements) and various weathering indices (chemical index of alteration, plagioclase index of alteration and ICV) were employed to evaluate their alteration and source area characteristics. Results show moderate alteration, with CIA values ranging from 54.39 to 77.19. The dominance of LILEs enrichment over HFSEs in the studied samples, the rare earth element patterns ((La/Yb)N = 14,76) and the negative europium anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.31) indicate a predominantly felsic to intermediate igneous provenance. The major and trace elements discriminating diagrams suggest that the Bougouni metasediments were deposited in a continental arc setting. This work extends prior research on the Birimian terrane by providing a detailed geochemical assessment of sediment provenance and tectonic setting, emphasising the role of Birimian granitoids as the probable primary source. The study contributes to understanding the Paleoproterozoic tectonic evolution in southern Mali.

ERRATUM: Geochemical and tectonic evolution of the Ordovician Bronson Hill arc and Silurian and Devonian Connecticut Valley–Gaspé trough: Eastern Vermont and western New Hampshire, USA

In Figure 2 and the corresponding legend, the brown swatch for CVGT/NHS is also representative of Precambrian rocks. The label should be “CVGT/NHS/Precambrian rocks.” The figure and corrected legend follows.

Machine Learning and Big Data Mining Reveal Earth's Deep Time Crustal Thickness and Tectonic Evolution: A New Chemical Mohometry Approach

AbstractQuantitative analysis of crustal thickness evolution across deep time poses critical insights into the planet's geological history. It may help uncover new areas with potential critical mineral deposits and reveal the impacts of crustal thickness and elevation changes on the development of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. However, most existing estimation methods are restricted to arc‐related magmas, limiting their broader application. By mining extensive geochemical data from present‐day subduction zones, collision orogenic belts, and non‐subduction‐related intraplate igneous rock samples worldwide, along with their corresponding Moho depths during magmatism, we have developed a machine learning‐based mohometry linking geochemical data to Moho depth, which is universally applicable in reconstructing ancient orogenic systems' paleo‐crustal evolution and tracking complex tectonic histories in both spatial and temporal dimensions. Our novel mohometry model demonstrates robust performance, achieving an R2 of 0.937 and an Root Mean Squared Error of 4.3 km. Feature importance filtering highlights key geochemical proxies, allowing for accurate paleo‐crustal thickness estimation even when many elements are missing. Model validation in southern Tibet and the South China Block, regions characterized by well‐constrained crustal histories and complex tectonic processes, demonstrates its broad applicability. Reconstructed paleo‐crustal thickness records reveal a strong correlation between crustal thickening events and the formation of porphyry ore deposits, offering new insights for mineral exploration in ancient orogens subjected to significant surface erosion. By enabling the reconstruction of crustal thickness across geological timescales, this model enhances our understanding of Earth's internal dynamics and their interactions with surface processes, thereby advancing our comprehension of Earth's geological history.

Cretaceous mafic magmatic enclaves and host granites in the Luanchuan ore cluster, East Qinling, China: Insights into Mo mineralisation and tectonic evolution

Cretaceous mafic magmatic enclaves and host granites in the Luanchuan ore cluster, East Qinling, China: Insights into Mo mineralisation and tectonic evolution

U-Pb age and Lu-Hf isotopic compositions of zircon from tuff layers of the late Permian-Early Triassic sedimentary succession in the western Yangtze Block, SW China: Implications for the tectonic evolution and Impact of episodic volcanism on biotic recovery

U-Pb age and Lu-Hf isotopic compositions of zircon from tuff layers of the late Permian-Early Triassic sedimentary succession in the western Yangtze Block, SW China: Implications for the tectonic evolution and Impact of episodic volcanism on biotic recovery

Mapping Crustal Vp/Vs in North America With a Machine Learning Approach

AbstractVp/Vs (Poisson's ratio) provides critical information for constraining the bulk crustal composition, stress state, and tectonic evolution of the Earth. The receiver function technique has been extensively utilized to constrain the crustal Vp/Vs, yet the reliability of measurements can be affected by complex structures and uneven distribution of seismic stations. Consequently, the interpolated Vp/Vs maps can often be biased by unreliable observations, especially in data‐sparse regions. We tackle these issues by proposing a machine learning model that integrates multiple geophysical data sets to estimate Vp/Vs, leveraging the physical and structural properties of the crust. We train the model by compiling an extensive data set of global Vp/Vs measurements at 13,314 seismic stations and employ XGBoost to map Vp/Vs with other key crustal properties. Experiments using data from the (a) United States and (b) United States and Canada demonstrate superior prediction accuracy, achieving an overall value of 0.84 in both cases. Feature importance analysis indicates that crustal tectonic type, geographic coordinates, mid‐crust shear‐wave velocity, and crustal thickness primarily capture Vp/Vs variations, together explaining over 70% of reduction in the normalized root‐mean‐square error. The inclusion of other features further refines small‐scale Vp/Vs variation. Compared to cubic and Kriging interpolations, the predicted Vp/Vs map from machine learning exhibits less local extremes and a better alignment with the first‐order crustal structure across the continent. This study highlights the capability of machine learning to uncover complex geophysical relationships for reliable Vp/Vs estimates and its potential to constrain crustal composition at a continental scale.

WITHDRAWN: Coexistence of alkaline and subalkaline rocks at Los Tuxtlas Volcanic Complex and its relation to the tectonic evolution

WITHDRAWN: Coexistence of alkaline and subalkaline rocks at Los Tuxtlas Volcanic Complex and its relation to the tectonic evolution

Revealing Subsurface Complexity of the West Philippine Basin by a Multi‐Method Magnetic Analysis

AbstractUnderstanding the tectonic evolution of oceanic basins is critical for reconstructing the geological history of the Earth. The West Philippine Basin (WPB), located at the intersection of major tectonic plates in the Western Pacific, presents a complex geological environment with unresolved questions regarding features like the Gagua Ridge and the extent of Cretaceous oceanic crust. We propose a novel data processing approach that integrates singular spectrum analysis and normalized source strength to effectively extract residual and regional magnetic anomalies. By applying three‐dimensional oblique magnetization inversion to the extracted regional anomalies, we revealed the magnetic structure of the WPB. Our results suggest that the Gagua Ridge exhibits characteristics of a volcanic arc in deep‐source magnetization, supporting its formation as an immature intra‐oceanic arc linked to Pacific Plate subduction. Additionally, we inferred the possible extent of Cretaceous oceanic crust within the Huatung Basin and identified a shallow demagnetization zone in the southeastern Gagua Ridge, attributed to South China Sea Plate subduction. These findings enable the construction of a tectonic model that elucidates the evolution of the WPB, offering new insights into the dynamic mechanisms of tectonic subduction systems in the western Pacific, and also provide a valuable tool for studying complex tectonic regions worldwide.

New insights into the provenance and tectonic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Aravalli Basin, NW India

New insights into the provenance and tectonic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Aravalli Basin, NW India

Nappe tectonics in the Matomb-Hegba area, South-Central Cameroon: Implications on the tectonic evolution of the Yaoundé Group in the Central African Orogenic Belt

Nappe tectonics in the Matomb-Hegba area, South-Central Cameroon: Implications on the tectonic evolution of the Yaoundé Group in the Central African Orogenic Belt

Tectonic evolution of the Proto-Paleo-Tethys in the West Kunlun orogenic belt: Constraints from U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons

Tectonic evolution of the Proto-Paleo-Tethys in the West Kunlun orogenic belt: Constraints from U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons

Corrigendum to “Tectonometamorphic history across the Chesterfield Fault Zone: Implications for tectonic evolution of the Rae Craton, Nunavut, Canada” [Precambrian Res. 418 (2025) 107679

Corrigendum to “Tectonometamorphic history across the Chesterfield Fault Zone: Implications for tectonic evolution of the Rae Craton, Nunavut, Canada” [Precambrian Res. 418 (2025) 107679

Paleozoic tectonic evolution in central Alborz (Iran): Continuous extension from Gondwanan active margin to Cimmerian passive margin

Paleozoic tectonic evolution in central Alborz (Iran): Continuous extension from Gondwanan active margin to Cimmerian passive margin

Petrogenesis of Middle Jurassic Syenite-Granite Suites and Early Cretaceous Granites with Associated Enclaves in Southwestern Zhejiang, SE China: Implications for Subduction-Related Tectonic Evolution Beneath Northeastern Cathaysia Block

Late Mesozoic magmatism in Southeast China extensively reworked the Cathaysia Block’s crust, linked to the Paleo-Pacific Plate subduction beneath East Asia. The northeastern Cathaysia Block, largely covered by Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary basins, has limited Jurassic exposure to Early Cretaceous intrusions, which provides critical insights into deep crust-mantle processes. In this study, we present zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotope, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr-Nd isotopes of the Middle Jurassic syenite-granite suites and Early Cretaceous granites with enclaves in the Qingyuan area (SW Zhejiang Province) to constrain their petrogenesis and tectonic significance. Middle Jurassic syenites and alkali-feldspar granites (169–167 Ma) exhibit calc-alkaline to shoshonitic affinities and weakly peraluminous compositions. Early Cretaceous granites (134 Ma) and their enclaves (136 Ma) are high-K calc-alkaline and weakly peraluminous to metaluminous. All samples show LILE and LREE enrichment, HFSE depletion, and negative Eu and Sr anomalies, with only syenites displaying negative Ce anomalies. We suggest that the Middle Jurassic syenites originated from the partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle influenced by subduction-related metasomatism. Alkali-feldspar granites derived from partial melting of the basement of the Cathaysia Block. Early Cretaceous granites formed by partial melting of lower crustal mafic rocks, with enclaves representing earlier crystallization products, which were then mechanically mixed with granites. We propose the NE Cathaysia Block underwent significant reworking from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. Middle Jurassic syenites formed in a compressional setting linked to Paleo-Pacific Plate subduction, while Early Cretaceous magmatism reflects lithospheric extension and crust-mantle interaction triggered by slab rollback.