Reconstruction of the Triassic Tectonic Lithofacies Paleogeography in Qiangtang Region, Northern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Tongxing ZHU , Xintao FENG , Xiaofei WANG , Mingkui ZHOU 
Published: April 2013

The Triassic petrostratigraphic system and chronologic stratigraphic sketch have been updated and perfected in the Qiangtang area, Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau based on the integrated 1:250000 regional geological survey and the latest research progeny. The first finished 1:3000000 Triassic tectonic lithofacies paleogeographic maps in the Qiangtang area shows that the Triassic tectonic unit in the Qiangtang area can been divided into three parts from north to south: northern Qiangtang block; Longmucuo‐Shuanghu suture zone; and southern Qiangtang block.

The early‐middle Triassic tectonic paleogeography in the Qiangtang area is divides into three sub‐units: northern Qiangtang passive continental marginal basin (NQPB), Longmucuo‐ Shuanghu residual basin (LSRB) and southern Qiangtang residual basin (SQRB). The NQPB can be subdivided into four paleogeography units: The Tanggula‐Zangxiahe shallow and bathyal sea; The Wangquanhe‐Yingshuiquan carbonate platform; The Rejuechaka‐Jiangaidarina littoral‐ shallow sea; and Qiangtang central uplift. The above units of The NQPB possess EW trend, geomorphology high in the south and low in the north, the seawater depth northward. The basinal paleo‐current direction is unidirectional, and basinal tectonic subsidence center is in accord with the depo‐center, located in the Tanggula‐Zangxiahe belt, north of the basin. The sedimentation and tectonic evolution of the NQPB are characterized with passive continental marginal basin. The Qiangtang central orogenic denuded area (ancient land) may be as a sedimentary materials source of the NQPB. SQRB can be divided into two units: Duoma carbonate platform and southern Qiangtang neritic‐deep sea.

The late Triassic tectonic paleogeography in the Qiangtang area is the framework of the “archipelagic‐sea” as a whole, and it may be divided into three sub‐units: northern Qiangtang back‐arc foreland basin(NQFB), Longmucuo‐Shuanghu residual basin(LSRB) and southern Qiangtang marginal‐sea basin(SQMB). Thereinto, NQFB can be divided into five paleogeography units: the Zangxiahe‐Mingjinghu bathyal basin characterized with the flysch; the Tanggula shallow‐sea shelf with the fine‐clastics; the Juhuashang platform with carbonates; the Tumenggela‐Shuanghu coastal‐delta with coal‐bearing clastics and the Nadigangri‐ Geladandong arc with volcanics and tuffs. In transverse section, the NQFB fills is wedge‐shaped, and the sediments characterized with thicker in north and thinner in south, and with double materials derived from the Ruolagangri orogenic belt in north and the Shuanghu central orogenic belt in south. The late Triassic depocenter of NQFB is located in the middle of the basin, the Yakecuo‐Bandaohu‐Quemocuo belt, but the subsidence center in the north, the Zangxiahe‐ Mingjinghu belt, and basinal tectonic subsidence center not concordant with the depo‐center. Late Triassic, the SQMB may be divided into three sub‐units: Xiaochaka shallow‐sea; Riganpeicuo platform; and South Qiangtang southern bathyal basin. In transverse section, the basement of the SQMB is characterized with low in the northern and southern, but high in the middle; forming wedge shaped sediments with thicker in the north and thinner in the south; the sedimentary materials derived from the Qiangtang central uplift and Nadigangri arcs in north. The late Triassic subsidence centre of the SQMB is located in the northern (Xiaochaka area), but the depocenter in the southern (Qixiancuo Suobucha area). The sedimentation and tectonic evolution of the SQMB are characterized with marginal sea.