Early Paleozoic Mafic‐Ultramafic Rocks in the East Kunlun: Trace Subduction of Proto‐Tethys

Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) Plateau, is a composite orogenic belt which has underwent multi-stages tectonic evolution (e.g.Wang and Chen,1987; Jiang et al., 1992; Yang et al., 1996, 2009). The East Kunlun orogenic belt (EKOB) is bounded by Altyn Tagh Fault in the west and Wenquan Fault in the east, bounded by the south margin of Qaidam Basin in the north and by the South Kunlun Fault (SKF) in the south. The Central Kunlun Fault (CKF) is a significant tectonic boundary in the EKOB, which is divided by CKF into North Kunlun terrane (NKT) and South Kunlun terrane (SKT) (Fig.1) (Meng et al., 2015 and therein). Some serpentinite, gabbro, diabase, and mafic volcanic rock in the Precambrian and early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks as slices and blocks exposed discontinuously along the Central Kunlun suture, they are considered ophiolite such as the Yaziquan, Nuomuhon and Qingshuiquan ophiolites (Fig. 1) (e.g. Xiao et al., 1986; Jiang et al., 1986; Gao et al., 1988; Yang et al., 1996; Zhu et al., 2006; Cui et al., 2011). These are all considered to be early Paleozoic in ages of 518-420Ma, implying the existence of a Paleozoic-ocean (Proto-Tethys) (Yang et al., 1996; Bian MENG Fancong, CUI Meihui, REN Yufeng and Paul T. ROBINSON, 2016. Early Paleozoic Mafic-Ultramafic Rocks in the East Kunlun: Trace Subduction of Proto-Tethys. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition), 90(supp. 1): 231-233.