Table Of ContentGLOBAL GEOSCIENCE TRANSECT 2 
XIANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT 
NORTH CHINA 
@ American Geophysical Union 
Publication No. 188 of the International Lithosphere Program
ISBN 0-87590-779-2 
Copyright 1991 American Geophysical Union. Figures, tables and 
short excerpts may be reprinted in scientific books and journals if 
the source is properly cited; all other rights reserved. 
Printed in the United States of America. 
American Geophysical Union 
2000 Florida Avenue, N. W. 
Washington, D.C. 20009
Preface 
The Global Geoscience Transects Project (GGT) is  surface-bound field geologist, can attest to the excite- 
an ambitious international effort that draws together  ment of working with geophysicists from around the 
geoscientists in a variety of disciplines to produce the  world to consider the nature and evolution of deeper 
best possible portrayal of the composition and struc-  parts of the crust and to attempt to integrate these data 
ture of the Earth's crust. Since its inception in 1985,  with surface features. 
GGT has encouraged geoscientists in all countries of  GGT compilation also plays a significant role in the 
the world to compile cross sections of the Earth up to  education of geoscientists. The problems being inves- 
tigated are global and interdisciplinary in scope, and 
a few thousands of kilometers in length and drawn to 
international  cooperation  between  geologists,  geo- 
the base of the crust using all available geological, 
physicists, geochemists, and geodesists is required to 
geophysical, and geochemical information. Transects 
resolve them. Transects cannot be compiled without 
are drawn to common scales and formats so that the 
such interdisciplinary research. 
Earth's  crust in different parts of the world can be 
The guidelines developed for the transects had to be 
directly compared. 
flexible enough to accommodate the variations in data 
GGT was conceived by  the Inter-Union Commis- 
available in different parts of the world. Some areas 
sion  on  the  Lithosphere  (ICL), a  "child"  of  the 
have very complete, freely available data bases; others 
International  Union of  Geological Sciences and the 
have at best only gravity or aeromagnetic maps as the 
International  Union  of  Geodesy  and  Geophysics 
geophysical data base from which to construct crustal 
(IUGG), at the IASPEI conference in Tokyo in August 
cross sections. 
1985. Project coordinators James W. H. Monger and 
The first publications of the GGT Project, a transect 
Hans-Jurgen Gotze organized a multidisciplinary, mul- 
chart and accompanying booklet, are ajoint activity of 
tinational committee that coordinated the global proj- 
ICL and AGU. The seven transects from China (2), 
ect. Meeting at the IUGG XIX General Assembly in 
South America (2), Australia (2), and Syria (I), were 
Vancouver in August 1987, the committee developed 
drafted and hand colored by the compilers. Transects 
preliminary guidelines for transect compilations, fol- 
combine the available data into interpretive sections 
lowing suggestions from transect compilers. Proposals 
drawn to the base of the Earth's crust. The product is 
for transects were solicited from ICL national commit- 
a large display-approximately  1 meter by 2 meters- 
tees,  government geoscience agencies, universities, 
and scientists. A total of 140 proposals were received  with the bottom line cross section as a vertical tectonic 
from  Africa  (41),  South America  (30), China  (18),  map of the crust. The booklet includes an analysis of 
USSR (12), USA (12), Europe (12), Australia and New  the transect by the compilers and references to data 
Zealand (1 I), India (3), and Southeast Asia (I).  sources. 
The GGT Project has generated a special intellectual  The  GGT  Project  is  now  embarking  on  a  new 
excitement among participants by encouraging geosci-  direction that will make this wealth of data even more 
entists to understand the evolution and physical be-  useful to the scientific community. ICL and AGU plan 
havior of the lithosphere by bridging the gap between  to publish future transects in electronic format (dis- 
surface geology and deeper geophysics. Monger, as a  kettes, CD-ROM) that can be manipulated using small
"low-end"  computers. A GGT Digitization Group was  wide network of scientists cooperating on transects 
established in 1988 to prepare guidelines for digitizing  would be able to work interactively with these files, 
transects; the guidelines and sample will be published  adding data to them,  analyzing,  reconfiguring,  and 
by AGU.  interpreting them. 
This endeavor breaks new ground and goes a long  Digitization of geoscience material will not only ease 
the task of  publishing transects  and encourage the 
way  toward  a  goal  of  the  ICL  of  closely  linking 
exchange of data bases, it promises to allow quanti- 
geological, geochemical, and geophysical data bases 
tative comparisons of elements of different parts of the 
and breaking down present barriers between different 
Earth's crust. The use of digitized transect material is 
Earth science disciplines. With the digitized transects, 
the perfect training ground for the new breed: geosci- 
geologists, for example, could manipulate gravity data 
entists! 
to test the validity of their structural models. A world- 
James H. Monger 
Geological Survey of Canada 
100 West Pender Street 
Vancouver V6B IR8 
Canada 
Hans-Jurgen Gotze 
Institut fiir Geologie, Geophysik und Geoinformatik 
Freie Universitat Berlin 
Malteserstrasse 47 100 
D-1000 Berlin 45 Germany
XIANCSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT, NORTH CHINA 
Edited by 
MA XINGWAN 
Institute of Geology, State Seismological Bureau, Beijing, 100029, China 
LIUC HANGQUAN 
Geophysical Prospecting Brigade, State Seismological Bureau, Zhengzhou, 450003, China 
LIU GUODONG 
Institute of Geology, State Seismological Bureau, Beijing, 100029, China
XIANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSEn, NORTH CHINA 
CHAPTER HEADINGS, AUTHORS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS 
I  Introduction: Ma xingyuanl 
I1  General statement:  bases and philosophy for constructing the Xangshui to Mandal Transect:  Ma xingyuanl 
I11  Description of major tectonomorphic provinces along the transect comdor: Ma xingyuanl 
IV  Tectonic setting of the Xiangshui to Mandal Transect: Ma ~ingyuan' 
V  Major tectonic units:  Ma ~ing~uan' 
VI  A summary of magmatic activity:  Zhang yanpol 
VII  Gravity anomaly map: Feng Rui2, Yin xiuhual, Chcn ~ i b oL~iu, z hanbol, and Liu ~icsheng' 
VIII  Aeromagnetic anomaly map: Ren xixian2, Liu zhanpol, Bai ~ongxiaa~n,d  Wang ~hunha' 
IX  Heat flow: Zhang Ruhuil, Li Ruchengl, Zhang wanxial, and Peng ~ui~ing' 
X  Deep seismic sounding results:  Liu changquan3, Jia shixu3, and Du Guanen3 
XI  Electrical conductivity: Jiang zhaol, Sun ~ie'W, ang Ji-junl, and Shi ~hu-linl 
XI1  S-wave velocity structure:  Cen Guoying2, Song zhonghe2, An changquiang2, Chen ~ihuaZ~h,u ang zhen4, 
Fu zhuwu4, and Lu ziling4 
XI11  Mantle xenoliths from Cenozoic basalts:  Lin chunyongl, Shi  anb bin', and He yongnianl 
XIV  Paleomagnetic results:  Bai yunhongl, Cheng ~uolian~S'u,n  yuhangl, Li sulingl, and Han zhujunl 
XV  Seismicity: Feng ~ u iH~ao, J inqi2, Huang pinzhang2, and Zhao Jianguo2 
XVI  Crustal evolution of the Xiangshui to Mandal transect corridor: Ma ~ingyuan' 
Institute of Geology, State Seismological Bureau (SSB) Beijing, 100029, China 
Institute of Geophysics, SSB, Beijing, 100081, China 
Geophysical Prospecting Brigade, SSB, Zhenzhou, 450003, China 
4 Yunnan University, Kunming, 65009 1, China
2  GLOBAL GEOSCIENCE TRANSECI 2 
I INTRODUCTION  The tectonostratigraphic flow chart summarizes the 
stratigraphic, structural, magmatic and metamorphic 
The Global Geoscience Transect (GGT) Project  relationships  in  time  and  space  between  major 
was  conceived  in  1985 as a  new  activity by  the  tectonostratigraphic elements, and is  important for 
Inter-Union Commission for the Lithosphere (ICL),  conveying concepts of crustal evolution.  It may be 
which  runs  the  International Lithosphere Program  used as an aid in reading map relations and provides 
(LP). ICL established a Coordinating Committee for  an abstract of much of the following text. 
GGT (CC-7), which is chaired by J.W.H. Monger and  The  geophysical  and  geochemical  information 
H.-J. Goetze.  constrain structure and crustal composition at depth. 
"Transect" as used by GGT refers to a cross-section  They  include  seismic  interpretations  of  velocity 
showing the composition and structure of the entire  structure,  magnetotelluric  sounding  data,  density 
crust of  the Earth and, where possible, the  upper  models, and microearthquake focal depths, as well as 
mantle.  It  incorporates  all  available  geological,  information  from  xenoliths  contained in  Cenozoic 
geochemical and  geophysical data.  Transects  lie  basalts, and isotopic data from  magmatic rocks of 
along comdors 100 km wide and up to a few thousand  various ages.  Additional constraints are provided by 
kilometres long, positioned by  regional experts to  Bouguer gravity, aeromagnetic and heat flow maps. 
cross major crustal features (Monger, 1986).  The  All  the  data  bearing  on  deep  structure  and 
principal objective of GGT is to produce interpretative  composition, outlined above, are integrated with the 
cross-sections, which in effect are vertical tectonic  surface geology  of  the  strip map,  and  also  with 
maps that ideally portray the evolution of the Earth's  regional structures from outside the transect comdor, 
lithosphere along the transect line (Monger, 1987).  in  an  interpretative cross-section which  shows the 
The Xiangshui to Mandal Transect forms part of  possible origin and disposition of crustal components, 
the North China Geoscience Transect Project of  the  and thus the evolution of the upper lithosphere along 
State Seismological Bureau, which is a study of the  the transect line. 
Sino-Korean Craton  and  its  bordering  continental 
margin.  It is one of five transects that were chosen to  rn DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR 
cross the main earthquake hazard prone regions of  TECTONOMORPHIC PROVINCES ALONG 
China (see Index Map on transect display).  These  THE TRANSECT CORRIDOR 
provide  a  comprehensive  comparison  of  the 
compositional and structural variations in  different  The  Xiangshui-Mandal comdor comprises three 
tectonic domains within the craton and the ancient  discrete  segments  which  sequentially  cross  North 
continental margins.  China, from the Yellow Sea shore in the southeast to 
This explanatory pamphlet supplements the display  the Mongolian Plateau in the northwest.  Together, 
sheet of the Xiangshui to Mandal Transect.  It guides  they have a length of  1200 km.  From southeast to 
and assists the reader in the use of the graphic display,  northwest, locations of the three segments are: 
explains the rationale of the display, supplements the 
graphic display with supporting data and discussions  1)  from Xiangshui in Jiangsu Province, (longitude 
on crustal structure, tectonostratigraphic units, and  119'36'~,  latitude  34'12'~)  to  Sishui  in 
tectonic evolution, and provides references to  data  Shandong  Province,  (long.  117'14'~,  lat. 
sources. The text is organized in such a way as to be  35'45'N); 
used in direct conjunction with the display.  2)  from  Zibo  in  Shandong  Province,  (long. 
118'03'~, lat. 36'49'N)  to west of Ying Xian in 
Shanxi Province (long. 112'12'~, lat. 39'48'N); 
I1 GENERAL STATEMENT: BASES AND  3)  within  Inner  Mongolia (Nei Monggol  Autono- 
PHILOSOPHY FOR CONSTRUCTING THE  mous Region), extending from Ijinhoro Qi in the 
XANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT  south (long. 109O48'~,l at. 39'42'N).  to Mandal 
(long. 110 06'E, to lat. 42'31'N). 
The graphic display is compiled according to the 
Guidelines for GGT established by  CC-7 in  1987.  The  transect  crosses  eight  tectonomorphic 
These suggest a common format so that cross-sections  provinces, summarized below from southeast to north- 
of  the crust in different parts of  the world can be  west.  In the southeast (segments 1,2) these generally 
compared directly.  trend  NE  to  NNE  (reflecting  regional  structural 
The main components of  the graphic display are  trends), whereas in  the northwest (segment 3) they 
geologic, gravity, and aeromagnetic strip maps, and an  trend S. to N. 
interpretative  cross-section  drawn  to  Moho  depth, 
which is based on geology and geophysics. Two color  1)  (Segment  1)  The  easternmost  tectonomorphic 
coding systems are used:  (1) that on the geologic strip  province  comprises  the  hummocky  plain  of 
map and geological cross-section denotes ages of rock  northern Jiangsu Province, which is bounded on 
units;  (2)  that  on  the  interpretative  cross-section  the east by the Yellow Sea (Huang Hai). 
denotes the inferred tectonic settings during the time  2)  (Segments 12) West of this, the Shandong Hills have 
of formation of the rocks units.  an average height of 500-1000 m above sea level.
2  GLOBAL GEOSCIENCE TRANSECI 2 
I INTRODUCTION  The tectonostratigraphic flow chart summarizes the 
stratigraphic, structural, magmatic and metamorphic 
The Global Geoscience Transect (GGT) Project  relationships  in  time  and  space  between  major 
was  conceived  in  1985 as a  new  activity by  the  tectonostratigraphic elements, and is  important for 
Inter-Union Commission for the Lithosphere (ICL),  conveying concepts of crustal evolution.  It may be 
which  runs  the  International Lithosphere Program  used as an aid in reading map relations and provides 
(LP). ICL established a Coordinating Committee for  an abstract of much of the following text. 
GGT (CC-7), which is chaired by J.W.H. Monger and  The  geophysical  and  geochemical  information 
H.-J. Goetze.  constrain structure and crustal composition at depth. 
"Transect" as used by GGT refers to a cross-section  They  include  seismic  interpretations  of  velocity 
showing the composition and structure of the entire  structure,  magnetotelluric  sounding  data,  density 
crust of  the Earth and, where possible, the  upper  models, and microearthquake focal depths, as well as 
mantle.  It  incorporates  all  available  geological,  information  from  xenoliths  contained in  Cenozoic 
geochemical and  geophysical data.  Transects  lie  basalts, and isotopic data from  magmatic rocks of 
along comdors 100 km wide and up to a few thousand  various ages.  Additional constraints are provided by 
kilometres long, positioned by  regional experts to  Bouguer gravity, aeromagnetic and heat flow maps. 
cross major crustal features (Monger, 1986).  The  All  the  data  bearing  on  deep  structure  and 
principal objective of GGT is to produce interpretative  composition, outlined above, are integrated with the 
cross-sections, which in effect are vertical tectonic  surface geology  of  the  strip map,  and  also  with 
maps that ideally portray the evolution of the Earth's  regional structures from outside the transect comdor, 
lithosphere along the transect line (Monger, 1987).  in  an  interpretative cross-section which  shows the 
The Xiangshui to Mandal Transect forms part of  possible origin and disposition of crustal components, 
the North China Geoscience Transect Project of  the  and thus the evolution of the upper lithosphere along 
State Seismological Bureau, which is a study of the  the transect line. 
Sino-Korean Craton  and  its  bordering  continental 
margin.  It is one of five transects that were chosen to  rn DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR 
cross the main earthquake hazard prone regions of  TECTONOMORPHIC PROVINCES ALONG 
China (see Index Map on transect display).  These  THE TRANSECT CORRIDOR 
provide  a  comprehensive  comparison  of  the 
compositional and structural variations in  different  The  Xiangshui-Mandal comdor comprises three 
tectonic domains within the craton and the ancient  discrete  segments  which  sequentially  cross  North 
continental margins.  China, from the Yellow Sea shore in the southeast to 
This explanatory pamphlet supplements the display  the Mongolian Plateau in the northwest.  Together, 
sheet of the Xiangshui to Mandal Transect.  It guides  they have a length of  1200 km.  From southeast to 
and assists the reader in the use of the graphic display,  northwest, locations of the three segments are: 
explains the rationale of the display, supplements the 
graphic display with supporting data and discussions  1)  from Xiangshui in Jiangsu Province, (longitude 
on crustal structure, tectonostratigraphic units, and  119'36'~,  latitude  34'12'~)  to  Sishui  in 
tectonic evolution, and provides references to  data  Shandong  Province,  (long.  117'14'~,  lat. 
sources. The text is organized in such a way as to be  35'45'N); 
used in direct conjunction with the display.  2)  from  Zibo  in  Shandong  Province,  (long. 
118'03'~, lat. 36'49'N)  to west of Ying Xian in 
Shanxi Province (long. 112'12'~, lat. 39'48'N); 
I1 GENERAL STATEMENT: BASES AND  3)  within  Inner  Mongolia (Nei Monggol  Autono- 
PHILOSOPHY FOR CONSTRUCTING THE  mous Region), extending from Ijinhoro Qi in the 
XANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT  south (long. 109O48'~,l at. 39'42'N).  to Mandal 
(long. 110 06'E, to lat. 42'31'N). 
The graphic display is compiled according to the 
Guidelines for GGT established by  CC-7 in  1987.  The  transect  crosses  eight  tectonomorphic 
These suggest a common format so that cross-sections  provinces, summarized below from southeast to north- 
of  the crust in different parts of  the world can be  west.  In the southeast (segments 1,2) these generally 
compared directly.  trend  NE  to  NNE  (reflecting  regional  structural 
The main components of  the graphic display are  trends), whereas in  the northwest (segment 3) they 
geologic, gravity, and aeromagnetic strip maps, and an  trend S. to N. 
interpretative  cross-section  drawn  to  Moho  depth, 
which is based on geology and geophysics. Two color  1)  (Segment  1)  The  easternmost  tectonomorphic 
coding systems are used:  (1) that on the geologic strip  province  comprises  the  hummocky  plain  of 
map and geological cross-section denotes ages of rock  northern Jiangsu Province, which is bounded on 
units;  (2)  that  on  the  interpretative  cross-section  the east by the Yellow Sea (Huang Hai). 
denotes the inferred tectonic settings during the time  2)  (Segments 12) West of this, the Shandong Hills have 
of formation of the rocks units.  an average height of 500-1000 m above sea level.
2  GLOBAL GEOSCIENCE TRANSECI 2 
I INTRODUCTION  The tectonostratigraphic flow chart summarizes the 
stratigraphic, structural, magmatic and metamorphic 
The Global Geoscience Transect (GGT) Project  relationships  in  time  and  space  between  major 
was  conceived  in  1985 as a  new  activity by  the  tectonostratigraphic elements, and is  important for 
Inter-Union Commission for the Lithosphere (ICL),  conveying concepts of crustal evolution.  It may be 
which  runs  the  International Lithosphere Program  used as an aid in reading map relations and provides 
(LP). ICL established a Coordinating Committee for  an abstract of much of the following text. 
GGT (CC-7), which is chaired by J.W.H. Monger and  The  geophysical  and  geochemical  information 
H.-J. Goetze.  constrain structure and crustal composition at depth. 
"Transect" as used by GGT refers to a cross-section  They  include  seismic  interpretations  of  velocity 
showing the composition and structure of the entire  structure,  magnetotelluric  sounding  data,  density 
crust of  the Earth and, where possible, the  upper  models, and microearthquake focal depths, as well as 
mantle.  It  incorporates  all  available  geological,  information  from  xenoliths  contained in  Cenozoic 
geochemical and  geophysical data.  Transects  lie  basalts, and isotopic data from  magmatic rocks of 
along comdors 100 km wide and up to a few thousand  various ages.  Additional constraints are provided by 
kilometres long, positioned by  regional experts to  Bouguer gravity, aeromagnetic and heat flow maps. 
cross major crustal features (Monger, 1986).  The  All  the  data  bearing  on  deep  structure  and 
principal objective of GGT is to produce interpretative  composition, outlined above, are integrated with the 
cross-sections, which in effect are vertical tectonic  surface geology  of  the  strip map,  and  also  with 
maps that ideally portray the evolution of the Earth's  regional structures from outside the transect comdor, 
lithosphere along the transect line (Monger, 1987).  in  an  interpretative cross-section which  shows the 
The Xiangshui to Mandal Transect forms part of  possible origin and disposition of crustal components, 
the North China Geoscience Transect Project of  the  and thus the evolution of the upper lithosphere along 
State Seismological Bureau, which is a study of the  the transect line. 
Sino-Korean Craton  and  its  bordering  continental 
margin.  It is one of five transects that were chosen to  rn DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR 
cross the main earthquake hazard prone regions of  TECTONOMORPHIC PROVINCES ALONG 
China (see Index Map on transect display).  These  THE TRANSECT CORRIDOR 
provide  a  comprehensive  comparison  of  the 
compositional and structural variations in  different  The  Xiangshui-Mandal comdor comprises three 
tectonic domains within the craton and the ancient  discrete  segments  which  sequentially  cross  North 
continental margins.  China, from the Yellow Sea shore in the southeast to 
This explanatory pamphlet supplements the display  the Mongolian Plateau in the northwest.  Together, 
sheet of the Xiangshui to Mandal Transect.  It guides  they have a length of  1200 km.  From southeast to 
and assists the reader in the use of the graphic display,  northwest, locations of the three segments are: 
explains the rationale of the display, supplements the 
graphic display with supporting data and discussions  1)  from Xiangshui in Jiangsu Province, (longitude 
on crustal structure, tectonostratigraphic units, and  119'36'~,  latitude  34'12'~)  to  Sishui  in 
tectonic evolution, and provides references to  data  Shandong  Province,  (long.  117'14'~,  lat. 
sources. The text is organized in such a way as to be  35'45'N); 
used in direct conjunction with the display.  2)  from  Zibo  in  Shandong  Province,  (long. 
118'03'~, lat. 36'49'N)  to west of Ying Xian in 
Shanxi Province (long. 112'12'~, lat. 39'48'N); 
I1 GENERAL STATEMENT: BASES AND  3)  within  Inner  Mongolia (Nei Monggol  Autono- 
PHILOSOPHY FOR CONSTRUCTING THE  mous Region), extending from Ijinhoro Qi in the 
XANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT  south (long. 109O48'~,l at. 39'42'N).  to Mandal 
(long. 110 06'E, to lat. 42'31'N). 
The graphic display is compiled according to the 
Guidelines for GGT established by  CC-7 in  1987.  The  transect  crosses  eight  tectonomorphic 
These suggest a common format so that cross-sections  provinces, summarized below from southeast to north- 
of  the crust in different parts of  the world can be  west.  In the southeast (segments 1,2) these generally 
compared directly.  trend  NE  to  NNE  (reflecting  regional  structural 
The main components of  the graphic display are  trends), whereas in  the northwest (segment 3) they 
geologic, gravity, and aeromagnetic strip maps, and an  trend S. to N. 
interpretative  cross-section  drawn  to  Moho  depth, 
which is based on geology and geophysics. Two color  1)  (Segment  1)  The  easternmost  tectonomorphic 
coding systems are used:  (1) that on the geologic strip  province  comprises  the  hummocky  plain  of 
map and geological cross-section denotes ages of rock  northern Jiangsu Province, which is bounded on 
units;  (2)  that  on  the  interpretative  cross-section  the east by the Yellow Sea (Huang Hai). 
denotes the inferred tectonic settings during the time  2)  (Segments 12) West of this, the Shandong Hills have 
of formation of the rocks units.  an average height of 500-1000 m above sea level.
XIANGSHUI TO MANDAL TRANSECT, NORTH CHINA  3 
3)  (Segment 2) The North China Plain forms the  collisional fold belts (Li  Jiliang et al.,  1990).  Its 
lower Yellow River (Huang He) drainage area  petrotectonic assemblages suggest that plate tectonics 
and is a low and gentle terrain, mostly less than  were in operation at least 2.4 Ga ago. 
50 m above sea level.  Crustal  thickening  of  the  transect  region 
4)  (Segment 2) The Taihang, Wutai and Hengshan  presumably is due to stacking of  thrust sheets and 
mountains rise abruptly between the North China  crustal imbrication during regional contraction, and 
Plain to the east and the loess plateau to the west.  addition  of  mantle-derived  plutonic  rocks,  and 
They  are  the  northern  part  of  the  Shanxi  resulted in general consolidation of the Sino-Korean 
Highland, and their highest peak is 3058 m above  Platform basement by the end of the early Proterozoic 
sea level.  (about 1.8- 1.7 Ga; Ma Xingyuan et al., 1984). 
5)  (Segments 2,3) The loess plateau, named after the  There was a marked change in tectonic style in 
yellowish  loess  which  covers  the  Ordos  and  Middle Proterozoic time, and features associated with 
surrounding provinces, rises 800-2000 m above  crustal extension and rifting developed in the newly 
sea level.  consolidated  continental  crust  of  the  Sino-Korean 
6)  (Segment 3)  On  the  south  is  the  Hu(Hohot)-  Platform. In Middle and Late Proterozoic time, cover 
Bao(Baotou) basin, which lies between the Ordos  sediments were  deposited in  cratonic basins, there 
plateau on the south and the Yinshan Mountains  were  deep  intra-cratonic  subsidence  zones  (or 
on the north.  It has an average altitude of less  aulacogens), large basic dyke swarms were intruded 
than 1000 m above sea level.  and represent feeders to eroded lavas, and the ancient 
7)  (Segment 3) The Yinshan Mountains rise abruptly  continental margin of  the Sino-Korean craton was 
on  the north of  the Hu-Bao basin, and extend  formed.  The early Middle Proterozoic deposits of 
across the middle of Inner Mongolia to form the  Changcheng System underlie the North China Rift 
divide between  interior  and  exterior  drainage  Basin.  The Zhaertai Group was  deposited in  the 
basins.  The highest peaks of  the range reach  aulacogen on the Yinshan Block, and inverted and 
2337 m above sea level.  The peneplain surface  folded during the Serteng orogeny, 1.4 Ga ago.  The 
on top of the mountains declines gently toward  Middle and Late Proterozoic Bayan Obo Group was 
the north to about 1300 m above sea level near  deposited on the continental slope along the northern 
the northern margin of the Yinshan massif and  margin of the Sino-Korean craton. 
then  merges  towards  the  north  with  the  Phanerozoic evolution was marked by deformation 
Mongolian Plateau.  at the platform margins and by intraplate compression 
8)  (Segment 3) The pastoral Mongolian Plateau is  and  extension.  On  the  northern  margin  of  the 
the northernmost tectonomorphic province of the  SineKorean  Platform, in  the  region  of  the  Inner 
Xanshui-Mandal transect comdor, and contains  Mongolian Fold Belt at the northwestern end of the 
the Inner Mongolian Fold System.  transect  comdor,  early  and  late Paleozoic  crustal 
convergence involved  subduction  and  accretionary 
processes, with amalgamation of island-arc complexes 
into large terranes  that  were  then  accreted to  the 
IV TECTONIC SETTING OF THE XIANGSHUI  ancient  continental  margin  in  respectively  Early- 
TO MANDAL TRANSECT  Middle Silurian and Late Carboniferous to Permian 
time (Ma Xingyuan et al., 1988). On the southeastern 
Rock  units  in  the  Xiangshui-Mandal  Corridor  margin of the platform, in the southernmost part of the 
record the evolution of the continental crust over the  transect, tectonic complexities in the deformation zone 
last 2.8  billion  years and contain evidence for an  between the Sino-Korean and the Yangzi platforms 
unusually diverse array of tectonic processes.  appear to be the result of collision in Triassic time. 
The Archean was characterized by formation of the  The Subei-Jiaonan terrane, sandwiched between the 
four continental nuclei of the Sino-Korean Platform,  two  platforms,  is  composed  of  Proterozoic  meta- 
that are separated by  belts of  complexly deformed  morphic rocks.  It includes the Yuntai Formation with 
rocks of Early Proterozoic age.  The nuclei are, from  its blueschists, which  together with the widespread 
southeast  to  northwest,  the  Taishan  Complex  in  occurrence of  ultramafic  and  eclogite bodies  and 
western  Shandong,  the  Fuping  Complex  in  intricate ductile shear zones in the underlying Donghai 
Taihangshan Mountains, the Hengshan Complex in  Group,  suggest  the  collision  of  two  plates  (Ma 
northern Shanxi and the Wula Shan complex in Inner  Xingyuan, 1989). 
Mongolia.  Late  Triassic  Indosinian  and  Jura-Cretaceous 
Within  the  Sino-Korean  Platform,  the  Early  Yanshanian  orogenies  strongly  modified  the 
Proterozoic Wutai fold belt lies between the Archean  SineKorean craton, and gave rise to a new tectonic 
Hengshan  and  Fuping  complexes.  It  appears  to  regime.  The most striking result of  these orogenic 
comprise an accreted island arc system with green-  episodes was transformation of the regional structural 
stone and I and S type granitic plutons, fragments of  orientation, from earlier nearly E-W trending belts 
oceanic  crust,  and  a  variety  of  metamorphosed  into NNE-NE trending ones.  The platform exper- 
volcanosedimentary components, and thus appears to  ienced both strong compression and extension during 
have a tectonic framework similar to that of younger  the Mesozoic and Cenozoic.  There was thin skinned