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Hidden Geology of Qinling: Do you know its unique rock structures?
The Qinling Mountains in central China are not only a magnificent natural landscape, but also a treasure in the eyes of geologists. The Qinling orogenic belt has undergone a geological evolution of 2.5 billion years, during which multiple plate collisions and extensions occurred, forming rock structures with unique characteristics. These rocks not only reveal the daily changes in the early Earth, but also laid the foundation for today's mineral resources and ecological diversity.
The geological structure of the Qinling Mountains was formed by the interaction of different plates, including the movement of the North China Plate and the South China Plate.
Evolution of orogenic belts
Since 250 million years ago, the geological history of the Qinling Mountains has experienced many plate collisions and separations. This process is called the Wilson cycle. The evolution of the Qinling orogenic belt can be divided into four main stages: first, the development of the basement, followed by plate and related ocean evolution, then major orogenic events, and finally the extension and stretching of the orogenic belt.
Development of the basement (2.5 billion to 800 million years ago)
At the beginning of the rock record of the Qinling Mountains, the northern and southern Qinling belts did not coexist in the same location. The southern Qinling belt was formed by continental lava activity 2.5 billion years ago, while the northern Qinling belt was born in an oceanic arc environment 1 billion years ago. Over time, the two belts gradually aligned along the same subduction plate boundary, forming a common geological setting.
"This process reveals the formation of the North Qinling Belt and presents a collision event with the supercontinent Rodinia."
Evolution and related oceans (800 million to 250 million years ago)
With the breakup of the supercontinent, the northern and southern Qinling belts moved separately and contacted the new ocean boundary, forming the Upper Dan Ocean. Here, the movement of subducting plates leads to the formation of new island arcs, such as the Danfeng Island Arc. As the northern Qinling belt came into contact with other land and sea again, the marine environment of the Qinling Mountains also changed, becoming a more complex geological structure.
Formation of the major belts (250-140 million years ago)
During the Triassic period, with the significant collision of the southern Chinese continent with the Qinling complex, the completely closed Mianlu Ocean acquired new structures. As the plates squeezed each other, the overall geological structure became more compact and developed vertically, forming the current major belts.
Extension and stretching of the belt (140 million years ago to present)
Since the Cretaceous, the crust has transitioned from collision to extension, forming a series of normal faults and lateral slip activities. These structures make the Qinling Mountains' geological environment rich and diverse, while also providing opportunities for the development of mineral resources.
"Every layer of rock in the Qinling Mountains not only records the secrets of the earth's history, but also reflects the power of nature."
Geological features of Qinling Mountains
The geological structure of the Qinling Mountains can be divided into nine major components, from the North and South China Plates to the marl, forming an intricate geological network. These areas cover not only ancient structures but also a variety of geological phenomena, such as the occurrence of ultramafic and metamorphic rocks, which are closely related to geological history.
North and South China Plates and Their Complexity
The contact and interaction of the North and South China plates formed the basement of today's Qinling Mountains, which contains marine sediments and aragonite. On top of these bedrocks, there are various sedimentary rocks from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods, making the area a treasure trove of geological resources.
Importance and Protection
The unique geological structure of the Qinling Mountains is not only crucial to understanding China's geological history, but also has an impact on the local ecosystem that cannot be ignored. As the orogeny continued, the topography and soil types here also changed, making the Qinling Mountains a precious nature reserve.
It can be seen that the geological structure of Qinling Mountains is not only a hot topic of research, but also a natural heritage that needs to be protected. In the future, how do you think these rocks that have been sleeping underground for a long time will affect our lives and the environment?
