Precambrian Evolution of the North China Craton

The North China Craton is one of the oldest cratonic blocks in the world, containing rocks as old as 3.85 billion years. Focusing on Neoarchean mantle plumes and Paleoproterozoic plate tectonics, this book combines the results from modern geological research to provide you with a detailed synthesis of the geology, structure, and evolution of the North China Craton. It will be of value to anyone interested in the evolution of cratonic blocks and Precambrian geology as well as geoscientists interested in applying tectonic models to other cratonic blocks globally. This work will also be of interest to geologists concerned with the problems of structure and evolution of the Precambrian continents and supercontinents.

• The first book to apply mantle plume and plate tectonics models to understanding the Neoarchean accretion and Paleoproterozoic amalgamation of a craton
• Features more than 75 geologic maps, illustrations, diagrams, and microphotographs depicting the progressive stages of the North China Craton’s Precambrian evolution
• Authored by one of the world’s foremost experts in cratonic evolution and mantle plume and plate tectonic modeling

Geoscientists

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Tectonic Subdivision of the North China Craton: An Outline

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Models for Tectonic Subdivision and Evolution

1.3 Summary

Chapter 2. Archean Geology of the Eastern Block

2.1 Introduction

2.2 A Hadean (>3.85 Ga) Crust in the Eastern Block

2.3 Eoarchean (3.85−3.6 Ga) Rocks

2.4 Paleoarchean (3.6−3.2 Ga) Rocks

2.5 Mesoarchean Crust (3.2−2.8 Ga) Rocks

2.6 Neoarchean (2.8−2.5 Ga) Rocks

2.7 Major Archean Geological Events and Their Nature

2.8 Tectonic Settings of Neoarchean Geological Events

Chapter 3. Archean Geology of The Western Block

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Archean Lithotectonic Units in the Western Block

3.3 Metamorphic Evolution

3.4 Major Geological Events and Their Tectonic Settings

Chapter 4. Paleoproterozoic Amalgamation of the North China Craton

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Khondalite Belt in the Western Block

4.3 Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt in the Eastern Block

4.4 Trans-North China Orogen: Final Amalgamation of the Western and Eastern Blocks

4.5 Summary

Chapter 5. Mesoproterozoic Accretion and Meso-Neoproterozoic Extension and Rifting of the North China Cra