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Delamination and destruction of the North China Craton

  • Review/Geochemistry
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

This article presents an overview on recent developments in studies of chemical and physical processes of lithospheric delamination with respect to destruction of the North China Craton. It is emphasized that the pyroxenite source resulting from interaction between eclogite-derived melt and peridotite is a direct consequence of delamination. The pyroxenite source thus formed has unique mineralogical and geochemical features, which characterize Mesozoic basalts of the North China Craton. Melt-peridotite interaction played an important role in refertilization of cratonic lithospheric mantle, leading to density increase, weakening and final destabilization of the North China Craton. The nature of the melt is the key to distinguish mechanisms of destructing this craton.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Shan Gao, JunFeng Zhang & YongSheng Liu

  2. State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China

    Shan Gao

  3. College of Earth Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, China

    WenLiang Xu

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  1. Shan Gao
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Correspondence to Shan Gao.

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Supported jointly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 90714010, 90714005, 90814003 and 40673019), Ministry of Education and State Administration of Foreign Experts of China (Grant No. B07039) as well as the MOST special funds from State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources

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Gao, S., Zhang, J., Xu, W. et al. Delamination and destruction of the North China Craton. Chin. Sci. Bull. 54, 3367–3378 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-009-0395-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-009-0395-9

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