Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2025, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (6): 61-88.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2025.7.7

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The prospect of ocean plate geology: Focusing on the geological reconstruction of the oceanic subduction zone in China and neighboring areas

PAN Guitang1(), REN Fei1, ZHANG Kexin2, XIAO Qinghui3, LU Songnian4, REN Guangming1, PANG Weihua1, CUI Xiaozhuang1, PENG Zhimin1, ZHANG Xiangfei1   

  1. 1. Chengdu Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Chengdu 610081, China
    2. School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
    3. Information Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing 100830, China
    4. Tianjin Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
  • Received:2025-01-05 Revised:2025-03-27 Online:2025-11-25 Published:2025-11-12

Abstract:

Since the theory of plate tectonics was put forward, nearly 60 years of geological practice, aiming at the root of the problem of “plate tectonics landing” and the limitations of “OPS”, Academician Li Tingdong’s team proposed the concept of oceanic plate geology (OPG). Using the principles and methods of plate tectonics, it studies the plate geological remains of the oceanic lithosphere in the extinct ocean and the back-arc ocean basin in the continent. It is mainly to study the petrotectonic assemblages and temporal-spatial structure of the subduction-accretionary complex belt of the oceanic crust, and reconstruct the evolution history of the oceanic crust from spreading to subduction, and the evolution relationship and dynamic process of the adjacent crustal tectonic units. It provides a breakthrough point for the innovative construction of the irreversible evolution theory of both supercontinent convergence-breakup and ocean-continental tectonic regime transformation, which has great scientific significance. Based on the National mineral resources potential evaluation—Metallogenic Geological BackgroundProject and its geotectonic series mapping and integrated research in China, as well as the recent geo-geotectonic mapping and integrated research in the Tethys tectonic domain and adjacent areas, this paper focuses on the geological reconstruction of five identified oceanic subduction-convergent consumption zones in China and adjacent areas: ①Jaisang-lrtys-Nanmongbiji-Solunshan-Xilamulun-Changchun-Kaishantun convergent belt; ②Ural-Turkestan-South Tianshan-Niujuanzi-Xichangjin-Engelwusu convergent belt; ③Bangong Lake- Shuanghu-Nu River-Changning-Menglian-Chiang Mai-Raumo-Wendong convergent belt; ④Kuanping-Foziling convergent belt; ⑤Pingxiang-Yingyangguan-Pingxiang-Jiangshao convergent belt. Identifying the geological remains of the extinct ocean (convergent belt) in the continent should be the frontier and hot spot of regional, national and even global tectonic research.

Key words: oceanic plate geology, Paleo-Asian Ocean tectonic domain, Tethys tectonic domain, subduction-accretionary complex belt of oceanic crust, supercontinent convergence-breakup, ocean-continental transition

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