The Eocene-Oligocene climate transition in the Tarim Basin, Northwest China: Evidence from clay mineralogy

► Mineral composition of the Tertiary sediments in Tarim Basin is investigated. ► Mineral composition is studied using XRD and SEM. ► Paleoclimate of Tarim Basin undergoes a change from warm and humid to cold and dry. ► Climate evolution is in agreement with the Eocene-Oligocene climate cooling. ► The mechanism explains the cooling and aridification in the Asian interior.