The Qiman Tagh Orogen as a window to the crustal evolution in northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The final closure of the Paleo Tethyan Qiman Tagh Ocean might have occurred in the Late Permian, and resulted in the accretion of the Kumukuri microcontinent; which formed in response to the orocline formation of western Qiman Tagh Orogen and the rotation of the western South Qiman Tagh Terranes. A series of Y-depleted granitoids formed during Early-Middle Triassic (before 237 Ma), which might be associated to the partial melting of thickened lower crust induced by the oceanic lithosphere delamination. Subsequently, a series of calc-alkaline and alkaline granitoids generated through melting of older crustal material which were emplaced in the SQT, and their formation is interpreted to be linked with the transition from post-collision to within-plate settings. Our model is not only suitable to trace the tectonic evolution of the Qiman Tagh orogen, but also valid for the plate tectonic setting orogens in the modern earth.