Mountain building processes in intracontinental oblique deformation belts: Lessons from the Gobi Corridor, Central Asia

► The Gobi Corridor region north of Tibet represents the 'soft' core of Central Asia. ► Region is characterized by diffuse sinistral transpressional deformation. ► Basement is a terrane collage mechanically and thermally predisposed to crustal reactivation. ► Kinematics of Late CZ deformation dependent on angle between SHmax and older structural trends. ► The life cycle of orogenic belts may include an important later stage of intraplate reactivation.