TECTONIC CHARACTERISTICS AND EVOLUTION OF THE QIANGTANG BASIN IN NORTHERN TIBET PLATEAU

The Qiangtang basin is located in the north of Qinghai—Tibet plateau and sandwiched by Nianqingtangula continental block and Kekexili\|Bayuankal continental block. Its southern boundary is the Bangongfu—Nujiang suture zone and its northern boundary is the Xijinwulan\|Jinshajiang suture zone.The basement of Qiangtang basin is composed f metamorphic rock of Proterozoic age, which can be divided into two parts. The competent lower part with isotope age of 2056～2310Ma experienced multi\|stage deformation and the soft upper part is dated 1111～1205Ma. Within the basin, it groups into Northern Qiangtang Depression, Central Rise and Southern Depressions and are complicated by a number of subdepressions and subuplifts.The strata of Middle Devonian\|Tertiary are overlain on the basement and composed of marine carbonate rocks, clastic rocks and terrestrial sandstone and conglomerate. Several sets of faults and folds have developed in the cover sequence and the deformation is very strong, characterized by orientation, zonation and equidistance in space and by diversity and disharmony in the profile. The major deformation occurred in Yanshan\|Himalayan period.