The Zoulang Nanshan Caledonian Subduct ion Complex in the Northern Qilian Mountains and Its Dynamics

The front of the Zoulang Nanshan Caledonian volcanic island arc zone in the northern Qilian Mountains is a forearc accretionary terrane, composed of multiple accretionary volcanic island arcs, flysch accretionary wedges,high-pressure metamorphosed detachment zones and remnants of ophiolites. It resulted from the northeastward subduction of the Early Palaeozoic Qilan oceanic crust beneath the Alxa block. High-pressure metamorphism, which occurred during the subduction, progressed through three stages: the initial stage of medium T-high P,the main stage of temperature decrease and pressure increase, and the lag stage of pressure decrease and temperature increase. Finally the paper presents a retrotrench subduction dynamic model indicative of northward subduction of the central Qilian block and southward accretion of the Alxa block during the period of 450-500 Ma.