Fission-track-age records of the Mesozoic tectonic-events in the southwest margin of the Ordos Basin, China

Based on the analysis of apatite and zircon fission track (FT), the FT age distribution and the peck-ages of the Mesozoic tectonic events in the southwest margin of the Ordos Basin (OB) were discussed. (1) The early event mainly occurred at 213-194 Ma with a peck-age of 205 Ma, and corresponded to the tectonic uplift and the mega-clastic deposit in the southwest OB during the Late Triassic. (2) The middle event included at least two episodes. One was at 165-141 Ma with a peck-age of 150 Ma, and the other was at 115-113 Ma with a peck-age of 114 Ma, corresponding to the over-thrusting and the mega-clastic deposits in the southwest OB during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. (3) The late event mainly demonstrated the regional uplifting and included at least two episodes. One was at 100-81 Ma with a peck-age of 90 Ma, and the other was at 66-59 Ma with a peck-age of 63 Ma. Additionally, the relationship analysis of the tectonic event and the mineralizing chronology revealed that the extreme environment of the peck-age event and the subsequent moderate activity could be the key factors of the multiple resources coupling and coexistence in the OB.