Geodynamics and Mineralization in Central Asian Orogenic Belt
Summary
The Central Asian Orogenic Belt is a vast, complex collage of accreted terranes, island arcs and microcontinents formed by successive subduction, collision and extension from the late Proterozoic to the Permian. Convergence between the Siberian and Eurasian plates induced widespread magmatism, metamorphism and crustal growth, punctuated by slab breakoff and rollback events that reconfigured heat flow and stress regimes. These geodynamic processes yielded diverse mineral systems, including porphyry copper–molybdenum, volcanogenic massive sulphide and rare-metal granite-related deposits. Continued orogenic inversion and post-collisional extension controlled fluid pathways and heat sources, driving hydrothermal circulation and ore deposition. With evolving redox and pressure–temperature conditions, fluid mixing between magmatic, meteoric and seawater components resulted in distinctive mineral assemblages and metal zonation. Insights into these processes underpin exploration for critical metals, inform crustal growth models and guide sustainable resource development across Eurasia.
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Geodynamics and Mineralization in Central Asian Orogenic Belt publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in geodynamics and mineralization in central asian orogenic belt across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Orogenic belt: A linear zone of mountain building formed by plate convergence, accretion and deformation over geological time.
Porphyry Cu deposit: A large, low-grade copper–molybdenum deposit formed by magmatic hydrothermal fluids in and around a porphyritic intrusion.
Slab breakoff: The detachment of a subducted oceanic plate from the overriding plate, initiating mantle upwelling and renewed magmatism.
Hydrothermal fluid: Hot, aqueous solutions that transport heat and metals through the crust, precipitating ores in fractures and pores.
Volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS): A seafloor deposit formed by exhalation of metal-rich fluids at submarine volcanic centres, yielding stratiform sulphide accumulations.
References
- Superimposed Mineralization in the Xiaorequanzi Cu Deposit, Xinjiang: Evidence from Fluid Inclusions, H-O-S Isotopes, and Pyrite Trace Elements. Minerals (2024).
- Two Periods of Porphyry Cu Mineralization and Metallogenic Implications in the Tuwu–Yandong Belt (NW China), Based on Re–Os Systematics of Molybdenite. Minerals (2022).
- The Late Carboniferous Mafic–Ultramafic Complex Induced by Slab Breakoff in Eastern North Tianshan, Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Minerals (2023).
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