The Neoarchean Ophiolite in the North China Craton: Early Precambrian Plate Tectonics and Scientific Debate

Timothy M Kusky; Mingguo Zhai

doi:10.1007/s12583-012-0253-6

Volume 23 Issue 3

Jun 2012

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Journal of Earth Science > 2012 > 23(3): 277-284.

Timothy M Kusky, Mingguo Zhai. The Neoarchean Ophiolite in the North China Craton: Early Precambrian Plate Tectonics and Scientific Debate. Journal of Earth Science, 2012, 23(3): 277-284. doi: 10.1007/s12583-012-0253-6

Citation:

Timothy M Kusky, Mingguo Zhai. The Neoarchean Ophiolite in the North China Craton: Early Precambrian Plate Tectonics and Scientific Debate. Journal of Earth Science, 2012, 23(3): 277-284. doi: 10.1007/s12583-012-0253-6

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The Neoarchean Ophiolite in the North China Craton: Early Precambrian Plate Tectonics and Scientific Debate

doi: 10.1007/s12583-012-0253-6

Timothy M Kusky^{1, 2
,
,},
Mingguo Zhai³

1.
Three Gorges Research Center for Geo-hazards, Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
2.
State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
3.
State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China

Funds:

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 91014002

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 40821061

Ministry of Education of China B07039

More Information

Corresponding author: Timothy M Kusky, tkusky@gmail.com
Received Date: 12 Jan 2012
Accepted Date: 05 Mar 2012
Publish Date: 01 Jun 2012

Abstract

Abstract

Archean greenstone belts and their possible inclusion of fragments of ophiolites is an important research subject, since it is correlated with the nature of early oceanic crust, and can yield information on the nature of early planetary lithospheres, the origin of TTG (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite) continental crust, the formation of early cratons and continents, and is related to when plate tectonics started in the Earth's evolutionary history. This article briefly reviews the North China craton's Archean ophiolite argument and proposes further studies aimed at understanding the generation of greenstone belts and Archean ophiolites, and suggests some key scientific questions that remain to be answered.
- Archean,
- ophiolite,
- greenstone belt,
- North China craton

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References(40)

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