The continuous Cenozoic strata in the Xining Basin record the growth and evolution of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Here, the mechanisms and evolution of the Xining Basin during the Cenozoic were investigated by studying the sedimentary facies of twenty two Cenozoic sections across the basin and detrital zircon U-Pb ages of three Cenozoic sections located in the eastern, central and western basin, respectively. In the Eocene (ca. 50-44 Ma), the India-Eurasia Collision affected the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The Central Qilian Block rotated clockwise by ca. 24° to form the Xining Basin.The Triassic flysch sediments surrounding the basin were the primary sources of sediment. Between ca.44-40 Ma, the basin enlarged and deepened, and sedimentation was dominated by saline lake sediments.Between ca. 40-25.5 Ma, the Xining Basin began to shrink and dry, resulting in the deposition of saline

How the Altyn Tagh fault (ATF) extends eastwards is one of the key questions in the study of the growth of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Detailed fieldwork at the easternmost part of the ATF shows that the ATF extends eastward and bypasses the Kuantan Mountain; it does not stop at the Kuantan Mountain, but connects with the northern Heishan fault in the east. The ATF does not enter the Alxa Block but extends eastward along the southern Alxa Block to the Jintanan Mountain. The Heishan fault is not a thrust fault but a sinistral strike‐slip fault with a component of thrusting and is a part of the ATF. Further to the east, the Heishan fault may connect with the Jintananshan fault. A typical strike‐slip duplex develops in the easternmost part of the ATF. The cut and deformed Quaternary sediments and displaced present gullies along the easternmost ATF indicate that it is an active fault. The local highest Mountain (i.e., the Kuantan Mountain) in the region forms in a restraining bend of the ATF due to the thrusting and uplifting. The northward growth of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and the active deformation in South Mongolia are realized by sinistral strike‐slipping on a series of NE–SW‐trending faults and thrusting in restraining bends along the strike‐slip faults with the northeastward motion of blocks between these faults.

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