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The University of Chicago Press
A B S T R A C TThe Qilian Orogen records early Paleozoic collisional suturing of the Qaidam Block and the Central Qilian Block to the North China Craton. The composition and U-Pb age of detrital zircons and the composition of Cr-spinels from the Early Silurian Lujiaogou and Angzanggou formations in the northern part of orogen indicate derivation from evolving oceanic and continental source terranes. Heavy-mineral chemistry indicates the incorporation of suprasubduction zone-type ophiolitic detritus in addition to continent-derived material. Integrating these chemical and age data with regional data on the duration of subduction-related magmatic activity, syn-and postcollisional granitic rocks, and high-pressure metamorphic rocks constrains the transformation from oceanic subduction to continental collision to 450-440 Ma. The collision resulted in a flood of detritus into the northern part of the orogen from the Central Qilian Block, which masked input from the intervening magmatic arc, implying rapid exposure of the block.