Ore-bearing formations and mineral resource prospects of the peripheral areas of the Tarim block

The tectonic development of the Tarim block has experienced four stages, i. e. Earth's core accretion and block formation in the Precambrian, margin s plitting, opening-closing and piecing up in the Early Palaeozoic, rift form ation and plate unification in the Late Palaeozoic, and basin-mountain coup ling and landform shaping in the Meso-Cenozoic, forming six ore-bearing for mations and ore deposits of various genetic types in the Tianshan Mountains , Kunlun Mountains and Altun Mountains. In the peripheral areas of Tarim th ere are four giant intercontinental metallogenic belts passing through, the Central Tianshan and southwestern Tianshan belts in the former USSR and th e Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun and Palaeo-Tethys belts in China. According to the macro-analysis on the nearly one thousand known deposits (occurrences) and geophysical-geochemical anomalies, and the information from reconnaissance in some areas, the region has very good prospects for mineral resources. So me of the metallogenic belts may well become the reserve bases for explorat ion of mineral resources in China.