Primary Study on North Qilian Overthrusts

Qi Fei, Wang Xiepei

The discovery of low-angle faults in North Qilian Mountain is a mark of deep decollement overthrusts, implying that parts of the Jiuxi petroliferous basin may exist beneath the overthrusts. A proposed model of North Qilian overthrusts suggests a 50% shortening of the distance from southwest to northeast, and a cover of more than 7-15 km for the Cretaceous basins. Most overthrusts in China are located on the crust thickening zones related with the active zones of plate tectonic margins.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91043©1986 AAPG Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, June 15-18, 1986.