Sedimentary environment of the Dajin conglomerate in Tibet, age of foraminiferan assemblages and their tectonic significance

The Dajin conglomerate, which is one of the most important sedimentary successions of the Xigaze forearc basin in Tibet, China, consists of deep-shallow marine tuffaceous turbidites and clastic rocks bearing Nummulites, Assilina, Alveolina and Lockhartia. These fossils are very similar to the foraminiferan in the Jialazi and Maila conglomerates, and those in Gangba and Dingri areas.They developed in the Eocene. By analyzing the spatial variation of Eocene sedimentary environments of Tibet Plateau and the foraminiferan in the Dajin conglomerate, we found that Eocene sedimentation should take place on both sides of the Yarlung Tsangpo suture, and the late Eocene tectonic uplifting should make the forearc basin expose out of the sea level and begin to receive nonmarine deposits.