Laser probe40Ar/39Ar dating of mica on the deformed rocks from Altyn Fault and its tectonic implications, western China

The samples of Caledonian mylonitized granite and Jurassic meta-sedimentary rocks were collected in the north of Dangjinshan Pass, Qaidam gate fault-valley and Gesi fault-valley. Detailed studies under the microscope and electronic microscope suggest that all the samples contain the syntectonic-growing minerals such as white mica, chlorite, sericite, biotite, etc. By dating these minerals, we got a group of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laser probe isochronal ages of 89—92 Ma and apparent ages of (46.6±6.4) Ma. The ages ranging from 97 to 46 Ma were reported for the first time in the isotopic dating researches of the Altyn Fault. The isochronal age group of (98—89) Ma indicates that a ductile strike-slip event, with low-grade metamorphism, began in late Cretaceous. This suggests that the strike-slip movement of the Altyn Fault should be related to the formation of the so-called west tectonic syntaxis in the Nepal-western Kunlun area.