Tectonic-Magmatic Evolution and Mineralization Effect in the Southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The aim of this reprint is to immerse interested readers in the evolutionary history and mineralization of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is the result of long-lived multi-stage tectonic evolution, including Proterozoic to Paleozoic accretion and collision, Mesozoic intracontinental modification, and Cenozoic rapid deformation and uplift. The accretionary and collisional orogenesis of its early history generated a huge orogenic collage consisting of diverse tectonic units including island arcs, ophiolites, accretionary prisms, seamounts, oceanic plateaus, and micro-continents. These incorporated orogenic components preserved valuable detailed information on orogenic processes and continental crust growth, which make the CAOB a key region for the understanding of continental evolution, mantle-crust interaction, and associated mineralization. In this reprint, new data and study advances on tectonic evolution and the mineralization effect of the south domain of the CAOB, including the Kazakhstan-West Junggar orocline system, Altai-East Junggar orogenic belt, Tianshan orogenic belt, Beishan orogenic belt, Xing-Meng orogenic belt, and northern North China Craton, are introduced. Precise zircon U-Pb ages and isotopes from individual parts of the CAOB have been provided. We pave the way to deeply understand accretionary orogeny and mineralization processes in the accretionary orogenic belt.