Kazakhstania (Kazakh: Qazaqstaniya), the Kazakh terranes, or the Kazakhstan Block, is a geological region in Central Asia which consists of the area roughly centered on Lake Balkhash, north and east of the Aral Sea, south of the Siberian craton and west of the Altai Mountains. The Junggar basin in Xinjiang, China, is also part of Kazakhstania, though sometimes referred to as the Junggar Block. Because the Kazakh terranes merged during the Late Ordovician as part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt they are also referred to as the Kazakh Orogen. These terranes are located in what is today Kazakhstan, north-eastern Uzbekistan, northern Kyrgyzstan and south-western China.[1] Today Kazakhstania is surrounded by three large, former continents: to the north-east the Gornostaev Shear Zone separates it from Siberia with which it collided during the Carboniferous; to the north-west is Baltica which lay adjacent to the Kazakh Tourgai terrane but far away from Kazakhstania; to the south and east was Gondwana stretching from the South Pole to the Equator. Not far away from the dispersed Kazakh terranes were South China, North China, and Tarim, but how these continental blocks were positioned relative to Gondwana is not known.[2]
In the Early Palaeozoic the Kazakh terranes were widely distributed north or northeast of the Mangyshlak, Karakum, Karakorum and Tarim terranes.[3] The location, origin, and faunal affinities of these terranes has, however, been the subject of two competing hypotheses: one described these terranes as an enormous island arc called the Kipchak arc, the other as a series of more or less parallel belts. Faunal analyses indicate that some of the terranes probably originated in Gondwana rather than Baltica or Siberia.[4] A 2006 analysis of brachiopods indicated that the Chu-Ili Mountains must have formed an independent, Peri-Gondwanan terrane in the Late Ordovician located not far from the North and South China cratons.[5]
More recent studies suggest that in the Late Ordovician the Kazakh terranes formed an archipelago composed of clusters of island arcs and microcontinents centered on the Equator. Key units in this assemblage were the Boshchekul (in north Kazakhstan), Chingiz-Tarbagatai (east Kazakhstan), and Chu-Ilu (south Kazakhstan) terranes. The Atashu-Zhamshi microcontinent was located in the southwestern margin of the archipelago. A few terranes probably merged as early as the Middle Ordovician but Kazakhstania is very unlikely to have formed a single continent before the end of the period.[6]
Kazakhstania is mainly flat: only in the east near Karaganda are there mountains, and these only rise to 1,565 metres (5,130 feet) in the Tarbagatay Range. Although most of Kazakhstania is arid and practically no water flows from the region to the oceans, there is extensive grazing of cattle, sheep and camels on the grasslands which cover most of the region today. Kazakhstania was too dry for extensive glaciation during the Quaternary. Kazakhstania contains as much as a quarter of the world's proven uranium reserves and is also one of the world's major source of lead, zinc, and antimony ores. On the southern boundary in the Turan Depression are large deposits of natural gas.
Percival, I. G.; Popov, L. E.; Zhan, R. B.; Ghobadi Pour, M. (2011). "Patterns of origination and dispersal of Middle to Late Ordovician brachiopods: examples from South China, East Gondwana, and Kazakh terranes". In Gutiérrez-Marco, J. C.; Rábano, I.; García-Bellido, D. (eds.). Ordovician of the World. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero. Vol. 14. Madrid: Instituto Geológico y Minero de Espana. pp. 413–419. ISBN9788478408573. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
Popov, L. E.; Cocks, L. R. M. (2006). "Late Ordovician brachiopods from the Dulankara Formation of the Chu‐Ili Range, Kazakhstan: their systematics, palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography". Palaeontology. 49 (2): 247–283. Bibcode:2006Palgy..49..247P. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00544.x. S2CID 129492176.
Popov, L. E.; Cocks, R. M. (2017). "Late Ordovician palaeogeography and the positions of the Kazakh terranes through analysis of their brachiopod faunas" (PDF). Acta Geologica Polonica. 67 (3): 323–380. doi:10.1515/agp-2017-0020. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
Torsvik, T. H.; Cocks, L. R. M. (2009). "The Lower Palaeozoic palaeogeographical evolution of the northeastern and eastern peri-Gondwanan margin from Turkey to New Zealand". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 325 (1): 3–21. doi:10.1144/SP325.2. S2CID 128490493. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
External linksedit
Ordovician-Permian paleogeography of Central Eurasia
February 16, 2024
kazakhstania, kazakh, qazaqstaniya, kazakh, terranes, kazakhstan, block, geological, region, central, asia, which, consists, area, roughly, centered, lake, balkhash, north, east, aral, south, siberian, craton, west, altai, mountains, junggar, basin, xinjiang, . Kazakhstania Kazakh Qazaqstaniya the Kazakh terranes or the Kazakhstan Block is a geological region in Central Asia which consists of the area roughly centered on Lake Balkhash north and east of the Aral Sea south of the Siberian craton and west of the Altai Mountains The Junggar basin in Xinjiang China is also part of Kazakhstania though sometimes referred to as the Junggar Block Because the Kazakh terranes merged during the Late Ordovician as part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt they are also referred to as the Kazakh Orogen These terranes are located in what is today Kazakhstan north eastern Uzbekistan northern Kyrgyzstan and south western China 1 Today Kazakhstania is surrounded by three large former continents to the north east the Gornostaev Shear Zone separates it from Siberia with which it collided during the Carboniferous to the north west is Baltica which lay adjacent to the Kazakh Tourgai terrane but far away from Kazakhstania to the south and east was Gondwana stretching from the South Pole to the Equator Not far away from the dispersed Kazakh terranes were South China North China and Tarim but how these continental blocks were positioned relative to Gondwana is not known 2 Contents 1 Tectonic evolution 2 Commercial importance 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Sources 5 External linksTectonic evolution editIn the Early Palaeozoic the Kazakh terranes were widely distributed north or northeast of the Mangyshlak Karakum Karakorum and Tarim terranes 3 The location origin and faunal affinities of these terranes has however been the subject of two competing hypotheses one described these terranes as an enormous island arc called the Kipchak arc the other as a series of more or less parallel belts Faunal analyses indicate that some of the terranes probably originated in Gondwana rather than Baltica or Siberia 4 A 2006 analysis of brachiopods indicated that the Chu Ili Mountains must have formed an independent Peri Gondwanan terrane in the Late Ordovician located not far from the North and South China cratons 5 More recent studies suggest that in the Late Ordovician the Kazakh terranes formed an archipelago composed of clusters of island arcs and microcontinents centered on the Equator Key units in this assemblage were the Boshchekul in north Kazakhstan Chingiz Tarbagatai east Kazakhstan and Chu Ilu south Kazakhstan terranes The Atashu Zhamshi microcontinent was located in the southwestern margin of the archipelago A few terranes probably merged as early as the Middle Ordovician but Kazakhstania is very unlikely to have formed a single continent before the end of the period 6 During the Carboniferous and Permian Siberia collided with Kazakhstania to form the Altai Mountains later Baltica collided in the Ural orogeny creating the basis for most of present day Eurasia Commercial importance editKazakhstania is mainly flat only in the east near Karaganda are there mountains and these only rise to 1 565 metres 5 130 feet in the Tarbagatay Range Although most of Kazakhstania is arid and practically no water flows from the region to the oceans there is extensive grazing of cattle sheep and camels on the grasslands which cover most of the region today Kazakhstania was too dry for extensive glaciation during the Quaternary Kazakhstania contains as much as a quarter of the world s proven uranium reserves and is also one of the world s major source of lead zinc and antimony ores On the southern boundary in the Turan Depression are large deposits of natural gas See also editList of shields and cratonsReferences editNotes edit Popov amp Cocks 2017 Introduction pp 323 325 Popov amp Cocks 2017 Late Ordovician Global Geography pp 325 327 Torsvik amp Cocks 2009 pp 8 9 Popov amp Cocks 2006 p 247 Popov amp Cocks 2006 p 254 Popov amp Cocks 2017 Abstract For a map of the Kazakh terranes see Popov amp Cocks 2006 Fig 1 p 248 For a Late Ordovician reconstruction see Percival et al 2011 Fig 1 p 414 Sources edit Percival I G Popov L E Zhan R B Ghobadi Pour M 2011 Patterns of origination and dispersal of Middle to Late Ordovician brachiopods examples from South China East Gondwana and Kazakh terranes In Gutierrez Marco J C Rabano I Garcia Bellido D eds Ordovician of the World Cuadernos del Museo Geominero Vol 14 Madrid Instituto Geologico y Minero de Espana pp 413 419 ISBN 9788478408573 Retrieved 27 December 2017 Popov L E Cocks L R M 2006 Late Ordovician brachiopods from the Dulankara Formation of the Chu Ili Range Kazakhstan their systematics palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography Palaeontology 49 2 247 283 Bibcode 2006Palgy 49 247P doi 10 1111 j 1475 4983 2006 00544 x S2CID 129492176 Popov L E Cocks R M 2017 Late Ordovician palaeogeography and the positions of the Kazakh terranes through analysis of their brachiopod faunas PDF Acta Geologica Polonica 67 3 323 380 doi 10 1515 agp 2017 0020 Retrieved 27 December 2017 Torsvik T H Cocks L R M 2009 The Lower Palaeozoic palaeogeographical evolution of the northeastern and eastern peri Gondwanan margin from Turkey to New Zealand Geological Society London Special Publications 325 1 3 21 doi 10 1144 SP325 2 S2CID 128490493 Retrieved 27 December 2017 External links editMap of the Kazakhstan Block and surrounding areas Ordovician Permian paleogeography of Central Eurasia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kazakhstania amp oldid 1170482918, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
