Research progress and existing issues on the paleozoic strata in the Qiangtang Terrane of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

The Qiangtang region, situated in the hinterland of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, is tectonically divided into the South Qiangtang and North Qiangtang Terranes by the Longmu Co-Shuanghu Suture Zone (Central Qiangtang Uplift Zone). Previous studies, based on extensive investigations of ophiolitic mélanges, high-pressure metamorphic rocks, and arc magmatic rocks, have demonstrated that the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in the Longmu Co-Shuanghu area opened at least during the Cambrian and evolved continuously or episodically until the Triassic. This tectonic evolution resulted in the separation of South and North Qiangtang into the Gondwana and Laurasia continental systems, respectively, during the Paleozoic. Building upon a synthesis of prior research, this research systematically summarizes the material composition, spatiotemporal distribution characteristics, and stratigraphic division and correlation of the Paleozoic sequences in the Central Qiangtang Uplift Zone. The review reveals that the Paleozoic sedimentary records in both South and North Qiangtang are relatively complete and continuous. However, the current level of research remains notably insufficient. Critical gaps persist in understanding the Paleozoic basin fill, evolutionary processes, and the tectonic history of the Longmu Co-Shuanghu Paleo-Tethys Ocean and its associated continental margins. Fundamental geological investigations-such as clarifying the basin architecture, tectonic attributes, and petroleum potential evaluation of the Qiangtang Basin are urgently required. This research contends that advancing research on the Qiangtang Paleozoic sequences will not only elucidate the evolutionary history of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean, but also provide critical constraints for reconstructing the ocean-continent tectonic framework of the Paleo-Tethyan regime. Furthermore, it holds significant practical implications for deciphering the basement properties and architecture of the Qiangtang Basin and guiding future hydrocarbon exploration in the region.