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Middle Paleozoic convergent orogenic belts in western Inner Mongolia (China): framework, kinematics, geochronology and implications for tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

Based mainly on field geological observation and geochronologic data, six tectonic units have been recognized in western Inner Mongolia (China), including, from south to north: North China Craton (NCC), Southern Orogenic Belt (SOB), Hunshandake Block (HB), Northern Orogenic Belt (NOB), South Mongolia microcontinent (SMM), and Southern margin of Ergun Block (SME), suggesting that the tectonic framework of the CAOB in western Inner Mongolia is characterized by an accretion of different blocks and orogenic belts. The SOB includes, from north to south, fold belt, mélange, arc-pluton belt, and retroarc foreland basin, representing a southern subduction–collision system between the NCC and HB blocks during 500–440 Ma. The NOB consists also of four units: arc-pluton belt, mélange, foreland molasse basin, and fold belt, from north to south, representing a northern subduction–collision system between the HB and SMM blocks during 500–380 Ma. From the early Paleozoic, the Paleo-Asian oceanic domains subducted to the north and the south, resulting in the forming of the SOB and the NOB in 410 Ma and 380 Ma, respectively. This convergent orogenic system, therefore, constrained the consumption process of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in western Inner Mongolia. A double subduction–collision accretionary process is the dominant geodynamic feature for the eastern part of the CAOB during the early to middle Paleozoic.

In this study we present the framework, kinematics and geochronology of a middle Paleozoic couple of convergent orogenic belts between the SMM and NCC in western Inner Mongolia of China, according to field observations and 1:50,000 geological mapping in key areas. We also present LA-ICPMS U-Pb ages in order to constrain the tectonic evolution of the belts. Based on these constraints and review of previous data, a tectonic evolutionary model of the convergent orogenic system and its implications for the tectonic evolution of the CAOB are also discussed.

Northern orogenic belt (NOB)
The NOB consists of four units from north to south: arc-pluton complex, mélange, molasse basin, and fold belt (Fig. 1C). The arc-pluton complex extends discontinuously in Airgin Sum, Baiyanbaolidao, and Xilinhot areas from west to east. The mélange can be discontinuously traced in Airgin Sum, Naomuhunni and Honger areas, from west to east. The molasse basin occurs near the mélange or arc-pluton complex to the south of Abag and Baiyanbaolidao. The fold belt crops out in the southern area (Fig. 2). In this section, the tectonic units are firstly described, and the configuration and polarity of the NOB will be then discussed according to available geometric and kinematic features in the fold belt and mélange.

Other areas
These new results suggest that the middle Paleozoic magmatic arc is composed of both volcanic rocks and plutons in Xilinhot.

Mélange belt
Our field survey shows that the Mélange belt occurs from Honger, Naomuhunni, to the south of Baiyanbaolidao, to Airgin Sum, marking a suture line of the NOB (Fig. 1C).

Naomuhunni area
The mélange extends more than 10 km in an ENE-WSW trend from Naomuhunni to Chaganwula in our mapping area (Fig. 2). The well-exposed mélange varies in width from 5 km in the west to 2 km in the east and consists of various blocks in heterogeneously deformed matrix. Blocks range from 0.2 m to 400 m in length. In decreasing order of abundance, these blocks include: dolomite (Fig. 3A), quartzite and limestone (Fig. 3B), ultramafic and mafic rock (Fig. 3C) and blueschist (Fig. 3E). For example, in an area of 240 × 140 m near Naomuhunni, 23 blocks are counted, made of dolomite, quartzite, limestone, ultramafic and mafic rock, and blueschist (Fig. 3D). Blueschist was only observed as isolated blocks of 10-20 m in width and 50 m in length, from which a Na-amphibole ( Fig. 3E) Ar/Ar age of 383 ± 13 Ma has been obtained and interpreted as a high pressure metamorphic age (Xu et al., 2001a). Blocks of ultramafic and mafic rocks have been serpentinized, exhibiting strong schistosity and reaching more than 200 m in length and width (Fig. 3C). The matrix, in fault relationship with the blocks (Fig. 3F), consists of greenschist and sericite quartz schist and shows a highly penetrative deformation.

Western and eastern extension
200 km to the west of Naomuhunni area, with an outcrop of about 1 km × 10 km, the mélange belt in Airgin Sum area shows a geomorphologic landscape similar to that in Naomuhunni area, which is characterized by matrix in gentle relief and isolated blocks ( The mélange belt extends to the Honger area, ca 50 km to the east of Naomuhunni, where there are several kinds of blocks, such as ultramafic rock, ferriferous quartzite, limestone in a matrix of green sericite quartz schist. Some blocks of ferriferous quartzite and limestone are so big that they are exploited as small mines.

Molasse basin
This unit occurs only in the Baiyanbaolidao, Honger and southern Abag areas. From Baiyanbaolidao a continuous succession can be observed.

Baiyanbaolidao area
To the north of the mélange belt, sedimentary rocks of molasse basin, called the Seribayanobo Formation, occur in an area of about 2 km × 10 km. With a thickness of 691 m (Xu et al., 1994), it is characterized by red continental molassic sedimentary rocks distributed in two continuous sequences (Fig. 5A). The lower sequence comprises 229 m thick conglomerates and sandstones that can be divided into several cycles (Fig. 5F). The lower part of the each cycle is characterized by red and massive block-supported conglomerates intercalated with laterally discontinuous coarse-grained sandstones, in which massive bedding was observed. Gravels vary in composition and size, including rounded to sub-angular volcanic or plutonic rock, mica quartz schist, quartzite, and marble ranging from 2 to 20 cm in diameter (Fig. 5E). Containing plant fossils, such as Leptophloeum rhombicum (Shao, 1991), the sandstones are followed by 112 m thick grayish-green interbedded sandstones and siltstones, and then 40 mthick argillaceous limestones in which several kinds of fossils, such as: Nalivkinella profunda, Cyrtospirifer sulcifer, have been found ( IMBGMR (Inner Mongolian Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources), 1991 and[Xu et al., 1994]), belonging to the index fossils of the Late Devonian Famennian stage (374-359 Ma, Gradstein et al., 2004). The upper sequence comprises 411 m-thick sandstones interbedded with shales in the lower part ( Fig. 5D), followed by 51 m thick argillaceous limestones in the upper part. It can be divided into several fining-upward cycles which contain sedimentary structures, such as ripple mark and inclined bedding (Xu et al., 1994). These sedimentary structures, along with those occurring in the overlying Lower Carboniferous Gouhudag and Nomgenhudag formations (Fig. 5C), display a southeastward paleocurrent trend (Fig. 5B), suggesting that the source area of the molasse basin was in the north during the late Devonian-early Carboniferous. Clasts in sandstones are largely composed of monocrystalline quartz grains and polycrystalline lithic fragments, which characterize plutonic and volcanic origins and imply a possible recycled orogen provenance (Dickinson, 1974).
There is a clear angular unconformity between the Upper Devonian and the underlying mélange ( Fig. 5G and H), the Upper Devonian thick conglomerate unconformably overlies the sericite quartz schists of the mélange with north-dipping schistosity, indicating that the molasse basin developed after the formation of the mélange and that the unconformity is postdating a pre-late Devonian deformation.

Other areas
Molasse basin also occurs to the south of Abag and Honger (Fig. 1C), where the Upper Devonian sequence is composed of red thick sandstones and conglomerates in which subangular or angular granite gravels dominate, implying an erosion phase of the early Paleozoic arc plutons in the eastern part of the NOB (Tang and Zhang, 1991).

Fold belt
Exhibiting a greenschist-facies metamorphism and strong folding deformation, the fold belt occurs in an area of 6 km × 15 km to the south of the mélange and molasse basin in Baiyanbaolidao area (Fig. 2). The rock assemblage, called the Ondor Sum Group, is made up of sericite quartz schist, actinolite schist, and ferriferous quartzite intercalated with chert and marble lens (IMBGMR, 1991). 50 km and 200 km to the west, in Qagan Nur and Airgin Sum, respectively (Fig. 1C), the early Paleozoic Ondor Sum Group is also characterized by sericite quartz schists, showing folds at the outcrop scale (Fig. 6A). These discontinuous outcrops trace the fold belt extending for 300 km that represents the northward-subducted passive margin of the HB during the early Paleozoic.

Kinematic analysis and configuration of the NOB
In the Baiyanbaolidao area, two deformational events are distinguished within the fold belt. The first event is characterized by centimeter-sized rootless folds that are not the main ones responsible for the regional structure. The second structural event is marked by south-verging slightly inverted folds (F 2 ) that are typically developed at the outcrop scale (Fig. 6A). Regionally, they are recognized by a widespread north-dipping foliation underlined by sericite, mica or quartz aggregates (Figs. 6B and inset in Fig. 2). Strong deformation is also found in the ophiolite mélange section where the foliation, observed in both matrix and serpentinized ultramafic rocks and blueschist blocks, shows a northwest or northeast dipping. These north-dipping foliations and south-inverted folds suggest a top-to-south kinematic direction.
In the Airgin Sum area, a ca. 3 km wide northwest-dipping ductily deformed granitic zone has been recognized with northwest-dipping foliations and stretching lineations (Fig. 6C). S-C fabrics, lenses and ribbons of recrystallized quartz and fragmented feldspar constitute top-tothe-southeast kinematic criteria (Fig. 6D). About 10 km to the south, the above-mentioned northwest-dipping mélange belt displays also identically northwest-dipping foliations with typical orientations of 320/66 and 334/36 for the gabbro (Fig. 4C) and granite ( Fig. 4D) blocks, respectively. These features, together with the northward dipping schistosity in the mélange and axial-plane foliation in fold belt in the Baiyanbaolidao area, suggest a top-tosoutheast kinematic sense.
Based on our 1:50000 mapping in the Baiyanbaolidao area (Xu et al., 1994), Fig. 7 shows a representative section summarizing the juxtaposition of four tectonic units including the arcplutons complex, mélange, molasse basin and a fold belt, and indicating the configuration and polarity of the NOB. The latter is interpreted as due to a northward subduction of the northern margin of the HB.

Southern orogenic belt (SOB)
On the base of our 1:50000 mapping in Tugurige area (Fig. 8;Xu et al., 2001b) ca. 100 km to the west of Solonker and comparative observation in the Bater and Ondor Sum areas, four E-W-trending tectonic units of the SOB have been recognized in a 80 km × 800 km area (Fig. 1C). Composed of the early Paleozoic Ondor Sum Group, the fold belt is observed in both the Tugurige and Ondor Sum areas. The mélange belt is characterized by a south-dipping subduction-accretion complex that extends westwards from Ondor Sum ( [Hu et al., 1990], [Tang, 1992] and [Xiao et al., 2003]) and Bater to Tugurige areas. To the south of the mélange belt an arc magmatic belt including volcanic rocks and plutons can be traced from the Boin Sum, Bater (Jian et al., 2008) to Tugurige areas. To the south of the arc magmatic belt, an east-west trending foreland basin belt occurs in the Tugurige, Bater and Boin Sum areas, with flysch in the lower part and molasse in the upper part ( [Zhang and Tang, 1989], [Hu et al., 1990], [Tang, 1992], [Xu et al., 2001b] and [Zhang et al., 2010]). In this section, we describe the tectonic units in Tugurige and Bater areas and discuss the configuration and polarity of the SOB according to geometric and kinematic features of these units.

Mélange belt
The intensively deformed mélange belt is discontinuously cropping out between the fold belt in the north and the arc magmatic belt in the south from Tugurige, Bater, to Ondor Sum (Fig. 1C).

Tugurige area
There is a continuous exposure of the SOB within an area of ca. 20 km × 20 km in Tugurige area, where the four tectonic units have been recognized (Fig. 8;Xu et al., 2001b). Outcrops of the mélange discontinuously extend for 10 km along the E-W boundary between the fold belt in the north and the arc magmatic belt in the south in Ganqimaode, Tugurige area (Fig. 8). The largest outcrop can be sized up to 2 km × 4 km, where huge blocks appear as small hills (Fig. 9A). The matrix consists of greenschist and sericite quartz schist and shows a highly penetrative deformation and cataclastic texture (Fig. 9B). The most common texture in the mélange is matrix-supported blocks (

Bater area
A mélange belt discontinuously extends for ca. 40 km from Gangnaobao to Hongqimuchang in Bater area (Fig. 1C), characterized by -block mélange‖ or ductile deformation belt composed of deformed blocks of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. For example, several kinds of blocks have been observed along a 300 m long prospecting trench near Gangnaobao with a size ranging from several to 10 m in length, and variable lithologies, including ultramafic rock ( Fig. 10A), gabbro, quartzite schist and granite. The ultramafic rock blocks have been serpentinized, with highly penetrative deformation and cataclastic texture (Fig. 10B). The quartz schists and granites occur as blocks of 40 m × 40 m with mylonitic ( Fig. 10C) or cataclastic texture (Fig. 10D). As a westward extension of the mélange, a strong ductile deformation belt occurs to the south of Hongqimuchang where ductily deformed mylonitic schists, with small asymmetric folds (Fig. 10E), and pillow lavas have also been found (Fig. 10F). Composition of the mélange suggests a protolith formed as an accretionary wedge in a forearc setting.

East of Ondor Sum: a review
Several authors have described an ophiolitic mélange with intensive ductile deformation and blueschist facies metamorphism as part of a mélange belt in Tulinkai, in the east of Ondor Sum area. For example, Hu et al. (1990), Tang (1992 and Xiao et al. (2003) show the distribution, composition and ductile deformation of the Tulinkai-Wuyitai ophiolitic mélange belt which extends for ca. 40 km in E-W direction, sandwiched by the fold belt of the Ondor Sum Group in the north and the arc magmatic belt of the Boin Sum Group in the south. Three 39 Ar/ 40 Ar ages of 445.6 ± 15 Ma, 453.2 ± 1.8 Ma and 449.4 ± 1.8 Ma from glaucophane and phengite in blueschists have been published, suggesting a high pressure metamorphic event related to southward subduction ( [Tang, 1992] and [De Jong et al., 2006]).

Arc magmatic belt
This belt extends discontinuously for ca. 600 km from Tugurige in the west via Bater to Ondor Sum in the east.

New geochemical data in Tugurige area
A 16 km long volcanic belt can be traced in Tugurige area (Fig. 8). The largest outcrop of volcanic rocks is about 3 km × 4 km, where a 1261 m thick field section shows that this belt consists of basalts (65% of section thickness) with thin intercalated red and green cherts, diabases, dacites, rhyolites, and 32 m thick sandstones (Xu et al., 2001a). All rocks are slightly metamorphosed and deformed.
To the south of the volcanic belt, a nearly continuous diorite belt intrudes into the Ordovician Baiyunshan Formation composed of foliated metasandstones and limestones. The E-W trending diorites develop south-dipping foliations and underwent low grade metamorphism, with a secondary mineral assemblage of chlorite + albite. The main mineral assemblage is made of plagioclase + hornblende + quartz ± microcline ± biotite ± white mica. Accessory minerals include sphene, apatite, zircon and magnetite. Three samples (Fig. 8, Bp9b2-5, Bp9b3-1, Bp9b1b) from the diorite belt show contents of SiO 2 = 53.62-54.91% and K 2 O = 1.56-1.80%, consistent with high to medium K calc-alkaline series (Table 1). Their REE patterns are characterized by the absence of Eu anomalies and low total REE. They also have Y = 23.8-31.6 ppm and low (La/Yb) n ratio (3.40-4.37) shown in Fig. 11A. The primitive mantle-normalized spidergram ( Fig. 11B) for these diorites exhibits strong LILE enrichment, negative HFSE anomalies, such as Nb, Ta, Zr, P and Ti. These diorite samples plot into the VAG field in a geochemical-tectonic discrimination diagram of Rb versus Y + Yb ( Fig. 11C; Pearce, 1984), providing evidence for arc-related plutonism.

New geochronology data in Tugurige area
Based on the analysis of cathodoluminescence (CL) images ( Fig. 11D), two zircon samples from quartz diorites in Tugurige area (BP9B1 and BP5B1, Fig. 8) were analyzed by LA-ICPMS and their results are presented in Table 2. Of thirty zircons of BP9B1, 27 zircons are concordant or nearly concordant. These 27 zircons mostly vary from 464 to 436 Ma, with a weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 453.0 ± 5.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.68, Fig. 11E). Because they are euhedral with oscillatory zones in CL images (Fig. 11D) and have Th/U ratios from 0.33 to 0.57 (Table 2), indicating a magmatic origin (Hanchar and Rundnick, 1995), the 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 453.0 ± 5.1 Ma is interpreted as the formation age of sample BP9B1. Only one grain has 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 617 ± 6 Ma with a Th/U ratio of 0.99 (BP9B1-03, Table 2).
The dating of thirty zircons from BP5B1 shows concordant or nearly concordant results. They vary from 440 to 412 Ma, with a weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 425.3 ± 3.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.6, Fig. 11F). These zircons are long prismatic grains with well developed oscillatory zoning in CL images (Fig. 11D), and have Th/U ratios from 0.23 to 0.66 (Table 2), indicating a magmatic origin, so the 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 425.3 ± 3.1 Ma is interpreted as the formation age of BP5B1. These two ages provide constraints to the upper and lower limits of the arc pluton magmatism in Tugurige area, and can correlate roughly with those in the Bater and Ondor Sum areas ( [Jian et al., 2008] and [Zhang and Jian, 2008]).
These ages, together with the geochemical data of volcanic rocks and plutons in the Tugurige area, imply that the early middle Paleozoic arc magmatic belt of the SOB extends from the Ondor Sum to Tugurige areas.

Review of data from Bater and Ondor Sum areas
Geochemical features in the Tugurige area are shared by the diorites in Bater and Ondor Sum areas about 200 km and 350 km to the east, respectively. Detailed geochemical results and SHRIMP data of arc magmatic belt from Bater area have been recently published ( [Jian et al., 2008], [Zhang and Jian, 2008] and [Li et al., 2010a]). Arc plutons consist of diorites and granites, and yield SHRIMP zircon ages of 453 ± 3 and 446.8 ± 5.3 Ma (Li et al., 2010a). A detailed time scale for the arc evolution has been presented, illustrating a magmatic stage linked to subduction during 497-450 Ma, and an anatexis stage during 451-436 Ma, according to the studies in southwestern Bater ( [Xu et al., 2003], [Jian et al., 2008] and [Zhang and Jian, 2008]). These observations lead us to link the arc magmatic belt in Bater with that in Tugurige areas as an E-W extending arc magmatic belt.
To the east, the middle Paleozoic arc magmatic belt characterized by volcanic rocks and plutons has been recognized by field and geochemical investigations in the Ondor Sum area ( [Hu et al., 1990], [Tang, 1992] and [Jian et al., 2008]). With a thickness of 810 m, the volcanic rocks, called the Boin Sum group, contain tholeiites, andesites, dacites, rhyolites and tuffs. Four zircon SHRIMP ages of 436 ± 9 Ma, 459 ± 8 Ma, 453 ± 7 Ma and 474 ± 7 Ma from the dacites and rhyolites of the Boin Sum group, have been obtained ( [Liu et al., 2003] and [Zhang, 2010]). The plutons in the Boin Sum area consist of granodiorite porphyry, granodiorite and quartz diorite with zircon ages of 466 Ma, 467 ± 13 Ma ( [Tang, 1992], [Liu et al., 2003] and [Chen et al., 2009]). A model of magmatic evolution from birth, youth, to maturity of the arc between 500-438 Ma has been proposed (Jian et al., 2008). The youngest pluton is dated at 430 ± 6 Ma (Chen et al., 2009), providing a constraint for the upper limit of the arc magmatism in the Boin Sum area.

Foreland basin belt
Foreland basin belt can be traced in Tugurige, Bater and Ondor Sum areas, extending more than 600 km in length (Fig. 1C), including a lower part composed of the Silurian flysch in Tugurige and Ondor Sum areas, and an upper part, the lower Devonian molasse in Bater and Ondor Sum areas, respectively. Paleogeographically, because the forearc accretionary wedge represented by mélange belt is to the north and the arc magmatic belt is to the south, the foreland basin belt can be seen as a retroarc foreland basin belt following Dickinson's classification (1974).

Lower part of the foreland basin
The Silurian flysch strata are continuously exposed in a 6 km × 20 km area between Tugurige and Ganqimaode (Fig. 8) and extend westwards and eastwards for tens of kilometers, respectively (IMBGMR, 1991). The flysch strata, called the Xuniwusu Formation with a thickness up to 7.4 km (Xu et al., 2001b), can be divided into a lower -canal facies‖, characterized by coarse cycles of conglomerates, pebble-sandstones, sandstones, and a upper -fan facies‖ composed by sandstones and shales (Walker, 1979). There is a clear angular unconformity between the Xuniwusu Formation and the underlying Ondor Sum Group (Fig. 12A), where the thick conglomerate of the Xuniwusu Formation unconformably overlies the sericite quartz schist of the fold belt with south-dipping schistosity, indicating that the foreland basin developed after the fold belt formation. In the lower part, thickness of coarse cycles ranges mostly from ca. 1 to 5 m and displays upward fining feature (Fig. 12B), with 0.5 to 4 m thick conglomerate beds. Clasts consist of poorly-sorted, subangular or subrounded schist, granite, volcanic rock and quartzite, ranging from 2 to 30 cm in diameter. The interbedded sandstones and siltstones, with 10-20 cm thickness, comprise Bouma sequences. These lithofacies characters are similar to those of Walker's (1979) -canal facies‖, which most likely deposited during an early phase of development of submarine fan along the northern continental margin of the NCC. The upper part of the flysch is characterized by continuous development of typical Bouma sequences that consist of sandstones and shales (Fig. 12C). With a change from 10 to 30 cm thick T ae in the base to 2-5 cm thick T de in the top, these Bouma sequences display upward fining cycles (Fig. 12D), suggesting a developing stage of submarine -fan facies‖ (Walker, 1979).
According to previous work, unconformably overlying the arc magmatic belt of the Boin Sum Group, the lower part of the foreland basin consists of the 1105 m-thick Xuniwusu Formation flysch in the Ondor Sum area ( [Hu et al., 1990] and [Tang, 1992]). With typical Bouma sequences and a lot of magmatic detritus, the flysch indicates a turbiditic sedimentation resulted from fast uplift of the arc magmatic belt. Flute casts in the flysch show paleocurrent of 145-150° SE (Hu et al., 1990), implying that the provenance of the Xuniwusu Formation flysch is the arc magmatic belt of the Boin Sum Group to the north.

Upper part of the foreland basin
As the upper part of the foreland basin, the Upper Silurian-Lower Devonian strata, called the Xibiehe Formation, are characterized by molasse and unconformably overlay the flysch succession, middle Paleozoic arc magmatic belt, mélange or fold belt ( [Hu et al., 1990], [Tang, 1992] and [Zhang et al., 2010]). For example, the Xibiehe Formation consists of > 339 m-thick molasse succession containing three conglomerates-sandstones cycles (Fig. 12E) in the lower part and several sandstones-shale-limestones cycles in the upper part in Bater area. With a thickness of up to 10 m, the conglomerates are red, poorly sorted and dominated by subangular clasts of volcanic rock, quartz vein, schist and carbonate (Fig. 12F). Above the conglomerates the red molasses displays 5-15 m thick cycles from clast-bearing sandstones to sandstones.
The Xibiehe Formation comprises a 924 m-thick molasse succession of conglomerates and sandstones and unconformably overlays the Xuniwusu Formation flysch or Ondor Sum Group in southern Ondor Sum ( [Hu et al., 1990] and [Zhang et al., 2010]). The conglomerates contain clasts of volcanic rock, quartz vein, granite and sericite quartz schist (Fig. 12G). Middle-sized inclined beddings can be observed in thick sandstone (Fig. 12H).

Fold belt
The fold belt composed of the southern margin of the HB can be found in both Tugurige and Ondor Sum areas. With an area of 4 km × 16 km, the fold belt occurs across the boundary between China and Mongolia in Tugurige area (Fig. 8). Called also the Ondor Sum Group, it is made up of sericite quartz schist, actinolite schist and ferriferous quartzite (IMBGMR, 1991). Three events of deformation are distinguished in the fold belt (Xu et al., 2001b). The first event is characterized by the penetrative foliations that completely displace beddings (S 1 in Fig. 13A), involved in outcrop-to kilometer-scale folds during the second structural event (Fig. 13B). Regionally, these folds are cut by zonal crenulation cleavage of the third structural event, forming 2-10 cm-thick microlithons (Fig. 13C).
Similar deformational features are discovered in the Ondor Sum Group in the Ondor Sum area, and three deformation stages have been recognized in sericite quartz schist, actinolite schist and ferriferous quartzite (Hu et al., 1990). Among them, the second stage forms an E-W trending fold belt extending for 40 km and is considered as the main event responsible for the regional structure.

Analysis of deformation of the foreland basin in Tugurige area
The flysch of the Xuniwusu Formation forms northward overturned folds (Fig. 13D) with middle to high angle southward-dipping axial-plane cleavages (S 1 ) that cut bedding (S 0 in Fig. 13E). Specially, these axial-plane cleavages are more penetrative in siltstones and mudstones than in sandstones, but they do not displace beddings and sedimentary structures of the Bouma sequence, such as the graded bedding is maintained (Fig. 13F), which is different from foliations developed in the Ondor Sum Group. Regionally, these folds and southward-dipping axial-plane cleavages are widespread and easily observed in the Xuniwusu Formation, indicating the continuous north-inverted fold style. Both these folds and cleavages imply a top-to-north kinematic direction in the flysch of foreland basin.

Deformation in Ondor Sum area: a review
Detailed fold deformation study was conducted by Hu et al. (1990) in the Ondor Sum area. Three stages of folding occurred in the arc magmatic belt composed by the Boin Sum Group. Among them, the second stage folding is characterized by isoclinal or north-inverted folds at a regional scale and controls distribution of the Boin Sum Group. Regionally, axial plane foliation of the second folding is penetrative, stably southwest-dipping, indicating a top-tonortheast kinematic direction in the Boin Sum Group of the arc magmatic belt (Hu et al., 1990). Zeng (1990) studied the ductile deformation of several deformed zones with a width of several hundred meters developed in both the Boin Sum Group and Xuniwusu Formation; the kinematic indicators include south-dipping mylonitic schistosity, quartz and feldspar asymmetric pressure shadows, sheath-like folds, from which a top-to-north shearing sense has been deduced. Fig. 14 shows a representative section summarizing the spatial relationship of four tectonic units in the Tugurige area as well as the configuration of the SOB, according to the data provided by Xu et al. (2001b). This section, together with the top-to-north kinematic features from these units, suggests a southward subduction of the southern margin of the HB beneath the NCC.

Devonian molasse in the NOB: source area and significance
The Devonian succession occurs to the south of Baiyanbaolidao, Abag, and Hegengshan areas in the NOB (Fig. 1C). It has been known for twenty years that the Devonian continental sequence is characterized by typical red conglomerates and sandstones, with plant fossils (IMBGMR, 1991), but there are different interpretations for these continental clastic rocks. For example, the continuous Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous sedimentary succession overlying unconformably the mélange in the NOB is considered as a block evolved in the Solonker suture zone ( [Chen et al., 2000] and [Xiao et al., 2003]) or as the result of a local transgressive event (Li, 2006). However, a clear unconformity (Fig. 5H) between the Devonian continental molasse containing plant fossils and mélange containing blueschist block with the age of 383 Ma (Xu et al., 2001a) indicates the occurrence of a middle Paleozoic orogenic belt.
In order to reveal the source area and significance of the molasse, a sample (71108) of red sandstone from the lower part of the Seribayanobo Formation in Baiyanbaolidao area (Fig. 2) was analyzed by LA-ICPMS and its zircon Cathodoluminescence (CL) images are shown in Fig. 15A. All 75 zircon spots are concordant or nearly concordant (Fig. 15B) and their results are presented in Table 3. They show one major group including 66 zircon grains from 442 to 525 Ma with a peak value of 461 Ma (Fig. 15B), suggesting a major contribution of the provenance materials to the sediments. With Th/U ratios from 0.36 to 1.17, these zircons are euhedral to subhedral crystals, and their CL images show oscillatory zoning (Fig. 15A), indicating that they are of igneous origin. Other 8 grains show two groups of 906-1059 and 1338-1571 Ma in age, respectively, indicating a contribution of the late to middle Proterozoic source material. The oldest zircon shows an age of 2729 Ma. Being of igneous origin and making up 85% of all zircons, the dominant zircon age group with the peak value of 461 Ma reveals an erosion process of the early to middle Paleozoic arc magmatic belt. The youngest zircon age is 442 ± 6 Ma, suggesting that the deposition of this red sandstone could not be older than the earliest Silurian.
Geographically, the molasse basin where Sample 71108 is taken is near the early Paleozoic arc magmatic belt to the north and shows a southeastward paleocurrent trend (Fig. 5B), which implies a geographical relationship between these two units. . Considering the southeastward paleocurrent trend, this similarity implies that there was a late and middle Proterozoic block in the northwest, being the provenance of the Devonian red sandstone. Generally, the zircon age distribution pattern of Sample 71108 reveals that the early to middle Paleozoic arc magmatic belt is a pronounced source area and the late and middle Proterozoic block in the northwest maybe a subordinate source area for the molasse basin in the NOB during the late Devonian, implying an uplift and erosion process during post-collisional stage and giving a sedimentary constraint to the middle Paleozoic orogenic belt.

About the Hunshandake block
If there was the HB between the NOB and SOB, its nature is important to reveal the configuration of the middle Paleozoic convergent orogenic belt. There are scattered outcrops of the Ondor Sum Group around the Hunshandake Desert (Fig. 1C), they represent the continental margin of the HB and subducted ocean crust. A sample (71006, Fig. 2) from the mélange matrix that consists of the Ondor Sum Group was analyzed by LA-ICPMS to deduce composition and age of HB.
Its zircon Cathodoluminescence (CL) images are shown in Fig. 15A and probability plots of zircons in Fig. 16A. Of 75 zircon spots, 63 spots are concordant or nearly concordant and their results are presented in Table 3. Most zircons are subrounded and divided into three types according to CL imaging. Type A shows clear oscillatory zoning (71006-4, 71006-46), type B wider and obscurer oscillatory zoning (71006-2, 71006-63) and type C no oscillatory zoning (71006-53, Fig. 15A). Type A and B show Th/U ratios from 0.12 to 2.62, indicating an igneous origin, but type C, including spots 71006-21, 71006-33 and 71006-53, has Th/U ratios from 0.04 to 0.07, implying a metamorphic origin. Seven age groups have been recognized from the 63 spots (Fig. 16A), including 3258-2916 Ma (2 spots), 2558-2480 Ma (4 spots), 2189-2001 Ma (3 spots), 1830-1691 Ma (4 spots), 1302-1394 Ma (3 spots), 1220-903 Ma (27 spots), and 737-515 Ma (20 spots). The four older age groups indicate a contribution of the Archean to early Proterozoic source material, and are very similar to the age distribution of the NCC that is characterized by peaks of 3324, 2500, 2173 and 1800 Ma, representing granite-greenstone and TTG suite development and consolidation of the Archean blocks in the NCC (Fig. 16C, [Zhao et al., 2001], [Zhao et al., 2002], [Wilde et al., 2002], [Darbya and Gehrels, 2006], [Yang et al., 2006] and [Rojas-Agramonte et al., 2011]). The group of 1302-1394 Ma (3 spots) may be correlated with a rifting event which occurred in the northern margin of the NCC at around 1.35 Ga (Zhang et al., 2009b). These results imply that a block probably rifted from the NCC was the provenance area for the protolith of mélange.
Making up 75% of all analytical spots, the appearance of prominent groups of 737-515 Ma (20 spots) and 1220-903 Ma (27 spots) with six peaks at 576, 638, 735, 911, 973, and 1044 Ma is the most striking feature in this sample. This age distribution is different from that of other known tectonic units, such as the NCC to the south and SMM to the west ( [Cope et al., 2005], [Darbya and Gehrels, 2006], [Rojas-Agramonte et al., 2011] and[Wan et al., 2011]), and Mongolia or Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt to the north ( [Shi et al., 2003], [Chen et al., 2009], [Xue et al., 2009], [Li et al., 2010b] and [Li et al., 2011). For example, the peaks at 576, 638 and 735 Ma marking the latest Precambrian magmatic event in the HB (Fig. 16A) have not been found in Mongolia (Fig. 16B). Conversely, two peaks at 815 Ma and 515 Ma reflecting early Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic magmatic activities during the early stage of CAOB evolution in Mongolia plot ( Fig. 16B; Rojas-Agramonte et al., 2011) do not occur in the HB (Fig. 16A).
These differences imply that there also was a latest Proterozoic magmatic provenance area for the protolith of mélange which was never recognized up to now. This novel source area, together with the above-mentioned Archean to early Proterozoic source area, leads us to deduce that there was an unknown block between the NOB and SOB, namely the Hunshandake block (HB), characterized by the NCC affinity and the latest Proterozoic and early Cambrian magmatism. It is the HB that supplied detrital materials for the protolith of mélange before a middle Paleozoic northward subduction.
Geographically, 20 km to the south of the sampling locality for 71006, there is an area which extends 600 km in E-W and 50-150 km in N-S between the NOB and SOB (Fig. 1C); its eastern part is occupied by the Hunshandake Desert, and its western part by sparse outcrops of the Paleozoic sequence. Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest the existence of this block in this huge area.

The late Paleozoic tectonic evolution in western Inner Mongolia
There has been a debate about the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution in western Inner Mongolia for a long time. For example, another explanation of the arc-pluton complex of the NOB in Baiyanbaolidao area is that it represents products of a prolonged period of arc magmatism that developed on the southern margin of the SMM in the period 530-296 Ma ( [Chen et al., 2000] and [Chen et al., 2009]). Also, based on SHRIMP ages of Permian-early Triassic ultramafic-mafic rocks and their geochemistry, an intra-oceanic arc-trench system with multiple southward and northward subductions from 530 to 250 Ma, and a late Permian to middle Triassic collision along the Solonker suture zone have been proposed to describe the end-Paleozoic to mid-Triassic tectonic evolution in western Inner Mongolia ( [Chen et al., 2000], [Xiao et al., 2003], [Jian et al., 2008], [Chen et al., 2009], [Xiao et al., 2009] and [Jian et al., 2010). Following these data, the Inner Mongolian orogenic belt is a long-lived one and a Permian wide ocean would have occurred between the SMM and NCC.
Several papers have reported occurrence of the late Paleozoic mafic rocks related to extensional rifting setting, bimodal volcanic suite, A-type granite (Fig. 1C). Chen et al. (2012) reported new data of geochronology (279-274 Ma) and geochemistry of Permian mafic rocks in Mandula area and suggested that they were emplaced in an extensional rifting setting and that Solonker belt probably represented a Red Sea-like ocean basin. Tang et al. (2011) recognized a Late Carboniferous bimodal volcanic suite (313308 Ma) from the western part of the HB, and suggested that it formed in an extensional setting after collision between the NCC and SMM. Shi et al. (2004a) found an A-type granite with an age of 276 Ma near Xilinhot and proposed that it represents post-collision magmatism. These studies imply that a wide oceanic lithosphere has not existed between the NCC, HB, and SMM after ca. 280 Ma, identically to studies from a wider area of the CAOB ( [Hong et al., 1996], [Hong et al., 2004] and [Jahn et al., 2009]).
Generally, to decipher the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution in western Inner Mongolia, two key questions are most worthy of being considered: what is the nature of the Permian sea area in western Inner Mongolia: a wide ocean, relict sea, or Red sea-type basin? Where is an integrated Permian-early Triassic orogenic belt like the early-middle Paleozoic orogenic belt? Obviously, the conclusion about the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution in western Inner Mongolia needs detailed study and more evidence.

Relationship between the SMM and SME
The relationship between the SMM and SME is unclear. One key problem is the age and tectonic setting of Hegenshan ophiolite representing the boundary between the two units. Robinson et al. (1999) deduced that the petrological characteristics are consistent with formation in an arc/back arc setting, probably in middle to late Devonian time. Miao et al. (2007) suggested that it represents a back-arc basin opened on a pre-Permian basement at ca. 295 Ma (Fig. 1C). These data imply that a late Paleozoic ocean existed between the SMM and SME.
Whereas Jian et al. (2012) reported ages of 354 Ma and 333 Ma of the microgabbro and plagiogranite from Xiaobaliang in the north of Hegenshan area (Fig. 1C) and suggested they represent an Alpine-type mantle diapir related with regional uplift after middle Paleozoic orogenic belt. Zhang et al. (2011) reported a typical bimodal high-K magmatic association with ages of 289-287 Ma in Bayinwula (Fig. 1C) ca. 60 km to the northwest of Sunid Zuoqi and suggested that it was developed under a post-collisional extensional regime. Based on 1:50000 geological mapping in the area 240 km to northeast of Hegenshan, Zhou et al. (2010b) reported a new discovery of the early-middle Permian cathaysian flora and suggested that the Paleo-Asian Ocean had closed before the early Permian. These data argue that the boundary between the SMM and SME is not characterized by a suture zone younger than ca. 350 Ma.

Tectonic evolution
According to new field investigation and geochronologic results, a tectonic evolutionary model of the CAOB in Inner Mongolia can be constructed as following (Fig. 17).
Before 500 Ma there was a block (HB) to the north of the northern margin of the NCC within the Paleo-Asian Ocean. On the northern and southern margins of the HB, the Ondor Sum Group was deposited, comprising clastic and volcanic rocks (Fig. 17A).
During 500-450 Ma time, the Paleo-Asian oceanic domains on the northern and southern sides of the HB subducted to the north beneath the SME and to the south beneath the northern continental margin of the NCC, respectively, building the north subduction system (NSS), characterized by arc diorites and granitoids, and the south subduction system (SSS), containing ophiolites and the Boin Sum Group arc volcanic rocks (Fig. 17B).
At 450-440 Ma, the ocean closure between the NCC and HB led to the collision of SSS with HB and formation of the SOB, including the mélange containing glaucophane and phengite with ages of 453.2 ± 1.8 Ma, 449.4 ± 1.8 Ma, and 445.6 ± 15 Ma in blueschists, and induced the deformation and metamorphism of the Ondor Sum Group in the northern SOB. Meanwhile, the northern subduction and NSS continued, forming arc diorite and granitoid belt extending from the Xilinhot to Airgin Sum areas (Fig. 17C).
During the 440-410 Ma time span, a retro-arc foreland basin formed on the southern side of the SOB, synchronously with the continuous uplift of the SOB magmatic arc, characterized by a wide distribution of the turbidite succession of the Xuniwusu Formation from the Tugurige to Boin Sum areas in the southern SOB, while the northward subduction still continued in the NSS (Fig. 17D).
During 410-380 Ma period, the HB, SMM and SME were amalgamated and the NOB formed, which is evidenced by the Upper Devonian mélange belt containing high pressure blueschists dated at 383 ± 13 Ma in the NOB and widespread development of the molasse basin in both the NOB and SOB, implying that an oceanic realm did not exist anymore between the NCC, HB, and SMM since the Late Devonian (Fig. 17E).

Conclusions
(1) Six tectonic units have been recognized in western Inner Mongolia, including, from south to north, the NCC, SOB, HB, NOB, SMM and SME, indicating that tectonic framework of the CAOB in western Inner Mongolia is characterized by accretions of different blocks and building of orogenic belts; (2) The SOB consists of four units, including, from north to south: fold belt, mélange, arcpluton belt, and retro-arc foreland basin, representing a southern subduction-collision system between the NCC and HB blocks during the 500-440 Ma time. The NOB consists of four units: arc-pluton belt, mélange, foreland molasse basin, and fold belt, from north to south, representing a northern subduction-collision system between the HB and SMM blocks active during the 500-380 Ma time; (3) A middle Paleozoic couple of convergent orogenic belts composed of the NOB and SOB constrained the consumption process of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in western Inner Mongolia during the early to middle Paleozoic, implying that oceanic lithosphere has not existed between the NCC, HB, and SMM since the Late Devonian. A double subduction-collision accretionary process, in the south and then in the north, is the dominant geodynamic feature for the eastern part of the CAOB during the early to middle Paleozoic. constructive reviews from Xiao Wenjiao and two anonymous reviewers, as well as a careful editorial handling by guest-editor Zheng Yongfei. This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40872145, 40821002) and the China geological survey projects (1212011220906). This is a contribution to IGCP#592 supported by UNESCO-IUGS.

Analytical procedures for zircon samples
Zircons for ICP-MS analyses were separated from quartz diorites, sandstones and matrix of mélange according to magnetic properties and density and finally purified by hand picking. The zircons were cast in an epoxy mount and polished down to half section. Cathodoluminescence (CL) images were obtained for the zircons prior to analysis, using a CAMECA SX-50 microprobe at Peking University, in order to characterize internal textures and choose potential target sites for U-Pb dating. Laser ablation ICP-MS zircon U-Pb analyses were conducted on an Agilent 7500a ICP-MS equipped with a 193 nm laser in the China University of Geosciences Beijing. Laser spot size was set to ~ 36 μm for analyses, laser energy density at 8.5 J/cm2 and repetition rate at 10 Hz. The procedure of laser sampling is 5-s pre-ablation, 20-s sample chamber flushing and 40-s sampling ablation. The ablated material is carried into the ICP-MS by the high-purity Helium gas stream with flux of 0.8 L/min. The whole laser path was fluxed with N2 (15 L/min) and Ar (1.15 L/min) in order to increase energy stability. The counting time for U,Th,204 Pb,206 Pb,207 Pb and 208 Pb is 20 ms. NIST SRM 610 silicate glass was external standard for concentration calculation and 29 Si was internal standard (Pearce et al., 1997). U-Pb isotope fractionation effects were corrected using zircon 91500 (Wiedenbeck et al., 1995) as external standard. Zircon standard TEMORA (417 Ma) from Australia is also used as a secondary standard to supervise the deviation of age measurement/calculation (Black et al., 2004). Ten analyses for the standard TEMORA yielded apparent 206 Pb/ 238 U ages of 408-420 Ma with a weighted mean of 415.7 ± 4.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.36). The detail analytical technique is described in Yuan et al. (2004). Isotopic ratios and element concentrations of zircons were calculated using GLITTER (ver. 4.4,Macquarie University). Concordia ages and diagrams were obtained using Isoplot/Ex (3.0, Ludwig, 2003). The common lead was corrected using LA-ICP-MS Common Lead Correction (ver. 3.15), followed the method of Andersen (2002). The mean ages are weighted means at 95% confidence levels (Ludwig, 2003). 206 Pb/ 238 U ages were used for samples younger than 1000 Ma, while 207 Pb/ 206 U ages were used for samples older than 1000 Ma.  [Badarch et al., 2002], [Xiao et al., 2003], [Kröner et al., 2010] and [Stipska et al., 2010]). (C). Tectonic map of western Inner Mongolia emphasizing the Early and Middle Paleozoic outcrops and Precambrian blocks (compiled from [Shao, 1991], IMBGMR (Inner Mongolian Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources), 1991, [Xiao et al., 2003], [Jian et al., 2008] and [Yarmolyuk et al., 2008] [Shi et al., 2004a] and [Shi et al., 2004b] Fig. 2, Fig. 4, Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 are marked.  Fig. 1C for location of Fig. 2). The inset shows equal-area, lower-hemisphere stereoplots of the axial-plane foliations in the fold belt.           Group; C: zonal crenulation cleavage (S 2 ) forming 2-10 cm thick microlithons of the Ondor Sum Group; D: northward overturned folds with middle to high angle south-dipping axial-plane cleavage (S1), Xuniwusu Formation; E: axial-plane cleavage (S 1 ) that cut bedding (S 0 ), Xuniwusu Formation; F: axial-plane cleavage (S 1 ) not displacing bedding and preserving the graded bedding of the Bouma sequence (see Fig. 8 for location).