This book presents a comprehensive coverage of the magmatic and crustal evolution of the Tibetan Plateau through time, based mainly on the recent data and observations of the authors. It provides extensive geochemical, isotopic and geochronological datasets to better constrain the geodynamic evolution of the highest and thickest orogenic plateau in the world. It is a unique and original contribution to our understanding of the geology and landscape of the “roof of the world” in an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach.
All chapters in the book are process-oriented and data-rich, and reflect the most recent knowledge and information on the Tibetan Plateau. All five authors of the book have worked
extensively in Tibet and in the adjacent areas over the years. Their familiarity with both the geology of Tibet and all the research done there by different scientific teams during the last 30 years are a major driving force behind this book.
Xuanxue Mo is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Science and a professor at China University of Geosciences. He has been at UC Berkeley and LBL Berkeley,USA for research (1981-1983). His research interests are igneous petrology, petrophysical chemistry, petrotectonics and mineralization, including (1) magmatism and tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions; (2) geodynamic background of mineralization and distribution of large - super large deposits in China, especially in the Tibetan Plateau and the southwest China; (3) experiments and modeling of phase equilibrium and thermodynamics of magma system. He has been teaching igneous and metamorphic petrology, thermodynamics of magmatic processes, and advanced Igneous petrology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Professor Jinfu Deng (1935-2021) was a professor at China University of Geosciences, Beijing. He had served the dean of the Department of Geology, the vice-chairman of theAcademic Committee of the University, the executive director of the Chinese Society of Mineralogy- Petrology-Geochemistry and so on. He was a visiting professor at the Department of Geology and Planetary Sciences at Caltech, USA (1986-1988). His research interests included igneous petrology, petrotectonics, petrophysical chemistry and mineralization. (1) He was the first to introduce physicochemistry into the study of genesis of igneous rocks, crust-mantle deep processes, regional petrogeotectonics and mineralization. (2) He proposed a theoretical model of ‘continental roots–plume tectonics’ on geodynamic evolution of lithosphere of China and Eurasia based on tectonic division at lithosphere scale and crust-mantle deep processes. (3) He proposed the composition profile and thermal structure model of the upper mantle in eastern China and revealed the huge thinning of the North China Craton lithosphere. (4) He proposed that the cataclysm of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system was the fundamental power source of the metallogenic "great explosion", which was efficiently applied to explaining metallogenic mechanism and evaluating mineral resources potential.
Zengqian Hou is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Science and a senior research geologist in Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS) including served as the Director-General of Institute of Mineral Resources (2000-2005) and Institute of Geology (2005-2018), CAGS. He also serves as the Vice-President of NSFC (2018-2023), Chairman of the IGCP Committee of China (2016-2023) and Regional Vice President of the Society of Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (2011-2013). He has conducted several major scientific projects including an IGCP project and two Chinese State Key 973 Fundamental Research Projects on the lithospheric architecture and relevant mineral systems in collisional orogenies. These researches have led to an establishment of a new theoretical framework and genetic models for collision-related metallogenesis (REE, Cu, Pb-Zn, Au), and major discoveries of world-class copper and other metallic deposits in China. He was thus awarded the Grand and First Prizes of National Scientific and Technical Advancement and Second Prize of National Natural Science. He also serves as and Regional Vice President of the Society of Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (2011-2013).
Zhidan Zhao is a professor of petrology and geochemistry at China University of Geosciences in Beijing (CUGB). He received his BS (1990) and PhD (1995) degrees in Geochemistry at China University of Geosciences in Wuhan (CUGW). He completed postdoctoral research in the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guiyang in 1998 before joining the faculty at CUGB to date. In the intervening years, he was a visiting professor at UC Berkeley (2002-2003, 2012-2014) in collaboration with Professor Don DePaolo on isotopic geochemistry of postcollisional rocks from the Tibetan Plateau. He taught optical mineralogy, petrology, petrogeochemistry at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His research includes: (1) regional geochemistry on various rocks along the Qinling orogenic belts, (2) high pressure and high temperature experimental study of elastic wave velocity in rocks, and (3) petrology and geochemistry of the postcollisional magmatism on the Tibetan plateau and in the adjacent regions.
Guochen Dong is a professor at China University of Geosciences (Beijing). He has been both an educator and a researcher in Earth Science. He conducted geological mapping and mineral exploration in Hebei Geological Bureau (1983-1998) and taught optical mineralogy, mineralogy, petrology and field geology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in China University of Geosciences (2003-2023). His research includes: (1) petrology and geochemistry of granites and granitoid rocks and volcanic rocks related to the collision between Indian and Asia continentals; (2) magmatism associated with continental collision and continental crust accretion; (3) felsic and granitic rocks and related ore deposits; (4) genetic and prospecting mineralogy, geochronology and geological applications.
Di-Cheng Zhu is a professor of petrology and geochemistry at China University of Geosciences (Beijing) (CUGB), received his B.Sc. (1997) and M.Sc. (2000) from Chengdu University of Technology, China and Ph.D. (2003) from Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, China. He joined the Chengdu Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources in 2003 and moved to CUGB in 2007 before became a professor in 2009. He devoted his enthusiasm to study the formation of the Tibetan Plateau from a magmatic perspective since 2000. His research interests include (1) magma generation and crustal evolution in collision zones, (2) magmatism and the formation of the Tibetan Plateau, and (3) paleogeographic reconstruction of microcontinents. He haspublished more than 180 research papers with total citations of more than 15000 times (Google Scholar h-index 59). He is currently serving as a Co-Editor-in-Chief of Lithos (2022-).
Yaoling Niu is currently an honorary professor at Laoshan Laboratory, China. He has been both an educator and a researcher in Earth Science. He taught crystallography, optical mineralogy, mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, elemental and isotope geochemistry, ore deposits, thermodynamics for geologists, global tectonics and field geology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in China (1982-1985), Australia (1993-2001), USA (1986-1987, 2003-2004) and UK (2005-2022). His research includes: (1) petrology and geochemistry of mantle peridotites, basalts and basaltic rocks, granites and granitoid rocks, high- and ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks and ore deposits; (2) ocean ridge magmatism, intraplate magmatism, subduction-zone processes, magmatism associated withcontinental collision and continental crust accretion; (3) causes and effects of seafloor subduction and global tectonics, chemical geodynamics and mantle circulation; (4) elemental and isotope geochemistry, geochronology and geological applications.
