The characteristics of Kudi ophiolite suite and its tectonic setting

Abstract

Kudi ophiolite suite is composed of ultramafic rocks, gabbro, mantle source granitoid, basic volcanic rocks and flysch. It was formed during Sinian and Cambrian. Through the research of mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry of gabbro and basalt, the authors concluded that characteristics of gabbro are similar to those of cumulate structural gabbro. The characteristics of basalt are similar to those of ocean ridge basalt. Therefore, Kudi ophiolite suite is a typical ophiolite suite formed in ocean ridge. Combining the characteristics of Kudi island-arc granitoid, the authors also suggest that there had been a wide ocean lying to the south of Tarim basin during Sinian and Early Paleozoic, and this wide ocean was closed at the end of Silurian.