Geological Map Of The People’s Republic Of China – Presentation Copy From Geologist Shihe Lei

Price: £125
Publisher: Not stated but in Beijing, China
Publication Date: 1976
Edition: 1st edition
Format: Original colour printing
Condition: Very good plus, unframed
Scale: 1:4000000
Sheet Size: 161cm x 115cm when opened

Condition:

 
A fine colour-engraved folding map of  Northern India. Backed on linen with 21 folds. Slight age toning and foxing. Minor marks but generally very bright and clean. Folding cloth cover very bright. Overall in very good indeed, bright, clean condition. Location: BR: 002707

The Geology Of China: A Brief Account

 
China possesses one of the most geologically diverse and complex terrains in the world, shaped by hundreds of millions of years of tectonic movement, orogenic events, sedimentation, volcanism, and metamorphism. The country’s vast landmass, stretching from the Pacific coast to the heart of Asia, encompasses almost every major geological feature imaginable—from ancient continental cratons and fold belts to expansive sedimentary basins and active fault zones.

At the heart of China’s geological structure lies the North China Craton, an ancient and stable block of continental crust formed during the Archaean and Proterozoic eons. This craton forms the foundation of the North China Plain and is flanked by younger, more geologically active regions. To the south lies the South China Block, which comprises mainly Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks and has a rich history of marine deposition, later affected by tectonic collisions and uplift.

One of the most striking features of China’s geology is the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt, which runs east–west and marks the tectonic boundary between the North and South China blocks. Formed during the Triassic through the collision of these two blocks, this zone is characterised by high-grade metamorphic rocks, ultrahigh-pressure minerals, and complex folding and faulting. It also serves as a major divide between the temperate north and subtropical south.

Western China is dominated by dramatic orogenic activity associated with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, which began in earnest during the Cenozoic era as the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. This region includes the Himalayas to the south, with towering peaks and deeply incised valleys, and the vast, arid expanses of the Qiangtang and Lhasa terranes. The ongoing uplift and crustal deformation in this region make it one of the most seismically active areas on Earth.

To the northwest, the Tarim Basin lies enclosed by towering mountain ranges such as the Tien Shan and Kunlun. This ancient basin contains thick sequences of sedimentary rocks, rich in oil and gas reserves, and is overlain by extensive desert deposits, including those of the Taklamakan Desert. Similarly, the Junggar Basin in Xinjiang and the Ordos Basin in the north are important centres for fossil fuel exploration and are underlain by extensive Mesozoic and Palaeozoic strata.

Eastern China, particularly along the Pacific margin, is geologically younger and more tectonically active. This region has experienced significant rifting, magmatism, and basin formation due to the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate. Volcanic rocks, fault systems, and extensional basins are common, particularly in regions such as the Bohai Bay Basin and the Songliao Basin, which also hosts some of China’s most productive oilfields.

The geology of China is also notable for its mineral wealth. The country is richly endowed with deposits of coal, iron ore, rare earth elements, copper, gold, and a wide array of other strategic minerals. Many of these are found in regions shaped by past volcanic activity, hydrothermal alteration, and complex structural deformation. The metallogenic belts of southern China, for instance, are particularly known for their polymetallic mineralisation.

China’s geological past is recorded not only in rocks but also in an extraordinary fossil record. From the feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning to the marine reptiles of Guizhou and the early hominins of Zhoukoudian, the country’s stratigraphic successions provide invaluable insights into Earth’s evolutionary history.

In sum, the geology of China is a grand mosaic—ancient and modern, stable and dynamic, terrestrial and marine—woven together through deep time by tectonic forces of vast scale and enduring power. It remains a subject of immense scientific interest and strategic importance, both within China and across the global geological community.

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