Provenance analysis of the Middle-Lower Jurassic Yarkant Group in the Mazar tectonic mélange zone in western Kunlun Mountains

The provenance analysis is conducted on the basis of the compositions and geochemical signatures of the sandstones from the Middle-Lower Jurassic Yarkant Group in the Mazar tectonic mélange zone in western Kunlun Mountains. The tectonic settings of the provenances consist of continental island arcs and oceanic island arcs during the deposition of the Shalitashi Formation; continental island arcs associated with active continental margins during the deposition of the Yangye Formation, and active continental margins, magmatic island arcs(oceanic island arcs and continental island arcs) and passive continental margins during the deposition of the Targa Formation. The results of research in this study may provide helpful information for the approaches to the tectonic evolution of western Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.