Zircon SHRIMP dating of granite from Qaidamshan, NW China

Zircon SHRIMP dating from Qaidamshan granite shows that the granite age is 446 Ma, similar to that of eclogite in the UHP belt. We think that both granite and eclogite may be formed at different stages during tectonic evolution of this area. Together with other studies we suggested that the collision of ocean and continent plates may occur at the early Caledonian in this area, forming the eclogite, and the collision of continent and continent plates at the late Caledonian, forming the Qaidamshan granite with the zircon SHRIMP age of 446 Ma.