Geochronology of high-temperature rocks and hydrothermal ore deposits in China

Geochronological investigations in China were initiated nearly 50 years ago, mainly since the establishment of university programs teaching isotope geochemistry and the setup of geochronological laboratories. During the late 1970's and early 1990s, the geochronological framework of China's landmass has been established by numerous isotopic studies. Over the past decade, state-of-the-art geochronological laboratories have been established in China, contributing to the country's increasing role in many fields of Geosciences. This article highlights some of the major geochronological achievements of the past decades, with special focus on China's Precambrian geology, the improved understanding of age relationships in the Mesozoic Igneous Province of eastern China, and new developments in the dating of hydrothermal ore deposits.