A comparison of uplifting history between Tianshan Mountains in China and Kyrgyz: Insights from fission track chronology

There are considerable differences of the Tianshan metallogenic belt between China and Kyrgyz in such aspects as metallogenic epoch, mineral type and deposit size. As their metallogenic conditions are similar, due attention should be paid to the problem whether the differences are caused by preservation conditions or not. Apatite fission track analysis of Kyrgyz Northern Tianshan and thermal history modeling were performed, and the result shows that there existed four uplifting events from the Mesozoic to Cenozoic, from late Jurassic to late Cretaceous, Eocene and Oligocene, respectively. The late Jurassic uplifting happened in Terskey Range located in the south of Issyk-Kul Lake; the Eocene uplifting happened in Terskey Range and Kungey Range located in the north of Issyk-Kul Lake; the late Cretaceous Issyk-Kul Lake and Oligocene uplifting happened in Kyrgyz Northern Tianshan. By comparing uplifting history of Kyrgyz Northern Tianshan with that of China's Western Tianshan, it is shown that China's Western Tianshan uplifted earlier and lasted for a long time; the extent of exhumation exceeded that of Kyrgyz Northern Tianshan. Maybe it is the reason of the significant differences of mineralization between China and Kyrgyz Tianshan.