Early Continent Evolution of the North China Craton

Professor Mingguo Zhai works in the State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and specializes in Precambrian and metamorphic geology, and petrology. His main research interests are Precambrian tectonic evolution in China; High-temperature and high-pressure metamorphiam and reconstruction of Precambrian; Ultra-high-pressure metamorphism and continental collision; Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the North China Block. Professor Peng Peng works in the China-Brazil Joint Geoscience Research Center, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and specializes in Precambrian geology. His research interests include Precambrian tectonics, particularly the Precambrian evolution of cratons, supercontinents and the Earth system, and the comparison of the Precambrian and modern tectonics. Currently, he is an editor/associate editor of Precambrian Research, Island Arc, Analysis and Testing Technology and Instruments, Geotectonica et Metallogenia, etc. Professor Yanyan Zhou works in the State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and specializes in Precambrian geology, Geochronology, and Geochemistry. His research interests are on Precambrian igneous rocks and the Precambrian crustal evolution of North China Craton. Professor Lei Zhao works in the State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and specializes in Precambrian geology, Zircon Geochronology, Metamorphic Petrology, and Geochronology.

• 1. Introduction to the early continental evolution of the North China Craton (NCC)2. General generation and growth of Precambrian continental crust3. Precambrian outline of the North China Craton4. Oldest continental rocks in Hadean-Paleoarchean in the North China Craton5. Magmatic evolution and recycling for Mesoarchean continental crust of the North China craton6. Neoarchean continental evolution in the North China Craton7. Neoarchean metamorphism of the North China Craton8. Lithospheric evolution during the 2.5–2.1 Ga critical period following the Neoarchean cratonization9. The early plate tectonics: from vertical differentiation to horizontal accretion