COUNTERCLOCKWISE ROTATION OF SOUTH CHINA BLOCK EAST OF THE TAN-LU FAULT ZONE

A paleomagnetic study of the tectonic deformation undergone by the middle Triassic to early Cretaceous rocks from Laiyang, Liuan, Lujiang-Zongyang and Huaining basins, on both sides of the Tan-Lu fault zone since Mesozoic was carried out.Most of the directions of isolated characteristic magnetization passed fold or reversal tests.From areas mentioned above, ten reliable paleomagnetic poles for early Cretaceous to middle Triassic were obtained.
Comparison of the results with the APWP for South China Block suggests no considerably great relative horizontal displacement since at least middle Jurassic between the two sides of Tan-Lu fault zone but a counterclockwise (CCW) rotation of 15°-25° on the part of South China Block to the east of the Tan-Lu fault zone.The rotation mainly occurred in late Jurassic and may be attributed to the collision between the North and South China Block andthe compression by the Pacific Plate.