Geothermal Accumulation Constrained by the Tectonic Transformation in the Gonghe Basin, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract Advances in the exploration of geothermal resources with remarkably high temperatures Gonghe Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, provide an enhanced understanding origin and emplacement hot dry rock (HDR). Based on integrating analysis boundary faults distribution their activity histories, springs borehole data, magnetotelluric we propose that Basin formed a zone slip dissipation between two major large-scale left-lateral strike-slip Kunlun fault to south Haiyuan north during Neogene time. During evolution these faults, basin has experienced two-phase developments: transrotational Gonghe-Qinghai lacustrine system Miocene transpressional Gonghe-Tongde Pliocene-Quaternary. In response crustal transtension components partial melting at depths 10–25 km thickened crust (~54 km) been uplifted by ~10 compared adjacent regions since Pliocene. This may have provided prominent potential heat energy for HDR Triassic granitoid batholith shallower (~3–10 effective enhancement conduction process via deep faulting. With obliquely south-verging thrusting Nan Shan thrusts northern, transformed from transrotation transpression-domination 6–3 Ma, as well accompanying depocentre migrating northwest turn basement elastically uplifting southeast. differential deformation floor resulted northeastward upward tilting isothermal surface. It finally developed high-temperature shallow-burial anomalously over 100°C depth 1.5 Qiabuqia Zhacang areas NE margin Plateau.