SHRMP U-Pb Geochronological Verification on the Identification of Early Paleozoic Volcanic Clasolite Zircons from the Beidahe Complex-Group in the Western Segment of the Middle Qilian Mountains, China

Previous researchers thought Beidahe Complex-Group was one of the oldest metamorphic rocks in the western part of the Qilian orogenic belt. However, according to the SHRMP U-Pb zircon data of the mafic tuffs from the Beidahe Complex-Group in Subei area reported in the paper, the intermediate-basic tuffs were formed in (444±6.9) Ma, and they might be the product of early Paleozoic tectonic-magmatic activity in Mid-Qilian area rather than material compositions of Beidahe Complex-Group. The authors separated the tuff from Beidahe Complex-Group and re-attributed it to Wuligou Formation of Ordovician Series. The results of this study will provide new materials for exploring material composition and geological evolution of middle-south Qilian.