Google analytics Link

Main Karakoram Thrust at Khalsar: Nubra-Shyok Confluence

 

Roberto Weinberg
Monash University, Australia

 

 

Copyright 2005-2010 by Roberto Weinberg. All rights reserved. Unlimited permission to copy or use is hereby granted for non-profit driven enterprise subject to inclusion of this copyright notice and my World Wide Web URL: users.monash.edu.au/~weinberg. We would very much appreciate an email stating how this material will be used. Thanks, RW.

 

 

Nubra-Shyok Confluence: Merging the Karakoram Shear Zone with the Main Karakoram Thrust

 

Main Karakoram Thrust: in the Khalsar gorge there is a well-exposed thrust plane that is part of the Main Karakoram Thrust, where greenschist facies schists are thrusted upon well-preserved, unmetamorphosed rocks of the Khardung volcanics (see Weinberg, et al., 2000, J. Geol. Soc. London, Special Publ. 170, 253-275). The thrust trends approximately 300/60N.
Part I. Main Karakoram Thrust: Khalsar Thrust
mkt
Figure 1A: Muscovite schist thrusted onto red Khardung volcanics, south of the Khalsar Loop, Khalsar valley, looking east. Thrust plane attitude ~ 300/60N.

mkt mkt
Figure 1B: Sharp thrust plane.
Figure 1C: Sharp thrust plane.
mkt mkt
Figure 1D: Sharp plane showing a 20 cm wide alteration zone. Khardung volcanics are brecciated over 2 m wide. Figure 1E: Khardung volcanics breccia on footwall of Khalsar thrust.
mkt mkt
Figure 1F: Muscovite schist, thrusted to the SW, right. Figure 1G: Detail of muscovite schist, thrusted to the SW, right.