The western Qinling (秦岭) orogenic belt is one of the outermost ranges in the northeas-tern Tibetan Plateau. Its tectonic uplift history is therefore essential to insight on the evolution history of the plateau. However, the timing of deformation and uplift history is still poorly known. Fortunately, its Cenozoic orogenic history is recorded in an excellent synorogenic sedimentary sequence exposed in the Tianshui (天水) Basin, the northeastern foot of western Qinling. According to sedimentary-tectonic analysis of the Yaodian (尧店) and Lamashan (喇嘛山) sections based on the previous magnetostratigraphy studies, we speculated that two stages (occurred at 9.2-7.4 and ～3.6 Ma) of variation in depositional facies were attributed to the uplift and deformation of the western Qinling, and the modern structure geomorphic frame of the northeastern Tibet formed after 2.6 Ma. Furthermore, four stages of active processes along the western Qinling occurred at 49-41, 34-27, 25-19 and ～13 Ma, are deciphered from an integrated detrital apatite fission-track data of the Ganquan (甘泉), Yaodian main sections and seven small ones. The former two are represents the exhumation episodes triggered by tectonism and the others attributed to the volcanic signals.
The Qiangtang Basin(QB), located in the central Tibetan Plateau, is a Jurassic marine basin and one of the most important prospective salt resource belts in China. In recent decades, many outcrops of gypsiferous bed have been found in the Jurassic marine strata in the basin. Salt springs with abnormally high sodium(Na^+) contents had been identified in the Late Jurassic Xiali Formation(Fm.) in the basin in the last years. However, to date, no potash or halite deposits have been identified in the QB. Gypsum outcrops and salt springs are very important signs in the investigation of halite and potash deposits. Therefore, the Xiali Fm. is a potentially valuable layer to evaluate for the possible presence of halite and potash deposits in the basin. However, few studies have explored the formation conditions of evaporites in the unit. Here, we present detailed geochemical records from the Yanshiping section related to the study of the formation conditions of evaporites in the Xiali Fm. of the QB. Climate proxies based on the obviously increased anion concentrations of SO_4(2-) and Cl^- and the significant correlation coefficients of Ca2+-SO42-(R = 0.985) and Na^+-Cl^-(R = 0.8974) reveal that the upper member of the Xiali Fm.(the upper Xiali Fm.) formed under an arid climate and evolved into the sulfate phase or early chloride phase. Provenance proxies based on the obviously increased K^+ and Na^+ ion concentrations and the significant correlation coefficient of Na^+-Cl^-(R = 0.8974) suggest that the upper Xiali Fm. featured optimal provenance conditions for the possible formation of halite deposits. The regression and the semi-closed tidal flat environment in the upper Xiali Fm. were favorable for the formation of potash and halite deposits. The low Mg^(2+) /Ca^(2+) values(mean value = 1.82) and significant Na^+-Cl^- correlation coefficient(R = 0.8974) also suggest that the upper Xiali Fm. is the layer most likely to contain potential halite deposits. In addition, the macroscopic correlations of tectonism, provenance,
