Understanding of secular evolution of the Earth system is based largely on the rock and
mineral archive preserved in the continental lithosphere. Based on the frequency and range …

The formation and preservation of cratons—the oldest parts of the continents, comprising
over 60 per cent of the continental landmass—remains an enduring problem. Key to craton …

The North China Craton (NCC) was originally formed by the amalgamation of the eastern
and western blocks along an orogenic belt at∼ 1.9 Ga. After cratonization, the NCC was …

If we accept that a critical condition for plate tectonics is the creation and maintenance of a
global network of narrow boundaries separating multiple plates, then to argue for plate …

Magnesium (Mg) has an atomic number of 12 and belongs to the alkaline earth element
(Group II) of the Periodic Table. The pure Mg is a silvery white metal and has a melting point …

Abstract The North China Craton (NCC) has been thinned from> 200 km to< 100 km in its
eastern part. The ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) has been replaced by …

This work examines the global distribution of Archaean and modern igneous rock's
compositions, without relying on preconceptions about the link between rock compositions …

Continental crust is the archive of Earth history. The spatial and temporal distribution of
Earth's record of rock units and events is heterogeneous; for example, ages of igneous …

The continental crust is unique to the Earth in the solar system, and controversies remain
regarding its origin, accretion and reworking of continents. The plate tectonics theory has …

Kimberlite magmatism has occurred in cratonic regions on every continent. The global age
distribution suggests that this form of mantle melting has been more prominent after 1.2 Ga …