AN INTRODUCTION TO THE OPHIOLITE OF CHINA
中国蛇绿岩概论

Suppose we first take a look at a tectonic map of China (1:4000000),around the Sino-Korean-Tarim plate and the Yangtze plate, a regular distribution of ophiolites can be seen in the map. There exhibites a polarity of ophiolits, whose ages become younger from the margin toward the far outside of the plates. These ophiolites can be tentatively divided into four groups:1) The ophiolites in the Paleo-Asia tectonic domain to the north of the Sino-Korean-Tarim plate.2) The ophiolites in the northwestern Paleogeosynclinal system and in the Tethys-Himalayas to the south of the Sino-Korean-Taim plate.3) The ophiolites in the south margin of the yangtze plate.4) The ophiolites of the western Circum-Pacific.In recent years, several symposiums related to the ophiolites have been held in China. They have attracted wide attention of Chinese geologists to this subject. The present paper is based on both the revised papers written by the authors a few years ago and the data put forward at these symposiums. We would like to thank those who have freely exchanged information with us at these symposiums.