Provenance of Tertiary sandstone in the northern Qaidam basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau: Integration of framework petrography, heavy mineral analysis and mineral chemistry

An exceptionally thick Cenozoic sedimentary succession has developed in the Qaidam basin of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. The provenance remains enigmatic; thus, more precise investigations are needed. An integrated study of sandstone framework petrography, heavy mineral analysis and mineral chemistry was adopted to perform provenance analysis of the Tertiary sandstones in the northern Qaidam basin.