Grottes et karsts de Chine... Sur les traces de Xu Xiake
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Chapter 1: Karst and caves of Zhijin county (Guizhou)


Résumé -Abstract - Zusammenfassung -:The Zhijin area is located in the western karst plateau of Guizhou. The carbonate rocks vary from Sinian dolomites to Trias limestones. This Yangtse paraplatform area was folded, karstified and peneplaned during Jurassic-Cretaceous (NE-SW folds), then peneplained and uplifted during the Tertiary. The type of climate is mountain subtropical (T=14°C, P=1444 mm, 1000 m). The two areas studied are the Santang syncline (1600-2300 m a.s.l.) and the syncline of Guanzhai (1300-1400 m a.s.l.). The type of morphology is qiufeng (kuppen and ouvalas) with cone areas (fenglin) around the Zhijin basin. The caves are all in lower Triassic limestones. The caves of the Santang syncline together have a length of 15 km. In the Guanzhai area, rivers flow in canyons and blind valleys which are former caves whose ceilings have collapsed (Daxiaocaokou), with short underground passages remaining.

Keywords:  Tunnel-cave, qiufeng, fenglin, ouvala, canyon, Trias, Santang, Guanzhai, Zhijin, Guizhou. 


Karstologia Mémoires N° 4 Année 1991 GEBIHE 89 - ISSN : 0751-7628