Geology of Myanmar#Myanmar Central Belt

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Myanmar is classified into three physiographical regions, each region spans over Myanmar in near NS direction, from west to east is: the Indo-Burman folded mountain ranges, the Myanmar Central Belt (MCB) and the Shan Plateau. To the north of Myanmar, the eastern Himalaya syntaxis bounds the three physiographical region.{{Cite web|url=http://www.schweizerbart.de/publications/detail/isbn/9783443110161/#|title=Geology of Burma|last=Bender|first=Friedrich|editor1-last=Bannert|editor1-first=Dietrich|editor2-last=Brinckmann|editor2-first=Jörn u.a.|date=1983-02-14|website=www.schweizerbart.de|language=en|access-date=2017-11-16}}

Myanmar has a complex arc-shaped deformation structure, which is probably due to the a combination of various forces.{{Cite journal|last1=Rangin|first1=Claude|last2=Maurin|first2=Thomas|last3=Masson|first3=Frederic|title=Combined effects of Eurasia/Sunda oblique convergence and East-Tibetan crustal flow on the active tectonics of Burma|journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences|volume=76|pages=185–194|doi=10.1016/j.jseaes.2013.05.018|year=2013}} Aside from the subduction system on the west and the strike-slip fault system in the central Myanmar, another major contribution may be the crustal flow from the Tibet Plateau. The Tibet Plateau is located at the north of Myanmar and has been considerably thickened since the Eocene. A large amount of potential energy stored within the thickened Tibetan crust was released, and resulted in a crustal flow around the eastern Himalaya Syntaxis.{{Cite journal|last1=Clark|first1=M.K.|author-link=Marin Clark|last2=House|first2=M.A.|last3=Royden|first3=L.H. |author-link3=Leigh Royden |last4=Whipple|first4=K.X|last5=Burchfiel|first5=B.C.|last6=Zhang|first6=X.|last7=Tang|first7=W.|title=Late Cenozoic uplift of southeastern Tibet|journal=Geology|volume=33|issue=6|page=525|doi=10.1130/g21265.1|year=2005|hdl=1721.1/29758|hdl-access=free}} The crustal flow runs towards west and into the central region of Myanmar. This crustal flow, along with the accretionary wedge in the subduction system, may have participated in the late Neogene uplift of Indo-Burman Range.

The Indo-Burman Range sits at the convergent boundary of the Indian and Burma-micro Plates in Myanmar. The subduction between the two plates resulted in the development of accretionary wedges, in order to accommodate the EW shortening along the convergent boundary. Later, thrusting, folding and uplifting formed the Indo-Burman Ranges.{{Cite journal|last1=Sikder|first1=Arif Mohiuddin|last2=Alam|first2=M.Mustafa|title=2-D modelling of the anticlinal structures and structural development of the eastern fold belt of the Bengal Basin, Bangladesh|journal=Sedimentary Geology|volume=155|issue=3–4|pages=209–226|doi=10.1016/s0037-0738(02)00181-1|year=2003}} The mountain belt comprises various mountains: the Arakan-Yoma mountains and the Chin, Naga, Maniour, Lushai and Patkai hills.{{Cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Yu|last2=Sieh|first2=Kerry|last3=Tun|first3=Soe Thura|last4=Lai|first4=Kuang-Yin|last5=Myint|first5=Than|date=2014-04-01|title=Active tectonics and earthquake potential of the Myanmar region|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth|language=en|volume=119|issue=4|pages=2013JB010762|doi=10.1002/2013JB010762|issn=2169-9356|doi-access=free|hdl=10220/19774|hdl-access=free}} The Indo-Burman Range merged with Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis further north, submerged into the Andaman Sea, and resurfaced as Andaman Islands further south.

The Indo-Burman Range bulges towards the west at the center (about 22°N), forming an arc-shaped structure. This arc-shaped structure implies restriction on the convergent motion along the Indian-Burma boundary, therefore the collision intensity varies along the range.

The collision is at a maximum at the center of the Indo-Burman Range around 24°N, which is presented with a broad, high range (up to 20 km wide) and evolves to narrow, low hills in the south (16°N). The collision strikes in NW-SE at the northern part of the Indo-Burman Range (Naga Domain).{{Cite journal|last1=Maurin|first1=Thomas|last2=Rangin|first2=Claude|date=2009-04-01|title=Structure and kinematics of the Indo-Burmese Wedge: Recent and fast growth of the outer wedge|journal=Tectonics|language=en|volume=28|issue=2|pages=TC2010|doi=10.1029/2008TC002276|issn=1944-9194|doi-access=free}}

The 1000 km Myanmar Central Belt consists of a series of Cenozoic sub-basins between the Indo-Burman Range (west) and Sagaing Fault (east).{{Cite journal|last1=Nyunt|first1=D. A. Pivnik, J. Nahm, R. S. Tucker, G. O. Smith, K. Nyein, M.|last2=Maung|first2=P. H.|date=1998|title=Polyphase Deformation in a Fore-Arc/Back-Arc Basin, Salin Subbasin, Myanmar (Burma)|url=http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/1998/10oct/1837/1837.htm|journal=AAPG Bulletin|language=en-US|volume=82|issue=10|issn=0149-1423}} These basins are generally considered as forearc/back arc basin couplet of the Indo-Burma subduction system. The eight major tertiary sub-basins within the Myanmar Central Belt are Hukwang, Chindwin, Shwebo, Salin, Pyay Embayment, Irrawaddy Delta, Bago-Yoma, and Sittaung Basin.{{Cite journal|last1=Licht|first1=Alexis|last2=Reisberg|first2=Laurie|last3=France-Lanord|first3=Christian|last4=Naing Soe|first4=Aung|last5=Jaeger|first5=Jean-Jacques|date=2016-03-01|title=Cenozoic evolution of the central Myanmar drainage system: insights from sediment provenance in the Minbu Sub-Basin|journal=Basin Research|language=en|volume=28|issue=2|pages=237–251|doi=10.1111/bre.12108|s2cid=130031586 |issn=1365-2117}}

A variety of structural features—such as oblique-reverse faults, strike slip faults and normal faults—can be found within the central belt. The abundant evidence of shear zones suggests the Myanmar Central Belt has undergone severe internal deformation. The exposed metamorphic lineation along the belt{{Cite journal|last1=Bertrand|first1=Guillaume|last2=Rangin|first2=Claude|last3=Maluski|first3=Henri|last4=Bellon|first4=Hervé|date=2001-08-01|title=Diachronous cooling along the Mogok Metamorphic Belt (Shan scarp, Myanmar): the trace of the northward migration of the Indian syntaxis|journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences|volume=19|issue=5|pages=649–659|doi=10.1016/S1367-9120(00)00061-4}} indicates different motions within the central belt: (1) dextral pull apart geometry trending in a north-northwest direction during Oligocene to early Miocene forming an "en-echelon" pull-apart basin: (2) fault-propagated folds cored in a west-dipping thrust fault in the basin center implies an east-west trending transpressional deformation from Pliocene-Pleistocene onwards.

The Shan Plateau, with an average elevation of {{convert|1|km}}, forms the eastern highlands of Myanmar.{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290068878|via=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2017-11-16|doi=10.1007/978-94-009-2253-2_24|title=Tectonic Evolution of the Tethyan Region|pages=567–583|year=1989|last1=Mitchell|first1=A. H. G.|isbn=978-94-010-7509-1|chapter=The Shan Plateau and Western Burma: Mesozoic-Cenozoic Plate Boundaries and Correlations with Tibet}} It provides the major topographic relief in Myanmar and it extends towards the southeast to Thailand.{{Cite journal|last1=Bertrand|first1=Guillaume|last2=Rangin|first2=Claude|date=2003-08-01|title=Tectonics of the western margin of the Shan plateau (central Myanmar): implication for the India–Indochina oblique convergence since the Oligocene|journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences|volume=21|issue=10|pages=1139–1157|doi=10.1016/S1367-9120(02)00183-9}} The plateau, unlike other regions Myanmar, comprises thick successions of Paleozoic, Mesozoic and even Precambrian sedimentary rocks. The folding, thrusting and uplifting of the Shan Plateau is probably coeval with the transpressional deformation along the Myanmar Central Belt during the commencement of the India-Eurasia collision.

Situated on the east of the Sagaing fault and the west of Shan plateau, the Mogok Metamorphic Belt (MMB) lies at the foothill of Shan Scarp. It runs in a near north-south direction and extends over 1500 km with an average width of 24–40 km. The meta-sedimentary and meta-intrusive belt is composed of marbles, schists, gneisses of upper amphibolite, with locally granulite facies intruded by a deformed granodiorite pluton and pegmatites. The belt also shows evidence for ductile stretching along the north-northwest-south-southeast direction, e.g. lineation, sheath folds and "pencil-like" mullions. Various radiometric dating confirms the age of Mogok Metamorphic Belt predates the Sagaing Fault, and the shear heating of Sagaing Fault has no contribution to the formation of Mogok Metamorphic Belt.

Searle (2007) suggested a five-phased metamorphism and magmatism along the Mogok Metamorphic Belt.

1. Jurassic-Early Cretaceous I-Type intrusion and metamorphism (171–120 Ma)
2. Paleocene-Early Eocene metamorphism of biotite granite sill injection (~59 Ma)
3. Late Eocene-Oligocene metamorphism of sillimanite (37–29 Ma)
4. Late Oligocene-Early Miocene granite magmatism (22–16 Ma)
5. Pliocene-Quaternary volcanism (0–6 Ma)

Note: Ma (mega-annum) is a million years

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The Indo-Burman Range is a sedimentary belt mainly consisted of Cenozoic flysch sediments{{Cite journal|last=Brunel|first=Maurice|title=Late Cretaceous to Eocene metamorphism of internal zones of the Indo-Burma range (western Myanmar): geodynamic implications. About the paper by Anne Socquet et al.|journal=Comptes Rendus Geoscience|volume=334|issue=12|pages=875–876|doi=10.1016/s1631-0713(02)01824-2|year=2002|url=https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/geoscience/articles/10.1016/S1631-0713(02)01824-2/ }} and a core of Mesozoic ophiolites dated back to late Jurassic overlain on a thick Mesozoic sequence. All the above unconformity lies on a metamorphic basement dated back to pre-Triassic.

The core Mesozoic ophiolites consists of serpentinite peridotites, pillow basalts and red cherts etc. The obduction of ophiolites is interpreted as the closure of several Neo-Tethys between the Shan-Thai block, Burma microplate and Indian Plate.

The sedimentary sequence overlain by the ophiolites ranges from Late Triassic to Orbitoides-bearing Late Cretaceous carbonates and shales, where part of the sedimentary sequence has undergone high pressure/low temperature blue-schist metamorphism.

The pre-Triassic metamorphic basement composed of Kampetlet schist and gneisses were exposed in the Mount Victoria area in Myanmar. The flysch type sediments in the western flank of the Indo-Burman Range are relatively younger than the folded and thrusted eastern flank.

The Cenozoic pull-apart basins along the Myanmar Central Belt (MCB) are filled-up with 15 km thick Late Cretaceous and Eocene to Late Miocene sediments.

File:Pangetkon, Shan Hills, Myanmar, Green hilly plains, landscape with a tree, remote location in Myanmar near Kalaw.jpg

Belonging to the rigid Shan-Thai block, the Shan Plateau is composed of consolidated partially low-grade metamorphic and Precambrian crystalline rocks overlain with a thick succession of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks.

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The tectonic setting of Myanmar consists of a highly oblique convergence on the western boundary, a dextral (right lateral) strike-slip fault in the centre of Myanmar defining the Burma-Sunda boundary and the spreading of Andaman Sea Ridge in the south.{{Cite journal|last=Satyabala|first=S. P.|date=2003-09-01|title=Oblique Plate Convergence in the Indo-Burma (Myanmar) Subduction Region|journal=Pure and Applied Geophysics|language=en|volume=160|issue=9|pages=1611–1650|doi=10.1007/s00024-003-2378-0|s2cid=129735921 |issn=0033-4553}}

From the Eocene epoch onward, the northward movement of Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate and generated the Himalaya Orogenic belt.{{Cite journal|last1=Patriat|first1=Philippe|last2=Segoufin|first2=Jacques|title=Reconstruction of the Central Indian Ocean|journal=Tectonophysics|volume=155|issue=1–4|pages=211–234|doi=10.1016/0040-1951(88)90267-3|year=1988}} The relative motion of the Indian plate against the Eurasian plate (Sunda) has two components (1) 36 mm/year right lateral strike-slip, trending in N10°E direction; (2) 7–9 mm/year east-west convergence.{{Cite journal|last1=Socquet|first1=Anne|last2=Vigny|first2=Christophe|last3=Chamot-Rooke|first3=Nicolas|last4=Simons|first4=Wim|last5=Rangin|first5=Claude|last6=Ambrosius|first6=Boudewijn|date=2006-05-01|title=India and Sunda plates motion and deformation along their boundary in Myanmar determined by GPS|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth|language=en|volume=111|issue=B5|pages=B05406|doi=10.1029/2005JB003877|issn=2156-2202|url=https://hal-ens.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01793657/file/2006_Socquet%26al.pdf}} The convergent motion is absorbed by a highly oblique subduction zone between the Indian plate and Burma-micro plate and internal deformation in the centre of Myanmar on the Sagaing Fault.

The obliquity of the Indo-Burma convergent plate boundary (Arakan Trench and Andaman Trench) increases further northwards, with a minimum angle of 58° at 20°N latitude to 70° near 22°N latitude, and rapidly increases to 90° near 24°N latitude and over 90° to further North. The boundary between Indo-Burma region runs further southward into the Bay of Bengal and joins the Sumatra Trench.

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In order to accommodate the India-Eurasia collision, extensive fault systems can be found in Myanmar. The following introduces two of the major fault systems.

{{Main|Sagaing Fault}}

The 20mm/yr dextral (right lateral) strike slip Sagaing Fault detaches the Burma microplate from the Sunda plate.{{Cite journal|last1=Vigny|first1=Christophe|last2=Socquet|first2=Anne|last3=Rangin|first3=Claude|last4=Chamot-Rooke|first4=Nicolas|last5=Pubellier|first5=Manuel|last6=Bouin|first6=Marie-Noëlle|last7=Bertrand|first7=Guillaume|last8=Becker|first8=M.|date=2003-11-01|title=Present-day crustal deformation around Sagaing fault, Myanmar|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth|language=en|volume=108|issue=B11|page=2533|doi=10.1029/2002JB001999|issn=2156-2202}} The arc-parallel fault spans over 1400 km in a north-south direction, remarkably linear for the central 700 km (at 17°N to 23°N latitude) and forms a slight arc shape swinging N10°E and N170°E direction at the north and south ends of the fault respectively. Northward, the Sagaing fault terminates at the Jade Mine belt (~ 24.5°N) and splays into a 200 km width compressive horsetail structure. Southward, it is connected to the active Andaman spreading rift. The onset of seafloor spreading on the Andaman rift puts a minimum 4.5 Ma age constraint on the Sagaing Fault.{{Cite journal|last1=Kamesh Raju|first1=K. A.|last2=Ramprasad|first2=T.|last3=Rao|first3=P. S.|last4=Ramalingeswara Rao|first4=B.|last5=Varghese|first5=Juby|date=2004-04-30|title=New insights into the tectonic evolution of the Andaman basin, northeast Indian Ocean|journal=Earth and Planetary Science Letters|volume=221|issue=1|pages=145–162|doi=10.1016/S0012-821X(04)00075-5}}

The total displacement of the right lateral strike slip fault remains controversial. Curray et al. (1979) suggested a total 460 km of displacement since Miocene;{{Cite journal|last=Kieckhefer|first=J. R. Curray, D. G. Moore, L. A. Lawver, F. J. Emmel, R. W. Raitt, M. Henry, R.|date=1979|title=Tectonics of the Andaman Sea and Burma: Convergent Margins|url=http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/history2/data/a109/a109/0001/0150/0189.htm|language=en-US|volume=109|pages=189–198}} whereas Khin Zaw (1990) proposed 250 km since post Lower Miocene.{{Cite journal|last=Zaw|first=Khin|title=Geological, petrogical and geochemical characteristics of granitoid rocks in Burma: with special reference to the associated W-Sn mineralization and their tectonic setting|journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Earth Sciences|volume=4|issue=4|pages=293–335|doi=10.1016/0743-9547(90)90004-w|year=1990}} Guillaume & Rangin (2003) deduced approximately 100 km by constraining a continuous 20mm/yr right lateral strike slip since 4-5Ma.

The topographic boundary separating the Myanmar Central Basin (MCB) and the Shan Plateau (or Eastern Highland) is referred as the Shan Scarp. The abrupt elevation over a short distance (up to 1.8 km over few km) harbors the trace of reverse faults and largely overturned folds. The Shan Scarp aligns parallel to the Sagaing fault on the east. The general trend of reverse fault strikes is N20°W and dips in the east-northeast direction; where some N20°E striking normal faults were identified along the fault scarp (at 21°N to 22°N latitude), north of Mandalay. Dextral (right lateral) strike slip motion is also observed along the fault scarp, this motion is reasonably expected due to the nearby right lateral Sagaing fault. Southward, the Shan Scarp ends at the junction with the Three Pagodas fault.

Along the foothills of the Shan Scarp, steady-state stretching ductile deformation trending in NNW-SSE direction was identified and is compatible with the extensive force that generates the en-echelon pull apart basin in Myanmar Central Belt (MCB).

The above evidence suggests ductile deformation along Myanmar Central Belt (MCB) should occur prior to the brittle deformation along Sagaing fault and the Shan Scarp fault.

File:Text1171.png. 2) The brittle dextral strike slip fault and thrust fault along the Shan Scarp and the Sagaing fault is dated back to Plio-Pleistocene period. Modified from Bertrand et al. (2003) {{Cite journal|last1=Bertrand|first1=Guillaume|last2=Rangin|first2=Claude|title=Tectonics of the western margin of the Shan plateau (central Myanmar): implication for the India–Indochina oblique convergence since the Oligocene|journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences|volume=21|issue=10|pages=1139–1157|doi=10.1016/s1367-9120(02)00183-9|year=2003}}]]

Myanmar lies on the boundary of three tectonic plates (India, Burma-micro and Sunda Plate), thus its geological evolution is highly dependent on the plate tectonic events in this region. In the following, the geological evolution of Myanmar will be explained in the order of geological timescale. Only major tectonic events are recorded with some missing timescale where no major events occurred.

File:The Geological Evolution of Myanmar.png (b) The start of "soft collision" between India and Southeast Asia. (c) The start of "hard collision" between India and South Asia. (d) The time for major collision between India, South Tibet and Burma; where Burma, Shan-Thai Block rotates clockwise to the present position. Modified from Alam et al. (2003).]]

In the early Permian, a continental block rifted from Gondwanaland.{{Cite journal|last=Ridd|first=M. F.|date=1971-12-31|title=South-East Asia as a Part of Gondwanaland|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=234|issue=5331|pages=531–533|doi=10.1038/234531a0|s2cid=4163303 |issn=1476-4687}} The continental plate has been variously termed: Shan-Thai, Sibumasu,{{Cite journal|last=Metcalfe|first=I.|date=1986|title=Late Palaeozoic Palaeogeography of Southeast Asia: Some Stratigraphical, Palaeontological and Palaeomagnetic Constraints|url=http://archives.datapages.com/data/geological-society-of-malaysia/bulletins/019/019001/pdfs/153.htm|language=en-US}} or Sinoburmalaya. This continental block harbors features of glaciogenic marine diamictite unit, indicating its origin from Gondwanaland. The Shan-Thai block was probably located northwest of Australia plate during the Gondwanaland period.

In the mid-late Triassic, the Shan-Thai block collided with the Indo-China block, and under-thrusted an ophiolite and associated arc system in the northeast. A foreland thrust belt developed along the collision of the two blocks and laid the foundation of the Shan Plateau.

A thick flysch unit with fossils and deltaic sediments were deposited along the northeastern Shan-Thai block (now Shan Plateau) with the closing of a shallow sea region between the two blocks prior to collision. Large-scale intrusion of granitoid plutons and batholiths were induced by oceanic subduction; and partial melting of metasedimentary rocks within the foreland thrust belt led to tin-tungsten mineralization (the Central Tin Belt).

The India Plate departed from the Gondwanaland and headed northwards at a rate of 10 cm/yr during the Cretaceous Period.

The rifted Burma-microplate from Gondwanaland also docked against Shan-Thai block and together formed part of the Sunda plate approximately in the period. There is a discrepancy for the time of the Burma-Shan-Thai collision: Mitchell (1989) says Early Cretaceous yet changes to Mid-Eocene in 1993;{{Cite journal|last=Mitchell|first=A. H. G.|date=1993-12-01|title=Cretaceous–Cenozoic tectonic events in the western Myanmar (Burma)–Assam region|url=http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/150/6/1089|journal=Journal of the Geological Society|language=en|volume=150|issue=6|pages=1089–1102|doi=10.1144/gsjgs.150.6.1089|s2cid=129830325 |issn=0016-7649|url-access=subscription}} Hutchison (1989) says Late Cretaceous;{{Cite book|title=Geological evolution of South-east Asia|last=Hutchison|first=Charles S.|date=1989|publisher=Clarendon Press|isbn=978-0-19-854439-5|location=Oxford|oclc=17807380}} and Acharyya (1998) says late Oligocene.{{Cite journal|last=Acharyya|first=S.K.|title=Break-up of the Greater Indo-Australian Continent and accretion of blocks framing South and East Asia|journal=Journal of Geodynamics|volume=26|issue=1|pages=149–170|doi=10.1016/s0264-3707(98)00012-x|year=1998}}

In early Eocene, the start of a hard continent-to-continent collision between India and the Eurasia Plate led to the formation of the Himalayan Orogeny.{{Cite journal|last1=Alam|first1=Mahmood|last2=Alam|first2=M.Mustafa|last3=Curray|first3=Joseph R.|last4=Chowdhury|first4=M.Lutfar Rahman|last5=Gani|first5=M.Royhan|title=An overview of the sedimentary geology of the Bengal Basin in relation to the regional tectonic framework and basin-fill history|journal=Sedimentary Geology|volume=155|issue=3–4|pages=179–208|doi=10.1016/s0037-0738(02)00180-x|year=2003}} On the eastern margin of the India plate, high oblique subduction occurs between the boundary of India and the Burma-micro plate.{{Cite journal|last1=Tapponnier|first1=P.|last2=Peltzer|first2=G.|last3=Dain|first3=A. Y. Le|last4=Armijo|first4=R.|last5=Cobbold|first5=P.|date=1982-12-01|title=Propagating extrusion tectonics in Asia: New insights from simple experiments with plasticine|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/10/12/611/203380/propagating-extrusion-tectonics-in-asia-new|journal=Geology|volume=10|issue=12|pages=611–616|doi=10.1130/0091-7613(1982)10<611:petian>2.0.co;2|issn=0091-7613|bibcode=1982Geo....10..611T|url-access=subscription}}

Between late Eocene to Miocene, the Burma and Shan-Thai block rotated 30° to 40° clockwise, to accommodate the major collision along the plate boundary. This resulted in the trend of arc shifting from east-west to the north-south direction.

The subduction boundary forms an accretionary prism and eventually with thrusting and folding forms the Indo-Burma Range.

In late Miocene to Pliocene, the slab detachment of Burma-microplate beneath the Shan-Thai block induced in a mantle window into the slab and resulted in alkaline and calk-alkaline volcanism along the Myanmar Central Belt.{{Cite journal|last1=Maury|first1=René C.|last2=Pubellier|first2=Manuel|last3=Rangin|first3=Claude|last4=Wulput|first4=Laurence|last5=Cotten|first5=Joseph|last6=Socquet|first6=Anne|last7=Bellon|first7=Hervé|last8=Guillaud|first8=Jean-Philippe|last9=Htun|first9=Hla Myo|date=2004-09-01|title=Quaternary calc-alkaline and alkaline volcanism in a hyper-oblique convergence setting, central Myanmar and western Yunnan|url=http://bsgf.geoscienceworld.org/content/175/5/461|journal=Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France|language=en|volume=175|issue=5|pages=461–472|doi=10.2113/175.5.461|issn=0037-9409|url-access=subscription}}

In the late Miocene (10 million years ago), the Myanmar Central Belt underwent a major regional plate kinematic reorganization transition. The tectonic regimes transform from northwest-southeast extensional force to basin inversion and was followed by a major uplift event caused by east-west compression during Plio-Pleistocene period.{{Cite journal|last1=Trevena|first1=A. S.|last2=Varga|first2=R. J. |last3=Collins|first3=I. D.|last4=Nu|first4=U. |date=1991-03-01|title=Tertiary Tectonics and Sedimentation in the Salin (fore-Arc) Basin, Myanmar|journal=AAPG Bulletin |language=English|volume=75|issue=3|issn=0149-1423|osti=7171397}}

Myanmar hosts a variety of ore-deposits with economic significance and global recognition. It is a global source of true jade and produces some of the world's finest rubies, with mines in the Mogok Valley providing the bulk of the world's supply for centuries.{{cite book|author=Frangoulis, George |title=Gem Hunter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Az2_CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT36 |year=2015 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-329-07563-4 |page=36}}

Myanmar's mineral deposits into different distinct metallogenic provinces by various workers. The following outlines the nine major ones:

1. Magmatic-hydrothermal granite and pegmatite-hosted minerals: World-class tin and tungsten mineralization can be found in the southern Myanmar. These mineralizations are often associated with Late Cretaceous-Eocene intrusive granites.{{Cite journal|year=1935 |title=The Mineral Resources of Burma | author=Chhibber, H. L. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/geological-magazine/article/mineral-resources-of-burma-by-chhibber-h-l-pp-xv-320-with-10-plates-and-13-textfigures-london-macmillan-1934-18s/534B2CDBC0A5B844CBB1632AD7B9F868 |journal=Geological Magazine |volume=72 |issue=5 |pages=237–238 |doi=10.1017/S0016756800092694 |issn=1469-5081|url-access=subscription }} It is dated around 45-62 Ma.{{Cite journal|last1=Mitchell|first1=Andrew|last2=Chung|first2=Sun-Lin |last3=Oo|first3=Thura|last4=Lin|first4=Te-Hsien|last5=Hung|first5=Chien-Hui|title=Zircon U–Pb ages in Myanmar: Magmatic–metamorphic events and the closure of a neo-Tethys ocean?|journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences|volume=56|pages=1–23|doi=10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.04.019|year=2012}}
2. Skarn: Found along the Mogok Metamorphic belt, the native gold and base metal sulfide is hosted within phlogopite-bearing amphibolite-grade marbles. The age of the granite is dated back to 17Ma with zircon U-Pb geochronology.
3. Porphyry: The base metal sulphide and Au deposits are associated with magmatic intrusions.{{Cite web|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5090/d/|title=Porphyry Copper Assessment of Southeast Asia and Melanesia|last=Zaw|first=Jane M. Hammarstrom, Arthur A. Bookstrom, Connie L. Dicken, Benjamin J. Drenth, Steve Ludington, Gilpin R. Robinson Jr., Bambang Tjahjono Setiabudi, Wudhikarn Sukserm, Dwi Nugroho Sunuhadi, Alexander Yan Sze Wah, and Michael L. Zientek, with contributions from Dennis P. Cox, Pairatt Jarnyaharn, Gwaibo Kopi, Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc, Pichai Otarawanna, Chen Shick Pei, Ung Phany, Nguyen Vay Quy, Takehiro Sakimoto, Dulcie Saroa, Norberta Soares da Costa, Sieng Sotham, I.M. Sim, Nguyen Nhu Trung, Somob Wongsomasak, Boonsong Yokarti, and Khin|website=pubs.usgs.gov|access-date=2017-11-16}} The mineralization at Shangalon in Myanmar is related with fine-grained diorite intrusion into the hosting batholith at 40Ma.
4. Epithermal: The epithermal Au-Cu mineralization along with auriferous quartz veins are hosted by Cretaceous granodiorite and diorite magmatic rocks.{{Cite journal|last1=Mitchell|first1=Andrew H. G.|last2=Myint|first2=Win|last3=Lynn|first3=Kyi|last4=Htay|first4=Myint Thein|last5=Oo|first5=Maw|last6=Zaw|first6=Thein|date=2011-01-01|title=Geology of the High Sulfidation Copper Deposits, Monywa Mine, Myanmar|journal=Resource Geology|language=en|volume=61|issue=1|pages=1–29|doi=10.1111/j.1751-3928.2010.00145.x|s2cid=129246965 |issn=1751-3928|doi-access=free}}
5. Ultramafic: The ultramafic-hosted deposits are discovered along with ophiolite fragments within the Myanmar. The Tagaung-Myitkyina Belt (TMB) comprises ophiolitic mantle peridotite and is a source of nickel laterite.{{Cite journal|last1=Searle|first1=M. P.|last2=Noble|first2=S. R.|last3=Cottle|first3=J. M.|last4=Waters|first4=D. J.|last5=Mitchell|first5=A. H. G.|last6=Hlaing|first6=Tin|last7=Horstwood|first7=M. S. A.|date=2007-06-01|title=Tectonic evolution of the Mogok metamorphic belt, Burma (Myanmar) constrained by U-Th-Pb dating of metamorphic and magmatic rocks|journal=Tectonics|language=en|volume=26|issue=3|pages=TC3014|doi=10.1029/2006TC002083|issn=1944-9194|bibcode=2007Tecto..26.3014S|s2cid=128529647 }} In the Hpakant region, extensive pure jade can be found.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2000-burmese-jade-hughes|title=Burmese Jade: The Inscrutable Gem {{!}} Gems & Gemology|website=www.gia.edu|language=en|access-date=2017-11-16}} The Indo-Burman Range (e.g. Chin and Naga Hills) also harbors many Chromite and nickel deposits.
6. Orogenic Au: Gold mineralization in Myanmar is inferred as Orogenic type and or Cretaceous–Paleogene fault zone related.{{Cite journal|last1=Khin Zaw|last2=Meffre|first2=Sebastien|last3=Lai|first3=Chun-Kit|last4=Burrett|first4=Clive|last5=Santosh|first5=M.|last6=Graham|first6=Ian|last7=Manaka|first7=Takayuki|last8=Salam|first8=Abhisit|last9=Kamvong|first9=Teera|date=2014-07-01|title=Tectonics and metallogeny of mainland Southeast Asia — A review and contribution|journal=Gondwana Research|volume=26|issue=1|pages=5–30|doi=10.1016/j.gr.2013.10.010}}
7. Sediment-hosted Pb-Zn: Several lead-zinc sulphide deposits hosted in carbonate rocks were found in the Upper Palaeozoic carbonate sequence of Shan Plateau.
8. Gemstone: The finest rubies are sourced from Mogok Metamorphic Belt derived from marbles. The gem-quality rubies are formed under an Eocene-Oligocene high temperature metamorphism.
9. Sediment hosted Epithermal Au: The Kyaukpahto Mine is the largest gold-producing mine located around the Sagaing Division in Myanmar. Gold mineralization here is formed during extensional faulting (probably due to Sagaing fault) and intense hydrothermal alteration and silicification in late Eocene.{{Cite journal|last1=MyintSwe|first1=Ye|last2=Lee|first2=Insung|last3=Htay|first3=Than|last4=Aung|first4=Min|date=2004-06-01|title=Gold Mineralization at the Kyaukpahto Mine Area, Northern Myanmar|journal=Resource Geology|language=en|volume=54|issue=2|pages=197–204|doi=10.1111/j.1751-3928.2004.tb00200.x|s2cid=129280918 |issn=1751-3928}}

The hydrocarbon basins in Myanmar are mostly situated in the Central Myanmar Belt, e.g. Salin Basin, Chindwin Basin and Hukawng Basin over 1000 km.{{Cite web|url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/2208/E/|title=USGS Bulletin 2208-E: Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Irrawaddy-Andaman and North Burma Geologic Provinces, Myanmar|last=Wandrey|first=C.J.|website=pubs.usgs.gov|access-date=2017-11-16}} The formations that compose the hydrocarbon basins are sedimentary rocks of Eocene through mid-Mioceneand sealed with interbedded Oligocene and Miocene shales and clays.

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