Route 1: One day field trip on the Dabie HP-UHP metamorphic belt

The Dabie Mountain locates in the middle of the central China orogenic belt. This belt marks the suture zone between the North China Block and the South China Block in central China, forming one of the most important collisional orogens in eastern Asia. This belt is characterized by the occurrence of Triassic high-pressure blueschist-facies to ultrahigh-pressure eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks due to the Triassic continental deep subduction in east-central China. It is not only an important target to decipher the tectonic evolution of China and eastern Asia, but also an ideal location to study the formation of ancient continental margins and orogenic processes between collided continents.

This route includes the National Geopark of Mulan Mountain, about 70 km north to Wuhan, where low-temperature and high-pressure blueschist exposes. Mulan Mountain geological park is named after Hua Mulan, which is located in Huangpi district, the hometown of Hua Mulan. The Mulan Mountain is also famous for Taoism with temples on the way to the top of the mountain.

Mu Lan Mountain

The estimated cost ($30) includes the possible entrance fees and the bus ride.