Kazakhstania

Definition

Kazakhstania, also called the Kazakh terranes or the Kazakhstan Block, is an interesting area in Central Asia. It is centered around Lake Balkhash and stretches north and east of the Aral Sea. This area is south of the Siberian craton and west of the Altai Mountains. The Junggar basin in Xinjiang, China, is part of Kazakhstania and is sometimes called the Junggar Block.

Location

Today, this region is inside modern-day Kazakhstan, north-eastern Uzbekistan, northern Kyrgyzstan, and south-western China.

Surrounding Continents

Kazakhstania is bordered by three large ancient continents. To the north-east, the Gornostaev Shear Zone separates it from Siberia, which it joined during the Carboniferous period. To the north-west is Baltica, which was next to the Kazakh Tourgai terrane but far from Kazakhstania itself. To the south and east was Gondwana, a huge ancient continent that reached from the South Pole to the Equator. Nearby landmasses such as South China, North China, and Tarim existed, but we do not know exactly where they were compared to Gondwana.

Tectonic evolution

Long ago, the land we now call Kazakhstania was scattered in different places. Some scientists think it was part of a big island chain. Others believe it was in several lines. These lands likely started near a place called Gondwana.

Later, these lands came together to form an island group around the Equator. Important parts included areas in northern, eastern, and southern Kazakhstan. Finally, during the Carboniferous and Permian, these lands bumped into Siberia and then Baltica, forming big mountain ranges and helping create the land we know as Eurasia today.

Commercial importance

Kazakhstania is mostly flat, with only small mountains in the east near Karaganda and the Tarbagatay Range. The land is dry and doesn’t send much water to the oceans. But it has wide grasslands where many cattle, sheep, and camels live.

The land has many important minerals. It holds about a quarter of all the known uranium in the world. It also has large amounts of lead, zinc, and antimony. In the south, near the Turan Depression, there are big supplies of natural gas.