“…Previous studies in eastern and central regions of the Cathaysia block have discussed that the old (i.e., Proterozoic) mantle that existed beneath the block has been largely removed and replaced by younger, hotter and fertile mantle (Xu et al, 2000Liu et al, 2012). This lithospheric replacement could be associated with the lithospheric extension and thinning process Xie et al, 2006). In contrast, the western region of the Cathaysia block was relative stable since Mesozoic, and the study of its lithospheric evolution is relative sparse.…”