Burma: NNW-SSE Lineaments and Relation to Drainage, Mineralization and Tectonics

Peculiar aspects of the essentially southerly drainage of Burma relate to Late Cenozoic uplift, since establishment of its major rivers, of a horst 70km wide trending NNW-SSE which extends from the Patkai (Naga) Hills of the Fold Belt to the Shan Plateau. The lineaments extend into the Plateau as fracture zones. This trend affects much of Burma, dominating the Plateau and influencing locally direction of rivers in the Central Lowland. The jadeite deposits of northern Burma occur where the Burman Volcanic Belt crosses the horst. The Bawdwin and other base metal deposits are concentrated near the crossing of the horst lineaments with others, gently arcuate, eastwest in Burma and curving northwards into China The horst appears to be associated with dornal uplift which affected northernmost Burma and possibly the easternmost Himalaya.