The multi-layer thrust belt in the southern margin of Jiuquan basin consists of a long distance shallow thrust system

a short distance middle thrust system

and a deep in-situ thrust system.The long distance thrust system is composed of Ordovician and Silurian and some part of it shows as a klippe.The short distance thrust system that hides under the long distance thrust system and locally crops out as a structural window is composed of Paleozoic and Mesozoic and has the deformation style of imbricate structure.The in-situ thrust system

with duplex or stacking structure in its south

a simpler deformation of propagation fold and fault-bend fold in its northeast

and a pop-up in its front

is under the short distance thrust system and the Quaternary.The thrust belt in the southern margin of Jiuquan basin occurs as a thin-skinned thrust system with a large structural shortening of 52.7 km and a shortening rate of 55.1% on the Hanxia section.Deformation of the thrust belt started at about 9 Ma and extended northward progressively

with faulting beginning at 8.3 Ma in the front of thrust belt.