Our study investigates ca. 1.78 Ga Jiguanshan diorite in the North China Craton. We found that Paleoproterozoic diorites across the craton share similar compositions and formed from melted deep crust, differing from volcanic and mafic rocks of the same age. Geochemical analysis reveals these diorites formed during crustal stretching, marking a tectonic shift from orogenic-related to within-plate settings. This provides key evidence for understanding how tectonic setting evolved after collisions.

We studied faults in Utah to understand how rock type controls fault dimensions. Using photogrammetry, field mapping, and mineral data, we found faults grow differently in weak and strong rocks because of variable mineralogy. For equivalent displacements, faults tend to be shorter in clay-rich layers and taller in rocks containing strong minerals. We built a model to predict hidden fault height from mineralogy and applied it to seismic data, showing fault dimensions are often underestimated.