Minhe Basin is a Mesozoic-Cenozoic intermont basin grew on Precambrian metamorphic rock basement in middle Qilian uplift zone.Total thickness of Mesozoic-Cenozoic is about 7000 meters.

民和盆是发育在中祁连隆起带前寒武系变质岩基底之上的一个中、新生代山间盆。