Zircon SHRIMP ages of the Aolaoshan granite on the south margin of the Qilian Mts. range from 445±15.3 to 496±7.6 Ma (averaging 473 Ma), belonging to the Early Ordovician. Geochemically, the granite is similar to I-type granite and, tectonically, was formed in an island-arc environment based on relevant diagrams for structural discriminations. Considering also the regional geology, the authors suggest that the granite is part of an ultrahigh-pressure belt on the south margin of the Qilian Mts. and that its formation bears a close relationship to this belt.