Abstract:This paper reviews continental extension, delamination and rifting processes. As continental lithosphere is usually much thicker and of heterogeneity than the oceanic, its corresponding faulting and rifting processes are much more complex. The mechanics that can generate lithospheric rifts includes long distance effects of continental collision, lithospheric detachment and delamination, as well as irregular plate movements. Delamination of part of lithosphere under gravitational forces causes subsidence of the continental roots, it usually contains three stages as break off the lithospheric root, crustal extension and geothermal subsidence with faulting of the lithospheric mantle. Delamination can occur under continental collision zones, cratons and subduction zones of continental or oceanic plates. Expansion of the grabens or sedimentary basins together with mantle origin magma intrusion indicates maturity of the extension provinces. In this mature stage the extension provinces are characterized by faults cutting whole lithosphere and fast magma intrusion in the lower crust. In the early stage of the rifting, crustal extension, lithospheric detachment, asthenosphere uplifting and heat subsidence are usually occur in the extensional provinces. Further development of a rift shows wide graben complex in the upper crust, uplifting of mantle origin basaltic magmas and creating magma chambers in the lower crust. Take the Suongliao basin in northeast China for an example, in a mature extension province the lithospheric faults should link up together and across through whole basins. Lithospheric faulting provides good pass ways for magma intrusions, letting fast basaltic intrusion and rift expansion. However, most of continental rifts would not become the Wilson rifts that should further develop into an oceanic ridge. The process of creating a Wilson rift requires long period supply of basaltic melts and heat upsweeping from the asthenosphere. Low velocity layers located beneath a Wilson rift indicate partial melting of rocks in the lower crust and uppermost mantle, it is possible caused by mantle plumes that originates from interaction between the mantle and outer core of the solid earth.