The　Erlian　Basin,　located　in　the　eastern　Central　Asian　Orogenic　Belt　(CAOB)　between　North　China　and　the　Siberian　cratons,　is　a　Mesozoic　basin　developed　on　a　fold　basement.　A　good　understanding　of　the　thermal　regime　in　this　area　allows　for　greater　insight　into　the　geodynamic　processes　of　the　CAOB.　In　this　study,　geothermal　gradient　and　heat　flow　of　the　Erlian　Basin　were　assessed　using　temperature　logs　from　14　boreholes　and　rock　thermal　conductivity　data.　The　results　show　that　the　geothermal　gradients　of　the　Erlian　Basin　range　from　29.6　/km　to　51.4　/km　with　an　average　of　39.1　±　5.4　/km.　The　heat　flow　varies　between　63　mW/m2　and　109.5　mW/m2　with　a　mean　of　81.4　±　12.0　mW/m2.　High　anomalous　zones　occur　in　the　Manite,　Uliastai　and　Chuanjing　depressions,　with　geothermal　gradient　values　of　approximately　40–60　°C/km　and　heat　flow　of　approximately　80–110　mW/m2.　The　heat　flow　anomalies　are　consistent　with　the　distribution　of　Cenozoic　volcanoes,　which　may　provide　hot　material　from　the　deep　mantle.　The　contributions　of　the　excessive　heat　from　the　intruded　bodies　to　the　present-day　surface　heat　flow　anomaly　are　estimated　to　be　about　7–9　mW/m2　in　the　Uliastai　Depression　and　17–20　mW/m2　in　the　Manite　Depression,　respectively.　The　characteristics　of　the　geothermal　regime　of　the　Erlian　Basin　is　a　consequence　that　the　subduction　and　rollback　of　the　Pacific　Plate　had　triggered　regional　lithospheric　extension　and　upwelling　of　deep　mantle　material,　basaltic　melts　entered　the　lithosphere　along　the　fragile　zone　resulted　from　the　closure　of　the　Paleo-Asian　Ocean.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd