张八岭隆起早白垩世变质核杂岩的厘定——对郯庐断裂带的制约及其与成矿作用关系

张八岭隆起广泛分布的平缓韧性剪切带与郯庐断裂带平移作用形成的陡立韧性剪切带明显不同。通过对平缓韧性剪切带的几何学、运动学分析,结合早白垩世盆地特征、中国东部变质核杂岩伸展拆离断层和同构造岩浆岩同位素定年结果,厘定出张八岭隆起早白垩世变质核杂岩。该变质核杂岩上盘由南华纪-奥陶纪沉积地层和早白垩世盆地组成,下盘为新元古代浅变质碎屑沉积岩、变海相火山岩（基底）以及早白垩世侵入岩,上下盘之间被一条主伸展拆离断层所分隔。变质核杂岩长轴为NE-SW向,指示构造反映上盘向SE剪切滑动,与中国东部变质核杂岩的伸展方向完全一致。通过本次变质核杂岩的厘定,结合野外地质事实,笔者认为管店-马厂断裂是郯庐断裂带的次级断裂,是对郯庐断裂带早白垩世末第三次左行平移的响应。在综合研究的基础上,建立了区域构造-岩浆-成矿关系模型,揭示了张八岭隆起早白垩世经历了早期伸展（变质核杂岩阶段）-挤压走滑（管店-马厂断裂形成阶段）-晚期伸展（闪长质脉岩侵位阶段）3个构造阶段,多期构造、岩浆的叠加作用下,形成了本区的金多金属矿产。     

Localization control for chlorite breccia deformation beneath Catalina detachment fault,Rincon Mountains,Tucson, Arizona

The structural location of an approximately 3-km stretch of the Catalina detachment fault zone appears to have been controlled by an ultramylonite shear zone within mylonites of the Catalina–Rincon metamorphic core complex. The Catalina detachment fault zone consists of the detachment fault surface, a 3–5 m interval of cataclasite and ultracataclasite, up to ∼50 m of chlorite breccia, and a discrete subdetachment fault. Beneath the subdetachment fault is a km-scale thickness of mylonites. Progressive ductile-to-brittle shear-zone evolution of the fault-rock stratigraphy started with mylonitization, was followed by overprinting of mylonites by chlorite brecciation, and culminated in the formation of the Catalina detachment fault and associated ultracataclasites. The detachment fault is cospatial with and subparallel to the zone of chlorite breccia. The subdetachment fault is subparallel to the interval of chlorite brecciation and to the detachment fault. The ‘plane’ of projection of the approximately 30-m thick ultramylonite shear zone within the mountain of mylonite, when followed downdip, coincides with the base of the ‘chlorite breccia’ brittle shear zone. Ultramylonite is preserved in places in the immediate lower plate of the subdetachment fault. The position and orientation of the subdetachment fault appears to have been controlled by an ultramylonite shear zone within the lower-plate mylonites. The rheological properties and orientation of this ultramylonite shear zone favored its reactivation as the brittle sole fault of the zone of chloritic brecciation.     

用陆块旋转解释藏东南渐新世—中新世伸展作用——来自点苍山及邻区变质核杂岩的证据

沿红河断裂带(RRFZ)分布的点苍山变质核杂岩是一个不完整的变质核杂岩,它由两个特征迥异的单元组成,包括被同构造二长花岗岩侵入角闪岩相构造岩组成的下盘和绿片岩相的拆离断层带。下盘岩石包括具有高温构造组合,具有指示左行走滑剪切运动方向的L型糜棱岩或LS型糜棱岩。拆离断层带是一个上盘向E到SE伸展剪切的低温剪切带,由具有剪应变和压应变的典型S-L糜棱岩构成。低温构造岩也包括发育于下盘的几个糜棱岩化似斑状二长花岗岩侵入体。变质核杂岩与西侧覆盖未变质的中生代沉积岩并置,东部受第四纪断层作用影响为沿洱海分布的更新世—全新世沉积盆地。通过对点苍山变质核杂岩的构造研究,结合邻区变质核杂岩的地质年代学及古地磁学分析,我们认为:位于东南亚红河断裂和实皆断裂带之间的扇形区域内出现的变质核杂岩与渐新世—中新世时期区域性伸展作用有关,而伸展作用是由印支地块的差异性旋转产生的,其原因是由于约33Ma开始斜向俯冲的印度板块的顺时针旋转和回退所致。     

用陆块旋转解释藏东南渐新世-中新世伸展作用——来自点苍山及邻区变质核杂岩的证据

沿红河断裂带(RRFZ)分布的点苍山变质核杂岩是一个不完整的变质核杂岩,它由两个特征迥异的单元组成,包括被同构造二长花岗岩侵入角闪岩相构造岩组成的下盘和绿片岩相的拆离断层带。下盘岩石包括具有高温构造组合,具有指示左行走滑剪切运动方向的L型糜棱岩或LS型糜棱岩。拆离断层带是一个上盘向E到SE伸展剪切的低温剪切带,由具有剪应变和压应变的典型S-L糜棱岩构成。低温构造岩也包括发育于下盘的几个糜棱岩化似斑状二长花岗岩侵入体。变质核杂岩与西侧覆盖未变质的中生代沉积岩并置,东部受第四纪断层作用影响为沿洱海分布的更新世-全新世沉积盆地。通过对点苍山变质核杂岩的构造研究,结合邻区变质核杂岩的地质年代学及古地磁学分析,我们认为:位于东南亚红河断裂和实皆断裂带之间的扇形区域内出现的变质核杂岩与渐新世-中新世时期区域性伸展作用有关,而伸展作用是由印支地块的差异性旋转产生的,其原因是由于约33Ma开始斜向俯冲的印度板块的顺时针旋转和回退所致。     

Late orogenic crustal extension in the northern Menderes massif (western Turkey): evidence for metamorphic core complex formation

The Simav metamorphic core complex of the northern Menderes massif, western Turkey, consists of a plutonic (Tertiary) and metamorphic (Precambrian) core (footwall) separated from an allochthonous cover sequence (hanging wall) by a low-angle, ductile-to-brittle, extensional fault zone (i.e. detachment fault). The core rocks below the detachment fault are converted into mylonites with a thickness of a few hundred metres. Two main deformation events have affected the core rocks. The first deformational event (D₁) was developed within the Precambrian metamorphic rocks. The second event (D₂), associated with the Tertiary crustal extension, includes two distinct stages. Stage one is the formation of a variably developed ductile (mylonitic) deformation (D_2d) in metamorphic and granitic core rocks under greenschist facies conditions. The majority of the mylonites in the study area have foliations that strike NNW to NNE and dip SW to SE. Stretched quartz and feldspar grains define the mineral lineation trending SW-NE direction and plunging gently to SW. The kinematic indicators indicate a top-to-NE sense of shear. Stage two formation of brittle deformation (D_2b) that affected all core and cover rocks. D_2b involves the development of cataclasites and high-angle normal faults. An overall top towards the north sense of shear for the ductile (mylonitic) fabrics in the core rocks is consistent with the N-S regional extension in western Turkey.     

The Liaonan Metamorphic Core Complex： Constitution, Structure and Evolution

The Liaonan metamorphic core complex (mcc) has a three-layer structure and is constituted by five parts, i.e. a detachment fault zone, an allochthonous upper plate and an supradetachment basin above the fault zone, and highly metamorphosed rocks and intrusive rocks in the lower plate. The allochthonous upper plate is mainly of Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic rocks weakly deformed and metamorphosed in pre-Indosinan stage. Above these rocks is a small-scale supradetachment basin of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks. The lower plate is dominated by Archean TTG gneisses with minor amount of supracrustal rocks. The Archean rocks are intruded by late Mesozoic synkinematic monzogranitic and granitic plutons. Different types of fault rocks, providing clues to the evolution of the detachment fault zone, are well-preserved in the fault zone, e.g. mylonitic gneiss, mylonites, brecciated mylonites, microbreccias and pseudotachylites. Lineations in lower plate granitic intrusions have consistent orientation that indicate uniform top-to-NW shearing along the main detachment fault zone. This also provides evidence for the synkinematic characteristics of the granitic plutons in the lower plate. Structural analysis of the different parts in the mcc and isotopic dating of plutonic rocks from the lower plate and mylonitic rocks from detachment fault zone suggest that exhumation of the mcc started with regional crustal extension due to crustal block rotation and tangential shearing. The extension triggered magma formation, upwelling and emplacement. This event ended with appearance of pseudotachylite and fault gauges formed at the uppermost crustal level. U-Pb dating of single zircon grains from granitic rocks in the lower plate gives an age of 130±5 Ma, and biotite grains from the mam detachment fault zone have 40Ar-39Ar ages of 108-119 Ma. Several aspects may provide constraints for the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc. These include regional extensional setting, cover/basement contact, temporal and spatial coupling of extension and magmatism, basin development and evolution of fault tectonites along detachment fault zone. We propose that the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc resulted from regional extension and thinning of crust or lithosphere in eastern North China, and accompanied with synkinematic intrusion of granitic plutons, formation of detachment fault zone, uplifting and exhumation of lower-plate rocks, and appearance of supradetachment basin.     

胶南地区的伸展作用——以胶南—诸城一带为例

胶南地区的胶南—诸城一带存在两期不同方向的伸展构造。早期以形成近ＥＮ向的拉伸线理为特征，并在不同构造层次上显示出不同的变形。出露于研究区中部桃林尚庄隆起的含榴辉岩片麻岩中，主要以ＬＳ的组构为特征，显示出早期伸展作用下地壳岩石的垂直轴缩短、ＥＷ向拉伸的共轴应变；而在把下地壳含榴辉岩片麻岩与以变沉积岩为主的中上地壳岩石分开的韧性滑脱带上，此期伸展作用则表现为从东向西剪切的非共轴简单剪切变形，具有近水平的拉伸线理及近水平的ＥＷ向剪切褶皱和鞘褶皱枢纽。晚期伸展作用表现为近ＳＮ的伸展垮塌作用，形成向北和向南倾斜的两条韧性正剪切带，且遭受低角闪岩高绿片岩相条件下的透入性均匀简单剪切变形，剪切方向分别向北和向南。     

Transpression,extrusion, partitioning,and lateral escape in the middle crust: Significance of structures,fabrics, and kinematics in the Bronson Hill zone,southern New England,U.S.A.

Fabrics in the mid-crustal Bronson Hill zone of the southern New England Appalachian orogen record a range of apparent finite strains and conflicting kinematics, but structural relationships indicate coeval development. At the smallest scale of this study, shortening was accommodated in granitic orthogneiss, while transcurrent deformation was partitioned into relatively thin zones of metastratified rocks along the margins. The Monson orthogneiss can be broadly characterized by subvertical to steeply dipping S > L tectonites, subvertical to subhorizontal stretching lineations, closed to isoclinal folds, and dextral/reverse kinematics. The east-bounding Conant Brook shear zone and Greenwich syncline are characterized by steeply dipping mylonitic foliations, a range of lineations, and dextral/reverse kinematic indicators. The west-bounding Mt. Dumplin high strain zone is comprised of steeply dipping mylonites, subhorizontal lineations, and sinistral/normal kinematics. These structures reflect coeval partitioned dextral transpression, vertical extrusion, and north-directed lateral escape of the orthogneiss that was facilitated by bounding conjugate shear zones. Comparison of structural subdomains with transpressional modeling indicates vertical pseudo-monoclinic to inclined triclinic coaxial to simple shear influenced transpression. Compatibility between laterally adjacent subdomains was maintained by meso-/microscale partitioning. Absolute and relative timing constraints show that transpression was sustained from 330 Ma to 300 Ma.     

辽南变质核杂岩饮马湾山和赵房岩体锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

辽南变质核杂岩形成于晚中生代华北岩石圈伸展和减薄背景下,其演化过程分为三个阶段：第一阶段（约130Ma）,在伸展作用下辽南地区发育拆离断层及其下伏韧性剪切带;第二阶段（130~120Ma）,同构造花岗质岩体的主动侵位影响了拆离断层的演化;同时在124Ma变质核杂岩的构造-岩浆活动达到峰值;第三阶段（113Ma之后）花岗质岩体在较浅层次侵位于停止活动的拆离断层带。辽南变质核杂岩发育与演化过程在年代学意义上揭示了华北板块晚中生代时期的区域性岩石圈伸展与减薄过程。本文认为由伸展后期侵位的赵房岩体所记录的拆离断层停止的时限（113Ma）可以作为华北岩石圈强烈构造岩浆活动的转捩点,113Ma之前华北板块广泛发育变质核杂岩、拉分盆地等一系列伸展构造,之后则以平稳的隆升和冷却过程为主。     

A strike‐slip core complex from the Najd fault system,Arabian shield

Metamorphic core complexes are usually thought to be associated with regional crustal extension and crustal thinning, where deep crustal material is exhumed along gently dipping normal shear zones oblique to the regional extension direction. We present a new mechanism whereby metamorphic core complexes can be exhumed along crustal‐scale strike‐slip fault systems that accommodated crustal shortening. The Qazaz metamorphic dome in Saudi Arabia was exhumed along a gently dipping jog in a crustal‐scale vertical strike‐slip fault zone that caused more than 25 km of exhumation of lower crustal rocks by 30 km of lateral motion. Subsequently, the complex was transected by a branch of the strike‐slip fault zone, and the segments were separated by another 30 km of lateral motion. Strike‐slip core complexes like the Qazaz Dome may be common and may have an important local effect on crustal strength.     

Strain, Kinematic Vorticity and Ductile Thinning along the Detachment Zone of the Yunmeng Shan Metamorphic Core Complex, Beijing, China

The Yunmeng Shan metamorphic core complex (MCC) is composed of the lower plate, the upper plate and the detachment zone. The detachment zone consists of ductile shear zone (mylonite zone), chloritized microbreccias zone and the brittle fault plane. The ductile shear zone contains mylonitic rocks, protomylonites, and mylonites. Finite strain measurements of feldspar porphyroclasts from those rocks using the Rf/φ method show that the strain intensities increase from mylonitic rocks (Es=0.66–0.72) to protomylonites (Es=0.66–0.83), and to mylonites (Es=0.71–1.2). The strain type is close to flatten strain. Kinematic vorticity estimated by Polar Mohr diagrams suggest that foliations and lineation of mylonite (0.47相似文献   

Application of General Shear Theory to the Study of Formation Mechanism of the Metamorphic Core Complex:A Case Study of Xiaoqinling in Central China

The kinematic vorticity number and strain of the mylonitic zone related to the detachment fault increase from ESE to WNW along the moving direction of the upper plate of the Xiaoqinling metamorphic core complex (XMCC) and the geometry of quartz c-axis fabrics changes progressively from crossed girdles to single girdles in the same direction. Therefore, pure shear is dominant in the ESE part of the XMCC while simple shear becomes increasingly important towards WNW. However, the shear type does not change with the strain across the shear zone, thus the variation of shear type is of significance in indicating the formation mechanism. The granitic plutons within the XMCC came from the deep source and their emplacement was an active and forceful upwelling prior to the detachment faulting. The PTt path demonstrates that magmatism is an important cause for the formation of the XMCC. The formation mechanism of the XMCC is supposed to be active plutonism and passive detachment. Crustal thickening and magmatic do     

What do fault patterns reveal about the latest phase of extension within the Northern Snake Range metamorphic core complex,Nevada, USA?

The Northern Snake Range is a classic example of a metamorphic core complex, Basin-and-Range province, United States. It is composed of a plastically deformed footwall and a brittlely deformed hanging wall, separated by the Northern Snake Range low-angle detachment (NSRD). Brittle deformation, however, is not confined to the hanging wall.This paper focuses on exposures in Cove Canyon, located on the SE flank of the Northern Snake Range, where penetrative, homogeneous faults are well exposed throughout the hanging wall, footwall and NSRD, and overprint early plastic deformation. These late-stage fault sets assisted Eocene-Miocene extension. Detailed analysis of the faults reveals the following: (1) The shortening direction defined by faults is similar to the shortening direction defined by the stretching lineation in the footwall mylonites, indicating that the extensional kinematic history remained unchanged as the rocks were uplifted into the elastico-frictional regime. (2) After ∼17 Ma, extension may have continued entirely within elastic-frictional regime via cataclastic flow. (3) This latest deformation phase may have been accommodated by a single, continuous event. (3) Faults within NSRD boudins indicate that deformation within the detachment zone was non-coaxial during the latest phase of extension.     

北大别造山后穹隆构造的形成过程与变形模拟

北大别穹隆是在早白垩世造山后伸展活动中形成的。其北界为北西西走向、倾向北北东、正左行平移的晓天-磨子潭韧性剪切带,南界为北西走向、倾向南东、右行“逆冲”的五河-水吼韧性剪切带。通过对这两条剪切带的构造观测、运动学分析、石英C轴组构测量、变形温度分析及变形模拟,表明剪切带原先为中地壳同一近水平的韧性拆离剪切带。该拆离剪切带在原始近水平状态时的活动为上盘向280°方位的伸展运动。随后在大规模岩浆活动与北大别穹隆的隆升中,这一剪切带被动地抬升与剥露,而出露于现今的穹隆边界上。变形模拟显示,北大别穹隆构造现今为近EW轴向的背形,其上隆幅度西强东弱。北大别穹隆的形成过程表明为典型的造山带变质核杂岩。     

辽西医巫闾山地区瓦子峪变质核杂岩的厘定

以前未被发现的辽西医巫闾山地区瓦子峪变质核杂岩主要由一条向西倾的低角度正断层———瓦子峪拆离断层组成 ,它将由早白垩世沉积岩和火山岩组成的上盘与糜棱岩化和未变形的下盘分开。瓦子峪拆离断层 (以前称之为孙家湾—稍户营子断裂 )位于变质核杂岩的西侧 ,倾角 10～ 4 0°,构造标志指示向北西方向 (约 2 90°)剪切。与早白垩世地壳伸展相伴生的下盘糜棱岩剪切方向也是北西向 ,这与瓦子峪拆离断层运动相关。已经发表的和未发表的锆石U Pb年龄、40 Ar/3 9Ar热年代学和上盘阜新盆地中生物地层的时代研究表明 ,地壳伸展和变质核杂岩形成时代为早白垩世 (约 12 7～ 116Ma)。我们未发现以前文献报道的医巫闾山是一对称的变质核杂岩的任何证据。瓦子峪变质核杂岩以及WNW侧的拆离断层的厘定会加深我们对华北克拉通早白垩世伸展作用的理解和认识 ,下一步的研究重点包括野外构造研究以确定拆离断层和下盘糜棱岩的空间展布 ,进一步采集样品以研究变质核杂岩的地质 /热年代学和变质核杂岩范围内的岩体成因。我们认为瓦子峪变质核杂岩的形成是太平洋板块边界重组、早白垩世岩浆作用致使地壳升温 ,从而导致经造山作用而加厚的地壳垮塌的结果。     

An extensional and transtensional origin of elongated magmatic domes and localised transfer faults in the northern Menderes metamorphic core complex,western Turkey

The northern Menderes metamorphic core complex has complex exhumation history and is one of the key localities to investigate the spatial and temporal relationships of extensional and compressional structures. Detachment faults and syn-extensional plutons are linked to a series of antiforms and synforms and the denudation of the northern Menderes Massif occurred in three stages. The first stage is related to the development of detachment faults under the consistent NE–SW-directed extension. The second stage is represented by a series of elongated magmatic domes that were oriented parallel, oblique and perpendicular to the regional extension direction. Emplacement of these asymmetrical magmatic domes appears to have been controlled by heterogeneous extension and post-dates the extensional Simav detachment fault. On the third stage, progressive heterogeneous extension that led to updoming of plutons has been finally accommodated by a localised and short-lived transfer zone, which was described as the Gerni shear zone for the first time in this study. The transfer zone is formed by a NE-striking, dextral ductile/brittle shear zone that accommodated the propagation of folds, conjugated strike-slip faults and normal- and oblique-slip faults. Mylonites associated with the transfer zone are related to the localisation of strain along the thermally weakened strike-slip fault systems by short-lived intrusions rather than to the development of regional-scale detachment faults. These structures are consistent with a transtensional simple shear model, which properly explains the evolution of extensional and compressional structures exposed in the northern Menderes core complex. Structural setting of the E?rigöz region is somewhat similar to that of the NE-trending gneiss domes in the northern Menderes Massif and updoming of magma during late stages of detachment faulting appears to have played an important role in the exhumation of lower and upper plate rocks.     

Strain partitioning in the mid-crust of a transpressional shear zone system: Insights from the Homestake and Slide Lake shear zones,central Colorado

Kinematic analysis and field mapping of the Homestake shear zone (HSZ) and Slide Lake shear zone (SLSZ) in central Colorado may provide insight into the interaction between subvertical and low-angle shear zones in the middle crust. The northeast-striking, steeply dipping HSZ comprises a ∼10-km-wide set of anastomosing ductile shear zones and pseudotachylyte-bearing faults. Approximately 4 km south of the HSZ, north–northeast-striking, shallowly dipping mylonites of the SLSZ form three 1–10-m-thick splays. Oblique stretching lineations and shear sense in both shear zones record components of dip-slip (top-up-to-the-northwest and top-down-to-the-southeast) and dextral strike-slip movement during mylonite development. Quartz and feldspar deformation mechanisms and quartz [c] axis lattice preferred orientation (LPO) patterns suggest deformation temperatures ranging from ∼280–500 °C in the HSZ to ∼280–600 °C in the SLSZ. Quartz [c] axis LPOs suggest plane strain general shear across the shear system. Based on the relative timing of fabric development, compatible kinematics and similar deformation temperatures in the SLSZ and the HSZ, we propose that both shear zones formed during strain localization and partitioning within a transpressional shear zone system that involved subvertical shuffling in the mid-crust at 1.4 Ga.     

索伦缝合带中的印支期伸展作用:中国内蒙古苏尼特左旗变质核杂岩(英文)

根据对内蒙古苏尼特左旗地区的野外研究 ,我们将以前描述的交其尔逆冲断层重新解释为一南倾的伸展拆离断层。该断层为一印支期变质核杂的主拆离断层 ,它叠加在缩短的阿尔泰和满洲里带间的晚古生代索伦缝合带上。变质核杂岩的组成要素包括 :下盘的古生代中期和二叠—三叠纪侵入体 (分别是宝底道和哈拉图岩体 ) ,交其尔拆离断层之下、叠加在下盘岩体上的糜棱岩状剪切带 ,拆离断层本身和上盘成分多变、构造复杂的古生代和元古宙岩石。从U Pb年龄为 2 5 2Ma的糜棱岩化哈拉图岩体中获得白云母 ,其40 Ar/ 3 9Ar冷却年龄为 2 2 4Ma和 2 0 8Ma ,而后伸展沉积的下、中侏罗统沉积在下盘之上 ,表明变质核杂岩形成于印支期 ,即晚三叠世至侏罗纪最早期。研究区内 ,北东东走向的交其尔拆离断层的伸展作用方向大致为 2 15°。这是索伦缝合带内首次发现的印支期伸展作用 ,结合分隔遥远的中国各地区 ,如大别—苏鲁缝合带、西藏高原羌塘变质带和东阿尔金山区近来报道的其它一些晚三叠—早侏罗世 (约 2 2 0～ 190Ma)沿韧性拆离断层的伸展作用实例 ,清楚表明东亚地区区域性印支期变形的性质有必要进行重新研究     

中蒙边界区亚干变质核杂岩的组成与结构

亚干核杂岩的变质核由条带状片麻岩、大理岩-糜棱状片(麻)岩、糜棱片麻状花岗岩、石英片岩等单位组成,拆离带由糜棱岩带、绿泥石化带、微角砾岩-假熔岩带、拆离断层面、断层泥和断层角砾构成,上盘岩系主要有二叠系、侏罗系、白垩系以及白云质大理岩异地块体.这些单位从构造角度可归结为3层结构并发育2个拆离带,显示了多层构造岩片由多个韧性拆离带经过长期递进伸展抬升叠置的特点,可能揭示了一种大陆内部多层伸展构造体系的特征.     

Tectono‐sedimentary evolution of lower to middle Miocene half‐graben basins related to an extensional detachment fault (western Crete,Greece)

Crustal extension in the overriding plate at the Aegean subduction zone, related to the rollback of the subducting African slab in the Miocene, resulted in a detachment fault separating high‐pressure/low‐temperature (HP‐LT) metamorphic lower from non‐metamorphic upper tectonic units on Crete. In western Crete, detachment faulting at deeper crustal levels was accompanied by structural disintegration of the hangingwall leading to the formation of half‐graben‐type sedimentary basins filled by alluvial fan and fan‐delta deposits. The coarse‐grained clastic sediments in these half‐grabens are exclusively derived from the non‐metamorphic units atop the detachment fault. Being in direct tectonic contact with HP‐LT metamorphic rocks of the lower tectonic units today, the basins must have formed in the period between c. 20 and 15 Ma, prior to the exposure of the HP‐LT metamorphic rocks at the surface, and juxtaposed with the latter during ongoing deformation.