Relics of the Mozambique Ocean in the central East African Orogen: evidence from the Vohibory Block of southern Madagascar

The Vohibory Block of south‐western Madagascar is part of the East African Orogen, the formation of which is related to the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent. It is dominated by metabasic rocks, which have chemical compositions similar to those of recent basalts from a mid‐ocean ridge, back‐arc setting and island‐arc setting. The age of formation of protolith basalts has been dated at 850–700 Ma by U–Pb SHRIMP analysis of magmatic cores in zircon, pointing to an origin related to the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Ocean. The metabasic rocks are interpreted as representing components of an island arc with an associated back‐arc basin. In the early stage of the Pan‐African orogeny, these rocks experienced high‐pressure amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism (9–12 kbar, 750–880 °C), dated at 612 ± 5 Ma from metamorphic rims in zircon. The metamorphism was most likely related to accretion of the arc terrane to the margin of the Azania microcontinent (Proto‐Madagascar) and closure of the back‐arc basin. The main metamorphism is significantly older than high‐temperature metamorphism in other tectonic units of southern Madagascar, indicating a distinct tectono‐metamorphic history.     

Structural and remote sensing studies of the southern Betsimisaraka Suture, Madagascar

An assessment of the southern Betsimisaraka Suture (B.S.) of southeastern Madagascar using remote sensing and field investigation reveals a complex deformation history. Image processing of Landsat ETM+data and JERS-I Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery was integrated with field observations of structural geology and field petrography. The southern B.S. divides the Precambrian basement rocks of Madagascar in two parts. The western part includes Proterozoic rocks whereas the eastern part is an Archean block, named the Masora block. The southern part of the B.S. includes high-grade metamorphic rocks, recording strong deformation and has mineral deposits including chromite, nickel, and emerald, characteristic of oceanic material that is compatible with a suture zone.Large-scale structural features indicate ductile deformation including three generations of folding (F1, F2, and F3) associated with dextral shearing. The first folding event (F1) shows a succession of folds with NE striking axial planes. The second folding event (F2) mainly has north–south striking axial planes and the last event (F3) is represented by mega folds that have ENE–WSW axial plane directions and have NNW and SSE contractional strain patterns. Closure of the Mozambique Ocean between two components of Gondwana sandwiched rocks of the B.S. and formed upright folds and shortening zones which produced N–S trending lineaments. Later dextral movements followed the contraction and formed NW–SE trending lineaments and N–S trending normal faults associated with dextral strike slip faults and fractures.     

Tectonic setting of the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt,NW India and its implication on correlation with the East African Orogen in the Gondwana assembly

Granulites are developed in various tectonic settings and during different geological periods, and have been used for continental correlation within supercontinent models. In this context the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt of northwestern India are significant. The granulites occur as shear zone bounded lensoidal bodies within low-grade rocks of the South Delhi Terrane and comprise pelitic and calcareous granulites, a gabbro-norite-basic granulite suite and multiple phases of granites of the Ambaji suite. The granulites have undergone three major phases of folding and shearing. The F₁ and F₂ folds are coaxial along NE-SW axis, and F₃ folds are developed across the former along NW-SE axis. Thus, various types of interference patterns are produced. The granulite facies metamorphism is marked by a spinel–cordierite–garnet–sillimanite–quartz assemblage with melt phase and is synkinematic to the F₁ phase of folding. The peak thermobarometric condition is set at ≥850 °C and 5.5–6.8 kb. The granulites have been exhumed through thrusting along multiple ductile shear zones during syn- to post-F₂ folding. Late-stage shearing has produced cataclasites and pseudotachylites. Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) U–Pb dating of zircon from pelitic granulites and synkinematically emplaced granites indicate that: (1) the sedimentary succession of the South Delhi Terrane was deposited between 1240 and 860 Ma with detritus derived from magmatic sources with ages between 1620 and 1240 Ma; (2) folding and granulite metamorphism have taken place between ca. 860 and 800 Ma, and exhumation at around ca. 800–760 Ma; and (3) the last phase of granitic activity occurred at ca. 759 Ma. This shows, for the first time, that the granulites of the South Delhi Terrane are much younger than those of the Sandmata Granulite Complex of the northern part of the Aravalli Mobile Belt, the Saussar granulites of the Central India Mobile Belt and the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt. Instead, they show similarities to the Neoproterozoic granulites of the Circum Indian Orogens that include the East African Orogen (East Africa and Madagascar), the Southern Granulite Terrane of India and much of Sri Lanka. We suggest that the South Delhi Basin probably marks a trace of the proto-Mozambique Ocean in NW India within Gondwana, that closed when the Marwar Craton, arc fragments (Bemarivo Belt in Madagascar and the Seychelles) and components of the Arabian-Nubian Shield collided with the Aravalli-Bundelkhand Protocontinent at ca. 850–750 Ma.     

东南极晚新元古—早古生代构造热事件及其在冈瓦纳超大陆重建中的意义

在东南极大陆内部及边缘发育3条晚新元古代—早古生代造山带,即东非造山带（南延部分）、普里兹造山带和罗斯造山带。东非造山带的南延部分主要出露于吕措—霍尔姆湾—毛德王后地—沙克尔顿岭地区,其内发育蛇绿岩、榴辉岩相超镁铁岩及逆冲—推覆构造,因而被解释为东、西冈瓦纳陆块拼合的缝合线。罗斯造山带主要出露于横贯南极山脉地区,其内保存有大陆裂解、洋壳俯冲和地体增生的地质纪录,代表冈瓦纳超大陆的活动大陆边缘。普里兹造山带主要出露于普里兹湾和登曼冰川,因其位于从前假设的统一东冈瓦纳陆块的内部,加之缺少蛇绿混杂岩、岛弧增生杂岩和高压变质岩（如蓝片岩或榴辉岩）等与大洋板块俯冲作用密切相关的岩石,所以当前存在着碰撞造山成因和板内改造成因两种不同的认识。普里兹造山带构造性质的确定不仅决定了冈瓦纳超大陆的汇聚过程和方式,也制约了罗迪尼亚超大陆的形成和演化过程。因此,开展普里兹造山带的研究对于揭示新元古代—早古生代的全球构造演化具有重要的科学意义。     

Two-stage metamorphic evolution of the Bemarivo Belt of northern Madagascar: constraints from reaction textures and in situ monazite dating

New results on the pressure–temperature–time evolution, deduced from conventional geothermobarometry and in situ U‐Th‐total Pb dating of monazite, are presented for the Bemarivo Belt in northern Madagascar. The belt is subdivided into a northern part consisting of low‐grade metamorphic epicontinental series and a southern part made up of granulite facies metapelites. The prograde metamorphic stage of the latter unit is preserved by kyanite inclusions in garnet, which is in agreement with results of the garnet (core)‐alumosilicate‐quartz‐plagioclase (inclusions in garnet; GASP) equilibrium. The peak metamorphic stage is characterized by ultrahigh temperatures of ～900–950 °C and pressures of ～9 kbar, deduced from GASP equilibria and feldspar thermometry. In proximity to charnockite bodies, garnet‐sillimanite‐bearing metapelites contain aluminous orthopyroxene (max. 8.0 wt% Al₂O₃) pointing to even higher temperatures of ～970 °C. Peak metamorphism is followed by near‐isothermal decompression to pressures of 5–7 kbar and subsequent near‐isobaric cooling, which is demonstrated by the extensive late‐stage formation of cordierite around garnet. Internal textures and differences in chemistry of metapelitic monazite point to a polyphasic growth history. Monazite with magmatically zoned cores is rarely preserved, and gives an age of c. 737 ± 19 Ma, interpreted as the maximum age of sedimentation. Two metamorphic stages are dated: M1 monazite cores range from 563 ± 28 Ma to 532 ± 23 Ma, representing the collisional event, and M2 monazite rims (521 ± 25 Ma to 513 ± 14 Ma), interpreted as grown during peak metamorphic temperatures. These are among the youngest ages reported for high‐grade metamorphism in Madagascar, and are supposed to reflect the Pan‐African attachment of the Bemarivo Belt to the Gondwana supercontinent during its final amalgamation stage. In the course of this, the southern Bemarivo Belt was buried to a depth of >25 km. Approximately 25–30 Myr later, the rocks underwent heating, interpreted to be due to magmatic underplating, and uplift. Presumably, the northern part of the belt was also affected by this tectonism, but buried to a lower depth, and therefore metamorphosed to lower grades.     

中国中央造山系原- 古特提斯多阶段复合造山过程

中国中央造山系是由亲劳亚的北方陆块群、亲冈瓦纳的南方陆块群及其间大量过渡性微陆块历经复杂拼合而成的复合型造山带，是中国大陆完成主体拼合的构造结合带。中央造山系自西而东包括昆仑造山带、祁连造山带和秦岭- 大别造山带，保存了古生代—早中生代时期华北、华南、柴达木、塔里木、羌塘等众多大小陆块造山过程的丰富信息，是研究东特提斯构造域原、古特提斯洋构造演化的重要窗口。本文综述了中央造山系地质、地球化学和高精度年代学等多学科研究成果，得到以下主要认识：① 550 Ma之前，众多大小陆块孤立散布于原特提斯洋；② 541~485 Ma，原特提斯洋各分支开始俯冲；③ 485~444 Ma，原特提斯洋持续俯冲，导致秦岭二郎坪弧后盆地、昆仑祁漫塔格弧后盆地打开；④ 444~420 Ma，原特提斯北祁连洋、南祁连洋和商丹洋闭合，昆仑祁漫塔格弧后盆地关闭；⑤ 420~300 Ma，昆仑地区古特提斯洋继承原特提斯洋，古特提斯勉略洋逐步扩张；⑥ 300~250 Ma，昆仑洋自阿其克库勒湖- 昆中缝合带向木孜塔格- 布青山- 阿尼玛卿缝合带发生俯冲后撤；⑦ 250~200 Ma，原- 古特提斯昆仑洋、古特提斯勉略洋关闭；⑧ 200 Ma以来，中央造山系转入陆内造山阶段。     

Late Caledonian Ductile Thrusting Deformation in the Central East Kunlun Belt, Qinghal, China and Its Significance： Evidence from Geochronology

Abstract A high‐angle ductile thrusting deformation with top‐to‐the‐north movement penetratively developed in the Proterozoic‐Early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks along the Central East Kunlun belt. The deformed rocks suffered epidote‐amphibolite facies metamorphism. On the basis of our previous study, we present more data in this paper to further support that the ductile thrust deformation occurred in the later Caledonian and more detailed information about the deformation. A zircon U‐Pb concordant age of 446±2.2 Ma of a deformed granodiorite in the ductile thrust zone was obtained and can be interpreted as the lower limit of the deformation. A syntectonically crystallized and also strongly deformed hornblende Ar/Ar dating gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 426.5±3.8 Ma, which represents the deformation age. A strongly orientated muscovite gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 408±1.6 Ma, representing the cooling age after the peak temperature, constraining the upper limit of the ductile thrust deformation. This ductile thrust deformation can be interpreted as the result of the closing of the Central East Kunlun archipelago ocean. To the north, Ar/Ar plateau ages of 382.9±0.2 Ma and 386.8±0.8 Ma of muscovite in the deformed Xiaomiao Group represent the uplift cooling ages of deeper rocks after the thrusting movement. The original thrusting foliation has a low angle. A rotation model was put forward to explain the development of the foliation from the original low‐angle to present high‐angle dipping.     

Tectonic Evolution of the Lufilian Arc (Central Africa Copper Belt) During Neoproterozoic Pan African Orogenesis

The Lufilian arc of Central Africa (also called Katangan belt or Copperbelt) is a zone of low to highgrade metasedimentary (and subsidiary igneous) rocks of Neoproterozoic age hosting highgrade CuCoU and PbZn mineralizations. The Lufilian arc is located between the Congo and Kalahari cratons and defines a structure which is convex to the north. Three major phases of deformation characterize the construction of the Lufilian arc. The first phase (D1) called the “Kolwezian phase” developed folds and thrust sheets with a northward transport direction. D1 deformation occurred in the Lufilian arc between ca. 800 and 710 Ma, with a peak in the range 790–750 Ma. It is here correlated with the main deformation in the Zambezi belt. Southward-verging folds with the same trends as the D₁ structures were previously linked to a second tectonic event named Kundelunguian phase of the Lufilian orogeny. We show in this paper that they are backfolds developed during D1 along Katangan ramps and especially along the Kibaran foreland. The second phase (D2) of the Lufilian orogeny is the “Monwezi phase” including several large leftlateral strikeslip faults which have been activated successively. During this deformation phase, the eastern block of the belt rotated clockwise, giving the present day NWSE trend of D1 structures in this part of the Lufilian arc, and generating its convex geometry. The Mwembeshi dislocation, the major transcurrent shear zone separating the Zambezi and Lufilian arc, was mostly active during the D2 deformation phase. D2 deformation occurred between ca. 690 and 540 Ma. Such a long time interval is attributed to the migration of strikeslip faults developed sequentially from south to north, and probably to a slow convergence velocity during the collision between the Congo and Kalahari cratons. The third phase (D3) of the Lufilian orogeny is a late event called the “Chilatembo phase”, marked by structures transverse to the trends of the Lufilian arc. This deformation and the post-D_2′ uppermost Kundelungu sequence (Ks3 Plateaux Group), are younger than 540 Ma and probably early Paleozoic.     

Late Caledonian Ductile Thrusting Deformation in the Central East Kunlun Belt, Qinghai, China and Its Significance: Evidence from Geochronology

A high-angle ductile thrusting deformation with top-to-the-north movement penetratively developed in the Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks along the Central East Kunlun belt. The deformed rocks suffered epidote-amphibolite facies metamorphism. On the basis of our previous study, we present more data in this paper to further support that the ducdle thrust deformation occurred in the later Caledonian and more detailed information about the deformation. A zircon U-Pb concordant age of 446±2.2 Ma of a deformed granodiorite in the ductile thrust zone was obtained and can be interpreted as the lower limit of the deformation. A syntectonically crystallized and also strongly deformed hornblende Ar/ Ar dating gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 426.5±3.8 Ma, which represents the deformation age. A strongly orientated muscovite gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 408±1.6Ma, representing the cooling age after the peak temperature, constraining the upper limit of the ductile thrust deformation. This ductile thru     

“秦岭-大别-苏鲁”造山带中“古特提斯缝合带”的连接

中国大陆西北部的"古特提斯缝合带"如何与东面的"秦岭-大别-苏鲁"造山带连接,是涉及中国大陆中部构造格架的关键问题之一。南秦岭造山带中的古特提斯蛇绿岩带和东秦岭-桐柏-大别-苏鲁造山带中三叠纪高压-超高压变质带的对比,以及一条位于两者之间的220~204 Ma的大型左行走滑剪切带的存在,提供了它们之间关系的新的视角,为此,我们提出南秦岭的勉略蛇绿岩带向东通过宁陕-湘河大型左行走滑剪切带,和大陆俯冲与深俯冲造成的"耀岭河-桐柏-大别-苏鲁"高压—超高压变质带北缘连接,构成"秦岭-大别-苏鲁"造山带中的古特提斯缝合带新模式。沿着这条边界,南秦岭构造单元可以分为南部的南秦岭被动陆缘单元和北部的南秦岭主动陆缘单元,后者向东的延伸由于南、北板块之间三叠纪的剪切碰撞而尖灭。     

Late syn-to post-collisional magmatism in Madagascar:The genesis of the Ambalavao and Maevarano Suites

The East African Orogen involves a collage of Proterozoic microcontinents and arc terranes that became wedged between older cratonic blocks during the assembly of Gondwana.The Ediacaran-Cambrian Ambalavao and Maevarano Suites in Madagascar were emplaced during the waning orogenic stages and consist of weakly deformed to undeformed plutonic rocks and dykes of mainly porphyritic granite but also gabbro,diorite and charnockite.U-Pb geochronological data date emplacement of the Ambalavao Suite to between ca.580 Ma and 540 Ma and the Maevarano Suite to between ca.537 Ma and522 Ma.Major and trace element concentrations are consistent with emplacement in a syn-to postcollisional tectonic setting as A-type(anorogenic) suites.Oxygen(δ~(18)O of 5.27‰-7.45‰) and hafnium(ε_(Hf)(t) of-27.8 to-12.3) isotopic data from plutons in the Itremo and Antananarivo Domains are consistent with incorporation of an ancient crustal source.More primitive δ~(18)O(5.27‰-5.32‰) andε_(Hf)(t)(+0.0 to+0.2) isotopic values recorded in samples collected from the Ikalamavony Domain demonstrate the isotopic variation of basement sources present in the Malagasy crust.The Hf isotopic composition of Malagasy zircon are unlike more juvenile Ediacaran-Cambrian zircon sou rces elsewhere in the East African Orogen and,as such,Madagascar represents a distinct and identifiable detrital zircon source region in Phanerozoic sedimentary provenance studies.Taken together,these data indicate that high-T crustal anatexis,crustal assimilation and interaction of crustal material with mantle-derived melts were the processes operating during magma emplacement.This magmatism was coeval with polyphase deformation throughout Madagascar during the amalgamation of Gondwana and magmatism is interpreted to reflect lithospheric delamination of an extensive orogenic plateau.     

中国与蒙古之地质

东昆仑中部缝合带清水泉一带发育石榴斜长紫苏麻粒岩、紫苏辉石黑云母石榴子石麻粒岩、石榴二辉斜长麻粒岩和石榴单斜辉石麻粒岩,它们与混合岩化黑云母石榴子石变粒岩、黑云母辉石变粒岩、石墨大理岩、含透辉石透闪石大理岩、透辉石大理岩、黑云斜长角闪岩和片麻岩等高级变质岩系以及纯橄岩、辉橄岩、橄长岩、辉长岩、辉绿岩和玄武岩等共同构成蛇绿混杂岩。麻粒岩相变质作用的温压条件为T=760~880℃,p=830~1200MPa,为高温中高压麻粒岩相变质作用,估算其形成深度为40~45km。麻粒岩相变质作用的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(507·7±8·3)Ma。清水泉地区蛇绿岩形成于~520Ma,到~508Ma时俯冲至地下40~45km深处而发生中高压麻粒岩相变质作用,然后发生构造折返而剥露至地表。证实了清水泉高级变质岩和基性—超基性岩片是形成于早—中寒武世的蛇绿混杂岩,标志一个古生代早期的非常重要的板块汇聚边界,这对于进一步研究东昆仑造山带构造演化、乃至中国西部大地构造格局具有非常重要的意义。     

中亚造山带东部岩浆热液矿床时空分布特征及其构造背景

中亚造山带东部是古亚洲洋构造域、鄂霍茨克洋构造域和古太平洋构造域复合叠加区域,矿产资源丰富。本文收集2000—2014年公开发表文献中岩浆热液矿床约1 200个同位素年龄数据,整理出201个较为可靠的年龄数据,通过数字化编图,揭示成矿的时空分布特征及形成背景。结果显示:中亚造山带东部成矿作用始于寒武纪,出现6个重要成矿期:510~473、373~330、320~253、250~210、210~167、155~100 Ma。510~473 Ma(峰值507 Ma),矿床主要分布在大兴安岭—小兴安岭—张广才岭和北山地区,零星发育热液脉型和斑岩型铁铜金钨矿床,与古亚洲洋开始俯冲及微陆块碰撞拼合有关。373~330 Ma(峰值372Ma),矿床主要分布在南蒙古奥尤陶勒盖地区,发育超大型斑岩型铜金矿床,形成于古亚洲洋俯冲环境。320~253 Ma,矿床主要分布在大兴安岭南段,发育少量斑岩型铜矿床和造山型金矿床;其中,298 Ma在大兴安岭南段首次出现以钼为主的斑岩型矿床,指示该区板块俯冲增生向拼贴转变逐渐过渡。250~210 Ma(峰值244 Ma),在蒙古—鄂霍茨克造山带东侧额尔古纳—中蒙古地块主要形成斑岩型铜矿床,可能与蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋俯冲有关;以东地区,主要在大兴安岭南段和辽远地块形成斑岩型钼矿床,在张广才岭发育岩浆熔离型铜镍矿床,反映了古亚洲洋闭合后伸展环境。210~167 Ma(峰值170 Ma),在蒙古—鄂霍茨克造山带西侧乌兰巴托西北部发育造山型-斑岩型金矿床,其东侧额尔古纳地区形成斑岩型铜钼矿床,可能与蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋俯冲碰撞有关;在吉黑东部—张广才岭—小兴安岭—大兴安岭,发育斑岩型钼铜矿床和矽卡岩型铅锌钨金矿床组合,可能属于古太平洋板块向西俯冲成矿体系。155~100 Ma(峰值136 Ma),中亚造山带东部整体处于伸展环境;其中,155~120 Ma在额尔古纳地区主要发育浅成低温热液型银铅锌矿床和造山型金矿床,大兴安岭北段发育斑岩型钼矿床,可能反映了额尔古纳地区和大兴安岭北段受蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋碰撞后伸展环境控制,而在吉黑东部形成浅成低温热液型金矿床,大兴安岭南段发育热液脉型-矽卡岩型锡矿床,可能受古太平洋板块向北俯冲弧后伸展的控制;120~100 Ma沿着华北克拉通和佳蒙陆块边缘发育浅成低温热液型-斑岩型金钼矿床。本研究综合岩浆热液矿床时空分布和矿床类型,进一步揭示了古亚洲洋构造域控制中亚造山带东部古生代成矿作用持续到晚二叠世(到早三叠世),并在晚三叠世叠加古太平洋构造域成矿体系,而额尔古纳—中蒙古地块成矿作用在三叠纪开始主要受蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋构造域限定,并持续到早白垩世早期。     

西大别造山带新元古代中期双峰式火山岩的发现对扬子陆块北缘构造演化的约束

扬子陆块北缘新元古代中期的构造机制（是俯冲- 增生造山、还是后造山- 裂谷）是华南新元古代构造演化研究中长期争论的重要科学问题。本文在西大别造山带红安桃花地区新识别出双峰式火山岩,为进一步揭示扬子陆块新元古代中期岩浆- 构造演化过程和动力学机制提供了新的制约信息。SIMS和LA- ICP- MS锆石U- Pb定年结果表明,桃花双峰式火山岩形成年龄为750~740 Ma。基性火山岩为拉斑玄武质,显示由正常洋中脊型玄武岩向弧型玄武岩演化的微量元素特征,且具有变化的全岩εNd(t)值（0. 05~+5. 96）。这些基性火山岩可能是亏损的软流圈地幔在减压条件下部分熔融的产物,岩浆经历了结晶分异和围岩混染。酸性火山岩中,徐门寨样品富硅（SiO2≥75%）和碱（K2O+Na2O≥7%）,富集REE和HFSE（如Zr、Hf、Nb、Y）,其Zr+Ce+Y+Nb≥600×10-6,10000Ga/Al≥2. 6,与分异Ａ型花岗岩类相似。它们同时具有富集的Hf- Nd同位素组成,其锆石εHf(t)值主要集中在12. 32~1. 88,而全岩εNd(t)值为13. 29~9. 60,可能是区域上新元古代早期的岩浆岩在高温低压条件下部分熔融形成的产物。综合本文和前人的资料表明,南秦岭- 桐柏- 大别- 苏鲁造山带在新元古代中期（780~635 Ma）的双峰式岩浆组合形成于一个软流圈上涌、岩石圈拉张减薄的大陆裂谷环境;高温- 低压条件下的软流圈、岩石圈地幔和地壳的熔融及其相互反应,是这一时期不同性质岩浆形成的主要原因。     

Structural architecture of the northern composite terrane, the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt, India: Implications for Gondwana tectonics

New data from structural mapping and tectonic evaluation in the northern parts of the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt (EGMB-north) involving the interpretation of satellite images, field traverses, critical outcrop mapping and kinematic studies of macro- as well as microstructures of the shear zone rocks together with the geometry and disposition of Gondwana basins led to, for the first time, the elucidation of post-Grenvillian structural architecture of the terrane. This helps in assessing the sequence of successive tectonothermal events that were responsible for the origin and progressive evolution of the Permo-Carboniferous coal bearing sediments along the Mahanadi rift that forms significant in the reconstruction models of east Gondwana.The composite terrane of high-grade metamorphic rocks (EGMB-north), strikes E–W in contrast to the regional NE–SW trend of the EGMB. The structural architecture obtained from this study is controlled by the boundary shear zones and associated link shear zones. The dextral kinematic displacements along the Northern Boundary Shear Zone (NBSZ) as well as the Mahanadi Shear Zone (MSZ) and Koraput–Sonapur–Rairakhol Shear Zone (KSRSZ) were derived from multi-scale field based structural observations. A N–S structural cross-section presents a crustal-scale ‘flower structure’ across the composite terrane exposing different domains displaying distinctive internal structures with widely varying different geological evolution history and strain partitioning, separated by crustal-scale shear zones. Deep seismic imaging and gravity signatures support ‘flower structure’ model. The pervasive first formed gneissic fabrics were continuously reworked and partitioned into a series of E–W, crustal-scale shear zones.The Neoproterozoic regional dextral transpressional tectonics along the shear zones and their repeated reactivation could be responsible for initiation and successive evolution of Gondwana basins and different episodes of sedimentation. Available geochronological data shows that the structural architecture presented here is post-Grenvillian, which has been repeatedly reactivated through long-lived transpressional tectonics. The composite terrane is characterized by all the typical features of an oblique convergent orogen with transpressional kinematics in the middle to lower crust. The kinematic changes from transpression to transtensional stresses were found to be associated with global geodynamics related to the transformation from Rodinia to Gondwana configuration.     

A late Neoproterozoic paleomagnetic pole for the Congo craton: Tectonic setting, paleomagnetism and geochronology of the Nola dike swarm (Central African Republic)

New structural, geochronological and paleomagnetic data were obtained on dolerite dikes of the Nola region (Central African Republic) at the northern border of the Congo craton. In this region, metavolcanic successions were thrust southward onto the craton during the Panafrican orogenic events. Our structural data reveal at least two structural klippes south of the present-day limits of the Panafrican nappe suggesting that it has once covered the whole Nola region, promoting the pervasive hydrothermal greenschist metamorphism observed in the underlying cratonic basement and also in the intrusive dolerite dikes. Paleomagnetic measurements revealed a stable dual-polarity low-inclination magnetization component in nine dikes (47 samples), carried by pyrrhotite and magnetite. This component corresponds to a paleopole at 304.8°E and 61.8°S (dp = 5.4, dm = 10.7) graded at Q = 6. Both metamorphism and magnetic resetting were dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method on amphibole grains separated from the dikes at 571 ± 6 Ma. The Nola pole is the first well-dated paleomagnetic pole for the Congo craton between 580 and 550 Ma. It marks a sudden change in direction of the Congo craton apparent polar wander path at the waning stages of the Panafrican orogenic events.     

Fold-Thrust-Belt Structure of the Proterozoic Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt: A Proposed Correlation Between India and Antarctica in Gondwana

The Proterozoic Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt along the east coast of India shares a thrusted lower contact with the surrounding cratons. The thrust, known as the Terrane Boundary shear zone, is associated with two large lateral ramps resulting in a curved outline on the northwestern corner of the mobile belt. The Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt is divided into two lithotectonic units, the Lathore Group and the Turekela Group, based on their lithological assemblages and deformational history. On the basis of published data from a Deep Seismic Sounding (DSS) profile of the Eastern Ghats crust, the Terrane Boundary Shear Zone is considered to be listric in nature and acts as the sole thrust between craton and mobile belt. The Lathore and Turekela Groups are nappes. With this structural configuration the NW part is described as a fold thrust belt. However, the thrusting postdates folding and granulite metamorphism that occurred in the Eastern Ghats, as in the Caledonide type of fold thrust belt of NW Scotland. The Terrane Boundary Shear Zone is interpreted to be contiguous with the Rayner-Napier boundary of the Enderby Land in a Gondwana assembly.     

Multistage Deformation in the Northeastern Segment of the Jiangshao Fault (Suture) Belt: Constraints for the Relationship between the Yangtze Plate and the Cathaysia Old Land

Multistage deformation events have occurred in the northeastern Jiangshao Fault (Suture) Belt. The earliest two are ductile deformation events. The first is the ca. 820 Ma top-to-the-northwest ductile thrusting, which directly resulted from the collision between the Cathaysia Old Land and the Chencai Arc (?) during the Late Neoproterozoic, and the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt that formed as the ocean closed between the Yangtze Plate and the jointed Cathaysia Old Land and the Chencai Arc due to continuous compression. The second is the ductile left-lateral strike-slipping that occurred in the latest Early Paleozoic. Since the Jinning period, all deformation events represent the reactivation or inversion of intraplate structures due to the collisions between the North China and Yangtze plates during the Triassic and between the Philippine Sea and Eurasian plates during the Cenozoic. In the Triassic, brittle right-lateral strike-slipping and subsequent top-to-the south thrusting occurred along the whole northeastern Jiangshao Fault Zone because of the collision between the North China and Yangtze plates. In the Late Mesozoic, regional extension took place across southeastern China. In the Cenozoic, the collision between the Philippine Sea and Eurasian plates resulted in brittle thrusts along the whole Jiangnan Old land in the Miocene. The Jiangshao Fault Belt is a weak zone in the crust with long history, and its reactivation is one of important characteristics of the deformation in South China; however, late-stage deformation events did not occur beyond the Jiangnan Old Land and most of them are parallel to the strike of the Old Land, which is similar to the Cenozoic deformation in Central Asia. In addition, the Jiangnan old Land is not a collisional boundary between the Yangtze Plate and Cathaysia Old Land in the Triassic.