Geological comparison of precambrian and early palaeozoic terrains between the Southern West Coast of Africa and the South-East Coast of South America

This paper describes a geological comparison of similar lithostratigraphic sequences of Proterozoic and early Palaeozoic ages between the southern west coast of Africa (Namibia and South Africa) and the south-east coast of South America (Brazil and Uruguay). The oldest terrains present within the compared regions are those comprising the Rio de la Plata and the Richtersveld Provinces of ~ 2000 Ma. Both provinces appear to have evolved from earlier Archaean terrains, i.e., the Guapore Craton in South America and the Kalahari Craton in southern Africa, during the Transamazonic and Eburnian orogenic cycles, respectively. Both the Namaqua Province, affected by the Kibaran orogenesis at ~ 1200 Ma, and the Sinclair Group of 1300 Ma seem to have no comparable geological counterparts in southern Brazil and Uruguay.The late Precambrian—early Palaeozoic successions of the Gariep and Ribeira belts investigated here seem to be remarkably similar and it is suggested that they were parts of the same geological unit, i.e., a mobile belt, developed during the Pan-African-Brasil- iano orogenesis. Geological comparisons are particularly good between the Gariep, Porongos and Lavalleja Groups, and stratigraphic correlations can be successfully at- tempted even between geological formations, i.e., Marica, Piedra de Afilar and Stink- fontein Formations.The lack of detailed geological maps for South America makes it difficult to separate different geological formations from broad lithostratigraphic successions and, consequent- ly, comparisons can only be drawn between subgroups and several geological formations, i.e., Vacacai and Minas Subgroups with Grootderm Holgat and Oranjemund Formations. The extensive magmatic activity generated during the Brasiliano orogenesis and only present in the south-east coast of South America has not affected the southern west coast of Africa. However, two post-tectonic complexes, i.e., the Kuboos—Bremen line of intrusives and the Sierra de Animas Complex appear to be geochronologically analogous and petrologically they seem to have certain similarities. It is also suggested that the Camaqua Group in southern Brazil and the Nama Group could perhaps have certain similarities within their lithological successions and their ages may be also com- parable.The late stages of the geological evolution of the basin, represented by molassic sediments, are only present in south-east Brazil. Finally an interpretation is given of the geological evolution of the Proterozoic—early Palaeozoic terrains compared in this work.