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Ulf Söderlund

Ulf Söderlund

Professor

Ulf Söderlund

Revised stratigraphic framework for the lower Anti-Atlas supergroup based on U–Pb geochronology of magmatic and detrital zircons (Zenaga and Bou Azzer-El Graara inliers, Anti-Atlas Belt, Morocco)

Author

  • Abdelhak Ait Lahna
  • Nasrrddine Youbi
  • Colombo Celso Gaeta Tassinari
  • Miguel Angelo Stipp Basei
  • Richard E. Ernst
  • Latifa Chaib
  • Abdelhafed Barzouk
  • João Mata
  • Andreas Gärtner
  • Hassan Admou
  • Moulay Ahmed Boumehdi
  • Ulf Söderlund
  • Mohamed Khalil Bensalah
  • Jean Louis Bodinier
  • Lhou Maacha
  • Andrey Bekker

Summary, in English

U–Pb geochronology of magmatic and detrital zircons (Zenaga and Bou Azzer-El Graara inliers, Anti-Atlas Belt, Morocco) and a reassessment of the published constraints suggest a revised stratigraphic framework for the lower Anti-Atlas Supergroup. Five major unconformity-bounded lithostratigraphic packages are here distinguished: the two lower units of Paleoproterozoic age are named the Tasserda-Taghatine Group (2030–1706 Ma) and the Oumoula (Mimount) Formation (ca. 1745–1650 Ma); the third unit of Paleoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic age (ca. 1650 to >883 Ma) is the Tizi n'Taghatine Group; the fourth and fifth units of Neoproterozoic age are the ca. 883 Ma Tachdamt and the ca. 700 Ma Bleida formations. Implications of this revised stratigraphic framework include: 1) the Tasserda-Taghatine Group might be linked to the post-orogenic collapse after the Eburnean Orogeny; 2) the Tizi n'Taghatine Group might be ca. 1.1 Ga in age based on proposed correlation with the Taoudeni Basin succession in Mauritania; 3) the Bleida Formation likely reflects deposition in the foreland basin at the early stage of the Pan-African Orogeny; 4) the Oumoula (Mimount) Formation, Tizi n'Taghatine Group, and Tachdamt Formation potentially record extensional events within the Nuna/Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents; 5) the provenance of the lower Anti-Atlas Supergroup (based on our new detrital zircon dating) is mainly from the West African craton along with possible contributions from other cratons such as Amazonia and the Sahara Metacraton; 6) the flood basalt sequence of the Tachdamt Formation likely belongs to the ca. 885-883 Ma intraplate Iguerda-Taïfast Large Igneous Province (LIP) event defined by previously dated dykes in the Iguerda and Taïfast inliers; and 7) the 1650 Ma Zenaga LIP can be potentially linked with LIP magmatism in Baltica and Laurentia.

Department/s

  • Lithosphere and Biosphere Science

Publishing year

2020

Language

English

Publication/Series

Journal of African Earth Sciences

Volume

171

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Geology

Keywords

  • Anti-Atlas Belt
  • Lower Anti-Atlas supergroup
  • Morocco
  • Proterozoic
  • U–Pb geochronology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1464-343X