Field evidence from Upper Palaeozoic and Mesozoic strata exposed in Peninsular Malaysia demonstrates that the structural style, degree and orientation of folding, axial-plane cleavage, and faulting in the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks of the central basin are remarkably similar. In contrast, the Upper Palaeozoic strata, especially the Carboniferous rocks exposed in the eastern part of the peninsula, show multiple phase folding and regional metamorphism unlike anything seen in the Mesozoic rocks. These observations demonstrate that two important compressional events affected Peninsular Malaysia, one in Late Permian times and the other in the mid- to late Cretaceous. The Late Palaeozoic compressional event was a major orogenic mountain building phase with associated emplacement of major Permo–Triassic granite plutons that form the eastern and main ranges. No indications were found of the widely reported Triassic orogenic compression. The palaeotectonic and palaeogeographical implications of these discoveries are important for interpreting the evolution of eastern Gondwana and Tethys.
The Raub–Bentong line was an important fault zone active during the Mesozoic but does not appear to have been a major tectonic suture since the Late Palaeozoic. We postulate that the Permo–Triassic granites of the eastern belt and those presently exposed in the main range were originally about 30–50 km apart, and that Triassic and Jurassic crustal attenuation and subsidence led to the separation of these two granitic belts by more than 100 km.
The close association between the Gua Musang formation, Telong formation, Aring Formation, and Nilam marble reflect the lateral facies changes among these formations. Poorly delineated boundaries between each formation calls for a reassessment on the genetic and stratigraphic correlation of these formations. The newly proposed Gua Musang Group is defined as argillite-carbonate-volcanic deposited within the same Gua Musang platform during Permo-Triassic period, which includes all four formations under study. High resolution stratigraphy is needed for each formation for better stratigraphic correlation between the various lithostratigraphic units of the Gua Musang Group and other chronologically related rock formations in the region.The new division of formations within this Group is proposed based on lithologies and stratigraphic correlation that could provide better understanding on the geology of northern section of Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia.
Breccia dominated rocks outcropping in the Tanjung Murau-Tanjung Sekakap area have been deposited in a composite system of alluvial fans and Gilbert-type deltas. The sedimentary facies ranges from boulder-dominated facies at the bottom to gravelstone-sandstone-dominated facies at the top of the succession. Other recognized facies are disorganized boulder-cobblesupported breccia (Bd), crudely stratified cobble-boulder-rich breccia (Bs), crudely stratified cobble-rich gravelstone (Gs-1), disorganized clast-supported gravelstone (Gd), crudely stratified pebble-rich gravelstone (Gs-2), normally-inversely-graded gravelstone (Gn-i), crossbedded gravelstone (Gc), stratified sandstone (Ss), massive sandstone (Sm) and homogenous mudstone (Mh) facies. Alluvial fan association feature discontinuous breccias and gravelstones (facies Bd and Bs), where sheet-floods and debris flows are dominant. The gravelstone dominated facies Gd, Gs-1 and Gs-2 intercalated with facies Gc are associated with the topset-foreset of a Gilbert-type fan-delta. The Gilbert-type topset are represented by facies Gc, Gn-i and Gs-2 as well as facies Ss. The dominance of breccia and gravelstone facies of alluvial fan and Gilbert-type topset-foreset delta facies associations suggest that these sediments were deposited on a steeply sloping continental margin with a rate of deposition similar to the rate of subsidence.
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