Deformation styles and structural history of the Paleozoic limestone, Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract

The Paleozoic limestone of Kinta Valley formed a narrow deformed strip between the Late Triassic -Early Jurassic batholiths of the northern Peninsular Malaysia. Because of the advanced stage of karstification, it is difficult to understand the deformation events that affected the limestone. We use outcrop remote sensing mapping, outcrop examples and hand specimens to unravel the tectonic evolution from syn-sedimentary to Recent events. We identify (i.) an early extensional event marked by very penetrative micro-normal faults, possibly due to compaction underneath the sea bottom, which occurred when bedding was still horizontal, (ii.) an early compression indicated by a set of conjugate originally strike-slip faults, (iii.) a well-marked compression with thrusts and tight folds which tilted the previously formed structures, (iv.) ductile high temperature (HT) normal shear located near the contact with the granites, and (v.) late extensional event marked by subsequent large normal faults. We interpret the evolution as intra-basin extension during Permian-Triassic times followed by a continuum of high strain coeval with the late stages of granite emplacement including compression and gravitational extension on the edge of the intrusion. The late extension is undated but may be linked to the Tertiary basins formation of Malaysia or the Late Miocene to Quaternary uplift.

Lower Permian (Late Kungurian) conodonts from the Sibumasu Terrane, Malaysia: paleoecological, paleobiogeographical and tectonic implications

“…The core of the anticline is formed by Devonian limestones, and the eastern flank includes faulted packages of Carboniferous and Permian strata. Deformation includes syn-sedimentary faults and slump folds on which have been superimposed Indosinian tectonic folding and faulting and ductile high-temperature folding and shearing related to Late Triassic-Early Jurassic granite emplacement (Choong et al 2016); see Fig. 6 for some examples.…”