Tectonic evolution of the Zambezi orogenic belt: geochronological, structural, and petrological constraints from northern Zimbabwe

Hargrove, Ulysses S.; Hanson, Richard E.; Martin, Mark W.; Blenkinsop, Thomas G.; Bowring, Samuel A.; Walker, Nicholas W.; Munyanyiwa, Hubert

doi:10.1016/s0301-9268(03)00066-4

Cited by 63 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…It is apparent that extensionrelated magmatism and sediment formation occurred on the northern margin of the Kalahari Craton and the southern margin of the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu Craton in the interval c. 880-750 Ma (Figs 3 and 6). The question therefore arises as to whether this provides credence to a model involving the attempted break-up of a previously assembled Congo-TanzaniaBangweulu-Kalahari Craton and the formation of a 'Zambezi Aulacogen' (Daly 1986a, b;Hanson et al 1988bHanson et al , 1993Hanson et al , 1994Hanson et al , 1998Unrug et al 1998;Kampunzu et al 2001;Hanson 2003;Hargrove et al 2003). We argue that, although there is a broad similarity in the age of magmatism on both cratons, in detail the timing does not overlap.…”

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…The presence of Palaeoproterozoic zircon xenocrysts in volcanic units (Singletary et al 2003) Fig. 3), and have been correlated with the volcanic rocks in the Upper Sinclair sequence (Hoal 1993) that occur along strike to the SW in Namibia and have a U/Pb age of 1094 AE 20 Ma (Hegenberger & Burger 1995 [80][81][82][83] , which are interpreted to represent the time of A-type magmatism and granulite-facies metamorphism (Hargrove et al 2003).…”

Section: Description Of Subregionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sedimentary protoliths of the Neoproterozoic Rushinga Group were presumably deposited on the northeastern margin of the Kalahari Craton. In northeastern Zimbabwe, where metamorphic grade is in the amphibolite facies, the suite consists of basal quartzite or psammite overlain by a structural package of pelite, quartzite and marble (Barton et al 1991;Hargrove et al 2003), with volcanic and plutonic rocks dated between 808 and 795 Ma 84,85,89 . Farther west, abundant peralkaline sheets were emplaced along with mafic magmas, in a continental rift setting, presumably through the Palaeoproterozoic Magondi Belt (Munyanyiwa et al 1997;Dirks et al 1999).…”

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The oldest Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks (870-840 Ma) on the Kalahari margin are the Ocellar Gneiss and the Mavuradohna Vavrdova & Utting (1972). D/C, disconformity; M.S.Z., Mwembeshi Shear Zone; N, north; S, south; T, thrust; U/C, unconformity Metamorphic Suite in the Zambezi Allochthonous Terrane; they have been interpreted to represent a period of mid-crustal A-type magmatic activity accompanied by granulite-facies metamorphism (Hargrove et al 2003). However, these rocks occur in thrust slices, and it is not known whether they formed on the Kalahari margin or are allochthonous to it.…”

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, rift-related magmatism on the Kalahari Craton occurred intermittently from 870 Ma (if the Zambezi Allochthonous Terrane formed on the Kalahari margin) to 750 Ma, with a peak at about 800 Ma associated with the deposition of the protoliths to the Rushinga Group ( Fig. 6; Hargrove et al 2003). However, as the Zambezi Allochthonous Terrane cannot be unambiguously linked to the Kalahari Craton on which it rests, extensional magmatic activity associated with the Kalahari margin may not have started until c. 830 Ma.…”

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of the Mesoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic magmatic and tectonothermal history of south–central Africa: implications for Rodinia and Gondwana

Johnson

Rivers

Waele

2005

JGS

159

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This paper provides a review of the tectonic evolution of central-southern Africa from Mesoproterozoic to earliest Palaeozoic times, using available geological information and a robust U-Pb zircon database. During the late Mesoproterozoic, the southern margin of the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu Craton was characterized by suprasubduction-zone magmatism and the accretion of arc and microcontinental fragments. Magmatism within the adjacent Irumide Belt formed by recycling of older continental crust. Ophiolite blocks, possibly part of an olistostromal mélange, are present in a Neoproterozoic sequence overlying the Irumide Belt, and the occurrence of high-pressure/low-temperature subduction-zone metamorphism and protracted Neoproterozoic suprasubduction-zone magmatism demonstrates that there was an ocean to the south (present-day coordinates) of the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu Craton until the amalgamation of Gondwana at 550-520 Ma, indicating that the Congo-Tanzania-Bangweulu Craton was not part of Rodinia. On the basis of their different ages and styles of magmatism, the Mesoproterozoic Kibaran Belt, ChomaKalomo Block and Irumide Belt are not components of the same orogen, therefore precluding a sub-Saharanwide, linked 'Kibaran' (sensu lato) orogenic event. Evidence is presented to illustrate that the CongoTanzania-Bangweulu and Kalahari Cratons developed independently until their final collision during the PanAfrican Orogeny along the Damara-Lufilian-Zambezi Orogen at c. 550-520 Ma.

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Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Description Of Subregionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neoproterozoic Magmatism Rifting and Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A review of the Mesoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic magmatic and tectonothermal history of south–central Africa: implications for Rodinia and Gondwana

Johnson

Rivers

Waele

2005

JGS

159

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Hierarchical segmentation of the Malawi Rift: The influence of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity and kinematics in the evolution of continental rifts

et al. 2015

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We used detailed analysis of Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-digital elevation model and observations from aeromagnetic data to examine the influence of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity and kinematics in the segmentation of largely amagmatic continental rifts. We focused on the Cenozoic Malawi Rift, which represents the southern extension of the Western Branch of the East African Rift System. This north trending rift traverses Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic structures of different orientations. We found that the rift can be hierarchically divided into first-order and second-order segments. In the first-order segmentation, we divided the rift into Northern, Central, and Southern sections. In its Northern Section, the rift follows Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic terrains with structural grain that favored the localization of extension within well-developed border faults. The Central Section occurs within Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic terrain with regional structures oblique to the rift extent. We propose that the lack of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity favoring extension localization resulted in the development of the rift in this section as a shallow graben with undeveloped border faults. In the Southern Section, Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic rocks were reactivated and developed the border faults. In the second-order segmentation, only observed in the Northern Section, we divided the section into five segments that approximate four half-grabens/ asymmetrical grabens with alternating polarities. The change of polarity coincides with flip-over full-grabens occurring within overlap zones associated with~150 km long alternating border faults segments. The inherited lithospheric heterogeneity played the major role in facilitating the segmentation of the Malawi Rift during its opening resulting from extension. Key Points:• Segmentation of the Malawi Rift is studied using SRTM DEM and magnetic data • The rift is hierarchically divided into first-order and second-order segments • Lithospheric heterogeneity controls firstand second-order segmentation

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Phanerozoic Morphotectonic Evolution of the Zimbabwe Craton: Unexpected Outcomes From a Multiple Low‐Temperature Thermochronology Study

et al. 2017

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The fragmentary Phanerozoic geological record of the anomalously elevated Zimbabwe Craton makes reconstructing its history difficult using conventional field methods. Here we constrain the cryptic Phanerozoic evolution of the Zimbabwe Craton using a spatially extensive apatite (U‐Th‐Sm)/He (AHe), apatite fission track (AFT), and zircon (U‐Th)/He (ZHe) data set. Joint thermal history modeling reveals that the region experienced two cooling episodes inferred to be the denudational response to surface uplift. The first and most significant protracted denudation period was triggered by stress transmission from the adjacent ~750–500 Ma Pan‐African orogenesis during the amalgamation of Gondwana. The spatial extent of this rejuvenation signature, encompassing the current broad topographic high, could indicate the possible longevity of an ancient topographic feature. The ZHe data reveal a second, minor denudation phase which began in the Paleogene and removed a kilometer‐scale Karoo cover from the craton. Within our data set, the majority of ZHe ages are younger than their corresponding AHe and AFT ages, even at relatively low eU. This unexpectedly recurrent age “inversion” suggests that in certain environments, moderately, as well as extremely, damaged zircons have the potential to act as ultra‐low‐temperature thermochronometers. Thermal history modeling results reveal that the zircon radiation damage accumulation and annealing model (ZRDAAM) frequently overpredicts the ZHe age. However, the opposite is true for extremely damaged zircons where the ZHe and AHe data are also seemingly incompatible. This suggests that modification of the ZRDAAM may be required for moderate to extreme damage levels.

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Tectonic evolution of the Zambezi orogenic belt: geochronological, structural, and petrological constraints from northern Zimbabwe

Cited by 63 publications

References 53 publications

A review of the Mesoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic magmatic and tectonothermal history of south–central Africa: implications for Rodinia and Gondwana

A review of the Mesoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic magmatic and tectonothermal history of south–central Africa: implications for Rodinia and Gondwana

Hierarchical segmentation of the Malawi Rift: The influence of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity and kinematics in the evolution of continental rifts

Phanerozoic Morphotectonic Evolution of the Zimbabwe Craton: Unexpected Outcomes From a Multiple Low‐Temperature Thermochronology Study

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