The Numidian Sandstones in northern Morocco: Evidence for early Burdigalian autochthonous deposition on top of the Tanger Unit

Provenance and paleogeographic implications for the Cenozoic sedimentary cover of the Ghomaride Complex (Internal Rif Belt), Morocco

“…22). The trends of both A-2N-K and A-N-K diagrams indicate source areas characterized by moderate weathering in non-steady-state conditions with a climatic change from the pre-orogenic to syn-orogenic cycle characterized by a progressive warming period (e.g., Abbassi et al, 2021). In particular, the pattern described in both diagrams (Fig.…”

“…1C). During early-middle Miocene, this important geotectonic feature has been built after a westward migration of the Betic-Rifian Internal Zones and a consequent docking against the MFB and the External Zones of both cordilleras (Iberian and African margins) (Guerrera et al, 2021;Marrone et al, 2021;DeCapoa et al 2007;Abbassi et al, 2021). The Betic-Rifian Internal Zones is a complex nappe pile formed by the stacking of three distinct units: i) Sebtides-Alpujárrides ii) Ghomarides-Maláguides and iii) Frontal Units (Martín-Algarra, 1987;Maaté, 1996;Jabaloy-Sánchez et al, 2019) or "Dorsal" Compex (Chalouan et al, 2008).…”

“…The aim of this paper is to discuss stratigraphic relations and compositional signatures of the Cenozoic sedimentary cover lying on Ghomaride Complex and on the internal Frontal Unit-"Dorsal" (also of Ghomaride affinity) sampled in the Tetuan area (N Marocco) (Figs. 1A and 2), in order to constrain the Cenozoic tectonic history of the Rif Belt orogenic accretionary processes and related foreland basin system (Abbassi et al, 2021). In the Tetouan Ghomaride units, four sectors have been studied and sampled in detail: Oued el Garraq, Oued el Lile, Beni Maaden and Sidi Abdeslam (Fig.…”

“…In the IRZ a strike-slip faults phase as main responsible of the new sedimentari basins during middle-late Miocene was proposed (Mauffret et al, 2007). This phase would be partially contemporaneous of late Miocene wedge-top basins In the ERZ (Abbassi et al, 2021). The end of the complete structuring of the Rif Chain can be located with the superposition of intramontane Pliocene basins (Michard et al, 2006;Chalouan et al, 2008).…”

“…As a whole, the Rif Chain evolved during the Cenozoic as a foreland basin complex system (Abbassi et al, 2021) but in detail, the Internal Rif Zone (IRZ) seems to have passed by several stages with no agreement among researchers. During most of the Paleogene, lower units of the Internal Zone underwent the Eo-Alpine phase due to subduction (Martín-Algarra, 1987;Marrone et al, 2021;).…”