A review of the evolution of the Mozambique Belt and implications for the amalgamation and dispersal of Rodinia and Gondwana

G. H. Grantham, M. Maboko, B. M. Eglington

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

60 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Geochronological, isotopic, lithological and structural data from the Mozambique Belt, and its extensions in Antarctica, Sri Lanka, India and Madagascar, are summarized and reviewed within a Gondwana framework. Much of the southern Mozambique Belt is dominated by Rodinian-Grenvillian-age juvenile magmatism and crustal genesis, with a strong metamorphic overprint during the Pan-African. Magmatism at c. 800 Ma, possibly related to Rodinian fragmentation, is restricted to the Zambesi Belt, a few examples in northern Mozambique, southern Malawi, Tanzania, Madagascar and the Rayner Complex in Antarctica. Significantly, no crust of this age is recognized in western Dronning Maud Land. Amalgamation of Gondwana initially involved the closure of the Mozambique Ocean between the Tanzanian-Congo Cratons and the Madagascar-India-Enderby Cratons forming the East African Orogeny between c. 580 and c. 800 Ma. This was followed by the c. 500-580 Ma transpressional sinistral collision of the combined Kalahari-East Antarctic Cratons and associated Grenville-age belts in the south, with the northern block comprising the combined Tanzanian-Congo-Madagascar-India-Enderby Block.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)401-425
Number of pages25
JournalGeological Society Special Publication
Volume206
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Geology

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