Ediacaran - To - Visean - Crustal - Growth - ZOM - RHEIC OCEAN - EVORA MEETING 2006

PART I
List of Participants
List of Participants:
Jacobo ABATI
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
abati@geo.ucm.es
Ricardo ARENAS
arenas@geo.ucm.es
Maider ARMENDÁRIZ
Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (Spain)
m.armendariz@igme.es
Erdin BOZKURT
Middle East Technical University (Turkey)
erdin@metu.edu.tr
Jamie BRAID
St. Francis Xavier University (Canada)
x98bmk@st.fx.ca
César CASQUET
casquet@geo.ucm.es
Martim CHICHORRO
Universidade de Évora (Portugal)
mac.chichorro@clix.pt
Allen DENNIS
University South Carolina, Aiken (USA)
allend@usca.edu
Alejandro DÍEZ
al.diez@igme.es
Rubén DÍEZ FERNÁNDEZ

Universidad Salamanca
georuben@usal.es
Jaroslav DOSTAL
St. Mary’s University, Halifax (Canada)
jdostal@smu.ca
Kerstin DROST
Museum fur Mineralogie und Geologie, Dresden (Germany)
kerstin.drost@snsd.smwk.sachsen.de
Javier FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ
jfsuarez@geo.ucm.es
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Carmen GALINDO
cgalindo@geo.ucm.es
Inmaculada GIL
i.gil@igme.es
Richard GLEN
Geological Survey of New South Wales (Australia)
Dick.Glen@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Valery GOROZHANIN
Institute of Geology Ufimian Scientific Centre RAS (Russia)
gorozhanin@anrb.ru
Yelena GOROZHANINA
Institute of Geology Ufimian Scientific Centre RAS (Russia)
YGorozhanina@yandex.ru
Gabriel GUTIÉRREZ-ALONSO
Universidad Salamanca (Spain)
gabi@usal.es
Stephen JOHNSTON
University of Victoria (Canada)
stj@uvic.ca
Duncan KEPPIE
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (México)
duncan@servidor.unam.mx
Ulf LINNEMANN
Museum fur Mineralogie und Geologie, Dresden (Germany)
ulf.linnemann@snsd.smwk.sachsen.de
Barry LONG
Geological Survey of Ireland (Ireland)
barry.long@gsi.ie
Rafael LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO
r.lopez@igme.es
José Ramón MARTÍNEZ CATALÁN

Universidad Salamanca (Spain)
jrmc@aida.usal.es
Patrícia MOITA
pmoita@uevora.pt
Brendan MURPHY
St. Francis Xavier University (Canada)
bmurphy@stfx.ca
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Damian NANCE
Ohio University (USA)
nance@ohio.edu
M. Francisco PEREIRA
mpereira@uevora.pt
Sergei PISAREVSKI
School of Earth and Geographical Sciences (Australia)
spisarevsky@tsrc.uwa.edu.au
Cecilio QUESADA
c.quesada@igme.es
Teresa SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA

t.sanchez@igme.es
Sonia SÁNCHEZ MARTÍNEZ

s.sanchez@geo.ucm.es
José Francisco SANTOS

Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal)
jfsantos@geo.ua.pt
José B. SILVA
Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal)
jbrandao@fc.ul.pt
Robin STRACHAN
University of Portsmouth (UK)
Rob.Strachan@port.ac.uk
Jens ULRICH
Museum fur Mineralogie und Geologie Dresden (Germany) jens.ulrich@snsd.smwk.sachsen.de
Erdinc YIGITBAS
Canakkale Onksekiz Mart University (Turkey)
eyigitbas@comu.edu.tr
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PART II
Programme
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6
PART II. Programme
September 27th- Arrival to Évora
September 28th- Conference (University of Évora)
9h00m- Reception and documentation delivery
9h50m- Openning of the Conference

10h-13h- Oral presentation-Session I (see Part III for Conference Abstracts)
10h00m- MURPHY & DOSTAL

CONTINENTAL MAFIC MAGMATISM OF DIFFERENT AGES IN THE SAME
TERRANE: CONSTRAINTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF AN ENRICHED MANTLE
SOURCE
10h20m- KEPPIE, RAMOS-ARIAS, MORALES-GÁMEZ, NANCE, MILLER, MURPHY & DOSTAL

THE ACATLÁN COMPLEX, SOUTHERN MEXICO: ODEYSSEY FROM RHEIC SOUTHERN
MARGIN TO PACIFIC EASTERN MARGIN
10h40m- DROST, LINNEMANN & ROMER

EARLY PALAEOZOIC VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF THE TEPLÁ-
BARRANDIAN (BOHEMIAN MASSIF) WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE OPENING OF THE
RHEIC OCEAN
11h00m-11h40m- Coffee-Break and Poster Session I (see Part III for Conference Abstracts)
11h40m- PEREIRA, CHICHORRO & PIN

Sm-Nd ISOTOPE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CAMBRIAN-ORDOVICIAN (?)
AMPHIBOLITES FROM THE ÉVORA MASSIF: AN ENSIALIC RIFT DEVELOPING INTO A
PROTO-OCEANIC BASIN WITH MOR INITIATION?
12h00m- CHICHORRO, PEREIRA, WILLIAMS & SILVA

SHRIMP U-Pb ZIRCON GEOCHRONOLOGY OF FELSIC ORTHOGNEISSES FROM THE
ÉVORA MASSIF: LOWER-MIDDLE CAMBRIAN CONTINENTAL RIFT-RELATED
MAGMATISM
12h20m- SÁNCHEZ-MARTÍNEZ , JEFFRIES, ARENAS, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ & GARCÍA-SÁNCHEZ

U-PB DATING OF THE PURRIDO MAFIC UNIT (CABO ORTEGAL COMPLEX, NW
SPAIN)
12h40m- JOHNSTON
PLATE TECTONICS AND OROCLINES: THE ROLL OF RIBBONS
13h-14.40h- Lunch
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14h40m-17h40m- Oral presentations-Session II (see Part III for Conference Abstracts)
14h40m- PISAREVSKY, MURPHY, NANCE & KEPPIE

NEOPROTEROZOIC-EARLY PALAEOZOIC CONFIGURATION OF PERI-GONDWANAN
TERRANES AT THE ONSET OF PALAEOZOIC OCEAN DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATIONS
FOR LAURENTIA-GONDWANA CONNECTIONS AND THE EARLY EVOLUTION OF
THE RHEIC OCEAN
15h00m- ARMENDÁRIZ, LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO, PIN, BELLIDO & QUESADA
SEDIMENTARY PROVENANCE AND INFILLING HISTORY OF THE PEDROCHES SYN-
OROGENIC BASIN (MISSISSIPIAN, SW IBERIAN MASSIF) INFERRED FROM
GEOCHEMISTRY AND Nd ISOTOPES
15h20m- LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO, ARMENDÁRIZ, PIN, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ, BELLIDO & QUESADA

NEOPROTEROZOIC-PALAEOZOIC TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE OSSA-MORENA
AND CENTRAL IBERIAN ZONES AS REVEALED BY Sm-Nd SYSTEMATICS OF
METASEDIMENTS
15h40m-16h20m- Coffee Break and Poster Session II (see Part III for Conference Abstracts)
16h20m- GOROZHANINA, PUCHKOV & GOROZHANIN

THE COMPARISON OF THE RHEIC AND THE URALIAN OCEANS DEVELOPMENT:
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
16h40m- ABATI , WHITEHOUSE, ARENAS & FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ

U-Pb - SIMS DATING OF ECLOGITES FROM THE BASAL ALLOCHTHON OF THE NW
IBERIAN MASSIF (SPAIN): IS SUBDUCTION YOUNGER THAN PREVIOUSLY
THOUGHT?
17h00m- GUTIÉRREZ-ALONSO, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ, WEIL, MURPHY, NANCE, CORFÚ &

JOHNSTON
SELF-SUBDUCTION OF A GLOBAL PLATE–THE BEGINNING OF PANGEA’S END?
17h20m- GLEN
THE TASMANIDES OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA: A COLLAGE OF ACCRETIONARY
OROGENS
17h20m- End of the Conference
September 29th- 1st Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Fregenal de la Sierra)
September 30th- 2nd Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Aracena)
October 1st- 3rd Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)
October 2nd- 4th Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)
October 3rd- 5th Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)
October 4th- Departure from Évora
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PART III
Conference Abstracts
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PART III. CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS
List of oral presentations
Session I
CONTINENTAL MAFIC MAGMATISM OF DIFFERENT AGES IN THE SAME TERRANE:

CONSTRAINTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF AN ENRICHED MANTLE SOURCE
J. BRENDAN MURPHY
Department of Earth Sciences, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5 Canada,
JAROSLAV DOSTAL
Department of Geology, St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3, Canada
Models for the petrogenesis of continental rift-related basaltic rocks typically involve a combination of partial melting
of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle, low pressure fractional crystallization, and chemical contamination by either
continental crust or coeval felsic magmas. The sub-continental lithospheric mantle can underlie a region for a long
period of time during which it can be chemically modified by tectonothermal activity prior to any rifting event. As a
result, the chemical and isotopic imprint of the mantle source on rift-related basalts in any given region is generally
uncertain.
Important insights into the genesis of continental rift-related basalts and the evolutionary history of its mantle source
can be gained by focusing on terranes in which rift-related magmatism has occurred repeatedly over a long period of
time. The Antigonish Highlands, Nova Scotia lie within the Avalon terrane of the northern Appalachians and
contain four distinct episodes of rift-related magmatism: Neoproterozoic, Cambrian, Middle Ordovician and Late
Devonian. All four magmatic suites are composed of basalts and subordinate crustally-derived felsic rocks. The mafic
rocks of these suites, which do not appear to be significantly contaminated by continental crust, display similar
geochemical and Sm-Nd isotopic characteristics indicating a remarkable degree of inheritance, and are consistent with
a mantle source metasomatically enriched prior to the oldest rifting event, probably between 0.8 and 1.1 Ga. These data
also imply that the Avalonian crust and its sub-continental lithospheric mantle remained coupled during four magmatic
events. As the earliest phases of magmatism occurred when Avalonia was located along the Gondwanan margin, and
the latest phases after Avalonia accreted to Laurentia, the coupling of crust and mantle in the Antigonish Highlands
suggests that the migration of Avalonia did not completely detach its lithospheric mantle from its crustal cover.
THE ACATLÁN COMPLEX, SOUTHERN MEXICO: ODEYSSEY FROM RHEIC SOUTHERN MARGIN TO
PACIFIC EASTERN MARGIN
J. DUNCAN KEPPIE, MARIO RAMOS-ARIAS, MIGUEL MORALES-GÁMEZ

Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., México
R. DAMIAN NANCE
Department Geological Sciences, 316 Clippinger Labs, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, U.S.A.
BRENT V. MILLER
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, U.S.A.
J. BRENDAN MURPHY
Department Earth Sciences, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, B2G 2W5
JAROSLAV DOSTAL
Department of Geology, St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 3C3
New structural, geochronological and geochemical data from the Acatlán Complex of southern Mexico shows it to
preserve a history from Cambro-Ordovician rifting along the southern margin of the Rheic Ocean through Devono-
Carboniferous subduction and exhumation to a Permo-Triassic transtensional arc on the eastern Pacific margin. The
oldest rocks are represented by clastic sedimentary rocks intruded by continental rift tholeiites that are intruded by
bimodal, rift-related, mafic and felsic plutons ranging in age from ~480 to 440 Ma. This was followed by deposition
continental rise deposits containing tectonic lenses of ocean-floor tholeiites and ocean island basalts. The youngest
detrital zircons in the clastic rocks range into the Devonian. Tectonically interleaved with these greenschist facies rocks
are slices of high pressure eclogite with a continental rift tholeiitic protolith, blueschist mafic rocks, high grade rift-
passive margin, metasedimentary rocks, ~470-420 Ma granitoid rocks, and periarc serpentinite. Concordant U-Pb zircon
data on one of these eclogites yielded an age of ~346 Ma that was closely followed by decompression migmatization
and cooling through ~350°C by ~350 Ma (40Ar/39Ar muscovite data). Exhumation of these high grade rocks occurred
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during deposition of latest Devonian – Middle Permian continental to shallow marine rocks, Permian arc magmatism
that extends along western margin of Pangea through Mexico, and dextral trans-tensional deformation. The western
margin of Pangea during the Triassic changes from rift and passive margin in northern Mexico to S-vergent thrust and
associated clastic wedge in the Acatlán Complex consistent with oblique dextral convergence between the Pacific and
Pangean plates.
EARLY PALAEOZOIC VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF THE TEPLÁ-BARRANDIAN

(BOHEMIAN MASSIF) WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE OPENING OF THE RHEIC OCEAN
KERSTIN DROST, ULF LINNEMANN,

Staatliche Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Mineralogie und Geologie, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, 01109
Dresden, Germany
ROLF L. ROMER
GeoForschungszentrum Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
The Teplá-Barrandian Unit (TBU) of the central Bohemian Massif is composed of Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic rocks
that were incorporated into the Variscan orogen during Devono-Carboniferous collision processes. Initially, i.e., during
the Neoproterozoic and the Cambrian, the TBU was part of the Avalonian-Cadomian tectonostratigraphic belt at the
periphery of Gondwana. Neoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary successions are deformed and metamorphosed to various
degree and form the so-called Cadomian basement. The unmetamorphosed Palaeozoic rocks were deposited above an
angular unconformity and reflect an important Early Palaeozoic rifting event.
The rift-stage comprises about 2,500 m chiefly continental sandstones and conglomerates of Lower Cambrian age.
Compositions of these rocks are controlled by intense weathering and by contributions from synsedimentary volcanism.
After a transgression marine Middle Cambrian shales, sandstones, (sub)greywackes and conglomerates were deposited.
Sediments of unequivocal Upper Cambrian age are not present. However, an up to 1,500 m thick volcanic sequence was
deposited under subaerial conditions during the Upper Cambrian. Volcanic rocks include subalkaline basaltic andesites
and peraluminous rhyolites that are interpreted as continental tholeiites and effusive equivalents of A-type granites,
respectively, according to their geochemical compositions. Basin architecture, character and compositions of the detrital
sediments and the nature of the igneous rocks are in line with a rift setting. After this Cambrian rift-stage, thermal
collapse led to a transgression. Tremadocian detrital sediments were deposited above a disconformity, which is related
to the breakup of the Rheic Ocean.
The Ordovician of the Barrandian basin is characterized by mature sediments. Uniform geochemical compositions
indicate efficient mixing of the detritus before deposition in a shelf environment. Alkaline volcanism is of within-plate
style.
Compositions of sedimentary rocks of the TBU indicate increasing source rock weathering from the Neoproterozoic
through the Cambrian to the Ordovician. This signature and the age spectra of detrital zircon underline the continuous
availability of material from the same, but increasingly weathered hinterland. Therefore, after opening of the Rheic
Ocean accompanied by the separation of Avalonia during the Late Cambrian - Early Ordovician the TBU must have
remained at the Gondwana margin and thus, formed part of the southern margin of the Rheic Ocean.
SM-ND ISOTOPE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CAMBRIAN-ORDOVICIAN? AMPHIBOLITES FROM

THE ÉVORA MASSIF: AN ENSIALIC RIFT DEVELOPING INTO A PROTO-OCEANIC BASIN WITH
MOR INITIATION?
M. FRANCISCO PEREIRA,
Departamento Geociências, Centro Geofísica Évora, Universidade de Évora, Apt 94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
MARTIM CHICHORRO
Centro Geofísica Évora, Universidade de Évora, Apt 94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
CHRISTIAN PIN
Lab. de Géologie, CNRS & Univ. Blaise Pascal, 5 rue Kessler. 63038 Clermont-Ferrand, France
The magmatic activity in the Évora Massif, in the period corresponding to the Lower Palaeozoic, is recorded in
igneous-sedimentary complexes showing a compositional range from rhyodacites-rhyolites to sub-alkaline basalts.
Volcanism started in the Early Cambrian with acidic to intermediate flows and pyroclastics, basic sills and dykes,
associated to detrital and carbonate rocks. Towards the top, bimodal volcanics persist but basic occurrences increase,
and pass to massive basalts and pyroclastics mainly linked to detrital and minor carbonate sediments (Middle-Upper
Cambrian-Lower Ordovician?).
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Geochemical and Sm-Nd isotopic results are reported for the Cambrian-Ordovician? amphibolites from the Évora
Massif. Three groups of contemporaneous amphibolites can be distinguished based on their geochemical characteristics.
The samples of Group 1 were collected in outcrops of the amphibolites which are intercalated in the lithologies from the
Ediacaran and/or from the Early Cambrian. These amphibolites seem to derive from basaltic -sometimes close to
andesitic - compositions and are spatially associated to metarhyodacites and metasediments of both carbonate and
detrital origins. They show trace element patterns with pronounced negative Ta anomalies, typical of basic magmas
generated in the mantle wedges above subduction zones, but also common in mafic magmas having suffered crustal
contamination. The Th/Yb ratios are variable (from 0.39 to 0.07), corresponding to chondrite-normalized patterns that
are slightly depleted, flat or slightly enriched, which suggests a change in the trace element signatures from tholeiitic to
calc-alkaline compositions. These VAB-like have 147Sm/144Nd ranging from 0.1639 to 0.1946 and εNd(T) values of
+3.5 to +5.2.
Groups 2 and 3 comprise rocks derived from essentially subalkaline basaltic protoliths. The composition of these
samples matches very well those of magmas generated in anorogenic settings characterized by low values (between 1.0
and 2.0) of the Th/Ta ratio. Some differences between the two groups can be pointed on multi-elements diagrams:
Group 2 samples have relatively enriched signatures (Th/Yb = 0.19-0.54; Ce/Yb = 4.98-11.55), with maximum
normalized values usually corresponding to the Ta position; in contrast, Group 3 samples display trace element patterns
with LILE depletion (Th/Yb = 0.05-0.14) and relatively flat normalized REE distribution (corresponding to Ce/Yb =
3.1-4.7). Therefore, Group 3 samples are reminiscent of E-to N-MORBs with 147Sm/144Nd ranging from 0.1478 to
0.1787, and εNd(T) values of +5.8 to +7.0, reaching the very high value of +9.1(typical for N-MORB) in a mafic
cumulate. The Group 2 amphibolites are geochemically transitional between E-MORB and intraplate mafic volcanics
and present 147Sm/144Nd ranging from 0.1880 to 0.2498 and εNd(T) values of +6.4 to +7.3.
The close temporal relationship of these amphibolites suggests that their magmatic precursors were likely formed in an
environment similar to an ensialic rift developing into a proto-oceanic basin with MOR initiation and incipient
spreading.
SHRIMP U-Pb ZIRCON GEOCHRONOLOGY OF FELSIC ORTHOGNEISSES FROM THE ÉVORA

MASSIF: LOWER-MIDDLE CAMBRIAN CONTINENTAL RIFT-RELATED MAGMATISM
MARTIM CHICHORRO,
Centro Geofísica Évora, Universidade de Évora, Apt.94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
M. FRANCISCO PEREIRA,
Departamento Geociências, Centro Geofísica Évora, Universidade de Évora, Apt.94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
IAN WILLIAMS,
Geochronology and Isotope geochemistry, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra,
Australia
JOSÉ B. SILVA
Departamento de Geologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C3, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
The lithological succession of the Montemor-o-Novo Shear Zone (Évora Massif) presents a Cambrian calc-alkaline
volcanic-sedimentary and detritic-carbonate complex that unconformably overlies the Ediacaran metasediments (Serie
Negra with maximum for deposition at ca. 560Ma). The detrital zircon population of Serie Negra metasediments
(immature detrital rocks with calc-alkaline geochemical signature) includes oldest cores with a Paleoarchean (3.2Ga),
Mesoarchean (2.9–3.1Ga), Neoarchean (2.5-2.7Ga) and Paleoproterozoic (1.7-2.1Ga) ages. The youngest ages indicate
a predominance of Neoproterozoic zircon forming events: Ediacaran (560-618Ma) and Cryogenian (652-846Ma), with
examples of magmatic and metamorphic growths.
The felsic magmatism from the Cambrian igneous-sedimentary complex with marbles, interbedded felsic and mafic
metavolcanics, felsic orthogneisses and mica schists, is characterized by riodacite to riolite compositions. These felsic
rocks chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu negative anomalies and a slight LILE/HFSE enrichment together
with Th/Nb (0.84-3.17), Th/Y (0.19-0.46) and La/Nb (0.66-5.49) ratios typical of calc-alkaline ‘orogenic’ magmas.
According to the morphology and internal characteristics of the zircons they probably derived from subvolcanics rocks.
The volcanic character of some samples is given by the presence of canalicules inclusions, lacking of growth, steps of
growth and aggregate crystals. The only exotic core that was found gave a Paleoproterozoic age of 2.0 Ga (Rhyacian).
This suggests a limited participation of a crustal component compared with the mantle participation in this magma suite.
The SHRIMP U-Pb zircon determinations point for concordant ages point for Lower Cambrian (526.5±9.9Ma,
524.1±5.9Ma and 516.8±5.5Ma) to Middle Cambrian (504.8±5Ma) igneous crystallization.
These U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages from the Évora Massif orthogneisses are comparable with those obtained by the
application of the same method on similar Ossa-Morena Zone rocks from Spain. This Cambrian thermal event has been
tentatively associated to post-collisional processes and seems to represent the transition from the Cadomian accretion
evolution to an Early Paleozoic extensional-dominated regime. Is the emplacement of these Lower-Middle Cambrian
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calc-alkaline melts associated to the decompressional melting after thickening of the continental crust? or this felsic
magmaism derived from the underlying contaminated mantle reservoir?
U-PB DATING OF THE PURRIDO MAFIC UNIT (CABO ORTEGAL COMPLEX, NW SPAIN)
SONIA SÁNCHEZ MARTÍNEZ
Departamento de Petrología y Geoquímica, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
TERESA JEFFRIES
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
RICARDO ARENAS, JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ
R. GARCÍA-SÁNCHEZ
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
U-Pb dating of zircons from a metagabbro of the Purrido amphibolitic unit (Cabo Ortegal Complex, NW Iberian
Massif) yielded an age of 1159 ± 39 Ma, interpreted to approximate the crystallization age of the gabbroic protolith.
Considering the arc affinity of the metagabbroic rocks, the unit is interpreted as a pre-Rodinian ophiolite developed in a
back-arc setting. It is suggested that the ophiolite was obducted over the West African terranes during the assembly of
Rodinia. There, this terrane remained tectonically stable and facing an ocean for a long time, and eventually became
part of the Gondwanan margin. The ophiolite was finally involved in the Variscan suture of Galicia where it is
sandwiched between Palaeozoic rocks. The Purrido unit is so far the only example of a Mesoproterozoic ophiolite in the
European Variscan belt, where pre-Neoproterozoic rocks are very scarce and restricted to small exposures.
PLATE TECTONICS AND OROCLINES: THE ROLL OF RIBBONS
STEPHEN T. JOHNSTON
School of Earth & Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, PO Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W
3P6
Two of the fundamental concepts that underpin the theory of Plate Tectonics are that (1) plates are internally
rigid, and (2) strain is restricted to narrow, well defined boundary zones. Implicit in these concepts is the assumption
that rigidity is three dimensional: points on the surface of a plate are assumed not to move with respect to each another
or to points located within the plates lower crust or lithospheric mantle. It has long been recognized that within
collisional orogens, at least the upper crust can detach from and be displaced hundreds of kilometres with respect to a
plates lower crust and lithospheric mantle. None the less, the concept of plate rigidity is still commonly assumed to
adequately describe the behaviour of the lithospheric mantle and probably the lower crust in orogenic zones.
Bends affecting orogenic belts, also known as oroclines, present a significant challenge to the concept of plate
rigidity. In a rigid plate framework, bends of orogenic belts have long been assumed to reflect the primary,
lithospheric-scale configuration of a continental margin: salients, bends convex toward the orogenic hinterland, are held
to develop where a continental promontory extended oceanward, whereas re-entrants, bends toward the continental
foreland, are interpreted as marking primary recesses within a continental margin. Paleomagnetic data, however, are
commonly inconsistent with such interpretations and typically imply that bending post-dates shortening and are the
result of deformation of originally linear features. Neither can large-scale, tight (interlimb angles of 120° to 140°)
bends of entire orogens, such as the Cantabrian orocline of NW Iberia or the Alaskan oroclines affecting the Northern
Cordillera of North America, be fully explained as a result of wrapping of structures about a primary, rigid, non-linear
continental margin. In addition, palinspastic restoration of large scale bends implies that the formation of such
oroclines involved significant (thousands of kilometres) of margin parallel shortening, orthogonal to the commonly
assumed margin-normal shortening direction.
During orocline formation, surface points located on the “limbs” bounding the hinge of a developing bend
rotate toward one another. Hence, despite the continuity of structures and stratigraphy around major oroclines, each
limb behaves as a separate plate. However, no plate bounding structures separate the limbs of an orocline. In other
words, oroclines lie outside the purview of Plate Tectonics, and require us to look for another paradigm to explain their
formation. Major questions involving orocline formation include: (1) Are oroclines, like plates, lithospheric scale
structures, or are they thin-skinned features characteristic of only the upper crust? (2) What is the fate of the lithosphere
and crust that originally lay between the limbs of large-scale, tight oroclines? And (3) What processes are responsible
for significant margin-parallel translations and the related formation of oroclines?
The answer to these questions may lie in viewing bent orogens as having originated as elongate, continental
“ribbons” that originally lay embedded within a largely oceanic plate. Consumption of the bounding oceanic
lithosphere at a convergent margin would eventually bring the buoyant ribbon into a subduction zone. In instances
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where the subduction zone lay orthogonal to the long axis of the ribbon, buckling of the unsubductable ribbon would
ensue. Buckling of the full lithosphere seems unlikely: (1) mantle lithosphere along the inner arc of the buckling
ribbon would have to thicken, while mantle along the outer arc thin; (2) mantle between the converging limbs of a
developing orocline would have to be removed, and (3) it is unclear that slab pull would be capable of buckling a
lithospheric-scale beam. A more likely scenario is that the lithospheric mantle underpinning the continental ribbon
would have detached from its overlying crust, and descended, together with the bounding oceanic lithospheric mantle,
into the sub-lithospheric upper mantle. In this fashion, continued buckling of the upper crust of the incoming ribbon is
driven by the ongoing subduction of oceanic lithosphere bounding the ribbon. Removal of the oceanic lithosphere
between the buckling upper crust is similarly accommodated by subduction. Room for the growing “oroclinal orogen”
is facilitated by roll-back of the subduction zone around the buckling upper crust of the continental ribbon. Elevated
heat flow and magmatism commonly accompany orocline formation and may be a product of asthenospheric upwelling
in response to removal by subduction of the continental ribbon’s lithospheric mantle. Alternatively, overprinting of the
oroclinal orogen by arc magmatism may occur in response to rollback of the subduction zone, in which case magmatism
should young oceanward across the oroclines. A model of Ribbon Tectonics predicts that oroclinal orogenic belts
originated as linear features that were removed from the authochthonous continent, perhaps by a back-arc basin, during
their development. These ribbons may have acted as bumpers against which exotic terranes accreted. During
subsequent back-arc basin collapse, the ribbons collide with the continent and buckle.
Session II
NEOPROTEROZOIC-EARLY PALAEOZOIC CONFIGURATION OF PERI-GONDWANAN TERRANES

AT THE ONSET OF PALAEOZOIC OCEAN DEVELOPMENT : IMPLICATIONS FOR LAURENTIA-
GONDWANA CONNECTIONS AND THE EARLY EVOLUTION OF THE RHEIC OCEAN
SERGEI PISAREVSKY
Tectonics Special Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia,
J. BRENDAN MURPHY
Department of Earth Sciences, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2W5, Canada,
DAMIAN NANCE
Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, U.S.A
J. DUNCAN KEPPIE
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., 04510 México.
Neoproterozoic tectonics is dominated by the amalgamation of the supercontinent Rodinia at ca. 1.0 Ga, its breakup at
ca. 0.75 Ga, and the collision between East and West Gondwana between 0.6 and 0.5 Ga. The principal stages in this
evolution are recorded by terranes along the northern margin of West Gondwana (Amazonia and West Africa), which
continuously faced open oceans during the Neoproterozoic. Two types of these so-called peri-Gondwanan terranes were
distributed along this margin in the late Neoproterozoic: (i) Avalonian-type terranes (e.g. West Avalonia, East Avalonia,
Carolina, NW Iberia, Moravia-Silesia, Oaxaquia, Chortis block that probably originated from ca. 1.3 to 1.0 Ga juvenile
crust within the Panthalassa-type ocean surrounding Rodinia and were accreted to the northern Gondwanan margin by
650 Ma, and (ii) Cadomian-type terranes (North Armorica, Saxo-Thuringia, Moldanubia, and fringing terranes South
Armorica, Ossa-Morena and Tepla-Barrandian) formed along the West African margin by recycling ancient (2-3 Ga)
West African crust. Subsequently detached from Gondwana, these ribbon terranes are now located within the Late
Palaeozoic Appalachian, Caledonide and Variscan orogens of North America and western Europe.
Some of the inferred relationships between these peri-Gondwanan terranes and the northern Gondwanan margin can be
compared with palaeomagnetically reconstructed movements that are interpreted for the Amazonian and West African
cratons for the interval ca. 800-500 Ma. Since Amazonia is palaeomagnetically unconstrained during this interval, in
most tectonic syntheses its location is inferred from a putative connection with Laurentia. Hence, such an analysis has
relevant implications for Laurentia-Gondwana connections and for high latitude versus low latitude models for
Laurentia in the interval ca. 615-570 Ma. In the high latitude model, Laurentia-Amazonia would have drifted rapidly
south during this interval, and subduction along its leading edge would provide a geodynamic explanation for the
voluminous arc magmatism evident in Neoproterozoic peri-Gondwanan terranes, in a manner analogous to the
Mesozoic-Cenozoic westward drift of North America and South America and subduction-related magmatism along the
eastern margin of the Pacific ocean. On the other hand, if Laurentia-Amazonia remained at low latitudes during this
interval, the most likely explanation for late Neoproterozoic peri-Gondwanan magmatism is the re-establishment of
subduction zones following terrane accretion at ca. 650 Ma. Available palaeomagnetic data for both West and East
Avalonia show systematically lower palaeolatitudes than predicted by these analyses, implying that more
15
palaeomagnetic data are required to document the movement histories of Laurentia, West Gondwana and the peri-
Gondwanan terranes, and test the connections between them.
SEDIMENTARY PROVENANCE AND INFILLING HISTORY OF THE PEDROCHES SYN-OROGENIC

BASIN (MISSISSIPIAN, SW IBERIAN MASSIF) INFERRED FROM GEOCHEMISTRY AND Nd ISOTOPES
MAIDER ARMENDÁRIZ, RAFAEL LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO

Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas 23, 28008 Madrid, Spain
CHRISTIAN PIN
Lab. de Géologie, CNRS & Univ. Blaise Pascal, 5 rue Kessler. 63038 Clermont-Ferrand, France
FÉLIX. BELLIDO, CECILIO QUESADA
Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas 23, 28008 Madrid, Spain
The Mississipian Pedroches basin developed as a syn-orogenic foredeep, under a neat transtensional regime, in response
to largely oblique (sinistral) convergence during the Variscan orogeny. It oversteps the boundary between the Ossa-
Morena and Central Iberian zones of the SW Iberian Massif. Its fill consists of both igneous and sedimentary rocks
deposited in a shallow, storm-dominated platform environment.
This study presents Sm-Nd isotope and whole-rock geochemical data, in addition to petrographic information in order
to determine the provenance of the foreland basin fill and to constrain the geological evolution of the Pedroches basin.
We only present data coming from metasedimentary rocks, belonging to the three southernmost structural units of the
basin. Data from the interbedded igneous rocks will be dealt with in a subsequent contribution.
Major, trace and rare earth element data from most of the fine-grained sedimentary rocks reveal relatively evolved
major element compositions (high SiO2/Al2O3, K2O/Na2O and CIA), LREE enrichment (Lan/Ybn = 6.9-12.2), high Th
abundances and relatively uniform Th/Sc ratios (from 0.85 to 1.29; thus, close to the value typical for the upper crust).
They also show high Th/U and La/Sc ratios (3.6 to 7.4 and 1.7 to 5.9, respectively) and moderate negative Europium
anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.63-0.72). All these characteristics reflect the predominance of upper crustal sources and a high
degree of sedimentary recycling.
These geochemical features are consistent with Nd isotopic data. Neodymium contents fall into a range of 22-44 ppm.
147
Sm/144Nd ratios vary from 0.1151 to 0.1215 as typical for materials from the upper continental crust (~ 0.12). All the
samples, ranging in stratigraphic age from 330 to 340 Ma, display strongly negative εNd(T) values (from -6.3 to -10.7)
and a mean Nd crustal residence age (TDM = 1.65 Ga) which is significantly older than the depositional age and reflects
the major role of crustal reworking.
The combined Nd isotopic and geochemical data from the Pedroches Carboniferous sedimentary rocks suggest an upper
continental crust provenance for these materials; i.e., they are derived from old, recycled upper crust without any
significant juvenile component despite the presence of interbedded basaltic rocks.
NEOPROTEROZOIC-PALAEOZOIC TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE OSSA-MORENA AND CENTRAL

IBERIAN ZONES AS REVEALED BY Sm-Nd SYSTEMATICS OF METASEDIMENTS
RAFAEL LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO, MAIDER ARMENDÁRIZ,

Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas 23, 28008 Madrid, Spain.
CHRISTIAN PIN,
Lab. de Géologie, CNRS & Univ. Blaise Pascal, 5 rue Kessler. 63038 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ SUÁREZ,
FÉLIX. BELLIDO, CECILIO QUESADA
Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas 23, 28008 Madrid, Spain.
The Variscan Belt in SW Iberia contains as most significant tectonic elements, the sutures between three different
continental blocks interpreted to correspond to the closing of old oceans. In the northern part of the Ossa-Morena zone,
the Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone is interpreted to represent the suture between the Central Iberian zone (part of
Neoproterozoic Gondwana) and the Ossa-Morena zone, the latter representing an exotic magmatic arc of uncertain
origin. Further south the Pulo do Lobo oceanic terrane delineates the Variscan suture between the Ossa-Morena and the
South Portuguese Zones.
The Ossa-Morena and Central Iberian zones exhibit a very complete Neoproterozoic-Palaeozoic geological record. In
this study, representative samples of the entire stratigraphic sequence in both domains were collected. The main aim
being the characterization of their respective tectonosedimentary evolution through comparison of their Nd isotopic
systematics throughout the Neoproterozoic-Palaeozoic timespan.
16
Neodymium isotopic composition have been determined on fine grained, low-to very low-grade metasedimentary rocks,
mainly shales. εNd(T) values range from +0.1 to -13.9. Significant excursions to less negative (more juvenile) values
between -3 to +0.1 are interpreted to record periods when the corresponding basins were significantly fed with juvenile
detritus from mantle sources. The most important case corresponds to the Neoproterozoic Malcocinado Formation in
Ossa-Morena,interpreted to reflect fill of back or intraarc basins of the.
In general, the εNd(T) are negative in both areas and do not display any sharp changes during the Palaeozoic; a
signature commonly found in recycled crustal-derived sediments. Nd mean crustal residence ages are typically in large
excess of the stratigraphic ages with TDM values often older than 1.5 Ga. The isotopic data are consistent with the Ossa-
Morena and Central Iberian Palaeozoic successions being derived from a polycyclic mixture of old crust (≈ 2 Ga) and
younger crustal components, coeval with the main orogenic phases.
We compare our Sm-Nd data with other published data from both the Ossa-Morena and Central Iberian zones. Isotopic
constraints suggest that these two domains probably belonged to the same palaeogeographic realm, at least from the
Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician onwards. In summary, Nd isotope systematics points to some differences between the
two domains in Neoproterozoic times and a significant similarities during the Palaeozoic.
THE COMPARISON OF THE RHEIC AND THE URALIAN OCEANS DEVELOPMENT: SIMILARITIES
AND DIFFERENCES
YELENA GOROZHANINA, VICTOR PUCHKOV, VALERY GOROZHANIN

Institute of Geology, Ufimian Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Science, K. Marx 16\2, 450000 Ufa, Russia,
The comparative study of different Palaeozoic orogens could be a clue to understanding of certain regularities in their
development (Alvares-Marron 2002, Scarrow et al. 2002). The Rheic and the Uralian Oceans were formed
simultaneously in the Arenig. The development of the Rheic Ocean was connected with closure of the Japetus Ocean
and rifting of the Eastern Avalonia from the northern margin of Gondwana. Then it was closed during Early-Middle
Devonian as a result of collision of Armorica with the southern margin of Eastern Avalonia, accreted by that time to
Baltica part of Laurussia (Dewey& Strachan 2005). The foreland thrust and fold belt in the SW England was formed
during the Variscan stage of deformations up to the Late Carboniferous. Post-orogenic granitic magmatism took place
in the Permian (Fieldguide, IGCP 497: SW England 2005).
The Uralian Ocean was formed between the eastern (recent position) margin of Baltica and Sibirean- Kazakhstanian
terrains as a result of marginal rifting (Puchkov 1997) or may have been an arm of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean, separated
by some microcontinents. According to Spadea & D’Antonio (2006), the Uralian ophiolites were classified as Thetyan-
type. The closure of the Uralian Ocean began due to the eastward intra-oceanic subduction and arc volcanism since the
Silurian in the Middle Urals and since the Early Devonian in the Southern Urals. The process of collision began in the
Late Devonian, when volcanic arc collided with the Baltica passive margin and HP metamorphic complex was formed.
Then after the quiescence during the Namurian (Sepukhovian) the collision with the Kazakhstanian continent took
place. The Uralian foreland thrust and fold belt was forming from the Middle Carboniferous to Late Permian. Some
collisional events continued up to the Early-Middle Jurassic.
Similarities between the developments of these two Oceans are the following: initial rifting began in the Early
Ordovician, deep water passive margin sedimentation took place until the Late Devonian, ophiolite obduction was in
the Latest Devonian, it was accompanied by greywacke turbidite and olistostrome formation, the foreland fold and
thrust belt development was during the Carboniferous, granitic plutonism took place in the Permian.
Differences are more numerous. According to the last hypothesis the Uralian Ocean was formed as a result of the break-
up of the Late Neoproterozoic supercontinent Panterra (Puchkov 2003). The Uralian orogen contains bigger amount of
ophiolites and well preserved complexes of the volcanic arc and arc-continent collision stage. The Uralian ophiolites
have supra-subduction zone features. The post oceanic (collisional) stage in the Uralian orogenesis was longer- from
the late Devonian up to the Jurassic. The deformation styles are differing, the influence of the pre-existing basement
faults is not well seen. It shows only 17% (Brown et al. 1997) of the shortening of the upper crust in the Southern Urals
in contrast with 50% in the SW England. The phases of granitic magmatism in the Urals were syn-oceanic, syn-
subduction and syn-collisional, but not post-orogenic. Granitic batholites are situated in the hinterland, no one – in the
footwall (in front of ophiolites). The Uralian orogen had not experienced extensional collapse and post-orogenic
processes. The geophysical data show the presence of crustal roots, probably composed of mafic granulite (Scarrow et
al. 2002).
During the formation of Pangea the collision of the Baltic part of Laurussia with the Kazakhstanian continent was
softer, oblique and protracted than its collision with Gondwana. It could be related with the dimension and age of the
Kazakhstanian continent, which was smaller and younger, compared to Gondwana, the convergence rates of the
continents also differed.
17
References
Álvarez-Marrón, J. 2002. Tectonic processes during collisional orogenesis from comparison of the Southern Urals with the Central Variscides. In:
Brown, D., Juhlin, C. & Puchkov, V. (eds) Mountain Building in the Uralides: Pangea to Present. Geophysical Monograph, American
Geophysical Union, 132, 83-100.
Brown, D., Álvarez-Marrón, J., Pérez-Estaún, A., Gorozhanina, Y., Baryshev, V. & Puchkov, V. 1997. Geommetric and kinematic evolution of the
foreland thrust and fold belt in the southern Urals. Tectonics,16, 551-562,
Dewey, J.F. & Strachan, R.A. 2005. Caledonides of Britain and Ireland. In: Selley R., Cocks R., Ian Plimer (eds) Encyclopaedia of Geology. Europe.
Elsevier Ltd., p. 56-63.
Puchkov, V. 1997. Structure and geodynamics of the Uralian orogen. In: Burg, J.-P. & Ford, M. (eds) Orogeny through Time. Geological Society,
London, Special Publications, 121 201-236.
Puchkov, V.N. 2003. Uralides and Timanides: their structural relationship and position in the geologic history of the Ural-Mongolian fold belt.
Russian Geology and Geophysics, 44, p.28-39.
Scarrow, J. H., Ayala, C. & Kimbell, G.S. 2002. Insights into orogenesis: getting to the root of a continent-ocean-continent collision, Southern Urals,
Russia. Journal of Geological Society, London, 159, 659-671.
Spadea, P. & D’Antonio, M. 2006. Initiation and evolution of intra-oceanic subduction in the Uralides: geochemical and isotopic constrains from
Devonian oceanic rocks of the Southern Urals, Russia. Island Arc, 15, 7-25.
Strachan, R.; Whally, J. & Jones, K. (ed.): IGCP 497: The Rheic Ocean – its origin, evolution and correlatives – Field Excursion: July 6-11’th 2005,
SW England, Fieldguide.
U-Pb - SIMS DATING OF ECLOGITES FROM THE BASAL ALLOCHTHON OF THE NW IBERIAN
MASSIF (SPAIN): IS SUBDUCTION YOUNGER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT?
JACOBO ABATI
Depto. Petrología y Geoquímica, Facultad de Geología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
MARTIN J. WHITEHOUSE
Laboratory for Isotope Geology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, S-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
RICARDO ARENAS, JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ
Depto. Petrología y Geoquímica, Facultad de Geología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
The basal units of the allochthonous complexes of NW Iberia represent the outermost part of the north Gondwana
margin. The onset of the Variscan deformation in this margin is marked by its subduction below the remnants of the
Rheic Ocean, which are preserved in a previously developed orogenic wedge. Thus, a precise control of the age of this
subduction is essential to constrain the geodynamic evolution of the Variscan belt in Iberia. We present here a SIMS U-
Pb dating of zircons from eclogites of the basal units. Magmatic zircons from two medium temperature eclogites of the
Malpica-Tui unit indicate an age for the basic magmatism of 493±3 Ma. This is the first protolith age reported for these
rocks, and it results about 13 Ma older than the most precise ages available for the acid orthogneisses of the same unit,
indicating that, at least in this case, the basic rocks are not dikes intruding the orthogneisses, but previous intrusions.
Despite of the complete recrystallization and high deformation under high pressure and medium temperature (about
550-650 ºC) conditions, no metamorphic zircons or overgrowth rims were identified in the CL images. Conversely, the
eclogites of the Agualada unit, also part of the basal allochthon, contain very tiny and rounded metamorphic zircons,
and no magmatic zircons at all. 36 analyses yielded an age of 350±2 Ma, significantly younger than the age previously
considered for the high-pressure metamorphism, about 365 Ma, constrained essentially by Ar-Ar and Rb-Sr
geochronology. We suggest that the reported U-Pb age is probably the most reliable estimation for the HP
metamorphism of the basal units. Although this is the most straightforward interpretation, an alternative one can not be
completely ruled out: the zircon growth in the Agualada eclogites could be related with a later, post-HP geologic event,
like partial melting during exhumation. In fact, evidences of partial melting are sometimes found in the metapelitic
gneisses enclosing the eclogites, although not in the eclogites themselves. This last interpretation would conciliate the
new data with the previous geochronology, but the issue can not be closed and more investigation is needed. The
problem of linking zircon growth with a specific geologic event is ever present, and probably we need more knowledge
about metamorphic zircon forming reactions to overcome it.
Acknowledgements: This work was financed by the EU program SYNTHESIS.
THE TASMANIDES OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA: A COLLAGE OF ACCRETIONARY OROGENS
RICHARD A. GLEN
Geological Survey of New South Wales, Department of Primary Industries
The Tasmanides of eastern Australia occupy the eastern third of the continent, and cover an area ~3600 km long and up width
of ~1200 km. The history of the Tasmanides extends from ~750 Ma (Neoproterozoic) to 220 Ma (Middle-Late Triassic). It
records the break-up of Rodinia and the opening of the proto-Pacific Ocean from the Neoproterozoic (~750 Ma) until the
beginning of convergent margin tectonism that occurred around 525 Ma in the Middle Cambrian. From then on, it recorded
18
continuing convergent – to transform margin tectonism along the eastern margin of Gondwana until the Late Triassic.
Subsequent sedimentation, from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, was largely of the character of an intracontinental
sag basin, as the plate boundary migrated into the southwest Pacific. From the Middle Cambrian to the Late Triassic, the
Tasmanides evolved by long periods of sedimentation, arc and back arc activity along the east Gondwana margin, coupled
with formation of subduction complexes related to generally west-dipping subduction. These were punctuated by the short-
lived, ?orthogonal as well as highly oblique accretion of craton-derived turbidite terranes, island arcs and subduction
complexes that developed along the east Gondwana margin that also acted to close back arc basins. The proto-Pacific Ocean
was itself never closed.
This interaction between the growing Gondwana plate and the proto-Pacific plate is best described in terms of tectonic cycles:
a concept borrowed from the South American workers and adapted to the Tasmanides (Glen 2005). A complete cycle includes
sedimentation and igneous activity (in a convergent, strike-slip or extensional setting), followed by deformation. Each cycle is
named after its closing deformation which we call an orogeny. Temporally, the Tasmanides comprise three (super)cycles, each
encompassing relatively long periods of sedimentation and igneous activity, terminated by short orogenies. Most orogenies are
multiphase, consisting of accretion or terrane docking, followed by a relaxation or extensional event followed in turn by a
subsequent deformation that may record final stages of accretion. Many, but not all of these orogenies appear to reflect the
accretion of a terrane such as an arc or subduction complex to Gondwana. The supercycles are the Delamerian
(Neoproterozoic to latest Cambrian), terminated by forearc or arc collision with the craton in the Middle to Late Cambrian
(with post collisional granites and molasse), the Lachlan (basal Ordovician to Early Carboniferous and divided into three
cycles all terminated by orogenies-the Benambran, the Tabberabberan and the Kanimblan) and the Hunter Bowen (Late
Devonian to Late Triassic) terminated by accretion of an intraoceanic arc.
The areal distribution of accretionary deformation is used to divide the Tasmanides into a five orogenic belts, with an internal
Permian-Triassic rift-foreland basin system (Figure 1). In southern Australia, these are, from west to east, the Delamerian
Orogen, the Lachlan Orogen, the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney Basin System and the southern New England Orogen. In the
north, the Thomson Orogen passes north into the North Queensland Orogen and east, across the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney
Basin System, into the northern New England Orogen. Orogenic belts are defined by age of the main deformation in those
belts. Thus rocks of the Delamerian Orogeny were deformed by the Middle-Late Cambrian Delamerian Orogeny, the Lachlan
Orogen was deformed by at the end of the Ordovician (Benambran Orogeny), as well as in the Middle Devonian
(Tabberabberan Orogeny) and also in the Early Carboniferous (Kanimblan Orogeny). Post-orogenic stratigraphic units lie
above rocks deformed in these defining orogenies, making it difficult to recognise and interpret boundaries between orogens.
In general, rocks get younger from west to east, away from cratonic Australia, fitting the general accretion model. However
there are two important caveats (Glen 2005).
i) there is no sign of accretion in the North Queensland Orogen where Neoproterozoic to Permian rocks are stacked
on top of each other, and remain close to the cratonic margin. This in marked contrast to the southern Tasmanides where the
Delamerian Orogen is ~400 km wide , the Lachlan Orogen ~700 km wide and the New England Orogen ~300 km wide. This
important difference between the northern and southern Tasmanides indicates rollback of the proto-Pacific plate only occurred
in the south, and must reflect segmentation or oblique spreading of that plate.
ii) rollback of the southern part of the proto-Pacific plate is reflected by some of the outboard orogens containing old
rocks (eg rocks of the Delamerian and Lachlan supercycles occur in the New England Orogen). These represent pieces of older
cycles rifted off during rollback and forming partial basement to the new cycle.
The Delamerian supercycle consists of a prolonged rifting event from 750 Ma till ~600 Ma as Rodinia was broken up. The
inboard part is largely amagmatic and is represented by the Adelaide Rift Complex. The outboard part is characterised by
development of smaller rift basins and a major alkaline magmatic rift system from 600 -580 Ma. A switch to convergent
margin magmatism (approximately synchronous with a new inboard cycle of rift basin formation, the Kanmantoo Trough)
occurred in the outboard parts of the Delamerian Orogen around 520 Ma . This is reflected by the formation of mafic to
ultramafic boninitic forearc crust on the western part of the island of Tasmania and probable arc rocks as well as forearc crust
on the mainland. Both east and west dipping subduction have been proposed and more than one arc may have been developed
sequentially. Accretion of arc and forearc rocks occurred around 510-505 Ma and was followed by extension, post-collisional
volcanism and then later deformation at the end of the Cambrian.
The Lachlan Supercycle began with rollback of the proto-Pacific plate opposite the southern part of the Tasmanides,
generation of a new subduction zone and the formation of the intraoceanic Macquarie Arc opposite a 1000 km long, west-
dipping, highly convergent part of the plate boundary. Blueschists associated with this subduction zone now occur as knockers
in fault slices in the southern New England Orogen and were probably displaced ~200 km to the north in the end-Ordovician
Benambran Orogeny. Other parts of the plate boundary were largely strike-slip In the southern Tasmanides, Ordovician
quartz-rich turbidites and shales formed in separate terranes: one was probably in situ, deposited in a back arc basin, but the
others are allochthonous and formed off present-day west Antarctica. The Bega Terrane was transported northwards along a
largely transform margin in the Late Ordovician and it and the Macquarie Arc were accreted by a combination of thick and
thin-skinned thrusting and multiple deformation around the Ordovician-Silurian boundary in the Benambran Orogeny. The
largely Ordovician oceanic Narooma Terrane was accreted to the Bega Terrane in the Benambran Orogeny as well. MORB-
like mafic volcanic + chert terranes represent ocean crust formed during mid-Ordovician seafloor spreading and were
imbricated in with other terranes during closure of ocean basins in Benambran Orogeny. The allochthonous Bendigo Terrane
19
also underwent a simple thin-skinned deformation in the Benambran Orogeny (south of its present position), but only in the
western part. In the eastern part deposition continued into the Early Devonian during northwards strike-slip transport, and was
only terminated by accretion at the end of the Early Devonian in the Tabberabberan Orogeny. Convergent margin relations are
also preserved in the North Queensland Orogen, but with a continental margin arc and back arc basin recognised in the Early
Ordovician and again in the Late Ordovician. The two are separated by a mid-Ordovician unconformity.
With the exception of the Bendigo Terrane, the enlarged eastern part of Gondwana underwent major tension from the Early
Silurian to the Middle Devonian in the Tabberabberan Cycle. In the southern Tasmanides, crustal extension occurred in a wide
developing back arc region that formed as a result of rollback of the southern part of the proto-Pacific Plate. This led to the
relocation of a new west-dipping subduction zone and development of an intraoceanic arc and subduction complex rocks now
preserved in the southern New England Orogen. This Silurian-Devonian extension led to dismembering of the Ordovician
Macquarie Arc into several structural belts, formation of sedimentary rift and transtensional basins and emplacement of both I
and S-type granitic batholiths. The Middle Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny probably reflects accretion of the Bendigo
Terrane, and was marked by inversion of sedimentary and volcanic rich rifts, deformation of granitoids and re-deformation
and renewed imbrication of older rocks.
The Kanimblan Cycle (which overlaps in time with the Hunter-Bowen Supercycle of the New England Orogen) began with
limited rifting, with formation of granites and volcanics in small, narrow rifts (A type in NSW, S and I type in Victoria).
Extension was rapidly aborted and replaced by deposition of a 3-4 km blanket of continental sedimentary rocks. These rocks
extend across three orogenic belts-the Delamerian Orogen, the Lachlan Orogen and the Thomson Orogen, and to a lesser
extent in the North Queensland Orogen. Deformation occurred in the Early Carboniferous, with emplacement of post-tectonic
Early Carboniferous granites.
The Hunter-Bowen Supercycle in the New England Orogen provides a marked contrast. It represents an east-facing
convergent margin characterised by a continental margin arc, a forearc basin and to the east subduction complexes. A backarc
basin is also present in the north but has yet to be identified in the south. Late Devonian to Carboniferous convergence was
followed by deformation and exhumation of the subduction complex, imbricate thrusting in the forearc basin and exhumation
of the arc, possibly triggered by accretion of an intraoceanic arc identified in the northern New England Orogen. Early
Permian extension, basin formation and granite formation might reflect rollback of the subduction zone. Rifting west of the
New England Orogen led to the initial stages of formation of the Bowen-Gunnedah-Sydney Basin System as a series of rift to
transtensional basins that became converted to late Early Permian to Triassic foreland basins in response to crustal loading in
the New England Orogen that occurred in response top renewed exhumation and convergence. Permian –Triassic granites
intruding older subduction complexes represent the roots of continental margin arc that formed oceanward of the older
Devonian-Carboniferous arc. The Hunter-Bowen Supercycle was terminated by collision of an intraoceanic arc in the Middle
to Late Triassic. A migrating wave of thin-skinned deformation propagated cratonward, and reached the western part of the
Bowen -Gunnedah-Sydney Basin System in the Late Triassic, converting it from a foreland basin into the external part of a
foreland fold thrust belt.
Published with permission of the Deputy Director-General NSW Department of Primary Industries-Mineral Resources
SELF-SUBDUCTION OF A GLOBAL PLATE – THE BEGINNING OF PANGEA’S END?
GABRIEL GUTIÉRREZ-ALONSO
Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37008, Spain.
JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ
Departamento de Petrología y Geoquímica, Universidad Complutense. Madrid 28040, Spain.
ARLO B. WEIL
Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr. PA 19010, USA.
J. BRENDAN MURPHY
Department of Earth Sciences, St.Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5,Canada
R. DAMIAN NANCE
Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 45701,USA
FERNANDO CORFÚ
Institute of Geology, University of Oslo, Blindern, Postboks 1047, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
STEPHEN T. JOHNSTON
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6
The supercontinent cycles of continental lithosphere amalgamation followed by supercontinent demise and dispersal is
one of the most fundamental topics in Earth history. Particularly abundant are the studies regarding Pangea, the most
recent supercontinent, which progressively amalgamated over a period of time ranging from Carboniferous (ca. 320) to
Upper Triassic (ca. 200 Ma). Although much is known of the different processes that took place during the accretion
and dispersal of Pangea a number of key issues regarding the cause or causes for the initiation of its dispersal that are
not fully understood. In particular, the causes of the initial stages of Pangea dispersal, prior to the onset of continental
drifting in the early Jurassic, have been widely debated and are grouped into two main issues: post “Variscan-
20
Alleghenian” orogenic collapse and the broad effects of a mantle superplume. However, both arguments fail to fully
explain three of the main features that characterize the initiation of the Pangea breakup and dispersal: 1) the cause of the
huge thermal event that affected most of the core of Pangea, accompanied by the genesis of radial rift basins; 2) the
cause of the opening of the Neotethys ocean and the coeval genesis of the Cimmerian ribbon continent; and 3) the
genesis of a key lithosphere-scale orocline, the Cantabrian or Iberian-Armorican Arc, located in the center of the
supercontinent.
Using a simple plate tectonic model that accounts for the geodynamic linkages between the features we propose a
kinematic evolution to explain the origin of Pangean dispersal. We show that, under appropriate conditions, the oceanic
part of a global plate (Palaeotethys ocean as part of the Pangean global plate) can subduct under the same global plate,
leading to a rapid change in its stress-strain configuration on a continental lithospheric scale. This scenario led to a
radically different stress-strain configuration during the Upper Pennsylvanian-Early Permian that initiated processes
that ultimately led to the breakup of Pangea. The process thus initiated was arrested when the Pangean global plate
broke into two plates during the opening of the Neotethys ocean.
List of poster presentations
LONG-LIVED DEFORMATION OF THE SILURO-DEVONIAN PASSIVE MARGIN OF THE RHEIC

OCEAN IN THE PYRENEAN AREA
I. GIL-PEÑA
Área de Estudios Geológicos. IGME. c/ Ríos Rosas 23, 28003, Madrid.
B. OLIVA
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
B. ANTOLÍN
Dpto. de Geología. Universidad de Zaragoza. 50009 Zaragoza
A. BARNOLAS
A. CASAS-SAINZ
E.L. PUEYO
T. ROMÁN
J. MEDIATO
The Pyrenean Axial Zone is a fragment of the southern external area of the Variscan orogen, which has been reworked
during the Alpine orogeny. This Variscan basement consists of a thick sedimentary succession ranging from Vendian to
the syntectonic sediments of the Variscan foreland basin, gneisses derived from a Lower Ordovician granitic protolith
and late-variscan granites. These rocks record a long and complex deformational history mainly related to the
superposition of the extensional and compressional tectonic events linked to the Variscan and Alpine cycles. The scarce
remains of alpine cover in the different structural units help us very little to reconstruct the alpine deformation.
The Variscan sedimentary record shows the evolution of a coastal area in the Northern margin of Gondwana, which was
rifted in Upper Ordovician times and evolved as a passive continental margin during Silurian-Lower Carboniferous
times. The related oceanic domain was located to the North of the present Pyrenean area. A major consequence of the
variscan orogenic evolution is the partial inversion of this passive margin, with the development of a south-verging
thrust system with heteropic facies in each sheet, favoured by the Silurian detachment level. It was related to the
development of helvetic-type nappes cored in the Cambro-Ordovician succession, which grew synchronously and late
with respect to the heteropic thrust sequence. These structures are refolded and thrusted by structures related to the main
variscan cleavage. A massive intrusion of granites occurred late with respect to this compressional deformation. Most of
the granite bodies were emplaced in relation with the Cambro-Ordovician / Silurian subtractive contact. During the
Alpine cycle reactivation of some of the main Variscan discontinuities, especially the Silurian detachment level,
occurred.
In this work we try to unravel the geometry of the alpine and variscan thrust systems along the ECORS Pyrenees
seismic transect and the long deformational history recorded by the Cambro-Ordovician / Silurian subtractive contact,
21
including the emplacement conditions of the Marimanha granite. Ongoing palaeomagnetic data (five localities) will be
used to constraint some controversial interpretations.
NEOPROTEROZOIC HISTORY OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN MARGIN OF BALTICA

(THE URALS MOUNTINGS)
VALERY GOROZHANIN
Institute of Geology, Ufimian Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Science, K. Marx 16\2, 450000 Ufa, Russia
The Neoproterozoic (Vendian) history of the south -eastern margin of Baltica can be subdivided in two periods. During
the first period the regressive sedimentary sequences accumulated (Puchkov 2000).The typical Lower Vendian deposits
are glacial-marine diamictites or tillites of the Laplandian level ((Chumakov 1978). The outcrops of tillites are known in
the Northern, Middle and Southern Urals. They lie unconformably on the Proterozoic (Riphean) carbonate rocks with
deep stratigraphic gap reaching 1000 m. They are overlaped by the Uppermost Vendian molasse sediments. The Uralian
tillites have glacial-marine characters, association with the Fe-oxide ores and capping pink dolomites. In the Southern
Urals it is assumed that tillites are associated with the rift-type trachybasalts of Arshinian Complex. The timing of the
South-Uralian tillites is based on the K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages of glauconite which vary in the interval of 620-590 Ma. The
Rb-Sr ages for the trachybasalts are older, they are about 670 Ma.
On the north and on the east of Baltica the glacial formation is known as Laplandian (Varangerian) horizon (Chumakov
1978). It has to be observed, that on the south-west of Baltica (along the Teysseyre-Tornquist Line) this horizon is not
traced.
In the Siberia up to recent time the Neoproterozoic glacial sediments were not known and this was a reason for a doubt
in global glaciations in the Late Neoproterozoic. In 2002 the tillites were found in the south-western part of Siberia
(Sovetov 2002). The Siberian glacial deposits have no isotopic dating, but the finds of the Metazoa imprints in the
overlying sediments, similar to that found in the Southern Urals, prove their Early Vendian age. The Siberian tillites
also have the cap dolomites.
Two levels of glacial –marine deposits are known in Africa (Kroner 1977). The lower diamictite with the age of 950-
760 Ma is found locally. The upper diamictite has the age of 720-650 Ma. The main features of this diamictite are: the
association with the Fe-oxide ores of hematite-magnetite composition, the presence of the capping pink dolomites.
The second period in the Vendian history of the Urals is characterised by orogenic event, which coincided with
Cadomian and Pan-African orogeny (Puchkov 2003 and referencies there in). In the Southern Urals this orogenic event
is marked by the HP metamorphic rocks of the Beloretsk Complex (Alexeev et al. 2002) with the white mica cooling
age of ~ 550 Ma (Scarrow 2002 and references there in). It is coeval with the formation of the fold belt in the Timanian
part of the Northern Urals. In the Southern Urals the Late Vendian molasse sedimentary sequences contain clastic
material from the Beloretsk Complex (Willner et al. 2001), that confirm the presence of orogenic uplifts.
The existence of the relicts of the fold belts with the age of 600-540 Ma was the cause for the supposal that there was a
supercontinent in the Late Neoproterozoic (Puchkov 2003 and referencies there in) which consolidated Gondwana,
Baltica, and Siberia.
References
Alexeev, A.A., Alexeeva, G.V., Galieva, A.R., et al. 2002. The Beloretsk eclogite-bearing metamorphic Complex (The Southern Urals) as a
representative of the special methamorphic facial series. Proceedings of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 383, N3, p. 366-370.
Chumakov, N. M 1978 (in Russian). The Precambrian tillites and tilloides. Moscow, Nauka. 202 p.
Kroner, A. 1977. Non-synchroneity of Late Precambrian glaciation in Africa. Journal of Geology, 85, p.289-300.
Puchkov, V.N. 2000 (in Russian). Palaeogeodynamics of the Southern and Middle Urals. Ufa, Dauria. 145 p.
Puchkov, V.N. 2003. Uralides and Timanides: their structural relationship and position in the geologic history of the Ural-Mongolian fold belt.
Russian Geology and Geophysics, 44, p.28-39.
Scarrow, J. H., Hetzel, R., Gorozhanin, V.M., Dinn, M., Glodny, J., Gerdes, A., Ayala, C. & Montero, P. Four decades of the geochronological work
in the Southern and Middle Urals: A review. In: Brown, D., Juhlin, C. & Puchkov, V. (eds) Mountain Building in the Uralides: Pangea to
Present. Geophysical Monograph, American Geophysical Union, 132, p.233-255.
Sovetov, Y.K., Komlev, D.A.,2002 (in Russian). The Vendian glacial deposits of the Biryusinian Pre-Sayanie ( the south-west of the Siberia
Platform). In: Koroteev, V.A., Maslov, A.V. (eds) The terrigenous sedimentary sequences of the Urals and adjacent territories. Conference
materials, Ekaterinburg, p.205-207.
Willner A.P., Ermolaeva T., Stroink L. et al. 2001. Contrasting provenance signals in Riphean and Vendian sandstones in the SW Urals (Russia):
constraints for a change from passive to active continental margin conditions in the Late Precambrian // Precambr. Res., 110, p. 185-213.
22
TWO-STEP MAGMA FLOODING OF THE UPPER CRUST DURING RIFTING: THE EARLY
PALAEOZOIC OF THE OSSA-MORENA ZONE (SW IBERIA)
TERESA SÁNCHEZ-GARCÍA, CECILIO QUESADA, FÉLIX BELLIDO

Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas 23, 28003 Madrid. Spain
G.R. DUNNING
Dept. Earth Sci., Memorial Univ. Newfoundland, St. John’s, Nfld. A1B 3X5, Canada
J. GONZÁLEZ DE TÁNAGO
Dept Petrology, Univ. Complutense, 28080 Madrid, Spain
The Ossa-Morena Zone represents a continental arc accreted to the Iberian Autochthon during the Late Proterozoic-
Early Cambrian Cadomian orogeny. A subsequent Cambrian-Ordovician rifting event is recorded in this zone, which
was accompanied by intrusion/eruption of large volumes of igneous rocks. Exposed crustal segments show both
volcanic and shallow plutonic rocks that according to their relationship with coeval sedimentary successions can be
assigned to one of two periods of magma emplacement: 1) An Early Igneous Event, exclusively comprised of acid
peraluminous rocks associated with migmatite formation during development of core-complex structures in mid/upper
crustal environments. We suggest that they represent the onset of rifting and the initial stages of a severe thermal
modification of the lithosphere, probably caused by an underlying thermal anomaly. 2) A Main Igneous Event produced
predominantly basaltic and acid (rhyolite) rocks and minor amounts of intermediate (trachyte) rocks. The large volume
of igneous magma emplaced into upper crustal environments, along with the presence of abundant dikes, suggest that
magma ascent benefited from coeval extensional tectonism.
On geochemical ground, rocks of the Early igneous event are silica-oversaturated, peraluminous, K-rich and display
LREE enrichment relative to HREE and a pronounced negative Eu anomaly in a chondritic-normalised plot. When
normalised to average upper continental crust concentrations they define an almost flat pattern with a subtle peak for the
intermediate REE and relative abundances close to unity. All samples plot in the volcanic arc+ syn-collisional field in
the AFM diagram. All these characteristics favour the hypothesis of participation of continental crust in their formation.
The Main Igneous Event is represented by volcanic, sub-volcanic and plutonic rock types, which define a bimodal
association. Mafic rocks in this group comprise Ol-normative and Hy-normative subsaturated and tholeiitic rocks, and
Ol-normative and Ne-normative alkaline basalts. Most samples plot in the tholeiitic field on an AFM diagram. A
smaller group of samples plot in the alkaline field. A chondrite-normalised plot reveals two groups of samples: one with
high LREE fractionation and the other much less fractionated. The pattern of the fractionated basalt group is typical
OIB. Felsic and Intermediate rocks (>52%SiO2) include peraluminous, subaluminous and minor peralkaline types.
Most samples plot in the tholeiitic field and some are calkalkaline. LREE are highly fractionated relative to HREE. A
volumetrically minor but petrologically significant group of Mg-rich (up to 25.86% MgO) komatiite-like rocks also
occurs within the Main Igneous Event, which are interpreted to reflect high partial melting rates of a primitive mantle
protolith.
All the outlined characteristics provide evidence for large heterogeneity within the rift-related association that may be
due to several causes, such as the involvement of various sources of magma (asthenospheric, lithospheric, crustal)
and/or involvement of various petrogenetic processes in their generation and evolution.
Radiometric (U-Pb zircon) dating gives c.530+/-5 Ma for the Early igneous event and a longer duration, 517-502+/-2
Ma, for the Main Igneous Event. The two events collectively culminated in the opening of the Rheic ocean in Early
Ordovician time.
WENLOCK-LUDLOW POST-ACCRETIONARY TERRANE DISPERSAL IN THE CENTRAL

APPALACHIANS: THE CAROLINA AND CAT SQUARE TERRANES AND THE SALINIC BASINS OF
THE NORTHERN APPALACHIANS
ALLEN J. DENNIS
Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina, Aiken, SC 29801-6309, USA
The Wenlock-Ludlow Cat Square basin of the southern Appalachian Piedmont covers the middle Ordovician suture
between the Neoproterozoic Carolina terrane and the Laurentian margin. The Cat Square basin is interpreted to have
formed in sinistral transtension as Carolina rifted away from Laurentia during post-accretionary terrane dispersal; age of
the basin is constrained by the youngest detrital zircons recovered from it (Bream et al, 2004). Lithospheric scale
extension is indicated by isotopic systematics and inherited zircons from an array of plutons intruded between 423-386
Ma. These plutons include Pickens, Oconee, Anderson Mill, Fairmont Mill, Newberry, Clouds Creek, Lake Murray
gneiss, and representatives of the bimodal Concord-Mecklenberg and Salisbury-Southmont suites. Specifically, the
23
oldest plutons have negative Nd (0—-3), Sr87/Sr86 > 0.706, and some include inherited zircons between 438-444 Ma.
These characteristics are interpreted to represent partial melting of a lower crustal source that is derived from
Laurentian and Carolinian lithospheres. By 414 Ma plutons yield –2.5 < Nd < 4.0, 0.702 < Sr87/Sr86 < 0.704, and no
zircon inheritance. These characteristics are interpreted to reflect an increasingly mantle-derived component, following
crustal thinning. Nd values range between 3-5 through the Devonian and the onset of the so-called Neoacadian
orogeny. The Neoacadian orogeny is here interpreted to record the collapse of the basin and Carolina’s overriding
rocks of the Inner Piedmont, and Laurentian margin, and the subsequent transition of the Laurentian margin into a
dextral transform.
Rocks of the Cat Square basin and Tugaloo terrane (west of Csb) were metamorphosed to upper amphibolite facies and
granulite facies (Cat Square charnockite) ca. 370-355 Ma, during this Neoacadian orogen. The sub-Cat Square
unconformity is identified as the Brindle Creek fault; thus, the unconformity was locally reactivated as a mylonite
zone. SHRIMP geochronology (monazite and zircon) indicates this reactivation occurred episodically from the
Devonian-Mississippian boundary through Serpukhovian time.
Restoring the southern Appalachian Inner Piedmont of the Carolinas to a central Appalachian location (Pennsylvania
Reentrant – New York Promontory) in the Devonian is indicated by structural analysis (Dennis, 2004, 2005; Dennis and
Wright, 1977). At this position along the strike of the orogen, relations between the Cat Square basin and the internal
Salinic basins of the New England and Canadian Maritime Appalachian s are clear. The Cat Square basin is the
southernmost representative of Salinic basins extending in North America from the La Poile Group in southwestern
Newfoundland, through the Gaspé and Connecticut Valley Synclinorium on the west and Fredericton trough, Central
Maine Synclinorium, and Merrimack trough on the east. In the north magmatic activity of the Coastal Maine volcanic
belt, Piscataquis, and Tobique belts is equivalent to Wenlock and younger plutonism mapped in the Inner Piedmont and
Carolina terrane. These basins and their associated magmatic activity record post-accretionary, transtensional terrane
dispersal following the Middle Ordovician closing of Iapetus and accretion of Carolina (south) and Ganderia (north).
As such these events are part of an orogenic scale Caledonide-Scandian event (e.g., Dewey and Strachan, 2003; Soper
and Woodcock, 2003; and Soper and others, 1992).
Bream, B. Hatcher, R.D., Miller, C.F., and Fullagar, P.D., 2004, Detrital zircon ages and Nd isotopic data from the southern Appalachian crystalline
core, Georgia, south Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee: New provenance constraints for part of the Laurentian margin, in Tollo, R.P.,
Corriveau, L., McLelland, J., and Bartholomew, M.J., eds, Proterozoic tectonic evolution of the Grenville orogen in North America, Geological
Society of America Memoir 197, p. 459-475.
Dennis, A.J., 2004, Southern Appalachian Crustal Transect: Day 4. Overview of recent developments in the geology of the central Piedmont of South
Carolina, in Merschat, A.J. and Hatcher, R.D., eds., Trans-Appalachians Internides Geotraverse: 17th International Basement Tectonics
Association Field Trip Guidebook, p. 67-84.
Dennis, A.J., 2005, Exotic clasts within (Devonian-Mississippian) diamictites within the Catskill-Pocono clastic wedge and their implications for the
Southern Appalachian Inner Piedmont and Middle Paleozoic orogeny and terrane dispersal in the U.S. Appalachians, submitted to Nature of
Orogenic Systems: A volume honoring Raymond Price, Sears, J., Harms, T.A., and Evenchick, C., eds., Geological Society of America Special
Paper, in review.
Dennis, A.J., and Wright, J.E., 1997, New U-Pb monazite ages for the Inner Piedmont of South Carolina: GSA A&P, v. 29/3, p. 12.
Dewey, J.F. and Strachan, R.A., 2003, Changing Silurian-Devonian relative plate motion in the Caledonides: Sinistral transpression to sinistral
transtension: Journal of the Geological Society, London, v. 160, p. 219-229.
Soper, N.J. and Woodcock, N.H., 2003, The lost Lower Old red Sandstone of England and Wales: A record of post-Iapetan flexure or Early Devonian
transtension?: Geological Magazine, v. 140, p. 627-647.
Soper, N. J., Strachan, R.A., Holdsworth, R.E., gayer, R.A., and Greiling, R.O., 1992, Sinistral transpression and the Silurian closure of Iapetus:
Journal of the Geological Society, London, v. 149, p. 871-880.
24
Part IV
Field Guide
25
26
IV.1A. Introduction: The Ossa-Morena Zone – from Neoproterozoic arc through Early
Palaeozoic rifting to late Palaeozoic orogeny
By Cecilio Quesada
(with the collaboration of T. Sánchez García, F. Bellido, R. López Guijarro, M. Armendáriz and J. Braid)
The formation of the present-day margins of the Iberian Peninsula was largely the result of the Mesozoic
opening of the Tethys and North Atlantic oceans following the Late Palaeozoic amalgamation of Pangea.
Prior to that event, most of Iberia had been part of the northern continental margin of Gondwana since its
inception in Neoproterozoic time. Pre-Mesozoic basement is well exposed in the Iberian Massif (Fig. 1),
where a protracted evolutionary history has been recognised (Ribeiro et al. 1990-a, Quesada 1991; Quesada
et al. 1991):
Figure 1. Zonal division of the Iberian Massif
1) Neoproterozoic-earliest Cambrian accretion of a continental arc (Ossa-Morena Zone, Fig. 1) to the

passive margin of the so-called Iberian Autochthon (N-Gondwana). This event represents the Cadomian
orogeny in Iberia and records arc development followed by accretion to the margin of Gondwana during
the Late Proterozoic brake-up of Rodinia. Broadly coeval episodes of arc development and accretion also
occur along the margins of the various continental blocks making up Gondwana, where they are known
as Pan-African, Brasiliano, or Avalonian events (see Fig. 6);
2) Cambrian-Ordovician rifting leading to the opening of a new oceanic tract, interpreted as a part of the
Palaeozoic Rheic ocean, that left a fragment of the newly accreted Ossa-Morena arc attached to the
Gondwanan margin;
3) Ordovician-Devonian rift to drift passive margin development related to the evolution of the Rheic
MOR and consequent continental drift;
4) Late Palaeozoic collisional orogenesis during the amalgamation of Pangea (the Variscan orogeny of
western Europe);
27
5) Mesozoic rifting that culminated in the opening of the Tethys and Atlantic oceans and left fragments of
non-Gondwanan continental blocks attached to the new Iberian microplate (e.g., South Portuguese Zone
and exotic units in the Galicia-Tràs os Montes Zone of probable Laurussian (Avalonian) provenance;
Fig. 1); and,
6) subsequent amalgamation with Eurasia during the Alpine orogeny.
As a result of the combined effects of these events, the present architecture of the Iberian Massif consists of a
variety of units with distinct palaeogeographic/palaeotectonic significance (Fig. 1; Quesada 1991, 1992):
- the Cantabrian, West Asturian-Leonese, and Central Iberian zones represent continental fragments of
the Iberian Autochthon (Neoproterozoic Gondwana); differences between them are related to their
respective positions and evolution during Palaeozoic tectonic events;
- the Ossa-Morena Zone represents a continental arc accreted to the Iberian Autochthon during the Late
Proterozoic-Early Cambrian Cadomian orogeny. The Cambrian-Ordovician rifting event, which is one of
the aims of this field trip, is best recorded in this zone;
- the Pulo do Lobo Zone (including the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite; Munhá et al. 1986; Quesada et al.
1994) and other ophiolitic units occurring as exotic nappes in the Galicia-Tràs os Montes Zone (Ries and
Shackleton 1971; Arenas et al. 1986; Ribeiro et al. 1990-b) correspond to remnants of the oceanic basins
that surrounded the Iberian Autochthon during the Palaeozoic and were accreted to Iberian Gondwana
during the Late Palaeozoic Variscan orogeny; and,
- the South Portuguese Zone and uppermost (supraophiolitic) allochthons in the Galicia-Tràs os Montes
Zone represent exotic continental fragments also accreted to Iberia during the Variscan orogeny. They
probably belonged to an Avalonian part of the margin of previously amalgamated Laurussia.
Two events are of major importance to understanding the evolution of the Iberian Massif during the
Palaeozoic:
1) the Variscan orogeny, responsible for the present geometrical arrangement of units, and
2) the Cambrian-Ordovician rifting event, that is largely responsible for the compartmentalisation of the
Palaeozoic Iberian Autochthon margin and consequent palaeogeographic and lithotectonic differences
between the Cantabrian, West Asturian-Leonese, Central Iberian, and Ossa-Morena zones.
Figure 2.- Correlation of the Iberian and Central European Massifs around the Ibero-Armorican Arc (modified after Franke 1989)
28
The Variscan orogeny in the Iberian Massif
The collisional Variscan orogen in the Iberian Massif has an arcuate shape (Cantabrian Arc, Fig. 2), which
represents the inner core of a broader structure, the Ibero-Armorican Arc (Matte and Ribeiro 1975).
Formation of the arc is interpreted as a result of the impingement of an Ibero-Aquitanian promontory in NW
Gondwana (Brun and Burg 1982; Burg et al. 1987) against the margin of Laurussia during Variscan collision
(Matte 1986, 2001; Ribeiro et al. 1990-a; Quesada 1991, 1992, 1998; Quesada et al. 1991, 1994). In this
context, deformation regimes during collision were largely controlled by pre-orogenic location, being
predominantly convergent in frontal parts of the indentor (NW Iberia) and predominantly transpressional at
both lateral margins, where large-scale escape of units took place. Southwest of the promontory (SW Iberia),
sinistral escape predominated whereas dextral escape characterised the deformation of the northeastern
margin (French Armorican Massif). These transpressional regimes affected marginal units of both colliding
plates, which moved laterally to fill gaps existing at the margins of the promontory. This movement was
accommodated by coeval subduction of remnant oceanic lithosphere.
In SW Iberia, the Ossa-Morena Zone represents a fragment of the thinned, outer continental margin of
Palaeozoic Gondwana that escaped southeastwards from the zone of frontal collision (Quesada 1991). This
escape took place along a pre-existing lithospheric lineament (the Cadomian suture), the reactivation of
which produced a sinistral fault system, the Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Although
different in detail, this escape is analogous to the recent displacement of terranes along the San Andreas fault
system in western North America. Displacement was accommodated by subduction beneath the Ossa-
Morena Zone of adjacent oceanic lithosphere, as a result of which, the previous passive margin environment
was transformed into an active one.
Figure 3.-Sketch evolutionary tectonic model for the Variscan orogeny in the Iberian Massif (after Sánchez García et al. 2003)
A modest Andean-type magmatic arc (Santos et al. 1987; Andrade et al. 1991) and an accretionary prism (the
Pulo do Lobo Zone in Figure 1; Munhá et al. 1989; Quesada 1991, 1992; Quesada et al. 1991, 1994)
developed at the southern margin of the Ossa-Morena Zone from the mid-Devonian through to the Late
Viséan when the remnant ocean was finally consumed. Once subduction of the oceanic tract was completed,
collisional deformation commenced, but one with a significant sinistral strain component throughout its
duration. Figure 3 shows a schematic model for the evolution of the Iberian Massif from pre-Variscan times
(Fig. 3-A), through the lateral escape of the Ossa-Morena Zone (Fig. 3-B), to the final collision (Fig. 3-C).
29
The Ossa-Morena Zone
With its location between the Cadomian and Variscan sutures, the Ossa-Morena Zone is ideally placed for
unravelling the complex evolution of the Gondwana margin from the Neoproterozoic to the Late Palaeozoic.
Its northern boundary is defined by the Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), a 10-40km wide
sinistral transcurrent fault system, which represents the last important reactivation of the former Cadomian
suture along which the Late Proterozoic Ossa-Morena arc was accreted to the ancestral Iberian Autochthon
(Abalos 1990, Abalos and Eguiluz 1990, Quesada 1990-a, 1990-b, 1991, 1997, Quesada and Dallmeyer
1994). Its southern boundary coincides with the Southern Iberian shear zone (Crespo Blanc and Orozco
1988), which also defines the northern limit of the Pulo do Lobo accretionary prism that delineates the
Variscan suture between Gondwana and Laurussia (Silva 1989; Quesada 1991, 1992; Quesada et al. 1991
1994; Dallmeyer et al. 1993).
PASSIVE
M ON EST ERI O AN T I FORM
PU LO DO LOBO Z ON E
Figure 4.- Sketch geological map of the Ossa-Morena Zone
Between these major shear zones, the internal structure of the Ossa-Morena Zone is that of a large-scale
sinistral strike-slip duplex (Figs. 3 and 4). This structure was predominantly developed during the early
Variscan event by lateral escape (Fig. 3-B), being subsequently reactivated under transpressional conditions
during the final Variscan stage of oblique continental collision with the South Portuguese Zone (Fig. 3-C).
In gross stratigraphic terms, the record exposed in the Ossa-Morena Zone includes, from bottom to top:
1) A Late Proterozoic shallow marine platformal sequence (Montemolín succession; Eguiluz 1987)
representing a continental passive margin, the basement of which is neither exposed nor identified
(Quesada 1990-a 1990-b 1997).
2) A complex Vendian-Early Cambrian volcanosedimentary and plutonic succession, representing various
magmatic arc environments (Quesada 1997): e.g., volcanic arc (Malcocinado formation; Fricke 1941),
30
back-arc rifting (Montemolín amphibolites; Eguiluz 1987), back-arc basin (Tentudía succession; Eguiluz
1987). These sequences rest conformably or unconformably over the earlier platformal succession.
3) A varied rift sequence that becomes younger southwestwards across strike from Early Cambrian to Mid-
Ordovician and constitutes one of the main aims of this field trip. The succession, which unconformably
overlies the previous sequences, records a rifting event that probably culminated in the formation of the
Palaeozoic oceanic tract (Rheic Ocean?) now accreted in the Pulo do Lobo Zone (Figs. 1 and 4).
4) An outer shelf, siliciclastic platform sequence that records the evolution of a passive margin from Early
Ordovician through mid-Devonian times. Late Ordovician glaciomarine deposits (Robardet and Doré
1988) are potentially correlative with other parts of the Iberian Autochthon and documents a Gondwanan
affinity at this time.
5) A varied set of flysch and molasse successions filling various syn-orogenic basins developed during the
Late Palaeozoic Variscan orogeny.
Significantly, the most important stratigraphic differences among the various horses of the Ossa-Morena
strike-slip duplex occur within the Cambrian-Ordovician rift sequence (Fig. 4). This is interpreted as
evidence for the inversion of an extensional horst and graben structure acquired during the Early Palaeozoic
rift event by the transcurrent (thence transpressional) regime developed during the Variscan orogeny. This
would imply that what now occurs across strike was originally distributed more along strike (i.e.,
northwestwards) if palinspastic restoration is applied. However, few constraints exist to determine accurately
the amount of sinistral displacement along most unit boundaries during the Variscan inversion.
The Neoproterozoic Arc and its accretion (Cadomian orogeny)
No rocks older than the Ediacaran have ever been proven to occur within the exposed basement of the OMZ.
Nevertheless, it is possible that at least a part of the protoliths of some high grade metamorphic rocks, which
are exposed along deeply exhumed blocks in both marginal suture zones, may represent remnants of an older
basement despite no conclusive data have been found so far. Two lines of indirect evidence provide,
however, indication suggesting that very probably the whole OMZ is underlain by concealed continental
crust of Proterozoic and perhaps Archean age: 1) inherited cores of zircons found in crust-derived igneous
rocks of both Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic ages (Schäfer 1990, Ochsner 1993), and 2) sedimentary
characteristics of the oldest proven Neoproterozoic rocks exposed throughout the OMZ: Montemolín
succession (sensu Eguiluz 1987) of the Serie Negra Formation (Alía 1963, Carvalhosa 1965), which
represents shallow water deposition of sediments derived from a very mature (continental) source: graphite-
rich shales and sandstones, black cherts, limestones. This succession, whose age is very poorly constrained
(older than c. 587 Ma, age of the oldest intrusive pluton so far dated; Ochsner 1993) has been interpreted as
recording a passive margin stage in the evolution of a continental block (Quesada 1997).
The most significant distinguishing feature of the OMZ Neoproterozoic is, however, the development of a
relatively mature magmatic arc on top of the previously mentioned Montemolín succession, thus overlying
continental crust (Quesada 1997, Bandrés et al. 2002). This is a singularity of the OMZ as compared to other
Neoproterozoic arc systems located in the so-called peri-Gondwana realm (Fig. 5), many of which were most
commonly intra-oceanic. The arc system, which must have been very complex, is now extremely
dismembered due to Variscan transpressional tectonics across the various structural units making up the
OMZ and its marginal suture zones, thus rendering the reconstruction of the various subenvironments an
impossible task. Arc rocks correspond to volcanic, subvolcanic and plutonic types, ranging in composition
from basalt to rhyolite but with an outstanding predominance of intermediate rocks (andesites, dacites). Their
chemical composition is typical of subduction-related, calcalkaline arc environments (Sánchez Carretero et
al. 1990; Fig. 6). εNd values are very positive (+2.9 to +7.6, Pin et al. 2002). Locally, very thick cogenetic
sediments (mainly volcaniclastic turbidites and conglomerates) are very abundant (Malcocinado Formation
and correlatives; Fricke 1941) and are thought to represent deposition in one or several intra- or back-arc
basins. According to the still sparse available dating, mainly relying on cogenetic plutonic rocks, arc activity
extended for at least 50 Ma, in the range c. 587-540 Ma (Schäfer 1990, Ochsner 1993). This age range must
be taken as a minimum duration of subduction but the data do not allow discriminating if it was a continuous
process or not.
31
Figure 5. Location of peri-Gondwanan units in a Neoproterozoic palaeogeographic sketch (modified after Nance & Murphy 1996)
A B B
Figure 6.- Field appearance and chemical characteristics of plutonic (A) and volcanic (B) rocks of the OMZ Neoproterozoic Arc
Significantly, both the Ediacaran arc rocks and their metasedimentary basement (Serie Negra) were variably
deformed (sometimes poly-deformed) and metamorphosed prior to the Cambrian, as indicated by
unconformable relationships preserved in various localities within the OMZ and by presence of poly-
deformed pebbles of readily recognizable lithologies (mainly Serie Negra black cherts) in basal Cambrian
conglomerates. All these deformation and metamorphic processes are collectively given the name of
Cadomian orogeny but their detailed structural characterization is extremely difficult due to the severe
Variscan overprinting. The Cadomian orogeny has been interpreted to reflect deformation associated to the
accretion of the OMZ arc to the margin of the Iberian Autochthon (a part of northern Gondwana) during the
late Neoproterozoic (Quesada 1991, 1997).
32
The Cambrian-Ordovician rifting
Immediately following the Cadomian orogeny a dramatic change in the geodynamic scenario took place.
This is indicated by the following facts: 1) sudden cessation of subduction-related magmatism, 2) overall
uplift and differential erosion of parts of the previously accreted arc, 3) onset of extensional deformation, and
4) initiation of a new igneous pulse, but with entirely different characteristics: bimodal, with alkaline and
tholeiitic compositions typical of within-plate magmatism. All these features are being currently interpreted
as related to development of a rifting process in this part of Gondwana (Quesada 1991, Quesada et al. 1991,
Sánchez García et al. 2003, Simancas et al. 2004).
The first evidence for this dramatic change from subduction to overall extension is provided by the
generalized uplift, which affected not only the entire OMZ but also other parts of the Iberian Massif,
providing thus proof that the amalgamation of the OMZ had been already completed. This uplift is
considered the result of lithospheric thermal expansion in connection with massif underplating of mantle-
derived magmas (Sánchez García et al. 2003). Gravitational instability of this expanded lithosphere might
have triggered tectonic collapse and the onset of extensional deformation and thinning. Once extensional
processes started to operate, a progressive flooding of the thinned crust proceeded across the region at the
same time that a horst and graben structure was being formed. This is demonstrated by two main facts: 1) a
generalized transgression proceeding northwards across the OMZ from the base of the Cambrian, and 2)
compartmentalization into subsiding (graben) and more stable (horsts) belts where coeval sediments
accumulated (Liñán & Quesada 1990, Perejón et al. 2004). In fact, most of the present day structural units
making up the OMZ strike-slip duplex (Figs. 4 and 7) were inherited from these extensional structures
(Sánchez García et al. 2003).
At this stage, it is worth saying that all these features are not exclusive of the OMZ but, conversely, they also
happened in the rest of the Gondwanan units of the Iberian Massif (namely, the Central Iberian, West
Asturian-Leonese and Cantabrian zones, Fig. 1). There also, the compartmentalization achieved during this
rift stage lies on the foundations of their mutual distinction as first proposed by Lotze (1945). The
stratigraphic record of this rifting event is, however, one of the most significant differences of the OMZ with
respect to the rest of the Iberian Massif and this is mostly related to the large volumes of within-plate
magmas that were emplaced almost exclusively in this zone. The sedimentary pulses are broadly similar
throughout the Iberian Massif, the difference in the OMZ residing in the existence of massive coeval
magmatism.
In the OMZ the expression of the initial flooding is shown (Liñán 1978) by deposition of a thinning and
fining upward Lower Detrital Formation, which gradually gave rise to deposition of a Carbonate Formation.
Flooding culminated with sedimentation in open shelf environments of the lower part of an Upper Detrital
Formation (Fig. 7). This Upper Detrital Formation is the most variable in terms of facies and thickness, and
mainly consists of open shelf siliciclastic sandstone/mudstone alternations, some of which show
turbidite/storm layer characteristics. The unit is interpreted to reflect the tectonic collapse of the pre-existing
platform during an important extensional tectonic event (Sánchez García et al. 2003). In most sections, two
thickening and coarsening upward sequences are recognized. The lower sequence culminates in a shallow
marine quartzarenite horizon near the Lower-Middle Cambrian boundary that is correlated with a global
regressive system tract (Hawke Bay regression of Laurentia and Baltica, assigned to a climatic change;
Palmer & James 1980, Liñán & Gámez 1993). The upper, pelite/sandstone sequence begins with a sudden
deepening, most likely related to tectonic causes, and is partly eroded in most units.
A subtle, but systematic younging towards the southwest in the onset of deposition appears to occur in all
three formations (i.e., across present-day strike; Liñán & Quesada 1990). At least for the two lower
successions, this is probably the expression of a progressive inundation of the previously accreted OMZ arc.
These two lower successions are Early Cambrian in age, whereas the Upper Detrital Formation ranges in age
from the late Early Cambrian through the Middle Cambrian and possibly into the Late Cambrian (Palacios
1993). In most of the region, however, any Late Cambrian rocks have been removed as a result of tilting and
erosion. This exhumation is interpreted to reflect a major thermal event related to thermal upwelling and the
emplacement of voluminous igneous rocks during mature stages of the rifting process (Quesada 1991 1992,
Sánchez García et al. 2003).
Rift-related igneous rocks occur as volcanic, subvolcanic and plutonic types throughout the OMZ. The
volcanic types appear interbedded within the coeval sedimentary units.
33
Figure 7.- Schematic correlation cartoon of representative sedimentary sequences of the main tectonic units in the OMZ. Notice the
extreme facies and thickness differences within the Cambrian-Ordovician rift sequences and the strong diachronic nature of the
volcanic rocks, reminiscent of the development of a horst and graben structure and the sequencial propagation of rifting, respectively.
Two separate and distinct igneous events are recorded in the OMZ during rifting: 1) an Early Igneous Event,
sensu Sánchez García et al. (2003), characterized by a suite of compositionally restricted peraluminous
rhyolites associated to anatectic processes in upper and middle crust environments and formation of core-
complex structures. Available dating of this group of rocks ranges the c. 530-520 Ma span (Galindo et al.
1990, Ochsner 1993, Ordóñez 1998, Romeo 2006) and the volcanic types occur interbedded within the
Lower Detrital and/or the Carbonate formations; and 2) a Main rift-related Igneous Event (Sánchez García et
al. 2003), consisting of a largely heterogeneous suite of rocks (40%<SiO2<81%) with alkaline and
subalkaline (tholeiitic) compositions, typical of within-plate magmas derived from variably enriched
asthenospheric sources in rift environments. This second event started some 10-15 Ma later and is
responsible for the most voluminous emplacement of igneous rocks in the entire record of the OMZ. Rocks
belonging to this Main rift-related Igneous Event show a remarkable younging towards the south, i.e.,
towards the present location of the Pulo do Lobo oceanic rocks. They started in the north during the Early
Cambrian, predominated in the central OMZ during the Middle Cambrian and reached the southwesternmost
units in the Ordovician (Fig. 7). This time migration is probably an indication of the progressive
southwestward (present coordinates) propagation of rifting; northwestwards if palinspastic restoration is
applied (Sánchez García et al. 2003).
Geochemistry of the rift-related igneous rocks
Both plutonic/subvolcanic and volcanic rocks associated with the Cambrian-Ordovician rifting event exhibit
a wide range of compositions, from basalts to high-silica rhyolites (40%<SiO2<81%). Stratigraphic
34
constraints indicate two major igneous suites: an older one of predominantly acid composition, related to
core-complex formation and mid/upper crustal migmatization (Early rift-related Igneous Suite), and a
younger, voluminous bimodal association emplaced during the climax of upper crustal extension and basin
compartmentalisation (Main rift-related Igneous Suite).
Unfortunately, little isotopic data are available to constrain the character and petrogenetic evolution of the
magmas involved and their sources. However, major and trace element geochemical data exist for several
hundreds rock samples (Table 1 and Figs. 8 and 9; Assunção and Gonçalves 1970, Pinto Coelho &
Gonçalves 1970, Canilho 1973, Aparicio Yagüe et al. 1977, Dupont 1979, Casquet 1980, Dupont & Bonin
1981, Pons 1982, Ruiz de Almodóvar 1983, Ruiz de Almodóvar et al. 1984, INGEMISA 1984, 1986,
Eguiluz 1987, Galindo 1989, Mata and Munhá 1990, Ribeiro et al. 1993, Castro et al. 1996, Sánchez García
et al. 2003). A large part of the scatter in this data may be due to the fact that compiled analyses were
generated over 30 years, and a variety of methods and equipment has been used in their analysis. Other
sources of scatter likely reflect the widespread secondary alteration of these rocks as a result of: 1) Variscan
penetrative deformation and metamorphism (low-grade in most cases); 2) late/post-magmatic hydrothermal
alteration responsible for iron oxide mineralisation; and, for most volcanic rocks, 3) seafloor splenisation.
Despite these problems, the geochemical diagrams remain interpretable and reflect magmatic distribution of
the elements.
Early rift-related igneous suite

This magmatic suite forms a compositionally restricted group of rocks (Fig. 8-A, Table 1) that includes:
1) autochthonous/parautochthonous anatectic granites formed by partial melting of metasedimentary
protoliths in mid/upper crustal environments, coeval with core-complex development (e.g., migmatitic
complexes of Monesterio, Mina Afortunada, Lora del Río and Valuengo);
2) allochthonous granites intruded in epizonal areas (Tablada, Calera, Táliga, Salvatierra de los Barros);
and,
3) volcanic and volcanoclastic rhyolites (Bodonal Porphyroid, Loma del Aire rhyolites and tuffites).
Rhyolitic compositions (Fig. 8-A) predominate in the volcanic and unrooted epizonal plutons. The presence
of some intermediate compositions in the autochthonous/parautochthonous group may be due to a higher
restite component in these rocks (biotite, Al-silicate, cordierite and Ca-rich plagioclase are common
accessory minerals) and in the case of the dioritic rocks, possible mixing with a basaltic melt. All but two
samples plot in the calcalkaline field and follow a typical calcalkaline differentiation path on an AFM
diagram (Fig. 8-B). A strongly peraluminous character for most samples is indicated by petrography (Al-
silicates, cordierite) and the presence of normative corundum (Table 1), consistent with their derivation from
metasedimentary protoliths similar to those exposed in the migmatitic footwall of core-complexes.
These rocks display LREE enrichment relative to HREE and a pronounced negative Eu anomaly in a
chondrite-normalised plot (Fig. 8-C). The relative abundances (101-102 times chondritic values), together
with the (La/Lu)n ratio, which ranges from 2-10, indicate the preferential fractionation of LREE into the
partial melt relative to HREE. When normalised to average upper continental crust concentrations (Taylor
and McLennan 1981), the samples define an almost flat pattern with a subtle peak for the intermediate REE
and relative abundances close to unity (Fig. 8-D), consistent with the field evidence for autochthonous
anatectic melting of crustal metasediments. The small positive Dy anomaly may be related to localised
hybridisation with contemporaneous basaltic liquids or to a contribution of minor amounts of melt derived
from hornblende-rich rocks. Possible contamination with basaltic magma is also supported by field evidence
in that amphibolites occur interleaved with the metasedimentary migmatitic rocks. A modest, negative Eu
anomaly is present in most samples, indicating fractionation of feldspar and their retention in the
metasedimentary residue at the source. Published εNd values for these rocks are largely negative (-5+/-2;
Ordóñez 1998, Salman 2004), corroborating the involvement of metasedimentary material in their genesis.
Two samples deviate from this general trend (Figs. 8-C and 8-D): They contain lower abundances of all
REE, and one of them has a much larger Eu anomaly. Both have garnet as an accessory mineral, which may
explain the small but significant relative enrichment in HREE in these rocks compared to the others where
garnet is extremely rare. They probably represent melts derived from a different, less fertile source. Figures
8-E and 8-F are Rb vs. Y+Nb and Nb vs. Y tectonic discrimination diagrams for granitic rocks after Pearce et
35
al. (1984). In figure 8-E, the samples plot in the volcanic arc (VAG) and within-plate (WPG) fields, whereas
in Fig. 8-F, they plot in the volcanic arc+syn-collisional field (VAG+syn-COLG). The VAG signature is
therefore likely to have been inherited from the zone’s Neoproterozoic evolution as a continental magmatic
arc; a conclusion that serves to emphasize the potential dangers in basing tectonic interpretation solely on
geochemical data.
B
A C
B
F
D E
Rock/Upper crust
Plutonic Intermediate rocks
Volcanic Acid rocks

Plutonic Acid rocks
Figure 8.- Main geochemical characteristics of the Early rift-related Igneous Suite in the OMZ
Rocks of the Early rift-related Igneous Suite have been traditionally regarded as recording late evolutionary
stages of the Cadomian orogeny (Sánchez Carretero et al. 1990, Quesada & Munhá 1990, Eguiluz & Abalos
1992, Eguiluz et al. 2000). However, several lines of evidence bring this interpretation into question:
1) the clearly discordant character of the intrusive contacts of the unrooted plutons with respect to
Cadomian fabrics in the Precambrian basement;
2) the locally intrusive relationship of at least one of the plutons (Táliga) with Cambrian rocks belonging to
the Lower detrital and Carbonate formations;
3) the existence of transitional contacts between the volcanic rocks and the sedimentary successions:
immediately below, and within the Early Cambrian Carbonate formation (Bodonal Porphyroid);
4) the spatial association of anatectic processes with the footwall of extensional detachments in the core-
complexes; and
5) the 530-520 Ma span of available radiometric ages indicating that magmatism was younger than the
oldest unconformable rift-related successions, estimated at around 530 Ma (Galindo et al. 1990, Ochsner
1993, Ordóñez 1998, Romeo et al. 2006).
Together, these arguments favour the association of these rocks with early stages of rifting rather than late
stages of Cadomian orogenesis. This conclusion is further supported by the existence of similar rock types in
other extended regions during the early stages of rifting (e.g., the Basin and Range province of Pacific North
America; Rehrig 1986, Gans et al. 1989).
36
EARLY RIFT-RELATED IGNEOUS SUITE
AVERAGE MAX MIN CIPW NORM Nº Total: 109
SiO2 74,04 82,93 61,09 Q norm 109 100,00%
Al2O3 14,43 18,86 10,2 C norm 103 94,50%
FeO 1,81 5,57 0,18 Di norm 6 5,50%
MnO 0,03 0,09 0 Ac norm 0 0%
MgO 0,71 3,85 0
CaO 1,14 5,65 0,02
Na2O 3,33 6,65 0,1
K 2O 4,11 7,3 0,09
TiO2 0,25 0,93 0
P2O5 0,12 0,35 0
MAIN RIFT-RELATED IGNEOUS SUITE
Basic
SiO2 48,13 51,84 31,9 Q norm 33 23,74%
Al2O3 15,34 22,13 3,06 C norm 7 5,04%
FeO 12,04 38,39 5,55 Di norm 130 93,53%
MnO 0,17 0,44 0,03 ol+hy norm 56 40,29%
MgO 7,30 39,48 0,1 ol+ne norm 48 34,53%
CaO 9,97 22,51 0,22
Na2O 3,22 6,64 0,63
K 2O 0,89 4,83 0,01
TiO2 2,61 7,01 0,27
P2O5 0,28 1,01 0
Intermediate
SiO2 57,86 62,94 52,0 Q norm 66 85,71%
Al2O3 14,87 21,91 5,31 C norm 6 7,79%
FeO 9,75 19,84 2,73 Di norm 63 81,82%
MnO 0,16 0,42 0,02 Hy norm 67 87,01%
MgO 3,15 15,13 0 ol+hy norm 4 5,19%
CaO 4,94 14,84 0,05 ol+ne norm 4 5,19%
Na2O 4,30 8,3 0,12
K 2O 2,64 8,61 0,06
TiO2 1,90 5,54 0,26
P2O5 0,38 1,07 0
Acid
SiO2 72,04 80,56 63,05 Q norm 152 100,00%
Al2O3 12,95 18,85 7,8 C norm 70 46,05%
FeO 4,56 13,61 0,17 Di norm 79 51,97%
MnO 0,09 0,42 0 Ac norm 32 21,05%
MgO 0,40 3,6 0
CaO 1,06 4,28 0
Na2O 3,98 8,06 0,05
K 2O 4,38 11,18 0,01
TiO2 0,44 1,76 0
P2O5 0,06 0,32 0
Table 1.- Main geochemical characteristics of the Cambrian-Ordovician rift-related igneous rocks in the OMZ
37
Main rift-related igneous suite
In contrast to the Early rift-related igneous suite, this magmatic association exhibits a wide range
(40%<SiO2<81%) of compositions (Fig. 9-A; Table 1), but again includes plutonic, subvolcanic, and
volcanic rock types. Apart from obvious differences in SiO2 concentration, ranging from basalts to high silica
rhyolites, the suite displays significant compositional heterogeneity, including alkaline and subalkaline types
(Figs. 9-A, 9-B and 9-C). But before examining the geochemical characteristics of each compositional group,
it is worth viewing the entire data set, from which some important generalities may be made.
Two evolutionary lines are apparent in Figs. 9-A and 9-C: one, with a positive slope, evolves from basaltic to
rhyolitic compositions, with a gap in intermediate SiO2 concentrations (c. 58% SiO2), the other is more
restricted and shows a negative slope within the rhyolite field. The two lines intersect near the boundary
between trachytic and rhyolitic compositions. This change in slope may reflect, in part, the onset of
crystallisation of alkali-rich mineral phases. However, we also believe a different (crustal) source contributed
significantly to the overall evolution at this stage, as suggested by the large chemical heterogeneity of acid
rocks (see below). In Figure 9-C, the first evolutionary association is distributed along the line separating
alkaline and subalkaline domains (Irvine and Baragar 1971); in fact a regression line drawn through our data
does not depart significantly from this boundary. So, while many samples appear to represent a mildly
alkaline suite, many others show a comparable evolution within the subalkaline (tholeiitic) field.
Despite a large scatter in the data, most samples plot in the tholeiitic field (Irvine and Baragar 1971) on an
AFM diagram (Fig. 9-B). A smaller group of samples plots in the calcalkaline (+alkaline) field. Taken
together, these diagrams provide evidence for large heterogeneity in the rift-related association. This may be
due to several causes, such as the involvement of various sources of magma (asthenospheric, lithospheric,
crustal) that were not, themselves, necessarily homogeneous, or the involvement of varied petrogenetic
processes in their evolution (rate of partial melting, residence time in intermediate magma chambers, mixing,
crystal fractionation, contamination, etc). Nevertheless, a common linkage through two distinct evolutionary
trends seems inescapable. Figure 9-A exhibits an overall pattern similar to that published for lavas of the
Cameroon line (Fitton 1987) where the evolution of the most acid group of rocks is interpreted with the
support of isotope data, to reflect various degrees of contamination by either crustal rocks or their melts. This
may also be the case for the negatively sloped acid trend in Figure 9-A, some of the rocks of which could
even represent uncontaminated crustal melts.
For the main group of rift-related rocks, the bulk of the data support derivation from mantle sources, and
subsequent fractionation because of various petrogenetic processes producing the spread of compositions
shown in Figure 9 and in Table 1. With regard to possible mantle sources, CIPW norms for the least evolved
basaltic rocks (Table 1) show that more than 75% are silica-undersaturated, about 35% are ne-normative
(alkaline), the rest being hy-normative (tholeiitic), and that the vast majority contain normative ol and di. All
these normative features are characteristic of MOR and/or OI basalts, that is, they are typical of
asthenospheric rather than lithospheric mantle sources (Floyd 1991).
Trace elements, and REE in particular, further constrain the nature of the possible mantle sources. A
chondrite-normalised plot of the basalts (Evensen et al. 1978) reveals two groups of samples (Fig. 9-D): one
with high LREE fractionation and the other much less fractionated. With only minor exceptions, neither
group shows Eu anomalies, thus precluding a significant presence of plagioclase in the source. Instead, a
source dominated by olivine, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene is strongly suggested by the variable, yet
constant fractionation of LREE relative to HREE. The pattern of the fractionated basalt group resembles that
of typical OIB, whereas the less fractionated group is similar to E-MORB. If normalised to average E-
MORB (not shown), the first group still exhibits some degree of fractionation among heavy and light REE,
but the second shows a flat pattern, suggesting its derivation from a source with the characteristics of average
E-MORB. Similarly, when plotted on a OIB-normalised diagram (Fig. 9-G), the fractionated group displays
a flat pattern with relative abundances close to unity, suggesting a source similar to that of average OIB.
Normalised concentrations of all REE in both groups are in the range of 8-30 (Lu) to 10-100(La) relative to
chondrite, which implies a variably enriched, heterogeneous asthenospheric source, an interpretation further
supported by the lack of any Nb anomaly in our basalts. The more differentiated rocks of this magmatic
series exhibit very similar REE patterns (Figs. 9-E, 9-F, 9-H and 9-I). The less fractionated group tends to
disappear with advancing differentiation, probably as a result of mixing and crystal fractionation processes at
38
A B C
D E F
Rock/Chondrite
I
G H I
J K L
N
M Volcanic Basic rocks
Plutonic Basic rocks
Volcanic Intermediate rocks

Plutonic Intermediate rocks
Volcanic Acid rocks
Plutonic Acid rocks
Figure 9.- Main geochemical characteristics of the Main rift-related Igneous Suite in the OMZ
39
intermediate storage chambers and the progressively obscuring of original features imparted by its evolution
at or near the source. The abundance of all REE and degree of fractionation among light and heavy REE
increase with differentiation, which is typical of the growing incompatible character of the LREE in felsic
liquids. Negative Eu anomalies appear in the intermediate rocks and become increasingly pronounced in the
acid rocks, implying the onset and progressive fractionation of feldspar in intermediate to felsic magmas. An
interesting feature of all rock types is the larger spread of REE concentrations in volcanic rocks as compared
to their plutonic equivalents, a factor attributed to the higher complexity of differentiation and fractionation
processes in such environments, or to fractionation of different mineral phases.
Not only the REE are affected by differentiation; in fact, changes in major elements are much more
important, as evidenced by the CIPW norms. Most intermediate rocks (52%<SiO2<63%) are quartz-
normative (Table 1) and the alkaline character, so clearly expressed in many basalts, is less apparent in these
rocks (only a few samples are ne-normative). On the other hand, also a peralkaline signature is for the first
time shown by some samples containing normative ac. In all cases, the alkalis are largely sodic (ab>>or).
The tholeiitic parentage is obvious in most rocks (highly hy-normative), although a moderate contribution of
crust-derived components is indicated by C-normative values in 20% of the samples.
The most evolved, acid rocks (63%<SiO2<81%) define a much more heterogeneous group (Table 1). All are
silica-saturated, but some are mildly alkaline (both sodic and potassic types), about 20% are peralkaline (ac-
normative, plus presence of modal Na-amphibole and Na-pyroxene), and others (c. 46%) are peraluminous
(C-normative). We attribute in part this heterogeneity to variable contributions of crust-derived melts to the
already highly differentiated main OIB-type suite, although postmagmatic alteration cannot be ruled out in
some cases, the high-silica rocks in particular.
In order to characterise possible geotectonic settings from the geochemical data we have plotted our samples
on various tectonic discrimination diagrams (Figs. 9-J through 9-N). MgO-FeO-Al2O3 (Pearce et al. 1977),
MnO*10-TiO2-P2O5 (Mullen 1983) and Zr-Ti/100-Y*3 (Pearce et al. 1977) diagrams have been used for
basalts, and Rb-Y+Nb and Nb-Y diagrams (Pearce et al. 1984) for the intermediate and acid rocks. In all these
diagrams the samples scatter across various fields. However, many samples plot in the within-plate and
MOR fields, which together with the REE data, is typical of rifting. The only orogenic signatures are shown
by a few acid samples that plot in the VAG field, a feature that also appears to occur in other rift provinces
(e.g., the Basin and Range; Rehrig 1986; Gans et al. 1989).
Finally, it is worth noting that a few basalts of the Main rift-related Igneous Suite show the peculiar, Mg-rich
compositions of komatiites and komatiitic basalts (Fig. 10), suggesting extremely high rates of partial
melting in their asthenospheric sources. They also contribute to increase the already highly heterogeneous
character of this igneous suite.
Figure 10.- Jensen & Pyke’s (1982) diagram of selected basalts of the Main rift-related Igneous Suite
In summary, the geochemical characteristics of the voluminous Main rift-related Igneous Suite suggest that
the suite was emplaced in the upper crust of the Ossa-Morena Zone during mature stages of rifting, and
40
documents a complex evolution involving two magmatic events. The first was sourced in a variably enriched
asthenospheric plume similar in many respects to those found in modern oceanic island or continental to
oceanic rift environments. The second was probably triggered by the heat flux associated with the plume and
is represented by a significant contribution of magmas derived from continental crust (C-normative rocks).
Less differentiated basaltic liquids are of tholeiitic and mildly alkaline character, but probably do not
represent the composition of the primary magmas. Differentiation to more acidic compositions likely
involved complex petrogenetic processes in transient lithospheric and/or crustal magma chambers.
Assimilation of country rocks or their melts, mixing of various magma batches, and crystal fractionation
were probably the most important controlling factors of differentiation but their relative contribution is
impossible to assess.
A model of Early Palaeozoic rifting in the Ossa-Morena Zone
All the data presented here testify to an important rifting event that affected the Ossa-Morena Zone in Early
Palaeozoic time. The event resulted in formation of a new, thinned outer margin along this part of the
Gondwanan continent. Many characteristics of the rifting process can be interpreted from the stratigraphic,
structural, and igneous record in the Ossa-Morena Zone, despite severe transpressional reactivation during
Variscan convergence. However, the mechanism that initiated and sustained the rifting process is unclear. A
preliminary model consistent with the available data is proposed below, but further work is needed to fully
characterise the rifting event.
The data suggest that this part of the Gondwanan plate lay above a deep thermal anomaly in the mantle by
Early Cambrian time. Our preferred interpretation attributes magmatism, coeval rifting, and ocean
development to the overriding of a single mantle plume in the form of a pre-existing mid-ocean ridge.
The geochemistry of the mantle-derived igneous suite suggests a heterogeneous asthenospheric source
variably enriched in LILE and LREE. This scenario is similar to those of many oceanic island and
continental to oceanic rift magmas (Fitton and Upton 1987). Many of the Ossa-Morena Zone rift-related
rocks, particularly the Na-rich group, match the spread of compositions found in the Kenyan branch of the
East African Rift (Baker 1987), with both involving significant volumes of acid rocks, although those of the
Ossa-Morena Zone are less alkaline. Another modern analogue with many features in common with the
Ossa-Morena Zone is that of the Basin and Range province of western North America (Rehrig 1986; Gans et
al. 1989). In all three cases, the appearance of igneous rocks with these compositions heralded ocean
development.
In order to place the rifting event in context, it is important to establish the geodynamic scenario of the Ossa-
Morena Zone prior to the onset of rifting. As previously described, the zone was a part of a continental
magmatic arc that had likely accreted to the outer part of the continental margin of Gondwana (Iberian
Autochthon) near the West African craton (Murphy and Nance 1989, 1991) during the Neoproterozoic
Cadomian Orogeny. It therefore lay in an active margin setting in the earliest Cambrian (Quesada 1990-a,
1990-b). So what could have caused subduction to cease and, at the same time, trigger the onset of
extensional deformation and the magmatic evolution described in this paper?
In our view, the process best able to explain these features would be the oblique collision of a MOR with the
subduction zone that existed along the outboard margin of the Ossa-Morena Zone during the later stages of
the Cadomian orogeny (Figs. 11 and 12). This would have resulted in cessation or a significant slow-down of
subduction outboard of the ridge, where both plates would be moving in roughly the same direction (Fig. 11-
B). The progressive overriding of the former MOR would have also brought hot and buoyant asthenosphere
to the base of the upper plate through the formation of a slab window (Fig. 12-E), resulting in uplift and
erosion of upper crustal segments of the Ossa-Morena arc. Gravitational instability induced by this highly
focused expansion would have triggered the onset of extensional deformation, leading to rifting and sediment
deposition in fault-bounded basins. Significant thinning of the lithosphere associated with rifting was
probably enhanced by coeval thermal erosion of the lithospheric root, caused by heating and partial melting
from below. Both processes likely generated feedback effects resulting in: 1) isostatic subsidence and
41
progressive inundation of the remaining upper plate, as recorded by the Early Cambrian Lower Detrital and
Carbonate formations; and 2) increased decompression melting in both asthenospheric and lithospheric
mantle segments.
Figure 11.- Schematic model to explain the sudden transition from subduction to rifting by a process of ridge-trench collision
culminating in ocean opening and terrane capture (map view)
Injection of these melts into the lower crust or adjacent subcrustal environments is indicated by the sharp
increase in geothermal gradient required for the anatectic processes recorded in upper/mid crustal settings
(Early rift-related igneous suite). This injection would have further enhanced extension and thinning of the
remaining lithosphere, and the formation of core-complexes coeval with migmatization in the upper/mid
crust. The absence of significant mantle-derived lavas at this stage may be due to softening of the lower crust
by massive partial melting that prevented propagation of fissures and dikes. This is a common feature in
other regions during initial stages of rifting, such as in the North American Basin and Range province
(Rehrig 1986; Gans et al. 1989). Underplating and temporal storage of mantle-derived magmas would have
resulted in strong differentiation through crystal fractionation and assimilation and mixing of lithospheric
and crustal rocks and melts. In particular, the enriched signature of the erupted liquids could have been
acquired at this time by variable incorporation of more fertile, lithospheric and/or crustal components than
those typical of MORB asthenospheric sources. Some 10-15 million years later, propagation of fractures
through the Ossa-Morena Zone crust occurred, perhaps because melt exhaustion of the lower crust aided by
enhanced extension, eventually allowed massive drainage to the upper crust of the liquids available in the
deep, transient magma chambers. Renewed injection of more primitive melts into these chambers is
suggested by the alternating nature of the magmas erupted at the surface. Magmatic ascent was probably
42
facilitated by coeval normal faulting that was also responsible for the collapse of the pre-existing platform
recorded during deposition of the Upper Detrital Formation. Massive emplacement of mafic magma into the
crust at this stage would have caused renewed thermal expansion, uplift and erosion, the subsequent thermal
collapse of which was responsible for the rapid inundation of the Ossa-Morena Zone recorded by the Early
Ordovician transgression. This marks the onset of passive margin conditions in most of the area and is taken
as evidence for the existence of a significant tract of new oceanic lithosphere, consistent with its
interpretation as a brake-up unconformity (Quesada 1991, 1992).
In southwesternmost units of the Ossa-Morena Zone, rift-related magmatism continued to develop after the
Early Ordovician, consistent with the progression of rifting towards the innermost parts of the Iberian
Autochthon (Fig. 11-C) and its eventual culmination in the separation and drift of a continental block
(terrane; Fig. 11-D). This propagation of rifting requires the motion of Gondwana over the former MOR to
have lasted at least until completion of the continental brake-up. Murphy et al. (2006) have interpreted that
the opening ocean was the Rheic and the captured terrane was the Avalonian microplate (Fig. 13).
A number of present-day examples provide support for the model proposed above. For example, the
northwestward propagation of the Central Indian MOR through the Red Sea is presently separating the
Arabian Peninsula from Africa. However, a closer analogue is that of Baja California because it lies within
an active margin setting and is being rifted from North America as a consequence of the overriding of the
East Pacific Rise.
An important implication of this model is that the new oceanic lithosphere formed as a culmination of rifting
was not the result of a new thermal anomaly in the mantle. In the case of Baja California, it is instead the
expression of the overriding of a much older asthenospheric anomaly by the North American plate. Hence,
the oceanic basin is new but the thermal regime responsible for its formation is not. This point raises
interesting questions regarding the significance and duration of mantle plumes and their role in global plate
tectonics, especially where their expression is obscured by the subsequent evolution of the plates themselves.
Figure 12.- Schematic model to explain the early stages of the sudden transition from subduction to rifting by a process of ridge-
trench collision leading to formation of a slab window (section view)
In the case of the Ossa-Morena Zone, the proposed model implies that the new oceanic basin (Pulo do Lobo
terrane-Rheic ocean) was simply a successor ocean of a much older Proterozoic one that surrounded Rodinia
43
during its brake-up. According to Murphy et al. (2006), opening of the Palaeozoic Iapetus and Rheic ocean
largely benefited from the pre-existing sutures through which successive Neoproterozoic arcs were accreted
to the margin of Gondwana (Fig. 13). Opening of the Rheic led to the capture and drift of the Avalon ribbon
continent, a marginal part of which remained however attached to the margin of Gondwana mainland and
became the Ossa-Morena Zone.
Figure 13.- Model of Palaeozoic ocean opening by successive ridge-trench collisions at the margin of Gondwana with special
emphasis on the opening of the Rheic Ocean and the capture and drift of Avalonia (Murphy et al. 2006)
A very significant regression characterizes the latest expression of rifting in most of the OMZ and other parts
of the Iberian Massif and is responsible for the erosion/non-deposition of Late Cambrian rocks in the former.
This regression is interpreted as the result of renewed thermal expansion during the massive emplacement of
magmas belonging to the Main rift-related Igneous Event.
The Ordovician-Devonian passive margin
Following the aforementioned regression a major transgressive pulse propagated northwards across the OMZ
and somewhat later across the rest of the Iberian Massif. This is beautifully shown in the OMZ by
unconformable onlapping over variably eroded and tilted Cambrian sequences of a fining and thinning
upward succession, which includes from bottom to top: 1) terrestrial and deltaic conglomerates, 2)
quartzarenites deposited in beach and shoreface environments, and 3) a mudstone sequence, including
kaolinite-rich horizons at the base and rapidly grading into outer shelf mud with pelagic Graptolites (Barriga
Shale, Schneider 1939, 1951). No fossils have been found so far in the two lower lithosomes but the Barriga
Shale, on the contrary, has yielded rich assemblages of Graptolites and a pelagic Trilobite, which allow
dating this formation as latest Tremadocian (Robardet & Gutiérrez Marco 2004). This apparently rapid
44
inundation has been interpreted by Quesada (1991) as a breakup unconformity related to thermal contraction
after relaxation of the thermal anomaly that prevailed during the previous rifting stage. It is taken as proof of
the existence of a significant tract of new oceanic lithosphere (Rheic ocean) as the culmination of rifting and
it may mark the transition from rift-to-drift of the brand new continental margin so formed.
The quartzarenite package has been frequently correlated with the Armorican Quartzite of other units within
the Iberian Massif and elsewhere along the North-Gondwana domain. The OMZ quartzite is, however,
undoubtedly younger (pre-latest Tremadocian) than the Arenigian age currently assigned to the Armorican
Quartzite in other Iberian zones (Gutiérrez Marco et al. 2002), but the significance of the Early Ordovician
transgression may be the same, the gap only reflecting the time needed for the flooding to proceed towards
more internal parts of the Gondwanan continental margin.
From this point on and up to the Devonian, the stratigraphy of the OMZ consists of mostly siliciclastic
sedimentary sequences, deposited in outer shelf environments as opposed to much shallower, inner shelf
environments characterizing the other Gondwanan units of the Iberian Massif during the same period. For
the details the reader is referred to the papers by Gutiérrez Marco et al. (2002) and Robardet & Gutiérrez
Marco (2004), where updated reviews and extensive references are given. An important aspect with
palaeogeographic significance is the local presence of Late Ordovician glaciomarine deposits (Valle
Formation, Jaeger & Robardet 1979), which may be correlative of similar rocks that occur in other North
Gondwanan regions, including the other zones of the Iberian Massif (Robardet & Doré 1988). This fact alone
provides a mutual palaeogeographic link across the Iberian Autochthon and to Gondwana of all these so-
called peri-Gondwanan units.
According to Quesada (1991, 1992) the stratigraphic record in the entire Iberian Massif for this Ordovician-
Devonian period is better interpreted by considering platformal sedimentation on a drifting passive margin
setting during the spreading of the Rheic ocean. The OMZ would have occupied the thinned, outermost parts
of the margin whereas the other Iberian zones would have occupied more internal parts of it.
The end of this stage came in a very diachronic manner when collision with Laurussia suddenly started,
giving rise to the onset of the Variscan orogeny. Since no evidence for transformation into an active margin
exists on this side of the ocean until the onset of collision, then continental approximation must have been
accommodated by intraoceanic subduction or beneath the other continent (Laurussia, A in Fig. 3), by lateral
displacements along transform faults or perhaps by a combination of both.
A relict of the Rheic Ocean: the Beja-Acebuches Ophiolite and the Pulo do Lobo Accretionary Prism
A very special unit of the SW Iberian Massif is the so-called Beja-Acebuches Ophiolite (Munhá et al. 1986).
It consists of a discontinuous belt of (mainly) amphibolites (Acebuches amphibolites; Bard 1969), lying
south of the Ossa-Morena Zone and forming the northernmost division of the Pulo do Lobo Zone, which
separates it from the South Portuguese Zone (Figs. 1 and 4). On the basis of the oceanic signature of the
metabasic rocks and the extremely imbricate structure of the whole Pulo do Lobo Zone, Munhá et al. (1986,
1989), Quesada (1991, 1992) and Quesada et al. (1994) interpreted the Acebuches Amphibolites as a
dismembered ophiolite, and the mainly metasedimentary Pulo do Lobo sequences, which also include some
oceanic protoliths (Eden 1992), as an accretionary prism. Accretion to the southern margin of the Iberian
Autochthon took place by oblique (sinistral) transfer, eventually accompanied by a component of subduction,
during the southeasterly escape of the Ossa-Morena Zone from the frontal zone of Variscan collision (B in
Fig. 3). No ages are so far available for the metaigneous rocks but some metasediments in the Pulo do Lobo
Zone have yielded palynomorphs of Middle and Late Devonian age, therefore proving a Palaeozoic age for
the ophiolite.
The fact that the belt of oceanic and related rocks occurs immediately south of the Ossa-Morena passive
margin, together with the southeasterly propagation of Cambrian-Ordovician rifting within the latter, clearly
suggests that the oceanic rocks may represent a piece of the ocean which opened as a culmination of rifting;
i.e., the Rheic Ocean, according to its location and age.
Detailed descriptions of various aspects of the Beja-Acebuches Ophiolite and the Pulo do Lobo accretionary
prism can be found in the papers referred to above and references therein. For the purpose of this
introduction to the excursion it is worthwhile keeping in mind only the following main aspects:
45
- The Beja-Acebuches Ophiolite is extremely dismembered and not a single section exposes the entire
oceanic stratigraphy. In Spain, only crustal sections are exposed (gabbro, sheeted dikes, basalts and
sediments).
- There exists significant geochemical differences, reminiscent of different oceanic environments (supra
and infra subduction zone types) among various sections of the ophiolite, suggesting that it may be rather
a dismembered ophiolitic complex than a single piece of oceanic lithosphere.
- The Pulo do Lobo Zone includes various metasedimentary and metaigneous protoliths, the stratigraphy
of which is far from being understood due to intensive internal imbrication, penetrative polyphase
deformation and generalized greenschist metamorphism. Most researchers will agree that there are: 1)
ocean floor tholeiites with N-MORB characteristics (Quesada et al. 1994); 2) a metasedimentary
succession (Pulo do Lobo Group; Carvalho et al. 1976) composed of metapelites and quartzwackes,
which has been interpreted as ocean floor sediments on the basis of its pre-orogenic nature; and 3) a
complex group of Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous (Giese et al. 1988, Oliveira et al. 1986) syn-
orogenic flysch sequences and various mélanges, whose mutual time-space relationships are basically
unknown. Among the latter, the existence of mafic mélanges in the Pulo do Lobo Zone, similar in
geochemical composition to the N-MORB tholeiites, strongly supports accretion during subduction and
reinforces its interpretation as an accretionary prism.
The Variscan orogeny
By late Early Devonian times the outer margin of the so-called Ibero-Aquitanian promontory in North-
Gondwana (Burg et al. 1987) reached the outer active margin of already amalgamated Laurussia, giving rise
to the onset of collisional deformation (B in Fig. 3). This long-lasting collision, called Variscan orogeny in
Europe and Alleghenian orogeny in North America, culminated in the amalgamation of the supercontinent
Pangea in the Early Permian.
In Iberia, the onset of collision is very differently expressed depending on the pre-collisional position of the
various units. So, in areas close to the frontal part of the promontory, obduction of Laurussian units and
previously accreted ophiolites started to propagate on top of the thinned outer margin of the Gondwana lower
plate. Propagation of the pile of thrust sheets (B in Fig. 3) proceeded roughly eastwards by footwall collapse
from the late Early Devonian to the Early Permian, progressively involving more internal parts of the
previous passive margin platform, which was transformed into a migrating peripheral foreland basin in front
of the advancing orogenic wedge. This was the situation in the northern half of the Iberian Massif (Fig. 1).
There, polymetamorphic nappes carrying various crustal and mantle segments of the active Laurussian
margin, overly Palaeozoic ophiolites, which are in turn structurally superposed to nappes originally
belonging to the margin of Gondwana (Arenas et al. 1986). The latter include from top to bottom the Galicia-
Tràs os Montes, Central Iberian, West Asturian-Leonese zones and, finally, the Cantabrian Zone, which
constitutes the relative autochthon of the whole nappe stack. Significantly, the Galicia-Tràs os Montes Zone,
representing the thinned, outermost margin of Gondwana, shares many features in common with the OMZ
but it is here affected by high-pressure metamorphism, suggesting that it must have gone into the subduction
zone during initial stages of collision and prior to its obduction onto the rest of the Gondwanan Iberian
margin.
South of the Ibero-Aquitanian promontory, presence of relic oceanic lithosphere allowed the onset of
tectonic escape of marginal blocks from the zone of frontal collision (B in Fig. 3). This was the case of the
present OMZ, which started to escape southeastwards in late Early Devonian times by reactivation under
sinistral strike-slip of the pre-existing Cadomian suture, thence becoming the present Badajoz-Córdoba shear
zone (Figs. 1 and 4, Quesada & Dallmeyer 1994). This southeasterly escape of the OMZ was accommodated
by sinistral subduction of the adjacent ocean beneath its outer margin, which became an active one (B in Fig.
3). Then was the time when the Pulo do Lobo accretionary prism started to form and a modest arc grew on
the southern OMZ. Escape displacement lasted until the Late Viséan, when the remaining ocean had been
entirely consumed (Quesada et al. 1994). After that, the OMZ collided with and was obducted onto the outer
margin of the South Portuguese Zone (C in Fig. 3). The associated collisional deformation proceeded
southwards across the latter until the waning of convergence in the Early Permian but with a neat
transpressional nature throughout its duration (Quesada 1998). This south propagating orogen has been
beautifully imaged by a recently acquired deep seismic reflection profile (Fig. 14, Simancas et al. 2003).
46
Despite its extremely modest size, the growth of a subduction-related magmatic arc onto the OMZ southern
margin (Santos et al. 1987) is very important for several reasons. First, it tells us of the mechanism
accommodating the southeasterly escape of the OMZ; second, it clearly shows the polarity of subduction,
placing the OMZ in the hangingwall of the future suture zone, opposite to North Iberia where Gondwana
always lay in the footwall (B in Fig. 3); and third, its reduced size confirms the predominantly oblique nature
of the displacement, with only minor and perhaps episodic subduction at restraining bends in the overall
wrench system. Apart from some plutons, Variscan arc rocks are restricted to southwesternmost units in
Portugal where two distinct calcalkaline volcanic suites occur: the middle Devonian Odivelas complex and
the Late Tournaisian-Early Viséan Toca da Moura complex (Santos et al. 1987).
Figure 14.- Seismic reflection profile across the SW Iberian Massif and its interpretation (Simancas et al. 2003)
Deformation and formation of syn-orogenic basins within the OMZ started immediately after the onset of its
escape. Both processes show a very pronounced along-strike migration from northwest to southeast rather
than across-strike. This is magnificently shown by the syn-orogenic Terena flysch basin of the southern
OMZ. The infill of this basin started in the late Early Devonian in the west (Pereira, Z. et al. 1998) and did
not reach the eastern end until the Tournaisian (Boogaard & Vázquez 1981). In this eastern part, the pre-
orogenic passive margin sequence includes the entire Devonian system (Robardet & Gutiérrez Marco 2004),
thus showing the markedly diachronic transformation of the passive margin into a syn-orogenic basin.
Until the onset of collision in the Late Viséan, deformation in the OMZ was mostly governed by strike-slip
processes. It was then when the spectacular strike-slip duplex configuration was developed in a generalized
thick-skinned regime (B in Fig. 3). Within some larger horses, mainly in the southern half of the OMZ, thin-
skinned deformation of the detached Palaeozoic cover took place (Vauchez 1976, Expósito et al. 2003).
Owing to geometric complexities, some blocks were subjected to transpression and consequent uplift
whereas some others suffered transtension and syn-orogenic basin formation. Many underwent complex
deformation paths involving successive transpressional and transtensional stages as in their displacement
they encountered relative restraining and releasing bends, respectively. The thick-skinned nature of the
deformational regime is clearly indicated by emplacement along some bounding faults of igneous rocks,
mainly in the Early Carboniferous (c. 350-340 Ma, Salman 2004, Romeo et al. 2006), when most of the
OMZ must have progressively overridden a deep mantle thermal anomaly.
47
Deformation after collision with the South Portuguese Zone in the Late Viséan was still of a transpressional
nature, but with a higher component of across-strike shortening. As a whole, the OMZ and the previously
accreted Pulo do Lobo accretionary prism were obducted southwards onto the South Portuguese Zone, where
a peripheral foreland basin nucleated in front of the propagating nappe pile (C in Fig. 3 and Fig. 14). On the
other side, where a transtensional syn-orogenic basin overstepping the boundary with the Central Iberian
Zone had been already formed during the escape period, the OMZ was also pushed on top, turning it into a
peripheral foredeep, though still with a significant strike-slip component (C in Fig. 3). Internally, the overall
strike-slip duplex structure was tightened and the detached thin-skinned cover units refolded. Most horse
boundary faults were reactivated as oblique thrusts, producing in many cases the overriding of relatively
deep crustal units by much shallower ones. As a result, the entire region had been uplifted to subaerial
conditions by Westphalian times. Persistence of still oblique though progressively waning Variscan
convergence until the Early Permian is, however, clearly demonstrated by local development of terrestrial
intramontane basins (Westphalian Peñarroya-Belmez and Villanueva del Río basins and Stephanian-
Autunian Guadalcanal and Viar basins) as well as by emplacement of post-collisional plutons, among which
the Pedroches Batholith, intruding close to the boundary between the Ossa-Morena and Central Iberian zones
(Fig. 4), is the largest and was once used by Lotze (1945) and many other workers to mark the boundary
between the two zones.
48
IV.1.A. Field Trip Itinerary in Spain
From Évora
3-1C
2-1C 1-1B
2-1B
4-1C 3-1B
4-1B
1-1C
5-1B
To Évora 6-1B
5-1C
4-1D
3-1D 2-1D 1-1D
Figure 15.- Itinerary and Stops in the Spanish Part of the Field Trip. First day itinerary (Sept 29) and stops shown by green thick line
and labels; second day (Sept 30) shown in red and third day (Oct 1) in blue
49
50
IV.1.B. September 29. Évora (Portugal)-Llerena-Fregenal de la Sierra (Spain):
The Cadomian Arc and the Early Cambrian Unconformity
(The location of all stops can be seen in Fig. 15)
Stop 1-1B: Volcaniclastic breccias of the Neoproterozoic Arc sequence at Llerena
The Neoproterozoic Arc sequence in the Ossa-Morena Zone is represented by plutonic, subvolcanic,
volcanic and epiclastic sedimentary rocks. The representative geochemical composition of all these types of
rocks is of a subduction-related calcalkaline nature (Sánchez Carretero et al. 1990) and positive values of
εNd (+2.9 to +7.6, Pin et al. 2002). The best exposures of volcanic rocks occur in northern (Puebla de la
Reina) and eastern (Sierra de Córdoba) areas of the Spanish outcrop of the OMZ; that is, far from the
itinerary of this field trip. In the flat rest of the region, exposure is very poor.
This stop (Fig. 16) provides a chance to observe in a road cut a fresh outcrop of coarse-grained volcaniclastic
breccias formed by a set of flattened clasts embedded in a intermediate (andesitic) tuffite matrix. Most clasts
correspond to various facies of andesites (aphyric, (glomero) porphyritic, vesicular, etc) but there also occur
clasts of basalt, dacite and rhyolite in minor proportion. Non-volcanic clasts are unknown in this outcrop but
they occur occasionally in other breccias within this unit (carbonates, granitoid rocks, black cherts, etc).
Clast sizes vary from few mm to c. 30cm in diametre. The present structure is characterized by a prominent
cleavage (pressure-solution to slaty cleavage, depending on the matrix grain size), along which the clasts are
extremely flattened. No lineation is visible. The original structure of the deposit is massive and no clear
bedding is easily seen. Faint variations in the grain size of the clasts may be indicative of a crude
stratification but it is hardly discernible due to the strong flattening of the clasts. These volcaniclastic
breccias might represent a proximal pyroclastic fall deposit or a kind of near-source reworked epiclastic
sediment. Reworking, if any, must have been minimal in these particular breccias since there is no
contamination with non-volcanic components.
Malcocinado Fault
Stop 2-1B
Stop 1-1B
Ahillones
Pluton
Figure 16. Fragment of IGME’s 1:50,000 scale geological map of the area around Llerena with location of stops 1-1B and 2-1B
(sheet Llerena; Apalategui et al. 1983) and outcrop view of the andesitic breccias at Stop 1-1B
51
Stop 2-1B: The Ahillones pluton, a representative unit of the Ossa-Morena Neoproterozoic Arc
As with the volcanic rocks, the best exposures of arc-related plutonic rocks occur far from the trip itinerary.
However and despite poor exposure, the Ahillones pluton constitutes a hallmark in OMZ geology, since it
was the first dated pluton of this family (587+/-5Ma, U-Pb zircon age, Ochsner 1993) and also the oldest age
for an igneous rock so far published in the OMZ. The pluton (Fig. 16) is intrusive into folded and cleaved
Serie Negra (Montemolín succession) in its western margin and into cogenetic volcanic and volcaniclastic
rocks of the arc-related Malcocinado Formation (Fricke 1941), correlative of the breccias seen in the
previous stop, in its southern and eastern margins. Its northern boundary is defined by the Malcocinado
Fault, one of the southernmost structures of the Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone, which displaces sinistrally a bit
of the pluton some 15km northwestwards (NW corner in Fig. 16).
The Ahillones pluton is composed of several granitoid lithologies emplaced in shallow crustal environments:
diorites, quartzdiorites, tonalites, granodiorites and rare gabbros form one association that mingles in the
outcrops with another association formed by quartzmonzonites and granites, the latter with large globular
quartz crystals in many localities. Most facies contain numerous cognate microgranular enclaves whereas
country rock xenoliths are common near the external intrusive contacts. All rock types are pervasively
affected by cataclastic deformation and low-grade alteration (chlorite-pale amphibole-epidote-sericite-K
feldspar). Both features occur in the cobbles of granitoids included in Early Cambrian conglomerates that
unconformably overly the displaced part of the Ahillones pluton north of the Malcocinado fault
(northwestern corner in Fig. 16), proving thus the Cadomian age of such deformation and low grade
retrogression.
For detailed petrographic and geochemical descriptions the reader is referred to the papers by Apalategui et
al. (1983), Sánchez Carretero et al. (1990) and Ochsner (1993).
Stop 3-1B: The Early Cambrian (Cadomian) unconformity
Despite a poor quality of exposure, this stop offers a chance to analyze the basal conglomerate of the
unconformable Early Cambrian, at a locality where it contains a large variety of clasts and where these reach
considerable sizes (up to 50cm in their long axis). The contacts are barely visible, but an angular and
erosional unconformity is easily interpretable on the basis of the following facts: 1) the conglomerate
delineates a Variscan syncline in the core of which the conformable Early Cambrian Lower Detrital
Formation occurs; in the northern limb and the periclinal closure the basal conglomerate sits on the late
Neoproterozoic Malcocinado Formation whereas in the southern limb it overlies the Ediacaran Tentudía
succession of the Serie Negra; thus a cartographic unconformity is inescapable; 2) among the clasts, there are
very prominent cigar-shape cobbles derived from the most typical lithologies in the Serie Negra (Fig 17-A);
i.e., graphite-bearing schists and above all the black cherts of the Montemolín succession. Very significantly,
the clasts derived from the Serie Negra are polydeformed prior to sedimentation (Fig. 17-B) and leave no
doubt of the existence a polyphase Cadomian orogeny in this part of the world.
In this locality the basal Cambrian conglomerate reaches c. 30m in thickness and grades up transitionally into
the arkose-rich Torreárboles Formation (Liñán 1978), lower part of the Early Cambrian Lower Detrital
sequence. Its primary structure was very massive and generally matrix-supported. Grain-size variations allow
interpreting a crude stratification within this deposit, which from a sedimentological point of view
corresponds to a series of debris-flow events. Many clasts are well rounded, implying that they must be
polycyclic. Apart from the already mentioned Serie Negra-derived clasts, the vast majority corresponds to
volcanic, volcaniclastic and epiclastic cobbles derived from the underlying arc-related Malcocinado
Formation. Rare granitoid cobbles are seen from place to place whereas hydrothermal quartz clasts are
common. The sand-size matrix is greywackic with variable proportions of mud and also derived from
volcanogenic sources.
The whole outcrop is intensely cleaved but, opposite to the breccias seen in Stop 1-1B, deformation here
(undoubtedly Variscan) is markedly constrictional, being the lineation defined by the cigar-like cobbles and
blocks the most prominent tectonic structure. In this locality, the lineation consistently plunges towards the
NW.
52
A C
Figure 17.- Basal Cambrian conglomerate: A. Outcrop view of a dm-size block of Montemolín succession black chert;
B. Microconglomerate intercalation; C. Polished section of one of the black chert clasts, showing refolded isoclinal early sheath folds
Stop 4-1B: Ediacaran Serie Negra metasediments in the Monesterio antiform (Montemolín succession)
The Monesterio Antiform, one of the most prominent Variscan structures in the region (see Fig. 4),
constitutes the largest outcrop of Neoproterozoic rocks in the entire Ossa-Morena Zone, including pre-
orogenic (pre-Cadomian) Ediacaran metasedimentary units (the so-called Serie Negra Formation; Alía 1963,
Carvalhosa 1965) and the late Neoproterozoic, syn-orogenic arc related volcanic, plutonic and sedimentary
rocks seen in the two previous stops (Malcocinado Formation); all unconformably overlain by Early
Cambrian rocks.
The Monesterio antiform is split into two structural units by the Variscan Monesterio thrust (Figure 18). The
main differences between the hangingwall and footwall blocks are as follows: 1) The Serie Negra includes
the Montemolín amphibolites only in the hangingwall (see below); 2) no late Neoproterozoic Malcocinado
Formation arc sequences are preserved in the footwall, though some cogenetic plutons intrude into the Serie
Negra; and 3) metamorphic grade is higher in the hangingwall, reaching migmatization stages, than is the
footwall (only greenschist grade); and 4) the unconformably overlying Cambrian is very different: the Lower
Detrital Formation in the hangingwall (see under Stop 3-1B) and the Early-rift-related Igneous Suite in the
footwall (see under Stop 1-1C).
The Serie Negra metasediments correspond mostly to cm- to dm-scale turbiditic alternations of slates and
metagreywackes with dark colours due to their high graphite content. Eguiluz (1987) distinguished two
superposed units: 1) a lower, Montemolín succession, in which the sandstones are graphite-rich
quartzwackes, and 2) an upper, Tentudía succession, characterized by volcaniclastic greywackes and much
lower graphite contents. Further differences include the abundant presence of black cherts (phtanites),
tholeiitic amphibolites and rare limestones in the Montemolín succession (Fig. 19), which are only locally
seen in the overlying Tentudía succession. The boundary between the two units is defined by a several
hectometres thick package of tholeiitic amphibolites (Montemolín amphibolites), only preserved in the
northern part of the Monesterio Antiform (north of the Monesterio thrust).
Apart from graded beds typical of turbidites, other sedimentary features such as wave and current ripple
marks, planar cross-bedding and hummocky cross-stratification are locally preserved in the Montemolín
53
succession, especially where it is little deformed and metamorphosed. These structures imply relatively
shallow shelf environments, episodically above storm wave base, during the deposition of this lower Serie
Negra unit and, together with the mature nature of its sandstones (quartzwackes), they have been interpreted
by Quesada (1990-a,1990-b, 1997) as evidence for sedimentation in a continental passive margin.
Valencia Malcocinado Fm.

del
Ventoso Stop 3-1B
Variscan
pluton Tentudía
Succ.
Stop 4-1B
Montemolín
Hangingwall amphibolite
block Stop 5-1B
Footwall Migmatites
block
Monesterio
granodiorite
Monesterio thrust
Stop 1-1C Tentudía Succ.
Stop 6-1B
Figure 18.- Geological map of the central part of the Monesterio antiform and location of the main structural elements and stops.
Pinkish colours correspond to the Serie Negra (deep pink is for the Montemolín succession in the hangingwall block; light pink was
applied to greenschist metamorphic grade and represents the Tentudía succession in the hangingwall and both Serie Negra units in
the footwall, where the Tentudía succession contact is shown with; purple is for anatectic leucogranites and deep orange for the
Monesterio Granodiorite. Other reddish and light orange colours correspond to unrooted peraluminous granitoids of the Early rift-
related Event in the footwall, whereas yellowish green is the volcanic correlative, Bodonal Porphyroid. Other non-labelled green and
brown colours correspond to various Cambrian divisions. At the location of Stop 1-1C, please notice the neat angular unconformity
of the Early Cambrian volcanics on top of both Serie Negra successions. Notice also the discordances at the contacts of the plutons in
the footwall. The area within the box shows the best example of refolded isoclinal folds delineated by thick black chert layers.
(Adapted from IGME’s 1:50,000 scale Geological Map of Spain, sheets Monesterio (Fernández Carrasco et al. 1983) and Fuente de
Cantos (Garrote et al. 1983).
This stop is intended to the observation of the Montemolín succession in the hangingwall unit of the
Monesterio antiform. Depending on ongoing works along a new road cut, we will be able to analyze the
main lithologies (graphite-schist, quartzwacke, black cherts) and eventually some algal-laminated marbles.
In the area where we plan to make the observations the Montemolín succession is affected by amphibolite
grade metamorphism and polyphase deformed. Two schistosities and a crenulation cleavage as well as
refolded isoclinal folds are clearly visible in many outcrops. The latter are small scale equivalents of the km-
size interference fold pattern shown on Fig 18. At least these two early sets of folds must be of Cadomian
age since they are unconformably overlain and/or intruded by Cambrian rocks.
54
A B
Figure 19.- Montemolín succession: A. Contact between amphibolites (right) and metaquartzwackes and biotite schists (left);
B. Typical appearance of black cherts (phtanites) ; C. Laminated marble
Stop 5-1B: The first evidence of Cambrian rifting: migmatized Ediacaran Serie Negra metasediments
in the Monesterio antiform
As already mentioned, the Montemolín succession in the hangingwall block of the Monesterio antiform is
affected by much higher metamorphic grade than in the footwall block, reaching the conditions to produce
migmatization of the sedimentary protoliths. A migmatitic nucleus developed around the town of
Monesterio, being cut by the Variscan Monesterio thrust in the south. There is a very tight, nearly concentric
zonation of isograds around a core formed by the in-situ anatectic Monesterio granodiorite.
This section stop is intended to see the progression of metamorphic grade by moving south from the previous
stop (at low-T amphibolite grade) into the almost in situ Monesterio granodiorite. Depending on the timing
in the trip we will stop at a number of localities, the minimum being: a) at the first anatectic mobilisates still
within the K-feldspar—muscovite zone; b) at the muscovite-out zone stromatic migmatites; and c) at the
fairly homogeneous Monesterio granodiorite.
The metamorphic conditions were studied in detail by Eguiluz & Abalos (1992), being of the high T-low P
type (climax at 650 ºC and 5 kbar). This thermobaric regime is characteristic of metamorphism associated to
extensional metamorphic processes. Up to recent times, this metamorphism had been ascribed to the final
collapse stages of the Cadomian orogen (Quesada & Munhá 1990, Quesada 1990-a, 1990-b, 1997, Eguiluz &
55
Abalos 1992) on the basis of old Rb-Sr dating of the Monesterio granodiorite at c. 550 Ma (Quesada et al.
1989). Nevertheless, the application of U-Pb zircon geochronology has resulted in a significant refining of
the time frame of many igneous rocks in the Ossa-Morena Zone and has allowed constraining this
metamorphic event and its anatectic products in the 530-520 Ma time span; i.e. within the Early Cambrian
(Ochsner 1993, Ordóñez et al. 1997, Ordóñez 1998, Salman 2004, Romeo et al. 2006). This new situation
makes much more sense as it allows linking the Monesterio and other similar migmatites to some
peraluminous unrooted plutons (Calera, Tablada, Culebrín, Salvatierra de los Barros, Mina Afortunada, etc)
and, even more important, to the geochemically similar rhyolites of the Early rift-related Igneous Event,
described in the Introduction to this field guide, which are interleaved with Early Cambrian rocks.
The current interpretation considers this metamorphic and anatectic event in connection with the early stages
of the Cambrian-Ordovician rifting recorded in the OMZ (Sánchez García et al. 2003; Simancas et al. 2004,
see also the introductory section to this guidebook). In fact, the Monesterio thrust may just be the result of
the Variscan inversion of a Cambrian extensional detachment. The evidence for this is very appealing since,
in the present footwall of the Monesterio thrust (presumably the hanging wall of the detachment), the
vulcanites of the Early rift-related Igneous Event form a very continuous and thick package (see under Stop
1-1C), there are many shallow level cogenetic intrusions and metamorphic grade is low, whereas in the
present hangingwall (footwall of the detachment) there occur the high grade rocks and migmatites, very few
unrooted plutons but conversely the volcanic parts are missing, probably as a consequence of unroofing
during core-complex formation. So, we have the evidence for the progressive development of metamorphism
and finally anatectic magmatism during the early stages of rifting. The vertical igneous expression of this
being preserved as follows: the root zones in the footwall of the extensional detachment and the shallow
plutonic and volcanic zones in the hangingwall.
In the section it is possible to see a transition from allochthonous leucogranite vein intrusion within still non-
migmatized Montemolín Formation rocks in the K-feldspar—muscovite zone, through a complete down-
section across the muscovite-out zone where various types of migmatites can be distinguished that
progressively become richer in neosome, to the fairly homogeneous Monesterio granodiorite (Fig. 20-B). All
migmatitic stages, from tiny droplets of melt, through stromatic structures with a neat differentiation between
palaeosome and neosome (both leucocratic granitic melt and restitic melanosome, Fig. 20-A), to
heterogeneous granitoid can be easily seen. Significantly, many anatectic patches and veins postdate most of
the tectonic fabrics in the palaeosome, which might correspond to old Cadomian structures. The migmatites
and anatectic granitoids are themselves locally deformed but strain in this case must be related to either syn-
migmatization extensional deformation, Late Palaeozoic Variscan deformation, or both. No detailed studies
have ever attempted to sort this question out.
A B
Figure 20.- Monesterio migmatites (A) and deformed Monesterio granodiorite with abundant restite xenoliths (B)
56
The typical metamorphic mineralogy of the metapelitic and metagreywackic migmatites includes: quartz,
biotite, plagioclase, k-feldspar, cordierite, sillimanite/andalousite and rare garnet. In the granitic neosome,
apart from the minimum eutectic composition (quartz + feldspar), biotite, cordierite, aluminium silicates, rare
garnet and some Ca-rich cores of zoned plagioclases are interpreted as restitic crystals or gromerules
entrained into the melt. This process of restitic contamination is also responsible for the granodioritic
composition of the Monesterio granodiorite, which should be otherwise similar to the leucogranitic veins.
Published εNd values for these rocks are largely negative (-5+/-2; Ordóñez 1998, Salman 2004),
corroborating the involvement of metasedimentary material in their genesis.
Stop 6-1B: Ediacaran Serie Negra metasediments in the Monesterio antiform (Tentudía succession)
In order to complete an overview of the Neoproterozoic basement of the Ossa-Morena Zone, we have
scheduled a stop to provide an insight into the characteristics of the upper Serie Negra division, given the
name of Tentudía succession by Eguiluz (1987). The Tentudía succession constitutes a thickening and
coarsening upward sequence, characterized by typical turbidite alternations of greywacke and shale, that may
attain a total thickness of c. 2km (Eguiluz 1987), though a complex structure and poor exposure combine to
cast some doubts on that statement. Locally some volcaniclastic and basaltic volcanic layers interleave with
the turbidites, especially near its basal contact. Noticeably, no interstratified black cherts occur; this peculiar
lithology appearing only as cobble size clasts in microconglomerates and coarse-grained greywackes. The
main differences with respect to the underlying Montemolín succession are the volcanic derivation of many
feldspathic and lithic grains in the greywackes, the scarce proportion of graphite and the fact that no
sedimentary features other than those typical of turbidites (grading and Bouma sequences) have ever been
described in the Tentudía succession. All these features suggest a dramatic change in both the source of
sediment and the palaeoenvironmental conditions at the site of deposition, which must have been deeper
(below storm wave base) in this case. Quesada (1997) interpreted this evolution as evidence for backarc
extension of the pre-existing continental passive margin (Montemolín succession), materialized by eruption
of the Montemolín tholeiites that separates both Serie Negra sequences in the hangingwall block of the
Monesterio antiform, in turn succeeded by basin subsidence in which sediment derived from an adjacent
growing arc could accumulate (Tentudía succession). If this is the case, then the Tentudía succession could
be time equivalent to some parts of the magmatic arc seen before today (Malcocinado Formation and related
plutonic rocks).
Nevertheless, the old (but still widely used) name Serie Negra has a geological significance in the sense that
both share turbiditic characteristics and, most importantly, they share the same deformation history (Eguiluz
1987, Quesada, 1990-a, 1990-b, 1997). The latter author integrated both Serie Negra successions as pre-
orogenic sequences and suggested that this could be the result of deformation related to closure of the
backarc basin, being that the first expression of the Cadomian orogeny in this part of the Ossa-Morena active
margin. The fact that some Malcocinado rocks unconformably recover the deformed Serie Negra, as in the
hangingwall block of the Monesterio antiform, witnesses for continuation of subduction after closure of the
backarc basin where the Tentudía succession was deposited.
Fernández Suárez et al. (2002) analyzed a sample of the Tentudía succession for detrital zircon dating by the
LA-ICP-MS technique. Their results are shown in Fig. 21, where they are compared with results obtained by
the same authors from other samples from Neoproterozoic and Ordovician rocks in northern Iberia and the
French Armorican Massif. The main conclusions of their work are: 1) the youngest concordant zircons in the
Tentudía sample clusters around 550 Ma (maximum age of sedimentation, Fig. 21-A); and 2) there is a gap
of Mesoproterozoic age zircons in the OMZ and Cadomian samples with respect to the northern Iberian
Massif where zircons of this time span form the most prominent peak, suggesting physical disconnection of
the Iberian Autochthon and the OMZ in the Neoproterozoic.
Time and weather permitting, the day’s field trip will end in the scenic peak of Tentudía Hill, the highest
elevation in Badajoz province, where many generations of geologists have enjoyed the magnificent round
panorama (Fig. 22), which allows watching the most part of the OMZ in Spain.
57
B
A
Fig. 21.- A: Concordia plot of U-Pb age results from detrital zircons in the Tentudía succession (Fernández Suárez et al. 2002);
B: Comparison of age spectra of detrital zircons in the Tentudía sample with others from NW Iberia (Gutiérrez-Alonso et al. 2003)
Figure 22.- Group picture at Tentudía peak during a previous field trip
58
IV.1.C. September 30. Fregenal de la Sierra-Aracena (Spain):
The Cambrian-Ordovician rifting of the Rheic Ocean and the Early Ordovician breakup
unconformity
Stop 1-1C: The Early Cambrian (Cadomian) unconformity (revisited) and the volcanic expression of
the Early rift-related Igneous Event
Yesterday, at Stop 3-1B we had the chance to analyze the Early Cambrian (Cadomian) unconformity in the
hangingwall block of the Monesterio antiform. In this Stop 1-1C the same unconformity is exposed in the
footwall block but with very different characteristics. First, the basal conglomerate is much thinner and finer-
grained here; the clasts are dominated by low grade Serie Negra metapelites and greywackes and felsic
volcanic rocks (no Malcocinado Formation lithologies are recognized) and the matrix is pelitic rather than
greywackic. Second, the rock succession overlying the basal conglomerate is not the Lower Detrital
Formation as in Stop 3-1B but instead a thick pile of peraluminous rhyolithic rocks belonging to the Early
rift-related Igneous Suite; i.e., the volcanic correlatives of the migmatites and anatectic granitoids seen at
Stop 5-1B, yesterday.
0 1cm
B C
0 1mm
Figure 23.- Field view (A) and photomicrograph (B) of the Bodonal Porphyroid, C: Basal Cambrian breccia with angular black chert
clasts underlying the Porphyroid, D: U-Pb discordia plot of a sample dated by Romeo et al. (2006)
59
The Early Cambrian rocks in this locality occur in the core of a Variscan syncline, which unconformably
overlies an interference fold pattern delineated by thick (decametre size) black chert horizons in the
Montemolín succession (Fig. 18). This interference pattern of refolded isoclinal folds must have been the
result of Cadomian deformation and mimics at the map scale the fold interference pattern seen in the cobbles
within the basal Cambrian conglomerate at Stop 3-1B (Fig. 17-B). So, the angular and erosional
unconformity is here also clear and shown in the landscape by the angular relationships between the black
chert layers and bedding in the Cambrian conglomerate and overlying volcanics, despite the non-exposure of
the contact itself.
The volcanic rocks of the Early rift-related Igneous Suite are very homogeneous at this locality and consist
of crystal-rich rhyolithic tuffs (Bodonal Porphyroid, Hernández Enrile 1971), which are by far the most
common lithology in the volcanic suite throughout the region. Crystals, up to 3-4mm, correspond to both
quartz and alkaline feldspar, frequently blasted (indicating magma degasification during or prior to eruption)
and corroded; the groundmass is very fine-grained and mostly consists of sericite, plus some quartz and
plagioclase, all of which are interpreted as devitrification and/or metamorphic phases. The porphyroid is
affected by a (Variscan) cleavage, axial planar to the aforementioned syncline, which is particularly strong
when the proportion of sericitic groundmass is higher; for instance the rhyolite lavas that occur at other
localities are not cleaved at all.
Romeo et al. (2006) have recently dated a sample of the Bodonal Porphyroid by the TIMS U-Pb technique,
obtaining an age of 530+/-3 Ma, which is line with available ages from the cogenetic plutons and Monesterio
migmatites (Galindo et al. 1990, Ochsner 1993, Ordóñez 1998). An overview of the main geochemical
characteristics has been included in the Introduction to the guidebook (Section IV.1A). Further data can be
found in the paper by Sánchez García et al. 2003. Besides, εNd values for these rocks are largely negative (-
5+/-2; Ordóñez 1998, Salman 2004), corroborating the involvement of metasedimentary material in their
genesis.
Stop 2-1C: The Cambrian succession of the Alconera unit (panorama view)
Halfway to our next stop, there is a chance to have a panoramic view of most of the Cambrian rift-related
sequence in the Alconera unit (one of the structural units making up the hangingwall block of the Monesterio
antiform) from two successive lookouts. The whole section exhibits a north-dipping (c. 45º) monocline
structure, which defines the southern limb of a Variscan syncline, cored northwards, out of the view. From
the first scenic spot (Lookout 1 on Fig. 24) a panorama of the Carbonate and Upper Detrital, Early Cambrian
formations is visible. The thickening and coarsening upward nature of the Upper Detrital Formation is
evident. It culminates in the Castellar Quartzite, near the Early-Middle Cambrian boundary, which is
interpreted as representing the global scale Hawke Bay regression in this part of the world (Palmer & James
1980, Liñán & Gámez 1993). A spectacular thinning towards the NW of the various sedimentary lithosomes
(Fig. 24) may be reminiscent of an original half-graben structure during deposition, being this the best
example in the entire OMZ.
Moving north a few kilometres, the intersection with the Zafra by-pass road allows completing the
panoramic section (Lookout 2 on Fig. 24), from the top of the Castellar Quartzite to the entire outcrop of the
Middle Cambrian Main rift-related Igneous Suite in this unit, in which the volcanic packages define elongate
hills in between the softer sedimentary interbeds, which are dominated by pelites (Fig. 25).
60
ALCONERA UNIT
ST OP 3 -1 C
LOOK OU T 2
17-18: Middle Cambrian volcanosedimentary succession
16: Castellar Quartzite
14-15: Upper Detrital Formation

LOOK OU T 1
12-13: Carbonate Formation
10-11: Lower Detrital Formation
9: Neoproterozoic Serie Negra
Figure 24.- Location of the two lookouts for Stop 2-1C, on a fragment of IGME’s 1:50,000 scale geological map (sheet Zafra;
Odriozola et al. 1983) and abbreviated legend of the Alconera unit. The northwest thinning of all stratigraphic units is also clearly
visible in this map view. Location of Stop 3-1C is also shown
SE Castellar Quartzite NW
Belts of rhyolites
Belt of basalts
Figure 25.- Scenery from the Zafra by-pass road (Lookout 2 on Fig. 24) of the Castellar Quartzite and overlying
Middle Cambrian volcanosedimentary succession
61
Stop 3-1C: The Middle Cambrian volcanosedimentary succession of the Alconera unit (Main rift-
related Igneous Event)
The volcanic part of the Main rift-related Igneous Event is very differently expressed in the various structural
units across the OMZ. It is very thick (c. 2 km) and compositionally varied in the Alconera unit, which also
at this stage represents a highly subsiding graben or semigraben domain. Volcanic activity started already in
the Early Cambrian, some metres below the Castellar Quartzite, but had its maximum development during
the Middle Cambrian. This is one of the best sections to realize the bimodal nature of rift-related magmatism,
with some occurrences of hybrid, intermediate compositions. This stop (location shown on Fig. 24) will be
devoted to the observation of the first massive package of volcanic rocks, in which the base corresponds to
felsic compositions (rhyolites to trachytes) being overlain by basalts and trachybasalts (Fig. 26). Both
compositional types alternate along the stratigraphy but basaltic compositions predominate towards the top in
this section (Sanchez García 2001, Sanchez García & Quesada 2002, Sanchez García et al. 2003). Both the
acid and basic rocks contain abundant iron oxides and are associated with a large set of iron ore deposits that
characterize the OMZ at this stage.
A B C
D F
G I
Fig. 26.- Outcrop and thin-section pictures of various volcanic rocks present in the Albuera de Zafra section. A: Porphyritic rhyolite,
B: close-up detail of the previous rock, C: hyaloclastic basalt, D: Y-shape glass shards in rhyolithic ignimbrite, E: Devitrification
spherulites in rhyolite, F: Trachyte, G: Vesicular basaltic lava, H: Basaltic accretionary lapilly, I: Hyaloclastic basalt
Among the basal acid rocks there are several eruptive facies: lava flows, pyroclastic ash flows, breccias,
graded epiclastic layers and some intrusive cryptodomes, such as the one outcropping at the western end of
the Albuera de Zafra dam, with a peralkaline porphyritic rhyolite nature, and in which there occur some
extremely altered pseudomorphs after fayalite. Locally, a faint columnar jointing is visible. Some ignimbrites
62
also appear, suggesting subaerial eruption processes, though deposition is generally submarine as indicated
by the sedimentary interbeds. Spectacular spherulithic textures are exposed locally and indicate
devitrification of the glassy groundmass of the felsic rocks. From a geochemical point of view (see under
Section IV.1A: Introduction, and the paper by Sanchez García et al. 2003), the felsic rocks are very variable
and include alkaline (and minor peralkaline) as well as calcalkaline rocks, suggesting the involvement of
various mantellic and crustal sources. Higher up in this section a thick package of basalts occurs. The basalts
correspond mostly to lava flows, locally pillowed, and many hyaloclastic breccia flows. Some volumetrically
minor pyroclastic basaltic rocks also appear. Many of the flows lost their volatile phase during eruption as
indicated by existence of abundant vesicles, most commonly infilled with chlorite, carbonate and quartz. The
largest part of the basalts is retrogressed to spilites (chlorite-pale amphibole-carbonate-epidote-quartz), after
alteration by sea-water during eruption, and no primary igneous mineral phases remain. The geochemistry of
most basalts is typical of tholeiites but a significant group corresponds to alkaline rocks (see under section
IV.1A: Introduction, and the paper by Sanchez García et al. 2003).
Pelite and silt sedimentary layers are interleaved with the volcanic rocks throughout the sequence. Eruption
and or intrusion over/into unconsolidated sediment are indicated by frequent peperites at many contact zones
between volcanic rocks and sediments. These have yielded locally very rich fossil assemblages (trilobites,
bivalves, brachiopods, trace fossils, acritarchs, etc) of Middle Cambrian age (Gil Cid 1981, Liñán & Perejón
1981, Palacios 1993, Liñán et al. 1996).
Stop 4-1C: Basaltic pillow-lavas of the Cumbres Mayores unit (Main rift-related Igneous Event)
Opposite to the previous stop, the Main rift-related Igneous Event in the Cumbres Mayores unit only
contains basaltic rocks, though this unit corresponds to another highly subsiding graben as well. Most of the
basalts represent lava flows and pillow lavas are very common. There are also some thin pyroclastic basaltic
rocks locally. This will be a very short stop, aimed to the quick analysis of spectacular primary structures in
the basalts, which are also of Middle Cambrian age in this unit. Observations will be made at two different
localities along the road from Fregenal de la Sierra to Huelva: at an outcrop of locally large pillows and tubes
intercalated with more massive basalt flows and at another outcrop of basaltic hyaloclastic breccias formed
by fragments of pillows (Fig. 27). Also in this unit the volcanic rocks overly a quartzite, correlative of the
Castellar Quartzite in the Alconera unit, and with the same palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental
significance.
C D
Fig 27.- Pillow basalts (A, B) and pillow fragment basaltic hyaloclastites (C, D) in the Cumbres Mayores unit
63
Stop 5-1C: The Early Ordovician breakup unconformity of the Rheic Ocean in the Ossa-Morena Zone
The Cambrian-Ordovician rifting event recorded in the Ossa-Morena Zone probably culminated in opening
of a new tract of oceanic lithosphere, which we tend to correlate with the Rheic Ocean. The evidence for this
in the OMZ is exposed better than anywhere else in the section that we plan to examine at this stop.
Immediately west of the Venta del Ciervo farm, the road from Hinojales to Aracena provides a magnificent
exposure of a monoclinal succession, which includes from bottom to top (Fig. 28):
1) the Middle Cambrian spilitic basalts seen in the previous stop;
2) 0-150 m of terrestrial and deltaic coarse conglomerates (Fig. 29-A, B, C) grading up into
3) 5-30 m thick, purple quartzites with a thin rhyolithic cinerite interbed towards the top (Fig. 29-D,
E), deposited in beach to shoreface environments
4) a 0-4 m thick package of yellowish, kaolinite-rich mudstone; and
5) 30-50 m thick, green shales with pelagic Graptolites (Barriga Shale, Schneider 1939), which
forms the lower division of the Early-Middle Ordovician Barrancos Formation (Delgado 1908) of
the southern OMZ, deposited in open shelf to slope environments (Oliveira et al. 1991).
STOP 5-1C
Figure 28.- Stratigraphic column and cross-section of the Early Ordovician transgressive system tract al Venta del Ciervo
64
The basal contact of the conglomerate delineates a regional low-angle unconformity and onlaps
progressively younger Middle Cambrian formations westwards. This has been interpreted as evidence for
tilting and thermal expansion during the previous rifting event, leading to emersion and unroofing of the
Cambrian sequences and even the Neoproterozoic basement locally (Quesada 1991).
The conglomerate unit includes a majority of massive matrix-supported, debris and mud flow deposits (Fig.
29-A, B, C), interleaved with mudstones, and also a few clast-supported, channel fill horizons with erosional
bases. The (cobble to block size) clasts, which are commonly well rounded suggesting recycling in the case
of the debris flow layers, include all the spread of Cambrian rocks compositions present in the underlying
substrate and the matrix is muddy to greywackic. Clasts derived from Precambrian metamorphic rocks and
granitoids are very rare.
The overlying quartzarenites show transitional contacts with the conglomerates and some washed out
microconglomerates occur interleaved with the quartzites up to half sequence, which as a whole shows a
thinning and fining architecture. This arrangement is suggestive of a transition from subaerial slope deposits
evolving into a shoreline fan delta during a transgressive event. This transgression must have been very fast
since the transition to fine-grained pelagic facies takes place in barely a few metres. The initial kaolin-rich
mudstones may represent recycling of previous soil and/or weathered rock from subaerial environments.
This apparently rapid inundation has been interpreted by Quesada (1991) as a breakup unconformity related
to thermal contraction after relaxation of the thermal anomaly that prevailed during the previous rifting stage.
It is taken as proof of the existence of a significant tract of new oceanic lithosphere (Rheic ocean) as the
culmination of rifting and it may mark the transition from rift-to-drift of the brand new continental margin so
formed.
A B
C E
Figure 29- Outcrop pictures of the Early Ordovician conglomerates (A, B, C) and quartzites (D, E) at Venta del Ciervo. Please notice
the matrix supported nature of the debris flow conglomerates, the presence of some clasts with previous deformation structures (C)
and the thin cinerite seam within the quartzites (yellowish layer right of the scale in D)
65
No fossils have been found so far in the three lower lithosomes above the unconformity but the Barriga
Shale, on the contrary, has yielded rich assemblages of Graptolites and a pelagic Trilobite, which allow
dating this formation as latest Tremadocian (Robardet & Gutiérrez Marco 2004). The quartzarenite package
has been frequently correlated with the Armorican Quartzite of other units within the Iberian Massif and
elsewhere along the North-Gondwana domain. The OMZ quartzite is, however, undoubtedly younger (pre-
latest Tremadocian) than the Arenigian age currently assigned to the Armorican Quartzite in other Iberian
zones (Gutiérrez Marco et al. 2002), but the significance of the Early Ordovician transgression may be the
same, the gap only reflecting the time needed for the flooding to proceed towards more internal parts of the
Gondwanan continental margin.
66
IV.1.D. October 1. Aracena-Aroche (Spain)-Évora (Portugal):
The Beja-Acebuches Ophiolite and associated mélanges in the Pulo do Lobo accretionary
prism
E
Ordovician breakup unconformity
Stop 1-1D: The Beja-Acebuches ophiolite south of Aracena (gabbro, sheeted dikes, basalts and
sediments)
A stated in the Introduction (Section IV.1A), the Pulo do Lobo accretionary unit includes fragments of, and
mélanges derived from, oceanic lithosphere. Among these, the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite (Munhá et al. 1986)
occurs in the northernmost structural division and constitutes the largest and most representative oceanic unit
in the whole region. Collectively, the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite and the Pulo do Lobo accretionary prism at a
larger scale are considered to materialize a segment of the Variscan suture zone between Gondwana and
Laurussia (Dallmeyer et al. 1993, Quesada et al. 1994). The ophiolite outcrop forms a discontinuous belt
attached to the southern margin of the Ossa-Morena Zone, which presently appears sinistrally thrust on top
of it. It is extremely imbricate and dismembered internally and not a single section exposes the entire ocean
floor stratigraphy. Mantle segments of the ophiolite are only exposed in Portugal whereas in Spain only
middle and upper crustal parts occur (Quesada et al. 1994). Besides, it is generally overprinted by very
intense Variscan deformation and amphibolite to granulite grade metamorphism (Bard 1969, Crespo Blanc
1989, Quesada et al. 1994, Díaz Azpíroz et al. 2004). The only exception to this happens at the easternmost
end of the outcrop, south of the town of Aracena, where deformation is much less intense and the associated
metamorphism is only greenschist to lower amphibolite grade.
At this locality, the ophiolite is overturned below the sinistral thrust that brings the OMZ on top and repeated
by an internal thrust, with a sinistral component as well (Fig. 30). The aim of this stop is to observe a short
section across the ophiolite, at two successive locations, starting at the contact with the OMZ.
Figure 30.- Schematic geological map of the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite south of Aracena (Quesada et al. 1994)
The ophiolite right at the contact (Stop 1-1D-a) consists of sheared metagabbro, at amphibolite metamorphic
grade. The metagabbro is generally a massive medium-grained rock, locally banded (plagioclase rich and
poor bands). It is crosscut by fine-grained metagabbro layers that are interpreted as dolerite dikes.
Plagioclase and hornblende are the main (metamorphic) mineral phases in both the medium and the fine-
grained metagabbros, but relics of (igneous?) clinopyroxene and brown amphibole are sometimes visible in
thin-section. A N-dipping, prominent plane-linear fabric is parallel to the contact thrust in both (Ossa-
67
Morena) hangingwall and footwall, suggesting initial development of thrusting at amphibolite conditions,
even though the present contact is marked by a late brittle fault. The total exposed thickness of metagabbro is
only a few tens on metres. On top of it (presently below) very fine-grained to porphyritic metadolerites and
metabasalts occur, but they are better exposed in the underlying thrust sheet.
At Stop 1-1D-b, the metadolerites are very fresh and a sheeted-dike structure is discernible, with many
visible chilled-margins at the dikes contacts (exposure was very spectacular a few years ago but it has been
subsequently destroyed to a large extent due to road widening works). The internal deformation is very weak
and at greenschist metamorphic conditions, being concentrated along discrete shear bands located at the
contacts between dikes and country rock. This has allowed preservation of the original igneous textures,
among which doleritic and lightly porphyritic types are most common. (Fig. 31). These are also preserved in
the overlying basalts, frequently glomeroporphyritic. The mineralogy has been, however, more modified
than the textures and primary phases (clinopyroxene, Ca-plagioclase) only occur as rare relicts.
A B
C D
Figure 31.- Primary igneous structures and textures preserved in the sheeted-dike metadolerites and overlying metabasalts of the
Beja-Acebuches ophiolite south of Aracena. A: Chilled margin in metadolerite dike, B: doleritic texture of dike metadolorite,
C & D: porphyritic textures in metabasalt
On top of the lower thrust sheet some metasediments (generally silicified mudstone and chert) locally occur.
They also occur in between the two thrust sheets making up the ophiolite here. This beige-colour,
metasedimentary package is very persistent laterally and represents a significant marker horizon for detailed
mapping within the ophiolite belt. Thus, the upper part of the gabbro layer and the upper crustal segment
(sheeted-dike complex, basalts, and sediments) of the oceanic lithosphere are exposed in this overturned
section.
The geochemistry of the whole pile of metabasic rocks in the ophiolite is MORB-tholeiitic (Bard & Moine
1979, Quesada et al. 1994, Castro et al. 1996) with supra-subduction zone characteristics. In consequence,
this fragment of ocean lithosphere was interpreted by Quesada et al. (1994) as belonging to a backarc
ophiolite, conversely to other tholeiites included in the Pulo do Lobo accretionary prism that are typically N-
MORB and may be representative of the main (Rheic) oceanic domain.
68
Stop 2-1D: The Beja-Acebuches ophiolite east of Almonaster la Real (layered metagabbro and dikes)
A few kilometres west of Aracena and up to the westernmost reaches of the outcrop in Spain, the Beja-
Acebuches ophiolite is affected by higher metamorphic grade. A section across it shows an inverted and
extremely steep gradient from amphibolite facies, in the south and structurally below, to granulite facies in
the northernmost decametres, immediately below the granulite grade Cortegana-Aguafría unit of the Aracena
Massif (Ossa-Morena Zone). The contact between the ophiolite and the continental OMZ rocks is
materialized by a c. 700 m thick, N-dipping tectonic mélange or fault breccias, initially developed under
granulite metamorphic grade but including later stages at amphibolite, greenschist and finally non-
metamorphic brittle conditions (Nivel de mezcla or tectonic mélange of Crespo Blanc 1989). Variable
retrogression of the original granulites took place during the subsequent stages of exhumation. The
kinematics of this tectonic contact indicates sinistral trusting and led Florido & Quesada (1984) to interpret
the inverted metamorphism in the ophiolite as a sole effect at the base of the granulite grade OMZ sheet.
Nevertheless, the metamorphic regime, of a low P-high T type (Bard 1969), is more typical of extensional
tectonic processes than of compressional or transpressional ones. There are several possibilities to account
for this apparent contradiction; we favour one in which the low P metamorphism would be produced during
the extensional (or transtensional) phase that led to opening of the Beja-Acebuches backarc basin (Quesada
et al. 1994), being the polyphase sinistral trusting a result of the subsequent closure of the basin.
The exhumation to upper crust environments of all the rocks in the neighbourhood of the suture zone
probably took place during this basin closure stage. This has been demonstrated by Dallmeyer et al. (1993)
by (hornblende) Ar-Ar dating of cooling after the metamorphic peak at c. 340+/-3 Ma in both the OMZ and
in the ophiolite.
A B
C D
Figure 32.- Low-angle cross-cutting relationship of dikes and banded metagabbro (A, B, C). Chilled margins of the dikes are still
identifiable in the outcrop (C) and in thin-section (D) despite the amphibolite facies metamorphism
69
At this stop, a road cut along the road from Aracena to Almonaster la Real exposes the lowermost thrust of
the tectonic mélange zone and the first few decametres of the ophiolite. The actual contact is a N-dipping,
late brittle fault with little or no retrogression associated. The ophiolite is here represented by medium to
coarse-grained banded metagabbros (alternating plagioclase-rich and plagioclase-poor layers) and fine-
grained metagabbros. Significantly, the fine-grained rocks appear in cm- to dm-thick seams that locally cut
across the banding in the coarse grained ones (Fig. 32-A, B, C). We interpret the former as dikes and the
banding in the latter as a primary igneous layering, probably of a cumulative origin. Furthermore, chilled
margins of the dikes can be identified from place to place (Fig. 32-C, D), despite the high grade metamorphic
overprint.
Stop 3-1D: The South Iberian Shear Zone and the Alájar quartzite-bearing mélange in the Pulo do
Lobo Accretionary Prism
The structural regime seen in the previous stop is overprinted some tens of metres below the roof contact by
some shear zones, which become increasingly wider and more intense structurally downwards. The
lowermost and more important is the so-called South Iberian Shear Zone (Crespo Blanc & Orozco 1988) that
forms the southern boundary of the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite. Almost complete retrogression to greenschist
was achieved along this c. 200 m thick shear zone. Conversely to the previous stop, a very prominent
stretching lineation was developed here on the N-dipping mylonitic foliation plane (Fig. 33). All along the
shear zone the lineation shows a very gentle plunge, indicating that we are dealing mostly with a transcurrent
tectonic boundary. Kinematic indicators demonstrate that it is sinistral, as Variscan deformation is in the
entire SW Iberian Massif. In fact, the outcrop of the Pulo do Lobo Zone as a whole constitutes a magnificent,
map-scale, sinistral asymmetric porphyroclast (see Fig. 4). At this locality, the lineation shallowly plunges
towards the SE, suggesting a minor component of thrusting as well. However, there are variations and SE-
plunging and NW- plunging domains alternate along strike. This change is interpreted as evidence for
existence of restraining (transpressional) and releasing (transtensional) bends along this mainly sinistral
trancurrent shear zone.
Figure 33.- Strong stretching lineation on the mylonitic foliation plane (South Iberian Shear Zone)
The South Iberian Shear Zone forms the southern boundary of the Beja-Acebuches ophiolite complex, which
presently appears sinistrally trust on top of the Pulo do Lobo Zone or accretionary prism. The contact is
exposed at this stop. The are several lines of direct evidence sustaining the interpretation of the Pulo do Lobo
70
Zone as an accretionary prism (Quesada et al. 1994), the most important of which being: 1) presence of
ocean floor rocks, in this case with N-MORB characteristics; 2) an extremely imbricate structure; 3)
presence of tectono-sedimentary mélanges, some of them with a tholeiitic mafic composition comparable to
that of the basalts present in the Pulo do Lobo Zone (Eden 1992). Besides, the existence of volumetrically
minor but very significant subduction-related arc type rocks in the southern part of the structurally overlying
Ossa-Morena Zone (Santos et al. 1987) provides indirect evidence supporting the development of an active
margin at the OMZ southern boundary. The main missing point to casting no doubt at all on this
interpretation would be the presence of high-P metamorphic rocks in it. In our view, this absence as well as
the small size and ephemeral nature of arc magmatism on the OMZ, can be accounted for by considering that
accretion was mostly governed by strike-slip displacements. Subduction (and obduction) would have then
played a secondary role, only at the location of important restraining bends along the active margin. This was
probably the situation west of the Évora Massif, where obduction of high-P metamorphic rocks onto the
Ossa-Morena Zone is proven and will be seen at Stop 4-2B in the second part of the field trip in Portugal.
Not alike in here, where the aforementioned low-P and high-T sole metamorphism at the base of the OMZ
high-grade unit is seen to extend also into the Pulo do Lobo Zone (for instance, cordierite-andalusite
porphyroblasts were developed south of Aroche; Apalategui at al. 1983, Crespo Blanc 1989), and may have
contributed to overprint the low-grade metamorphic assemblages that are now exposed in it.
A B
C D
Figure 34.- Outcrop images of the quartzite-rich Alájar mélange (A, B), and typical polydeformed Pulo do Lobo Group rocks
Just a few metres south of the contact, a very peculiar and intriguing formation occurs within the Pulo do
Lobo Zone. It consists of an extremely imbricate tectonosedimentary mélange (Alájar Mélange; Eden 1992),
71
in which the most prominent and striking components are quartzite clasts and phacoids. Various quartzite
facies appear as clasts in the mélange. They vary from well-rounded cobbles to up to hectometre-size
sigmoidal phacoids (Fig. 34). In the latter case they are formed by several to many quartzite strata and low-
grade mudstone interbeds. The quartzite mélange is intensely imbricate with polyphase deformed, biotite-
bearing schists and quartzwackes, belonging to the Pulo do Lobo group (Carvalho et al. 1976), with a typical
schistes lustrés appearance but lacking the high-P mineral assemblages typical of schistes lustrés. However,
extensive dehydration is indicated by numerous hydrothermal quartz veins, as is also characteristic of
accretionary prism environments (Fig. 35).
The outcrop of the quartzite-rich Alájar mélange discontinuously extends for several tens of kilometres along
strike into Portugal, but it is always restricted to the first few hundred metres underneath the South Iberian
Shear Zone. Up to the PhD thesis work by Eden (1992) no one had realized the chaotic nature of this rock
unit, which was thought to be a tectonically dismembered but coherent stratigraphic formation (Giralda
Quartzite in Spain; Gutiérrez Elorza 1970; Horta da Torre Formation in Portugal, where Fammenian
palynomorphs were found by Oliveira et al. 1986). Eden (1992) founded his interpretation in the polymict
nature of the breccias, which also includes a few basalt, microgabbro and very rare serpentinite clasts, and
the evidence that this is not the only mélange unit in the Pulo do Lobo Zone (see under the next stop).
Nevertheless, the presence of the quartzites, most likely deposited at a continental shelf environment, in the
presumed accretionary prism setting poses a bit of a problem. Basically, the source of the quartzites remains
unknown.
Stop 4-1D: Mafic and metasedimentary mélanges in the Pulo do Lobo Accretionary Prism south of
Aroche
This final stop of the trip in Spain will be devoted to the analysis of a short section along the Alcalaboza
river, southwest of the town of Aroche. The washed out valley bottom provides a fresh and good exposure of
an imbricate fan of thrust sheets which occurs at the core of the so-called Los Ciries antiform in the central
part of the Pulo do Lobo Zone. At this locality, apart from some Pulo do Lobo Group schist and quartzwacke
horses, most of the thrust sheets include mélange rocks of two, intimately imbricate, types (Peramora
mélange; Eden 1992): one with a pelitic metasedimentary matrix and another with a mafic matrix. At a
difference with the previous stop, both mélange types here show a large proportion of matrix and only a few
scattered clasts. Clast populations are similar in both the pelitic and the mafic mélanges and consist of
predominant quartzwacke (Fig. 35-B), and minor but significant basalt, hydrothermal quartz and rare dolerite
and/or microgabbro (Fig. 35-A).
A B
Figure 35.- Gabbro clast in pelitic mélange (A) and quartzwacke clast in mafic mélange (B)
Apparently, all the lithologies occurring as clasts could have been derived from the pre-orogenic stratigraphy
of the Pulo do Lobo Zone itself, and no exotic elements have been described to exist so far. The matrix of the
pelitic mélange is a phyllite composed of sericite, chlorite and quartz as main mineral phases, and resembles
72
the aspect of the Pulo do Lobo Group metapelites. On the other hand, the main mineralogy of the mafic
mélange matrix consists of pale amphibole, chlorite and opaques. Its (mostly uncontaminated) geochemical
composition (average silica content c. 50%) mimics that of the metatholeiites present in the Pulo do Lobo
Zone; i.e., N-MORB (Eden 1992). In fact, one of the largest bodies of N-MORB metabasalts occurs further
to the east, also along the core of the Los Ciries antiform.
A very noticeable feature is that, similarly to the Pulo do Lobo Group metasediments, an intense dehydration
accompanies the deformation here. This is materialized by formation of abundant quartz veins in the pelitic
mélange but not in the mafic mélange. This fact indicates that, first, pressure-solution processes were
important during cleavage formation and, second, the scale of fluid mobilization was small (not transgressing
the boundaries with the mafic mélange sheet) or, alternatively, dehydration took place prior to juxtaposition
of both mélange types.
The entire outcrop is affected by polyphase deformation with a penetrative, steeply N-dipping, main
cleavage that transposes previous fabrics and the quartz veins. This polyphase deformation is very obvious in
the pelitic mélange but not in the mafic one, simply because there are not so many strain markers in the
latter. Unrooted fold hinges in metaquartzwackes are common. Apparently, a process of strain partitioning
may be deduced by the alternation of pure shear and simple shear domains within the main cleavage.
Locally, the main cleavage is refolded by a later deformation event (for instance, north of the bridge).
Another interesting point in this section is the presence of some mafic dikes. Their emplacement postdates
the main fabric but they are themselves deformed (boudinaged); no penetrative fabrics affect them though.
No one has paid attention to these dikes on geochemical or absolute chronology grounds. Their role in the
story is so far ignored, but there is an urgent need in unravelling it since they may constitute an important
link to the underlying basement, present or past.
Concerning the possible relationships between these mélange types and the quartzite-bearing Alájar mélange
seen in the previous stop, we feel that these must be older, presumably accreted at early stages when some
relic ocean still remained. This is supported by the non-exotic nature of the components indicated above and
the polyphase deformation history. We envisage deposition of these matrix supported breccias at slope or
trench basins by mass flow mechanisms in connection with the exhumation of previously accreted units. In
turn, the Alájar mélange, much less deformed and at shallower levels, may have been the result of collapse of
platformal successions into a foreland type basin, perhaps a successor of the former trench, during collision
after complete bypass (and eventual subduction) of the remaining oceanic lithosphere. This latter point of
view is given support by the Late Devonian fossils found in Portugal at the extension of the Alájar mélange
outcrop (Oliveira et al. 1986), and by the c. 340 Ma age of the exhumation of high-grade rocks near the
suture zone (Dallmeyer et al. 1993), which most likely took place as a consequence of the onset of collision
or even later.
The importance of this outcrop resides in that it is the best exposure throughout the region to see the mafic
matrix mélange units, which provide a strong support to the interpretation of accretionary processes at an
active margin in this part of the Variscan belt.
73
74
IV.2.A. Introduction:
The geological setting and major subdivisions of the Évora Massif
By M. Francisco Pereira
The Évora Massif (Carvalhosa 1983; Quesada and Munhá 1990; Pereira et al. 2003-a, in press) represents an
important domain of the western Ossa-Morena Zone where is located a 25-45km wide and 75km long
complex crystalline core zone. The different rock types from this domain affected by heterogeneously
distributed ductile deformation are included in three different tectonic units (Fig. 36): (1) the Évora High-
grade Metamorphic Terrains (EHMT); (2) the Montemor-o-Novo Shear Zone (MNSZ) and (3) the Évora
Medium-grade Metamorphic Terrains (EMMT).
The Évora Massif was mainly affected by a clockwise metamorphic path with distinct series of metamorphic
facies (different T and P paths) indicative of a complex and diverse distribution of tectonic processes
involving dominant crustal extension under a transcurrent regime of deformation. Previous structures and
high-pressure metamorphism that allegedly would exist related to crustal thickening have been almost
completely erased.
The main pervasive foliation strikes N310º but is locally rotated to N-S by the effect of ductile deflections
and later brittle deformation. This planar fabric is habitually associated to a strong mylonitization and
affected by folding. Locally it is overprinted by a later subvertical foliation. Continuing sinistral shearing
acting upon distinct structural levels created a conspicuous structural pattern with fold axes subparallel to a
sub-horizontal to moderately dipping stretching lineation striking from N330-340º to N300-310º, along
which the main tectonic transport took place (Chichorro 2006).
Montemor-o-Novo Shear Zone
The Montemor-o-Novo Shear Zone (MNSZ), which extends along c. 30 km from Cabrela to Boa Fé (see Fig.
36 for location) with 2-10 km wide is made of strongly sheared rocks under amphibolitic facies metamorphic
conditions (Chichorro et al. 2003 2004; Chichorro 2006). The lithostratigraphy of this ductile shear zone
includes Ediacaran black metacherts, metapelites, metagreywackes, mica schists, paragneisses, amphibolites
and felsic gneisses (Serie Negra or Escoural Formation; Carvalhosa 1983), a Lower-Middle Cambrian
igneous (felsic-dominated)-sedimentary complex with marbles, interbedded felsic and mafic metavolcanics
and mica schists (Monfurado Formation; Carvalhosa and Zbyszweski 1994) and an Middle-Upper Cambrian-
Lower Ordovician? igneous (basic-dominated)-sedimentary complex made of amphibolites with mica
schists, metatuffs and calc-silicate rocks (Carvalhal Formation; Carvalhosa and Zbyszweski 1994). Metric-
scale lenses of garnet-bearing amphibolites (Chichorro 2006) and eclogites (Leal 2001) occur associated with
medium-pressure gneisses and amphibolites.
Early Carboniferous detrital sediments and volcanics overlie this strongly deformed and metamorphosed
basement. The Cabrela Formation (Ribeiro 1983; Oliveira et al. 1991; Carvalhosa and Zbyszewski 1994;
Pereira, Z. and Oliveira 2001) consists on a sequence of pelites, greywackes, and conglomerates with
associated andesitic to trachyandesitic tuffs, dacitic and andesitic flows and polygenic conglomerates: This
Viséan detrital sedimentation includes olistostromes of Middle Devonian limestones and calciturbidites
(Pereira, Z. and Oliveira 2003; Pereira, Z. et al. 2006). Here, the post-Viséan deformation is represented by
an incipient slaty cleavage or locally, in the southern boundary with the basement, by a strong shearing
developed under very-low grade metamorphism (Ribeiro 1983; Carvalhosa and Zbyszewski 1994; Silva et
al. 2003; Chichorro et al. 2004; Chichorro 2006).
A kilometric-scale fan-like geometry centred on a syncline bounded by high strain zones with moderately to
steeply dipping foliation and weakly to moderate dipping stretching lineation, characterizes the Montemor-o-
Novo shear zone (MNSZ) complex structural pattern. NE steeply dipping mylonitic fabric (generally in
parallelism with the bedding/compositional layering) is dominant in this tectonic unit that includes a northern
syncline, centred on basic rocks, bounded by high-strain shear zones and unconformably preserving on top a
weakly metamorphosed and gently deformed sedimentary and volcanic-sedimentary sequence (Cabrela).
HP-MT metamorphism (550ºC – 11 kbar; Safira eclogites; Leal 2001) and MP-MT metamorphism (450-
600ºC – 6-7 kbar; Biscaia garnet-rich amphibolites; Chichorro 2006) were recognised here, within SW limb
of the main syncline.
75
Figure 36.- Schematic geological map of the Évora Massif (adapted from Pereira et al., in press)
76
Figure 37.– Lithostratigraphic columns from the Évora Massif (Adapted from Pereira et al., in press)
77
Figure 38.– Schematic structural and metamorphic sketch of the Évora Massif (Adapted from Pereira et al., in press)
78
Within the main syncline (mainly completed with amphibolites) it is also possible to observe a prograde
metamorphism developed under lower pressure conditions (500-600ºC – 2-3 kbar; Serra do Conde
amphibolites; Chichorro 2006). The structure is defined by the superposition of two planar fabrics as result
of a sequence of deformation stages related with progressive deformation.
At the northern limit of the main syncline another high-strain shear zone was defined just along the southern
border of the Évora High-grade Metamorphic Terrains (EHMT). Within this narrow high strain shear zone it
was indentified an isograd pattern with tight spacing passing from the biotite to the sillimanite zone within a
distance of few hundred meters suggesting a strong thermal gradient (transition from 500-600ºC - 2-3kbar to
650-750ºC - 4-6kbar, promoting the disapear of muscovite and the syn-kinematic desidratation of biotite
trought a serie of reactions that generated andalusite, cordierite, biotite, sillimanite and K-feldspar).
Évora High-grade Metamorphic Terrains
The Évora High-grade Metamorphic Terrains (EHMT) with an average width of 15-20 km is formed by a
structurally complex assemblage of variably sheared migmatites and gneisses associated to variably strained
N300-310º trending granites, monzogranites, granodiorites, tonalites, gabbros, diorites (Moita et al. 2005a)
and andesitic dykes, all intruded by an undeformed suite of granites and porphyritic granodiorites. The high-
grade metamorphic rocks correspond mainly to biotite-rich paragneisses, cordierite-bearing migmatites and
banded leucogneisses and may include restites of black metacherts, metapelites, metagreywackes, calc-
silicate marbles and amphibolites (from the Neoproterozoic and Lower Palaeozoic sequences; Pereira and
Silva 2002). This unit is bounded to the south by the MNSZ and towards the north by the EMMT, both
essentially composed by strongly sheared mica schists, quartz-phyllites, amphibolites and felsic gneisses,
mainly derived from Ediacaran and Cambrian protoliths.
The highest temperatures of the Évora Massif were reached within the Évora High-grade Metamorphic
Terrains (EHMT) that represents a dome-like geometry made of anatexis granitoids and migmatitic ortho-
and paragneisses with mineral assemblage of high amphibolitic facies and transitional between the
amphibolite and granulite facies. The mineral assemblages developed in these rocks is constituted by quartz
+ biotite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + sillimanite + cordierite ± andalusite ± garnet (scarce) (Carvalhosa and
Zbyszewski 1994) were associated with progressive partial melting with dehydration reactions of muscovite
and biotite. The subsequent decrease of temperature produces low-grade assemblages with destabilization of
cordierite, biotite and feldspar with growth of chlorite and albite. The intrusion of tonalites was done with the
Variscan migmatization in progress causing local partial melting and mixing of melts.
Évora Medium-grade Metamorphic Terrains
The Évora Medium-grade Metamorphic Terrains (EMMT) represent a 10-20 km wide band of rocks
deformed under amphibolitic facies conditions that extends for c. 35 km from Arraiolos to Valverde as the
northernmost limit of the EHMT. The stratigraphic sequence is mainly composed by Middle-Upper
Cambrian-Ordovician? igneous (basic-dominated)-sedimentary complex with mica schists, amphibolites,
quartzites and minor calc-silicate rocks (Arraiolos-Divor igneous-sedimentary Complex; represents the
Xistos de Moura Formation defined here by Carvalhosa 1994) and locally includes the Cadomian basement
(Serie Negra; Águas de Peixe Formation) overlain by a Cambrian igneous (felsic-dominated)-sedimentary
complex (Dolomitic Formation) with marbles, felsic gneisses and minor amphibolites and/or calc-silicate
rocks. Gabbros-diorites of Carboniferous ages that show variable deformation intruded this Neoproterozoic-
Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphic sequence. The Evora Medium-grade Metamorphic Terrains represents a
tectonic unit (hangingwall) that is bounded from the EHMT (footwall) by a folded major detachment. Here
the geometry is characterized by predominance of flat-lying planar fabrics, heterogeneously distribution of
variable and weakly to moderately plunging fold axes to NW or SE in parallelism with stretching lineation
defined by amphiboles, biotites or sillimanite. Shear criteria are consistent with an orogen-parallel to slightly
oblique sense of movement but, dip-slip lineation may locally exist.
The temperature of metamorphism associated with shearing was lower than that of the EHMT and the
distribution of metamorphic isograds and deformation along the limit between these two tectonic units
suggests an increase of temperature (with local partial melting) and shearing (local intensification of
mylonitization) towards the SW. Low-pressure – medium/high-temperature metamorphism is characterized
by the presence of several mineral assemblages on metasediments (e.g. Carvalhosa 1998): quartz + K-
feldspar ± plagioclase + biotite + sillimanite + garnet ± cordierite (sillimanite zone – mica schists close to
the tonalitic intrusions), quartz + biotite + andalusite + plagioclase + muscovite (andalusite zone – mica
schists) and quartz + plagioclase (oligoclase) + biotite + muscovite + andalusite + sillimanite ± garnet
(scarce) (metapsammites). Andalusite porphyroblasts have tails with sillimanite growth and sometimes
include an internal fabric made of opaque minerals and quartz. Sillimanite also occurs intergrowing with
quartz and feldspar along the foliation planes.
Palaeozoic magmatism in the Évora Massif
The episodes of magmatism recorded in the Évora Massif are: (1) preserved on Ediacaran sedimentary
sequences made of immature greywackes that have resulted from a dismantled and reworked Cadomian
continental magmatic arc (Pereira and Chichorro 2004; Pereira et al. 2006); (2) represented by Lower
Palaeozoic (Cambrian to Ordovician?) acid and basic volcanism and cogenetic plutonic rocks with unknown
precise crystallization ages for the uppermost basic-dominated complex coeval with sedimentary sequences
dominated by detrital and carbonate sediments (Pereira 2005); and (3) correspond to Lower Carboniferous
calc-alkaline volcanism and voluminous plutonism composed mainly by granites, granodiorites, tonalites,
gabbros, diorites intruded by Upper Carboniferous granodiorites and granites (Moita et al. 2005 a,b).
The magmatic activity in the Évora Massif, in the period corresponding to the Cambrian- Lower
Ordovician?, is recorded in igneous-sedimentary complexes where a compositional range from rhyodacites-
rhyolites to sub-alkaline basalts is present. Magmatism started in the Early Cambrian with acidic to
intermediate flows and pyroclasts, basic sils and dykes, associated to detrital and carbonate rocks. Towards
the top, bimodal volcanics persist but basic occurrences increase, and finally it grades to massive basalts and
pyroclasts mainly linked to detrital and minor carbonate sediments (Middle-Upper Cambrian-Lower
Ordovician?). The geochemical analyses of the metabasic rocks from both EMMT and MNSZ allowed a
subdivision in three main groups: Group 1 with geochemical signatures similar to those found in magmatic
arc basalts (VAB-like); Group 2 shows compositional patterns typical of E-MORB type basalts; Group 3
include metabasites derived from protoliths with N-MORB compositions (Pereira et al. 2004; in press). The
spatial distribution of the subalkaline amphibolites from the Middle-Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician?
shows some variations: the Group 2 are dominant in the EMMT, whilst compositions of the amphibolites
vary between Groups 1, 2 and 3 within the MNSZ. In the MNSZ and the EMMT, sills or dykes of basalts
show intrusive relations with the Cadomian basement and the Early Cambrian detrital and carbonate rocks.
Andesites, dacites, rhyodacites and rhyolites occur interbedded in the Cabrela greywackes and pelites
succession from a thick volcanic-sedimentary sequence with Viséan fauna (e.g. Pereira, Z. and Oliveira
2001; Pereira, Z. et al. 2006). In the EHMT tonalites, gabbros and diorites exposed with frontiers following
the Variscan structures NW-SE strike are strictly related with local melting in the migmatitic host rocks.
The geodynamic evolutionary stages recorded in the Évora Massif
1. The inherited Cadomian magmatic arc: 630-560 Ma
The geochemical characteristics of the Évora Massif Ediacaran sediments indicates that these sediments were
deposited in a continental margin setting and derived from a dismantled Cadomian magmatic arc (Pereira
and Chichorro 2004; Pereira et al. 2006).
The Ediacaran sediments from the Évora Massif (Serie Negra) show several characteristics that can be
correlated with the Cadomian geodynamic evolution fingerprints of contemporaneous segments of Western-
Central Europe (North Armorican Cadomian Belt, Saxo-Thuringian Zone), Morocco (Western Meseta, High-
and Anti Atlas) and others from the West and East Avalonian part of such old orogenic belt (Southeastern
New England, Southern New Brunswick, Nova Scotia/Cape Breton Island, Eastern Newfoundland, North
Wales and Southeastern Ireland and British Midlands) (e.g., Eguiluz et al. 2000, Linnemann et al. 2000,
2004, Murphy et al. 2002, Nance et al. 2002, Pereira et al. 2003b, 2006).
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2. Early Palaeozoic rifting: 530-480? Ma
The Cambrian-Ordovician? basic magmatism was associated with the late stages of the Cadomian accretion
and the initial stages of Lower-Middle Palaeozoic rifting (geochemical signatures typical from areas of
convergent plate margins of Group I) that evolved to a significant rifting period during the Upper Cambrian-
Lower Ordovician? (tholeiitic MORB-like composition magmatism of Groups II and III closely associated
with a variable thickness monotonous pelitic series with important pyroclastic input).
The proposed stratigraphy for the Cambrian of the Évora Massif, have similarities with the sequences
from the Zafra and Jerez de los Caballeros sectors in Spain (Sánchez García et al. 2003; Etxebarría et al.
2006). The igneous-sedimentary complexes stratigraphy and geochemistry features testify an important
crustal extension event probably related with the opening of the Rheic Ocean (e.g. Sánchez García et al.
2003).
3. Upper Palaeozoic transcurrent extensional tectonics and migmatization: 350-310 Ma
Evidence for the transition from overall crustal shortening to extensional tectonism is locally preserved in
here, by the presence of high/medium-pressure metamorphic rocks. The eclogites, which crop out in metric-
scale pods (Safira; ca. 370 Ma- Sm-Nd on whole-rock garnet; Moita et al. 2005) are wrapped around by
more deformed and partially retrogressed rocks, with mineral assemblages, which crystallised and/or
recrystallized to form S-L fabrics. Shear-sense indicators can be related to extension and exhumation.
The Évora Massif mylonites present a strong mineral stretching lineation that trends generally N330-340º to
N300-310º. The associated foliation is affected on the kilometre scale by open upright late folds. Shear sense
criteria (C-S structures, extensional shear bands, asymmetric pressure shadows) along the mineral stretching
lineation recorded a dominant sinistral shearing with top towards the northwest, when the foliation deeps to
NE or, top-to-southeast with the foliation dipping to SW. Mesoscale folds show axes more-or-less parallel to
the stretching lineation. These structures are related with a progressive and complex shearing that
accompanied the generalized amphibolite facies metamorphism.
Towards northeast, metamorphism with increasing temperature and isobaric low-pressure conditions is
dominant. Here the steeply-dipping (Casas Novas-Boa Fé) and the flat-lying (Évora) foliation and
horizontally disposed stretching lineation, as well as the development of mesoscale folds with axes parallel
to the stretching lineation and to the long-axes of boudins indicate transtension during uplift.
Metamorphism and shearing show a close spatial and temporal relationship with migmatization and
subsequent magmatism as the plausible result of a continuous process of advection of heat by flow of melt
sources directly from mantle derived basic rocks or from a subduction slab (with sediments and oceanic
basalts) and the overlying mantle lithosphere. Thus, the Variscan evolution of the Évora Massif crust during
the Upper Palaeozoic could not evolve a single switch from early crustal thickening to later overall thinning
but instead of this, it should undergo multiple oscillations between shortening and crustal extension (due to
transcurrent movements) causing important perturbations in the thermal framework. Transcurrent
movements involve crustal extension and formation of major ductile shear zones resulting in the partial
exhumation of the EHMT. A consequence of this is the huge volume melt produced by uplift and
decompression testified by the widespread of orogenic magmatism intruded on the EHMT gneisses and
migmatites (footwall), after a period of quiescence of migmatization and the intrusion of tonalites and
gabbros (ca. 320 Ma). This early intermediate-basic magmatism first intruded a previous hot crust causing
local partial melting and finally, a sufficient volume of magma was accumulated to cause its emplacement
along the EHMT/EMMT boundary (major detachment) and at shallow crustal levels, the EMMT (hanging
wall).
Based on regional comparisons, the main regional structures observed within the OMZ are related to strong
crustal extension and shearing. The recognition of fabrics related with the Variscan plate convergence and
the Lower Palaeozoic basins inversions is still controversial. In manner to explain this fact it is accepted by
some authors that the widespread extensional fabrics were largely controlled by the structures inherited from
crustal thickening (e.g. Giese et al. 1994) and were responsible to erase the former structures (e.g., Díaz
Azpíroz et al. 2004). The extension is connected with basin deposition and calc-alkaline volcanism /
plutonism was concomitant with continuing partial exhumation of high-grade metamorphic terrains during
the Lower Carboniferous. Similar age migmatization and deformation processes are observed in the Aracena
Massif (Spain; Castro et al. 1999, Díaz Azpíroz et al. 2004).
81
82
IV.2. Field Trip Itinerary in Portugal
Figure 39.- Map with stops location (Adapted from the ACP Portuguese road map) ?
83
84
IV.2.B. October 2.
The Ediacaran eroded Cadomian magmatic arc, the Cambrian-Ordovician? rifting and the
Variscan overprint
(the location of the stops are shown in figure 39)
Stop 1-2B: Ediacaran Serie Negra metasediments from the MNSZ (Lower Carboniferous paragneisses and
black metacherts)
By Martim Chichorro, M. Francisco Pereira, J.B. Silva
Location: Santiago do Escoural-Biscaia
The exposed oldest rocks of the Evora Massif (Série Negra - Carvalhosa 1965; attributed to the Precambrian
following the stratigraphic criteria of being overlain by Early Cambrian rift-related igneous-sedimentary
complexes) represent a succession of mica schists and paragneisses (graphite bearing pelites, quartz-
phyllites, arkoses and greywackes) with intercalations of graphite bearing black metacherts (Escoural
Formation - Oliveira et al. 1991; Carvalhosa and Zbyszewski 1994). New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages from
the Escoural Formation sediments suggest a maximum for deposition at ca. 560 Ma (Ediacaran; Chichorro et
al. 2006). The detrital zircon population of these metasediments includes oldest cores with a Palaeoarchean
(3.2Ga), Mesoarchean (2.9–3.1Ga), Neoarchean (2.5-2.7Ga) and Palaeoproterozoic (1.7-2.1Ga) ages. The
youngest ages indicate a predominance of Neoproterozoic zircon forming events: Ediacaran (560-618Ma)
and Cryogenian (652-846Ma), with examples of magmatic and metamorphic growths that testify the
importance of the erosion of a Cadomian magmatic arc during the development of such basins. The lack of
Mesoproterozoic ages indicates that the sedimentary sources ay be related with the West African Craton
(Gondwana).
Figure 40.– Representative SEM and cathodoluminiscence imaging of selected zircons from sample SEC-1. Grain 16 – A concentric
zoned core with Cryogenian age is mantled by an Ediacaran overgrowth with concentric zoning. Grain 4 – A zoned core with
207
Pb/206Pb age of 618 Ma (spot 3) is mantled by an unzoned intermediate overgrowth with 610 Ma (spot 4). Note the new
heterogeneous zircon additions of Palaeozoic age in response of regional metamorphism and/or hydrothermal events. Grain 21 - New
metamorphic Ediacaran zircon (spot 2); Grain 26 – Typical igneous concentric zoning with 207Pb/206Pb age of 618 Ma, growing over
small and rounded inherited older core (from Chichorro et al. 2006).
85
These Ediacaran detrital rocks show a geochemical signature that essentially reflects the nature of an
inherited continental margin source caused by the input of Cadomian detritus (e.g. Pereira and Chichorro
2004; Pereira et al. in press). In the Evora Massif, the Ediacaran sediments fall into the greywacke and
arkoses and reveal low maturity reflected in the abundance of phyllosilicates and feldspar. The chondrite-
normalized REE distribution patterns show a characteristic negative Eu-anomaly, a clear enrichment of the
LREE relative to HREE (average high LaN/YbN = 14.2) similar to recent synorogenic volcanics from
continental arcs. The enrichment of LREE and a pronounced characteristic negative Eu-anomaly suggest a
continental crust with felsic magmatic nature and recycled detritus as the main source for these rocks. The
REE abundance patterns normalized with respect to PAAS show flatter distribution and some samples show
a positive Eu-anomaly that indicates detrital plagioclase. Trace-elements discrimination diagram Th-Sc-
Zr/10 indicates that the Ediacaran detrital rocks geochemical signature essentially reflects the nature of an
inherited continental magmatic arc (La/Th=3.9; Th/Sc=0.67; La/Sc=2.4, average values) source. This fact
was originated by the deposition of detrital sediments, which were predominantly of felsic provenance
(TiO2= 0.8 wgt % and Ni= 45.3 ppm, average values).
Stop 2-2B: Lower-Middle Cambrian Igneous (felsic dominated) – Sedimentary Complex from the MNSZ
(Lower Carboniferous orthogneisses, marbles and amphibolites)
By Martim Chichorro, M. Francisco Pereira, J.B. Silva

Location: Monfurado
The felsic magmatism from the Cambrian igneous-sedimentary complex with marbles, calc-silicate rocks
interbedded with felsic orthogneisses and mica schists, is characterized by riodacite to riolite compositions.
These felsic rocks chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu negative anomalies and a slight LILE/HFSE
enrichment together with Th/Nb (0.84-3.17), Th/Y (0.19-0.46) and La/Nb (0.66-5.49) ratios typical of calc-
alkaline ‘orogenic’ magmas. Meter-scale sills of amphibolites associated with sulfurs within the marbles are
characterize by N-MORB signature.
According to the morphology and internal characteristics of the zircons they probably derived from
subvolcanics rocks. The volcanic character of some samples is given by the presence of canalicules
inclusions, lacking of growth, steps of growth and aggregate crystals. The only exotic core that was found
gave a Palaeoproterozoic age of 2.0 Ga (Rhyacian). This suggests a limited participation of a crustal
component compared with the mantle participation in this magma suite. The SHRIMP U-Pb zircon
determinations point for concordant ages point for Lower Cambrian (524.1±5.9Ma and 516.8±5.5Ma)
igneous crystallization.
The shearing is responsible by the development of mylonitic fabrics with dynamic recrystallization of quartz
and feldspar.
Figure 41.- Felsic gneiss with a mylonitic texture with dynamic recrystallization of quartz and feldspar due to transcurrent shearing
(Monfurado)
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Stop 3-2B: Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician? Igneous (mafic dominated) – Sedimentary Complex from
the MNSZ (Lower Carboniferous amphibolites)
By Martim Chichorro, M. Francisco Pereira, J.B. Silva, Arturo Apraiz
Location: Serra do Conde- Carvalhal
At the core of the major syncline, amphibolites are folded and develop a later sub-vertical fabric along the
fold axial and as result of the disruption of strongly stretched limbs. This structure is defined by the
superposition of two planar fabrics as result of a sequence of deformation stages related with progressive
deformation.
Here it is possible to observe a prograde metamorphism developed under lower pressure conditions. The
texture of the amphibolites is defined by the alignment of amphiboles and plagioclase while, associated mica
schists present a planar fabric with growth of andalusite + biotite + quartz ± feldspar ± garnet. The peak of
temperature recorded on garnets gave values of 550º-600ºC. Colourless cores characterize aligned green
amphiboles that define the foliation. These calcic amphiboles show an increase of Mg content from cores
(actinolite) to rims (Mg-hornblende) due to an increase in temperature. The plagioclase also suggests a syn-
kinematic growth from albite to andesine due to prograde metamorphism. The composition of these calcic
amphiboles indicates equilibration during low-pressure metamorphic conditions (amphibolitic facies).
Figure 42.– Tight folding on amphibolites (Serra do Conde).
The amphibolites are bounded at East by a narrow shear zone with a characteristic isograd pattern with tight
spacing passing from the biotite to the sillimanite zone within a distance of few hundred meters suggesting a
strong thermal gradient. Along a well-developed NW-SE trending and steeply dipping to SW mylonitic
foliation, a NE gently dipping stretching lineation indicate sinistral shear sense criteria of movement, based
on C-S structures, asymmetric pressure shadows tails and extensional shear cleavage (Chichorro et al. 2003
2004).
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Figure 43.- C´-type extensional shear cleavage on cordierite-bearing paragneisses (Casas Novas)
The incidence of the biotite + andalusite + fibrolitic sillimanite + quartz + plagioclase + cordierite mineral
assemblage is related with the first stages of leucosomes differentiation and seems to be clearly associated
with the highest strain gradients characterized by well-developed mylonitic textures. The presence of
cordierite + sillimanite associate with feldspar blastesis (Chichorro 2006), as well as the garnet inexistence in
pelitic rocks suggest a prograde evolution under low pressure conditions (3.5-4.5 kbar), reaching
temperatures high enough to cause dehydration melting reactions (650-750°C). The biotite + andalusite +
sillimanite + cordierite mineral assemblage starts with the sudden appearance of brown-red biotite followed
by xenoblastic andalusite and the fibrolitic sillimanite. Andalusite is residual (xenoblastic) and cordierite
increases in banded paragneisses. The intergrowth between biotite and fibrolite-sillimanite is common. The
sillimanite occurs as strong elongated clusters of fibrolite needles parallel to the stretching lineation or, more
rarely, as isolated fibrolitic clots intergrowth with quartz and K-feldspar. Paragneisses exhibit thin and
rhythmic venules, subparallel to the main foliation, essentially shaped by quartz and small amounts of
plagioclase. Their borders are regular and contact with the host rock by cordierite-rich bands. Eye-shaped
nodules of andalusite + biotite + cordierite with the xenoblastic andalusite in equilibrium with red biotite +
quartz, and rounded by strong pinnitised cordierite are characteristic. These nodules are rounded by
intergrowths of red biotite, fibrous sillimanite and quartz.
Stop 4-2B: Lower Palaeozoic sediments and magmatic rocks from the MNSZ (Upper Devonian? eclogites
and Lower Carboniferous gneisses and amphibolites)
By M. Francisco Pereira, Martim Chichorro, J.B. Silva

Location: Safira
A succession of mica schists (with discontinuous minor occurrences of black metacherts and marbles),
paragneisses, felsic orthogneisses and amphibolites represent the highly deformed and metamorphosed
Ediacaran and Cambrian record, within this high-strain shear zone that limits at SW the MNSZ main
syncline. Here, the foliation with E-W trending and dipping to the North is defined by the alignment of
feldspar + quartz + muscovite + biotite or amphibole + feldspar (amphibolitic facies) and also, minor chlorite
and sericite (greenschist facies). The associated shear sense criteria reveal an extensional movement with top
to the North along a stretching lineation moderately plunging towards the same direction. When the foliation
is N310 the stretching lineation tend to be moderately to weakly plunging towards NW and shear sense
criteria indicate sinistral movement.
Metamorphism with growth of medium-temperature / high-pressure mineral assemblages: garnet +
omphacite + glaucophane (crossite) + quartz were recognised here (540-550ºC – 11-12 kbar Safira eclogites;
88
Pedro 1996, Leal 2001). These high-pressure rocks occur along metric scale-boudins surrounded by felsic
gneisses (580ºC – 8 kbar; Leal et al 1997) and amphibolites which show a well-developed mylonitic fabric
with syn-kinematic growth of feldspar + garnet + quartz + biotite and barroisite + white mica + plagioclase
respectively, recording a subsequent retrogression under medium-low pressure and medium-low temperature
metamorphic conditions (amphibolitic – green schist facies). The eclogite facies metamorphism was dated at
371 ± 17 Ma (Sm-Nd on whole-rock garnet; Moita et al. 2005d).
A metamorphic peak of MP-MT was also identified on the Biscaia decametric-scale straight outcrops of
garnet-rich amphibolites surrounded by paragneisses from the Serie Negra (located at a distance of few
kilometres to SE from the Safira eclogites outcrop). Garnet subhedral crystals show a core-rim zoning
revealed a pressure and temperature increase from the core 400-425ºC – 5-6.5 kbar to the rim 450-600ºC – 6-
7 kbar during crystal growth. These garnet porphyroblasts are surrounded by aligned crystals of hornblende
+ plagioclase + quartz + biotite, defining a well-developed planar fabric equilibrated during medium- to low-
pressure and medium temperature metamorphic conditions.
Figure 44.- Preserved granoblastic texture of an eclogite with garnet, pyroxene, amphibole and quartz (Safira)
Associated paragneisses of Biscaia contain albite porphyroblasts with aligned and folded inclusions trails of
unknown composition (probably graphite?). These plagioclase porphyroblasts show asymmetrical strain
shadows with crystallization of oligoclase+biotite+quartz continuing to the surrounded foliation, suggesting
a syn-kinematic growth from albite to oligoclase during progressive deformation in a non-coaxial regime of
deformation. The surrounding foliation is defined by the alignment of feldspar + quartz + muscovite + biotite
(amphibolitic facies) and also, minor chlorite and sericite (greenschist facies), and by the development of
shear sense criteria revealing a sinistral movement along a stretching lineation moderately to weakly
plunging towards NW. By dating the unzoned thin external zircon overgrowths with very low Th/U values
(0.02-0.03), using SHRIMP U-Pb data on associated paragneisses, it was possible to obtain Lower
Carboniferous ages (336-350Ma) interpreted to be related with the Variscan shearing and metamorphism.
Stop 5-2B: Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician? Igneous (mafic dominated) – Sedimentary Complex from
the MNSZ (Lower Carboniferous metabasites)
By Martim Chichorro, M. Francisco Pereira, J.B. Silva,
Location: Silveiras
An association of metabasites and phyllites constitutes the basement of the Lower Carboniferous sediments
from Cabrela. They represent basalts and dolerites with N-MORB signature (spilites), associated to albite-
rich basalts, and terrigenous sediments. Layered metabasites with centimeter-to-millimeter width layers of
89
carbonates and volcaniclastic rocks are common. Towards the top of the sequence of clorite and sericite-rich
phyllites and associated metabasites includes thin layers of andesitic tuffs, cherts and reworked
volcaniclastics.
Shearing is expressed by a well-developed planar fabric subparallel to the bedding and developed under
greenschist metamorphic conditions. Syn-kinematic recrystallization of clorite and minor actinolite. C´-type
shear bands cleavage and boudinage indicates an extensional movement? in the direction of the Lower
Carbonfierous basin. This fabric is locally folded and strongly disrupted by discrete shear bands that are
responsible for a slaty cleavage on the Carboniferous sediments from the Cabrela Formation. These
terrigeneous sediments also present syn-sedimentary extensional structures.
Figure 45.- Extensional syn-sedimentary fault in interbedded sandstones and mudstones (Cabrela)
Stop 6-2B (Extra): Viséan sediments and volcanics from the MNSZ
By J.B. Silva, Martim Chichorro, M. Francisco Pereira,

Location: Cabrela-Silveiras
Volcanism started in the Early Carboniferous with acidic to intermediate flows and pyroclastics, sills and
dykes, associated to detrital rocks. Intraformational conglomerates include clasts of metabasites (N-MORB
signature), metapelites, limestone and acidic metavolcanics.
Towards the top, acidic volcanics (volcaniclastic layers, flows and sills) persist and pass to a sequence of thin
bedded shales, sandstones and greywackes (resembling tempestites?) with sedimentary structures (slumps,
graded bedding).
Limestone lenses with conodonts of Frasnian age (Boogard 1983) occur within this turbiditic-like Lower
Carboniferous sequence (Tournaisian-Viséan age based on palynological assemblages; Pereira, Z. and
Oliveira 2003). Those carbonate rocks were interpreted as true olistholiths (Pereira, Z. et al. 2006).
Andesites, dacites, rhyodacites and rhyolites occur interbedded in the Cabrela greywackes and pelites
succession from a thick volcanic-sedimentary sequence with Viséan fauna. Similar andesitic dykes can also
be found intruding the footwall EHMT migmatites and the gneisses from the MNSZ/EHMT boundary. The
immobile elements composition of these rocks (Zr/Nb=17.3-21.3; Zr/Y=5.12-6.5) are analogous to the
intermediate volcanics interbedded in same age sediments from the Toca da Moura and Corte Pereiro
outcrops (towards the South) studied in detail by Santos et al. (1987) who interpreted their genesis as
involving a volcanic arc setting.
90
Figure 46.– Interbedded greywackes and pelites (Cabrela).
Figure 47.- Mud-supported breccia with clasts of limestones and metavolcanics (Cabrela).
91
92
IV.2.C. October 3.
The Carboniferous transcurrent tectonics, migmatization and magmatism
(the location of the stops are shown in figure 39)
Stop 1-2C: Cambrian sediments and magmatic rocks from the EMMT (Lower Carboniferous amphibolites,
mica schists, gneisses and migmatites)
Location: Valverde
Along this cross-section, with approximately 500m, it is possible to map an irregular boundary between
undeformed coarse-grained granitoids and older sedimentary and igneous rocks affected by penetrative
deformation and metamorphosed to the amphibolite facies - migmatization. This metamorphic basement
comprises from West towards the East, migmatites, felsic gneisses and granitoids, mica schists with calc-
silicate rocks and banded, fine-grained and coarse-grained amphibolites.
Although the rocks are strongly deformed the map-scale units do not appear to have been changed and an
approximate stratigraphic column could be constructed.
The structure displayed by the metamorphic rocks is characterized by a well-developed steeply dipping to
subvertical foliation linked to a dip-slip stretching lineation (unusually in the Évora Massif, where the sense
of movement is generally slightly dipping).
From West towards the East, it is possible to observe that the migmatitic gneisses and associated granitoids
gave progressively place to orthogneisses with centimetre- to m-scale veins of granitoids. These rocks are
very similar to the calc-alkaline gneisses (leptinites s.l.) which were studied in the Santiago do Escoural
region.
Figure 48.- Simplified lithostratigraphic column for the Valverde cross-section,

showing the distribution of deformation and metamorphism.
U-Pb SHRIMP results on zircons gave a protolith age of 505±5 Ma Based on zircon metamorphic
overgrowths it is possible to suggest a long-lived thermal from Tournaisian to Viséan. However, newly
growth monazite gave a precise slightly younger Carboniferous age (322±6 Ma, Serpukhovian) for the high-
grade metamorphism which affected these rocks [8].
93
Figure 49.- Structural sketch of the Valverde cross-section (not to scale; see Fig. 48 for legend). Lower-hemisphere equal-area plot of
the main mesoscale structures. Detail of a C’-type extensional shear planes filled with melt and boudinaged more competent layers.
94
The protholit of the migmatitic gneisses are partially melted quartz-feldspatic igneous rocks. The limit
between the migmatitic gneisses, associated granitoids and felsic gneisses is not always clear, but when it is
seen, it is transitional. Nebulitic, sheeted and foliated structural varieties locally with melt veins and few and
very stretched mafic rock fragments characterize these sheared high-grade rocks.
In migmatitic gneisses biotite, feldspar and quartz are nearly equidimensional and oriented more or less
randomly or formed a gneissosity (conspicuous by the presence of schlieren structures and elongated and
isolated rock fragments). Gneisses are strongly foliated and lineated rocks with granoblastic texture defined
by the preferred orientation of biotite, quartz and feldspar crystals. Melt veins observed in migmatitic
gneisses and gneisses tend to be parallel or discordant to foliation.
The foliation trending is generally uniform but admits slightly sinuous deflections in two perpendicular
directions. C’-type extensional shear planes also developed, which created locally dilatant surfaces filled
with melt. These structures indicate sense of shear with downward movement of the eastern block.
Biotite-feldspar-rich schists that represent immature sediments with calc-alkaline signature (similar to the
Ediacaran-Early Cambrian basin sediments; [6]), dominate the eastern part of the Valverde cross-section.
Their foliation and lineation are marked by biotite and stretched quartz.
Mica schists include meter- to-hundred m-long and meter-width intercalations of epidote-garnet-rich calc-
silicate rocks. These rocks show a well developed foliation formed by dynamically recrystallized calcite,
epidote and growth of garnet and vesuvianite.
Millimeter- to cm-width carbonate-garnet-epidote-rich layers occur associated with thin layers of biotite-
amphibole-rich schists within banded amphibolites, which display a VAB-like signature. These fine-grained
amphibolites display a well-developed foliation mainly marked by the elongated prismatic amphiboles and
ribbons of quartz and plagioclase. At mesoscale, it is possible to observe that they are affected by boudinage
in two perpendicular directions, one of them parallel to the dip-slip stretching lineation.
Figure 50.- In situ melting of a felsic Cambrian protolith (Valverde).
Associated with these mica schists also occur coarse-grained amphibolites and fine-grained dark
amphibolites with N-MORB signature. The described amphibolites form meter- to-hundred m-long and
meter-width elongated outcrops surrounded by mica schists. Ribbons of dynamically recrystallized fine-
grained plagioclase and hornblende which surrounds elongated amphibole prismatic blasts and sigmoidal-
shape aggregates (sometimes with pyroxene) indicate that these rocks were deformed under medium to high
metamorphic grade. The stretching lineation is defined by plagioclase ribbons and elongated amphibole
blasts and aggregates. Several microstructures as asymmetric mantle-porphyroclasts, subgrain structures, S-C
structures and c’-type extensional cleavage consistently indicate the downward movement of the eastern
block.
95
At mesoscale, centimeter- to m-long and centimeter-width intercalations of fine-grained amphibolites, with
E-MORB signature, also appear within the mica schists. They are often affected by boudinage in two
perpendicular directions (one of them parallel to the dip-slip stretching lineation) and are locally folded.
Stop 2-2C: Cambrian-Lower Ordovician? Igneous (mafic-dominated) - sedimentary Complex from the
EMMT (Lower Carboniferous amphibolites, granites and granodiorites)
Location: Divôr Dam
Here mica schists and metapsammites are dominant and include fine-grained and coarse-grained
amphibolites associated with minor calc-silicate rocks. Granodiorite, granite and andesitic dykes intrude the
metamorphic rocks. Strong development of mylonitization caused amphibole and plagioclase dynamic
recrystallization. Plagioclase, quartz and amphibole are the most often observed minerals but biotite, chlorite,
epidote, pyroxene (locally found), sphene and opaques also occur. These amphiboles are mostly Mg-
hornblende and actinolitic hornblende with low NaM4 values and AlIV-Si relationships that indicates low-
pressure and low-medium temperature conditions.
Metasediments present quartz + biotite + andalusite + plagioclase + muscovite (andalusite zone – mica
schists) and quartz + plagioclase (oligoclase) + biotite + muscovite + andalusite + sillimanite ± garnet
(scarce) (metapsammites). Andalusite porphyroblasts have tails with sillimanite growth and sometimes
include an internal fabric made of opaque minerals and quartz. Sillimanite also occurs intergrowing with
quartz and feldspar along the foliation planes.
The Cambrian-Ordovician? metasediments have similar chondrite-normalized patterns as the Ediacaran Serie
Negra sediments (LaN/YbN= 11.88-12.48) with the fine-grained sediments with higher values ranging
between LaN/YbN= 18.55-20.94. The TiO2= 0.64-1.19 wgt % and Ni= <40 ppm content encompasses similar
ranges in the Cadomian sediments indicating a felsic provenance. A significant difference concerns the
higher Al2O3/SiO2 ratio (ranging from 0.41 to 0.46) and K2O+Na2O contents (ranging from 6.7 to 8.13 ppm)
ratios of the fine-grained sediments from the igneous (basic-dominated)-sedimentary complex in relation
with the Série Negra (Al2O3/SiO2=0.21-0.28 and K2O+Na2O=0.63-0.97 wgt %). This is mainly related with
the significant presence of muscovite (fine-grained sediments) and muscovite + K-feldspar (coarse-grained
sediments) in the Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician sediments. In discrimination diagram Th-Sc-Zr/10,
these rocks are plotted close to the continental arc in the transition with active continental margin and passive
margin.
Stop 3-2C: Cambrian-Lower Ordovician? Igneous (mafic-dominated) - sedimentary Complex from the
EMMT (Lower Carboniferous amphibolites, granites and granodiorites)
Location: Arraiolos
Foliated fine-grained (dominant) and coarse-grained amphibolites associated with minor occurrences of mica
schists and calc-silicate rocks are crossed by granodiorite and granite dykes.
Strong development of mylonitization caused amphibole and plagioclase dynamic recrystallization.
Plagioclase, quartz and amphibole are the most often observed minerals but biotite, chlorite, epidote,
pyroxene (locally found), sphene and opaques also occur. These amphiboles are mostly Mg-hornblende with
low NaM4 values and AlIV-Si relationships suggesting that they equilibrated during low-pressure under low-
medium temperature conditions.
These rocks HAD subalkaline basaltic-gabbroic? protoliths, whose compositions match very well with those
of magmas generated in anorogenic settings, characterized by low values (between 1.0 and 2.0) of the Th/Ta
ratio; they have relatively enriched signatures (Th/Yb = 0.19-0.54; Ce/Yb = 4.98-11.55), with maximum
normalized values usually corresponding to the Ta position; in the Hf/3-Th-Ta diagram they plot then within
the E-MORB and intraplate mafic volcanic field.
96
Figure 51.– Geological map of the Arraiolos - Barragem do Caia region; Igneous (mafic-dominated)-sedimentary Complex: light
blue (Mo)- metasediments, oblique red lines- amphibolites, pink- granites (+) or (γ), orange (Δq)- tonalites and/or granodiorites
(Adapted from Carta Geológica de Portugal, Folha 36-c Arraiolos; 1:50,000 scale, IGM; Carvalhosa 1998)
Stop 4-2C: Lower Carboniferous tonalites from the EHMT
By Patricia Moita, J. Francisco Santos, M. Francisco Pereira
Location: Montemor-o-Novo
Several plutonic bodies of diverse compositions, from gabbros to granites, are present within the EHMT.
Some of them are clearly syn-tectonic intrusions as revealed by elongated shapes and internal foliations
striking NW-SE, following the main Variscan structures. The Hospitais Massif (located to the NW of
Montemor-o-Novo), formed dominantly by tonalites, corresponds to one of these syn-tectonic plutons.
The foliation displayed by the tonalites is essentially determined by the alignment of mafic minerals and
microgranular enclaves. Since they show no or only slightly tectonic deformation it may be concluded that
the igneous crystallization was not complete during the main stage of Variscan deformation in this area.
97
Figure 52.- Mafic enclaves within the tonalite (Montemor-o-Novo)
Major and trace element geochemistry of lithologies from the Hospitais Massif and from some small gabbro-
diorite intrusions in the western sector of the EHTM reveals that this igneous association is probably
cogenetic, constituting a suite intermediate between low-K tholeiitic and calc-alkaline series. The multi-
element diagrams show moderate LILE/HFSE enrichment (ThN/YN= 2.71-11.43 for the tonalites and
ThN/YN= 2.50-6.61 for the gabbros) and pronounced anomalies of Ti and Nb (ThN/NbN= 1.33-6.22 for the
tonalites and ThN/NbN= 1.45-3.77 for the gabbros) typical of magmas generated in supra-subduction setting
(Moita et al. 2005b,c,d).
The mafic enclaves in the Hospitais Massif have dioritic modal compositions with dominance of amphibole
(hornblende, sometimes accompannied by cummingtonite). Geochemically they show features (concave
downwards REE patterns; negative Eu anomalies) revealing their cumulate origin. These enclaves were
interpreted as intermediate fractionation products between the gabbros and the tonalites, internally mixed
with the tonalitic melt of the Hospitais Massif.
Amphibole and biotite separates from two samples from the Hospitais tonalites, yielded Ar/Ar and K/Ar ages
of ca. 320 Ma. This age was interpreted as representing the igneous crystallization (Moita et al. 200c). A
younger age, of ca. 307 Ma, obtained by the K/Ar method in biotite, was considered as probably related to
resetting caused by the thermal effects of late-orogenic granitoid intrusions.
Stop 5-2C: Lower Carboniferous migmatites, granites and granodiorites from the EHMT
By M. Francisco Pereira, J.B. Silva, Patricia Moita, José F. Santos, Martim Chichorro
Location: Almansor stream (Montemor-o-Novo)
Strongly foliated anatectic granitoids/diatexites, weakly foliated granitoids and leuco-granitoids were
recognized in a structurally complex and lithologically heterogeneous outcrop at the Almansor stream.
These rocks seem to be generated from different sources: (1) anatectic granitoids/diatexites represent
products of crustal anatexis (melting of the Serie Negra metasediments) and (2) weakly foliated granitoids
and leuco-granitoids testify for the involvement of magmas derived from meta-igneous crust and/or mantle
probably associated with magmatic fractionation.
At the mesoscale, the complexity of the structure is dominated by a heterogeneous compositional layering
trending N290º-310º and steeply dipping to SW, which may contain locally a shallow-dipping stretching
lineation defined by aligned growth of biotite and cordierite. The compositional layering is mainly
represented by intercalations of brownish diatexite/ foliated anatectic granitoid bands (quartz-monzonites)
with greyish diatexite/ foliated anatectic granitoid bands (monzogranites). Associated with these rocks also
98
occur concordant and discordant veins of greyish weakly foliated granitoids (granodiorite-tonalites) and
whitish leucogranitoids (trondhjemites). This compositional layering is folded with variable wavelengths and
amplitudes showing uniform orientation of axial planes indicating the relative sinistral sense of movement,
linked to progressive deformation. Stretching is testified by strong boudinage of more competent layers and
the development of conjugate sets of shear planes (dextral N350º-trending and sinistral N270º-trending)
or/and sinistral N240º-trending c’-type extensional shear planes. Competent layers surrounded by melt,
deformed passively to become elongate. They were affected by boudinage and gave origin to isolated rock
fragments/boudins with major axis parallel to foliation. Other isolated fragments of rock (resisters) suffered
rotation and various types of foliations and folds developed in the surrounding diatexite. Such fragments
show an internal foliation, sometimes folded, which is generally discordant with respect to the surrounding
foliation. They generally present tails filled with leucocratic granitoids. The pervasive foliation of the
diatexites/foliated granitoids is defined, at the mesoscale, by the alignment of biotites and schlieren
structures as well as by elongated fragments of resisters (amphibolites) and restites (biotite and cordierite-
rich schistose sigmoidal bodies). In parallelism with this foliation, centimetric-width discontinuous
leucocratic granitoid veins occur. Discordant veins also appear cutting the foliation and former
leucogranitoid veins, generally associated with the infill of c’-type extensional shear planes.
Figure 53.- Rotated rock fragments within diatexites (Montemor-o-Novo).
Stop 6-2C (Extra): Upper Carboniferous granites and granodiorites
By M. Francisco Pereira, Patricia Moita, J. Francisco Santos, M. Chichorro, C. Ribeiro, J.B. Silva
Location: Évora (Alto de São Bento)
The voluminous intrusions from nearby Évora are mainly represented by a muscovite-biotite bearing
medium grained granite and a porphyroid granodiorite. The granite that constitute the major igneous mass
includes subhorizontal meter-width dykes of the porphyroid granodiorite and enclaves of igneous and
metamorphic (migmatites, mica schists and amphibolites) nature. Granite pegmatite and aplite dykes cross-
cut both granites and granodiorites.
On multi-element diagrams, the granodiorites (slightly peraluminous: A/CNK~1.05) show a Nb and Ti
negative anomalies similar to the Hospitais tonalite, whereas the peraluminous granite (A/CNK~1.2) points
to a more crustal origin (Ribeiro 2006). The Évora granodiorites show appreciable LILE/HFSE enrichment
99
(ThN/YN= 73-95) in contrast with a general impoverishment on REE with moderate LILE/HFSE enrichment
(ThN/YN= 7.99) for the granites.
Figure 54. – Magmatic flow on granodiorite (Evora)
Relevant magmatic flow structures (elongated mafic microgranular enclaves and spatial arrangement of
feldspar phenocrystals -magmatic foliation- in their felsic host), mafic microgranular enclaves (rounded, with
sharp boundaries and with feldspar phenocrystals similar to their felsic host) and schlieren are distiguishable
within the granodiorites.
100
Part V
References
101
102
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PART I

Rubén DÍEZ FERNÁNDEZ

José Ramón MARTÍNEZ CATALÁN

Teresa SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA

Sonia SÁNCHEZ MARTÍNEZ

José Francisco SANTOS

September 27th- Arrival to Évora

September 28th- Conference (University of Évora)

9h00m- Reception and documentation delivery

9h50m- Openning of the Conference

10h00m- MURPHY & DOSTAL

10h20m- KEPPIE, RAMOS-ARIAS, MORALES-GÁMEZ, NANCE, MILLER, MURPHY & DOSTAL

10h40m- DROST, LINNEMANN & ROMER

11h40m- PEREIRA, CHICHORRO & PIN

12h00m- CHICHORRO, PEREIRA, WILLIAMS & SILVA

12h20m- SÁNCHEZ-MARTÍNEZ , JEFFRIES, ARENAS, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ & GARCÍA-SÁNCHEZ

14h40m- PISAREVSKY, MURPHY, NANCE & KEPPIE

15h20m- LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO, ARMENDÁRIZ, PIN, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ, BELLIDO & QUESADA

16h20m- GOROZHANINA, PUCHKOV & GOROZHANIN

16h40m- ABATI , WHITEHOUSE, ARENAS & FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ

17h00m- GUTIÉRREZ-ALONSO, FERNÁNDEZ-SUÁREZ, WEIL, MURPHY, NANCE, CORFÚ &

17h20m- End of the Conference

September 30th- 2nd Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Aracena)

October 1st- 3rd Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)

October 2nd- 4th Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)

October 3rd- 5th Day of the Field Trip (overnight in Évora)

October 4th- Departure from Évora

List of oral presentations

CONTINENTAL MAFIC MAGMATISM OF DIFFERENT AGES IN THE SAME TERRANE:

J. DUNCAN KEPPIE, MARIO RAMOS-ARIAS, MIGUEL MORALES-GÁMEZ

EARLY PALAEOZOIC VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF THE TEPLÁ-BARRANDIAN

KERSTIN DROST, ULF LINNEMANN,

SM-ND ISOTOPE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CAMBRIAN-ORDOVICIAN? AMPHIBOLITES FROM

SHRIMP U-Pb ZIRCON GEOCHRONOLOGY OF FELSIC ORTHOGNEISSES FROM THE ÉVORA

PLATE TECTONICS AND OROCLINES: THE ROLL OF RIBBONS

NEOPROTEROZOIC-EARLY PALAEOZOIC CONFIGURATION OF PERI-GONDWANAN TERRANES

SEDIMENTARY PROVENANCE AND INFILLING HISTORY OF THE PEDROCHES SYN-OROGENIC

MAIDER ARMENDÁRIZ, RAFAEL LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO

NEOPROTEROZOIC-PALAEOZOIC TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE OSSA-MORENA AND CENTRAL

RAFAEL LÓPEZ-GUIJARRO, MAIDER ARMENDÁRIZ,

YELENA GOROZHANINA, VICTOR PUCHKOV, VALERY GOROZHANIN

THE TASMANIDES OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA: A COLLAGE OF ACCRETIONARY OROGENS

SELF-SUBDUCTION OF A GLOBAL PLATE – THE BEGINNING OF PANGEA’S END?

List of poster presentations

LONG-LIVED DEFORMATION OF THE SILURO-DEVONIAN PASSIVE MARGIN OF THE RHEIC

NEOPROTEROZOIC HISTORY OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN MARGIN OF BALTICA

TERESA SÁNCHEZ-GARCÍA, CECILIO QUESADA, FÉLIX BELLIDO

WENLOCK-LUDLOW POST-ACCRETIONARY TERRANE DISPERSAL IN THE CENTRAL

Figure 1. Zonal division of the Iberian Massif

1) Neoproterozoic-earliest Cambrian accretion of a continental arc (Ossa-Morena Zone, Fig. 1) to the

M ON EST ERI O AN T I FORM

Figure 4.- Sketch geological map of the Ossa-Morena Zone

The Neoproterozoic Arc and its accretion (Cadomian orogeny)

Geochemistry of the rift-related igneous rocks

Early rift-related igneous suite

Plutonic Intermediate rocks

Volcanic Acid rocks

Volcanic Intermediate rocks

A model of Early Palaeozoic rifting in the Ossa-Morena Zone

The Ordovician-Devonian passive margin

The Variscan orogeny

Stop 1-1B: Volcaniclastic breccias of the Neoproterozoic Arc sequence at Llerena

Stop 3-1B: The Early Cambrian (Cadomian) unconformity