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Resistivity and the continental crust in southern Africa

Abstract

DURING the last decade many deep electrical soundings have been made over the major Precambrian tectonic provinces of southern Africa1,2. The results (Van Zijl, submitted for publication) show that there are marked differences in the electrical properties between Archaean cratonic terrains (Kaapvaal and Rhodesian cratons) and mobile belts (Limpopo, Namaqua and Damara). The ages of the cratons are >2,600 Myr, whereas the dominant ages of the mobile belts are 2,700, 1,000 and 500 Myr, respectively3. In the discussion of crust here, the overburden or cover rocks of the various tectonic provinces have not been considered.

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VAN ZIJL, J. Resistivity and the continental crust in southern Africa. Nature 265, 614–615 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/265614a0

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