Abstract
In the Gourma and Iforas regions (Mali) rifting occurred around 800–850 Myr ago along the eastern margin of the West African craton with a triple point in Mali, the Gourma being interpreted as an aulacogen. Oceanic closure around 600 Myr led to a collision between the passive continental margin of the West African craton and an active continental margin to the east displaying island arc and marginal trough volcano–clastic assemblages bordering a deformed continental mass intruded by a high-level batholith. The suture is marked by a string of positive gravity anomalies corresponding to the emplacement of ultrabasic and basic rocks including perhaps ophiolites. East–West shortening was accompanied by the translation onto the West African craton foreland of nappes including internal nappes displaying high pressure–low temperature metamorphism assemblages.
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Black, R., Caby, R., Moussine-Pouchkine, A. et al. Evidence for late Precambrian plate tectonics in West Africa. Nature 278, 223–227 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/278223a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/278223a0
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