Physical volcanology and emplacement mechanism of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) lava flows from the Central High Atlas, Morocco

The best preserved and most complete lava flow sequences of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) in Morocco are exposed in the Central High Atlas and can reach up to 300 m in thickness. Four distinct formations, emplaced in subaerial environments, are classically recognized: the Lower, Intermediate, Upper and Recurrent formations. These formations are separated by paleosoils and sedimentary sequences (mudstones, siltstones, sandstones, limestones), that are in general less than two meter-thick and may exceptionally reach a thickness of 80 m, representing minor periods of volcanic quiescence. CAMP lava flows of the Central High Atlas can be grouped into two main categories: subaerial compound pahoehoe flows and simple flows. The former type is exclusively confined to the Lower and Intermediate Formations, while simple flows occur in the Upper and Recurrent Formations. The dominance of compound flows in the two lowermost units of the CAMP suggests a slow emplacement during successive sustained eruptive episodes. Instead the thick single flows characterizing the Upper and Recurrent units indicate higher effusive rates. Basaltic pillow lavas (always of short lateral extent: 10 to 100 m), showing radial jointing and vitreous rinds, identical to those found in the Western Meseta, are occasionally associated with hyaloclastites in the base of the Intermediate Formation, immediately above clastic sediments, or in the Upper Formation. The occurrence of pillow lavas does not imply a generalized subaqueous environment at the time of the lava emission. Instead, they represent subaerial flows that entered small lakes occupying depressions on the volcanic topography of the Lower and Intermediate Formations. The short lateral extent of the pillow lavas and their constant stratigraphic position, the existence of lava flows with unequivocal subaerial characteristics associated to sediments containing fossilized wood, clearly indicate onshore emplacement.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Les clinopyroxenes dans les basaltes alcalins continentaux (Massif Central, France) : implications petrogenetiques et barometriques

SIGLECNRS T Bordereau / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

Pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts from the Cenozoic Jbel Saghro Volcanic Field (Anti-Atlas, Morocco): Petrography, mineral chemistry and equilibration conditions

International audienceA suite of mafic pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts was brought to the surface by Cenozoic nephelinites of the Jbel Saghro Volcanic Field (Anti-Atlas, Morocco). The large population of samples was subdivided into five groups: (i) clinopyroxenites sensu stricto; (ii) olivine clinopyroxenites; (iii) mica-bearing clinopyroxenites; (iv) kaersutite-bearing clinopyroxenites; (v) clinopyroxene megacrysts. These xenoliths display a cumulate texture (adcumulate, heteradcumulate with poikilitic clinopyroxene including olivine). The clinopyroxenes have the composition of augite and show an appreciable variation of MgO (7.02–14.80 wt.%), TiO2 (0.58–5.76 wt.%) and Al2O3 (2.81–12.38 wt.%) contents in grains. The clinopyroxenes are characterized by convex upward chondrite-normalized REE patterns, they display very similar trace element compositions with low contents of incompatible elements such as Rb (0−0.9 ppm), Ba (0.1–8.3 ppm), Th (0.1−0.3 ppm), U (0.01−0.04 ppm) and Nb (1.3–3.2 ppm). REE contents of the calculated melts in equilibrium with the clinopyroxene megacrysts and clinopyroxene from pyroxenite xenoliths are similar to those of the nephelinites exposed in Jbel Saghro. Crystallization temperatures of pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts range from 950 °C to 1150 °C. Clinopyroxene barometry yielded pressure of crystallization ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 GPa for pyroxenite xenoliths and 0.3 to 0.7 GPa for clinopyroxene megacrysts. This pressure range is in agreement with pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts being crystallized from their parental melts at the lower and upper crust

The zircon evidence of temporally changing sediment transport-the NW Gondwana margin during Cambrian to Devonian time (Aoucert and Smara areas, Moroccan Sahara)

International audienceDetrital zircon provenance studies are an established tool to develop palaeogeographic models, mostly based on zircon of siliciclastic rocks and isotope data. But zircon is more than just istopes and features well definable morphological characteristics. The latter may indicate single grain transport histories independent of the individual grade of concordance. This additional tool for palaeogeoraphic reconstructions was tested on zircon from siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks of Palaeozoic age from the Aoucert and Smara areas of the Souttoufides, while findings of zircon in limestone generally open new archives for sedimentary provenance analysis. The morphologies-length, width, roundness, grain surfaces-of 834 detrital zircons from sediments of allochthonous Cambrian, and (par-)autochthonous Ordovician, and Devonian units were studied, while 772 of them were analysed for their U-Th-Pb isotopes by LA-ICP-MS. Mesoproterozoic zircon contents of more than 10% in the Cambrian sediments exclude the West African Craton (WAC) as exclusive source area. Thus, at least one additional external source is suggested. This is likely the western Adrar Souttouf Massif with its significant Mesoproterozoic zircon inheritance, or comparable, yet unknown sources. Decreasing Mesoproterozoic zircon age populations in Ordovician sediments are thought to be linked to the rifting of the terranes in the course of the Rheic Ocean opening and a predominant supply of WAC detritus. The Devonian sediments likely contain reworked material from the Cambrian siliciclastics, which is shown by the zircon age distribution pattern and the zircon morphologies. Therefore, multiple shifts in the direction of sedimentary transport are indicated

An integrated ASTER-based approach for mapping carbonatite and iron oxide-apatite deposits

Mapping of carbonatites and related mineral deposits has occupied prominent place in mineral resource exploration programs given their potential to host valuable concentrations of critical metals such as rare earth elements and niobium. Based on spectral characteristics of most indicative minerals for these rocks, a mapping approach was developed using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data. The combination of band rationing outcomes with components from the principal component analysis and minimum noise fraction techniques highlighted the targeted rocks, with the excellent prospective zone representing ∼0.2% of the total investigated area. This approach was successfully applied to the Gleibat Lafhouda complex to rapidly delineate carbonatites and iron oxide-apatite ore outcrops. Results were validated through field observations and in-situ geochemical analysis using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer. Field data have also served as training data to perform a supervised classification, allowing further improvement of the mapping results

Evidences for multiple remagnetization of Proterozoic dykes from Iguerda inlier (Anti-Atlas Belt, Southern Morocco)

No paleomagnetic data exist for Paleo-Mesoproterozoic times of the West African Craton (WAC). Therefore, paleogeographic reconstructions for such old geological times are difficult to constrain. Gaps on the sedimentary record and intense remagnetizations are the major problems that paleomagnetic studies come across. Recent geochronological results for dyke swarms that intrude several Proterozoic inliers of WAC in the Anti-Atlas Belt (southern Morocco) revealed ages between Paleoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic, opening for the first time a window of opportunity to conduct paleomagnetic studies and tentatively infer about the paleoposition of WAC during Proterozoic. On this scope we conducted a paleomagnetic study on seven Proterozoic dykes of the Iguerda inlier. The meaning of the obtained paleomagnetic directions was evaluated by rock magnetic and mineral analyses, complemented by petrographic observations. Our samples record the presence of a complex history of remagnetization, mostly assigned to several Phanerozoic thermal/ chemical events, in particular to the late stages of Pan African orogeny (s.l.), to the Late Carboniferous Variscan orogeny, and even to more recent events. The recognized remagnetization processes are related to widespread metamorphic events under greenschist facies followed by low-temperature oxidation, both responsible for the formation of new magnetic phases, like magnetite and hematite. These events obliterated the primary (magmatic) thermo-remanent magnetization and promoted multiple remagnetizations of the dykes, thermally and chemically. For only one dyke the presence of primary magnetization is possible to infer, though not to confirm, and would place WAC at an equatorial position around 1750 Ma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidences for multiple remagnetization of Proterozoic dykes from Iguerda inlier (Anti-Atlas Belt, Southern Morocco)

No paleomagnetic data exist for Paleo-Mesoproterozoic times of the West African Craton (WAC). Therefore, paleogeographic reconstructions for such old geological times are difficult to constrain. Gaps on the sedimentary record and intense remagnetizations are the major problems that paleomagnetic studies come across. Recent geochronological results for dyke swarms that intrude several Proterozoic inliers of WAC in the Anti-Atlas Belt (southern Morocco) revealed ages between Paleoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic, opening for the first time a window of opportunity to conduct paleomagnetic studies and tentatively infer about the paleoposition of WAC during Proterozoic. On this scope we conducted a paleomagnetic study on seven Proterozoic dykes of the Iguerda inlier. The meaning of the obtained paleomagnetic directions was evaluated by rock magnetic and mineral analyses, complemented by petrographic observations. Our samples record the presence of a complex history of remagnetization, mostly assigned to several Phanerozoic thermal/ chemical events, in particular to the late stages of Pan African orogeny (s.l.), to the Late Carboniferous Variscan orogeny, and even to more recent events. The recognized remagnetization processes are related to widespread metamorphic events under greenschist facies followed by low-temperature oxidation, both responsible for the formation of new magnetic phases, like magnetite and hematite. These events obliterated the primary (magmatic) thermo-remanent magnetization and promoted multiple remagnetizations of the dykes, thermally and chemically. For only one dyke the presence of primary magnetization is possible to infer, though not to confirm, and would place WAC at an equatorial position around 1750 Ma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio