Metamorphic evolution of Neoproterozoic metapelites and gneisses in the Sinai, Egypt: Insights from petrology, mineral chemistry and K–Ar age dating

The relations between Gondwana and the adjacent peripheral Cadomian domain—constrains on the origin, history, and paleogeography of the peripheral domain

“…5 km to perhaps N10 km thick overburden of the exhumed rocks was eroded not much before 610-600 Ma. K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of basement rocks in these areas cluster at 600-580 Ma, which records cooling (Cosca et al, 1999;Eliwa et al, 2008: Beyth et al, 2014 that is interpreted to have resulted from removal of the overburden. In the Eastern Desert of Egypt thick volcanic-sedimentary series that formed in different times in the first half of the Ediacaran (Breitkreuz et al, 2010, and references therein) overlie exhumed basement rocks and contain clasts derived from them.…”

Petrologic and geochemical characterization and mineralization of the metavolcanic rocks of the Heib Formation, Kid Metamorphic Complex, Sinai, Egypt

“…The Kid volcano-sedimentary succession was divided by Shimron (1980) into the Malhaq, Um Zariq, Heib, and Tarr Formations (Fig. 1), which have experienced upper greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphism (Shimron, 1987;Brooijmans et al, 2003;Eliwa et al, 2008). The metamorphic grade increases from south toward the west-central and northern parts of the complex (Brooijmans et al, 2003).…”

“…Very recently, Stern et al (2010) determined the age for clasts within the Heib Formation (585 AE 8 Ma), which adds more contradiction and ambiguity to the age of deposition of the KMC rocks. Furthermore, some workers concluded that main amphibolite phase of metamorphism started at about 620 Ma ago (Ayalon et al, 1987;Eliwa et al, 2004).…”

“…The Kid Metamorphic Complex (KMC; Eliwa et al, 2008) represents a volcano-sedimentary succession of island-arc character (Shimron, 1980) that underwent polyphase deformation and lowpressure metamorphism, ranging in grade from greenschist facies in the south to amphibolite facies in the centre and the north (Shimron, 1980;Furnes et al, 1985;Blasband et al, 1997Blasband et al, , 2000Brooijmans et al, 2003). The metavolcanic rocks in the southern part of the KMC have received lesser attention as compared with those of the central and northern parts.…”

“…This is largely because of their weak metamorphic character compared to the metasediments (Um Zariq Formation) and metavolcanics (Malhaq Formation) in the central and northern parts of the KMC, which offer a wealth of structural data and an opportunity to study the details of the amphibolite facies metamorphic history (e.g. Shimron, 1980Shimron, , 1983Shimron, , 1987Reymer, 1983;Reymer et al, 1984;Furnes et al, 1985;El-Gaby et al, 1991;Blasband et al, 1997Blasband et al, , 2000Brooijmans et al, 2003;Eliwa et al, 2008;Fowler et al, 2010). Furthermore, geochemical and petrogenetic investigations of the KMC metavolcanic units are mostly restricted to Malhaq Formation in the northern part (e.g.…”