Structural and geochronological constraints on the evolution of the Bou Azzer Neoproterozoic ophiolite (Anti-Atlas, Morocco)

Ediacaran 2,500-km-long synchronous deep continental subduction in the West Gondwana Orogen

“…1c) that all have key features that are observed in modern collision zones such as the Alps and the Himalayas. Ophiolites represent remnants of oceanic crust that once separated the continental blocks and they can be found as elongated units within the suture zone, as exemplified by the Bou Azzer ophiolite in Morocco 29 . The dominant rock types between the cratonic blocks are interpreted as passive margin deposits, early (juvenile)-and late-arc-related rock assemblages and synorogenic supracrustal sequences.…”

Post-Variscan evolution of the Anti-Atlas belt of Morocco constrained from low-temperature geochronology

“…They consist of ophiolites and island arc-related gneiss and intrusions accreted to the northern edge of the West African craton during the climax of the Pan-African orogeny (ca. 850-540 Ma) (Kröner and Stern 2004;D'Lemos et al 2006;Linnemann et al 2008;Timmerman 2008;El Hadi et al 2010;Hefferan et al 2014;Soulaimani et al 2014). During the Ediacaran, at the end of the Pan-African orogeny, the Anti-Atlas experienced post-orogenic collapse resulting in tilted basement blocks and continental basins filled by the Upper Ediacaran volcaniclastic series of the Ouarzazate Group (Gasquet et al 2008;Soulaimani et al 2014).…”

Insights on the crustal evolution of the West African Craton from Hf isotopes in detrital zircons from the Anti-Atlas belt

“…2) The creation of an oceanic basin (760-697 Ma) El Hadi et al, 2010) between the northern edge of the WAC and an unknown northern terrane. The preserved relic of this oceanic crust corresponds to highly sheared allochtonous ophiolite complexes (The Bou Azzer Group).…”