Discussion on ‘From Pan-African transpression to Cadomian transtension at the West African margin: new U–Pb zircon ages from the Eastern Saghro Inlier (Anti-Atlas, Morocco)’ by Errami et al . 2020 ( SP 503, 209–233)

Abstract

An important paper has recently been published in Geological Society, London, Special Publications by Errami et al . (2020). On the basis of new U–Pb zircon radiometric data on magmatic and sedimentary rocks in the Saghro Massif, the authors revised the history of magmatic and geodynamic evolution of the Pan-African belts of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas along the northern edge of the West African Craton. The authors focused on the two main accretionary stages widely recognized in the Anti-Atlas (Ennih and Liegeois 2008; Gasquet et al. 2008): (1) a Paleoproterozoic episode, known as the Eburnean Orogeny, characterized by the extensive emplacement of granitoids at c. 2.1 − 2.0 Ga; (2) Neoproterozoic (800–450 Ma) events corresponding to the Pan-African Orogeny. However, in their lithostratigraphic framework of Proterozoic units of the Anti-Atlas, the authors do not account for the magmatic event recently recognized in several inliers in the Anti-Atlas (Fig. 1): Ighrem (Ikenne et al. 2017), Kerdous (Youbi et al. 2019) and Zenaga (Ait Lahna et al. 2020). Sills intrusive into the mixed carbonate–siliciclastic series of the Taghddout and Lkest groups, previously considered as Cryogenian, have been dated at between 1.7 and 1.6 Ga (Fig. 2). These new ages are c . 1 Ga older than previously thought, and call into question the stratigraphic position of the Tagdoute and Lkest groups in the southwestern domain of the Anti-Atlas. These series are now interpreted to be deposited in an intracratonic basin that developed after the assembly of the Nuna–Columbia supercontinent and before the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent. The previous Cryogenian age for these deposits and their geodynamic setting thus need to be revised. Fig. 1. Geological map of the Anti-Atlas with the locations of the dated sills in the Ighrem, Kerdous and Zenaga inliers shown. SAF, South Atlas Fault; WAC, West African Craton; AVFZ, Ameln Valley Fault Zone; TTFZ, …