Abstract
The Zambezi Belt located in southern Zambia and northern Zimbabwe forms part of the E–W-trending Kuunga orogen associated with the amalgamation of Gondwana supercontinent. The belt consists of a crystalline basement unconformably overlain by a supracrustal sequence of meta-pelites/psammites, calc-silicates, meta‑carbonates, and magmatic rocks. Monazite-bearing meta-pelites are distinguished by petrography, geothermobarometry, monazite chemistry, and detrital provenance. The studied samples include six garnet-bearing schists with biotite, plagioclase, quartz, muscovite ± staurolite ± kyanite from the Nega Formation, and three kyanite-mica schists with chlorite, quartz, and accessory rutile, ilmenite, tourmaline from the Chipongwe Formation. Phase equilibria modelling and isopleth geothermobarometry identified Barrovian-type medium- T / medium- P facies peak conditions of 570–665 °C/ 6.5–9 kbar on garnet-bearing schists, and 600–663 °C/ ~8.8–12 kbar on kyanite-mica schists. Evidence from detrital geochronology suggests that the two formations are stratigraphically equivalent, but electron microprobe dating on monazite suggests they underwent different tectonothermal histories. Monazite ages indicate metamorphism and crustal growth from ~650–579 Ma in 3 of the garnet-bearing schists of the Nega Formation, and ~ 550–500 Ma in one of the kyanite-mica schists of the Chipongwe Formation. Dating of detrital zircon by LA-ICP-MS indicates local and distal sediment sources including Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic (2633–1800 Ma) and Meso- to Neoproterozoic (1700–852 Ma). A tectonic cycle of burial metamorphism to exhumation is indicated by clockwise P-T-t paths along different geothermal gradients. The rock units were brought together during collision between the Congo and Kalahari Cratons and final assembly of Gondwana. • The Zambezi Belt is part of the Kuunga Orogen formed during Gondwana assembly • Metapelites are distinguished by monazite chemistry and detrital provenance • P-T conditions of 570–665 °C/6–9 kbar and 600–663 °C/8.8–12 kbar were obtained • The rocks underwent metamorphism at 〜650–579 Ma and 550–500 Ma respectively • The rocks evolved along different geotherms prior to final Gondwana assembly
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