Synoblique convergent and extensional deformation and metamorphism in the Neoproterozoic rocks along Wadi Fatira shear zone, Northern Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

The Wadi Fatira area occurs at the southern margin of the Northern Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt and is occupied by highly sheared metavolcanics tectonically alternated with banded iron formations and intruded by Barud tonalite–granodiorite, post-tectonic gabbroic and granitic intrusions. Detailed structural investigation showed that the schists and migmatitic amphibolites are formed by shearing in metavolcanics and syntectonic Barud tonalite–granodiorite due to movement along the Wadi Fatira shear zone (WFSZ). This shear zone starts as a NW–SE striking fault along Wadi Barud Al Azraq and the Eastern part of Wadi Fatira and turns to a E–W trending fault to the north of Wadi Fatira. Microstructural shear sense indicators such as asymmetric geometry of porphyroclasts such as σ-type and asymmetric folds deforming fine-grained bands which are frequently found around porphyroclasts indicate sinistral sense of shearing along the WFSZ. This shear zone is characterized by transitions from local convergence to local extension along their E–W and NW–SE trending parts, respectively. The NW–SE part of the WFSZ is of about 200 m in width and characterized by synmagmatic extensional features such as intrusion of synkinematic tonalite, creation of NE–SE trending normal faults, and formation of migmatitic amphibolites and schlieric tonalites. This part of the shear zone is metamorphosed under synthermal peak metamorphic conditions (725°C at 2–4 kbar). The E–W compressional part of the WFSZ is up to 3 km in width and composed of hornblende, chlorite, actinolite, and biotite schists together with sheared intermediate and acidic metatuffs. Contractional and transpressional structures in this part of the WFSZ include E–W trending major asymmetrical anticline and syncline, nearly vertical foliation and steeply pitching stretching lineations, NNE dipping minor thrusts, and minor intrafolial folds with their hinges parallel to the stretching lineation. P–T estimates using mineral analyses of plagioclase and hornblende from schists and foliated metavolcanics indicate prograde metamorphism under medium-grade amphibolite facies (500–600°C at 3–7 kbar) retrogressed to low-grade greenschist facies (227–317°C). The foliation in Barud tonalite–granodiorite close to the E–W part of the WFSZ runs parallel to the plane of shearing and the tonalite show numerous magmatic flow structures overprinted by folding and ductile shearing. The WFSZ is similar to structures resulted from combined simple shear and orthogonal shortening of oblique transpressive shear zones and their sense of movement is comparable with the characteristics of the Najd Fault System.