The Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary sequence of the Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique

Abstract

The study analyzes and reconstructs the Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary sequence of the northern Mozambique basin, in the sector extending between Rio Lurio and Rio Rovuma.The stratigraphically most ancient terrains, which outcrop in the north-western sector of the province, are represented by the continental red sandstones of Lower Cretaceous, transgressive on the metamorphites of the Mozambique belt. Towards south, they laterally pass to deltaic facies conglomerates and sandstones, overlain by an arenaceous-marly belemnite sequence which can be ascribed to the Barremian-Ablian. The Upper Cretaceous is identified by a sequence of gypsiferous clays, transgressive on increasingly more recent terrains from south to north. The Cenozoic is characterized by shallow water facies which include: the Paleocene (in the central-southern sector), the Eocene, the Oligocene (reported for the first time in the northern Mozambique basin and found in limited central-eastern areas) and, finally, the Miocene, which is the most widespread Cenozoic deposit.Numerous ingressions, regressions and significant stratigraphic hiatuses were observed, which are evidenced by tectonic stages and the most significant eustatic changes, always in a continental shelf-like structural setting.