Abstract
The Cordón del Carrizalito is located in the southern sector of the Andean Frontal Cordillera. In this area, the Andean basement is composed of meta-sedimentary rocks (Las Lagunitas Formation) of Ordovician age. In addition, no- or very low grade metamorphism and less deformed rocks also occur in the study area. We call these rocks Selerpe series, whose characteristics are comparable to other series, late Carboniferous in age, described in nearby areas. The Las Lagunitas Formation is affected by west-verging folds, developed under low-grade metamorphic conditions. These structures can be attributed to the Chanic orogeny (Late Devonian – early Carboniferous). The Selerpe series and Las Lagunitas Formation are deformed by east-verging thrusts and folds developed in narrow bands and generated in the absence or under very low metamorphic conditions. These structures always deform the Chanic structures, and are attributed to the Gondwanan deformation (San Rafael orogeny, late Carboniferous – Permian in age). The Chanic structures of the study area can be placed in the western branch and in the hinterland of the Chanic orogen, which was developed as a result of the accretion of the Chilenia terrane at the west Gondwana margin during Late Devonian and early Carboniferous. The eastern branch of this orogen is located in the Andean Precordillera. The Permo-Triassic cover, deformed by the Andean orogenic cycle (Mesozoic – Cenozoic), rests unconformably on the Palaeozoic basement rocks.
Highlights
The Cordón del Carrizalito (Carrizalito range) is located at 34o S latitude, in the Mendoza province (Argentina), forming the southern part of the Frontal Cordillera of the Andes (Groeber, 1938)
The Chanic structures of the study area can be placed in the western branch and in the hinterland of the Chanic orogen, which was developed as a result of the accretion of the Chilenia terrane at the west Gondwana margin during Late Devonian and early Carboniferous
The Chilenia terrane is currently represented by the rocks of the Andean Frontal Cordillera, while the Gondwana continent is formed by the rocks of the Andean Precordillera (Fig. 1)
Summary
The Cordón del Carrizalito (Carrizalito range) is located at 34o S latitude, in the Mendoza province (Argentina), forming the southern part of the Frontal Cordillera of the Andes (Groeber, 1938). Gondwana, located to the west and east respectively These continents, separated by a narrow ocean, collided during the Chanic orogeny in Late Devonian to early Carboniferous times. The Chilenia terrane is currently represented by the rocks of the Andean Frontal Cordillera, while the Gondwana continent is formed by the rocks of the Andean Precordillera (Fig. 1). The Andean Frontal Cordillera contains a Palaeozoic basement that consists of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks, strongly deformed during the Chanic and San Rafael (Gondwanan deformation) orogenies and intruded by Upper Palaeozoic granitoids (Ramos, 1988; Heredia et al, 2012). Permo-Triassic and Cenozoic sedimentary, volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks unconformably overlie the Palaeozoic basement (Fig. 2) This Andean cover was deformed and intruded by granitoids during the Andean orogenic cycle
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