GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A PROTEROZOIC TO MESOZOIC LINK BETWEEN SOUTHEASTERN AFRICA AND DRONNING MAUD LAND, ANTARCTICA

Comparison of crustal provinces in southeastern Africa and Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, reveals considerable similarity in their evolution from the Archaean until the Mesozoic separation. Archaean granites and mid-Proterozoic supracrustal successions in these regions are so comparable that correlation is suggested. A major mid- to late Proterozoic orogenic terrain in Dronning Maud Land, comprising the H.U. Sverdrupfjella and Heimefrontfjella subprovinces and termed the Maudheim Province, is very similar in age, lithology, structural style and metamorphic history to the Mozambique and Natal orogenic provinces of Kibaran age (1000 Ma) in southeastern Africa. Deformed supracrustal sequences in all three provinces host syn-tectonic granites intruded during upper amphibolite- to granulite-facies metamorphism. Isoclinal folding was accompanied by thrusting towards adjacent cratonic areas. Development of orogenic provinces of Kibaran age in southeastern Africa and Antarctica reflects accretion of marginal basin-volcanic arc sequences onto older continents. The 500 Ma Pan African event was a widespread, predominantly thermal, overprinting of parts of the older orogenic provinces. Faulting and rifting of the supercontinent preceded break-up and influenced the stratigraphy of Phanerozoic sedimentary successions in SE Africa.