Géochimie et signification géotectonique des volcanites du Cryogénien inférieur du Saghro (Anti-Atlas oriental, Maroc) / Geochemistry and geotectonic significance of Early Cryogenian volcanics of Saghro (Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco)

Abstract The Early Cryogenian groups of Sidi Flah, Kelaat Mgouna and Boumalne (Saghro, Anti-Atlas, Morocco) are constituted by turbiditic deposits and interbedded lavas, accumulated in tectonic basins. At Sidi Flah, volcanics are transitional showing initial rift tholeiites (IRT) fingerprint and alkali basalts of oceanic island basalt (OIB) compositions. At Kelaat Mgouna, volcanics consist of low-Nb continental tholeiites. At Boumalne, basalts are of IRT composition. The volcanic and sedimentary formations belong to a nascent rift caused by thermal doming along a SW-NE axis, the Saghro rift. The continental break-up occurred in the early Neopro- terozoic and during the Rodinia supercontinent dislocation, within a continent called “Ibero-saharian Craton” which was in front of the West-African Craton located near the South Pole. The Saghro rift is contemporaneous to the opening of an oceanic domain represented by Central Anti-Atlas ophiolites and related to the extension of the Brazialiano Ocean. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS