This book provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of one of the oldest and best-exposed Archaean cratons on this planet. There is currently a renewed interest in the early Earth, and the Kaapvaal craton has long served as a model for early crustal evolution. This unique multidisciplinary resource features information on geology, tectonics, geochemistry, and geochronology. It offers a wealth of new data on various aspects of the craton as well as contributions on the various crustal units by international specialists.

Ancient Supercontinents and the Paleogeography of Earth offers a systematic examination of Precambrian cratons and supercontinents. Through detailed maps of drift histories and paleogeography of each continent, this book examines topics related to Earth's tectonic evolution prior to Pangea, including plate kinematics, orogenic development, and paleoenvironments. Additionally, this book discusses the methodologies used, principally paleomagnetism and tectonostratigraphy, and addresses geophysical topics of mantle dynamics and geodynamo evolution over billions of years. Structured clearly with consistent coverage for Precambrian cratons, this book combines state-of-the-art paleomagnetic and geochronologic data to reconstruct the paleogeography of the Earth in the context of major climatic events such as global glaciations. It is an ideal, up-to-date reference for geoscientists and geographers looking for answers to questions surrounding the tectonic evolution of Earth. - Provides robust paleogeographies of Precambrian cratons based on high-quality paleomagnetic and geochronologic data and critically tested by global geological datasets - Includes links to updated databases for the Precambrian such as PALEOMAGIA and the Global Paleomagnetic Database (GPMDB) - Presents full-color maps of the drift histories of each continent as well as their paleogeographies - Discusses key questions regarding continental drift, the supercontinent cycle, and the geomagnetic dipole hypothesis and analyzes palaeography in the context of Earth's holistic evolution

Fluid-aided mass transfer and subsequent mineral re-equilibration are the two defining features of metasomatism and must be present in order for metamorphism to occur. Coupled with igneous and tectonic processes, metasomatism has played a major role in the formation of the Earth’s continental and oceanic crust and lithospheric mantle as well as in their evolution and subsequent stabilization. Metasomatic processes can include ore mineralization, metasomatically induced alteration of oceanic lithosphere, mass transport in and alteration of subducted oceanic crust and overlying mantle wedge, which has subsequent implications regarding mass transport, fluid flow, and volatile storage in the lithospheric mantle overall, as well as both regional and localized crustal metamorphism. Metasomatic alteration of accessory minerals such as zircon or monazite can allow for the dating of metasomatic events as well as give additional information regarding the chemistry of the fluids responsible. Lastly present day movement of fluids in both the lithospheric mantle and deep to mid crust can be observed utilizing geophysical resources such as electrical resistivity and seismic data. Such observations help to further clarify the picture of actual metasomatic processes as inferred from basic petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical data. The goal of this volume is to bring together a diverse group of geologists, each of whose specialities and long range experience regarding one or more aspects of metasomatism during geologic processes, should allow them to contribute to a series of review chapters, which outline the basis of our current understanding of how metasomatism influences and helps to control both the evolution and stability of the crust and lithospheric mantle.

This book provides a benchmark study of southern African landscape evolution during the Quaternary, for researchers, professionals and policymakers.

Continuing the tradition of International Dyke Conference, this book is largely based on contributions from the IDC7 but also includes some chapters by invitation. It focuses on mafic dyke swarms and related associations: e.g. links with sills, kimberlites, syenites, carbonatites, and volcanics, discussing the following themes: (i) regional maps/reviews of dyke swarms and related units, (ii) the role of giant dyke swarms in the reconstruction of supercontinents/paleocontinents, (iii) mapping of dykes using remote sensing techniques, (iv) geochronology of dyke swarms, (v) petrology, geochemistry and petrogenesis of dykes, (vi) emplacement mechanism of dykes, (vii) dyke swarms and planetary bodies, and (viii) links to mineralization and resources.

The web of geological sciences, Special papers 500 and 523, written in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Geological Society of America.

CONTENTS Omar Bartoli, Antonio Acosta-Vigil and Bernardo Cesare High-temperature metamorphism and crustal melting: working with melt inclusions Igor M. Villa 39Ar-40Ar geochronology of mono- and polymetamorphic basements Antonio Langone and Massimo Tiepolo U-Th-Pb “multi-phase” approach to the study of crystalline basement: application to the northernmost sector of the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (Alps) Gabriele Cruciani, Chiara Montomoli, Rodolfo Carosi, Marcello Franceschelli and Mariano Puxeddu Continental collision from two perspectives: a review of Variscan metamorphism and deformation in northern Sardinia Rosolino Cirrincione, Eugenio Fazio, Patrizia Fiannacca, Gaetano Ortolano, Antonino Pezzino and Rosalda Punturo The Calabria-Peloritani Orogen, a composite terrane in Central Mediterranean; its overall architecture and geodynamic significance for a pre-Alpine scenario around the Tethyan basin Gisella Rebay, Maria Pia Riccardi and Maria Iole Spalla Fluid rock interactions as recorded by Cl-rich amphiboles from continental and oceanic crust of italian orogenic belts Guido Gosso, Gisella Rebay, Manuel Roda, Maria Iole Spalla, Massimo Tarallo, Davide Zanoni and Michele Zucali Taking advantage of petrostructural heterogeneities in subduction-collisional orogens, and effect on the scale of analysis

The Himalayan mountain belt, which developed during the India–Asia collision starting about 55 Ma ago, is a dramatically active orogen and it is regarded as the classic collisional orogen. It is characterized by an impressively continuous 2500 km of tectonic units, thrusts and normal faults, as well as large volumes of high-grade metamorphic rocks and granites exposed at the surface. This constitutes an invaluable field laboratory, where amazing crustal sections can be observed directly in very deep gorges. It is possible to unravel the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of litho-units, to observe the mechanisms of exhumation of deep-seated rocks and the propagation of the deformation. Himalayan tectonics has been the target of many studies from numerous international researchers over the years. In the last 15 years there has been an explosion of data and theories from both geological and geophysical perspectives. This book presents the results of integrated multidisciplinary studies, including geology, petrology, magmatism, geochemistry, geochronology and geophysics, of the structures and processes affecting the continental lithosphere. These processes and their spatial and temporal evolution have major consequences on the geometry and kinematics of the India–Eurasia collision zone.

The web of geological sciences, Special papers 500 and 523, written in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Geological Society of America.