Large area of continental crust in the north-central part of Africa
Pannotia super-continent c. 570 Ma
The Saharan Metacraton is a large area of continental crust in the north-central part of Africa. Whereas a craton is an old and stable part of the lithosphere, the term "metacraton" is used to describe a craton that has been remobilized during an orogenic event, but where the characteristics of the original craton are still identifiable. The geology of the continent has only been partially explored, and other names have been used to describe the general area that reflect different views of its nature and extent. These include "Nile Craton", "Sahara Congo Craton", "Eastern Saharan Craton" and "Central Saharan Ghost Craton".[1]
This last term is because the older rocks are almost completely covered by recent sediments and desert sands, making geological analysis difficult.[2]
^Cite error: The named reference Abdelsalam2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Rogers2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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The SaharanMetacraton is a large area of continental crust in the north-central part of Africa. Whereas a craton is an old and stable part of the lithosphere...
highly deformed rock where the tectonic plates have engaged. The SaharanMetacraton has been tentatively identified as the remains of a craton that has...
geological formation lying between the West African craton and the SaharanMetacraton in West Africa. Named after the Tuareg people, it has complex a geology...
Africa) Kalahari Craton – African geological area (South Africa) SaharanMetacraton – Large area of continental crust in the north-central part of Africa...
Shield – Geological formation between the West African craton and the SaharanMetacraton in West Africa Western Gneiss Region – Large geological unit in Norway...
African Plate, the others being the Kalahari craton, Congo craton, SaharanMetacraton and Tanzania Craton. Cratons themselves are tectonically inactive...
versions describe the Guiana Shield separated from the Amazonian Shield by a depression, and the SaharanMetacraton as a part of this West African Craton....
Goiás Ocean, was closed as the West African craton collided with the SaharanMetacraton. The TSB includes the Hoggar belt, which splays into the Kandi fault...
Tilemsi arc, which was accreted against the Hoggar region of the SaharanMetacraton. The western part of the Hoggar massif is made of material from the...
The Iullemmeden Basin (Berber language: Iwellemmedden) is a major sub-Saharan inland basin in West Africa, extending about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north...
Cryogenian Period. The northern part of the country is grouped with the SaharanMetacraton, which began to form between 3 billion and 2 billion years ago and...
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