Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

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Journal of African Earth Sciences

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Quartzite crests in Paleoproterozoic granites (Anti-Atlas, Morocco); a hint to T

Pan-African deformation of the West African Craton margin
A. Soulaimania,∗, H. Ouanaimib, A. Michardc, P. Monterod, F. Bead, M. Corsinie, J.-F. Molinad,
E.-C. Rjimatif, O. Saddiqig, K. Hefferanh
a
Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences-Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
b
LGE. Department of Geology, ENS, Cadi Ayyad University, BP S2400, Marrakech, Morocco
c
Em. Pr. Université de Paris-Sud, 10 rue des Jeûneurs, 75002, Paris, France
d
Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva, 18002, Granada, Spain
e
UMR Geoazur, 250 rue A. Einstein, Université de Nice - Sophia-Antipolis, 06560, Valbonne, France
f
Direction de la Géologie, Ministère de l'Energie et des Mines, B.P. 6208, Rabat Instituts, Haut Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
g
Laboratoire Géosciences, Université Hassan II-Casablanca, BP 5366, Maârif, Casablanca, Morocco
h
Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection Department, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA, USA, 02532

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords: South of the Pan-African suture zone of the Anti-Atlas, the Agadir Melloul inlier exhibits several crests of nearly
Paleoproterozoic vertical conglomeratic quartzite beds inserted in Paleoproterozoic granites. These enigmatic rocky walls have
Eburnian been considered as Early Neoproterozoic platform sediments pinched within the 2.03 Ga-old granites during
Pan-African belt brittle faulting events at ca. 570 Ma. The data presented here contradict this interpretation. The quartzite crests
West African craton
correspond to parts of tight synclines pinched along brittle-ductile, strike-slip shear zones involving the granitic
Anti-Atlas
Morocco
basement itself. This deformation occurred in low-grade greenschist facies conditions at T = 260–280 °C. The
Thick-/thin-skinned tectonics detrital zircon grains from the vertical quartzite beds are mostly grouped around 2 Ga, with the youngest grains
at 1.8 Ga. Thus, the studied quartzites exhibit the same detrital zircon barcode as the other siliciclastic platform
formations of the southwestern Anti-Atlas (Taghdout Group) whose age has been recently constrained between
1.8 and 1.750 Ga. 40Ar-39Ar age measurements were unsuccessful to determine the age of crystallization of small
syn-tectonic white mica grains within the quartzite samples, but the large white mica grains of granite samples
outside the quartzite-bearing shear zones yielded ages of ∼1.777 and 1.830 Ga. We interpret the enigmatic
quartzite structures as the result of two major events that the Paleoproterozoic foreland of the Pan-African
mobile belt likely suffered, i.e., an extensional event around 800-750 Ma, coeval with the opening of the Pan-
African Ocean, and a compressional event during its final closure at about 650–600 Ma. We propose that the
quartzite formations detached then from the granitic basement of the Pan-African foreland in the frame of a
complex, thick- and thin-skinned tectonics.

1. Introduction Agadir Melloul massif (Fig. 1A and B). This massif consists of Paleo-
proterozoic granites overlain unconformably by two distinct groups of
Resolving geological enigmas even of local scale is important for formations (formally defined by Thomas et al., 2004), i) the Taghdout-
improving our scientific knowledge. A historical example is that of the Lkest siliciclastic Group (hereafter referred to as the Taghdout Gp), and
enigmatic “coexistence” of Carboniferous ferns and Liassic belemnites ii) the overlying volcaniclastic Ouarzazate Group. The two major Pre-
in the Petit-Coeur slates overlying the Belledonne massif of the External cambrian unconformities beneath the Taghdout and Ouarzazate Groups
Alps (see Ellenberger, 1958, p. 19). To address of this conundrum our have been already recognized by Neltner (1938) in the Tizi n’Tarhatine
predecessors of the 1840's were obliged to recognize the importance of Pass (Fig. 1C), and described by Choubert (1963) at Agadir Melloul and
“dislocations” (faulting) in the Alps, in addition to that of meta- in nearby Precambrian inliers (Zenaga, Igherm, Kerdous). All these
morphism of the sedimentary pile. Today, a puzzling enigma occurs in inliers belong to the foreland of the Pan-African Belt that crops out
one of the Proterozoic massifs of the Anti-Atlas (Morocco), i.e., the further to the north in the Siroua, Bou Azzer and Saghro inliers.

∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (A. Soulaimani).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2019.05.009
Received 8 February 2019; Received in revised form 5 May 2019; Accepted 9 May 2019
Available online 23 May 2019
1464-343X/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 1. A: Location of the Anti-Atlas Mountains (AA) with respect to the West African Craton (WAC), south of the South Atlas Fault (SAF). B: Sketch map of the Anti-
Atlas Precambrian inliers with location of the main inliers and of the study area (framed). AAMF: Anti-Atlas Major Fault (broadly coincident with the Pan-African
suture zone); Ag. Mel.: Agadir Melloul inlier; T. n’T.: Tizi n’Tarhatine inlier. C: Sketch geological map of the Agadir Melloul inlier and adjacent areas of the Central
Anti-Atlas, after Faure-Muret et al. (1992). AMF: Agadir Melloul fault. D: Detail map of the area with quartzite crests, after the geological map of Morocco, scale
1:50.000, Tabadrist (Baudin et al., 2013) and Agadir Melloul (Blein et al., 2013b) sheets, modified.

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A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

However, and this is the enigma, the Agadir Melloul displays erect Igherm and Zenaga inliers, respectively. The south-western Anti-Atlas
rocky crests up to 8 m-high, 6 m-thick and 1 km long amidst the Pa- inliers are cross-cut by numerous mafic dykes dated around 2040 Ma,
leoproterozoic granitic basement (Fig. 1D). They resemble deeply 1750 Ma, 1650 Ma, 1410 Ma and 880-850 Ma (mostly U–Pb baddeleyite
founded, ruined cyclopean walls, but are composed of nearly vertical ages; Kouyaté et al., 2013; Youbi et al., 2013; Söderlund et al., 2013).
conglomeratic quartzite beds. In geologic terms, these enigmatic crests They are also intruded by dolerites associated with the Ouarzazate Gp
mimic hydrothermal or igneous dykes, but consist of tilted sedimentary magmatism, such as the Iguiguil dolerites dated at 570 ± 7 Ma in the
rock beds. They have been mapped by Faure-Muret et al. (1992) and Agadir Melloul inlier (Blein et al., 2013a,b), and by some large gabbroic
compared to the shallow dipping quartzites of the nearby Jbel Iguiguil. dykes of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP, ca. 201-
Baudin et al. (2013); Blein et al. (2013a) and Soulaimani et al. (2013) 195 Ma; Youbi et al., 2003).
suggest that the quartzite walls or crests formed through a two-step, By the Late Cryogenian-Early Ediacaran times (ca. 650-580 Ma), the
extensional then compressional faulting process at about 570 Ma, i.e., south-western Anti-Atlas Paleoproterozoic massifs were parts of the
synchronous with initiation of the Ouarzazate Gp accumulation Pan-African foreland (Ennih et al., 2001; Ennih and Liégeois, 2008;
(Gasquet et al., 2008; Soulaimani et al., 2018). Walsh et al., 2012; Hefferan et al., 2014; Michard et al., 2017;
The aim of the present paper is to propose a more elaborate inter- Soulaimani et al., 2018). From 580 to 560 Ma to 540 Ma, both the Pan-
pretation of the Agadir Melloul quartzite crests. The new field and la- African thrust units and their foreland were buried beneath the un-
boratory dataset allows us to conclude that the quartzite crests formed conformable volcaniclastic and volcanic, dominantly felsic formations
during the Pan-African collision at about 600 Ma. Thus, the quartzite of the Ouarzazate Gp. The youngest ignimbrites of the group were
crest formation documents continuation of the Neoproterozoic tectonics emplaced between 550 and 540 Ma in the eastern Anti-Atlas (Gasquet
in the foreland of the Pan-African Belt at the northern border of the et al., 2005, 2008; Walsh et al., 2012; Blein et al., 2014). The Cambrian
West African Craton. rifting initiated a long period of subsidence allowing the Paleozoic
series to reach up to 8 km thickness in the western Anti-Atlas (Michard
et al., 2008). The Paleozoic sequence is virtually complete up to the
2. Geological background
Upper Visean. However, the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks would be
deformed between 330 and 300 Ma during the Variscan-Alleghanian
The Anti-Atlas Mountains consist of Proterozoic rocks that crop out
collision. The Anti-Atlas area was affected at that time by thick-skinned
in faulted massifs or inliers beneath thick, Paleozoic sedimentary for-
tectonics in the foreland of the Variscan mobile belt (Mauritanides and
mations folded during the Variscan orogeny (Fig. 1). The north-eastern
Meseta-Atlas domains; Fig. 1). The basement deformation was parti-
inliers belong to the Neoproterozoic Pan-African mobile belt, which is
tioned along inverted paleofaults bounding the tectonic blocks beneath
bounded to the south by the Bou Azzer and Siroua suture zone (Leblanc,
the partly detached sedimentary cover (Burkhard et al., 2006; Raddi
1975; El Hadi et al., 2010; Blein et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et al., 2016,
et al., 2007; Soulaimani et al., 2014; Baidder et al., 2016). During the
2018; Soulaimani et al., 2018). This ophiolitic suture is broadly coin-
Mesozoic-Cenozoic, the Anti-Atlas only suffered mild vertical move-
cident with the Anti-Atlas Major Fault of Choubert (1947). Contrast-
ments in the form of lithosphere folding at the south border of the High
ingly, the south-western Anti-Atlas inliers widely expose Paleoproter-
Atlas range (Frizon de Lamotte et al., 2009; Oukassou et al., 2013;
ozoic rocks (Fig. 2). The oldest rocks belong to the Eburnian Orogen
Gouiza et al., 2016).
that widely crop out in the northeastern Reguibat shield (Fig. 1A). They
include 2.2–2.1 Ga-old metasedimentary rocks and 2.180–2.034 Ga-old
granitoids (Ait Malek et al., 1998; Gasquet et al., 2004, 2008; Barbey 3. Material and methods
et al., 2004; Roger et al., 2006; O'Connors et al., 2010; Blein et al.,
2014b; Soulaimani et al., 2018). These crustal rocks are overlain by 3.1. The quartzite crests
detached and folded remnants of a dominantly siliciclastic platform
cover, currently labelled the (Lkest-) Taghdout Gp (Thomas et al., 2004; The Agadir Melloul inlier exhibits three Paleoproterozoic massifs
Gasquet et al., 2008). The Taghdout Gp quartzites of the Anti-Atlas beneath the Upper Ediacaran formations (Ouarzazate Gp); these in-
have long been ascribed to the Tonian-Cryogenian (Clauer, 1974; clude, from E to W, the Agadir Melloul-Imoula, Iguiguil-Tamjicht and
Thomas et al., 2004), but their age has been recently constrained be- Azaghar-Izazen massifs (Fig. 1C and D). In the Eburnian basement, the
tween 1.8 and 1.7Ga based on their detrital zircon content (younger high-grade metasedimentary rocks and calc-alkaline granite suite are
grains dated at 1.8 Ma; Abati et al., 2010) and on their intersection by more abundant to the east. The Taghdout Gp sedimentary rocks are
basic sills dated at ca. 1710 Ma (U–Pb on baddeleyite; Ikenne et al., exposed in the Jbel Iguiguil on top of the Paleoproterozoic massif, and
2017) and ca. 1630 Ma (U–Pb zircon; Ait Lahna et al., 2016) in the to a lesser extent around Tararcht in the Azaghar-Izazen massif. The

Fig. 2. Diagrammatic stratigraphy of the Central

Anti-Atlas inliers south of the Pan-African suture,
taking into account the recent dating of the Taghdout
Gp (Ikenne et al., 1997; Ait Lahna et al., 2016) and
that of varied dolerite dykes in the area (Kouyaté
et al., 2013). The indications in italics concern the
Agadir Melloul inlier, after Soulaimani et al. (2013).

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A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 3. Interpreted satellite images (Google

Earth) of the typical quartzite crests with
location of the related photographs. See
Fig. 1D for location of (A) and (B). Inter-
pretation after Blein et al. (2013b). A: Crests
QzC1-QzC3. Ebgr: Eburnian granite.
NP3sW1: “Upper Neoproterozoic 3”, lower
Ouarzazate (Warzazate) Gp, Late Ediacaran
(br: breccias, reddish conglomerates; s: red
siltites and dated cinerites); dNP3: un-
deformed dolerite dyke ascribed to the
570 Ma-old Iguiguil dolerites; dx: undated
deformed dolerite; q1c: Quaternary terrace.
B: Imoula crest QzC4, next to the ruined
“Agadir melloul” (Berber language:white
granary)build onto a bunch of quartz veins.
A–F: location of the field views Fig. 7. (For
interpretation of the references to colour in
this figure legend, the reader is referred to
the Web version of this article.)

enigmatic quartzite crests or walls occur in two restricted regions, i) SHRIMP IIe/mc ion microprobe at the IBERSIMS laboratory of the CIC-
three crests (QzC1-QzC3) occur along the northeastern border of the University of Granada. The SHRIMP U–Th–Pb analytical method
Iguiguil-Tamjicht massif (Fig. 3A), and ii) a fourth quartzite crest roughly followed that described by Williams and Claesson (1987), and
(QzC4) occurs in the northwestern Agadir Melloul-Imoula massif is described in detail at www.ugr.es/ibersims. Uranium concentration
(Fig. 3B). These four crests form a single group, here labelled the was calibrated using the SL13 reference zircon (U: 238 ppm; Claoue-
northeastern crests that display about the same N150–N180 trend. Long et al., 1995). U/Pb ratios were calibrated using the TEMORA-II
Another N160 trending crest of quartzite occurs in the small Tiza reference zircon (417 Ma; Black et al., 2004) which was measured with
n’Fouyal inlier (Fig. 1C; Ouanaimi et al., 2013; Chèvremont et al., 4 unknowns. Data reduction utilized the SHRIMPTOOLS software
2013). Other vertical quartzite beds crop out along the southeastern (downloadable from www.ugr.es/∼fbea) using the STATA™ program-
border of the Azaghar-Izazen massif with a N30–N90 trend. They are ming language.
partly buried beneath the Ouarzazate Gp formations. The Issougal
n’Ouzaghar outcrops belong to this southwestern group and will be 3.2.3. 40Ar/39Ar dating analytical procedures
considered separately in Sect. 8.2. The samples were crushed and 200–315 μm size fraction was
cleaned in ultrasonic bath. Ten grains of muscovite were carefully
3.2. Methods handpicked under a binocular microscope to select only grains without
evidence of alteration or inclusions. Selected grains were packaged in
Taking advantage of the recent 1:50,000 geological maps of the aluminum foils and were irradiated for 97 h in the McMaster Nuclear
area, we collected detailed information on the lithostratigraphy and Reactor together with Fish Canyon sanidine grains as a flux monitor
structure of the crests, and on their relationships with the hosting (28.030 ± 0.056 Ma, Jourdan & Renne, 2007). The argon isotopic in-
Paleoproterozoic granites. Understanding their structure allowed us to terferences on K and Ca were determined by the irradiation of KF and
infer the initial stratigraphy of the quartzitic formations overlying the CaF2 pure salts from which the following correction factors were ob-
granitic basement. Selected samples have been studied in thin sections tained: (40Ar/39Ar)K = 2.97 × 10–2 ± 10–3 at 1σ, (38Ar/39Ar)
under the optical polarizing microscope to unravel the brittle-ductile K = 1.24 × 10–2 ± 5 × 10–4 at 1σ, (39Ar/37Ar)Ca = 7.27 × 10–4 ±
tectonic structures. 4 × 10–5 at 1σ, and (36Ar/37Ar)Ca = 2.82 × 10–4 ± 3 × 10–5 at
1σ.40Ar/39Ar step heating analyses were performed at Geoazur Nice
3.2.1. Electron microprobe analytical procedures (France) using a continuous 100 W Photon Machine CO2 (IR) laser used
Metamorphic evolution was calibrated based on mineralogical at 5–15% during 30 s. Argon isotopes were measured in static mode
analysis of the phyllosilicates of selected quartzite and granite samples. using an ARGUS VI mass spectrometer from Thermo-Fischer. Mea-
Mineral grains were analyzed by wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy surements were carried out in multi-collection mode using 4 F cups
using a CAMECA SX100 electron microprobe at the Centro de equipped with 1012 ohm (masses 40, 39, 38 and 37) and one low-
Instrumentación Científica (CIC, University of Granada) using natural background compact discrete dynode ion counter to measure mass 36.
and synthetic standards. Accelerating voltage was 20 kV and beam Collector gain calibration was performed by the computer-controlled
current was 20 nA. The precision was close to ± 4% for an analyte application of predetermined voltages to each collector. Mass dis-
concentration of 1 wt%. crimination for the mass spectrometer was monitored by regularly
analyzing air pipette volumes. The raw data were processed using the
3.2.2. U–Pb dating analytical procedures ArArCALC software (Koppers, 2002), and ages were calculated using
Zircons were separated using panning, first in water and then in the decay constants given by Steiger and Jäger (1977). Blanks were
ethanol. After eliminating the magnetic fraction from the concentrates monitored after every three sample analyses. All parameters and re-
with a neodymium magnet, zircons were handpicked under a binocular lative abundance values are provided in Table/Annex and have been
microscope. About 150–200 zircons grains from each sample plus sev- corrected for blanks, mass discrimination, and radioactive decay. At-
eral grains of standards were cast on a 3.5 cm diameter epoxy SHRIMP mospheric 40Ar was estimated using a value of the initial 40Ar/36Ar of
megamount (Ickert et al., 2008). Once mounted and polished, zircon 298.56 (Lee et al., 2006). Our criteria for the determination of a plateau
grains were studied by optical and cathodoluminescent imaging, coated are as follows: a plateau must include at least 70% of 39Ar released,
with a 10 nm thick gold layer, and analyzed for U–Th–Pb using a over a minimum of three consecutive steps greeing at 95% confidence

4
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 4. Lithology and bedding of the quart-

zite crests. See Fig. 3 for location of the
photos. Large arrow with base: sedimentary
polarity. A: Lower face of a steeply dipping,
weakly inverted coarse conglomeratic
quartzite bed along the western side of
QzC1 south of the road. B: Plunging view of
a horizontal joint cutting across a vertical
coarse conglomeratic quartzite similar to A
and cropping out along the opposite side of
the crest with an opposite polarity. Strati-
graphically above the basal conglomerate,
the silty bed on the right displays a slaty
cleavage (S1) and a boudinaged neptunian
dyke. C: Profile of the basal conglomeratic
layer followed upward by cross-stratified
quartzite at the west side of QzC3. D:
Faulted eastern face of the northern part of
QzC1 cutting obliquely across the strati-
graphic contact between a chaotic breccia
and its cross-stratified arenites cover. E:
Detail of the top of a quartzite slab in float
next to (A), with exceptional preservation of
asymmetrical ripple marks. Blue arrow: di-
rection of water flow; white arrow: direc-
tion of shear. F: Detail of the chaotic breccia
a few meters north of (D). Notice the oc-
currence of a gabbro boulder besides of the
much more abundant whitish quartzite
boulders. (For interpretation of the refer-
ences to colour in this figure legend, the
reader is referred to the Web version of this
article.)

level. Plateau ages are given at the 2σ error level, and the plateau age the boulders commonly approach 50 × 30 × 20 cm in size; clasts as
uncertainties include analytical and J-value errors. All the errors on the large as 150 × 50 × 40 cm have been observed. Boulders generally
inverse isochron, total fusion ages, and initial 40Ar/36Ar ratios are consist of yellowish or whitish quartzite, but a gabbro boulder has been
quoted at the 2σ error. also observed (Fig. 4F). In contrast, some intercalated beds display fine-
grained silty facies, some of which are conglomeratic (Fig. 4B). A small
4. Lithostratigraphy sandy or Neptunian dyke can be observed in the silty conglomeratic
facies. As a whole, these rocks can be interpreted as mass-flow deposits
The dominant lithology of the northeastern crests is that of granular emplaced at relatively shallow depth in a faulted marine basin (Greb
quartzite with matrix-supported, 2–5 cm large rounded pebbles et al., 1990). A mass wasting origin is consistent with the cannibalism
(Fig. 4A–C). The matrix consists of poorly sorted quartzwacke. The of some early whitish quartzite layers subsequently reworked as
thicknesses of the beds ranges from 0.5 to ca. 2 m. Ripple marks are boulders in the chaotic breccia.
exceptionally well-preserved despite significant bedding-parallel With the exception of the chaotic breccia, all the other facies that
sliding (Fig. 4E). The stratigraphic polarity is commonly marked by form the QzC1-4 crests also occur in the Iguiguil shallow dipping
channelized cross-bedded deposits (Fig. 4C and D). Well-rounded peb- quartzite series (Blein et al., 2013a,b; Soulaimani et al., 2013). The
bles consist of hydrothermal quartz, fine-grained whitish quartzite and Issougal n’Ouzaghar outcrops at the eastern border of the Azaghar-
minor ferruginous sandstones. Coarse conglomeratic to chaotic breccia Izazen massif alsodisplay matrix-supported conglomerates, cross-
facies are intercalated in the axis of QzC1, with particularly spectacular bedded stratifications and ripple-marks. The hydrodynamic imprints
examples located to north of the crest (Fig. 4D, F). In this chaotic bed, are better preserved there than in the QzC1-4 crests due to a weaker

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A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 5. Structure and contacts, QzC1and

QzC3 crests(see Fig. 3A for location of the
views). A: Natural cross-section linked to
the weathered dolerite dyke dNP3; the Ta-
liouine-Agadir Melloul road borrows this
primary incision. B: Western half of a nat-
ural cross-section of QzC1, part south,
showing the steeply dipping stratigraphic
succession from the basal conglomerate
(right) to the chaotic conglomerates with
white quartzite boulders (lower insert) that
form the top crest. Notice the sub-horizontal
bedding S0 of the conglomerate near the top
crest (upper insert) and the steeply dipping
slaty cleavage S1 well developed on the
right. C: Axial view at the bottom of the
crest near its southern end, north of the
“azib” (sheep enclosure) shown in Fig. 3A.
Notice the subhorizontal bedding and the
crosswise and longitudinal quartz veins. D:
Disoriented quartzites slabs mixed with
cataclastic granite at the end of the crest
(boudinage zone). E: Chlorite-rich thrust
contact of the quartzite crest above the
granite, suggesting a SW-NE compression.
F: ENE-striking sinistral minor fault asso-
ciated with brittle deformation of the
quartzites. G: Granite-quartzite contact at
the southern tip of QzC3 (eastern face).
Half-arrows 1 and 2 depict two events, i)
longitudinal sinistral throw associated with
oblique and dragged mylonitic foliation
within the granite, and ii) reverse faulting
recorded by fine-grained gouge and Riedel
fractures (dashed). Size of notebook:
21 × 15 cm.

deformation in the southwestern area than in the northeastern region. there (Fig. 6A). In contrast, the outcrops at the southern tip of the same
crest expose horizontal quartzite beds overlying the granite; the un-
conformable quartzites are folded and sheared on top of the foliated
5. Structure granite (Fig. 5C). Transverse exposures linked to ENE-striking minor
faults (such as that of Fig. 5F) expose locally subhorizontal conglom-
5.1. Size and shape eratic beds preserved between nearly vertical beds (Fig. 5B). Consistent
with the opposite polarities observed on the SW and NE sides of the
The size of the crests in map view ranges from 2 to 10 m width and crest (Fig. 4A and B), this suggests that the QzC1 crest corresponds to a
1200 m (QzC1, QzC3) to ca. 2 × 800 m (QzC4) length whereas the 2 m tight syncline pinched within the granite (Fig. 6B). As a whole, QzC1
wide QzC2 crest is only seen over ca. 100 m length (Fig. 3). The height corresponds to three aligned segments (Fig. 3A), which appear as large
of the crests above the ground surface has been observed to exceed boudins of the same pinched syncline, more or less truncated laterally
10 m (QzC1); however, the quartzite crests are generally 2-5 m in by the limiting sub-vertical faults (Fig. 6A). Boudinage structures are
height. The quartzite crest within the Tiza n’Fouyal inlier extends over a exposed at the southern end of the crest in the form of disoriented,
2 km length with only ca. 2 m width and height (Ouanaimi et al., 2013). minor quartzite slivers mixed within cataclastic/mylonitic granite
The depth to which the crests root in the granite basement is con- (Fig. 5D).
jectural in most cases. The flat topography of the area does not gen- The QzC4 example provides additional, 3D information as this crest
erally provide cross-sectional views to determine depth. However, one extends across a rugged terrain, carved by the 40 m deep Oued Imoula
exception occurs at the intersection of QzC1 by the dNP3 dyke (Baudin valley (Fig. 3B). On the well-exposed western slope, the crest appears to
et al., 2013, Fig. 3A) where the altered and weathered dyke yields a consist of two aligned walls (Figs. 7A and 6C). The northwestern tip of
20 m deep incision across the crest (Fig. 5A). This natural cross-section the lowest wall crops out at about half slope, and overlies granite and
allows us to observe the root of the crest (the foundations of the pseudo metagreywacke rocks (Fig. 7B). Higher on the slope, the southeastern
wall) to be at least 10 m deep below the ground surface base of the crest

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A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 6. Interpretation of the crests overall geometry. A, C:

Longitudinal sketch views of QzC1 and QzC4, respectively.
B: Cross-section of the southern part of QzC1 with 1: basal
conglomeratic quartzite; 2: Conglomerate with silty matrix
affected by slaty cleavage; 3: Conglomerate with sub-
horizontal, synclinal bedding; 4: Chaotic conglomerate with
white quartzite boulders; 5: Boudinage assemblage of small
quartzite slabs and cataclastic granite.

tip of the northwest wall segment is overlain by metagreywacke rocks constrained and correlates with that of a horizontally flattened, elon-
intruded by granite veins (Fig. 7C). In contrast, the northwestern tip of gated ellipsoid, with X sub-horizontal = 140 m, Z horizontal = 1–4 m,
the same wall segment rests upon the Eburnian granite at the top of the and Y vertical = ∼10 m (Fig. 6C). These observations are consistent
hill (Fig. 7D). Thus, the shape of this part of QzC4 is rather well- with a boudinage deformation process whereby an initially continuous,

Fig. 7. The QzC4 crest incised by the Oued

Imoula valley (see Fig. 3B for location). A:
Overview of the western slope of the valley
showing the subdivision of the quartzite
crest or wall into two parts N and S, re-
spectively. dX: undated dolerite dykes,
nearly parallel to the quartzite crest; Ebgr:
Eburnian granite (l: leucogranite); LCb:
Lower Cambrian limestones (background).
B: Slightly plunging field view taken from
the southern tip of QzC4N and showing the
northern tip of QzC4S resting over the me-
tagreywackes (mg) with granite intrusions
(gr), which in turn overlie and surround the
breccia linked to the boudinage of QzC4N
(foreground; see detail E). C: Opposite field
view of the southern tip of QzC4N. Framed:
detail of the slump folds locally preserved in
the conglomeratic quartzite (insert). Red
star: granite-quartzite contact shown in
Fig. 10. D: Northern tip of QzC4N resting
above the Eburnian leucogranite. E, F:
Granite-quartzite contact along the
northern part of the crest (red star on C).
Photo E is plunging vertically. The S0/S1
relationships point to a sinistral component
of strain along the contact (half arrow). (For
interpretation of the references to colour in
this figure legend, the reader is referred to
the Web version of this article.)

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A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 8. A: Micrography of coarse quartzite (polarized

light) showing low-grade recrystallization, compres-
sional contacts between quartz clasts with pressure
solution, and pressure shadows with oriented phyl-
lites and quartz beards parallel to S1 cleavage.
Circled: detrital muscovite. B: Shear plane with grain
size reduction developed in a coarse, impure quart-
zite. C: Photomicrograph of quartzite sample N17Q2
showing tiny disseminated aggregates of Fe hydro-
xides and Ti oxides (plane-polarized light). D:
Micrography of granite sample N17G1 showing pre-
kinematic white mica, plastically deformed quartz
grains, and fine-grained aggregates of syn-kinematic
white mica (cross-polarized light). E: Idem, N17G2
sample, showing alternating layers of lepidoblastic
aggregates of deformed white mica and granoblastic
aggregates of quartz defining a penetrative foliation.
Note also post-kinematic, randomly orientated, de-
cussate aggregates of white mica probably replacing
K-feldspar. F: Idem, N17G5 sample, with biotite
partially replaced by chlorite and pre-kinematic,
deformed grains of white mica defining a foliation.
Bio, biotite; Chl, chlorite; Mphy, mixed-layered
phyllosilicate; Plg, plagioclase; Qtz, quartz; Wm,
white mica.

steeply dipping bed of conglomeratic quartzite has been deformed partitioned ductile deformation within the competent quartzite beds
during transpressional tectonics. The interboudin zone is marked lo- (Fig. 8B).
cally by a pocket of tectonic breccia (Fig. 7C). The contact between the hosting granite and the vertical quartzite
bodies also shows a mix of brittle and ductile structures. Quartzite
breccias have been noticed above in the interboudins zones (Figs. 5D and
5.2. Regime of deformation 7C). However, the granite at the very contact of the quartzites commonly
exhibits a cataclastic to mylonitic facies, which shows a coarse foliation
Brecciated quartzites and striated mirrors (Fig. 5E) or fault planes oblique to the contact over some tens of centimeters. This is well-exposed
with cm-thick, fine-grained cataclastic gouge (Figs. 4D and 5G) are along the QzC3 crest (Fig. 5G). There, the mylonitic contact corresponds
commonly observed at the outcrop scale; they record a brittle de- to an early sinistral throw between the quartzite and the granite, re-
formation event. However, ductile deformation is also documented that spectively, but this ductile deformation is superimposed by a brittle
appears to be an earlier event. At the outcrop scale, ductile deformation faulting recorded by fine-grained gouge and Riedel fractures. A similar
is documented in the boudinage of pebbles and sand dyke (Fig. 4B), and example can be seen in the northern part of QzC4 (Fig. 7E and F). A
that of a quartzite slab caught between larger boulders (Fig. 4F). In the conspicuous foliation is observed in the granite and even in the adjoining
latter case, the direction of extension is virtually horizontal and parallel quartzite, where it is refracted and much less marked. The obliquity of
to the axis of the QzC1 crest. Ductile deformation is also documented in the foliation on the quartzite-granite contact points to a sinistral shear
the development of a slaty cleavage “S1”, slightly oblique on the bed- component of strain there. A fault plane with centimeter-thick gouge
ding plane “S0” (Figs. 4B and 5B). The weak obliquity of S1/S0 suggests parallels the granite foliation suggesting that deformation evolved from
a layer-parallel slip component during flattening. S1 mostly results from ductile to brittle conditions in a poorly changing compressional frame-
pressure solution process, consistent with the occurrence of a number of work. Likewise, the minor thrust fault that affects the QzC1 crest de-
thin, boudinaged quartz veins. Thin sections of the coarse impure veloped in similar brittle-ductile conditions.
quartzites reveal typical structures of ductile flattening; these include
sutured quartz grains, dissolution cupules oriented normal to the
compressional axis, quartz beards and tiny muscovite crystals in the 6. Metamorphism
pressure shadows (Fig. 8A). The amount of flattening is low and clea-
vage is not expressed in the quartzite layers, except locally (Fig. 7E). The low-grade conditions of metamorphism that prevailed during
Incipient shear planes with grain size reduction illustrate the effect of the deformation of the quartzite crests and hosting granite are

8
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 9. Composition of phyllosilicates and geothermometry. A: Fe + Mg vs Si occupancies in white mica showing the extent of phengite substitution. B: Interlayer
cation (I.C.) vs Si occupancies. Note decreasing in I.C. parameter in syn- and post-kinematic white mica grains suggesting a major involvement of pyrophyllite
substitution. C: Chlorite composition. D: Illite thermometry, calibrations from Cathelineau (1988) and Battaglia (2004). E: Chlorite thermometry, calibration from
Bourdelle et al. (2013b).

qualitatively revealed by the ductile-brittle structures described above. relatively depleted in Fe + Mg being the excess of charge balanced by a
Mineralogical analysis of the metamorphic phyllosilicates from four decrease in the interlayer cation occupancy (I.C. < 0.92 apfu); this
samples was carried on to calibrate the temperature conditions. Sample suggests a major involvement of the pyrophyllite substitution, which is
N17Q2 is a cm-dm thick, boudinaged impure quartzite collected be- a dominant component at low temperature conditions (e.g.,
tween the first and second quartzite beds on top of the granite at the Cathelineau, 1988; Battaglia, 2004; Bourdelle et al., 2013a). The
southern tip of QzC1 (Fig. 5C). This sample consists of coarse-grained composition of chlorite closely corresponds to ripidolite and minor
aggregates of pre-kinematic white mica + quartz + feldspars inter- brunsvigite (Fig. 9C) with 2.71–2.82 apfu Si (14 O), 2.60–2.81 apfu Al,
layered with very tiny disseminated aggregates of syn-kinematic white 2.79–2.92 apfu Fe and 1.48–1.62 Mg (Table 2). The yellow-to-red
mica, Fe hydroxides and Ti oxides that define a foliation parallel to the phyllosilicate presents 2.62–2.95 apfu Si (11 O), 1.76–2.00 apfu Al,
contact (Fig. 8C). The pre-kinematic grains of white mica show in- 1.17–1.83 apfu Fe, 0.35–0.49 apfu K and relatively low total
tracrystalline plastic deformation. (84.0–90.2 wt%); Table 3. According to these compositional relation-
Sample N17G1 is a medium grained, foliated granite collected close ships, this mineral phase could be a mixed-layered phyllosilicate
to N17Q2; it shows pre-kinematic white mica, plastically deformed probably consisting of an intergrowth of chlorite + smectite + biotite
quartz grains, and fine-grained aggregates of syn-kinematic white mica as described by Mellini et al. (1991) and Nieto et al. (1994).
(Fig. 8D). Sample N17G2 is a fine grained, strongly foliated meta- Temperature estimates were calculated using the illite thermo-
greywacke inclusion in the hosting granite of the AMW crest. This rock meters from Cathelineau (1988) and Battaglia (2004), and the chlorite
shows alternating layers consisting of lepidoblastic aggregates of plas- thermometer from Bourdelle et al. (2013b). Calculated temperatures
tically deformed white mica, a yellow-to-red phyllosilicate that may be range from 200 to 280 °C for syn- and post-kinematic white mica grains
mixed-layered phyllosilicate, and granoblastic aggregates of quartz that and from 240 to 340 °C for chlorite grains (Fig. 9D and E). This tem-
define a penetrative foliation (Fig. 8E). White mica also appears in post- perature estimates suggest that the development of the shear zones
kinematic, randomly orientated, decussate aggregates, probably repla- within which the quartzites walls occurred at temperature conditions
cing K-feldspar. Sample N17G5 was taken out of a block next to N17G2; close to the lower limit of the greenschist facies, around 260–280 °C.
it is a medium grained, foliated two-mica granite containing pre-kine-
matic, plastically deformed grains of white mica, and biotite lamellae 7. Geochronology
partially replaced by chlorite (Fig. 8F).
The composition of pre-kinematic white mica grains is mostly 7.1. U–Pb analysis of zircon
controlled by phengite substitution as evidenced by a positive correla-
tion of Si and Fe + Mg contents (Fig. 9A; Si range: 3.03–3.28 apfu, 11 Four samples have been selected for U–Pb SHRIMP zircon dating.
O; Table 1) and high interlayer cation occupancy (I.C. > 0.9 apfu; AMQ1 is a conglomeratic quartzite from the SW inverted base of QzC1
Fig. 9B). Therefore, the pre-kinematic grains may represent pristine or crest, next to the road P1743 (Fig. 3A for location). AMG2 was sampled
partially reset high temperature composition. The composition of syn- in the granite ∼200 m SW of AMQ1 along the same road. Sample AME3
and post-kinematic white mica grains has > 3.22 apfu Si and is was extracted from one of the boulders of whitish quartzite of the

9
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

- AME3. Zircons are medium size, commonly between 100 and

200 μm, and usually rounded. Under CL they show the same three
first morphological types (light or dark gray crystals, zoned or un-
zoned and black-low CL crystals) described in sample AMQ1
(Fig. 10). Sixty six different zircon grains from the three described
CL-types have been analyzed. In a Wetherill diagram all of them are
concordant or nearly concordant. Their 207Pb/206Pb ages show the
following distribution: (i) a main cluster with a mode of 2043 Ma,
(ii) a small cluster with a mode at 1922 Ma, and (iii) several disperse
older points, ranging from ca. 2200 to 2836 Ma (Fig. 11B).
- IG4. Zircons are small, usually less than 100 μm, short prismatic or
rounded. Under CL half of the crystals are light gray with diffuse
oscillatory zonation; the rest is formed by dark, usually zoned
crystals and a few black zircons with no internal structure (Fig. 10).
Sixty nine analyses from all CL-types have been performed and, in
spite of the CL differences, all belong to a single age population.
Plotted in a Wetherill diagram all points, except one, define a rough
lead-loss discordia, but the majority of the points plot directly in
Concordia (Fig. 11C). Rejecting those with a discordance > 2% we
obtain a 58 point cluster that yields a weighted-mean 206Pb/238U
age of 2099 ± 13 Ma (MSWD = 2.2) and a weighted-mean
207
Pb/206Pb age of 2010 ± 10 Ma (MSWD = 24.3). The only zircon
outside this population has a207Pb/206Pb age of 2693 Ma and is
morphologically indistinguishable of the rest of zircons of the
sample.
- AMG2. Zircons are usually small, ranging from 50 to 150 μm, short
to medium prismatic or rounded. Under CL most zircons are dark
gray with a diffuse zonation and many of them are surrounded by a
usually thin, structure less rim, which in a few occasions was thick
Fig. 10. Cathodoluminiscence (CL) images of selected zircons representing the enough for the SHRIMP analyses (Fig. 10). Forty two analyses have
more abundant CL-morphological types of each sample. White circles show the been made in 38 zircon grains. Except one (with a207Pb/206Pb age of
position of the analyzed spots and numbers are the corresponding 207Pb/206Pb 2136 Ma), the rest plot in a well-defined lead-loss discordia line
ages. In sample AMG2 most zircons show a black rim over a zoned core, both (Fig. 11D) with an upper intercept age of 2036 ± 6 Ma
having the same age. (MSWD = 0.6). Rejecting for calculations those points with dis-
cordance > 2% we obtain a 33 point cluster which yields a
weighted-mean 206Pb/238U age of 2032 ± 12 Ma (MSWD = 1.8)
chaotic conglomerate in the northern part of QzC1. IG4 was sampled in and a weighted-mean 207Pb/206Pb age of 2036 ± 7 Ma
a metagreywacke from the metamorphic aureole of the Paleoproter- (MSWD = 12.4), identical to the upper intercept age. In all analyzed
ozoic granite south of Imoula (coordinates N 30°15′12.71, W rims we obtained the same age than those in cores so that rims are
7°34′40.22 W). The results are summarized below (for details, see not later overgrowths over crystals, but primary magmatic struc-
Supplementary Materials, Table 1, SHRIMP analytical results). tures.

40
- AMQ1. Zircons range between 100 and 200 μm, and are always 7.2. Ar-39Ar measurements and results
rounded. Under cathodoluminiscence (CL) they show different
morphological types (Fig. 10): (i) gray light crystals with diffuse We tried to obtain the age of the low-grade metamorphism evi-
oscillatory zonation or with no zonation at all, (ii) gray dark crystals denced in the quartzite crests and adjoining granite (sect. 6) by dating
which may be oscillatory zoned or unzoned, (iii) very dark or black the white micas. Unfortunately, in the quartzite samples our attempt
crystals with no internal structure, and (iv) a minor population of failed, because of very small size of these white micas (Fig. 8A and B).
high-CL (white) crystals. Seventy zircon grains have been analyzed In the foliated granite N17G1 collected immediately against the
in 70 grains that represent all CL-types proportionally to their QzC1 crest at its southern tip, a white mica grain yielded a weighted
abundance. All 70 analyses are very concordant (discordance age at 1833.60 ± 7.2 Ma (Fig. 12; 73.77 % of the 39Ar released). A
usually less than 2%) and plot in a Wetherill diagram in three duplicate experiment on a white mica grain from the same sample
clusters and a few disperse points up to 3194 Ma. The main cluster yielded a weighted age at 1825.28 ± 4.75 Ma (93.31% of the 39Ar
has a mode at 2017 Ma and the older one at 2405 Ma (Fig. 11A). released). Both experiments display slightly disturbed age spectra with
Disperse older points range from 2500 to 3200 Ma. The younger and a staircase shape from the low-to high-temperature steps.
smaller cluster yields a207Pb/206Pb age mode at 1785 Ma. In the mylonitic granite sample G2 collected at 200 m distance SW
of the same QzC1 crest, a weighted age was obtained on a white mica
The four 207Pb/206Pb ages forming the youngest cluster grain (Fig. 12) at 1767.20 ± 6.03 Ma (83.36% of the 39Ar released).
(1740–1810 Ma) were obtained in different morphological-CL zircons: This experiment displays a slightly disturbed age spectrum with a
one in a light oscillatory zoned rim, one in the central part of a black staircase shape from the low-to the high-temperature steps. A duplicate
crystal with no internal structure, one in a large gray crystal and other experiment on a white mica grain from the same sample yielded a
in a completely white one, both also with no internal structure. Neither plateau age at 1776.90 ± 1.42Ma (83.51% of the 39Ar released).
the morphological characteristics (the same variety of CL structures These white mica ages are significantly younger than the U–Pb
appears in the 2000 Ma population) nor the Th/U ratios (within the zircon age of emplacement of the granite, which is close to 2032 Ma
mean of the rest of zircons) allow discriminating the origin of these (Soulaimani et al., 2013; this work). The staircase shape of three spectra
crystals. obtained on white micas suggests partial loss of radiogenic argon that

10
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 11. A: Wetherill concordia plot and 207Pb/206Pb age distribution of the quartzite sample AMQ1. All analyses are concordant or near concordant and distribute in
three main clusters plus some disperse older ages. B: Wetherill concordia plot and 207Pb/206Pb age distribution of zircons from sample AME3. Most analyses are
concordant and cluster around 2043 Ma. C: Wetherill concordia plots for sample IG4. All analyses except an older one plot along a bad defined lead-loss discordia.
Analyses with a discordance < 2% define a cluster with a207Pb/206Pb age = 2111 Ma. D: Wetherill concordia plots for granite sample AMG2. All analyses except an
older one plot along a lead-loss discordia. Analyses with a discordance < 2% define a cluster with a207Pb/206Pb age = 2036 Ma.

may result from a late thermal geological event, whose age is discussed (Fig. 13B) shows that their stratigraphic base is toward the Iguiguil
below (sect. 8.2). massif. However, ca. 4 km south of the Issoula n’Ouzaghar Pass the
quartzite exposures include two groups of NE trending quartzite beds that
8. Discussion display opposite dip to the NW and to the SE on the NW and SE borders of
the exposures, respectively. Thus, these quartzite outcrops correspond to
8.1. A tectonic history that predates the Ouarzazate Gp unconformity an anticline elongated along the main fault structure. We infer that the
exposures document tight quartzite folds or monoclines tectonically torn
The field relationships between the Late Ediacaran Ouarzazate Gp into shreds along a transpressional fault system extending between the
formations and the QzC1-3 crests are generally not well-exposed. Azaghar-Izazen and Iguiguil Eburnian blocks. These relationships exist
However, cross-section rock exposures in the Issougal n’Ouzaghar Pass also for the QzC1-4 crests 15 km further to the NE, as discussed above.
area between the Iguiguil and Azaghar-Izazen massifs (Fig. 1C) allow us The main difference between the quartzite structures of the two areas lies
to document these critical relationships. Discontinuous, vertical quartzite in the orientation of the controlling faults (NW-SE for QzC1-4; SW-NE for
beds of the Taghdout Gp extend south of the pass for approximately 9 km the Issoula n’Ouzaghar system) and in the intensity of recrystallization
in a NE-SW mean direction (Fig. 13A). This location corresponds to the and flattening, which are greater in the northeast than in the southwest.
boundary between two basement blocks, i.e., the Azaghar-Izazen ex- An understanding of the Issoula n’Ouzaghar area information pro-
humed Eburnian granites to the west, and to the east the Iguiguil massif vides critical information on the regional tectonic chronology. The
of Taghdout quartzites and granitic basement. These massifs are overlain shallow dipping, Late Ediacaran conglomerates of the base of the
by 400 m-thick Ouarzazate Gp conglomerates (Blein et al., 2013a). The Ouarzazate Gp overlie unconformably the vertical quartzite beds. These
northern tip of the quartzite rock exposures is cut by oblique faults and conglomerates contain both quartzite and granite boulders scattered
displays an arcuate shape in map view, suggesting a horse tail termina- within a conglomeratic sandy matrix. The large quartzite boulders
tion of a major, compressional dextral fault between the juxtaposed Pa- (Fig. 13C), up to 1.5–2 m in size, are poorly rounded and have a nearby
leoproterozoic blocks. Cross-bedding in the subvertical quartzite beds source area. Chaotic breccias with huge collapsed blocks can be

11
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 12. 40Ar/39Ar age spectra as a function of released 39Ar on white mica single grains from the granites N17G1 and G2. The error boxes for each step age are at the
1σ level. Ages were calculated using the ArArCalc program of Koppers (2002).

observed against the Iguiguil massif itself in continuity with the basal logical to consider a link between the Pan-African orogeny and the
conglomerates (Baudin et al., 2013; Soulaimani et al., 2013). These quartzite crests compressional tectonics. In the Siroua-Bou Azzer suture
subaerial, coarse detrital beds unconformably overlie not only the Ig- zone and further to the north in the Saghro and Ougnat massifs (Fig. 1),
uiguil massif, but also the Azaghar-Izazen basement (Blein et al., the compressional events have been dated at 760-700 Ma (early events),
2013a), where the Taghdout Gp cover is largely absent due to erosion. 680-640 Ma (main phase) and 620-585 Ma (latest phase) (D'Lemos et al.,
The Ouarzazate Gp basal conglomerates and breccias record the erosion 2006; Blein et al., 2014; Hefferan et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et al., 2016,
phase that affected the Paleoproterozoic massifs of the Agadir Melloul 2018; Michard et al., 2017; Inglis et al., 2017; Soulaimani et al., 2018).
inlier. It is worth noting that this erosion occurred in an extensional During this Cryogenian-Early Ediacaran span of time, the Agadir Melloul
framework documented by the emplacement of abundant dolerite and associated inliers of the SW Anti-Atlas were part of the Pan-African
dykes and sills dated at 570 ± 7 Ma within the Iguiguil quartzite foreland. The effects of the Pan-African phases in the foreland of the
massif (Blein et al., 2013a, b). Southwest of the Issoula n’Ouzaghar thrust units have been so far poorly studied. However, two types of
Pass, two dolerite dykes crosscut the quartzite sequence and feed sills structures ascribed to the Pan-African orogeny have been recognized
within and above the quartzites. The uppermost dolerite sill intrudes there: i) subvertical transpressive shear zones, e.g., the E-striking “Vallée
the lowest beds of conglomerates and contains reworked blocks of des Ameln shear zone” south of the J. Lkest folded quartzites
quartzite (Fig. 13D), which makes it similar to the sills that intrude the (Hassenforder, 1978, 1987), or else the Zenaga shear zone (Ennih et al.,
nearby Iguiguil massif. This constrains the verticalization of the 2001); ii) conspicuous folds and imbrications of the Taghdout Gp
quartzite crests tectonics to be older than the Late Ediacaran. quartzites of the J. Lkest (Hassenforder, 1978, 1987) and Tizi n’Tarhatine
areas (Choubert and Faure-Muret, 1970), which implies that these folded
8.2. Interpretation of the crests as Pan-African structures units are detached from their Eburnian basement. The famous Tizi
n’Tarhatine “Algonkian” unconformity of Neltner (1938) displays varied
The Pan-African orogeny is the only Precambrian orogenic event kinematic markers pointing to its reactivation as a décollement level
recognized in north-western Gondwana after the Eburnian-Birimian or- (Ouanaimi and Soulaimani, 2011; Soulaimani et al., 2018). Further to
ogeny (Bradley et al., 2015; Soulaimani et al., 2018). Therefore it is the east, north of the Zenaga inlier (Fig. 1A), the Taghdout series form

12
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 13. A: Interpreted satellite image

(Google Earth) of the Issougal n’Ouzaghar
quartzite crests interpreted after Blein et al.
(2013b). See Fig. 1C for location. B: Vertical
quartzite crest with northward polarity (lo-
cation: map A). C: Unconformity of the
Ouarzazate Gp basal conglomerates onto
the Eburnian granite. D: Dolerite sill of
probable late Ediacaran age intruding the
verticalized quartzites; blocks of quartzite
are included in the volcanic rock.

tectonic imbricates at the southern border of the suture zone (Ennih ∼1750 Ma-old “Large Igneous Province” (LIP) known in the Anti-Atlas,
et al., 2001; Ennih and Liégeois, 2001; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004; Laurentia and Siberia (Youbi et al., 2013). According to these authors,
Letsch, 2018); thus they closely compare with the Tizi n’Tarhatine out- this event would correspond to the breakup attempt of Nuna (Co-
crops. In the Agadir Melloul inlier, the contact between the Iguiguil lumbia) shortly after its final assembly at ca. 1.8 Ga. Likewise, the
quartzites and their granite basement is not a simple unconformity, as it smaller and younger cluster of detrital zircon ages (1810-1740 Ma)
shows conspicuous tectonic lenses and breccias that attest to tectonic could reflect a thermal reset of Eburnian zircon grains incorporated in
fault reactivation of the former stratigraphic contact (Fig. 14A). Likewise, some of the lavas of the ∼1750 Ma-old LIP and almost immediately
the Ait Makhlouf inlier west of Agadir Melloul (Choubert et al., 1983; see released by the erosion of the volcanic rocks.
location in Fig. 1B) shows clear indications of décollement and duplexing The following stage (Fig. 15B) corresponds to the beginning of the
of the Taghdout quartzites above the Eburnian basement (Fig. 14B). This Pan-African evolution, not less than about 1 billion years later. The
inlier was described by Oudra et al. (2005) as a metamorphic core Taghdout Gp has been deeply eroded, intruded by gabbroic magmas
complex coeval with the accumulation of the Ouarzazate Gp. However, and buried beneath the volcanic rocks of the latest Paleoproterozoic
we favor here a polyphase tectonic interpretation with Pan-African and Mesoproterozoic LIPs (Kouyaté et al., 2013; Youbi et al., 2013;
folding and duplexing followed by the Variscan formation of a wide, N–S Ikenne et al., 2017), and again eroded. Extension initiated opening of
trending open anticline. the Pan-African Ocean on the margin of the WAC, and the accumulation
Within this regional framework, and taking into account the stra- of the Bleïda-Tachdamt clastic and volcanic passive margin series in the
tigraphic, structural, metamorphic and geochronological constraints Bou Azzer inlier north of the Tizi n’Tarhatine Pass (Leblanc and
presented above, we propose a tentative scenario for the genesis of the Moussine-Pouchkine, 1994; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004; Soulaimani
Agadir Melloul enigmatic crests. The first step of this scenario et al., 2018).
(Fig. 15A) corresponds to the Late Paleoproterozoic sedimentation of The last stage (Fig. 15C) corresponds to the formation of the enig-
the Taghdout Gp upon a deeply eroded Eburnian mountain belt. The matic quartzite crests. They form at the expense of the lowest strata of
Agadir Melloul quartzites are mature clastic rocks, enriched in quartz the Taghdout Gp, pinched between inverted paleofaults that have been
and poor in feldspar and micas although formed at the expense of activated as reverse strike-slip faults during the Pan-African collisional
abundant granites and subordinate schists. The maximum thickness of events. The Taghdout Gp units have been detached from the basement.
the Taghdout Gp sediments in the Anti-Atlas is unknown due to the A duplexing tectonics might have affected the area (Fig. 14B). This
subsequent erosion phases. The possible equivalents of its quartzite would account for the 260–280 °C temperature of the vertical quartzite
dominated part can be found in the Char and lower Atar groups, beds. The restored erosion level at the very beginning of the Ouarzazate
southwest of the Reguibat shield (Fig. 1A). The thickness of these Gp sedimentation is close to the present-day surface level, as observed
continental to shallow marine formations does not exceed 400 m, in the Issougal n’Ouzaghar area (Fig. 13); this is due to the preservation
whereas the stromatolitic upper Adrar Gp is about 700 m-thick (Benan of the Ediacaran erosion surface beneath the Paleozoic deposits up to
and Deynoux, 1998). The thickness of the Taghdout prism probably the Lower Cretaceous (Oukassou et al., 2013), and beneath the Late
decreased southward and in contrast increased to the northwest, i.e., Cretaceous-Cenozoic cover up to the Neogene.
toward the northwestern margin (present coordinates) of the WAC. We
hypothesize that the Taghdout prism was about 2000 m-thick in the NW
of the Agadir Melloul area, and that paleofaults were already active as 8.3. Orientation of the synmetamorphic compression
suggested by the occurrence of chaotic breccias (see Fig. 4D, F).
The more or less disturbed 40Ar-39Ar ages reported from the white The orientation of the tectonic compression during the birth of the
micas of the granite samples (∼1830 and 1770 Ma) might result from crests, i.e., during the Pan-African synmetamorphic deformation of the
loss of radiogenic argon during the tectono-thermal event linked to the studied area might be restored based on the following observations:

13
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 14. Taghdout Gp décollement and duplex tectonics. A: Tectonic lenses and granite breccia between the Eburnian granites and the J. Iguiguil quartzites indicate
the tectonic activation of the unconformity. B: Duplexing of the Taghdout quartzites on top of the detached quartzite cover of the Ait Makhlouf Eburnian schists and
granite. See Fig. 1B for location.

- the axis of the pinched syncline that forms the QzC1 crest trends arises of knowing the possible relative chronology of these compres-
NNW-SSE (Figs. 3 and 6); sional directions. At the scale of the whole northern WAC (Fig. 1A), two
- the obliquity of the mylonitic foliation in the granite that abut the directions of compression characterize the late Pan-African events, i) an
NNW-striking quartzite walls points to a sinistral shear, at least in ENE-WSW direction linked to the collision of the Eastern Hoggar
the two cases that have been observed (Figs. 5G, 7E-F); (LATEA) craton against the WAC, and ii) an NW-SE direction of com-
- the westward dip of the mylonitic foliation in the footwall of the pression recognized in the Saghro-Ougnat massifs and linked to the
minor thrust that affects the QzC1 crest (Fig. 5E) suggests an east- collision of the Cadomian block (now the substrate of the Meseta-Atlas
ward displacement of the hanging-wall; domain) against the WAC (Michard et al., 2017). The available
- the ENE trend of the Issougal n’Ouzaghar crests (Fig. 13) can be chronologic constrains are loose, but the LATEA collision occurred
regarded as conjugated with the NNW trend of the QzC1-4 crests. probably at 620-610 Ma (Caby et al., 2010), before that of Cadomia,
which occurred at 600-580 Ma (Hefferan et al., 2014). Thus we might
Altogether, these observations suggest that the Agadir Melloul area suggest that in the Agadir Melloul region, the WSW-ENE direction of
was affected by ENE-trending compression during its main Pan-African compression is the far-field effect of the LATEA collision, whereas the
deformation (Fig. 15D). This is consistent with the eastward vergence of NNW-SSE direction observed further to the north (Tizi n’Tarhatine)
the duplex structures observed in the Aït Makhlouf area, 80 km further corresponds to the slightly younger collision of the Cadomian block.
to the west (Fig. 14B). Concerning the post-metamorphic brittle structures observed in the
Such an ENE-WSW direction of compression may appear surprising Agadir Melloul crests, some could have occurred in a late stage of the
when compared to the roughly E-W trend of the Pan-African suture in Pan-African evolution, and in about the same compressional setting
the central Anti-Atlas (Fig. 1B). In the Tizi n’Tarhatine area, about than the main, synmetamorphic deformation (Figs. 5G and 7E),
25 km north of the Agadir Melloul crests, a WNW-ESE direction of whereas others result from N–S compression (Fig. 5F) of undetermined
compression can be inferred from the trend of the Bleïda-Tachdamt fold age, Pan-African or Variscan.
axes described by Choubert and Faure-Muret (1981). The question

14
A. Soulaimani, et al. Journal of African Earth Sciences 157 (2019) 103501

Fig. 15. A–C: Interpretation of the Agadir Melloul quartzite crests along an approximately transverse profile, and corresponding direction of shortening (D). A:
Sedimentation of the Taghdout Gp quartzites and conglomerates locally controlled by normal faults with correlative cannibalism. B: Increasing faulting of the WAC
margin next to the Siroua-Bou Azzer oceanic domain. During the span of time between (A) and (B), the area has been eroded, covered by volcanics, and again eroded.
C: Formation of the crests in the foreland of the Pan-African orogen through décollement, folding and duplexing of the Taghdout Gp and Mesoproterozoic intrusions,
and eventually transpressive shortening of the mosaic of basement blocks and pinching of quartzite synclines or monoclines in the strike-slip faults. D: Sketch map of
the Pan-African inliers of the Agadir Melloul area with the proposed, ENE-WSW direction of shortening (a), and the orthogonal direction of shortening along the
continental paleomargin (b; Tizi n’Tarhatine) deduced from the literature (Choubert and Faure-Muret, 1981).

9. Conclusion Acknowledgments

A structural enigma remained unsolved in the Anti-Atlas Agadir We gratefully acknowledge our two valuable anonymous reviewers
Melloul inlier up to now. Puzzling kilometer length, cyclopean quartzite whose pertinent criticism helped improve our paper. Logistic support
walls erected in 2 Ga-old granites have been mapped, but not clearly from the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development,
interpreted. Addressing an enigma always advances science. The most Rabat, from the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia and the École Normale
general conclusions that result from our study are stratigraphic and Supérieure, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, and from the Faculty of
structural, and enlighten the tectonic evolution of the foreland of the Sciences Ain Chock, Hassan II University, Casablanca, are gratefully
Pan-African belt: acknowledged. This paper has been partially supported by the Spanish
Grant CGL2017-84469-P. This is the IBERSIMS publication Nº 59.
- in the Central Anti-Atlas, the siliciclastic cover on top of the
Eburnian granitic basement is younger than ca. 1800 Ma (as already Appendix A. Supplementary data
published, based on the age of the youngest detrital zircons), but it
also includes boulders of older, post-Eburnian siliciclastic deposits Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://
whose youngest detrital zircons cluster at 1922 Ma; doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2019.05.009.
- this early platform cover was rifted and intruded at ∼1750 Ma
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