Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Paired Metamorphic Belts of the Gondwanaland Precambrian and Plate Tectonics

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

RECONSTRUCTIONS of Gondwanaland, based on geological arguments, paleomagnetic data and best fit of continents have derived two possible models of reassembly1–5. The most popular places India–Ceylon adjacent to East Antarctica1; the other places it next to Western Australia4. The exact position of Madagascar in these models has been the subject of some debate, but it is now placed north of its present position against East Africa6. Both models have reasonable geological correlations, but a rigorous test of fits based on Precambrian basement correlations has been attempted in a limited way only between India–Ceylon, Western Australia and East Antarctica7,8. Tracing out dispersed Precambrian belts to test continental drift has also been applied to fits between Brazil and Gabon9. I have shown that Precambrian granulite facies, paired metamorphic belts can be traced throughout the basement rocks of Gondwanaland. The significance of these paired belts in terms of plate tectonics during the Precambrian is also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Smith, A. G., and Hallam, A., Nature, 225, 139 (1970).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. McElhinny, M. W., Nature, 228, 977 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dietz, R. A., and Holden, J. C., J. Geophys. Res., 75, 4939 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tarling, D. H., Nature, 229, 17 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Veevers, J. J., Jones, J. G., and Talent, J. A., Nature, 229, 383 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sowerbutts, W. T. C., Nature, 235, 435 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Crawford, A. R., Nature, 223, 380 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Crawford, A. R., J. Geol. Soc. India, 12, 205 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Allard, G. O., and Hurst, V. J., Science, 163, 528 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Miyashiro, A., J. Petrology, 2, 277 (1961).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Miyashiro, A., Dansk. Geol. For., 17, 390 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Katz, M. B., Geol. Rundsch., 60, 1523 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Katz, M. B., Int. Geol. Congr. Twenty-fourth Sess., Montreal, Sect. 2, 43 (1972).

  14. Hurley, P. M., and Rand, J. R., Science, 164, 1229 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Holmes, A., Proc. Geol. Assoc. Canada, 7, 81 (1955).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Dewey, J. F., and Bird, J. M., J. Geophys. Res., 75, 2625 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sobolev, V. S., Dobretsov, N. L., Reverdatto, U. U., Sobolev, N. V., Ushrakov, E. N., and Khlestov, V. V., Dansk Geol. For., 17, 458 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Oxburgh, E. R., and Turcotte, D. L., J. Geophys. Res., 76, 1315 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Segnit, E. R., Min. Mag., 31, 690 (1957).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wilson, A. F., Spec. Publ., Geol. Soc. Austr., 2, 243 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Suwa, K., Int. Geol. Congr., Twenty-third Session, Prague, 4, 171 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Windley, B. F., and Bridgwater, D., Spec. Publ. Geol. Soc. Austr., 3, 33 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pichamuthu, C. S., in The Precambrian (edit. by Rankama, K.), 3, 1 (Interscience, New York, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Geology, University of New South Wales, PO Box 1, Kensington, New South Wales

    MICHAEL B. KATZ

Authors
  1. MICHAEL B. KATZ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

KATZ, M. Paired Metamorphic Belts of the Gondwanaland Precambrian and Plate Tectonics. Nature 239, 271–273 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/239271a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/239271a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation