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Structural and microstructural features of Neoproterozoic granites in Figuil: Constraints in ductile shear deformations of the Guider Sorawel shear zone

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Abstract

A less prominent N-S oriented continental-scale strike-slip shear zone occurs within the Babouri-Figuil Magmatic Complex (BFMC). Studies have shown that such shallow to middle crustal levels shear zones often display long-lasting deformation, physical expression of strain localization, and mineralization. However, until dates, deformation evolution and structural mineralization of this ~ 8 km long shear zone in Babouri-Figuil remain enigmatic, which prompted its investigation. A combined structural study supported by U-Pb zircon dating on the sheared granitoids is reported. Biotite granite sampled near Sorawel village yielded zircon U-Pb concordia age of 606 ± 6 Ma, whereas hornblende-biotite granite sampled at the western corner of the Ribao massif yielded zircon U-Pb concordia age of 601 ± 2 Ma. These granites were emplaced in a transpressive tectonic regime shortly after a regional thickening event < 620 Ma. The studied microstructures demonstrate a typical transition from protomylonite to extremely deformed mylonite marked with decreased mineral sizes. On thin sections, two main zones are identified: “zone A” (low-strain zone) and “zone B” (high-strain zone). Core-mantle K-feldspar porphyroclasts within the mylonite show dislocation creep deformation, whereas recrystallized to neocrystallized aggregates indicate plastic flow by viscous grain boundary sliding. Shear sense indicators revealed both early dextral and late sinistral shearing. In all, the results revealed that the Guider-Sorawel shear zone (GSSZ) experienced ductile deformation probably under medium to high temperature conditions. The double shearing is possible during the switch of the regional maximum principal stress from N-S (~ 585 Ma) to NW-SE (< 580 Ma). The obtained dates are syn-collisional and are consistent with D2 deformation phase in other parts of Cameroon. Also, the dates marked the final tectonic college between the north Cameroon domain and the southwest Chad domain, which probably might have induced the SZ. The construction of these adjacent domains probably resulted to a sort of increased temperature and strain localization that led to the initiation of a rheologically weaken mechanical zone via which the magma generated flows to near surface crustal level.

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Acknowledgements

Authors address their thanks to the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Abdullah M. Al-Amri for keen editorial handling and two anonymous reviewers.

Funding

This study was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (under Grant No. 41230206) and the Ministry of Education’s Belt and Road Intelligence Project on Education, Science, Culture, and Health (No. DL20180059). SM also received support from the CPDA grant of IIT Bombay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon

    Basua Afanga Archelaus Emmanuel

  2. School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, 430074, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

    Basua Afanga Archelaus Emmanuel, Changqian Ma, Lian-Xun Wang, Bovari Youmin Syprien & Yu-Xiang Zhu

  3. Mineral Exploration and Ore Genesis Unit, Department of Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing, Faculty of Mines and Petroleum Industries, University of Maroua, Maroua, 08, Kaélé, Cameroon

    Kanouo Sylvestre Nguo

  4. Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400 076, India

    Soumyajit Mukherjee

  5. Institut fur Geologie, Universitat Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1 + 3, Bern, Switzerland

    Siggy Signe Nformidah- Ndah

  6. National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH), Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Robison Eben Mboe

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Emmanuel, B.A.A., Ma, C., Nguo, K.S. et al. Structural and microstructural features of Neoproterozoic granites in Figuil: Constraints in ductile shear deformations of the Guider Sorawel shear zone. Arab J Geosci 17, 89 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-11882-y

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