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The geology of the Matala Dome: an important piece of the Pan-African puzzle in Central Zambia

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Abstract

The Matala Dome (MD), an ENE-trending structure located at the junction between the Pan-African Lufilian and Zambezi belts, is cored by a Gneiss-Schist Unit with uncertain age overlain by a metasedimentary section (Quartzite-Schist Unit, Marble Unit and Carbonate-Siliciclastic Unit) of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Katanga Supergroup. The top of the Katangan stratigraphy is represented by synorogenic sedimentary rocks—Upper Siliciclastic Unit. An early event D1 resulted in the development of shallow-dipping metamorphic foliation S1 and pre- to syntectonic growth of garnet and kyanite in the schists of the Quartzite-Schist Unit. Pseudosections and garnet isopleth modelling on schist from this unit defined the peak metamorphism at P = 7.5–9.3 kbar and T = 620–700 °C. U–Pb detrital zircon dating revealed ca. 2.7 Ga source and a high-grade metamorphism during Pan-African times. The S1 foliation was affected by upright folding F2 with ENE-trending axes and associated subvertical crenulation fabric S2 development. The syn-D2 retrogression in the schists is marked by post-S1 staurolite crystallisation and further by chloritisation followed by sericitisation. The D2 event is interpreted to have exhumed the orogenic middle crust and to be responsible for the domal structure of the MD. 40Ar/39Ar dating of muscovite at 529.3 ± 5.6 to 526.3 ± 6.2 is interpreted to date the exhumation event. D2 is correlated with regional N–S shortening event at ca. 530–520 Ma. Based on the lithology, structural record, and time and facies of the metamorphism, a correlation between the MD and the northern part of the Zambezi Belt is suggested.

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Acknowledgments

This paper forms a part of the project “Geology, Tectonometamorphism, Magmatism and Mineralisation of the Damaran Orogen” of the EGRI (Economic Geology Research Institute), School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand. Dirk Frei from the Department of Earth Sciences, Stellenbosch University, is highly acknowledged for his help in the U–Pb detrital zircon geochronological study. We thank Kathryn Cutts for the guidance and discussion on the use and application of the THERIAK/DOMINO software package. Ghaleb Jarrar and Uwe Ring are highly thanked for their constructive reviews of the manuscript. The research was funded by Rio Tinto Exploration Ltd and by a THRIP Grant (TP2010072800046 to Judith Kinnaird). Luiri Gold Ltd is thanked for providing access to their property as well as borehole data and samples. The authors are grateful to the technical staff at WITS for the samples preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. EGRI, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), PVT Bag 3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    K. V. Naydenov, J. Lehmann, K. Saalmann, L. Milani, J. Poterai, J. A. Kinnaird & G. Charlesworth

  2. Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 24, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    K. V. Naydenov

  3. Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse (NGU), Postboks 6315 Sluppen, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    K. Saalmann

  4. Mimosa Mining Company, P Bag 638, Zvishavane, Zimbabwe

    J. Poterai

  5. Geology Department, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa

    J. D. Kramers

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  1. K. V. Naydenov
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  2. J. Lehmann
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Correspondence to K. V. Naydenov.

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Table 3

Summary of the U–Pb geochronological data for sample Z-104 (PDF 134 kb)

Table 4

Summary of the Ar step-heating results for samples Z-100-1, Z-100-2, E7119-1 and E7119-2 (PDF 101 kb)

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Naydenov, K.V., Lehmann, J., Saalmann, K. et al. The geology of the Matala Dome: an important piece of the Pan-African puzzle in Central Zambia. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 105, 695–712 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-015-1222-y

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