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Synthesis of the Caledonian Rocks of Britain pp 113–185Cite as

The Caledonian Geology of the Scottish Highlands

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Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 175))

Abstract

Late Middle Proterozoic to Cambrian metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks (Moine and Dalradian) comprise much of the Scottish Highlands. These are limited to the SE by the Highland Boundary fault and to the NW by the Moine Thrust zone. Many geologists would now divide the Moine into two (the ‘o1d’ and the ‘Young’) on the basis of radiometric age and structural and metamorphic history. ‘O1d’ Moine rocks have suffered the tectonothermal effects of the Grenville at 1000 – 1100 Ma as well as later orogenesis. ‘Young’ Moine rocks are part of a cover sequence which passes conformably upwards into the Riphean-middle Cambrian Dalradian rocks and is included by some workers in the Dalradian Supergroup. This cover sequence underwent only the Grampian (530–490 Ma) event. An unconformity between ‘0ld’ and ‘Young’ Moine is inferred but has not yet been demonstrated. ‘Young’ Moine rocks have not been proved to crop out to the NW of the Great Glen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jane Herdman Laboratories of Geology, University, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK

    A. L. Harris

  2. British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3LA, Scotland

    D. J. Fettes

  3. British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3LA, Scotland

    W. G. Henderson

  4. Department of Geology, University, Newcastle, UK

    J. L. Roberts

  5. Department of Geology, University, Manchester, UK

    J. E. Treagus

  6. Department of Geology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London, Egham, Surrey, UK

    A. J. Barber

  7. Department of Geology, Imperial College of Science and Technology, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7, UK

    M. P. Coward

  8. Department of Geology, Polytechnic, Oxford, UK

    R. Strachan

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  1. British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK

    D. J. Fettes

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    A. L. Harris

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Harris, A.L. et al. (1986). The Caledonian Geology of the Scottish Highlands. In: Fettes, D.J., Harris, A.L. (eds) Synthesis of the Caledonian Rocks of Britain. NATO ASI Series, vol 175. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4654-5_4

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