The geology of the Mozambique belt and the Zimbabwe craton around Manica, Western Mozambique

Abstract

The study area comprises the Archaean Manica Greenstone Belt and the Vumba Granite Gneiss, the Proterozoic Messica Granite Gneiss of the Zimbabwe Craton, the possibly allochthonous metasedimentary sequence of the Frontier Formation, the granitoids of the Mozambique Metamorphic Province, which are subdivided into Vanduzi Migmatite Gneiss, the Chimoio Granodiorite Gneiss, the Nhansipfe Granitic Orthogneiss and the Pan-African Tchinhadzandze Granodiorite Gneiss. The rock sequences in the two provinces are cut by mafic intrusions. The greenstone belt comprises mafic to ultramafic and pelitic schists and serpentinites of the Macequece Formation and metasediments ofthe M'BezaNengo Formation. The mafic to ultramafic schists and the serpentinites have chemical signatures of komatiites. The Vumba Granite Gneiss comprises the northern and southern Vumba granitoids dated at 3885±255 Ma, and 2527±632 Ma respectively. They vary from metaluminous to peraluminous, have normative QAP compositions of granodiorites and monzogranites and chemical signatures of mantle fractionates and volcanic-arc granitoids. The Early Proterozoic Messica Granite Gneiss is 2348±267 Ma old, is metaluminous and has QAP compositions of monzogranites and chemical signatures suggesting a crustal source and a volcanic-arc environment. The Frontier Formation comprises quartzite and pelitic schists. The Vanduzi Migmatite Gneiss comprises stromatic and stictolithic types. Two mineral assemblages are distinguished as they contain either garnet or hornblende. The Mid-Proterozoic Chimoio Granodioritic Gneiss is 1236±201 Ma old. It is granodioritic and metaluminous with a chemical signature of volcanic-arc granitoids. The Late Proterozoic Nhansipfe Granitic Orthogneiss is dated at 981 ±83 Ma and varies from metaluminous to peraluminous. The Rb, Nb and Y contents are typical of within-plate granitoids, whereas Ga, Zr, AI, Ce andY are typical of A-type granitoids. The age of the mafic intrusions falls between ~500 and ~11 00 Ma. The rocks typically contain plagioclase, hornblende and clinopyroxene with or without garnet and orthopyroxene. The chemistry of the rocks is typical of sub-alkaline tholeiites. The Tchinhadzandze Granodiorite Gneiss may be part of a Pan African event which lasted till ~450-~500 Ma. The normative feldspar compositions and Rb, Ba and Sr contents are typical of granodiorites. It is metaluminous and has Rb, Y and Nb contents typical of volcanic arc granitoids. The planar fabrics in the Archaean granite-greenstone belt are characterized by E-W to SW-NE strikes and steep dips to N and S and to NW and SE. The mineral lineations and fold axes plunge 60° and 30° respectively towards the E. Within the Mozambique belt, around the central part and in the extreme east of the study area, the planar fabrics have essentially N-S strikes and steep dips to E and Win contrast with complex deformation observed in the migmatites and megacrystic granitoids. The study area can be subdivided into three metamorphic blocks, namely, one of low-grade greenschist facies, one of medium-grade amphibolite facies and a third block of high-grade metamorphism.