Kalahari Craton
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The Kalahari Craton is a significant geological region in Africa, forming part of the continent's ancient Precambrian foundation. It is one of five major cratons that make up Africa, alongside Kaapvaal, Tanzania, Congo, and West African cratons. These cratons, formed between 3.6 and 2 billion years ago, have remained largely stable since their formation.1
The Kalahari Craton, also referred to as the Zimbabwe Craton in some contexts, is characterized by Archean-age rocks, approximately 3.6 to 2.5 billion years old. These include granite-gneiss-greenstone terrains, which are composed of banded gneisses, granitoids, and volcanic rocks that show evidence of submarine extrusion. The craton stabilized with granite intrusions and was later covered by sedimentary rocks. During the Proterozoic Eon, mobile belts formed around the cratons due to tectonic collisions. The Kalahari Craton is also associated with the Nama basin in Namibia.12
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AfricaGeneral considerationsancient Precambrian cratonsâKaapvaal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Congo, and West Africanâthat were formed between about 3.6 and 2 billion years ago and that basically have been tectonically stable since that time; those cratons are bounded by younger fold belts formed between 2 billion and 300 million years ago. All ofâŠ
Read Moreancient Precambrian cratonsâKaapvaal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Congo, and West Africanâthat were formed between about 3.6 and 2 billion years ago and that basically have been tectonically stable since that time; those cratons are bounded by younger fold belts formed between 2 billion and 300 million years ago. All ofâŠ
Read More- AfricaThe Precambrian
âŠoccur in the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons and contain large deposits of gold and sulfide minerals. The volcanic suites are dominated by basaltic and komatiitic lavas, often interlayered with metasediments and generally referred to as greenstone belts. Those structures are often found together with layered gneisses, or they are intrudedâŠ
Read MoreâŠoccur in the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons and contain large deposits of gold and sulfide minerals. The volcanic suites are dominated by basaltic and komatiitic lavas, often interlayered with metasediments and generally referred to as greenstone belts. Those structures are often found together with layered gneisses, or they are intrudedâŠ
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