West African Craton

The West African Craton is a stable geological region in western Africa, formed between 3.6 and 2 billion years ago. It is one of five ancient Precambrian cratons that make up the African continent, the others being Kaapvaal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Congo. These cratons have remained largely stable since their formation.1

The West African Craton is characterized by extensive Precambrian rock outcrops. During the Proterozoic Eon, mobile belts formed around the cratons, resulting from tectonic collisions. Later, sedimentary sequences accumulated in basins on the craton, such as the West African basin, which contains evidence of a major glaciation event at the end of the Precambrian. While the interiors of cratons are stable, they are surrounded by younger fold belts formed by more recent geological events.123