Staff directory
Jean-Paul Liégeois
Earth Sciences
Geodynamics and mineral resources
Geodynamics and mineral resources
Publication details
Ennih, N & Liégeois, J.P. 2003. ‘The Moroccan Anti-Atlas: the West African craton passive margin with limited Pan-African activity. Implications for the northern limit of the craton: reply to comments by E.H. Bouougri’. Precambrian Research 120: 185-189. Amsterdam : Elsevier. I.F. 3.736.
Article in a scientific Journal / Article in a Journal
We agree with El Hafid Bouougri (EHB) that Anti-Atlas geology is complex and that only a multidisplinary approach can bring new constraints. In our paper (Ennih and Liégeois, 2001), we tried to show that this partly results from a particular localization of Anti-Atlas on the shoulder of a craton namely the West African craton (WAC). During the Pan-African orogeny, the latter acted as a rigid body but was partly destabilized at its margin, allowing a major but late high-K calc-alkaline plutonism and volcanism to be emplaced (610-560 Ma; Thomas et al., 2002). Before that event, an oceanic terrane built at around 750 Ma accreted at 685-665 Ma (Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980; de Wall et al., 2001; Thomas et al., 2002; Admou et al., 2002), generating a major thrust event affecting also the passive margin series. No continental collision affected Anti-Atlas during the Pan-African orogeny, rendering its geological interpretation uneasy through usual interpretations, explaining the diversity of geological models proposed for Anti-Atlas, as remarked by EHB.
We thank EHB for his comments, this will allow us to precise some points that were misunderstood and to answer well-taken points. This will also allow us to make reference to studies published after the writing of our paper and to include an updated version of the figure summarizing our model.