10 1016@j GR 2020 03 011

Journal Pre-proof
Time constraints on early Tonian Rifting and Cryogenian Arc

terrane-continent convergence along the northern margin of the
West African craton: Insights from SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS
zircon geochronology in the Pan-African Anti-Atlas belt
(Morocco)
El Hafid Bouougri, Abdelhak Ait Lahna, Colombo C.G. Tassinari,

Miguel A.S. Basei, Nasrrddine Youbi, Hassan Admou, Ali
Saquaque, Ahmed Boumehdi, Lhou Maacha
PII: S1342-937X(20)30129-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2020.03.011
Reference: GR 2342
To appear in: Gondwana Research
Received date: 26 November 2019

Revised date: 10 March 2020
Accepted date: 30 March 2020
Please cite this article as: E.H. Bouougri, A.A. Lahna, C.C.G. Tassinari, et al., Time
constraints on early Tonian Rifting and Cryogenian Arc terrane-continent convergence
along the northern margin of the West African craton: Insights from SHRIMP and LA-
ICP-MS zircon geochronology in the Pan-African Anti-Atlas belt (Morocco), Gondwana
Research (2020), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2020.03.011
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Journal Pre-proof
Time constraints on Early Tonian Rifting and Cryogenian Arc terrane-continent convergence
along the northern margin of the West African craton: Insights from SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS
zircon geochronology in the Pan-African Anti-Atlas belt (Morocco)
El Hafid Bouougri a*, Abdelhak Ait Lahna a, Colombo C.G. Tassinari b, Miguel A.S. Basei c,
Nasrrddine Youbi a, Hassan Admou a, Ali Saquaque d, Ahmed Boumehdi a, Lhou Maachad
of
a
: 3GEOLAB, Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, 40000-
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Marrakech, Morocco (bouougri@uca.ma); (aitlahna.abdelhak@gmail.com); (youbi@uca.ma);
(admou@uca.ma); (boumehdi@uca.ma)
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b
: Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Lago, 562, 05508-900 São Paulo,
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SP, Brazil (ccgtassi@usp.br);

c
: Centro de Pesquisas Geocronológicas (CPGeo), Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São
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Paulo, Cidade Universitária, Rua do Lago 562, CEP 05508-080, São Paulo, Brazil
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(baseimas@usp.br);
d
: MANAGEM, Twin Center, BP 5199, 20100 Casablanca, Morocco.
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(l.maacha@managemgroup.com)
Abstract
The Neoproterozoic Anti-Atlas belt (Morocco) is a key segment in tracing the history of
the northern margin of the West African craton (WAC) from Rodinia breakup to Gondwana
assembly. In order to constrain geodynamic events related to rifting and convergence and their
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stratigraphic records, a radiometric study was carried out on the volcano-sedimentary
Tachdamt and Bleïda Formations. The volcaniclastic deposits of Tachdamt Fm. yield an age of
ca. 883 Ma and provide a new constraint for the timing of the subaqueous volcanic eruption and
the initation of rifting in the Anti-Atlas. This age is ~100 my older than the previous age of 788 ±
10Ma obtained from Rb/Sr isotope dating (Clauer, 1976). Available zircon data from the
interbedded clastic deposits from Tachdamt Fm. indicate major shifts in provenance during the
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rifting with sediments sourced from the WAC and a nearby Grenvillian terrane. Detrital zircon
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ages from metasiltstones of Bleïda Fm. set a maximum depositional age at ca.700 Ma. The age
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spectra discloses a major shift in sediment input with provenance from the WAC, Grenvillian
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terrane and an arc-related terrane (ca. 770-700 Ma) lying along the Anti-Atlas margin. The
newly obtained results combined with existing radiometric data allowed the refinement of the
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stratigraphic and geotectonic framework of the pre-Pan-African strata in the WAC. The Early
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Tonian syn-rift volcanism has much in common with similar events in other cratons and provides
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a stratigraphic record for incipient Rodinia breakup. The overlying Bleïda Fm. deposited in a
peripheral foreland basin chronicles the Cryogenian arrival of the ca.770-700 Ma Bou Azzer-
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Siroua arc-related terrane at the Anti-Atlas margin, and correlates with initial accretion in West
Gondwana. The new results indicate that the Grenvillian detrital input in the Anti-Atlas during
both geodynamic stages points toward a possible Mesoproterozoic terrane existing along the
western margin of the WAC.
Keywords
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Anti Atlas belt, zircon U/Pb dating, Early Tonian Rifting, Cryogenian foreland basin, West African
Craton, Rodinia breakup, Gondwana assembly,
Highlights
 We present U-Pb dating of Early Tonian rifting and related volcanism of the Tachdamt
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Fm. in the Anti-Atlas belt.
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 U-Pb dating detrital zircon grains of Bleïda Fm. chronicles arrival of arc-related terrain at
the cratonic margin of Anti-Atlas during the Cryogenian.

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Both Tachdamt and Bleïda Formations record major shifts in provenance and correlate
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respectively with early attempt of Rodinia Breakup and initial accretion at north
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Gondwana margin.
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 Evidence in the Anti-Atlas cratonic margin for input of zircon grains sourced from a
Grenvillian terrane.
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1. Introduction
Among the most challenging goals in studying unfossiliferous Precambrian basin-fill
successions is to constrain the depositional ages of stratigraphic units, together with building a
chronostratigraphic chart with time-gap durations (Eriksson et al., 2001). Stratigraphic records
and ages of geodynamic and climatic events in these basins, such as rifting, timing of global
glaciations or onset and end of collisional processes, are significant in documenting breakup and
assembly of supercontinents, long-term atmospheric and climatic changes, and related

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bioevents (e.g., Li et al., 2013; Spence et al., 2016; Pu et al., 2016; Hoffman et al., 2017). In the
absence of preserved body fossils, U-Pb zircon geochronology of magmatic, volcaniclastic and
sedimentary rocks remains a powerful tool for unraveling these events and providing ages of
formation and maximum depositional ages, sedimentary provenance, timing and stages of
geodynamic events (Carter and Bristow, 2000; Nelson, 2001; Cawood et al., 2012,). During the
last several decades, great progress in dating basin-fill successions on many cratons has
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provided evidence on the geodynamic settings and links to global tectonic cycles of Proterozoic
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supercontinents. The most commonly dated events concern widespread mafic dyke swarms
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and volcanic products well preserved in several cratons and correlated with global rifting linked
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to large igneous provinces (LIPs) and mantle plumes during supercontinent breakups (e.g., Li et
al., 2008; Ernst et al., 2008; Svensen et al., 2019).

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In the Early Neoproterozoic and after the final assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent
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ca.950Ma, a widespread and prolonged rifting was initiated since Early Tonian time, leading to
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breakup and dispersal of Rodinia by Late Cryogenian time (Hoffman, 1991; Li et al., 2008;
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Bogdanova and Pisarevsky, 2009; Li et al., 2013; Johansson, 2014). The Cryogenian extension
was followed by Ediacaran convergence of cratonic blocs, leading to the assembly of the
Gondwana supercontinent (e.g. Meert and van der Voo, 1997; Oriolo et al., 2017; Meridith et
al., 2017). In the time frame from initial Rodinia breakup to initial Gondwana assembly, the
resulting intracratonic aulacogens, cratonic rifted- to passive margin and foreland basins in the
West African Craton (WAC), were filled by thick volcano-sedimentary successions preserved in
the craton margins and surrounding Neoproterozoic fold belts (e.g., Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980;
Bertrand-Sarfati et al., 1987; Villeneuve, 1994; Deynoux, 2006). To date, the ages of igneous and
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volcanic products related to Neoproterozoic rifting have become well constrained in many
cratons formerly making up the Rodinia supercontinent and provide ages that span the time
period of Early Tonian to Late Cryogenian (e.g. Li et al., 2008; Johansson et al., 2007). However,
in the WAC the stratigraphic record and timing of the Neoproterozoic rifting remains poorly
constrained compared to other cratons. Due to the scarcity of paleomagnetic data and the
paucity of radiometric studies of magmatic products, assumed to be rift-related in surrounding
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passive margin and fold belts, the position of the WAC within the Rodinia configuration remains
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controversial and unclear in many models (e.g. Hoffman et al., 1991; Li et al., 2008; Bogdanova
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and Pisarevsky, 2009; Johansson et al., 2014; Meridith et al., 2017). Another poorly constrained
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event within the Neoproterozoic pre-Pan-African basins of the WAC is the age of onset of Pan-
African convergence and collision. Little is known about the stratigraphic record of these events
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and related foreland basin fills, which occurred during subduction and arc-continent collision
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bracketed in the Anti-Atlas between ca.770 Ma and ca.640 Ma (e.g., Thomas et al., 2002;
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Bouougri, 2003; Inglis et al., 2005; El Hadi et al., 2010; Blein et al., 2014; Walsh et al., 2012;
Triantafyllou., 2016). At the cratonic scale, the correlative framework of the Neoproterozoic
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successions of the WAC basins were mainly based on a tectonic unconformity, and the
occurrence of stratigraphic marker layers, especially glacial deposits (Leblanc and Lancelot,
1980; Bertrand-Sarfati et al., 1987; Villeneuve and Cornee, 1994; Deynoux et al., 2006). On the
craton as well as in surrounding fold belts, two volcano-sedimentary packages were
distinguished within the Neoproterozoic successions, bounded by a tectonic unconformity
related to a Pan-African collisional event.

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The Anti-Atlas Proterozoic basement preserves a volcano-sedimentary succession
deposited on a cratonic margin. The succession encompasses a volcanic unit up to ~400m thick,
overlain by a sedimentary-dominated wedge up to ~500m thick and interpreted respectively as
syn-rift and post-rift units (Bouougri et al., 1994). This succession provides a window into the
post-Eburnean to pre-Pan-African evolution of the Anti-Atlas basin and the northern margin of
the WAC. Several key ages in the central Anti-Atlas, dating mainly Pan-African magmatic and
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tectono-metamorphic events related to subduction and arc-continent collision, are now well
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constrained (e.g., Thomas et al., 2002; Samson et al., 2004; Inglis et al., 2004; Inglis et al., 2005;
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D’Lemos et al., 2006; El Hadi et al., 2010; Walsh et al., 2012; Blein et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et
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al., 2016; Inglis et al., 2017; Triantafyllou et al., 2018). However, uncertainty continues regarding
the timing of Rodinia rifting in West Africa and post-rift to collisional sedimentary basin
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development in the Anti-Atlas belt. Whereas multiple generations of dike swarms crosscutting
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the basement maybe correlated with extensional events, only the preserved coeval volcano-
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sedimentary successions represent the stratigraphic records of rift-related basins and post-rift
evolution.
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In this study, through U-Pb dating of zircon in pre-Pan-African pyroclastic and
sedimentary deposits, we precisely determine for the first time (i) the onset age of
Neoproterozoic rifting in the Anti-Atlas and in the WAC, and emplacement of early lava flows
and associated volcaniclastics of Tachdamt Formation, (ii) the depositional age and sediment
provenance of the overlying volcano-sedimentary Bleïda Formation, interpreted to be a
foreland basin related to the Pan-African accretion. The obtained results provide a tight
stratigraphic constraint on both formations and clarify their geodynamic setting and sediment
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provenance within the framework of Pan-African orogeny and arc-continent convergence along
the northern margin of the WAC.
2. Geological background
2.1. The Proterozoic Anti-Atlas basement
The Proterozoic basement of the Anti-Atlas records two main orogenic cycles: a
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Paleoproterozoic Eburnean cycle (ca. 2.1-2.0 Ga) and a Neoproterozoic Pan-African/Cadomian
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cycle (e.g. Hefferan et al., 2014, and references therein). Based on the geological setting and
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structural features, this basement can be divided from south to north into three tectono-
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stratigraphic domains (Fig. 1): (i) The southern domain forms the continental margin and
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consists of a Paleoproterozoic basement (ca. 2 Ga) overlain unconformably by a pre-Pan-African
volcano-sedimenatry cover. This domain is crosscut by several generations of dyke swarms with
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ages ranging from ca. 1.75 Ga to ca. 0.88 Ga (El Bahat et al., 2013; Kouyaté et al., 2013; Youbi et
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al., 2013; Ait-Lahna et al., 2016; Ikenne et al., 2017) (ii) The central domain forms the Tonian-
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Cryogenian (ca.770-700 Ma) oceanic island arc terrane (OIAT), lying along the central Anti-
Atlas. This terrane, accreted tectonically on the northern continental margin of the WAC,
encompasses an arc crust, an ophiolite slice and a thick volcano-sedimentary succession filling
arc-related basins (Saquaque et al., 1989; Naidoo et al., 1991; Hefferan et al., 2000; Thomas et
al., 2002; D’Lemos et al., 2006; Inglis et al., 2005; El Hadi et al., 2010; Blein et al., 2014;
Triantafyllou et al., 2016; Triantafyllou et al., 2018). Both domains are overprinted and folded by
the Pan-African arc-continent collisional event (ca. 660-640 Ma) and are tectonically bounded
by the Anti-Atlas major fault (AAMF); (iii) The northern domain which crops out in the Saghro
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Inlier and High-Atlas mountains, constitutes a Proterozoic basement, likely of peri-Gondwanan
affinity, overlain by an Upper Ediacaran (ca.610-593 Ma) volcano-sedimentary succession
(Saghro Group) (e.g., Abati et al., 2010; Walsh et al., 2012; Michard et al., 2017; Tuduri et al.,
2018, Letsch et al., 2018). This domain is crosscut northward by the Variscan High-Atlas strike
slip fault. The three domains of the Anti-Atlas are overlain unconformably by the post-tectonic
late Ediacaran volcano-sedimentary Ouarzazate Group and crosscut by continental arc-related
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granitoids (ca. 578-550 Ma)(e.g., Thomas et al, 2002; Walsh et al., 2012; Tuduri et al., 2018).
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2.2. -p
The pre-Pan-African cratonic margin succession of the Anti-Atlas
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The post-Eburnean and pre-Pan-African continental margin strata of the Anti-Atlas crop
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out in several inliers of the southern domain in central and western Anti-Atlas inliers (Fig.1C).
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The most complete stratigraphic succession was described in its stratotype area in the central
Anti-Atlas and was formally designated as the Tizi n’Taghatine Group (Bouougri and Saquaque,
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2004). Various stratigraphic frameworks have been suggested for this succession, but not all
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suggestions conform to the field evidence and to the stratigraphic chart of the IUGS (e.g.,
Thomas et al., 2002; Thomas et al., 2004; Gasquet et al., 2008; Blein et al., 2014). In this work,
we follow the revised stratigraphic framework outlined by Bouougri et al., (2016) and modified
from (Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004). This stratigraphic scheme is supported by field evidences
as well as new radiometric ages (Ait-Lahna et al; 2016, Letsch, 2018), including those presented
here. The whole succession was considered to be of Neoproterozoic age and was subdivided
into three packages: lower and upper sedimentary wedges and a middle volcanic unit (Leblanc,
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1975; Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980, Bouougri et al.; 1994; Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine,
1994; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2000; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004). However, according to
recent field studies and the new radiometric age of ca. 1.64 Ga obtained from the mafic sill
crosscutting the lowermost strata in the Zenaga inlier, this succession can no longer be seen as
of Neoproterozoic age only, and thus spans the time of the Upper Paleoproterozoic (Statherian)
to Neoproterozoic (Ait Lahna et al.; 2016, Bouougri et al., 2016; Ait-Lahna et al., 2018).
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Consequently the whole succession formerly defined as the Tizi n’Taghatine Group (Bouougri
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and Saquaque, 2004) cannot belong to a single Group and its stratigraphic rank should be
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reconsidered. The Pan-African collisional event between the OIAT and the Anti-Atlas craton
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margin set the minimum age of deposition along this margin at ca. 663-640 Ma. By considering
these radiometric data combined with detailed field survey and mapping, the craton margin
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succession is subdivided, now into two depositional cycles: (i) an Upper Paleoproterozoic to
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possibly Mesoproterozoic depositional cycle with the most complete strata being preserved on
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the northern margin of the Zenaga Inlier, (ii) an overlying Neoproterozoic cycle (Tonian to
Cryogenian cycle) with the most complete succession preserved in the Bou Azzer inlier and
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further to the west in the Southern Siroua inlier (Fig. 2). In the central Anti-Atlas, strata of the
lower cycle structurally underlies the upper depositional cycle, and is bound by a south to
south-west verging tectonic thrust. The first cycle comprises three formations that are from the
base to the top: Tasserda, Taghdout and Oumoula formations (Fig. 2). The Tasserda and
Taghdout Formations are cut by the ca. 1.64 Ga mafic sill which sets the minimum age
(Statherian) for both formations. The Neoproterozoic depositional cycle comprise lower
platformal strata of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate shallow marine deposits, a middle volcanic unit
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of the Tachdamt Formation, and the upper clastic-dominated wedge of the Bleïda Fm., including
subordinate volcanic occurrences (Bouougri et al., 2016).
2.3. The Tachdamt and Bleïda Formations
The Tachdamt Formation (Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004) is a ca. 350 m thick, extensive
volcanic unit dominated by massive basalts, vesicular lavas flows and interbeds of hyaloclastites,
breccia and a few pyroclastic and sedimentary layers. The available geochemical data show a
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range of alkaline or sub-alkaline to tholeiitic signatures, consistent with an intracontinental
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anorogenic mafic magmatism and typical of rifting (e.g., El Boukhari et al., 1991; Naidoo et al.,
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1991; Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine, 1994; Alvaro et al., 2014). In the lowermost part of this
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formation exposed in southern Siroua, a transitional interval up to ~50 m thick consists of
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pyroclastic facies association with features consistent with a phreatomagmatic explosive
volcanism (Fig. 3B). The deposits consist mainly of an association of coarse- to medium lapilli
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and lithic tuffs, with interbeds of hyaloclastites, ignimbrites, tuffs, meter-thick lava flows and
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subordinate siliciclastic layers.

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The Bleïda Formation (Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004) is ~400m thick volcano-
sedimentary succession that occurs in a narrow belt along the Anti-Atlas Major Fault (AAMF).
This formation overlies the Tachdamt Formation unconformably in Bou Azzer inlier (cf. Fig. 5B)
whereas it is fault bounded and dismembered, together with the Tachdamt Fm. into several
tectonic slices along the southern margin of the Siroua Inlier (Leblanc, 1975; El Boukhari et al.,
1991; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2000). This formation hosts the most important cooper deposits
of Morocco. In the Bou Azzer Elgraara inlier, the Bleïda Formation comprises two contrasting
facies association (Bouougri et al, 1994): (i) a lower facies association which consist of black,
grey and purple shales with subordinate interbeds of siltstone and fine-grained sandstone
lenses, (ii) an upper facies association which consists of heterolithic deposits and interbedded
sandstones and mudstones. Further to the west in the southern margin of the Siroua Inlier, the
Bleïda Formation contains an uppermost unit of thick and amalgamated quartzarenite facies
association up to ~100m thick, indicating an overall trend with a transition from an offshore
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shelf setting to a marginal marine fluvio-deltaic and fluviatil settings.
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If the stratigraphic and correlative framework of the continental margin strata appears
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well established along the Anti-Atlas fault zone, the radiometric ages (depositional or maximum
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depositional ages) of the formations remain poorly constrained and their geodynamic settings
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are uncertain. However, the stratigraphic relationship with the Eburnean basement and the
tectonic setting indicate an age that could span the time interval of the Upper Paleoproterozoic
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(< 2.03 Ga) to Neoproterozoic (> ca. 660-640 Ma). The available radiometric ages on this cover
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are very sparse (Fig. 2). The first radiometric age of 788 ± 10 Ma (Rb/Sr isochron) was obtained
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from pelitic hornfels assumed to record a thermal metamorphism induced by a gabbroic sill
(Clauer, 1976). This age of the gabbroic sills, considered as coeval with the volcanic Tachdamt
Formation and the Bou Azzer ophiolite, was interpreted within the framework of the Pan-
African orogeny as indicating an extensional event and rifting that evolved to ocean spreading
(Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980). Other radiometric ages were obtained from the quartzites of the
Oumoula Formation at Zenaga and similar rocks at the Kerdous and Ifni inliers, indicating a
maximum depositional age of ~1800 Ma (Abati et al., 2010; Walsh et al., 2012; Letsch, 2018).
Recent radiometric study of a mafic sill crosscutting the lowermost part of the continental
margin strata at the Zenaga inlier (i.e. Taghdout mafic sill), provides for the first time an age of
ca. 1640 Ma (Ait Lahna et al., 2016) and evidence for Upper Paleoproterozoic (Statherian)
sedimentary deposits preserved on the northern margin of the WAC.
3. Geochronology: Sampling, Methods, Zircon description and results.
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In order to constrain the timing of the rifting event in the northern margin of the WAC and
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the geotectonic setting and maximum depositional age of the pre-collisional overlying strata, U-
Pb zircon analyse were conducted on two volcaniclastic samples from the Tachdamt Formation
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and one siliciclastic sample from the Bleïda Formation. The pyroclastic samples of the Tachdamt
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Formation were analysed by using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP)
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method, whereas the siliciclastic samples from the Bleïda Formation were analysed by using
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Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).

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3.1. Sampling
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3.1.1. Tachdamt Formation:
The volcaniclastic samples of the Tachdamt Formation were collected from the southern
part of the Siroua Inlier, at the Tazount section (Fig. 3). In this area, a thick volcaniclastic deposit
up to ~50 m thick occurs in the lower part of this volcanic unit. Two main facies associations can
be distinguished (Fig. 4A-D): (i) A coarse-grained facies association which consists of lapilli and
lithic tuffs, lithic volcanic breccia, coarse-grained ignimbrites and hyaloclastites. Most of the
lapilli are ash aggregates and accretionary lapilli, whereas most of the clasts in the ignimbrites
are flattened with a typical eutaxitic texture, (ii) The fine-grained facies association consists of
crystal rich tuff, laminated silt-sized tuffs with soft-sediment deformation structures, and poorly
sorted lithic tuffs. A few occurrences of decimeter- to meter- thick lava flows, together with
subordinate sandy silciclastic and epiclastic deposits are interbedded within this volcaniclastic
deposit. Most features of these pyroclastites indicate a phreatomagmatic activity and a
subaerial to subaqueous explosive volcanic eruption in a shallow marine setting. Two samples
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were collected from this volcaniclastic association for U-Pb analysis. The first sample (TZ08)
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occurs at the base of a thick lapilli tuff bed, and consists of a white and fine-grained crystal-rich
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tuff, up to 15 cm thick. Petrographic features indicate quartz dominated tuff, with few
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plagioclases and devitrified pyroclasts (Fig. 4E). The matrix dominated by ash forms ~60% of the
rock and contains abundant clasts of elongated muscovite. The second sample (LT01) consists of
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a lithic tuff that formed beds up to 2 m thick. The lithic component is dominated by juvenile
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clasts, with minor quartz grains and a few feldspathoids (Fig. 4D, 4F). The juvenile clasts are
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mainly dominated by ash aggregates, vesicular pumice, and lava derived clasts. The brownish
fine-grained groundmass is vitritic, and contains flattened glass shards and a few crystal
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fragments.
3.1.2. Bleïda Formation:
The silciclastic sample of the Bleïda Fm. was collected in the central part of the Bleïda
area and from the lower part of this formation dominated by fine-grained siltstone and shale
facies (Fig. 5, 6A). The sample (ALBL38) consists of a pale-cream thinly laminated metasiltstone
that formed several layers up to 1,5 m thick interbedded within purple and grey shale (Fig. 6B-
C). This metasiltstone preserves primary parallel and cross-laminations and consists of
alternating quartz-rich brownish laminae and mud-rich pale-cream laminae. Primary
petrographic features are often obliterated by the regional metamorphism and tectonic
deformation. Most of the fine-grained laminae are recrystallized into sericite and chlorite
whereas the coarse-grained laminae preserve a primary mineralogy dominated by silt-sized
quartz and minor components of feldspars (Fig. 6D).
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3.2. Analytical Procedures
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Zircon grains from all studied samples were separated from fresh crushed rocks (3-5 kg)
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using conventional heavy liquid and magnetic separation techniques (jaw crusher, disk grinder,
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Wilfley table, Frantz isodynamic magnetic separator, and density separation using bromoform
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and methylene iodite) at the CPGeo-USP, Brazil. Zircon grains from each sample were mounted
in epoxy resin, polished to half of mean grain thickness for further imaging with transmitted
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light and cathodoluminescence to resolve internal grain complexity. After coating with Au,
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cathodoluminescence (CL) images of zircon grains were obtained using a Quanta 250 FEG
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scanning electron microscope equipped with Mono CL3 + cathodoluminescence spectroscope
(Centaurus) at the Centro de Pesquisas Geocronológicas of the University of São Paulo (CPGeo-
USP), Brazil. The conditions used in CL analysis were as follows: 60 μA emission current, 15.0 kV
accelerating voltage, 7 μm beam diameter, 200 μs acquisition time, and a resolution of 1024 ×
884. Internal textures and zircon morphology are described according to the chart of Corfu et al.
(2003).
Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMPII)

Igneous zircon grains from the volcaniclastic samples of the Tachdamt Formation (LT01 and
TZ08) were analyzed by the U-Pb isotopic technique using a SHRIMP II following the analytical
procedures of Williams (1998). The crystals were mounted, together with the TEMORA-2
standard in epoxy and polished to expose the interior of the grains. Correction for common Pb
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was made based on Pb measured, and the typical error for the Pb/238U ratio is less than
2%; uranium abundance and U/Pb ratios were calibrated against the TEMORA standard, and the
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ages were calculated using Isoplot® version 3.0 software (Ludwig, 2008). Errors are reported as
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1σ deviations and ages have been calculated at the 95% confidence level.
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Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)
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U-Th-Pb analyses of detrital zircon grains from sample ALBL38 from the Bleïda Formation
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were performed using a Neptune multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
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(ICP–MS) coupled to a 193 nm Excimer Laserat CPGeo-USP, Brazil. Ablation was performed for
40 seconds in a 32 µm spot at the frequency of 6 Hz and intensity of 7mJ,and the ablated

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material was carried by Ar (0.7 L/min) and He(0.6 L/min) gas ﬂux. The analytical routine of data
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acquirement measurements followed the sequence of two blanks, two National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST)-612, three international standard GJ-1, 13 zircon crystals, two
more GJ-1 standards (Jackson et al., 2004) and finally two blanks. Concordia plots were
constructed with Isoplot® version 3.0 software (Ludwig, 2008). Analyses with discordance over
10% were discarded. For zircons younger than 1300 Ma, 206Pb/238U ages were preferred,
while for older zircons the 207Pb/206Pb ages were preferably used. The detrital age distribution
by probability density was performed using the Age-display application (Sircombe, 2004).
3.3. Zircon description and results
3.3.1. Lithic tuff of Tachdamt Formation: sample LT01
Zircon grains of this sample exhibit mean lengths and widths of 150 and 80 µm,
respectively. They consist of sub-euhedral to euhedral and sub-rounded grains. The internal
textures of the zircon revealed by CL show dominance of grains with oscillatory concentric
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zoning. Sector zoning and banded zoning are also present and an important fraction shows no
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zoning or slightly recognized zoning (Fig. 7A). The Th/U ratio of all zircons ranges from 0.07 and
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1.30 (Supplementary Table 1). An amount of 89 % of the studied zircons have Th/U ratio of
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more than 0.1, indicating their igneous origin and they are provided from magmas of
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intermediate to felsic composition (e.g., Hoskin and Schaltegger, 2003; Linnemann et al., 2007).
The other 11 % have a Th/U ratio below 0.1 and could be metamorphic in origin. From a total of
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32 measured spots in the sample LT01, 27 yielded 90-110 % concordant ages. 59 % of the zircon
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population is of Paleoproterozoic age ( 63 % Rhyacian and 38 % Orosirian), ranging from 2190 ±

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13 Ma to 1853 ± 15 Ma, with two prominent peaks at around 2050 Ma and 2175Ma, and two
minor peaks at around 2013 Ma, 2113 Ma (Fig. 7B). A minor amount of 7 % of the ages is
Mesoproterozoic (Ectasian) represented by two ages 1246 ± 27 Ma and 1496 ± 13 Ma. The
remnant 33 % are Neoproterozoic (Tonian) with ages ranging from 908 ± 21 Ma and 851 ± 20
Ma with a prominent peak at around 880 Ma. Abundant xenocrystic zircons in this sample
indicate the contribution of a cryptic older crustal material of Paleoproterozoic age, similar to
that of the Anti-Atlas Eburnean basement and with components ranging from ca. 2.19Ga to
1.18Ga. The youngest zircon grains (n=10) yielded a concordia age of 885 ± 5.7 Ma
(MSWD=0.23, Probability = 0.63) which constrains the age of this lithic tuff and the related
explosive volcanic event (Fig. 7C).
3.3.2. Crystal-rich tuff of Tachdamt Formation: Sample TZ08
Zircon grains from this sample exhibit mean lengths and widths of 160 and 85 µm,
respectively. They are mostly sub-euhedral to euhedral in shape with a small fraction displaying
a sub-rounded shape. The internal textures of the zircons revealed by CL images, show zircons
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almost exclusively with oscillatory concentric zoning, indicating a dominant magmatic source
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(Fig. 8A). This is confirmed by their Th/U ratio, ranging from 0.20 to 1.55 (Supplementary table
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1). Of a total of 30 measured spots in this sample, 26 yielded 90-110 % concordant ages. 88 %
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are Neoproterozoic (Early Tonian age) ranging from 923 ± 12 Ma to 842± 12 Ma with a
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prominent peak at around ca. 880 Ma (Fig. 8B). The minor zircon population of 12 % with
Paleoproterozoic ages, ranges from 2151 ± 33 Ma to 2008 ± 24 Ma. The probability plot is
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dominated by peak at ca. 883 Ma and peak at ca.2205 Ma. The youngest grains (n=23) of early
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Tonian age yield a concordia age of 883 ± 2.3 Ma (MSWD=0.61, Probability =0.43), which is
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interpreted as the magmatic crystallization age of the Tonian zircons and the depositional age of
this crystal-rich tuff (Fig. 8C). Zircon populations and the age of this sample fit well with the
obtained result and age from the lapilli-tuff sample and provide evidence for the onset of an
explosive volcanic eruption at the Early Tonian in the Anti-Atlas margin. The subordinate
population with xenocrystic old zircon grains is also similar to that found in the lithic tuff
(sample LT01) and considered to record zircon inheritance into the volcanic Tonian population.
3.3.3. Metasiltstone of the Bleïda Formation: sample ALBL-38

A total of 78 grains extracted from this sample were analysed by LA ICP-MS. Zircon grains
of this sample exhibit mean lengths and widths of 125 and 60 µm, respectively. In most cases
they are sub-euhedral to sub-rounded in shape, and few are euhedral. The internal textures of
the zircons revealed by CL images show dominance of grains with oscillatory concentric zoning.
Sector zoning and banded zoning are present too and a small fraction is dark or without zoning
at all (Fig. 9A). The Th/U ratio ranges from 0.02 and 1.06. A proportion of 96 % of the analyzed
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zircons have a Th/U ratio of more than 0.1, indicating that they are of igneous origin, crystallized
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from magmas of intermediate to felsic composition (Supplementary Table 2). The remnant 4 %
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has a Th/U ratio below 0.1 and could be metamorphic in origin. The ages of detrital zircons in
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this sample vary widely and two main populations can be distinguished. From a total of 78
measured spots in the sample ALBL-38, 52 yielded 90-110 % concordant ages. 27 % of the zircon
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population is of Paleoproterozoic age (21.4 % Rhyacian, 64.3 % Orosirian and 14.3 % Statherian),
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ranging from 2168 ± 43 Ma to 1720 ± 65 Ma, with one prominent peak at around ca. 1950 Ma ,
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and two minor peaks at around ca.1775 and 2160 Ma (Fig 9B). 25 % of ages are
Mesoproterozoic (53.8 % Calymmian, 30.8 % Ectasian and 15.4 % Stenian) ranging from 1525 ±
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53 Ma to 1011 ± 9 Ma with four equal peaks at around ca. 1013 Ma, 1190 Ma, 1275 Ma and
1500 Ma. 48 % of ages are Neoproterozoic (Tonian-Cryogenian) ranging from 776 ± 7 to 677 ± 8
Ma with two prominent peaks at around ca. 700 Ma and ca. 750 Ma. The abundance of the
Neoproterozoic population indicates a dominant source of the detrital zircon grains from a
juvenile magmatic origin. The youngest zircon grains (n=12) yielded a concordia age of 697.3 ±
2.2 Ma (MSWD=0.61, Probability = 0.44) which is considered as the best estimation for
maximum depositional age of the Bleïda Formation (Fig. 9C).

4. Discussion:
4.1. Age constraint of Tachdamt Fm. and evidence for Early Tonian rifting at ca. 883 Ma.
The volcanic Tachdamt Fm. constitutes the stratigraphic record of an extensional and
rifting event along the northern margin of the West African craton, and indicate a major shift in
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geotectonic setting, from a stable continental margin with shallow epeiric sea deposits to a
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rifted-margin with wide volcanic activity and volcanism with a Continental Flood Basalts (CFBs)
affinity (e.g. El Boukhari et al, 1990; Naïdo et al, 1991; Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine, 1994;
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Alvaro et al., 2014). The volcanic products consist of superposed meter to decimeter thick lava
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flows. The occurrence of pyroclastic deposits at the base indicates that this volcanic event
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started with short-lived explosive eruption in a shallow marine setting, with evidence of
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phreatomagmatic processes, followed by a long-lived effusive eruption with superposed thick
lavas flows forming the main part of this formation. The explosive eruptions produced a variety
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of pyroclastic facies with subordinate meter-thick interbeds of lavas flows and epiclastic
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deposits.
The two samples collected from the lowermost part of the Tachdamt Fm. and from the
same pyroclastic-bearing horizon provide a similar young zircon population of Early Tonian age
(Fig. 7C and 8C). Most of zircon grains of this population are euhedral to subheudral with clear
zoning indicating their syn-magmatic origin. The concordia age of the youngest magmatic zircon
grains for the crystal-rich tuff is 883.0±2.3 Ma (MSWD= 0.61), whereas the concordia age for the
lapilli-tuffs is 885±5.7 Ma (MSWD=0.23).

The U/Pb radiometric data of the youngest zircon grains in both samples are similar
within analytical uncertainties. Combined together, the concordia age of the youngest zircon
grains (n=32) of both samples, provides an age of 882.9 ± 2.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.078) (Fig. 10). As
both facies are very close to each other in the measured section and belong to the same short-
lived volcanic eruption event, an age of ca. 883 Ma is taken here as the best estimated time for
the lower boundary of the volcanic Tachdamt Fm., and for the onset of intracontinental rifting
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and related volcanism in the Anti-Atlas cratonic margin. The coarse-grained lapilli-tuff sample
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provided a great amount of xenocrystic inherited zircons with Paleoproterozoic ages similar to
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that of the Eburnean basement of the Anti-Atlas and to detrital zircon ages in the overlying
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Statherian to Early Tonian strata. In the crystal-rich tuff sample, one zircon grain, among all
other grains, provided an inherited Paleoproterozoic and pre-magmatic old core with an age of
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ca. 2.12 Ga surrounded by a young overgrowth rim with an age of ca. 876 Ma (Fig. 8A).
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The new age obtained for the Tachdamt Fm. is over ca. 100 my older than the previous
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age of 788±10 Ma (Clauer, 1976) provided through the Rb/Sr isotope method and often cited in
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the literature as the age of Neoproterozoic rifting and oceanic spreading in the Anti-Atlas (e.g.,
Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980; Gasquet et al, 2008). Furthermore, our new age is also close to the
ages obtained from NE trending mafic dykes of the Iguerda-Taifast swarm, crosscutting the
ca.2Ga Eburnean basement and which yielded an age of ca.885Ma (Kouyaté et al., 2013). These
dyke swarms are thus the intrusive counterparts of the volcanic Tachdamt Fm. and early Tonian
rifting preserved in the Eburnean basement. The time of eruption of this rift-related volcanic
formation is also consistent with the new ages of detrital zircon obtained from sandstones
interbedded in the lowermost part of the Tachdamt Fm. (Ait Lahna et al., 2018; Letsch, 2018).
In the Bleïda section, the studied sandstone samples taken from the same sedimentary interval,
overlying the first meter-thick lava flow of Tachdamt Fm., provide maximum depositional ages
of ca.925 Ma and ca.1060 Ma. The detrital zircon grains with youngest ages back to ca. 0.89 Ga
and with a peak of ca. 925 Ma (Letsch, 2018), and the magmatic zircon grains dated back to ca.
883 Ma could belong to the same volcanic event of Tachdamt Fm. In both sandstone samples,
there are large Upper Paleoproproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic population (main age peaks
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ranging from ca. 1.75 Ga to ca. 1.06 Ga) typical of a Grenvillian provenance. This population
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contrasts with the zircon spectra (ages > 1.8 Ga) of the WAC and of the platformal strata (data
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compiled in Fig. 2). This difference indicate thus a major shift in provenance at the onset of Early
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Tonian rifting. Within the sedimentary strata underlying the Tachdamt Fm., available data on
detrital zircon ages (cf. Fig 2) indicate a dominating WAC provenance, consistent with the
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depositional setting and paleocurrents (Bouougri et al., 1994; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2000).
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4.2. Depositional age and provenance of the Cryogenian siliciclastic Bleïda Fm.
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The Bleïda Fm. preserved in the Anti-Atlas belt, appears in the upper part of the
stratigraphic column of the pre-Pan-African succession (Leblanc, 1975; Bouougri et al., 1994;
Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine, 1994; Bouougri and Saquaque, 2000; 2004). This formation as
well as the whole succession underwent a Pan-African orogeny under greenschist regional
metamorphism (Leblanc, 1975; Leblanc and Lancelot; 1980). It is thus older than ~663-647 Ma
which are the bracketed ages of the main tectono-metamorphic event obtained from dating
zircon and garnet in the Siroua-Bou Azzer OIA terrane (Thomas et al., 2002; Inglis et al., 2005;
Inglis et al., 2017; Triantafyllou et al., 2016; Triantafyllou et al., 2018).
The new geochronologic U/Pb zircon ages obtained from the lowermost part of the
Bleïda Fm., provide a significant constrain on the maximum depositional age of this clastic
wedge. The detrital zircon from the lower part of the Bleïda Fm. (sample ALBL38) yield U/Pb age
spectra with two dominant young zircon populations, and with two peaks at ca.700 Ma and
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ca.750 Ma (Fig. 9B). The age of the youngest concordant zircons (n=10) which provide a
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concordia age of 697.3±2.2 Ma (MSWD=0.61), is taken as the best estimate for the maximum
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depositional age of the Bleïda Fm. This result confirms that the Bleïda Fm., labeled in the Siroua-
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Taghdout sheet maps as Nafa/Nafb and as the Tafiat Fm. (De Kock et al., 2000), is the youngest
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stratigraphic unit of the pre-Pan-African Anti-Atlas margin and postdates the magmatic and
tectonic events (ca.770-700 Ma) of the arc-related terrane of Bou Azzer-Siroua. Our new data as
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well as the minimum age bracketed by the Pan-African tectono-metamorphic event dated at
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ca.663-647 Ma (Thomas et al., 2002; Inglis et al., 2017) indicate a possible deposition period
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over almost 30 my for the Bleïda Fm.
The studied sample from the lower part of the Bleïda Fm. provides evidence for three
contrasting populations and sources. The first and oldest population, with peaks ranging from
ca. 2.2 Ga to 1.8 Ga, is consistent with the ages known from the Paleoproterozoic/Eburnean
rocks of the Anti-Atlas basement and the WAC. The second and younger population is of Upper
Tonian to Cryogenian age with two prominent peaks at ca.750 Ma and ca.700 Ma. This
population constitutes almost 50% of the total of the zircon, and the zircon age spectra is
consistent with a subtle signature of the Bou Azzer-Siroua OIAT (Thomas et al., 2002; Samson et
al., 2004; D’Lemos et al., 2006; El Hadi et al., 2010, Blein et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et al., 2018).
Indeed, the oldest dated rocks in this OIAT are two rhyolites interbedded in arc-related basin
fills (Tichibanine-Ben Legrad succession) of Bou Azzer Elgraara and provide ages of 767±7 Ma
and 761±7 Ma (Blein et al., 2014). The igneous and metamorphic events in the arc crust provide
a wide spectrum of ages ranging from 755±9 Ma to 695±7 Ma and constrain the juvenile to
mature arc stages (Triantafyllou et al., 2016; Triantafyllou et al., 2018). The earlier arc related
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rocks were dated in the Siroua and Bou Azzer areas and provide a spectrum of ages ranging
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from ca.755 Ma to ca. 745 Ma, whereas the late arc-related igneous event provides ages ranging
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from ca.705 Ma to ca.695 Ma (D’Lemos et al; 2006; El Hadi et al., 2010; Blein et al; 2014;
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Triantafyllou et al., 2016, Triantafyllou et al; 2018).. By considering the paleogeographic setting
at ca.700 Ma, the northern margin of the WAC (i.e. Anti-Atlas) as well as the Eastern margin (i.e.
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Gourma and Volta passive margin, Berger et al., 2011; Caby, 2014) were fringed by the oceanic
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island arc systems of Bou Azzer-Siroua extending southward to the Tilemsi-Amalaoulaou arcs in
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the Gourma belt (Berger et al., 2011; Triantafyllou et al.; 2018). Most of the ca. 750-700 Ma
zircon in the Lower part of the Bleïda Fm. were therefore sourced from the arc-related terrane
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exposed along the Anti-Atlas craton margin. They are consistent with the erosion of the Siroua-
Bou Azzer arc system that provided sediments to the Bleïda basin, which developed along the
craton margin side of the arc-related terrane. The great proportion of the arc-derived detrital
zircon and the short time span between the tectono-metamorphic Pan-African orogeny (~663-
640 Ma) and onset of Bleïda sedimentation (~700 Ma), with sediment provided from the OIAT
suggest that this arc-terrane was close to the Anti-Atlas continental margin, and exhumed
enough to have provided sediments to the Bleïda basin. The last zircon population with age
peaks ranging from ca. 1.7 Ga to ca. 1.0 Ga provides evidence for sediment sourced from a
Grenvillian terrane, similar to that of the Amazonia-Baltica cratons and/or to juvenile
Mesoproterozoic crust of peri-Gondwanan terranes (Bogdanova et al., 2008; Nance et al; 2008;
Johansson et al., 2014; Murphy et al., 2018). Almost 20% of the concordant grains yield ages
between ~1.5 Ga and ~1.0 Ga, which correspond at the global scale to the timing of Columbia
breakup and Rodinia assembly respectively. As the Anti-Atlas margin were bounded northward
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and eastward by the Neoproterozoic arc-related terrane, the Grenvillian material is thought to
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have been provided from the western to south-western side of the WAC (present coordinate).
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Similar Grenvillian zircon populations were recognized in the underlying Tachdamt Fm. (Ait
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Lahna et al., 2018; Letsch, 2018) suggesting a continued influence of such a Grenvillian source
from the Early Tonian (ca. 883 Ma) to Cryogenian (ca. 700 Ma). Although the WAC, as preserved
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today from successive breakups of Proterozoic and Phanerozoic supercontinents, does not
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preserve any evidence for a tectonothermal event related to the Grenvillian orogeny, it seems
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that during the Cryogenian time (ca. 700 Ma), this margin was bounded westward by a possible
Grenvillian source, which provided sediments to the Anti-Atlas basin.

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4.3. Stratigraphic and geodynamic implications
4.3.1. Stratigraphic implication: Time gap at the boundary of Tachdamt-Bleïda Formations
As stated above, the volcanic Tachdamt Formation and the silciclastic Bleïda Formation
record major shifts in the paleogeography and geodynamic setting of the Anti-Atlas continental
margin during pre-Pan-African time (Bouougri et al.; 1994; Leblanc and Lancelot., 1994;
Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004). The new data obtained from this study provide significant
constraint on the ages of both formations. The transition from the Cryogenian Bleïda Fm. and
the underlying Early Tonian Tachdamt Fm. indicate a major shift in lithology and zircon
provenance, together with contrasting geochemical features of volcanic facies of both
formations. Our new ages provide significant evidence for an important time-gap at the
boundary of the volcanic Tachdamt Fm. and overlying Bleïda Fm. This stratigraphic gap which
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can extend for up to more than ca. 150 my, remains much longer than expected. Indeed, the
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lower part of the Tachdamt Fm. is constrained at ca.883Ma, whereas the lower boundary of the
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Bleïda Fm. is younger than ca.700Ma.. As the Upper boundary of the Tachdamt Fm. is not yet
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constrained, the precise time gap at the Tachdamt-Bleïda transition cannot be precisely
estimated. In addition, the exact time duration of the volcanism remains unclear, which raises
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the question of how long the rift-related Tachdamt volcanic event lasted?
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Evidence from the field indicates that the Tachdamt volcanic Fm. could have been
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released during a single major volcanic event starting with short-time explosive volcanism
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followed by an effusive event with thick superposed lava flows. All together the volcanic
products are almost ~400m thick. The basaltic lava flows are continuously superposed, without
major evidence for long time volcanic quiescence, as can be indicated by thick interbedded
sedimentary or epiclastic layers, or by preserved major reworking and subaerial or marine
weathering surfaces. In addition, the lavas flows display almost similar petrographic and
geochemical features, without major shifts from bottom to top (El Boukhari et al., 1991; Naidoo
et al., 1991; Leblanc and Lancelot, 1994; Alvaro et al., 2014). By considering all these features
together with the moderate thickness that reaches almost ~400m, and compared to
intracontinental volcanic eruptions in modern and Phanerozoic setting (Svensen et al., 2019), it
seems that the Tachdamt eruption occurred during a single magmatic pulse which may have
lasted fewer than 1my. Moreover in the Anti-Atlas and according to our new ages and available
data from coeval dyke swarms (Kouyaté et al., 2013), the pre-Pan-African Anti-Atlas margin
experienced a single rifting stage during Early Tonian time. This evidence is also valid at the
cratonic scale (i.e. WAC), as the only known Tonian mafic events were recently dated at ca. 915
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Ma and ca. 867 Ma (Baratoux et al., 2019). The younger one appears close to our result on the
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Tachdamt Fm. and could belong to the same regional rifting event in the WAC. In many other
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cratons, the Tonian to Cryogenian time recorded multiple rifting stages related to Rodinia
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breakup, with ages falling within ca. 930 Ma to ca. 720 Ma (Ernst et al., 2008; Johansson et al.,
2014). The Early Tonian magmatic event (ca. 883 Ma) of the Anti-Atlas can be bracketed by two
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major LIPs: it is younger than the 920-900 Ma LIPs recognized in the Congo-Sao Francisco craton
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(Chaves et al., 2019) and predate the widespread LIPs of ca.850-820 Ma in central-western
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China (Xu et al., 2016). Aditionally, in Bleïda Fm. (ca. 700 Ma) and Ediacaran younger strata of
the Anti-Atlas (Saghro and Ouarzazate Groups), there is no evidence yet for detrital zircons
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younger than ca. 880 Ma or older than ca. 770-700 Ma (Liégeois et al., 2006; Gasquet et al.,
2008; Abati et al., 2010; Karaoui et al., 2015; Letsch et al., 2018; Letsch, 2018; Ait Lahna et al.,
2018). Although the precise duration of the Tachdamt Fm. is challenging, all the above data
deduced at local and regional scales indicate more likely a unique and short-lived magmatic
event (ca. 883 Ma), followed by a long-time stratigraphic gap, till the onset of Bleïda
sedimentation at ca. 700 Ma.

4.3.2 Regional and global geodynamic implications
The newly obtained age of Tonian intracontinental volcanism of the Tachdamt Fm. and
the records of detrital zircon grains in the overlying Cryogenian clastic Bleïda Fm., combined
with available data on detrital zircon in both formations (Ait-Lahna et al, 2018; Letsch, 2018),
constrain two main geodynamic stages at the northern margin of the WAC, correlated at the
global scale with the early attempt at Rodinia breakup and the onset of accretion along the
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northern margin of Western Gondwana.
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4.3.2.1 Onset of Early Tonian Rifting at the northern margin of WAC
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The Proterozoic basement of the WAC –in its present configuration- indicates that this
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craton was involved during the Birrimian-Eburnean tectonothermal orogeny (~2Ga-1.8Ga) in the
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assembly of the Columbia supercontinent (Schofield and Gillespie, 2007; Ennih and Liegeois,
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2008; Schofield et al., 2012). During the subsequent Upper Paleoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic
time related to Columbia breakup and Rodinia assembly, the WAC lacks any evidence for
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Grenvillian tectonothermal events as preserved in others cratons like Baltica, Amazonia and
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Laurentia (e.g. Cawood and Pisarevsky, 2017; Slagstad et al., 2017). However, this craton
experienced multiple rift events as evidenced by (i) dyke swarms crosscutting the Eburnean
basement, with ages ranging from ca. 1.75 Ga to ca. 1.38 Ga, and (ii) Statherian to
Mesoproterozoic sedimentary strata crosscut in part by ca. 1.64 Ma mafic sills (Kouyaté et al.,
2013; Youbi et al., 2013; Ait-Lahna et al., 2016; Bouougri et al., 2016; Baratoux et al., 2019).
As highlighted above, our results provide a new time constraint for an Early Tonian
extensional event and accompanying volcanism at the northern margin of the WAC (i.e. Anti-
Atlas margin). During the pre-breakup stage, the Anti-Atlas margin was covered with an epeiric
sea were a shallow marine mixed siliciclastic-carbonate assembly was deposited thereby
indicating a stable cratonic margin (Bouougri et al., 1994). At ca. 883 Ma, an extensional event
gave rise to a major shift in the paleogeography and in geotectonic setting along this margin.
The syn-rift magmatism, with geochemical features typical of continental rift basalts, is widely
recorded in the Anti-Atlas margin as volcanic products and coeval mafic dyke swarms emplaced
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in the Eburnean basement. At cratonic scale, a recent age of ca. 867 Ma close to that of the
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Anti-Atlas was constrained from mafic dykes in the Leo-Man Shield (Baratoux et al., 2019).
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The timing of rifting recorded by the Tachdamt Fm. and at the cratonic scale appears
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nearly coeval with Early Tonian mafic to bimodal magmatism evidenced in many cratons and
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surrounding Neoproterozoic belts and assigned to early attempts at Rodinia breakup. To date,
the available radiometric data from several cratons of the Rodinia supercontinent indicate an
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Early Tonian rifting with most ages ranging from ca. 930 Ma to ca. 880 Ma. These include
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mainly: (1) the Yangtze bloc (South China Craton) which records mafic intrusion and alkaline
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complex emplacement during an intraplate extension at ca.890 Ma (Zhou et al., 2018), the
Huangshan basalts formed in an intracontinental rift setting at 860 ± 9 Ma (Lyu et al., 2017),
and the basalts dated at ~860 Ma in the Cathaysia bloc reported as related to continental rifting
(Shu et al., 2011); (2) The Tarim craton which preserves the bimodal intraplate volcanic rocks of
the Sailajiazitage Group with ages ranging from 896 ± 11 Ma to 872 ± 8 Ma (Wang et al., 2015)
and from 899.0 ± 4.6 to 884.5 ± 4.9 Ma (Zhang et al., 2019); (3) The south eastern margin of
North China craton which provides a range of Early Tonian rift-related magmatism with mafic
dolerites dated at 899 ± 7Ma (Peng et al., 2011), and at 912 ± 4 Ma to 916 ± 4 Ma (Zhu et al.,
2019); (4) The Sao Francisco Craton which provides A-type continental plutonism (leucogranite)
dated at 875 ± 9Ma and ascribed to a continental rift stage along the Congo-Sao Francisco
Cratons (Da Silva et al, 2008); layered mafic and ultramafic intrusion emplaced at 903 ± 20Ma in
the continental crust of this craton (Santos Salgado et al., 2016); a mafic dykes with ages ranging
from 926 ±4.6 Ma to 918.2 ± 6.7 Ma (Evans et al., 2016); mafic dyke swarm dated at 906 ± 7 Ma
(Machado et al., 1989), a gabbroic mafic intrusion with age overlapping the ca. 920-900 Ma
of
Bahia-Gangila LIP (Chaves et al., 2019); (5) the European cratons (Baltica, Scandinavia and
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Scotland) which preserve Early Tonian magmatism with metagabbroic rocks emplaced at 873 ± 6
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Ma (Millar et al., 1999), and a granite emplaced at ca. 870 Ma (Rogers et al., 2001); (6) the
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Congo craton with the Mayubian bimodal magmatism which yields ages 920-912 Ma and is
intruded by 924-917 Ma microgranites (Tack et al., 2001), dolerite sills dated at 882 ± 8.8 Ma by
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using the 40Ar/39Ar method (Delpomdor et al., 2013), rhyodacites and rhyodacitic tuffs in the
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southern margin (Zambezi belt) dated at 880 Ma and 876 Ma respectively (Johnson et al., 2007),
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anorogenic bimodal intrusive rocks with ages ranging from ca. 904 Ma to ca. 867 Ma
(Thieblement et al., 2011). Similar ages were obtained from the granites-rhyolite in the adjacent
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Lufilian belt with an age of 883 ± 10 Ma for the granite of Nchanga and an age of 879 ±19 Ma for
the Kafue Rhyolites (Hanson et al., 1988; Armstrong et al., 2005).
In summary, the close ages reported over all these cratons including the WAC, suggest
that they share the same rifting event. The Early Tonian intracontinental rift of the Anti-Atlas
was therefore a part of ca. 890-870 Ma widespread global rifting, and hence provide evidence
for the initial attempt at Rodinia supercontinent breakup. However and due to the stratigraphic
gap at the boundary of Tachdamt and Bleida Fm. and the lack of a complete rift-drift sequence
in the Anti-Atlas margin, it is not clear whether this rifting in the Ant-Atlas failed after the
volcanic event of the Tachdamt Fm. or evolved later to an opening ocean.
4.3.2.2 Stratigraphic record of peripheral foreland basin fill and arrival of OIAT at the margin
of WAC
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The newly refined Cryogenian age of the Bleïda Fm., combined with field evidence and
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existing sedimentologic and geochronologic data, disclose a geotectonic setting contrasting with
previous interpretations. Indeed and by considering the sedimentologic features and the
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geochemistry of interbedded minor volcanic flows, the Bleïda Fm. has long been considered as a
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clastic wedge deposited on the northern margin of the WAC, in a divergent tectonic setting and
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during a post-rift time (i.e. passive margin stage) or in a rifted-margin during the syn-rift stage
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(Leblanc and Lancelot, 1980; Bouougri et al., 1994; Leblanc and Moussine Pouchkine, 1994;
Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004). None of these interpretations is consistent with the new age
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and sediment provenance revealed by detrital zircons. Evidence in the Bleïda Fm. of clastic
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material sourced from the OIA terrane of Bou Azzer-Siroua is critical in understanding the
geotectonic setting of the Anti-Atlas margin during the pre-collision stage. The new radiometric
result obtained from the metasiltstone sample (ALBL38) suggests a geotectonic convergent
setting, in which the Bleïda Fm. was deposited in a peripheral foreland basin lying on an
attenuated Tonian continental margin (Fig. 11). The zircon grains from the lower part of the
Bleïda Fm. (sample AlBl38) revealed three distinct groups of ages. They are dominated by zircon
grains sourced from the ca. 770-700 Ma arc-related terrane of Bou Azzer-Siroua. A significant
amount of the zircon grains was provided from two contrasting sources: the southern Eburnean
basement of the WAC and a Grenvillian terrane.
The dominance of the arc-derived clastic material is related to the depositional setting of
the lower part of this formation, which comprises a mud- to silt-rich facies association, typical of
the outer shelf and proximal foredeep basin, close to the nearest siliciclastic arc-terrane source
(Fig. 12). In the middle part of the Bleïda Fm. dominated by a heterolithic facies association, ,
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available data on detrital zircons show a quite different set of features of zircon populations
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(Letsch, 2018; Ait Lahna et al., 2018). The amount of detrital zircon derived from the arc-related
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terrane decreased substantially whereas sediments sourced from the Eburnean basement
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became dominant. Thus we infer that this shift in zircon and sediment provenance is facies-
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controlled as the distal outer belt facies association is close to the Paleoproterozoic basement
source; in contrast the inner belt facies association was dominated by the closest arc-related
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terrane. Towards the top, the Bleïda Fm. records a major shift in facies and depositional setting,
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and is characterized by thick a sand-dominated facies association of fluvio-deltaic setting

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(Bouougri and Saquaque, 2000). Such an inferred facies trend records a change in the basin
dynamic and a transition to an overfilled stage of the foreland basin, with subsequent closure
and deformation by the late stage of arc-continent collision. The zircon signature in these
sandstones (Letsch, 2018) is consistent with this geodynamic switch and displays a mixed clastic
provenance from arc-terrane, Paleoproterozoic basement, Grenvillian terrane and reworked
Early Tonian rift. All these sources were uplifted enough to provide coarse-grained clastic
material at the last stage of the foreland basin.

The whole succession of the Bleïda Fm. displays a coarsening and shallowing upward
trend, indicating a progressive filling up and closure of the basin by the end of arc terrane-
continent collision. The maximum depositional age provided from the lower part of the Bleïda
Fm. with the youngest population age peak at ca. 700 Ma, indicates that the onset of
sedimentation in the Anti-Atlas margin basin postdates, shortly the last event recorded in the
adjacent belt of the OIA terrane. By considering the arc-continent convergent tectonic setting
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along this margin (Saquaque et al., 1989), the onset of the Bleïda basin fill and subsidence
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chronicle the Cryogenian arrival and the onset of thrusting of the ca. 770-700 Ma Bou Azzer-
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Siroua OIAT at the cratonic margin (Fig.11A). In this scenario, the Bleïda basin-fill represents a
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peripheral foreland basin receiving sediment from the craton margin and mainly from the
accreting arc terrane. Such a terrane, considered as a belt (Iriri-Tichibanine belt, Hefferan et al.,
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2014), had undergone a significant uplift and exhumation to provides clastic sediments over the
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Anti-Atlas margin. As evidenced by the zircon populations found in our sample, combined with
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others results (Ait Lahna et al., 2018; Letsch et al., 2018), the main shifts in provenance
recorded in the Bleïda Fm., from bottom to top, together with the general trend and change in
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facies associations (Fig.12), might be interpreted as related to a progressive and subsequent
closure and deformation of the Anti-Atlas foreland basin, culminating with the arc-craton
margin collision by ~663 Ma.
The Bleïda Fm. hosts one of the most significant sulfide deposits of Neoproterozoic age
in the WAC. Previous studies suggested a genetic model within a divergent geotectonic setting,
but our new results indicate a convergent setting with a Cryogenian (ca.700 Ma) foreland basin
developed on a previous rifted craton margin of Tonian age (~883 Ma). These new data should
be considered in reinterpreting the metallogenic record and genetic model of Bleïda sulfides, as
well as the interbedded felsic and mafic volcanic flows, confused in previous works with those of
the underlying Tonian Tachdamt Fm. (Naidoo et al., 1991; Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine,
1994; Alvaro et al., 2014).
4.3.2.3 Global implications: From Early Rodinia rifting to convergence around West Gondwana
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and the Grenvillian dilemma
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Although the pre-Pan-African Anti-Atlas Neoproterozoic succession lack a complete
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succession of rift-drift and records an extended stratigraphic gap at the boundary of the studied
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Tachdamt-Bleida formations, our results indicate that two key events are preserved and may be
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correlated with global events related to incipient rifting of Rodinia and convergence around the
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northern margin of western Gondwana. In many models proposed for the Rodinia
supercontinent, the position of the WAC remains unclear due to the lack of robust
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paleomagnetic data and time constraints of key events related to Rodinia assembly and
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breakup, and initial Gondwana assembly (Hoffman, 1991; Tohver et al., 2006; Li et al., 2008;
Johansson, 2014 ; Meridith et al., 2017). In most of the proposed models, the WAC occupies an
outer side of Rodinia, close or linked to Amazonia and the Baltica craton, with the present-day
northern margin (i.e. Anti-Atlas margin) facing an ocean (Hoffman, 1991; Dalziel et al., 1997; Li
et al., 2008, Li et al., 2013), but without any Grenvillian belt around or near this craton. In a
refined model, the WAC, Baltica and Amazonia form a single landmass attached to eastern
Laurentia (Johansson, 2014). Aditionally in this configuration, the WAC is far away from the
Grenvillian belt stretching along the boundary of Laurentia and Amazonia-Baltica, and the
northern (i.e. Anti-Atlas margin) and eastern margin of the WAC are facing an oceanic domain.
Obviously the reconstitution of the WAC in the Rodinia configuration is beyond the scope of this
paper. However our new results on the Anti-Atlas margin together with available data on the
pre-Pan-African basins and convergence-related terranes around the WAC, provide key
elements for the paleogeography of this craton within initial Rodinia breakup and initial
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Gondwana assembly (Fig 13).
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Indeed and during the Early Tonian, the transition from the pre-breakup stage to the
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synrift stage discloses major geotectonic and provenance shifts as indicated by the volcanic
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event and available data on detrital zircons (Abati et al., 2010; Walsh et al., 2012; Letsch, 2018;
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Ait-Lahna et al., 2018). During the pre-breakup stage (i.e. <ca.883Ma), sediments in the Anti-
Atlas margin were sourced exclusively from the cratonic basement of West Africa (WAC). During
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the syn-rift stage (Tachdamt Fm.), the major shift in provenance is indicated by a new input of
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detrital zircons in the Anti-Atlas rift basin, sourced outside of the WAC and from a Grenvillian
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terrane more likely located westward of this craton (Fig. 13A). Similar major shift in sediment
provenance were also evidenced from the peri- to epicratonic Taoudeni basin located south of
the Anti-Atlas rifted margin (Nicoll et al., 2010; Bradley et al., 2015). Available data from the
pre-Pan-African strata of this basin (Char-Atar-Assabet El Hassiane Groups) indicate a major shift
in zircon provenance at the transition of Atar-Assabet El Hassiane. The Char-Atar zircon spectra
(Char barcode, sensu Bradley et al., 2015) features typical age peaks older than ca.1800 Ma
indicating West African cratonic provenance, similar to that of the pre-breakup Tonian strata of
the Anti-Atlas. Moreover, the facies and depositional setting of the Atar Group share similarity
with the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate shallow and stable platformal deposits of the Anti-Atlas,
and probably the Tonian part of the Atar Group (Beghin et al., 2017) could be correlated with
the Tonian pre-breakup strata of the Anti-Atlas. The overlying Assabet El Hassiane Group
records a major switch in lithology, depositional setting and in zircon provenance (Bertrand
Sarfati et al., 1987; Nicoll et al., 2010; Bradley et al., 2015). Zircon age spectra in this Group
(Assabet barcode sensu Bradley et al., 2015) are consistent with two main provenances: a WAC
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affinity and an external Mesoproterozoic source of Grenvillian affinity (age peaks at 1212 Ma,
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1357 Ma and 1510 Ma). Moreover, the Assabet El Hassiane lies unconformably on the
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underlying strata (i.e. Atar Group) and record a major sedimentary shift from an epeiric mixed
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clastic-carbonate platform to a thick clastic wedge accumulated in a subsiding basin (Bertrand-
Sarfati et al., 1987). The youngest detrital zircon peaks give an age of ca.921 Ma, which is close
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to that of the Anti-Atlas margin (Ait Lahna et al., 2018; Letsch, 2018,). All these paleogeographic
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and provenance shifts together with zircon spectra, appear comparable with that recorded in
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the Anti-Atlas, and the Tachdamt volcanic Fm. could be correlated with the Lower Assabet El
Hassiane Group as syn-rift deposits in the peri- to epicratonic setting. More to the south in the
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western margin of the WAC, similar Grenvillian signature were reported in the siliciclastic
deposits of the pre-Pan-African Marampa Group with a maximum depositional age constrained
at ca. 1.05Ga (De Waele et al., 2015). This Grenvillian provenance is also common in the SE part
of the WAC passive margin (Volta basin). The pre-Pan-African Boumbouaka Group provides
detrital zircons with typical peaks of WAC and Grenvillian provenance, and a maximum
depositional age is suggested at 1.1Ga (Kalsbeek et al., 2008).

With the onset of convergence around the northern margin of the WAC (i.e. Anti-Atlas),
a long lived intra-oceanic subduction was initiated at ca. 770 Ma and extended up to ca. 700Ma
(Thomas et al., 2002; El Hadi et al., 2010; Inglis et al., 2005; Hefferan et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et
al., 2018). The resulting island arc systems stretch southward along the eastern margin of the
WAC up to the Dahomeyides belt (ca. 790-770Ma Tilemsi-Amalaoulaou arc terrane, Berger et
al., 2011; Triantafyllou et al., 2018). According to our results, the stratigraphic record of this
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stage, as well as the succession overlapping the rift-drift stage (i.e. passive margin) in the craton
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margin succession of the Anti-Atlas is lacking (Fig. 13B). Such successions could have been
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removed by erosion, or buried under the accreted arc belt, or likely not recorded in the case of
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an aborted rift system. In other basins of the WAC and surrounding Pan-African fold belts,
available data on similar successions are scarce and not yet constrained by geochronology. The
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evidence for an intraoceanic subduction indicates that the northern and eastern margin of the
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WAC were fringed by an oceanic domain, older than the island arcs (ca. 790-750 Ma.) and
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younger than the synrift stage dated in the Anti-Atlas at ca.883Ma. The closure of this Pan
African oceanic domain started with the magmatic and tectonic accretion of the arc system and
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ended with the collision of the WAC with eastern Touareg-Nigerian shields (e.g. Saquaque et al.,
1989; Villeneuve and Cornee, 1994; Caby, 2003; Berger et al., 2011; Triantafyllou et al., 2018).
At the time of deposition of the Bleïda Fm. after ca. 700Ma, the attenuated Anti-Atlas
rifted margin acted as a foreland basin, receiving during the initial stage sediments from the
OIAT, the basement of the WAC and a Grenvillian terrane (Fig. 13C). As stated above, the arc
terrane-derived material evidenced in Bleïda sediment together with sedimentological features
(Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004), suggest a convergent setting, and basin fill coeval with the
latest stage of the arc-continent convergence. This pre-collisional basin predates thus the OIA
terrane final accretion to the continental margin and related regional tectono-metamorphic
event bracketed at 663-654Ma. The closure and deformation of the flexural Bleïda basin ended
with the arc-continent collision during the main Pan-African event (Fig. 13D), which is combined
with the emplacement of syn- to late tectonic dioritic to granitic plutons during the 660-640 Ma
Pan African orogenic event (e.g. Saquaque et al., 1992; Inglis et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2006; El
of
Hadi et al., 2010; Blein et al., 2014; Triantafyllou et al., 2018). As indicated by sedimentological
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features and our results on detrital zircons, combined with existing data on detrital zircon
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patterns (Ait Lahna et al., 2018; Letsch, 2018,), sediments of the lower Bleïda Fm. typical of the
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proximal part of the basin originated mainly from the OIAT. In the middle part dominated by
facies of shallow shelf and distal setting of the basin, detritus originated mainly from the
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basement. Toward the top of this formation, a major switch in sedimentation and provenance
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indicate the last filling stage of this pre-collisional basin, with incoming detritus from basement
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and surrounding uplifted and exhumed terranes of the OIA, Grenvillian and rifted Tonian
sources.
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In the Early Tonian rift and in the Cryogenian peripheral Foreland basin of the Anti-Atlas,
the Grenvillian zircon populations appears exotic and sourced outside of the WAC . This data
points toward an existing “Grenville source” relatively close to the north-western margin of the
WAC during both geodynamic stages. As highlighted above, this source would have influenced
the whole western margin of the WAC. In most of the proposed Rodinia reconstructions, there
is no fit with an existing Mesoproterozoic basement along this margin, which is suggested as
facing an oceanic domain (e.g. Dalziel., 1997; Li et al., 2008) or linked to the eastern margin of
Baltica according to the “SAMBA Model” (Johansson, 2014). An alternative model based on
paleomagnetic data from the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic of Amazonia and the WAC
suggests a Mesoproterozoic Grenville belt suturing both cratons with Laurentia (Tohver et al.,
2006). In another scenario, and by considering the evolution of the peri-Gondwanan terranes
and their evolution from Mesoproterozoic to Gondwana assembly, the western margin of the
WAC was facing an oceanic domain with an initial subduction at the end of the Mesoproterozoic
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(1.3-1.1Ga) that provided the arc terranes of Avalonia-Cadomia (e.g. Murphy et al, 2000; Nance
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et al., 2008). Such terranes could also be a possible candidate for Grenvillian detritus in the Anti-
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Atlas and WAC margin. In the western margin of the Reguibat shield (Adrar Souttouf), a possible
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remnant of such Grenville terrane could be the rejuvenated metamorphic unit of Sabkhat
Matallah, which preserve a ca. 1.1-1 Ga event (Villeneuve et al., 2006). In sum, more
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investigations around the WAC basin fills, combined with paleomagnetic studies are needed in
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order to unravel the “Grenville dilemma” and the geodynamic implications for the WAC with
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regards to the Mesoproterozoic orogeny, and to lead to a refined model of Rodinia
supercontinent evolution.
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5. Conclusions
Zircon U/Pb geochronology of pyroclastic facies from the volcanic Tachdamt Formation and
clastic rocks from the Bleïda Fm., have been studied in order to constraint the timing of the
volcanic eruption, and the maximum depositional age and provenance of the overlying clastic
wedge. The obtained results unravel the stratigraphic and geodynamic significance of both
formations within the cratonic margin of the Anti-Atlas belt, the WAC paleogeography and the
broader framework of Rodinia rifting and Gondwana assembly. Our new results can be
summarized as follows:
1. U/Pb zircon dating of crystal-rich and lithic tuffs of the volcanic Tachdamt Fm. provides
an age of ca.883Ma, considered as the time of eruption and age of the Lower boundary
of this Formation., and as evidence for an early Tonian rifting at the northern margin of
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the West African craton. The new age obtained is almost ca. 100my older than the
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previous age of 788±10Ma (Clauer, 1976) provided from the Rb/Sr isotope method and
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often cited in the literature as the age of Neoproterozoic rifting and oceanic spreading in
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the Anti-Atlas.
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2. U/Pb detrital zircon ages obtained from a metasiltstone sample in the lowermost part of
the Bleïda Fm., provide a significant constrain on the maximum depositional age and
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provenance of this clastic wedge. The age of the youngest concordant zircon grains
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which provide a concordia age of 697.1±2.2 Ma, is taken as the best estimate for the
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maximum depositional age of the Bleïda Fm. The age spectra of detrital zircon indicate
three contrasting provenances. Sediments are sourced mainly from the 770-700Ma Bou
Azzer-Siroua arc terrane, with subordinate provenance from the Paleoproterozoic
basement, and a Grenvillian terrane.
3. The obtained age on rifting combined with existing U/Pb detrital zircon data from
interbedded clastic deposits in Tachdamt Fm., indicate major change in provenance at
the transition from pre-rift to syn-rift stages, with sediments provided to the Anti-Atlas
rifted margin from a Grenvillian source.

4. The new ages from both formations combined with existing data at local and regional
scales indicate (more likely) a unique and short-lived magmatic rifting event (ca. 883
Ma), followed by a long-time stratigraphic gap, till the initiation of Bleïda sedimentation
at ca. 700Ma.
5. In the Bleïda Fm., deposited in a pre-collisional foreland basin, our results combined with
available data on sedimentology and U-Pb detrital zircons show significant changes in
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facies and in provenance from bottom to top. This Formation chronicle the arrival of an
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arc-related terrane at the cratonic margin of the Anti-Atlas and the progressive closure
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of this basin by the end of arc-continent collision.
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6. The ca.883 Ma rifting at the northern margin of the West African craton could be a part
of global rifting evidenced in several cratons, and correlated with an early attempt at
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Rodinia breakup, whereas the Cryogenian pre-collisional foreland basin correlate with
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the convergence and initial accretion along the northern margin of Western Gondwana.
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7. Provenance features from the Early Tonian and Cryogenian Anti-Atlas margin as well as
from the western margin of the WAC point toward an existing “Grenvillian terrane” near
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this craton.
Acknowledgements
The geochronological study was conducted under the scientific and technical agreement
between the São Paulo University and the Cadi Ayyad University. The authors acknowledge the
staffs of the Centro de Pesquisas Geocronológicas (CPGeo), Instituto de Geociências (IG),

Universidade de São Paulo- USP , São Paulo (SP), Brazil, for all supports provided to A. Ait
Lahna. Special thanks to P. Eriksson who improved greatly the first draft of this manuscript. We
thank the Department of Geology-FSSM for logistical support and facilities, O. Chourfi for thin
sections preparation, and Managem for logistical support in the field. We acknowledge funding
support from Academy Hassan II for Sciences and Technology, and the funding studentship
2016-2018 awarded to AAL. We thank the reviewers (K. Hefferan and MF. Pereira) for their
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constructive reviews that improved this manuscript, and also the Associate Editor J. Meert for
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his prompt editing of this manuscript. There is no declaration of interest.
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Appendix A. Supplementary data.
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Supplementary data Table 1: SHRIMP II Zircon U-Pb data of the Lithic tuff sample (LT01) and the
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crystal-rich tuff sample (TZ08) from the Tachdamt Formation in Southern Siroua.
Supplementary data Table 2: LA-ICP-MS Zircon U-Pb data of the meta-silstone sample (ALBL38)
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from the Bleïda Formation in Bou Azzer- Elgraara.

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Figure captions
Fig. 01. Geological background of the Anti-Atlas and the Upper Proterozoic-Neoproterozoic
succession of the central Anti-Atlas. (A) Inset showing location of the Anti-Atlas Neoproterozoic
belt within the West African craton framework; (B) Geological sketch map of the Proterozoic
basement of the Anti-Atlas showing the three lithostructural domains and the studied area.
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SAFZ: South Atlas Fault Zone, AAFZ: Anti-Atlas Fault Zone; (C) Simplified map of the central Anti-
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Atlas area showing location of the studied sections in south Siroua (1) and in Bou Azzer- Elgraara
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(2). Tl: Taliwine, Tz: Tazenakht, Ba: Bou Azzer, Bl, Bleida
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Fig. 02. Stratigraphic framework of the post-Eburnean-pre-Pan-African continental margin
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succession of the central Anti-Atlas (Bouougri et al., 2016, modified from Bouougri et Saquaque,
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2004) and summary of existing geochronologic data and lithostratigraphic designation used
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from distinct inliers. Left side are radiometric ages of U-Pb dating on zircon and baddeleyite
grains from (1) Abati et al., 2010; (2) Walsh et al., 2012; (3) Ait-Lahna et al., 2016; (4) Letsch et
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al., 2018; (5) Ait-Lahna et al., 2018; (6) This work. U-Pb ages from Mafic sill (black circle), tuffs
and lapilli tuffs (red circles) and detrital zircon (white circles). Right side are lithostratigraphic
designations and subdivision used for this succession: (I) Gasquet et al., 2008; (II) Thomas et al.,
2004; (III) Leblanc and Moussine-Pouchkine, 1994; (IV) Bouougri and Saquaque, 2004; (V)
Bouougri et al., 2016. LSE: Lower Sedimentary wedge, MVU: Middle volcanic unit; USE: Upper
sedimentary wedge, U: Unconformity and unconformity bounded successions

Fig. 03. (A) Geological map of the studied area in southern Siroua, showing the location of
samples TZ08 and LT01 within Tachdamt Formation. (B) Geological section across the
continental margin strata in Tazount area showing the structural features: 1- Ifarkhs n’Tirsal
Fm., 2- Wanimzi Fm., 3- Tamgarda Fm., 4- Agoummy Fm., 5- Imi n-Tizi Fm., 6, Tachdamt Fm., 7-
Faults.
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Fig. 04. Examples of pyroclastic facies from Tachdamt Fm. and petrographic features of the
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studied samples: (A) Accretionary lapilli embedded in a pyroclastic fine-grained matrix; (B)
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Ignimbrite with a mixture of juvenile and lithic flattened volcanic and sedimentary clasts; (C)
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Polished hyaloclastite slab with abundant volcanic clasts of various sizes and shapes, embedded
in a purple to dark glass; (D) Polished surface of poorly sorted lithic tuff (sample LT01)
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dominated by juvenile clasts embedded in a brownish volcanic matrix; (E) Thin section
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microphotograph from crystal-rich tuff (sample TZ08) composed of Quartz (Qz), Feldspar (Fd),
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devitrified volcanic clasts (Dv) and muscovite flakes (Mv); (F) Thin section microphotograph
from lithic tuff (LT01) composed of volcanic clasts of basalt (Vc), pumice (Pu) and devitrified
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volcanic clasts (Dv). For A and B, coin is 24mm in diameter. Thin section pictures are taken
under crossed nicols.
Fig. 05. (A) Geological map of the central part of Bleïda area showing the location of sample
ALBL38. (B) Geological cross section showing the structural features of the continental margin
strata in the Bleïda area. 1-Tamgarda Fm., 2- Agoummy Fm., 3- Imi n’Tizi Fm., 4- Tachdamt Fm.
(vs: volcano-sedimentary layers), 5- Bleïda Fm., 6- Arc-related terrane (Amphibolites and

marbles), 7- Saghro Group (Trifiya basin), 8- Post-tectonic Tonalite intrusion (ca. 586 Ma), 8-
Faults.
Fig. 06. (A) Typical facies from the Lower part of the Bleïda Formation dominated fine-grained
and thinly laminated purple to grey silty mudstone and black shales, scale is 14.5cm long ; (B)
Sampled creme-pale meta-siltstone layer (ALBL38) interbedded within reddish to brownish silty
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mudstone and fine-grained sandstone, scale is 33 cm long; (C) Polished slab of the studied
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sample (ALBL38) showing millimeter thick brownish silty laminae alternating with light
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mudstone laminae. Note the preserved primary cross and parallel laminations typical of a
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waning flow; (D) Petrographic features of the sample ALBL38 with alternating silt-sized quartz
dominated lamina and sericite-chlorite dominated lamina (Microphotos taken under crossed
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nicols).
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Fig. 07. Zircon U-Pb age results for the lithic tuff of Tachdamt Fm. (Sample LT01). (A) Selected
cathodoluminscence (CL) images of representative zircon grains. The red circles represent spots
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analysed for U-Pb isotopes; (B) Relative probability plot of zircon U-Pb ages and pie diagram
showing relative age proportions; (C) U-Pb Concordia diagrams of all analysed zircon grains and
of youngest zircon grains which provide a weighted mean age of 885 ± 5.9 Ma.
Fig. 08. Zircon U-Pb age results for the crystal-rich tuff of Tachdamt Fm. (Sample TZ08): (A)
Selected cathodoluminscence (CL) images of representative zircon grains. The red circles
represent spots analysed for U-Pb isotopes; (B) Relative probability plot of zircon U-Pb ages and
pie diagram showing relative age proportions; (C) U-Pb Concordia diagrams of analysed zircon
grains and of youngest and dominating population which provide a weighted mean age of 883±
2.3 Ma.
Fig 09. Zircon U-Pb age results for the metasiltstone of Bleïda Fm. (Sample ALBL38). (A) Selected
cathodoluminscence (CL) images of representative zircon grains. The red circles represent spots
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analysed for U-Pb isotopes; (B) Relative probability plot of zircon U-Pb ages and pie diagram
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showing relative age proportions; (C) U-Pb Concordia diagrams of analysed zircon grains and of
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youngest population which provide two weighted mean ages of 746.1 ±5.9 Ma and 699.1 ± 5.5
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Ma.
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Fig. 10. Concordia diagram of combined youngest zircon grains from samples (TZ08) and (LT01).
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Fig 11. (A) Schematic interpretative geotectonic setting of Bleïda formation (not to scale), with
onset of Bouzzer-Siroua Arc terrane accretion on the Anti-Atlas cratonic margin during the
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Cryogenian. Main zircon sources and sediments input are indicated by arrows and correspond
to West African craton (BP), Grenville (GP) and OIA terrane (AP) provenances. Minor input from
Tonian strata (TP) and recorded at the late stage of the foreland basin is indicated by dashed
arrow; (B) Interpretative section of the pre-Pan-African succession in the Anti-Atlas margin (not
to scale), showing the three main geodynamic stages and stratigraphic relationship of Bleïda Fm.
with underlying strata.

Fig. 12. Provenance shifts (PSh) in Bleïda Fm. correlated with the sedimentological trend, major
changes in facies from bottom to top and basin evolution. Detrital zircon ages are from: (1) this
work, (2) Letsch, 2018; (3) Ait-Lahna et al., 2018. Dashed line: minor to quasi absent input;
Sedimentologic data compiled from Bouougri et al., 1994; Bouougri et al., 2004. The main shifts
in provenance are related to facies change and to geodynamic evolution of the foreland basin
(see text for explanation).
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Fig. 13. Schematic sketches of the evolution of the northern margin of WAC during the main
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geodynamic stages, since the Early Tonian rifting up to onset of arc-terrane accretion and final
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arc-continent collision. (A) Early Tonian rifting at ca. 883 Ma (Tachdamt Fm.); (B) Tonian-
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Cryogenian intra-oceanic subduction and island arc growth along the eastern margin of WAC;
(C) Arrival of OIA terrane at the cratonic margin of the Anti-Atlas and formation of peripheral
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foreland basin (Bleïda Fm); (D) Arc terrane-craton margin collision and closure of Foreland basin
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during the main Pan-African tectonic event (ca.660-640 Ma). Sediment input direction are
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indicated by arrows (see Fig.11A for zircon ages and provenance). Zircon data for Taoudenni
basin (TB) provided from Bradley et al., 2015. 1. Eburnean basement; 2. Pre-Pan-African basin:
AAB, Anti-Atlas basin; TB, Taoudenni basin; GB, Gourma basin; VB, Volta basin; 3. rift-related
volcanic Tachdamt Fm., 4. Coeval dyke swarms of Iguerda n’Taifast (Kouyaté et al., 2013); 5.
Oceanic island arcs; 6. Arc-related terrane; 7. Peripheral foreland basin (Bleïda Fm.); 8. WAC
boundary; 9. Pan-African and Variscan belt thrusts; 10. Subduction front; 11. Arc-suture related
thrusts, 12-13-14. are West african, grenvillian and arc-terrane zircon provenance respectively.
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Credit author Statement:
El Hafid Bouougri, Ait Lahna Abdelhaq, Hasan Admou: Investigation, writing, editing and reviewing
Abdelhaq Ait lahna, M. Basei : Formal analysis, Data curation. El Hafid Bouougri, Colombo Tassinari,
Miguel Basei, N. Youbi, A. Saquaque : Conceptualization, Supervision, funding acquisition. My Hmed
Boumehdi, Lhou Maacha : validation.
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Declaration of interests
☐The authors declare that they have no known competing financialinterestsor personal relationships
that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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Highlights
 We present U-Pb dating of Early Tonian rifting and related volcanism of the Tachdamt
Fm. in the Anti-Atlas belt.
 U-Pb dating detrital zircon grains of Bleïda Fm. chronicles arrival of arc-related terrain at
the cratonic margin of Anti-Atlas during the Cryogenian.
 Both Tachdamt and Bleïda Formations record major shifts in provenance and correlate
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respectively with early attempt of Rodinia Breakup and initial accretion at north
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Gondwana margin.
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Evidence in the Anti-Atlas cratonic margin for input of zircon grains sourced from a
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Grenvillian terrane.
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Figure 1
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Figure 3
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Figure 6
Figure 7
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Figure 11
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Figure 13

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Time constraints on early Tonian Rifting and Cryogenian Arc

El Hafid Bouougri, Abdelhak Ait Lahna, Colombo C.G. Tassinari,

To appear in: Gondwana Research

Received date: 26 November 2019

zircon geochronology in the Pan-African Anti-Atlas belt (Morocco)

SP, Brazil (ccgtassi@usp.br);

stratigraphic records, a radiometric study was carried out on the volcano-sedimentary

western margin of the WAC.

Craton, Rodinia breakup, Gondwana assembly,

the cratonic margin of Anti-Atlas during the Cryogenian.

Among the most challenging goals in studying unfossiliferous Precambrian basin-fill

assembly of supercontinents, long-term atmospheric and climatic changes, and related

al., 2008; Ernst et al., 2008; Svensen et al., 2019).

paucity of radiometric studies of magmatic products, assumed to be rift-related in surrounding

craton as well as in surrounding fold belts, two volcano-sedimentary packages were

distinguished within the Neoproterozoic successions, bounded by a tectonic unconformity

related to a Pan-African collisional event.

The Anti-Atlas Proterozoic basement preserves a volcano-sedimentary succession

overlain by a sedimentary-dominated wedge up to ~500m thick and interpreted respectively as

In this study, through U-Pb dating of zircon in pre-Pan-African pyroclastic and

provenance of the overlying volcano-sedimentary Bleïda Formation, interpreted to be a

the northern margin of the WAC.

2.1. The Proterozoic Anti-Atlas basement

consists of a Paleoproterozoic basement (ca. 2 Ga) overlain unconformably by a pre-Pan-African

Inlier and High-Atlas mountains, constitutes a Proterozoic basement, likely of peri-Gondwanan

affinity, overlain by an Upper Ediacaran (ca.610-593 Ma) volcano-sedimentary succession

late Ediacaran volcano-sedimentary Ouarzazate Group and crosscut by continental arc-related

subordinate volcanic occurrences (Bouougri et al., 2016).

2.3. The Tachdamt and Bleïda Formations

pyroclastic facies association with features consistent with a phreatomagmatic explosive

subordinate siliciclastic layers.

sedimentary deposits preserved on the northern margin of the WAC.

3. Geochronology: Sampling, Methods, Zircon description and results.

Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).

3.1.1. Tachdamt Formation:

deposit. Most features of these pyroclastites indicate a phreatomagmatic activity and a

3.1.2. Bleïda Formation:

alternating quartz-rich brownish laminae and mud-rich pale-cream laminae. Primary

whereas the coarse-grained laminae preserve a primary mineralogy dominated by silt-sized

quartz and minor components of feldspars (Fig. 6D).

scanning electron microscope equipped with Mono CL3 + cathodoluminescence spectroscope

Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMPII)

40 seconds in a 32 µm spot at the frequency of 6 Hz and intensity of 7mJ,and the ablated

3.3. Zircon description and results

3.3.1. Lithic tuff of Tachdamt Formation: sample LT01

population is of Paleoproterozoic age ( 63 % Rhyacian and 38 % Orosirian), ranging from 2190 ±

explosive volcanic event (Fig. 7C).

3.3.2. Crystal-rich tuff of Tachdamt Formation: Sample TZ08

3.3.3. Metasiltstone of the Bleïda Formation: sample ALBL-38

maximum depositional age of the Bleïda Formation (Fig. 9C).

phreatomagmatic processes, followed by a long-lived effusive eruption with superposed thick

lapilli-tuffs is 885±5.7 Ma (MSWD=0.23).

Inglis et al., 2017; Triantafyllou et al., 2016; Triantafyllou et al., 2018).

over almost 30 my for the Bleïda Fm.

Grenvillian terrane, similar to that of the Amazonia-Baltica cratons and/or to juvenile

Grenvillian source, which provided sediments to the Anti-Atlas basin.

4.3. Stratigraphic and geodynamic implications

4.3.1. Stratigraphic implication: Time gap at the boundary of Tachdamt-Bleïda Formations

provenance, together with contrasting geochemical features of volcanic facies of both

sedimentary or epiclastic layers, or by preserved major reworking and subaerial or marine

sedimentation at ca. 700 Ma.

4.3.2 Regional and global geodynamic implications