Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13

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Journal of African Earth Sciences

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Geochronological data on the Rabat–Tiflet granitoids: Their bearing

on the tectonics of the Moroccan Variscides
A. Tahiri a, P. Montero b, H. El Hadi c, D. Martínez Poyatos d, A. Azor d, F. Bea b,
J.F. Simancas d,*, F. González Lodeiro d
a
Département de Géologie, Institut scientifique, BP 703 Rabat-Agdal, Morocco
b
Departamento de Mineralogía y Petrología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
c
Département de Géologie, Faculté des sciences Ben Msik-Sidi Othmane, BP 7955, Casablanca, Morocco
d
Departamento de Geodinámica, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The northern border of the Variscan Moroccan Meseta is characterized by the presence of Cambrian rocks
Received 14 July 2008 affected by pre-Variscan deformation (the Sehoul block) thrust to the south onto Ordovician, Silurian and
Received in revised form 26 June 2009 Devonian sediments and volcanics of the Bou Regreg corridor. A correct appraisal of the significance of
Accepted 5 July 2009
this tectonic contact in the framework of the Variscan orogen needs new data on the age, geochemical
Available online 16 July 2009
features and field relationships of granitoids cropping out in the Sehoul block (Rabat granitoids) and
the Bou Regreg corridor (Tiflet granitoids). Accordingly, we provide here with new geochemical data
Keywords:
and accurate U–Pb geochronology of these granitoids, which lead us to conclude that: (i) the Rabat grani-
U–Pb geochronology
Granitoids
toids are Late Devonian in age (367 Ma); (ii) the Tiflet granitoids are Late Proterozoic in age (605–609 Ma)
Caledonian and display Andean-arc features, thus being genetically linked to the Cadomian/Pan-African subduction
Neoproterozoic and forming part of the Variscan basement during the Palaeozoic; (iii) the previously accepted 430 Ma
Moroccan Variscides Rb–Sr age, common for the Rabat and Tiflet granitoids, which would imply a trivial Carboniferous dis-
placement of the Sehoul thrust, must be rejected; and (iv) the Sehoul thrust might be a major Variscan
boundary, perhaps hiding the Rheic Ocean suture.
Ó 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction resenting a single magmatic event for which an Rb–Sr isochron

The Moroccan Variscides are usually subdivided into the East-
ern Meseta, the Western Meseta and the Coastal Block (Fig. 1A).
The High Atlas to the south and the Caledonian Sehoul block to
the north bound these three main regions of the Moroccan Vari-
scan Belt (Piqué and Michard, 1989; Piqué, 1994; Hoepffener
et al., 2005). Just south of the High Atlas, in the Anti-Atlas region,
the front of the Variscan orogenic belt is observed, with a gradual
passage to non-deformed Palaeozoic series overlying a Precam-
brian basement.
This work is focused on the east–west elongated zone between
Rabat and Tiflet (Fig. 1A and B), which includes the northern part of
the Western Meseta and reduced outcrops of the Sehoul block, cov-
ered in a great extent by Cenozoic sediments. A number of granit-
oid outcrops have been mapped southeast of Rabat in the Sehoul
block, and southwest of Tiflet in the Western Meseta (El Hassani,
1991; Fig. 1B and 2). These outcrops are collectively known as
the Rabat–Tiflet granitoids, having been viewed up to now as rep-
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 958243353; fax: +34 958248527.
E-mail address: simancas@ugr.es (J.F. Simancas).
was reported in a short note by Charlot et al., 1973 (414 Ma, recal-
culated as 430 Ma by El Hassani (1991). Considering that the
assumption of a single magmatic event for all these granitoids is
uncertain and that the referred age has important regional implica-
tions, we have revised the geochronology of these granitoids, as
well as their geochemistry and field relationships between the geo-
logical units in the region. Our data point to a different tectonic
interpretation for this region, which, in turn, is relevant to under-
stand the Variscan orogen in Morocco.
2. Field relationships and petrography of the Rabat and Tiflet
granitoids
In the Rabat–Tiflet area, three main units have been distin-
guished from north to south (El Hassani, 1991; Fig. 1B): (1) the Se-
houl Caledonian block, (2) the Bou Regreg corridor of Ordovician to
Devonian sediments and volcanics, and (3) a chaotic (olistostro-
mic) unit. The outcrops of the Sehoul block are made up of Cam-
brian low-grade phyllites and metasandstones intruded by
granitoids, with the metasedimentary rocks apparently recording
a Caledonian orogenic event (see discussion below). This ensemble

1464-343X/$ - see front matter Ó 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2009.07.005
2 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13
Fig. 1. 1A: Geological sketch of the Moroccan Variscides. 1B: Geological map of the investigated area showing, from north to south, the Sehoul block, the Sehoul thrust, the
Bou Regreg corridor and the Sidi Bettache Carboniferous basin (from El Hassani (1991), simplified).
is thrust onto the Bou Regreg corridor, which is made up of non-
metamorphic rocks of Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian age, only
affected by Variscan deformation. The Ordovician rocks of the Bou
Regreg corridor show two distinctive features with respect to the
Ordovician of other regions in Morocco: (i) presence of volcanic ba-
sic rocks embedded in a clastic Lower Ordovician sequence, and (ii)
lack of Upper Ordovician deposits (El Hassani, 1991). The rocks of
the Bou Regreg corridor are thrust onto an olistostromic/conglom-
eratic chaotic unit, which gradually passes southwards to the
Upper Devonian/Lower Carboniferous clastic sediments and vol-
canics of the Sidi Bettache basin (Fig. 1B).
The granitoids of the Rabat area, cropping out a few kilometres
southeast of Rabat city, appear as decametre/hectometre-size tec-
tonic lenses and dykes included in the Sehoul block (Fig. 1B and 2).
The granitoids are cut at different scales by faults which are con-
gruent with the thrust of the Sehoul block over the Bou Regreg cor-
ridor. Because of this tectonic overprint, the association of the
plutonic outcrops with their thermal aureole is not obvious,
though adjacent andalusite/cordierite/biotite-bearing schists are
considered to result from the contact metamorphism caused by
the granitoids. The Rabat granitoids display some petrographic
variety, having been described as syenites (Lecointre, 1931; García,
1961), quartz-diorites, granodiorites and monzogranites (El Has-
sani, 1991).
To the east, SW of Tiflet village, the granitoids of Taïcha and Bou
Jemaa crop out included in the Bou Regreg corridor (Fig. 1B and 2).
The boundaries of these granitoids are sometimes Variscan faults,
but when non-faulted boundaries are observed they display sedi-
mentary rather than intrusive features. Thus, no trace of thermal
metamorphism has been found in the Ordovician to Lower Devo-
nian sedimentary rocks of the Bou Regreg corridor around the Tiflet
plutons. The Tiflet granitoids are quartz-diorites and granodiorites,
with biotite as the main mafic mineral and amphibole present only
in minor amounts in the Taïcha outcrop; they contain some
metasedimentary enclaves, with mafic microgranular enclaves
only in Taïcha.
Hydrothermal alteration promoted by the tectonic deformation
affects the Rabat and Tiflet granitoids, being responsible for car-
bonate–chlorite veins locally found within the granitoids.
3. Regional scenario
The Rabat–Tiflet granitoids have yielded a 430 Ma Rb–Sr ‘‘iso-
chron” (Charlot et al., 1973), and have been related to the Caledo-
nian orogenic evolution (Piqué, 1989; El Hassani, 1991). In the
phyllites of the Sehoul block near Rabat (Fig. 1), biotite, andalusite
and cordierite porphyroblasts attributed to contact metamorphism
are observed to have grown sealing the main foliation, thus indi-
cating that granitoids intrusion occurred later than the main defor-
mation event recorded in the phyllites. Accordingly, the age of that
deformational event has been bracketed between the Cambrian
(age of the sediments) and the 430 Ma attributed to the granitoids,
i.e. it has been considered as a Caledonian event. This interpreta-
tion is also supported by the K/Ar age of micas from the Sehoul
phyllites (El Hassani, 1991): from six analysed samples, five of
them gave K/Ar ages between 327 and 359 Ma, with one of them
yielding 453 Ma. These results were interpreted as Variscan
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13
Fig. 2. Location of the analysed samples (compare with Fig. 1B). Geographical coordinates are given for the samples studied for geochronology. 1: outcrops of the Sehoul
schists; 2: granitoids; 3 and 4: upper and lower tectonic boundaries of the Bou Regreg corridor.
reworking related to the Sehoul thrust, with some preservation
(the 453 Ma sample) of the Caledonian low-grade metamorphism.
In the Bou Regreg corridor, near Tiflet (Fig. 1B), field relation-
ships between granitoids and surrounding rocks are different with
respect to those in the Rabat area, with the granitoids being cov-
ered here by a non-metamorphic sequence, dated at its base as
Upper Silurian. These Upper Silurian sediments also overlie a vol-
cano-sedimentary sequence of Early Ordovician age, but Upper Or-
dovician and Lower Silurian sediments are absent (El Hassani,
1991). The relationships between the granitoids and the Lower Or-
dovician rocks are not observed in the field.
If the Rabat and Tiflet granitoids were 430 Ma old, the Sehoul
block and the Variscan Meseta would be together at that pre-Vari-
scan time because granitoids crop out in the two geological
domains, at both sides of the Sehoul thrust (Fig. 2). However, the
deformational structures in the thrust zone, as well as the develop-
ment to the south of a syn-sedimentary olistostromic Lower
Carboniferous unit strongly suggest that the Sehoul thrust is a
first-order Variscan structure bringing together two pre-Variscan
geological domains.
4. Samples and methods
We collected twelve samples of the Rabat granitoids and six sam-
ples of the Tiflet granitoids for geochemical and isotopic studies (Ta-
bles 1 and 2; see location in Fig. 2), as well as for a preliminary test
of previous Rb/Sr dating; samples were collected from areas with no
visible alteration. Since the Rb/Sr isotopic data did not yield an accept-
able isochron age, we separated zircons for U–Pb geochronology from
three granitoids, one sample (BARR-1) from the Rabat area and two
samples (TA and BJE) from the Tiflet area (see location in Fig. 2). All
the analyses (X-ray fluorescence for major-elements and Zr, ICPMS
for trace elements, LA-ICPMS for U–Pb and TIMS for Sr–Nd isotopes
and Pb–Pb technique) have been performed at the Centro de Instru-
mentación Científica (CIC) of the Granada University.
Whole-rock major-element and Zr determinations were done by
X-ray fluorescence after fusion with lithium tetraborate. Typical
precision was better than ±1.5% for an analyte concentration of
10 wt.% and ±2.5% for 100 ppm Zr. Trace elements were determined
in an Agilent-7500 inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
3
(ICPMS) after HNO3 + HF digestion of 0.1 g of sample powder in a
Teflon-lined vessel at 180 °C and 200 psi during 30 min, evapo-
ration to dryness and subsequent dissolution in 100 ml of 4 vol.%
HNO3; the precision was better than ±5% for analyte concentrations
of 10 ppm. The concentration of Hf was calculated from the ICPMS-
determined Zr/Hf and the XRF-determined Zr concentration. Sam-
ples for Sr and Nd isotope analysis were digested with HNO3 + HF
in the same way as before using ultra-clean reagents and analysed
by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) in a Finnigan Mat
262 spectrometer after chromatographic separation with ion-ex-
change resins. Normalization values were 86Sr/88Sr = 0.1194 and
146
Nd/144Nd = 0.7219. Blanks were 0.6 and 0.09 ng for Sr and Nd
respectively. The external precision (2r), estimated by analysing
10 replicates of the standard WS-E (Govindaraju et al., 1994), was
better than ±0.003% for 86Sr/88Sr (mean = 0.706596) and ±0.0015%
for 146Nd/144Nd (mean = 0.512462). The internal precision and accu-
racy can be estimated on the averages of the standards NBS987,
87
Sr/86Sr = 0.710247 ± 0.000005, and La Jolla 143Nd/144Nd =
0.511844 ± 0.000007. 87Sr/86Rb and 143Sm/144Nd were directly
determined by ICPMS following the method developed by Montero
and Bea (1998), with a precision better than ± 1.2% and ± 0.9% (2r),
respectively.
Laser Ablation-ICPMS analyses of U, Th and Pb isotopes were
carried out with an Nd-YAG 213 lm Mer-cantek laser and a
torch-shielded quadrupolar Agilent 7500 ICPMS spectrometer.
The laser beam was set at a diameter of 60 lm, with a repetition
rate of 10 Hz and output energy of 1 mJ per pulse. The ablation
time was 60 s and the spot was pre-ablated during 45 s with laser
output energy of 0.3 mJ per pulse. The ablation was done in a He
atmosphere. 91Zr was used as an internal standard. The external
standard was the NIST-610 glass, which contains 439.9 ppm Zr,
417.7 ppm Hf, 409 ppm Pb, 457.1 ppm U and 450.6 ppm Th (Pearce
et al., 1997). The following isotope ratios, determined by TIMS at
the University of Granada, were also used: 204Pb/206Pb = 0.0611,
207
Pb/206Pb = 0.9127, 208Pb/206Pb = 2.1898, 206Pb/238U = 0.2501,
208
Pb/232Th = 0.5402. The precision (1r) estimated on ten repli-
cates of the NIST-610 analysed in the same run was better than
2.5% for element ratios and 1.3% for isotope ratios. The U–Pb age
of each zircon population was estimated by averaging the 207-
corrected age of all LA-ICPMS determinations, and the errors are
reported at 95% of confidence level.
 4
Table 1
U–Pb isotope data of the studied samples.

Sample Analysis Element concentration (ppm) Isotope ratios Ages (Ma)

207
U Th Pb Pb/206Pb Error (1 s) 206
Pb/238U Error (1 s) 238
U/206Pb 235
U/207Pb 207
Pb/206Pb 207 Correct Error (Ma)
Barr-1 a10 25 86 19 0.1028 3 0.0619 2.6 387 639 1675 363 10
Barr-1 a2 441 137 30 0.0897 8.5 0.0603 3.4 377 566 1419 361 15
Barr-1 a6 1489 89 97 0.0765 9.3 0.0649 2.6 406 530 1108 394 13
Barr-1 a8 621 121 43 0.0958 15.5 0.0634 4.2 396 618 1545 376 21
Barr-1 a9 1228 76 71 0.0625 7.7 0.06 6.7 375 423 693 371 25
Barr-1 bz3 249 156 16 0.0609 24.9 0.0577 20.9 362 401 636 358 65
Barr-1 bz4 1538 284 92 0.0572 8.5 0.0615 3.5 385 402 501 383 15
Barr-1 bz5 228 97 13 0.0561 14 0.0554 4.6 347 362 456 346 18
Barr-1 bz7 1041 73 61 0.0728 4.2 0.0595 4.9 372 475 1010 364 18
Barr-1 bz8 780 406 69 0.1626 3.6 0.0642 8.1 401 906 2482 347 28
Barr-1 c2 1099 103 65 0.0597 5.4 0.0629 5.2 393 424 592 391 20
Barr-1 c7 327 163 21 0.0991 4.1 0.0558 4.2 350 575 1607 330 15

A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13

Barr-1 c8 2443 227 161 0.0851 10.2 0.0642 5.9 401 570 1317 386 25
Barr-1 c9 621 120 33 0.0651 9.6 0.0534 4.2 335 398 779 330 15
Barr-1 a9 3329 177 179 0.0623 2.7 0.0565 6.1 354 402 684 350 20
Barr-1 a8 1665 140 273 0.3231 11.2 0.0914 4 564 1648 3585 375 35
Barr-1 bz10 847 162 128 0.2989 16 0.0877 6.5 542 1553 3465 377 46
Barr-1 bz3 347 220 23 0.0565 3.8 0.0619 8.9 387 400 473 386 32
Barr-1 bz5 307 185 26 0.1317 10.1 0.0628 5.1 393 773 2121 355 22
Barr-1 bz8 661 313 46 0.0712 4.6 0.0628 3.4 392 488 964 384 14
Barr-1 c2 315 67 19 0.0551 4.7 0.0623 3.6 390 394 418 389 14
Barr-1 c4 229 124 15 0.0614 2.6 0.0609 2.6 381 422 654 378 10
Barr-1 c6 982 174 178 0.3435 2.7 0.0981 2.5 603 1757 3678 387 16
BJE 008a 103 59 12 0.0612 2.8 0.0996 3.2 612 620 647 611 20
BJE 014a 130 89 15 0.0606 3.7 0.0985 3 605 610 625 605 18
BJE 016a 71 25 13 0.0748 3.6 0.1766 1.6 1048 1053 1062 1048 19
BJE 018a 73 26 14 0.0757 3.1 0.1788 1.4 1061 1069 1087 1059 17
BJE 024a 284 96 30 0.0616 14.8 0.096 3.2 591 605 659 590 24
BJE 026a 306 155 33 0.0605 2.7 0.0978 2 602 605 620 601 13
BJE 032a 200 113 22 0.0601 3.4 0.0992 2 610 609 608 610 13
BJE 036a 91 58 10 0.0603 4.4 0.0982 2.5 604 606 614 604 16
BJE 044a 211 174 25 0.0594 3.2 0.0988 2.6 607 602 581 608 16
BJE 050a 120 77 13 0.0613 4.1 0.0987 1.4 607 616 651 606 10
BJE 056a 71 25 14 0.0751 2.9 0.179 1.5 1061 1065 1072 1061 18
BJE 058a 72 26 14 0.0747 3.3 0.1824 1.2 1080 1074 1061 1081 16
BJE 060a 182 87 20 0.0601 5.4 0.0979 1.3 602 603 607 602 10
BJE 074a 332 144 37 0.0602 3.2 0.0994 1.2 611 611 610 611 9
TA a1 213 139 24 0.0597 4.8 0.0996 3.8 612 608 592 612 24
TA a2 421 110 42 0.0593 4.3 0.0993 3.4 610 603 577 611 22
TA a3 262 133 28 0.0621 4.1 0.1006 3.9 618 631 679 617 24
TA a5 196 110 21 0.0613 3.3 0.0989 3.8 608 616 648 607 23
TA a6 168 107 18 0.0602 4.9 0.0998 4.3 613 613 612 613 27
TA a8 212 103 22 0.0601 4 0.0972 4.1 598 600 608 598 25
TA a10 431 91 43 0.0593 3.1 0.099 4.2 609 602 577 609 25
TA a12 98 73 11 0.0618 3.7 0.0965 3.3 594 610 669 592 20
TA a13 387 55 37 0.0619 2.8 0.0982 3 604 618 671 603 18
TA a14 153 73 16 0.0586 2.8 0.1011 3 621 606 552 622 19
TA a15 528 197 52 0.0597 3.7 0.0957 2.7 589 590 594 589 17
TA b2 47 14 5 0.0618 3.2 0.0982 3.5 604 618 668 603 21
TA a3 67 31 7 0.0609 3.5 0.0975 2.7 600 608 637 599 17
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13 5

Table 2
Pb–Pb isotopic data of the studied samples.
204 207 207
Sample Analysis Pb/206 Pb/206 Pb/206 cor SE Age (ma) Error Ma
BARR-1 (1)-1 0.000689 0.063663 0.0537305 0.9 360 20
BARR-1 (1)-2 0.00026 0.057246 0.0535776 0.7 357 16
BARR-1 (1)-3 0.000263 0.057442 0.053731 0.5 360 11
BARR-1 (2)-1 0.002295 0.08728 0.0539009 0.26 367 6
BARR-1 (2)-2 0.0023318 0.0878965 0.053985 0.28 370 7
BARR-1 (5)-1 0.0016217 0.0773278 0.0537753 0.6 362 13
BARR-1 (5)-2 0.001864 0.080876 0.0537855 0.4 362 9
BARR-1 (5)-3 0.001956 0.082506 0.0540843 0.23 375 5
BARR-1 (5)-4 0.0020346 0.0833587 0.0537768 0.25 362 5
BARR-1 (5)-5 0.001005 0.068538 0.0539964 0.3 371 7
BARR-1 (5)-6 0.001054 0.069327 0.0540719 0.16 374 4
BARR-1 (10)-1 0.001171 0.070663 0.0536902 1.3 358 29
BARR-1 (11)-1 0.001603 0.117999 0.0960367 1 1548 19
BARR-1 (11)-2 0.000052 0.11926 0.1188514 0.27 1993 5
BARR-1 (11)-3 0.000037 0.12488 0.1246899 0.18 2024 3
BARR-1 (11)-4 0.000035 0.124615 0.1244507 0.21 2021 4
BARR-1 (11)-5 0.000037 0.123933 0.1237399 0.19 2011 3
BARR-1 (12)-1 0.000535 0.061606 0.0539251 0.7 368 16
BARR-1 (12)-2 0.000066 0.054908 0.0540753 0.6 374 13
BJE (2)-1 0.000644 0.071446 0.0622935 0.5 684 11
BJE (2)-2 0.000926 0.07521 0.0619778 0.28 673 6
BJE (2)-3 0.000859 0.074414 0.0621532 0.39 679 9
BJE (2)-4 0.000703 0.072083 0.0620749 0.25 677 5
BJE (2)-5 0.000773 0.073413 0.0623987 688 688 4
BJE (2)-6 0.000815 0.073981 0.0623594 0.28 686 6
BJE (3)-1 0.000017 0.060046 0.0599032 0.5 600 11
BJE (3)-2 0.000018 0.060536 0.0604215 0.6 619 13
BJE (3)-3 0.000015 0.060202 0.0601301 0.4 608 9
BJE (5)-1 0.0001795 0.0623773 0.0599221 0.2 601 4
BJE (5)-2 0.000163 0.062148 0.0599314 0.12 601 3
BJE (5)-3 0.000172 0.062254 0.0599069 0.11 600 2
BJE (5)-4 0.000172 0.06231 0.0599632 0.14 602 2
BJE (5)-5 0.000182 0.062594 0.0601031 0.16 607 4
BJE (5)-6 0.000117 0.061482 0.0599318 0.2 601 4
BJE (5)-7 0.000121 0.061752 0.0601449 0.16 609 4
TA (2)-1 0.000022 0.060455 0.0602822 0.3 614 6
TA (2)-2 0.000033 0.060634 0.0603019 0.42 614 9
TA (2)-3 0.000023 0.060622 0.0604351 0.29 619 6
TA (2)-4 0.000024 0.06028 0.0600776 0.4 606 8
TA (2)-5 0.000017 0.060064 0.0599627 0.5 606 11
TA (3)-1 9.00E06 0.060063 0.0600779 0.3 606 6
TA (3)-2 0.000011 0.06019 0.0601762 0.7 610 15
TA (3)-3 5.00E06 0.059888 0.0599606 0.2 602 4
TA (3)-4 4.00E06 0.059839 0.059926 0.29 601 6
TA (3)-5 6.00E06 0.0601 0.0601586 0.5 609 11
TA (5)-1 6.00E06 0.060092 0.0601506 0.27 609 6
TA (5)-2 6.00E06 0.060031 0.0600894 0.29 607 7
TA (4)-1 8.00E06 0.059929 0.059981 0.22 602 5
TA (4)-2 9.00E06 0.059975 0.0599897 0.18 603 4
TA (4)-3 1.00E05 0.06018 0.0601807 0.28 610 6
TA (4)-4 0.000011 0.060202 0.0601882 0.21 610 5
TA (4)-5 0.000011 0.060084 0.0600699 0.31 606 7
TA (6)-1 0.000012 0.06033 0.0603021 0.25 614 5
TA (6)-2 0.000013 0.060408 0.0603657 0.3 617 7

Single-zircon evaporation analyses (Kober, 1986, 1987) were
performed using a SEM-RPQ multi-collector Finnigan Mat 262
thermal ionization mass spectrometer with a double filament
ion-source arrangement, operated with the RunIt262 SpectromatTM
software. The zircon grain was mounted on a canoe-shaped Re
evaporation filament and heated until the lead beam was intense
enough (200–400 206Pb ions per second). The lead was collected
on the ionization filament for 20–30 min, and then analyzed in five
blocks with seven scans per block. Once the analysis was finished, a
new step was started by heating the zircon on the evaporation fil-
ament at a higher temperature than in the previous step (usually
increasing the current by 50–100 mA) and analyzing, as before,
the Pb deposited anew on the ionization filament. The procedure
was repeated until all the lead was exhausted from the zircon.
The number of steps depended on the size and lead content of each
zircon. Data acquisition was performed in dynamic mode (peak
hopping), using a secondary electron multiplier as detector with
the 206–204–206–207–208 mass sequence. The mass-ratio 204/
206 was monitored to detect and, if necessary, correct for common
lead. Factors for common lead correction were calculated by itera-
tion from the 204Pb/206Pb and 204Pb/207Pb ratios provided by the
model of Stacey and Kramers (1975) at the calculated age, until
convergence to a constant value. For 207/206 mass fractionation
in the detector was corrected by multiplying the measure value
p
by (207/206). Standard errors for each step were calculated
p
according to the formula: SE = 2  r / n. The age is calculated at
the 95% confidence level for the mean of all steps.
5. Geochronology
Three granitoid samples have been dated by U–Pb Laser Abla-
tion-ICPMS and 207Pb–206Pb stepwise evaporation.
6 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13
The sample BARR-1 corresponds to a granite of the Rabat group,
collected southeast of Rabat (Fig. 1B and 2). Twenty three zircon
grains analyzed by U–Pb LA-ICPMS (Table 1) yielded a discordia
clearly caused by common lead, with a lower intercept at
367 ± 9 Ma. Plotted in a Tera–Wasserburg concordia diagram,
these analysis yield an average 207-corrected age of 368.7 ± 8 Ma
(Fig. 3A). No other populations were detected by this method. Fur-
thermore, six zircons were analyzed by the 207Pb–206Pb stepwise
evaporation method, yielding 19 evaporation steps. Fourteen of
these steps, corresponding to five grains, define a very uniform pla-
teau age of 367 ± 3 Ma, while the remaining zircon has a restitic
older core with an age of around 2000 Ma (Fig. 3B, Table 2). U–
Pb and Pb–Pb data are perfectly consistent, thus pointing to a pre-
cise crystallization age of 367 Ma for this rock.
The sample BJE was collected southwest of Tiflet (Sidi Bou Je-
maa granitoid; see Fig. 1B and 2 for location). Fourteen zircons
were analyzed by U–Pb LA-ICPMS. Plotted in a Tera–Wasserburg
concordia diagram, these analysis are concordant or subconcor-
dant [(238U/206Pb age)/(235U/207Pb age) > 0.98] and yield a mean
U–Pb age of 605 ± 4 Ma (Fig. 4A, Table 1). No other population
was detected by this method. Additionally, three zircons were ana-
lyzed by the 207Pb–206Pb stepwise evaporation method, and
yielded 16 evaporation steps. Ten of these steps, performed in
two zircons, were very uniform and define a plateau age of
605 ± 4 Ma, exactly matching the U–Pb age. The third zircon ana-
lyzed was entirely restitic and provided six evaporations steps,
whose mean are 681 Ma (Fig. 4B, Table 2). Therefore, the age of
605 ± 4 Ma seems to correspond to the crystallization age of this
rock.
The sample TA is from the Taïcha outcrop (Fig. 1B and 2). Thir-
teen zircons were analyzed by U–Pb LA-ICPMS. Plotted in a Tera–
Fig. 3. Geochronological dating of the sample BARR-1. A: Tera–Wasserburg concordia plot from Laser Ablation-ICPMS. 368.7 Ma is the average 207-corrected age for 23
points; observed discordia seems to be caused by common Pb. See Fig. 2 for sample location and text for additional comments.
Wasserburg concordia diagram, these analyses are concordant or
subconcordant [(238U/206Pb age)/(235U/207Pb age) > 0.97] and yield
a mean U–Pb age of 606 ± 6 Ma (Fig. 5A, Table 1). Another five zir-
cons were analyzed by the 207Pb–206Pb stepwise evaporation
method, thus obtaining 19 evaporation steps. All zircons yield a
uniform age, with no inherited cores or restitic grains. The mean
of the 19 performed steps depict a precise plateau age of
609 ± 3 Ma (Fig. 5B, Table 2), identical within error margins to
the U–Pb LA-ICPMS age, and therefore representing the crystalliza-
tion age of the TA granitoid.
Summing up, our geochronological data determine that grani-
toids in the Rabat–Tiflet region belong to two very different age-
groups, as suspected from field relationships. The Rabat granitoids
in the Sehoul block seem to be part of a magmatic event aged
around 367 Ma, i.e. Late Devonian. The Tiflet granitoids are 605–
609 Ma old, i.e. Late Neoproterozoic. A few inherited zircon cores
of Palaeoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic ages (around 2000 Ma
and 680 Ma) have been found too, suggesting that the basement
of the Moroccan Western Meseta consisted of Palaeoproterozoic
crust.
6. Geochemistry
Table 3 displays the analytical data of the granitoids studied.
They range from mild silicic in Tiflet to highly silicic in the Rabat
group. All samples are markedly peraluminous, with mol. Al2O3/
(Na2O + K2O + CaO) between 1.05 and 1.40 (Fig. 6A), though this
can be a feature influenced by hydrothermal alteration. Samples
with SiO2 < 75 have K2O P Na2O (Fig. 6B), except the sample RB-
8 which is anomalous in many aspects; the most silicic samples
tend to be predominantly sodian. In the modified alkali/lime plot
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13 7

Fig. 4. Geochronological dating of the sample BJE. A: Tera–Wasserburg concordia plot from Laser Ablation-ICPMS. B: 207Pb–206Pb stepwise evaporation. See Fig. 2 for sample
location and text for additional comments.

Fig. 5. Geochronological dating of the sample TA. A: Tera–Wasserburg concordia plot from Laser Ablation-ICPMS. B: 207Pb–206Pb stepwise evaporation. See Fig. 2 for sample
location and text for additional comments.

(Frost et al., 2001) most samples plot in the boundary between the sian while the Rabat ones, with the only exception of RB-8, are fer-
alkali-calcic and calc-alkalic fields (Fig. 6C), with no differences be- roan (Fig. 6D).
tween the Rabat and Tiflet granitoids. By contrast, in the FeOt/ In general, the samples studied have moderate contents of most
(FeOt + MgO) plot (Frost et al., 2001) the Tiflet samples are magne- trace elements, lacking the elevated Cs and Li contents characteris-
 8
Table 3
Major element (%) and trace (ppm) composition of analyzed samples.

Sample ID BARR-1 BARR-2 BJE RB-1 RB-2 RB-3 RB-5 RB-6 RB-7 RB-8 RB-9 RB-11 R-12 TA TF-1 TF-2 TF-3 TF-4
SiO2 72.75 76.95 71.3 70.53 71.3 75.31 70.09 72.05 72.59 65.19 77.92 57.54 57.89 64.63 72.25 69.86 65.8 71.62
TiO2 0.44 0.05 0.26 0.45 0.5 0.12 0.62 0.14 0.13 0.52 0.03 0.89 0.68 0.66 0.37 0.26 0.61 0.32
Al2O3 12.87 14.04 14.57 13.84 14.22 13.64 14.07 14.25 14.26 17.37 12.94 17.71 18.02 16.39 13.98 15.21 16.24 15.22
Fe2O3 3.24 0.71 1.94 3.44 3.83 1.28 4.55 1.37 1.77 3.5 0.75 6.15 4.4 4.47 2.14 2.43 4.56 2.77
MnO 0.08 0.04 0.03 0.08 0.08 0.03 0.09 0.04 0.05 0.09 0.03 0.13 0.08 0.06 0.03 0.04 0.06 0.04
MgO 0.66 0.05 0.72 0.67 0.78 0.15 1.01 0.24 0.22 1.25 0.1 3.33 2.25 1.9 0.7 0.86 2.06 1.09
CaO 1.43 0.22 1.04 1.37 0.81 0.22 1.01 1.23 0.93 2.2 0.16 5.38 4.22 2.45 0.98 1.22 3.23 0.52
Na2O 2.67 3.77 3.59 3.29 3.41 4.53 2.13 3.49 3.2 6.44 3.07 5.01 8.09 3.37 3.43 4.17 2.61 3
K2O 3.72 3.13 4.49 3.97 3.91 3.32 4.66 5.23 4.86 1.33 3.91 0.9 0.17 3.3 4.04 3.69 2.74 4.63
P2O5 0.16 0.02 0.1 0.16 0.18 0.04 0.21 0.06 0.04 0.18 0.02 0.24 0.13 0.17 0.1 0.14 0.16 0.1
LOI 1.8 0.86 1.31 1.65 1.22 0.62 1.78 1.63 1.26 2.28 0.72 1.83 4.2 2.3 1.4 1.39 1.95 1.17
Li 31.2 7.4 21 28.2 28.2 6 43 7.4 7.6 17.7 4.8 25.5 16.2 48.5 22.1 25.9 51.8 21.9
Rb 106 94 133 117 146 64 213 107 108 37 96 12 2 89 134 130 82 141

A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13

Cs 0.78 0.57 0.3 1.95 2.53 1.05 3.98 1.4 1.46 0.3 1.79 0.21 0 0.89 1.87 0.91 2.03 1.23
Be 4.23 2.04 1.65 3.72 2.53 1.71 2.9 1.54 2.07 1.52 1.87 1.39 1.02 2.21 1.39 1.72 1.9 1.21
Sr 142 103 190 176 173 228 168 290 311 531 85 989 253 445 268 263 474 322
Ba 528 270 927 597 799 1033 851 1214 1140 654 412 945 94 967 752 647 803 1865
Sc 7.7 1.9 3.2 8.2 8.9 2.1 10 2.2 3.1 6.6 2.2 18.2 11.8 6.4 3.9 4 5.7 1.4
V 34 3.8 18 36 40.4 9.3 53 10 11.3 48.5 6.7 140 84 66 25 21 64 32
Cr 49 37 35 114 121 119 131 89 131 74 131 121 81 35 115 122 111 112
Co 42 40 30 6 7 2 9 2 2 6 2 19 12 27 4 4 8 5
Ni <1 <1 <1 8.1 9 3.3 10 3.1 3.7 4.3 12 25 11 <1 3.8 4.8 5.5 3.5
Cu 6.7 9.8 2.6 14.3 9.6 5.2 6.6 6.6 5.7 9.8 13.9 38.1 14.2 3.3 12 5 5.9 5.5
Zn 43 31 40 48 44 35 66 31 40 69 10 63 49 91 42 47 95 62
Ga 17 18 17 18 18 13 16 15 16 21 13 20 19 23 17 19 23 18
Y 27 9 7 28 29 5 27 6 7 15 18 22 16 11 8 12 11 6
Nb 10.5 8.9 9.1 11.6 12.3 5.7 11.3 5 8.5 12.3 3.5 5.8 4.9 12 11.6 16.1 9.5 6.1
Ta 1.59 0.97 1.17 1.15 1.17 0.55 0.89 0.39 0.88 1.1 0.35 0.38 0.37 0.93 0.75 1.17 0.44 0.42
Zr 198 45 113 209 217 79 234 78 85 160 45 157 163 187 132 146 187 139
Hf 6.5 2.7 3.9 6.4 6.7 2.6 6.2 3 2.8 5.1 2.8 3.5 4.3 5.8 4.2 4.1 4.5 3.9
Mo 8.1 9.9 6.5 1.7 2 2 2.3 1.8 2.2 1.4 2.2 1.4 0.8 5.5 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9
Sn 4.6 3.9 1.4 4.2 4.3 0.9 2.4 1.3 1.7 1.3 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.8 1.2 1.5 1.3 0.7
Tl 0.55 0.43 0.71 0.64 0.8 0.32 1.37 0.51 0.49 0.18 0.4 0.08 0.01 0.54 0.65 0.55 0.38 0.68
Pb 15.2 46.6 5.8 25.4 21.1 21.1 14.1 25.3 23.3 4.8 24.7 4.1 3.8 0.7 22 18.5 8.9 10.6
U 1.9 1.52 0.71 1.97 2.31 1.49 2.17 1.09 2.69 0.77 1.47 1.75 0.8 1.54 1.14 0.88 1.25 1.37
Th 13.1 3.62 11.75 14.7 14.68 6.38 12.03 5.74 9.2 2.79 3.47 2.94 3.8 10.62 9.36 8.32 8.66 6.97
La 33.8 5.6 32.8 36.6 34.6 8.2 34.1 16.9 22.8 15.6 3.4 20.1 17 45.7 26.5 22.5 40 37.1
Ce 73.7 12.9 66.9 75.7 72.9 15.5 70.8 32.7 44.6 39.6 7.1 43.8 35.7 91.6 54 46 77.2 64.2
Pr 8.8 1.5 7.6 9.1 8.8 1.9 8.5 3.8 5 5.7 1 5.7 4.4 10.6 6.4 5.6 9 7.8
Nd 33 6.2 28 34.2 33.4 6.9 33.8 14.2 18.2 24.2 4.4 23.5 17.4 38.6 22.8 21.7 33.1 26.9
Sm 7.3 2 4.7 6.9 7.1 1.5 6.4 2.8 3.3 4.9 1.5 4.9 3.6 6.3 4.1 4.3 5.2 4.1
Eu 1.1 0.28 1.18 1.1 1.18 0.72 1.23 1.16 1.01 1.22 0.53 1.56 1.05 1.41 1.06 0.98 1.38 1.44
Gd 6.2 1.8 2.8 6.1 6.1 1.2 5.8 2 2.4 3.6 1.9 4.3 3.2 3.9 2.8 3.3 3.5 2.8
Tb 0.97 0.28 0.37 0.94 0.95 0.17 0.89 0.27 0.3 0.52 0.35 0.68 0.47 0.51 0.35 0.47 0.44 0.31
Dy 5.18 1.7 1.76 4.88 5.09 0.89 4.76 1.21 1.29 2.9 2.42 3.51 2.6 2.45 1.39 2.11 1.96 1.16
Ho 1.01 0.33 0.27 0.97 1 0.16 0.89 0.19 0.22 0.54 0.56 0.69 0.51 0.43 0.25 0.37 0.34 0.18
Er 2.72 0.84 0.62 2.66 2.7 0.42 2.31 0.47 0.47 1.52 1.74 1.93 1.34 0.93 0.63 0.92 0.79 0.46
Tm 0.39 0.14 0.09 0.38 0.39 0.06 0.33 0.07 0.07 0.22 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.14 0.09 0.12 0.12 0.07
Yb 2.25 0.82 0.6 2.31 2.3 0.4 2.02 0.43 0.49 1.37 1.93 1.88 1.25 0.88 0.63 0.81 0.75 0.44
Lu 0.32 0.11 0.09 0.32 0.35 0.07 0.32 0.07 0.07 0.19 0.28 0.27 0.19 0.12 0.09 0.12 0.1 0.07
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13 9

Fig. 6. Plots displaying the main geochemical features of the Tiflet (squares: TA; crosses: TF) and Rabat (filled circles: RB) granitoids. Fig. 6B: line indicates Na2O = K2O. Fig. 6C:
A, alkalic field; A-C, alkali-calcic field; C-A, calc-alkalic field. Raw chemical data are tabulated in Table 1. See text for further explanations.

tic of S-type granites, as well as the enrichments in Ga and Nb con-
tents of typical A-type granites. The Rabat samples have Nb/Ta ra-
tios around the typical crustal value of 11 (Green, 1995), while the
Tiflet ones, especially those from Taicha, tend to higher values with
an average of 16.3 (Fig. 6E), close to what Green (1995) considered
characteristic of mantle-derived magmas. The marked decrease in
Zr/Hf as Zr diminishes in the Rabat samples indicates that these
samples likely crystallized from progressively differentiated mag-
mas (Fig. 6F).
Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the Tiflet samples display
an elevated LREE/HREE fractionation, with no (or very little) Eu
anomaly and almost flat patterns from Er to Lu (Fig. 7A). These fea-
tures are almost exclusive of subduction-related granites (Bea
et al., 1997), though melts from a crust formed itself at subduction
would have also such characteristics. By contrast, the chondrite-
normalized patterns of the Rabat granitoids are much more varied
(Fig. 7B). Most of them have the negative Eu anomaly and moder-
ate LREE/HREE fractionation, which is very common in crustal
10 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13
Fig. 7. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the Tifflet (A) and Rabat (B)
granitoids. Raw chemical data are tabulated in Table 1. See text for further
explanations.
granites. Others, however, show almost flat patterns, with no Eu
anomaly. Probably, this is not a primary feature, since these flat
patterns correspond to the most silicic and altered samples. Finally,
two samples have small positive Eu anomalies, which suggest that
they might be feldspar cumulates.
The Sr and Nd isotope signatures of the two granitoid groups are
characteristic of an old continental crust, though there are substan-
tial differences between them (Fig. 8 and Table 4). The Tiflet sam-
ples have eNd(t) from 6 to 9 and 87Sr/86Sr (t) between 0.707 and
0.709. The Rabat samples have eNd(t) from 2 to 12 and 87Sr/86Sr
(t) between 0.708 and 0.718, albeit the largest values are likely an
artifact caused by alteration.
Despite this work does not focus on the geochemical charac-
terization and its interpretation in terms of the geodynamic sce-
narios in which the rocks were generated, the following
considerations can be made from the presented chemical and iso-
topic data. The Tiflet samples have many features compatible
with Andean-arc granitoids (highly fractionated LREE/REE pat-
terns with no Eu anomaly and high Nb/Ta), with an important
crustal component as revealed by the Sr and Nd isotope compo-
sition. Thus, the Tiflet granitoids have a subduction-related source
though they can post-date subduction. The Rabat samples, on the
other hand, are more akin to I-Caledonian granitoids, with some
A-type affinities as revealed by their ferroan character; they were
probably generated by remelting of old granitoids with a long
crustal residence.
Fig. 8. Sr and Nd isotope correlations of the Tiflet (squares: TA; crosses: TF) and
Rabat (filled circles: RB) granitoids. See Table 2 for analytical data and text for
explanation. eNd(t) have been calculated for t = 367 Ma for RB samples and
t = 605 Ma for TA and TF samples.
7. Geological interpretation of the new geochronological data
The sampled granitoid near Rabat, in the Sehoul block, has
yielded an age of 367 Ma, i.e. Late Devonian. Considering that this
granitoid is post-tectonic with respect to the main foliation in the
Cambrian phyllites, it is confirmed that the main tectonometamor-
phic evolution of the Sehoul block is pre-Variscan. Upper Devonian
granitoids have been reported as representing the latest Caledo-
nian magmatism in regions that were relatively nearby to the Se-
houl block in Devonian time, such as Western Ireland and the
Northern Appalachians. In Western Ireland, the youngest Caledo-
nian granitic intrusion is around 380 Ma, with a few later granites
apparently representing the final relaxation of the orogen (Buch-
waldt et al., 2001). In the Northern Appalachians, magmatism
shows continuity from Devonian to Carboniferous times (Hermes
and Murray, 1988), a feature which has been related to a mantle
anomaly (plume) during and after the late Caledonian evolution
(Murphy and Keppie, 2005). In the case of the Rabat granitoids,
the latest Devonian 367 Ma age is too young to consider these
rocks as truly Caledonian, i.e. related to the Early Palaeozoic sub-
duction of the Iapetus Ocean or the subsequent continental colli-
sion. Instead, these granitoids might be linked to the Devonian
consumption of the adjacent Rheic Ocean, i.e. they could represent
an early Variscan stage; colision-related Variscan granitoids in
Morocco are younger, ranging in age between 330 and 270 Ma
(El Hadi et al., 2006; Michard et al., 2008).
The Tiflet granitoids have been dated in this work as Late Neo-
proterozoic, with ages in the very short range of 605–609 Ma. Thus,
the previous interpretations considering these rocks as belonging
to a Caledonian pluton intruding the Lower Ordovician rocks of
the Bou Regreg corridor is invalidated; actually, intrusive relation-
ships with the Lower Ordovician were never observed in the field.
Accordingly, the Tiflet granitoids are interpreted as outcrops of the
Neoproterozoic basement, which leads us to propose the geological
evolution summarized in Fig. 9. (i) A continental-rift environment
might be appropriate for Early Ordovician times, in view of the dis-
play of clastic sediments with interbedded basaltic rocks (Fig. 9A).
This is a particular feature of this sector with respect to other areas
of Morocco in Ordovician time and, considering the presence of an
exotic Caledonian terrane (the Sehoul block) to the north, this re-
gion could be near a continental margin. In this context, the narrow
band where the Tiflet granitoids crop out may be viewed as a high
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13 11

of the Neoproterozoic basement (Fig. 9A). (ii) The Late Ordovician

Model Age
(DM). Ga
was a period of marine regression, likely the eustatic regression re-
lated to the well known Late Ordovician glaciation, whose effects

1.7
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.9
1.7
1.3
1.5
1.5
1.4
2
are observed in many other areas of the Variscan orogen. This time
might correspond to the formation of the erosional surface on top
Model Age
(Chur). Ga

of the Tiflet granitoids (Fig. 9B). (iii) A new sequence of deposits

(alternate limestones and shales, and limestones), continuous from

1.3
1.2
1.4
1.2
1.2
1.1
1.3

0.5
0.7
0.8
0.7

the Upper Silurian to the Middle Devonian, overlies both the Lower
Ordovician rocks and the Neoproterozoic basement (Fig. 9C). This
e Nd(t)

11.5
7.6

9.1
5.8
7.6
1.5
7.8
3.3
8.3
3.6
2.6
7.6

Silurian transgression may be explained in terms of the sea-level

9
9
rise subsequent to the Late Ordovician cooling, though the inclu-
sion of the Early Silurian in the stratigraphic hiatus suggests some
Nd/144Nd init

tectonic uplift at this time. (iv) The Late Devonian–Early Carbonif-

erous was a time when the main rapprochement between the exo-

0.511396
0.511577
0.511391
0.511561
0.511399
0.511776

0.511769
0.511775
0.511992
0.511979

0.511778

0.512088
0.512033

0.51174

tic Caledonian Sehoul block and the Variscan Meseta took place,
initiating the deformation, uplift and coarse-grained syn-tectonic
143

sedimentation in the Bou Regreg corridor. At the same time, the

adjacent Sidi Bettache basin developed as a particular subsiding
e Sr(t)

155.1

61.8
47.1
78.7
113.6
115.6

160.2
96.7
103.3

99.6

197

69
60
100

area in a wider tectonic scenario of oblique (transpressional) colli-

sion (Piqué, 1984; Bouabdelli and Piqué, 1996).
Sr/86Sr init

0.714986
0.715349
0.717936
0.711342

0.708135
0.708642

0.709327
0.708294
0.710878
0.712066
0.712206
0.711108
0.711082

0.707101

8. The Sehoul thrust as a main tectonic feature of the Moroccan

87

Variscides
Nd Inst.

0.0016
0.0017

The above new interpretation for the Rabat–Tiflet zone accords

0.003
0.006
0.002
0.003
0.003
0.002
0.003
0.004
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.003
Error

well with the features of the Sehoul thrust, which appears in the
field and in regional maps as an important structure and might
Nd/144Nd

actually represent a main tectonic boundary of the Variscan oro-

0.51175
0.51194
0.51181

0.51179
0.51239
0.51229
0.51226
0.51229
0.51228
0.51234

0.51204
0.51204
0.51205
0.51209

gen, as discussed below.

The main suture of the Variscan orogen is believed to corre-
143

spond to the closure of an Early Palaeozoic ocean, namely the Rheic

Ocean, separating the Avalonian terrane from the border of
Sm/144Nd

Gondwana, this border being, in turn, broken and made up of a true

Sr inst. error and Nd inst. error: instrumental errors on 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd for individual samples (2 s%).
0.1268

continental margin plus a number of peri-Gondwana terranes (e.g.

0.151

0.121
0.112
0.125
0.219
0.125
0.123
0.128
0.131

0.106

0.098
0.203

0.09

Matte, 2001; Nysther et al., 2002). The Avalonian terrane, be-

147

cause of its Early Palaeozoic history of subduction and collision

Nd (ppm)

with Laurentia-Baltica, usually record a Caledonian orogenic evolu-

tion, which is apparently lacking in the peri-Gondwana terranes
28.38
23.53
23.48
33.82
24.82
33.99
14.37
18.82

8.79
35.85

7.25

10.08
34.04

Sr and Nd parameters calculated for t = 367 Ma for samples RB and t = 605 Ma for samples TF.
4.4

and the Gondwana margin. Moreover, the southern border of the

Avalonian terrane might record early Variscan orogenic events as
Sm (ppm)

a consequence of the Rheic subduction (Fig. 10).

In Iberia, the Rheic suture is tentatively identified with the
4.21
2.53
4.15
4.72
5.48
1.59
2.96
2.91
3.48
5.12
7.52
7.18
1.57
7.03

boundary between the South Portuguese Zone and the Ossa-More-

na Zone, this latter being probably a peri-Gondwana terrane; to the
Sr Inst. Error

north, Central/Northern Iberia would form part of the margin of

the Gondwana continent (Simancas et al., 2003). Disregarding the
0.002
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.004
0.003
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.002

many geological peculiarities observed at regional scale, equivalent

palaeogeographic positions for Central/Northern Iberia and the
Moroccan Mesetas have been proposed (Simancas et al., 2005;
Sr/86Sr

0.72729
0.72114
0.71947
0.71366
0.73242
0.73571
0.71748
0.72995
0.71762
0.72138
0.72388

0.71909
0.70935
0.7153

Hoepffener et al., 2006; El Hadi et al., 2006). A schematic tectonic

frame based on the above fundamentals is shown in Fig. 10, where
87

the Rheic suture is suggested to jump from SW Iberia to northern

Rb/86Sr

Morocco and then either to NE Canada (as in the figure) or some-

2.355
1.448
1.434
3.267
3.651
1.921
2.444

3.402

0.502
1.063

0.203
0.807

where between Canada and Morocco. Leaving aside in this paper

1.27
1.01
Isotope data of the RB and TF samples.
87

a discussion of the track of this Variscan suture, we want to

emphasize only that the Caledonian/Early Variscan imprint in the
Sr (ppm)

Sehoul block makes it suspect of forming part of Avalonia, with

322.14
137.58
268.73
262.94
474.25
228.49
168.85
290.41

530.84
84.91
176.17

311.06

107.06
173.2

the main Rheic suture being located between this block and the
Moroccan Mesetas (Fig. 10A). In other words, the thrust at the
southern border of the Sehoul block might be a late expression of
Rb (ppm)

125.56
111.75

130.13
82.26
212.58

95.64
106.64

37.17
63.71

that main Variscan suture (Fig. 10B). The Ordovician volcanic basic
141.2
134.3
108.5
116.8
146.1

rocks in the Bou Regreg corridor is in accordance with a continental

margin undergoing rifting and crustal thinning at that time. In this
Table 4

RB-11
RB-10

tectonic context, the geochronological data presented in this paper

RB-8
RB-9
RB-5
RB-6
RB-7
RB-1
RB-2
RB-3

TF-4
TF-1
TF-2
TF-3
Ref.

show the total disconnection of the granitoids cropping out in the

12 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13

Fig. 9. Evolutionary sketch envisaged for the Rabat–Tiflet region, from (A) an early stage of rifting affecting the northern Meseta at Cambrian–Ordovician times to (D)
continental collision between the Sehoul block and the northern Meseta at Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous times.

Sehoul block and those in the adjacent Bou Regreg corridor. There-
fore, one previous assumption of a common Caledonian plutonism
in the Rabat and Tiflet areas, which would imply a trivial Variscan
entity for the Sehoul thrust, can be ruled out.

9. Conclusions

(i) The granitoids of the Rabat–Tiflet region belong to two inde-

pendent age-groups, which correspond with their outcrop
either in the Sehoul block (Rabat granitoids) or out of it (Tif-
let granitoids).
(ii) Despite the limited reach of our geochemical study, it has
been possible to find geochemical differences between these
two groups of granitoids. The Tiflet samples have many fea-
tures typical of Andean-arc granitoids, with an important
crustal component. The Rabat samples show akin to I-Cale-
donian features with some A-type affinities, as revealed by
their ferroan character.
(iii) The Rabat granitoids, located in the hanging-wall of the
Sehoul thrust, are Late Devonian in age (367 Ma). Textural
relationships indicate that the main deformation of the
schists in the Sehoul block precedes granitoid intrusion,
the deformation being therefore Caledonian as previously
suggested.
(iv) The Tiflet granitoids are Late Proterozoic (605–609 Ma), being
interpreted as outcrops of the Neoproterozoic basement.
(v) The previously accepted 430 Ma age for all the Rabat–Tiflet
Fig. 10. Tectonic model suggesting the significance of the Sehoul block/Moroccan
Meseta boundary, in the framework of the Variscan orogen. CIZ: Central Iberian granitoids was incompatible with the interpretation of the
Zone; OMZ: Ossa-Morena Zone. See text for more explanations. Sehoul thrust as an important Variscan structure. The
 A. Tahiri et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 57 (2010) 1–13
conflict is now avoided with the new ages provided here. In
fact, we suggest that the Sehoul thrust may be a main Vari-
scan tectonic boundary hiding the Rheic Ocean suture.
Acknowledgements
We thank J.P. Liegeois, B. Thomas and an anonymous referee for
in-depth reviews of our paper, thus contributing to improve its sci-
entific quality. This research has been supported by the Académie
Hassan II des Sciences et Techniques, the Agencia Española de
Cooperación Internacional (A/4938/06) and the Spanish Ministry
of Education and Science (CGL2007-63101/BTE, TOPO-IBERIA CON-
SOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 CSD2006-00041).
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