Chapter 8
Tertiary volcanicity
M. J. CROW
The Centenary of the Netherlands Indies Geological Survey was
commemorated by the publication of a synthesis of the geology
of Indonesia by van Bemmelen (1949). In his account of the
geology of Sumatra van Bemmelen (1949) described three
distinct, but continuous, cycles of volcanic activity during the
Tertiary and Quaternary: Old Neogene (Late Oligocene-Mid-
Miocene); Young Neogene (Mid-Miocene-early in the Quatern-
ary); and Young Quaternary. The first cycle began with the 'Old
Andesites', and ended with the Mid-Miocene uplift of the
Barisan Mountains. The second cycle commenced with the erup-
tion of basic igneous products and concluded with an acidic
phase which coincided with a second episode of uplift of the
Barisan Mountains.
Subsequently, knowledge of the Tertiary volcanic rocks in
Sumatra has been refined as the result of programmes of geolo-
gical mapping in the early 1970s by the Geological Survey of
Indonesia and the United States Geological Survey, and between
1975 and the mid-1990s by the Geological Research and Develop-
ment Centre, the Directorate of Mineral Resources and the British
Geological Survey. Exploration by oil and mineral companies has
also provided data concerning the distribution of Tertiary plutonic
rocks in the Pre-Tertiary basement and in the Tertiary sedimentary
basins, of volcanic units interbedded with sediments. Further con-
tributions to the understanding of Tertiary volcanicity in Sumatra
and its forearc islands have been made by academic researchers
and post-graduate students from the Institute of Technology,
Bandung and the University of London, in collaboration with
the Geological Research and Development Centre, LIPI and
LEMIGAS, and the British Geological Survey.
Most of the Tertiary volcanic and volcaniclastic formations
in Sumatra are identified on the Geological Maps published
by the Geological Research and Development Centre and are
described in tables in the Explanatory Notes which accompany
the maps. A summary of the volcanic units in Northern Sumatra,
with brief descriptions, were given by Cameron et al. (1980),
while Rock et al. (1982) described their petrology and chemistry.
McCourt et al. (1993) and Kusnama et al. (1993a) summarized
the stratigraphy of Southern Sumatra, including the volcanic units.
Rock et al. (1982) distinguished at least four climaxes of volcan-
ism in the Tertiary of Northern Sumatra: Palaeogene (possibly
Eo-Oligocene); Late Oligocene-Early Miocene; Early Mid-
Miocene; and Mid-Late Miocene. In the present account Tertiary
volcanic episodes and phases recognized in the whole of Sumatra
occurred during the Palaeocene; Late Mid-Eocene; Late Eocene-
Late Oligocene (Late Eocene-Early Oligocene and Late Oligocene-
Early Miocene phases); Late Early Miocene-Mid-Miocene (Late
Early Miocene and Mid-Miocene phases); and Late Miocene-
Pliocene. The relationship between volcanic episodes and phases
and the stratigraphic succession in Sumatra is illustrated in
Figure 8.1, which is based on the stratigraphy and terminology
proposed by De Smet & Barber in Chapter 7.
Radiometric dating of volcanism and plutonism
in Sumatra
Bellon et al. (2004) report nearly 80 4~176 age dates of the
volcanics and associated intrusives, for the period 6 5 - 0 Ma.
98
Their, and earlier, K - A r age determinations are listed in Table
8.1 and ages dates of plutons, dykes and volcanics are compiled
in Table A.4 (Appendix).
Mineral ages from fresh samples give ages younger than the
time of intrusion, but give useful information on the cooling of
igneous rocks through the c. 500 ~ (hornblende) and the
c. 400 ~'C (biotite) isotherms. These age data are also helpful
in distinguishing the effects of thermal and tectonic alteration.
Macpherson & Hall (1999, 2002) have drawn attention to the
problems of the interpretion of K - A r isotope data. The limitations
of the K - A r dating method are due to problems of tectonic and
thermal alteration and to tropical weathering, as these processes
may reset the K - A r clock to yield misleading younger ages, or
add potassium and 4~ to give spurious older ages (Dickin
1995). In her study of the timing of the alteration of intrusions con-
nected to movement of the Sumatra Fault Zone in southern
Sumatra, Imtihanah (2000) used the 4~ age dating
method, which can identify K and Ar mobility in altered rocks.
Tertiary volcanic stratigraphy
P a l a e o c e n e v o l c a n i c e p i s o d e ( T a b l e 8.2 a n d Fig. 8.2)
The informal term Kikim Volcanics (McCourt et al. 1993) is used
here for the Palaeocene volcanics and volcaniclastics which occur
in southern Sumatra. Previously Gafoer et al. (1992c, 1994), and
the 1"1000 000 geological maps of Southern Sumatra (Gafoer
et al. 1992a, b), used the term 'Kikim Formation' for all volcanic
rocks of Palaeocene to Oligocene age in southern Sumatra.
De Coster (1974) suggested that the Kikim Tuffs were of Upper
Cretaceous to Palaeocene age, but no Cretaceous ages have been
obtained from these rocks. The Kikim Tufts, comprising
tuffaceous sandstones, conglomerates, breccias and clays, were
encountered in boreholes at the base of the Tertiary succession
in the South Sumatra Basin (Lemat-1, Lemat-2 and Tamiang-2
wells), in the Laru wells on the Musi Platform and cropping out
in the Gumai Mountains. The volcanic rocks in the Tamiang-2
well were dated at 55 Ma (Palaeocene) by the K - A r method,
but details of the analysis are not available. McCourt et al.
(1993) report that in the Gumai Mountains Gafoer et al. (1992c)
found a transition, rather than an unconformity, between
the Kikim Formation and the overlying volcaniclastic Lahat
Formation. This underlying unit is now considered to be part of
the Lahat Formation, confirming the stratigraphic scheme in the
Gumai Mountains originally proposed by Musper (1937).
A K - A t age date of 63.3 + 1.9 Ma (Palaeocene) was obtained
from an andesitic lava in the Kikim Volcanic Formation ( < 300 m
of andesites, volcanic breccia and tuft) at Gunung Dempu in
the Kotaagung Quadrangle (Amin et al. 1994b). A K - A r age of
60.3 Ma has been obtained from a basalt (location uncertain,
oral communication by Pulunggono in 1985, reported in Gafoer
et al. 1992c) in the Kikim Volcanics to the east of the Garba
Mountains which are described by Gafoer et al. (1994) as 'often
being highly tectonized'. In the Garba Mountains the Kikim
Volcanics include volcanic breccias, welded tufts and andesitic
to basaltic lavas with sedimentary intercalations (Gafoer et al.
1994).
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 99

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100 CHAPTER 8

Table 8.1. T e r t i a r y v o l c a n i c e p i s o d e s a n d r a d i o m e t r i c a g e s f r o m v o l c a n i c r o c k s in S u m a t r a

Volcanic Type Dating method Age (Ma) Reference

PALAEOCENE VOLCANIC EPISODE (65-c.50 Ma)

Basalt tufT, Bentaro Volcanic Formation (LM 116A) LK 4~176 51.3 • 1.5 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Lhoong Formation (LM 124) MK 4~176 55.5 • 1.5 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt flow, south-west of Banda Aceh (LM 118) MK 4~176 57.9 • 1.4 Bellon et al, (2004)
Basalt dyke in Bentaro Volcanic Formation 4~176 63.1 • 1.5 Bellon et al. (2004),
Sutanto (1997)
Basalt dyke, Natal area (SU 49) SH 4~176 52.1 • 1.2 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite dyke in Woyla Group, Batang Natal (NL 41) HK 4~176 59.6 _ 1.4 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke, Tambak Baru Volcanics (NL 40) MK 4~176 62.5 ___ 1.4 Bellon et al. (2004)

Gabbro dyke in Silungkang Formation (RDC 1l) MK 4~176 62.9 • 1.5 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt flow, Silungkang Formation (RDC 13A2) LK 4~176 63.1 • 1.5 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt flow, Silungkang Formation (RDC 13A1) LK 4~176 63.7 • 1,5 Bellon et al. (2004)

Andesite, Gunung Dempu K-Ar, whole rock? 63.3 • 1.9 Amin et al. (1994b)
Basalt, Garba Mountains K-Ar, whole rock'? 60.3 Gafoer et al, (1994)
Tuff, Tamiang 2-well K-Ar, whole rock? 55 De Coster (1974)

LATE MIDDLE EOCENE VOLCANIC EPISODE (c.46-40 Ma)

Andesite dyke, Langsat Volcanic Formation (NL 36) MK 4~176 41.1 • 0.9 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke, Indarung Calcareous Formation (RDC 20) SH 4~176 45.8 _+ 1.1 Bellon et al. (2004)
Shoshonite dyke, Tanjungkarang area (PCE 13) SH 4~176 43.5 • 1 Bellon et al. (2004)

LATE EOCENE-LATE OLIGOCENE VOLCANIC EPISODE (c.38-24 Ma)

Late Eocene-Early Oligocene Volcanic Phase (c.38-30 Ma)
Basaltic andesite dyke, Blang Pidie, Tapaktuan (TT 148) MK 4~176 31.6 _+ 0.85 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke, Langsat village, Natal area (NL 37) SH 4~176 37.4 • 0.9 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Silungkang Formation (RDC 13) LK 4~176 37.3 • [ Bellon et al. (2004)

Late Oligocene-Early Miocene Volcanic Phase (c.30-24 Ma)

Basalt dyke in Woyla Group north of Tapaktuan (TT 144) MK 4~176 26.9 • 0.72 Bellon et al. (2004)

Basalt flow, Painan Formation (PN 26) SH 4~176 23.7 • 0.55 Bellon et al. (2004)

Andesite dyke in Painan Formation (TP 34) MK 4~176 24.3 • 0.60 Bellon et al. (2004)
Dacite dyke in Painan Formation (TP 33) MK 4~176 25.5 • 0.59 Bellon et al. (2004)

LATE EARLY MIOCENE-MIDDLE MIOCENE VOLCANIC EPISODE

Late Early Miocene Volcanic Phase (c.22-14 Ma)
Basalt block in Indrapuri melange, Banda Aceh (IP 113) LK 4oK _ 4t~Ar 18.8 • 0.49 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Lhoong Formation (LM 126) LK 4OK_ZOAr 14.5 • 1.17 Bellon e t a l . (2004)

Basalt flow, in Calang Volcanic Formation (CL 140) MK 4~176 21.4 • 0.59 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite dyke, Calang area (CL 135C) MK 4~176 21. l _+ 0.60 Beilon et al. (2004)
Andes• dyke, Calang area (GB 15) MK 4~176 18.7 • 0.44 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Tangla Formation (CL 135B) MK 4~176 18.8 • 0.59 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt flow in Calang Volcanic Formation (CL 141A) MK 4~176 [ 8.8 • 0.45 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite dyke in Calang Volcanic Formation (CL 132) MK 4~176 18.3 + 0.44 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt, Sayeung Volcanic Formation K-At, whole rock 17.7 + 0.7 Kallagher (1990)
Andesite dyke in Tangla Formation (CL 136) MK 4"K-4~ 17.5 _+ 0.42 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt, Sayeung Volcanic Formation K-Ar, whole rock 17.1 + 0.9 Kallagher (1990)
Basalt dyke, Sayeung Volcanic Formation K-At, whole rock 16.4 • 0.6 Kallagher (1990)
Basalt, Sayeung Volcanic Formation K-At, whole rock 16. I • 3.9 Kallagher (1990)
Basalt dyke, Sayeung Volcanic Formation K-At, whole rock 15.9 • 1.0 Kallagher (1990)
Basaltic andesite dyke in MK 4~176 15.0 _+ 0.38 Bellon et al. (2004)
Calang Volcanic Formation (CL 131 )
Basalt, Sayeung Volcanic Formation. K-Ar, whole rock 13.7 _+ 2.7 Kallagher (1990)

Andesite dyke in Barus Formation, Sibolga (SB 27B) MK 4~176 19.6 • 0.58 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite flow in Angkola Volcanic Formation (SB 85) MK 4~176 18.2 • 0.45 Bellon et al. (2004)

Andesite dyke in Angkola Volcanic Formation (SB 84) MK 4~176 16.8 • 0.47 Belion et al. (2004)
Andesite dyke in Angkola Volcanic Formation (SB 83) MK 4~176 16.8 • 0.39 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite, P. Musala K-At, whole rock 17.2 • 5 Aspden et al. (1982b)

Basalt meta-tuff, Simpang Gambir, Natal area (NL 42) MK 4~176 19.7 • 0.48 Bellon et al. (2004)
Absarokite in Sikarara Volcanic Formation (NL 34) SH 4~176 18.2 • 0.44 Bellon et al. (2004)

(continued)
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 101

Table 8.1 Continued

Volcanic Type Dating method Age (Ma) Reference

Andes• Sarik Lawas K-Ar, ? 22 _+ 1.5 Koning & Aulia (1985)

Andesite flow in Painan Formation (PN 31) MK 4~176 19.2 ___0.54 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite flow in Painan Formation (PN 22) HK 4~176 19.1 + 0.45 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt flow in Painan Formation (PN 24) HK 4~176 19.0 • 0.45 Bellon et al. (2004)

Basalt lava or tuff?, well N Pekanbaru ?K-Ar 17.5 Eubank & Makki ( 1981 )

Andesite flow in Painan Formation (TP 32) MK 4~176 14.3 _+ 0.34 Bellon et al. (2004)

Andes• flow, Bukit Sulap, Bengkulu (BSU 170) MK 4~176 16.5 • 0.38 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite in Hulusimpang Formation (MN 116) MK 4~176 13.2 • 0.43 Bellon et al. (2004)
Rhyolite dyke in Hulusimpang Formation (MN 118) MK 4~176 12.8 • 0.31 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basaltic andesite dyke in Hulusimpang Formation (MN 117) MK 4~176 12.8 _ 0.38 Bellon et al. (2004)

Rhyolite tuff in (?)Tarahan Formation (TR 33) MK 4~176 19.7 • 0.47 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Sulan batholith (WS 5) MK 4~176 17.1 • 0.44 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite dyke in Hulusimpang Formation (SMK 40) MK 4~176 16.9 • 0.44 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke in Hulusimpang Formation (SMK 39) LK 4~176 15.1 • 0.38 Bellon et al. (2004)
Dacite flow in Sabu Formation (PCE 9A) HK 4~176 14.4 + 0.35 Bellon et al. (2004)

Middle Miocene Volcanic Phase (c. 12-8 Ma)

Basalt, Alem Formation K-Ar, whole rock 11.2 -+- 0.7 Kallagher (1990)
Basalt, Alem Formation. K-Ar, whole rock 10.3 • 0.4 Kallagher (1990)
Basalt dyke, Alem Formation K-At, whole rock 8.74 _+ 0.82 Kallagher (1990)

Basalt dyke in Hulusimpang Formation (SMK 37) MK 4~176 10.9 • 0.43 Bellon et al. (2004)

LATE MIOCENE-PLIOCENE (6-1.6 Ma)

Andesite flow, Lam Teuba Volcanics (UB 110) MK 4~176 1.76 + 0.06 Bellon et al. 2004)

Diorite dyke in Bohorok Formation (PR 61) HK 4~176 5.66 _+ 0.14 Bellon et al. (2004)
near Parapat, Lake Toba
Andesite flow in Haranggoal Formation (PR 70) HK 4~176 2.88 • 0.07 Bellon et al. 2004)
Andesite flow in Sibayak Complex (BR 104) HK 4~176 2.09 • 0.29 Bellon et al. 2004)
Basalt dyke in Sipiso-piso lava dome (PR 101B) MK 4~176 1.89 + 0,23 Bellon et al. 2004)

Andesite flow in Angkola Formation, Sibolga (SB 28) MK 4~176 5.35 +_ 0.23 Bellon et al. 2004)

Andesite, Suliki K-Ar, ? 5.4 • 0.3 Koning & Aulia (1985)

Basaltic andesite flow, Merapi volcano area (PY 82) MK 4~176 2.99 • 0.08 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite flow, north border of Lake Maninjau (MNJ 55) MK 4~176 1.76 + 0.05 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basaltic andesite flow, south of Padang (PLN 103) HK 4~176 1.35 • 0.1 Bellon et al. (2004)

Basalt flow in Bal Formation east of Bengkulu (BN 111) LK 4~176 6.45 + 0.2 Bellon et al. (2004)
4~176 5.47 _ 0.14 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basalt dyke, boulder in Gumai mountains (LH 173) LK 4~176 5.21 • 0.5 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basaltic andesite flow in Pliocene volcanic MK 4~176 4.23 + 0.15 Bellon et al. (2004)
Formation, northwest of Curup (CR 145)
Andesite dyke in Air Benekat Formation (LH 178) HK 4~176 2.91 • 0.09 Bellon et al. (2004)
Basaltic andesite dyke in Lemau Formation (BS 129) MK 4~176 2.41 + 0.08 Bellon et al. (2004)
Andesite, Gunung Batu K-Ar 4.76 • 0.32 Gafoer et al. (1992c)

Andesite flow in ?Lakitan Formation (PC 16) HK 4~176 4.93 -+_ 0.13 Bellon et al. (2004)

Petrographic types: LK, = Iow-K calc-alkaline; MK, = medium-K calc-alkaline; HK, = high-K calc-alkaline; SH, = shoshonitic (see Bellon et al. 2004 for analytical
details)

B e l l o n e t a l . (2004) d a t e d d y k e s b e t w e e n 62.5 a n d 52 M a in ( I m t i h a n a h 2000), b u t the earliest intrusion:, e x p o s e d in the

the Natal area, basalt flows a n d a d y k e s at c. 63 M a in t h e S o l o k
area a n d S W o f A c e h a basaltic d y k e , flow a n d t u f f b e t w e e n
63 a n d 51 Ma.
T h e K - A r a g e s o f p l u t o n s a s s o c i a t e d with the P a l a e o c e n e m a g -
m a t i c e p i s o d e are m o s t l y y o u n g e r t h a n the ages o f the v o l c a n i c
r o c k s and m u c h o f the data relate to the c o o l i n g o f p l u t o n s .
T h e Lass• b a t h o l i t h in W e s t S u m a t r a w a s e m p l a c e d c. 56 M a
G u g u k q u a r r y o n the w e s t e r n m a r g i n o f the b a t h o l i t h , is a f o l i a t e d
m e g a c r y s t i c m e t a d i o r i t e , too w e a t h e r e d to date. T h e f o l i a t e d
m e g a c r y s t i c m e t a d i o r i t e w a s e m p l a c e d in a shear z o n e ( p e r s o n a l
o b s e r v a t i o n ) that is a c o n t i n u a t i o n o f the M u s i b a s e m e n t fault in
the S o u t h S u m a t r a B a c k a r c B a s i n ( P u l u n g g o n o e t a l . 1992). By
r e v e r s i n g the p o s t - M i o c e n e m o v e m e n t s a l o n g the S u m a t r a F a u l t
Z o n e , the M u s i F a u l t links w i t h t h e S i p a k p a h i F a u l t ( A l d i s s
102 CHAPTER 8
et al. 1983) and the Kluet Fault (Cameron et al. 1982b) to the west
of the Sumatran Fault Zone. Several plutons and volcanic outcrops
are associated with the Kluet-Musi Fault (Fig. 8.2) which was
active in the Early Eocene, but the amount and sense of displace-
ment (probably dextral) is not known.
Late Mid-Late Eocene volcanic episode
( T a b l e 8.3 a n d Fig. 8.3)
Volcanic rocks and volcaniclastic sediments have not been recog-
nised within the Palaeogene units which occur beneath Miocene
sediments in boreholes and imaged on seismic profiles in the
forearc Meulaboh and Singkel basins (Karig et al. 1980).
Nor have they been recognized in the 'Parallel Bedded facies'
which occurs beneath the graben sequence in the Bengkulu
Basin (Hall et al. 1993), or within the newly recognized
Palaeogene Accretionary Wedge (Schluter et al. 2002) in the
Outer Arc High to the SE of Enggano.
Late M i d - L a t e Eocene volcanic rocks are found along the west
coast of Sumatra, palaeogeographically reconstructed in
Figure 8.3. The Breueh Volcanic Formation on Pulau Breueh to
the NW of Aceh, consists of bedded subaerial pyroclastics
and massive scoriaceous, feldsparphyric and epidotised basaltic
lavas. Volcanic clasts at the base of the Peunasu Formation
(Late Oligocene-Early Miocene), dated as Late Mid-Eocene,
were derived from the Breueh Volcanic Formation (Bennett
et al. 1981a). A N N E - S S W dyke swarm, which appears to
emanate from the Raya Diorite and cuts both the Breueh Volcanic
and the Peunasu Formations, has yielded a K - A r hornblende
age of 18.9 _+ 1.2 Ma (Early Miocene). According to Rock et al.
(1982), the Raya stock is a sub-volcanic intrusion and these
dykes were intruded into hot plastic lavas. It is therefore probable
that the Breueh Volcanic Formation also includes a Miocene
volcanic unit.
Volcanic rocks occur in the ?late Mid-Eocene-Early Oligocene
Meucampali Formation (Bennett et al. 1981a; Cameron et al.
1983) exposed in the Barisan Mountains to the SE of Aceh.
Local volcanic horizons with amygdaloidal, intermediate to
mafic lavas occur within paralic-fluviatile sediments. Altered
andesites occur within the Kieme and Semelit formations in
the Takengon Quadrangle (Cameron et al. 1983). Cameron et al.
(1980) interpreted the Kieme and Semelit formations as arc and
back-arc basin sequences, associated with faulting. Porphyritic
andesites in the Sitaban Formation off Tapanuli Bay also probably
belong to this phase. A microdiorite within these lavas is thought
to be a subvolcanic intrusion and has provided a zircon fission
track age of 43 -t- 3.2 Ma (Mid-Eocene) (Aspden et al. 1982b).
Bellon et al. (2004) have dated a basalt dyke in the Solok area at
46 + i Ma and an andesite dyke in the Natal area at 41 +_ i Ma.
Table 8.2. Litholo;,ies in the Kikim Volcanic Unit of'the Palaeocene volcanic
el~isode
Location Lithologies
G. Dempuj Andesite-basalt lava, tuff & volcanicbreccia; sulphides
with gold.
Garba Mrs2 >250 m andesitic to basaltic compositionlavas,
restricted to the base, welded tuff with flow structure,
volcanic breccia with angularfragments of andesite-
basalt material in a tuffaceous matrix, sandstone and
siltstone.
Lahat, Lemat Tuffaceous sandstones, conglomerates,breccias and
1 & 2 and clays. K-Ar age date of 55 Ma reported from
Tamiang 2 wells3 Tamiang-2 well.
References: IAminet al. (1994b), 2Gafoer et al. (1994), 3De Coster (1974).
In the Natal area the bathyal Si Kumbu Turbidite Formation
(Rock et al. 1983; Wajzer 1986; Wajzer et al. 1991) crops out
between the Simpang Gambit Fault and the younger Langsat
volcanics. The Si Kumbu Turbidite Formation is composed of vol-
caniclastic debris flows and proximal and distal turbidites, with
negligible contents of quartz and K-feldspar. The Si Kumbu
Turbidite Formation is weakly deformed by large-scale open
folds and is slightly metamorphosed (prehnite-pumpellyite
facies) with pervasive epidote veining in places. The Si Kumbu
Formation is intruded by andesite dykes, two of which were
dated using the whole-rock K - A r method, giving minimum
ages of 40.1 ___ 1.6 Ma and 37.6 + 1.3 Ma, which are probably
cooling ages. The andesite dykes are identical in composition
to andesite clasts in the volcaniclastic breccias within the
Si Kumbu Formation and are therefore considered to have been
intruded contemporaneously. If the inferred syn-depositional age
of the dated andesite intrusions is correct, the Si Kumbu turbidites
are mostly of late Mid-Eocene age.
The Si Kumbu Turbidite Formation is interpreted by Wajzer
et al. (1991) to represent a fault-bounded allochthonous, and
possibly rotated, submarine-fan deposit derived from the apron
of an oceanic volcanic arc which lay to the west. There is no
evidence of an oceanic volcanic arc to the west at this time so
that the volcaniclastic debris may have been derived from a
coastal volcanic centre.
Rashid et al. (1998) and Netherwood (2000) consider the vol-
caniclastic sequence in the Gumai Mountains as 'about' Middle
Eocene (47-42 Ma) in age. This is a further estimate for the age
of these undated volcaniclastics which, following McCourt et al.
(1993), are here correlated with the Lahat Formation (Oligocene).
A shoshonite dyke in the Tanjungkarang area has been dated by
Bellon et al. (2004) at 43.5 _+ 1 Ma.
At Ciletuh Bay in the western part of the Java, bathyal volcanic
rocks and submarine fan deposits of the Ciletuh Formation
(Late Mid-Eocene-Early Oligocene) (Schiller et al. 1991) rest
unconformable upon the components of an Upper Cretaceous
Oceanic Accretionary Complex (Citirem Formation, the Pasir
Luhur Schist and the Gunung Beas Ultrabasics) that has similar
iithologies and a similar age to the Bangkaru Ophiolite Complex
of the Sumatran forearc islands (Samuel et al. 1997). In the
Ciletuh Formation volcanic debris is mingled with a submarine
fan; turbidite deposits formed when clastic sediments of continen-
tal origin poured over a narrow continental shelf bounded by the
Cimandiri Fault onto a continental slope. The volcaniclastics
were deposited in half grabens and were derived from ashfalls
and massive undersea pyroclastic flows. Schiller et al. (1991)
suggest that some of the volcaniclastics were derived from the
erosion of a nearby undersea volcano or volcanic island. The
description of the Ciletuh Formation is not detailed enough to
demonstrate that a subaquous caldera was present at that time,
although such structures have been shown to occur elsewhere
(White et al. 2004). An alternative source for the volcaniclastics
is the contemporaneous Lower Old Andesites (LOA of Sukarna
et al. 1993) in the Bayah area to the north.
Late Eocene-Early Miocene volcanic episode
Two phases are distinguished in this lengthy episode of volcanism:
1. Late Eocene-mid-Late Oligocene volcanism in Southern
Sumatra.
2. Late Oligocene-Early Miocene volcanic arc in western
Sumatra within the present Barisan Mountains.
A complete sequence representing this volcanic episode was
recorded in an offshore oil exploration well in the Bengkulu
Forearc Basin (Hall et al. 1993). Elsewhere in Sumatra different
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 103

k,
,\
-\,. ) \ PALAEOCENE
\\

\,<'
/
"N~,b Offshore boreholes il
~............. {
\i

z k
N~'6"~, ..... LaKe '~
\
\xToba
\,
V <.N,
\ }Seukeun '~>' '\' \f-. '-,, ...."............'x '%,,.... /N/
'~'\,,
~,\
M~
u& \
_ 6Sibubung .......:,
..--
..
X
\ v2.,, \
\

ssi "-'I

\
N . Batang Nata ~ Bungo } ;.,,,,.-.~

x---- ' . . . . " ......... '

~:~ " ULT v Tamian

,,~, \~"N~>,~_,~ \ Bukit Raja

v
Lemat 1&2 (
/
/

!"-'"\~)N"-, (N. Laru {

\.. ...... !
"-.% [

Od0~\.. ~"\- V Gunung Dempu Fig. 8.2. Distribution of volcanics and

v)~p. ~ ~ Jatibaru plutons associated with the Palaeocene
Volcanic rocks %.o4\" , , . . ,....
..... ......... ,. volcanic episode. Palaeogeographic outline
% =\.
\-,\.~ f of Sumatra adapted from Figure 14.18a
which compensates for the dextral

1
0 200km "~ "- / /"J
Piutons "% '~ ~J'-~"""\L
displacement along the Sumatra Fault Zone
and extension within the Forearc. Volcanic
" .
units listed in Table 8.2.

components of the episode can be pieced together from the agglomerates with an elevated alkali content. The estimated age
volcanic formations and units identified and described during of the Langsat Volcanic Formation is between Early and Late Oli-
regional mapping and oil exploration. gocene. The Langsat Volcanic Formation is thought to have been
intruded by the Late Oligocene Air Bangis granite suite (c. 2 8 -
Late Eocene to mid-Late Oligocene Volcanic Phase (Table 8.4 and 29 Ma), but due to poor outcrop and a covering of younger
Fig. 8.4). In northern Sumatra, a dyke in the Calang area has rocks this is not certain. Rock et al. (1983) noted sedimentary
been dated at 32 4-1 Ma ( K - A r method) by Bellon et al. xenoliths in the Banjalarang adamellite at Air Bangis and
(2004). Extrusive volcanic rocks are well developed in the Natal mapped undifferentiated sediments on the shore, but no volcanic
area of the forearc, where Bellon et al. (2004) dated both andesite xenoliths were seen. The outcrop of the Langsat Volcanic For-
and basalt dykes between 41 and 37 Ma. mation is fault-bounded, but the rocks are not internally deformed.
Tufts, assigned to the Lahat Formation (McCourt et al. 1993), The lavas are highly porphyritic, clinopyroxene-rich with minor
are exposed in the Tigapuluh and Gumai Mountains, where they plagioclase. Rock et al. (1982, 1983) noted that the Langsat
constitute the regional Late Eocene-early Late Oligocene sedi- Volcanic Formation differs from the other Tertiary basic lavas
mentary formation in Southern Sumatra. De Coster (1974) in Sumatra and Java in the absence of hypersthene, the rarity of
placed equivalent tufts, found in boreholes drilled during explora- plagioclase, the presence of orthoclase and sometimes of olivine
tion of the South Sumatra Basin, in the Lemat Formation. The age- at low silica percentages, and by high clinopyroxene contents,
equivalent Lemat and Lahat Formations are considered by De leading to elevated values of Mg, Ca, Cr, Ni and to a lesser
Coster (1974) to be basal Eocene to Upper Oligocene in age, extent of Co (Table 8.9). Rock et al. (1982) concluded that the
revised by De Smet & Barber (see Chapter 7) to Late Eocene to Langsat Volcanics were abnormal mafic basaltic rocks, with
early Late Oligocene. Alternatively Netherwood (2000), following affinities to basic shoshonite or absarokite (see Fig. 8.8a).
Rashid et al. (1998) places the Lahat Formation in the Middle Wajzer (1986) found pumpellyite in amygdales and in the
Eocene and the Lemat Formation in the Upper Eocene-Upper groundmass of lavas in the Langsat Volcanic Formation. His
Oligocene. In this account these tufts are described as part of chemical analyses confirmed the high K contents and the low
the Lahat Formation. levels of Zr, Nb, Y and depleted P and Ti values, usually high
The Langsat Volcanic Formation (Wajzer et al. 1991) at the in alkali-rich basic rocks. Wajzer (1986) suggested that the
western end of the Natal River section is composed of poorly initial alkali content was low, and that the high alkali levels
exposed and deeply weathered porphyritic basic lavas and were the result of prehnite-pumpellyite facies metamorphism.
104 CHAPTER 8
Table 8.3. Lithologies in Late Mid-Eocene-Late Eocene volcanic formations
and units
Volcanic Lithologies
F m or Unit
Breueh j Bedded pile of subaerial massive to scoriaceous
pyroclastics, feldsparphyric, epidotized, vesicular &
amygaloidal basaltic lavas which were hot and plastic
at the time of intrusion by basalt, andesite and
microdiorite dykes with Breueh VF clasts. Clasts of
the Breueh Volcanic Formation are present in the
base of the Peunasu Formation (Late Oligocene-
Early Miocene). The Raya Diorite (18.9 _+ 1.2 Ma)
may be a subvolcanic intrusion.
Meucampli I- 3 Local amygdaloidal intermediate to marie volcanics
within the siltstones & mudstones.
Kieme3 Arkoses, carbonaceous & pebbly mudstones, volcanic
wackes & breccio-conglomerates & sandstones;
prophylitised andesites.
Semclit3 Arkoses, carbonaceous & pebbly mudstones, volcanic
wackes & breccio-conglomerates & sandstones;
prophylitised andesites.
Sitaban4
Porphyritic andesites and subvolcanic microdiorites.
Microdiorite dated at 43 + 3.2 Ma (fission track
method).
Sibolga4 Amygdaloidal andesite interbedded with paralic-
fluviatile sediments near Barus.
Sikumbu5 Volcaniclastic debris flows and proximal and distal
turbidites with negligible contents of quartz and
K-feldspar; represents a submarine fan deposit
derived from the apron of a volcano.
Lower Old Basalts and andesitic basalts; interfingers with the
Andesites6 Cipageur Member.
Ciletuh7 Bathyal volcaniclastics banked against fault scarp
derived from ashfalls and massive undersea
pyroclastic flows over a narrow continental shelf. The
volcaniclastics may have originated from the Lower
Old Andesites and the presence of seafloor volcanoes
has been suggested.
References: iBennett et al. ( 1981a), 2Keats et al. ( 1982), 3Cameron et a/. (1983),
4Aspden et al. (1982b), 5Wajzer et al. (1991), 6Sukarna et al. (1993),
7Schiller et al. ( 1991).
Wajzer e t al. (1991) considered that the Langsat Volcanic
Formation represent primitive tholeiitic volcanics of island arc,
or possibly mid-oceanic ridge affinity, although the results given
by tectonic-setting diagrams were ambiguous. It is concluded
here that in spite of the low-grade metamorphism of some
samples, the Langsat Volcanic Formation are primitive submarine
tholeiitic volcanics erupted in a forearc setting, and resemble the
high-Ti variety shoshonites of the Eocene Kamchatka Arc of
Siberia (Kepezhinskas 1995).
To the NE the outcrop of the Langsat Formation is bounded by a
fault parallel to the Simpang Gambir Fault (Wajzer et al. 1991)
which, by reversing the post-Miocene movements of the
Sumatra Fault Zone (Fig. 8.4), links the Langsat area with the
contemporary fault-bounded igneous centre of the Bandan For-
mation. The Bandan Formation, composed of ignimbrites and
tufts, is up to 500 m thick and outcrops for a distance of 26 km
along the strike (Rosidi e t al. 1976; Kusnama e t al. 1993b). The
pyroclastic rocks are intruded by a graphic granite and Rosidi
e t al. (1976) suggested that there was evidence of fault-fissure
volcanism. The Bandan volcanic centre appears to represent
the eroded roots of a caldera complex, and is associated with a
fault zone which extends southeastwards into the Lematang
Fault (Pulunggono 1986), an important link between the graben
fault troughs and highs which make up the South Sumatra
Basin (see Chapter 13). Tuffaceous horizons in the Lahat For-
mation in the South Sumatra Basin (Table 8.4) are distributed in
a wide arc around the Bandan volcanic centre and it seems
likely that the Bandan caldera structure was a major source for
these tufts.
The most northerly reported volcaniclastic sediments of Middle
Eocene to Upper Oligocene age occur in the lacustrine and basin
margin facies of the Upper Eocene Sangkarewang Formation in
the intramontane Ombilin Basin (Howells 1997b). Koesoemadinta
& Matasak (1981) used the term 'Brani Formation' for the basal
unit of the Sangkarewang Formation in which they described
minor quantities of volcanic debris within polymict conglomer-
ates, but did not recognize any tuffs.
To the east in the Central Sumatra Basin De Coster (1974)
has described volcaniclastics in the basal Kelesa Formation
( O l i g o c e n e - E a r l y Miocene), now termed the Pematang Group
(Upper E o c e n e - U p p e r Oligocene, see Chapter 7). The Kelesa
Formation has a localised distribution, forming the initial sedi-
mentary fill in troughs and grabens and contains tufts in the
northern Tigapuluh Mountains (Simunjuntak e t al. 1991). Wain
& Jackson (1995) also recognized ruffs in the Brown Shale
Facies of the Pematang Group in the Kampur Uplift, NW of
the Tigapuluh Mountains, near the southwestern margin of the
Central Basin.
The tufts and volcaniclastic sediments of the Lahat Formation
are the most widely distributed Upper E o c e n e - O l i g o c e n e
volcanic rocks in Southern Sumatra and Northwest Java.
The Lahat Formation includes terrestial and lacustrine sediments
and volcaniclastics (N.B. De Coster 1974 placed these in
the Lemat Formation) deposited initially on an uneven
topographic surface and later in (listric?) half grabens
trending n o r t h - s o u t h and NE-SW, linked by N W - S E - t r e n d i n g
transfer faults.
The basal Lahat Formation is exposed on the southeastern
slopes of the Tigapuluh Mountains uplift and contains tufts and
volcanic debris (Suwarna e t al. 1991). In the type area of the
Lahat formation in the Gumai Mountains (Musper 1937; Gafoer
e t al. 1992c, McCourt e t al. 1993) finely laminated tufts occur
below the Cawang Member (Lower Kikim Formation of Gafoer
e t al. 1992c, pp. 6 6 - 6 7 ) , and andesitic lavas, tufts and tuffaceous
claystones occur above the Cawang Member (the Upper Kikim
Formation of Galber et al. 1994), which also contains volcanic
debris. De Coster (1974) described the Lahat Formation resting
on 'Upper Cretaceous-Palaeogene' volcaniclastics (his Kikim
Tufts) below the mid-Oligocene unconformity to the east of
the Gumai Mountains, in the Kikim, Lemu, Laru, Lahat and
Tamiang wells. The Lahat Formation is not represented in
the Garba Mountains where the volcanic breccias, welded tufts,
andesitic to basaltic lavas with sedimentary intercalations were
assigned to the older Kikim Volcanics by Gafoer et al. (1994).
De Coster (1974) described how, towards the end of the Eocene
in the South Sumatra sub-basins, the uneven topography of
basement ridges and hills was deeply eroded to expose granite
plutons. The granite wash derived from these plutons was buried
beneath fluviatile continental sediments of the Lahat Formation
and included tuff, derived partly from intermittent volcanism,
but also recycled from earlier tuff deposits.
In the South Palembang Sub-basin Pannetier (1994) figures
volcaniclastic sediments of the basal Lahat Formation banked up
against fault scarps. In the South Palembang Sub-basin, towards
the top of the Lahat Formation, the Benekat Member was depos-
ited in the Benakat Gully graben against the Lematang Fault
(Pulunggono 1986), a NW-trending transfer fault that had been
active during the Mesozoic (Pulunggono e t al. 1992). The lacus-
trine Benekat Member is composed of grey-brown shales with
some beds of tuffaceous shale, siltstone, sandstone and thin coal
beds. It was dated as late E o c e n e - E a r l y Oligocene on spore-
pollen and K - A r age dates by De Coster (1974), but is currently
considered to be of Late Oligocene age.
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 105

MERGUI \ LATE MIDDLE EOCENE

BASIN " ~ ~ ,

Me ,~, Semelit ( ,
"-V',Kierne

Breueh~'~. ~" ~
Ts~and- ~ ~ ~ . . . . ~
~~ ~
~ "~
\
eucamZ"
X
MEULABOH~ X
\k BASIN X X -- f'-)
", ^ S/NGKELQ \ /~
"C..,Oe," BASIN ~V~..Sibolcla (,.
p ulau~,.~.+~ Sitaban"9~ ~v'~'"
",%
Simeulue \ ."*oA \\ ~\
~.~z~V Sikumt
:

~-'/" ", ~ Sungei Toboh

Too\. BENGKULU
IvI Volcanic rocks " \ BASIN
Pulau" %
~ Fig. 8.3. Distribution of volcanics and
plutons associated with the Late Middle
I o Plutons Enggano ~
Old Andes es V
Eocene Volcanic Episode. Palaeogeographic
outline of Sumatra adapted from Figure
0~ [ ~ 200km ~ "" "- ~ ~ I Ciletuh V, 14.18a. Volcanic units listed in Table 8.4.

Southeast of the Garba Mountains, in the Bandar Jaya Basin,
shales of the Lahat Formation, with a high volcaniclastic
component ( 2 2 0 - 9 0 0 m ) , were deposited in grabens within
cyclic fluvial and lacustrine environments, rich in algae (Williams
et al. 1995).
On the western side of Teluk Lampung the Palaeogene volcanic
outcrop may not be as extensive as shown on the geological map of
Tanjungkarang (Andi Mangga et al. 1994a), as according to
Gasparon & Varne (1995) the volcanic rocks here belong to the
Pliocene-Pleistocene Lampung Formation. West of Teluk
Lampung fluvial breccias and tufts of the Sabu Formation rest
unconformably on the Menanga Formation (Cretaceous). On the
eastern side of Lampung Bay tufts occur in the lower part of
the marine turbiditic Campang Formation. These formations,
distributed around Telukbetung and Tanjungkarang, consist of
tufts and breccias with tuffite intercalations deposited in a conti-
nental environment. The Sabu and Campang formations are corre-
lated by Andi Mangga et al. ( 1 9 9 4 a ) with the Tarahan Formation,
which consists of tufts and breccias with tuffite intercalations
deposited in a continental environment, and is distributed around
Telukbetung and Tanjungkarang.
On the NW coast of Java oil and gas are produced from
fractured tufts in the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene Jatibarang
Volcanic Formation (Arpandi & Patmosukisma 1975) which
forms a basal infill in half grabens, over an iixegular topography.
The greatest thickness of volcanic rocks occurs in a large offshore
syn-rift graben, with a westerly dipping listric master fault
(Adnan et al. 1991). This occurrence probably represents a distinct
volcanic centre.
In boreholes in the Bengkulu Forearc Basin (South Manna
Sub-basin) an unconformity separates Palaeogene 'Parallel
Bedded facies' from Upper Eocene-Upper Oligocene graben-fill
sediments and volcaniclastics (Hall et al. 1993). At the bottom of
the Arwana- 1 well, at the base of Megasequence I, a 60 m sequence
of (?Upper Eocene-Lower Oligocene) massive volcaniclastic sedi-
ments is interbedded with tuffaceous clays and organic clays. These
volcaniclastic rocks were deposited in a complex mosaic of seg-
mented half-graben depocentres. Megasequence I is imaged on
seismic profiles as a c. 2 km thick parallel-bedded sequence, depos-
ited as a syn-rift unit within a system of NE-trending half graben,
which were probably segmented by NW-trending transfer faults.
The mid-Oligocene unconformity at the top of Megasequence I is
106 CHAPTER 8

Table 8.4. Lithologies in Late Eoce,e-Mid-Oligocene volcanic formations and units

Volcanic F m or Unit Lithologies

Langsat Volcanic j'2 Purple to blue-black highly porphyryritic volcanics with clinopyroxene phenocrysts, minor plagioclase, and occasional feldspar-phyric red-
purple xenoliths. The groundmass is unusually potassic and consists mainly of orthoclase, but has a sodic rock composition. Chlorite
pseudomorpbs are probably after olivine, and the quantity and alteration of feldspar phenocrysts is variable. The basic lavas and
agglomerates show onion-skin weathering and are occasionally net-veined with quartz and/or epidote, perhaps related to small explosion
vents. Tuffs are present, but are uncommon.
Sangkarawang3 Polymict conglomerates with granitic, metamorphic & minor volcanic clasts.
Kelesa4 Continental environment conglomerates, sands, shales, coals, tuffaceous material. 8 Kampar Uplift 5 Brown Shale facies: Lacustrine
mudstones with clusters of lithic & crystal tufts.
North Tigapuluh Mountains("7: Polymict conglomerates, gravely and pebbly tuffaceous sandstone and tuffaceous siltstone; with
intercalations of fluvio-lacustrine sediments.
Bandan~,9 Monotonous sequence 400-500 m thick of acidic ignimbrites & hybrid tufts intruded by graphic granite body. Outcrop has strike of 26 km
and subcrop is obscured by the Quaternary sediments associated with the D. Kerinci graben. Compacted tuff, volcanic breccia &
conglomeratic tuff composed of fragments of andesite, basaltic tuff & welded tuff and of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic rocks. Prophylitised &
chloritized with sulphide mineralization. Inferred fissure eruption along fault zone which is interpreted as the eroded root of a giant
caldera.
Gumai Mts formerly Kikim Formation (see main text), m Finely laminated tufts below (Lower Kikim Formation of Gafoer et al. 1992c), and
andesitic tufts and lavas and tuffaceous ctaystones above the Cawang Member.
Lahat Near Baturaja I I: violet, massive tuff with abundant milky plagioclase and sanidine phenocrysts and rare tiny laths of dark brown altered
mafics.
South Tigapuluh Mountains: 7 Fluvio-lacustrine sediments with clasts of basalt, andesite, slate, metasediment, marble and quartz. Somewhat
tuffaceous siltstones and claystones.
South Sumatra Basin: 4 Sandstones, clays, rock fragments, breccias, 'granite wash', occasional thin coal beds and tuffs.

Bandar Jaya Basin ~-: basal shales have a high volcaniclastic component (220-900 m thick).

Megasequence I & 2 ]-~ Bengkuht Basin, South Manna Sub-Basin: Volcanic litharenites with clasts of ignimbrite, volcanics & vitriclasts, clay tuff & claystones.

Campang 14 Laml)tmg Basin: 1000-1500 m tuff, breccia, conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, clay & shale.
Sabu H Fluvial deposits of ruff, clay-tuff, conglomeratic breccia, sandslonc & claystone (c. 750 m).

Tarahan j4 Relatively massives luffs, poorly sorted breccia with clasts of andesite lava & sediments and tufliles with pymclaslic and detrital material.
Jatibarang 15 Unfossiliferous, varicoloured & mottled tuff s, porphyritic andesite, basalt and red claystone (0-1200 m).

References: JWajzer et al. ( 1991 ), 2Rock et al. ( 1982, 1983), "Koesoemadmata & Matasak ( 1981 ), 4De Coster ( 1974), 5Wain & Jackson (1995), 6Suwarna et al. ( 1991),
7Simandjuntaketal.(1991), 8 Rosldletal.(1976),
" " ') Kusnamaetal.(1993h), ioo
t J a r o c,.
r ( , I a/. ( 1992c), i IGasparon&Varne(1995). leWilliamsetal.(1995), ]3Hall

et al. (1993). HAndi Mangga et al. (1994a), 15Arpandi & Patmosukismo (1975).

interpreted as m a r k i n g a c h a n g e in the basin-forming m e c h a n i s m the H u l u s i m p a n g Formation. T h e s e volcanic units are c o m p o s e d

f r o m extension in the P a l a e o g e n e , to pull-apart, associated with
oblique slip, in the N e o g e n e . Volcaniclastic rocks o c c u r in Megase-
q u e n c e II in the Upper O l i g o c e n e in the A r w a n a - ! well and it
appears that volcanicity was c o n t i n u o u s into the Late O l i g o c e n e -
Early M i o c e n e V o l c a n i c Phase.
Late O l i g o c e n e - E a r l y M i o c e n e Volcanic Phase (Table 8.5 and
Fig. 8.5). T h e rise of the proto-Barisan Mountains at c. 28 Ma
marks a m a j o r tectonic event in Sumatra, causing the separation
of the Forearc and B a c k a r c Basins. V o l c a n i c and volcaniclastic
rocks f o r m e d during the Late O l i g o c e n e - E a r l y M i o c e n e V o l c a n i c
Phase are f o u n d m o s t l y in West S u m a t r a on the rising proto-
Barisan land mass and along its western margins, but also in
the Forearc Islands and to a lesser extent in the back arc area
(Fig. 8.5). In S o u t h e r n S u m a t r a v o l c a n i s m started in the Late
O l i g o c e n e , b a s e d on fossils in l i m e s t o n e intercalations in tuffac-
eous sandstones in the l o w e r part of the Seblat F o r m a t i o n w h i c h
interfingers with the H u l u s i m p a n g F o r m a t i o n (Gafoer et al.
1992c).
The ' O l d e r A n d e s i t e s ' to the SE of P a d a n g (van B e m m e l e n
1949), n o w k n o w n as the Painan F o r m a t i o n (Rosidi et al. 1976),
m a r k the m a i n o u t c r o p of the Late O l i g o c e n e - E a r l y M i o c e n e
V o l c a n i c Arc and their continuation to the SE is described as
p r e d o m i n a n t l y o f andesite, basalt, andesitic basalt and rarer
dacile lavas and pyroclastics. T h e original volcanic centres are
not k n o w n , a l t h o u g h Early M i o c e n e subw)lcanic dioritic intru-
sions may mark the f o r m e r volcanic centres.
The Painan F o r m a t i o n includes shallow water sediments, and to
the S W of B e n g k u l u the Seblat F o r m a t i o n represents the remnants
o f a marine volcaniclastic apron w h i c h intertingers with the lavas
o f the H u l u s i m p a n g Formation. Propylitic alteration of the lavas is
widespread, and chloritic alteration, sulphides and quartz veinlets
are reported. T h e s e volcanics host several important Quaternary
epithermal gold deposits. A basalt flow in the Padang area has
been dated at 24 __+ 0.6 M a and d y k e s west o f S u n g e i p e r u h
b e t w e e n 26 and 24 M a by B e l l o n et al. (2004).
In the i n t r a m o n t a n e O m b i l i n Basin volcanic clasts first appear in
the Rasau M e m b e r of the S a w a h l u n t o Formation, increasing in
proportion u p w a r d s through the U p p e r O l i g o c e n e S a w a t a m b a n g
F o r m a t i o n ( H o w e l l s 1997b); a source area in the e m e r g e n t
Barisan M o u n t a i n s to the west o f the basin is probable.
Further north a linear volcanic outcrop extends s o u t h w e s t w a r d s
f r o m Sibolga, but individual v o l c a n i c centres have not been recog-
nized. Pyroclastic volcanics and tufts are c o m m o n all along
the western m a r g i n of the N o r t h S u m a t r a Basin. The volcanic
materials o c c u r at the base o f U p p e r O l i g o c e n e - M i o c e n e sedi-
m e n t a r y units, and are often reported to be b a n k e d against
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 107

OLIGOCENE

~-~\~Bg~ii~XdanV S~ Tigapuluh" ~

X '~ ~ VGum~'B~:r:i!aSUmatra/
~ V andarJay
Basin
'

~~"6~'
.~ Bengkul
,. nVu ~, ~S_abu~q'Campang
~Basi Fig. 8.4. Distribution of Late
~ Volcanicand Eocene-Middle Oligocene volcanic
volcaniclasticrocks 200km ~ / JatibarangV
formations and units and dated plutons.
-~ Pluton I "~' . . ~ .~.. -,..
Palaeogcographic outline of Sumatra after
Figure 14.t8a. Volcanic units listed in
Table 8.4.

faults. In the Central Sumatra Basin volcaniclastic sandstones in
the Cubadak Member of the Sihapas Formation were deposited
in a deltaic environment (Rock et al. 1983).
During the late Early Miocene volcanicity continued locally and
reworked volcanic debris is reported in the Kompas Volcanic
Member of the Loser Formation (Cameron et al. 1982a). In the
Tapaktuan Quadrangle (Cameron et al. 1982b) the Rampong
Formation is interbedded with the Akul Volcanic Formation, in
which the eroded peaks of three volcanic centres can still be dis-
tinguished. On the west coast, adjacent to the Sikuleh Batholith,
the paralic to fluviatile Tangla Formation contains localised inter-
mediate volcanic and amygdaloidal basalts and volcaniclastics
especially in the SE part of the outcrop. Bennett et al. (1981b)
suggest that the volcanic rocks in the Tangla Formation, and
numerous felsic and mafic dykes in the southwestern part of the
Sikuleh Batholith, mark a line of former volcanoes. These
volcanoes may have been the source of distal Lower Miocene
tuffaceous volcaniclastic sediments found in the lbrearc islands,
on Nias (Gawo Formation, N4 foram zone) and possibly also on
Siberut (Samuel et al. 1997).
1
In the Calang area, a basalt dyke has been date at 32 4- Ma by
Bellon et al. (2004).
In the Backarc areas volcanic rocks of this phase have been
not reported within the Central Sumatra Basin. In the South
Palembang Sub-Basin of the South Sumatra Backarc Basin a
horizon with volcanic fragments is present in the Upper
Oligocene-Lower Miocene Talangakar Formation (Pannetier
1994), presumably representing volcanic debris washed into the
basin from the volcanic arc.
Late Early M i o c e n e - M i d - M i o c e n e volcanic episode
(Table 8.6 and Fig. 8.6)
A late Early Miocene Phase of volcanism is distinguished in the
Meulaboh area of Northern Sumatra where Kallagher (1989,
1990) mapped volcanic rocks forming two age clusters, the first
around the Lower to Middle Miocene boundary and the second
around the Middle to Upper Miocene boundary. Additional age
data from the Calang are for this volcanic episode are provided
by Bellon et al. (2004) and summarized in Table 8.1. Kallagher
(1990) states that the commencement of volcanic activity
coincided with the uplift of the Barisan Mountains and the
cessation of sedimentation along the margin of the Meulaboh
Basin. Lower-Middle Miocene sediments show evidence of
only minor contemporaneous volcanic activity, but are faulted
against volcanic rocks of the same age, indicating subsequent
fault movements, while Middle Miocene and younger sediments
contain abundant volcanic clasts eroded from the volcanic belt.
In northern Sumatra numerous volcanic formations belonging
to the late Early Miocene-Mid-Miocene Volcanic Episode have
been mapped. South of Lake Toba outcrops of volcanic rocks
t 08 CHAPTER 8
Table 8.5. Lithologies of the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene volcanic phase
V o l c a n i c F m or Unit Lithologies
Gawo i
Tuffaceous volcanic member on Nias and ? Siberut.
Tangla2 Volcanic facies of Tangla Formation with volcanic and
conglomeratic sediments and localised intermediate
volcanics & anaygdaloidal basalts. Minor
intermediate volcanics in the Ligan Member.
Smeten3,4 Felsic, intermediate pyroclastics. Flow banded welded
tuff in Langsa quadrangle.
Sapi-3,4 Felsic, intermediate and marie lavas & pyroclastics;
dykes.
Brawan3,4 Massive hornblende andesites, agglomerates & lapilli
aggregates with propylitization and subvolcanic
microdiorites.
Akul3,4 Andesites, basalts, agglomerates & volcaniclastic
sediments; propylitization. Interbedded with
Rampong Fm.
Kompas Volcanic Andesites & pyroclastics; minor reworked pyroclastics;
Member5 thickness 200-500 m. Part of Loser Formation.
Sihapas~ Cubadak Member contains volcaniclastic sandstones
interbedded with limestones above mudstones &
pebbly sandstones.
Sawahtambangv Increase upwards in quantity of volcanic clasts, relative
to clastic& metamorphic clasts in fluviatile
conglomerates & conglomeratic sandstones.
Painan8 Andesitic-dacitic lavas, tufts, ignimbrites, tuff breccia,
breccia, & minor sediments including arkose,
bituminous shale, shaly coal, andesitic tuff,
tuffaceous shale & sandstone.
Hulusimpangg- ~5 Andesite & basalt or andesite-basalt, rarely dacitic lavas,
volcanic breccias & tufts. Often chloritised and
propylitised and with sulphides and quartz veinlets
(c. 700 m).
Seblat 9- ~5 Lower part lenses of conglomerate and carbonaceous
sandstone. Middle part tuffaceous shale intercalated
with limestone. Upper part tuffaceous siltstone &
calcareous claystone & glauconitic sandstone.
References: JSamuel et al. (t997), 2Bennett et al. (1981b), 3Cameron et al.
(1982a), 4Cameron et al. (1983), 5Cameron et al. (1982b), 6Rock et al.
(1983), 7Howells (1997b), SRosidi et al. (1976), 9Kusnama et al. 1993b),
t~ et al. (1994), IIGafoer et al. (1992c), leAmin et al. (1994a),
13Gafoer et al. (1994), J4Amin et al. (1994b), 15Andi Mangga et al. (1994a).
become more extensive, with lavas and volcaniclastics forming a
discontinuous linear outcrop, mapped as a few aerially extensive
formations (Table 8.6 & Fig. 8.6). Dykes and flows (Table 9.1)
in the Sibologa area have been dated between 20 and 17 Ma; in
the Kengkulu area between 17 and 13 Ma and between 20 and
14 Ma in the Tanjungkarang area (Bellon et al. 2004). Ashes
derived from the volcanic arc occur in the forearc islands of
Nias and Siberut, and probably also on Enggano, where the tuffac-
eous Kemiki Formation (Upper Middle M i o c e n e - P l i o c e n e ) was
deposited in a terrestrial environment (Amin et al. 1994a).
Acidic volcanic rocks occur in the Calang Volcanic Formation
(rhyodacites) of northern Sumatra and in the extensive Bal
Formation (dacites) of southern Sumatra. Otherwise the volcanic
rocks are reported mostly to be andesites, with some basalts.
Rock et al. (1983) describe volcanic rocks of intermediate compo-
sition from the equatorial sector.
Sub-volcanic and other intrusions are observed to be associated
in the field with several of the Middle Miocene volcanic
fortnations (e.g. Calang and Saliguro Formations), and have
been dated by Bellon et al. (2004) (Table 8.1). The Raya Diorite
with a K - A r hornblende age of 18.9 _+ 1.2 Ma (average of six ana-
lyses) was emplaced within the Breueh Volcanic Formation (Late
M i d d l e - L a t e Eocene) on Pulau Breueh N W of Banda Aceh. The
diorite stock is associated with dykes which are described as
having been intruded into hot and plastic lavas (Bennett et al.
1981a). According to Rock et al. (1982) the Raya Stock may be
the subvolcanic equivalent of the lavas, suggesting that late
Early Miocene lavas are present within the Breueh Volcanic
Formation, which may therefore be a composite unit.
H i g h - K Series volcanism in the backarc. Eubank & Makki (1981)
described volcanic rocks encountered in seven oil exploration
wells in the Central Sumatra Basin. These wells penetrated
small sills, dykes, lavas and tufts of Middle Miocene age in the
Coastal Plains Block along the Malacca Strait. Rock types
include gabbro, micro-gabbro, olivine trachyte tuff and basalt.
The extrusive rocks are crystal-lithic, vitric tufts that originated
from the explosive chilling of gas-rich, partially chilled magma,
The extrusives appear to have been deposited on an eroded
surface, and possible pyroclastic cones were identified on
seismic profiles. Uplift and erosion are known to have occurred
in the Coastal Plains area during the Mid-Miocene. Submarine
basalt flows encountered in the Merak-1 well are interbedded
with marine sediments of N8 age ( 1 6 - 1 7 Ma) and yielded
radiometric ages between 17.5-12 Ma (no analytical details are
available). Some of the shallower intrusions showed contami-
nation by sediment, but there was no significant assimilation of
wall rock. The chemistry of these rocks indicates that they are
K-rich shoshonites, typical of a high-K alkaline backarc associ-
ation, but no chemical analyses were quoted. A seismic profile
across the Buantan Intrusive Centre imaged a laccolith, about
4 km in diameter emplaced along the boundary between the
Telisa and Bekasnap Formations, occupying a faulted arch in the
overlying Telisa and Petani Formations (Heidrick & Aulia
1993). High-K series volcanics are present in the Natal area,
where Bellon et al. (2004) have dated an absarokite flow at
18.2 + 0.4 Ma
Andesitic intrusives and extrusives with radiometric ages
between 18 and 14 Ma (no analytical data given), were penetrated
in the Capang-1 and Abung-1 wells in the Terbanggi and Negara
Batin Grabens of the Bandar Jaya Basin of Southern Sumatra
(Williams et al. 1995).
Late Miocene through Pliocene volcanic episode
( T a b l e 8. 7 a n d Fig. 8. 7)
Stratigraphic dating of volcanic rocks and volcaniclastic sedi-
ments indicate that the final episode of the Neogene volcanic
activity continued into the Quaternary, represented in southern
Sumatra by the volcaniclastic Kasai Formation. In Northern and
Central Sumatra the distribution of Pliocene volcaniclastics
is obscured by the extensive, younger Toba Tufts; Pliocene
volcaniclastics have been recognized east of Aceh, where a flow
of andesite is dated at 1.76 Ma by Bellon et al. (2004). The
Haranggoal Volcanic Formation ( ? M i d d l e - U p p e r Miocene;
Aldiss et al. 1982) at Lake Toba has been dated at 1.2 Ma, and
now is interpreted as an early volcanic phase related to the Toba
Caldera Complex (Chesner & Rose 1991). Older a ~ 1 7 6
dates for an andesite flow of 2 _ 0.3 Ma and a basalt dyke of
1.9 + 0.2 are reported by Bellon et al. (2004) from the Toba area.
Pliocene volcanic centres around Lake Toba crop out as inliers
within the Toba Tufts. These centres are set back slightly from the
continuation of the trend of the volcanic arc in southern Sumatra.
Their position and rhyolitic composition suggests a similar origin
to the Toba Caldera system; a relationship to the subduction of the
Investigator Fracture Zone (Fauzi et al. 1996) during the Pliocene
is likely.
Pliocene volcanics are recognized in equatorial Sumatra (Rock
et al. 1983) and an undated linear outcrop of volcanic rocks occurs
in the Painan Quadrangle (Rosidi et al. 1976), which includes vol-
canics of the episode (Bellon et al. 2004). In SW Sumatra volcanic
centres with a rhyolite association (Pasumah and Ranau) have
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 109

/ \
LATE OLIGOCENE - EARLY MIOCENE

r,.Brawan X
S~ 'T,Smeten

, Lake
N
N
\

O~. \ Tangla
v\\
, sj U,s
"%00~ X ihapaI

\ awatamb

\ "-4

v~ !
?Gawo ~,,~ ~~ainan /
"-',~. I , Axial fault of )

I Tufts and volcaniclastic \

T sediments \ simpan
Volcanic rocks with \ --~
lava flows \ ~ . Fig. 8.5. Distributionof Late
Oligocene-Early Miocene volcanic units.
Plutons 0 200km % Palaeogeographic outline of Sumatra after
Figure 14.18b. Volcanic units listed in
Table 8.5.

been recognized and volcanics dated between 5.5 and 2.4 Ma in
the Bengkulu area by Bellon et al. (2004) (see Table 8.1). In the
extreme south of Sumatra (Andi Mangga et al. 1994a) volcanic
centres of andesitic lavas in the Sunda Strait at Pulau Sebuku
and Gunung Durianpajung are early manifestations of the
volcanicity in the Sunda Strait which climaxed during the
Quaternary (see Chapter 9).
Major and trace element geochemistry of the Tertiary
volcanic rocks
There is more chemical data for the Neogene than for the Palaeogene
volcanic rocks of Sumatra, but the majority of analyses are of major
elements only; these have been discussed by Rock et al. (1982).
Analyses of samples for major and minor elements from selected
volcanic occurrences are given by Wajzer (1986), Kallagher
(1989), Gasparon & Varne (1995) and Bellon et al. (2004).
Samples from the Langsat, Lahat and Tarahan formations,
forming the Late Eocene-Late Oligocene Volcanic Episode
(Tables 8.8 & 8.9), are shoshonitic, and other Langsat Formation
analyses fall in the medium and high-K fields (Fig. 8.8a). The bulk
of the major element analyses (Tables 8.9 & 8.10) are of rocks
belonging to the Mid-Late Miocene Volcanic Episode (Fig. 8.8b
and see Bellon et al. 2004, fig. 3) which fall in the medium-K and
high-K fields of Gill (1981).
There is only sparse trace element data for Tertiary volcanic
rocks from Sumatra. In Figure 8.9(a, b) selected analyses are
normalized with respect to MORB, using the values given by
Pearce (1982). The elements are placed in their 'Coryell-
Matsuda order', as recommended by McCulloch & Gamble
(1991), which takes into account the low mobility of Nb and rela-
tively high mobility of St. Coryell and Matsuda spider diagrams
give similar patterns for selected analyses for the Late Eocene-
Early Miocene and Mid-Miocene Volcanic Episodes. In volcanic
rocks from both episodes high field strength elements (Nb, Zr,
Ti, Y, Sc and Cr) are depleted relative to the large ion lithophile
elements (Rb, Ba, K, Th and Sr), although in some analyses Nb,
Zr and Cr show a varied behaviour, presumably due to fractionation
and other magmatic effects during their passage through the crust.
There is some evidence from the Sumatra dataset for the incor-
poration of subducted sediment in melts. In Figure 8.10, MgO is
plotted against the ratio of Zr/Nb, which Macpherson & Hall
(1999) consider is relatively sensitive to the recognition of
sediment-derived melts that have been added to mantle wedge
melts derived from N-MORB. Some volcanic rocks from the
Late Eocene-Early Miocene and from the Mid-Miocene episodes
have Zr/Nb ratios equal to, or greater than, that of N-MORB,
which suggests that the lavas were derived from the mantle
wedge beneath Sumatra, which was variably depleted with
respect to N-MORB. The chemistry of the the Mid-Miocene vol-
canics of the Sayeung, Mirah and Calang formations of Northern
110 CHAPTER 8

Table 8.6. Lithologies of the Late Early Miocene-Mid-Miocene volcanic episode comprising the Late Early Miocene and Mid-Miocene volcanic phases

Volcanic Fro/Unit Lithology

Lahomie j Nias, Banyak, Pini; Facies Ll. Tuff Marker Horizon 5 m. Outer neritic tufts.
Salibi 2 Siberut; tufts, claystone & siltstone.
Kemiki j6 Enggano: Tuff, sandy tuff, tuffaceous sandstone & tuffaceous siltstone.
Calang 3,4 Porphyritic, epidotised andesitic lavas with associated feeder dykes & subvolcanic intrusions. Subordinate basalts, microgabbroids,
breccias & agglomerates. Thin sediment interbeds include coals. Unga Diorite possible subvolcanic centre, lnterbedded
rhyodacites, pyroxene andesites & basalts. Some prophylitization.
Woyla-s Eastern unit of Calang Fm. named by Kallagher (1989). Rhyolites, andesites & basalts, volcanogenic conglomerates & lithic tufts.
Sayeung5 Basalts, lahars, tufts & dykes; 14-16 Ma.
Tripa 5 Basalts, andesites, Jithic tufts, lahars and pyroclastics.
Mirah 5 Porphyritic & aphyric basalt & lahars.
Alem5 Basalts, 12-8 Ma.
Muereubo-s Porphyritic basalts.
Kotabakti 5 Base local massive tuffaceous sandstones but predominantly argillaceous and usually calcareous. Top predominantly arenaceous.
Auran 6 Partly propylitised hornblende andesites & pyroclastics. Clasts of dacite & basalt in Agglomerates. Cut by subvolcanic intrusion
dated at 12 Ma.
Trumon 7 Andesitic volcanics, agglomerates & tufts with associated hypabyssal microdiorite & microgranite. Wackes, tuffaceous wackes,
mudstones & calcareous sandstones.
Pinapan 7 Andesite, dacite & basaltic andesite lavas & pyroclastics also 'rhyolite' & 'trachyandesite'. Associated hypabyssal rocks include
diopside vogesite dykes.
Toru 7 Andesitic agglomerates; analysed andesite has shoshonitic affinity.
Musala s Andesites, hornblende andesites, andesitic intrusives, possible subvolcanic diorites with K-Ar age date: 17.2 _+ 5 Ma.
Angkolas Hornblende & plagioclase phyric andesites, ?basalts, volcanic breccias & agglomerates. Volcanics often prophylitized,
Nabirong s Intermediate volcanics, lavas, agglomerates and breccias.
Petani s Sajurmatinggi Member Abundant volcanic debris in paralic mudstones, siltstones, sandstones & conglomerates.
Telisa9 Sigama Volcanic Member Basal Telisa Formation volcanic unit composed of 300 m of tufts.
Saligaro I~ Andesitic lavas and breccias with sediment intercalations of Telisa Formation.
Areas ~o Mostly intermediate volcaniclastics, lavas & minor intrusives & sediments. Hydrothermal alteration/mineralisation in Mangani
area.
Sikakara l~ Aphyric, somewhat brecciated andesites and porphyritic andesites.
Airbangisl~ Lithic crystal tufts, feldspar- & pyroxene phyric andesites & minor sediments.
Lubuksikaping area Ic~ Various outcrops of varied lavas (dacites, andesites & basalts), agglomerates, breccias & tufts considered to range between
Mid-Miocene-Plioccne or Pleistocene.
'Andesite' ~T Andesite (basaltic)microbreccia (age from Gafoer et al. 1992a).
Lemau 12 Volcaniclastic breccia, dacitic-tuffaceous sandstone, luffs & clays.
Balt3-17 Dacitic tufts unconformable on Hulusimpang Formation. T3pe area. Dacitic epiclastic breccia with sandstone intercalations & tuff.
C Sumatra Back-arc Basin Is Subcrop of crystal-lithic, vitric tuff s, olivine trachyte tuff, basalt gabbro & micro-gabbro. Basalt tlows in the Merak-1 well are
embedded in marine sediments of N8 age (16-17 Ma) and yielded radiometric ages between 17.5-12 Ma.
Bandar Jaya I~ Andesitic inlrusives and extrusives (14-18 Ma), in Capang-1 and Abung-1 wells.

References: ISamuel et al. (1987), -~AndiMangga et al. (1994b). ~Bennett et al. (1981a, b), 4Cameron et al. (1983), 5Kallagher (1989), r~Cameronet al. (1982a), :Aldiss
et al. (1983), 8Aspdcn eta/. (1982b), ~Cameron (1983), I~ et al. (1983), J IKastowo & Leo ( 1973), 12Kusnama et al. (1993b), 13Suwarna et al. (1994), HGafoer
et al. (1992c), 15Amin et al. (1994a), I(~Gafoeret al. (1994), 17Amin et al. (1994b), 18Eubank & Makki (1981), I'~Williams et al. (1995).

S u m a t r a with Z r / N b ratios l o w e r than N - M O R B , m a y reflect the
incorporation o f subducted sediment. This s u b d u c t e d sediment
could have been pelagic sediments riding on the o c e a n i c slab, sedi-
ments d e r i v e d from the uplift of the Barisan M o u n t a i n s and
w a s h e d across the forearc into the trench, or distal turbidites
d e r i v e d from erosion of the H i m a l a y a s (Curray & M o o r e 1974).
Schluter et al. (2002) date the initiation of A c c r e t i o n a r y W e d g e
II as M i d - M i o c e n e in Southern Sumatra, but the time o f arrival
in the S u n d a T r e n c h of sediments of the N i c o b a r Fan, derived
from the uplift and erosion of the H i m a l a y a s has been revised to
Late M i o c e n e by C u r r a y (1994).
Bellon et al. (2004) did not identify spatial or temporal geo-
c h e m i c a l trends within their S u m a t r a analytical data, and attribu-
ted this to the c o m p l e x i g n e o u s p e t r o g e n e s i s involving
contributions f r o m the continental crust, m a n t l e w e d g e and the
s u b d u c t e d slab. ' N o r m a l ' calcalkaline m a g m a types p r e d o m i n a t e ,
but Na-rich variants with SiO2 > 56% and very low h e a v y rare
earth e l e m e n t ( H R E E ) and Y contents, k n o w n as adakites, also
are present. B e l l o n et al. (2004) identified adakites within the
Lassi batholith (intruded at c. 56 Ma, I m t i h a n a h 2000). E x a m p l e s
of N e o g e n e plutonic adakites in Sumatra i n c l u d e the Lolo batho-
lith (intruded at c. 15 Ma, I m t i h a n a h 2000), the W a y B a n g b a n g
granite near K o t a a g u n g (intruded at c.20 Ma) and in the Anai
pluton, N E of Padang, taken from the analyses in M c C o u r t &
C o b b i n g (1993). Piutonic and volcanic adakites are understood
to be d e r i v e d from m a g m a s rich in residual garnet; the melting
of subducted o c e a n i c meta-crust is a potential source (Juteau &
M a u r y 1999), and Bellon et al. (2004) noted the potential contri-
bution of garnetiferous m e t a m o r p h i c rocks in the crust beneath
Sumatra, specifically in the T o b a area.
Volcanism, plutonism and subduction beneath Sumatra
during the Tertiary: summary of Tertiary volcanism
and tectonic overview
T h e o r i e n t a t i o n o f S u m a t r a d u r i n g the P a l a e o g e n e
a n d r o t a t i o n h i s t o r y d u r i n g the T e r t i a r y
N i n k o v i c h (1976) proposed that the long axis o f Sumatra rotated
c l o c k w i s e f r o m an e a s t - w e s t orientation to N W - S E during the
Tertiary, c e n t r e d on the S u n d a Strait. It is n o w confirmed by
m a r i n e g e o p h y s i c a l surveys that extension in the Sunda Strait
was facilitated by m o v e m e n t s b e t w e e n o v e r s t e p p i n g strike-slip
faults ( H u c h o n & Le P i c h o n 1984; L e l g e m a n n et al. 2000) with
 TERTIARYVOLCANICITY 111

) \...
" ~ LATE EARLY- MIDDLE MIOCENE
~ K ~ Offshoreboreholes ~ '~
Calang-~V vy.l~yla,^_ ~'~ "4" + r) (
Saye
" ~..'~,',~L,, h,~ Q.
-,-.7-^V-Meureubo ~ \) J

~ ~aM
r~li ' ~ :O~ k ~" uor a n ~ ~ Z ~ ~....~ ~

-,,., .usa.M:N,: .a0i oo/ .\

L.~a,~rn,e~ ) \ •... \,-• ;: ,elisa Centffl/sSumatr
,, a (~
~o\ ~ Sikakara\~XVSalig arc ~ Q~
N~ ~ '"-V Lubuksikaping uantan~'X_.
~O. ~ ' ""x' xx
b~ / %Air Bangis~ ....~,:V::Ames ~ ~ {'---..
%,\ j~ "Andesite';'"\~ ~ e/~~'~'~

SIBERUThT\ \ ~-
~ Salibi ~ x ~.~ . ~

[__T___}Zuffs and voiceniclastic~ '- ~ L;:

Lemau :2IT......... "L ~
I ' I sediments~ ~ (~Bal (
Volcaniclavas \ ~.i-~Lemau ~ B~2dgr
f
~ Plutons ~ ~~al , [
]" "1"l in outcropandin boreholes ~ ENGGAN~~ I /
Fig.8.6. Distributionof Lower-MiddleMiocene
o
volcanicunitsin Sumatra.Volcanicunitslistedin
Table8.6.SFZ,SumatraFaultZone.

no evidence for the sphenochasm proposed by Ninkovich (1976).
The problem of the rotation of Sumatra during the Tertiary is dis-
cussed in detail in Chapter 14 where it is concluded that palaeo-
magnetic data from Borneo (Fuller et el. 1999) and Malaysia
(Richter et el. 1999) demonstrate the anticlockwise rotation of
the whole of the Sunda Microplate, so that Sumatra, together
with Malaysia, has rotated c. 15 ~ anticlockwise since the Mid-
Miocene. If this c. 15 ~ anticlockwise rotation is reversed, the
long axis of Sumatra was oriented approximately north-south
during the Palaeogene, as proposed by Davies (1984) and mod-
elled by Hall (1996, 1998, 2002) in his reconstrucuons of
Tertiary plate movement and palaeogeography of SE Asia.
Tertiary volcanism in Sumatra, extrusion tectonics and the
collision of India with the Eurasian Plate
In this account, following Davies (1984) and Hall (2002), it is
proposed that Sumatra, forming the western margin of the Sunda
Microplate, was orientated north-south during the Palaeogene,
at the time when Greater India, on the western side of the
Ninety East Transform Fault, passed the latitudes of Sumatra on
its northwards course towards its collision with the southern
margin of Eurasia (Patriat & Achache 1984) (Fig. 8.11). Pre-
viously it has been suggested by Daly et el. (1991), Hutchison
(1992) and Packham (1993, 1996) among others, that the exten-
sion which formed the Sumatran backarc grabens could be
explained in terms of the tectonic extrusion model of Tapponnier
et al. (1986). However, backarc extension, and the associated Late
Eocene-Early Oligocene phase of volcanism, occurred before the
collision of Greater India with Eurasia, rather than after this event.
The extrusion model, like the lithospheric thickening model of
Dewey et el. (1989), assumes that Sumatra was aligned east-
west prior to the collision of Greater india, and predicts the clock-
wise rotation of Sumatra in response to the impact. The subsequent
anticlockwise rotation of Sumatra, together with the rest of the
Sunda Microplate, cannot be due the extrusion of crustal blocks
in response to the collision of India.
Subduction, volcanism and plutonism, continuous or episodic?
Van Bemmelen (1949) suggested that volcanism occurred con-
tinuously in Sumatra during the Neogene. Subsequent study has
established time ranges for distinct Tertiary volcanic episodes
and volcanic phases. It is evident that volcanicity and the accom-
panying plutonism waxed and waned several times during the Ter-
tiary. It is probable that subduction was taking place continuously
beneath Sumatra during the Tertiary, but that subduction did not
always lead to volcanism and plutonism. It has been suggested
that volcanic activity is most intense during subduction roll-back
(cf. Hamilton 1995). This was the situation in Sumatra for most
of the Neogene (Macpherson & Hall 2002). The process of sub-
duction roll-back ensures that fresh mantle material is continu-
ously brought into contact with the subducting ocean slab,
facilitating magmatism.
Palaeocene volcanic episode (Kikim Volcanics) ( 6 5 - 5 0 Me)
The Kikim Volcanics and contemporaneous plutons form a mag-
matic arc in Southern Sumatra, the Java Sea (Hamilton 1979)
and in Southern Sulawesi (Langi Volcanics of Wilson &
Bosence 1996) (Fig. 8.11). Evidently a volcanic arc was active
along the southern margin of the Sunda Microplate in the Palaeo-
cene. In northern Sumatra there is evidence of a second inner arc
112 CHAPTER 8

Table 8.7. L i t h o l o g i e s in the L a t e M i o c e n e - P l i o c e n e volcanic episode

Formation/Centre Lithology

Siap ~ In part volcanic pebble to cobble conglomerates, sandstones & minor mudstones.
Seureula 2 Upwards-fining soft andesitic sandstones & conglomerates; also calcareous mudstones.
Takur-Takur 3 Variably propylitised andesites, dacites and pyroclastic hb andesites and dykes. Local rhyolite. Andesitic to dacitic pumaceous pyroclastics
and lahars.
Simbolon 3,4 Andesitic lavas and pyroclastics, three possibly four flanking plugs of subvolcanic porphyritic hornblendic andesites. Subvolcanic intrusions
of Mendem Microdiorite.
Surungan 5 Plagioclase and hornblende-phyric andesites, often agglomeritic and propylitised. More acid types present and hypabyssal equivalents
Sihabuhabu 5 noted.
Mangani 6 Acid to basic lavas including basalts and andesites, volcaniclastics and associated minor intrusives.
Undifferentiated7'8 Rhyolitic, dacitic and andesitic tuff, breccia and lava; welded, hybrid, lithic and pumiceous tuff with breccia and lava.
Rhyo_andesites9 i i Rhyolitic, dacitic & andesitic lavas, wclded tuff, hybrid tuff, pumiceous lithic tuff & volcanic breccia.
Lakitan io- J4 Conglomeratic breccia alternating with tuffaceous sandstone & tuffaceous clay.
Kasai]O.~ ~,J3-~5 Tuff & pumiceous tuff with intercalations of tuffaceous claystones & tuffaceous sandstones. M a n n a Dacitic lava (20 m) in breccia unit.
Pasumah I 1,12 Horizontally bedded welded tuffs with columnar jointing.
Ranau 12-15 Rhyolitic-andesitic pumiceous volcanic breccias and tuffs.
Lampung ~4,15 Pumiceous tuff, tuffaceous sandstone locally with tuffite intercalations.
Andesite lava 15 Andesite lavas with sheeted jointing.

References: tBennett et al. (1981a), 2Keats et al. (1981), 3Cameron et al. (1982a), 4AIdiss et al. (1983), 5Clarke et al. (1982a), 6Rock et al. (1983), 7Kastowo & Leo
(1973), SRosidi et al. (1976), 9Kusnama et al. 1993b), I~ et al. (1994), I IGafoer et al. (1992c), 12Amin et al. (1994a), ~3Gafoer et al. (1994), 14Amin
et al. (1994b), 15 Andi Mangga et al. (1994a).

ANDAAC'EH \ \
a- ~ LATE MIOCENE - PLIOCENE

~~~-~o~Ta k~.r'~aku'
~ ~Simbolon ~ /
i ' La'ke "'~- L ~,.
"~' VSurungah~~ ~.
~Sihabuhabu"~

| ,,
I I
r I I

". ; ' A

0 , ....
9

-~Tuffs and
volcaniclasticrocks
~ R~aana ~ A i ~ t l ~
~ Volcaniclavas
R Rhyolite
# Dacite
A Andesite 200km Fig. 8.7. Distribution of Upper Miocene-
Pliocene volcanic units and dated plutons in
B Basalt I
Sumatra. Volcanic units listed in Table 8.7.
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 113

Table 8.8. Major and trace element analyses of'Langsat Formation volcanics

No. R6029 R6030 R2785 R2786 R6028" NR125A NR128 NTI98 NT217

Ref. 1 2 2 2 l&2 3 3 3 3

Lithology Pyroxene- Pyroxene Pyroxene- Pyroxene- Average 3 scans Porphyritic Porphyritic Porphyritic Porphyritic
rich fragment plagioclase plagioclase ground mass clinopyroxene clinopyroxene basalt basalt
basalt in 6029 absarokitic transitional R6028 basalt basalt
basalt Alkali basalt

Location 5287 0630 5287 0630 5276 0626 5263 0634 B. Natal B. Natal B. Natal Batu Gajah

SiO2 47.9 52.16 46.7 49.99 46.6 51.74 52.62 49.8 50.26
TiO2 0.49 0.44 0.84 0.84 0.86 0.71 0.88 0.84 0.65
AI203 10.4 8.6 12.88 14.37 10.9 15.8 16.27 14.31 11.96
Fe203 11.6 9.85 12.34 10.43 11.9 8.93 9.92 10.69 10.69
MnO 0.17 0.29 0.22 0.34 0.17 0.19 0.2 0.19
MgO 13.2 7.44 9.48 6.87 13.8 7.81 6.85 8.77 10.54
CaO 8.24 12.97 11.72 10.2 11.7 8.75 7.32 10.73 8.94
Na20 2.85 3.6 1.9 3.92 0.82 1.15 1.65 2.16 0.78
K20 0.6 0.44 1.68 1.13 2.53 4.91 4.6 3.57 3.67
P205 0.39 0.13 0.2 0.2 0.87 0.35 0.26 0.33 0.37
CO2 0.02
N20 4.73
Total 100.59 98.92 101.36 100.79 99.98 100.11 100.56 100.92 98.05
Rb 25 35 51 14
Sr 312 623 587 260
Zr 78 82 58 57
Y 21 29 18 22
Nb 1 2 1 <1
Th
V 150 150 225 225 150
Cr 400 370 140 80 400
Co 73 15 32 28 73
Ni 175 47 30 23 175
Cu 170 30 125 85 170
Zn 90 50 90 100 90

References: l, Rock et al. (1983); 2, Rock et al. (1982); 3, Wajzer (1984).

beneath what later became the North Sumatra Backarc Basin. In
Sumatra the majority of the plutons associated with the Palaeocene
Volcanic Episode had solidified by c. 50 Ma (Table 8.2) and the
youngest volcanics have been dated at c. 55 Ma (Table 8.1).
The 5 0 - 4 6 M a n o n - v o l c a n i c interval
This interval coincides in part with the Chron 24 ( 5 9 - 5 6 Ma) plate
reorganization event, which led to the formation of the combined
I n d i a n - A u s t r a l i a n Plate and the commmencement of spreading
along the I n d i a - A n t a r c t i c Ridge. Volcanism resumed at
c. 46 Ma, but Davies (1984) has questioned whether subduction
was active beneath Sumatra between 55 and 44 Ma, and has
suggested that at this time the continental margin of Sumatra
was a transcurrent fault zone facilitating the northward passage
of Greater India past Sumatra during that period (Patriat &
Achache 1984). Alternatively when subduction was not operating
beneath Sumatra the Ninety-East Ridge transform fault became
temporally the western margin of the Sunda Microplate (A.
J. Barber pers. comm.) and exerted an anticlockwise couple on
the Sunda Microplate.
According to Marshak & Karig (1977) during the Early to Mid-
Eocene the Wharton Spreading Axis lay in the latitude of Sumatra,
forming a triple junction with the Sunda Trench (Fig. 8.12). The
difficulty of subducting young, hot, buoyant ocean-ridge crust
(Cloos 1993) provides an alternative explanation for the pause
in volcanism in Sumatra at this time.
The Bangkaru Ophiolite Complex in the Outer Arc Islands
(Samuel et al. 1997) contains igneous components formed at an
ocean-spreading ridge and from oceanic fracture zones containing
shear fabrics, low temperature hydrothermal metamorphism (pre-
hnite-actinolite facies) in metagabbros and metadolerites and
later brittle deformation and brecciation. Rare volcanic rocks on
the Banyak Islands and in m61anges were interpreted by Samuel
(1994) as being derived from oceanic islands and seamounts.
The Bangkaru Ophiolite Complex represents components of
Indian Ocean crust accreted into the accretionary complex at the
subduction zone.
It may be that the components of the Bangkaru Ophiolite
Complex are the product of a short-lived 'hot accretion' episode,
in which ridge crust was incorporated into the accretionary
complex, because it was too hot and buoyant to be subducted,
while arc volcanism was suppressed, because the subducted
lithospheric mantle was not sufficiently hydrated to generate
melts in the overlying mantle wedge.
Late Mid-Eocene volcanic episode
Volcanic rocks of late Mid-Eocene age are distributed in an arc
parallel to the west coast of Sumatra, showing that subduction,
with the generation of melts, was quickly re-established along
II 4 CHAPTER 8

~ _ ~ - ~ - _ ~ - ~ ~ . . . . . .

C~

0 M:) P'- 9
Cq Gh w

. . ~ . . . . ~ ~ . . . . . . . .

<

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

=<

. . . . --. ~- . . . . ~ O. . r . ~ . n . ~.

~ ~:9 ~ cq ~ dl
O4 ~ ~ ~ . .

~p %)

-~- .-,
~ ~ o- , -- o- -, Z ,~- ,~~ eq .-,
oq. ~ ,q. ~ eq. - - ~
u~
~9

~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~

t
9-:. r".-. . .~ . ~ . . . . . t'~l o~ ~ . ~"-,. c,~. cq rm, ~;',, eq

t;

oo oo
em
~ ~ ~ m. --. ~. ~ ~. ~., --. ~. --. ~. --. - - c!. ~ "
~ , - o ~ ~ , _~ ~ ~
o ~,~ ~-~
cJ

I
2

ka - - rr~ f l - - 04

<h

E m o~ o'-, oo

Ol _:

"-<2

5 <

9 . - . .-. . ~ . . . .

~ ~ Cq o~ cJ
~ o =

6~6, d ~ o o o
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 115

and shoshonitic lavas and agglomerates of the Langsat Volcanic

9 0 Formation were extruded and the Air Bangis granites were
9 Shosho
intruded (c. 3 0 - 2 7 Ma Wajzer et al. 1991). This magmatism
4- ($ was anomalously close to the Palaeogene trench.
HighiK @ Reconstruction of the palaeogeography of Sumatra in the Late
Eocene-Early Oligocene, by reversing the movements along the
Sumatran Fault (Fig. 8.4), places the Bandan Formation caldera
complex close to the outcrop of the Langsat Volcanic
Formation. This caldera was an important centre of explosive
"2 acidic volcanism, and appears to be the source of the ashes
~ [] Hulusimpang Formation which are interbedded with the sediments in the southern part of
~ (~) .TahahaFnorFm~
ra~a~i~ the Central Sumatra backarc basin, the Tigahpuluh Mountains
1~ " - 9 9 LangsatVolcanicF o r m a t i o n ~ and the South Sumatra Basin, an area of dispersal comparable to
that of the tufts of the Toba Caldera Complex in the Quaternary
(see Chapter 9). The association of uplift, volcanism and pluton-
ism in the forearc close to the trench, and faulting and explosive
(a) 50 60 si02 70 80 volcanism inland, are features consistent with the concept of
'slab window volcanism' suggested by Thorkelsen (1996). A
'slab window' occurs where an active, or recently inactive, spread-
9 SayeungFormation ...... ing ridge passes down a subduction zone, the crustal part of the
9 Mirah Formation bnosnonl[IC/ ridge is removed by accretion at the trench while the underlying
/~ Alem Formation
V Calang Formation J Hiah-K asthenosphere is subducted in direct contact with the base of
[] TanglaFormation / Hlgn-I~ the mantle wedge. In Sumatra the slab window was due to the
9 BrawanFormation J ~--,
* Sikaraka Formation ~ V subduction of the Wharton Spreading Centre.
+ SandudukFormation / / According to Liu et al. (1983) the Wharton Spreading Ridge
Q PinapanFormation / ,__,/
3 X ToruFormation /~ / /V- was actively spreading at a rate of 30 mm a-1 shortly before it
9 O AngkolaFormation/.~ X expired at c. 45.6 Ma in the late Eocene. The pattern of magnetic
~ Medium-K anomalies in the Indian Ocean crust indicate that the Wharton
2. Spreading Ridge lay offshore Sumatra and was orientated at
about 9 0 -~ to the Sumatran margin at this time (Fig. 8.12).
Davies (1984) suggested that the Wharton Spreading Centre was
dextrally transcurrently faulted along the continental margin of
v Sumatra during the Oligocene, instead of being subducted.
Low-K
However, Clure (1991) has suggested that a segment of the
L I I
Wharton Spreading axis which lay to the east of the Investigator
50 60 70 80
(b) SiO2 Fracture Zone was subducted at 5 0 - 4 5 Ma beneath the south of
Sumatra, which he shows orientated east-west during this
period. The concentration of Oligocene igneous activity in the
Fig. 8.8. Diagrams of SiO 2 (wt%) versus K20 (wt%) for low-K to shoshonitic Sumatran Forearc (c. 38 Ma), anomalously close to the presumed
Tertiary volcanic rocks from Sumatra. The classification scheme is by Gill (1981) position of the subduction trench at that time, strongly suggests
and the analyses by Rock et al. (1982), Wajzer (1986), Kallagher (1989) and that the spreading axis was subducted beneath Sumatra in this
Gasparon & Varne (1995) are given in Tables 8.9, 8.10 & 8.1 I. (a) Upper period, as proposed previously by Marshak & Karig (1977).
Eocene-Lower Miocene volcanics; (b) Middle-Upper Miocene volcanic Other volcanic centres related to a linear volcanic arc are
formations.
marked by outcrops of Oligocene lavas in the Gumai Mountains,
possibly in the Garba Mountains and in west Java.
The waning of this volcanic phase in the Early Oligocene
the full length of the subduction zone at this time. Volcanic rocks coincided with the change in motion of the Indian-Australian
in the Aceh area may represent back-arc volcanism (Cameron Plate from northerly to north-northeasterly, which Davies (1984)
et al. 1980). Marshak & Karig (1977) suggest that volcanic suggested was responsible for the anticlockwise rotation of the
rocks in the Tapanuli area, offshore Sibolga, were due to subduc- Sunda Microplate relative to the Indian-Australian Plate with
tion of the Wharton Spreading Centre, inactive by this stage and the formation of wrench faults parallel to the coast of Sumatra.
sufficiently hydrated to induce magmatism in the mantle wedge. Palaeomagnetic evidence for the Palaeogene anticlockwise
Uplift of the whole of the forearc occurred in the Late Eocene rotation of the Sunda Microplate has been documented in
producing a regional unconformity (Samuel et al. 1997). This Borneo (Fuller et al. 1999), but not yet in Sumatra, although
phase of uplift coincides with the age of 40 ___ 3 Ma obtained wrench faulting has been identified during this period. A transition
from the Bangkuru Ophiolite Complex in Simuelue (Harbury & from extension to pull-apart and wrench modified-rifts in the
Kallagher 1991), which Kallagher (1990) attributes to deformation Ombilin Basin was dated as mid-Oligocene by Howells (1997b),
of warm oceanic crust during accretion. at c. 33 Ma in the Central Sumatra Basin by Packham (1993)
and at 3 4 M a in the Bengkulu Basin by Hall et al. (1993).
Davies (1984) related the formation of grabens and highs in the
North Sumatra Back-arc Basin to zones of tension and com-
Late E o c e n e - E a r l y Miocene volcanic episode pression between right and left stepping wrench faults (see
Chapter 14). This phase of transcurrent fault movement most
Late Eocene-Early Oligocene volcanic phase (c. 37-30 Ma). Over a likely reflects the change in the direction of motion of the
short period the linear volcanic arc contracted to a few centres of Indian-Australian Plate relative to the continental margin.
volcanism, the most important of which were in the Natal area of
the forearc (Fig. 8.12). Contraction in the extent of volcanism was Late Oligocene-Early Miocene volcanic phase (30-24 Ma). A late
accompanied by faulting and a regional unconformity throughout Oligocene tectonic event caused fault inversions and unconformi-
the forearc. In the Natal area K-rich primitive basaltic, tholeiitic ties in all the Sumatra backarc basins between c. 28 and 26 Ma
116 CHAPTER 8

,..1
I

eo
.,~
la
1 " - - ~ : 3 ~ t " ~ : 2 ~ ' ~ t " - O ' ~ - ~ r162 ~

r.

".=.~

y.

1o
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY 117

100-
Hulusimpang Formation(2) X alang Formation
, O~ Lahatgormatior~(2) Alem Formation
9 Mirah Formation
Sayeung Formation
80 [] Hulusimpang Formation
~ Lahat Formation
kangsat Volcanic Formation

o 60
O
r8
1.o
40
E~ T
N-MORB

76247
_L
I i I i I i i i ' 75246 20 V
(a)0lRb Ba K Th Sr Nb Zr Ti Y Sc Cr

1oo <>
w WoylaUnit, Calang Formation 0
,_~ Alem Formation i I I i I I I I I I
\ / ~ ~ Mirah Formation 00 2 4 6 8 10
O SayeungFormation
MgO (wt%)

Fig. 8.10. Plot of MgO (wt%) against Zr/Nb for selected analyses of Upper
Eocene-Middle Miocene volcanics from Sumatra. The Zr/Nb ratios higher than
the range for N-MORB infer derivation from the mantle wedge, while Zr/Nb
~:
O ~ / >CUT45
{ ratios lower than the range for N-MORB imply dilution of mantle wedge magma,
8 probably by subducted sediment. The low Zr/Nb ratios coincide with the Middle
rr <
Miocene Volcanic Phase but the source of the suspected subducted sediment is
1.0 <2z
not certain. Range for N-MORB from Sun & McDonagh (1989).

(see Chapter 7). This event has been attributed to the effect of
0.1 I I I I I 'dl t I ',1 '~
(b) Rb Ba K Th Sr Ce Nb Zr Ti Y Sc Cr
collision of fragments derived from Australia with the Sunda
Microplate, as marked by the accretion of ophiolite bodies in the
Fig. 8.9. MORB-normalized trace elements for selected Sumatra Tertiary
East Arm of Sulawesi (Hall 1996). At the same time, folding of
volcanics. Normalising factors by Pearce (1982) and trace elements plotted in the the Meureudu Group in northern Sumatra was accompanied
order recommended by Coryell & Matsuda (Elburg & Foden 1998). (a) Upper by limited plutonism (Cameron et al. 1983). In the Sumatran
Eocene-Lower Miocene volcanics. Analyses by (1) Wajzer (1986) and (2) Forearc sedimentation continued in the Bengkulu Basin (Hall
Gasparon & Varne (1995). (b) Middle Miocene volcanics. Analyses by et al. 1993), accompanied by volcanism which extended into the
Kallagher (1989). Late Oligocene-Early Miocene Volcanic Phase.

//
PALAEOCENE PALAEOGEOGRAPHY j/
/
EURASIAN PLATE ~ / /
PROTO-SOUTH
\ CHINA SEA
AGj~V~ N~i~'l~G%N. ~/~ __ \
\
\
SUND~ /

/
!

PASSIVE MARG ~4

GREATER
INDIA /

Fig. 8.11. Reconstruction of the Palaeocene

v Volcanic rocks
9 Plutonic rocks
volcanic arc along the margin of the Sunda
Microplate between Sumatra, the Java Sea
(Hamilton 1979) and West Sulawesi (Wilson &
Bosence 1996). Adapted from Hall (1998), Clure
(1991) and Figure 14.18a.
1 18 CHAPTER 8

LATE EOCENE-
EARLY OLIGOCEN

:.~'
:"!': SUMATRACENTRALBAsIN/'.~"~'::':~:~
'
Trt }'

LANGSAT io: :,:

FORMATION
WHARTON
RIDGE BANGI~

J
SO'UTHN
/' f \SUMATRA
~BASIb - -
IMA,\ ~)I~

%
i va "--

(~) Tufts and volcanoclastic rocks '"~7o~ i~, ''' ~ /'

Volcanic rocks ~ '.,.; ) ~ . ~ t , ~ / _ ,, ~
(lavas) \ "",,"N \\ - \~..-~' .... '-. ".~
0 0 Plutons ~ '"-..~ ,,~7/'"- ,i"~.
I I Marine and lacustrine " ~ r " ~--~".~'/q~'%./~.)
I I environments ~ N . ;'~ .&~.~ATIBARANG Fig. 8.12. The subduction of the Wharton
Ridge, the short-lived Natal Slab Window
Eroding landmass ~ "',,~'.~ / v v

and other volcanic centres in southern

~NNNNi Ridge and ,Slab Window' ~ 200km Sumatra during the Late Eocene-Early
Oligocene Volcanic Phase. Palaeogeography
/ adapted from Figure 14.18a.

Following the fault inversion event the rate of oblique subduc-
tion beneath Sumatra accelerated to 5 cm a -1, with the formation
of an uplifted volcanic arc. Lavas and ashes were voluminously
erupted in a linear arc parallel to the west coast of Sumatra,
with tufts and volcaniclastics being deposited to the east in the
backarc basins. Lavas were accompanied by sub-volcanic intru-
sions such as the Way Bambang Granite pluton which solidified
at c. 20 Ma, and was intruded co-magmatically into volcanics of
the Hulusimpang Formation (Amin et al. 1994b). This granite
was intruded into into a fault zone parallel to, but predating the
Semangko Segment of the Sumatra Fault Zone. A fault of
similar age and orientation also probably occurs in the southern
part of the outcrop of the Painan Formation where Rosidi et al.
(1976) show several elongated granitoid intrusions. The amount
of displacement along this dextral fault zone is not known. The
Raya diorite and the associated dyke swarm on Pulau Breueh,
off northern Sumatra, are also associated with this intrusion phase.
In the mid-Oligocene uplift and erosion in the Outer Arc Islands
was reversed, subsidence led to the resumption of sedimentation
above an unconformity (Samuel et al. 1997). In the Sumatran
 TERTIARY VOLCANICITY
backarc basins the formation of the rift grabens was followed by a
Sag Phase marked by a marine transgression. In the Central
Sumatra Backarc Basin sedimentation was accompanied by
wrench-fault tectonism which continued until c. 21 Ma (Kelsch
et al. 1998).
Late E a r l y - M i d - M i o c e n e volcanic episode
The late Early to Mid-Miocene volcanic episode is composed of
two phases. A linear elevated volcanic arc was formed parallel
to the west coast, and there was magmatism in the Central
Sumatra Backarc Basin, where high-K and shoshonitic igneous
rocks were intruded and extruded. Similar igneous activity
occurred in the South Sumatra Backarc Basin between 17 and
12 Ma.
Several plutons were emplaced into the volcanic a r c . 4~
ages obtained by Imtihanah (2000) from the Lolo Batholith show
that the Sumatra Fault Zone was active during the latter part of the
Late Early-Mid-Miocene volcanic phase (Fig. 8.6). The Lolo
Granite was previously thought to be a composite intrusion
(McCourt et al. 1996) within the Sumatra Fault Zone, emplaced
at c. 9 M a ( K - A r on hornblende) and c. 6 M a ( K - A r on
biotite). The new 4~ age data (Table 8.1) shows that the
Lolo Granite was emplaced within the fault zone at c. 15 Ma,
the K - A r mineral ages are considered to indicate that differential
uplift occurred close to the fault zone (imtihanah 2000). The
15 Ma intrusion date for the Lolo Granite indicates that this
sector of the Sumatra Fault Zone is older than previously esti-
mated, and provides information on the rate of uplift of the
Barisan Mountains. The K - A r mineral ages (van Leeuwen et al.
1987) for the Tangse stock (Table 8.2) indicate that uplift in north-
ern Sumatra preceded that in southern Sumatra, but the time of
intrusion of the Tangse stock is not known sufficiently accurately
to date the fault movement.
Late Miocene through Pliocene volcanic
episode ( 6 - 1 . 6 Ma)
Oblique subduction of the Indian-Australian oceanic plate beneath
the Sumatran arc resulted in extension and the commencement of
sea-floor spreading in the Andaman Sea at c. 13 Ma. The develop-
ment of transform faults from the Andaman Spreading Centre, par-
ticularly affecting northern Sumatra and the Forearc (see Chapter
13), and caused displacement along segments of the Sumatra
Fault Zone in the Mid-Miocene. In northern Sumatra volcaniclastic
rocks occur close to the present day coastline and were derived
from buried Pliocene volcanic centres, which probably occupied
a similar position to the Quaternary volcanoes. It has been
suggested that the Quaternary volcanoes adjacent to the north
coast of Sumatra are related to the southward subduction of
Andaman Sea oceanic crust (Rock et al. 1982; Chapter 9).
However, Sieh & Natiwidjaya (2000) have shown that in the north-
ern part of the volcanic arc, the subducted Indian-Australian ocean
slab has a shallow angle of dip, so that the 100 and 200 km contours
are deflected eastwards beneath the volcanoes of northern Sumatra.
119
Serpentinite diapirs emplaced in strike-slip fault zones in north-
ern Sumatra have been considered previously to have been derived
from ophiolite bodies in the Woyla Group, and this may be the
case (Cameron et al. 1980; Cameron et al. 1983--Takengon geo-
logical map). However, it is possible that some of these bodies rep-
resent 'push-up blocks' and slivers of serpentinised mantle wedge
intruded into releasing bends in the deep crustal Sumatran strike-
slip fault and thrust complex, due to disturbance of the mantle,
caused by distortion of the oceanic slab (Karig 1979; Mann &
Gordon 1996).
Late Miocene-Pliocene volcanicity was particularly active in
southern Sumatra, and the development of the volcanic arc was
contemporaneous with inversion of the backarc basins c. 5 Ma
which caused 'Sunda-style', N W - S E folds and associated faulting
(Eubank & Makki 198 l). At the same time the Barisan Mountains
reached their maximum elevation due to the combination of
magmatism and tectonics. In the Forearc region the redistribution
of mass in the accretionary wedge (Matson & Moore 1992)
resulted in uplift of the outer arc ridge and a phase of fault inver-
sion on the outer arc islands (Samuel et al. 1995). Intrusive
m61ange diapirs, carrying blocks of the Bangkaru Ophiolite
Complex, Tertiary sediments and samples of the continental
crust buried beneath the Forearc, were initiated in the Pliocene
and continue to the present day represented by mud volcanoes
on Nias (Samuel et al. 1997).
Page et al. (1979) suggested, and Fauzi et al. (1996) using
seismic data have confirmed, that subduction of the Investi-
gator Fracture Zone beneath Sumatra was the trigger for the
development of the Quaternary Toba Caldera System (Chesner
& Rose 1991). How far back in time volcanicity in the Toba
area can be attributed to the subduction of the fracture zone
is debatable. The Mid-Late Miocene Pinapan Formation
contains acidic volcanics, the Toru Formation is intruded by alka-
line and High-K hypabyssal bodies (Table 8.6) and the Nabirong
Formation contains intermediate volcanics. These occurrences
suggest that the influence of the subduction of the Investigator
Fracture Zone may extend back into the Mid-Miocene.
In the Backarc the Asahan Arch, which separates the North and
Central Sumatra Backarc basins is parallel to the Investigator
Fracture Zone and may be related to its subduction. De Smet &
Barber (Chapter 7) report that the Asahan Arch formed a topo-
graphic feature from earliest Miocene times.
The Investigator Fracture Zone is not the only transform fault in
the ocean plate subducted beneath Sumatra. Unnamed fracture
zones in the northwestern Wharton Basin to the south of Pulau
Enggano (Liu et al. 1983) impact with a gentle restraining bend
in the subduction trench, and project northwards beneath southern
Sumatra and intersect the Sumatran Fault Zone. Shallow earth-
quake epicentres (Nishimura et al. 1986) and the Pliocene
High-K Ranau and Pasumah Tuff fields lie along the northward
projections of these fracture zones. These alignments may be
coincidence; these occurrences of the rhyolitic tufts may have
other explanations, related to the complex tectonics and
Quaternary volcanicity in the Sunda Strait to the southeast, as
discussed by Gasparon in Chapter 9.