Gondwana Research, 1.! 5, No. I , pp. 175-196.

02002 International Association for Gondwana Research, Japan. Gondwana

ISSN: 1342-937X Research

Main Stages of the Development of the Sedimentary Basins of

South America and their Relationship with the Tectonics of
Supercontinents
Benjamim Bley de Brito Neves
lnstituto de GeociFnczas-Universidade de SGo Paulo, Rua do Lago, 562.05508-900, SGo Paulo SP, Brazil, E-mail: bbleybn@usp.br

(Maniusrript received December 20,2000; accrpted M a y 30,2003)

Abstract
Twelve main stages of sedimentary basms of the South American Platform have been identified as follows: one
Neoarchean, seven Proterozoic and four Phanerozoic. Basin-forming tectonics are related to the accretionhsion and
fission of the major continental landmasses of the Earth’s history, such as Atlantica, Nena, Rodinia, GondwandPannotia
and Pangea. The first proposed stage of basin development precedes the formation of these major landmasses and was
developed on Mesoarchean microcontinents. ‘The last stage succeeds the fission of Pangea and is still in progress.
Key words: Supercontinent, fusion, fission, cratonic sequences, basin-forming tectonics.

Introduction the concept of sedimentary sequences (Almeida, 1967,

During specific stages in geological time continental
masses drew close to each other, accreted and later
separated, and today we are in an intermediate stage
between the last accretion (Pangea) and the next future
supercontinent. The South American platform contains
sedimentary basins from the Neoarchaean to the present
and is remarkable for the excellent preservation of the
lithostratigraphic records of Paleoproterozoic and
Mesoproterozoic basins. This paper analyses the
approximately 12 major phases of sedimentary basin
formation and deformational tectonics, as postulated by
Kingston et al. (1983). Locations are shown in the index
map (Fig. 1) and in the subsequent figures.
Previous Work
Studies of basin evolution have usually discussed
paleogeography and tectonic development, but they are
seldom related to the interaction of lithosphere plates on
a global scale. Examples of good studies of the
Precambrian are the works of Amaral (1974, 1984),
Almeida and Hasui (1984), Costa and Hasui (1991) in
the Amazonian region and Dominguez (1993, 1996) in
the S5o Francisco cratonic region of central-eastern Brazil.
For the Phanerozoic, the studies have leaned mostly towards
1969; Soares et al., 1974, 1978; Sloss, 1988; Almeida et
al., 2000). Most of these early studies were based on Rb/
Sr and WAr data, and they suffered from the lack of
adequate geochronologicalinformation. Many correlations
of Precambrian sequences now require extensive revision
in the light of new data obtained by those more advanced
methods (U/Pb and Pb/Pb in zircons, etc.).
For the Phanerozoic there exists an impressive amount
of data of a multi-disciplinary nature that has been
objectively used in the more recent syntheses. The original
sketches ofAlmeida (1969) and Soares et al. (1974,1978)
were confirmed in essence and improved. Recent
syntheses were published by Milani and Zalan (1999) for
the large basins of the continental interior (‘IS’ or
syneclises, Kingston et al., 1983) and by Cainelli and
Mohriak (1999) for the coastal basins.
For the evolution of continental masses, classical works
include those by Gower et al. (1990), Sengor (1990),
Hoffman (1991), Rogers (1996), Unrug (1996), Dalziel
(1997) and others.
Some Pr- and Necessary Observations
The South American platform can be divided into the
pre-Brasiliano Northern and Northwestern area (11, and
176 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES

-40"s
80"W
\ -
'a
Pata onia
hl60"W
I
40"w
I
Fig. 1. General situation index map. Main of geographic features of South America. The main Brasiliano cratonic domains are shown in light gray:
N-NW-Amazonian, N-NE-S. Luis, E-S. Francisco, SE-Lds Alves, S-Rio de La Plata.

the Brasiliano Central and Central-Eastern area (2). The
Brasiliano Orogenic Cycle (present in area 2) is as
significant to South America as the Hercynian to Eurasia
and the middle Paleoproterozoic orogenic cycles to North
America. Brasiliano areas includeArchaean, Paleoproterozoic
and Mesoproterozoic rocks that have been variably
reworked from moderate to deep levels, and the effects
of previous events are masked in many areas.
Pre-Brasiliano structures are the cratonic nuclei of the
Brasiliano network. In their interior they show well-
preserved lithostructural evidence of older orogenic cycles,
although they contain local structures and isotope data
caused by Brasiliano events. These nuclei preserve several
Proterozoic basins, many of which have been partially
transformed into mobile belts, whereas some others show
only gentle to moderate deformation.

Gondwana Research, V 5, No. 2,2002

 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
The best information about sedimentation and tectonics
is generally available from the central-eastern region of
the continent in the Sao Francisco Craton and adjacent
areas. In the Amazonian region, Proterozoic sequences
are known only at reconnaissance scale, although these
pre-Brasiliano rocks cover a large area of the northern
part of the continent. Especially in this Amazonian region
there is a notable trend of Precambrian younging of the
basement units, cover sequences and Proterozoic
anorogenic granitic plutonism (1.88 Ga to 0.99 Ga) from
northeast to the southwest (Brito Neves et al., 1984).
Pre-Atlantica Stages 1 and 2 (Older than
2.0 Ga)
Neoarchaean Aguas CZaras basin (stage I)
Formation and coalescence of microcontinental cells
started at about 3.5 Ga, increasing in number and size
and covering a large area of South America by the end of
the Neoarchaean. This maximum of terrane formation
and dockage at ca. 2.75 Ga is known as the 'Jequie Cycle'
in Bahia and/or the 'Rio da Velhas Event' in Minas Gerais.
During these early processes of lithosphere plate
interaction, sedimentary basins developed in settings such
51ow
Fig. 2. The Aguas Claras Formation in the interior of Serra do Carajis Range. It corresponds to Stage 1 as the oldest (Archaean) sedimentary basin
of South America. From Nogueira et al. (1995).
Gondwana Research, V. 5,No. 1,2002
177
as fore arc, back arc and post-orqgenic collapse, all of
which are today represented by Low-GradeTerranes (LGT)
of the greenstone-belt type.
Most of these areas are highly deformed basement older
than sedimentary cover, but one relatively undeformed
unit is still preserved in the central part of the Serra dos
Carajas (southeastern Amazonia) (Fig. 2). This Bacia de
Aguas Claras Formation consists of up to 1500 m of
siliciclastic rocks that developed on a marine platform
grading to littoral and fluvial deposits (Nogueira et al.,
1995). They rest discordantly on the Archaean Gr2o Par6
and Igarapk Ipojuca Groups in horst-graben structures in
the interior of a positive flower structure of the major
regional shear zones. The lower member of this unit
contains mostly pelitic beds (including manganese ores),
siltstone and fine-grained sandstone units interpreted as
having been deposited on a marine platform. The upper
member consists of fine-grained and coarse-grained
sandstone of intertidal and fluvial (braided) origin with
well-developed facies variations (Nogueira et al., 1995).
From field relationships and isotope data, Mougeot et al.
(1992) suggested that this basin was older than 2700 Ma,
making it the oldest well preserved sedimentary sequence
deposited under stable conditions on the South American
Platform.
50"W
50"W
178 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES
Paleoproterozoic basins (stage 2)
Development of sedimentary basins accelerated
following the coalescence of the Neoarchaean
microcontinental cells. Their stratigraphic position and
zircon-bearing clasts dated at 2.15 Ga in some of the
uppermost lithostratigraphic units show that they both
preceded and followed global orogenic events, principally
the Siderian (2.5-2.3 Ga), Rhyacian (2.3-2.05 Ga) and
Orosirian (2.05-1.8 Ga). These basins developed during
the first major continental (or supercontinental) collages,
for example the Atlantica Supercontinent of Rogers
(1996).
Basins developed during this stage contain a
predominance of fluvial siliciclastic shallow marine
deposits with minor volcanism, with clasts derived
from Archaean greenstone belt sequences, plutons and
magmatic arcs. They also contain banded iron formation,
carbonate beds, jaspilite associated with Fe-Mn and gold-
and uranium-bearing conglomerate with occurrences of
detrital pyrite. At Jacobina (central Bahia), the
sedimentary pile attains a preserved thickness of 5000 m
of very mature sediments. This continued deposition
under stable shelf conditions coexisted side by side with
distinct development of basins more typical of the
Archean, such as volcano-sedimentary basins with
‘greenstone belt’ suites (Serrinha in Bahia, Barama-
Mazaruni/Vila Nova in the northeast of Amazonia, etc.).
Only locally can it be shown that these platform basins
discordantly overlie the Paleoproterozoic greenstone belt
sequences (North Guyana Trough, the Orapu-Bonidoro
Group, discordant over the Barama Mazaruni; Ledru
et al., 1994).
The tectonic environments of these basins varied from
passive continental margin type (Minas Group, Marginal
Syneclise, ‘MS’), foreland zones (Northern Guyana,
Francevillian), interior rifts (Jacobina, Interior Fracture,
‘IF’), continental interior syneclises (Colomi, ‘IS’), rifts
developed over rising mantle plumes (Upper Contendas
sequence) and pull-apart basins, etc. (A syneclise is a
broad basin of deposition; ‘MS’, ‘IF’ and related terms are
from the classification of Kingston et al., 1983.) The
deformational tectonics also varied widely but were nearly
always subsidiary to the accretionary, collisional, and
transpressive orogens that led to continental assembly at
the end of the Paleoproterozoic and were responsible for
the general arrangement of the Atlantica Supercontinent.
Deformation of the basins is generally very intense and
locally consists of refolding and tectonic imbrication with
the subjacent rock units (Archaean magmatic arcs and
greenstone belts). Only very rarely was the deformation
moderate and the general features of Proterozoic basins
preserved.
The Formation of Atlantica Supercontinent
and Subsequent Processes (Prelude to
Stage 3)
The continental mass Atlantica consisted of blocks that
now occur in South America and Africa (Ledru et al., 1994;
Rogers, 1996). It formed gradually during several
Paleoproterozoic orogenic stages (2.35 Ga, 2.2-2.15 Ga,
2.0 Ga, 1.95-1.80 Ga).
The first event following accretion was widespread
silicic magmatism and minor sediments of the Uatumii
Group. Magmatism of the Uatumg Group (Supergroup,
Association, etc.) is found in practically all countries in
the northern part of the continent over a n area
> 1,500,000 km2 from eastern Colombia to Suriname. It
consisted mostly of felsic volcanic rocks (Iricoum6-
Surumu-Iriri, Cuchivero, Burro-Burro, Kuyuwini, etc.) and
associated granitoid plutons. The Uatumii flows and
pyroclastic rocks range from trachyte to andesite with
minor basalt and show both calc-alkaline and alkaline
trends. Pyroclastic rocks include tuff, breccia and
agglomerate, ignimbrite, tuffaceous sandstone beds,
microbreccia etc.
The Uatumii event occurred during the Orosirian
orogenies that affected most of the world (but with few
representatives from South America). Their rock units
are generally older than 1.8Ga, with dates mostly between
1.97 and 1.85 Ga (Tassinariand Macambira, 1999). They
succeeded important orogenic events from 2.2 to 2.0 Ga
(Maroni-Itacaiunas/Transamazonian) and were nearly
coeval with orogenic protesses in the Ventuari-Tapaj6sBelt
that completed the formation of Atlantica (Tassinari and
Macambira, 1999). They occurred mostly in old and thick
Archaean basement inliers that form the Pakaraima block
(north of the Amazonas River) and the Xingu block (to
the south, in the Xingu River, see Figs. 1, 3 and 4).
The Uatumii Event shows a close relationship (‘the day
after’) to the formation of the Atlantica Supercontinent
and is an important precursor to the subsequent tectono-
sedimentary development of the Amazonian block in Late
Paleoproterozoic times (stage 3). It may have resulted
from sublithosphere events (activated mantle,
underplating, plumes, etc.) or passive events (activated
lithosphere) related to plate interaction elsewhere. The
former may have occurred as a consequence of thickening
and crustal growth associated with the oldest (Maroni-
Itacaiunas) Paleoproterozoic orogenic events. The latter
may be attributed to accretionary orogeny in adjacent
regions, as exemplified by the rocks of the Ventuari-Tapaj6s
region that occur along a NNW-SSE-trendingbelt about
2200 km long in the central-western part of the Central
Amazonian Block. A phase of extensional tectonics
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002
 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
associated with these events was suggested by Montalviio
and Bezerra (1980) and Costa et al. (1991), the latter
estimating values up to 2.5 for the 'beta' factor for crustal
extension.
Late Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic
(Stages 3 to 6)
Roraima stage (Urupi-Gorotire-Beneficente, stage 3)
The Uatumii Event was immediately followed by the
development of intracratonic sedimentary basins with
local thicknesses up to 3,000 m. They formed from the
upper Orosirian (ca. 2.0 Ga) to the Statherian (ca. 1.8
Ga) during thermal relaxation and isostatic adjustments
continuing from Uatumii time. Reis and Carvalho (1996)
estimated a minimum period of 100 Ma for the deposition
of the whole sequence. On the Guyana Shield (Fig. 31,
these sediments cover a nearly continuous area of about
73,000 km2,with remnants in Venezuela (Neblina, Duida,
Paru, Sipapo, Roraima), Amazonas (Ufaranda, Surucucus,
68' 64"
2"
Amazonas
0=
68" 64"
Fig. 3. Roraima (s.1) and Urupi occurrences in the Guyana Shield, north of the Amazonian Craton (light gray). In black is the Avanavero/Pedras
Pretas Suite (Statherian mafic magmatism). After Reis and Carvalho (1996).
Gondwana Research, V 5, No. 1,2002
179
Tepequem, Urutamin, UrupVPittinga, etc.) and Suriname
(Tafelberg). On the Central Brazil Shield, equivalent
sediments are erosional remnants of a former basin in
the Rio Xingu area as well as in the Alto Tapajos Basin
(Teles Pires-Juruena and Aripuang rivers; Fig. 4).
Deposits consist mainly of continental clastic rocks,
subordinate shallow marine sediments and some volcanic
rocks at a few stratigraphic levels. Sediments overlie the
Uatum5 volcanics and contain Uatumii clasts both at the
base and at several other stratigraphiclevels. Basic intrusive
rocks (Avanavero/Pedras,Pretas/Crepori) commonly formed
at the end of sedimentation, indicating the beginning of
new tectonics of the Statherian period (stage 4).
The Roraima Supergroup is one of the best known suites
and probably formed in several different basins (Reis and
Carvalho, 1996). The main areas of exposure contain a
sequence of continental clastic sediments (Arai Fm.) that
were followed by two transgressive-regressive episodes
(Suapi Group), passing upward to shallow marine
sediments with some continental volcanic rocks, and
terminated by continental and intertidal deposits.
60' 56'
____ . .----
60' 56"
 60" 56' 52"
B.B.BRIT0 NEVES

0
Archean Terranes
n
Paleoprotemzoic Volcanic trap Granitic rocks/ Benekentel Prosperan@ Undf Phanemzoic
belts > 1.8 Ga Mafii magmatism Gorotire cover Acari cover covers

Fig. 4. The Central Brazil Shield, south of the Amazonian Craton, with emphasis on the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic covers. Bf-Beneficente, Cq-Cubencranqubm, Go-Gorotire, Dd-Dardanelos,
Cb-Caiabis, A-P-Acari-Prosperanqa. Based on Schobbenhaus et al. (1984).

Gondwana Research, K 5,No. 1,2002

 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
Both the Roraima Supergroup and other units of this
tectonic stage formed during positive to moderate
inversion of the preceding (Uatum6) extensional phase.
Deposits formed in rifts (local fault zones), syneclises
(open folds) and horizontal tablelands (‘dalas’, Montalvgo
and Bezerra, 1980). Deformation occurred only along
linear fault zones that delimit the blocks and contain
cataclastic rocks. No compressional shortening occurred
even where intrusive rocks cut or are adjacent to the
sediments. These intrusions are Statherian or younger
and consist of granitic, basic, and alkaline rocks formed
mainly in an anorogenic environment with the exception
of a few orogenic intrusives on the easternmost margin
of the Rio Negro-Juruena Belt.
Accentuated dips in some areas developed in the upper
middle part of the Mesoproterozoic, during the so-called
‘K mudku Episode’ (‘Nickerian’ or ‘Orinoquense’). This
deformation may have been caused by 1.3-1.1-Ga
Grenville orogenies (sensu lato) in the southwestern
region of Amazonia. According to Fraga et al. (1994)
this late tectonic activity (with E-W to WNW-ESE trends)
may locally have been strong enough to cause
metamorphic foliation and lineation in the Roraima
Supergroup and its substrate in addition to some tectonic
imbrication south of the Roraima area.
The stratigraphic succession, field relationships and
tectonics of the Urupi Formation (Fig 3) are very similar
to those of the Roraima Supergroup (Daoud and Fuck,
1987). The Urupi Formation contains a larger amount of
immature clastic sediments and pyroclastics than the
Roraima Supergroup, and the unconformity with the
underlying Uatum6 suite may represent a longer period
of erosion.
Rocks similar to the Urupi Formation occur farther
south along the tributaries of the Xingu, Iriri and Tapaj6s
rivers (Fig. 4), where tablelands of the Gorotire Group
are exposed as remnants of box-folds. They consist of
subaerial rocks in sequences less than 800 m thick that
rest discordantly on Uatum6 and older suites. These
sediments were formed mostly in unstable cratonic
environments, and throughout the sequence they consist
mainly of quartzo-feldspathic sandstone beds containing
rock fragments, poorly sorted sandstones and abundant
oligomictic and polymictic conglomerates. Shale and fine-
grained clastic sediments are rare. The sediments are
intruded by basic magmas of the Statherian Crepori
Formation (‘Avanavero’ magmatism) and are locally
overlain discordantly by sandstone beds of the
Cubencranquem Formation.
The Beneficiente Group (Fig. 4) in the Alto Tapajos
Basin (Juruena and Teles Pires rivers) is considered to be
the stratigraphic and structural equivalent of the Gorotire
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002
181
Group although it contains a thicker marine sequence
(Schobbenhaus et al., 1984). It consists of white quartz-
sandstone and light-grey to dark-grey siltstone, with minor
beds of argillite, limestone and dolomite in a section more
than 750 m thick. It occurs along a NNW-SSE trend,
parallel to the Rio Negro-Juruena accretionary system and
may have been deposited in an extensional back-arc basin
(Tassinari and Macambira, 1999). The basin is outlined
by fault lines and contains domal structures resulting from
the emplacement of granite and alkaline plutons in the
Upper Proterozoic and Mesoproterozoic.The Beneficiente
Group is overlain locally by Upper Paleozoic sedimentary
remnants (reason for the name ‘Alto Tapajos Basin’).
Taken as a whole, rocks of this stage represent
a widespread first stage of sedimentary and
volcanosedimentary covers of Atlantica, well recorded in
this part of the Amazonian pre-Brasiliano domain. It
continued into, and may have overlapped, deposition of
similar suites in other regions of Atlantica.
Statherian Taphrogenesis (Pre-Nena), fission of Atlantica
(stage 4)
Ubiquitous Statherian taphrogenesis (1.8-1.6 Ga; Brito
Neves et al., 1995a; Magini et al., 1999) followed the
fission of Atlantica and preceded the formation of NENA
(Northern Europe-North America supercontinent; Gower
et al., 1990). It is particularly well recorded in South
America and represents a transition from accumulation
of Roraima-type sediments in platforms and extensional
troughs to the development of younger Mesoproterozoic
basins. It delimited, and was responsible for, development
of most of the Mesoproterozoic basins, and by fracturing
the Archean and Paleoproterozoic basement it set the lines
along which the Neoproterozoic cratons and mobile belts
subsequently developed.
Statherian extension is well shown by magmatism.
Mafic intrusives (dyke swarms and sills) occur from
northern Venezuela (Avanavero, Roraima Intrusive Suite,
Crepori, Pedra Preta) southward to northern Uruguay
(Florida) and Argentina (Tandil) and westward from
Atlantic coastal areas (Salvador, Rio Pardo) to the interior
of Bolivia (Fig. 5, Fig. 6). It includes mafic-ultramafic
bodies, anorogenic granite plutons (Amazonian region,
Minas Gerais, Bahia, Rio de la Plata craton) and volcanic
(trap) rocks.
Although mostly extensional, Statherian activity
included some local deformation of Roraima-age basins
in the Amazonian region. It had an important role in basin-
forming tectonics in the Amazonian region, in Bahia and
Minas Gerais (Espinhaqo range), in the Borbsrema
Province (Western Potiguar and Jaguaribeano fold belts)
and in many other regions in South America and parts of
182 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES

Fig. 5. 'The Statherian Taphrogenesis in the South American continent, a general overview. The Statherian occurrences include mafic dyke-swarms,
felsic volcanic traps, volcano-sedimentary rifts (and locally some rapakivi granites). See text.

Africa and North America. Some Statherian and slightly
younger supracrustal rocks were later folded in the
Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic (Mantiqueira
Setentrional and Central, Jaguaribeano, Eastern
Tocantins, etc.), where they occur in the interior of the
Brasiliano mobile belts (underling Neoproterozoic rock
units).
Accretionary orogenic processes may have been
synchronous with Statherian extension in the Rio Negro-
Juruena belt (westwards of the Alto Tapajos Basin), in
the Jauru area (Mato Grosso, southwestern Amazonia),
and other areas. Some mafic rocks in the Espinhaqo range
(Serro, Minas Gerais) may be remnants of a Statherian
oceanic crust.
Post-Nena Mesoproterozoic basins. (stage 5).
Poorly known lower to middle parts of Mesoproterozoic
basins contain intracratonic clastic and locally
volcanoclastic sequences that overlie the areas affected
by Statherian extension and orogeny in the northern part
of South America, the southern part of North America
and Fennoscandia. In the central-eastern part of South
America they occur in Statherian rifts locally expanded
to form syneclises (GoiAs-Tocantins, Arai and Natividade
groups) and in Bahia and Minas Gerais (Espinhaqo,
Chapada Diamantina) (see Fig. 6). A well preserved
lithostratigraphy shows increasing occurrence of
epicontinental marine invasions upward in the sequences.

Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002

 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
-
0 150
Exact ages can only be inferred but are probably in the
time interval 1.6/1.55 Ga to > 1.2 Ga. In Amazonia (Fig.
4) the centers of subsidence and sedimentation migrated
progressively westward (west of Alto Tapaj6s Basin)
toward domains of younger thermal age (1.8-1.6 Ga) in
the Rio Negro-Juruena orogen.
Central-western region of Amazonia
Mesoproterozoic deposits in the central and western
part of Amazonia (Fig. 4) extend from the right margin
of the Rio Madeira, along the upper course of the Rio
Juruena (tablelands of Dardanelos and Caiabis) through
the northern part of the Amazonas Basin to the confluence
of the Branco river with the Negro river. They display a
NNW-SSE trend following the Rio Negro-Juruena
accretionary belt that forms the regional basement
Sections thicker than 1000 m occur in the Prosperanqa/
Acari and Prainha units (Caputo, 1971).
On the Caiabis and Dardanelos tablelands, clastic
sediments are mainly arkosic, medium to coarse-grained,
and micaceous, with thin beds of polymictic conglomerate.
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 2,2002
183
Fig. 6. Paleoproterozoic (to
Mesoproterozoic) rifts in
the central-eastern part
of Brazil. The outline of
t h e S6o Francisco
Craton (Neoproterozoic
300km in age) is shown only for
reference.
Local volcanoclastic rocks and sub-greywacke contain
fragments of volcanic rocks and chert. At least two zones
of alkaline basalt (Arinos Formation) are intercalated with
arkosic sandstone in the Caiabis Graben. Gabbro and
diabase intrusions have poorly defined WAr ages of 1.4
Ga (lowest level) and 1.2 Ga (Ectasian age). In the WNW-
ESE-striking Juruena-Teles Pires structural high,
preliminary Rb/Sr data suggest that small subcircular
intrusives of alkali-syenite, trachyte, and quartz-syenite
(Canamg) are the same age.
The eastern part of the Amazonian region contains
erosional remnants of the Cubencranqukm Group in box
folds along the upper courses of the Iriri and Xingu rivers
(Fig. 4). Sequences are not more than 300 m thick over a
wide area underlain by older sedimentary cover, volcanic
traps and high-grade rocks of the regional basement.
At one place the Cubencranqugm sequence overlies a
1.64-Ga anorogenic granite, and the basal unit consists
of beds of polymictic conglomerate with pebbles of
Uatumii volcanic rocks and sandstone (possibly Gorotire).
Most of the rocks are reddish arkosic sandstones with
184
immature medium-grained sediments intercalated with
siltstone and subordinate argillite. Some lithic greywacke,
volcanic breccia and ash-tuff occurs in the middle part of
the sequence. The open folds of the Cubencranqukm are
discordant with the deformed Gorotire suite beneath it.
The Prosperanqa-AcariFormation crosses the Amazonas
River along an inverted Proterozoic syneclise that evolved
into the Paleozoic Purus Arch (see also Fig. 11)between
the Solim6es and Mkdio Amazonas basins. The deposits
lie discordantly over the sedimentary and volcanic
sequences of the previous stages (Caputo, 1971). The
Prosperanqa suite consists mostly of brown to reddish beds
of micaceous, medium to fine-grained, arkosic sandstone
with clay fragments that are massive or display
crossbedding or parallel stratification. Subordinate beds
are siltstone, shale and oligomictic conglomerate with
pebbles of quartzite and rhyolite. Prosperanqa sediments
grade upward to fine-grained clastic units, calcareous
siltstones and carbonate of the Acari Formation. deposited
in fluvial (braided) to coastal marine environments. Some
beds were intruded by the Bacaba Diabase (1290 Ma;
Teixeira, 1983) during the Ectasian (Iwanuch, 1999), but
some of the diabase is Upper Paleozoic
The complete extent of Mesoproterozoic sedimentation
and volcanism is unclear. Mesoproterozoic (Caliminian,
Ectasian) suites are well preserved only on the interior of
lithosphere segments that acted as cratonic domains
during the Brasiliano, and they are commonly deformed
within the Neoproterozoic Brasiliano belts. Thus it is
possible that Mesoproterozoic suites extended farther to
WESTERN ----.--------(-
MARGINAL ZONE
Fig. 7. Cross-section of the Aguapei aulacogen, Brazil and Bolivia. After Saes (1999)
B.B. BRIT0 NEVES
the west in Rondonia and Mato Grosso, where several
rock units were involved in the Guapork and Aguapei
orogenies. Sedimentation may also have occurred farther
to the south, covered by the large Cenozoic sedimentary
basin of the upper course of the Juruena river (Fig. 4). In
central Brazil, west of the large mafic-ultramafic massifs
of GoiAs-Tocantins,there is evidence for rifting informally
referred to as the Ectasian taphrogenesis (preliminary
studies by Correia and Pinho, 2000). Also, farther to the
south and southeast, Ectasian volcano-sedimentary rocks
have been reported in the central part of the Mantiqueira
Province (Juliani et al., 2000), which is now in the interior
of a Brasiliano fold belt.
Bahia and Minas Gerais
Mesoproterozoic basins in Bahia and Minas Gerais
contain well exposed sequences generally thicker than
3000 m that cover an area of 150,000 km (Fig. 6). They
follow Statherian tectonic trends (and lithostratigraphic
precursors) and are best exposed in Brasiliano cratonic
domains. The oldest sediments are Caliminian, but no
dates are available for end of sedimentation. Rock
assemblages grade upward from eolian and fluvial
sediments, through transitional environments (Paraguaqu,
Galho do Miguel groups), to carbonate shelf and tidal
deposits (Dominguez, 1993; Martins-Neto, 1998). The
basins connected with the sea and show periodic
incursions of fluvial sediments in incised valleys and
estuarine deposits (Chapada Diamantina/Gentio and
Conselheiro Mata groups). The sediments also connect
CENTRALZONE +t-------. EASTERN
MARGINAL ZONE
@
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002
 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
in the subsurface with basins in Goias (Romero Silva and
Zalhn, 2000). Suites in Bahia show a moderate degree of
deformation by convergence of the basement blocks
(‘oroaulacogen’),which caused development of N-S axial
plane foliation in pelite beds, but it is not known whether
this is an overprint of older deformation (‘Espinhaqo
Orogeny’) or a consequence of the Brasiliano cycle.
Pre-Rodinia Stage (Stage 6)
Westward growth of the Amazonian Block and the
development of Proterozoic cover left a well-preserved
record along the Brazil-Bolivia border (Figs. 7 and 8).
Rifts developed during the lowest part of the Stenian (1.20
to 1.1Ga) over the Proterozoic orogenic belts, which were
divided by Van Schmus et al. (1998) into the Jauru,
Araputanga, Cabacal belts (ca. 1.75 Ga), Santa Helena
65‘
90
13‘
Paleo-Mesozoiccover
Meso-Neoproterozoic basins
Younger granites of Rondonia
Nova Brasilandia belt
Undifferentiated basement
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002
185
belt (ca. 1.45 Ga) and Santo Ignacio belt (ca. 1.36 Ga).
Greater extension in the north created an oceanic basin
(Nova BrasilAndia-Guapore; Scandolara, 1999; Fig. 8).
Although most suites were deformed during the upper
part of the Stenian (Sunsas-Grenville), a few scattered
areas in the southwestern part.of the Amazon region were
only moderately folded.
In Rondonia a continental margin developed after the
rift stage, evolving to open-ocean deposition of terrigenous
psammo-pelitic turbidite beds with subordinate plutonic
and volcanic tholeiitic rocks. Subsequent transpression
of these rocks at ca. 1.15-1.0 Ga developed the Guapore
fold belt containing mesozonal metamorphites cut by
intrusive rocks and discordantly covered by sediments of
Stage 7 (Scandolara, 1999; Rizzotto et al., 1999).
South of the Guapore mobile belt the Aguapei-Sunsas
branching rifts (in Mato Grosso) showed variable rates of
62’
SL = S%oLourenGo
PN = Pacads Novos
UP = Uopione
Fig. 8. Guapork-Nova Brasildiidia fold
belt (late Mesoproterozoic in
I 100krn I age) and the system of rifts of
Rondbnia, southwest Amazonian
Craton. Modified after Scandolara
and Amorim (1999).
186 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES
~ ~~~
extension insufficient to develop an ocean. Saes (1999)
grouped sedimentation into three depositional phases in
a deep central zone from S2o Vicente to Santo Corazon
and two marginal shallow rift zones (Fig. 7). The rift
phase consists of psammite and psephite deposited only
in the depocenters. The subsequent syneclise phase
covered the maximum area of subsidence with fine-
grained clastic sediments deposited on coastal plains and
low-energy shallow-marine environments. Fluvial and
eolian sediments predominate in the uppermost phase of
tectonic inversion. Deformation and greenschist-facies
metamorphism is significant only in the central zones of
tight folds and decreases toward external zones, which
contain subhorizontal or gently folded suites that form
tablelands. Local subhorizontal displacement of tabular
quartzitic masses overlying the basement occurs in the
southernmost part of the system of rifts.
At present Stenian cover is well known only on the
Amazonian Craton, but it may also include undated suites
in central Brazil (Parano6 and similar units) and in the
central-eastern region of Brazil (upper units of the
Chapada Diamantina). It may also have been developed
in the Borborema Province of northeastern Brazil, but any
vestiges have been destroyed by the intense Cariris Velhos
orogeny at ca. 0.96 Ga, which left rocks mainly at
mesozonal levels, and by Neoproterozoic tectonic-
magmatic events.
Post-RodiniaPalmeiral Stage (Stage 7)
Palmeiral deposits constitute the best record of
sedimentation immediately after the incorporation of
South American area in Rodinia. They may have been
deposited in part of a very broad Mesoproterozoic/
Neoproterozoicsyneclise formed by post-orogenicthermal
contraction of the Guapor6 belt (Scandolara and Amorim,
1999; Pedreira and Bahia, 2000). Their subsequent
segmentation into rift-type compartments (inversion of
regimes) may have been part of the worldwide ‘Tonian’
taphrogenetic event that led to the break-up of Rodinia.
Generalized extension with adjustments along previous
lines of structural weakness followed the Guaporb/Nova
Brasilindia orogeny in the Neo-Estenian. It formed
graben-like structures that now preserve erosional
remnants of the formerly widespread Palmeiral Formation
The Sao Lourenco Graben (Fig. 8) has oligomictic
conglomerate near the base of the sequence but consists
mostly of fine-grained orthoquartzitic to feldspathic
sandstone beds with light colors, parallel lamination, and
intercalations of siltstone and argillite. The sequence is
similar in the Pacaas Novos Graben, with many more beds
of arkosic sandstone and evidence of crossbedding. The
Uopianes Graben contains immature sediments, with
several conglomeratic zones intercalated with arkosic
sandstone in addition to volcanoclastic rocks with ash-
tuff and crystal-tuff. Smaller grabens in the surrounding
areas contain similar sequences. A major part of this stage
of sedimentation may be overlain by the sediments of the
Solimdes Syneclise and/or by the ‘Dala Cisandina’ (the
Cenozoic plains of the eastern side of the Andean Chain).
Magmatism can be attributed to the same extensional
regime at the end of the Mesoproterozoic and the
beginning of the Neoproterozoic. Granitic suites studied
by Bettencourt et al. (1999) include Santa Clara (ca.
1081+50 Ma), Costa Marques and the Younger Granites
of Rondonia (ca. 998-991 Ma). The Nova Floresta Suite
(in Paca6s Novos graben, Fig. 8) of gabbro, troctolite and
diabase intrudes the Palmeiral Formation plus alkaline
basalt flows. There are some K-Ar ages from 1098 Ma to
967 Ma for the diabases.
Diachronic Dispersion (Fission) of Rodinia
The break-up of Rodinia was responsible for the
development of widespread Neoproterozoic sedimentary
and volcanosedimentary domains, many of which have
since been transformed into mobile belts. In South
America it appears to have occurred in three phases
between 1.1 Ga and 0.63 Ga. The first phase at the
beginning of the Tonian (ca. 1050 to ca. 900 Ma) is shown
mostly by basic magmatism (dyke swarms, basalt flows)
in the Amazonian region (Nova Floresta and other areas),
in the central eastern region of Brazil, along the Atlantic
coast and sparsely in Africa. Granitic and alkaline
anorogenic magmatism also occurred in western
Amazonia.
Subduction in the central-western region of Brazil
(Mara Rosa Arc, ca. 930 Ma) and possibly in the south of
Brazil (Passinho Event, ca. 850 Ma) are the oldest evidence
for Neoproterozoic oceanic domains after the breakup of
Rodinia and plate interactions, these being the first stages
of the Brasiliano collage.
The second phase of taphrogenesis in South America
appears to have been widespread during the middle of
the Neoproterozoic (ca. 800-700 Ma; early part of stage
8). Local rifting varied from one province to another and
ended with the formation of large continental and oceanic
basins. This phase was initially accompanied by glaciation
commonly correlated with worldwide Sturtian events, and
a number of interior basins and rift basins have basal
diamictite beds grading laterally to shelf (QPC = quartzite,
pelite and carbonate) and turbidite sequences, as well as
other units of deeper marine environments. This
widespread phase of opening was contemporaneous with
Gondwana Research, K 5, No. 1,2002
 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
Neoproterozoic oceanic and related environments
A/D= RokelidelGoianides;B=Pharusian; C=Peri-franciscan
E = Adamastor; F = Arabian-Nubian(ANEKT)
~ a Neoproterozoic continental lithospheric segments
(Thesons of Rodinia)
Areas with different geological problems
(Sedimentarycover, deep crustal reworking, etc)
convergence in other areas, such as the formation of arcs
in southern Brazil (Mantiqueira Province) and collision
in the central-western region of Brazil (Tocantins
Province).
The third phase of the break-up of Rodinia began in
South America at the start of Neoproterozoic 111 (later
part of stage 8; pre- to syn-Vendian; 640 to 620 Ma;
Boggiani, 1997). The main stratigraphic records of this
last phase are present in the Paraguai (base of the
Gondzuana Reseauch, V. 5, No. 1,2002
187
Fig. 9. Sketch diagram for the main
Neoproterozoic oceanic basins (and
connected realms) of western
Gondwana (A, B, C, D, E, F). Main
continental segments in gray:
AM-Amazonian, SL-WA-S. Luis-West
Africa, PR-Parnaiba, SFCKA-S.
Francisco-Congo-Angola,KH-Kalahari,
PP- Paranapanema, LA-Luis Alves,
RP-Rio d e la Plata, PA-Pampia;
AA-Arequipa.
Corumbd, Urucum, and Jacadigo groups) and Western
Pampean belts (Puncoviscan rift). Varangerian glaciation
is well preserved in the Paraguai Belt (Puga and Jangada
formations). This final phase was contemporaneous
with the main phases of the Brasiliano/Pan-African
orogeny, with the development of magmatic arcs and
collisionalbelts in most of the structural provinces of South
America (between 640 and 610 Ma). This synchrony
shows that the break-up of one supercontinent (Rodinia)
188 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES
overlapped the amalgamation of another (Gondwand
Pannotia).
Dispersion in South America (and western part of
Gondwana) created at least four main domains/systems
that led to the development of continental margins and
oceanic realms: the Goianides-Rokelides, Pharusian,
circum-SiioFrancisco-Congo and Adamastor (Fig. 9; Brito
Neves et al., 1999). They formed a complex network of
oceanic basins, gulfs and small oceanic basins, and they
were connected by continental basins (rifts, rift systems
and aulacogens).
Pre-Gondwana-PannotiaStage (Stage 8)
The first (Tonian) phase of taphrogenesis during the
breakup of Rodinia is known only (up to now) by the
presence of magmatic rocks. The sediments formed during
the succeeding two phases are described here as Stage 8.
Events during initial accretion of Gondwana/Pannotia are
discussed below as Stage 9.
The second and third stages are here described in terms
of four rock suites. They include: ‘QPC’- Quartzite, Pelite,
carbonate; ‘BVAC’- Bimodal Volcanic Rocks, Arkose,
Conglomerate; ‘Greenstones’ - tholeiitic volcanics
predominating over sediments and ophiolitic remnants
of oceanic environments (see ‘Proterozoic Rock
Association’ in Condie, 1989) The fourth rock suite is
formed by volcanic and plutonic suites of magmatic arcs.
The QPC sequences are found along nearly all margins
of large lithosphere segments formed by the break-up of
Rodinia (Amazonia, Siio Francisco-Congo, West Africa,
Paranapanema, Curitiba-Luis Alves, etc.; Fig. 9). These
continental, coastal and shelf sequences can be described
as ‘marginal’ or ‘proximal’ belts. They are commonly
underlain by diarnictite, varvite and other glacial
sediments deposited mainly, but not exclusively, in the
Cryogenian Period (Sturtian). They occur in Marginal
Syneclises (MS), on carbonate shelves, in aulacogens, and
in large syneclises of the continental interior. The QPC
sequences grade laterally to turbidite beds and deep-water
sediments in several mobile belts, some of which include
dismembered ophiolitic sequences. Lateral variations to
BVAC suites have been interpreted as transitions to
continental rift systems. The proportions of volcanic rocks
and their composition (calc-alkaline, tholeiitic) are very
variable, and their environments remain open to
discussion.
The glaciations that preceded the QPC sequences were
widespread, and their erosion of the interior of the
continental landmasses facilitated subsequent marine
invasions after 750 Ma both in South America and Africa.
In South America, these rock suites occur overlying the
Amazonic craton (Alto Paraguai Group) and in the SZio
Francisco Peninsula/craton (Siio Francisco Supergroup),
and in the Rio de La Plata Block (Tandilia). In the S2o
Francisco peninsula, the Neoproterozoic rocks were
responsible for almost complete submersion, with only a
few Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic basement
islands exposed. In Africa these marine invasions are
recorded in many basins, such as Taoudeni in West Africa,
Lindian, West Congo, Damaran and Kundelungu in the
southern part of the Congo Craton.
Brasiliano distal basins contain only a poorly
understood record of magmatic arcs and oceanic rocks,
including submarine basalts, mid-ocean ridge volcanics
and accretionary prisms. Fragments of oceanic suites are
present in all structural Brasiliano provinces of South
America, but no complete ophiolitic sequence has been
found. Magmatic arcs began at ca. 930 Ma (Arenopolis/
Mara Rosa, Tocantins Province) and continued at later
times during the Neoproterozoic and Cambrian (ca. 880
Ma, ca. 750-700 Ma, 640-600 Ma, 580-550 Ma,
533-520 Ma, 520-500 Ma.).
Neoproterozoic deformation was responsible for the
closure of oceanic basins and connected paleogeographic
systems worldwide, reaching its climax in the accretion
of Gondwana-Pannotia. In South America, the Brasiliano
collage completed the assembly and divided the continent
into two areas: 1) an area of pre-Brasiliano structures
mainly in the northern-northwest of South America and
along the Andean substrate and 2) an area containing
four Brasiliano structural provinces in the eastern half of
the continent (Almeida et al., 1 9 8 l ) , as previously
mentioned. Brasiliano tectonogenesis was strong and
widespread (affecting the fold belts and their basement)
and these processes affected many areas so intensely that
it is locally difficult to discriminate between Brasiliano
and pre-Brasiliano terranes. Brasiliano processes were
specifically most intense in basement (fold belts) with
Mesoproterozoic thermal ages than in older rocks.
Marginal belts with QPC sequences in both South
America and Africa show decreasing structural
deformation and degree of metamorphism toward the
interior of the cratons. This process is well shown in the
S2o Francisco Peninsula, where the stratigraphic suites
and structures around the pear-shaped periphery of the
craton show orthogonal trends in different segments.
Late Brasiliano Transition (Stage 9)
A wide variety of basin-forming tectonics occurred
during late Brasiliano time from the north (NW of the
State of Cear6) to Uruguay in the south. The interiors of
Brasiliano belts contain intradeeps, successor basins and
Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1, 2002
 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS 189

"Transition stage"
accurrence s
Paran3 syneclise
MC
Dam Feliciano is)/
Ribeira belt (ld)
LUIS Pdves
cratonrc block
Major faults

300 km
1

Fig. 10a. Early Paleozoic basins/occurrences (late Brasiliano) of southern Brazil- Mantiqueira Province. MG - Minas Gerais, SP - SHo Paulo,
PR - ParanA, SC - Santa Catarina, RS - Rio Grande do Sul, 1- Eleuterio, 2 - Pouso Alegre, 3 - Pic0 do Itapeva, 4 - Cajamar, 5 - Salto de
Pirapora, 6 - Pirapora do Bom Jesus, 7 - Samambaia, 8 - Quatis, 9 - Castro, 10 - Camarinha, 11 - Ervalzinho, 12 - Guaratubinha,
13 - Campo Alegre/Corupa, 14 - Itajai, 15 - CamaquH. Modified from Moro (2000)

transitional environments. Marginal zones at the
peripheries of the Neoproterozoic plates contain foreland
and backland domains, and the far interiors of these plates
contain impactogenic basins and intracontinental wrench
basins.
Despite this difference in environments, remnants of
late Brasiliano basins contain very similar sedimentary
and volcanosedimentary rocks and structures. In most
basins the area of preserved rocks is much smaller than
the original area of deposition, and today the only
remnants are those preserved in troughs or protected from
erosion by local tectonics and by Paleozoic covers. For
this reason the more extensive occurrences lie on the
basement of Proterozoic syneclises (see Fig. 10a and
l o b ) along depositional sites that later became
depocenters throughout the Paleozoic.
Numerous widely spaced remnants of Stage 9 occur
on the shield areas of Borborema (Brito Neves et al.,
1995b), Mantiqueira, and a few in Tocantins Province.
The exposures are commonly too small to determine the
original type of basin, and although the simple designation
'molasse' basins is frequently applied, the term is
inadequate because the rocks clearly formed in most of
the tectonic varieties of basins described above. Because
of their lithological similarities, their association with the
final phases of the Brasiliano orogeny, and the overlying
Ordovician and Siluro-Devonian cover, Almeida (1969)
used these suites to define a 'transition stage' between

Gondwana Research, V. 5,No. 1,2002

 42"W

. . .. Post - S i l u r i a n P h a n e r o z o i c c o v e r
........ . .

C o m b r o - O d o v i c i a n "Basins". cropping 34"W

out occurences

4-5
As a b o v e - b e l o w the Parnaiba basin
m Neoproterozoic cratonic covers
ES Meso - Neaproterozoic (Brasiliano) f o l d belts
o M a r g i n a l (QPC sequences)
b Interior (volcanic- sedimentory)

G n e i s s - M i g m a t i t i c massifs ( P a l e o p r o t e r o z o i c
and Archean), reworked during the Brasiliano

Sir0 F r a n c i s c o C r a t o n HGT + LGT

M a i n shear l a n e s
E
@ - JAIBARAS
@ - JAGUARAPI
- COCOCI/ RIO JUCA
B.B. BRIT0 NEVES

@
@ - s JULIAO
@ - S RAIMUNDO NONATO
@ - CORRENTES
@ - IARA
@ - BARRA DO DOMINGOS
@ - JUA
@ - PALMARES
@ - S E R R A D O CAGADO

0 100 200km
-
Fig. lob. Early Paleozoic (late Brasiliano) basins/occurrences of Northeastern Brazil/ Borborema Province. 1- Jaibaras, 2 - Jaguarapi, 3 - Cococi / Rio JucB, 4 - SBo Julifio, 5 - SHo Raimundo
Nonato, 6 - Iara, 7 - Barra do Domingos, 8 - Jua, 9 - Palmares, 10 - Serra do Cagado.

Gondwana Research, K 5,No. 1,2002

 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMERICA IN RELATION TO SUPERCONTINENTS
the Brasiliano orogenies (unstable stage) and the
subsequent phase of platform cover (post-Ordovician
stable stage). Soares et al. (1978) suggested that these
units represent the first (alpha) cratonic sequence (sensu
Sloss, 1988) of the platform cover.
Basin formation follows the diachrony of the orogenic
events discussed above. Most of the rocks have isotopic
ages concentrated around the Proterozoic-Cambrian
boundary (ca. 5 4 0 Ma), but they range from
Neoproterozoic I11 (605 Ma; Guaratubinha Rhyolite; Basei
et al., 1998) up to the beginning of the Ordovician (ca.
480 Ma; Pimentel et al., 1996).
Contemporaneous with these stages of basin-forming
tectonics are many extensional events over all of South
America. They include mafic and ultramafic magmatism
along the axis of the Amazonian Syneclise, mafic dyke
swarms in the central-southern region of Amazonia and
in the northern part of the S2o Francisco Craton, plus
many occurrences of felsic dykes, hydrothermal veins and
pegmatites.
Sediments of QPC assemblages predominate in the
foredeeps (Alto Paraguai, Lagarto-Palmares, Itajai,
Camaquii; see Figs. 10a and lob), where some of the
lowest stratigraphic units are coeval with those of the
marginal fold belt. Over these QPC sediments are coarse-
grained fluvial-clastic units derived from the erosion of
the fold belts, grading to siltstone and beds of lacustrine
pelite.
Many of the basins of this transition stage are associated
with widely spaced transcurrent faults, indicating the
importance of escape tectonics in all structural provinces.
Some basins in southern Brasil (Guaratubinha, Campo
Alegre, Corupa; Fig. 10a) contain variegated coarse-
grained clastic sediments and felsic volcanic rocks
associated with late-orogenic alkaline plutons. Similar
sedimentary rocks without associated magmatic rocks are
present in intradeep basins bounded by fault lines and in
grabens associated with extension and collapse in the
interior of fold belts such as Ju6, Serra do C6gado in the
Sergipano Belt of the Borborema Province, and the Apiai
belt (Camarinha basin). Outcrop thicknesses are up to
about 3000 m, but thicker sequences probably occur in
those parts of the basins underlying syneclises.
At the same time (ca. 5 9 0 Ma) a diversified
sedimentary-volcanic-plutonicassociation along the ‘Serra
do Mar’ range (southeastern Brazil) may have resulted
from impactogenic tectonics caused by collisions and
microcollisions of Brasiliano terranes and arcs in
southeastern Brazil, from Santa Catarina to S2o Paulo
( e g , Curitiba and Luis Alves blocks, Paranagud and Pien
arcs, etc., Citroni, 1998; Basei et al., 1998). Other basins
on the periphery of mobile belts, such as Castro (Parana)
Gondwana Research, K 5,No. 1,2002
191
and Camaquz (Rio Grande do Sul), in southern Brazil,
have commonly been described as foredeeps, but other
authors have attributed their origin to rifting caused by
(late-Brailiano) thermal contraction.
Paleozoic Gondwanan Syneclises (Stage 10)
The sedimentary cover developed o n Western
Gondwana covers an area exceeding 3,200,000 km z. In
South America it is mainly preserved in six large syneclises
(Acre, Solimdes, Amazonas, Parnaiba, ParanB and Chaco-
Parana; Fig. 1l),but smaller deposits occur in Mesozoic
rifts of the continental interior and coastal regions as well
as in Patagonia and the sub-Andean Zone. These large
intracratonic basins (‘IS’, Kingston et al., 1983) resulted
from extension in response to the thermal contraction of
the continental lithosphere after the Brasiliano-Pan-
African Cycle, during which the geothermal gradients were
considerably elevated (Brito Neves et al., 1984).
Africa contains a number of basins with similar
Paleozoic covers (Ghana, Taoudeni, Angola-Oyambo-
Barotse, Kalahari, Zambeze, Luano, Karoo, etc.). These
syneclises are generally elliptical and have areas between
500,000 km and 1,200,000 km 2, with thicknesses of
sediments in the depocenters up to 7000 m. Some basins
were connected during their evolution. There is a good
recent syntheses by Milani and Zalan (1999) about these
syneclises that emphasizes petroleum accumulation.
Sediments of Stage 10 were deposited after the
accretion of Gondwana. Deposition in the Chaco-Paran6
and Solimdes basins began in the Lower and Middle
Ordovician, but most sequences range from post-Middle
Ordovician to Eo-Triassic. The basins underwent a
polyphase evolution with some local deformation from
the time of Pangea assembly (ca. 230 Ma), at the climax
of the Hercynian orogeny, and during its break-up
(especially from 225 to100 Ma). Sediments are locally
deformed on the edges of the South American Platform
by Hercynian movements along western (pre-Andean) fold
belts on the Pacific margin and the southernmost
(Ventana-Cape belt/ SAMFRAU) margin of the platform
(Almeida et al., 2000).
The shape of South American syneclises commonly
shows a heritage of the Brasiliano framework (Brito Neves
et al., 1984). Deeper troughs contain sequences associated
with the late Brasiliano transition stage (stage 9; above),
and along some sections they display a general steerhead
(koilogen) configuration.
Soares et al. (1978) and Almeida et al. (2000) proposed
that the infilling of the syneclises shows many general
similarities with the successive deposition of three
widespread cratonic sequences (sensu Sloss). Silurian-
192 B.B. BRIT0 NEVES

72' 52" 32'

I

E
Q
U
A

COASTAL (I)EOUATORIAL
(11) CENTRAL (Ill)SOUTHERN ATLANTIC
,
u Paleozoic synedises
Interior Paleo-Mesozoic
and Tertiaiy nfls

Other Cenozoic Basins

L
1 GANDARELA
2 FONSECA

ARCHES
A - lquitos

t MIDDLE
JAGUARIBE

10 S JOSCBELMONTE
......................
.....................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . ,. .
......... S
-
E Purus
C - Monte Alegre
-
D Gurupa
-
E Tocantins
0 F - Guam&
U G - Ferrer IUrbano Santos
WESTOF -
H S o Francisco
I -AltoXingu
;@ J -Alto Paranaiba
E K - Assuncibn
16 AGUA BONITA
R -
L Ponta Grossa
M - Rio Grande

Fig. 11. Main Phanerozoic sedimentary basins of Brazil. Adapted from Schobbenhaus et al. (1984).

Devonian sequences (beta) and Eo-Carboniferous
(gamma) sequences consist of mature marine sediments
with chrono-parallel beds developed under humid to
glacial conditions. The late-Carboniferous to Triassic
sequence (delta) records several glacial episodes,progressive
aridity with time, marine regression and ultimately deposition
of continental sediments containing red beds.
All basins were completely restructured both internally
and externally (beginning in the Permian in the north of
the continent) mostly during the Upper Jurassic and Lower
Cretaceous. New conditions included development of
linear uplift zones (arcs), intrusion by diabase dikes, sills
and plugs and by eruption of widespread lavas,
particularly in the Parani Basin. Sedimentation was
restricted to fluvial and eolian deposits (sequence epsilon).
These processes were diachronous from one part to
another of the continent and are tectonically related both
to the accretion of Pangaea, which was completed at
ca. 230+5 Ma (Veevers, 1989), and partly to its
contemporaneous break-up from 225 Ma onwards. The
Triassic is marked by a major interruption of sedimentation
almost everywhere (except southern Brazil), which
emphasizes the Paleozoic (post-Ordovician/Lower
Triassic) character of the Gondwanan syneclises.

Gondwana Research, V. 5, No. 1,2002

 SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF SOUTH AMEFUCA IN RELATION ‘roSUPERCONTINENTS
The Activation Stage (Stage 11)
The Atlantic Ocean began to form when new basins
were created and old ones were restructured along the
newly forming continental margin and the interior of
South America (Chang et al., 1991; Cainelli and Mohriak,
1999; Matos, 2000). Three oceanic segments (Equatorial,
Central and Southern), separated by structural highs,
opened in well-defined phases from the Upper Jurassic
to the Quaternary.
Three distinct rift phases from the Volgian to the
Barremian developed grabens, semigrabens and rifts that
were filled by fluvio-deltaic sediments of the ‘continental
megasequence’. Brasiliano trends greatly influenced the
outlines of these grabens on the central and southern
continental margin and in the continental interior (Brito
Neves et al., 1984). Thermal relaxation that followed
rifting initiated deposition of a ‘transitionalmegasequence’
(Aptian) that includes black shale and evaporite deposits
southward from the state of Alagoas. This assemblage
provides important sources and structures for
accumulation of oil. The subsequent stage of drift
produced a ‘marine megasequence’ subdivided into a
lower (Albian to Turonian) carbonate shelf and an upper
siliciclastic suite deposited under open marine conditions
from the uppermost Cretaceous to the Quaternary.
In the continental interior, besides the complete
restructuring of the syneclises, siliciclastic sedimentation
occurred because of the formation of new rift systems,
deepening of older depocenters and intensification of
some linear zones of uplift (arcs). This led to the
fragmentation of a large part of the original Paleozoic
cover, which was eroded and in part preserved in interior
and coastal rifts. Some of these interior rifts (Tucano,
Jatoba, Araripe; Fig. 11) contain sections that include
sediments of the transition stage (stage 9), Gondwanan
syneclises stage (stage 10) and the rift and transitional
suites (stage 11)formed during the opening of the Atlantic
Ocean.
Basaltic magmatism was an important part of stage
11. The Serra Geral flood basalt of the Parana Basin covers
more than 1,000,000 km and was extruded mostly in
the Lower Cretaceous, with a climax between the
Valanginian and Hauterivian. Basaltic magmatism also
occurred in all syneclises, in some coastal basins and also
as far as the central-western region of Brazil about 2500
km from the coastal basins (in Anari and Tapirapuh,
RondBnia and Mato Grosso). However, basalt flows are
rare in many rifts in the interior of the continent.
Soares et al. (1978) designated the entire stratigraphic
pile of stage 11 as a cratonic sequence (epsilon). This
grouping is not advisable because of the diversity of rocks
Gondwana Research, I/: 5, No. 1,2002
193
(sedimentary and igneous) and tectonic environments
during this stage 11
Post-Pangea Restabilization (Stage 12)
A new tectono-sedimentary phase for all parts of South
America began in the Upper Cretaceous. Continental
separation and thermal contraction associated with
basaltic magmatism caused a new phase of syneclise
formation that created basins filled with fluvial and fluvio-
lacustrine sediments and local eolian deposits. The
siliciclastic deposits overlie all vestiges of previous rifts
and are deepest in areas that underwent differential
subsidence (Alter do Chiio Formation in Amazonas; Bauru
Group in Paranh; Itapecuru Formation in Parnaiba;
Urucuia Formation in the Siio Francisco Basin; etc.). These
deposits prograded over an inter-regional discontinuity
and reflect a new phase of tectonic stabilization (leading
to orthoplatformal conditions) that succeeded the
dramatic process of rifting and initial drift of the previous
stage. The designation of a new cratonic sequence (Zeta
sequence, Soares et al., 1978) is fairly reasonable.
In almost all basins on the Atlantic continental margin
new syneclises (‘MS’, Figueiredo and Raja-Gabaglia, 1986)
formed over deposits of previous rift and drift phases. In
continental areas of Brasiliano structural provinces and
syn-Brasiliano cratonic domains, these new tectonic
conditions led to a series of small rifts mainly filled with
fluvial and lacustrine sediments. The number and
distribution of these Cenozoic rift systems and the isolated
centers of volcanism associated with some of them is not
totally known yet. Significant data are only available for
those rifts of southeastern Brazil (mainly Rio Paraiba do
Sul, Rio Ribeira, Rio Iguaq6, Fonseca, Gandarela). Other
rifts are being gradually identified as belonging to this
phase of readjustment, and all of them show evidence for
differential uplift in the interior of the plate (some of these
rifts related to accretion along the Atlantic margin, and
subduction along the Pacific margin).
Preliminarydata suggest that the South American plate
had rates of continental uplift and Cenozoic volcanism
less intense than in the African plate during this stage.
Cenozoic sediments consist of fluvial and lacustrine
beds (locallyeolian) both in local basins and in widespread
tablelands east of the Andes. Regions of great stability
with very low rates of subsidence cover large areas (in
some places over millions of square kilometers) with
sediments that prograded disconformably over deposits
of all previous tectonic stages. They were unaffected by
structures beneath the discontinuities. One example is
the Amazonas lowlands, where the axis of the depocenter
runs diagonally across the Amazonas syneclise in a NNE-
194 B.B. BFUTO NEVES
SSW direction for about 1500 km from RondGnia to
Roraima (along the Branco River). Other examples
include the basins of ‘Alto Xingu’, ‘Alto Araguaia’, the
Pantanal, the lowlands of the middle course of the S2o
Francisco River, and others in the far interior of the
continent. In addition, the Dala Cisandina contains
tabular marginal sediments of the eastern side of the
Andes from Venezuela to Patagonia (Llanos, Beni, Chaco/
Pantanal, Pampas, see Fig. 1) and is connected to the
plains of Amazonas, where some components of
subsidence are derived from the isostatic adjustment of
the Andean Chain. This entire suite has been included
in the Zeta stratigraphic sequence, but modifications in
this scheme are inescapable for the future with further
investigations.
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