The Namaqua Metamorphic Complex forms the western end of the Namaqua-Natal orogenic belt (see the bizarre granitoids of Natal here). These rocks were formed during the formation of the supercontinent Rodinia which was assembled roughly 1.1 to 1.0 billion years ago. This metamorphic belt reveals the guts of a collisional orogen. If we were to […]
This eclogitic blueschist was collected from Chamois, Italy in the Zermatt-Saas ophiolite. At this locality, smooshed pillow basalts are clearly seen at the top of the ophiolite section although in most areas the primary magmatic textures have been obliterated by high pressure metamorphism. This sample contains glaucophane, jadite/omphacite, lawsonite (pseudomorphs), and other secondary minerals. The […]
This month I was lucky enough to again participate in the “Anatomy of an Orogeny” field course in the Alps with the University of St Andrews. Last year I had four posts outlining our transect from Milan, Italy to Berne, Switerzland (clockwise from upper left: Sesia-Lanzo, Ivrea Verbano, Flysch and Molasse, Helvetic Nappes). This year we had great […]
A sand sea or erg is defined as an expanse of land covered with 125 square km. The Namib Sand Sea is the second largest in the world. It covers nearly 80 thousand square kilometers (nearly the size of Austria or South Carolina). From the mountains to the dunes to the ocean, it is home […]
For most geologists, thoughts of South Africa are comprised of kimberlites, chromite seams, and gold. This post has nothing to do with any of those things. Along the east coast of SA near Durban is a suite of Mesoproterozoic granitoids and high-grade metamorphic rocks called the Natal Belt that were emplaced during the collision of […]
