Tectonic influence on the evolution of the Early Proterozoic Transvaal sea, southern Africa

Abstract

The epeiric Transvaal Sea covered the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa during the Early Proterozoic and its remnant strata represent one of the oldest known carbonate depositories. A genetic stratigraphic approach has been used in this research on the evolution and syndepositional tectonics of the Transvaal Sea; research also emphasized the development of basement precursors, which influenced the Transvaal Sea. Eight subfacies were initially recognized and their interrelationships through Transvaal Sea time and space were used to identify ten depositional systems. Paleogeographic reconstructions indicate that the depositional systems developed on morphological variations of a distally-steepened carbonate rarp and that the depositional character of each was simply a function of water Backstripping of the depositional systems indicates that the Transvaal Sea was compartmentalized; three compartments are preserved on the Kaapvaal Craton. Backstripping also indicates that the depositional center of the Transvaal Sea lay over the western margin of an underlying rift. Rifting had developed a major, north-south-trending structure, and its geographical interrelationships with the east-west-trending Selati Trough created the compartment architecture of the basement. Interpretation of syndepositional tectonics suggests that six stages of subsidence influenced the Transvaal Sea. Early subsidence consisted of mechanical (rift) subsidence followed by