Les zones de subduction présentent un intérêt majeur en termes de ressources minérales, notamment à cuivre et or. De nombreuses études se sont focalisées sur les mécanismes physico-chimiques de formation de ces minéralisations, mais très peu se sont intéressées aux processus géodynamiques qui contrôlent ces mécanismes. Dans cette étude, j’identifie les processus mantelliques et crustaux, liés à la dynamique tridimensionnelle (3D) de la subduction, qui favorisent la genèse de ces concentrations métalliques. La zone de subduction est-Méditerranéenne présente une évolution tectonique et magmatique complexe, avec de nombreuses données métallogéniques disponibles, ce qui en fait une zone d’étude privilégiée afin d’étudier ces interactions entre subduction et minéralisations. Ce travail a consisté à (1) réaliser un nouveau modèle de reconstructions cinématiques de la région, (2) caractériser la distribution spatiale et temporelle des occurrences magmatiques et minéralisées à partir de ce modèle, (3) mettre en évidence, via une étude de terrain, le contrôle structural de ces minéralisations et (4) apporter des contraintes physiques aux modèles conceptuels alors proposés, à l’aide d’une étude de modélisation numérique thermo-mécanique 3D. Deux provinces métallogéniques ont ainsi été mises en évidence : (1) au Crétacé supérieur, une province riche en cuivre qui s’est développée dans un environnement d’arc et (2) à l’Oligocène-Miocène, une province riche en plomb-zinc puis en or, qui s’est mise en place dans un contexte d’arrière-arc. Ces épisodes fertiles sont contrôlés par le retrait de la zone de subduction et les flux asthénosphériques associés qui permettent l’instauration d’un régime tectonique extensif (ou transtensif) dans la lithosphère, favorisant la genèse de ces systèmes minéralisés. Leur contenu métallique ainsi que leur typologie est alors fonction (1) de l’intensité avec laquelle ces processus influent sur la cinématique de subduction et (2) de l’histoire géodynamique antérieure de cette zone de subduction. / Subduction zones display a major economic interest, in terms of mineral resources, with mainly copper and gold deposits. While many studies focus on ore-forming physico-chemical mechanisms, the control of geodynamic processes on such deposits remains poorly investigated. In this study, I track tridimensional (3D) subduction-related mantle and crustal processes that promote ore genesis. The eastern Mediterranean subduction zone is a relevant study area to explore subduction-mineralization interactions, because of its complex tectonic and magmatic evolution and the large number of available metallogenic data. This work consisted in (1) performing a new kinematic reconstruction model of this region, (2) using this model, characterizing the spatial and temporal distribution of magmatic and ore occurrences, (3) evidencing, on the field, the relations between mineralization and large-scale tectonic structures and (4) providing physical constrains to proposed conceptual models, using 3D thermo-mechanical numerical modeling. Two main metallogenic provinces are evidenced: a late Cretaceous copper-rich and an Oligocene-Miocene lead-zinc- then gold-rich provinces emplaced in an arc and back-arc context, respectively. These metallogenic periods are controlled by the subduction zone retreat and associated asthenospheric flow that results in an extensional (or transtensional) tectonic regime in the overriding lithosphere, promoting ore genesis. Their metal content, as well as their typology then depend on (1) how much these processes affect the subduction kinematics and (2) the past geodynamic evolution of this subduction zone.

Continental rifting is an important geodynamic process during which the Earth's outer-most rigid shell undergoes continuous stretching resulting in continental break-up and theformation of new oceanic basins. The East African Rift System, which has two continentalsegments comprising largely of the East African Rift (EAR) to the West and the easternmostsegment Madagascar, is the largest narrow rift on Earth. However, the driving mechanismsof continental rifting remain poorly understood due to a lack of numerical infrastructure tosimulate rifting, the lack of knowledge of the underlying mantle dynamics, and poor knowl-edge of mantle rheology. Here, we use state-of-art computational modeling of the upper660 km of the Earth to: 1) provide a better understanding of mantle flow patterns and themantle rheology beneath Madagascar, 2) to elucidate the main driving forces of observedpresent-day∼E-W opening in the EAR, and 3) to investigate the role of multiple plumesor a superplume in driving surface deformation in the EAR. In chapter 1, we simulate EdgeDriven convection (EDC), constrained by a lithospheric thickness model beneath Madagas-car. The mantle flow associated with the EDC is used to calculate induced olivine aggregates'Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO), known as seismic anisotropy. The predicted LPO isthen used to calculate synthetic seismic anisotropy, which were compared with observationsacross the island. Through a series of comparisons, we found that asthenospheric flow result-ing from undulations in lithospheric thickness variations is the dominant source of the seismicanisotropy, but fossilized structures from an ancient shear zone may play a role in southern Madagascar. Our results suggest that the rheological conditions needed for the formationof seismic anisotropy, dislocation creep, dominates the upper asthenosphere beneath Mada-gascar and likely other continental regions. In chapter 2, we use a 3D numerical model ofthe lithosphere-asthenosphere system to simulate instantaneous lithospheric deformation inthe EAR and surroundings. We test the hypothesis that the∼E-W extension of the EAR isdriven by large scale forces arising from topography and internal density gradients, known aslithospheric buoyancy forces. We calculate surface deformation solely driven by lithosphericbuoyancy forces and compare them with surface velocity observations. The lithosphericbuoyancy forces are implemented by imposing observed topography at the model surfaceand lateral density variations in the crust and mantle down to a compensation depth of 100km. Our results indicate that the large-scale∼E-W extension across East Africa is driven bylithospheric buoyancy forces, but not along-rift surface motions in deforming zones. In chap-ter 3, we test the hypothesis that the anomalous northward rift-parallel deformation observedin the deforming zones of the EAR is driven by viscous coupling between the lithosphereand deep upwelling mantle material, known as a superplume, flowing northward. We testtwo end-member plume models including a multiple plumes model simulated using high res-olution shear wave tomography-derived thermal anomaly and a superplume model (Africansuperplume) simulated by imposing a northward mantle-wind on the multiple plumes model.Our results suggest that the horizontal tractions from northward mantle flow associated withthe African Superplume is needed to explain observations of rift-parallel surface motions indeforming zones from GNSS/GPS data and northward oriented seismic anisotropy beneaththe EAR. Overall, this work yields a better understanding of the geodynamics of Africa. / Doctor of Philosophy / Continental rifting is an important geodynamic process during which the Earth's outer-most rigid shell undergoes continuous stretching resulting in continental break-up and theformation of new oceanic basins. The East African Rift System, which has two continentalsegments comprising largely of the East African Rift (EAR) to the West and the easternmostsegment Madagascar, is the largest narrow rift on Earth. However, the driving mechanismsof continental rifting remain poorly understood due to a lack of numerical infrastructure tosimulate rifting, the lack of knowledge of the underlying mantle dynamics, and poor knowl-edge of mantle rheology. Here, we use state-of-art computational modeling of the upper660 km of the Earth to: 1) provide a better understanding of mantle flow patterns and themantle rheology beneath Madagascar, 2) to elucidate the main driving forces of observedpresent-day∼E-W opening in the EAR, and 3) to investigate the role of multiple plumesor a superplume in driving surface deformation in the EAR. In chapter 1, we simulate EdgeDriven convection (EDC), constrained by a lithospheric thickness model beneath Madagas-car. The mantle flow associated with the EDC is used to calculate induced olivine aggregates'Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO), known as seismic anisotropy. The predicted LPO isthen used to calculate synthetic seismic anisotropy, which were compared with observationsacross the island. Through a series of comparisons, we found that asthenospheric flow result-ing from undulations in lithospheric thickness variations is the dominant source of the seismicanisotropy, but fossilized structures from an ancient shear zone may play a role in southern Madagascar. Our results suggest that the rheological conditions needed for the formationof seismic anisotropy, dislocation creep, dominates the upper asthenosphere beneath Mada-gascar and likely other continental regions. In chapter 2, we use a 3D numerical model ofthe lithosphere-asthenosphere system to simulate instantaneous lithospheric deformation inthe EAR and surroundings. We test the hypothesis that the∼E-W extension of the EAR isdriven by large scale forces arising from topography and internal density gradients, known aslithospheric buoyancy forces. We calculate surface deformation solely driven by lithosphericbuoyancy forces and compare them with surface velocity observations. The lithosphericbuoyancy forces are implemented by imposing observed topography at the model surfaceand lateral density variations in the crust and mantle down to a compensation depth of 100km. Our results indicate that the large-scale∼E-W extension across East Africa is driven bylithospheric buoyancy forces, but not along-rift surface motions in deforming zones. In chap-ter 3, we test the hypothesis that the anomalous northward rift-parallel deformation observedin the deforming zones of the EAR is driven by viscous coupling between the lithosphereand deep upwelling mantle material, known as a superplume, flowing northward. We testtwo end-member plume models including a multiple plumes model simulated using high res-olution shear wave tomography-derived thermal anomaly and a superplume model (Africansuperplume) simulated by imposing a northward mantle-wind on the multiple plumes model.Our results suggest that the horizontal tractions from northward mantle flow associated withthe African Superplume is needed to explain observations of rift-parallel surface motions indeforming zones from GNSS/GPS data and northward oriented seismic anisotropy beneaththe EAR. Overall, this work yields a better understanding of the geodynamics of Africa.