Thesis (MSc (Earth Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Central Zone (CZ) of the Damara belt in central Namibia is underlain by voluminous Pan-African granites and is host to numerous pegmatite occurrences, some of which have economic importance and have been mined extensively. This study discusses the occurrence, geometry, relative timing and emplacement mechanisms for the Usakos pegmatite field, located between the towns of Karibib and Usakos and within the core of the regional-scale Kranzberg syncline. Lithological mapping of the Kuiseb Formation in the core of the Kranzberg syncline identified four litho-units that form an up to 800 m thick succession of metaturbidites describing an overall coarsening upward trend. This coarsening upwards trend suggests sedimentation of the formation’s upper parts may have occurred during crustal convergence and basin closure between the Kalahari and Congo Cratons, rather than during continued spreading as previously thought. The Kranzberg syncline is a regional-scale NW verging, NE-SW trending, strongly non-cylindrical structure that consists of a moderately SE dipping, normal NW limb and a steep- to overturned SE limb. First- and lower-order folds show relatively consistent E - SE plunges at moderate angles and stretching lineations and boudinage of competent layers point to a fold-parallel stretch during folding. Folding is associated with a moderate- to steep SE dipping transecting foliation that shows a consistent anticlockwise rotation with respect to the axial plane of the fold. The transecting cleavage and a component of non-coaxial shear along the overturned limb suggest that folding was accomopanied by a dextral component of shear thought to be related to the SW-directed extrusion of the adjacent Usakos dome during regional NW-SE directed shortening. It is further suggested that the Kranzberg syncline evolved within the overall regional pattern of regional dome and syncline structures in the sCZ, and not as a forced fold in response to the formation of neighbouring dome structures. Based on cross-cutting relationships and deformation, four main generations of bedding-concordant sills and bedding-discordant pegmatite dykes were identified. Along the normal limb, shallowly-dipping sills dominate, highlighting the significance of bedding anisotropies for sheet propagation. Along the overturned limb, interconnected dyke and sill geometries co-exist. Here, pegmatite emplacement appears to have been influenced by (1) the regional strain, (2) differing wall rock rheologies; (3) the orientation of pre-existing anisotropies; and (4) driving melt pressures. Dykes within the Usakos pegmatite field formed within dilational sites, at high angles to the regional stretch, whereas sills formed at high angles to the regional shortening strain and in contractional sites. Where driving pressures for melt ascent were high enough, an interconnectivity of dykes and sills and subsequent melt transfer from contractional into dilational sites is developed. Where melt pressures dropped below a critical value pegmatites were arrested, thus preserving the ascent pathways of the melts. These complex intersecting melt pathways are developed throughout the Kranzberg syncline. This suggests the existence of fairly stable melt networks in the continental crust. This geometrical complexity also accounts for the stockwork-like structures observed in pegmatite fields. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Sentrale Sone (CZ) van die Damara gordel in sentrale Namibië is onder lê deur volumineuse Pan-Afrikaanse graniete en speel gasheer vir talle pegmatiet voorkomste, waarvan party van ekonomiese belang is en is ekstensief ontgin. Hierdie studie bespreek die voorkoms, geometrie, relatiewe tydsberekening en inplasing meganismes vir die Usakos pegmatiet gebied, wat tussen die stede van Karibib en Usakos en wat binne die kern van die regionale-skaal Kranzberg sinklien geleë is. Litologiese kartering van die Kuiseb Formasie in die kern van die Kranzberg sinklien het vier lito-eenhede geidentifiseer. Hierdie eenhede, wat saam tot 'n 800 m dik opeenvolging van metaturbidiete vorm, beskryf ‘n algemene opwaartse vergrowwing neiging. Hierdie tendens dui aan dat sedimentasie van die Formasie se boonste dele tydens die aardkorst konvergensie en kom sluiting tussen die Kalahari en die Kongo kratons voorgekom het, eerder as in 'n oseaanvloerverbreiding omgewing soos voorheen gedink was. Die Kranzberg sinklien is 'n regionale-skaal struktuur met ‘n NW vergensie, ‘n NOSW koersing, wat sterk nie-silindries is en wat uit 'n matige SO helling, normale NW flank en 'n steil-tot omgeslaande SO flank bestaan. Eerste-en laer-orde plooie vertoon relatief konsekwent matige O - SO duikings en strek lineasies en boudinage van kompetent lae dui 'n plooi parallel strek tydens plooiing aan. Plooiing is geassosieer met 'n ongeveer aksiale planêre, matig- tot steil SO helling foliasie wat omstandig waargeneem word om 'n konsekwente antikloksgewyse rotasie met betrekking tot die aksiale vlak van die plooi te hê. Hierdie antikloksgewyse rotasie is ‘n bewyse vir 'n komponent van nie-koaksiale regse skuifskeur deur die omgekeerde flank en dui dit ook aan dat 'n regse komponent van skeer gedurend of na plooiing plaasgevind het. Daar is gedink dat die regse komponent van skeur in verband met die laterale, SW-gerig extrusie van die aangrensende Usakos koepel gedurende plaaslike NW-SO verkorting ontwikkel het. Dit is verder voorgestel dat die Kranzberg sinklien binne die totale patroon van plaaslike koepel en sinklien strukture in die sCZ geontwikkel het, en nie as 'n gedwonge plooi in reaksie op die formasie van die naburige koepel strukture (bv. Usakos koepel). Gebaseer op kruis-sny verhoudings en deformasie, was vier generasies van gelaagdheid-konkordant plate en gelaagdheid-diskordant pegmatiet dyke geïdentifiseer. In die normale flank, vlak-helling plate oorheers, wat die belangerikheid van die laagvlak-anisotropiese op plaat voortplanting beklemtoon. In die steil, omgekeerde flank, bestaan onderlinge verbinde dyk en plaat geometrië gelyktydig. Hier is pegmatiet inplasing blykbaar beïnvloed deur (1) die regionale span; (2) verskillende wandgesteentes reologië; (3) die oriëntasies van anisotropie (ie. gelaagdheid ); en (4) smeltsel druk. Dyke in die Usakos pegmatiet gebied het binne dilatasionele liggings, teen hoë hoeke aan die regionale strek gevorm, terwyl plate teen hoë hoeke aan die plaaslike verkorting span en in kontraksionele liggings gevorm het. Waar smeltsel druk hoog genoeg was, is 'n onderlinge verbinding van dyke en plate, en die daaropvolgende smeltsel oordrag van kontraksionele liggings na dilatasionele liggings behou. In teenstelling, waar smeltsel druk onder 'n kritieke waarde geval het, word die pegmatiete geblokeer, en dus kan die behoude smeltsel styging paaie waargeneem word. Hierdie snyende smeltsel geometrië, in beide kontraksionele en dilatasionele liggings dui aan dat redelik stabiele smeltsel netwerke in die kontinentale kors kan bestaan en verder kan en verklaar die algemene stokwerk-agtige strukture wat in pegmatiet velde van ander mid-korstige omgewings waargeneem word.

Thesis (MSc (Earth Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: Regional mapping of the Stinkbank granite in the south Central Zone of the Damara Belt, focused on an area of ca. 150 km2 in the SW parts of the granite along well exposed sections of the Khan River to the SW of the town of Usakos. The granite forms part of the regionally widespread granite suite of Salem-type granites that intruded at ca. 550-540 Ma into amphibolite-facies rocks of the Damara Supergroup. The Stinkbank granite is intrusive into the regional-scale, NE-trending D2 Kransberg syncline, cored by schists of the Kuiseb Formation and surrounded by marble units of the Karibib Formation. The granite comprises three major lithotypes that have intruded in sequence. The earliest granites are represented by biotite-rich megacrystic granites, followed by leucocratic megacrystic granites and a final stage of voluminous, garnetiferous and tourmaline-bearing, medium-grained leucogranites. Contact relationships with the wall rocks are, for the most part, concordant, documenting the largely sheet-like geometry of the granites. Internal contacts between different granite phases are well preserved and indicate that the granites have intruded as shallowly-dipping, largely concordant sheets. Intrusive contact relationships and petrographic and geochemical characteristics indicate that each of the three major granite phases represented a distinct emplacement pulse. Successive emplacement of the granite sheets point to the assembly of the Stinkbank granite from the top down, with younger sheets intruding structurally below earlier emplaced granite sheets. This has created a pseudostratigraphy within the Stinkbank granite. The mapping of the internal contacts shows that the granite sheets were progressively folded into NE-trending, upright folds, parallel to D2 folds in the surrounding wall rocks. NE-trending magmatic and solid-state foliations in all granite phases are axial planar to the folds and underline the syntectonic emplacement of the Stinkbank granite during the D2 NW-SE subhorizontal shortening. Based on the intrusive relationships and the progressive deformation of granite phases, an intrusive sequence can be developed for the Stinkbank granite. The earliest granite phases were emplaced during the onset of the regional D2 deformation, parallel to the subhorizontal bedding. Continued granite sheeting led to the vertical growth of the sheet-like granite and bending of the wall rocks above the inflating granite sheets, leading to the laccolithic geometry of the SW parts iii of the Stinkbank granite. Progressive deformation, folding of the granite sheets and fold amplification resulted in fold interference patterns in the SW parts of the Stinkbank granite. The Stinkbank granite represents a mid-crustal granite with well-preserved granite sheeting that was assembled during regional deformation. Granite sheeting and progressive deformation illustrate the interplay between (1) regional strains, and (2) the orientation and presence of pre-existing wall-rock anisotropies (bedding) and their significance for the magmatic assembly and progressive deformation of the granite. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Regionale kartering van die Stinkbank graniet in die suidelike Sentrale Sone (sSS) van die Damara Gordel. Die studie fokus op die area van ongeveer 150 km2 in die SW dele van die graniet, langs n goed blootgestelde seksie van die Khan Rivier, SW van Usakos. Die graniet vorm deel van n wydverspreide suite van Salem- tipe graniete wat tussen 550-540 Ma in die amfiboliet fasies gesteentes van die Damara Supregroep ingedring het. Die Stinkbank graniet kom voor in regionale –skaal , NE – neigende D2 Kransberg Sinklinorium, wat bestaan uit skis van die Kuiseb Formasie en marmer van die Karibib Formasie. Die graniet bestaan uit drie hoof fases wat in volgorde ingedring het. Die oudste graniet is die biotiet-ryke megakristiese graniet, gevolg deur die leukokratiese megakristiese graniet en laastens die leukograniet. Kontak verhoudings met die wandgesteentes is grootendeels konkordant en dit dui op die feit dat die graniet uit lae bestaan. Die interne kontakte tussen die verskillende graniete is goed preserveer en dui aan dat die graniete voorkom as vlak lêende lae. Kontakverhoudings, petrografie en geochemiese karakteristieke dui aan dat elk van die die drie tiepes graniet uniek is. Die volgorde van intrusie van die Stinkbank graniet het voorgekom van bo na onder. Dit het n “skyn-stratigrafie” tot gevolg gehad. Kartering van die interne kontakte tussen die graniete het getoon dat die graniet lae is deurentyds gevou na NE- neigende, regop voue, parallel aan die D2 voue in die omringende wandegesteentes. NE- neigende magmatiese en soliede stadium foliasies in al die graniete is asvlak planêr aan die voue en dui ook op die syn-tektoniese intrusie van die Stinkbank graniet gedurende die D2 , NW-SE subhorisontale verkorting. Intrusiewe verhoudings en die progressiewe deformasie van die graniet, dui dat n volgorde verkry kan word vir die Stinkbank graniet. Die oudste graniet fase het ingedring gedurende die begin van die streekse D2 deformasie, parallel aan die subhorisontale gelaagdheid. Aanhoudende graniet-lae intrusies het gely tot die groei van n laag-ryke graniet en die buiging van die omliggende wangesteentes om dit n lakoliet vorm te gee in die SW dele van die Stinkbank graniet. Progressiewe deformasie, vouing van graniet lae en vergroting van voue het tot vou-interferensie patrone in die SW dele van die Stinkbank graniet tot gevolg gehad. Die Stinkbank graniet stel n middel- kors graniet met goed gepreserveerde gelaagdheid, wat gedurende regional deformasie ingedring het, voor. Graniet lae en progressiewe deformasie illustreer die verhouding tussen (1) regionale spanning en (2) die orientasie en teenwoordigheid van voorafbestaande wandgesteente anisotropie (gelaagdheid) en hulle belangrikheid vir die opbou en deformasie van die graniet.

Thesis (PhD (Earth Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Fluid-present partial melting has generally been regarded a poor candidate for effecting crustal differentiation. In this study I report on anatectic metasediments from the Pan-African Damara Belt in Namibia that have undergone fluid-present biotite melting at a relatively low temperature, yet appear to have lost a significant volume of melt. In situ anatectic features have been identified on the basis of the existence of new generations of cordierite and/or garnet produced as the solid products of incongruent anatexis within or adjacent to leucosomes, that most commonly occur as lens shaped pods at a high angle to the lineation and formed during extension in a direction parallel to the long axis of the orogeny. Within these sites biotite underwent incongruent melting via the reaction Bt + Qtz + Pl + H2O = Melt + Grt + Crd. Cordierite nucleated on preexisting crystals within the bounding gneiss; garnet nucleated within the fracture sites (leucosomes) and typically occurs as individual, large (50 to 120 mm in diameter) poikiloblastic crystals. Thermobarometry applied to the anatectic assemblage yields low-temperature, granulitefacies peak conditions of 750 °C, 0.5 GPa. This temperature is approximately 100 °C lower than the accepted conditions for the onset of fluid-absent biotite melting. This, coupled to the focussing of anatexis on extensional fractures, suggests that anatexis occurred through waterpresent biotite incongruent melting. In order to better understand this process, both fluid-absent and water present partial melting experiments were conducted within the temperature interval 700 to 900 °C at 0.7 GPa. In the fluid-absent experiments, biotite incongruent melting started between 800 and 850 °C to produce melt coexisting with peritectic garnet and cordierite. In contrast, in water-saturated experiments, biotite melted via the reaction Bt + Pl + Q + H2O = Grt + Crd + Melt, between 700 and 750 °C, to produce melt, cordierite and garnet in the proportions 73:24:3.

La chronologie de la formation de la croûte continentale est débattue mais la plupart des modèles convergent sur le fait qu'une bonne partie de la croûte continentale présente à la surface de la Terre aujourd'hui est présente depuis le Protérozoïque (2,5 - 0, 54 Ga) et qu'elle a essentiellement subit un remaniement au cours d'orogénèses. L'uranium, qui est un élément incompatible, est un traceur de cette évolution depuis son fractionnement initial par fusion partielle du manteau jusqu'à son remaniement dans les niveaux crustaux supérieurs. La ceinture orogénique Néoprotérozoïque Pan-africaine (0,5 ± 0,1 Ga) du Damara en Namibie constitue une cible géologique pour tester les relations entre croissance / évolution crustale et métallogénie de l'uranium. Elle s'est formée suite à la collision des cratons archéens du Congo et du Kalahari (plaque subductante). Ce travail de thèse montre que l'évolution de la croute continentale de la ceinture du Damara durant l'orogènese Pan-africaine au Néoprotérozoïque se fait par remaniement de roches ayant été extraites du manteau depuis l'Archéen et que leur fusion partielle est le mécanisme prépondérant pour la minéralisation uranifère primaire associée à la cristallisation de granites intrusifs. Les granites in-situ issus de la fusion partielle des sédiments dans les niveaux crustaux supérieurs sont peu ou pas propices à de fortes concentrations d'uranium du fait 1) de la faible préconcentration de leur protolithes et 2) de leur migration relativement limitée. Les granites intrusifs minéralisés correspondent à des injections tardi- à post-collision (ca. 520 - 480 Ma dans la zone centrale) et sont liés aux phases de relaxation thermique et d'effondrement gravitaire subséquentes à l'épaississement crustal de l'orogène dans un contexte de convergence de plaques / The chronology of continental crust formation is debated but most models converge on the fact that much of the continental crust on the surface of the Earth is present since the Proterozoic (2.5 - 0, 54 Ga) and has essentially undergoes reworking during orogenesises. Uranium which is an incompatible element is a tracer of this crustal evolution, since its initial fractionation by partial melting of the mantle to its reworking in higher crustal levels. Neoproterozoic Pan-African (0.5 ± 0.1 Ga) orogenic belt of the Damara in Namibia is a good geological target to test the relationship between crustal growth and evolution and metallogeny of uranium. It was formed after the collision of the Archean cratons of Congo and Kalahari (subducting plate). This thesis shows that the evolution of the continental crust during the Neoproterozoic Damara Orogen is by reworking of Archaean to Neoproterozoic crustal domains and partial melting of rocks is the predominant mechanism for primary uranium mineralization associated with crystallization of intrusive granites derived from anatexis of paleo- to mesoproterozoic basement fragments. The intrusive granites issued from partial melting of sediments in the upper crustal levels are low or not favorable to high concentrations of uranium because of 1) the low preconcentration of their protoliths and 2) their relatively limited migration. The mineralized intrusive granites correspond to late- to post-collision injections (ca. 520-480 Ma in the central area) and are related to thermal relaxation phases and gravitational collapse subsequent to thickening in crustal orogen in a context of plates convergence