Arequipa–Antofalla craton
Encyclopedia
The Arequipa-Antofalla craton
or terrane
is a basement unit underlying the central Andes
in northwestern Argentina
, western Bolivia
, northern Chile
and southern Peru
. The Arequipa-Antofalla craton collided and amalgamated with the Amazonian craton
about 1000 Ma ago during the Sunsás orogeny.
Craton
A craton is an old and stable part of the continental lithosphere. Having often survived cycles of merging and rifting of continents, cratons are generally found in the interiors of tectonic plates. They are characteristically composed of ancient crystalline basement rock, which may be covered by...
or terrane
Terrane
A terrane in geology is short-hand term for a tectonostratigraphic terrane, which is a fragment of crustal material formed on, or broken off from, one tectonic plate and accreted or "sutured" to crust lying on another plate...
is a basement unit underlying the central Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
in northwestern Argentina
Argentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest is a region of Argentina composed by the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.-Geography:The region had 5 different biomes:* Sub-Andean humid Sierras of the east...
, western Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, northern Chile
Norte Grande
Norte Grande is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas on the island of São Jorge in the Azores; owing to the existence of an ecumenical faith community throughout its history, the parish has also taken on the name of its religious invokation...
and southern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The Arequipa-Antofalla craton collided and amalgamated with the Amazonian craton
Amazonian shield
The Amazonian shield is a geologic province located in South America and occupies much of the eastern part of the continent. Smaller areas of Precambrian rocks to the North and South of the Amazonian shield are the Guiana Shield, Rio Apa and Platian cratons, to the West there is the Sao Francisco...
about 1000 Ma ago during the Sunsás orogeny.