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The African Cratons

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Introduction to Geology

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Abstract

The African continent (Fig. 6.1) has as its basement a huge platform of crystalline rocks partially masked by flat lying cover-successions of many ages. Towards the eastern, northern and western coasts, the crystalline complexes descend in many places beneath successions of Mesozoic and Tertiary sediments deposited in marginal marine basins. In the extreme north-west, a portion of the Alpide fold-belt makes the Atlas Mountains, while in the extreme south the Cape fold-belt represents a Palaeozoic mobile belt. The great fractures which define the African rift-valley system traverse the continent from north to south and their course is marked by rift-volcanics of Tertiary and Recent date.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, UK

    H. H. Read F.R.S, F.R.S.E, F.G.S., D.Sc., A.R.C.S. (Sometime Professor Emeritus of Geology)

  2. Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, UK

    Janet Watson Ph.D., A.R.C.S., D.I.C. (Professor of Geology)

Authors
  1. H. H. Read F.R.S, F.R.S.E, F.G.S., D.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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  2. Janet Watson Ph.D., A.R.C.S., D.I.C.
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© 1975 The Estate of the late H. H. Read and Janet Watson

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Read, H.H., Watson, J. (1975). The African Cratons. In: Introduction to Geology. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-15609-2_6

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