- Well-preserved primary contact relationships between a Late Proterozoic metasedimentary and the metagranitic core and Palaeozoic cover series of the Menderes Massif have been recognized in the eastern part of the Cine submassif on a regional-scale. Metaconglomerates occur as laterally discontinuous channel-fill bodies close the base of the metaquartzarenite directly above the basement. The pebbles in the metaconglomerates consist mainly of different types of tourmaline-rich leucocratic granitoids, tourmalinite and schist in a sandy matrix. Petrographic features, geochemical compositions and zircon radiometric ages (549.6 +/- 3.7-552.3 +/- 3.1 Ma) of the diagnostic clasts of the metaconglomerates (e.g. leucocratic granitoids and tourmalinites) show excellent agreement with their in situ equivalents (549.0 +/- 5.4 Ma) occurring in the Pan-African basement as stocks and veins.
The correlation between clasts in the metaconglomerates and granitoids of the basement suggests that the primary contact between the basement and cover series isWell-preserved primary contact relationships between a Late Proterozoic metasedimentary and the metagranitic core and Palaeozoic cover series of the Menderes Massif have been recognized in the eastern part of the Cine submassif on a regional-scale. Metaconglomerates occur as laterally discontinuous channel-fill bodies close the base of the metaquartzarenite directly above the basement. The pebbles in the metaconglomerates consist mainly of different types of tourmaline-rich leucocratic granitoids, tourmalinite and schist in a sandy matrix. Petrographic features, geochemical compositions and zircon radiometric ages (549.6 +/- 3.7-552.3 +/- 3.1 Ma) of the diagnostic clasts of the metaconglomerates (e.g. leucocratic granitoids and tourmalinites) show excellent agreement with their in situ equivalents (549.0 +/- 5.4 Ma) occurring in the Pan-African basement as stocks and veins.
The correlation between clasts in the metaconglomerates and granitoids of the basement suggests that the primary contact between the basement and cover series is a regional unconformity (supra-Pan-African Unconformity) representing deep erosion of the Pan-African basement followed by the deposition of the cover series. Hence the usage of 'core-cover' terminology in the Menderes Massif is valid. Consequently, these new data preclude the views that the granitic precursors of the leucocratic orthogneisses are Tertiary intrusions.…
