A Geological and Isotopic Framework of Precambrian Terrains in Western Central Africa: An Introduction

Abstract

This chapter presents an up-to-date geological map of Western Central Africa, the region of equatorial Africa extending from the East-African rift to the Atlantic Ocean. Some 18 geological domains of Precambrian age are distinguished in this region, covering all the geological periods from the Paleoarchean to the Neoproterozoic. An overview of the lithostratigraphy of each domain is presented, based on the most recent geochronological data. A compilation of Sm–Nd isotopic data enables these domains to be discriminated by their isotopic signatures and integrated into a crustal growth model.