Terranes and continental accretion in the Colombian Andes

Abstract

The northwestern corner of South America is composed of a mosaic of terranes accreted to the Guiana Shield at various times in the late Paleozoic(?), Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous and Middle Miocene. The eastern terranes posses a continental basement whereas those to the west are fundamentally oceanic. This contribution from IGCP Project 279 ("Terranes in Late America') describes the main lithostratigraphic and structural features of the various exotic terranes, as well as their borders and the timing of accretionary events. -Editor