Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources 2009 Geology of the

Andes and Its Relation to Hydrocarbon and Mineral Resources, Volume 11, 1990.
Ericksen, G. E., Canas Pinochet, M. T., and
Reinemund, J. A., editors, 1989, Geology of the Andes
and its relation to hydrocarbon and mineral resources:
Houston, Texas, Circum-Pacific Council for Energy
and Mineral Resources Earth Science Series, v. 11.

CHAPTER 5

THE ANDES OF CHILE

AND ARGENTINA
Constantino Mpodozis
Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria
Santiago, Chile

Victor Ramos
Servicio Geologico Nacional
Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT
T h e Andean Cordillera has been considered a simple model of a mountain chain, but detailed analyses of its geologic evolution
show a more complex history. During the early Paleozoic, the southwestern margin of the Gondwana continent was near the western
side of the present-day Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina. The site of the present Precordillera was a carbonate platform, facing an
ocean to the west, which separated a microcontinental block, the Chilenia terrane, from the rest of Gondwana. This ocean basin
was consumed along an eastward-dipping subduction zone below the Sierras Pampeanas during the Late Devonian, when Chilenia
moved eastward and was accreted to the Gondwana continental margin. A new subduction zone was then formed at the west side of
the accreted terrane, leaving a large accretionary prism at the site of the present Chilean Coastal Range. A late Paleozoic-early
Mesozoic magmatic arc, consisting of a belt of granitoids and related rhyolitic volcanic rocks, developed in this accretionary prism
and in the adjacent continental terrane.
Lateral growth of the continental margin ended in the Paleozoic, and in the early Mesozoic a magmatic arc and associated back-
arc basins were developed on the late Paleozoic basement. Subsequent subduction erosion or strike-slip faulting eliminated large
pieces of the Paleozoic forearc assemblages. In northern Chile, these processes reached a maximum, resulting in formation of a Juras
sic magmatic arc at the present-day continental margin.
T h e outstanding feature of the Mesozoic evolution of the Andes of Chile and Argentina is a tectonic segmentation characterized
by differences in the geologic evolution, changes in the nature of backarc basins, differences in structural style, and behavior of
related magmatic arcs of the various segments. As a consequence of these differences, the following well-defined segments have
been recognized:
Segment A (lat. 21 -27 S) had a Jurassic-Early Cretaceous magmatic arc, preserved in the present Coastal Range of Northern
Chile, to the east of which was the Tarapaca basin, an ensialic, extensional, backarc basin that became filled with carbonate and
clastic sediments.
Segment B (lat. 27 -35 S) also had a Jurassic magmatic arc along the Coastal Range. In the Early Cretaceous the backarc basin
evolved into an "aborted" marginal basin where large volumes of andesitic and basaltic volcanic rocks were erupted and which
interfinger eastward with the carbonate and clastic sediments of a narrow shelf (Aconcagua platform) along the stable continental
edge.
Segment C (lat, 35 -40 S) had a magmatic arc, which remained stationary from the Jurassic to the present, along the main axis of
the Cordillera Principal; to the east was the Jurassic-Cretaceous Neuquen basin, an extensive and deep ensialic foreland basin.
Segment D (lat. 41 -49 S) was characterized by an oscillatory magmatic arc and only minor extension behind the arc during the
Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.
Segment E (49 -56 S) had an ocean-floored backarc basin (Magallanes marginal basin) developed to the east of a magmatic arc in
the Early Cretaceous. Subsequent middle Cretaceous closure caused formation of a metamorphic core complex along the foreland
edge of the marginal basin.
T h e Andean region experienced severe deformation during the middle to Late Cretaceous, and the diverse segments reacted in
different ways, showing conspicuous differences in the patterns of folding and faulting from one segment to another. The Andean
Cordillera of Chile and Argentina was again segmented during the Miocene, resulting in the present-day morphotectonic pattern
that apparently is controlled by processes such as plate convergence velocities and inclination of the Benioff zone. These processes
determined the distribution of the late Cenozoic volcanism, caused uplift of the Altiplano and the Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina,
and brought about the final tectonic changes of the geological and morphological provinces now recognized in the Andean region.
T h e boundaries of the Tertiary segments differ slightly from those of the Mesozoic, but undoubtedly the features of each were deter
mined by the previous segmentation.

59
60 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

INTRODUCTION Northern Segment

The large number of modern geological provinces that can Northern Chile and Argentina differ from the region to the
be distinguished in the Andes of Chile and Argentina (Figure south in having Precambrian basement exposed in the west
1) owe their distribution to segmentation of the subducted ernmost part of the Andean chain (Herve et al., 1981). Isolated
Nazca Plate (Jordan et a l , 1983a). In some of the current geo outcrops of medium- to high-grade metamorphic rocks of Pre
logical literature (e.g., James, 1971; Smith, 1980) the Andes cambrian age, exposed at Belen and Sierra de Moreno, Chile
have been considered as a type of mountain range in which (Figure 2), probably are the southern extension of the Are-
paleogeography, magmatism, and tectonics are related to the quipa massif (Shackleton et al., 1979). Radiometric ages of
evolution of a simple active margin, and which is controlled these rocks range from 1460 to 1000 Ma (Pacci et al., 1980;
by the subduction of Pacific oceanic crust under the South Breitkreuz and Zeil, 1984; Damm, Pichowiak, and Todt, 1986).
American continent. However, analysis of the Paleozoic geol Precambrian metamorphic rocks also are exposed in north
ogy and structure indicate a much more complex history ern Argentina to about lat. 26 (Salar de Antofalla), where
characterized by collision and accretion of continental and they are partly covered by Cenozoic volcanic rocks (Seger-
oceanic terranes. Many authors believe that collisional tecton strom and Turner, 1972).
ics is a process essential to formation of mountain ranges (see The Arequipa-Belen-Antofalla block (Figure 2) was the site
Nur and Ben-Avraham, 1983), and some even doubt that nor of calc-alkaline plutonic and volcanic activity during the Cam
mal subduction of oceanic crust alone could produce the brian and Ordovician; the igneous rocks emplaced at this time
deformation within a mountain system. In contrast with the show radiometric ages ranging from 487 to 429 Ma (Mpodozis
Paleozoic, the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Andes lack evidence of col et al., 1983; Palma, Parica, and Ramos, 1986; Damm, Picho
lision of major terranes (Dalziel, 1986; Ramos et al., 1984), and wiak, and Todt, 1986).
recent paleomagnetic data (Forsythe et al., 1986b) for the An Ordovician basin formed to the east of the metamorphic
northern and central coastal zone of Chile do not indicate the terrain and was filled with a thick sequence of turbidites with
existence of large allochthonous terranes younger than the volcanic debris that is widely exposed in the Argentine Puna
Triassic. Instead of collisional processes, the Mesozoic- (Acenolaza, 1982; Turner, 1970). The western part of this basin
Cenozoic Andean orogenesis seems to have been related to was floored by mafic volcanic rocks (Allmendinger et al.,
tectonic erosion of the continental margin. The absence of 1982; Kay, Ramos, and Kay, 1984). Eastward, near the stable
accretionary prisms together with the short distance between Ordovician continental margin, a volcanic belt known as Faja
the extinct Jurassic magmatic arc and the present trench in Eruptiva de la Puna (Figure 2), developed. This has been inter
northern Chile could be explained by subduction erosion (Rut preted by some as a possible subduction-related magmatic arc
land, 1971; Coira et al., 1982). Such a process (Kulm, Schwel- that formed over a thinned continental or "quasioceanic"
ler, and Masias, 1977; Scholl et al., 1980; von Heune, 1984) crust (Coira et al., 1982), although more detailed studies are
could have destroyed large volumes of the Pacific margin of needed to better understand the tectonic significance of this
South America. belt. A stable shelf developed to the east between the above
Three stages of Andean evolution can be recognized: (1) a magmatic arc and the Pampean foreland where carbonate
Cambrian to Late Devonian stage, corresponding to the and clastic sediments were deposited. Available data suggest
Famatinian tectonic cycle; (2) the Early Carboniferous to Mid the existence of two parallel magmatic arcs during the
dle Triassic Gondwana tectonic stage; and (3) the Late Triassic Ordoviciana western arc in the Arequipa-Belen-Antofalla
to Quaternary Andean tectonic cycle. block and an eastern arc in the Faja Eruptiva de la Puna
(Palma, Parica, and Ramos, 1986). Magmatic activity ceased
EARLY PALEOZOIC (FAMATINIAN) during the latest Ordovician. All these rocks were intensely
TECTONIC CYCLE deformed during the Ocloyic orogeny at the end of the Ordo
vician (Turner and Mendez, 1979).
An outstanding feature of the early Paleozoic in western The a b o v e e l e m e n t s suggest an evolutionary model
Argentina is the presence of a disrupted sequence of basaltic wherein the Arequipa-Belen-Antofalla block collided with the
pillow lavas and associated ultramafic rocks exposed in a belt South American continental margin during Ocloyic deforma
more than 1500 km long in the region between lat. 23-3S tion (Coira et al., 1982).
(Borello, 1969; Haller and Ramos, 1984). These rocks have
been interpreted as remnants of an oceanic realm (Kay,
Central Segment
Ramos, and Kay, 1984; Ramos et al., 1986) that separated The central segment (lat. 26-38S) differs from the north
Gondwana from a series of unconnected "Pacific" microcon- ern segment as follows: (1) formation of a granitoid belt in the
tinental blocks to the west. These blocks were finally accreted western part of the Sierras Pampeanas (Figure 1) of Argentina,
to the South American continental margin during middle to which represents a southern extension of the Faja Eruptiva de
late Paleozoic. Terrane accretion is documented by a belt of la Puna (Figure 2); (2) appearance of a new terranethe Pre
calc-alkaline plutonic rocks, presently exposed within the cordillera Terrane (Figure 2)west of the Sierras Pampeanas,
continent, 500 km or more east of the present trench, and by consisting of an extensive lower Paleozoic carbonate plat
the recently discovered early Paleozoic subduction com form for which the tectonic relationships with its bounding
plexes between the Cordillera Frontal and the Precordillera provinces are unknown; and (3) presence of an "oceanic"
(Figure 1) (Ramos et al., 1984, 1986). The following early basin between the Precordillera Terrane and the present Cor
Paleozoic segments are distinguished in the Andean region of dillera Frontal (Figure 1), which persisted until Middle to Late
Argentina and Chile. Devonian. The presence of this oceanic basin is indicated by
A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 61

Figure 1. Major physiographic and geologic

provinces of the Andes in Chile and Argentina: (1) late
Cenozoic "arc" volcanics; (2) late Cenozoic backarc
volcanics; and (3) Precambrian crystalline rocks.
Modified from Jordan et al. (1983a) and Munoz
and Stern (1986).
62 Andes of Chile and Argentina
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 63

the interfingering toward the west of the slope facies of the the adjacent North Patagonian massif indicates that Patago
Precordillera with a sequence of pillow basalts cut by sills and nia, and perhaps the Antarctic Peninsula and other minor
ultramafic intrusive bodies, chemically similar to evolved oce fragments, may have been accreted to Gondwana along a
anic tholeiites (Kay, Ramos, and Kay, 1984; Haller and Ramos, northward-dipping subduction zone during middle to Late
1984). Deformed turbidites interbedded with pillow basalts, Permian (Ramos, 1984). Similarly, Winter (1984) proposed
such as those exposed in the western part of the Precordillera that the Cape System of South Africa resulted from conver
(Cortaderas and Sandalio ranges, near Uspallata), have been gence of a continental block with a north-dipping subduction
interpreted as part of a Siluro-Devonian subduction complex zone.
(Ramos etal., 1986). The Cape System has only minor pyroclastic rocks derived
The granitoid belt of the western Sierras Pampeanas (Figure from an unknown source, but coeval magmatic rocks are
1), described by Herve et al. (1982), may represent the roots of known in the North Patagonian massif (Llambias and Rapela,
an early Paleozoic magmatic arc related to an eastward- 1985). A predrift reconstruction of the Patagonia-South Africa
dipping subduction zone. The main activity of this arc lasted join, such as that of Martin, Hartnady, and Goodland (1981),
until the Early Carboniferous, when changes in the composi shows that the eastern extension of the Paleozoic magmatic
tion of the igneous rocks indicate a crustal contamination arc of Patagonia lies adjacent to the Cape System.
(Rapela, Heaman, and McNutt, 1982) that seems to reflect
waning magmatic activity. A complex melange in the region
between the Precordillera and Sierras Pampeanas (Figure 1)
LATE PALEOZOIC (GONDWANA) TECTONIC
(Ramos et al., 1986) indicates that a considerable gap may CYCLE
have existed between the Precordillera and the margin of
Gondwana. In contrast with the Famatinian tectonic cycle, accretion of
The collision of the basement of the Cordillera Frontal, large "exotic" terranes, with the possible exception of Patago
which constitutes the Chilenia terrane (Figure 3), occurred nia, did not take place during late Paleozoic. Only minor late
during latest Devonian to earliest Carboniferous. The nature Paleozoic-earliest Mesozoic allochthonous terranes have
of the Chilenia basement is not well known because Precam been recognized; the only well-documented terrane is that of
brian rocks are, in general, not exposed in the Cordillera Fron fusulinid-bearing Tarlton limestone in the Madre de Dios
tal. However, the extensive outcrops of late Paleozoic Archipelago (Figure 5), southern Chile (lat. 50 -52 S) (Mpodo
high-silica rhyolites and granites suggest the presence then of zis and Forsythe, 1983). This limestone is associated with a
an old sialic basement (Mpodozis et al., 1985). The collision large composite accretionary prism of Late Devonian to possi
caused uplift of a positive element, the Proto Precordillera bly early Mesozoic age that is preserved along the whole
(Figure 4) of Rolled and Baldis (1967). This uplifted block Pacific margin of Chile south of lat. 25 S (Herve et al., 1981). In
divided the late Paleozoic facies into an eastern realm in the addition, paleomagnetic studies indicate that Triassic felsic
region of the central and eastern Precordillera, where alluvial volcanic rocks near the coastal town of Los Vilos, Chile (lat.
fan and proximal fluvial sediments were deposited (Lopez- 32 S) also may be allochthonous, as recently proposed by For
sythe et al. (1986b).
Gamundi Azcuy, and Guerra, 1986), and a western realm,
where littoral estuarine to deltaic marine sediments were Remnants of the late Paleozoic subduction complex have
deposited during the middle Carboniferous to Early Permian been identified in several regions along the present Chilean
(Caminos, 1979). coast, including blueschists, and fragments of the oceanic
floor (Bell, 1982; Herve et al., 1982; Godoy et al., 1984;
Southern Segment Sepulveda, 1984).
During the late Paleozoic, complex sequences of granitoids,
Little is known about the early Paleozoic paleogeography of both of "I" and "S" types, and related volcanic rocks were
the region south of lat. 36 S. Precambrian basement rocks, emplaced in different segments of the Cordillera Frontal and
which yielded ages of 1200 Ma (Linares et al., 1985), have Coastal Range (Figures 1, 5) to the east of the growing accre
been recognized in the Andean foothills of Neuquen Province, tionary prism (Mpodozis et al., 1985; Herve et al., 1985). These
Argentina (lat. 38 -39 S). The intracontinental fold thrust belt igneous rocks are dominated by late-stage rhyolitic volcanic
of the Ventania System, south of Buenos Aires, appears to be rocks such as those of the Choiyoi Group (Figure 6) in the Cor
related to the Cape System of South Africa, and has been tradi dillera Frontal of Chile and Argentina between lat. 27-34S
tionally interpreted as an aulacogen (see Harrington, 1970). (Mpodozis et al., 1976; Caminos, 1979). Sequences of rhyolitic
However, recent information about the Ventania System and lavas and ignimbrites, several thousand meters thick, have
been interpreted as evidences of either the products of gener
alized anatexis during a period of crustal extension (Zeil,
1979) or as the differentiated felsic units of a calc-alkaline
Figure 2. Cambrian-Ordovician paleogeography: (1) subduction-related assemblage (Coira et al., 1982; Ramos et
Precambrian basement of the Arequipa-Belen-Antofalla al., 1984).
block; (2) emerged land areas along the ancestral South
In Argentina, a series of sedimentary foreland basins known
American continental margin; (3) carbonate platforms; (4)
magmatic "arcs"; (5) marine terrigenous sediments as the Tarija, Paganzo, Rio Blanco-Uspallata, San Rafael, and
accumulated over a continental basement; (6) sediments Sauce Grande-Claromeco basins (Archangelsky, 1986) was
deposited on "oceanic" basement; and (7) axis of developed east of the above-mentioned magmatic arc during
paleotrench. The broken line in the Pacific represents the the late Paleozoic.
hypothetical eastern margin of the Chilenia terrane. Several phases of compressional late Paleozoic deformation
64 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Figure 3. Late Silurian-Devonian paleogeography. Symbols are as in Figure 2, except (1) suture zones and (2)
provenance direction of terrigenous sediments.
 Andes of Chile and Argentina 65

Figure 4. Diagram showing the progressive accretion of Chilenia terrane to the South American continent, between
lat. 28 -36 S, during the early Paleozoic: (1) oceanic crust; (2) Precambrian basement of the Sierras Pampeanas
terrane; (3) possible Precambrian basement of the Precordillera terrane; (4) "Chilenia" terrane; (5) calc-alkaline
granitoids; (6) limestones; (7) turbidites; (8) olistostromes; (9) subduction complexes; (10) pervasively sheared early
Paleozoic melange between the Precordillera and the Sierras Pampeanas; and (11) probable Devonian suture
between the Precordillera and the Sierras Pampeanas. Also shown is the source region of the Sierras Pampeanas
"arc" magmas (x) in the asthenospheric wedge over the early Paleozoic subduction zone.
66 Andes of Chile and Argentina

Figure 5. Late Paleozoic paleogeography: (1) accretionary prism and forearc assemblages; (2) magmatic arc; (3)
carbonate rocks; (4) shallow-water marine-deltaic-terrigenous sediments; (5) the ocean-floored "basin" between
Patagonia and Sierra de La Ventana; (6) terrestrial red beds; (7) uplifted area; (8) "exotic" terranes accreted to the
South American margin before the Carboniferous; (9) suture zone; and (10) inferred paleotrench position; note
progressive southward displacement.
 Andes of Chile and Argentina 67

Figure 6. Diagrammatic cross section of western South America at lat. 29 -33 S (central Chile and Argentina) during
Carboniferous-Early Triassic: (1) late Paleozoic accretionary prism; (2) Carboniferous granitoids; (3) Permian-Early
Triassic intrusives; and (4) late Paleozoic-Early Triassic felsic volcanic rocks. Other symbols as in Figure 4.

are recognized in Argentina. The middle Permian San Rafael Cretaceous arc and the basins developed on the former late
phase is the most important (Azcuy and Caminos, 1986); fold Paleozoic forearc zone.
ing and thrusting associated with this phase could have been This composite system of arcs and related backarc basins
contemporaneous with the proposed time of accretion of remained active until the middle Cretaceous, when a general
Patagonia (Ramos, 1984). ized tectonic event caused major, deformation in the area of
the former backarc basins. The basins were destroyed, leav
MESOZOIC TO CENOZOIC (ANDEAN) ing only a series of continental magmatic arcs as the dominant
tectonic element during the Late Cretaceous and early Ter
TECTONIC CYCLE tiary. In some areas the magmatic arcs migrated eastward
Although the accretionary prism continued to grow along with time, whereas in others they remained stationary, or
the Pacific margin of southernmost Patagonia during the Tri even shifted westward toward the ocean. Mesozoic and Ceno
assic to Early Jurassic, such accretion ended along the coast of zoic forearc assemblages either never existed, were removed
north-central Chile in the late Paleozoic. During the earliest by "subduction erosion," or were shifted by lateral displace
Mesozoic, a major paleogeographic change took place as the ment along strike-slip faults at the Pacific margin of the conti
magmatic arc shifted westward to a new position near the nent.
present Chilean coast. A complex series of interconnected The Jurassic-Cretaceous backarc basins show a variety of
basins formed behind the arc during the Jurassic-Early Creta types ranging from ensialic sedimentary basins to oceanic-
ceous (Figure 7). North of lat. 38 S, the magmatic arc was crust-floored "marginal" basins. These backarc basins reacted
superimposed on the late Paleozoic accretionary prism, differently to deformation and, as a consequence, gave rise to
whereas the basement of the backarc basins was the late the five major segments shown in Figure 7, each with distinc
Paleozoic magmatic belt. South of lat. 40 S, both the Jurassic- tive characteristics.
68 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Figure 7. Jurassic-Early Cretaceous arc and backarc basin systems of the Chile-Argentine Andes: (1) magmatic arc;
(2) ensialic backarc basin; (3) sedimentary platform; (4) Early Cretaceous volcanic infill of the central Chile "aborted"
marginal basin; (5) oceanic crust of the Early Cretaceous Magallanes marginal basin; (6) possible paleotrench
position: and (7) continental shelf edge. The characteristics and evolution of these features are discussed in the text
by reference to their locations within segments A-E shown on this figure.
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 69

Figure 8. Jurassic-Early Cretaceous magmatic arc and backarc basin in segment A (northern Chile). The La Negra arc
formed on late Paleozoic accretionary complexes; the sialic basement of the Tarapaca basin is in the zone of the late
Paleozoic magmatic belt. Also shown is the source region of the arc magmas (x). A hypothetical convective roll in the
asthenosphere behind the La Negra arc might have been responsible for extension in the backarc basin.

Segment A (Lat. 21 -27 S) dered on the west by highlands from which the alluvial fan,
red conglomerates and breccias of the Cifuncho Formation,
Segment A (northern Chile and northwestern Argentina) exposed along the present coast south of Taltal, were derived
shows the following (Figures 8-11)a magmatic arc in the (Garcia, 1967; Suarez, Naranjo, and Puig, 1985).
Coastal Range that was active during the Jurassic-Early Creta During the Early Jurassic, the marine domain of Cordillera
ceous; a backarc ensialic basin (Tarapaca basin) in which late de Domeyko progressively expanded northward to form the
Triassic-early Cretaceous marine and terrestrial sediments elongate and deep Tarapaca basin (Figure 7) in which subsi
accumulated; middle Cretaceous deformation, which caused dence was controlled by extensional tectonics. Several thou
uplift of the sialic backarc basin floor to form the Proto- sand meters of carbonate and terrigenous sediments of
Cordillera de Domeyko; discontinuous migration of the mag Jurassic age (Profeta Formation, Caracoles Group, Figure B)
matic foci toward the east from Late Cretaceous to Tertiary; accumulated in this basin (Harrington, 1961; Naranjo and
progressive migration of the orogenic front toward the fore Puig, 1984; Coira et al., 1982). In t h e Coastal R a n g e ,
land until the still-active thrust-fold belt of the sub-Andean Hettangian-Sinemurian m a r i n e sediments having inter-
Ranges was formed along the eastern foothills of the Andes; bedded pyroclastics conformably overlie the late Triassic con
and active Quaternary volcanism.
tinental deposits (Garcia, 1967; Naranjo and Puig, 1984). In the
Sinemurian, intensive volcanism and plutonism began at the
Triassic-Early Cretaceous La Negra magmatic arc (Figure 8), which extended along the
The earliest recorded Mesozoic event in northern Chile was present-day Coastal Range for more than 1000 km from Arica
Late Triassic marine transgression that formed a small basin (lat. 18 S) to Chanaral (lat. 26 S). The La Negra is composed of
along the site of the present-day Cordillera de Domeyko (Fig thousands of meters of andesites and basaltic andesites in
ure 1) (Chong and von Hillebrandt, 1985). This basin was bor which are sporadic intercalations of marine and continental
70 Andes of Chile and Argentina

Figure 9. Cross section at lat. 25 S immediately after middle Cretaceous deformation: (1) lavas from the extinct La
Negra arc; (2) Jurassic-Early Cretaceous granitoids; (3) deformed sediments of the Tarapaca backarc basin; (4) Late
Cretaceous red beds; (5) alkaline basalts; (6) uplifted sialic floor of the Tarapaca basin to form the Proto-Cordillera de
Domeyko (PCD); and (7) provenance directions of the Late Cretaceous sediments. Large arrows indicate direction of
middle Cretaceous uplift in the PCD and the east-directed underthrust of the La Negra arc terrane below the PCD.

sediments. Accumulation of this sequence continued until the T h e sialic floor of the Tarapaca basin was uplifted and b e c a m e
Early Cretaceous (Garcia, 1967; Ferraris and Di Biase, 1978; a positive topographic e l e m e n t , the Proto-Cordillera de
Silva, 1977; Naranjo and Puig, 1984). Large gabbroic to gra- Domeyko (PCD), which separated the coastal region from the
nitic intrusive bodies, showing radiometric ages ranging from present-day Altiplano-Puna (Figure 9). A complex basin devel-
190 to 115 Ma (Maksaev, 1984; Boric, Diaz, and Maksaev, oped to the east of the PCD after the middle Cretaceous, in
1985), also were emplaced. Stratiform copper deposits are which a sequence of continental red beds, the Purilactis For-
present in lavas in the lower part of the La Negra sequence mation (Figure 9), derived from the erosion of the PCD was
(Losert, 1972; Boric and Diaz, 1984). deposited (Marinovic and Lahsen, 1984). At the same time, a
T h e Atacama fault (Figure 9), a 1000-km-long fault related series of taphrogenic basins (Grupo Salta basins, Figure 9)
to the La Negra magmatic arc, b e c a m e active during Early formed in the Argentine foreland, and thick sequences of
Cretaceous, suggesting that major strike-slip movement took interbedded conglomerates, red beds, and alkalic volcanic
place at this time (Arabaz, 1971). South of Antofagasta, sev- rocks were deposited in them (Turner, 1960; Salfity, 1979).
eral massive magnetic bodies were emplaced along the fault T h e s e volcanic rocks and related subvolcanic intrusions were
during the Early Cretaceous (Bookstrom, 1977; Espinoza, emplaced during the three cycles of 130-100 Ma, 80-75 Ma,
1979). and 65-60 Ma (Salfity, 1982). T h e s e cycles w e r e associated
T h e sea progressively retreated from the backarc basin in with a continuous synrift sedimentation. An e p h e m e r a l
the north (Sierra de Moreno) during Oxf ordian time (Maksaev, marine transgression from the north and southwest con-
1978; Skarmeta and Marinovic, 1981), whereas in the south- nected the various basins during Campanian-Maestrichtian
ern part of the Tarapaca basin (Qebrada Asientos and Cordil- time (Salfity, 1982).
lera de D o m e y k o ) marine conditions continued until the
Tithonian, and in some areas until the Neocomian (Har- Tertiary
rington, 1961; Perez, 1982). T h e entire backarc basin was Discontinuous migration of magmatism and deformation
filled with continental red beds during the Early Cretaceous, toward the foreland took place during the Tertiary (Figure
and some interbedded lava flows, derived from the La Negra 10). Volcanism began during latest Cretaceous and continued
arc, extended eastward to the Sierra de Moreno region (Area until the Eocene, and was widespread in the present-day Chil-
Formation of Maksaev, 1978). ean Longitudinal Valley, as shown by the abundant andesites
and rhyolites of the Chile-Alemania, Icanche, and Augusta
Middle Cretaceous Victoria formations (Naranjo and Puig, 1984; Maksaev, 1978,
A major tectonic reorganization occurred during the middle 1984). T h e volcanic rocks and related subvolcanic porphyries
Cretaceous, when magmatic activity in the La Negra arc have K-Ar ages ranging from 72 to 39.9 Ma (Boric, Diaz, and
ceased and the rocks of the backarc region were deformed. Maksaev, 1985). Volcanic activity decreased in intensity dur-
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 71

Figure 10. Diagrams illustrating the discontinuous eastward migration of magmatic foci in segment A during the
Cenozoic.

ing the Oligocene, and to the east of the PCD, both in Chile associated volcanic rocks constitute the only relatively large
and in the Argentine Puna, red continental sediments and Oligocene igneous complex in northwestern Argentina
interbedded evaporites were deposited (Sichal, San Pedro, (Mirre, 1974; Llambias, Sato, and Tomsic, 1986). This interval
and Tambores formations, Pastos Grandes Group; Coira et al., of sparse magmatism coincides with a period of highly oblique
1982). Igneous intrusive activity took place along the PCD axis convergence between the Nazca and South American plates
during late Eocene and Oligocene (48-28 Ma), and the large (Cande, 1983). The large Oligocene porphyry copper deposits
porphyry copper deposits of this region are associated with were emplaced along the PCD axis, which was a zone of
intrusions emplaced at this time. The sparse tuff beds in the crustal weakness characterized by strike-slip faults such as the
Sichal and San Pedro formations (Maksaev, 1978; Travisany, "West Fissure" at Chuquicamata. A large part of the horizontal
1978) are the only volcanic rocks of known Oligocene age in oblique convergence vector could have been absorbed in this
this part of Chile. The Nevado de Acay Granite (26 Ma) and zone (see Dewey, 1980).
 72
Andes of Chile and Argentina
Figure 11. Generalized profile of the Andes at lat. 22 S (segment A). Symbols as in Figure 9 except (1) Faja Eruptiva de
La Puna, and (2-5) sedimentary cover of the Sierras Sub-Andinas region(2) early Paleozoic, (3) late Paleozoic, (4) Late
Cretaceous, (5) Tertiary continental deposits. Simplified structural section of the Sierras sub-Andinas according to
Mingram et al. (1979) and Allmendinger et al. (1983).
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 73

During the early Miocene, an increase in the rate of conver Segment B (Lat. 27 -33 S)
gence of the Nazca and South American plates, as well as a Segment B (central Argentina and Chile) shows the follow
shift toward a more, orthogonal convergence vector, coin ing (Figures 12-15)Jurassic magmatic arc in the Coastal
cided with a period of deformation in the Cordillera de Range; backarc sedimentary platform (Aconcagua platform)
Domeyko, which resulted in folding of the late Eocene- toward the east; development of an "aborted marginal basin"
Oligocene strata and reactivation of reverse faults. At this during the Early Cretaceous in which huge volumes of ande
time, intense volcanism began in the Western Cordillera (Fig sites and basalts were erupted through the thinned and
ure 1). Explosive caldera-type, rhyolitic volcanism was partic stretched continental crust behind the arc; progressive defor
ularly intense to the north of lat. 22 S, where the widespread mation and thrusting toward the east of the Early Cretaceous
ignimbrites of the Altos de Pica and Oxaya formations were "marginal" basin, beginning in middle Cretaceous, to form the
emplaced (Salas et al., 1966; Lahsen, 1982; Gardeweg and Aconcagua thrust-fold belt, eastward migration of magma
Ramirez, 1984). Andesitic stratovolcanoes were dominant tism during the Cretaceous-Tertiary; progressive migration of
south of lat. 25 S (Zentilli, 1974; Gonzalez Ferran, Baker, and the orogenic front toward the Precordillera and block faulting
Rex, 1984). Volcanic activity became much more widespread of the basement of the Sierras Pampeanas during the late
during the late Miocene after a new phase of deformation Cenozoic; and absence of Quaternary volcanism.
(Quechua phase), which coincided with cessation of spreading Segment B is characterized by lack of both Quaternary vol
in the Farallon-Nazca ridge and the beginning of spreading canism and a Central Valley in Chile (Figure 1). In contrast
along the East Pacific Rise (Mammerickx, Herron, and Dor- with segment A, Andean deformation extended eastward
man, 1980). The Quechua phase, although evident in the from the trench for more than 1000 km, forming the fault-
Western Cordillera, seems to have been of greater importance bounded basement blocks of the Sierras Pampeanas (Jordan
in the Argentine Puna (Coira et al., 1982; Jordan and Garde et al., 1983a, 1983b). Such a wide zone of deformation is cor
weg, 1986). The front of compressional deformation migrated related with a shallow-dipping Benioff zone (Barazangi and
eastward during the late Cenozoic from the Western Cordil Isacks, 1976; Bevis and Isacks, 1984). Segment B approxi
lera toward the Eastern Cordillera and sub-Andean ranges mately coincides with the zone of collision of Chilenia during
(Figure 1). Deformation in the easternmost flank of the sub- the Paleozoic (Ramos et a l , 1984; Ramos et a l , 1986). A large
Andean ranges has continued until the present along an subsiding volcanic zone, the central Chile "aborted" basin,
active thrust-fold belt in the Sierras sub-Andinas (Figure 11) formed in this segment during Late Cretaceous. Although the
that extends from northwestern Argentina through Bolivia geologic history of the segment as a whole was similar, some
into the eastern Andean foothills of Peru (Mingram et al., important differences can be observed from north to south.
1979; Allmendinger et al., 1983; Megard, 1984). The features shown in the south half of the segment (lat.
31 31 '-33 05 'S) are typical of segment B as a whole.
Structural Geology
A schematic and simplified structural section of the Andes
at lat. 23 S (Figure 11) shows two major zones of crustal Jurassic-Early Cretaceous
shorteningthe thrust-fold belt of the Sierras sub-Andinas Marine transgression and volcanism of Middle to Late Trias
and the Cordillera de Domeyko. In the Sierras sub-Andinas sic age are recorded by the El Quereo Formation, which accu
and adjacent Eastern Cordillera (Figure 11), part of the Pre mulated on the late Paleozoic terrane of the coastal region of
cambrian basement of the Andean foreland apparently is cur central Chile (Cecioni and Westermann, 1968). The Ajial and
rently being thrust below the uplifted Puna plateau as a part of Cerro Calera Formations, consisting chiefly of rhyolitic pyro-
an "A subduction" process similar to that proposed by Bally clastic r o c k s , w e r e e m p l a c e d in t h e Coastal R a n g e
(1981) for the Canadian Rockies. In contrast, the deep struc (lat. 32 -34 S) during an interval of Early Jurassic volcanism
ture of the Cordillera de Domeyko, though still uncertain, has (Thomas, 1958; Piraces, 1977). Volcanic eruptions were partly
been interpreted as the result of thrusting to the west of the submarine, as indicated by the presence of interbedded
sialic floor of the Tarapaca basin along faults that flatten at Bajocian limestones (Figure 12). At the same time, large gra
depth (Figure 11). Movement on these faults may have started nitic to gabbroic plutons of the Mincha Superunit w e r e
in the middle to Late Cretaceous. If this hypothesis is correct, emplaced in the coastal region (Rivano et a l , 1985). These plu
the abnormally thick crust of the Andes at segment A may tons have K-Ar ages ranging from 191 to 138 Ma (Munizaga
have an important component of tectonic thickening related and Vicente, 1982; Herve et a l , 1985; Rivano et a l , 1985). In
to shortening along both zones of deformation. the backarc region to the east, a Liassic to Dogger marine
It is evident that the distance between the old La Negra arc transgression initiated a clastic-carbonate platform environ
and the present trench is too short when compared with that ment, the Aconcagua platform (Figure 12), on the late Paleo
of other volcanic fronts such as the late Cenozoic arc in the zoic igneous basement of the Cordillera Frontal (Schiller,
Western Andean Cordillera. Large pieces of the forearc zone 1912; Vicente, 1972; Ramos, 1985a, 1985b). Uplift during Late
and parts of the Mesozoic magmatic arc must have been Jurassic caused a change to subaerial conditions, as indicated
removed during the Cretaceous and Tertiary, either by sub by the Horqueta Formation in the Coastal Range (Piraces,
duction erosion or by longitudinal strike-slip faults such as the 1977). Meanwhile, in the backarc region, an Oxfordian
Atacama fault (see Rutland, 1971; Coira et a l , 1982). These marine regression is indicated by thick evaporite units such as
phenomena could also be related, at least in part, to the epi the Auquilco gypsum covered by Upper Jurassic continental
sodical migration of magmatic foci toward the continental red beds. These sediments were derived by erosion of vol
interior during the Tertiary (Figure 8). canic rocks in the Coastal Range. They thin progressively
74 Andes of Chile and Argentina

Figure 12. Paleogeographic sections for Jurassic-Early Cretaceous of central Chile. Segment B (lat. 27 -35 S): (1)
Jurassic felsic volcanic rocks; (2) granitoid plutons; (3) marine and continental sediments of the Aconcagua platform;
(4) deep-basin sedimentary facies; (5) Early Cretaceous volcanic infill (andesites and basalts) of the central Chile
"aborted" marginal basin; (6) late Paleozoic plutonic-volcanic basement of the Cordillera Frontal; and (7) late
Paleozoic accretionary complexes.

eastward and change from alluvial fan facies having sporadic mation interfinger with Neocomian limestones along the
intercalated volcanics, the Rio Damas Formation in Chile, to Chile-Argentina border. Aberg et al. (1984) and Levi and
fine fluvial sandstones of the Tordillo Formation in Argentina Aguirre (1981) interpreted the widespread volcanic activity of
(Groeber, 1953). the Early Cretaceous as taking place in a short-lived "aborted"
The sea again advanced over the Aconcagua platform dur m a r g i n a l basin of H a u t e r i v i a n - A l b i a n a g e . T h e t e r m
ing Early Cretaceous (Ramos, 1985a, 1985b) and was followed "aborted" was used by Aberg et al. (1984) to denote a zone
by(a) a noticeable decrease of plutonism in the Coastal where large volumes of basalts and andesites were erupted
Range, where only small stocks of this age are found just to the through a thin, attenuated continental crust which did not
east of the Jurassic magmatic belt (Nasi, 1984; Rivano and evolve into an oceanic-crust-floored basin such as that in seg
Sepiilveda, 1985); (b) a progressive change in the composition ment E (Dalziel, De Witt, and Palmer, 1974). Large volumes of
of volcanism to andesites and flood basalts interbedded with volcanic rocks were erupted during a period of crustal exten
marine carbonate rocks (Lo Prado and Veta Negra formations) sion, when an elevated thermal gradient associated with sub
87 86
having low S r / S r initial ratios (Piraces, 1976; Levi and sidence caused pervasive "burial" metamorphism of the
Aguirre, 1981; Nasi, 1984; Aberg et al., 1984); and (c) an east volcanic pile. The basin was filled with coarse red conglomer
ward expansion of volcanism into the Aconcagua platform, ates interbedded with lavas and limestones of the Las Chilcas
where the Early Cretaceous lavas of the Los Pelambres For Formation (Thomas, 1958) at the end of the Early Cretaceous.
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 75

Late Cretaceous-Tertiary Paleozoic crystalline basement in the Sierras Pampeanas of

The Late Cretaceous-Tertiary was characterized by pro Argentina (Figure 16). Some of the faults show evidences of
gressive deformation and eastward migration of the mag Quaternary displacements (Jordan et al., 1983b; Introcaso,
matic foci. At the beginning of the Late Cretaceous, the Lyon, and Ramos, 1986).
marginal basin rocks were intruded by large granodioritic plu-
tons (Figure 13) of the Illapel Superunit (Rivano et al., 1985), Segment C (Lat. 33 -41 S)
which have ages of 130-85 Ma (Drake et al., 1982; Munizaga Segment C (Andes of south-central Chile and south Men
and Vicente, 1982; Rivano et al., 1985). The magmatic activity doza and Neuquen provinces, Argentina) shows the following
continued to the Miocene with the development of discrete (Figures 17, 18)a stationary Jurassic-Quaternary magmatic
belts that are progressively younger eastward (Rivano et al., arc developed along the axis of the present-day Cordillera
1985). Volcanic activity was reestablished during the Late Cre Principal; toward the east, development of a large backarc
taceous along the western slopes of the Cordillera Principal ensialic basin (Neuquen basin) that became filled with marine
(Thomas, 1958; Nasi, 1984). Early Miocene lavas and pyroclas- and continental sediments during the Jurassic-Early Creta
tic rocks of andesitic to rhyolitic composition (Farellones For ceous; deformation of this basin, beginning in middle Creta
mation), having K-Ar ages of 22 to 11 Ma, are still farther to ceous, which caused shortening and faulting of the basement
the east (Munizaga and Vicente, 1982; Vergara et al., 1985; below a decollement characterized by a complex system of
Ramos et al., 1985; Rivano et al., 1985). Both extrusive and overthrust and underthrust faults associated with wrench
intrusive magmatism ceased in the late Miocene, perhaps the faults; and active Quaternary volcanism.
result of shallowing of the Benioff zone in these latitudes (Jor A fundamental feature of segment C is the scarcity of vol
dan et al., 1983b; Kay et al., 1985) and the disappearance of canic and intrusive rocks of Mesozoic age in the Coastal
the asthenospheric wedge between the continental litho Range. The magmatic activity during this interval was con
sphere and the subducted oceanic plate. centrated in the Cordillera Principal along an arc that was sta
tionary, showing no evidence of migration with time. To the
Structural Geology east of the arc, a wide ensialic and asymmetric foreland basin,
The structural style of segment B is different from that of the Neuquen backarc basin (Figure 17), developed as a marine
segment A, chiefly in having the marginal basin terrain thrust embayment. The Neuquen embayment shares some common
eastward over the Aconcagua platform. The closure of this features with the Aconcagua and Tarapaca basins, but differs
basin and the related shortening produced the Aconcagua in the pattern of subsequent deformation. Although deforma
fold-thrust belt (AFTB) along the eastern border of the Cordil tion was intense in the inner Cordilleran sector, where the
lera Principal (Figures 14,15). The AFTB consists of a series of Agrio fold-thrust belt (Figure 18) was formed, it was slight in
west-dipping thrust sheets (five in the Mendoza River valley; the outer foreland area, where most of the primary features of
Ramos, 1985b), which are composed of the Upper Jurassic sedimentary facies are still in place. The Neuquen basin is one
and Necomian sedimentary rocks (Figure 14) of the Aconca of the major oil producing areas of Argentina and conse
gua platform. The Oxfordian gypsum units (Figure 14) acted quently has been studied in great detail.
as the decollement horizon (Schiller, 1912; Vicente, 1972; Yri-
goyen, 1976; Ramos, 1985b). The crustal shortening due to Magmatic Arc
thrusting in the AFTB is estimated to be approximately 29 km The igneous rocks exposed between lat. 33 and 38 S con
(Ramos, 1985b). sist of late Tertiary volcanic and intrusive rocks. However, to
The Aconcagua fold-thrust belt developed progressively the south of lat. 38 S, Quaternary glaciation has removed the
during the interval of Late Cretaceous to Miocene. The Farel Tertiary volcanic cover and exposed granitic basement rocks
lones Formation of Miocene age (Figure 16) unconformably in the Cordillera Principal. Young volcanic rocks are repre
overlies the deformed rocks of the inner (western) zones of sented by symmetrical cones of modern volcanoes. North of
the AFTB (Yrigoyen, 1976; Rivano and Sepiilveda, 1986). lat. 38 S, the only pre-Tertiary magmatic rocks exposed are
Oligocene-early Miocene alluvial fan sediments, the Santa scattered Late Cretaceous stocks. Extensive Oligocene-
Maria Conglomerates of Schiller (1912), accumulated along Miocene lacustrine sediments of the Lolco Formation (Salinas,
the eastern AFTB front and were later involved in the thrust 1981) at Lonquimay interfinger to the north with volcanic and
ing, confirming the eastward migration of the thrust front volcaniclastic rocks of the Cura-Mallin Formation (Niemeyer
(Polanski, 1972; Ramos, 1986). The shallowing of the Benioff and Mufioz, 1983). These two units are cut by Miocene grano
zone during the Miocene (Kay et al., 1985) was followed by dioritic stocks and are overlain by the early to middle Miocene
deformation in the Cordillera Frontal and formation of high- volcanic Trapa-Trapa Formation, the late Miocene volcanic
angle reverse faults. It was also accompanied by tectonic reac Campanario Formation, and the Pliocene volcanic Cola de
tivation and related shortening of about 50 km in the Zorro Formation (Mufioz and Niemeyer, 1984). Superimposed
Precordillera (Ortiz and Zambrano, 1981; Baldis et al., 1982). on these units are the Quaternary stratovolcanoes of the
Andean thrust faulting began in the Precordillera during mid Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes (SVZ) (Moreno, 1976).
dle to late Miocene and is still active in the eastern foothills. The magmatic activity east of the Cordillera Principal resulted
The Precordillera is interpreted as being a thin-skinned in emplacement of andesitic subvolcanic intrusions and lava
Andean fold-thrust belt similar to the sub-Andean Ranges of flows of Miocene to Pliocene age (Groeber, 1946; Haller et al.,
segment A. 0
1985). Between lat. 3 4 and 37 S, extensive backarc plateau
Eastward migration of deformation during middle to late basalts developed at the same time (Llambias, 1966; Gonzalez
Miocene caused block faulting of the Precambrian-early Diaz, 1972; Mufioz and Stern, 1986).
76 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Figure 13. Distribution of the Early Cretaceous "aborted" marginal basin volcanic rocks (shaded area) in central
Chile (lat. 30 -33 S). After Rivano and Sepulveda (1986), Rivano et al. (in preparation), and Ramos (1985a).
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 77

Figure 14. Cross sections of the Aconcagua fold-thrust belt south of Puente del Inca-Las Cuevas area, Mendoza
province, Argentina (lat. 33 S), according to Ramos (1985b): (1) late Paleozoic basement of the Cordillera Frontal; (2)
Early Jurassic marine sediments; (3) Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) evaporites; (4) Late Jurassic continental red beds; (5)
Early Cretaceous limestones of the Aconcagua platform; (6) Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks (Los Pelambres
Formation) of the "aborted" marginal-basin terrane; and (7) Tertiary continental sediments.
78 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Figure 15. Major morphotectonic elements of the Andes in segment B (modified from Jordan et al., 1983a): (1)
Cenozoic infill of the Chilean Central Valley; (2) modern arc volcanic rocks; (3) modern "backarc" lavas; (4) Andean
thrust and fold belts (Aconcagua FTB and Precordillera); and (5) uplifted Precambrian-early Paleozoic crystalline
massifs (Sierras Pampeanas).
 Andes of Chile and Argentina
Figure 16. Composite structural section of the Andes in segment B: (1) Jurassic felsic volcanic rocks; (2) Early
Cretaceous andesites and basalts of the central Chile "aborted" marginal basin; (3) granitoid plutons; (4) Late
Cretaceous(?) volcanic rocks and red beds; (5) Miocene volcanic rocks (Farellones Formation); (6) Jurassic-Early
Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Aconcagua platform; (7) Late Jurassic gypsum; (8) late Paleozoic crystalline
sedimentary units of the Cordillera Frontal; (9) Ordovician limestones of the Precordillera; (10) early Paleozoic
sheared melanges; (11) Tertiary continental sediments; (12) Tertiary sediments (Te); and (13) Precambrian-early
Paleozoic basement of the Sierras Pampeanas.

79
80 Andes of Chile and Argentina

Figure 17. Paleogeographic section of segment C (lat. 38 S) for Jurassic-Early Cretaceous time. Symbols as in Figure 12.

Figure 18. Structural section for segment C: (1) late Paleozoic accretionary prism; (2) late Paleozoic coastal batholith;
(3) Jurassic-Early Cretaceous sediments of the Neuquen backarc basin; (4) Late Cretaceous Neuquen Group; (5) early
Cenozoic lacustrine sediments; (6) Miocene volcanic rocks; and (7) late Cenozoic sedimentary infill of the Central
Valley of Chile.
 Andes of Chile and Argentina 81

Figure 19. Diagrammatic sections for segment D(a) Early Cretaceous paleogeography and (b) structural profile (lat.
46 S). Symbols show: (1) late Paleozoic accretionary prism; (2) Jurassic rhyolitic volcanic rocks; (3) Early Cretaceous
"arc" lavas; (4) Early Cretaceous intraarc to backarc basin sediments; (5) Patagonian batholith; (6) Miocene lavas of
the Traiguen formation; (7) Tertiary sedimentary rocks; and (8) Late Cretaceous-Tertiary plateau basalts.

South of Temuco (lat. 38 S), the Cordillera Principal is char Andean Cordillera in the region between lat. 39 S and lat.
acterized by late Paleozoic granitic plutons (295-282 Ma) 40 30 'S. Volcanic rocks formed along two distinctive belts, a
which are associated with metamorphic rocks and late Paleo western belt where 3000 m of andesites, the Ventania Forma
zoic sediments. These rocks are cut by Jurassic (220-160 Ma), tion, were erupted during the Paleocene-Eocene (Gonzalez
Cretaceous (90 Ma), and Miocene (16-10 Ma) granodioritic Bonorino, 1973; Ramos, 1982), and an eastern belt where
stocks (Moreno and Parada, 1976; Munizaga et a l , 1985). rhyolitic-dacitic volcanic rocks were erupted during the Creta
Sparse andesitic roof pendants in the Curarrehue region are ceous to Eocene (Rapela et a l , 1984). A marine to continental
considered to be of Cretaceous age. A north-south-trending basin, the Nirihuao basin, formed between the two belts dur
strike-slip fault, the Liquine-Ofqui fault (Figure 19) (Herve, ing the Oligocene and Miocene (Cazau, 1980).
1984), cuts across the plutons along the main axis of the
Andean Cordillera. As a result of the combined effects of shear
heating along this fault zone and the emplacement of the Mio Neuquen Basin
cene stocks, the pre-Miocene rocks show progressively older The Neuquen backarc basin (Figure 17), east of the Andean
K-Ar ages outward from the main Cordillera axis (Herve et a l , Cordillera between lat. 36 and 39 S, was the site of three sed
1982). imentary cyclesthe Cuyano of Early Jurassic age, the
Widespread early Tertiary volcanism occurred east of the Chacayano-Loteniano of Middle to Late Jurassic age, and the
82 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Mendociano of Tithonian to Neocomian age (Groeber, 1953; ammonite fauna in an elongate basin east of the present Pata
Malumian, Nullo, and Ramos, 1983). These cycles show a gonian Cordillera. This sequence is exposed in the Pampa de
common pattern of facies, changing from alluvial facies in the Agnia and Tepuel areas. It has interbedded andesite flows and
east to marine platform, slope, and basin facies in the west pyroclastics that indicate the presence of a volcanic zone to
(Gulisano, Gutierrez Pleiming, and Digregorio, 1984a; Guli- the west, somewhere in the extra-Andean region of Chubut,
sano et al., 1984). The subsidence of the basin was thermally between Bariloche (lat. 41 S) and Lago Fontana (lat. 44 30 'S)
controlled and seems to reflect an important thinning of the (HallerandLapido, 1982).
continental crust. As the edge of the slope migrated eastward The magmatic arc shifted westward in the Middle Jurassic,
from Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, centers of deposition also when andesites, dacites, and rhyolites of the Ibanez and Lago
shifted eastward, indicating that the extensional tectonic Fontana formations were erupted along the eastern slopes of
regime persisted during most of the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous the present-day Patagonian Cordillera (Figure 1). The young
interval (Ramos, 1986). The basin fill of thousands of meters of est volcanic units have interbedded carbonate rocks (Ramos
Mesozoic sediments does not show evidence of deformation et al., 1982; Niemeyer et a l , 1984). This volcanism was syn
until middle Cretaceous. The western border of the Neuquen chronous with the development of thick sequences of rhyo
basin is not exposed, but its position is indicated by a conglom litic lavas and ignimbrites in extra-Andean Patagonia (Bruhn,
eratic facies of Valanginian age, the source of which was to the Stern, a n d De Witt, 1978; Uliana et al., 1986). T h e s e
west (Burckhardt, 1900). sequences, which make up the Chon Aike and Marifil forma
Molassic continental deposits accumulated in the Neuquen tions, have been interpreted as the products of extensive
basin during Late Cretaceous, when the basin was filled by crustal anatexis in a volcano-tectonic rift environment predat
1300 m of red beds and conglomerates of the Neuquen Group ing the opening of the south Atlantic (Malumian and Ramos,
(Cazau and Uliana, 1973). At the end of the Cretaceous, thin, 1984).
shallow-water marine limestones and shales were deposited
by the first Atlantic transgression at this latitude. The Ceno Cretaceous
zoic is represented by thick alluvial-fan and fluvial deposits The Cretaceous was a time of marine transgressions, inten
that cover most of the extra-Andean region. sive volcanism, and emplacement of the main Patagonian
batholith. The earliest intrusions of the Patagonian batholith
Structural Geology
were emplaced during the Jurassic, cutting across the late
The structural evolution (Figure 18) of the Neuquen embay Paleozoic forearc assemblages of the Los Chonos Archipelago
ment began with deformation between the Early Cretaceous (Godoy et al., 1984), however, most of the granitic bodies of
and the time when deposition of the Neuquen Group started. the batholith are of Early to middle Cretaceous age (Ramos et
A fold-thrust belt was developed, and as a consequence of tec al., 1982; Niemeyer et al., 1984). True granites were intruded
tonic loading the Neuquen Group foredeep was formed. Sub along the eastern margin of the batholith during the middle
sequent deformation at the end of the Eocene and during the Cretaceous (Wells, 1976). During the Late Cretaceous, intru
middle Miocene caused crustal shortening and development sive activity shifted to the west, and isolated small stocks of
of the present structure of the basin. This structure is charac granodiorite having ages ranging from 75 to 67 Ma were
terized by a series of east-verging folds and related thrusts, emplaced along the western shores of the Taitao Peninsula
which developed a complex thrust front that is bounded to the (Godoy et al., 1984). Granitic rocks of Miocene age have been
east by an area of gentle folds, where most of the present oil found along the batholith axis (Bartholomew and Tarney,
fields are located. The basin is crossed by a major wrench 1984). The distribution of plutonic rocks in this segment
fault, the Huincul fault, which has been intermittently active reveals an oscillatory behavior of the magmatic arc that dif
since middle Cretaceous, and along which are exposed a fers from the eastward migration of magmatic foci that is typi
series of flower structures (Ploskiewicz et al., 1984). cal of the northern segments of the Chile-Argentine Andes.
A small marine basin, the Rio Mayo embayment (Figure 19),
Segment D (Lat. 41 -49 S) developed to the west of the Patagonian batholith during
Segment D (North Patagonian Cordillera) has the following Tithonian time and lasted until early Barremian time (Aguirre
characteristics (Figure 19)a late Jurassic oscillatory mag Ureta and Ramos, 1981). Black shales and sandstones, con
matic arc in which magmatic foci shifted eastward during mid taining interbeds of andesites and dacites, were deposited in
dle Cretaceous, retreating westward during Late Cretaceous an intra-arc basin (Katerfeld basin, Figure 19) during the Early
and again eastward during the Tertiary; ephemeral marine Cretaceous in the Coyhaique-Lago Fontana region (Skarmeta,
transgressions east of the magmatic arc in the Middle Jurassic- 1976; Ramos and Palma, 1983). During middle Cretaceous,
Early Cretaceous, which resulted in the sedimentary fill of the the extensive volcanic rocks of the Divisadero Formation
fault-bounded Rio Mayo embayment; weak deformation in were erupted over most of the eastern foothills of the Patago
the backarc zone represented by long-wavelength open folds nian Cordillera and adjacent extra-Andean region (Niemeyer
et al., 1984). This sequence of andesitic, dacitic, and rhyolitic
and minor normal faults, whereas the magmatic arc was
lavas is unconformably overlain by backarc plateau basalts of
affected by large Cenozoic faults showing strike-slip displace
Late Cretaceous age (Franchi and Page, 1980).
ments; and active Quaternary volcanism.

Jurassic Structural Geology

An Early Jurassic marine transgression from the Pacific Deformation of the rocks in this segment occurred chiefly
deposited black shales and carbonate rocks having abundant during middle Cretaceous, but the crustal shortening was sig-
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 83

Figure 20. Paleogeographic section for the Early Cretaceous segment E (Tierra del Fuego). Symbols as in Figure 19
except (1) "oceanic" floor of the Magallanes marginal basin; (2) turbidite infill of the marginal basin (Yahgan
Formation); and (3) Early Cretaceous marine sedimentary cover of the South American platform.

nificantly smaller than that related to the Andean orogeny in nental crust in the backarc zone and formation of a marginal
the northernmost Andean segments. The resulting structures basin floored by oceanic crust (Magallanes marginal basin) in
are represented only by gentle folds and normal faults with the Early Cretaceous; closure and deformation of the mar
minor displacements in the Mesozoic sequences east of the ginal basin during middle Cretaceous due to foreland shift of
Patagonian batholith (Ramos, 1983; Niemeyer et a l , 1984). the magmatic arc; formation of a thrust-load foredeep during
However, the batholith itself is cut by the Liquine-Ofqui Late Cretaceous (Magallanes foredeep), which received detri
wrench fault (Figure 19) (Herve et a l , 1982; Forsythe and Nel tus from the uplifted arc and marginal basin terrane; retreat of
son, 1985), along which most of the coastal area (Chiloe Block) the magmatic arc toward the ocean and progressive deforma
seems to have been displaced northward. Miocene eruptive tion of the foredeep during the Tertiary; and minor Quater
centers located along this fault zone were the sources of the nary volcanism.
volcanic rocks in the Traiguen Formation (Figure 19) (Skar- Segment E has been the object of intensive investigation
meta, 1976; Cespedes, 1975; Bartholomew and Tarney, 1984). since the mid-1970s, and many aspects of its geological history
After deformation, a thin sequence of sandstones and pyro- have been reported elsewhere (Dalziel, De Witt, and Palmer,
clastic rocks, the Rio Frias Formation (Roth, 1908), was depos 1974; Suarez and Petigrew, 1976; Bruhn, Stern, and De Witt,
ited in the eastern foothills of the Cordillera during middle to 1978; Caminos et a l , 1981). An unusual feature of this seg
late Miocene. ment was the opening of the Magallanes marginal basin (Fig
During late Cenozoic, isolated stratovolcanoes came into ure 20), an oceanic-floored backarc basin, during Early
being near the Liquine-Ofqui fault zone (Figure 19) (Stern, Cretaceous. Closure of this basin during the middle to Late
Skewes, and Duran, 1976; Lopez-Escobar et a l , 1985), and Cretaceous resulted in pervasive ductile deformation along
extensive alkaline plateau basalts, which carry peridotite the foreland margin of the basin to form the metamorphic
xenoliths, were erupted in the extra-Andean Patagonia (Stern core complex of Cordillera Darwin (Figure 21) in southern
e t a l , 1985). Tierra del Fuego (Nelson, Dalziel, and Milnes, 1980). Syntec-
tonic plutons (Canal Beagle Plutonic Group) were emplaced
Segment E (Lat 49-56 S) along the oceanic side of the marginal basin during the middle
Segment E (Austral Patagonian Andes) shows the following Cretaceous (Herve et a l , 1984). Posttectonic granitic plutons
(Figures 20, 21)crustal anatexis and extensive rhyolitic vol w e r e emplaced oceanward during the Late Cretaceous
canism during Middle-Late Jurassic to form a magmatic arc (Herve e t a l , 1984).
along the Pacific margin of Patagonia; disruption of the conti The stable continental margin to the east and north of the
 84 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a

Figure 21. Late Cretaceous (a) and late Cenozoic (b) structural sections of the Andean Cordillera in Tierra del Fuego
(segment E, long. 68 W).

Magallanes marginal basin subsided as a result of the tectonic shows minor Quaternary volcanism related to the slow sub
loading related to the closure and uplift of the basin and for duction of the Antarctic Plate underneath the continental bor
mation of the Cordillera Darwin core complex (Figure 21). As der (Stern e t a l , 1985).
a consequence, coarse turbiditic sediments derived in part
from the uplifted basin terrane were deposited in a narrow CONCLUSIONS
and deep trough, the Magallanes foredeep (Figure 21), the
axis of which migrated progressively toward the stable South The Andean Cordillera of Chile and Argentina shows a
American foreland during the Late Cretaceous to Miocene much more complex history than has previously been recog
(Natland et al., 1974; Winslow, 1979; Uliana et al., 1986). The nized. It is a region dominated by Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedi
foothills structure of the Southern Patagonian Cordillera and mentation, magmatism, and tectonic deformation
the Fueguian Andes is characterized by the Magallanes fold- superimposed on a Paleozoic basement characterized by
thrust belt (Figure 21), which resulted from shortening and accretionary tectonics. The early Paleozoic was the time of
deformation of the foredeep strata. The orogenic front major terrane accretion, details of which are still obscure.
migrated progressively eastward and northward throughout Accretion essentially terminated in late Paleozoic when most
Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic (Ramos, 1979; Winslow, 1979). of the western margin of Gondwana changed to an "Andean-
A few granitic stocks were emplaced along the eastern foot type" magmatic arc, bounded oceanward by a wide accretion
hills of the Andes during the late Miocene (Nullo, Proserpio, ary prism. The Mesozoic-Cenozoic history of this Andean
and Ramos, 1978). Late Cenozoic strike-slip movements along region is characterized by destruction of the continental mar
the Magallanes fault (Fuenzalida, 1976) in Tierra del Fuego are gin by "subduction erosion" and strike-slip faulting. Evidence
coeval with the opening of the Scotia Sea. Segment E also for the accretion of large terranes is absent. Subduction ero-
 A n d e s of C h i l e a n d A r g e n t i n a 85

sion or strike-slip faulting is believed to have eliminated most absolute motions of the overriding plates. For example, in the
of the late Paleozoic forearc assemblages and, perhaps, western Pacific, the Asian Plate appears to be stationary or is
resulted in the recycling of large volumes of siliceous crust in retreating from the trench, whereas the South American Plate
the adjacent modern volcanic arc, as has been suggested by is actively advancing toward the Pacific (Uyeda and Kana-
Rutland (1971). mori, 1982). Our information shows that the present configu
During the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, the Andean ration of the eastern Pacific margin has existed only since the
region was characterized by a series of magmatic arcs and middle Cretaceous. Prior to this time, from the Paleozoic to
backarc basins. The distribution of these elements and the pat the earliest Cretaceous, the eastern Pacific margin was in
terns of deformation define five major Andean segments some respects quite similar to the present-day western Pacific
which, from north to south, are designated segments A-E. The margin.
degree of crustal attenuation determined the nature of the
basin floors, which varied from "oceanic" in segment E to ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ensialic in segments A and C. In contrast, segment B was char
acterized by subsidence within and behind the magmatic arc, The authors wish to express their appreciation to the
and development of an "aborted" marginal basin that became authorities and geologists (too numerous to be cited individu
filled with a thick sequence of andesites and basalts. Segment ally) of the Servicio Geologico Nacional (Argentina) and the
D differs in showing no evidence of major backarc extension. Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria (Chile) who sup
The various segments reacted in different ways to closure of ported the field and laboratory investigations on which this
backarc basins during the middle Cretaceous. In segment A, chapter is based. We are grateful to Richard Allmendinger and
the magmatic arc was underthrust beneath the uplifted sialic Suzanne M. Kay for their constructive comments and Oriana
floor of the Tarapaca backarc basin, whereas in segment B the Gonzalez for preparation of the illustrations.
volcanic fill of the central Chile "aborted" marginal basin was
overthrust toward the east onto the adjacent Aconcagua sedi
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