geologic evolution of the Limpopo Belt Central Zone, South Africa

Diverse tectonic models were used to explain the geologic evolution of the complexly deformed and metamorphosed Limpopo high-grade terrain of southern Africa. An ongoing discussion exist in the literature regarding the geologic evolution of this terrain. This discussion resulted from different interpretations of published data pertaining to the nature and timing of high-grade events that affected the Central Zone (CZ) at different times. This debate can also partially be explained by the availability of a more comprehensive database that became available with time. This study identifies the important geologic elements that are necessary to unravel the geologic evolution of the CZ by integrating detailed structural, metamorphic and geochronologic data from the regional distributed high-grade polymetamorphic granulites. This study calls for particular caution in the interpretation of data from polymetamorphic granulites, especially Pb-Pb isotopic dates of metamorphic minerals and P-T paths that are interpreted to reflect evidence for isothermal decompression, as they both may be based on mixed populations of metamorphic minerals.