Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Liberian age province (about 2,700 m.y.)and adjacent provinces in Liberia and Sierra Leone

December 31, 1971

Whole-rock Rb-Sr dating of rocks from the crystalline basement has disclosed an age province in Liberia and Sierra Leone of about 2,700 m.y. The approximate eastern boundary of this province with the adjoining Eburnean age province of about 2,000 m.y. has been found in eastern Liberia. Much younger rocks of PanAfrican age (about 550 m.y.) bound the ancient province in Sierra Leone and western Liberia in a belt adjacent to the coast. Groups of infolded metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks have been tentatively identified as associated with two of these ages. The Kambui Schists of Sierra Leone show whole-rock Rb-Sr ages of about 2,700 m.y. The pelitic and iron-bearing metamorphic rocks in the Marampa Formation of Sierra Leone, and similar sections in the Nimba Range, Liberia, appear to be about 2,200 m.y. old, and may fall within the typical Eburnean age range. The age values are scattered, however, and the Nimba rocks may be equivalent t o the Kambui. The Kasila Group of Sierra Leone, and a coastal belt in Liberia believed to be a continuation of the Kasila, yield typical PanAfrican ages of about 550 m.y. © 1971, The Geological Society of America, Inc.

Publication Year 1971
Title Liberian age province (about 2,700 m.y.)and adjacent provinces in Liberia and Sierra Leone
DOI 10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[3483:LAPAMA]2.0.CO;2
Authors P.W. Hurley, G. W. Leo, R.W. White, H.W. Fairbairn
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geological Society of America Bulletin
Index ID 70207316
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse