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Late Miocene Exhumation of Eocene and Early Miocene metamorphic Rocks in Northern Tunisia: A widespread Western Mediterranean Process Driven by Lithospheric Mantle Delamination under Foreland Thrust Belts
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  • Guillermo Booth Rea,
  • Seifeddine Gaidi,
  • Fetheddine Melki,
  • Wissem Marzougui,
  • Patricia Ruano,
  • Fernando Nieto,
  • José Miguel Azañón,
  • Jorge Pedro Galve,
  • Carlos Garrido
Guillermo Booth Rea
Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Granada

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Seifeddine Gaidi
Department of Earth Sciences, Tunis El Manar University, Department of Earth Sciences, Tunis El Manar University
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Fetheddine Melki
Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis
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Wissem Marzougui
Office National de Mines, Office National de Mines
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Patricia Ruano
Departamento de Geodinámica, Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Geodinámica, Universidad de Granada
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Fernando Nieto
Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Granada
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José Miguel Azañón
Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (C.S.I.C.-Universidad de Granada) and Departamento de Geodinámica, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (C.S.I.C.-Universidad de Granada) and Departamento de Geodinámica
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Jorge Pedro Galve
Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Granada
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Carlos Garrido
Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Granada
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Abstract

Cenozoic extension in the Western Mediterranean is related to the dynamics of back-arc domains. However, extension propagated into the external Foreland Thrust Belts (FTB) of the region. Here we revisit the structure, metamorphism and radiometric ages of the Tunisian Tell FTB, where HP/LT blastomylonitic rocks (300-370ºC at 0.9-1.0 GPa), were exhumed by the sequential activity of extensional detachments. Normal faults thinning the Tunisian Tell FTB detached at two different crustal levels. The shallower one cuts down into the Atlas Mesozoic sequence, involving allochthonous Triassic evaporites at the base of the hanging-wall that form halokynetic structures intruding the Mejerda basin Late Miocene infilling. Meanwhile, the deeper-detachment level bounds metamorphic domes formed by marbles and metapsamnites. Illite crystallinity of Triassic rocks in the region shows epizonal to anchizonal values, at deep and intermediate structural depths of the Tell-Atlas FTB, respectively. New U-Pb 49.78 ± 1.28 Ma rutile ages together with existing K-Ar ages in marbles at the footwall of the deepest detachment, indicate a polymetamorphic evolution. The Tell Triassic rocks underwent Cretaceous extensional metamorphism, followed by crustal thickening and rutile growth in the Early Eocene. Further, Early Miocene thickening thrusted the metadolerites over lower-grade sediments, producing HP/LT metamorphism overprinting the base of the FTB. The exhumation of midcrustal roots of western Mediterranean FTBs after the tectonic shortening phase is a common feature of other FTB´s, like the Betics and Rif, which underwent a late-stage tearing at the edges of the subduction system together with delamination of their subcontinental lithospheric mantle.