The Geology of the Belingwe Greenstone Belt, Zimbabwe: A Study of the Evolution of Archaean Continental Crust

The very well preserved Belingwe Greenstone Belt provides a case study of Archaean crustal evolution, a geological window into the very early evolution of the earth. It contains some of the most interesting Archaean rocks on earth. The Archaean includes about one third of the earth’s history, and there is vigorous debate about the early development of life, the evolution of the continents and the oceans, and the formation of mineral deposits. Geological relationships in the belt now form the basis of the Zimbabwe Archaean stratigraphy. Some of the freshest komatiitic volcanic rocks known constrain the chemistry and thermal structure of the early mantle and stromatolitic and well preserved sedimentary rocks provide a record of surface processes.
This volume of nine contributions presents the stratigraphy of the belt, its structure and tectonic setting, the sedimentology of what may be a rift basin, the geochemistry of the freshest Archaean komatiites yet found, and models of the evolution of the region. It is a detailed case study, based on field evidence of what may be the most complete and best preserved greenstone sequences yet found and a key reference work for all interested in the Archaean, whether from an interest in the early Earth or from an economic interest in the Archaean stratigraphic and volcanic controls on mineral deposits. The volume will serve as an ideal case study for undergraduate students interested in the formation and evolution of early crust.