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Geology of the Iberian Peninsula
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Geology of the Iberian Peninsula
The geology of the Iberian Peninsula consists of the study of the rock formations on the Iberian Peninsula, connected to the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees. The peninsula contains rocks from every geological period from the Ediacaran to the Quaternary, and many types of rock are represented. World-class mineral deposits are also found there.
The core of the Iberian Peninsula consists of a Hercynian cratonic block known as the Iberian Massif. On the northeast, this is bounded by the Pyrenean fold belt, and on the southeast, it is bounded by the Betic fold mountain chain. These two mountain chains are part of the Alpine belt. To the west, the peninsula is delimited by the continental boundary formed by the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The Hercynian fold belt is mostly buried by Mesozoic and Cenozoic cover rocks to the east but nevertheless outcrops through the Iberian Chain and the Catalan Coastal Ranges.
The Iberian Massif consists of rocks from the Paleozoic Era. It was assembled about 310 Ma. Several zones occur in the Iberian Massif. These were the pieces that were assembled to form the block. On the north coast of Spain occurs the Cantabrian zone. Then to the west and also in the Iberian Chain and Catalan Coastal Ranges is the West Asturian-Leonese zone. Then the Central Iberian zone appears near A Coruña, through the north of Portugal, and through the middle of Spain, including the Montes de Toledo. The Ossa-Morena zone outcrops out to the east of Lisbon. This includes some Precambrian rocks. The furthest south part is the South-Portuguese zone.
The Variscan Orogeny occurred as the European Hunic Terrane (split off from Gondwana) and Laurentia-Baltica continents collided. In Iberia this occurred in the pre-Stephanian Carboniferous (354–305 Ma). The external part of the orogeny was the Cantabrian zone. This was deformed in the upper crustal layers. The West Asturian Leonese zone and Central Iberian zone are the external parts of the orogeny and are more deeply deformed and metamorphosed, and intruded. These three zones are part of one terrane. The Ossa-Morena zone and South Portuguese zone are two different terranes that have become attached. In the Mesozoic this was mostly covered with other sediments, which have since eroded.
The Cantabrian zone consists of Carboniferous and older Paleozoic unmetamorphosed rocks.
It is bounded on the west and south-west sides by a concave arc of Precambrian rocks called the Narcea window, and the Villabandin window in the Narcea antiform.
The Herreria Formation from the Lower Cambrian consists of shale and feldspathic sandstone alternating, with some conglomerate. These have a thickness of 1 to 1.5 km.
The Lancara Formation consists of a couple of hundred metres of limestone and dolostone. The lower part was formed in peritidal zones in the Lower Cambrian, and the upper member from the Middle Cambrian contains fossils and is red or green glauconictic and nodular limestone.
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Geology of the Iberian Peninsula
The geology of the Iberian Peninsula consists of the study of the rock formations on the Iberian Peninsula, connected to the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees. The peninsula contains rocks from every geological period from the Ediacaran to the Quaternary, and many types of rock are represented. World-class mineral deposits are also found there.
The core of the Iberian Peninsula consists of a Hercynian cratonic block known as the Iberian Massif. On the northeast, this is bounded by the Pyrenean fold belt, and on the southeast, it is bounded by the Betic fold mountain chain. These two mountain chains are part of the Alpine belt. To the west, the peninsula is delimited by the continental boundary formed by the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The Hercynian fold belt is mostly buried by Mesozoic and Cenozoic cover rocks to the east but nevertheless outcrops through the Iberian Chain and the Catalan Coastal Ranges.
The Iberian Massif consists of rocks from the Paleozoic Era. It was assembled about 310 Ma. Several zones occur in the Iberian Massif. These were the pieces that were assembled to form the block. On the north coast of Spain occurs the Cantabrian zone. Then to the west and also in the Iberian Chain and Catalan Coastal Ranges is the West Asturian-Leonese zone. Then the Central Iberian zone appears near A Coruña, through the north of Portugal, and through the middle of Spain, including the Montes de Toledo. The Ossa-Morena zone outcrops out to the east of Lisbon. This includes some Precambrian rocks. The furthest south part is the South-Portuguese zone.
The Variscan Orogeny occurred as the European Hunic Terrane (split off from Gondwana) and Laurentia-Baltica continents collided. In Iberia this occurred in the pre-Stephanian Carboniferous (354–305 Ma). The external part of the orogeny was the Cantabrian zone. This was deformed in the upper crustal layers. The West Asturian Leonese zone and Central Iberian zone are the external parts of the orogeny and are more deeply deformed and metamorphosed, and intruded. These three zones are part of one terrane. The Ossa-Morena zone and South Portuguese zone are two different terranes that have become attached. In the Mesozoic this was mostly covered with other sediments, which have since eroded.
The Cantabrian zone consists of Carboniferous and older Paleozoic unmetamorphosed rocks.
It is bounded on the west and south-west sides by a concave arc of Precambrian rocks called the Narcea window, and the Villabandin window in the Narcea antiform.
The Herreria Formation from the Lower Cambrian consists of shale and feldspathic sandstone alternating, with some conglomerate. These have a thickness of 1 to 1.5 km.
The Lancara Formation consists of a couple of hundred metres of limestone and dolostone. The lower part was formed in peritidal zones in the Lower Cambrian, and the upper member from the Middle Cambrian contains fossils and is red or green glauconictic and nodular limestone.
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