Geology of the Camaguey Region, Central Cuba - Evolution of a Collisional Margin in the Northern Caribbean

摘要

Mapping and prospecting activities of the Joint Cuban-German Geological expedition (1981-1990) in the central part of the Province of Camaguey yielded a background knowledge of the geological structure and development of this region outlined here. Outstanding rock units are the ophiolite of Camaguey and the volcanic island arc, prospected for chromitites and disseminated porphyry ores. The ophiolite lies allochthonously above the Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks belonging to the passive continental margin of the North American plate. Reaches of the Cretaceous volcanic arc with a remarkable predominance of potassium were overthrust to the north over the ophiolite. The detritus of the pre-Upper Paleocene rocks are located in synorogenic deformed foreland and piggy-back basins, covered by postorogenic basins filled with sediments from the late Upper Eocene to the Present.