EARLY PALEOZOIC GRANITOIDS OF THE AQTAU-DZUNGAR MICROCONTINENT (CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN)

Abstract

The Early Paleozoic is the most interesting and, probably, the least decipherable stage in the evolution of Paleozoides in Kazakhstan. Many Early Paleozoic lithostructural zones of this region are characterized by the wide development of diverse granitoid and other igneous rocks that formed in various geodynamic settings. However, Early Paleozoic magmatic complexes are still conditionally recognized (or attributed to older formations) for the Aqtau–Dzungar microcontinent located in the central part of the Paleozoides in Kazakhstan. Consequently, correlation of geological events in various lithostructural zones is hampered and interpretation of the Early Paleozoic evolution of the Aqtau–Dzungar microcontinent is ambiguous.