DISCUSSION OF PETROGRAPHY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF
GRANITOID PEBBLES FROM THE OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE
DEPOSITS OF THE INTERNAL RIFIAN CHAIN (MOROCCO): A
POSSIBLE NEW HYPOTHESIS OF PROVENANCE AND
PALEOGEOGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS BY L.G. GIGLIUTO,
A. OUAZANI-TOUHAMI, D. PUGLISI, G. PUGLISI & M.N. ZAGHLOUL
GIUSEPPE CARERI
1
, FRANCESCO GUERRERA
2
, AGUSTIN MARTIN-ALGARRA
3
,
MANUEL MARTIN-MARTIN
4
*, ANTONIA MESSINA
1
and VINCENZO PERRONE
2
1
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; antoniamessina@tiscali.it
2
Istituto di Geologia, University of Urbino, Campus Scientifico Località Crocicchia, 61029 Urbino, Italy; f.guerrera@uniurb.it;
perrone@uniurb.it.
3
Departamento de Estratifrafia y Paleontologia, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, 18071 Granada, Spain;
agustin@ugr.es
4
Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente A.P. 99, 03080 Alicante,
Spain; Manuel.Martin@ua.es
*Corresponding Author: Tel: 0034-965.903400. ext 3337; Fax: 0034-0034965.903552; E-mail: Manuel.Martin@ua.es
Discussion of the paper by L.G. G
IGLIUTO
et al. published in: Geologica Carpathica 55, 3, 261272 (2004)
The Betic-Rif Chain represents the westernmost segment of
the Mediterranean Alpine orogenic system, formed, in the
Late Cretaceous to the Middle Miocene time span, by the
closure of oceanic belts and the collision among Iberia and
Africa plates and a Mesomediterranean Microplate (Guerrera
et al. 1993; Michard et al. 2002). The chain consists of
Internal, External and Flysch Domains, with the latter
tectonically sandwiched between the two former in both
branches of the orogen. From bottom to top the Internal
Units are constituted by the Nevado-Filábride (only in the
Betics), the Alpujarride-Sebtide, the Malaguide-Ghomaride
and the Rondaide-Rifian Dorsale Complexes. In the
Flysch Complex, internal Mauretanian Units and external
Massylian-Numidian Units have been distinguished.
In the marine sedimentary successions of the Malaguide-
Ghomaride, Rondaide-Rifian Dorsale and Mauretanian
Units a marked increase in terrigenous supply occurs from the
Late Oligocene. This terrigenous acme was coeval with re-
gional metamorphism, tectogenesis in deep crustal levels of
the orogen and, finally, collision against the External Do-
mains. The Tertiary clastic Oligo-Miocene sediments of the
Internal Domain are arranged into two sedimentary cycles,
bounded by unconformities: the Oligo-Aquitanian Ciudad
DISCUSSION
Granada-Fnideq Group, transgressive only above the Malagu-
ide-Ghomaride Units, and the lower-middle Burdigalian
Viñuela-Sidi Abdeslam Group, transgressive above the
Malaguide-Ghomaride and highest Alpujarride-Sebtide Units.
At the same time, thick and continuous immature turbidite
successions were deposited in the Mauretanian Zone of the
Flysch Domain, as lateral equivalent of the Ciudad Granada-
Fnideq deposits.
These Oligo-Miocene clastic formations include magmatic
(granitic) and metamorphic (orthogneissic) pebbles, the source
of which represents an intriguing problem because similar gra-
nitic plutonites are lacking in the outcropping Betic-Rif Oro-
gen (Martín-Algarra et al. 2000 and references therein). Clasts
of granitoids in the Fnideq Fm. have been recognized for a
long time and interpreted as derived from Alpujarride-Sebtide
metamorphic complexes of the Internal Domain (Olivier et al.
1979). However, as pointed out by Martín-Algarra et al.
(2000), such a provenance is unlikely because, at that time
(Oligocene-Early Miocene), the lower units of the Internal
Domains were tectonically underlying the Malaguide-
Ghomaride Complex and being subjected to Alpine metamor-
phism, as shown by an increasing amount of radiometric data
on (see Zeck 2004, and references therein, for a recent revi-
GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 55, 4, BRATISLAVA, AUGUST 2004
341348
342 CARERI et al.
sion). In fact, after analysing 176 pebbles of both magmatic
and metamorphic rocks sampled in the Ciudad Granada-Fnid-
eq deposits all around the Gibraltar Arc, Martín-Algarra et al.
(2000) recognized magmatic and metamorphic lithotypes with
lithological and structural characters different to the Alpujar-
ride-Sebtide rocks and similar to those known for lithotypes of
some units of the Calabria-Peloritani Arc. Consequently, they
regarded as the source area of the pebbles a lost realm similar
to the Calabria-Peloritani Arc, successively destroyed by ero-
sion or buried under the Alboran Sea. Such realm was contig-
uous to the Ghomaride-Malaguide Sub-domain and was also
characterized by Paleozoic basements and Meso-Cenozoic
covers similar, but not necessarily identical, to those of the
Malaguide-Ghomaride Complex, as testified by the presence
of sedimentary and epimetamorphic pebbles reflecting the
typical lithologies of the Ghomaride-Malaguide successions.
However, after studying the petrographic and geochemical
features of seven pebbles of granitoids sampled from upper
Oligocene to lower Miocene conglomerates of the Fnideq Fm.
(three pebbles) and of the lower portion of the Beni Ider Fly-
sch, which represents the uppermost formation of the Mauret-
anian Beni Ider Unit (four samples), Gigliuto et al. (2004) be-
lieve that their new data open again the discussion concerning
the source areas of the granitoid clasts found in the Tertiary
deposits of the Ghomaride and Maghrebian Flysch Basin Do-
mains. Two new alternatives are proposed:
if these clasts come from a lost realm, this realm should
be similar to the Iberian Massif rather than the whole Calabria-
Peloritani Arc and Kabylias;
the pebbles of granitoids come directly from the Iberian
Massif, whereas the sedimentary clasts associated in the same
conglomerate levels probably come from the Prebetic covers.
The Iberian Massif and the Prebetic Zone should provide clas-
tic supply to satellite basins located on the Ghomaride Units
(Fnideq Fm.) and also to the Beni Ider Flysch Basin, located
south of the Ghomaride Sub-domain in the paleogeographical
scheme of these authors. Consequently, the paleogeographical
scenario should be completely different from those up to now
proposed for the Betic-Rif Chain.
We must emphasize that the recognition and characteriza-
tion of conglomerate levels with granitoid and sedimentary
pebbles in the Beni Ider Flysch Fm. represents a very impor-
tant recent datum (Puglisi et al. 2001; Zaghloul 2002; Zaghlo-
ul et al. 2002), but we completely disagree with the interpreta-
tions of Gigliuto et al. (2004) as regards the interpretation of
their geochemical data, the origin of the clastics supplied to
the Fnideq and Beni Ider Basins, the new paleogeographical
scenario and the consequent evolution of the Betic-Rif Chain.
Firstly, it is very difficult to accept a tectonic scheme of the
western Mediterranean (Figure 1 of Gigliuto et al. 2004) in
which: 1) the whole Alps are indicated as made of Units of
the Spanish-European paleomargin deformed during the Al-
pine Orogeny; 2) the Prebetic, Subbetic and Campo de
Gibraltar Flysch Units are indicated as African Units de-
formed during the Apenninic-Maghrebian Orogeny; 3) the
front of the Helvetic-Dauphinois Units of the Alps and the
northern front of the Pyrenees are considered as Pennidic
front; and 4) the front of the Betic Cordilleras is reported as
front of the Apenninic-Maghrebian Chain. Similarly, tak-
ing into account the tectonic and paleogeographical implica-
tions shown in this paper, it seems excessively simplistic to
consider, without discussion, the Internal Domains of the Bet-
ic-Rif Chain as the southern margin of the European plate, so
fully neglecting most recent and ancient literature which re-
gards them as an independent block (Andrieux et al. 1970;
Wildi 1983; Bouillin et al. 1986; Doglioni 1992; Dercourt et
al. 1993; Guerrera et al. 1993; Puga et al. 1995; Sanz de
Galdeano 1997; Michard et al. 2002; among many others).
As regards petrographic data, the plutonic pebbles analysed
by Gigliuto et al. (2004) can be ascribed to the two-mica,
cordierite-bearing monzogranite up to leuco-monzogranite
clans, and show a massive fabric, an inequigranular struc-
ture, mainly medium- (0.25-0.5 mm) to fine-grained and a hy-
pidiomorphic to subhypidiomorphic texture. Furthermore,
the authors recognize in these samples very sporadic traces
of a probably green-schist metamorphic overprint have been
recognized. An association of albite + white mica + epidote +
chlorite, that is not pervasive and does not obliterate the orig-
inal magmatic texture, is evidence of this. Even if their num-
ber is very scanty for a reliable comparison, these features are
petrographically and structurally similar to those of acidic per-
aluminous types (two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate monzogran-
ites and leucomonzogranites) which are common in the Cala-
bria-Peloritani Arc (Sila and Stilo Batholiths and Aspromonte
Unit plutonic stocks) constituting minor plutonic bodies and
felsic dykes, representing the latest intrusions (Messina et al.
1991a,b, 1993, 1994, 1996; Ayuso et al. 1994). Likewise, the
studied pebbles of Gigliuto et al. (2004) are structurally and
compositionally similar to two of the four plutonic clusters
recognized by Martín-Algarra et al. (2000) in the pebbles of
the Fnideq Fm. The strong similarities between Rifian pluton-
ic pebbles and Calabrian plutonites are shown by modal data
(Tables I and II) and Q-A-P diagram (I.U.G.S. 1973; Figs. 1
and 2), demonstrating that the studied samples are similar to
the most acidic peraluminous members of the Calabria-Pelori-
tani Arc magmatic suites and to the most acidic samples rec-
ognized by Martín-Algarra et al. (2000) in the Fnideq Fm.
Fig. 1. Modal Q-A-P diagrams (I.U.G.S. 1973) of the Rifian Chain
peraluminous plutonic pebbles (after Gigliuto et al. 2004; Table I)
and of the Calabria-Peloritani Arc late-Hercynian peraluminous plu-
tonites (after Messina et al. 1993 and new data of Table II).
GRANITOID PEBBLES OF THE RIFIAN CHAIN (MOROCCO) DISCUSSION 343
As regards geochemical data (Table III), the seven less
weathered plutonic pebbles of Gigliuto et al. (2004) indicate
major element oxides typical of felsic (SiO
2
= 71.4977.93 %;
MgO = 0.130.63 % and FeO
tot
= 0.422.17 %) peraluminous
(Al
2
O
3
= 12.0614.68 %; A/CNK = 1.01.3), and calc-alka-
line (CaO = 0.381.09 %; K
2
O+Na
2
O = 7.379.18 %; TiO
2
=
0.050.28 %) intrusives. The highly evolved magmatic char-
acter of these acidic plutonic pebbles is confirmed by trace el-
ement data, which indicate low Sr (34130 ppm) and Ba
(122296 ppm) contents and high Rb (125318 ppm) values,
in addition to an enrichment of light rare earth elements (REE)
and a depletion of heavy REEs with a negative Eu anomaly.
This latter is emphasized in their BM
12
leucomonzogranite
sample. According to these authors, the Sr, Rb and Ba values
are very different from those known for late-Hercynian grani-
toids of the Calabria-Peloritani Arc and Kabylias, Pan-African
plutonites of Algeria and Hercynian and pre-Hercynian pluto-
nites of both the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas, and show strong
geochemical affinities only with the Hercynian granitoids of
the Iberian Massif (115 analyses from central Spain and from
northern and central Portugal) (see also Fig. 8 of Gigliuto et
al. 2004). But in our opinion, this discrepancy results only be-
cause the authors compare chemical data of many Hercynian
and pre-Hercynian plutonites which are heterogeneous in size,
texture and composition, and because they consider all the
available data for intrusives of the Calabria-Peloritani Arc,
whose composition ranges from granodioritic up to melatonal-
itic, whereas geological, petrographic and modal data indicate
Table I: Modal data of Beni Ider Flysch and Fnideq Fm. two mica±cordierite-bearing plutonic pebbles*.
Fig. 2. Modal Q-A-P diagrams (I.U.G.S. 1973) of the Sila Batholith
plutonic suite (after Messina et al. 1993, 1994 and new data of Table
II) and compared Rifian Chain peraluminous plutonic pebbles (after
Gigliuto et al. 2004, continuous line; after Martín-Algarra et al.
2000, dashed line). Legend: squares, asterisks and open circles
Sila Batholith pyroxene±amphibole±biotite-bearing gabbros to gra-
nodiorites; dots Sila Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-
bearing granodiorites to leucomonzogranites; A, B and C Sila
Batholith calc-alkaline different K-content trends (after Messina et
al. 1991a, C also corresponds to the granodioritic medium-K trend
of Lamayre & Bowden 1982); S and I S- and I-type granitic fields
of Chappell & White (1982).
Table II: Modal data of representative late-Hercynian Sila Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing plutonites*.
Monzogranite
Leucomonzogranite
Sample
#
PA95
+
DT17 DT44 FS23 DT25 FS28 FS42 PA122 FS25 PA20 PA189 DT54 PA214
+
PA108
+
PA110 PA187 PA5
+
Quartz
29.3
36.2
37.4
34.0
35.3
33.0
30.0
41.9
44.5
37.8
35.7
32.7
32.4
35.5
41.0
45.0
42.9
Plagioclase
31.6
31.4
30.1
29.9
28.5
27.9
25.4
24.8
19.3
35.3
30.9
29.6
29.5
27.5
26.3
24.4
21.5
K-feldspar
29.8
24.3
21.6
21.9
27.1
23.9
30.1
28.6
27.5
24.8
29.3
27.8
27.5
27.5
24.5
26.7
30.4
Biotite
5.2
3.8
3.3
5.6
4.3
3.9
5.3
4.5
4.6
1.8
2.0
0.6
2.7
2.8
1.8
1.4
2.0
Muscovite
3.7
4.2
7.3
8.3
4.7
11.1
9.1
0.2
3.7
0.3
2.1
9.3
7.2
4.9
6.2
1.8
2.4
Cordierite
tr
-
0.3
0.3
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tr
0.5
1.6
-
tr
0.5
Andalusite
tr
tr
tr
-
tr
0.2
-
tr
0.2
-
-
tr
tr
tr
-
-
0.3
Sillimanite
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
tr
-
Accessories°
0.4
0.1
tr
tr
0.1
tr
0.1
tr
0.2
tr
tr
tr
tr
0.2
tr
tr
tr
Opaques°°
tr
-
tr
-
tr
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.2
tr
0.2
-
-
Tot.
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
100.0
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
* After Messina et al. (1993);
#
PA Patire, DT Difesella del Trionto, and FS Fossiata plutonites;
+
New data; ° Apatite+Zircon±Monazi-
te±Tourmaline; °° Magnetite
Monzogranite
Leucomonzogranite
Sample
AC
8
CR
1
AC
22
CR
8
CR
10
VU
4
BM
12
Quartz
29.7
32.3
28.5
31.9
34.3
35.4
41.1
Plagioclase
33.6
31.1
29.8
24.1
28.1
23.7
17.4
K-feldspar
23.2
26.2
27.0
27.3
24.9
28.3
29.9
Biotite
7.5
4.9
9.7
10.4
3.8
3.5
1.9
Musovite
4.1
3.7
3.1
4.3
7.7
6.6
8.1
Cordierite
0.8
0.5
0.7
0.5
-
-
-
Accessories
0.4
0.2
-
0.3
-
0.8
0.7
Opaques
0.7
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.7
0.9
Tot.
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
*After Gigliuto et al. (2004)
344 CARERI et al.
that their seven pebbles are monzogranites and leucomonzog-
ranites. A meaningful geochemical comparison, therefore,
must be performed only with sub-alkaline, peraluminous
(cordierite-bearing) monzogranite and leucomonzogranite plu-
tonites recognized in the Calabria-Peloritani Arc.
When the chemical comparison is made on this new basis,
the major element variations of the pebbles of Gigliuto et al.
(2004; Table 3) constantly plot overlapped to the composi-
tional field of the Sila monzogranite and leucomonzogranite
peraluminous plutonites (Figs. 3 and 4). In the Na
2
O vs. K
2
O
(Fig. 3) and FeO vs. CaO (Fig. 4) diagrams, the studied peb-
bles plot in the I-type field, like the Sila intrusives, marking a
different character from that indicated by Gigliuto et al.
(2004). Similarly, variations of Ba, Rb and Sr contents (Figs. 5
and 6) also confirm the close chemical affinity between Rifian
pebbles and peraluminous Calabrian plutonites and, actually,
the pebbles exhibit high Rb and low Sr and Ba contents on the
average (Figs. 5 and 6). The BM
12
sample of Gigliuto et al.
(2004) shows lower Ba and Rb values than the other six plu-
tonic pebbles and the Sila Batholith peraluminous types, indi-
cating for this sample a late-stage fluid-rock interaction related
to hydrothermal alteration processes.
The close chemical affinity between Rifian pebbles and Cala-
brian plutonites is also confirmed by the REE data (Tables III,
IVa and IVb). Chondrite-normalized REE plots of Rifian peb-
bles and Calabrian plutonites (Messina et al. 1991b; Ayuso et
al. 1994) show the similar range and step of patterns (cf. Fig. 7
of this paper and Fig. 6 of Gigliuto et al. 2004). They are char-
acterized by a progressive light REE enrichment and varying
degrees of heavy REE depletion in addition to an increase in
the negative Eu anomaly going towards more felsic rocks.
Leucomonzogranites show a large Eu depletion evident both
in the pebble sample BM
12
and in the felsic types of the Sila
Batholith.
As regards the sedimentological characters of the conglom-
erate intervals from which the analysed samples were collect-
ed, we agree with Gigliuto et al. (2004) who consider these
conglomerates as indicative of debris flows and/or highly
concentrated turbidity current processes, so implicitly ad-
mitting a short transport from the source areas. However, the
authors neither take into account nor discuss the essential pa-
rameter represented by the high distance (a thousand of kilo-
meters) occurring between the considered source areas (Cen-
tral-Northern Iberian Meseta, Prebetic) and the depositional
ones (Fnideq and Beni Ider Basins). In fact, this distance is not
compatible either with the big dimensions of the granitoid
pebbles (up to 30 cm sized) or with mass-flow transport pro-
cesses and the presence of olistoliths. Moreover, the authors
should explain how big plutonic clasts derived from the Cen-
tral-Northern Iberian Meseta and calcareous clasts derived
Table III: Chemical data of Beni Ider Flysch and Fnideq Fm. two mica±cordierite-bearing plutonic pebbles*.
Monzogranite
Leucomonzogranite
Sample
CR
8
CR
1
AC
22
AC
8
CR
10
VU
4
BM
12
SiO
2
(wt. %)
72.23
72.66
73.44
74.11
71.49
72.72
77.93
TiO
2
0.26
0.20
0.30
0.13
0.28
0.16
0.05
Al
2
O
3
14.68
14.29
13.67
14.22
14.48
14.21
12.06
Fe
2
O
3
1.93
1.58
2.17
0.69
1.93
1.70
0.42
MnO
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.01
MgO
0.63
0.41
0.56
0.19
0.61
0.52
0.13
CaO
1.09
0.73
0.73
0.56
1.04
0.87
0.38
Na
2
O
3.13
2.83
2.98
3.29
2.99
2.79
3.49
K
2
O
4.58
5.29
4.76
5.69
4.82
5.02
4.88
P
2
O
5
0.17
0.15
0.18
0.23
0.17
0.20
0.02
LOI
1.36
1.26
1.15
0.82
1.26
1.77
0.65
Tot.
100.08
99.42
99.97
99.94
99.09
99.98
100.02
Sc (ppm)
4
3
5
2
4
2
3
Ga
19
21
20
16
19
20
19
Rb
257
310
289
300
267
318
125
Sr
101
130
52
88
102
128
34
Y
11
16
20
5
11
12
48
Zr
118
126
106
57
115
103
74
Nb
12
15
14
15
12
12
14
Sn
9
18
9
12
8
17
3
Cs
22.3
0
32.3
0
30.7
0
11.9
0
21.4
0
36.9
0
0.9
0
Ba
249
296
170
253
279
256
122
La
21.2
0
27.9
0
22.8
0
9.4
0
22.4
0
19.1
0
14.0
0
Ce
44.3
0
54.9
0
47.8
0
19.5
0
49.3
0
37.7
0
44.9
0
Nd
19.8
0
23.3
0
21.4
0
8.1
0
21.5
0
15.9
0
14.4
0
Eu
0.54
0.58
0.46
0.49
0.57
0.50
0.13
Tb
0.4
0
0.6
0
0.7
0
0.3
0
0.5
0
0.4
0
1.1
0
Yb
1.0
0
1.7
0
2.0
0
0.5
0
1.0
0
1.0
0
4.7
0
Lu
0.15
0.23
0.27
0.07
0.15
0.14
0.68
Hf
3.3
0
3.6
0
3.0
0
2.0
0
3.3
0
2.9
0
3.7
0
Ta
1.9
0
3.0
0
1.9
0
3.9
0
1.9
0
2.7
0
3.8
0
Th
12.0
0
12.8
0
11.4
0
4.9
0
12.5
0
9.8
0
19.0
0
U
2.2
0
3.8
0
2.3
0
1.8
0
2.2
0
3.1
0
2.2
0
* After Gigliuto et al. (2004)
GRANITOID PEBBLES OF THE RIFIAN CHAIN (MOROCCO) DISCUSSION 345
from the Prebetic (that is, from the proximal Southern Iberian
Paleomargin) would reach paleographical domains as internal
as the Mauritanian sector of the Flysch Basin and as the
Ghomarides, without leaving any important siliciclastic nor cal-
ciclastic contribution derived from these zones in the Subbetic
domain, which represents the distal part of the Southern Iberian
Fig. 3. Na
2
O vs. K
2
O diagram for the Sila Batholith available data
(after Messina et al. 1991b, 1993; Ayuso et al. 1994 and new data.
Representative analyses Tables IVa and IVb) and pebbles of Gigliu-
to et al. (2004; Table 3). Legend: squares and triangles Sila
Batholith biotite±amphibole-bearing diorite to granodiorite pluto-
nites; dots Sila Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bear-
ing granodiorite to leucomonzogranite plutonites; stars monzog-
ranite to leucomonzogranite pebbles of Gigliuto et al. (2004); S and
I S- and I-type granitic fields of Chappell & White (1982).
Fig. 4. FeO
tot
vs. CaO diagram for the Sila Batholith available data
(after Messina et al. 1991b, 1993; Ayuso et al. 1994 and new data.
Representative analyses in Tables IVa and IVb) and pebbles of Gig-
liuto et al. (2004; Table 3). Legend: squares and triangles Sila
Batholith biotite±amphibole-bearing diorite to granodiorite pluto-
nites; dots Sila Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bear-
ing granodiorite to leucomonzogranite pluronites; stars monzog-
ranite to leucomonzogranite pebbles of Gigliuto et al. (2004); S and
I S- and I-type granitic fields of Chappell & White (1982).
Fig. 5. Rb vs. Ba diagram for the Sila Batholith available data (af-
ter Messina et al. 1991b, 1993; Ayuso et al. 1994 and new data.
Representative analyses in Tables IVa and IVb) and pebbles of
Gigliuto et al. (2004; Table 3). Legend: open circles Sila
Batholith gabbros to leucomonzogranites plutonic suite; stars
monzogranite to leucomonzogranite pebbles of Gigliuto et al.
(2004). Dashed line defines the limit of high Ba values for the Sila
Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing granodiorites to
leucomonzogranites.
Fig. 6. Rb vs. Sr diagram for the Sila Batholith available data (af-
ter Messina et al. 1991b, 1993; Ayuso et al. 1994 and new data.
Representative analyses in Tables IVa and IVb) and pebbles of
Gigliuto et al. (2004; Table 3). Legend: open circles Sila
Batholith gabbros to leucomonzogranites plutonic suite; stars
monzogranite to leucomonzogranite pebbles of Gigliuto et al.
(2004). Dashed line defines the limit of high Sr values for the Sila
Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing granodiorites to
leucomonzogranites.
paleomargin and where such provenances have never been re-
ported. The lithological characters of the sedimentary clasts of
the Beni Ider and Fnideq deposits, on the contrary, are fully
similar to those of the Ghomaride-Malaguide basement and
cover. In fact, rocks typical or exclusive of these latter units, as
Lower Paleozoic slates, Paleozoic limestones, radiolarites and
346 CARERI et al.
sandstones, Mesozoic and nummulite limestones, Verrucano-
like red-quartzose sandstones, are abundant.
Finally, taking into account available regional geological
data we believe that the paleogeographical scenario suggested
by Gigliuto et al. (2004) is unacceptable because these authors
do not consider:
data from Martín-Algarra et al. (2000), concerning 176
magmatic and metamorphic clasts for the only Fnideq Fm.,
which indicate that the granitoids affected by extensive or par-
Table IVa: Chemical data of representative late-Hercynian Sila Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing plutonites*.
Monzogranite
Leucomonzogranite
Sample
#
FS42
FS23
FS25
DT25
FS28 PA95
+
DT17 DT44 PA122 PA108
+
PA214
+
DT54 PA20 PA187 PA189 PA110 PA5
+
SiO
2
(wt.%) 71.86
72.80
73.23
73.40
73.85
74.05
74.12
74.28
75.27
74.15
74.35
74.63
75.51
75.87
76.56
78.08
78.66
TiO
2
0.25
0.20
0.25
0.19
0.17
0.21
0.19
0.11
0.20
0.17
0.09
0.04
0.10
0.11
0.07
0.05
0.06
Al
2
O
3
14.68
14.63
13.72
13.61
14.02
14.09
13.65
13.49
12.50
14.23
13.29
13.53
12.19
13.09
12.64
11.89
11.87
Fe
2
O
3
1.40
0.98
0.80
0.50
1.01
0.69
1.12
1.04
0.77
0.55
0.57
0.87
0.89
1.21
0.73
0.74
0.48
FeO
0.40
0.85
1.20
1.20
0.70
1.30
0.60
0.45
1.20
1.20
0.75
0.30
0.45
0.35
0.45
0.30
0.55
MnO
0.01
0.03
0.03
0.04
0.03
0.06
0.03
0.05
0.04
0.05
0.04
0.07
0.03
0.04
0.06
0.03
0.02
MgO
0.37
0.31
0.36
0.55
0.31
0.75
0.52
0.22
0.79
0.66
0.35
0.18
0.35
0.39
0.24
0.22
0.30
CaO
0.37
0.47
0.86
0.61
0.38
0.85
0.42
0.65
0.94
0.77
0.47
0.28
0.40
0.23
0.43
0.51
0.30
Na
2
O
2.77
2.85
2.87
3.16
2.95
2.87
3.25
3.14
2.79
2.84
3.06
3.69
3.02
3.10
3.40
3.07
2.84
K
2
O
5.60
4.96
4.92
5.11
5.07
4.73
4.83
4.67
4.74
5.30
4.87
4.49
4.97
4.80
4.75
4.06
5.10
P
2
O
5
0.29
0.20
0.15
0.11
0.21
0.10
0.19
0.12
0.05
0.10
0.12
0.09
0.05
0.05
0.04
0.13
0.04
LOI
1.23
1.23
1.07
0.95
1.04
0.85
1.09
0.94
0.60
0.89
0.99
1.02
0.95
0.81
0.63
0.71
0.65
Tot.
99.23
99.51
99.46
99.43
99.74 100.85 100.01
99.16
99.89 101.18
98.95
99.20
98.91 100.05
100.0
99.79 100.87
Cu (ppm)
2
3
2
-
4
-
5
32
-
1
-
26
1
-
-
-
-
Zn
49
41
43
39
35
47
27
16
27
28
17
20
36
16
16
16
38
As
3
7
4
1
1
1
2
3
3
2
4
2
10
1
-
3
-
Rb
326
312
251
262
325
230
292
212
155
260
238
214
199
216
236
196
186
Sr
66
44
75
51
35
118
37
47
78
120
55
17
26
31
26
26
27
Y
49
18
22
26
18
26
17
16
41
22
17
15
41
32
44
11
33
Nb
19
19
15
13
18
9
16
10
8
9
10
9
9
10
9
7
7
Sn
9
8
7
5
9
5
7
13
-
-
3
11
1
-
3
-
2
Sb
-
-
-
4
1
-
1
3
-
2
1
2
6
1
1
4
-
Ba
243
224
337
281
178
317
223
121
350
244
130
28
110
211
78
63
167
La
21
18
62
-
14
-
24
22
31
-
8
9
37
7
19
22
-
Ce
69
53
79
36
52
56
65
-
83
52
33
35
49
45
57
36
75
Nd
25
18
28
25
16
38
15
-
64
22
20
5
32
28
36
28
30
Pb
23
22
24
23
21
21
22
21
24
21
18
18
27
19
25
16
23
* After Messina et al. (1993);
#
PA Patire, DT Difesella del Trionto and FS Fossiata plutonites;
+
New data
Table IVb: Chemical data of representative late-Hercynian Sila
Batholith two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing plutonites.
Leucomonzogranite
Sample
BD75* BD 356** BD 138**
BD77*
BD78*
SiO
2
(wt. %)
71.90
71.90
73.20
74.20
78.40
TiO
2
0.20
0.20
0.05
0.08
0.07
Al
2
O
3
14.30
14.30
14.70
13.40
13.90
Fe
2
O
3
0.06
0.06
0.36
0.09
0.10
FeO
1.46
0.46
1.58
0.86
0.58
MnO
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.04
MgO
0.50
0.50
0.15
0.33
0.10
CaO
0.88
0.88
0.50
0.42
0.44
Na
2
O
3.42
3.42
3.68
3.94
3.58
K
2
O
4.79
4.79
4.92
4.80
4.70
P
2
O
5
0.20
0.20
0.27
0.11
0.05
L.O.I.
1.09
1.09
1.16
0.87
0.77
Total
98.83
96.74
100.60
99.13
102.73
Sc (ppm)
3.7
0
3.7
0
2.3
0
3.5
0
1.2
0
Cr
2.9
0
2.9
0
< 2
2.1
0
2.7
0
Co
1.8
0
1.8
0
0.6
0
0.61
0.19
Ni
5
3
5
8
5
Cu
7
7
6
6
7
Zn
80
80
23
23
20
As
0.5
0
0.3
0
0.3
0
0.8
0
0.7
0
Rb
269
269
255
284
320
Sr
90
90
31
28
16
Y
23
23
15
26
29
Zr
113
-
-
62
50
Nb
15
15
13
13
8
Mo
2
1
0.4
0
2
3
Sb
0.05
0.03
0.17
0.04
0.06
Cs
3.7
0
-
-
5.9
0
3.9
0
Ba
349
339
129
161
57
La
24
23.9
0
5.35
13.2
0
5.9
0
Ce
47
47
10.50
30
16
Nd
23
23.4
0
4.70
14.2
0
8.1
0
Sm
5.2
0
5.17
1.48
4.4
0
3.5
0
Eu
0.51
0.51
0.22
0.2
0
0.06
Gd
5.6
0
5.60
2
4.1
0
5.2
0
Tb
0.64
0.64
0.25
0.74
0.67
Yb
1.5
0
1.55
0.76
2.8
0
3
Lu
0.20
0.20
0.10
0.41
0.43
Hf
3.2
0
3.22
1.65
2.2
0
2.5
0
Ta
1.8
0
1.83
2.99
2.2
0
1.5
0
Th
12
12.80
2.68
9.4
0
7.4
0
U
3.5
0
3.51
1.40
5.6
0
8.4
0
* After Messina et al. (1991b); ** After Ayuso et al. (1994)
Fig. 7. Chondrite normalized REE patterns for the Sila Batholith
two mica±cordierite±Al-silicate-bearing monzogranite and leu-
comonzogranite bodies and dykes after Messina et al. (1991b) and
Ayuso et al. (1994), also including compared samples of Table
IVb. Normalizing data based on the CI-chondrites after Anders &
Ebihara (1982).
GRANITOID PEBBLES OF THE RIFIAN CHAIN (MOROCCO) DISCUSSION 347
tial Alpine overprint amount to 30.7% of the clasts. These
clasts cannot obviously come from the Iberian Meseta and this
datum is fully neglected, even if very sporadic traces of a
probably green-schist metamorphic overprint have also been
recognized in the samples studied by Gigliuto et al. (2004);
the Iberian Massif during the Late Oligocene and the
Early Miocene was the foreland of an incipient foreland basin.
It represented a passive margin without an important relief or
important erosion;
as regards the conglomerate levels of the Beni Ider Fly-
sch, if located in the southernmost position as supposed by the
authors, the Ghomaride and Dorsal Zones should have con-
stituted a further great obstacle to the supply for the basin.
In conclusion, we reject the results of the paper of Gigliuto
et al. (2004) because the pointed out geochemical differences
between the studied samples and the granitoids outcropping in
the Calabria-Peloritani ArcKabylias do not exist, if the grani-
toid pebbles are compared only with the peraluminous cordi-
erite-bearing monzogranites and leucomonzogranites of the
Calabria-Peloritani Arc. Furthermore, the hypothesized supply
of the pebbles, recognized in the Fnideq and Beni Ider Fms.,
from the Iberian Meseta and the Prebetic Zone cannot be taken
into consideration because it clashes with insurmountable dif-
ficulties. These are represented by the sedimentological fea-
tures of the conglomerate levels, by the lithological characters
of the metamorphic and sedimentary clasts occurring in the
same conglomerate levels and by a lot of regional data con-
cerning the paleogeography and the tectono-sedimentary evo-
lution of the domains involved in the building of the Betic-Rif
Chain during the Late OligoceneAquitanian. On the con-
trary, as regards the source areas of the pebbles occurring in
the Fnideq Fm. we confirm the conclusions of Martín-Algarra
et al. (2000). In this paper all data agree with a continental
crust realm similar to the whole Calabria-Peloritani Arc
Kabylias with a Meso-Cenozoic cover in which the same suc-
cessions of the Ghomaride-Malaguide Units occurred. This
realm can also be suggested for the conglomerate levels of the
Beni Ider Flysch Fm., taking into account that the Beni Ider
Fm. pebbles are lithologically similar to those recognized in
the Fnideq Fm. and the debris flows-related features of these
conglomerates indicative of a short transport.
References
Anders E. & Ebihara M. 1982: Solar-system abundances of the ele-
ments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 46, 23632380.
Andrieux J., Fontbote J.M. & Mattauer M. 1970: Sur un modèle
explicatif de lArc de Gibraltar. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12,
191198.
Ayuso R.A., Messina A., De Vivo B., Russo S., Sutter J., Woodruff
L. & Belkin H.E. 1994: Geochemistry and argon thermochro-
nology of the Variscan Sila Batholith, Southern Italy: source
rocks and magma evolution. Contr. Mineral. Petrology 117,
87109.
Bouillin J.P., Durand-Delga M. & Olivier Ph. 1986: Betic-Rifian
and Thyrrenian Arcs: distinctive features, genesis and develop-
ment stages. In: Wezel F.C. (Ed.): The origin of arcs. Elsevier,
Amsterdam, 281385.
Chappel B.W. & White A.J.R. 1982: I- and S-type granites in the
Lachlan Fold Belt, Southern Australia. Proceedings of the In-
ternational Symposium, Held at Nanjing University, Nanjing,
China October 2630, 1982.
Dercourt J., Ricou L.E. & Vrielynck B. (Eds.) 1993: Atlas Tethys
Palaeoenvironmental Maps. Gauthier-Villars Ed., Paris, 1307.
Doglioni C. 1992: Main differences between thrust belts. Terra
Nova 4, 152164.
Gigliuto L.G., Ouazani-Touhami A., Puglisi D., Puglisi G. &
Zaghloul M.N. 2004: Petrography and geochemistry of grani-
toid pebbles from the Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Inter-
nal Rifian Chain (Morocco): a possible new hypothesis of
provenance and paleogeographical implications. Geol. Car-
pathica 55, 3, 261272.
Guerrera F., Martín-Algarra A. & Perrone V. 1993: Late Oligocene-
Miocene syn- late-orogenic successions in Western and Central
Mediterranean Chains from the Betic Cordillera to the Southern
Apennines. Terra Nova 5, 525544.
I.U.G.S. 1973: Classification and nomenclature of plutonic rocks.
Recommendations. Neu. Jb. Miner. 4, 149169.
Lameyre J. & Bowden P. 1982: Plutonic rock type series: discrimi-
nation of various granitoid series and related rocks. J. Volc.
Geoth. Res. 14, 169186.
Martín-Algarra A., Messina A., Perrone V., Russo S., Maate A. &
Martín-Martín M. 2000: A lost realm in the Internal Domains
of the Betic-Rif Orogen (Spain and Morocco): evidence from
conglomerates and consequences for Alpine geodynamic evo-
lution. J. Geol. 108, 447467.
Messina A., Compagnoni R., De Vivo B., Perrone V., Russo S., Bar-
bieri M. & Scott B.A. 1991a: Geological and petrochemical
study of the Sila Massif plutonic rocks (Northern Calabria, Ita-
ly). Boll. Soc. Geol. It. 110, 165206.
Messina A. & Russo S. 1994: Lunità Della Sila. In: Messina A.,
Russo S., Borghi A., Colonna V., Compagnoni R., Caggianelli
A., Fornelli A. & Piccarreta G. (Eds.): Il Massiccio della Sila,
Settore Settentrionale dellArco Calabro-Peloritano. Guida
allescursione del Gruppo Basamenti cristallini e granitoidi
circum-mediterranei. Boll. Soc. Geol. It. 113, 539586.
Messina A., Russo S. & Lima A. 1993: Detailed exploration
geochemistry of specialized granites of the Sila Batholith (Cal-
abria, Italy) by fluid inclusion constraints on fluid source. Boll.
Soc. Geol. It. 112, 9991020.
Messina A., Russo S., Perrone V. & Giacobbe A. 1991b: Calc-alka-
line Late-Variscan two mica-cordierite-Al-silicate-bearing in-
trusions of the Sila Batholith (Northern Sector of the
Calabrian-Peloritani Arc). Boll. Soc. Geol. It. 110, 365389.
Messina A., Russo S. & Stagno F. 1996: The crystalline basements
of the Calabria-Peloritani Arc. IGCP n. 276 Newsletters, Messi-
na 6, 91144.
Michard A., Chalouan A., Feinberg H., Goffe B. & Montigny R.
2002: How does the Alpine belt end between Spain and Moroc-
co? Bull. Soc. Géol. France 173, 315.
Olivier Ph., Cantagrel J.M. & Kornprobst J. 1979: Problèmes posés
par la découverte de blocs de granite dans un conglomérat ter-
tiaire, couverture de lunité ghomaride d Akaïli (Rif interne,
Maroc). C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 288, 299302.
Pickering K.T., Hiscott R. & Hein F.J. 1989: Deep marine environ-
ments. Unwin Hyman, London, 1352.
Puga E., Diaz De Federico A. & Demant A. 1995: The eclogitized
pillows of the Betic Ophiolitic Association: relics of the Tethys
Ocean floor incorporated in the Alpine chain after subduction.
Terra Nova 7, 3143.
Puglisi D., Zaghloul M. N. & Maate A. 2001: Evidence of sedimen-
tary supply from plutonic sources in the Oligocene-Miocene
flysch of the Rifian Chain (Morocco): provenance and palaeo-
348 CARERI et al.
geographic implications. Boll. Soc. Geol. It. 120, 5568.
Sanz De Galdeano C. 1997: La Zona Interna Bético-Rifeña.
Monografica Tierra del Sur, Universidad de Granada, 1316.
Wildi W. 1983: La chaîne tello-rifaine (Algérie, Maroc, Tunisie):
structure, stratigraphie et évolution du Trias au Miocène. Rev.
Géol. Dyn. Géogr. Phys. 24, 201297.
Zaghloul M.N. 2002: La sédimentation silicoclastique Oligo-mio-
cène de type «Flysch» dans le Rif, Maroc («Bassin des Fly-
schs» et «Zones Internes»): évolution et corrélations a léchelle
de la chaîne Maghrébide. Thèse dEtat, Université Abdel Malek
Essaadi, Tétouan (Maroc), 1316.
Zaghloul M.N., Guerrera F., Loiacono F., Maiorano P. & Puglisi
D. 2002: Stratigraphy and petrography of the Beni Ider Flysch
in the Tétouan area (Rif Chain, Morocco). Boll. Soc. Geol. It.
121, 6985.
Zeck H.P. 2004: Rapid exhumation in the Alpine Belt of the Betic-
Rif (W-Mediterranean): Tectonic extrusion. Pure and Applied
Geophysics 161, 477487.