Los Andes Neuquinos

FOLGUERA, A; ROJAS VERA, E; SPAGNUOLO, M; ORTS, D; SAGRIPANTI, L; BOTTESI, G; RAMOS, V

Relatorio de la Provincia de Neuquén

Asociación Geológica Argentina

Año: 2011; p. 349 - 354

The Andes of Neuquén are the product of tectonic inversion of Late Triassic and Late Oligocene normal faults, plus new basement contractional structures without previous controls. The westernmost sector is characterized by folded and thrust Tertiary sequences in the Guañacos and Collón Cura fold and thrust belts that have formed in at least three contractional episodes, one achieved in Late Eocene times, a second during the Late Miocene and a last in the Quaternary. To the east the Neuquén basin is exhumed in the Agrio and Chos Malal fold and thrust belt. The late is considered as part of the Main Andes based on its contrasting higher relief. Late Cretaceous, Late Eocene and Late Miocene contractional stages have constructed these eastern mountains.