Geología Geology of the Morteritos region, easter sector of the Cordon del Plata, Frontal Cordillera (33°05'S), Mendoza Province, Argentina

FERNANDEZ, M.C.; PEREZ D. J; GIAMBIAGI L.B.; LOSSADA A.C

Antofagasta

Congreso; XIII Congreso Geológico Chileno; 2012

Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas de la Universidad Católica del Norte

The aim of the present contribution is to analyze the stratigraphy and structure of Paleozoic-Mesozoic metamorphic and volcanic rocks, and their relationship with Paleozoic sedimentary deposits, in the eastern sector of the Cordon del Plata. This sector comprises a major orogenic unit with more than 6.000 meters in topographic elevation, located on the eastern edge of the Frontal Cordillera, Mendoza Province, Argentina. The study region is located at 33º05'S and 69°20'W, in Morteritos creek region (see Figure 1a-b). This area is located in the southernmost part of the modern non-volcanic ?flat-slab? segment (Cahill e Isacks, 1992) betwen 28° and 33°S, under which the Nazca plate forms a broad sub-horizontal bench between 100 and 150 km (see Figure 1c). The first geological studies in the region correspond to Stappenbeck (1917), Groeber (1939), Polanski (1959) and Caminos (1965); and more recent studies by Casa (2005) and Heredia et al., (2012).