This book provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of one of the oldest and best-exposed Archaean cratons on this planet. There is currently a renewed interest in the early Earth, and the Kaapvaal craton has long served as a model for early crustal evolution. This unique multidisciplinary resource features information on geology, tectonics, geochemistry, and geochronology. It offers a wealth of new data on various aspects of the craton as well as contributions on the various crustal units by international specialists.

Provides cutting-edge information on the oldest part of the craton Is a multidisciplinary resource featuring information on geology, tectonics, geochemistry, and geochronology Presents a compilation of the latest information regarding mineral deposits in this region

Autorentext
Alfred Kröner is Professor emeritus at Mainz University, Germany, and visiting Professor at the Beijing SHRIMP Centre, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. He is a field geologist with interest in tectonics and geochronology and has mainly worked on aspects of crustal evolution in Africa, specifically the Kaapvaal craton of southern Africa. He has published more than 400 scientific papers and was editor or was on the editorial board of several international earth science journals. Axel Hofmann is Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg. He combines field-based studies of volcano-sedimentary successions with trace element and stable isotope geochemistry for the understanding of Archaean surface processes, early life and sediment-hosted mineral deposits. The Kaapvaal craton with its unique record of more than 3-billion-years old strata of low metamorphic grade is the focus of his research.

Inhalt
Eastern craton, Swaziland, southern Barberton granite-greenstone terrane.- Western craton, including Johannesburg Dome.- Northeastern craton up to Limpopo belt.- Archaean of KwaZulu-Natal Province.- Pongola Supergroup.- Witwatersrand Supergroup and gold deposits.- The Ventersdorp and Transvaal Supergroups.- Barberton Greenstone Belt.- Lithospheric structure of the Kaapvaal Craton based on seismic data.- Gold mineralization in the Barberton Greenstone Belt.