Tectonic, Palaeoclimatic, and Landscape Evolution of Africa

Dear colleagues,

Most of the African basement consists of Precambrian formations. The most notable feature of the structure of the African continent is the presence of old Archean cratons separated by younger orogenic belts, thrust contacts, or strike-slip zones. Further work is needed to document the major old cratons and tectonic boundaries and their regional significance in a Gondwana context. Research is also needed to establish the genetic links between the geodynamic processes that form the belts, primary ore controls and processes of ore formation.

Apart from the importance of the Precambrian evolution, pre-existing regional structures (e.g., faults and shear zones) in Africa are inferred to have influenced the subsequent tectonic evolution. The reactivation of pre-existing faults and shear zones may have controlled the pattern of (Mesozoic) continental rifting and breakup, leading to the separation of West Africa and the opening of the Atlantic ocean.

Associated basins formed both onshore and offshore. Such basins may have more or less rich oil and gas resources related to their stratigraphic and structural traps.

New concepts and modern techniques are needed to maintain and enhance energy production in the future and to better understand risks such as the diagenesis of reservoirs. Additionally, energy has to be exploited from sedimentary basins in adequate amounts and in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Within-plate Cenozoic magmatic activity was largely determined by the reactivation of early lithospheric structures. When deep Precambrian structures do reactivate, the manner of reactivation and its precise influence on later structural development is often poorly defined.

The interacting elements of several different driving mechanisms operating at different spatial scales may produce localized differential vertical movement along pre-existing faults. In addition, regional mantle scale mechanisms produce more regional uplift, resulting in tectonic readjustments, as revealed by past and present seismicity of certain regions. This is associated with landscape instability and rapid geomorphologic evolution. Weathering over long periods of time results in thick commonly lateritic blankets in tropical regions of bedrock-hosted mineralization, presenting particular challenges in exploration.

This Special Issue aims to provide selected contributions cutting across many disciplines and including various aspects of continental basement geology, resource exploration (mineral, water and hydrocarbons), geohazard mitigation, and climate change, all of which are of critical importance to developing countries.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to :

Tectonic and regional geology

• Crustal architecture, regional basement geology;
• Characterization and evolution of major shear zones and tectonic boundaries;
• Sedimentary basin formation, basin configuration, coal geology and petrography, tectonic sedimentary fluids, basin stratigraphy.

Mineral and hydrocarbon exploration

• Tectonic control and ore deposit;
• Sediment budget, oil, gas and mineral resources;
• Landscape evolution and mineral resources;

Geohazards mitigation

• Volcanic risk, earthquakes, landslides, etc.;
• Soil erosion and change in soil quality;
• Hydrohazards, hydrological extremes and water-related disasters.

Landscape evolution and neotectonics

• Tectonic control on the landscape;
• Erosion.

Prof. Dr. Reinhard O. Greiling
Dr. Boniface Kankeu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• tectonic
• regional geology
• sedimentary basin formation
• sediment budget, oil, gas and mineral resources
• paleoclimate
• volcanic risk/ earthquakes/ landslides
• landscape evolution
• neotectonic