The Altai orogen (northwest China) represents the southwestern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Geochemical and Nd–Sr isotope analyses were carried out on the Palaeozoic sedimentary and granitic rocks in order to trace their sources and to evaluate the pattern of continental growth of the orogen. Nd isotopic data for both the granites and sediments suggest a significant proportion of middle Proterozoic crust beneath the Altai orogen. However, addition of juvenile material (arc/back-arc oceanic crust) during Palaeozoic times is also significant. Trace elements and isotopic data of sediments suggest their sources were immature. They represent mixtures between a Palaeozoic juvenile component and an evolved continental crust. The early Palaeozoic sediments show εNd(T) = −3.4 to −5.0, TDM = 1.5–1.8 Ga, and ISr = 0.710–0.712. They represent a passive margin setting, with a predominance of evolved crustal material in the source. The Devonian sequences, however, might have been deposited in a back-arc basin setting, produced by subduction of the Junggar oceanic crust along the Irtysh fault. A significant addition of arc material into the sedimentary basin is responsible for the highly variable εNd values (−6 to 0) and ISr (0.711–0.706). The Carboniferous rocks were also deposited in a back-arc basin setting but with predominantly arc material in the source as suggested by an abrupt increase in εNd(T) (+6 to +3) and decrease in ISr (0.7045–0.7051). Voluminous syn-orogenic granitoids have εNd(T) = +2.1 to −4.3, ISr = 0.705–0.714 and TDM = 0.7–1.6 Ga. They were not derived by melting of local metasedimentary rocks as suggested by previous workers, but by melting of a more juvenile source at depth. Post-orogenic granites have higher εNd(T) (∼ +4.4) than the syn-orogenic granitoids, indicating their derivation from a deeper crustal level where juvenile crust may predominate.

The Alaşehir graben is a well-defined prominent extensional structure in western Turkey, generally trending E–W and containing four sedimentary units. At the beginning of graben formation during Early–Middle Miocene times, the first fault system was active and responsible for the accumulation of the first and second sedimentary units. In Pliocene times, a second fault system developed in the hanging wall of the first system and a third sedimentary unit was deposited. The recently active third fault system separates older graben fill and a fourth sedimentary unit. Activity on each fault system caused the rotation and uplift of previous systems, similar to the ‘flexural rotation/rolling hinge’ model, but our field observations indicate that the rotated first fault system is also active, allowing exhumation of larger amounts of rock units. This paper documents that graben formation in western Turkey is a sequential process. Its different periods are represented by three fault systems and associated sedimentation. Consequently, recent claims using age data from only the second and/or third sedimentary units to determine the timing of graben formation are misleading.

Upper mantle peridotites and associated oceanic rocks from the Lizard Complex, southwest England, preserve evidence for a multistage geological history. Steeply dipping pre-emplacement fabrics record high-temperature (900–1100°C) shearing and exhumation of the mantle peridotites apparently formed during localized NE–SW rifting in a pull-apart basin setting (c. 400–390 Ma). Associated oceanic rocks (Landewednack amphibolites) preserve a pre-emplacement prograde brown amphibole-bearing metamorphic assemblage and steeply dipping fabric thought to have formed as the newly formed oceanic crust was juxtaposed with newly exhumed hot mantle peridotite during NE–SW rifting. In both the peridotites and Landewednack amphibolites, steep pre-emplacement structures are cross-cut by low-angle mylonitic fabrics thought to have formed during the initial phases of emplacement of mantle over crustal rocks in a partially intra-oceanic setting (c. 390–375 Ma). The fabrics in peridotites and amphibolites exhibit retrograde mineral assemblages (c. 500–800°C), with the amphibolites preserving two superimposed assemblages, green amphibole + titanite and colourless magnesio-hornblende, respectively, that are thought to record progressive down-temperature deformation during thrusting. Emplacement-related structures in both the basal peridotites and amphibolites consistently dip at low to moderate angles NW, with down-dip lineations and kinematic indicators showing consistent top-to-the-NW senses of shear. Syn-emplacement magmatism is recorded by intrusions of foliated Kennack Gneiss. Anastomosing serpentine-filled faults mark many existing low-angle contacts between the peridotites and Landewednack amphibolites and appear to represent the final, lowest-temperature (< 250°C) stages of emplacement (c. 370 Ma). This study shows that ‘dynamothermal aureoles’ in ophiolites may preserve evidence for tectonothermal events that pre-date thrust emplacement.

The Tertiary fold-and-thrust belt on Brøggerhalvøya is characterized by a NE-vergent pile of nine thrust sheets. The sole thrust of the pile is located in Precambrian phyllites and climbs up-section to the northeast. Four lower thrust sheets consisting predominantly of Upper Palaeozoic sediments are overlain by two thrust sheets in the central part of the stack which contain a kilometre-scale syncline and anticline. The fold is cut by juxtaposed thrusts giving rise to the formation of three structurally higher basement-dominated thrust sheets. A multiple-stage kinematic model is proposed including (1) in-sequence foreland-propagating formation of the lower thrust sheets in response to N–S subhorizontal bedding-parallel movements, (2) a change in tectonic transport to ENE and out-of-sequence thrusting and formation of the kilometre-scale fold-structure followed by (3) truncation of the kilometre-scale fold and stacking of the highest basement-dominated thrust sheets by hind-ward-propagating out-of-sequence thrusting. The strain of the thrust sheets is predominantly compressive with the exception of the structurally highest thrust sheets, reflecting a temporal change to a more transpressive regime. Thrusting was followed by (4) N–S extension and (5) W–E extension. Comparison of the structural geometry and kinematic evolution of Brøggerhalvøya with the data reported for the fold belt further south allows us to assume a coeval evolution with the fold belt. A latest Paleocene/Early Eocene age for the main phase of thrusting is suggested for the West Spitsbergen Fold-and-Thrust Belt; the main phases therefore pre-date the separation of Svalbard and Greenland due to right-lateral movements along the Hornsund Fault Zone. The fold belt's temporal evolution followed by the formation of the Forlandsundet Graben can be linked with the plate-kinematic framework in the span between latest Paleocene and Middle Eocene times.

The Central Lapland Greenstone belt comprises rift-related metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks representing one of the largest supracrustal belts in the Baltic Shield. The Sodankylä area in the central part of the belt represents a complex thrust duplex within a nappe overlying Belomorian Archaean basement and autocthonous Luirojoki calc-silicate rocks. Here, an early D1 schistosity is axial planar to at least three coaxial generations of southward-verging, subhorizontal, E–W-plunging D1 folds associated with major southwards thrusting. D2 is represented by broad, map-scale, upright, NE-trending folds in the south and crenulations in the north. Staurolite-grade metamorphism represented by post-tectonic andalusite + staurolite + kyanite assemblages occurred after D2 folding. Later D3 deformation was limited to local NW-trending folds and sinistral faults. The internal nappe-like structure of the Central Lapland Greenstone belt suggests that it represents the foreland of a large collisional complex cored by the Lapland Granulite belt.

The chitinozoans recovered from six graptolitic horizons in the Buttington Brick Pit, Wales, are described. A correlation between the upper Llandovery and lower Wenlock chitinozoan and graptolite biostratigraphical schemes is presented. These data are compared with the recently refined chitinozoan biostratigraphical scheme in the nearby Banwy River section, Wales. Chitinozoans from definite turriculatus graptolite Biozone strata are described for the first time from the UK. Chitinozoans indicative of the Eisenackitina dolioliformis Biozone occur in the turriculatus Biozone, although the base of the former biozone probably occurs at a lower stratigraphical level. The Angochitina longicollis chitinozoan Biozone has been identified in middle or probably upper spiralis graptolite Biozone strata. Questionably identified A. longicollis occurs lower, in strata assigned to the middle spiralis Biozone, where it occurs with the short-ranging Conochitina mathrafalensis and Belonechitina cavei. This may indicate that: (1) the base of the longicollis Biozone occurs slightly lower in the Telychian in Buttington Brick Pit than in the more basinal Banwy River section; (2) the specimen assigned to A. longicollis? represents an undescribed species; or (3) C. mathrafalensis and B. cavei occur higher in Buttington Brick Pit than in the Banwy River section. The absence of A. longicollis in the turriculatus and crispus graptolite biozones in Buttington highlights the need to re-examine the specimens assigned to A. longicollis from these levels in Estonia, Sweden and Norway. Chitinozoans indicative of the Margachitina margaritana chitinozoan Biozone occur in murchisoni Biozone strata (the base of the former biozone has not been observed at Buttington), and the occurrence of Conochitina flamma indicates that the highest graptolite bed examined correlates with a level high in the murchisoni graptolite Biozone.