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PETROBRAS

STRIKE-SLIP BASINS IN BRAZIL1

AZEVEDO, R.P.; Petrobras - Petrleo Brasileiro S.A. , Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A review over sedimentary areas in Brazil unravels a number of basins

to which strike-slip regimes can be assigned to their basin-forming mechanism .
Records of this type of basin in Brazil are scarce, despite their potential to
focalize fluid migration and concentrate ore deposits, including ol and gas.
The Piranhas, gua Bonita, Monte do Carmo and Ubajara-Jaibaras
basins are associated with the Lineamento Transbrasliano System, a major
Late Proterozoic strike-slip shear zone. This transcontinental feature is a wellknown site of repeated strike-slip activity throughout the Phanerozoic. The
basins are of Late Proterozoic and Early Paleozoic ages and might share a
common evolution directly associated with the active past of the shear zone.
Perhaps the best-documented strike-slip basin in Brazil is the
Barreirinhas Basin located within the Equatorial Atlantic Transtensional Shear
Corridor. This important feature was installed along the north-northeastern
coast of the country during the Middle Cretaceous. Little doubt remains
regarding to the strike-slip nature of the sedimentary basins developed. A
compelling amount of evidences, coming from independent geologic and
geophysical data sets, allows a clear understanding of predictable basin
models.
Other candidates to examples of strike-slip related basins in Brazil are a
number of small wedge grabens located in the southeastern region of the
country, associated with the Late Proterozoic So Paulo Shear Zone. The So
Paulo, Taubat, Resende and Volta Redonda basins are tertiary continental
basins. Their origin and development is suggested to be related to locally
limited reactivation of strike-slip motion along the ancient shear zone.

azevedo@ep-ba .petrobras.com.br
1

Poster submitted to the 31st lntemational Geological Congress - Rio de Janeiro - august 2000

DRAFT

lntroduction

Strike-slip related sedimentary basins are common geologic features along

modem and ancient zones where strike-slip is the dominant tectonic regime. Records
of this class of basins in Brazil are scarce and very little attention it has been raised
among geoscientists, despite their potential to focalize fluid migration and
concentrate ore deposits within the Earth's crust, including oil and gas.
The Brazilian Platform has been considered as a relatively stable tectonic
province since the Early Phanerozoic. A review over sedimentary areas in Brazil
unravels a number of basins, ranging in ages from the Proterozoic to Tertiary, to
which strike-slip regimes can be assigned to their formation, development and
extinction (Fig.1).

Figure 1 - Strike-slip basins in Brazil and their associated shear zones.

The Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System and Related Basins

The Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System (LTS), characterized by

Schobbenhaus Filho et ai. (1975) as a strip intensely failed and cataclastic of the
Brazilian territory, with linear extension longer than 2700 km, is directly responsible
for the tectonic conditioning of the basins of Piranhas, to the north border of the
Paran Basin, and Monte do Carmo basins, to the southern border of the Parnaba
Basin, as well as for the grabens of gua Bonita and Ubajara-Jaibaras, located in the
Tocantins and Borborema structural provinces, respectively. The general direction of
the system is N30E, having been originated in the Precambrian and reactivated
recurrently during Phanerozoic times.

Piranhas Basin

ldentified originally by Rosito, Figueiredo and Pena (1971 ), the rocks of the
Piranhas Fm., found in the southwestern area of the State of Gois, are
representatives of molassic sedimentation of pre-Devonian age, probably Ordovician,
possibly related to a basin formed under a transcurrent regime. Two strips of
outcrops of these rocks are known, the larger one occupying an extension of
approximately 15 km in length and 1,5 km in width to the south of the city of
Piranhas, both encapsulated among distinct branches of the Lineamentos
Transbrasilianos System (Fig.2).
Mainly polymictic conglomerates grading vertically to fine-medium grained
arkosic sandstone with clay drapes, little metamorphosed, constitute the relicts of this
basin. The conglomerate possesses a thickness of 200 to 600m and it presents a
general direction of NSW, dipping 60 to 70 NE. They are intensely fractured and
present cataclastic texture. These sediments rest on the Archean basement of the
Goiano Complex and are truncated to the south by an angular unconformity in

Paper submitted to the 3f't lntemationa! Geologic Congress - Rio de .Janeiro - 2000

52

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DRAFT

contact with Silurian-Devonian sandstones of the Paran Basin (Villa Maria and
Furnas formations.).
Figure 2 presents the current structural configuration of the basin. lt is limited
to the southeast by fault and to the south by angular unconformity. A data review
reported by Projeto Radambrasil (1983) shows structural evidences of basin
associated with a transcurrent regime, although it is considered that the ancient
Piranhas Basin is today in an advanced extinction stage. As evidences of its strikeslip nature are highlighted: (1) strong association with the Transbrasiliano System;
(2) elongated shape of the remaining basin; (3) en chelon pattern of structures in its
northwest border; and (4) presence of cataclastic and intensely fractured
conglomerates.

Figure 2 - Structural configuration of the main strip of outcrops of the Piranhas

Basin. Possible example of a pull-apart basin in the Brazilian Ordovician. Note
en chelon pattem presented by remaining structures. CG =Goiano Complex
(Archean); SD
Silurian-Devonian of the Paran Basin; TQ = TertiaryQuatemary. Cresses indicate Cambrian granites. Half-arrow represents general
direction of displacement along Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System (LTS)
(based on Projeto Radambrasil, 1983).

gua Bonita Graben

The gua Bonita Graben occupies a discontinuous area of approximately
550km 2 , located in the center-west reg ion of the State of Gois. The basin presents a
narrow and elongated geometry, 90km of length by 9km of width, according to an
approximate N40E direction, being totally surrounded by rocks of the Goiano
Complex (Lower Proterozoic or older). The sedimentary filling of the basin is
constituted mainly by medium to conglomeratic sandstones of the gua Bonita Fm.
Time equivalent to the formations Serra Grande (Parnaba Basin), Trombetas
(Amazonas Basin) and Fumas (Paran Basin), being therefore considered as of
Silurian age. The basin is fim ited to northwest and southeast by faults, reactivated as
normal. Cataclastic rocks were developed along fault zones and are attributed to the
Precambrian phase of activation. These faults compose the group of structures of the
Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System and therefore were both formed and
reactivated by transcurrent movements.
The geologic knowledge of the gua Bonita Graben is still scarce and does
not allow unequivocal classification as a basin generated by directional efforts.
However, Zaln (1986) suggested an origin associated with a local scale dextral
shear stress regime, configuring it as a transtensional basin. Oblique faults
separating the graben into two portions can be an indication of a mature stage of
basin evolution of the pull-apart type.

Figure 3 - gua Bonita Graben. Possible example of a pull-apart basin

(transtension basin) in the Brazilian Silurian (modified from Zaln, 1986 and
Projeto Radambrasil, 1981 ).

Paper submi'ited to the 31st !nt~mationai Geoiogic Congress - Rio de Janeiro 200()

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DRAFT

Monte do Carmo Basin

ln the center-north area of the State of Gois, close to the locality of Monte do
Carmo, occurs a complex of sedimentary and volcanic rocks, with little
metamorphism, overlying the Goiano Complex (Archean) and covered by the Serra
Grande Fm. of the Parnaba Basin (Silurian-Devonian). These rocks, likely those
described for the Piranhas Basin, are considered of Ordovician age and related to
the formation of a basin associated with strike-slip tectonics, denounced by the
narrow relationship with the Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System. The volcanosedimentary package, constituted mainly by conglomerates, sandstones and acid
intrusives, was preserved in tilted and rotated fault blocks of the Transbrasiliano
System (Schobbenhaus et ai., 1984).

Figure 4 - Monte do Carmo Basin. Relationship of the remaining sediments with

the Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System (LTS). Half-arrow represents
probable sense of shearing responsible for the development of the Monte do
Carmo and gua Bonita basins (modified from Almeida and Hasui, 1984).

Ubajara-Jaibaras and Martinpole Grabens

A number of fold belts of Brasiliano age (Neo-Proterozoic/Eo-Phanerozoic)

occur within the Borborema Province (Almeida et ai. , 1981 ). The Mdio-Coreau fold
belt (or Northwest of Cear Shear Zone of Abreu et ai. , 1988) is one of those units,
located at the eastern border of the So Lus Craton. The architecture of the belt can
be observed in Figure 5 that shows a system of two grabens lim ited to NW by
granites of the Granja Massif and to E-SE by the Sobral-Pedro li transcurrent fault,
which belongs to the Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System (Fig. 1). The grabens
Ubajara-Jaibaras and Martinpole are separate by the Tucunduba Horst. The Granja
Massif and the Tucunduba Horst expose the basement of the belt and are constituted
by gneisses, migmatites and granites of Archean age with reworking during the
Proterozoic. The stratigraphy of the Martinpole Graben is still not well known and
constituted mainly by phyllites. The Ubajara and Jaibaras Groups are volcanosedimentary sequences that fill the homonymous grabens and present thickness
higher than 3000m (Schobbenhaus et ai. , 1984). These sedimentary sequences
comprise quartzites, shales, limestones and sandstones that represent the transition
of continental to marine sediments, preceded by a regressive episode. The Jaibaras
Group also includes basalts, dolerites and gabbros. The radiometric age of the
igneous event is dated between 480 and 510 Ma, potassium-argon method, what
suggests an Ordovician age for the underlying sediments. Likewise what happens in
the Monte do Carmo Basin, rocks of the Serra Grande Fm . (Parnaba Basin) of
Silurian-Devonian age, lies unconformable on those of the Jaibaras Group, in the
southern portion of the grabens.
The structural pattern of the Northwest of Cear Shear Zone is dominated by
alignment of NE-SW structures. The graben system is lim ited so much by normal
faults and thrusts as for strike-slip faults . Abreu et ai. (1988) presented results of
structural analyses that allow to conclude that the last ductile deformation episode in
this area was characterized by dextra! sense of displacement. Many authors have

Paper submitted to the 31'u lntmational Geologic Congress - Rio de .Janeiro. 200()

49

50km

12

gua
Bonita
Graben

DR,4.FT

presented evidences of several episodes of transcurrent reactivation along the

Lineamentos Transbrasilianos System and the Borborema Province during the
Phanerozoic.
The rocks present within the Ubajara-Jaibaras Graben are usually considered
as molasses representatives of the Brasiliano Orogen. The association of the
volcano-sedimentary sequence preserved in grabens related to ancient normal,
thrusts and strike-slip faults, with strong evidences of strike-slip reactivation,
suggests the closing of an old oceanic basin as consequence of the formation of an
orogenic belt. This allows us to consider these grabens as examples of polygenetic
basins of Nilsen and Sylvester (1995).

Figure 5 - Geologic Map of the Northwest of Cear Shear Zone including the
Ubajara-Jaibaras and Martinpole grabens, examples of polygenetic basins of
Nilsen and Sylvester (1995) (modified from Caby, 1989).

The Brazilian Equatorial Atlantic Transtensional Shear Corridor

The Equatorial Atlantic Ocean, defined as the oceanic basin that is developed
among the oceanic fracture zones of Ascencion and Bahamas, was formed by the
Albian-Aptian fragmentation of the Northern Gondwana. A dextral transtensional
shear corridor was developed in the area now occupied by the Northern Brazilian
Continental Margin (Azevedo, 1991) and its counterpart, the northern continental
margin of the Gulf of Guinea (Mascle et ai. 1988) (Figs. 6 and 7). A great number of
sedimentary depocenters were developed in association with the strike-slip regime
installed during the Middle/Late Cretaceous. The Brazilian Equatorial Atlantic
Transtensional Shear Corridor comprises the offshore basins of Foz do Amazonas,
Par-Maranho, Barreirinhas, Piau, Cear and Rio Grande do Norte, besides the
onshore depocenters of the Gurupi Graben System (Bragana Vizeu, So Lus and
Ilha Nova basins) and of the Potiguar Basin.

Figure 6 - Kinematics framework of the ancient Equatorial Atlantic Ocean

during the Early to Middle Cretaceous. Diagrams of Plate Movement vectors
(PM) may indicate relative contribution of pure simple shear (S) and
transtension (E) to the finite plate movement among the African and South
American plates. This movement is interpreted as approximately E-W during
Aptian-Early Albian and ENE-WSW during the Late Albian-Cenomanian. CASZ
Central Africa Shear Zone. The construction of the diagrams is based on the
analysis of fault displacements and relationships with the basement fabric. The
map view is presented with current North orientation in relation to the South
American plate (Azevedo, 1991 based on pre-drift reconstruction of
Pindell, 1985).

Figure 7 - Concept of dextral transtensional shear corridor applied to the

ancient Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (Azevedo, 1991). (a) Pre-Aptian
reconstruction based on Pindell (1985). A dextral transtensional shear corridor
is established during Aptian times due to equivalent rates of oceanic spreading

Paper submitted t:o the 3{'' lntmatonal Geologic Congress - Rio de Janeiro 2000

.
PHANEROZOIC

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.DRA.FT

in the Central and South Atlantic oceans. (b) During the Aptian-Cenomanian
the rotation around a pole (Pindell et ai., 1988) produced pull-apart basins as
well as the oceanic fracture zones.
The shear corridor was enlarged
progressively with time, accommodating the deformation caused by plate
divergence. Small arrows suggest local transtension (white) and transpressure
(black) vectors.

The sedimentary basins distributed along the Northern Brazilian Continental

Margin are frequently subdivided and mentioned under the denomination of subbasins. These local denominations, such as; Camocim , lcara, Munda and Acara
(Cear Basin), and Troma, Caet and Tutia (Par-Maranho and Barreirinhas
basins), represent in general, sedimentary depocenters classified according to
structural and stratigraphic attributes compatible with transform basins.

Barreirinhas Basin

Perhaps the best-documented strike-slip basin in Brazil is the Barreirinhas

Basin, located within the Equatorial Atlantic Transtensional Shear Corridor (Figs. 1
and 8). This important feature was installed along the north-northeastern coast of the
country during the Middle Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian). The dextral shear corridor is
related to ancient transform faults and little doubt remains regarding to the strike-slip
nature of the sedimentary basins developed within the region. The compelling
amount of evidences com ing from independent geologic and geophysical data sets
allows a clearer understanding of predictable basin models.
The stratigraphy of the Barreirinhas Basin is a direct answer to its complex
tectonic history. The onshore portion of the basin is covered entirely by a field of
eolian dunes. The maximum thickness of Mesozoic-Cenozoic rocks in just one
sedimentary depocenter exceeds 10 km . The sedimentary rocks are of Aptian age to
the Quaternary and are put upon directly on Paleozoic units or Triassic belonging to
the interior Parnaba Basin, or on rocks of the crystalline basement where the
Paleozoic sequence is absent.
The Cretaceous subsidence and sedimentation began in Late Aptian-Early
Albian. The sedimentary column that fills the basin can be subdivided into four great
lithostratigraphic units; (1) the Cod-Graja sequence of continental nature and
Aptian age; (2) the Canrias Group, constituted by continental to marine rocks of
Early Albian age; (3) the carbonate sequence of Late Albian-Cenomanian age of the
Caj Group; and (4) the rocks of mixed clastic-carbonate platform of the Humberto de
Campos Group of Late Cretaceous to Tertiary age.
Four main sedimentary centers are recognized: (1) Lower Albian; (2) Upper
Albian; (3) Cenomanian and (4) Tertiary. The active sedimentation in these centers
suffered displacement as a response to structural and tectonic changes during the
development of the basin (Fig. 9). The westward migration of the Albian
sedimentation left deposits of continental and marine deep-water facies in the Tutia
Sub-basin (Arpoador and Bom Gosto formations), while deltaic and shallow marines
deposits concentrated in the Caet Sub-basin (Barro Duro and Tutia formations).

Paper submittoo to the 3fu lntematonaf Geologic Congress - Rio de Janeiro 201)0

DRAFT

During the Cenomanian, under shallow marine conditions, the active depocenter
moved to the central part of the onshore portion of the basin. This depocenter is
today located in the Barreirinhas Low and it was progressively expanded for the
entire onshore portion of the basin during the Late Cretaceous. The last great change
of area of active sedimentation happened during the Late Tertiary and developed the
offlap sequence of the Humberto de Campos Group.

Figure 8 - Structural framework map of the Barreirinhas Basin. Caet Subbasin is the transtensional domain while the Tutia Sub-basin is the
transpressure area of a typical pull-apart basin. (1) small scale normal faults;
(2) major normal fault; (3) strike-slip fault; (4) reverse fault; (5) anticline axis; (6)
syncline axis; (7) major border normal fault.

Figure 9 - Migration of sedimentary depocenters within the Barreirinhas Basin.

Omamented areas indicate discreet depocenters. Arrows indicate progressive
displacement. These displacements are related to tectonic events during the
development of the basin.

Sergipe-Alagoas Basin

Among the basins located along the Eastern Brazilian Continental Margin,
developed predominantly by extension, occurs the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, a special
tectonic situation created during the earliest stage of the Westem Gondwanaland
breakup. Szatmari et ai. (1985) and Milani et ai. (1988), based on fault and
subsidence analyses, presented an interesting evolutionary tectonic model for this
basin. These authors proposed that the origin of local Cretaceous (pre-Aptian)
sedimentary depocenters would have been owed to the development of a strike-slip
zone of approximately 350 km of extension occurring along the region between the
cities of Salvador (Bahia), in the southeast end of the Recncavo-Tucano-Jatob Rift
System (RTJ) and Recife (Pernambuco), in the eastern extremity of the Pernambuco
Lineament (Fig. 1O). ln that area, according to those authors, the Northeast Brazilian
Microplate (NBM) was developed, limited to the west by the RTJ System. The MBP
would have been submitted, during that time, to an anti-clockwise rotation while the
South American Plate was submitted to a clockwise rotation in relation to the African
Plate. This singular tectonic context in the Eastern Brazilian Continental Margin
would have as consequence, the formation of a sinistrai transcurrent zone,
responsible for the formation of small pull-apart grabens during the Early Cretaceous,
considered as examples of polyhistory basins of Nilsen and Sylvester (1995). By the
Middle Cretaceous the relative rotation between the NBM and the South American
Plate ceased, extension was then transferred from the RTJ System to the coastal
Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, inaugurating a new phase of basin development, this time
purely extensional.
Figure 10 - Northeast Brazilian Microplate (according to Milani et ai., 1988). The
microplate suffered anti-clockwise rotation around the rotation pole "P"
causing oblique distension in the Recncavo-Tucano-Jatob System, while a

Paper submitted to the

31st

lntematonal Geologic Congress - Rio de Janeiro 2000

w

LEGEND

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sinistrai transcurrent regime was developed in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin

during the Early Cretaceous.

The sedimentary infilling of the pull-apart phase of the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin

reaches 2500m of thickness and is constituted by shales of the Feliz Deserto Fm .,
shales and sandstones of the Barra de ltiba Fm., sands of the Penedo Fm. and
conglomerates of the Rio Pitanga Fm. This sequence is of lacustrian nature, locally
eroded in the southern portion of the basin and overlies basal conglomerates (Fm .
Carmpolis) of the salty Late Aptian Muribeca.
The structural framework of the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin is very complex and
characteristic of basins with polyciclic development (Fig. 11 ). The older structural
lows have asymmetric half-graben geometries limited to the west by a major fault and
to the east by smaller faults or flexures. These primitive grabens have a general
orientation N-S and show en chelon pattem in respect to the direction of the larger
basin axis (N45E), considered as the direction of the main displacement zone of the
strike-slip system. The newer structural lows, in general, are oriented to northeast
and are filled by sedimentary sequences of Aptian age and younger. Two other
classes of structural highs anchored in the basement are still found in the basin;
horsts and dome structures. Large horsts of N-S direction separate half-grabens. The
dome structures involve basement rocks and are related with possible uplifted areas
of local transpression. Sinistrai strike-slip faults, anticlines of compressional nature
and reverse faults are structures also easily found, in seismic data or outcrops.
Records of sinistrai displacements are of the arder of 20 to 50 km (Milani et ai. ,
1988).
Figure 11 - Structural framework of the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin (modified from
Milani et ai., 1988).

The Continental Cenozoic Basins of the Brazilian Southeast

ln the southeastern region of Brazil, included in the Mantiqueira Structural

Province of Almeida et ai. (1977), occurs a series of sedimentary basins of Cenozoic
age. The basins of Taubat, So Paulo, Resende and Volta Redonda, in spite of
located within independent crustal blocks, developed partly simultaneously. Their
origin is associated directly with tectonic activity along ancient transcurrent faults (
So Paulo Shear Zone) developed during the Late Proterozoic Brasiliano termtectonic event (Hasui et ai. , 1978; Almeida and Hasui, 1984). lt is suggested that the
Oligocene-Miocene and Pliocene continental basins are related to locally limited
reactivation of strike-slip motion along the ancient shear zone as a consequence of
regional development of the offshore Santos Basin (Fig.12).

Figure 12 - Sedimentary basins of the Mantiqueira Province and its relationship

with the main shear zones (modified from Almeida and Hasui, 1984).

Paper .submitted to the 31;;: !nt\?mation:ai GeoJog!c Congrnss - PJo de Janeiro " 2.000

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DRA.FT

So Paulo Basin
The So Paulo Basin has an irregular shape, with approximately 60km of
length and 30km of width, housed among the Taxaquara, Caucaia, Mandaqui,
Jaguari and Boquira faults to north and northwest and the Alto da Fartura and
Cubato faults to east-southeast (Fig. 13). The faults converge toward the central
area of the basin, where they seem to be articulated form ing wedge blocks. These
are strike-slip faults of Precambrian age (Brasiliano tectonic event), but it is
presumed its reactivation within the Tertiary. Subsidence associated with downthrow
blocks of normal faults and rotation of blocks are basin-forming mechanisms
suggested for the origin of this basin (Hasui et ai. ,1982).
The sedimentary infilling of the basin is constituted by silt-clay sediments with
coarser terms (including conglomerates) at the borders, belonging to the Pliocene
So Paulo Fm ., lateral equivalent to the Caapava Fm. of the Taubat Basin. lts
maximum sedimentary thickness may reach about 320m in the area of Guarulhos
(Hasui et ai., 1982).
According to Hasui et at. (1982), the basin is sharply fractured, but it is far
away of being a simple trough between faults, or a half-graben. Those authors
consider that the basin would correspond to a depression in blocks and wedges
inherited of the Brasiliano event. Given to the tectonic context in which is inserted
and the preferential mechanism of subsidence, the So Paulo Basin can be an
example of downward or transrotational basin of Nilsen and Sylvester ( 1995).

Figure 13 - So Paulo Basin and its relationships with basement structures

(modified from Hasui et ai., 1982). Example of downward or transrotational
basin of Nilsen and Sylvester (1995).

Taubat Basin
The Taubat Basin of Tertiary age, located at the eastern region of the So
Paulo State and housed among the Mantiqueira and Serra do Mar mountains, is a
sedimentary area that extends for about 173km of length and 20km of width,
covering an area of 2400km 2 (Figs. 12 and 14). ln plan view, the geometry of the
basin resembles grossly to an elongated rhombohedron, as previously pointed out by
Zaln (1986).
Two families of faults of general orientation NE-SW are commonly recognized
in the So Paulo Shear Zone (Fig. 15). One family is constituted by major faults of
transcurrent nature, which had their main activation phase during the Brasiliano
Event. These faults were reactivated later on with normal throws. They are
characterized by thick zones of cataclastic rocks with sub-vertical foliation and subhorizontal lineations, without clear indication of the sense of horizontal displacement.
The normal dip-slip reactivation is deduced from grooves found locally. The second
family is constituted by extension faults, judging only from their normal or oblique
throws. Of the first group of faults stand out the Buquira and Alto da Fartura faults,
that limit the Taubat Basin to north and south, respectively. Of the second fam ily

Paper submitted to the

31''t lntematonal Geologc Ccngress -

Rio de Janeiro 2000

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stand out the Parate, Palmital, Piedade, Pinheiros and Rio Comprido faults as
structural features that limit the occurrence of the sedimentary package. The former
ones would be ancient transcurrent faults reactivated as normal, and the latter of dipslip normal throw, generated in the basin-forming tectonic event.
The internai geometry of the basin is characterized by asymmetric grabens
and comprise severa! sub-basins that correspond to different sedimentary
depocenters separated by interpreted faults trending NNW-SSE (Figs. 16 and 17).
Normal, oblique and horizontal faults sometimes described related to cataclastic
zones and gentle folding are the main manifestations of sin and post-sedimentary
deformation affecting the basin, denoting tectonic activity during the Cenozoic.
The sedimentary infilling of the basin is constituted by basal sediments of
mainly lacustrine nature of the Trememb Fm. (Oligocene-Miocene) overlain by
deposits essentially fluvial of the Caapava Fm. (Pliocene). The maximum thickness
reach 520m and 200m, respectively. The Trememb Fm. is constituted
predominantly by black shales with fine sands. The Caapava Fm. is constituted by
silt-sandy sediments with localized occurrence of conglomerate. lt is important to
notice that while the Trememb Fm. reaches larger thickness in the homonymous
sub-basin, located in the center of the basin, the Caapava Fm. is thicker in marginal
depocenters, reflecting vertical and lateral variations in the rate of subsidence, which
suggests lateral propagation of the subsidence. The Trememb and Caapava
formations are still accompanied by coarser sandy sediments located in the northern
border of the basin (Hasui and Ponano, 1978).

Figure 14 - Tectonic framework map of the Taubat Pull-apart Basin indicating

sense of displacement of main strike-slip shear zones.
Figure 15 - Structural framework map of the Taubat Basin (seg. Hasui and
Ponano, 1978). Straight lines indicate location of cross-sections shown in
Figure 16.
Figure 16 - Geologic cross-sections of the Taubat Basin (seg. Hasui and
Ponano, 1978).
Figure 17 - Sub-basins of the Taubat Basin (Almeida and Hasui, 1984).

Resende Basin
The Resende Basin is a small sedimentary depocenter located to the south of
the Itatiaia Massif, in the eastern region of the Rio de Janeiro State. The basin
extends for about 222km 2 , with larger axis of 47km in the direction ENE-WSW (Fig.
12). The basin is limited to the southwest by the NE-SW oriented Queluz Fault
transgressing over basement rocks in the southeast-northeast region (Fig. 18).
Pliocene sands and conglomerates of fluvial origin of the Resende Fm
constitute the sedimentary package of the basin. Pleistocene sediments of the
Floriano Fm overlie these rocks. The Resende Fm. reaches thickness thicker than

Paper submitted to tlle J1'1r Jntemational Geo!ogic Congress- Rio de .Janeiro 200(}
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DRAFT
200m.
The Resende Basin is interpreted as a wedge graben associated with Tertiary
reactivation of right-lateral strike-slip motion of basement blocks.
Figure 18 - Resende Basin and its relationships with the adjoining basement in
its southwestern portion (modified from Hasui et ai., 1982). Possible example of
wedge graben. Half-arrows indicate interpreted sense of strike-slip
displacement.

Volta Redonda Basin

The Volta Redonda Basin, located about 20 km to the east of the Resende
Basin (Fig. 12), still in the State of Rio de Janeiro, is a sedimentary depocenter of
small dimensions, straight and elongated. lts area does not exceed 40 km 2 and its
longer axis is ENE oriented stands for about 20 km along the Paraba do Sul River
(Hasui et ai. , 1978; 1982).
The north boarder of the basin is straight and limited by the Rio Bonito Fault,
one of the main zones of Brasiliano age transcurrent faulting of the Mantiqueira
Province. The crusta! block in which the basin occurs is limited to the south by the
Alm Paraba Fault, however, the sedimentary deposits of the sarne do not happen
associated to this fault. This fact lead some authors to suggest that the origin of the
basin was dueto northward block tilting likewise is postulated for the Taubat and
Resende basins.
The sedimentary infilling of the basin is essentially fluvial and reaches
maximum thickness of the order of 1OOm , being 40m of immature sandstones
equivalent to the Fm. Resende, of Pliocene age, and about 60m of Pleistocene
sands and conglomerates belonging to the Volta Redonda Fm.
The Volta Redonda Basin is also classified as a wedge graben associated
with strike-slip reactivations of some internai faults of the So Paulo Shear Zone.

Paper submiffed to tlse 31'1( !ntemational Geologic Congress - Rio de Janeiro

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Conclusions

A review over sedimentary basins in Brazil has shown a number of

depocenters developed as consequence of displacements along major strike-slip
shear zones ranging in age from the Proterozoic to Tertiary. The following table
summarizes basin types by tectonic domain and age.
Are a

Tectonic
Domain

Monte do Carmo Basin

Ubajara-Jaibaras and
Martinpole Grabens

Barreirinhas Basin

Sergipe-Alagoas Basin

Lineamentos
Transbrasilianos
System

Equatorial
Atlantic
Transtensional
Shear Corridor

Polygenetic basin

Middle Cretaceous Stepover basin

Early Cretaceous

Polyhistory basin

Transrotational basin

So Paulo
ShearZone

Pliocene
OligocenePliocene
PliocenePleistocene
PliocenePleistocene

Taubat Basin

Volta Redonda Basin

Ordovician

Silurian

Northeast
Brazilian
Microplate

So Paulo Basin

Resende Basin

Ordovician

Ordovician

Piranhas Basin
gua Bonita Graben

Basin type or
Development stage
Extinction stage
Transtensional basin/
Mature stage
Extinction stage

Age

Fault-bend basin
Wedge graben
Wedge graben

Paper submitted i'o the 31=r lntemational Geologic Congress - PJo de Janeiro - 2000

12

Extinction stage
Transtensional basin/ Mature stage
Extinction stage

Lineamentos
Transbrasilianos System

Polygenetic basin
Equatorial Atlantic
Transtensional Shear
Corridor

Stepover basin

Northeast Brazilian
Microplate

So Paulo
Shear Zone

Polyhistory basin
Pliocene
Oligocene- Pliocene
Pliocene-Pleistocene
Pliocene-Pleistocene

Transrotational basin
Fault-bend basin
Wedge graben
Wedge graben

DRAFT

REFERENCES

Almeida, F.F.M.de and Hasui, Y. (eds.), 1984, O Pr-Cambriano do Brasil. Ed.

Edgard Blucher, 378p.

Azevedo, RP. de , 1991 , Tectonic Evolution of Brazilian Equatorial Continental

Margin Basins. Ph.D. Thesis, Imperial College, University of London, 455p.

Caby, R , 1989, Precambrian terranes of Benin-Nigeria and Northeast Brazil and

the Late Proterozoic South Atlantic fit. ln: RD. Dallmeyer (ed.) Terranes in the
Circum-Atantic Paleozoic Orogens, Geol. Soe. America, Spec. Paper 230, p.145158.

Hasui, Y. et ai. , 1982, Geologia, Tectnica, Geomorfologia e Sismologia

Regionais de Interesse s Usinas Nucleares da Praia de ltaorna. Monografia IPT,
So Paulo.

Hasui, Y. and Ponano, W. L, 1978, Organizao Estrutural e Evoluo da Bacia

de Taubat. Anais do XXX Cong. Bras. de Geol. , Recife, v.1, p.368-381.

Milani, E.J. ; Lana, M.C. e Szatmari, P., 1988, Mesozoic rift basins around the
northeast Brazilian microplate (Recncavo-Tucano-Jatob, Sergipe-Alagoas). ln:
Manspeizer, W. (ed.) Triassic-Jurassic Rifting: Continental Break up and the
Origin of the Atlantic Ocean and Passive Margins. Part A, Development in
Geotectonics 22, Elsevier, p. 833-858.

Nilsen, T. H. and Sylvester, AG. , 1995, Strike-Slip Basins. ln: Tectonics of

Sedimentary Basins. Chapter 12, p.425-457. Blackwell Science.

Pindell, J.L., 1985, Alleghenian reconstruction and subsequent evolution of the

Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, and Proto-Caribbean. Tectonics 4(1 ), p.1-39.

Pindell, J.L. et ai. , 1988, A plate-kinematic framework for models of Caribbean

evolution. Tectonophysics 155, p.121-138.

Projeto Radambrasil, 1981 , Folha SD.22 Gois. Levantamento de Recursos

Naturais Vol. 25, MME.

Projeto Radambrasil, 1983, Folha SE.22 Goinia. Levantamento de Recursos

Naturais Vol. 31 , MME.

Zaln, P.V., 1986, A tectnica transcorrente na explorao de petrleo: Uma

reviso. Rev. Bras. Geocincias 16(3), p.245-257.

Paper submitted i'o tl1e

:n"t !ntemational Geologic Congress - Rio de Janeiro - 2000

13