Lithostratigraphy

Abstract

The Rio de la Plata Craton is one of the main Precambrian Cratons of the South American Continent (3.6 Ga and 1.8 Ga), as part of the Rodinia Supercontinent. The Rio de la Plata Craton occupies a portion of the southern part of South America, extending from the region of Córdoba Ranges and Tandilia in Argentina, a hugh portion of Uruguay, estern Paraguay and southern Brazil, in which some ?Upper Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic to Lower Paleozoic basins are involved. Two of this sedimentary basins show a very important ?Upper Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic geological records compose by siliciclastics (quarzites, conglomerates, breccias, shales and diamictites) and carbonates (limestones, marls and dolostones) rocks. Two main areas in the Río de la Plata Craton (RPC) show important exposures of Neoproterozoic sedimentary successions, comprising both siliciclastic and carbonate rocks: the Nico Pérez Terrane in Uruguay and Tandilia in Argentina. The aim of this chapter is to describe the lithostratigraphy of the Neoproterozoic and early Palaeozoic successions occurring there.