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Pan-African basement rocks and the Palaeozoic cover series of the Menderes Massif are exposed around Derbent (Alasehir) in the eastern part of the Ödemis-Kiraz submassif. Garnet-mica schists of the Pan-African basement are intruded by the protoliths of orthogneisses and Triassic leucocratic orthogneisses. This study focuses on the geochronology and geochemistry of orthogneisses related to the Pan-African evolution of the Menderes Massif in latest Proterozoic time. Geochemical data suggest that the orthogneisses were derived from S-type, peraluminous, syn- to post-collisional granitoids of calc-alkaline affinity. Zircon grains from the orthogneisses, which are euhedral with typical igneous morphologies, were dated by the Pb-Pb evaporation method. Single zircon ages of two samples yielded 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ages of 561.5±1.8 Ma and 570.5±2.2 Ma. These ages are interpreted as the time of protolith emplacement of the orthogneisses. This major magmatic episode of the Menderes Massif can be attributed the Pan-African Orogeny which was related to the closure of the ocean basins and amalgamation of East and West Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Karaburun Peninsula, which is considered part of the Anatolide-Tauride Block of Turkey, contains clastic and carbonate sequences deposited on the northern margin of Gondwana. The Palaeozoic clastic sequence, which is intruded by the Early Triassic granitoid and tectonically overlies a Mesozoic mélange sequence, can be divided into three subunits: a lower clastic subunit consisting of a sandstone-shale alternation, an upper clastic subunit consisting of black chert-bearing shales, sandstone and conglomerate, and a Permo-Carboniferous carbonate subunit. The lower Triassic Karaburun I-type granitoid has a high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio (0.709021-0.709168), and low 143Nd/144Nd ratio (0.512004-0.512023) and εNd (-5.34 to -5.70) isotopic values. Geochronological data indicate a crystallization (intrusion) age of 247.1±2.0 Ma (Scythian). Geochemically, the acidic magmatism reflects a subduction-related continental-arc basin tectonic setting, which can be linked to the opening of the northern branch of Neo-Tethys as a continental back-arc rifting basin on the northern margin of Gondwana. This can be related to the closure through southward subduction of the Palaeotethys Ocean beneath Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]