Bentong Raub Suture Zone

The BentongRaub Suture ZoneI. Metcalfe

Asia Centre, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaReceived 7 February 2000; accepted 25 July 2000

Abstract

It is proposed that the BentongRaub Suture Zone represents a segment of the main Devonian to Middle Triassic Palaeo-Tethys ocean, andforms the boundary between the Gondwana-derived Sibumasu and Indochina terranes. Palaeo-Tethyan oceanic ribbon-bedded chertspreserved in the suture zone range in age from Middle Devonian to Middle Permian, and melange includes chert and limestone claststhat range in age from Lower Carboniferous to Lower Permian. This indicates that the Palaeo-Tethys opened in the Devonian, whenIndochina and other Chinese blocks separated from Gondwana, and closed in the Late Triassic (Peninsular Malaysia segment). The suturezone is the result of northwards subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys ocean beneath Indochina in the Late Palaeozoic and the Triassic collision ofthe Sibumasu terrane with, and the underthrusting of, Indochina. Tectonostratigraphic, palaeobiogeographic and palaeomagnetic dataindicate that the Sibumasu Terrane separated from Gondwana in the late Sakmarian, and then drifted rapidly northwards during thePermianTriassic. During the Permian subduction phase, the East Malaya volcano-plutonic arc, with I-Type granitoids and intermediateto acidic volcanism, was developed on the margin of Indochina. The main structural discontinuity in Peninsular Malaysia occurs betweenPalaeozoic and Triassic rocks, and orogenic deformation appears to have been initiated in the Upper Permian to Lower Triassic, whenSibumasu began to collide with Indochina. During the Early to Middle Triassic, A-Type subduction and crustal thickening generated theMain Range syn- to post-orogenic granites, which were emplaced in the Late TriassicEarly Jurassic. A foredeep basin developed on thedepressed margin of Sibumasu in front of the uplifted accretionary complex in which the Semanggol Formation rocks accumulated. Thesuture zone is covered by a latest Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, mainly continental, red bed overlap sequence. q 2000 Elsevier ScienceLtd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: BentongRaub Suture Zone; Semantan basin; PermianTriassic boundary

1. Introduction

The belt of Lower Palaeozoic rocks that extends from theMalay Peninsula northwards through Thailand, Burma andChina was termed the YunnanMalaya Geosyncline byBurton (1967). Jones (1968, 1973) further interpreted thestratigraphy and northsouth facies belts of the Malayanportion as representing miogeosynclinal shelf or platformfacies in the west, and eugeosynclinal facies (containingradiolarian cherts, basic igneous rocks and thick sections ofdeep-marine clastics) in central Malaya. He also suggestedthe former presence of a large continental landmass to thewest, which has since rifted away (now interpreted as Gond-wanaland). Hutchison (1973a) placed the data in a plate-tectonics context and interpreted the eugeosyncline as aformer trench in a subduction system. Hutchison (1975), inhis paper on ophiolites in Southeast Asia, named the centralMalayan zone the BentongRaub ophiolite line, whichthen became widely quoted as the BentongRaub Line,

or alternatively as the RaubBentong Line. Mitchell (1977),furthermore, interpreted the zone of folded slates, radiolariancherts and flysch, with vertical or overturned isoclinal folds,and minor ophiolitic bodies (his Zone 2) as representingoceanic crust and sediments, forming an accretionary complexproduced by eastwards subduction. Establishment of this zoneas a suture zone representing the site of a former ocean nowseems beyond doubt, and it is now generally referred to as theBentongRaub Suture Zone. The northsouth trendingBentongRaub Suture extends from Thailand through Rauband Bentong to the east of Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia.Southwards extension of the suture is controversial (seebelow). This suture represents the main Palaeo-TethysOcean which was destroyed by collision of the Sibumasuand Indochina continental terranes of Southeast Asia (Fig. 1).

This paper presents an overview of the BentongRaubSuture Zone, and reviews the evidence for the age-durationof the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean which it represents, and the ageof suturing of the Sibumasu and Indochina terranes. Impli-cations for palaeogeographic reconstructions of the regionare also discussed.

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 18 (2000) 691712

1367-9120/00/$ - see front matter q 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.PII: S1367-9120(00)00043-2

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E-mail address: [email protected] (I. Metcalfe).

2. Geological setting of the BentongRaub Suture Zone

Peninsular Malaysia has traditionally been divided intothree northsouth-trending zones based on differences ofstratigraphy, mineralisation and structure. These zoneshave been variously referred to as the Western, Centraland Eastern Belts Zones or Domains. In addition,some authors recognise a Northwestern Zone orDomain (Fig. 1).

The traditionally recognised suture is exposed as anapproximately 20 km wide zone bordering the easternlimit of the Main Range granitoids in Peninsular Malay-sia and comprises melange, oceanic ribbon-beddedcherts, schist, and discontinuous, narrow, elongatebodies of serpentinised maficultramafic rocks, inter-preted as ophiolite (Hutchison, 1975, 1989; Tjia, 1987,1989a,b). An occurrence of sheared diamictite, hereinterpreted as possibly tectonic melange, was reported

I. Metcalfe / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 18 (2000) 691712692

Fig. 10

Bahau

Muar

0 50 100 150 km

Lebir Fault Zone

5N 5N

102E

102E

Suture Zone Rocks

Ben

tong

Rau

b

Suture

Raub

Bentong

Radiolarian locality with age

Alor Star

Semanggol Formation

THAILAND

CameronHighlands

JengkaU. Dev.

L. Perm.L. Carb.(Tourn)

L. Carb.(Visean)

L. Carb.(Visean)

U. Dev.,L. Carb.

L. Perm.,U. Perm

L. Perm.,U. Perm.,M. Trias.

SIBUMASUTERRANE

(PART) N

U. Dev.(Fam)

L. Perm.

?L. Carb.

M. Trias. EA

STE

RN

BE

LT

CE

NTR

AL

BE

LT

WE

STE

RN

BE

LT

KualaKangsar

ShearedDiamictite

INDOCHINATERRANE

(PART)

Malacca

L. Carb.(Tourn)

GunongSemanggol

KAZAKSTAN

TARIMALQD NORTH

CHINA

SOUTHCHINAINDIA

QIL

KL

WB

SWB

SG

NORTHEAST CHINA (COMPOSITE)

QS

??SI

SIB

UM

AS

U

IND

OC

HIN

A

0 600 km

Fig. 1. Western, Central and Eastern Belts of Peninsular Malaysia and distribution of suture zone rocks (oceanic ribbon-bedded cherts, argillites, melange,serpentinites) and ribbon-bedded cherts, argillites and turbidites of the Semanggol Formation. Radiolarian localities and ages are also shown (after Metcalfe etal., 1999). Inset map shows the distribution of principal continental terranes and sutures of East and Southeast Asia. WBWest Burma, SWB South WestBorneo, S Semitau Terrane, HT Hainan Island terranes, L Lhasa Terrane, QI Qiangtang Terrane, QS Qamdo-Simao Terrane, SI Simao Terrane,SG Songpan Ganzi accretionary complex, KLKunlun Terrane, QDQaidam Terrane, ALAla Shan Terrane (after Metcalfe, 1998).

I.Metcalfe

/JournalofAsian

EarthSciences

18(2000)691712

693

v v v vv v v v

Semantan Fm/Gemas FmJerus Lst

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

WarmWarm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Warm

Cool

Cool

O18

PalaeoClimate

PalaeoClimate

Biogeographical province/faunal affinities

Biogeographical province/faunal affinities

1.Langkawi

and N.W. Malaya

?

2.South Perlis

and North Kedah

?

0 150 km

5N 5N

102E

102E

Suture Zone Rocks

Ben

ton

gR

aub

Sutu

re

THAILAND

SIBUMASUTERRANE

(PART)

INDOCHINATERRANE

(PART)1

2

3

4

5

7

6

3.Kanthan,

Kinta Valley, Perak

?

4.Kuala Lumpur,

Selangor

5.Trengganu/

East Pahang

6.West & Central

Pahang

7.South Pahang,

Johore, Singapore

? Yunnan, KwangsiLaurasia

Laurasia

Laurasia

Ryoseki Type

Ryoseki Type

Tethyan

Tethyan

Tethyan

Tethyan

Yunnan

Eastern Tethys

Cathaysian

Euramerican

China

China

INDOCHINA TERRANESIBUMASU TERRANE

?

???

? ? ?

Jurong Fm

Kerum Fm

Aring Fm

Australia, Tibet, N. ChinaS. China,Argentina

S. China

S. China

S. China (Pagoda Fm)

LimestoneSchist

Proterozoicbasement

Dolomite

Sandstone

Shale/Mudstone

Interbedded Shale,Sandstone, Siltstone

Glacial-marinediamictites

VolcanicsVolcaniclastics

Conglomerate

BeddedChert

StratigraphicBreak Vertebrates

Brachiopods

Fusulines

Stromatoporoids

Trilobites

Conodonts

Nautiloids

Gastropods

Bivalves

Small forams

Plants

Kodiang/ChupingLst.

Devonian

Carboniferous

Permian

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

Silurian

Ordovician

Cambrian

Precambrian

?

Saiong Beds(Continental)

Singa Fm.(Glacial-marine)

Setul Lst Fm.(Peritidal,subtidal)

MachinchangFm.

1300-1800 Ma(not exposed)




Semanggol"Fm."

?


Kubang Pasu/Kati Fm.(shallow-marine)

MahangFm.

KanthanLimestone

Kuala LumpurLimestone

HawthorndenSchist

DindingSchist

KanthanLimestone

JeraiFm.

Tethyan

Eastern Tethyan

Eastern TethyanSouth China, Indochina

N. W. Australia

N. W. Australia

Eastern Australia

N. W. Australia

Arctic-Eurasian

Arctic-Eurasian

EasternGondwanaland

Gondwanaland

Sibumasu Province

Turbidites

?


Kenny HillFormation

?




v v

v vvvv

vv

v

vv

Dohol FmSagor Fm

Panching Lst

Charu Fm

Tembeling Gp/Gagau Gp

v v

v v

vv

v

vv

vv

v v

Tembeling Gp/Gagau Gp

Panti SstTebak FmUlu Endau BedsSediliVolcanics

Sumalayang Lst.

Raub Group/Kepis Fm

Linggiu Fm

MersingBeds

Gua Musang Fm

SIBUMASU TERRANE(Western Belt of Peninsular Malaysia)

INDOCHINA TERRANE(Central & Eastern Belts of Peninsular Malaysia)

Fig. 2. Representative generalised stratigraphic collumns and biogeographic affinities for the Peninsular Malaysia parts of the Sibumasu and Indochina terranes. Partly after Metcalfe (1988, 2000c).

by Metcalfe and Chakraborty (1988) near the easternmargin of the Central Belt (Fig. 1), which may indi-cate that the accretionary complex, exposed beneathPermo-Triassic rocks along the western margin of theCentral Belt, extends eastwards beneath the CentralBelt, or has been displaced eastwards by faulting.Other occurrences of Carboniferous, Permian and Trias-sic deep marine ribbon-bedded cherts to the west of thetraditional suture zone (rocks previously included in theKati and Semanggol Formations) indicate that theBentongRaub Suture Zone may be much wider thanpreviously thought.

2.1. Sibumasu and Indochina terranes: origin and dispersalfrom Gondwanaland

2.1.1. Sibumasu TerranePeninsular Malaysia west of the BentongRaub Suture

forms part of the Sibumasu continental lithospheric terrane(Metcalfe, 1984, 1986, 1988). This terrane (Fig. 1, inset)includes parts of western Yunnan (Baoshan and TenchongBlocks), the Shan States of Burma, northwest Thailand,Peninsular Burma and Thailand, western Peninsular Malay-sia and northwest Sumatra (Metcalfe, 1988). It is bound onthe east by the ChangningMenglian, Chiang Mai, Nan-


CAMBRIAN

JURASSIC

TRIASSIC

PERMIAN

DEVONIAN

SILURIAN

ORDO-VICIAN

CARBON-IFEROUS

XX

X

X

XX X

SIBUMASU CANNING BASIN

Limestone Sandstone

MixedclasticsShale

Conglomerate

StratigraphicBreak

Evaporites(salt)

Glacial-marinediamictites

M

M

M

E

E

E

E

L

L

L

SW

N

V

T

PRILUD

LLYWEN

A

C

LLN

A

TR490

434

410

354

298

252

205

545

LM

E

Fig. 3. Comparison of the gross stratigraphies of Sibumasu and the Canning Basin, NW Australia.

Uttaradit, Sra Kaeo and BentongRaub Suture Zones,which have been interpreted as representing the mainPalaeo-Tethys Ocean (Metcalfe, 1999; Metcalfe et al.,1999). Its eastern boundary in Sumatra is contentious.Hutchison (1975, 1983) and Gasperon and Varne (1995)suggest, principally on the distribution of granite types,that the BentongRaub Suture extends southeast-wardsthrough the tin islands of Bangka and Billiton. Tjia (1985,1989a), Tjia and Zaiton Harun (1985) and Metcalfe (1988,1996, 1998) have suggested, on structural and stratigraphicgrounds, that the suture extends into the Bengkalis Graben(see Hutchison, 1993; Metcalfe, 1996 for discussions).

2.1.2. Indochina terraneThe eastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, east of the

BentongRaub Suture, has a different pre-Jurassic tectonos-traigraphy and evolution to the Sibumasu terrane. It wasinterpreted by Stauffer (1973) as part of an East MalayaBlock, but is now regarded as a southwards extension ofthe Indochina Terrane (Metcalfe, 1998). This terrane isbounded to the northeast by the Song Ma Suture Zone,and to the west by the Uttaradit-NanSra Kaeo andBentongRaub sutures in Thailand and Malaysia, respec-tively. It is here taken to include what has previously beenreferred to as the East Malaya Block (excepting Borneo)of Stauffer (1974, 1983) and Metcalfe (1988).

2.1.3. Terrane origins and dispersal from GondwanalandPalaeobiogeographic and tectonostratigraphic data for

both Sibumasu and Indochina indicate that these continentalblocks formed part of the IndiaAustralian margin of Gond-wana in the Lower Palaeozoic (Metcalfe, 1988, 1990,1993c, 1996, 1998; Burrett et al., 1990; Rong et al.,1995). Gondwana biogeographic affinities of faunas andfloras on Sibumasu continue up to the Early Permian(Sakmarian), and the presence of Lower Permian glacial-marine diamictites, associated with cold climate indicators

and Gondwana faunas and floras (Fig. 2), dictate that thisterrane was still attached to the margin of Gondwana upuntil the Early Permian. This is supported by gross tecto-nostratigraphical comparisons between the SibumasuTerrane and the Canning Basin of NW Australia (Fig. 3),suggesting that the Cambrian to Lower Permian stratigraphyof Sibumasu is an extremely good fit for a position outboardof NW Australia during that period. In the AssellianEarlySakmarian, brachiopods on the Sibumasu Terrane belong tothe Gondwanan Indoralian Province, but shortly afterseparation from Gondwana in the Late Sakmarian-Midian,the brachiopods developed their own Sibumasu Provincefaunas with endemics. By WujiapingianChangxingiantimes, the brachiopod faunas had become assimilated intothe Cathaysian Province. These changes of provincial affi-nities of the brachiopod faunas of Sibumasu document thenorthwards drift of the terrane during the Permian (Shi andArchbold, 1998).

Ordovician and Silurian faunas of Indochina show Gond-wana affinities, but by Lower Carboniferous and youngertimes there appears to be no Gondwana connections(Metcalfe, 1988, 2000c; Fig. 2). It seems most likely thatthe Indochina Terrane, along with South and North Chinaand Tarim, separated from Gondwana in the Devonian.

2.2. Palaeomagnetic data

Palaeomagnetic summaries and studies of the Sibumasuand Indochina terranes and of Peninsular Malaysia havebeen made by Richter and Fuller (1996) and Richter et al.(1999). Palaeozoic and Mesozoic palaeomagnetic data fromSE Asia remain problematic, due to widespread Mesozoicand Cenozoic overprints, and the Palaeozoic and EarlyMesozoic rocks often carry Late Triassic or Late Cretaceousoverprints (Metcalfe, 1994; Richter and Fuller, 1996; Rich-ter et al., 1999). Palaeolatitude data do, however, providesome constraints on terrane positions at certain times.

I. Metcalfe / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 18 (2000) 691712 695

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

-30

-40

-50

]]

s

ss

ss

ss

s

s

s

s

l

l

l ll

l llS. CHIN

A

AUSTRALIA

SIB

UM

ASU

CarboniferousDevonian Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Tertiary

PA

LAE

OLA

TIT

UD

E

]

l

s

SibumasuBlock

(Ref. at 18N, 95E)

Observations

E. SumatraE. Malaya

Predicted fromSouth China

Predicted fromAustralia

]

]

sss

Fig. 4. Rapid northwards drift of the Sibumasu Terrane interpreted from palaeolatitude data (from Van der Voo, 1993 and supported by the more recent data ofRichter et al., 1999).

There is a general paucity of Palaeozoic data from theSibumasu Terrane. Results considered reliable (i.e. passingreversal and fold tests) indicate that the Sibumasu Terranemoved from about 428S in the Late Carboniferous to around15208N in the late Triassic (Van der Voo, 1993; Fig. 4).This is consistent with the late Early Permian separation andPermo-Triassic northwards drift of Sibumasu as part of theCimmerian Continent, interpreted from other data.

The majority of the palaeomagnetic data for the Indo-china Terrane has been collected from the Upper Palaeozoicand Mesozoic of the Khorat Plateau. All pre-Late Triassicrocks appear to have been remagnetised during the LateTriassic Indosinian Orogeny (Richter and Fuller, 1996). Apalaeolatitude of 258N is indicated for the Khorat Plateau inthe Late Triassic. The Virtual Geomagnetic Pole (VGP)presented for these data is indistinguishable from the VGPof remagnetised Permian Limestones. Interestingly, thisalso coincides with the mean VGP for remagnetisedPermian and Triassic limestones of the Sibumasu Terrane,suggesting that a Late Triassic remagnetisation of theserocks is most likely. Unfortunately, available palaeomag-netic data for the Indochina Terrane provide little informa-tion on its pre-Late Triassic latitudinal position.

2.3. Volcanic arcs

The BentongRaub Suture Zone represents the mainPalaeo-Tethys Ocean, which would have been at least2000 km wide at some point during its history. Long livedsubduction subsequently destroyed the Palaeo-Tethysbeneath either Indochina, Sibumasu, or both, resulting indestruction of the ocean, and the eventual collision ofthese two continental lithospheric blocks. Since subductionis required to destroy the Palaeo-Tethys, there must havebeen one or more volcanic arcs related to this subduc-tion process. Two Late Palaeozoic volcanic arcs can beidentified in the vicinity of the BentongRaub Suture; aLower to Middle Permian volcanic arc (Peusangan-Pale-pat Volcanic Arc) distributed as an elongate, fault-bounded strip to the west of the suture along thewestern edge of the Sibumasu Terrane in Sumatra,and a Middle to Upper Permian and Triassic volcanicarc (East Malaya Volcanic Arc), identified as an elon-gate strip to the east of the suture through easternPeninsular Malaysia, and possibly extending to Bangkaand Billiton, along the western edge of the IndochinaTerrane.

2.3.1. Peusangan-Palepat Volcanic ArcThis Lower? to Middle Permian plutonic-volcanic arc is

interpreted as subduction-related (Katili, 1973; Pulungonoand Cameron, 1984). McCourt et al. (1996), quotingFontaine and Gafoer (1989), suggested that the faunas asso-ciated with the andesitic volcanics of this arc indicatedwarm climate and Cathaysian affinities, in contrast to typicalSibumasu Gondwana sequences. They suggested that the

arc was an oceanic island arc, subsequently accreted toSibumasu through northerly directed subduction and theclosure of a marginal ocean basin, in the Late Permian, ormore likely Early Triassic. If the Peusangan-Palepat Volca-nic Arc was already in existence in the early Early Permian,then the Sibumasu Terrane must have already separatedfrom Gondwana prior to the Early Permian. However, wehave substantial evidence that this was not the case, and thatit only separated at the end of the Early Permian (seeMetcalfe, 1996, 1998). This suggests that this poorlydated arc is probably of late Lower to Middle Permian,rather than early Lower Permian to Middle Permian age.This is critical when making comparisons with the Gond-wana faunas, floras and the stratigraphy of the SibumasuTerrane. This is because cold-climate glacial-marine sedi-ments, faunas and floras are present on Sibumasu in theAsselianSakmarian, but soon after this, and certainly byKungurian times, due to separation and northwards drift ofthe terrane, and climatic amelioration following retreat ofthe Gondwana glaciation in the late Sakmarian, sediments,faunas and floras become warm climate Tethyan/Cathaysiantypes (see Shi and Archbold, 1998). The only unequivocalearly Lower Permian (Asselian) Cathaysian fauna and floraknown in Sumatra is that of the Jambi area, and I havestressed in previous publications that this region formedpart of the Cathaysian Indochina terrane during the EarlyPermian. Late Lower and Middle Permian and youngerfaunas of Sumatra, whether on the volcanic arc or on theSibumasu or Indochina portions of the island, will be ofwarm climate Cathaysian type. The assertion, based onfaunal and floral comparisons, by Hutchison (1993) thatthe West Sumatra Block (comprising the Alas, Kluet,and Kuantan Formations together with the Peusangan-Pale-pat Volcanic Arc) could not have been contiguous withSibumasu in the Carboniferous to Early Permian is thusflawed. A single KAr age of 248 ^ 10 Ma (Early Triassic)from the volcanics (Nishimura et al., 1978) was used byMcCourt et al. (1996) to indicate the probable age of colli-sion of this arc with Sibumasu. Clearly, precise dating of thePeusangan-Palepat Volcanic Arc volcanics is essential forconstraining models for its evolution, and for Late Palaeo-zoic palaeogeographic reconstructions of the region. Inaddition, it is important to determine if this volcanic arcwas constructed on the margin of Sibumasu (presence oflate Lower Permian warm climate fossils do not precludethis) or if it was, as suggested by Wajzer et al. (1991) andMcCourt et al. (1996), an oceanic island arc which wasaccreted to Sibumasu in the Triassic. In any case, this volca-nic arc appears to have no direct relationship with subduc-tion processes during the closure of the Palaeo-Tethys,represented by the BentongRaub Suture Zone, but itdoes, however, have important implications for a betterunderstanding of the evolution of the Sibumasu terrane,and hence indirectly the suturing of this terrane to Indo-china, and to the interpretation of the Permian palaeogeo-graphy of the region.


2.3.2. East Malaya Volcanic ArcThe Middle to Upper Permian and Triassic East Malaya

Volcanic Arc comprises intermediate to acidic volcanics,distributed in eastern Peninsular Malaysia and extendingsoutheastwards to the islands of Bangka and Billiton. Ande-sitic and acidic volcanism occurs in the Upper Permian, andacidic volcanism predominates in the Triassic (Metcalfe etal., 1982). The age of this arc may also extend down into theCarboniferous, as abundant volcaniclastics and some volca-nics of this age are widely distributed in Carboniferousrocks in eastern Peninsular Malaysia (Fig. 2). The arc wasconstructed on the margin of the Indochina Terrane andwould have been the result of eastwards (but originallynorthwards) subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean. Thesubduction polarity suggested, is consistent with that indi-cated by tectonic transport directions (see below), and astime progressed, the volcanic arc probably migrated south-westwards. I-type granitoids of Late Permian to Triassic age

east of the BentongRaub Suture, represent the plutonicelements of the volcanic arc (Hutchison, 1977; see below).

3. The accretion phase and description of the BentongRaub suture

3.1. Suture zone rocks

The BentongRaub Suture Zone includes accretionarycomplex rocks, with oceanic ribbon-bedded cherts, argil-lites, turbiditic rhythmites, melange, serpentinites and conti-nental margin/shelf deposits.

3.1.1. Ribbon-bedded chertsCherts occurring as fault-bounded packages forming part

of an accretionary complex, or as clasts in melange, are welldeveloped, and occur as white, grey, green, red and black


RADIOLARIAN SPECIES/ASSEMBLAGE ZONE

RADIOLARIAN SPECIES/ASSEMBLAGE ZONE

(after Feng and Ye, 1996) (after Cheng, 1986; Ishiga, 1990; Braunand Schmidt-Effing, 1993)

Triassocampe deweveri ass. zone Triassocampe deweveri ass. zone

Triassocampe coronata ass. zone Triassocampe coronata ass. zonePseudoeucytis liui ass. zoneShengia yini ass. zone ?Wangia ass. zoneNeoalbaillella ornithoformis ass. zone Neoalbaillella ornithoformis ass. zoneNeoalbaillella optima ass. zone Neoalbaillella optima ass. zone

Follicucullus charveti zone

Follicucullus scholasticus m. II ass. zone Follicucullus porrectus zoneFollicucullus monacanthus ass. zone Follicucullus monacanthus ass. zonePseudoalbaillella fusiformis ass. zone Pseudoalbaillella globosa zone

Pseudoalbaillella longtanensis zoneAlbaillella sinuata ass. zone Albaillella sinuata ass. zonePseudoalbaillella scalprata m.rhombothoracata ass. zone

Pseudoalbaillella scalprata m.rhombothoracata ass. zone

Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria -Pseudoalbaillella sakmarensis ass zone Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria zonePseudoalbaillella u-forma m. II -Pseudoalbaillella elegans ass. zone Pseudoalbaillella u-forma m. II ass. zone

Pseudoalbaillella u-forma m. I ass. zonePseudoalbaillella bulbosa ass. zone

? Pseudoalbaillella nodosa ass. zone

?

Pseudoalbaillella annulata ass. zone Albaillella nazarovi zoneAlbaillella rockensis zone

Albaillella cartalla ass. zone Latentifistula concentrica zoneAlbaillella cartalla ass. zone

Albaillella indensis ass. zone Eostylodictya rota zoneAlbaillella indensis brauni ass zone Albaillella indensis ass. zoneAlbaillella deflandrei ass. zone Albaillella deflandrei ass. zoneAlbaillella paradoxa ass. zone Albaillella paradoxa ass. zone

Albaillella-1 ass. zoneHoloeciscus 3 ass. zone

Entactina - Entactinosphaera ass. zone Holoeciscus 2 ass. zoneHoloeciscus 1 ass. zone

? Pre-Holoeciscus ass. zoneEoalbaillella lilaensis ass. zone ?

BENTONG-

RAUBSUTURE

Famennian

Frasnian

Tournaisia

Visan

Asselian

Artinskia

AnisiaLadinian

DEVO

NIAN

CARB

ONIFE

R OUS

PERM

IAN

TRIA

SSIC

Lower

Upper

Low

erUp

perUp

perLo

wer

Midd

leLo

wer

Scythian

Changhsingia

Sakmarian

Kunguri

Wuchiapingia

Midd

le

Roadi

Capitanian

Wordia

SerpukhoviBashkiriaMoscoviaKasimoviaGzhelian

SEMA-NGGO

L

Fig. 5. Radiolarian ages and zones represented by ribbon-bedded cherts in the BentongRaub Suture Zone and cherts, previously included in the SemanggolFormation. Radiolarian assemblage zones after Feng Qinlai and Ye Mei (1996), Cheng (1986), Ishiga (1990) and Braun and Schmidt-Effing (1993).

cherts, generally thinly bedded, but sometimes more thicklybedded (especially red and green varieties). Most containabundant radiolarians, but preservation is generally poor,with recrystallisation of the cherts and radiolarian testsmaking extraction and identification difficult. Despitethese difficulties, recent intensive studies of radiolariansfrom these cherts (Sashida et al., 1993; Spiller and Metcalfe,1995a,b; Sashida et al., 1995; Spiller, 1996; Metcalfe et al.,1999) have provided constraints on the age of these Palaeo-Tethyan sediments and hence on the opening and closureages for the ocean. Fault-bounded blocks of oceanicbedded-cherts of the traditionally recognised suture zone(Fig. 1) are dated by radiolarians as Upper Devonian(Famennian), Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian andVisean) and LowerMiddle Permian (AsselianRoadian)and represent the Holoeciscus 23, Albaillella deflandrei,Albaillella cartalla, Pseudoalbaillella u-forma m. II, Pseu-doalbaillella lomentaria, Pseudoalbaillella scalprata m.rhombotharacata, Albaillella sinuata and Pseudoalbaillellalongtanensis radiolarian zones (Metcalfe, 1992; Spiller andMetcalfe, 1993, 1995a,b; Metcalfe and Spiller, 1994; Spil-ler, 1996; Basir Jasin and Che Aziz Ali, 1997; see Fig. 5).

In addition, ribbon-bedded cherts, argillites and pelagiclimestones, previously included within the SemanggolFormation (Fig. 1), have yielded Permian and Triassic radi-olarians. Sashida et al. (1993) reported Upper Permian radi-olarians representing the Follicucullus monacanthusandNeoalbaillella ornithoformis zones of Ishiga (1990).Lower? and Upper Permian radiolarians representing the?Pseudoalbaillella longtanensis, Follicucullus mona-canthus and Neoalbaillella ornithoformis zones were alsoreported from the Lower Chert Member of the SemanggolFormation (Spiller and Metcalfe, 1995b). Basir Jasin(1994), Spiller and Metcalfe (1995b) and Metcalfe et al.(1999) report Middle Triassic radiolarians representativeof the Triassocampe deweveri zone.

An interesting isolated block of isoclinally folded, tuffac-eous chert exposed along a road cutting near Kuala Kangsar(Fig. 1), west of the BentongRaub Suture (sensu stricto),has yielded very poorly preserved radiolarians, tentativelyassigned to ?Albaillella deflandrei Gourmelon, whichsuggests a Lower Carboniferous age (Spiller and Metcalfe,1995b). In addition, ribbon-bedded cherts at Bukit TelagaJatoh, south of Pokok Sena, Kedah, previously ascribed tothe Kubang Pasu Formation, have yielded Entactiniavariospina Won and Callella sp. indicating a Lower Carbo-niferous (probably Tournaisian) age (Basir Jasin, 1995). Therelationship of these tuffaceous and ribbon-bedded cherts tothe BentongRaub Suture is not clear. Basir Jasin (1995)interpreted them as continental margin deposits, but theymay alternatively represent part of the accretionary complexthat has been thrust westwards over the Sibumasu terranemargin.

Radiolarians recovered from rocks within the BentongRaub Suture Zone, sensu stricto, (Figs. 1 and 5) suggest thatan open ocean basin existed between the Sibumasu and

Indochina terranes from at least Late Devonian to MiddlePermian, indicating that opening of the Palaeo-Tethysoccurred in the Devonian, as advocated by Metcalfe(1996, 1997, 1998), and closure of the ocean, in the Penin-sular Malaysia segment, occurred in the Late Permian or,more likely, the Triassic (Metcalfe et al., 1999). The discov-ery of Lower and Upper Permian and Middle Triassic radi-olarians from the lower chert member of the SemanggolFormation in northwest Peninsular Malaysia, presents someproblems in interpreting this formation in the overalltectonic evolutionary framework. Sashida et al. (1995)suggested a Lower Triassic collision between Sibumasuand East Malaya (Indochina) and suggested that theupper part of the Semanggol Formation (mainly rhythmitesand conglomerates) formed in a foredeep successor basinoutboard of and partly over the accretionary complex, andidentified the Semantan Formation basin of the Central Beltof the Malay Peninsular as a fore-arc basin (see Sashida etal., 1995; Fig. 7). It seems unlikely that the Lower to UpperPermian ribbon-bedded radiolarian cherts, previouslymapped as part of the Semanggol Formation, would haveformed in the foredeep successor basin, and these were morelikely deposited in the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean itself, prior tocollision. This would imply that these cherts form part of theaccretionary complex and hence part of the BentongRaubSuture Zone (sensu lato). One would also expect to observestructural discontinuity between these cherts and the Trias-sic sediments of the Semanggol Formation. In this regard,repetition of Lower and Upper Permian ages in an appar-ently coherent steeply dipping sequence of cherts nearKuala Nerang, northeast of Alor Star, implies tight isoclinalfolding or repetition of beds by thrusting (Spiller andMetcalfe, 1995a). This has not been observed in Triassiccherts. In addition, Azhar Haji Hussin (1993) reinterpretedthe stratigraphy at Gunong Semanggol (type locality for theSemanggol Formation in the southern part of its outcroparea; see Fig. 1) and recognised a pre-Semanggol unit of80 m 1 thickness comprising predominantly chert clast-bearing orthoconglomerates overlain unconformably bythe Semanggol Formation, comprising a basal conglomarateand then an Upper Triassic (dated by ammonoids andbivalves) turbidite sandstone-shale unit. A major tectonicevent is thus implied, which disrupted the deposition ofthe older chert sequence, preceding the deposition of thepre-Semanggol unit at Gunong Semanggol. An early toMiddle Triassic age for this tectonic event is implied butnot precisely constrained.

3.1.2. MelangeMelange is well developed in the exposed suture zone

rocks and has a sheared mud/silt matrix containing a varietyof clasts, including ribbon-bedded chert, limestone, sand-stone, conglomerate, blocks of turbiditic rhythmites, volca-nic and volcaniclastic rocks. The sizes of clasts in themelange vary from a few millimetres to several metres,and exceptionally, up to several hundred metres or more


in size. An example of a large knocker clast which issurrounded by melange is Bukit Cinta Manis, an undated,unfossiliferous limestone hill near Karak. Basic subduction-related volcanic clasts and true ophiolites (which occur inthe Nan-Uttaradit suture further north) have not, however,been reported from the BentongRaub Suture. The matrixof the melange has not so far yielded fossils. Both perva-sively sheared tectonic melange and more variably shearedsedimentary melange (olistostrome) are recognised (Chak-raborty and Metcalfe, 1987; Metcalfe, 1987; Tjia, 1987,1989a,b). I have not seen any convincing evidence, so far,that any of the the melange represents mud diapirism, butthis remains a possibility in an accretionary complex setting.Clasts of chert have yielded Upper Devonian, Carboniferousand Permian radiolarians (Spiller and Metcalfe, 1995a,b;Spiller, 1996; Metcalfe et al., 1999). In addition, limestoneclasts from melange exposed at Taman Indapura and at2.2 km along the Krau Satu Road near Raub (Fig. 6) haveyielded Lower Permian conodonts (Fig. 7) and fusulinids(Fig. 8). One limestone clast at Taman Indapura yieldedNeogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller)and Xaniognathus cf. sweeti Igo, the co-occurrence of whichsuggests a late Lower Permian, Kungurian age. A second

clast at this locality yielded a specimen of Neostreptog-nathodus sp., again indicative of a Permian age.

At 2.2 km along the Krau Satu Road near Raub one lime-stone clast yielded Mesogondolella bisselli (Clark andBehnken) and Sweetognathus whitei (Rhodes). The co-occurrence of these two species represents the Mesogondo-lella bisselliSweetognathus whitei Zone of Lower Permian(middle Artinskian) age. A second clast at this melangelocality yielded Xaniognathus cf. sweeti Igo, which indi-cates a Lower Permian (early Cathedralian) age (Igo,1981). In addition to conodonts, a third clast at this localitycontained fusulinids which have been identified as Para-schwagerina sp., Schwagerina sp. and Pseudofusulina sp.The co-occurrence of these three genera indicate a probableSakmarian age.

Clasts within the BentongRaub Suture Zone melangerange in age from Upper Devonian to Permian, and there-fore constrain the age of the melange as post Upper Devo-nian to pre Triassic (no Triassic clasts so far known).

3.1.3. SerpentiniteSerpentinite bodies are found distributed along the

Bentong Raub Suture (Fig. 9). These are generally smallbodies, but larger ones near Sungei Telom and Cheroh areabout 20 km in length and about 6 km in width. The serpen-tinite near Cheroh, and some other bodies, are in contactwith phyllitic schists, or occur as diapiric intrusions alongthe fault contacts between schist and melange (e.g. smallserpentinite at Pos Mering, east of Cameron Highlands seeFig. 10), but other bodies are clearly within melange (Haileet al., 1977 and authors personal observations). Jones(1973) suggested that these serpentinite bodies may repre-sent original maficultramafic igneous rocks, and perhaps insome cases submarine lava flows (pillow basalts). Jaaafarbin Ahmad (1976) reported a transition from peridotite toserpentinite near Durian Tipus. Serpentinites at Bukit RokanBarat, near Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, contain pods andlayers of chromian spinel. Microprobe analyses of thecores of chromian spinel grains (Khoo and Tan, 1993;Khoo, 1993) yield Cr/(Cr 1 Al) ratios which plot in theoceanic peridotite field of Bonatti and Michael (1989).There is no direct evidence so far for the age of the serpen-tinites. Hutchison (1973a, 1975) proposed that the serpenti-nite bodies represent dismembered ophiolites, mixed withoceanic sediments in a subduction trench. There is,however, little evidence to support the presence of trueophiolites along the BentongRaub Suture Zone. Theserpentinite bodies are generally small, and there is noevidence of layered ultramafics or sheeted dyke complexes.Other Palaeo-Tethyan ophiolites of the region probablyrepresent the remnants of back-arc basin oceanic crust ratherthan the main oceanic crust of the Palaeo-Tethys (see WangXiaofeng et al., 2000). This seems more logical in view ofthe current interpretation of the origin and occurrence ofophiolites as mainly the remnants of back-arc basins.


Fig. 6. BentongRaub Suture Zone melange: (A) exposure of melange withlimestone clasts at Taman Indapura, Raub; (B) volcaniclastic clast inmelange just north of Bentong; and (C) limestone clast that has yieldedLower Permian microfossils in melange at 2.2 km along the RaubKrauSatu road. See Fig. 9 for locations.


Fig. 7. Lower Permian conodonts from limestone clasts in melange near Raub: 1,2,12,13. Mesogondolella idahoensis (Youngquist, Hawley and Miller), clastsample 896, Taman Indapura, Raub. 1,2,11 upper views; 12 basal view. 3,4,5. Mesogondolella bisselli (Clark and Behnken), clast sample 883, 2.2 km, RaubKrau Satu road. 3 and 4, upper and inner lateral views of same element; 5. Inner lateral view. 6,7. Neostreptognathodus sp., clast sample 897, Taman Indapura,Raub, Outer lateral and upper views. 8,9. Sweetognathus whitei (Rhodes), clast sample 883, km, 2.2 km, RaubKrau Satu road. 5. Outer lateral view. 6. Upperview. 10,11. Xaniognathus cf. sweeti Igo, clast sample 886, 2.2 km, RaubKrau Satu road. 7. Upper view. 6. Lateral view.

3.1.4. Amphibolites and amphibole schistsAmphibolites and amphibole schists also characterise the

BentongRaub Suture, and appear to represent metamor-phosed basic igneous rocks, but the original igneous fabrichas been obliterated.

3.1.5. Clastic metasedimentary rocksMetamorphosed mudstones and rhythmites (inter-

bedded mudstones and turbiditic greywackes) alsooccur along the BentongRaub Suture Zone, wherethey appear to represent the upper part of the fault-

bounded packages of ocean plate stratigraphy. Clastsof these rocks are common components of melange inthe region. There is, however, no exposed, significantlythick, development of turbiditic flysch along theexposed suture zone in Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.However, thick sequences of highly folded turbiditesare exposed along the EastWest Highway in the north-ern part of Peninsular Malaysia, which may representthe near-continent accretionary complex rocks of thesuture. These rocks are associated, as fault-boundedpackages, with schist, melange and phyllites, where


Fig. 8. Lower Permian (Sakmarian) fusulinids from a limestone clast in melange, 2.2 km, RaubKrau Satu road (see Fig. 7 for location). 1. Paraschwagerinasp. 2,3. Schwagerinasp. 46. Psuedofusulina sp.

the suture zone rocks are exposed along the highwayjust west of the Perak-Kelantan state boundary (Tjia,1989a). Equivalent rocks to the south are probablyhidden under younger sediments of the Central Belt.

3.1.6. LimestoneApart from shallow-marine limestones with conodonts

and fusulinids that occur as clasts in melange, limestonesof Permian and Early Triassic age are distributed along thewestern part of the Central Belt, and some of these appearto have been deposited on top of the accretionary complex.

3.1.7. Schists and phyllitesQuartzmica schists, phyllites and amphibolite schists

are found distributed in a narrow zone about 7 km wide,and are generally exposed to the west of the mainmelange-chert zone of the suture. Packages of schist andphyllite are, however, also intimately associated withmelange, mudstone and chert in repeated tectonic stackswithin the accretionary complex (see Fig. 10). Thequartzmica schists are known as the Bentong Schist inthe RaubBentong area, and equivalents further to thesouth are the Karak Formation (part) and the Pilah Schist.The schists are locally strongly carbonaceous, and also


BENTONG

MA

I N

CHEROH

RAUB

Pre-SilurianSchists

Melange, Cherts,Argillites

Serpentinite

0 10km

N

KARAK

KrauSatu

TamanIndapura(Fig. 6A)

2.2 kmlocality(Fig. 6C)

Melange(Fig. 6B)

4N

102E

RA

NG

E

GR

AN

I TE

Fig. 9. Exposures of BentongRaub Suture Zone rocks in the RaubBentong area. For general location see Fig. 1.

contain lenses of amphibolite schist, interpreted as possiblemetamorphosed basic igneous rocks. Quartz within theschists occurs as veins, lenses, sigmoids or irregular bodiesup to 7 m in size (Tjia, 1989b). Phyllitic mudstonespreviously included in the Foothills Formation, haveyielded Lower Devonian graptolites (Jones, 1970). Theschists and phyllites are here regarded as metamorphosedcontinental (Gondwana) margin clastic deposits.

3.2. Granitoids

Granite and granitoid batholiths are widely distributed inthe Southeast Asian region and are the result of major platetectonic processes that have affected this area. Three broadbelts of granitoids are recognised in Southeast Asia (Fig.11A): a Western Granitoid Province, comprising LateCretaceous to Eocene high-level I-type granitoids related


GraniteSchist

Strike & Dip Dirt Road FaultThrust

Melange Mudstone BeddedCherts

Serpentinite

POS MERING

MENDROID

A

B

A B

S. Berok

S. CenderohS. Ber

0 1 km

0 1 km

0 5 km

101 40' Eo

101 40' Eo

101 35' Eo

101 35' Eo

4 45' No4 45' No

101 45' Eo

To

GuaMus

ang

POSBLAU

Bt. Bayoh1915ft

2401 ft

35

30

35

8076

76

31

6775

43

Granite-SchistContact Zone

To CameronHighlands

Fig. 10. (A) Sketch map of BentongRaub Suture Zone rocks exposed along the logging dirt road from Cameron Highlands to Gua Musang near Pos Meringand Pos Blau, Ulu Kelantan. Partly after Tjia and Syed Sheikh Almashoor (1993) and the authors own observations in the field. See Fig. 1 for general location.(B) Granitoids of Peninsular Malaysia shown in relation to the BentongRaub Suture Zone (after Cobbing et al., 1992; Metcalfe et al., 1999).

I.Metcalfe

/JournalofAsian

EarthSciences

18(2000)691712

704

MALAYSIASUMATRA

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

LAOS

400 km0

98E 106E 110E102E

4N

8N

12N

16N

4N

8N

12N

16N

98E 102E 106E 20N20N

Western (S + I types)[Cretaceous]

Main Range (S type)[latest Triassic - Early Jurassic]

Eastern (I type)[Upper Permian-Triassicand isolated post-orogenicplu tons of Cretaceous age]

MYANMAR

THAILAND

0 100 km

6N 6N

4N 4N

Main Range plutons

Central Belt plutons

Eastern Belt plutons

Cretaceous plutons

2N 2N

104E

104E

102E

102E

100E

BA

GRANITE PROVINCES

Bentong-Raub Suture Zone Rocks

Fig. 11. A. Granitoid Provinces of Southeast Asia (after Cobbing et al., 1992). B. Granitoids of Peninsular Malaysia shown in relation to the Bentong-Raub suture zone (after Cobbing et al., 1992 and Metcalfe etal., 1999).

to northeastwards subduction of the Ceno-Tethys ocean; aCentral Granitoid Province, which comprises Upper Trias-sic to Lower Jurassic S-type collisional granites; and anEastern Belt Province, of mainly calc-alkaline I-type gran-itoids (but with some S-type) of Permian to Triassic age(Hutchison, 1977; Cobbing et al., 1992). The Western Beltprovince granitoids are not related to the BentongRaubSuture Zone and are not discussed further here.

3.2.1. Central granitoid province (Main Range granites inPeninsular Malaysia)

The Main Range granites of Peninsular Malaysia form thebackbone mountain ranges of the Peninsula, and representthe Central Granitoid Province of SE Asia, extending north-wards into Thailand and southwards into the Indonesian TinIslands, where they overlap with Eastern Belt Provincetypes. They comprise a series of large mesozonal batholithsand plutons of tin-bearing, predominantly biotite granites ofS-type ilmenite series, emplaced into Lower to MiddlePalaeozoic low-grade metamorphic (greenschist facies)rocks in Peninsular Malaysia (Cobbing et al., 1992).Throughout the province, the granitoids have narrow ther-mal aureoles and are generally undeformed, apart from cata-clasis related to fault zones (Cobbing et al., 1992). The MainRange Granite is also enriched in uranium and thorium. UPb zircon emplacement ages for the granites range fromLate Triassic (230 ^ 9 Ma) to earliest Jurassic(207 ^ 14 Ma), with a peak at around 210 Ma (Liew andPage, 1985; Cobbing et al., 1986; Darbyshire, 1988; Hutch-ison, 1989; Cobbing et al., 1992). Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios arehigh, ranging from 0.7159 to 0.7512, indicating a continen-tal source for the granites (Liew and McCulloch, 1985;Cobbing et al., 1992). This is also supported by zirconinheritance ages indicated by concordia intercepts, whichrange from 1500 to 1700 Ma, and Nd model ages whichrange from 1300 to 1800 Ma (Liew and McCulloch, 1985)indicating that the granites were derived from melting of aProterozoic continental basement. Reinterpretation ofBignell and Snellings (1977) RbSr whole rock isotopicdata for the Main Range, by the application of the Intrusionextrapolation method led Krahenbuhl (1991) and Kwan etal. (1992) to the controversial proposal that the majormagmatic event in the Main Range was intrusion of granitebetween 254 and 251 Ma (PermianTriassic boundaryinterval). UPb zircon isotopic data is regarded here asmore reliable in providing tectonically significant, robustemplacement ages. The genesis of the Main Range graniteshas been suggested to be in an A-type subduction setting(Hutchison, 1989) and Rb vs. (Nb 1 Y) plots indicate thatthe majority of the granites are syn- to post-collisional(Cobbing et al., 1986, 1992).

3.2.2. Eastern Granitoid province (Central and Eastern beltgranitoids of Peninsular Malaysia)

The Eastern Belt granitoids of the Malay Peninsula (Fig.11B) are a compositionally expanded calc-alkaline series,

mainly metaluminous I-type, but with some minor S-typebodies present. The batholiths are mainly small and compo-site, and plutons range from rare gabbro to predominantmonzogranite. The ages of the granites range from Permian,or perhaps Carboniferous, to Triassic, according to Cobbinget al. (1992), and are of similar age to their Upper Palaeo-zoic to Triassic host rocks. NdSr and UPb zircon agesrange from 265 to 230 Ma, according to Liew and McCul-loch (1985), but Darbyshire (1988) found only Triassicages. This plutonic suite, together with associated rhyoli-ticignimbriticandesitic volcanics of Permian to Triassicage, were interpreted to represent an ensialic volcano-pluto-nic arc, overlying a Permo-Triassic Benioff Zone (Hutchi-son, 1989). Zircon inheritance ages range from 900 to1400 Ma for I-type granitoids and a single inheritance ageof 1180 has been obtained for an S-type granitoid (Liew andMcCulloch, 1985). Again, like western Peninsular Malay-sia, a Late Proterozoic continental basement is indicated,but this is somewhat younger than that of the SibumasuTerrane part of the peninsula (13001800 Ma). The major-ity of Rb vs. (Nb 1 Y) plots for Eastern Belt granitoids fallin the volcanic arc field (Cobbing et al., 1986, 1992). Thevolcano-plutonic arc is largely buried in the Central Beltregion of the Malay Peninsula by thick Triassic volcaniclas-tic mudstones and turbidites (Semantan and Gemas Forma-tions) derived from the arc (Metcalfe et al., 1982), but thereare many inliers where Permian to Lower Triassic island arcvolcanic rocks are found closely associated with limestone(e.g. Kampong Awah, Pahang).

In the Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia, we also find anarrow line of plutons (Fig. 11B) which are distinct from,but contemporaneous with, the Main Range plutons. TheBenom granite has yielded a RbSr age of 207 ^ 7 Ma(Early Jurassic) with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7079,which is significantly lower than ratios observed in theMain Range granites (Hutchison, 1989). Several LateCretaceous granitoids are also present in the Central Beltof the Peninsula, indicating an igneous event at this time,but this is unlikely to be related to the BentongRaubSuture.

3.2.3. Tectonic setting of granitoidsThe above discussion indicates that the Eastern Province

granitoids of Peninsular Malaysia were generated by ocea-nic subduction in Permian to Triassic times. The MainRange granitoids, on the other hand, were produced bycontinental crustal melting in a syn- to post-collisionalsetting, with latest Triassicearliest Jurassic emplacement.The generation of the Main Range granitoids (age of melt-ing of the continental crust) probably occurred some tens ofmillions of years prior to their emplacement, indicating thatthe collisional event that generated them began in Early toMiddle Triassic times, or perhaps even as early as the latestPermian. The distribution of granitoids in Peninsular Malay-sia, with Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic S-type syn- topost-collisional granites to the west, and Permian (possibly


Carboniferous) to Triassic I-type volcanic arc granitoids tothe east, and BentongRaub Suture Zone rocks in between,suggests a west-facing subduction system (eastwardssubduction) during Permian (possibly Carboniferous) toTriassic times. This is consistent with the stratigraphical,palaeontological, structural and palaeomagnetic data ofmany authors and summarised in this paper that suggestscollision of the Sibumasu and Indochina continentalterranes in the Triassic. Subduction polarity, indicated bythe distribution of granitoids in Peninsular Malaysia, is alsoconsistent with subduction polarity derived from tectonicvergence (see below), and also with the position of theEast Malaya PermianTriassic volcanic arc on the marginof Indochina (see above).3.3. Structural vergence

Detailed studies of the structural geology of the suturezone rocks (Tjia, 1986, 1987, 1989a,b; Tjia and ZaitonHarun, 1985) indicates that tectonic transport was predomi-nantly westwards in the Late Palaeozoic, indicating east-wards subduction. Minor eastwards tectonic transport ofyounger age is interpreted as due to plate collision in thePermo-Triassic. Tjia and Syed Sheikh Almashoor (1993)recognised at least seven tectonic packages of suture zonerocks (schist, phyllite, melange, sandstone, mudstone, chertand serpentinite) in a stacked imbricate structure in UluKelantan (Fig. 10). The melange here contains large lime-stone (up to several metres), sandstone, chert, mudstone andvolcanic and volcaniclastic rock clasts. Massive mudstone,interpreted as a clast in melange, between Pos Mering andPos Blau (Fig. 10), has yielded Permian brachiopods (MohdShaffea Leman, personal communication), and ribbon-bedded cherts near Pos Blau (Fig. 10) have yielded Permianradiolarians (Spiller and Metcalfe, 1995b; Spiller, 1996;Basir Jasin and Che Aziz Ali, 1997).3.4. Overlap sequence

A thick sequence of latest Triassic? marginal marine tocontinental, and Jurassic and Cretaceous continental redbeds, comprising conglomerates, mudstones and sandstonesoverlies the BentongRaub Suture Zone and the folded anderoded Palaeozoic and Triassic sediments of PeninsularMalaysia. These molasse sediments have been mapped asthe Saiong Beds in NW Malaya, the Raub Red Beds in WestPahang and the Kerum Formation, and Tembeling andGagau Groups in the eastern part of Peninsular Malaysia(Fig. 2). The Raub Red Beds are not directly dated, andwere considered to be Carboniferous or older by Haile etal. (1977). However, they appear to overlie folded marinestrata in the Raub area, dated as Permian at the Raub GoldMine (Metcalfe, 1993a), and are less deformed than thePalaeozoic rocks in the area. This indicates a younger, prob-ably Mesozoic age. This overlap sequence indicates thatsuturing of the Sibumasu and Indochina Terranes wascompleted prior to the uppermost Triassic.

4. Major deformational phases in Peninsular Malaysia

Systematic regional structural geology analyses forPeninsular Malaysia are generally lacking. However, strati-graphical and structural evidence suggests three folding anduplift episodes occurred in Peninsular Malaysia: one in theLate Permian (Chakraborty and Metcalfe, 1984; Harbury etal., 1990; Barr and MacDonald, 1991); one in the LateTriassicEarly Jurassic (Hutchison and Sivam, 1992); andone in the MiddleLate Cretaceous (Harbury et al., 1990;Krahenbuhl, 1991). Harbury et al. (1990) attempted ananalysis of the structural evolution of Peninsular Malaysiaand suggested that major folding episodes (with angularunconformities) occurred in the Late Permian and MidLate Cretaceous. The Late Permian event was regarded asa major orogenic mountain building phase. Evidence tosupport the widely reported Triassic orogenic compression(see Hutchison, 1989) was not found by Harbury et al.(1990) but the presence of deformation caused by the Indo-sinian Orogeny is maintained by some authors (e.g. Hutch-ison and Sivam, 1992). The most significant structuraldiscontinuity observed in Peninsular Malaysia is foundbetween the Permian and Triassic. Palaeozoic sedimentaryrocks of the peninsula are generally highly deformed andfoliated, and in most cases the presence of more than one,and up to three phases of folding are evident. In the centraland eastern parts of the peninsula (Chakraborty andMetcalfe, 1984), Palaeozoic rocks are multiply deformedand exhibit refolded folds. This includes dated Permianrocks, e.g. folded Permian strata at the Raub Gold Mine,Pahang, which exhibit refolded folds and have yieldedPermian conodonts (Metcalfe, 1993a), and an angularunconformity, between relatively flat-lying latest Triassicand Jurassic sediments and folded Permian strata, isknown at Jengka Pass, Pahang. All Palaeozoic conodontsin the Western and Central Belts of Peninsular Malaysiahave a colour alteration index (CAI) of 5 or higher andexhibit textural alteration typical of regional metamorphism(Metcalfe, 1993b, 2000b) In addition, these high CAI cono-donts exhibit textural alteration indicative of regional meta-morphism, and in some cases are themselves folded(Metcalfe, 1993b, 2000a). Regional metamorphism hasalso produced schists and gneisses, which commonlyattained higher greenschist, and locally low amphibolitefacies conditions (Hutchison, 1973b; Khoo and Tan,1983). Triassic and younger sedimentary rocks in Peninsu-lar Malaysia exhibit upright symmetrical or asymmetricalfolds, with weak to well-developed axial planar cleavages.Multiple deformations are not observed, and conodontsfrom Triassic strata exhibit low CAIs (unless they are adja-cent to younger granite) and exhibit only diagenetic or ther-mal textural alteration. White mica crystallinity valuessuggest that Jurassic strata experienced only prehenite-pumpellyite facies conditions (Harbury et al., 1990). Thisindicates that there is a metamorphic hiatus present in theMalay Peninsula between the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic


successions. There is therefore clear evidence of amajor orogenic episode in Peninsular Malaysia atabout the PermianTriassic transition level. The timingof this orogenic episode corresponds well to the timingof granitoid generation, the collision of the Sibumasuand Indochina terranes, and closure of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean to produce the BentongRaub SutureZone, based on other evidence. Late TriassicEarlyJurassic Indosinian deformation is only weakly devel-oped in Peninsular Malaysia, and is not regarded hereas being related to the BentongRaub Suture Zone, butto the collision of amalgamated Sibumasu/Indochina/South China with North China along the QinlingDabei Suture Zone and to closure of Permo-Triassicrift basins along the Song Da zone in Laos and Viet-nam. Middle to Upper Cretaceous deformation involvedSWNE shortening and is not related to the BentongRaub Suture Zone.

5. Conclusions: evolution and age of the BentongRaubSuture Zone

The BentongRaub Suture Zone represents the mainPalaeo-Tethys Ocean which opened in the Devonian whenthe Indochina, Tarim, South China and North China continen-tal terranes separated from Gondwana. The Devonian openingof the Palaeo-Tethys is indicated by the oldest oceanic sedi-ments (ribbon-bedded cherts) in the suture zone, being ofMiddle Devonian age (Fig. 12; and see above), coupled withmajor biogeographic affinity changes from Gondwana affinityto Cathaysian affinity on the separating Indochina, Tarim,South China and North China blocks. In addition, a documen-ted counter-clockwise rotation of Gondwana about a rotationpole in Australia in the Late Devonian (Chen et al., 1993)would complement the clock-wise rotation of the Chineseand Indochina blocks as they drifted away from Gonwanaand Palaeo-Tethys opened. There is no indication of


Fig. 12. Sibumasu and Indochina Terranes and the BentongRaub Suture Zone (partly after Hada et al., 1999).

subduction processes taking place beneath Sibumasu or Indo-china in the Devonian. The Devonian was a period of growthfor the Palaeo-Tethys. In latest Devonian or Early Carbonifer-ous times, the Indochina Terrane collided with South Chinaalong the Song Ma Suture Zone to form an amalgamatedsuper-terrane that has been called Cathaysialand (Fig. 13).

Subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys, represented by theBentongRaub Suture Zone, may have begun in the Carboni-ferous, with evidence for this being abundant volcanics incontinental margin Carboniferous sediments in eastern Penin-sular Malaysia, and the presence of a Carboniferous volcanicarc through Thailand and Western Yunnan. Northwards


B-R Suture

East MalayaVolcanic Arc

Peusangan-PalepatVolcanic Arc

(c)

(a) (b)

(d)

S

QIL

WC

NC

SCI

QS

T

AUSTRALIA

INDIAANTARCTICA

AFRICA

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KAZ

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EARLYPERMIAN

0

30

30

GONDWA

NALAND

LAURENTIA

SIBERIA

KAZAKHSTAN

PA

NG

EA

T

NC

SC

QS

SQI

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WC

INDIA

I

WB

PALAEO-TETH

YS

0

30

30

60

PA

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EA

CIMM

E RIANC

O NTINENT

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NC

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S

QI

L

WC

WB

0

30

30

PA

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LATETRIASSIC

NC

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SWC QI

LWB

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PA

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30

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PALA

EO-TE

THYS

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SubductionZoneLand

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Deep Sea

SG

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Fig. 13. Palaeographic reconstructions for (A) Carboniferous; (B) Early Permian; (C) MiddleLate Permian; and (D) Late Triassic, showing relative positionsof the East and Southeast Asian terranes and distribution of land and sea. Present day outlines are for reference only. Distribution of land and sea for Chineseblocks principally from Wang (1985). Land and sea distribution for Pangea/Gondwanaland compiled from Golonka et al. (1994); and for Australia fromStruckmeyer and Totterdell (1990). SC South China; T Tarim; I Indochina; NCNorth China; S Sibumasu; WBWest Burma; QI Qiangtang;L Lhasa; WCWestern Cimmerian Continent. After Metcalfe (1998).

subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys beneath Indochina during thePermian and Triassic is recorded by I-type granitoids andintermediate to acidic volcanics of the East Malaya VolcanicArc (see above). The (current) west-facing polarity of thissubduction system is indicated by tectonic vergence data, posi-tion of the volcanic arc and distribution of granitoid plutons(see above).

The Sibumasu Terrane, as part of the elongate CimmerianContinental strip, separated from the margin of Gondwanain late Lower Permian times. During the remainder of thePermian and Triassic Sibumasu drifted rapidly northwards,as documented by changes in biogeography and palaeolati-tudinal position (Fig. 13).

During Permo-Triassic times, subduction beneath Indo-china constructed an accretionary complex of offscrapedoceanic sediments and melange, and also produced theEast Malaya Volcanic Arc and I-type granitoids. Withtime, the accretionary complex built up into an outer arc

on which shallow-marine limestones formed, some ofwhich were incorporated as clasts into melange, and thevolcanic arc migrated westwards. Onset of A-type subduc-tion commenced around the PermianTriassic boundary,with the leading edge of the Sibumasu Block being under-thrust beneath the leading edge of Indochina (Fig. 14). In theTriassic, thick volcaniclastic sediments filled the forearc/intra-arc Semantan basin which corresponds to theCentral Belt or basin of Peninsular Malaysia and turbiditicrhythmites and conglomerates of the Semanggol Formationwere deposited in the Semanggol foredeep basin, on top ofPermian and Triassic cherts and pelagic limestones.

Acknowledgements

The Australian Research Council is gratefullyacknowledged for continued funding for research in


East MalayaAndesitic

Volcanic Arc

Accretionary Complex

I-TypeGranitoids

SIBUMASU INDOCHINA

SIBUMASU INDOCHINA

Kodiang/Chuping Lst

Kodiang/Chuping Lst

SemanggolForedeep

Basin

SemantanVolcaniclasticForearc Basin

LanchangAcidic Volcanics

Bentong-Raub Suture Zone

0

50 km

0

50 km

0

50 km

0 250 km (approx.)

East MalayaVolcanic Arc

Palaeo-Tethys Ocean

Accretionary Complex

I-TypeGranitoids

Shallow-marineLimestonesGlacial-marine

diamictites

MIDDLE-LATE PERMIAN

MIDDLE-LATE TRIASSIC Main RangeS-Type Granites

SIBUMASU INDOCHINA

LOWER PERMIAN

Fig. 14. Conceptual cross-sections illustrating formation of the BentongRaub Suture by subduction of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean and collision of the Sibumasuand Indochina terranes.

East and Southeast Asia. Prof Ken-ichi Ishii and ProfTomoo Ozawa kindly confirmed fusulinid identifica-tions. Charles Hutchison, Dietrich Helmcke, MikeCrow and Tony Barber are thanked for their thoroughreviews of the manuscript. This paper forms a contribu-tion to IGCP Project 411.

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