Paleozoic diamictites in the Peruvian Altiplano: evidence and tectonic implications

Striated and faceted clasts found within the diamictites of the San Gabán Formation immediately north of Ayaviri (southeast Peru) are interpreted as evidence for the late Ashgill–Llandovery glaciations in the Peruvian Altiplano, an area where this unit was previously considered not to be deposited. The Lower Paleozoic stratigraphic sequence cropping out in the area includes the Sandia, San Gabán, and Ananea Formations, and thus belongs to the Eastern Cordillera tectonostratigraphic domain, but within the Altiplano morphotectonic region. The marked difference between the Lower Paleozoic sequences of the Altiplano and Eastern Cordillera tectonostratigraphic domains suggests important tectonic shortening along the boundary fault zone during Andean Cenozoic deformation.