A long connection (750–380 Ma) between South China and Australia: paleomagnetic constraints

A new paleomagnetic study has been carried out on sediments of middle Cambrian age in the North Sichuan Basin (Yangtze Block). Detailed stepwise thermal demagnetizations allowed us to isolate three components. Site-mean direction derived from higher temperature components is D/I=146.9°/–17.1° (α95=8.3°) yielding a pole position at 51.3°S, 166.0°E. The fold and reversal tests suggest that remanence was acquired during early stage of sedimentation. Combined with the high-qualities early Sinian (748 Ma) and middle Silurian poles obtained recently from the Yangtze block, the deriving polar track demonstrates a similar loop to that of Australia. After rotating these poles from South China to fit that of Australia, the South China Block is placed against northwestern Australia. This reconstruction favors the correlations of the Jiangnan Grenville-age orogenic belt with the Rudall belt of western Australia, and subsequently the late Proterozoic Jiangnan and Officer/Adelaide rift systems. The paleobiogeographic evidence also indicates that this configuration might maintain by the middle Devonian.