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The Southern Irumide Belt (SIB) is an orogenic belt consisting of a number of lithologically varied Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic terranes that were thrust upon each other. The belt lies along the southwest margin of the Archaean to Proterozoic Congo Craton, and bears a Neoproterozoic tectono-thermal overprint relating to the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian collision between the Congo and Kalahari cratons. It preserves a record of about 500 million years of plate interaction along this part of the Congo margin. Detrital zircon samples from the SIB were analysed for U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes, as well as trace element compositions. These data are used to constrain sediment-source relationships between SIB terranes and other Gondwanan terranes such as the local Congo Craton and Irumide belt and wider afield to Madagascar (Azania) and India. These correlations are then used to interpret the Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic affinity of the rocks and evolution of the region. Detrital zircon samples from the Chewore–Rufunsa and Kacholola (previously referred to as Luangwa–Nyimba) terranes of the SIB yield zircon U–Pb age populations and evolved εHf(t) values that are similar to the Muva Supergroup found throughout eastern Zambia, primarily correlating with Ubendian–Usagaran (ca. 2.05–1.80 Ga) phase magmatism and a cryptic basement terrane that has been suggested to underlie the Bangweulu Block and Irumide Belt. These data suggest that the SIB was depositionally connected to the Congo Craton throughout the Mesoproterozoic. The more eastern Nyimba–Sinda terrane of the SIB (previously referred to as Petauke–Sinda terrane) records detrital zircon ages and εHf(t) values that correlate with ca. 1.1–1.0 Ga magmatism exposed elsewhere in the SIB and Irumide Belt. We ascribe this difference in age populations to the polyphase development of the province, where the sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Nyimba–Sinda terrane accumulated in extensional basins that developed in the Neoproterozoic. Such deposition would have occurred following late-Mesoproterozoic magmatism that is widespread throughout both the Irumide and Southern Irumide Belts, presently considered to have occurred in response to collision between a possible microcontinental mass and the Irumide Belt. This interpretation implies a multi-staged evolution of the ocean south of the Congo Craton during the mid-Mesoproterozoic to late-Neoproterozoic, which ultimately closed during collision between the Congo and Kalahari cratons. Keywords: Detrital zircon geochronology, Tectonics, Hafnium isotopes, Zambia, Southern irumide belt, Irumide belt

Neoproterozoic tectonic geography was dominated by the formation of the supercontinent Rodinia, its break-up and the subsequent amalgamation of Gondwana. The Neoproterozoic was a tumultuous time of Earth history, with large climatic variations, the emergence of complex life and a series of continent-building orogenies of a scale not repeated until the Cenozoic. Here we synthesise available geological and palaeomagnetic data and build the first full-plate, topological model of the Neoproterozoic that maps the evolution of the tectonic plate configurations during this time. Topological models trace evolving plate boundaries and facilitate the evaluation of "plate tectonic rules" such as subduction zone migration through time when building plate models. There is a rich history of subduction zone proxies preserved in the Neoproterozoic geological record, providing good evidence for the existence of continent-margin and intra-oceanic subduction zones through time. These are preserved either as volcanic arc protoliths accreted in continent-continent, or continent-arc collisions, or as the detritus of these volcanic arcs preserved in successor basins. Despite this, we find that the model presented here still predicts less subduction (ca. 90%) than on the modern earth, suggesting that we have produced a conservative model and are likely underestimating the amount of subduction, either due to a simplification of tectonically complex areas, or because of the absence of preservation in the geological record (e.g. ocean-ocean convergence). Furthermore, the reconstruction of plate boundary geometries provides constraints for global-scale earth system parameters, such as the role of volcanism or ridge production on the planet's icehouse climatic excursion during the Cryogenian. Besides modelling plate boundaries, our model presents some notable departures from previous Rodinia models. We omit India and South China from Rodinia completely, due to long-lived subduction preserved on margins of India and conflicting palaeomagnetic data for the Cryogenian, such that these two cratons act as 'lonely wanderers' for much of the Neoproterozoic. We also introduce a Tonian-Cryogenian aged rotation of the Congo-São Francisco Craton relative to Rodinia to better fit palaeomagnetic data and account for thick passive margin sediments along its southern margin during the Tonian. The GPlates files of the model are released to the public and it is our expectation that this model can act as a foundation for future model refinements, the testing of alternative models, as well as providing constraints for both geodynamic and palaeoclimate models. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Madagascar is a complex, composite geological terrane that occupies an important location in Late Proterozoic plate reconstructions. The recognition in one of the Madagascan terranes of a Stenian to Tonian-aged arc magmatic suite (the Dabolava Suite) demonstrates that its host terrane resided at a plate boundary from c. 1080 to 980 Ma. Gabbroic and granitoid intrusions of the Dabolava Suite are recognized only in the Ikalamavony Domain in west–central Madagascar. The oxygen isotopic compositions of zircon indicate that the parental magmas involved crustal contributions that were fractionated by a hydrological cycle, whereas hafnium isotopic compositions reflect near depleted-mantle signatures with only minor deflection to more crustal values. Together, these trends suggest mantle derivation of parental magmas coupled with upper-crustal assimilation of Stenian-aged pre-existing plutonic and volcanic rocks. These magmatic rocks, together with the coeval sedimentary rocks of the Ikalamavony Group, are taken to represent a subduction-related magmatic arc that formed in an oceanic-arc tectonic setting in the Mozambique Ocean outboard of the Archaean to early Palaeoproterozoic shield of Madagascar. The arc accreted to the older craton before the initiation of the Imorona–Itsindro Suite magmatism at c. 850 Ma that intruded both domains. Supplementary material: A complete description of the analytical methods and supplementary data are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3823717

The East African Orogen involves a collage of Proterozoic microcontinents and arc terranes that became wedged between older cratonic blocks during the assembly of Gondwana. The Ediacaran–Cambrian Ambalavao and Maevarano Suites in Madagascar were emplaced during the waning orogenic stages and consist of weakly deformed to undeformed plutonic rocks and dykes of mainly porphyritic granite but also gabbro, diorite and charnockite. U-Pb geochronological data date emplacement of the Ambalavao Suite to between ca. 580 Ma and 540 Ma and the Maevarano Suite to between ca. 537 Ma and 522 Ma. Major and trace element concentrations are consistent with emplacement in a syn- to post-collisional tectonic setting as A-type (anorogenic) suites. Oxygen (δ18O of 5.27‰–7.45‰) and hafnium (εHf(t) of –27.8 to –12.3) isotopic data from plutons in the Itremo and Antananarivo Domains are consistent with incorporation of an ancient crustal source. More primitive δ18O (5.27‰–5.32‰) and εHf(t) (+0.0 to +0.2) isotopic values recorded in samples collected from the Ikalamavony Domain demonstrate the isotopic variation of basement sources present in the Malagasy crust. The Hf isotopic composition of Malagasy zircon are unlike more juvenile Ediacaran–Cambrian zircon sources elsewhere in the East African Orogen and, as such, Madagascar represents a distinct and identifiable detrital zircon source region in Phanerozoic sedimentary provenance studies. Taken together, these data indicate that high-T crustal anatexis, crustal assimilation and interaction of crustal material with mantle-derived melts were the processes operating during magma emplacement. This magmatism was coeval with polyphase deformation throughout Madagascar during the amalgamation of Gondwana and magmatism is interpreted to reflect lithospheric delamination of an extensive orogenic plateau. Keywords: Madagascar geology, East African orogen, Zircon geochronology, Zircon oxygen and hafnium isotopes, Post-collisional magmatism

Madagascar occupies an important location within the East African Orogen (EAO). The EAO comprises an assemblage of Neoproterozoic microcontinents and arc terranes lodged between older cratonic blocks during the final assembly of the supercontinent Gondwana. The Imorona-Itsindro Suite of central Madagascar represents voluminous Tonian-aged (850-750 Ma) magmatism with controversial petrogenesis. Early work proposed arc magma generation coinciding with oceanic plate subduction during closure of the Mozambique Ocean along the 'Betsimisaraka Suture' in eastern Madagascar. Recently, others have questioned the existence of such a suture in Madagascar and rather suggest extension related emplacement into the middle and upper crust through a system of pre-existing structures. New U-Pb (zircon) geochronological data coupled with in-situ oxygen and hafnium isotopic analyses demonstrate that the Imorona-Itsindro Suite had several source components. Most of the Tonian-aged magmatic rocks were derived by mixing between ancient crust and mantle derived melts. 5180 values show variation that indicates significant involvement of crustal material and hydrothermal fluids. Predominantly low negative epsilon(Hf)(t) values are also variable and indicate significant crustal involvement in the genesis of the Tonian magmas. A compilation of all available geochronological data shows magmatism was essentially continuous for similar to 100 Myr but with periods of increased activity at similar to 800 Ma, similar to 791 Ma and similar to 784 Ma. Temporal analysis shows magmatic cycles of enrichment and depletion on the scale of 15-40 Ma. Spatial variations in isotope compositions reflect the heterogeneity of probable crustal source rocks present in the Ikalamavony, Itremo, Antananarivo and Masora Domains. A tectonic model is proposed for the Imorona-Itsindro Suite as a long-lived Andean-like arc on the margin of the Mozambique Ocean. The longevity and temporal isotopic trends are interpreted as reflecting cycles of arc advance and retreat. Refereed/Peer-reviewed