Cadomian

Cadomian refers to a metallogenic province and a series of orogenic events that affected the Armorican Massif and surrounding regions of northwestern France, southern Britain, and the Iberian Peninsula. These events occurred during the late Neoproterozoic and early Cambrian periods, broadly between 750 and 540 million years ago. The Cadomian orogeny is characterized by intense folding, faulting, and metamorphism, leading to the formation of significant geological structures and mineral deposits.

The term "Cadomian" is derived from the ancient name for Caen, a city in Normandy, France, where many of these geological features are well-exposed. The orogeny is considered part of the larger Pan-African orogeny, a period of mountain-building that affected much of the African continent and adjacent regions. The Cadomian events are thought to be related to the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia and its subsequent breakup, involving complex plate tectonic interactions, including subduction and continental collisions.

Within the Cadomian province, various mineral deposits are found. These include tin, tungsten, copper, gold, and uranium. The formation of these deposits is directly linked to the magmatic and metamorphic processes associated with the orogeny. Granitic intrusions, common in Cadomian terrains, often acted as sources of heat and fluids that mobilized and concentrated these metals. The study of Cadomian geology is crucial for understanding the tectonic evolution of the North Atlantic region and for exploring mineral resources in these areas.