Large lagoons on the Pangea supercontinent. Beginning of the ground lowering process, that will lead to the opening of the ocean.
Outcrop of the white strip of the Cime Bianche, with quartz (from sands), limestones, and dolomite (from coral reefs), carnelian (metamorphosed dolomites), anhydrite and gypsum (from evaporation).
FROM 150 TO 60 MILLION OF YEARS AGO
Opening of the Tethys Sea between Eurasia and Africa.
Presence of rocks of oceanic origin and evidence of associated processes (such as sedimentation or hydrothermalism.
FROM 60 TO 45 MILLION OF YEARS AGO
Closing of the Tethys Sea and subduction of the oceanic plate underneath the African one.
Mineralogical transformation (metamorphism) of oceanic rocks.
FROM 45 MILLION OF YEARS AGO TO ?
Ascent of portions of ocean crust from depths of over 60 km.
The rocks of oceanic origin now on the surface (eclogites) contain mineral assemblages produced by a metamorphism under high-pressure, moderate-temperature conditions, at great depths. Presence also of minerals due to retrometamorphism events during the rise.
FROM 35 MILLION OF YEARS AGO TO ?
Tectonic movements exposed the massif of Mount Rosa, crystallized at great depth (60 km in the crust) to the surface.
In the alpine chain, the crystalline massif (below) and the rocks of the ocean floor and related covers (above).
? - today
Distension with crustal stretching localised on the south-west side of Mount Rosa massif. Continuation of the exposure process.
Many normal faults with direction NW-SE and faults of accommodation with direction SW-NE. Presence of active faults.
PERCORSO GEOLOGICO
PARCOURS GEOLOGIQUES
GEOLOGICAL PATH
GEOLOGISCHE ROUTE