Main Stages of the Development of the Sedimentary Basins of South America and their Relationship with the Tectonics of Supercontinents

Twelve main stages of sedimentary basins of the South American Platform have been identified as follows: one Neoarchean, seven Proterozoic and four Phanerozoic. Basin-forming tectonics are related to the accretion/fusion and fission of the major continental landmasses of the Earthʹs history, such as Atlantica, Nena, Rodinia, Gondwana/Pannotia and Pangea. The first proposed stage of basin development precedes the formation of these major landmasses and was developed on Mesoarchean microcontinents. The last stage succeeds the fission of Pangea and is still in progress.