1. Overview of the Geology of Cuba Overview of the Geology of Cuba
Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent
Cuban Academy of Sciences
Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent
Cuban Academy of Sciences

2. Geological research and cartography in Cuba started in the second half of the XIX Century
1869
FIRST GEOLOGICAL MAP

3. The origin of the island have been explained according to the theories of Geosyncline, Continental Drift, Oceanization, Tectonic Layering, Earth Expansion, Surge Tectonics and several models of Plate Tectonics.

4. If alien planetologists ever land on Earth, it will be in Cuba

5. Main natural resources of the territory

6. Mineral waters WATER DEPOSITS UNDERGROUND KARSTIC BASINS
LIMITED UNDERGROUND WATERS
HOT SPRINGS

7. Gulf of Mexico prospecting area
Oil and Gas
OIL AND GAS
Dense crude oil belt
Gulf of Mexico prospecting area

8. Industrial minerals
MARBLES, QUARTZ & QUARTZ SANDS, BARITE, CLAY MINERALS, ZEOLITE, SEMIPRECIOUS MINERALS, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, SOIL.

9. Base Metals

10. Landscapes

12. Cuban has a complex geology

13. With four main tectonic units

14. The Northern Foldbelt and the Guaniguanico terrane

15. The stratigraphy of the Northern Foldbelt and Guaniguanico
POST OROGENIC
FOREDEEP
CONTINENTAL
MARGIN

16. Cross section of the Northern Foldbelt

17. Caribeana metamorphic terranes

18. Stratigraphy of Caribeana
POST OROGENIC
SUBDUCTION /EXHUMATION
CONTINENTAL
MARGIN

19. Lower Cretaceous paleogeography
Caribeana
Location of the Caribeana submarine platform

20. Allochthonous Ophiolites

21. Camaguey: Ophiolite melange and Ophiolites

22. The subduction melange: Blocks of HP/LT rocks
Some of this rocks are dated as 120 Ma.

23. The allochthonous volcanic arcs

24. The cretaceous volcanic arc in central cuba

25. THE PALEOGENE VOLCANIC ARC

26. Synorogenic basins NORTHERN FOLDBELT PIGGYBACK BASINS GUANIGUANICO
TERRANE
PIGGYBACK BASINS

27. THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE FOREDEEP IN GUANIGUANICO

28. mafic-ultramafic rocks
SYNOROGENIC BASINS
Onto the volcanics and
mafic-ultramafic rocks Pg K

29. Latest Eocene to Recent
BASINS
UPLIFT

30. The evolution continues
2008
1941
2009
LOST

31. Earth Science Convention
VII International
Earth Science Convention
April 2017, La Habana

33. The Caribbean Today (Holocene)

34. THE SYNOROGENIC BASINS
Olistostromes between
the volcanics thrust front and the underlying mafic-ultramafic allochthon.

35. OLISTOSTROME LA PICOTA