Deformation and folding of mylonitic fabrics in Nowqan ductile shear zone: SW Golpaygan (Sanandaj - Sirjan zone)

A NW-SE trending ductile shear zone has been generated in the metamorphic rocks of the southwest Golpaygan. Different pellitic and psammitic schists, meta-carbonates and igneous rocks were strongly deformed in this ductile shear zone and produced mylonites and ultra-mylonites. Structural analysis indicates three stages of foliations in the metamorphic rocks. Geometry and kinematics of the fabrics in Nowgan shear zone are divided into two northeastern and southwestern parts (limbs of Nowqan antiform). Mylonitic foliation moderately to steeply dip towards northeast in the northeastern part but dips to the southwest in the southwestern part. Mineral and stretching lineation, are shallowly to moderately plunging to the east-southeast in the northeastern part of the shear zone and, to the west-northwest in the southwestern part. The microstructural indicators of shear sense cleared that the northeastern part dextrally displaced along strike with normal component and the southwestern part sinisterly displaced with reverse component at the present situation. The fabrics evidence clear that this ductile shear zone were originally right-lateral strike–slip shear zone and during its structural evolution it was rotated around its strike during later folding stage. Structural analysis of the surrounded rocks of the shear zone indicates three superposed foliations. The mylonitic foliation in the shear zone and the axial plane foliations of the second stage folding are sub-parallel. Plunge directions of the second stage folds axes and the mineral/stretching lineation are also sub-parallel. Therefore, the initiation and development of the shear zone were synchronous with the second stage folding event.