Since the Earth formed 4.56 billion years ago, the Earth’s surface and the configuration of continents and oceans have been constantly changing (Supercontinent Cycle of Wilson, 1966 and many subsequent authors). The processes of change have been responsible for crustal recycling, generation of metallic and non-metallic ore deposits and other resources, and the evolution of life (for example, extensive biotic crises).

Numerous international projects have focused on paleogeographic reconstructions for various periods of geological time, and on the mechanisms that controlled the dynamic evolution of the Earth. These projects led to results with high scientific impact. This project aimed to contribute to these reconstructions by unravelling some of the latest configurations of continents and microcontinents along the present-day circum-northern Atlantic Ocean during the Paleozoic Era (~540 to 250 million years ago). The closing chapters of this era were marked by the consumption of the Rheic Ocean and its seaways leading to the formation of the supercontinent Pangaea as a result of a series of collisions among Gondwana, Laurussia and various microcontinents. Before this, in the early and middle Paleozoic, parts of NW Africa may have rifted from western Gondwana and accreted to parts of Europe and North America.

During the Mesozoic (~180 million years ago), the opening of the central Atlantic Ocean (and Western Tethys sensu lato) caused the breakup of Pangaea, heralded by a huge mafic magmatic event that produced the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP). This event was responsible for the biggest biotic and environmental crisis of the Phanerozoic.

The Paleozoic evolution of the Earth’s crust impacted not only the distribution of lithospheric fragments among eastern North America, SW Europe and NW Africa, but also the types and redistribution of natural resources, atmosphere, hydrosphere, continental and oceanic biota, and levels of oxygen production. This project generated new field, geochemical, and geochronological data from southern Morocco and circum-Atlantic magmatic provinces of Proterozoic through Paleozoic age. It brought together members of a diverse international earth-science community through field forums and on-line and conference presentations to discuss and to evaluate the effects of global-scale processes on the present-day distribution of resources, and on mass extinctions and biota destruction. It also promoted and facilitated scientific training for young scientists (particularly women) in North African countries.

The results of this project have significant implications for the formation and distribution of strategic metallic deposits, such as copper, chromium, platinum-gold, lithium, and for the agricultural industry. The collective efforts of our project contribute significantly to the future development of scientific, academic and industrial infrastructure in northern Africa.