Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

www.elsevier.com/locate/jseaes

The structural setting and tectonic signi®cance of the Lolotoi, Laclubar

and Aileu metamorphic massifs, East Timor
T.R. Charlton
Ridge House, 1 St. Omer Ridge, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 2DD, UK
Received 20 June 2000; accepted 21 August 2001

Abstract
The Lolotoi and Laclubar metamorphic massifs of East Timor form a part of the Lolotoi Metamorphic Complex. Based on stratigraphic
relationships with the Australian-af®nity parautochthonous stratigraphic succession and structural arguments, the Lolotoi Complex is
interpreted as representing Australian continental basement entrained into the Timor arc±continent collision complex by basement-involved
thrusting. The Lolotoi Complex is not synonymous with the Mutis Complex, de®ned from West Timor, which represents allochthonous
metamorphic basement derived from the pre-collisional Banda forearc. The Aileu Complex is a syn-collisional metamorphic series with an
inverted metamorphic gradient developed beneath overthrust allochthonous peridotite. q 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Stratigraphy; Metamorphic massifs; Thrust belt

1. Introduction 1977; Chamalaun and Grady, 1978) suggested an important

element of basement-involved thrusting.
Timor Island, located in the Neogene collision zone With the possibility of East Timor once again being open
between the NW continental margin of Australia and the for geological research, I have carried out a re-assessment of
Banda Island arc system, is widely recognised as one of published geological studies in East Timor with the aim of
the ®nest present-day examples of an arc±continent colli- evaluating structural styles in the eastern half of the island.
sion complex (Fig. 1). Despite this classic status, fundamen- The main part of this paper summarises the structural and
tal questions remain concerning the structure of the island, stratigraphic relationships from three of the better-known
and these need to be addressed if Timor is to be used (as it metamorphic massifs in East Timor. I believe that two of
frequently is) as an analogue for ancient collision zones. The these three massifs (Laclubar and Lolotoi) show clear
most important outstanding question is the role that Austra- evidence of a basement-involved style of thrusting, whilst
lian continental basement plays in the collision complex. the third (Aileu), which has recently been interpreted by
Politically Timor is divided between newly independent Harris and Long (2001) as showing a basement-involved
East Timor (Timor Lorosa'e) and Indonesian `West Timor' style of deformation, instead demonstrates an essentially
(part of Nusa Tenggara Timur province, Fig. 2). Most recent thin-skinned style of deformation, and syn-collisional meta-
geological studies in Timor have been carried out in West morphism.
Timor, where the principal thrust belt structures are essen-
tially thin-skinned; that is, the Australian continental cover
succession has been detached by thrusting from the under- 2. Geological setting and background
lying continental basement (e.g. Charlton et al., 1991;
Harris, 1991). In eastern Timor, the situation may be rather Timor is situated in the southern forearc of the strongly
different. Little new geological work has been carried out in arcuate Banda Island arc system (Fig. 1). It faces the Austra-
East Timor during the last 25 years through the period of lian northwest continental margin across the Timor Trough,
Indonesian annexation, but prior to this investigations by which is the eastward bathymetric and structural continua-
Grady and co-workers (Grady, 1975; Grady and Berry, tion of the Java Trench at the deformation front of the Sunda
Arc subduction system. Through much of the Neogene the
Banda±Sunda Arc has formed the local boundary between
E-mail address: [email protected] (T.R. Charlton). the Indo-Australian Plate to the south and east and the
1367-9120/02/$ - see front matter q 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 1367-912 0(01)00075-X
852 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

Fig. 1. Location of Timor Island relative to Australia and the Banda Arc. Volcanic arc islands are shaded black, forearc islands are intermediate grey. The
offshore Australian and Sundaland continental shelves are represented by the dotted and hatched patterns, respectively.

Eurasian/Southeast Asian Plate to the north and west. Now, signi®cant element within the collision complex. From
however, this simple delineation of plate boundaries no before the days of plate tectonics, the numerous meta-
longer applies. Convergence between the southern Banda morphic complexes of Timor (Fig. 2) were widely inter-
Arc and Australia has now largely ceased, and kinematically preted as allochthonous bodies, derived by thrusting from
Timor forms a part of the Australian Plate (e.g. Genrich et considerable distances to the north (e.g. Wanner, 1913;
al., 1996). Presumably, this region is in a period of tectonic Molengraaff, 1913; Brouwer, 1942; Grunau, 1957;
reorganisation in which delineation of meaningful plate Gageonnet and Lemoine, 1958; Audley-Charles, 1968;
boundaries is dif®cult if not impossible. Barber et al., 1977). This interpretation still seems readily
The Banda forearc is the zone of interaction between the applicable to many of the high-level metamorphic massifs
outer edge of the Australian continent and a former island in West Timor, such as the metamorphic complex forming
arc subduction system related to the `Asiatic' continental Mount Mutis, the highest mountain in West Timor (Rosidi
margin of Sundaland (i.e. western Indonesia). The forearc et al., 1981; Sopaheluwakan, 1989; Ishikawa et al., 2001).
complex exposed in Timor comprises an imbricate thrust Several lines of evidence, including geochemistry, pre-
stack of Australian continental margin sequences, structu- collisional metamorphic ages and stratigraphic relation-
rally overlain by crustal elements derived from the forearc ships with forearc sedimentary-volcanic successions
of the pre-collisional island arc system. suggest that the high-topography metamorphic massifs
A primary question concerning the structure of Timor of West Timor (e.g. Mutis, Miomaffo, Boi, Mollo: collec-
is whether or not Australian continental basement forms a tively the Mutis Complex, Rosidi et al., 1981) were

Fig. 2. Simpli®ed structural map of Timor showing the location of the main metamorphic massifs.
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 853

derived by thrusting from the pre-collisional Banda fore- parts of West Timor. The style of deformation from the
arc. Lalan Asu metamorphic massif illustrated by de Waard,
The idea that some of the metamorphic complexes in (1954a,b) is also suggestive of basement-involved reverse
Timor may represent Australian continental basement rather faulting.
than allochthonous forearc basement was ®rst suggested by In East Timor the Lolotoi Metamorphic Complex, ®rst
Grady and co-workers (Grady, 1975; Grady and Berry, de®ned and mapped regionally by Audley-Charles (1968),
1977; Chamalaun and Grady, 1978). This possibility was has been widely regarded as the direct equivalent of the
also considered by Barber and Audley-Charles (1976), Mutis Complex in West Timor (e.g. Barber and Audley-
although these authors never subsequently developed this Charles, 1976; Rosidi et al., 1981; Audley-Charles and
interpretation. Sawyer et al. (1993) interpreted the involve- Harris, 1990; Harris, 1991), and by implication has been
ment of Australian basement in the Timor collision widely interpreted as allochthonous relative to the main
complex, but only as a single large tectonic ¯ake derived thrusted Australian continental margin succession of
from the continental margin and thrust as a coherent body Timor (the parautochthon). The alternative interpretation
back onto the more internal Australian continental margin. by Grady (1975), Grady and Berry (1977) and Chamalaun
Most other structural studies of Timor have emphasised and Grady (1978) that the Lolotoi Complex represents
thin-skinned thrustbelt interpretations (e.g. Barber et al., Australian continental basement rather than allochthonous
1977; Audley-Charles, 1986; Charlton et al., 1991; Harris, forearc basement, was based on the identi®cation of strati-
1991; Harris et al., 1998). graphic contacts between Lolotoi metamorphics and par-
Structurally Timor is clearly a fold and thrust belt, autochthonous Australian continental margin cover
although modi®ed by the predominance of shales in the sequences; on gravity data which suggests signi®cantly
Timor stratigraphy which commonly leads to the formation greater thickness for the Lolotoi Complex than was implied
of tectonic meÂlange in place of coherent thrust sheets by published thrust sheet interpretations; and questioning of
(Hamilton, 1979; Barber et al., 1986; Harris et al., 1998). the overthrust model for East Timor as developed by e.g.
Thin-skinned models for fold and thrust belts have been Grunau (1957), Gageonnet and Lemoine (1958) and
popular over the last two or three decades (e.g. Boyer and Audley-Charles (1968), because many of the supposed
Elliott, 1982), but increasingly there has been a recognition thrust contacts reported by these authors proved on closer
of the importance of basement-involved structuring in many examination to be controlled by steep faults (e.g. Berry et
foldbelts. In compilations edited by Cooper and Williams al., 1984).
(1989) and Buchanan and Buchanan (1995), for example, The work of Grady and co-workers was carried out in
basement-involved structures were documented within fold East Timor immediately before the annexation of the terri-
and thrust belts in the western Alps, the northern and south- tory by Indonesia. Subsequently, the majority of published
ern Pyrenees, the Canadian Rockies, the Moroccan Atlas, ®eld studies in Timor have been carried out in the western
the Argentinian Andes, and in Nias Island, Sumatra; the half of the island, where the Mutis Complex is more clearly
latter previously widely quoted as an example of essentially allochthonous. The interpretation of an Australian margin
thin-skinned deformation in an oceanic subduction zone origin for the Lolotoi Complex has consequently never
(Moore and Karig, 1980). An example of the changing achieved widespread support, even though the evidence
perception of fold and thrust belts is the Papuan Foldbelt, favouring this interpretation has not been convincingly
which is similar in age to Timor, and occupies an analogous refuted. In Section 3, I re-assess published structural and
position on the northern continental margin of Australia. stratigraphic evidence from three metamorphic massifs in
This foldbelt was standardly interpreted in terms of thin- East Timor in order to test the alternative interpretations of
skinned fold and thrust belt processes (Hobson, 1986; allochthonous (Banda forearc) or parautochthonous
Hill, 1990), but more recent work has emphasised the (Australian continental basement) origins for these meta-
importance of basement-involved inversion structures morphic complexes.
within and below the foldbelt (Buchanan and Warburton,
1996; Fischer and Warburton, 1996; Cooper et al., 1996).
From global comparisons, therefore, basement-involved 3. Metamorphic complexes in East Timor
thrusting incorporating Australian continental basement
into the Timor collision complex would seem entirely 3.1. Laclubar massif
plausible.
In West Timor the level of erosion is generally not as The Laclubar massif (Fig. 2) is the largest of the meta-
deep as in East Timor, and hence exposed Australian-af®- morphic bodies assigned to the Lolotoi Complex by Audley-
nity basement massifs, if present, are not areally extensive. Charles (1968). Stratigraphic contacts between the Laclubar
However, Barkham (1993), studying some of the oldest metamorphic massif and the parauthochthonous cover
(Permian) rocks of the Australian-af®nity cover sequence, succession provide the ®rst line of evidence that the Laclu-
interpreted basement-involved thrusting and inversion as bar massif originated as Australian continental basement.
the most likely explanation for the structural style in several Basement-cover stratigraphic contacts have been reported
854 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

dipping sedimentary contact, separating the Lolotoi meta-

morphic complex below, from Permian sediments above.
The Lolotoi Complex in this area is represented by low-
grade metavolcanics, interbedded with dark blue-grey phyl-
lites. Overlying these are Permian limestones containing
occasional compound rugose corals and other shallow-
water faunas. The basal limestones contain clastic fragments
derived from the underlying metavolcanics.
Further south near Pualaca (Fig. 4), Wittouck (1937,
reproduced in van Bemmelen, 1949, ®g. 240) mapped
stratigraphic contacts between limestones, then interpreted
as Triassic in age, and Permian or older meta-igneous rocks
of the Laclubar massif. Subsequently the limestones and
associated volcanics were dated as old as Early Permian,
based on bryozoans and fusulinids (Grunau, 1953; Nogami,
1963), again suggesting a pre-Permian age for the Laclubar
metamorphics.
Structural arguments also support an Australian basement
origin for the Laclubar massif. Fig. 3 shows the regional
boundary mapping of the northern Laclubar massif by
Grady and Berry (1977, ®g. 1) overlaid on a topographic
basemap (Missao Geogra®ca de Timor, 1967). The two
areas shown in detail in Fig. 3b and c yield particularly
clear results. In Fig. 3b on the western side of the massif,
stratum contours suggest that the northern boundary of the
re-entrant of cover sequence into the Lolotoi Complex is
formed by a low angle surface dipping 6±108 northward,
with the Lolotoi metamorphics overlying the cover
sequence. This is most likely a gently northward dipping
thrust plane. The southern boundary of the re-entrant is
probably controlled principally by steep faults. These
steep faults appear from the fault-topography relationships
to dip inward towards the Lolotoi Complex, and are there-
fore most likely high-angle reverse faults. Locally thrust
contacts pre-dating the steep faulting might still be recog-
nisable in the angle between the intersecting steep faults,
and also to the SW in the angle between the high-angle
reverse fault and the interpreted NW±SE trending normal
fault. In both places the Lolotoi-over-cover contact is at an
elevation of just over 600 m, consistent with the southward
extrapolation of the gently northward dipping thrust plane
de®ned at the northern boundary of the re-entrant.
In Fig. 3c on the eastern margin of the massif, two

Fig. 3. (a) Mapped outline of the northern Laclubar metamorphic massif,

East Timor (from Grady and Berry, 1977) overlain on a topographic base
(100 m contour interval). (b) and (c) are details from the main map ( £ 2
linear scale). The Lolotoi Metamorphic Complex (grey) is overlain by two
outliers of the Permian Maubisse Formation (brick pattern). These may
have been placed c. 1 km too far north by the mapping; the outliers
would then occupy local topographic highs. Dots: Lolotoi outcrop bound-
ary/topographic contour intersections. Dotted lines: generalised stratum
from two places on the massif. In the north (Fig. 3), Permian contours. These maps illustrate shallow-to moderately-inclined basement-
over-cover relationships (presumed thrusts), possible high-angle reverse
limestones of the Maubisse Formation overlie the Laclubar
faults, and a basement-cored anticlinal culmination. This culmination
metamorphics, a contact interpreted by Audley-Charles (Hatu Hunar) appears to be a direct westward extension of the Cribas
(1968) as a thrust surface. Grady and Berry (1977), anticline, suggesting that the latter is also a basement-cored structure.
however, described this as an irregular, generally shallowly See text for further details.
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 855

Fig. 4. Sketch geological map and interpretative cross-section of the Pualaca area, East Timor. Field data from Hirschi (1907), Wittouck (1937), Grunau (1953)
and Nakazawa and Bando (1968).

re-entrants of cover sequence surround a narrow and Charles, 1968). It is therefore likely that the Cribas anticline
irregular `peninsula' of Lolotoi Complex (Hatu is also a basement-cored structure, an along-strike continua-
Hunar). At the northern Lolotoi-cover sequence contact, tion of the Hatu Hunar anticline, but with a slightly shal-
on the northern slopes of Hatu Tunor, stratum contours lower level of erosion.
on the nearly E±W trending contact indicate that the Structural relationships in the Pualaca area (Fig. 4) yield
contact dips northward at 338. The Lolotoi Complex further evidence in support of an Australian margin origin
overlies the sedimentary sequence, presumably above a for the Laclubar massif. Pualaca is situated near the eastern
north-dipping thrust plane. boundary of the Laclubar massif, to the south of the area
In the peninsula region around Hatu Hunar, stratum covered by Fig. 3c. Stratum contours at the basement-cover
contours at the Lolotoi boundary de®ne a domal culmina- boundary on the eastern edge of the Laclubar massif indi-
tion, with in this case the cover sequence overlying the cate a contact dipping eastward, with the cover sequence
Lolotoi Complex. This is most simply explained if the overlying the metamorphic rocks. The dip of the contact
contact between the Lolotoi Complex and the sedimentary decreases eastwards from 208 to 98 over a distance of
succession is stratigraphic, as for the Permian outliers over- about 2.5 km. Bedding dips in the cover sequence above
lying the northern Laclubar massif, described by Grady and this contact oppose the dip of the basement-cover contact,
Berry (1977). The Hatu Hunar culmination probably ranging from approximately 308W in the west near the
represents either a hangingwall anticline above a thrust Laclubar massif, to 558±658W further east near Pualaca
ramp at depth, or the hangingwall basement block of an village.
inverted formerly extensional half-graben. It is notable The cross-section through the Pualaca area (Fig. 4)
that the crest of this anticline lies directly west along strike interprets the basement-cover contact as the deep section
from the Cribas anticline, which exposes Permian and Trias- of a listric normal fault downthrowing to the east away
sic basinal strata from the deepest level of the Timor from the Laclubar massif. The bedding-dip pattern in the
parautochthon (Gageonnet and Lemoine, 1958; Audley- cover sequence, opposing the dip of the basement-cover
856 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

Fig. 5. Mount Cablac regional geology and cross-section. Mapping by Carter et al. (1976) overlain on topography (100 m interval). Slight local mismatch
between rivers and valley bottoms is a consequence of the overlaying.

contact and increasing into the hangingwall, is the normal this area by Carter et al. (1976) overlain on a topo-
pattern associated with a growth rollover anticline in the graphic basemap (Missao Geogra®ca de Timor, 1967).
hangingwall of a listric normal fault. The cover sequence This mapping indicates that the Early-Middle Miocene
consists of the Triassic Aitutu Formation and the Jurassic Cablac Limestone unconformably overlies both the
Wai Luli Formation, both of which are elements of the Laclubar Metamorphic Complex, and the Jurassic Wai
parautochthonous Australian margin succession. This Luli Formation, which is a part of the parautochthonous
suggests that the eastern boundary of the Laclubar massif Australian continental margin succession (see the new
near Pualaca is probably an original Australian passive cross-section in Fig. 5). This same relationship has
margin graben-bounding fault downthrowing to the east been previously recognised by Audley-Charles (1968)
which was not signi®cantly reactivated during collisional and Reed et al. (1996) in this massif and elsewhere in
deformation. This again implies that the Laclubar meta- East Timor. These structural±stratigraphic relationships
morphic massif represents Australian continental basement. suggest that the Laclubar basement was juxtaposed
Relatively detailed geological data for the southern against the Australian continental margin cover sequence
part of the Laclubar massif is only available from the in the Early Miocene, well before the onset of arc±conti-
Mount Cablac area, in the extreme southwest of the nent collision in the Late Miocene. This is most simply
metamorphic complex. Fig. 5 shows the mapping of explained if the Laclubar massif, the Wai Luli Formation
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 857

and the Cablac Limestone all formed part of the Austra- a graben to the east of the block. The Laclubar massif
lian continental margin at that time. remained a structural high through the Triassic and Jurassic,
As with the Lolotoi Metamorphic Complex, however, the when it formed the footwall block to an active half-graben in
Cablac Limestone has been widely interpreted as an the Pualaca area, and in the Cretaceous±Palaeogene and
allochthonous element, derived from the pre-collisional Early-Middle Miocene, when the southwestern extremity of
Banda forearc. Although some Miocene limestones in West the massif formed a structural high on which condensed
Timor may have a Banda forearc origin, interbeds of sequences of the Bibileu series and shallow marine carbo-
calcalkaline volcanic, volcaniclastic or tuffaceous rocks nates of the Same Formation and Cablac Limestone were
have not been reported from Mount Cablac, and there is deposited. During Neogene deformation the Laclubar struc-
therefore no direct evidence of a forearc origin for the Cablac tural block was shortened on predominantly northward-
Limestone in its type area. Limestone deposition was wide- dipping thrusts, but the N±S oriented eastern margin of the
spread on both the Asiatic and northern Australian continen- high in the Pualaca area retained its essential pre-collisional
tal margins during the Miocene, and the Cablac Formation in horst-graben structure without signi®cant inversion.
its type area and elsewhere in East Timor (e.g. in the Mata
Bia Range) is interpreted in this study as analogous to the 3.2. Lolotoi massif
very thick carbonate buildups that developed locally on
isolated structural highs on the outer Australian continental The Lolotoi massif, the type area of the Lolotoi Meta-
margin during the Miocene (e.g. Scott Reef and Ashmore morphic Complex, is located in southwestern East Timor
Reef: Craig, 1968; BOCAL, 1971; Beardsmore and O'Sulli- (Fig. 2). To the south of the massif is a belt of parautochtho-
van, 1995; Exon and Colwell, 1994). nous Australian continental margin sedimentary rocks,
To the south of Mount Cablac, along the southern bound- consisting of the Triassic Aitutu Formation and the Jurassic
ary of the Laclubar massif north of SameÂ, the mapping by Wai Luli Formation, both strongly deformed and grada-
Carter et al. (1976) (Fig. 5) indicates a stratigraphic contact tional from broken formation into meÂlange of the Bobonaro
between the Lolotoi Complex and the Palelo Group. The Complex (e.g. Brunnschweiler, 1977). To the south is a
Cretaceous±Palaeogene Palelo Group in West Timor forms coastal belt of late Neogene±Quaternary sediments, which
part of the allochthonous sequence, consisting of cherts and extends offshore as the Suai sub-basin, one of several syn-to
volcanics of the Noni Formation succeeded by volcanogenic post-orogenic basins developed on top of the Timor fold and
turbidites of the Haulasi Formation (e.g. Earle, 1983). The thrust belt. North of the Lolotoi massif are further par-
rocks in the Same area mapped by Carter et al. (1976) were autochthonous cover sequences of Permian±Jurassic
described as comprising conglomerate, siltstone, cherty age. At its eastern end the Lolotoi massif abuts the
limestone and chert. Whilst all these lithologies occur in axis of the Bazol anticline, a large coherent anticline
the Palelo Group, the apparent absence of arc-related developed within the parautochthonous succession that
volcanics and volcaniclastic sediments must raise ques- plunges eastward away from the Lolotoi massif. The
tions as to the assignment of the Same succession to mapping of Audley-Charles (1968) interpreted the Lolo-
this group. A closer analogue for this succession might toi metamorphic massif as thrust over the crest of the
be the condensed Early Cretaceous sequences found on Bazol anticline. In contrast, the mapping of Bachri and
structurally isolated parts of the outer Northwest Shelf, Situmorang (1994) shows closure of the parautochtho-
e.g. shale, lithic, glauconitic and argillaceous sandstone, nous cover succession around the Lolotoi massif,
and calcarenite between 7596±8102 ft in the Ashmore suggesting that the Lolotoi block forms the basement
Reef-1 well (Craig, 1968; Beardsmore and O'Sullivan, core to the Bazol anticline. The western end of the
1995). Grunau (1953) described similar successions Lolotoi massif is located close to the border with
elsewhere in East Timor as the Bibileu series, and West Timor, and structural relationships there are uncer-
Gageonnet and Lemoine (1958) recognised the Bibileu tain. However, Giani (1971) reported that in the Masin
series near SameÂ. Gagenonnet and Lemoine (1958) also river, on the border between East and West Timor, the
described their Same series from the area of Fig. 5. The parautochthonous Maubisse Formation overlies the
Same series is characterised by Eocene nummulitic Lolotoi Complex unconformably.
limestones, and these may also have accumulated on a The structural relationships between the Lolotoi base-
structurally isolated horst block located on the outer ment massif, the parautochthonous succession and the
continental margin of Australia. Suai sub-basin are illustrated in Fig. 6. The upper part
In summary, both stratigraphic and structural evidence of Fig. 6 is a line drawing of an offshore seismic
points to the Laclubar metamorphic massif of central East section across the Suai sub-basin (Crostella and Powell,
Timor having originated as part of the Australian continental 1976, ®g. 10), together with an extrapolation onshore to
basement. The Laclubar massif formed a structural high wells in the Suai±Matai area. The Suai sub-basin itself
during the Permian when shallow marine limestones accu- is broadly triangular in pro®le, with a relatively steeply
mulated on the massif, whilst basinal clastics of the Atahoc dipping inner boundary controlled by a listric growth
and Cribas Formations were deposited contemporaneously in normal fault. In Fig. 6 this normal fault is interpreted
858 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

Fig. 6. (Upper) cross-section through the Suai sub-basin, offshore SW East Timor, based on seismic data (Crostella and Powell, 1976, ®g. 10), with an onshore
extrapolation to the Cota Taci-1 well. (Lower) natural scale extension of the upper section across the Lolotoi metamorphic massif. The area covered by the
upper section is indicated by the box in the lower section. See Fig. 2 for location.

to link downwards into a sub-basinal thrust, in effect 3.3. Aileu Complex

interpreting the Suai sub-basin as developed over a
huge landslip-like surge structure. The Aileu Metamorphic Complex (the Aileu Formation of
At the northern end of the section, what is interpreted as Audley-Charles, 1968) occupies a single large massif in
the frontal nose of the Lolotoi metamorphic massif is northwestern East Timor (Fig. 2). The complex has recently
imaged at a depth of about 3s TWT. The upper surface of (Harris and Long, 2001) been described as a Barrovian meta-
this basement block slopes up to the north, and in the Cota morphic complex with a normal (non-inverted) metamorphic
Taci-1 well Lolotoi basement was intersected slightly above gradient and an Australian margin protolith. The associated
the base of the well, which reached a total depth of 2806 m Hili Manu Lherzolite (Fig. 7) was interpreted by Harris and
(e.g. Reed et al., 1996). Extrapolating the upper surface of Long (2001) as upthrust basement derived from the Austra-
the Lolotoi Complex northward, the basement block lian continental margin±oceanic transition zone. This implies
emerges at the ground surface as the Lolotoi massif some a basement-involved style of deformation, as interpreted
15 km inland. above for the Laclubar and Lolotoi massifs. More detailed
As with the Laclubar massif, the reported strati- examination, however, suggests that this is not the case.
graphic contact between the parautochthonous Maubisse In its type area near Aileu town in the south-central part
Formation and the Lolotoi Complex suggests an Austra- of the massif, the Aileu Complex consists of shale, phyllite,
lian basement origin for the Lolotoi `type' massif. The slate and occasional low grade metamorphosed eruptive
structural evidence from the Lolotoi massif also rocks, with the sedimentary protolith interpreted as a ¯ysch
strongly supports an Australian basement origin. sequence (Audley-Charles, 1968). Further northeast (Fig. 7),
Considering the great depth of the Lolotoi Complex the Aileu Complex consists of pelites, psammites and meta-
below the Suai area (deeper than 4 km subsurface?: limestone interlayered with metabasites (Berry and Grady,
Fig. 6), it is dif®cult to see how this metamorphic 1981). The grade of metamorphism increases from SW to
complex could have been emplaced into its present NE through the area, from low (or sub-) greenschist near
position below the bulk of the parautochthonous cover Aileu (e.g. Harris et al., 2000) to upper amphibolite grade at
succession of Timor if the Lolotoi Complex is to be the eastern end of the complex. Berry and Grady (1981)
interpreted as an allochthonous structural element. interpreted a medium pressure metamorphic reÂgime, with
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 859

Fig. 7. Geology of the eastern Aileu massif (mapping by Berry and Grady, 1981, ®g. 2, slightly simpli®ed).

peak temperatures in the range 350±6508C and pressures of `amphibolite association' in Fig. 7). The protoliths of this
5±7 kbar in the eastern Aileu Complex. sequence were probably basic igneous rocks, together with
In the western Aileu Complex, metamorphic rocks pass pelitic and calcareous sediments. The western part of the
transitionally southward into unmetamorphosed Permian area covered by Fig. 7 comprises pelitic phyllites and schists
rocks of the Maubisse Formation (Barber and Audley- interlayered with quartzites and quartz schists, and lensoidal
Charles, 1976; Barber et al., 1977). This suggests a para- bodies of amphibolite (the `pelite/quartzite association' in
utochthonous (Australian continental margin) origin, and at Fig. 7). This second association is here interpreted as a
least a partly Permian age for the Aileu protolith in this area. continental margin succession, comprising interbedded
A Permian age is con®rmed by brachiopods (Gageonnet and sandstones and shales, probably the ¯ysch sequence identi-
Lemoine, 1958) and ammonoids (Brunnschweiler, 1977), ®ed by Audley-Charles (1968) further west. The amphibo-
whilst crinoid ossicles are of Palaeozoic aspect (Barber et lite lenses within the pelite/quartzite association may in part
al., 1977). Brunnschweiler (1977) also recorded an Upper represent basic sills intruding the metasediments, based on
Jurassic Buchia-Belemnopsis fauna within the Aileu Forma- their anastomosing and slightly cross-cutting relationships.
tion near the southern boundary of the complex, but inter- In less deformed areas, however, dykes predominate over
preted much of the complex as composed of Early sills (A.J. Barber, personal communication).
Cretaceous ¯ysch. However, no fossils of Early Cretaceous Berry and Grady (1981) recognised ®ve deformation
age have been recorded from the Aileu Complex. phases within the eastern Aileu massif, but found only a
In the western Aileu Complex the most prominent simple metamorphic history, with one prograde neocrystal-
structures are related to thrust faulting: primarily south- lisation followed by gradual cooling. The ®rst deformation
dipping thrusts in the north, and north-dipping thrusts in phase (D1) was extensional in origin, producing a wide-
the south (Prasetyadi and Harris, 1996). These authors spread layer-parallel schistosity but no recognisable folds.
also identi®ed two ductile phases of deformation in the The dykes and sills within the pelite/quartzite association
western area, corresponding to the ®rst two of ®ve deforma- were probably intruded during this extension, and D1 was
tion phases recognised by Berry and Grady (1981) further interpreted by Berry and Grady (1981) as having developed
east. during Mesozoic rifting on the margin of Australia.
In the eastern Aileu Complex two main lithological D2, which represents the climax of deformation in the
associations can be recognised (Fig. 7). At the extreme east- Aileu Complex, produced tight to isoclinal folds of indeter-
ern end of the complex Berry and Grady (1981) mapped minate vergence. This deformation phase was interpreted by
amphibolite, pelitic and calcareous schist and marble (the Berry and Grady (1981) as marking the main arc±continent
860 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

collision event. D2 was completed by 5:5 ^ 0:2 my (Berry and Grady (1981) interpreted this fault as postdating D5, as it
and McDougall, 1986). cuts across a macroscopic F5 fold hinge. The next fault to be
The peak of prograde metamorphism occurred between active in the area covered by Fig. 7 was the Laclo Fault,
D1 and D2 (Berry and Grady, 1981). Berry and McDougall which forms the southern boundary of the eastern Aileu
(1986) and Harris and Long (2001) interpreted the peak of Complex. This fault dips 40±608 southward for most of its
prograde metamorphism in the Aileu Complex as predating length, but swings to a 708 eastward dip at its eastern end, on
70 my, based on radiometric age determinations from Berry the eastern boundary of the serpentinite pod. The Laclo
and McDougall's (1986) group-A amphibolites. Berry and Fault is marked locally by a narrow shear zone containing
Grady (1981) and Harris and Long (2001) interpreted this mixed blocks of serpentinite, metamorphic rocks and
Mesozoic metamorphism as the result of passive margin Permian±Mesozoic sediments.
rifting during formation of the present Australian northwest Berry and Grady's (1981) mapping of the eastern Aileu
continental margin. However, the four group-A samples Complex (Fig. 7) shows structural closure suggestive of an
were all collected from the amphibolite body at the extreme overall antiformal or synformal structure; regional dips on the
eastern end of the mapped area in Fig. 7, east of the Hili S1 schistosity (parallel or subparallel to lithological layering)
Manu Lherzolite. These amphibolites are structurally sepa- suggest an antiform. Metamorphic isograds show a similar
rate from the Aileu Complex proper, and radiometric ages structural closure. However, if the isograds are folded into a
obtained from these cannot therefore be used with any con®- regional antiform, then the metamorphic gradient in the Aileu
dence to date the age of metamorphism in the main Aileu Complex is inverted. Hamilton (1979) suggested an inverted
Complex. Furthermore, according to Berry and Grady metamorphic gradient for the Aileu sequence, an interpreta-
(1981), the temperature at the start of D2 was only about tion considered possible but unproven by Berry and Grady
508C less than the thermal maximum at the end of (1981). In contrast, Berry and Grady (1981) and Harris and
the prograde phase of metamorphism. It is unlikely that the Long (2001) interpreted a normal gradient Barrovian meta-
Aileu Complex would have cooled by only 508C in the morphic zonation through the Aileu Complex. With an inter-
.65 my between the supposed Mesozoic peak of metamorph- pretation of normal metamorphic gradient, the Hili Manu
ism and the retrogressive phase shortly before 5.5 my. It is Lherzolite presumably represents the lowest structural levels
more likely that the relatively small temperature drop between of the metamorphic complex, or an overthrust body uncon-
the peak of prograde metamorphism and the onset of the D2 nected with metamorphism in the Aileu Complex.
deformation indicates that the thermal maximum occurred In an attempt to further de®ne the structure of the Aileu
immediately before D2. Several samples analysed by Berry massif, a cross-section of the area mapped in Fig. 7 was
and McDougall (1986) show large argon losses at about constructed by plunge projection. This was achieved by
8 my, and this date may correspond approximately to the manipulation of the map in a computer drawing package.
peak of the prograde metamorphism. Utoyo and Permanadewi First the map was re-oriented so that the nominal line of
(1994) dated the peak of metamorphism at 7.68 my, based on section was horizontal, then the re-oriented map image was
three K±Ar radiometric determinations on hornblende from shortened vertically until the Laclo Fault approximated to a
amphibolites sampled in the eastern part of the main Aileu 558 southward dip (as indicated in the original map by Berry
Complex. and Grady, 1981). The resultant `section' (Fig. 8a) is purely
Deformation phase D3 is marked by mesoscopic open to an alternative display of the original mapping, with no addi-
close folds which plunge predominantly to the east or south- tional interpretation, apart from the selection of the strike
east in the area of Fig. 7. D4 produced small open folds section line and the degree of shortening normal to this.
trending N±S subparallel to D3, and occasional macroscopic Fig. 8b is a simpli®ed interpretation of the plunge projec-
folds of similar orientation. The ®nal deformation phase, D5, tion section. Five lithotectonic elements are distinguished,
produced mesoscopic and macroscopic folds which strike three assigned to the allochthon, and two to the parauto-
predominantly about 1008 azimuth, although macroscopic chthon. The parautochthon is divided simply into non-meta-
folds in the western half of the Aileu massif more commonly morphic and metamorphic elements separated by the Laclo
strike NW±SE. Fault. The allochthon comprises metamorphic rocks over-
Berry and Grady (1981) also established a relative chron- lying the metamorphic parautochthon (the `amphibolite
ology of fault movements on the boundaries of the Aileu association'), an ophiolitic body including the Hili Manu
massif. The oldest fault forms the southern boundary of the Lherzolite and the associated igneous amphibolites, and
Hili Manu Lherzolite (Berry, 1981; Fault A in Fig. 7). In its the serpentinite pod at the eastern end of the Aileu massif.
present orientation this fault is steep, strikes approximately In the cross-section, the Hili Manu Lherzolite occupies a
1008, and has a gently eastward-plunging slickencryst linea- high structural position. The section also suggests that the
tion. Berry and Grady (1981) interpreted this as a left-lateral Aileu Complex is not entirely parautochthonous, but is
strike-slip fault that developed contemporaneously with D5, composite in origin with allochthonous elements (the
based on parallelism with nearby D5 folds. The next oldest amphibolite association) overlying parautochthonous
fault (B in Fig. 7) forms the contact between the Aileu elements (the pelite/quartzite association). The contact
Complex and a small serpentinite body to the east. Berry between the two is thus interpreted as the primary thrust
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 861

Fig. 8. Cross-sections through the eastern Aileu Complex. (a) Plunge projection of the mapping in Fig. 7. (b) Simpli®ed and interpreted version of the plunge
projection section. Ornament as in Fig. 7.

suture between the pre-collisional forearc complex and the northward bend at the eastern end of the fold axis does
continental margin sequence. suggest northward vergence, and for this reason a northward
Two phases of thrusting are interpreted from the Aileu vergent thrust is interpreted to underlie the Aileu meta-
Complex. The older had a southward direction of override, morphic complex.
and this was presumably related to the emplacement of the The structure interpreted in Fig. 8b can be ®tted neatly
forearc onto the continental margin. The inverted meta- with the metamorphic and deformational history proposed
morphic gradient in the Aileu Complex developed at by Berry and Grady (1981). The earlier phase of thrusting
about the same time, with heat from the base of the obducted presumably represents arc±continent collision as it
forearc ophiolite conducted down through the higher grade emplaced the allochthon onto the parautochthon. This there-
`metamorphic allochthon' into the transitionally lower fore corresponds to the D2 deformation event, which
grade `metamorphic parautochthon'. Subsequently, thrust- probably commenced at about 8 my (see discussion
ing with a northward sense of override, emplaced the non- above). The subsequent backthrusting can probably be
metamorphic parautochthon on top of the Aileu Complex related to D3, with the eastward-plunging fold structures
along the Laclo Fault, and produced north-verging folds in that characterise this event developed during the formation
the underlying metamorphic complex (e.g. Prasetyadi and of the steeply eastward-plunging antiform. The phase of
Harris, 1996). rapid cooling recognised by Berry and McDougall (1986)
It is possible that the blind thrust indicated in Fig. 8b is at 5.5 my may have resulted from uplift associated with this
not a real feature; it is inferred to explain the large S-shaped backthrusting. The D4 deformation event is not well
fold developed in the contact between the metamorphic displayed in the Aileu Complex, but might correspond to
allochthon and metamorphic parautochthon in the plunge obliquely oriented ESE-directed thrusting recognised
projection section (Fig. 8a). However, this `fold' results locally elsewhere in East Timor, e.g. in the Mata Bia
from a relatively gentle along-strike curve in the lithological Range (Fig. 2). The shortening direction associated with
boundary in Fig. 7, and could result alternatively from local folding in the D5 deformation is similar in orientation to
topography (which is not taken into account in the simple shortening associated with Pliocene±Quaternary thrusting
plunge projection technique used here). Similarly, the north in the northern slope of the Timor Trough. This is therefore
vergent folding shown by the amphibolite and quartzite consistent with the dating of the backthrusting at about
layering may be less dramatic than is shown by the section; 5.5 my.
the apparent vergence of the fold in the pelite/quartzite The order of fault activity deduced by Berry and Grady
association depends critically on the orientation of the line (1981) is also consistent with the history of deformation
of section relative to the fold axis, and the line of section is outlined above, although the inferred relationship in timing
slightly oblique to the main fold axis. Nevertheless, the between the faulting and folding is not in agreement. Berry
862 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

and Grady interpreted Fault A as having developed contem- Complex represents basement derived from the pre-colli-
poraneously with deformation phase D5, with the fault sional Banda forearc.
formed by left lateral wrench movement. Although it may It should, of course, not be assumed that all metamorphic
have been subsequently reactivated as a wrench fault, it is complexes in West Timor that to date have been assigned to
suggested here that Fault A was originally a southward- the Mutis Complex are fragments of allochthonous forearc
directed thrust that was steepened during subsequent defor- basement, nor that all metamorphic complexes in East
mation. Fault B, which Berry and Grady interpreted as Timor outside the Aileu massif are Lolotoi-type Australian
cross-cutting to D5 folds, was probably folded by this continental basement. Examples of metamorphic complexes
younger deformation, and may well have formed the in West Timor that are probably better assigned to the Lolo-
original southward continuation of Fault A. The Laclo toi Complex include the Lalan Asu massif (de Waard,
Fault postdates Faults A and B in both Berry and Grady's 1954a,b), the Noil Laka massif in the south of the island,
interpretation and the interpretation proposed here. and the large Usu massif in north-central West Timor (de
In summary, based on the ®eld mapping of Berry and Waard, 1959). On the other hand, reviewing the rather
Grady (1981), the Aileu Complex is here interpreted as a limited geological evidence from East Timor does not
metamorphic series with an inverted thermal gradient show up any obvious examples of metamorphic massifs
(Hamilton, 1979) developed by the emplacement of hot that are better assigned to the Mutis Complex rather than
forearc elements on top of the Australian continental margin the Lolotoi Complex. Mutis-type allochthonous meta-
sedimentary and igneous succession during the early stages morphic complexes occupying high structural positions
of arc±continent collision (c. 8±5 my). Signi®cantly, this may formerly have existed in East Timor, but were presum-
new structural interpretation of the Aileu Complex also ably removed by deep erosion.
indicates an important element of thrusting with a northward Several criteria can be used to distinguish between
sense of override (i.e. in a backthrust sense with respect to Australian continental (Lolotoi-type) and Asiatic forearc
the southern Banda Arc). This backthrusting is likely to be (Mutis-type) metamorphic complexes in Timor. In addition
on a scale comparable to that interpreted from the BIRPS to basement-cover stratigraphic relationships and relative
deep seismic re¯ection pro®les (Fig. 1) located immediately structural position already discussed, these include:
east of Timor (Richardson, 1993; Richardson and Blundell, 1. The geochemistry of intrusions into the metamorphic
1996; Snyder et al., 1996). The dating of this backthrusting complexes: Australian basement should be intruded by
at about 5.5 my is also signi®cant, both locally in Timor and feeder dykes to Permian±Early Cretaceous volcanism in
for interpretation of the BIRPS pro®les, as it suggests that the parautochthonous succession, which is tholeiitic to
backthrusting developed relatively early in the collision mildly alkaline in composition (Berry and Jenner, 1982).
history. In contrast, a calcalkaline geochemistry would be expected
With regard to the main theme of this paper, i.e. evidence from dykes intruding Mutis-type metamorphics.
for the involvement of Australian continental basement in 2. Radiometric dating: The peak of metamorphism in
the collision complex, deformation in the Aileu Complex is Australian basement metamorphics should be Permian or
essentially thin-skinned, with superimposed syn-collisional older in age, especially in metamorphic complexes further
metamorphism. The Aileu metamorphic complex has an south in the island, which are unlikely to have been signi®-
inverted metamorphic gradient, as suggested by Hamilton cantly affected by collision-related (Aileu-type) meta-
(1979), not a normal Barrovian gradient as interpreted by morphism. Radiometric ages of basement intrusives
Berry and Grady (1981) and Harris and Long (2001). The should also be signi®cantly different: Permian±Early
Aileu metamorphic complex represents parautochthonous Cretaceous ages for those intruding Australian basement;
and allochthonous cover sequences metamorphosed during Late Cretaceous±Tertiary ages for those intruding
arc±continent collision, and not Australian continental allochthonous forearc basement.
basement (or continent±ocean transitional basement), as 3. Metamorphic grade and pressure reÂgime: The Aileu
interpreted by Harris and Long (2001). and Mutis Metamorphic Complexes are medium or
medium-high pressure assemblages, ranging up to amphi-
bolite and locally granulite grade (Berry and Grady, 1981;
4. Discussion Earle, 1981; Brown and Earle, 1983; Sopaheluwakan,
1989). The metamorphic conditions prevailing during
It has been widely interpreted that the Lolotoi Complex of formation of the Lolotoi Metamorphic Complex have not
East Timor is the direct equivalent of the Mutis Complex in been described in any detail, but Audley-Charles (1968)
West Timor (e.g. Barber and Audley-Charles, 1976; Rosidi reported low grade regional metamorphic conditions. Simi-
et al., 1981; Audley-Charles and Harris, 1990; Harris, lar low- to medium-grade regional metamorphic conditions
1991). The present study suggests that this correlation is have also been reported from the Lalan Asu (de Waard,
not valid. The Lolotoi Complex represents Australian conti- 1954a,b) and Usu (de Waard, 1959) massifs in West
nental basement entrained into the arc±continent collision Timor, which are here interpreted as possible Australian
complex by basement-involved thrusting, while the Mutis basement (Lolotoi-type) metamorphic complexes.
 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865 863

Fig. 9. North±south cross-section from Dili to Betano, East Timor. See Fig. 2 for location. Above: interpretation of present structure; below: restored to
structure prior to arc-continent collision.

4. Association with ophiolite: The Mutis Complex in provide evidence of both thin-skinned thrusting (Aileu
West Timor is usually associated with fragments of a Complex) and basement-involved thrusting (the Laclubar
dismembered ophiolite complex (e.g. Rosidi et al., 1981; and Lolotoi massifs, both assigned to the Lolotoi
Sopaheluwakan, 1989), as is the Aileu Complex (Berry Metamorphic Complex by Audley-Charles, 1968). The
and Grady, 1981). Although the Lolotoi Complex includes structural styles interpreted for East Timor are illustrated
metabasic and meta-ultrabasic lithologies (Audley-Charles, in cross-sections in Figs. 6, 9 and 10. Fig. 9 shows a regional
1968), these have not been described as ophiolitic. The cross-section and palinspastic restoration from Dili in the
composition of the basic and ultrabasic rocks in the Lolotoi north to Betano in the south. Fig. 10 shows a section through
Complex should therefore be examined for comparison with the eastern Aileu Complex and the eastern Laclubar area
ophiolitic material in the Mutis Complex, and for compar- based on Figs. 3 and 8.
ison with basic Australian basement terranes such as Three distinct types of metamorphic complex are present
Precambrian gabbro encountered at the base of the in Timor. The Aileu Complex is a syn-collisional meta-
Koba-1 well on the western Arafura Shelf (SPT/Pertamina, morphic series, formed by the obduction of hot allochthonous
1992). peridotite onto an Australian continental margin sedimen-
tary/igneous succession. Consequently, the Aileu Meta-
morphic Complex has an inverted metamorphic gradient,
5. Conclusions and yields syn-collisional radiometric ages. The Lolotoi
Complex represents Australian continental basement
The Aileu, Lolotoi and Laclubar massifs of East Timor entrained into the collision complex by basement-involved

Fig. 10. Cross-section through the eastern Aileu Complex and eastern Laclubar massif. Vertical hatching represents allochthonous units; dot±dash pattern is
the parautochthonous cover sequence. See Fig. 2 for location.
864 T.R. Charlton / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 20 (2002) 851±865

thrusting. The Mutis Complex represents basement derived maturation indicators. Journal of the Australian Petroleum Exploration
from the pre-collisional Banda forearc. The terms Mutis Association 35, 333±343.
Bemmelen, R.W., 1949. The Geology of Indonesia. Government Printing
Complex and Lolotoi Complex are not synonymous, and
Of®ce, The Hague.
the two can be distinguished based on a number of critieria, Berry, R.F., 1981. Petrology of the Hili Manu lherzolite, East Timor.
including basement-cover stratigraphic relationships, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia 28, 453±469.
relative structural position, the composition and age of intru- Berry, R.F., Grady, A.E., 1981. Deformation and metamorphism of the
sions into the metamorphic complexes, and the temperature± Aileu Formation, north coast, East Timor, and its tectonic signi®cance.
Journal of Structural Geology 3, 143±167.
pressure±age parameters of the metamorphic rocks.
Berry, R.F., Jenner, G.A., 1982. Basalt geochemistry as a test of tectonic
The predominant basement-involved style of deformation models of Timor. Journal of the Geological Society of London 139,
in East Timor contrasts with West Timor where a thin- 593±604.
skinned style of thrusting is dominant (Charlton et al., Berry, R.F., McDougall, I.A., 1986. 40Ar/ 39Ar and K/Ar dating evidence
1991; Harris, 1991). This difference probably re¯ects funda- from the Aileu Formation, East Timor, Indonesia. Chemical Geology
mental differences in pre-collisional passive margin 59, 43±58.
Berry, R.F., Burrett, C., Banks, M., 1984. New Triassic faunas from East
structure in the eastern and western halves of Timor
Timor and their tectonic signi®cance. Geologica et Palaeontologica 18,
(Charlton, 2001; Charlton et al., submitted). Whereas S127±S137.
western Timor formed a relatively unstructured, essentially BOCAL [Burmah Oil Company of Australia Ltd], 1971. Scott Reef-1 well
basinal area prior to collision, eastern Timor was an overall completion report. Held on open ®le in Australian Geological Survey
higher-standing area, but with a marked horst and graben Organisation library, Canberra, Australia.
Boyer, S.E., Elliott, D., 1982. Thrust systems. Bulletin of the American
structure. During arc±continent collision, relatively thick
Association of Petroleum Geologists 66, 1196±1230.
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compression by the development of a thin-skinned fold and from Timor, eastern Indonesia: P-T conditions of metamorphism and
thrust belt. In contrast, compression in eastern Timor was tectonic implications. Journal of Metamorphic Geology 1, 183±203.
accommodated by the development of basement-involved Brouwer, H.A., 1942. Summary of the results of the expedition. Geological
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Brouwer, H.A., vol. 4, pp. 345±402.
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Brunnschweiler, R.O., 1977. Notes on the geology of eastern Timor. BMR
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