NEW PALEOMAGNETIC RESULTS FROM THE NORTHERN BUSHVELD COMPLEX OF SOUTH-AFRICA

Palaeomagnetic data have been acquired from seventeen sampling sites in the northern Bushveld Complex, Transvaal, South Africa. Twelve sites are situated in the main zone in the Potgietersrus area, while the remaining five are in the upper zone in the Villa Nora area. Specimens were subjected to alternating field and thermal demagnetization. Two mean directions were found. One direction represents the main zone and yields a pole at 1.6 degrees N and 22.3 degrees E, with associated polar errors d(p) and d(m) 14.7 degrees and 15.9 degrees. The second direction represents the upper zone in the northern Bushveld Complex with a virtual geomagnetic pole at 7.9 degrees N and 359.3 degrees E with d,, d, 44.4 degrees and 54.6 degrees. The apparent polar wander path indicates a sequential emplacement process for the Bushveld Complex, starting with the intrusion of the critical zone and ending with the emplacement of the upper zone.