Figure 1: Structural units of the Alps involved and metamorphosed during the late Cretaceous - Tertiary orogeny from Vienna (Austria) to Corsica and Tuscany. The distribution of metasediments, ophiolites and basement rocks is not homogeneous over the whole alpine edifice. In the west, in Tuscany, Corsica and Western Alps, the belt is mainly built of post Hercynian metasediments from oceanic (mainly Piemont-Liguria) or continental (Briançonnais cover and European plateform) origin. Several ophiolitic complexes are associated with oceanic sediments (Zermatt, Lanzo, Viso, Voltri). Scarce fragment of basement rocks occur as structural domes (Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso, Ambin, Dora Maira, Tenda) in the internal parts or are located at the external border of the belt (Mont Blanc, Belledonne, Pelvoux, Argentera). From the Simplon line in the Central Alps to the Eastern Alps mainly basement rocks have been imbricated into the orogenic pile (Lepontine dome, Tauern Window) except for the Engadine window. Upper Austroalpine units are not detailed on the map. Map modified after Froitzheim et al. (1996) and Schmid et al. (2004) with additional data from Bigi et al. (1990) and Koller and Höck (1987)
List of the metamorphic minerals found in metasediments of the Alps
