Karoo-Ferrar

The Karoo and Farrar provinces together comprise a major flood basalt province, most of which is found in South Africa and Antarctica, although parts extend into South America, India, Australia and New Zealand. It formed just prior to the breakup of Gondwana about 183 million years ago; this timing corresponds to the early Toarcian anoxic event and the Pliensbachian-Toarcian extinction. The total original volume of the flow, which extends over a distance in excess of 6000 km (4000 km in Antarctica alone), was in excess of 2.5 x 106 km&sup3;.