Geology of Brazil
Phanerozoic (542 - 0 Ma)

The Phanerozoic Eon can be subdivided into the Paleozoic (542 - 251 Ma), Mesozoic (251 - 65 Ma) and Cenozoic (65 - 0 Ma) Era.

During the Phanerozoic, Pangea including West Gondwana breaks up, the South American / Patagonian platform drifts westwards and the South Atlantic opens. In the east, the Nazca Plate subducts the South American Plate giving rise to the Andes. In the west, the Paraná Basin is flooded by voluminous basaltic lava flows and alkaline magmatism in southeast Brazil initiates the formation of the Southeast Rift and the mountain ranges Serra do Mar and Mantiqueira.