The area is interpreted as the southern part of the suture between East and West Gondwana blocks due to the appearance of ophiolites, eclogite-facies ultramafic rocks and thrust-nappe structures.

• 东非造山带的南延部分主要出露于吕措-霍尔姆湾-毛德王后地-沙克尔顿岭地区，其内发育蛇绿岩、榴辉岩相超镁铁岩及逆冲-推覆构造，因而被解释为东、西冈瓦纳陆块拼合的缝合线。