The Cambrian metamorphic strata of the Atasuisky area are characterized by complex tense folding and abundance of tectonic discontinuities. They include the following strata (from bottom to top): lower shale (50-500 m), quartzite-shale (130-350 m), quartzite (100-600 m), upper shale (500 m), porphyroidal (more than 1000 m). These strata are crushed into systems of narrow linear folds, forming in plan an extended (about 100 km long) arc facing westward. In the northern part of the arc, in the Alabas Mountains and at the northeastern end of the Aktau Mountains, the general strike of the folds is close to latitudinal. As one moves southward, still within the Aktau Mountains, it changes to northeastern and meridional and remains in this direction up to the latitude of the Atasu River. In the Zheldytau and Kushoko mountains, the strike of the folds changes to northwestern. In the southeastern part of the arc, in the Sarykulja and Uzuntau Mountains, it again becomes almost meridional ...