In the lithological definition it forms the limit between the gneisses of western Sweden and the relatively underformed eastern granites.
In the two definitions of the Protogine Zone it runs from Scania across Lake Vättern into the upper course of Klarälven and then into Norway.
The tectonic Protogine Zone has anastomosing branches and splits south of Lake Vättern into various diverging arms.
1204 Ma ago the progine zone was subject to extensional tectonics perhaps being a back-arc basin.
The Protogine Zone obtained its final configuration during the Sveconorwegian orogeny 1130–950 Ma ago.