Provenance of Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments from the Labrador and western Greenland continental margins

1978 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1850-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Higgs

Forty-two Cretaceous and Paleocene sand samples from offshore Labrador and onshore western Greenland were examined petrographically. The sands were found to be mineralogically and texturally immature, reflecting rapid erosion and transportation from local, high-relief source areas. The principal source-rock types were acidic plutonics and amphibolite-facies metasediments and metavolcanics. Basic igneous rocks provided minor quantities of detritus, whereas contributions from sedimentary and low-grade-metamorphic sources were negligible. Cretaceous and Paleocene sediment transport was essentially perpendicular to the axis of the 'Labrador–Baffin rift system.In view of the apparent local abundance of amphibolite-facies supracrustal rocks during the Cretaceous and Paleocene, extensive post-Paleocene denudation in Labrador, Baffin Island, and western Greenland is invoked to account for the present scarcity of such rock types.

1995 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Briand ◽  
Jean-Luc Bouchardon ◽  
Houssa Ouali ◽  
Michel Piboule ◽  
Paul Capiez

AbstractHigh-grade basic and acidic meta-igneous rocks are widespread in the bimodal amphibolitic—felsic gneiss complexes, which are characteristic formations of the ‘Middle Allochthonous Unit’ from eastern and southern French Massif Central. The metabasites from the Lyonnais and Doux complexes are chemically diverse and range from N-MORB type tholeiitic to transitional types. The two populations are not related by fractional crystallization or crustal contamination processes and their chemical characteristics reflect differences in their mantle sources. An ensialic setting is supported by the crustally-derived character of some of the associated felsic rocks, but the presence of N-MORB-type metabasites argues for an extensional environment. This bimodal association compares well with the magmatism of rifted continental margins and may reflect a transitional stage between continental rifting and oceanic crust formation during the Cambro-Ordovician spreading event.


1978 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1773-1782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuch-Ning Shieh ◽  
Henry P. Schwarcz

The average 18O/16O ratios of the major rock types of the surface crystalline rocks in different parts of the Canadian Precambrian Shield have been determined, using 47 composite samples prepared from 2221 individual rock specimens. The sampling areas include Baffin Island, northern and southwestern Quebec, Battle Harbour – Cartwright, northern District of Keewatin, Fort Enterprise, Snowbird Lake, Kasmere Lake, and Saskatchewan, covering approximately 1 400 000 km2. The granitic rocks from the Superior, Slave, and Churchill Provinces vary only slightly from region to region (δ18O = 6.9–8.4‰) and are significantly lower in 18O than similar rock types from the younger Grenville Province (δ = 9.2–10.0‰). The sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks have δ18O = 9.0–11.7‰ and hence are considerably lower than their Phanerozoic equivalents, possibly reflecting the presence of a high percentage of little-altered igneous rock detritus in the original sediments. The basic rocks in most regions fall within a δ18O range of 6.8–7.6‰, except in northern and southwestern Quebec where the δ-values are abnormally high (8.5–8.9‰). The overall average 18O/16O ratio of the surface crystalline rocks of the Canadian Shield is estimated to be 8.0‰, which represents an enrichment with respect to probable mantle derived starting materials by about 2‰.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Knierzinger ◽  
Michael Wagreich ◽  
Eun Young Lee

<p>We present a new interactive MATLAB-based visualization and calculation tool (TETGAR_C) for assessing the provenance of detrital garnets in a four-component (tetrahedral) plot system (almandine–pyrope–grossular–spessartine). The chemistry of more than 2,600 garnet samples was evaluated and used to create various subfields in the tetrahedron that correspond to calc-silicate rocks, felsic igneous rocks (granites and pegmatites) as well as metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks of various metamorphic grades. These subfields act as reference structures facilitating assignments of garnet chemistries to source lithologies. An integrated function calculates whether a point is located in a subfield or not. Moreover, TETGAR_C determines the distance to the closest subfield. Compared with conventional ternary garnet discrimination diagrams, this provenance tool enables a more accurate assessment of potential source rocks by reducing the overlap of specific subfields and offering quantitative testing of garnet compositions. In particular, a much clearer distinction between garnets from greenschist-facies rocks, amphibolite-facies rocks, blueschist-facies rocks and felsic igneous rocks is achieved. Moreover, TETGAR_C enables a distinction between metaigenous and metasedimentary garnet grains. In general, metaigneous garnet tends to have higher grossular content than metasedimentary garnet formed under similar P–T conditions.</p>


1976 ◽  
Vol 40 (314) ◽  
pp. 589-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Woodford ◽  
Allan F. Wilson

SummaryThe first known occurrence of kornerupine in Australia is described. The mineral is a minor component of a phlogopite-rich garnet-corundum-spinel metasomatic zone, which cuts mafic and ultranlafic spinel-plagioclase-orthopyroxene-hornblende rocks. The kornerupine-bearing assemblage was formed during the second major metamorphic episode that affected the terrain, probably under low-grade granulite or upper amphibolite facies conditions. Kornerupine appears to have formed at significantly lower levels of P-T than those reached in the terrain during the peak of the second granulite metamorphism.


Pebbles are commonly used parameters for the determination of finite strain in deformed rocks. In high grade metamorphic environments, rocks probably behave as viscous fluids and a theory exists which relates the deformation experienced by a pebble to that of the host rocks. However, some deformed conglomerates are found in low grade metamorphic rocks where the assumption of viscous behaviour is unrealistic The deformation of artificial conglomerates made of geological materials, at room temperature and varying confining pressure is described. In these experiments, pebbles deform by cataclasis at surprisingly low applied loads and large finite strains are achieved. The amount of deformation experienced by pebbles of different rock types depends mainly on their yield strengths and ductility contrasts with respect to the matrix. A theoretical analysis assuming that pebble and matrix behave as workhardening Bingham materials during deformation relates the strain experienced by a pebble to that of the host rock. The results suggest that significant pebble deformation can occur during gravitational loading of sediments. An attempt is made to verify this idea by analysing the shape of pebbles in conglomerates of the Upper Witwatersrand System. At some sites the pebbles appear to have deformed during gravitational compaction while at others a tectonic deformation has been superimposed upon the pre-tectomic strain.


1973 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Qasim Jan ◽  
D. R. C. Kempe

SummaryA series of metamorphosed (amphibolite facies) basic and intermediate igneous rocks from upper Swat, Pakistan, is described, with seven chemical analyses. The rocks intrude ?Palaeozoic metasediments and are partially bordered by other, later, intrusive and volcanic rocks. The group, now represented by, from S–N, epidote amphibolites, amphibolites, noritic and hypersthene gabbros, and quartz diorites, is considered to be derived from a series of plagioclase hypersthenites, norites, hypersthene gabbros, and hypersthene diorites. Variation diagrams are used to show that the series forms a differentiated sequence; FMA and lime-alkali diagrams suggest that it is similar to the rocks of the Garabal Hill–Loch Fyne area of Scotland. Some of the mineralogy of the group is briefly discussed, with five chemical analyses. A K/Ar age determination gives 67 Ma; thus the rocks probably derive from an early Himalayan (Alpine) tholeiitic basalt magma.


2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 927-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. V. Owen ◽  
R. Corney ◽  
J. Dostal ◽  
A. Vaughan

The Liscomb Complex comprises Late Devonian intrusive rocks (principally peraluminous granite) and medium- to high-grade metamorphic rocks (“gneisses”) that collectively are hosted by low-grade (greenschist facies) metasediments of the Cambro-Ordovician Meguma Group. The conventional view that these “gneisses” contain high-grade mineral assemblages and represent basement rocks has recently been challenged, and indeed, some of the rocks previously mapped as gneisses, particularly metapelites, have isotopic compositions resembling the Meguma Group. Amphibole-bearing enclaves in the Liscomb plutons, however, are isotopically distinct and in this regard resemble xenoliths of basement gneisses in the Popes Harbour lamprophyre dyke, south of the Liscomb area. Metasedimentary enclaves with Meguma isotopic signatures can contain garnets with unzoned cores (implying high temperatures) that host high-grade minerals (prismatic sillimanite, spinel, and (or) corundum) and are enclosed by retrograde-zoned rims. These features are interpreted here as having formed during and following the attainment of peak temperatures related to Liscomb magmatism. The amphibole-bearing meta-igneous rocks described here contain cummingtonite or hornblendic amphibole and occur as enclaves in granodioritic to tonalitic plutons. They are mineralogically, texturally, and isotopically distinct from Meguma metasediments and at least some of the plutonic rocks that enclose them, so remain the most likely candidate for basement rocks in the Liscomb Complex.


1921 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. H. Read

In North-East Scotland the igneous rocks have been divided into two series, whose times of intrusion were separated by the movements responsible for the foliation and disposition of the crystalline schists of that area.2 With the older series, intruded prior to or during those movements, this paper is not concerned. The younger, or non-foliated, series supplies rock types ranging from peridotite to granite. Gabbro is the chief rock in the large independent basic masses formed by the younger igneous rocks; to the more important of these masses may be given the names of the Huntly, Insch, Boganloch, Haddo, Arnage, Maud, and Belhelvie Masses. For the most part they lie within Sheets 76, 77, 86, and 87 of the 1 inch Geological Survey Map of Scotland.


1962 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
A Berthelsen

This paper summarises several summers field work within the southern Sukkertoppen district. Since detailed mapping has only been carried out within smaller areas within the region, the remainder being covered by reconnaissance mapping along the coasts, the results should be considered as preliminary. The southern Sukkertoppen district can be divided into three tectonic units, the Nordland, the Finnefjeld, and the Alángua complexes, which, most probably, were formed during the Ketilidian cycle (E. Wegmann, 1938). The metamorphic complexes are traversed by postorogenic dykes and faults (Berthelsen and Bridgwater, 1960). The dykes and faults were seemingly formed before the Nagssugtôqidian revolution which affected the country further to the north (Ramberg, 1948). The northern Nordland complex is shown to have passed through a metamorphic and structural evolution very similar to that which recently has been described from a small area within the complex (see table 2). An original granulite facies rock assemblage has been exposed to two successive imprints of retrograde metamorphism: first an amphibolite facies metamorphism; next a postorogenic epidote-amphibolite to greenschist facies metamorphism in connection with the formation of the younger faults. Evidence is brought forward that the tectonic phases established from Tovqussap nunâ may also be traced within the remaining parts of the Nordland complex. In one case (see fig. 3) an analysis of the basement structures reveals that the post-orogenic faulting is of the wrench fault type. The Finnefjeld complex which is built up of homogeneous hornblende-biotite-bearing quartz-dioritic gneisses is believed to have been originally composed of granulite facies rocks. Subsequent strong penetrative movements accompanied by low grade amphibolite facies metamorphism were responsible for the formation of the present Finnefjeld gneisses. This idea is strongly supported by the facts that relic patches of hypersthene gneiss and transgressive, but deformed, more or less uralitised diorite bodies occur within the Finnefjeld gneiss. The Alangua complex comprises abundant pelitic and semipelitic schists, amphibolites, ultrabasics and skarn rocks in addition to gneisses which are considered to be of metasomatic origin. The ultrabasic rocks have been described by H. Sørensen (1952,1953, 1954, and 1955). The rocks of this complex can also be shown to have passed through two periods of metamorphism (see also H. Sørensen, 1952); an original medium to high grade amphibolite facies metamorphism was succeeded by a later low grade amphibolite facies metamorphism accompanied by granitisation, pegmatisation etc., indicating the presence of a volatile-rich dispersed phase. Although not studied in detail, the structures of the Alángua complex are sufficiently well-known to establish the kinematic evolution of this complex. The first amphibolite facies metamorphism seems to correspond to the Smalledal-Pâkitsoq phases of the Nordland complex, while the subsequent period of low grade amphibolite metamorphism can be matched with the posthumous phase. During this latter, the northern part of the Nordland complex, which locally was thrust over the Alángua rocks (thereby causing their refolding) was converted into the present Finnefjeld gneisses. This interpretation explains the present differences between the three com· plexes as being due to Stockwerk tectonics, fig. 16. An alternative theory which holds that the Alángua rocks are younger than those of the southern complexes does not seem to concur with the field relation known so far. No mineral deposits of economic interest were found during the survey, but traces of sulfides (see tables 1 and 3), magnetite, molybdenite, corundum, monazite, zircon, talc and soapstone have been met with at various localities.


2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1768 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Dierckx ◽  
B. Tsikouras

The Minoans of East Crete used a variety of igneous and metamorphic rocks as stone implements. These were probably procured in dry riverbeds and beaches located in a region along the Bay of Mirabello or from an onlap conglomerate, which geologically dominates that region and contains rock types of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary origin. Several rock samples were collected for pétrographie investigation to examine and confirm the source for the igneous rocks. Detailed pétrographie description of natural samples provides the identification of the rocks employed by Minoans and confirms the source of their origin. Apparently the Minoans were able to evaluate the hardness of the stones procured according to the desirable usage and their expected fatigue, thus avoiding unnecessary timeconsuming treatment. The identification of the variable lithotypes used for these implements and the verification of their source regions reveal the time it took to procure the raw materials as well as the time period during which the rocks were employed.


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