Late Archean evolution of the Nain Province, Nain, Labrador: imprint of a collision

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1325-1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Connelly ◽  
B. Ryan

Archean gneisses of the Nain Province in the Nain area, Labrador, comprise narrow septa between intrusions of the Mesoproterozoic Nain Plutonic Suite. This region occupies a critical position between the northern (Saglek) and southern (Hopedale) blocks of the Nain Province, which experienced distinct thermotectonic histories until the late Archean. Field and geochronological evidence are indicative of a strong late Archean thermotectonic overprint that is absent from most of the remainder of the Nain Province. Archean gneisses were intruded by granites and mafic dykes at 2578 ± 3 and [Formula: see text], respectively, and subsequently subjected to amphibolite- to granulite-facies regional metamorphism and ductile shearing at ca. 2550 Ma; granite veins and dykes related to the Nain Plutonic Suite were emplaced at ca. 1310 Ma. The Archean events are interpreted to represent the juxtapositioning and final docking of Saglek and Hopedale blocks to form a single, stable cratonic mass during the late Archean. Corroborative evidence indicates that the collisional boundary zone could extend at least 200 km to the north and 150 km to the south of Nain. This late Archean junction may have subsequently been exploited by several Paleoproterozoic granitic intrusions and some members of the Mesoproterozoic Nain Plutonic Suite.

1976 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 737-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred M. Kehlenbeck

In the de Courcey – Smiley Lakes Area, the boundary between the Quetico and Wabigoon Belts is expressed by a sequence of pelitic to semi-pelitic schists and gneisses. At the present level of erosion, these metasedimentary rocks are in contact with granodioritic gneisses, granites, and pegmatites, which are exposed to the south.To the north of this area, regional metamorphism of volcanic and sedimentary rocks has resulted in greenschist facies assemblages, which characterize the Wabigoon Belt in general. In the boundary zone, the metamorphic grade increases southward toward de Courcey and Smiley Lakes.Formation of three distinct foliation surfaces was accompanied by syn-tectonic as well as post-tectonic recrystallization, producing polymetamorphic schists.In the boundary zone, mineral assemblages comprising andalusile, sillimanite, cordierite, garnet. biotite, and muscovite form a facies series of the Abukuma type.The boundary between the Quetico and Wabigoon Belts in this area is a complex zone in which rocks of both belts have been reconstituted by multiple-phase metamorphism and partial melting.


2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1413-1437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Tettelaar ◽  
Aphrodite Indares

The Tasiuyak paragneiss at the western margin of the Nain Plutonic Suite has been subjected to two granulite-facies metamorphic events: (i) regional metamorphism during the Paleoproterozoic Torngat orogeny, and (ii) contact metamorphism due to emplacement of the Mesoproterozoic Nain Plutonic Suite. Regional metamorphism led to partial melting of pelitic rocks and the development of a locally well-preserved sequence of prograde and retrograde textures. These textures are partly controlled by bulk composition and formed in the pressure–temperature (P–T) field of the continuous reaction: biotite + sillimanite + plagioclase + quartz  = garnet + K-feldspar + melt, along a hairpin P–T path with peak conditions of ~8–10 kbar (0.8–1.0 GPa) and up to 870 °C in the NaKFMASH (Na2O–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O) system. These textures controlled the development of the contact metamorphic assemblages. Contact metamorphism of the pelitic rocks between the Tessiarsuyungoakh intrusion and the Makhavinekh Lake pluton led to growth of orthopyroxene-cordierite symplectite after garnet–biotite, and cordierite–spinel symplectite after garnet–sillimanite. These phase associations attest to reactions in specific microtextural settings, some of which produced a second generation of partial melt. Maximum temperatures were above ~750 °C and pressures were lower than those of the regional metamorphism. The aureole around the Makhavinekh Lake pluton is ~4 km wide and shows a progressive development of the contact metamorphic assemblages toward the pluton. In contrast, the contact metamorphic overprint is incipient around the Tessiarsuyungoakh intrusion, which developed a ~20 m wide contact aureole and is most prominent in screens of paragneiss within that intrusion.


2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 591-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Hynes ◽  
Toby Rivers

The Grenville Orogen in North America is interpreted to have resulted from collision between Laurentia and another continent, probably Amazonia, at ca. 1100 Ma. The exposed segment of the orogen was derived largely from reworked Archean to Paleoproterozoic Laurentian crust, products of a long-lived Mesoproterozoic continental-margin arc and associated back arc, and remnants of one or more accreted mid-Mesoproterozoic island-arc terranes. A potential suture, preserved in Grenvillian inliers of the southeastern USA, may separate rocks of Laurentian and Amazonian affinities. The Grenvillian Orogeny lasted more than 100 million years. Much of the interior Grenville Province, with peak metamorphism at ca. 1090–1020 Ma, consists of uppermost amphibolite- to granulite-facies rocks metamorphosed at depths of ca. 30 km, but areas of lower crustal, eclogite-facies nappes metamorphosed at 50–60 km depth also occur and an orogenic lid that largely escaped Grenvillian metamorphism is preserved locally. Overall, deformation and regional metamorphism migrated sequentially to the northwest into the Laurentian craton, with the youngest contractional structures in the northwestern part of the orogen at ca. 1000–980 Ma. The North American lithospheric root extends across part of the Grenville Orogen, where it may have been produced by depletion of sub-continental lithospheric mantle beneath the long-lived Laurentian-margin Mesoproterozoic subduction zone. Both the Grenville Orogen and the Himalaya–Tibet Orogen have northern margins characterized by long-lived subduction before continental collision and protracted convergence following collision. Both exhibit cratonward-propagating thrusting. In the Himalaya–Tibet Orogen, however, the pre-collisional Eurasian-margin arc is high in the structural stack, whereas in the Grenville Orogen, the pre-collisional continental-margin arc is low in the structural stack. We interpret this difference as due to subduction reversal in the Grenville case shortly before collision, so that the continental-margin arc became the lower plate during the ensuing orogeny. The structurally low position of the warm, extended Laurentian crust probably contributed significantly to the ductility of lower and mid-crustal Grenvillian rocks.


Author(s):  
Lu Wang ◽  
Stephen T. Johnston ◽  
Nengsong Chen ◽  
Heng Wang ◽  
Bin Xia ◽  
...  

Regional metamorphism provides critical constraints for unravelling lithosphere evolution and geodynamic settings, especially in an orogenic system. Recently, there has been a debate on the Rodinia-forming Tarimian orogeny within the Greater Tarim block in NW China. The North Wulan terrane, involved in the Paleozoic Qilian orogen, was once part of the Greater Tarim block. This investigation of petrography, whole-rock and mineral geochemistry, phase equilibrium modeling, and in situ monazite U-Pb dating of garnetite, pelitic gneiss, and quartz schist samples from the Statherian−Calymmian unit of the North Wulan terrane provides new constraints on the evolutionary history of the Greater Tarim block at the end of the Mesoproterozoic during the assembly of Rodinia. The studied samples yielded three monazite U-Pb age groups of ca. 1.32 Ga, 1.1 Ga, and 0.45 Ga that are interpreted to be metamorphic in origin. The tectonic significance of the early ca. 1.32 Ga metamorphism is uncertain and may indicate an extensional setting associated with the final breakup of Columbia. The ca. 1.1 Ga low-pressure, high-temperature (low-P/T)−type granulite-facies metamorphism is well preserved and characterized by a clockwise P-T path with a minimum estimation of ∼840−900 °C and ∼7−11 kbar for peak metamorphism, followed by postpeak decompression and cooling. A tectonothermal disturbance occurred at ca. 0.45 Ga, but with limited influence on the preexisting mineral compositions of the studied samples. The characteristics of the metamorphism indicate an arc−back-arc environment with ongoing subduction of oceanic lithosphere at ca. 1.1 Ga. Combined with previous studies, we suggest that the Greater Tarim block probably experienced a prolonged subduction-to-collision process at ca. 1.1−0.9 Ga during the assembly of Rodinia, with a position between western Laurentia and India−East Antarctica.


Author(s):  
Brandon Caswell ◽  
J.A. Gilotti ◽  
Laura E. Webb ◽  
William C. McClelland ◽  
Karolina Kośmińska ◽  
...  

Paleoproterozoic gneisses of the Ellesmere–Devon crystalline terrane on southeast Ellesmere Island are deformed by m-scale, E-striking mylonite zones. The shear zones commonly offset pegmatitic dikes and represent the last episode of ductile deformation. Samples were dated by the <sup>40</sup>Ar/<sup>39</sup>Ar step-heating method to put an upper limit on the time of deformation. Biotite from one tonalitic protolith and five shear zones give geologically meaningful results. Clusters of unoriented biotite grains pseudomorph granulite-facies orthopyroxene in some of the weakly deformed gneisses, whereas the shape preferred orientation of biotite defines the mylonitic fabric. The intrusive age of the tonalitic protolith is 1958 ± 12 Ma, based on previous U-Pb dating of zircon. 40Ar/39Ar analysis of biotite from the same sample gave a plateau age of 1929 ± 23 Ma, which is interpreted as cooling from regional granulite facies metamorphism. Three nearby samples of mylonitic tonalite have <sup>40</sup>Ar/<sup>39</sup>Ar ages that range from ≈1870–1840 Ma. Biotite from two granitic mylonites over 80 km away return high-resolution Ar spectra in the same range, implying that widespread ductile shearing occurred between ≈1870–1840 Ma, or ≈90 m.y. after cooling from regional metamorphism. Although the 2.0–1.9 Ga gneisses of southeast Ellesmere Island correlate with the Inglefield Mobile Belt in North-West Greenland and the Thelon Tectonic Zone, the late shear zones are superimposed on that juvenile arc long after the 1.97 Ga Thelon orogeny.


2008 ◽  
Vol 146 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. VON GOSEN

AbstractAnalyses of structures in the western part of the North Patagonian Massif (southern Argentina) suggest a polyphase evolution, accompanied by continuous intrusive activity. The first two deformations (D1, D2) and metamorphism affected the upper Palaeozoic, partly possibly older Cushamen Formation clastic succession and different intrusive rocks. A second group of intrusions, emplaced after the second deformational episode (D2), in many places contain angular xenoliths of the foliated country rocks, indicating high intrusive levels with brittle fracturing of the crust. Deformation of these magmatic rocks presumably began during (the final stage of) cooling and continued under solid-state conditions. It probably coincided with the third deformational event (D3) in the country rocks. Based on published U–Pb zircon ages of deformed granitoids, the D2-deformation and younger event along with the regional metamorphism are likely to be Permian in age. An onset of the deformational and magmatic history during Carboniferous times, however, cannot be excluded. The estimated ~W–E to NE–SW compression during the D2-deformation, also affecting the first group of intrusive rocks, can be related to subduction beneath the western Patagonia margin or an advanced stage of collisional tectonics within extra-Andean Patagonia. The younger ~N–S to NE–SW compression might have been an effect of oblique subduction in the west and/or continuing collision-related deformation. As a cause for its deviating orientation, younger block rotations during strike-slip faulting cannot be excluded. The previous D2-event presumably also had an effect on compression at the northern Patagonia margin that was interpreted as result of Patagonia's late Palaeozoic collision with the southwestern Gondwana margin. With the recently proposed Carboniferous subduction and collision south of the North Patagonian Massif, the entire scenario might suggest that Patagonia consists of two different pieces that were amalgamated with southwestern Gondwana during Late Palaeozoic times.


1964 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. K. Fyson

On the north side of a major fault three generations of folds F1, F2, F3 affect pre-Carboniferous phyllites; south of the fault two generations, C1, C2, affect middle Carboniferous clastic rocks. The F1 folds are isoclinal and obscure. The main folds, F2 in the phyllites and C1 in the Carboniferous rocks, trend east-northeast parallel to the fault. F2 are overturned southward and C1 northward, both toward the fault. Cross-folds, F3 in the phyllites and C2 in the Carboniferous rocks, trend northnortheast. Steeply plunging F3 and C2 are asymmetric and Z-shaped in plan profile.The F2 folds in the phyllites, though similar in geometry to folds in the middle Carboniferous rocks, appear, like F1 and F2, to have formed prior to the middle Carboniferous. This is indicated by the occurrence of unfolded Devonian(?) granitic intrusions crossing F3 folds, and a few miles north of the major fault, by middle Carboniferous rocks lying unconformably- above similar intrusions.One possible explanation for the repeated trends, which also accounts for the sense of overturning and asymmetry of the folds, relates the folding to alternating vertical and horizontal movements along the major fault. The vertical movements were followed by gravity sliding toward the fault to produce the main folds, and the horizontal movements, repeatedly dextral in sense, resulted in the Z-shaped cross-folds.


The subduction zone under the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand comprises, from east to west, a frontal wedge, a fore-arc basin, uplifted basement forming the arc and the Central Volcanic Region. Reconstructions of the plate boundary zone for the Cainozoic from seafloor spreading data require the fore-arc basin to have rotated through 60° in the last 20 Ma which is confirmed by palaeomagnetic declination studies. Estimates of shear strain from geodetic data show that the fore-arc basin is rotating today and that it is under extension in the direction normal to the trend of the plate boundary zone. The extension is apparently achieved by normal faulting. Estimates of the amount of sediments accreted to the subduction zone exceed the volume of the frontal wedge: underplating by the excess sediments is suggested to be the cause of late Quaternary uplift of the fore-arc basin. Low-temperature—high-pressure metamorphism may therefore be occurring at depth on the east coast and high-temperature—low-pressure metamorphism is probable in the Central Volcanic Region. The North Island of New Zealand is therefore a likely setting for a paired metamorphic belt in the making.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Xu Kong ◽  
Xueyuan Qi ◽  
Wentian Mi ◽  
Xiaoxin Dong

We report zircon U–Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotopic data from two sample of the retrograded eclogite in the Chicheng area. Two groups of the metamorphic zircons from the Chicheng retrograded eclogite were identified: group one shows characteristics of depletion in LREE and flat in HREE curves and exhibit no significant Eu anomaly, and this may imply that they may form under eclogite facies metamorphic condition; group two is rich in HREE and shows slight negative Eu anomaly indicated that they may form under amphibolite facies metamorphic condition. Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic of εHf from the Chicheng eclogite has larger span range from 6.0 to 18.0, which suggests that the magma of the eclogite protolith may be mixed with partial crustal components. The peak eclogite facies metamorphism of Chicheng eclogite may occur at 348.5–344.2 Ma and its retrograde metamorphism of amphibolite fancies may occur at ca. 325.0 Ma. The Hongqiyingzi Complex may experience multistage metamorphic events mainly including Late Archean (2494–2448 Ma), Late Paleoproterozoic (1900–1734 Ma, peak age = 1824.6 Ma), and Phanerozoic (495–234 Ma, peak age = 323.7 Ma). Thus, the metamorphic event (348.5–325 Ma) of the Chicheng eclogite is in accordance with the Phanerozoic metamorphic event of the Hongqiyingzi Complex. The eclogite facies metamorphic age of the eclogite is in accordance with the metamorphism (granulite facies or amphibolite facies) of its surrounding rocks, which implied that the tectonic subduction and exhumation of the retrograded eclogite may cause the regional metamorphism of garnet biotite plagioclase gneiss.


1979 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
D Bridgwater ◽  
J.S Myers

The Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt is a 240 km wide zone of deformation and plutonic activity which cuts across the Archaean craton of East Greenland. The belt was established 2600 m.y. ago by the formation of vertical E-W shear zones and the syntectonic intrusion of basic dykes. Tectonic activity along the E-W shear zones was followed by the emplacement of tonalitic intrusions, the Blokken gneisses, 2350 m.y. ago in the central parts of the mobile belt. The emplacement of the Blokken gneisses was accompanied and followed by further emplacement of basic dykes. These are synplutonic in the centre of the mobile belt but are emplaced into more rigid crust in the marginal areas of the belt and in the Archaean craton to the north and south. During a second major tectonic and thermal episode circa 1900 m.y. ago, the region was deformed by thrusting from the north. In the southem part of the mobile belt the earlier steep shear zones are cut by shear zones dipping gently northwards in which rocks are downgraded to greenschist facies. The grade of metamorphism increases northwards and shear zones are replaced by open folds with axial surfaces which dip gently northwards. The increasing ductility in the centre of and northem part of the belt is associated with the intrusion of charnockitic plutons and their granulite facies aureoles. Regional uplift occurred before the intrusion of high level post-tectonic plutons of diorite and granite 1550 m.y. ago.


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