Archean crustal evolution of the northwestern Superior craton margin: U-Pb zircon results from the Split Lake Block

1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 1973-1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian O Böhm ◽  
Larry M Heaman ◽  
M Timothy Corkery

The Split Lake Block forms a partly retrogressed, granulite-grade basement segment located at the northwestern margin of the Superior Province in Manitoba. Unlike other segments along the craton margin, the effects of Proterozoic tectonism are relatively minor in the Split Lake Block, making it amenable to establishing firm temporal constraints for the Archean magmatic and metamorphic history of the northwestern Superior Province margin. Consequently, samples from the main lithological units within the Split Lake Block were selected for precise single-grain U-Pb zircon geochronology. Heterogeneous zircon populations isolated from representative enderbite, tonalite, and granodiorite samples reveal a complex growth history with pre-2.8 Ga protolith ages (e.g., 2841 ± 2 Ma tonalite), possibly as old as 3.35 Ga as indicated in a granodiorite sample. The youngest Archean granitic magmatism identified in the eastern Split Lake Block is represented by the 2708 ± 3 Ma Gull Lake granite. A U-Pb zircon age of 2695+4-1 Ma obtained for leucosome in mafic granulite is interpreted to reflect the timing of granulite-grade metamorphism in the Split Lake Block, supported by polyphase zircon growth and (or) lead loss at ca. 2.7 Ga in the enderbite sample. A younger phase of metamorphic zircon growth at ca. 2.62 Ga is documented in the tonalite and granodiorite zircon populations. The 2.70-2.71 Ga crust formation, the occurrence of ca. 2695 Ma high-grade metamorphism, and broadly contemporaneous Paleoproterozoic mafic dykes in both the Split Lake Block and Pikwitonei Granulite Domain imply a common evolution of these high-grade terrains along the northwestern Superior craton margin since the late Archean.

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Heaman ◽  
Ch. O. Böhm ◽  
N. Machado ◽  
T. E. Krogh ◽  
W. Weber ◽  
...  

The Pikwitonei Granulite Domain located at the northwestern margin of the Superior Province is one of the largest Neoarchean high-grade terranes in the world, with well-preserved granulite metamorphic assemblages preserved in a variety of lithologies, including enderbite, opdalite, charnockite, and mafic granulite. U–Pb geochronology has been attempted to unravel the protolith ages and metamorphic history of numerous lithologies at three main localities; Natawahunan Lake, Sipiwesk Lake, and Cauchon Lake. The U–Pb age results indicate that some of the layered enderbite gneisses are Mesoarchean (3.4–3.0 Ga) and the more massive enderbites are Neoarchean. The high-grade metamorphic history of the Pikwitonei Granulite Domain is complex and multistage with at least four episodes of metamorphic zircon growth identified: (1) 2716.1 ± 3.8 Ma, (2) 2694.6 ± 0.6 Ma, (3) 2679.6 ± 0.9 Ma, and (4) 2642.5 ± 0.9 Ma. Metamorphic zircon growth during episodes 2 and 3 are interpreted to be regional in extent, corresponding to M1 amphibolite- and M2 granulite-facies events, respectively, consistent with previous field observations. The youngest metamorphic episode at 2642.5 Ma is only recognized at southern Cauchon Lake, where it coincides with granite melt production and possible development of a major northeast-trending deformation zone. The timing and multistage metamorphic history recorded in the Pikwitonei Granulite Domain is similar to most Superior Province high-grade terranes and marks a fundamental break in Archean crustal evolution worldwide at the termination of prolific global Neoarchean greenstone belt formation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1511-1532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D Keane ◽  
Chris M Hall ◽  
Eric J Essene ◽  
Michael A Cosca ◽  
Charles P DeWolf ◽  
...  

Precise U–Pb monazite and 40Ar/39Ar hornblende ages have been obtained from three locations in the high-grade Archean core of the Wind River Range, Wyoming. Monazites from metapelites in the Paradise Basin, Medina Mountain, and Crescent Lake have U–Pb ages of 2718 ± 1, 2633 ± 5, and 2657 ± 2 Ma, respectively. Hornblendes from amphibolites and granulites from the same locations yield plateau 40Ar/39Ar isotope ages of 2652 ± 11, 2572 ± 9, and 2527 ± 8 Ma, respectively, and are interpreted as cooling ages from the last thermal event. The three localities experienced similar peak pressure–temperature conditions. The timing of high-grade metamorphism in the Paradise Basin is older than the emplacement of large subjacent batholiths at 2.63–2.67 Ga. Calculated cooling rates based on monazite–hornblende pairs of 3.4 ± 1.0 °C/Ma for Paradise Basin, 3.8 ± 1.2 °C/Ma for Medina Mountain, and 1.7 ± 0.4 °C/Ma for Crescent Lake cannot be used to rule out reheating during subsequent pluton emplacement. The markedly slower cooling rate inferred for Crescent Lake may indicate early differential uplift or may demark another regional metamorphic event. The difference in 40Ar/39Ar ages between hornblende (2652 ± 11 Ma) and biotite (2637 ± 11 Ma) suggests a more rapid cooling rate, 11 °C/Ma, for Paradise Basin between 2.65 and 2.63 Ga, which may be related to the time of large-scale batholith emplacement elsewhere in the terrane. Combining new data with other ages in the Wind River Range reveals an extended metamorphic history, punctuated by thermal events over a time interval of at least 700 Ma.


2009 ◽  
Vol 172 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Emilia Schutesky Della Giustina ◽  
Claudinei Gouveia de Oliveira ◽  
Márcio Martins Pimentel ◽  
Bernhard Buhn

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Tucker ◽  
J.-Y. Roig ◽  
C. Delor ◽  
Y. Amelin ◽  
P. Goncalves ◽  
...  

The Precambrian shield of Madagascar is reevaluated with recently compiled geological data and new U–Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) geochronology. Two Archean domains are recognized: the eastern Antongil–Masora domain and the central Antananarivo domain, the latter with distinctive belts of metamafic gneiss and schist (Tsaratanana Complex). In the eastern domain, the period of early crust formation is extended to the Paleo–Mesoarchean (3.32–3.15 Ga) and a supracrustal sequence (Fenerivo Group), deposited at 3.18 Ga and metamorphosed at 2.55 Ga, is identified. In the central domain, a Neoarchean period of high-grade metamorphism and anatexis that affected both felsic (Betsiboka Suite) and mafic gneisses (Tsaratanana Complex) is documented. We propose, therefore, that the Antananarivo domain was amalgamated within the Greater Dharwar Craton (India + Madagascar) by a Neoarchean accretion event (2.55–2.48 Ga), involving emplacement of juvenile igneous rocks, high-grade metamorphism, and the juxtaposition of disparate belts of mafic gneiss and schist (metagreenstones). The concept of the “Betsimisaraka suture” is dispelled and the zone is redefined as a domain of Neoproterozoic metasedimentary (Manampotsy Group) and metaigneous rocks (Itsindro–Imorona Suite) formed during a period of continental extension and intrusive igneous activity between 840 and 760 Ma. Younger orogenic convergence (560–520 Ma) resulted in east-directed overthrusting throughout south Madagascar and steepening with local inversion of the domain in central Madagascar. Along part of its length, the Manampotsy Group covers the boundary between the eastern and central Archean domains and is overprinted by the Angavo–Ifanadiana high-strain zone that served as a zone of crustal weakness throughout Cretaceous to Recent times.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Amal Dev ◽  
J K Tomson ◽  
K Anto Francis ◽  
Nilanjana Sorcar ◽  
V Nandakumar

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