Electromagnetic investigations of the Kapuskasing uplift show that the gross electrical conductivity structure of the present crust is subhorizontal (contrary to the lithology as defined by seismic experiments), with increasing conductivity with depth, a feature common to most continental crusts. The current upper crust of the Chapleau block includes zones of reduced resistivity; the near-surface expression of the Ivanhoe Lake cataclastic zone (< 1 km in depth and 600 m in width), with resistivities of a few hundred ohm metres, is typical of fluid infilling weathered rocks. At least two other zones are less resistive (ρ < 12 kΩ∙m) than the typical upper-crustal Chapleau block (> 40 kΩ∙m), these include a subhorizontal layer at ~ 5 km and a subhorizontal to dipping layer at ~ 2 km. The deeper layer is interpreted as imaging deep fluids (porosities > 0.5%) postdating the uplift. The shallower feature, possibly related to the seismically detected detachment zone dipping at ~ 15° could be imaging conductors such as recent fluids or remnants of solid films precipitated at grain boundaries by more ancient fluids.Auger spectrometry of high-grade rocks exposed near the extrapolated surface expression of the shallower conductor reveals that fragments of graphite films (3–30 nm thick) are commonly found at grain boundaries, whereas traces of sulphur and chlorine are relatively rare. The electrical resistivity of these rocks was measured in laboratory and is lower than normally observed for similar high-grade rocks from other parts of the Canadian shield (5–25 kΩ∙m as opposed to 30–100 kΩ∙m).The Kapuskasing Uplift has opened a new area of research on upper-mantle conductivity structure from surface electromagnetic field measurements, an endeavour believed impossible until now.
Regional conductivity structure of Cascadia: Preliminary results from 3D inversion of USArray transportable array magnetotelluric data
