New insights into the geologic evolution of the Grenvillian Trenton Prong inlier, Central Appalachian Piedmont, USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 840-854
Author(s):  
Richard A. Volkert

New geochemical and 40Ar/39Ar hornblende and biotite data from the Grenvillian Trenton Prong inlier provide the first constraints for the identification of lithotectonic units, their tectonic setting, and their metamorphic to post-metamorphic history. Gneissic tonalite, diorite, and gabbro compose the Colonial Lake Suite magmatic arc that developed along eastern Laurentia prior to 1.2 Ga. Spatially associated low- and high-TiO2 amphibolites were formed from island-arc basalt proximal to the arc front and mid-ocean ridge basalt-like basalt in a back-arc setting, respectively. Supracrustal paragneisses include meta-arkose derived from a continental sediment source of Laurentian affinity and metagraywacke and metapelite from an arc-like sediment source deposited in a back-arc basin, inboard of the Colonial Lake arc. The Assunpink Creek Granite was emplaced post-tectonically as small bodies of peraluminous syenogranite produced through partial melting of a subduction-modified felsic crustal source. Prograde mineral assemblages reached granulite- to amphibolite-facies metamorphic conditions during the Ottawan phase of the Grenvillian Orogeny. Hornblende 40Ar/39Ar ages of 935–923 Ma and a biotite age of 868 Ma record slow cooling in the northern part of the inlier following the metamorphic peak. Elsewhere in the inlier, biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages of 440 Ma and 377–341 Ma record partial to complete thermal resetting or new growth during the Taconian and Acadian orogens. The results of this study are consistent with the Trenton Prong being the down-dropped continuation of the Grenvillian New Jersey Highlands on the hanging wall of a major detachment fault. The Trenton Prong therefore correlates to other central and northern Appalachian Grenvillian inliers and to parts of the Grenville Province proper.

2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 331-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-A. Sappin ◽  
M. Constantin ◽  
T. Clark ◽  
O. van Breemen

The Portneuf–Mauricie Domain in the Grenville Province consists of the Montauban group rocks (1.45 Ga), intruded by the La Bostonnais complex plutons (1.40–1.37 Ga). This assemblage was formed in a magmatic arc setting. The sequence was intruded by mafic–ultramafic tholeiitic plutons, some of which host Ni–Cu ± PGE (platinum group element) prospects. U–Pb zircon ages determined from these plutons indicate that the mineralized intrusions were emplaced between 1.40 and 1.39 Ga and that they are coeval with the La Bostonnais complex plutons. The Ni–Cu ± PGE-bearing intrusions have mature island-arc trace element signatures, with strong chemical evidence for differentiation (Mg# and Cr content; MgO and TiO2 contents) and crustal contamination (enrichments in K2O, Rb, Ba, Th, and light rare-earth elements; Th/Yb and Ta/Yb ratios). However, one intrusion displays a back-arc trace element signature associated with evidence for weak crust assimilation. The evolution of the Portneuf–Mauricie Domain is interpreted as follows: (1) 1.45 Ga — Northwesterly directed Andean-type subduction beneath the Laurentian craton margin. Furthermore, northwest-dipping intraoceanic subduction offshore from the continent formed the Montauban island arc. (2) 1.45 to 1.40 Ga — Andean-type subduction led to the formation of a back-arc basin behind the Montauban arc. (3) 1.40 Ga — Emplacement of the La Bostonnais complex plutons, some hosting Ni–Cu ± PGE prospects, into the Montauban arc. (4) 1.39 Ga — Subduction beneath Laurentia led to arc–continent collision and to closure of the back-arc basin. Intrusion of the Ni–Cu ± PGE-bearing plutons ceased. (5) 1.37 Ga — Intrusion of all La Bostonnais complex plutons ceased.


2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 359-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby Rivers ◽  
David Corrigan

A continental-margin magmatic arc is inferred to have existed on the southeastern (present coordinates) margin of Laurentia from Labrador to Texas from ~1500-1230 Ma, with part of the arc subsequently being incorporated into the 1190-990 Ma collisional Grenville Orogen. Outside the Grenville Province, where the arc is known as the Granite-Rhyolite Belt, it is undeformed, whereas within the Grenville Province it is deformed and metamorphosed. The arc comprises two igneous suites, an inboard, principally quartz monzonitic to granodioritic suite, and an outboard tonalitic to granodioritic suite. The quartz monzonite-granodiorite suite was largely derived from continental crust, whereas the tonalitic-granodiorite suite is calc-alkaline and has a juvenile isotopic signature. Available evidence from the Grenville Province suggests that the arc oscillated between extensional and compressional settings several times during the Mesoproterozoic. Back-arc deposits of several ages, that formed during relatively brief periods of extension, include (1) mafic dyke swarms subparallel to the arc; (2) continental sediments, bimodal volcanics and plateau basalts; (3) marine sediments and volcanics formed on stretched continental crust; and (4) ocean crust in a marginal basin. Closure of the back-arc basins occurred during the accretionary Pinwarian (~1495-1445 Ma) and Elzevirian (~1250-1190 Ma) orogenies, as well as during three pulses of crustal shortening associated with the 1190-990 Ma collisional Grenvillian Orogeny. During the Elzevirian Orogeny, closure of the Central Metasedimentary Belt marginal basin in the southeastern Grenville Province was marked by subduction-related magmatism as well as by imbrication of back-arc deposits. The presence of a continental-margin magmatic arc on southeastern Laurentia during the Mesoproterozoic implies that other coeval magmatism inboard from the arc took place in a back-arc setting. Such magmatism was widespread and chemically diverse and included large volume "anorogenic" anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite (AMCG) complexes as well as small volume alkaline, quartz-saturated and -undersaturated "within-plate" granitoids. Recognition of the ~300 million year duration of the Mesoproterozoic convergent margin of southeastern Laurentia suggests that there may be useful parallels with the evolution of the Andes, which has been a convergent margin since the early Paleozoic.


Author(s):  
Henrik Rasmussen ◽  
Lars Frimodt Pedersen

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Rasmussen, H., & Frimodt Pedersen, L. (1999). Stratigraphy, structure and geochemistry of Archaean supracrustal rocks from Oqaatsut and Naajaat Qaqqaat, north-east Disko Bugt, West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 181, 65-78. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v181.5114 _______________ Two Archaean supracrustal sequences in the area north-east of Disko Bugt, c. 1950 and c. 800 m in thickness, are dominated by pelitic and semipelitic mica schists, interlayered with basic metavolcanic rocks. A polymict conglomerate occurs locally at the base of one of the sequences. One of the supracrustal sequences has undergone four phases of deformation; the other three phases. In both sequences an early phase, now represented by isoclinal folds, was followed by north-west-directed thrusting. A penetrative deformation represented by upright to steeply inclined folds is only recognised in one of the sequences. Steep, brittle N–S and NW–SE striking faults transect all rock units including late stage dolerites and lamprophyres. Investigation of major- and trace-element geochemistry based on discrimination diagrams for tectonic setting suggests that both metasediments and metavolcanic rocks were deposited in an environment similar to a modern back-arc setting.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W.D. Lodge ◽  
Harold L. Gibson ◽  
Greg M. Stott ◽  
James M. Franklin ◽  
George J. Hudak

The greenstone belts along the northern margin of the Wawa subprovince of the Superior Province (Vermilion, Shebandowan, Winston Lake, Manitouwadge) formed at ca. 2720 Ma and have been interpreted to be representative of a rifted-arc to back-arc tectonic setting. Despite a common inferred tectonic setting and broad similarities, these greenstone belts have a significantly different metallogeny as evidenced by different endowments in volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS), magmatic sulphide, and orogenic gold deposits. In this paper, we examine differences in geodynamic setting and crustal architecture as they pertain to the metallogeny of each greenstone belt by characterizing the regional-scale trace-element and isotopic (Nd and Pb) geochemistry of each belt. The trace-element geochemistry of the Vermilion greenstone belt (VGB) shows evidence for a transition from arc-like to back-arc mafic rocks in the Soudan belt to plume-driven rifted arcs in the ultramafic-bearing Newton belt. The Shebandowan greenstone belt (SGB) has a significant proportion of calc-alkalic, arc-like basalts, intermediate lithofacies, and high-Mg andesites, which are characteristic of low-angle, “hot” subduction. Extensional settings within the SGB are plume-driven and associated with komatiitic ultramafic and mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like basalts. The Winston Lake greenstone belt (WGB) is characterized by a transition from calc-alkalic, arc-like basalts to back-arc basalts upward in the strata and is capped by alkalic ocean-island basalt (OIB)-like basalts. This association is consistent with plume-driven rifting of a mature arc setting. Each of the VGB, SGB, and WGB show some isotopic evidence for the interaction with a juvenile or slightly older differentiated crust. The Manitouwadge greenstone belt (MGB) is characterized by isotopically juvenile, bimodal, tholeiitic to transitional volcanic lithofacies in a back-arc setting. The MGB is the most isotopically juvenile belt and is also the most productive in terms of VMS mineralization. The Zn-rich VMS mineralization within the WGB suggests a relatively lower-temperature hydrothermal system, possibly within a relatively shallow-water environment. The Zn-dominated and locally Au-enriched VMS mineralization, as well as mafic lithofacies and alteration assemblages, are characteristic of relatively shallower-water deposition in the VGB and SGB, and indicate that the ideal VMS-forming tectonic condition may have been compromised by a shallower-water depositional setting. However, the thickened arc crust and compressional tectonics of the SGB suprasubduction zone during hot subduction may have provided a crustal setting more favourable for the magmatic Ni–Cu sulphide and relative gold endowment of this belt.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 00006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eko Bayu Purwasatriya ◽  
Sugeng Sapto Surjono ◽  
Donatus Hendra Amijaya

<p>This study attempts to reconstruct paleogeography of Banyumas Basin in association with magmatic arc evolution and its implication to petroleum potential. Based on the volcanic rocks distribution, their association and relatives age, there are three alignments of a magmatic arc, that are: (1) Oligo-Miocene arc in the south (2) Mio-Pliocene arc in the middle (3) Plio-Pleistocene arc in the north. The consequences of the magmatic arc movement were tectonic setting changing during Oligocene to Pleistocene, as well as their paleogeography. During Oligo-Miocene where magmatic arc existed in the southern part, the Banyumas tectonic setting was a back-arc basin. This tectonic setting was changing to intra-arc basin during Mio-Pliocene and subsequently to fore-arc basin since Plio-Pleistocene until today. Back-arc basin is the most suitable paleogeography to create a depositional environment for potential source rocks. Exploration activity to prove the existence of source rocks during Oligo-Miocene is needed to reveal petroleum potential in Banyumas Basin.<br></p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 545-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barun Maity ◽  
Aphrodite Indares

The late Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.7–1.2 Ga) evolution of the active southeastern margin of Laurentia terminated with the Grenvillian continental collision and the development of a large, hot, long-duration orogen at ca. 1.09–0.98 Ga. As a result, much of the hinterland of the Grenville Province consists of Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic rocks, mostly preserved as an imbricate stack of high-grade gneisses, that represent a potential repository of active-margin processes. This study presents geochronologic, geochemical, and isotopic analyses of two granulite-facies suites of ca. 1.45–1.40 Ga mafic tholeiites from the Canyon domain (Manicouagan area, central Grenville Province). One suite consists of 1439 +76/–68 Ma high-FeTi mafic sills with εNd values of –0.4 (TDM 2.57–2.72 Ga), indicate derivation from variably depleted to enriched MORB-type mantle sources, probably in an extensional back-arc setting, before intrusion in a ca. 1.5 Ga supracrustal metasedimentary sequence. The other, previously dated, 1410 ± 16 Ma Mafic to intermediate unit exhibits εNd values of 0.0 to +0.9 (TDM 2.02–2.25 Ga), and variably enriched MORB to arc geochemical signatures, for which formation in a transitional back-arc to arc setting is suggested. Integrated with published information, the new data support a model of a long-lived continental-margin arc and intermittent back-arc development on southeast Laurentia during the mid-Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.5–1.4 Ga), in which repeated short periods of extension and crustal thinning in the back-arc or intra-arc regions were followed by compression and crustal thickening.


2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
S T Johnston ◽  
D Canil ◽  
L H Heaman

We report the results of a geochemical and U–Pb zircon geochronological study aimed at constraining the timing and tectonic setting of the exhumation of an orogenic peridotitic mantle massif in central Yukon within northern Canadian Cordillera. The Buffalo Pitts orogenic massif is inferred to have been exhumed into continental metasedimentary rocks within the pericratonic Yukon–Tanana terrane. Structurally admixed with the peridotite were boudins of metaleucogabbro and metatroctolite. A metamorphic aureole, defined by migmatite with abundant leucosome, characterizes the metasedi mentary wall rocks to the massif. Whole-rock chemical analyses indicate significant light rare-earth element enrichment of the leucogabbro and the metatroctolite, characteristics commonly ascribed to within-plate or rift settings. Crystallization of the leucogabbro occurred at 261.5 ± 2.3 Ma. The metatroctolite yields a similar crystallization age. These ages are coeval with metamorphism of the wall rocks to the orogenic massif, as indicated by leucosome crystallization at 262.3 ± 0.43 Ma. These geochemical and geochronological data are consistent with the orogenic massif having been exhumed within a continental rift at about 262 Ma, giving rise to metamorphism of the upper crustal rocks into which the massif was exhumed, and coeval with rift-related magmatism. Regional considerations suggest that rifting occurred within the back arc of a northeast-facing magmatic arc, represented by the Klondike schist. Coeval eclogite and blueschist along the northeast margin of the Yukon–Tanana terrane may mark the paleo-trench, along which a southwest-dipping slab is assumed to have subducted beneath Yukon–Tanana terrane.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Lei Xia ◽  
Quan-Ren Yan ◽  
Zhong-Jin Xiang ◽  
Hong-Bo Zheng ◽  
Quan-Lin Hou ◽  
...  

Abstract The provenance and tectonic setting of the Lower–Middle Triassic clastic sediments from the Napo basin, South China, have been examined here using detrital modes, whole-rock geochemistry and detrital zircon U–Pb ages. Field investigations indicate that these sediments consist of fan delta, slope and turbidity fan facies with dominantly southward palaeocurrent directions. Detrital modes and geochemical characteristics of the clastic rocks indicate that they were derived from mixed magmatic arc and Palaeozoic successions in a continental island arc setting, with no significant sediment recycling. The U–Pb age spectra of sandstone detrital zircons from different stratigraphic positions are similar, with one major group (300–230 Ma), two subordinate groups (400–320 Ma and 480–420 Ma, respectively) and two scattered groups (1200–800 Ma and 2000–1700 Ma, respectively). Thus, we consider that the north late Permian – Middle Triassic volcanic rocks and the uplifted Palaeozoic sedimentary/volcanic sequences constituted the predominant sources. The detritus derived from the late Permian Emeishan mafic rocks is subordinate and limited. The pre-Devonian zircons are likely sedimentary-recycled or magmatic-captured instead of directly derived from the early Palaeozoic orogen (e.g. Yunkai massif) and Neoproterozoic Jiangnan orogen because of the topographic barrier of a magmatic arc and carbonate platform. Considering the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the volcanic arc and ophiolite, we suggest that the Triassic Napo basin was a fore-arc basin within a continental island arc setting, which developed in response to the northward subduction of the Babu–Cao Bang branch ocean beneath the South China Block.


1982 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. MacLean ◽  
K. St. Seymour ◽  
M. K. Prabhu

Distribution of Ti, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, and REE in Proterozoic amphibolites and a rarely preserved pillowed metabasalt in the vicinity of Pb–Zn mineralization at Montauban-les-Mines in the Grenville Province of Quebec are used to assess the tectonic setting of the volcanism and, hence, the environment of ore deposition. Absolute abundances of Ti, Sr, Y, Zr, and Nb are close to those reported for modem island-arc and back-arc basalts. The flat patterns of the chondrite-normalized REE distribution and the discrimination plots of the other elements indicate a tholeiitic affinity for the volcanism. Specifically, plots of Ti against Zr and Ti–Zr–Y are mostly in the fields reported for ocean-floor (MOR and back-arc) basalts, but overlap with arc tholeiites. Cr and Ni are, however, higher than for most arc tholeiites. Overall, the data are most compatible with tholeiitic volcanism in an island-arc (including back-arc) environment.


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