scholarly journals Petrogenesis and mode of emplacement of a Neoarchean tonalite-trondhjemite-diorite (TTD) suite: the Eau Jaune Complex, Abitibi greenstone belt

Author(s):  
Marie A. Kieffer ◽  
Lucie Mathieu ◽  
Pierre Bedeaux ◽  
Damien Gaboury ◽  
Michael A. Hamilton

Magmatism during the maturation phase of Archean greenstone belts produced voluminous tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) suites, as well as a lesser amount of tonalite-trondhjemite-diorite (TTD) suites. Such TTD suites have recently been recognized in the Archean Abitibi greenstone belt, on the southern flank of the Superior Craton, Canada, but their source(s), differentiation processes and depths of emplacement remain poorly constrained. The Neoarchean Eau Jaune Complex (EJC) lies in the northeastern corner of the Abitibi greenstone belt and represents one of the most voluminous tonalite-dominated and diorite-bearing intrusive suites of the Chibougamau region. This TTD suite comprises six intrusive phases with distinct petrology and chemistry. All units were emplaced as laccolith-like intrusions injected along discontinuities within the volcanic succession at ca. 2724 Ma (U-Pb zircon dating), during the synvolcanic interval (i.e., construction and maturation phase), at a depth of approximately 7–8 km. The most HREE-depleted phases (granodiorite, tonalite and trondhjemite) correspond to magmas that fractionated amphibole and were likely produced by partial melting of a garnet- and titanate-bearing amphibolite, akin to TTG magmas. The least HREE-depleted phases are dioritic in composition and correspond to mantle-derived magmas that may have interacted with TTG melts. This indicates interaction between coeval mantle-derived and crustal melts during the maturation phase of the Abitibi greenstone belt. Models formulated to address the geodynamic evolution of greenstone belts must account for the coeval production of basalt-derived (TTG suites) and mantle-derived (tholeiitic magmatism) melts occasionally interacting to form TTD suites.

1980 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 560-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Clark ◽  
S.-P. Cheung

Rb–Sr whole-rock ages have been determined for rocks from the Oxford Lake – Knee Lake – Gods Lake greenstone belt, in the Superior Province of northeastern Manitoba.The age of the Magill Lake Pluton is 2455 ± 35 Ma (λ87Rb = 1.42 × 10−11 yr−1), with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7078 ± 0.0043. This granitic stock intrudes the Oxford Lake Group, so it is post-tectonic and probably related to the second, weaker stage of metamorphism.The age of the Bayly Lake Pluton is 2424 ± 74 Ma, with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7029 ± 0.0001. This granodioritic batholith complex does not intrude the Oxford Lake Group. It is syn-tectonic and metamorphosed.The age of volcanic rocks of the Hayes River Group, from Goose Lake (30 km south of Gods Lake Narrows), is 2680 ± 125 Ma, with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7014 ± 0.0009.The age for the Magill Lake and Bayly Lake Plutons can be interpreted as the minimum ages of granitic intrusion in the area.The age for the Hayes River Group volcanic rocks is consistent with Rb–Sr ages of volcanic rocks from other Archean greenstone belts within the northwestern Superior Province.


1990 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Jackson ◽  
R. H. Sutcliffe

Published U–Pb geochronological, geological, and petrochemical data suggest that there are late Archean ensialic greenstone belts (GB) (Michipicoten GB and possibly the northern Abitibi GB), ensimatic greenstone belts (southern Abitibi GB and Batchawana GB), and possibly a transitional ensimatic–ensialic greenstone belt (Swayze GB) in the central Superior Province. This lateral crustal variability may preclude simple correlation of the Michipicoten GB and its substrata, as exposed in the Kapuskasing Uplift, with that of the southern Abitibi GB. Furthermore, this lateral variability may have determined the locus of the Kapuskasing Uplift. Therefore, although the Kapuskasing Uplift provides a useful general crustal model, alternative models of crustal structure and tectonics for the southern Abitibi GB warrant examination.Thrusting of a juvenile, ensimatic southern Abitibi GB over a terrane containing evolved crust is consistent with (i) the structural style of the southern Abitibi GB; (ii) juvenile southern Abitibi GB metavolcanic rocks intruded by rocks having an isotopically evolved, older component; and (iii) Proterozoic extension that preserved low-grade metavolcanic rocks within the down-dropped Cobalt Embayment, which is bounded by higher grade terranes to the east and west.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Lucie Mathieu

In gold-endowed greenstone belts, ore bodies generally correspond to orogenic gold systems (OGS) formed during the main deformation stage that led to craton stabilization (syntectonic period). Most OGS deposits postdate and locally overprint magmatic-hydrothermal systems, such as Au-Cu porphyry that mostly formed during the main magmatic stage (synvolcanic period) and polymetallic intrusion-related gold systems (IRGS) of the syntectonic period. Porphyries are associated with tonalite-dominated and sanukitoid plutons, whereas most IRGS are related to alkaline magmatism. As reviewed here, most intrusion-associated mineralization in the Abitibi greenstone belt is the result of complex and local multistage metallogenic processes. A new classification is proposed that includes (1) OGS and OGS-like deposits dominated by metamorphic and magmatic fluids, respectively; (2) porphyry and IRGS that may contain gold remobilized during subsequent deformation episodes; (3) porphyry and IRGS that are overprinted by OGS. Both OGS and OGS-like deposits are associated with crustal-scale faults and display similar gold-deposition mechanisms. The main difference is that magmatic fluid input may increase the oxidation state and CO2 content of the mineralizing fluid for OGS-like deposits, while OGS are characterized by the circulation of reduced metamorphic fluids. For porphyry and IRGS, mineralizing fluids and metals have a magmatic origin. Porphyries are defined as base metal and gold-bearing deposits associated with large-volume intrusions, while IRGS are gold deposits that may display a polymetallic signature and that can be associated with small-volume syntectonic intrusions. Some porphyry, such as the Côté Gold deposit, demonstrate that magmatic systems can generate economically significant gold mineralization. In addition, many deposits display evidence of multistage processes and correspond to gold-bearing or gold-barren magmatic-hydrothermal systems overprinted by OGS or by gold-barren metamorphic fluids. In most cases, the source of gold remains debated. Whether magmatic activity was essential or marginal for fertilizing the upper crust during the Neoarchean remains a major topic for future research, and petrogenetic investigations may be paramount for distinguishing gold-endowed from barren greenstone belts.


1996 ◽  
Vol 265 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 127-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.U Mueller ◽  
R Daigneault ◽  
J.K Mortensen ◽  
E.H Chown

2009 ◽  
Vol 472 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 226-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Snyder ◽  
Peter Cary ◽  
Matt Salisbury

1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1448-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Laflèche ◽  
C. Dupuy ◽  
J. Dostal

The late Archean Blake River Group volcanic sequence forms the uppermost part of the southern Abitibi greenstone belt in Quebec. The group is mainly composed of mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB)-like tholeiites that show a progressive change of several incompatible trace element ratios (e.g., Nb/Th, Nb/Ta, La/Yb, and Zr/Y) during differentiation. The compositional variations are inferred to be the result of fractional crystallization coupled with mixing–contamination of tholeiites by calc-alkaline magma which produced the mafic–intermediate lavas intercalated with the tholeiites in the uppermost part of the sequence. The MORB-like tholeiites were probably emplaced in a back-arc setting.


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