The metamorphic record of crustal assembly in the Paleoproterozoic Southeastern Churchill Province, Trans-Hudson Orogen, Canada

Author(s):  
Antoine Godet ◽  
Carl Guilmette ◽  
Loic Labrousse ◽  
Matthijs A. Smit ◽  
Donald W. Davis ◽  
...  

<p>Dating the onset of the continental collision and amalgamation of crustal blocks is at the basis of the reconnaissance of orogenic cycles and yields time constraints for the estimate of rates of accretionary processes over the last 4.5 Gyrs. The Paleoproterozoic Southeastern Churchill Province (SECP) represents the easternmost branch of the Trans-Hudson Orogen, squeezed between the Superior and North Atlantic Cratons (NAC). It comprises a collage of Archean to Paleoproterozoic crustal blocks (Core Zone), and two transpressive orogenic belts (New Quebec and Torngat Orogens), for which crustal amalgamation and associated collisional events are largely undated. We apply a multi-chronometer approach coupled with trace elements geochemistry on supracrustal sequences from the granulitic Tasiuyak Complex accretionary prism and the occidental margin of the NAC (upper plate) to estimate the timing of prograde, peak and retrograde metamorphism in the core of the Torngat Orogen. Our results yield to prograde garnet growth at 1885 ± 12 Ma (Lu-Hf), peritectic prograde monazite growth at 1873 ± 5 Ma (U-Pb), retrograde zircon growth during melt crystallization at 1848 ± 12 Ma, and rutile closure during slow exhumation at 1705 ± 5 Ma in the Tasiuyak Complex. Garnet from the NAC are dated at 2567 ± 4.4 Ma (Lu-Hf) and suggest that the granulite facies metamorphism in the NAC margin largely predates the Torngat Orogeny. We integrate the metamorphic record throughout the SECP to decipher its Paleoproterozoic tectonometamorphic evolution and propose a sequential collisional evolution from ~1.9 to 1.8 Ga.</p>

Solid Earth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizaveta Kovaleva ◽  
Håkon O. Austrheim ◽  
Urs S. Klötzli

Abstract. In this study, we report the occurrence of zircon coronae textures in metapelitic granulites of the Ivrea–Verbano Zone. Unusual zircon textures are spatially associated with Fe–Ti oxides and occur as (1) vermicular-shaped aggregates 50–200 µm long and 5–20 µm thick and as (2) zircon coronae and fine-grained chains, hundreds of micrometers long and ≤ 1 µm thick, spatially associated with the larger zircon grains. Formation of such textures is a result of zircon precipitation during cooling after peak metamorphic conditions, which involved: (1) decomposition of Zr-rich ilmenite to Zr-bearing rutile, and formation of the vermicular-shaped zircon during retrograde metamorphism and hydration; and (2) recrystallization of Zr-bearing rutile to Zr-depleted rutile intergrown with quartz, and precipitation of the submicron-thick zircon coronae during further exhumation and cooling. We also observed hat-shaped grains that are composed of preexisting zircon overgrown by zircon coronae during stage (2). Formation of vermicular zircon (1) preceded ductile and brittle deformation of the host rock, as vermicular zircon is found both plastically and cataclastically deformed. Formation of thin zircon coronae (2) was coeval with, or immediately after, brittle deformation as coronae are found to fill fractures in the host rock. The latter is evidence of local, fluid-aided mobility of Zr. This study demonstrates that metamorphic zircon can nucleate and grow as a result of hydration reactions and mineral breakdown during cooling after granulite-facies metamorphism. Zircon coronae textures indicate metamorphic reactions in the host rock and establish the direction of the reaction front.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizaveta Kovaleva ◽  
Håkon O. Austrheim ◽  
Urs S. Klötzli

Abstract. In this study, we report the occurrence of zircon coronae textures in metapelitic granulites of the Ivrea-Verbano Zone. Unusual zircon textures are spatially associated with Fe-Ti oxides and occur as (1) vermicular-shaped aggregates 50–200 µm long and 5–20 µm thick, and as (2) zircon coronae and fine-grained chains, hundreds of µm long and ≤ 1 µm thick, spatially associated with the larger zircon grains. Formation of such textures is a result of zircon precipitation during cooling after peak metamorphic conditions, which involved: (1) decomposition of Zr-rich ilmenite to Zr-bearing rutile and vermicular-shaped zircon during retrograde metamorphism and hydration; (2) recrystallization of Zr-bearing rutile to Zr-depleted rutile intergrown with quartz and submicron-thick zircon coronae during further exhumation and cooling. We also observed hat-shaped grains that are composed of preexisting zircon overgrown by zircon coronae during stage (2). Formation of vermicular zircon (1) preceded ductile and brittle deformation of the host rock, as vermicular zircon is found both plastically- and cataclastically-deformed. Formation of thin zircon coronae (2) was coeval with, or immediately after brittle deformation, as coronae are found to fill fractures in the host rock. The latter is evidence of local, fluid-aided mobility of Zr. This study demonstrates that metamorphic zircon can nucleate and grow as a result of hydration reactions and mineral breakdown during cooling after granulite-facies metamorphism. Zircon corona textures indicate metamorphic reactions in the host rock, and establishing the direction of the reaction front.


Early cratonal development of the Arabian Shield of southwestern Saudi Arabia began with the deposition of calcic to calc-alkalic, basaltic to dacitic volcanic rocks, and immature sedimentary rocks that subsequently were moderately deformed, metamorphosed, and intruded about 960 Ma ago by dioritic batholiths of mantle derivation (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7029). A thick sequence of calc-alkalic andesitic to rhyodacitic volcanic rocks and volcanoclastic wackes was deposited unconformably on this neocraton. Regional greenschistfacies metamorphism, intensive deformation along north-trending structures, and intrusion of mantle-derived (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7028) dioritic to granodioritic batholiths occurred about 800 Ma. Granodiorite was emplaced as injection gneiss about 785 Ma (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7028- 0.7035) in localized areas of gneiss doming and amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism. Deposition of clastic and volcanic rocks overlapped in time and followed orogeny at 785 Ma. These deposits, together with the older rocks, were deformed, metamorphosed to greenschist facies, and intruded by calc-alkalic plutons (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7035) between 600 and 650 Ma. Late cratonal development between 570 and 550 Ma involved moderate pulses of volcanism, deformation, metamorphism to greenschist facies, and intrusion of quartz monzonite and granite. Cratonization appears to have evolved in an intraoceanic, island-arc environment of comagmatic volcanism and intrusion.


1982 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 55-57
Author(s):  
A.A Garde ◽  
V.R McGregor

Previous geological work on the 1:100000 map sheet 64 V.l N (fig. 15) includes published maps of smaller areas by Berthelsen (1960, 1962) and Lauerma (1964), mapping by Kryolitselskabet Øresund A/S (Bridgwater et al., 1976) and mapping by GGU geologists for the 1:500000 map sheet Frederikshåb Isblink - Søndre Strømfjord (Allaart et al., 1977, 1978). The Amltsoq and Niik gneisses and Malene supracrustal rock units south and east of Godthåbsfjord have not so far been correlated with rocks in the Fiskefjord area. Godthåbsfjord separates the granulite facies gneisses in Nordlandet from amphibolite facies Nûk gneisses on Sadelø and Bjørneøen; the granulite facies metamorphism occurred at about 2850 m.y. (Black et al., 1973), while no published isotopic age determinations from the Fiskefjord area itself are available.


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