A three dimensional perspective on the evolution of Archaean crust: LITHOPROBE seismic reflection images in the southwestern Superior province

15011993

Abstract

In 1990–1991 the LITHOPROBE project completed 450 km of seismic reflection profiles across the late Archaean crust of the southwestern Superior province. The results define a broad three-fold division of crust: upper crust in the Abitibi greenstone belt is non-reflective and is a 6–8 km veneer of volcanic and plutonic supracrustal rocks, whereas, in the sediment-gneiss dominated Pontiac subprovince, upper crust comprises shallow northwest-dipping turbidite sequences; mid-crust, in both the Abitibi and the Pontiac subprovinces, is interpreted as imbricate sequences of metasedimentary and metaplutonic rocks; lower crust in both subprovinces has a horizontal layer parallel strycture which may represent interleaved mafic-intermediate gneisses. The seismic signature of the northern Abitibi greenstone belt may be represented in an exposed 25 km crustal section in the Kapuskasing stuctural zone.

Preliminary tectonic models based on the seismic data are consistent with a plate-tectonic scenario involving oblique subduction and imbrication of sedimentary, plutonic and volcanic sequences. The northern Abitibi supracrustal sequences either represent an allochthon, or overlie an allochthonous underthrust metasedimentary and plutonic sequence which may be equivalent to a metasedimentary subprovince such as the Pontiac or Quetico.

Seismic velocities have yet to be defined. However, crustal thicknesses are relatively constant at 35–40 km. The thinnest crust is adjacent to the Grenville Front where Moho is very well defined.     

Héritage et sources des métaux d'après la géochimie isotopique du plomb

Résumé Les galènes et sulfoantimoniures de plomb des filons quartzeux, barytiques et fluorés du Haut-Allier (district de Brioude-Massiac) ont fait l'objet d'analyses isotopiques du plomb. Les résultats montrent l'existence de deux populations de plomb appartenant à chacune des deux phases minéralisatrices reconnues dans la région.La première population (18,108<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18,181) est rapportée à la phase mésothermale permienne. Elle comprend les sulfosels précoces des filons antimonifères ainsi que la galène des filons plombo-stannifères. L'homogénéité isotopique confirme la liaison génétique existant entre ces différents types filoniens et leur appartenance à un même processus métallogénique. Le socle métamorphique régional apparaît comme la source possible du plomb.La relative dispersion des valeurs isotopiques de la seconde population (18,215<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18,472), d'âge liasique, est corrélable avec la situation géographique et géologique des filons. Elle est due à deux phénomènes complémentaires: le lessivage d'un segment crustal comprenant le socle métamorphique avec une participation graduée du granite uranifère de la Margeride et la réassimilation partielle du plomb des filons permiens. Ce dernier phénomène d'héritage métallique se traduit au niveau des paragenèses par la formation de filons à sulfosels dominants.

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Lead isotope analyses are reported for galena and lead sulfosalts from quartz, barite and fluorite vein deposits from the Haut-Allier (Brioude-Massiac district). The data define two lead populations reflecting the two mineralization episodes in this region.The first population (18,108<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18,181) is related to the Permian mesothermal episode. It includes early sulfosalts from antimony veins and galena from lead-stanniferous veins. The Pb isotopic homogeneity confirms the relationship between the different vein types and their formation by a single metallogenic process. The metamorphic basement is the potential source of lead.The second population includes quartz-barite and fluorite veins. It shows much more isotopic variation (18,215<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18,472) correlating with the geographical and geological location of the veins. Because the veins have a contemporaneous age, the isotopic dispersion therefore depends on two complementary phenomena: the leaching of a large volume of crust, including metamorphic basement, with a progressive contribution of the uraniferous granite of Margeride; and the partial remobilization of lead from Permian veins. The latter inheritance phenomena result in the genesis of major lead-sulfosalt vein deposits.

     

Eruptive history of the Colima volcanic complex (Mexico)

The evolution of the Colima volcanic complex can be divided into successive periods characterized by different dynamic and magmatic processes: emission of andesitic to dacitic lava flows, acid-ash and pumice-flow deposits, fallback nuées ardentes leading to pyroclastic flows with heterogeneous magma, plinian air-fall deposits, scoriae cones of alkaline and calc-alkaline nature. Four caldera-forming events, resulting either from major ignimbrite outbursts or Mount St. Helens-type eruptions, separate the main stages of development of the complex from the building of an ancient shield volcano (25 × 30 km wide) up to two summit cones, Nevado and Fuego.The oldest caldera, C1 (7–8 km wide), related to the pouring out of dacitic ash flows, marks the transition between two periods of activity in the primitive edifice called Nevado I: the first one, which is at least 0.6 m.y. old, was mainly andesitic and effusive, whereas the second one was characterized by extrusion of domes and related pyroclastic products. A small summit caldera, C2 (3–3.5 km wide), ended the evolution of Nevado I.Two modern volcanoes then began to grow. The building of the Nevado II started about 200,000 y. ago. It settled into the C2 caldera and partially overflowed it. The other volcano, here called Paleofuego, was progressively built on the southern side of the former Nevado I. Some of its flows are 50,000 y. old, but the age of its first outbursts is not known. However, it is younger than Nevado II. These two modern volcanoes had similar evolutions. Each of them was affected by a huge Mount St. Helens-type (or Bezymianny-type) event, 10,000 y. ago for the Paleofuego, and hardly older for the Nevado II. The landslides were responsible for two horseshoe-shaped avalanche calderas, C3 (Nevado) and C4 (Paleofuego), each 4–5 km wide, opening towards the east and the south. In both cases, the activity following these events was highly explosive and produced thick air-fall deposits around the summit craters.The Nevado III, formed by thick andesitic flows, is located close to the southwestern rim of the C3 caldera. It was a small and short-lived cone. Volcan de Fuego, located at the center of the C4 caldera, is nearly 1500 m high. Its activity is characterized by an alternation of long stages of growth by flows and short destructive episodes related to violent outbursts producing pyroclastic flows with heterogeneous magma and plinian air falls.The evolution of the primitive volcano followed a similar pattern leading to formation of C1 and then C2. The analogy between the evolutions of the two modern volcanoes (Nevado II–III; Paleofuego-Fuego) is described. Their vicinity and their contemporaneous growth pose the problem of the existence of a single reservoir, or two independent magmatic chambers, after the evolution of a common structure represented by the primitive volcano.     

Alteration of basaltic glass: Mechanisms and significance for the oceanic crust-seawater budget

Alteration of basaltic glass to palagonite is characterized by a nearly isomolar exchange of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na₂O, P₂O₅, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Hf, Sc, Co and REE for H₂O and K₂O, whilst TiO₂ and FeO are passively accumulated during removal of the remaining cations. The network forming cations Al and Si are removed from the glass in proportion to the gain in Ti and Fe, whilst the other cations do not show a significant relationship to the amount of Ti and Fe accumulation. Sr isotopic data show that during palagonite formation approximately 85% of the basaltic Sr is lost to the hydrous solutions and 40% of seawater Sr is added to the glass, yielding an average loss of the same order of magnitude as of the network forming cations. Losses and gains of oxides yield an average increase of +105% TiO₂.K, Rb, and Cs show high increases, but $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ and $\text{K}\text{Cs}$ ratios indicate two different alteration processes: (1) formation of palagonite involves a drastic decrease in these ratios, indicating structural similarities between palagonite and smectite; (2) surface alteration of glass is characterized by an increase in $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ and $\text{K}\text{Cs}$ ratios, probably best interpreted as sorption of alkalies in ratios approximating those of seawater.The total fluxes involved in alteration of glass in the upper portion of the oceanic crust are estimated from the modal abundance of palagonite in the oceanic crust and the abundance of the vein materials smectite and carbonate. Smectite and carbonates act as a sink for a significant portion of the elements liberated up during alteration of basaltic glass except for Na and Al, which are probably taken up by zeolites and/or albite, possibly hidden in the macroscopic estimate of carbonate. Formation of the observed quantity of secondary phases requires additional sources for Si, Fe. Ca and K. K is provided in excess from the inflowing seawater at reasonable water/rock ratios. The remaining excess Ca, Si and Fe required may be derived by alteration of interstitial glass and breakdown of anorthite rich plagioclase and titano-magnetite, and/or by supply of deeper seated metamorphic reactions.     

High-Frequency Hydroacoustic Monitoring in an Underground Iron Mine

The monitoring of the stability of old mines constitutes an important research objective for our institution, BRGM. The study reported here shows the contribution of high-frequency (>30 kHz) acoustic emissions to the detection of the damage within a rock mass, during an experiment within a pilot site of an old flooded iron mine. The experiment consisted of recording all the hydroacoustic events in a broad frequency band (between 30 Hz and 180 kHz), during 18 months. The monitoring network has been calibrated by a triggered block fall that made it possible to highlight a relationship between the occurrence of high-frequency/low-frequency hydroacoustic emissions and rock falls. The events recorded have been associated with the micro-failure of the rock mass near the roof, prior to the detachment of the blocks. This monitoring showed important high-frequency hydroacoustic activity, which may be associated with mechanical instabilities generated by the evolution of water pressure during the experiment. In conclusion, the high-frequency hydroacoustic activity appears to be a good indicator of instability and, therefore, this new technique constitutes a promising tool for monitoring abandoned underground cavities.     

EXTREME RESERVOIR SEDIMENTATION IN AUSTRALIA:A REVIEW

ＥＸＴＲＥＭＥＲＥＳＥＲＶＯＩＲＳＥＤＩＭＥＮＴＡＴＩＯＮＩＮＡＵＳＴＲＡＬＩＡ：ＡＲＥＶＩＥＷＨｕｂｅｒｔＣＨＡＮＳＯＮ１ＡＢＳＴＲＡＣＴＩｎｔｈｅｐａｐｅｒ,ｔｈｅａｕｔｈｏｒｒｅｖｉｅｗｓｔｈｅｐｒｏｂｌｅｍｏｆｒｅｓｅｒｖｏｉｒｓｉｌｔａｔｉ...     

Paläozoische und frühmesozoische Orogenesen am pazifischen Rand Gondwanas

Zusammenfassung In Südamerika, in der Antarktis und in Australien läßt sich gleichermaßen vom Kambrium bis in die Trias ein pazifikwärtiges Wandern der orogenen Aktivität beobachten. Aus der relativen Lage dieser Orogene ergibt sich, daß vor dem Jura die Antarktische Halbinsel westlich der Südspitze von Südamerika gelegen hat.

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In South America, Antarctica and Australia, from the Cambrian to the Triassic Pacificward shifting of the orogenic activity is observed. From the relative position of these orogenes is deduced that before the Jurassic the Antarctic Peninsula was situated west of the southern tip of South America.

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Resumen Tanto en Sudamérica como en la Antártida y en Australia desde el Cámbrico hasta el Triásico se observa una transposición continua de la actividad orogénica hacia el Pacífico. De la posición relativa de estos orógenos se concluye que antes del Jurásico la Península Antártica fue situada al Oeste de la punta Sur de Sudamérica.

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