A terrestrial-shallow marine transition in the archean opemisca group east of Chapais,Quebec

The Stella and Hauy Formations of the Archean Opemisca Group in the eastern Chapais Syncline feature numerous fluvial to shallow marine transitions throughout the stratigraphic sequence. During the first depositional phase (Stella Formation), relatively high gradient alluvial fans prograde into a shallow marine environment. The coarse clastic sediments reflect a Scott-type depositional environment. The initial depositional environment is envisaged to be a high-energy, wave- and storm (flood) -dominated coastline bordered by coastal alluvial fans. Shallow marine deposits consist of coarse- to very coarse-grained sandstones and intraclast and pebble to cobble conglomerates. The prevalent shallow marine sediments are related to storm and/or flood deposition.Terrigenous sediments of the Donjek-type depositional environment prevail during the second depositional phase (Hauy Formation). The shallow marine sediments, although still wave- and storm (flood) -dominated, are finergrained, and when correlated with the terrigenous sediments imply a lower gradient and a maturing of the coastline. Furthermore, contemporaneous volcanism of andesitic (shoshonitic) to basaltic composition, occurs during this evolutionary stage. The sedimentary basin gradually evolved during the two depositional phases.The repetition of terrigenous and shallow marine sediments throughout the stratigraphic sequence, coarsening- and fining-sequences in the conglomerates, and the alluvial fan setting strongly suggest a fault-bounded basin margin. Tectonic uplift of the hinterland initiates alluvial fan progradation onto the shelf, whereas quiescent periods are documented by marine transgression. The clast composition of the conglomerates and the alluvial fan environment suggest local derivation of clasts.The synvolcanic Chibougamau Pluton and the Lake Dore Complex acted as a stable basement during deposition of the Opemisca Group. The small landmass served as a stable platform for shallow marine deposition, even when tectonically influenced. A late phase intraplutonic (cratonic) development of an initial backarc basin system (internal zone of the Abitibi greenstone belt) is proposed as the overall depositional setting of the Chapais basin.