Petrology and Structure of the Eldorado Peak Area, North Cascades, Washington Dan (Daniel Phelan) Mcshane Western Washington University
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Western Washington University Western CEDAR WWU Graduate School Collection WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship Summer 1992 Petrology and Structure of the Eldorado Peak Area, North Cascades, Washington Dan (Daniel Phelan) McShane Western Washington University Follow this and additional works at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation McShane, Dan (Daniel Phelan), "Petrology and Structure of the Eldorado Peak Area, North Cascades, Washington" (1992). WWU Graduate School Collection. 845. https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/845 This Masters Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship at Western CEDAR. It has been accepted for inclusion in WWU Graduate School Collection by an authorized administrator of Western CEDAR. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Petrology and Structure of the Eldorado Peak area. North Cascades, Washington By Dan McShane Accepted in partial completion of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Dean of Graduate School Advisory committee Chairman i Master's Thesis In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree at Western Washington University, I agree that the library shall make its copies freely available for inspection. I further agree that extensive copying of this thesis is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without my written permission. Date 3 f, 7 MASTER'S THESIS In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree at Western Washington University, I grant to Western Washington University the non-exclusive royalty-free right to archive, reproduce, distribute, and display the thesis in any and all forms, including electronic format, via any digital library mechanisms maintained by WWU. I represent and warrant this is my original work and does not infringe or violate any rights of others. I warrant that I have obtained written permissions from the owner of any third party copyrighted material included in these files. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of this work, including but not limited to the right to use all or part of this work in future works, such as articles or books. Library users are granted permission for individual, research and non-commercial reproduction of this work for educational purposes only. Any further digital posting of this document requires specific permission from the author. Any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, is not allowed without my written permission. Date: Petrology and structure of the Eldorado Peak area. North Cascades, Washington A thesis presented to the faculty of Western Washington University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science by Dan McShane January 1992 Abstract In this thesis the problem of the timing and mechanism of orogeny in the Skagit Gneiss of the North Cascades, Washington, is addressed by investigating plutonism and metamorphism in the vicinity of Eldorado Peak. The primary finding of this project is that the 88-90 Ma Eldorado pluton was intruded, not faulted, into the Cascade River Schist and Skagit Gneiss. Intrusion is indicated by cross-cutting of foliations in country rock by the pluton, apophyses of Eldorado pluton in the country rock, and xenoliths of local country rock in the pluton. Detailed mapping shows that the Eldorado pluton does not cross-cut younger internal contacts within the Skagit Gneiss as previous reconnaissance mapping had indicated. Shallow emplacement of the Eldorado pluton is indicated by several features: 1) presence of andalusite (now pseudomorphed) in a contact aureole (P < 3.7 kb); 2) garnet - alumino silicate - plagioclase (GASP) barometry on garnet cores indicates low pressure (3-4 kb) in the contact aureole; 3) lack of magmatic epidote in the pluton (P < 6 kb); and 4) aluminum content of magmatic hornblende in the pluton (P = 4-5 kb). Subsidence of the Eldorado Peak area and the subsequent high- pressure metamorphism of the Skagit Gneiss and Cascade River Schist occurred after intrusion of the Eldorado pluton. Evidence for this includes: 1) overprinting of andalusite by kyanite in the Eldorado pluton contact aureole; 2) GASP barometry on garnets in the contact aureole indicates that the rims grew under high pressure conditions (P = 7.2 kb); and 3) intrusion at deep level of the adjacent Marble Creek pluton at 75 Ma and the Haystack pluton at 71 Ma, both of which are epidote bearing. These findings constrain the timing of subsidence in this part of the Skagit Gneiss belt to a period between 90 and 75 Ma. This event is later than subsidence of high-grade rocks south of the Entiat fault, 30- iv 50 km to the southwest, which contain 93-96 Ma epidote-bearing plutons and was uplifted by 70-80 Ma. This study indicates that the subsidence and uplift of the North Cascades Crystalline Core are localized and diachronous and therefore cannot be explained by a single regional over thrust event. Mapping of the Cascade River Schist shows that it is gradational with the Skagit paragneiss. This finding is in agreement with the view of Misch (1966) that the Skagit paragneiss is a higher metamorphic grade equivalent of the Cascade River Schist. Lithologic units in the Cascade River Schist are interpreted to be part of a submarine fan complex with lithologic units in the Cascade Pass area representing a proximal portion of the fan and lithologic units along the Marble Creek - Newhalem Creek divide representing a more distal portion of the fan. Foliations in the area are predominantly northwest-striking and dip steeply to the southwest. Lineations are not common, but where they are present they are subhorizontal and southeast-northwest trending. Conglomerate clasts indicate a strong flattening fabric in the high- grade schists. This flattening fabric is overprinted by discrete dextral shear zones of both high and low metamorphic grade. V Acknowledgements Funding support for this thesis was provided by a grant from the Geological Society of America, a grant from the Geology Department of Western Washington University, a contract with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and a National Science Foundation grant to E. H. Brown. Ned Brown has been very much a part of this thesis from beginning to end. He conceived the project and guided me throughout. All the microprobe analysis were provided by him. N. Walker provided the age determination for the Haystack pluton. Steve Fluke provided a computer program which greatly eased P-T determinations for the metamorphism of the Cascade River Schist. Steve also suffered through some tremendous ordeals as my field assistant. Mike Hettinga acted as my mule on some of my longest field trips. His field work, along with Steve Fluke's, would take an entire chapter to properly acknowledge. The many long conversations with Bernie Dougan concerning the Cascade River Schist and the Cascades were very helpful with my interpretations. Jim Talbot and Scott Babcock served on my thesis committee. This thesis has been greatly improved by their comments and critiques. Russ Burmester and Jontek Wodzicki provided helpful insights on several occasions. Their interest in the project is greatly appreciated. Andy Buddington helped me tremendously with my research on pluton emplacement and magmatic epidote. He was responsible for the organization of several evening pluton discussion sessions. Patty Combs, Vicki Critchlow, and George Mustoe have been acknowledged in many a past thesis. They saved me huge amounts of time and stress. vi The biggest star of this thesis has been my wife Lisa. This thesis has been a joint venture and Lisa did all the hardest parts. A special thanks to my daughter. Raven, for all those hours spent waiting for me in my office. As a final acknowledgement, I'd like to dedicate this thesis to my parents, William and Jeannine McShane. They are the best. vii Table of Contents Page Number Abstract...................................................... iv Acknowledgements.............................................. vi List of Figures............................................... x I. Introduction............................................ 1 II. Eldorado Pluton A. Introduction........................................ 7 B. Evidence of intrusion............................... 8 C. Lithology........................................... 15 D. Emplacement......................................... 20 1. Depth of emplacement............................ 20 2. Emplacement tectonics........................... 28 E. Summary............................................. 29 III. Haystack pluton A. Introduction........................................ 29 B. Lithology........................................... 31 C. Emplacement......................................... 33 D. Discussion.......................................... 33 IV. Cascade River Schist A. Introduction........................................ 34 B. Cascade River Schist in the Cascade Pass area....... 36 C. Newhalem Creek - Marble Creek divide................ 39 1. Lithology....................................... 39 2. Discussion...................................... 41 V. Skagit Gneiss A. Introduction........................................ 43 B. Paragneiss.........................................