Geology, Geochemistry, and Age of Archean and Early Proterozoic
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Geology, Geochemistry, and Age of Archean and Early Proterozoic Rocks in the Marenisco-Watersmeet Area, Northern Michigan and Geologic Interpretation of Gravity Data, Marenisco-Watersmeet Area, Northern Michigan GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1292-A, B Geology, Geochemistry, and Age of Archean and Early Proterozoic Rocks in the Marenisco-Watersmeet Area, Northern Michigan By P. K. SIMS, Z. E. PETERMAN, W. C. PRINZ, and F. C. BENEDICT and Geologic Interpretation of Gravity Data, Marenisco-Watersmeet Area, Northern Michigan By J. S. KLASNER and P. K. SIMS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1292-A,B UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1984 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILLIAM P. CLARK, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: Geology, geochemistry, and age of Archean and early Proterozoic rocks in the Marenisco-Watersmeet area, Northern Michigan. (Contributions to the geology of the Lake Superior Region) (Geological Survey Professional Paper ; 1292A-B) Bibliography: P1292-A, 41 p.; P1292-B, 13 p. Supt. of Docs. No.: 119.16:1292-A & B 1. Geology, Stratigraphic Pre-Cambrian. 2. Geology Michigan Gogebic County. 3. Gravity Michi gan Gogebic County. I. Sims, P. K. (Paul Kibler), 1918- II. Klasner, J. S. Geologic interpretation of gravity data, Marenisco- Watersmeet area. 1983. III. Series. IV. Series: Geological Survey professional paper ; 1292A-B. QE653.G477 1983 551.7T09774983 83-600384 For sale by the Branch of Distribution U.S. Geological Survey 604 South Pickett Street Alexandria, VA 22304 Geology, Geochemistry, and Age of Archean and Early Proterozoic Rocks in the Marenisco-Watersmeet Area, Northern Michigan By P. K. SIMS, Z. E. PETERMAN, W. C. PRINZ, and F. C. BENEDICT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1292-A A study of some of the oldest rocks in North America and their geologic setting UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1984 CONTENTS Page Page Abstract .......................... Al Geochemistry .......................... A26 Introduction ........................ 2 Characteristic features .................. 26 Acknowledgments ..................... 4 Genetic significance .................... 29 Stratigraphy ........................ 5 Structure ............................ 30 Archean rocks ..................... Archean deformation ................... 31 Rocks in the Watersmeet dome ........ Penokean deformation .................. 31 Tonalitic augen gneiss ........... Faults ........................... 33 Biotite gneiss succession .......... 10 Northwest fault set ................. 33 Interlayered amphibolite and biotite gneiss 13 East-northeast fault set ............... 33 Biotite leucogranite ............. 13 Northeast fault set ................. 35 Gneiss and amphibolite ............. 15 Metamorphism ......................... 35 Metagraywacke .................. 15 Archean metamorphism ................. 35 Puritan Quartz Monzonite ............ 18 Early Proterozoic (Penokean) metamorphism ..... 36 Age and correlation ............... 18 Discussion ......................... 37 Early Proterozoic rocks ............... 21 Geologic history ........................ 37 Blair Creek Formation ............. 22 Occurrence of fluorite and copper in rocks within the Copps and Michigamme Formations ...... 24 Watersmeet dome ...................... 39 Metadiabase dikes ................ 25 References cited ........................ 39 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE 1. Map of Lake Superior region showing location of study area relative to boundary between Archean basement terranes A3 2. Generalized geologic map of the Marenisco-Watersmeet area, northern Michigan .................... 4 3. Geologic section showing gross stratigraphy and structure of Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks in the Marenisco- Watersmeet area ...................................................... ? 4. Geologic map of part (T. 45 N., R. 39 W.) of northern margin of Watersmeet dome ................. 9 5. Photographs of hand specimens of Early Archean gneisses from the Watersmeet dome ................ 12 6. Rb-Sr plot for Archean and Early Proterozoic metagraywacke .............................. 18 7. K/Rb ratios of Archean and Early Proterozoic metagraywacke .............................. 18 8. Quartz-K-feldspar-plagioclase diagram showing modal composition of Late Archean granitoid rocks .......... 19 9. Concordia plot of zircon data for samples of granitoid rocks in the Watersmeet dome ................. 21 10. Rb-Sr isochron plot for samples of gneiss, schist, and leucogranite from the Watersmeet dome ........... 22 11. Rb-Sr isochron plot for samples of Puritan Quartz Monzonite and biotite gneiss from Archean gneiss belt southeast of Marenisco ........................................................ 23 12. Concordia plot of zircon data for samples of biotite gneiss and associated Puritan Quartz Monzonite from gneiss belt southeast of Marenisco ................................................... 23 13. Rb-Sr isochron plot for samples of Archean and Early Proterozoic metagraywackes and associated rocks ...... 24 14-18. Diagrams of data for selected Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks in the Marenisco-Watersmeet area: 14. K20-Na20-CaO diagram ............................................... 27 15. AFM diagram ..................................................... 28 16. Ti02-P205 plot ..................................................... 29 17. Th-U plot ....................................................... 29 18. Rb-Sr plot ....................................................... 29 19. Contour plots of poles of foliation related to Penokean folds, Marenisco area ...................... 32 20. Map showing traces of faults, Marenisco-Watersmeet area, Michigan ........................... 34 AV AVI CONTENTS TABLES TABLE 1. Correlation of pre-Keweenawan rock units used in this report with those of Fritts (1969) ................ A8 2. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of tonalitic augen gneiss from the Watersmeet dome ........... 10 3. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of representative samples of the biotite gneiss succession in the Watersmeet dome ............................................................. 11 4. Approximate modes, in volume percent, of representative samples of the interlayered amphibolite and biotite gneiss succession in the Watersmeet dome ............................................ 14 5. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of biotite leucogranite in the Watersmeet dome .............. 14 6. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of selected rocks in the gneiss and amphibolite unit ............ 16 7. Chemical analyses of Archean and Proterozoic metagraywacke, Marenisco-Watersmeet area .............. 17 8. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of Puritan Quartz Monzonite from bodies in the gneiss and amphibolite unit . 19 9. Approximate modes and chemical analyses of Puritan Quartz Monzonite in the Puritan batholith ........... 20 10. Analytical data for samples dated by the Rb-Sr method ................................. 23 11. Chemical analyses of lavas from the Blair Creek Formation ................................ 25 12. Average compositions of Early Archean augen gneisses from northern Michigan, Greenland, and Labrador ..... 30 13. Precambrian stratigraphic-tectonic evolution, western Upper Michigan ........................... 38 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION GEOLOGY, GEOCHEMISTRY, AND AGE OF ARCHEAN AND EARLY PROTEROZOIC ROCKS IN THE MARENISCO-WATERSMEET AREA, NORTHERN MICHIGAN By P. K. SIMS, Z. E. PETERMAN, W. C. PRINZ, and F. C. BENEDICT ABSTRACT graywacke in having lower CaO and higher MgO contents and a lower Rb/Sr ratio. The basalt in the Proterozoic Blair Creek Formation The Marenisco-Watersmeet area lies astride the boundary between has a high Na20/K20 ratio and shows an iron-enrichment trend in the two Archean basement terranes recognized in the Lake Superior the tholeiite field. The protoliths of the Early Archean augen gneiss region. Rocks characteristic of the gneiss terrane are exposed and the biotite gneisses of both terranes possibly were dacitic volcan sparsely in a gneiss dome at Watersmeet. They consist of a tonalitic ic rocks; the amphibolites of both terranes also are of volcanic deriva augen gneiss (~3,560 m.y. old), which is unconformably overlain by tion. The composition of the Puritan Quartz Monzonite is consistent a biotite gneiss succession of about the same age and a younger suc with its derivation by partial melting of short-lived graywacke at cession of interlayered amphibolite and biotite gneiss (~2,640 m.y. crustal depths. old). These rock types were intruded by biotite leucogranite 2,590 Deformation during the Penokean orogeny produced open to tight m.y. old. Greenstone-granite complexes, which are characteristic of folds overturned to the northwest or north in the Proterozoic bedded the Archean greenstone-granite terrane, are exposed in the north rocks. A southeast-dipping axial plane foliation accompanied the fold west part of the area. They consist of metavolcanic and metasedimen- ing and was superposed on previously deformed rocks of Late Ar tary rocks that are intruded by the Puritan Quartz Monzonite ( 2,650 chean age along the southern margin of the greenstone terrane. The m.y. old). The major body of Puritan Quartz