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Lithostratigraphy and Tectonic Evolution of Contrasting Greenstone Successions in the Central Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia

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Lithostratigraphy and Tectonic Evolution of Contrasting Greenstone Successions in the Central Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 Lithostratigraphy and tectonic evolution of contrasting greenstone successions in the central Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia She Fa Chen∗, Angela Riganti, Stephen Wyche, John E. Greenfield, David R. Nelson Geological Survey of Western Australia, 100 Plain Street, East Perth, WA 6004, Australia Accepted 10 April 2003 Abstract Lithostratigraphy of the Late Archaean Marda–Diemals greenstone belt in the Southern Cross Terrane, central Yilgarn Craton defines a temporal change from mafic volcanism to felsic-intermediate volcanism to clastic sedimentation. A ca. 3.0 Ga lower greenstone succession is characterised by mafic volcanic rocks and banded iron-formation (BIF). It is subdivided into three litho- stratigraphic associations and unconformably overlain by the ca. 2.73 Ga upper greenstone succession of calc-alkaline volcanic (Marda Complex) and clastic sedimentary rocks (Diemals Formation). D1 north–south, low-angle thrusting was restricted to the lower greenstone succession and preceded deposition of the upper greenstone succession. D2 east–west, orogenic compression ca. 2730–2680 Ma occurred in two stages; an earlier folding phase and a late phase that resulted in deposition and deformation of the Diemals Formation. Progressive and inhomogeneous east–west shortening ca. 2680–2655 Ma (D3) produced regional-scale shear zones and arcuate structures. The lithostratigraphy and tectonic history of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt are broadly similar to the northern Murchison Terrane in the western Yilgarn Craton, but has older greenstones and deformation events than the southern Eastern Goldfields Terrane of the eastern Yilgarn Craton. This indicates that the Eastern Goldfields Terrane may have accreted to an older Murchison–Southern Cross granite–greenstone nucleus. Crown Copyright © 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Yilgarn; Archaean; Marda–Diemals greenstone belt; Lithostratigraphy; Orogenic 1. Introduction geochronological studies indicate two generations of volcanism at ca. 3.0 and 2.7 Ga (Pidgeon and Wilde, The Archaean Yilgarn Craton covers an area of 1990). Greenstones in the Murchison and Southern 650,000 km2 and is composed of north-trending green- Cross Terranes are similar in age and are generally stone belts separated by granite and granitic gneiss older than those in the Eastern Goldfields Terrane (Fig. 1). The craton is subdivided into five terranes, (Pidgeon and Wilde, 1990; Schiøtte and Campbell, which from west to east include the Narryer and South- 1996; Nelson, 1997, 1999, 2001; Pidgeon and west Gneiss Terranes, and the Murchison, Southern Hallberg, 2000). Within individual terranes, the lower Cross and Eastern Goldfields Granite–Greenstone Ter- parts of greenstones are generally dominated by mafic ranes (Fig. 1; Tyler and Hocking, 2001). U–Pb zircon and ultramafic rocks, whereas the upper parts contain more abundant felsic volcanic and clastic sedimentary rocks (e.g. Campbell and Hill, 1988; Griffin, 1990; ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (S.F. Chen). Watkins and Hickman, 1990; Swager, 1997; Krapez 0301-9268/$ – see front matter. Crown Copyright © 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0301-9268(03)00190-6 250 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 and Chen, 2000; Chen and Wyche, 2001; Wyche et al., 2001), combined with regional stratigraphic, structural, geochemical and geochronological studies. In this paper the lithostratigraphy, geochemistry and tectonic history of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt are described and compared with those of the northern Murchison and southern Eastern Goldfields Terranes. 2. Lithostratigraphy of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt 2.1. Lower greenstone succession The lower greenstone succession in the Marda– Diemals greenstone belt is subdivided into three infor- mal lithostratigraphic associations by using laterally continuous banded iron-formation (BIF) and chert as marker units. These associations are conformable with each other. In the Diemals area, the lower association Fig. 1. Distribution of greenstone belts and granitoids in the Yilgarn is exposed in the core of the Diemals and Horse Well Craton (after Myers, 1997), showing subdivision of terranes and Anticlines (DA and HWA in Fig. 3), where deeply the study area of this paper. EG: Eastern Goldfields Terrane; M: weathered ultramafic rocks at the base are intruded Murchison Terrane; N: Narryer Gneiss Terrane; SC: Southern Cross Terrane; SW: Southwestern Gneiss Terrane. Greenstone belts: (1) by monzogranite and overlain by high-Mg basalt with Gum Creek; (2) Illaara; (3) Marda–Diemals; (4) Lake Johnston; relict pyroxene–spinifex texture. The dominant rock (5) Ravensthorpe. type in the lower association is tholeiitic basalt that is intercalated with several well-bedded mafic tuff units et al., 2000; Pidgeon and Hallberg, 2000). However, ranging from 5 to 20 m in thickness (Fig. 4a). The mid- in many parts of the Yilgarn Craton, the greenstone dle association consists of BIF and chert with minor stratigraphy and tectonic history have not been estab- shale and siltstone, and has been extensively intruded lished due to poor exposure, physical separation by by gabbro sills (Figs. 3 and 4a). The upper associa- granitoid intrusions, and structural complexity. tion is well exposed in the Watch Bore Syncline (WBS The Marda–Diemals greenstone belt (3 in Fig. 1) in Fig. 3) where it comprises intercalated high-Mg is the largest greenstone belt of the Southern Cross basalts, differentiated gabbro sills, and 5–20 m thick Terrane in the central Yilgarn Craton (Fig. 2). It com- shale units (Figs. 3 and 4a). Igneous layering within prises a mafic-dominated lower greenstone succession, the gabbro sills is concordant with the bedding of ad- unconformably overlain by an upper greenstone suc- jacent shales that contain local base metal enrichment. cession that consists of felsic to intermediate volcanic In the Bungalbin–Marda area, a clean, cross-bedded rocks (Marda Complex; Hallberg et al., 1976) and clas- quartzite unit near Mount Jackson Homestead (MJ in tic sedimentary rocks (Diemals Formation; Walker and Fig. 2) is locally preserved at the base of the lower Blight, 1983). Locally well-exposed greenstones, rela- association (Fig. 4b). This quartzite may be strati- tively simple structures, and low metamorphic grades graphically equivalent to those of the Illaara green- in this greenstone belt make it one of the key areas for stone belt (2 in Fig. 1) to the east that have a maxi- the investigation of greenstone lithostratigraphy and mum depositional age of ca. 3.3 Ga, based on sensitive tectonic development in the Yilgarn Craton. high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) ages of de- This paper is based on recent geological mapping by trital zircons (Nelson, 2000). The bulk of the lower the Geological Survey of Western Australia (Riganti association in the Bungalbin–Marda area is composed S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 251 Fig. 2. Simplified geological map of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt and adjacent areas, showing distribution of the lower and upper greenstone successions and structural elements. Greenstone belts: HRGB: Hunt Range; MDGB: Marda–Diemals; MMGB: Mount Manning. Shear zones: ESZ: Evanston; KSZ: Koolyanobbing; MDSZ: Mount Dimer. Folds: BA: Broadbents Antiform; BS: Bungalbin Syncline; DA: Diemals Anticline; HWA: Horse Well Anticline; WBS: Watch Bore Syncline; YS: Yarbu Syncline. BBM: Butcher Bird Monzogranite; CF: Clampton Fault; DH: Deception Hill; DHR: Die Hardy Range; MJ: Mount Jackson Homestead; PR: Pigeon Rocks Monzogranite. Localities of Figs. 8e–f and 11 are also shown. 252 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 Fig. 3. Geological map showing lithostratigraphic distribution and structure of the Diemals area. DA: Diemals Anticline; HWA: Horse Well Anticline; WBS: Watch Bore Syncline. of tholeiitic basalt, with minor high-Mg basalt and structure that are intercalated with BIF and chert units tremolite–chlorite schist in the lower part and thin and minor clastic sedimentary rocks. units of BIF and chert layers in the upper part (Figs. 4b In the Die Hardy Range area (DHR in Fig. 2), only and 5). The middle association consists of a BIF and the lower two of the regional lithostratigraphic asso- chert unit, up to 800 m thick, with intercalated lentic- ciations are preserved, and the upper association has ular quartzite beds in its upper part. Cross-bedding been faulted out or eroded. Similar to exposures else- in the quartzites indicates a consistent younging di- where, the lower association is dominated by tholei- rection towards the core of the Bungalbin Syncline itic basalt, with subordinate ultramafic rocks, high-Mg (Fig. 5). The upper association is truncated by a D1 basalt and thin units of chert and BIF. The middle asso- thrust fault. Tholeiitic basalt in the lower part is poorly ciation consists of two prominent BIF and chert units exposed below the thrust fault, whereas the upper part separated by gabbro, with a quartzite unit at the top. in a large-scale F1 anticline comprises tholeiitic and The age of the lower greenstone succession in the high-Mg basalts with locally preserved pillow-lava Marda–Diemals greenstone belt is poorly constrained. S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 253 Fig. 4. Lithostratigraphic columns of (a) the Diemals area and (b) the Bungalbin–Marda area. Fletcher et al. (1984) used Sm–Nd model ages to constrain the age of basalt from the Diemals area to 3050 100 Ma (all errors quoted are 95% confidence ± limits). A large body of rhyolitic porphyry at De- ception Hill (DH in Fig. 2) within the lower green- stone succession yielded a SHRIMP U–Pb zircon age of 3023 10 Ma (Nelson, 1999). However, the re- Fig. 5. Geological map showing lithostratigraphic distribution and structure of the Bungalbin area. lationship±between the Deception Hill porphyry and the adjacent greenstones is concealed and so it is not clear whether it forms part of the succession or rep- ple, Nelson (1995) obtained a SHRIMP U–Pb zir- resents a later high-level intrusion.
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