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 lithostratigraphic 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

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 informal 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 greenstone 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. A SHRIMP U–Pb con age of 2958 4 Ma for supracrustal rocks from zircon age of 2729 4 Ma has been obtained from the the Ravensthorpe±greenstone belt (5 in Fig. 1). In the Pigeon Rocks Monzogranite± (PR in Fig. 2; Nelson, Lake Johnston greenstone belt (4 in Fig. 1), the felsic 1999) that has clearly intruded the lower greenstone to intermediate rocks associated with komatiite have succession. given SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages of 2921 4 Ma The ca. 3.0 Ga lower greenstone succession in the and 2903 5 Ma (Wang et al., 1996). In the± Gum Marda–Diemals area can be broadly correlated with Creek greenstone± belt (1 in Fig. 1), SHRIMP U–Pb those in other parts of the Southern Cross Terrane, zircon chronology indicated a ca. 2.7 Ga age for felsic based on limited geochronological data. For exam- volcanic rocks that probably unconformably overlie 254 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 basalt and BIF dominant units of ca. 2.9–3.0 Ga age adjacent rock types in the lower greenstone succes- (Wang et al., 1998). sion, with chert and BIF clasts the most abundant. Locally prominent felsic volcanic clasts are probably 2.2. Marda Complex derived from contemporaneous felsic volcanic deposits within the complex (Chin and Smith, 1983). The Marda Complex (Hallberg et al., 1976; Chin The clast composition and immaturity of these rocks and Smith, 1983) with the associated Butcher Bird suggest proximal deposition. Monzogranite occupies a roughly elliptical area of The sedimentary rocks are conformably overlain 600 km2. The complex is dominated by andesitic by andesite, rhyolite and subordinate dacite (Fig. 7a). ∼ and rhyolitic lava flows and pyroclastic rocks (Fig. 6). Dark grey andesite flows are typically porphyritic and No basalt is associated with the complex. Clastic and commonly amygdaloidal. The andesite contains up to volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks in the lower part of 40 vol.% phenocrysts, mainly andesine, with subordi- the complex lie unconformably above the lower green- nate clinopyroxene, magnetite and hornblende. Em- stone succession (Fig. 7a). bayed quartz phenocrysts are common in the dacitic The lower part of the Marda Complex consists of flows. polymictic conglomerate, sandstone and siltstone that Rhyolitic ignimbrite and subordinate rhyolite flows locally interfinger with thin rhyolitic and andesitic overlie the andesite and sedimentary rocks (Fig. 7a). units (Fig. 7a). Conglomerate is mainly concentrated The rhyolitic rocks preserve evidence of welding in the lower part of the sedimentary package and and rheomorphic flow that indicate subaerial depo- grades upward into lithic sandstone and siltstone. The sition (Hallberg et al., 1976; Riganti et al., 2000). compositions of conglomerate clasts are similar to In rhyolitic ignimbrite, eutaxitic banding is wrapped

Fig. 6. Geological map of the Marda Complex, showing distribution of major lithological types and interpreted relationship with adjacent lower greenstone succession. Localities of Fig. 8a and b are also shown. S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 255

(a) The formation occupies a roughly triangular area, 1 km approximately 45 km long and up to 17 km wide (Fig. 10) in the western part of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt. It is mainly bounded by faults, but thickness

Approximate is locally unconformable on the lower greenstone 0 succession. The unconformity is best exposed along Rhyolitic (b) ignimbrite the northern margin of the basin, where moderately Andesite south- to southwest-dipping basal conglomerate and pebbly sandstone of the Diemals Formation overlie Rhyolite steeply west-southwesterly dipping shale, gabbro and Argillite and high-Mg basalt (Fig. 11), and BIF farther to the east. shale Clasts of the basal conglomerate, typically 3–20 cm Sandstone and siltstone in size, are angular to subrounded and poorly sorted, Pebbly sandstone in a ferruginous, sandy matrix (Fig. 8c). They are composed of reddish brown, deeply weathered rocks Conglomerate of probable mafic volcanic origin, with some black Lower greenstone shale, sandstone, jaspilite and chert clasts, identical succession in composition to the underlying greenstones. The Unconformity total thickness of the Diemals Formation is unknown SFC55 05.02.02 because of poor exposure and mesoscopic folding, Fig. 7. Lithostratigraphic columns of (a) the Marda Complex and but is at least 2 km. (b) the Diemals Formation. The Diemals Formation is largely preserved in the north-plunging Yarbu Syncline (YS in Fig. 10). The lower part of the formation consists of silty argillite, around plagioclase phenocrysts (Fig. 8a) and lithic with chloritic schist and graphitic shale near the base fragments. Fragmental ignimbrite includes crystal (western limb; Figs. 7b and 10), or polymictic con- and lithic lapilli tuffs, as well as minor ash tuffs and glomerate, interbedded with minor pebbly sandstone, agglomerates. Rhyolite flows are massive, aphyric siltstone and argillite (eastern limb). Clasts in the to quartz- and plagioclase-phyric, with an aphanitic conglomerate range from 5 to 40 cm in size and are groundmass of devitrified glass (Riganti et al., 2000). composed of weathered mafic volcanic rocks, chert, Rhyolitic ignimbrite of the Marda Complex and BIF, sandstone, granitoid, and feldspar porphyry, sim- the Butcher Bird Monzogranite (Fig. 6) have yielded ilar in composition to the rocks exposed to the east. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dates of 2732 3 Ma and Some chert and BIF clasts contain tight to isoclinal ± 2730 4 Ma, respectively (Nelson, 2001). The folds (Fig. 8d), evidence of deformation prior to the ± ubiquitous granophyric texture of the monzogranite deposition of the Diemals Formation. Strongly flat- (Fig. 8b), and its chemical (Table 1 and Fig. 9a) and tened sandstone clasts have their long axes parallel age similarity to the Marda Complex rhyolite, indi- to the north-trending regional foliation, indicating cate that the monzogranite represents a high-level intense shortening after deposition. The preserved intrusive equivalent of the coeval felsic volcanism upper part of the Diemals Formation in the core of (Hallberg et al., 1976; Riganti et al., 2000). the Yarbu Syncline consists of sandstone and pebbly sandstone (Figs. 7b and 10). Pebbles are dominated 2.3. Diemals Formation by chert, BIF and vein quartz in a matrix of medium- to coarse-grained quartz, feldspar and muscovite. A The Diemals Formation (Figs. 7b and 10; Walker maximum depositional age of the upper part of the and Blight, 1983) comprises polymictic conglomer- Diemals Formation is indicated by a SHRIMP U–Pb ate, pebbly sandstone, siltstone and argillite that are zircon date of 2729 9 Ma (Nelson, 2001) on detri- typically metamorphosed to lower greenschist fa- tal zircons in sandstone± from the core of the Yarbu cies, with higher grades adjacent to granitoid rocks. Syncline. This age suggests that the Diemals Forma- 256 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266

Fig. 8. Petrological and structural characteristics in the Marda–Diemals area. (a) Photomicrograph of rhyolitic ignimbrite, showing eutaxitic banding wrapping around an altered plagioclase phenocryst; paler bands consist mainly of recrystallized granular quartz, and darker bands are quartzofeldspathic in composition. Plane polarized light. (b) Textural characteristics of the Butcher Bird Monzogranite, with granophyric intergrowths radiating from sericitized plagioclase megacrysts and euhedral quartz crystals showing incipient resorption. Crossed nicols. (c) Basal conglomerate in the Diemals Formation, with pale clasts in a ferruginous sandy matrix. (d) Chert boulders containing tight folds in the Diemals Formation conglomerate. (e) S1 foliation surface containing a down-dip mineral lineation deﬁned by sillimanite. (f) S–C fabrics showing a sinistral shear sense on the Mount Dimer Shear Zone. Scale bars shown in c–e are in centimetres. Locations of a–b, c–d, and e–f are shown in Figs. 6, 10 and 2, respectively. S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 257

Table 1 Whole-rock geochemical analyses for rocks of the Marda Complex and associated granitoids Sample 159393a 159356a 159335a 168960b 159348a 159346a 168961b 168959b lithology andesite andesite dacitic rhyodacitic rhyolite rhyolitic rhyolitic Butcher Bird ignimbrite ignimbrite ignimbrite ignimbrite Monzogranite

SiO2 59.04 59.52 69.07 69.51 76.86 75.95 76.04 74.79 TiO2 0.95 0.84 0.52 0.52 0.20 0.18 0.18 0.24 Al2O3 15.28 15.71 13.95 14.13 13.23 11.81 12.17 12.43 Fe2O3 1.79 1.20 1.41 1.99 0.17 0.32 0.68 1.50 FeO 5.81 5.89 2.91 2.32 0.89 2.32 1.47 0.84 MnO 0.10 0.10 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.01 0.06 MgO 3.43 3.39 0.87 0.88 0.04 0.20 0.42 0.15 CaO 5.82 6.84 2.67 2.58 0.04 0.02 0.30 0.83 Na2O 3.55 3.14 4.08 4.14 7.01 3.65 4.15 4.42 K2O 1.93 1.68 2.87 2.92 1.43 4.34 3.80 3.67 P2O5 0.28 0.25 0.12 0.13 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.03 S 0.01 0.01 0.01 – 0.00 0.01 – – CO2 0.04 0.01 0.26 – 0.46 0.29 – – H2O− 0.05 0.05 0.14 – 0.04 0.07 – – H2O+ 1.99 1.53 0.96 – 0.05 0.51 – – LOI – – – 0.35 – – 0.41 0.71 Total 100.07 100.17 99.91 99.53 100.50 99.76 99.66 99.67 Ba 752 618 892 864 263 1220 958 1087 Cr 22 43 13 3 2.4 3.0 <2 <2 Cu 28 31 7.0 10 1.6 1.5 4 <1 Ga 18 18 15 17 11 14 16 15 Hf 3.9 3.8 10 7.1 8.9 11 9.5 8.1 Nb 9.0 7.8 11 11 15 14 14 13 Ni 26 43 8.5 12 <1 <1 2.7 10 Rb 52 39 89 84 22 78 99 129 Sc 19 18 11 10 4.9 6.5 7 6 Sr 338 376 184 200 27 29 34 82 Th 8.4 7.7 18 16 28 22 17 19 U 1.0 1.0 3.1 3.3 4.4 3.9 4.0 4.4 V 124 121 28 28 1.6 1.7 <5 <5 Y 21 20 28 28 27 29 30 31 Zn 70 71 82 65 8.4 53 26 50 Zr 213 179 271 294 372 326 340 303 La 38 35 49 48.21 52 64 60.1 54.37 Ce 72 66 90 89.29 96 116 117.8 102.2 Pr 8 7.2 9.8 9.27 10.2 12.5 11.34 10.24 Nd 29.5 27.5 34 34.16 35 44 41.11 36.97 Sm 5.2 5 6.2 6.05 6 7.6 7.32 6.53 Eu 1.4 1.35 1.35 1.357 0.84 1.06 1.234 1.006 Gd 4.4 4.1 5 5.72 4.7 5.8 6.77 6.21 Tb 0.62 0.6 0.76 0.95 0.64 0.74 1.16 1.06 Dy 4 3.9 5.2 4.93 4.5 4.7 5.91 5.48 Ho 0.74 0.7 1 1 0.92 0.94 1.21 1.13 Er 2.15 2.05 2.9 2.93 3 2.8 3.59 3.36 Tm 0.3 0.29 0.42 – 0.49 0.47 – – Yb 1.9 1.8 2.75 2.87 3.4 2.95 3.4 3.36 Lu 0.285 0.27 0.42 0.45 0.54 0.46 0.5 0.53 !REE 168.50 155.76 208.80 207.19 218.23 264.02 261.44 232.45 (La/Yb)CN 14.35 13.95 12.78 12.05 10.97 15.56 12.68 11.61 a All major- and trace-element analyses were carried out by X-ray ﬂuorescence (XRF) at the Australian National University; all rare-earth element analyses were carried out at the University of Queensland by inductively coupled plasma mass spectometry (ICP-MS). b Analysed by Geoscience Australia. All major elements and As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Rb, Sc, Sr, V, Zn, and Zr were analysed by XRF; the remaining trace- and rare-earth elements were analysed by ICP-MS. 258 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266

(a) tion was deposited shortly after emplacement of the 400 Marda Complex. Rhyolite The asymmetric distribution of sedimentary facies Andesite Butcher Bird granite and westward ﬁning of grain size in the lower part of 100 the Diemals Formation (Fig. 10) is consistent with deposition in an alluvial to ﬂuviatile environment in the Chondrite

1 east, and a lacustrine or shallow marine environment in the west. The transport direction of sedimentary de- tritus was mainly from east to west, consistent with

Sample/C limited palaeocurrent data. Polymictic conglomerate, 10 ferruginized argillite and dark grey shale in the lower

6 part of the formation have an obvious compositional La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu afﬁnity with the lower greenstone succession exposed to the east. In contrast, quartz-rich sandstone and peb- (b) 80 bly sandstone in the upper part of the Diemals For- Rhyolite mation have a signiﬁcant contribution from granitoid Com/Pan rocks and possibly the Marda Complex. The presence 70 of reworked sandstone clasts in the conglomerate and Rhyodacite-Dacite the immature lithic sandstone suggest rapid deposition Trachyte 2 in an unstable tectonic setting. 60 Andesite TrAn SiO

Phonolite 3. Geochemical characteristics of the lower and 50 Sub-Ab upper greenstone successions Ab Bas-Trach-Neph 40 Geochemical analyses of mafic volcanic rocks in the .001 0.01 0.1 1 10 Diemals area (Nesbitt et al., 1984; Wyche et al., 2001) Zr/TiO x0.0001 2 indicate that the tholeiitic basalt in the lower associa- (c) FeOt tion contains low TiO2 and 8–10% MgO, and has a flat heavy rare-earth element (HREE) patterns and a slight positive Eu anomaly. Pyroxene–spinifex-textured basalt in the lower association contains high TiO2 and Tholeiitic 10–18% MgO and shows significant HREE depletion, whereas the pyroxene–spinifex-textured basalt in the upper association contains low TiO2 and 8–11% MgO (Nesbitt et al., 1984). Basalt in the lower greenstone succession of the Bungalbin–Marda area also shows a tholeiitic geochemical trend (Hallberg et al., 1976; Riganti et al., 2000). Calc-Alkaline

Na2O+K2O MgO

SFC57 05.02.02 and McDonough (1989). (b) SiO vs. Zr/TiO 0.0001 plot, 2 2 × showing that the Marda volcanic rocks are andesitic to rhyolitic Fig. 9. Geochemical plots of felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks in composition, with a compositional gap at 65–68% SiO2 but of the Marda Complex. (a) C1 chondrite-normalized rare-earth no bimodal chemistry. Filled diamonds are GSWA data, empty element (REE) patterns, showing differences in the andesite and diamonds are data from Hallberg et al. (1976). (c) AFM diagram rhyolite patterns and the geochemical similarity of the latter to the indicating the calc-alkaline afﬁnity of the Marda Complex volcanic Butcher Bird Monzogranite. Normalizing values after Sun rocks; symbols as in part b. S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 259

119 10’ E

29 40 ’S Diemals Fig. 8c 2 2 DA

HWA

2/3

Fig. 8d

2729–9+ Ma

30 00 ’S 5 km

SFC58 17.05.02

Diemals Formation covered by regolith Granite Fig. 11. Geological map showing the unconformity between the Shale and siltstone Fault/shear zone lower and upper greenstone successions.

Sandstone and pebbly Unconformity sandstone Geological Polymictic lite (Fig. 9a). A two-stage process involving segrega-

Diemals Formation boundary conglomerate 2/3 tion of plagioclase prior to eruption of rhyolite liquid Marda Complex F2 /F3 syncline would be required to invoke a comagmatic source for 2 rhyolite and andesite. Lower greenstone F anticline succession 2 Andesite and rhyolite in the Marda Complex de- ﬁne a distinctive calc-alkaline trend on the AFM Fig. 10. A map showing the lithological distribution of the Diemals Formation and interpreted relationship with the adjacent lower diagram (Fig. 9c). Modern calc-alkaline volcanic greenstone succession. DA: Diemals Anticline; HWA: Horse Well rocks are most commonly found in island arcs and Anticline; PR: Pigeon Rocks Monogranite; YS: Yarbu Syncline. at Andean-type convergent continental margins. Locations of Fig. 8c and d are also shown. Andean-type calc-alkaline sequences have rare basalt and exhibit a wide range of silica values (Miyashiro, 1974), whereas in island arcs, basalt is more common Geochemical investigation of the Marda Complex and the silica range is more restricted. The wide silica shows a gap at approximately 65–68% SiO2, which range, low K/Rb ratios and high Ba, Rb, and Zr values effectively separates the andesitic and rhyolitic litho- of the Marda calc-alkaline volcanics (Table 1) more types (Fig. 9b; cf. Hallberg et al., 1976). A negative closely resemble the Andean-type than the island arc Eu anomaly is absent in adesite but present in rhyo- variety (Hallberg et al., 1976). 260 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266

Compared to the Marda Complex, calc-alkaline tercalated with BIF and chert, but locally truncates andesite from island arcs tends to have much flatter the axial trace of a large-scale F1 anticline. The thrust REE patterns with less distinct enrichment in the fault is folded around the hinge of the Bungalbin Syn- light REE (Taylor and Hallberg, 1977). Andean-type cline. Mesoscopic, bedding-parallel D1 thrusts in BIF andesite contains high Th and U and exhibits light and chert are commonly deformed into F2 upright REE-enriched patterns, similar to the Marda andesite folds and contain local striations that are parallel to (Table 1; Taylor and Hallberg, 1977). Andean-type the hinges of F2 folds. Gently dipping S1 foliation as- rhyolitic ignimbrite commonly displays pronounced sociated with D1 thrusts locally contains a prominent negative Eu anomalies and slight enrichment in down-dip mineral lineation (Fig. 8e), and is folded HREE, which are characteristic of the Marda ign- around F2 hinges. Large-scale, east-trending F1 folds imbrite (Taylor and Hallberg, 1977). However, the are preserved in the hinge zones of, and are over- Marda Complex represents the only documented printed by, the F2 Diemals and Horse Well Anticlines occurrence of calc-alkaline volcanic rocks within (Fig. 2). Small-scale F1 tight and isoclinal folds in the Southern Cross Terrane and no other geological BIF and chert are refolded into F2 folds in places. evidence supports the presence of an Andean-type The significance of the first deformation event and continental margin. As pointed out by Hallberg et al. displacements on D1 thrusts are unknown, but D1 (1976) and Taylor and Hallberg (1977), the tectonic structures have not significantly affected the stratigra- setting of the Marda Complex is likely to have been phy of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt. The age of quite different from its modern compositional ana- this deformation event is not well constrained but post- logues. Hallberg et al. (1976) suggested that the dated deposition of the lower greenstone succession, andesitic liquid of the Marda Complex was derived as D1 has clearly affected its middle and upper associ- from a mantle “hot spot”, and fractionation of the ations. Lack of D1 structures in the upper greenstone andesitic liquid produced rhyolite. succession suggests that D1 deformation occurred be- fore ca. 2.73 Ga, the age of the upper succession.

4. Tectonic history of the Marda–Diemals 4.2. D2 east–west orogenic compression greenstone belt D2 east–west orogenic compression produced orig- The tectonic history of the Southern Cross Terrane inally north-trending, macroscopic upright folds with has been described by Griffin (1990), Bloem et al. an axial planar foliation in both the lower and upper (1994), and Dalstra et al. (1999). Building on previous greenstone successions. For example, the Diemals and work and based on overprinting relationships, defor- Horse Well Anticlines in the lower greenstone suc- mation styles and structural orientations, the current cession are superimposed on D1 structures (Fig. 2). study in the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt and ad- Large-scale, north-trending F2 folds, outlined by BIF jacent areas has identified three main phases of defor- and chert, are widely preserved in nearby greenstone mation. belts (e.g. the Mount Manning greenstone belt— MMGB in Fig. 2). In most cases, the axial planar 4.1. D1 north–south compression foliation to F2 folds is not pervasive and has not transposed the bedding or igneous layering. North–south D1 compression (Dalstra, 1995; D2 strain in granitoid rocks is markedly inhomoge- Greenfield and Chen, 1999; Chen et al., 2001) pro- neous, with the most intense deformation partitioned duced originally east-trending, low-angle thrusts with into granitoid gneiss and along granite–greenstone a gently dipping foliation, and tight to isoclinal folds. contacts, where a northerly trending gneissic banding D1 thrusts are preferentially developed in metased- or foliation is well developed. For example, gran- imentary rocks, and ultramafic and mafic schists of itoid gneiss along the Koolyanobbing Shear Zone the lower greenstone succession. A large-scale D1 (KSZ in Fig. 2) is up to 15 km wide and contains a thrust with associated foliation (Fig. 5) is generally northerly trending S2 gneissic banding and foliation sub-parallel to the bedding of shale and siltstone in- that are sinistrally truncated by a northwest-trending S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 261

S3 foliation. The north-trending S2 foliation along (OR in Fig. 2) yielded SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages of the Clampton Fault (CF in Fig. 2) locally contains 2711 4 Ma and 2697 8 Ma, respectively (Nelson, a steeply plunging mineral lineation (Dalstra, 1995). 1999,±2001). The granitoid± rocks and Marda rhyolite Elsewhere, granitoid bodies, where they are exposed, provided a source for the quartz-rich sandstone in the are mainly massive, although narrow D2 high-strain Diemals Formation. zones typically 1–50 m wide are developed locally. D2 orogenic compression occurred in two stages, 4.3. D3 progressive, inhomogeneous east–west an early phase that folded the lower greenstone suc- shortening cession and most likely the Marda Complex, and a late phase that resulted in deposition and deformation D3 progressive, inhomogeneous east–west short- of the Diemals Formation. For example, the unconfor- ening is characterised by the development of mity between the lower greenstone succession and the regional-scale, northwest-trending sinistral shear Diemals Formation truncates the fold axial traces of zones and northeast-trending dextral shear zones that the north-trending Diemals and Horse Well Anticlines are linked by north-trending contractional zones, (Fig. 2) that were formed during early D2. However, forming large arcuate structures (e.g. Evanston–Mount the formation itself was deformed into a late D2 anti- Dimer arcuate structure in Fig. 2; Chen et al., cline that was overprinted by an S3 foliation (Fig. 11). 2001). Major shear zones (e.g. the Mount Dimer and Therefore, D2 must have occurred during deposition Evanston Shear Zones—MDSZ and ESZ in Fig. 2) of the formation at ca. 2729 Ma. commonly lie at, or near, granite–greenstone contacts. Early D2 east–west orogenic compression resulted Kinematic indicators include the drag pattern of ad- in folding, thrusting and uplift of the lower greenstone jacent greenstone belts into the shear zones (Fig. 2), succession, which provided a source for the clastic S–C fabrics (Fig. 8f), asymmetric feldspar porphy- sediments in the Diemals Formation. Late D2 com- roclasts, and a prominent gently plunging mineral pression and differential uplift were accompanied by lineation. Adjacent to the shear zones, earlier (F2) subsidence, and deposition of the Diemals Formation. folds were typically rotated into parallelism with the The grain size of clastic sedimentary rocks within the shear zones during D3 (e.g. the Bungalbin Syncline lower part in the formation fines towards the west, con- and Broadbents Antiform—BS and BA in Fig. 2). sistent with a westward sediment transport direction. However, in the north-trending contractional zones The compositions of conglomerate and shale within (e.g. the DHR area), earlier folds were tightened, the formation are comparable to the lithotypes of the and new folds, reverse faults and flattening fabrics lower greenstone succession exposed to the east. This developed (Chen et al., 2001). suggests that the conglomerate and shale represent Strongly foliated monzogranite in the Evanston proximal and distal deposits, respectively, and that Shear Zone has a SHRIMP U–Pb zircon date of both were derived from uplift and erosion of the lower 2654 6 Ma (Nelson, 2001). This date is within greenstone succession to the east. error ±of the 2656 3 Ma date obtained by Qiu ± The age of D2 is constrained by the maximum de- et al. (1999) for an undeformed porphyritic gran- positional age of 2729 9 Ma of the syn-D2 Diemals itoid that has intruded into the Koolyanobbing Formation. The SHRIMP± U–Pb zircon ages of the Shear Zone. If strike-slip deformation along the Marda rhyolite (2732 3 Ma and 2734 3 Ma) and Evanston and Koolyanobbing Shear Zones represents ± ± Butcher Bird Monzogranite (2730 4 Ma) are sim- the same event (D3), the minimum age for D3 is ilar to, or slightly older than, the maximum± deposi- ca. 2655 Ma. tional age of the Diemals Formation (Nelson, 2001). However, D2 may have occurred episodically until 4.4. Post-D3 deformation ca. 2680 Ma during the major intrusion period of gra- nitiod plutions, some of which contain a northerly Post-D3 structures include a locally preserved, trending S2 foliation (Chen et al., 2001). These in- east-trending foliation and small-scale open folds, var- clude the syn-D2 granitoid gneiss at Yacke Yackine iously oriented kink folds, and widespread northeast-, Dam (YYD in Fig. 2) and monzogranite at Olby Rock east- and northwest-trending semi-ductile to brittle 262 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 fractures, some of which are filled by quartz veins nised in the Kalgoorlie and adjacent areas (Swager, or Proterozoic mafic dykes. These later structures 1997; Nelson, 1997). They are similar in deformation overprint or cross-cut all the earlier structures, but the styles to the D1–D3 events of the Marda–Diemals timing of deformation is uncertain. greenstone belt but took place much later (Table 2). The lithostratigraphy described above for different parts of the Yilgarn Craton shows a common 5. Comparison with the northern Murchison and pattern of ultramafic–mafic volcanic rocks overlain southern Eastern Goldfields Terranes by felsic volcanic rocks and subsequently by clastic sedimentary rocks. However, the tectonic settings of Pidgeon and Hallberg (2000) subdivided green- Archaean basins in which greenstones of the Yil- stones in the northern part of the Murchison Terrane gran Craton were deposited are an ongoing topic (Table 2) into five informal lithological assemblages. of debate. In the Eastern Goldfields Terrane, Blake The lower units (assemblages 1–3; ca. 3.0–2.8 Ga, and Groves (1987) suggested that greenstones in the see Schiøtte and Campbell, 1996) consist mainly of Norseman–Wiluna belt were deposited in a failed mafic–ultramafic rocks and BIF, similar to the lower continental rift; Campbell and Hill (1988) proposed a greenstone succession of the Marda–Diemals green- mantle plume model to explain the change from mafic stone belt. The upper units comprise felsic volcanic volcanism to felsic magmatism; and Barley et al. rocks of rhyolitic to dacitic composition (assemblage (1989) and Krapez et al. (2000) suggested that the 4; ca. 2.76–2.71 Ga, Pidgeon and Hallberg, 2000; and komatiite and tholeiitic basalt were backarc-related, ca. 2727–2703 Ma, Schiøtte and Campbell, 1996), the calc-alkaline sequences were arc-related, and the and clastic sedimentary rocks (assemblage 5). The basalt–rhyolite sequences were rift-related. sedimentary rocks are dominantly graphitic and were In the Southern Cross Terrane, the presence of apparently deposited along major faults (Pidgeon and extensive basal quartizite units up to ca. 3.3 Ga Hallberg, 2000). old (Nelson, 2000) and of old (up to ca. 3.67 Ga) Watkins and Hickman (1990) recognised four xenocryst zircons in granite (Wang et al., 1998) deformation events with poorly constrained ages suggest a pre-existing sialic crust. The ca. 3.0 Ga in the Murchison Terrane (Table 2). D1 produced lower greenstone succession in the Marda–Diemals layer-parallel fabrics and isoclinal to recumbent folds. greenstone belt is characterised by dominant basalt, D2 north–south compression produced east-trending abundant BIF and rare komatiite, which are similar in folds. D3 east–west compression was a regional fold- age and character to the lower greenstone units of the ing event that produced upright folds with a strong northern Murchison Terrane, but different from those axial planar foliation. D4 east–west compression pro- of the southern Eastern Goldfields Terrane. The suc- duced regional-scale, northeast- and north-northeast- cession was most likely deposited in an extensional trending dextral shear zones. The combined effects setting probably related to ensialic rifting, similar of D1 and D2 are broadly similar to the D1 in the to the Murchison Terrane (Watkins and Hickman, Marda–Diemals greenstone belt. The deformation 1990). As discussed above, the geochemical features styles of D3 and D4 are comparable to the D2 and D3, of the Marda calc-alkaline volcanic rocks are simi- respectively in the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt lar to those of the modern Andean-type convergent (Table 2). margins, although their tectonic setting is uncertain. In the Kalgoorlie area (Kalgoorlie Terrane of The sedimentary and structural characteristics of Swager, 1997) of the Eastern Goldfields Terrane the Diemals Formation indicate that these sediments (Table 2), greenstones consist of a lower basalt, a ca. were deposited in a collisional environment, simi- 2705 Ma komatiite, and an upper basalt, without BIF lar to the clastic sedimentary rocks in the southern units. The upper basalt is overlain by ca. 2681 Ma fel- Abitibi greenstone belt of Canada (Jackson et al., sic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks (Swager, 1997; 1994). Nelson, 1997), and ca. 2655 Ma Kurrawang Forma- The data presented in Table 2 provide several im- tion clastic sedimentary rocks (Krapez et al., 2000). portant constraints on the crustal evolution of the Yil- Three principal deformation events have been recog- garn Craton: S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 263 Ga Ga Ga Ga central 2.67 3.0 2.7 2.63 ); ime-scale ca. ca. T ca. ca. 2000 g, Ma) Ma): Hallber folds Ma) Ma) Ma): 2655 and 2705 2681 (ca. 2675–2657 (ca. recumbent (ca. zones Pidgeon 2663–2635 (ca. clastics Craton) shear (ca. intrusion 1996; thrusts, omatiite foliation olcanics ang v w ). ilgarn Goldfields Y shortening urra Ma) sinistral granite K basalt–k felsic thrusts, 2000 Campbell, of of of al., Eastern transpression compression: (eastern intrusion folds, and et metamorphism 2681–2675 ENE–WSW E–W N–S 3 2 1 errane NNW-trending (ca. upright Deposition Granite Peak D D Deposition Southern T D Deposition Post-kinematic Krapez Schiøtte 1997; 1990; , Ga) wer ager lo upright 2.73 rocks Sw wer sinistral the lo banding Ga): Ga): Hickman, (ca. foliation, in clastic 1997; the and BIF in Ga) gneissic 2.73–2.68 2.68–2.65 3.0 and atkins Nelson, errane folds NW-trending ( ormation Craton T W F intrusion (ca. layer-parallel (ca. (ca. stratures rocks and andesite–rhyolite foliation, ilgarn errane Cross 1990; T Y Craton) isoclinal granite xtral mafic Diemals to arcuate de the Marda planar ilde, of of succession succession ilgarn of compression compression W of compression: Y intrusion Southern tight axial zones, metamorphism Goldfields and E–W E–W N–S 3 2 1 terranes NE-trending shear folds, thrusts, greenstone D D Eruption D Deposition greenstone Central (central Peak Deposition Post-kinematic Granite Eastern Pidgeon ( Ga) and southern errane T and folds Ga) rocks folds, granite–greenstone zones study); 2.76–2.71 and isoclinal banding shear (ca. ferent (this Murchison NE- upright intrusion E-trending errane 2.72–2.68 dif rocks T xtral Ga) rocks abrics, (ca. f Craton) errane de gneissic T granite northern clastic mafic–ultramafic folds between felsic and 3.0–2.8 of of ilgarn Cross Murchison metamorphism compression: compression: of Y compression: intrusion (ca. 2 sources: N–S E–W E–W layer-parallel gional foliation, recumbent NNE-trending BIF 4 3 1 2 able Post-kinematic D Deposition Granite Re D Eruption D D Deposition Northern (western Southern Data T Comparison 264 S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266

(1) The lithostratigraphy and tectonic history of the ping foliation, and tight to isoclinal folds. D2 east–west western and central Yilgarn Craton are broadly orogenic compression formed north-trending macro- similar to each other, but are generally older than scopic upright folds with an axial planar foliation. those of the eastern Yilgarn Craton. This suggests D3 progressive, inhomogeneous east–west shortening that the western and central Yilgarn Craton may developed regional-scale, northwest-trending sinistral belong to an older granite–greenstone nucleus and northeast-trending dextral shear zones, forming that joined with the eastern Yilgarn Craton at a arcuate structures. later stage. The lower greenstone succession in the Marda– (2) The ca. 3.0 Ga mafic–ultramafic volcanism oc- Diemals greenstone belt was most likely deposited in curred mainly in the western and central Yilgran an ensialic extensional setting. The Marda volcanic Craton, except the ca. 2930 Ma Penneshaw For- rocks have a distinctive calc-alkaline affinity, similar mation near Norseman (Nelson, 1997). in geochemistry to those of the modern Andean-type (3) The ca. 2.7 Ga mafic–ultramafic volcanism in the convergent margins. Deposition of the Diemals For- eastern Yilgarn Craton was broadly contempora- mation clastic sedimentary rocks is attributed to oro- neous with the regional shortening events in the genic processes. western and central Yilgarn Craton. The central Southern Cross Terrane shares some (4) The ca. 2.67 Ga regional folding event (D2) in the common features in lithostratigraphy and tectonic eastern Yilgarn Craton was broadly contempora- history with the northern Murchison Terrane but has neous with strike-slip shearing in the western and much older greenstones and deformation events than central Yilgarn Craton. The collision between the southern Eastern Goldfields Terrane. The older the eastern and central Yilgarn Craton may have Murchison–Southern Cross granite–greenstone nu- occurred during this event. cleus probably collided with the Eastern Goldfields (5) The ca. 2.63 Ga post-kinematic granite magma- Terrane at ca. 2.67 Ga, and the Yilgarn Craton was tism occurred throughout the Yilgarn Craton, unified by ca. 2.63 Ga. suggesting that the craton had been unified by this time. Acknowledgements

6. Conclusions We thank Martin Van Kranendonk, Wally Witt, Paul Morris, Ian Tyler, Bruce Groenewald and Stuart The Marda–Diemals greenstone belt of the central Brown for their valuable comments and discussion Yilgarn Craton comprises two distinct, unconformable on various versions of this manuscript, and Suzanne greenstone successions that define a temporal trend Dowsett for drafting the figures. Constructive and from mafic volcanic rocks to felsic-intermediate vol- thoughtful comments from ‘Precambrian Research’ canic rocks to clastic sedimentary rocks. The ca. reviewers, Jack Hallberg and Gary Beakhouse helped 3.0 Ga lower greenstone succession is subdivided into to improve the manuscript. Published with permission three lithostratigraphic associations. The lower asso- from the Director of the Geological Survey of Western ciation is dominated by basalt with subordinate ul- Australia. tramafic rock; the middle association is characterised by BIF and chert; and the upper association contains a variety of rock types but is dominated by mafic volcanic rocks. The ca. 2.73 Ga upper greenstone References succession consists of andesite and rhyolite (Marda Complex), and clastic sedimentary rocks (Diemals Barley, M.E., Eisenlohr, B.N., Groves, D.I., Perring, C.S., Formation). Vearncombe, J.R., 1989. Late Archaean convergent margin tectonics and gold mineralization: a new look at the Norseman– The Marda–Diemals greenstone belt underwent Wiluna Belt, Western Australia. Geology 17, 826–829. three principal deformation events. D1 north–south Blake, T.S., Groves, D.I., 1987. Continental rifting and the compression produced low-angle thrusts, a gently dip- Archaean-Proterozoic transition. Geology 15, 229–232. S.F. Chen et al. / Precambrian Research 127 (2003) 249–266 265

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