Geology and Tectonic Setting of the Kamloops Group, South
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GEOLOGY AND TECTONIC SETTING OF THE KAMLOOPS GROUP, SOUTH- CENTRAL BRITISH COLUMBIA by THOMAS EDWARD EWING B.A., The Colorado College, 1975 M.S., New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 1977 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Geological Sciences We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA February 1981 © Thomas Edward Ewing, 1981 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of r.pnlnpiVal Sri PTirp.S The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 Date February 17, 1981 ABSTRACT The Kamloops Group is a widespread assemblage of Eocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks in south-central British Columbia. Detailed mapping of the type area near Kamloops has resulted in its subdivision into two formations and thirteen formal and informal members. The Tranquille Formation, 0-450 metres thick, consists of lacustrine sediments which grade upward into pillowed flows, hyaloclastite breccia and aquagene tuff. The overlying Dewdrop Flats Formation, with nine members, consists of up to 1000 metres of basalt to andesite phreatic breccia, flow breccia and flat-lying flows. In one large and four minor volcanic cones, basal phreatic volcanic rocks pass upward into subaerial flows and breccia. A fault zone of inferred strike-slip displacement to the southwest, and a complex reverse-faulted zone to the south of the area, localized deposition of the Tranquille Formation. Later fault activity created the complex Tranquille Canyon graben, in part filled with Dewdrop Flats Formation volcanics. Reconnaissance of the Kamloops Group throughout the Thompson-Okanagan region, and detailed mapping at McAbee and Savona, have shown that most Kamloops Group sections consist of a lower sedimentary and volcanosedimentary unit, followed by thicker, dominantly basalt to andesite, flow and breccia units. Thick sedimentary accumulations were localized in zones of extension within a network of strike-slip faults. The Kamloops Group is a high-alkali calc-alkaline volcanic suite dominated by augite - pigeonite - labradorite andesite and basalt, with unusually high K, Sr and Ba. Initial strontium isotopic ratios distinguish a boundary between 'old' crust or upper mantle to the east and 'young'.'or Rb-depleted materials to the west. Petrographic and chemical data are consistent with magma genesis by partial melting of alkali-enriched peridotite between 40 and 75 km depth, with subsequent deep- and shallow- level fractional crystallization producing the observed volcanic chemistry. Compilation of Paleogene geology and geochronometry in the Pacific Northwest shows the Kamloops Group to be part of a robust calc-alkaline volcanic arc extending from Wyoming to Alaska. Superimposed on this arc were dextral, strike-slip : faults, sedimentary basins and reset metamorphic terranes. These elements formed a tectonic, network which accommodated 90 to 450 kilometres of right-lateral displacement between coastal British Columbia and North America. A tentative plate-tectonic:reconstruction is based on the compilation. A northeast-dipping subduction zone, active along the entire coast of the Paleocene Pacific Northwest, ceased to be active after 53 Ma. The transform motion between Pacific and North American plates was distributed inland, driving the Eocene tectonic activity, while the remnant subducted slab gave rise to the Eocene magmatic arc. Transform motion later became localized along the continental .margin, as the east-dipping subduction , zone south of 49° latitude intiated the Cascade volcanic arc in the Late Eocene and Oligocene. i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 I. Geology Of The Kamloops Group Near Kamloops, British Columbia 6 Summary 6 Introduction 8 Previous Work 9 Stratigraphy 11 Triassic: Nicola Group 11 Nicola Volcanics (Trn) 11 Argillite (a) 11 Iron Mask Batholith (Trii) 12 Cherry Bluffs Pluton (Trie) 12 Jurassic Or Cretaceous 12 Sediments (Mzc) 12 Eocene: Kamloops Group 13 Tranquille Formation (Tt) 13 Border Facies 14 Lower Members (Ttl) 16 Middle Members (Ttm) 18 Middle-upper Member (Ttmu) 20 Upper Members (Ttu) 20 Dewdrop Flats Formation (Td) 21 Breccia Of The Nipple (Tdn) 21 Kissick Breccia (Tdk) 22 Mara Hill Member (Tdm) 23 Wheeler Mountain Breccia (Tdw) 23 Castle Butte Breccia (Tdc) 25 Doherty Creek Member (Tdd) 25 Rosseau Mountain Breccia (Tdrm) 27 Red Plateau Member (Tdr) 27 Opax Breccia (Tdo) 29 Intrusive Rocks (Ti) 29 Battle Bluff Intrusive Complex (Tib) 31 Quaternary (Q) 32 Gravels Of The Midland Surface (Qg) 32 Terrace Gravels (Qtg) 33 Glacial Drift (Qd) 33 Proglacial Lakebeds (Qlb) 33 Postglacial Raised Delta (Qdl) 33 Landslide Debris (Qls) 34 Alluvial Fans (Qaf) 34 Fan Deltas (Qfd) 34 Alluvium (Qal) 35 Structure 36 Pre-Tertiary Structure 36 Syndepositional Structure 36 Syn- To Post-depositional Structure 37 Summary Of Geologic History 43 Alteration And Mineral Potential 46 II. Regional Stratigraphy And Structural Setting Of The Kamloops Group, South-central British Columbia 54 Summary 54 Introduction And Previous Work 55 New Studies Of Kamloops Group Geology 56 Kamloops-Tranquille Area (Fig. 12) 57 Mount Savona Area (Fig. 16 Map And Section) ... 63 McAbee Area (Fig. 17 Map And Section) 67 Monte Lake Area (Fig. 18 Section; Fig. 11 Map) 70 Proposals For Stratigraphic Usage 74 Tectonic Setting 78 Summary Of Geologic History Of The Kamloops Group 85 III. Petrology And Geochemistry Of The Kamloops Group Volcanics, British Columbia 87 Summary 87 Introduction 89 Data Collection And Analysis 90 Kamloops Group: A High-alkali Calc-alkaline Suite 91 Major Elements 94 Trace Elements 100 Spatial And Temporal Variations 104 Petrology And Differentiation Trends 107 Felsic Differentiation 113 Mafic To Intermediate Differentiation 115 Magma Origins 118 Conclusion 120 IV. Paleogene Tectonic Evolution Of The Pacific Northwest .122 Summary . 122 Introduction 123 Early Tertiary Arc Systems 124 Paleocene (65-53 Ma) 124 Eocene (53-42 Ma) 126 Late Eocene And Oligocene (42-30 Ma) 129 Summary 131 Early Tertiary Faulting, Folding And Basin Development .132 Paleocene 132 Eocene .133 Late Eocene And Oligocene 139 Early Tertiary Reset Terranes 141 Discussion And Synthesis 146 Paleogene Magmatic Belts 146 Eocene Tectonic Elements 147 Synthesis 152 Conclusion 157 Bibliography • 159 Appendices 185 Appendix 1. Notes To Accompany The "Geologic Map Of The Kamloops Lake Area, British Columbia" 185 Appendix 2. Note On The Paleomagnetism Of The Kamloops Group At Kamloops, British Columbia 188 Appendix 3. Note On A Vitrinite Study Of The Kamloops Group 192 Appendix 4. Road Log, Kamloops / Tranquille Field Trip .198 Abstract 227 Table Of Contents iii LIST OF FIGURES 2. Correlation Diagram Of Kamloops Group Members 13 3. Upper Tranquille And Lower Dewdrop Flats, South Face Mara Hill . 18 4. Wheeler Mountain Breccia, Type Section 23 5. Wheeler Mountain Breccia, Northwest Of Tranquille 25 6. Red Plateau Member, Type Section 27 7. Cross Section, Afton Mine Area 37 8. Cross Section, Tranquille Canyon Graben 37 9. Isometric Diagram Of The Map Area 37 10. Paleogeography During Kamloops Group Deposition 43 1. Geologic Map Of The Tranquille Area, Kamloops. In -P-oe-k-e-fc-, Legend On Page 48 11. Geologic Map Of The Thompson Valley Area 55 lie. Geologic Map Of The Thompson-Okanagan Area. In Poe-k-et, See Page 55 12. Structural Sections, Tranquille Area 57 13. Lower Tranquille Lacustrine Sediments 57 14. Paleogeography Of The Tranquille Basin 61 15. Isometric Diagram Of The Tranquille Area 63 16. Geologic Map And Sections, Mount Savona Area 63 17. Geologic Map And Section Of The McAbee Area 67 18. Section Through Tuktakamin Mountain 70 19. Basaltic Andesite Flows Near Monte Lake 70 ;20. Idealized Sketch Of Major Eocene Tectonic Features .... 81 •21. Displacement Vector Diagram For The Thompson Valley, British1Columbia 81 22. Location Map For Chemical Analyses 90 23. Major-element Variation Diagrams For. Kamloops Group Volcanics 94 24. Silica Oversaturation Vs. D.I 94 25. MgO Vs. Fe203* For Kamloops Group Volcanics ....... 95 26. Comparison Of Alkalis In Kamloops Group And Similar Volcanics . .. ...... 98 27. Sr Vs. Ba For Kamloops Group Volcanics .......100 28. Trace-element Variation With Silica, Kamloops Group Volcanics .100 29. Spatial Variation Of Parameters 104 30. Stratigraphic Variation; Of Selected Elements At Kamloops :. • . 106 31. Kamloops Group Basaltic Andesite 108 32. Battle Bluff Diabase 110 33. Composite Mode-norm Variation Diagram, Kamloops ........ 110 34. Acceptable Models From Mixing Calculations 113 35. Igneous And Tectonic Elements, Palepgene Of Pacific Northwest .............. 124 36. Eocene Reset Metamorphic Terranes 141 37. Relationship Between Strike-slip Faulting And: Extension . ........ ........ i . .... •• . .. .147 38. Map And Displacement Diagram, Eocene Five-block Model .149 39. Interpretation Of Early Tertiary Plate Tectonics .......153 40. Geologic Map .Of The Kamloops Lake Area, British Columbia.