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ARCHEAN and EARLY PROTEROZOIC SEDIMENTATION STYLES Ln the KAAPVAAL PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA and PILBARA BLOCK, Australla

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ARCHEAN and EARLY PROTEROZOIC SEDIMENTATION STYLES Ln the KAAPVAAL PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA and PILBARA BLOCK, Australla Revista Brasileira de Geociências 12(1-3): 121-131, Mar.-Sel., 1982 - Silo Paulo ARCHEAN AND EARLY PROTEROZOIC SEDIMENTATION STYLES lN THE KAAPVAAL PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA AND PILBARA BLOCK, AUSTRALlA KENNETH A. ERIKSSON* ABSTRACT Archean sedimenta lntercalared within the lower volcanic interval in the Barber­ ton Mountain Land and Pilbara Block accumulated in an anorogenic, shallow-oceanic environment distant from a continental influence. Overlying terrigenous sedimenta represent continental margin dcposits : in South África. tcrrigcnous influx across occanic crust was in responsc to crusta! short­ cniug and uplift of gncisscs lo thc south. Both steep and shclf-rimmed continental margine are recognized. ln South África, sedimentation was terminated by ocean closure through lhe north­ ward advance of the zone of crustaI shortening. The late-Archean Pongola Supergroup is inter­ preted as a response 10 this closure with sedimentation taking place in a cratonic shelf basin to the south. The lower Proterozoic witwatcrsrand and Transvaal Supergroups likcwise accumulated in cratonic shelf basins with sediment dcrived from lhe north. Terrigenous sediment was supplied by fluvial systems but lhe dominant mode of sedimentation in lhe pericratonic seas was tida I and took place during prolonged periods of submergence of the Kaapvaal Province. Offshelf basinal equivalents are nôt recognized for Ihese cratonic sequences. Intracratonic rift basins are repre­ sented by the Ventersdorp Supergroup and Soutpansberg Group and are also developed at the base of lhe Hamersley basin. A. third style of lower Proterozoic sedimentation is rêpresented by the chemical sedimentary unit in lhe Transvaal basin. A basal ramp margin developed after initial drowning of the Kaapvaal Province and evolved into a rimmed shelf margino ln the latter, plat­ form tidal flat and subtidal stromatolitic asserublages pass laterally into high-energy oolitic and stromatolitic plutform-edge facies. Basinal equivalents are present and consist ofnon-stromatolitic, ferruginous dolomite and limcstonc. mudstone, chert and finely-laminated iron-formation. The Hamersley Group is a lithologic equivalem of lhe basinal. fades. Platform fades are poorly-repre­ sented in Australia, and comprise lhe thin Carawine Dolomite in the eastern Pilbara Block. INTROPUCTION Numerous faeies models eonsisting in the Limpopo Province (Fig. J ; Barton et ai., 1978), exisled ofrepetitive and ordered associations offaeies aredeveloped at the time of volcanism, no basement to the volcanics or for terrigenous and earbonate depositional systems (see for influence of a sialic provenance during volcanism has been example Walker, 1979). These models are constructed on the recognized. Volcanisrn took place in an anorogenic ocean basis of observations in the Phanerozoic rock reeord and floor environment distaOnt from any continental influence in Holoeene environments, drawing heavily on the princi­ (Lowe 1980. 19821. The overlying terrigenous sedimentary pie of uniforrnitarianism. ln the Precambrian a number of intervals reflcct uplift and weathering of a sialic provcnance these facies models are represented but not ali sequences and sedimcntation along a continental margin (Eriksson, can be understood by comparison with these models. 1982(/). ln South Afriea it can be demonstrated that terri­ ln this paper the Archean and early Proterozoic sedimen­ genous influx was in rcsponse to crustaI shortening and tary record ín South Africa and Western Australia is exa­ uplift ofthe Ancient Gneiss Complex (Jackson and Eriksson, mined (Fig. I). Various styles ofsedimentation are recogniz­ in preparation) which has a similar age to the Onverwacht ed in terms of basin type and depositionaJ environments. volcanies (Barton et ul., 1980). Thc terrigenous sedimentary Applicable facies models are emphasized and new models intervals are probably greater than 3.3 Ga although no developed which may be peculiar to the Precambrian be­ direct age determinations are available. cause ofdifferent tectonic, atmospheric and biologic condi­ tions existing prior to 1.80a. Sedimentation in a volcanic environment Sediments inter­ calated within the lower volcanic sequences in both areas are exclusivcly of intrabasinal origin (Lowe, 1980. 1982). Four sedimentary associations are recognized, namely py~ GREENSTONE BElT SEDIMENTATION General roclastic-volcaniclastic, orthochemical, biochemical and ter­ geology Greenstone belts in lhe Barberlon Mountain rigenous (Lowe, 1982). Land, South Africa, and Pilbara Block, Australia (Fig. I l, Pyroclastic debris accumulated mainly around felsic vol­ belong to the older (3.55-3.0 Gal generation of Archean canic centres as lahars and airfall tuffs .. Volcaniclastic sedi­ volcano-sedimentary successions. ln both areas lower vol­ ments were produced by traction reworking in terrestrial canie and upper terrigcnous .sedimentary intervals are and shallow-water environments (Photo I) and resedimen­ developed (Fig. 2). The volcanic intervals give maximum tation as shallow-water debris 1I0ws and turbidites. Fine­ ages of 3.55 Ga (Hamilton et ai., 1979, 1980) and contain -grained ash deposits are ofairfall origin or display evidence ultramafic-mafie and felsic components (Fig. 2). Although of shallow-water reworking. Within 5 to 30 m lhick deposi­ older sialic nuclei, such as lhe 3.8 Ga Sand River Gneisses tional sequences volcaniclastic sediments decrease in abun- '" Department of Geological Sciences, Virgínia Polytechnic Instítute and State Uníversity, Blacksburg, Virgínia 24061, USA 122 Revista Brasileira de Oeocíêncuu, Volume 12 (1-3), 1982 // :::>",'" -zOu "'­~> «o Na: Oa. ~ Barberton Mountain Lond YILGARN BLOCK \ ... \ \ \ \ sAL-DANIAN;-------PRO o o 300km ! ! ! l:ti/iM Folded cratonic cover ~ Cratonic bosement l~l Cratonic cover .' ':,'. (outcrop/ interred ) D Precratonic Figure 1 - Localltv ntap o] file Koapvoal Provínce ond Pilhara Bíock showíng dtstrtbntton of file eartv Proterozaic sedirnentarv basins (adapted [mm Bvnon, 1976," Gee, 1979 .. Tankard et al., 1982). P = Pongola .. W = Wítwatersrand:V = Ventersdorp; T= Transvaal; GW = Griqualand West,' WB = Waterberg; S = Soutpansberg; M = Matsap; H =. Homerstey: A = Ashhurton (J = Johannesburg; P = Perthí BARBERTON PILBARA dance upwards and give way lo orthochemical and biochem­ ical sediments. Orthochemical fades include evaporites, limestone and chert whereas stromatolites, carbonaceous laminations and detrital carbonaceous granules indicate bio­ genic processes. Associated desiccation cracks and rip-up algal mats (Photo 2) indicate periodic exposure. Uitramafic and mafic volcaniclastic sandstones and rnudstones in the Pilbara Block probably formed by reworking of hyaloclas­ tites. These volcaniclastic sediments are arranged in two -------------- to five thick upward-fining and upward-shoaling sequences capped by evaporites and stromatolites (Dunlop and Buick, 1980; Groves et al., 1981). Terrigenous sediments are con­ o vvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvv fined to rare felsic volcanic, fuchsitic, black chert and jas­ ....... li ., vvvvvvvvvv per clasts associated with the proximal fades of volcani­ vvvvvvvvvv c1astic sequences. Iron-formations are rarely developed ~~~~~~~~~0 3.5 Ga vvvvvvvvvv within the volcanic sequences, ~ ? The sedimentological studies in the Barberton Moüntain Land and Pilbara Block indicate shallow-water conditions 1"'.':::,':::;.:'1 Shallow Marine Terrigenous Sedimenf s for the duration of the volcanism (Lowe, 1982). The first G Fluvial Terrigenous Sediments evidence of deepening is found in the uppermost chert ho­ rizons in the Barberton Mountain Land. Supporting evi­ E=:=31 Submarine Fon Temqenous Sediments dence for shallow water depths is the size and abundance • Iron - Formation of vesicles in the uitramafic-mafic volcanics in the Pilbara which indicate water depths of less than 100 m (Dunlop E::J Felsic Volconics with intercoloted votccnicrcst!c and Buick, 1980). ~ Mofic - Ultromofic } and orthochemicol sediments The ultramafic and mafic volcanism produced flat, sub­ ~ Volconics aqueous shields whereas local low relief volcanic cones Figure 2 - Generalízed stratígraphy of the Archean geology tn lhe developed around felsic centres. The preserved record of Barberton Mountaín Land and Pilhara Block (after Anhaeusser, the early Archean oceans indicates high-standing volcanic 1973.. Bariey el aI., 1979) platforms. It is feasible that Archean oceans at ca 3.5 Ga RevistaBrasileira de Geocténctae, Volume 12 (I~3). 1982 123 Terrigenous continental marglnsedimentatlon Influx of extrabasinal terrigenous sediment to the ocean basin was coincident with deepening of the ocean in both areas (Eriks­ son, 1980; 1982a). Reference has already been made to the fact that terrigenous supply in South Afriea was in response to uplift of the Ancient Gneiss Terrain in Swaziland. The crustal shortening involved northerly vergence of fold and thrust structures and it is likely that deepening of the ocean basin resulted from tectonie loading of sialic thrust sheets onto ocean crust. Subsidence may have been enhanced by cooling ofocean crust related to waning volcanism (Jackson and Eriksson, in preparation). The cause ofbasin deepening in the Pilbara is not understood. Terrigenous sedimentation in both areas is characterized by an abrupt braided alluvial to submarine fan transition which is considered to re/lect an initial steep continental margin with no sign.ficant shelf (Eriksson, I982a). ln the Pilbara Block the braided alluvial sediments occur as prox­ imal
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