| Title | Characterization of the Paleoproterozoic Hottah terrane, Wopmay Orogen using multi-isotopic (U-Pb, Hf and O) detrital zircon analyses: An evaluation of linkages to northwest Laurentian Paleoproterozoic
domains |
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| Author | Davis, W J ;
Ootes, L; Newton, L; Jackson, V J; Stern, R S |
| Source | Geological Society of America Bulletin vol. 269, 2015 p. 296-310, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2015.08.012 |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2015 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20140065 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
| NTS | 86D; 86E; 86L; 96A; 96H; 96I |
| Area | Great Bear Lake |
| Lat/Long WENS | -120.0000 -113.0000 66.0000 62.0000 |
| Subjects | general geology; geochronology; modelling; terranes; orogenesis; modelling, structural; isotopic studies; zircon; Wopmay orogen; Hottah Terrane |
| Illustrations | location maps; schematic diagrams; geological sketch maps; stratigraphic columns; histograms; plots |
| Program | GEM: Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals Iron-oxide Copper-gold (IOCG) / Multiple Metals - Great Bear Lake (NWT) |
| Released | 2015 10 01 |
| Abstract | The Paleoproterozoic Wopmay orogen is modelled as a classic arc-continent collision involving the Archean Slave craton and an enigmatic continental arc termed the Hottah terrane. The Hottah terrane is
proposed to include a juvenile 2.0-2.6 Ga basement to a younger 1.9-1.95 Ga continental arc. The extent and crustal age structure of Hottah terrrane is poorly known which limits interpretations as to its origin, and eventual role in the development
of the orogen. Multi-isotopic (U-Pb, Hf, O) analyses of detrital zircon from rocks of the Hottah terrane and its cover sequence are used to indirectly evaluate its age and crustal characteristics. The data confirm that ca 2.0-2.6 Ga crust is an
important basement component of the terrane but Hf isotopic data indicate mostly non-juvenile compositions consistent with recycled Neoarchean crust. Ages of detrital zircon are distinct from those expected of the adjacent Slave craton but are
similar to 1.95-2.0 Ga Paleoproterozoic terranes of NW Laurentia. The data support previous interpretations that Hottah is exotic relative to the Slave margin but the similarity to nearby Laurentian sources such as the Ksitsuan/Buffalo Head and
Taltson-Thelon magmatic zones, south and east of the Slave craton indicate that Hottah most likely represents a pericratonic terrane that evolved within the Laurentia realm and was rifted and translated along the margin prior to collision that
produced the Calderian orogeny. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
The Wopmay orogen, located in the Northwest Territories, northwest of Yellowknife, is a geological region that formed approximately 1.8 to 2.0 billion
years ago. The region hosts a number of past-producing mines including Port Radium and Terra, and is prospective for multiple commodities including copper, gold and uranium. Understanding the geological formation of the region is important to
develop regional exploration models useful to the mineral industry. Detailed isotopic analyses of the mineral zircon were carried out to characterize the age and origin of the terrane. The results demonstrate that the terrane was not exotic to other
parts of North America at that time and is most likely a continental fragment displaced along a long-lived active continental margin. The most prospective time window for mineral deposit formation immediately follows the development of this
terrane. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 293989 |
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