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Post-3.2 Ga Granite-Greenstone Systems

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The Archaean: Geological and Geochemical Windows into the Early Earth

Part of the book series: Modern Approaches in Solid Earth Sciences ((MASE,volume 9))

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Abstract

By analogy to pre-3.2 Ga system the younger granite-greenstone terrains display overall trends of evolution from largely mafic and ultramafic volcanic sequences to clastic sedimentary sequences, including turbidites and conglomerates. By contrast to pre-3.2 Ga granite-greenstone systems, commonly of oval or domal structure, post-3.2 Ga Archaean systems are mostly linear to sub linear, likely reflecting lateral accretion processes, for example supported by progressive southward isotopic age zonation of greenstone belts in the Superior Province. The linear structural grain of post-3.2 Ga systems is shown by seismic reflection studies in the Yilgarn Craton to be related to thrust and low angle detachment faults. However, a strict comparison between upper to late Archaean greenstone belts and circum Pacific-like accretionary wedges is negated by the lack of ophiolite-melange wedges of the type described along the northeastern Pacific rim (Hamilton, GSA Today 13:412, 2003). As is the case for pre-3.2 Ga systems, post-3.2 Ga mafic-ultramafic volcanics may represent rifted oceanic-like crustal zones developed along or between older gneiss terrains. In the Yilgarn Craton, southwestern Western Australia, such older gneiss terrains are represented by the Narryer terrain, southwestern gneiss terrain and by detrital zircons indicating pre-existing gneisses, the latter including peak magmatism about 3.2–3.3 Ga, a period correlating with the Barberton asteroid impact cluster.

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  1. School of Archaeology and Anthropology and Planetary Science Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

    Andrew Y. Glikson

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Glikson, A.Y. (2014). Post-3.2 Ga Granite-Greenstone Systems. In: The Archaean: Geological and Geochemical Windows into the Early Earth. Modern Approaches in Solid Earth Sciences, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07908-0_9

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