Archean geodynamics and the Abitibi-Pontiac collision: implications for advection of fluids at transpressive collisional boundaries and the origin of giant quartz vein systems

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Giant quartz vein systems of all ages, from the Archean to Cenozoic, are characterised by similarities of geodynamic setting, local structure, paragenesis, metal budget,P-T-t paths, and chemical, fluid dynamic and isotopic properties that collectively imply a singular hydrothermal process. Such quartz vein provinces form in regional brittle-ductile shear zones that define terrane boundaries, including closure of back-arc basins, and arc-continent or continent-continent collisions. Examples include the SVZ of the Archean Abitibi belt; the Norseman Wiluna belt, Yilgarn block; Kolar schist belt, India; Foothills Metamorphic Belt, California, and Coast Ranges Megalineament, in the Cordillera; and the Cenozoic Monte Rosa district, Insubric line. Evidence for an Archean collisional environment comes from the Abitibi and Pontiac Subprovince tectonic boundary, which hosts giant quartz vein systems. In this region, the amphibolite facies Lacorne tectonic block in the Archean Abitibi greenstone belt is anomalous with respect to the prevalent low-grade supracrustal sequences in neighbouring blocks. The Lacorne block has mature clastic sediments with a zircon provenance age spectrum from 3040-2691 Ma, and two granitic magma series; a late syntectonic monzodiorite-monzonite-granodiorite-syenite series formed over 2685-2670 Ma, similar to Phanerozoic volcanic arc granites, and post-tectonic garnet-muscovite granites emplaced at 2650-2630 Ma, which compositionally resemble Phanerozic collisional S-type granites. The Pontiac subprovince to the south of the Abitibi greenstone belt shares all the above features with the Lacorne block, and collided with and was locally thrust under the Abitibi belt, with differential uplift of the Lacorne block following collision to generate a tectonic window. Following collision of allochthonous terranes, the conjuction of large volumes of subcreted oceanic crust and sediments between accreted terranes, displaced isotherms rise, and metamorphic dehydration are all necessary conditions for forming giant quartz vein systems. Metamorphic fluids are expelled along the terrane boundary structures at deep levels, and focussed into second and higher order splays at mid-crustal levels where quartz and Au precipitation occurs. Hydrothermal fluids that formed the giant quartz veins are remarkably uniform in H, O, C, and Sr isotopic compositions, albeit with small provincial variations. The veins and gold precipitated at 270°-360°C, from fluids with low salinity and moderate CO2 at 2 3 kbar in the brittle-ductile transition.

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