Tectonic structures related to thrusting of ophiolitic complexes: the White Hills Peridotite, Newfoundland

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Author: Girardeau, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1982
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; White Hills; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e82-060; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e82-060

The White Hills Peridotite and its underlying metamorphic rocks represent the basal portion of a partly eroded ophiolitic complex. At the contact with the metamorphic rocks, the peridotites display low-temperature–high-stress mylonitic textures, which grade upwards to fine-grained porphyroclastic textures indicative of higher temperatures and lower stresses. Petrological and structural evidence indicates that the mylonitic peridotites and underlying metamorphic rocks have been deformed during the oceanic thrusting of the lithosphere. The analysis of the main tectonic structures observed in the peridotites shows that the complex has been thrust northwestward along a southeast-dipping thrust plane. The data are compared with those obtained from the Bay of Islands ophiolite complex.