Stratigraphy, structure and geochemistry of Archaean supracrustal rocks from Oqaatsut and Naajaat Qaqqaat

• Main Authors: Henrik Rasmussen, Lars Frimodt Pedersen
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archaean; Disko Bugt; geochemistry; supracrustal rocks; West Greenland The Precambrian terrain north-east of Disko Bugt con; Greenland; Disko bugt; Naajaat; Oqaatsut
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.583.4156; http://www.geus.dk/publications/bull-gl/nr181/nr181_p065-078.pdf

Two Archaean supracrustal sequences in the area north-east of Disko Bugt, c. 1950 and c. 800 m in thickness, are dominated by pelitic and semipelitic mica schists, interlayered with basic meta-volcanic rocks. A polymict conglomerate occurs locally at the base of one of the sequences. One of the supracrustal sequences has undergone four phases of deformation; the other three phases. In both sequences an early phase, now represented by isoclinal folds, was followed by north-west-directed thrusting. A penetrative deformation represented by upright to steeply inclined folds is only recognised in one of the sequences. Steep, brittle N–S and NW–SE striking faults transect all rock units including late stage dolerites and lamprophyres. Investigation of major- and trace-element geochemistry based on discrimination diagrams for tectonic setting suggests that both metasediments and metavolcanic rocks were deposited in an environment similar to a modern back-arc setting.