Kimberlite Indicator Minerals from the Central Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories, Canada: A Reconnaissance Geochemistry Survey

• Main Author: Poitras, Stephane P
• Other Authors: Pearson, D. Graham (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences)
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Alberta. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. 2018
• Subjects: geo; hist; Canada; Horn Plateau; Mackenzie Valley; Northwest Territories
• Online Access: https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/a6910998-df19-4e3e-aba6-3e3f29a3ebef

Degree: Master of Science Abstract: The Central Mackenzie Valley (CMV) area of Northwest Territories is underlain by Precambrian basement belonging to the North American Craton. The potential of this area to host kimberlitic diamond deposits is relatively high judging from the seismologically-defined lithospheric thickness, the age of basement rocks (2.2-1.7 Ga) and presence of kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs) in Quaternary sediments. This study presents new major, minor and trace element chemistry data for kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) grains collected from two regions within the Central Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories. The data, along with new kimberlite-related rutile U-Pb ages and ilmenite Hf isotopic compositions are used to constrain the composition and thickness of the lithospheric mantle sampled by the source kimberlite(s) and age of these kimberlites for these two regions. In the processed samples, peridotitic garnets dominate (> 25 % at each location) while eclogitic garnet is almost absent in both regions (< 1 % each). KIM chemistry for the Horn Plateau indicates significant diamond potential, with a strong similarity to KIM systematics from the Central and Western Slave Craton. The most significant issue to resolve in assessing the local diamond potential is the degree to which KIM chemistry reflects local and/or distal kimberlite bodies. Radiogenic isotope analysis of detrital kimberlite-related CMV oxide grains requires at least two broad age groups for eroded source kimberlites. Statistical analysis of the data suggests that it is probable that some of these KIMs were derived from primary and/or secondary sources within the CMV area, while others may have been transported to the area from the east-northeast by Pleistocene glacial and/or glaciofluvial systems. At this stage, KIM chemistry does not allow the exact location of the kimberlitic source(s) to be constrained.