Geology the abitibi is an assemblage of volcanic, sedimentary and intrusive rocks laid down and intruded between 2. Abundant chlorite and actinolite in greenschistfacies basalts imparts a green color that gives rise to the name greenstone belt. Simplified geologic map of the barberton greenstone belt. The superior province, broadly speaking, consists of alternating belts of greenstone green and plutonic tan subprovinces. The present configuration of the greenstone belts is explained. Two granite greenstone provinces wawa and wabigoon are found in northern minnesota. The red lake greenstone belt in western ontario is one of canadas foremost au mining districts, with 105 au showingsdeposits. Hitting the planet at a speed of 20 kilometers per second, the 37to 58kilometerwide space rock could have jolted earth with at least the force of a magnitude 10. The term worldclass can sometimes be overused, but the agb really earns the title, hosting 11 gold deposits over 100 tonnes, including one of the biggest deposits in the world, the t gold hollingermcintyre deposits near timmins, ontario. Two granite greenstone provinces wawa and wabigoon are found in. They are characterized by abundant volcanic rocks that include pillowed subaqueous basalt flows and subaerial and subaqueous volcaniclastic rocks. Geological setting of gold deposits in the mutare greenstone. Pdf a giant gold system, geita greenstone belt, tanzania. Impure quartzite, sandstone, graywacke, greenstone, ribbon chert, chert breccia, and limestone in snohomish county and on san juan island.
Reflection seismic profiles over the norseman wiluna belt of the yilgarn craton, western australia, however, indicate that this greenstone belt has a relatively shallow 3. West africas rich mineral resource potential makes the region an attractive proposition for investors from across the globe. Mount keithperseverance and agnew greenstone belts to the east. Putting hope back into hope bay doris mine and plant this document contains forward looking information within the meaning of applicable canadian securities laws. Precambrian geology, northern swayze greenstone belt ontario geological survey report, issn 07042582. Other articles where greenstonegranite belt is discussed. Geita greenstone belt is a relatively small greenstone belt in the northern tanzania craton, which contains at least 15 ironstonehosted gold deposits over a strike length of 40 km sanislav et al. In antarctica, the fisher massif, of proterozoic age resembles the composition and structure of a greenstone belt. Structural geology, holloway mine, abitibi greenstone belt.
Sanislav and others published a giant gold system, geita greenstone belt, tanzania find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Archaeanage greenstone belts in particular tend to host rich. Gold mineralization potential in a wabigoon subprovince. Structural geology of the holloway mine, abitibi greenstone belt, ontario b. In antarctica, the fisher massif, of proterozoic age, closely resembles the composition and structure of a greenstone belt. Archaean greenstone belts and associated granitic rocks a. Conglomerate, graywacke, siltstone, argillite and interbedded fossiliferous limestone, greenstone, and minor angular conglomerate in northwestern stevens and ferry counties. The mutare greenstone belt is defined here as stretching from the odzi river in the west right to the mozambique border in the east. Greenstone belts often contain ore deposits of gold, silver, copper, zinc and lead. Media in category greenstone belts the following 16 files are in this category, out of 16 total. The zimbabwe craton is a granite greenstone terrain which grades into a polymetamorphic highgrade gneiss terrain along its northeastern margin. Greenstone belts contain ore deposits of gold, copper and lead. Our new data is centered on five smaller prospect areas within the vermilion greenstone belt.
Average yields for the marginal external zones fall in the range 1526 kgkm2, although this. Jul 12, 2007 the barberton region is a place of great importance to archean geology, because it is one of the very oldest greenstone belts we know of the lowermost volcanic rocks are almost 3. The worldclass abitibi greenstone belt of canada geology. This is a list of greenstone belts africa burkina faso. Vermilion greenstone area of projects 372 and 373 in northern st. The final consolidation of the indian platform, however, lasted until about 600 million years ago and included various mountainbuilding episodes with peaks of activity. Article pdf available in south african journal of geology 1151. The history of the occurrence of greenstone belts has been associated with ancient oceanic spreading centers and island arc terranes. The southern yandal greenstone belt consists of two major packages of greenstones, i. Benn 1 ontario geological survey open file report 6045 2001 1 ottawacarleton geoscience centre and the department of earth university, ottawa sciences, 140 louis pasteur st.
The oldest greenstone belt remnants constitute the volcanosedimentary sebakwian group dated at c. Purchase archean greenstone belts, volume 3 1st edition. Significant gold discoveries have shone a spotlight on countries sharing the birimian greenstone belts and, while mature mining countries like ghana and mali continue to lead the way in gold production, others are gaining. One of the best known greenstone belts in the world is the south african barberton greenstone belt, where gold was first discovered in south africa. An asteroid almost as wide as rhode island may have plowed into earth 3.
We call these inclusions of mafic crust greenstone belts, and it is clear that this has happened many times in the past as the north american craton has developed into what we now see. The term greenstone comes from the color of the rock. The granite greenstone terrain formed during several episodes of crustal growth between 3. Greenstone belts host economic deposits of many minerals, including silver, copper and zinc, but they are best known for holding gold. Greenstone belts are typically composed of volcanic rocks basalt being the dominant rock with minor sedimentary rocks present in an interleaved pattern. From the early 1900s through 1999, sixteen companies drilled exploration drill holes looking for iron ore, base metals and gold. Lands and minerals list of gis data, digital print maps. Greenstone granite belts such as those of the archean continued to form in the proterozoic, albeit in greatly reduced amounts.
Precambrian geology, northern swayze greenstone belt. Martin introduction the belingwe greenstone belt contains a variety of igneous and metamorphic rocks, set in a granitegneiss terrain. Most units are steeply dipping, tightly folded, and cut in places by large shear zones, which develop as the belts are accreted to the continent following their generation in oceanic crustal or arc. This is a simplified geologic map of the barberton greenstone belt, south africa, showing three of the major groups and their interactions as well as the kaap valley craton. Drill core evaluation of vermilion greenstone belt gold. Individual greenstone belts may contain 5 to 1 0 major volcanic cycles. The mutare greenstone belt is an eastwest trending synclinorium of ultramafic, mafic and bandediron formations corresponding to the bulawayan group. Stabilization of the central part of the zimbabwe craton. The abitibi greenstone belt in ontario and quebec is one of the largest archean greenstone belts in the world. The lands and minerals division has a history of creating, maintaining, and sharing spatial datasets and digital print maps. Provided here is an extensive list of publicly available gis datasets, digital print maps, web map services, and associated web map applications authored by the minnesota dnrs lands and minerals division.
Greenstone belt article about greenstone belt by the free. Several of the worlds largest gold and base metal deposits are found in eastern canadas abitibi greenstone belt agb. Chapter 2 greenstone belt stratigraphy sciencedirect. Canadas abitibi greenstone belt is the largest greenstone belt in the world with a history that is unsurpassed by most goldmining districts.
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