Detrital zircon signatures in Precambrian and Paleozoic sedimentary units in southern New Brunswick – more pieces of the puzzle

Authors

  • Sandra M. Barr Acadia University, Wolfville, NS
  • Deanne van Rooyen Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Geology, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS, B1P 6L2, Canada
  • Brent V. Miller Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
  • Chris E. White Geological Survey Division, Energy and Mines
  • Susan C. Johnson New Brunswick Department of Energy and Resource Development, Sussex, New Brunswick

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4138/atlgeol.2019.010

Keywords:

U-Pb dating, zircon, Ganderia

Abstract

Southern New Brunswick consists of a complex collage of fault-bounded belts of Late Neoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks, Early Paleozoic sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous units, and overlying Carboniferous sedimentary rocks. The area also contains the boundary between the Avalonian and Ganderian terranes as interpreted in the northern Appalachian orogen. New detrital zircon ages reported here provide improved understanding of depositional ages and provenance of diverse Neoproterozoic to Carboniferous rocks in this complex area. Detrital zircon data from samples with Neoproterozoic maximum depositional ages indicate a dominantly Gondwanan provenance with a strong influence from the Amazonian craton. However, quartzite from The Thoroughfare Formation on Grand Manan Island contains dominanly 2 Ga zircon grains, consistent with derivation from the West African Craton. The age spectrum is similar to that from the Hutchins Island Quartzite in the Isleboro block in Penobscot Bay, Maine, strengthening the previously proposed correlation between the two areas. Cambrian samples also show prominent peri-Gondwanan provenance with strong influence from Ediacaran to Early Cambrian arc magmatism. The maximum depositional ages of these samples are consistent with previous interpretations of Cambrian ages based on fossil correlations and field data. A Carboniferous sample from Avalonia shows a significant contribution from Devonian magmatism as the youngest detrital component, although its depositional age based on field relationships is Carboniferous. The results exemplify the need to integrate multiple datasets in making interpretations from detrital zircon data.

Downloads

Published

2019-10-02

How to Cite

Barr, S. M., van Rooyen, D., Miller, B. V., White, C. E., & Johnson, S. C. (2019). Detrital zircon signatures in Precambrian and Paleozoic sedimentary units in southern New Brunswick – more pieces of the puzzle. Atlantic Geoscience, 55, 275–322. https://doi.org/10.4138/atlgeol.2019.010

Issue

Vol. 55 (2019)

Section

Articles

License

Material contained in Atlantic Geology is normally copyrighted by the journal. Permission to photocopy for internal or personal use or for the internal or personal use of specific clients is granted by Atlantic Geology to libraries and other users.  Other requests should be addressed to one of the journal editors, or sent to Atlantic Geology, Box 116, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R6. Permission to use a single graphic for which Atlantic Geology owns copyright is considered “fair dealing” under the Canadian Copyright Act and “fair use” by the journal, and no other permission need be granted, subject to the image being appropriately cited in all reproductions. The same fair dealing/fair use policy applies to sections of text up to 100 words in length.