Abstract
The Caribou Lake gabbro, part of the Blachford Lake Intrusive Suite accurately dated at -2186±10 mA, has a predominant NW-/SE+ magnetization with a mean, irrespective of sign, of D = 119°, I = 50°, α95 = 5° and a palaeopole 14°N, 064°W, A95 = 5°; it has not proved possible to determine if the magnetization is primary. The Easter Island dyke, less well-dated in the range -2200 to -2500 Ma, has a predominant WNW+ magnetization, whose mean, when corrected for an 8° tilt, is D = 288°, I = 46°, α95 = 5° and palaeopole is 32°S, 2°W, A95 = 5°; the magnetization is probably primary. A vertical magnetization (D), not significantly different from the present field, occurs sporadically in both units and is considered to be Late Phanerozoic in age. Palaeopoles from the Caribou Lake gabbro and the Easter Island dyke, together with those already known from Early Proterozoic intrusives of the Archaean Slave Structural Province, roughly define a swath (the Slave Track) which maps the motion of the Slave Province relative to the geomagnetic axis during this interval. The corresponding array of palaeopoles (the Superior Track) from the Superior Structural Province does not fall in the same place. Hence it would appear that Slave and Superior were not in their present relative positions in the Early Proterozoic in disagreement with arguments that have been made for a fixed supercontinent during much of the Proterozoic. Mid- Proterozoic paleomagnetic signatures indicate that Slave and Superior had assumed their present relative position by about -1750 mA. These Early Proterozoic relative motions are the earliest for which there is palaeomagnetic evidence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Burke, K., Dewey, J. F., and Kidd, W. S. F.: 1976, ‘Precambrian Palaeomagnetic Results Compatible with the Wilson Cycle’, Tectonophysics 33, 287–299.
Burwash, R. A. and Baadsgaard, H.: 1962, ‘Yellowknife and Nonacho, Age and Structural Relationships’, Roy. Soc. Can. Spec. Publ. 4, 22–30.
Burwash, R. A., Baadsgaard, H., Campbell, F. A., Cumming, G. L., and Folinsbee, R. E.: 1963, ‘Potassium-Argon Dates of Dykes-Systems, District of Mackenzie, N.W.T. Trans, Canad. Inst. Min. Metall. 66, 303–307.
Cavanaugh, M. D. and Seyfert, C. K.: 1977, ‘Apparent Polar Wander Paths and the Joining of the Superior and Slave Provinces During Early Proterozoic Time’, Geology 5, 207–211.
Christie, K. W. and Fahrig, W. F.: 1973, ‘Paleomagnetism of the Borden Dykes of Baffin Island and its Bearing on the Grenville Loop’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 20, 275–289.
Davidson, A.: 1978, ‘The Blachford Lake Intrusive Suite: An Aphebian Alkaline Plutonic Complex in the Slave Province, Northwest Territories’, Curr. Res. Geol. Survey Canada, paper 78-1 A, 119–127.
Davidson, A.: 1982, ‘Petrochemistry of the Blachford Lake Complex near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories’, in Y. T. Maurice (ed.), Uranium in Granites, Geol. Surv. Canada, Paper 81-23, 71–79.
Ermanovic, I. and Fahrig, W. F.: 1975, ‘The Petrochemistry and Paleomagnetism of the Molson Dikes, Manitoba’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 12, 1564–1575.
Fahrig, W. F. and Chown, E. H.: 1973, The Paleomagnetism of the Otish Gabbro from North of the Grenville Front, Quebec’, Canad. J. Earth Sci.10, 1556–1564.
Gates, T. M. and Hurley, P. M.: 1973, ‘Evaluation of the Rb-Sr Method Applied to the Matachewan, Abitibi, Mackenzie and Sudbury Dyke Swarms in Canada’, Canad. J. Earth Sci.10, 900–919.
Gough, D. I.: 1956, ‘A Study of the Palaeomagnetism of the Pilansberg Dykes’, Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. Geophys. Suppl.7, 196–213.
Hanes, J. A. and York, D.: 1977, ‘A Detailed 40Ar/39Ar Age Study of an Abitibi Dike from the Canadian Superior Province’, Canad. J. Earth. Sci.16, 1060–1070.
Irving, E. and McGlynn, J. C.: 1976, ‘Polyphase Magnetization of the Big Spruce Complex, Northwest Territories’, Canad. J. Earth Sci.13, 476–89.
Irving, E. and McGlynn, J. C.: 1981, ‘On the Coherence, Rotation and Palaeolatitude of Laurentia in the Proterozoic’, in A. Kroner (ed.), Precambrian Tectonics, Elsevier, pp. 561–598.
Irving, E. and Naldrett, A. J.: 1977, ‘Paleomagnetism in Abitibi Greenstone Belt and Abitibi and Matachewan Diabase Dykes: Evidence of the Archean Geomagnetic Field’, J. Geol.85, 157–176.
Larochelle, A.: 1966, ‘Palaeomagnetism of the Abitibi Dyke Swarm’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 3, 671–683.
Layer, P. W., Kroner, A., and McWilliams, M. O.: 1984, ‘Paleomagnetism of the Archean Usushwana Complex, Southern Africa’, J. Geophys. Res. (to be publ.)
Leech, A. P.: 1963, ‘Potassium-Argon Dates of Basic Intrusive Rocks of the District of Mackenzie, N.W.T.’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 3, 389–412.
Martineau, M. P. and Lambert, R.: 1974, ‘The Big Spruce Lake Nepheline-Syenite Carbonatite Complex, N.W.T.’, (abstr.) Geol. Assoc. Canada Ann. Meeting Program p. 59.
McGlynn, J. C. and Irving, E.: 1975, ‘Paleomagnetism of Early Aphebian Diabase Dykes from the Slave Structural Province, Canada, Tectonophysics 26, 23–38.
McGlynn, J. C., Hanson, G. N., Irving, E., and Park, J. K.: 1974, ‘Paleomagnetism and Age of Nonacho Group Sediments and Associated Sparrow Dykes, District of Mackenzie’, Can. J. Earth Sci.11, 30–42.
McGlynn, J. C. and Irving, E.: 1981, ‘Horizontal Motions and Rotations in the Canadian Shield during the Early Proterozoic’, in F. H. A. Campbell (ed.), Proterozoic Basins of the Candian Shield, Geol. Surv. Canada, paper No. 81-10, 183–190.
McGlynn, J. C., Irving, E., Bell, K., and Pullaiah, G.: 1975, ‘Palaeomagnetic Poles and the Proterozoic Supercontinent’, Nature 255, 315–319.
Morris, W. A.: 1979, ‘A Positive Contact Test between Nipissing Diabase and Gowganda Argillite’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 16, 607–611.
Palmer, H. C., Baragar, W. R. A., Fortier, M., and Foster, J. H.: 1983, ‘Paleomagnetism of Late Proterozoic Rocks, Victoria Island, Northwest Territories, Canada, Can. J. Earth Sci. 20, 1456–1469.
Piper, J. D. A.: 1982, ‘The Precambrian Paleomagnetic Record - The Case for the Proterozoic Continent’, Earth Plan Sci. Lett. 59, 61–89.
Pullaiah, G. and Irving, E.: 1975, ‘Paleomagnetism of the Contact Aureole and Ate Dykes of the Otto Stock, Ontario and its Application to Early Proterozoic Apparent Polar Wandering’, Can. J. Earth Sci. 12, 1609–1618.
Reid, A. B., McMurry, E. W., and Evans, M. E.: 1981, ‘Paleomagnetism of the Great Slave Supergroup, Northwest Territories, Canada: Multicomponent Magnetization of the Kahochella Group’, Can. J. Earth Sci.18, 574–583.
Roy, J. L. and Lapointe, P. L.: 1976, ‘The Paleomagnetism of Huronian Red Beds and Nipissing Diabase: Post-Huronian Igneous Events and Apparent Polar Wandering for the Interval - 2300 to -1500 m.y. for Laurentia’, Can. J. Sci. 13, 749–773.
Runcorn, S. K.: 1955, ‘Rock Magnetism - Geophysical Aspects’, Phil. Mag. Supp. Adv. Phys. 4, 244–291.
Schutts, L. D. and Dunlop, D. J.: 1981, ‘Proterozoic Magnetic Overprinting of Archaean Rocks in the Canadian Superior Province’, Nature 291, 642–645.
Symons, D. T. A.: 1970, ‘Paleomagnetism of Nipissing Diabase, Ontario’, Geol. Surv. Canada70-63, 1–29.
Symons, D. T. A.: 1975, ‘Huronian Glaciation and Polar Wander from the Gowganda Formation, Ontario’, Geolog 3, 303–306.
Symons, D. T. A. and O’Leary, R. J.: 1978, ‘Huronian Polar Wander and Paleomagnetism of the Thessalon Volcanics’, Canad. J. Earth Sci. 15, 1141–1150.
Ueno, H. and Irving, E.: 1976, ‘Paleomagnetism of the Chibougamau Greenstone Belt, Quebec, and Effects of Grenvillian Post-Orogenic uplift’,Precambrian Res. 3, 303–315.
Wanless et al.: 1979, ‘Geol. Survey Canada’, 79–2.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Irving, E., Davidson, A., McGlynn, J.C. (1984). Paleomagnetism of Gabbros of the Early Proterozoic Blachford Lake Intrusive Suite and the Easter Island Dyke, Great Slave Lake, NWT: Possible Evidence for the Earliest Continental Drift. In: O’Reilly, W. (eds) Magnetism, Planetary Rotation, and Convection in the Solar System: Retrospect and Prospect. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5404-5_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5404-5_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8886-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5404-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive