Stratigraphic and paleotectonic studies of Paleozoic Wrangellia and its contained volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) occurrences, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
department or school: Science, Faculty of
department or school: Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Ruks, Tyler William
issued: 2015-10-23T12:25:35
issued: 2015
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Wrangellia is a fundamental component of the North American Cordillera and contains significant mineral deposits, including Myra Falls (Nyrstar N.V.), which is currently the largest producing volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit in western Canada. Understanding the evolution of Wrangellia is therefore important for understanding the crustal growth and metallogenic history of the North American continent, and in doing so, facilitating the discovery of new mineral wealth. Geochronological, lithogeochemical and Nd and Pb isotopic studies of the Paleozoic Wrangellia arc (PWA), Vancouver Island have significantly revised our understanding of the terrane, suggesting that the PWA comprises a progressively rifting Late Devonian through Early Permian oceanic volcanic arc complex developed above an east dipping subduction zone (modern coordinates) with Late Devonian through middle Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian through Early Permian pulses of bimodal volcanism and associated VMS mineralization. The relatively primitive lithogeochemical and Nd isotopic signatures of PWA intrusive and volcanic rocks indicate that the PWA originated in an oceanic arc environment close enough to a continental margin to undergo slight contamination via the subduction of continent derived sediments. Recently recognized, Pennsylvanian-Early Permian aged, VMS associated bimodal volcanic rocks in the PWA have lithogeochemical and Nd isotopic signatures indicative of derivation from more primitive and significantly hotter source melts than their Late Devonian counterparts, suggesting that Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks in the terrane are prospective for VMS mineralization. Lead isotope geochemistry of newly discovered VMS style mineralization in the PWA indicates that host areas for the new mineral occurrences are prospective for Myra Falls-like VMS deposits of Late Devonian-Early Mississippian age. Lead isotope geochemistry for recently recognized Pennsylvanian-Early Permian VMS mineralization …
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/54599
note: STRATIGRAPHIC AND PALEOTECTONIC STUDIES OF PALEOZOIC WRANGELLIA AND ITS CONTAINED VOLCANOGENIC MASSIVE SULFIDE (VMS) OCCURRENCES, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA by TYLER WILLIAM RUKS M.Sc., Laurentian University, 2004 B.Sc., University of Victoria, 2002 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) August 2015 ©Tyler William Ruks, 2015 ABSTRACT Wrangellia is a fundamental component of the North American Cordillera and contains significant mineral deposits, including Myra Falls (Nyrstar N.V.), which is currently the largest producing volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit in western Canada. Understanding the evolution of Wrangellia is therefore important for understanding the crustal growth and metallogenic history of the North American continent, and in doing so, facilitating the discovery of new mineral wealth. Geochronological, lithogeochemical and Nd and Pb isotopic studies of the Paleozoic Wrangellia arc (PWA), Vancouver Island have significantly revised our understanding of the terrane, suggesting that the PWA comprises a progressively rifting Late Devonian through Early Permian oceanic volcanic arc complex developed above an east dipping subduction zone (modern coordinates) with Late Devonian through middle Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian through Early Permian pulses of bimodal volcanism and associated VMS mineralization. The relatively primitive lithogeochemical and Nd isotopic signatures of PWA intrusive and volcanic rocks indicate that the PWA originated in an oceanic arc environment close enough to a continental margin to undergo slight contamination via the subduction of continent derived sediments. Recently recognized, Pennsylvanian-Early Permian aged, VMS associated bimodal volcanic rocks in the PWA have lithogeochemical and Nd isotopic signatures indicative of de…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2015-09
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0166640
language: eng
degree discipline: Geological Sciences
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/54599