The Lofoten-Vesterålen province of North Norway consists almost exclusively of Precambrian granulite-facies rocks. The oldest rocks in the province are monzonitic and dioritic migmatitic gneisses, the protoliths of which were formed at 2.7 Ga. The migmatites are overlain by a series of supracrustal gneisses, from 2.1 Ga, largely volcanogenic in origin, but with interbedded marbles and banded ironstones. The first occurrence of marble in western Lofoten is reported. Deposition in a subsiding back-arc basin or in an Andean- type environment on a thin continental margin is inferred. Both gneiss sequences were intruded by basic rocks at 1.8 Ga. The basic rocks could not have been formed simply by extraction from the mantle at 1.8 Ga. The required contribution from 2.7 Ga migmatites could be as much as 37%, but less if contamination took place via anatectic melts. The first report of eclogitic rocks from the Lofoten-Vesterålen province is made in this study; their formation is associated with shear deformation Both gneiss sequences and the basic rocks were intruded by mangeritic rocks at 1.8 - 1.7 Ga. Their chemical compositions can be explained by fractional crystallization from magmas formed from 2.7 Ga and 2.1 Ga gneisses and 1.8 Ga mantle-derived magmas. Parameters derived from Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and U-Pb systems to express the relative proportions of crust and mantle contributions to the mangerites mutually correlate, supporting the crust-mantle source model for the mangerites. Mixing calculations suggest that the late Archaean contributes in excess of 50% by mass for almost all mangerites. Anatectic veins present, especially in the Moskenesøy supracrustal gneisses, are inferred to represent partial melts which coalesced to form the mangerites at higher structural levels. Anatexis was caused by basaltic underplating associated with limited crustal extension. Later rock-forming events were the emplacement of dolerite dykes; the 1.65 Ga Lødingen Granite; the Leknes Group metasediments and the Caledonian granite pegmatites.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 220-240). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 339-372). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Carleton University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 157-168). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Potsdam, 2003. / "August 2004"--P. [2] of cover. Added thesis t.p. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. [83]-93). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Orientador: Fresia Soledad Ricardi Torres-Branco / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T23:34:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Souza_MelinaMarade_D.pdf: 10651504 bytes, checksum: 954cc83b3352e5a3f66f7308ab277dd5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: O estudo da evolução paleoambiental de uma área de transição entre os Biomas Cerrado e Mata Atlântica no decorrer do Holoceno resultou na reconstituição da vegetação, do clima e da dinâmica fluvial do Rio Mogi Guaçú, na Estação Ecológica de Mogi Guaçú (EEcMG), Estado de São Paulo. As interpretações paleoecológicas foram baseadas na identificação das assembleias de palinomorfos, fragmentos de carvões e análises isotópicas contidas em três testemunhos rasos, onde estão foram desenvolvidas inferências paleoecológicas e paleoclimáticas. A análise dos proxy aqui utilizados evidenciou as mudanças acontecidas na vegetação e do curso principal do Rio Mogi Guaçú na EEcMG que permitiram compor as condições paleoambientais entre 7.750 anos AP até os dias atuais. Dessa forma, aproximadamente 7.750 anos AP, a EEcMG passou por uma fase climática mais úmida que a atual, possibilitando o desenvolvimento da Mata Ripícola, indicado pela presença de Mauritia L.f. Dados isotópicos para esta época caracterizam uma transição entre a floresta e o campo. Por volta de 3.000 anos AP, observa-se um aumento dos elementos do Cerrado, como a presença de Curatella Loefl., e diminuição de Mauritia L.f., que indica que este último não foi um elemento importante para a configuração da vegetação deste período, estabelecendo um clima mais seco para EEcMG, a composição isotópica aponta o predomínio de plantas C3 (floresta). No período entre aproximadamente 310 e 105 anos AP., a umidade aumenta na região com a permanência de Mauritia L.f., e mesmo com o aumento dos tipos de Cerrado, indicando que a Mata Ripícola se manteve presente. Dessa maneira, as assembleias palinológicas estudadas mostram que a Mata Ripícola esteve presente em todos os estágios, ao contrário do Cerradão, que durante os últimos 7.750 anos AP., experimentou fases de expansão e contração. Através do estudo da chuva polínica atual das três lagoas, foi possível inferir que os elementos de Mata Ripícola são predominantes aos de Cerrado, como a presença de Mauritia L.f. e a abundância de esporos que confirma esse tipo de vegetação dominante para os dias atuais, o que caracteriza um clima mais úmido na EEcMG. As análises isotópicas indicam que a floresta permanece presente, com predominância de plantas C3 (floresta) em relação às plantas C4 (campo). Fragmentos de carvão foram identificados nos três testemunhos estudados, evidenciando que paleoincêndios sempre ocorreram na EEcMG durante todo o Holoceno. O comportamento da dinâmica fluvial do Rio Mogi Guaçú durante o Holoceno mostrou que esta esteve associada à influência de eventos climáticos de escala global e que, em consequência desses, os meandros mudaram constantemente de posição ao longo da planície através do processo de erosão e deposição das suas margens, ocasionando em alguns momentos, a não preservação de palinomorfos / Abstract: The study of paleoenvironmental evolution of a transition area between the Biomes of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest during the Holocene resulted in the recovery of vegetation, climate and fluvial dynamics of Mogi Guaçú River in The Mogi Guaçú Ecological Station (EEcMG) - São Paulo State. The paleoecological interpretations were based on the identification of palynomorphs assemblies, fragments of charcoal, and isotopic analyzes contained in three shallow cores, where paleoecological and paleoclimatic inferences were developed. The analysis of the proxy highlighted the changes that occurred in the vegetation and the main course of Mogi Guaçú River at EEcMG to form the paleoenvironmental conditions from 7.750 years BP to current days. Thus, approximately 7.750 years BP, the EEcMG underwent a wetter climate than the current phase, enabling the development of a Riparian Forest with the presence of Mauritia L.f. The isotopic data features a transition between forest and field. Around 3.000 years BP, there was an increase in the Cerrado elements, as the presence of Curatella Loefl., and a decrease in Mauritia L.f. In fact, Mauritia L.f. was not an important element to configure the vegetation of the period with a drier climate for EEcMG, and the isotopic composition indicates the predominance of C3 plants (forest). Between 310 and 105 years BP., the humidity increased in the region with the permanence of Mauritia L.f., but the Cerrado types also increased, indicating that the Riparian Forest remained. Thus, the palynological assemblies show that the Riparian Forest was present in all stages, unlike Cerradão, that during the last 7.750 years BP., experienced phases of expansion and contraction. Through the study of current pollen rain of the three ponds, it was possible to infer that the elements of Riparian Forest are prevalent in the Cerrado, as the presence of Mauritia L.f. and the abundance of spores that confirms this type of dominant vegetation for current days, featuring a more humid climate at EEcMG. Isotopic analyzes show that the forest remains with a predominance of C3 plants (forest) in relation to C4 plants (field). Charcoal fragments were identified in all three cores showing the evidence that paleofires occurred at EEcMG throughout the Holocene. The behavior of fluvial dynamics of Mogi Guaçú River during the Holocene showed the influence of climatic events of global scale, and consequently, the meanders constantly changed position along the plain through erosion and deposition processes of its banks, not preserving the palynomorphs / Doutorado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Doutora em Ciências

Ph.D. / Petrographic, chemical and multiple sulfur isotope analyses were conducted on pyrite from argillaceous, arenaceous and rudaceous sedimentary rocks from the Mesoarchean Witwatersrand Supergroup. Following detailed petrographic analyses, four paragenetic associations of pyrite were identified. These include: 1) Detrital pyrite (derived from an existing rock via weathering and/or erosion). 2) Syngenetic pyrite (formed at the same time as the surrounding sediment). 3) Diagenetic pyrite (formed in the sediment before lithification and metamorphism). 4) Epigenetic pyrite (formed during metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration). It was found that the distribution of the pyrite varies with respect to the stratigraphic profile of the Witwatersrand Supergroup and depositional facies within the Witwatersrand depository. In this regard, the four paragenetic associations of pyrite are either scarce or absent in marine-dominated depositional environments, which occur in the lower parts of the succession and in geographically distal parts of the depository. Conversely, the four paragenetic associations are well represented in fluvial-dominated depositional environments, which occur in the middle and upper parts of the succession and in geographically proximal parts of the depository. However, it is worth noting that diagenetic pyrite in the West Rand Group occurs as in situ segregations in carbonaceous shale, whereas syngenetic and diagenetic pyrite in the Central Rand Group occurs as reworked and rounded fragments in fluvial quartz-pebble conglomerates. The strong association between fluvial depositional environments and sedimentary pyrite (syngenetic and diagenetic pyrite) infers a continental source of the sulfur (sulfide weathering or volcanic activity), whereas the lack of pyrite in marine depositional environments is consistent with the model of a sulfate-poor Archean ocean. The connection between epigenetic pyrite and the fluvial-dominated depofacies is probably related to the elevated concentrations of precursor sulfides (i.e., remobilization of syngenetic and early diagenetic pyrite) and the presence of organic carbon (conversion of metal-rich early diagenetic pyrite into pyrrhotite and base metal sulfides). In support of the petrographic observations above, it was found that the trace element chemistry of each paragenetic association of pyrite yields a distinctive set of chemical compositions and interelement variations (Co, Ni and As contents). Regarding detrital pyrite, two chemical populations can be distinguished according to grain size: 1) small grains (tens of μm’s) with high levels of metal substitution (up to wt. %) and interelement covariation and iv 2) large grains (>100 μm) with low levels of metal substitution (≤200 ppm). These two populations are thought to represent pyrite derived from sedimentary and metamorphosed source areas, respectively (see below). The trace element chemistry of diagenetic pyrite varies relative to the Fe-content of the host rock. Diagenetic pyrite from Fe-rich host rocks, such as magnetic mudstone and banded iron formation (BIF), generally contain low Ni contents (<500 ppm), moderate As contents (<1500 ppm) and relatively high Co contents (up to a few wt. %). Elevated concentrations of As probably reflect desorption of As from clays and Fe-oxyhydroxides during diagenetic phase transformations, whereas anomalous concentrations of Co are tentatively linked to the reductive dissolution of Mn-oxyhydroxides.

D.Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The gneissic Port Deposit pluton and associated James Run metavolcanics bear a fault relation with the Wissahickon metasediments of the Glenarm terrane of the northeastern Maryland Piedmont, USA. Bulk chemical and mineralogical data classify the meta-igneous rocks as a bimodal tholeiite-dacite/tonalite suite with trondhjemitic affinities and indicate that subsolidus alteration during dynamic metamorphism was minor. Comparison of these data with other tectonic environments suggests their generation by partial fusion of amphibolitic basement. Previous studies have dated magmatic events in the Maryland Piedmont at 520 Ma, 420 Ma, and 300 Ma (Sinha et al., 1980). The U-Pb zircon upper intercept age for the Port Deposit is 525 ± 10 Ma, the Rb-Sr whole rock isochron age is 467 ± 21 Ma, and Rb-Sr model biotite ages are 400 and 300 Ma. Regional and theoretical considerations indicate the 525 zircon age may represent the time of igneous consolidation. Detailed petrographic observations in the Port Deposit indicate the Rb-Sr whole rock age represents the time of deformation and development of gneissic textures. The 467 Middle Ordovician age of deformation for the Port Deposit is interpreted as representative of the Taconic orogeny for the central Appalachian Piedmont; Rb-Sr whole rock systematics were upset, but concurrent anatexis of felsic basement is not locally evident. The fault contact between the Port Deposit and easternmost facies of the Wissahickon places an upper age limit of 467 Ma for that particular facies. Rb-Sr model biotite ages are interpreted as metamorphic cooling phenomenon and reflect the 420 and 300 Ma thermal highs. / Master of Science

MSc. (Geology) / The Mesoproterozoic Pilanesberg Alkaline Complex is located in the north central region of the Kaapvaal Craton of South Africa and is one of the largest alkaline intrusive bodies in the world. It is also one of the least studied due to the fact that the dominant exposure of the complex forms part of the Pilanesberg National Park. The Pilanesberg Complex intruded into the western limb of the Paleoproterozoic Bushveld Complex, the complex is a circular structure of 530km2 appearing on the map as a set of concentric rings of different varieties of syenites, capped by extrusive pyroclastic units and lavas. The present study is focused on the petrography and mineral chemistry of the rocks and minerals in an outcrop of mainly lujavrite, which is located in the Ledig nepheline syenite previously referred to as Ledig foyaite, named after an informal settlement by the name of Ledig which is situated approximately a kilometer south of the outcrop. This unit is emplaced in the southern region of the Pilanesberg complex and is believed to be a hybrid of the white nepheline syenite and the green nepheline syenite. A number of different rock types were examined from this outcrop, however, detailed work was only carried out on the lujavrites, in particular the eudialyte bearing lujavrites. The lujavrites consist of porphyroblasts of heterogeneously-sized feldspars, feldspathoids and mafic minerals set within a finer grained material. The bulk rock geochemical data on the Ledig lujavrites indicate considerable variation, but no obvious trends. A selected number of samples collected from the ledig lujavrite outcrop were geochemically analysed, these samples sit within the nepheline syenite field and have a shoshonitic affinity. The samples analysed have a relatively wide range of SiO2 content (20.39% to 52.67%), however the majority of the samples fall between 47.07 and 52.67%, the fluorite rich sample analysed has the lowest SiO2 as well as the lowest alkali content. The lujavrites and tinguaites are silica undersaturated and rich in alkalis. All the samples analysed are alkaline in nature and fall in the ferroan field. There is some variation in the SiO2 content and a large variation in Mg# in the sample population, this appears to be due to different proportions of minerals occurring as phenocrysts. No clear trends emerge, which is in part due to the very large differences in element concentrations within rock types with similar SiO2 content and Mg#. A lack of geochemical variation stemming from Abstract differentiation was expected as the samples were collected from a single outcrop essentially within a single lithology. There are a number of different phases of eudialyte that have been identified and studied from the Pilanesberg, at both the outcrop and in the northern area of the green lujavrites. At the Ledig lujavrite outcrop, there are euhedral magmatic eudialytes, which contain nepheline inclusions as well as post-magmatic eudialytes present in the samples studied. The two textural types have distinctly different chemical compositions. The majority of the feldspars present within the Ledig lujavrites appear, from their texture, to be primary magmatic minerals, however there are also feldspars present within the lujavrites which appear to be a product of secondary unmixing of feldspars as documented by the perthitic textures. Sodalite is present as a magmatic mineral; however, it is most commonly observed in the interstitial spaces and is thought to be an alteration product of nepheline. Analcime occurs in the groundmass, forming in the intergranular reaction rim between mineral phases. The analcime is typically controlled by the shape of the interstices...