Constraints on early Archean crustal extraction and tholeiitic-komatiitic volcanism in greenstone belts of the Northern Superior Province

Abstract

Numerous small remnants of Archean greenstone belts in the Northern Superior Province (ca. 2875–2710 Ma) have chemical characteristics similar to those of the larger greenstone belts of the Southern Superior Province, and preserve direct evidence of crustal conditions prior to the major volcanic events of the late Archean (Wawa–Abitibi subprovinces; ca. 2760–2700 Ma). Three of the best preserved belts are engulfed in tonalite intrusions of the Faribault-Thury Complex (FTC) and exhibit common chemical characteristics, which may imply a similar origin. The dominant tholeiitic basalts typically have MgO contents > 7 wt.%, TiO2 < 1 wt.% and nearly flat rare-earth element (REE) patterns (La/Smn = 0.77–1.22; Gd/Ybn = 0.86–1.20). Associated komatiites have flat to depleted REE patterns (La/Smn = 0.45–0.95), high Al2O3/TiO2 (>15), low CaO/Al2O3 (<1.2), and chondritic Gd/Yb ratios similar to 2.7 Ga Al-undepleted komatiites. The trace-element ratios of komatiitic rocks are indistinguishable from those of the associated tholeiites, suggesting either a derivation from similar mantle sources or a comagmatic relationship (Nb/Thpm = 0.8–1.1; La/Cepm = 0.9–1.3; Nb/Ce = 0.7–0.9; Y/Hopm ~1; and Th/Lapm = 0.7–1.1). Numerical modelling of trace and major elements during low-pressure crystal fractionation reproduces the spectrum of both inferred liquid and cumulate compositions and is consistent with a comagmatic origin between the komatiites and tholeiites. The relatively low Nb/Th ratios of these mid-Archean volcanic rocks relative to both modern day basalts and late Archean basalts may indicate that they were derived from a mantle source that had not lost its crustal components, nor seen significant recycled oceanic crust (high Nb/Th). The extraction of continental crust from this Archean mantle source might then postdate the FTC volcanism, and may be associated with the generation of the voluminous tonalites that engulf the belts.