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Research ArticleArticles

Taconian orogenesis, sedimentation and magmatism in the southern Quebec–northern Vermont Appalachians: Stratigraphic and detrital mineral record of Iapetan suturing

Stéphane De Souza, Alain Tremblay and Gilles Ruffet
American Journal of Science September 2014, 314 (7) 1065-1103; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2475/07.2014.01
Stéphane De Souza
* Université du Québec à Montréal, Départment des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Case postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
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  • For correspondence: sdesouza@RNCan.gc.ca
Alain Tremblay
* Université du Québec à Montréal, Départment des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Case postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
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Gilles Ruffet
** CNRS (CNRS/INSU), Université de Rennes 1, Géosciences Rennes, 263 av du général Leclerc, Rennes Cedex, 35042 France
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Abstract

Cambrian-Ordovician units of the southern Quebec Appalachians oceanic domain include obducted ophiolites and an overlying syncollisional sedimentary basin represented by the Saint-Daniel Mélange and flysch units of the Magog Group. These terrains were thrust onto the Laurentian continental margin during the Taconian orogeny and are unconformably overlain by Silurian-Devonian successor basins. This contribution presents and discusses new stratigraphic data acquired in the oceanic domain, as well as U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data on detrital zircons and muscovites sampled at various stratigraphic levels, from the base of the sedimentary units of the oceanic domain and the Silurian-Devonian units of the Gaspé Belt. This work, combined with the compilation of existing data for southern Quebec and western New England allows a better definition of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the area, and are used to propose correlations with different rock units of the northern New England Appalachians, which represents a collage of Laurentian margin and oceanic units. It is shown that Cambrian-Ordovician rocks of southern Quebec and northern Vermont have undergone a similar tectonic evolution. The ophiolites were obducted onto the Laurentian margin as a more or less coherent slab of oceanic lithosphere. Both the ophiolites and continental margin rocks were uplifted, eroded and unconformably overlain by Middle to Late Ordovician units of the Saint-Daniel Mélange and Magog Group in a forearc setting. The presence of mafic and felsic volcanic flows that are interstratified within the Saint-Daniel Mélange can be correlated with an episode of delamination and slab breakoff during the final stages of obduction and exhumation of the orogenic wedge. The Magog Group was deposited during the emplacement of the Taconian nappes, as the outboard volcanic arc was still active but progressively shutting down. The provenances suggested by the age of the dated detrital minerals can be entirely reconciled with the peri-Laurentian context of the studied rock units and testify of the tectonic evolution and sedimentary recycling of the Taconian orogen, from ophiolite obduction onto the Laurentian margin, to the collapse of the orogenic belt and the formation of successor basins.

  • Taconian orogeny
  • Appalachians
  • forearc basin
  • ophiolite
  • obduction
  • Humber Zone
  • Dunnage Zone
  • Gaspé Belt
  • detrital zircon
  • detrital muscovite
  • geochronology
  • U-Pb
  • 40Ar/39Ar
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American Journal of Science: 314 (7)
American Journal of Science
Vol. 314, Issue 7
1 Sep 2014
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Taconian orogenesis, sedimentation and magmatism in the southern Quebec–northern Vermont Appalachians: Stratigraphic and detrital mineral record of Iapetan suturing
Stéphane De Souza, Alain Tremblay, Gilles Ruffet
American Journal of Science Sep 2014, 314 (7) 1065-1103; DOI: 10.2475/07.2014.01

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Taconian orogenesis, sedimentation and magmatism in the southern Quebec–northern Vermont Appalachians: Stratigraphic and detrital mineral record of Iapetan suturing
Stéphane De Souza, Alain Tremblay, Gilles Ruffet
American Journal of Science Sep 2014, 314 (7) 1065-1103; DOI: 10.2475/07.2014.01
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  • Discussion: Taconian orogenesis, sedimentation and magmatism in the southern Quebec-northern Vermont Appalachians: Stratigraphic and detrital mineral record of Iapetan suturing
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Keywords

  • Taconian orogeny
  • Appalachians
  • forearc basin
  • Ophiolite
  • obduction
  • Humber Zone
  • Dunnage Zone
  • Gaspé Belt
  • Detrital zircon
  • detrital muscovite
  • geochronology
  • U-Pb
  • 40Ar/39Ar

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