Vol. 13 | 2007

Pre-metamorphic hydrothermal alteration with gold in a mid-Archaean island arc, Godthåbsfjord, West Greenland

RESEARCH ARTICLE | SHORT
Published October 12, 2007
Adam A Garde
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Henrik Stendal
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Bo Møller Stensgaard
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RESEARCH ARTICLE | SHORT
Published October 12, 2007
Close up view of rock with a pen for scale.
Abstract
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Copyright (c) 2007 Adam A Garde, Henrik Stendal, Bo Møller Stensgaard

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

Abstract

Recently discovered volcaniclastic rocks of andesitic composition form major parts of the mid-Archaean, amphibolite facies supracrustal belts at Qussuk, on Bjørneøen and on part of Storø in western Godthåbsfjord (Fig. 1). These rocks are interpreted as an island arc that represents the onset of the magmatic accretion of the Akia terrane 3070 Ma ago; this terrane is the north-westernmost of several Archaean tectono-stratigraphic terranes in the Nuuk region, which were all amalgamated by 2720 Ma (cf. Hollis et al. 2006). The presence of the arc in the Akia terrane points to similarities between high-grade orthogneiss-amphibolite associations in West Greenland and lower-grade granite-greenstone terrains of other Archaean cratons e.g. in Canada and Western Australia. Volcaniclastic rocks belonging to the ancient arc have been subject to intense synvolcanic, hydrothermal alteration associated with gold-copper mineralisation especially in parts of the Qussuk area. Another important gold prospect occurs on central Storø, which is currently being explored by NunaMinerals A/S (Knudsen et al. 2007 – this volume). This contribution presents new field observations from some of the best preserved parts of the ancient arc at Qussuk and on Bjørneøen, while it remains unclear if the volcano-sedimentary associations and their gold mineralisation at Qussuk, Bjørneøen and the nearby Storø share a common mid-Archaean geological history.

License

Copyright (c) 2007 Adam A Garde, Henrik Stendal, Bo Møller Stensgaard

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

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Edited by Martin Sønderholm and A.K. Higgins

The Review of Survey activities presents a selection of 17 papers reflecting the wide spectrum of activities of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, from the microscopic to the plate-tectonic level.

Activities in Denmark: The Survey's field of activities in Denmark is illustrated by three papers on [...]