| Terrane Map Description
(see Figure 3) The data has been compiled by J.O. Wheeler, A.J.
Brookfield, H. Gabrielse, J.W. H. Monger, H.W. Tipper, and G.J. Woodsworth from Terrane
Map of the Canadian Cordillera, Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1894, 1988.
"Terranes are bodies of rock, each preserving a
geological record different from those of neighboring terranes (Monger and Berg, 1984).
Plutonic and metamorphic rocks and mineral deposits may be integral parts of terranes.
Terrane boundaries are important faults, although in places these may be concealed by
younger cover rocks or intrusions. Paleontological and paleomagnetic data suggest that
some currently juxtaposed terranes were originally separated by distances of up to
thousands of kilometres." (DNAG, Chapter 2)
Terranes are categorized according to their relationship to ancestral
North America. Tectonic assemblages and plutonic suites which make up each terrane are
listed using symbols and names from Tectonic Assemblage Map of the Canadian Cordillera and
adjacent parts of the United States of America, compiled by J.O. Wheeler and P. McFeely,
Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1565, 1987. |
Legend
MIOGEOCLINE
CRATON
| NA |
Ancestral North
America |
Middle
Proterozoic to Carboniferous passive and offshelf continental margin sediments, Devonian
to Carboniferous clastic wedges, Pennsylvanian to Jurassic passive continental margin
prism, and Permian clastics.
mPCM Cap Mountain, mPM Mackenzie, mPMu Muskwa, mPPW Purcell-Wernecke, uPW Windermere,
uPWR Rapitan, uPPI Pinguicula, PCG Gog, PCH Hyland, mCr rift assemblage, CDR Rocky
Mountains, DMB Besa River, DME Earn, DMI Imperial, DCR Rundle, CM Mattson, CL Lisburne,
CPO Outer, PPI Ishbel, PJ Jungle Creek, TRJS Spray River, JKp Parsons
plutonic rocks: MPgH Hellroaring Creek, MPdM Moyie, LPqD Deserters, LPdM Macdonald, LPdR
Rackla, LPdT Thundercloud, Sy Bearpaw Ridge. |
TERRANES: geological record, except for displaced continental
margin, differs from that of Ancestral North America.
NORTH AMERICAN BASEMENT?
| MO |
Monashee |
Craton-related
metasedimentary rocks overlying basement paragneiss and orthogneiss of Early Proterozoic
age.
lPM Monashee Complex
plutonic rocks: EPnMo Monashee, LPYC Mt. Copeland |
|
MO? |
Monashee - inferred
IPnV Vaseaux Gneiss |
DISPLACED CONTINENTAL MARGIN: stratigraphic
record similar to that of adjacent Ancestral North America.
|
Upper Proterozoic
and lower Paleozoic miogeoclinal sedimentary, volcanic and granitic rocks unconformably
overlain by Lower Carboniferous to Triassic continental margin deposits and displaced
along the Kaltag Fault.
uPN Neruokpuk, PCHA Hyland, CDRA Rocky Mountains, DMIA Imperial, CMA Mattson, CLA
Lisburne, PTRS Sadlerochit, JKPA Parsons
plutonic rocks: DMqA Ammerman, DMqF Fitton, DMqOC Old Crow, DMqSH Schaeffer, DMqSe
Sedgwick. |
| CA |
Cassiar |
|
Upper Proterozoic to
Upper Triassic passive continental margin sediments displaced along the Tintina and
Northern Rocky Mountain Trench transcurrent faults. |
| uPWC Windermere, PCGC
Gog, CDRC Rocky Mountains, DMRC Rundle, DMEC Earn, TRJSC Spray River plutonic rocks: EPnT
Tochieka |
| SUBTERRANE |
| CAC |
Cariboo |
| Upper Proterozoic to Upper Triassic
displaced offshelf passive continental margin sediments without characteristic platformal
Upper Silurian (?) to Upper Devonian carbonate and sandstone
uPWCA Windermere, PCGCA Gog, CDRCA Rocky Mountains, DMECA Earn,
PPICA Ishbel, TRSCA Spray River |
| NS |
Nisling |
|
Metamorphosed
Proterozoic to lower Paleozoic (?) passive continental margin assemblage and partly
metamorphosed carbonaceous and siliceous offshelf sediments.
PCN Nisling, CDN Nasina |
| PC |
Porcupine |
|
Continental
margin sediments comprising upper Proterozoic clastics overlain by Paleozoic carbonates
and clastics intruded by Devonian syenodiorite, and bounded by the Yukon and Kaltag
faults.
PCHP Hyland, CDRP Rocky Mountains, CLP Lisburne, CPOP Outer, PJP Jungle Creek, TRJSP
Spray River, JKpp Parsons
plutonic rocks: DMYDL Dave Lord |
PERICRATONIC: no record of significant displacement but rocks differ in
stratigraphic or structural characteristics from the ancient continental margin.
| KO |
Kootenay |
|
Intensely
deformed, variably metamorphosed and poorly dated Proterozoic to Triassic, siliceous
clastic sediments, subordinate volcanics, and limestone, locally intruded by Ordovician,
Devonian, and Mississippian granitoid plutons. Some of the deformed lowest Paleozoic rocks
appear to be stratigraphically related to ancestral North American whereas the younger,
less deformed rocks do not.
PPzEK Eagle Bay, CMK Milford
plutonic rocks: OSnL Little Shuswap Lake, DMqF Mt. Fowler, DMqC Clachnacuddain. |
SUBTERRANES
|
KO? |
Kootenay - inferred |
|
Proterozoic
continental margin sediments and basement gneiss separated from North American strata by
the Purcell and Esplanade thrust faults
lPM Malton, uPW Windermere
plutonic rocks: EPnM Malton, LPgH Hugh Allan, DyI Ice River |
|
KOB |
Barkerville |
|
Proterozoic and
Paleozoic strata which are thrust bounded with and may be a facies equivalent of the
Cariboo Subterrane
PPzEK Eagle Bay
plutonic rocks: DMqQ Quesnel Lake |
|
KON |
Nisutlin |
|
|
Metamorphosed and
intensely cataclastized sedimentary, volcanic and intrusive rocks of Late Proterozoic,
Paleozoic and possibly early Mesozoic ages
PTRNK Nisutlin
plutonic rocks: DMgS Simpson Range Suite, EpqSC Sulphur Creek |
| PG |
Pelly Gneiss |
|
Muscovite-biotite
granite and leucogranite augen gneiss and biotite quartz monzonite orthogneiss of S-type
affinity; in part fault bounded. Pelly Gneiss is in fault contact with Nisutlin Subterrane
and in an unknown relationship with the Nisling Terrance. It may be included with the
Nisutlin Subterrane if correlated by age with the Simpson Range Suite although Pelly
Gneiss is compositionally different.
DMgM Mink Creek Suite |
ACCRETED TERRANES: represent oceanic or island arc lithologies, generally of
unknown Paleogeographic origin, which are clearly allochthons with respect to miogeoclinal
strata. These are grouped into the Intermontane and Insular superterranes.
INTERMONTANE
SUPERTERRANE: terranes amalgamated by
latest Triassic time and accreted to Ancestral North America in the Jurassic.
| SM |
Slide Mountain |
|
Oceanic marginal
basin volcanics and sediments of Devonian to Late Triassic age which are basement to
Quesnellia in southern B.C.. Included are chert, argillite, sandstone, conglomerate, mafic
intrusions, basalt, alpine-type ultramafic rocks, carbonate rocks and local occurrences of
blueschist and eclogite. In northern B.C. Permian fusulinids are not found in coeval,
co-latitudinal cratonal rocks suggesting terrane movement from the south.
DTRS Slide Mountain
plutonic rocks: DTRuo oceanic ultramafics, DTRd, EPtF and EMtF Four Mile. |
| DY |
Dorsey |
|
Carboniferous
marginal basin chert and clastics with similar lithology to Slide Mountain Terrane but
lacking ultramafics, containing less volcanics and including important conglomeratic
units. The terrane may represent a facies of either Quesnel or Slide Mountain terrane.
CD Dorsey |
| QN |
Quesnel |
|
Upper
Triassic and Lower Jurassic arc volcanics, volcaniclastics and comagmatic intrusive rocks
overlain by Jurassic arc-derived clastics. Triassic and Jurassic faunas differ from those
in coeval, co-latitudinal cratonal rocks.
TRJN Nicola, JHA Hall
plutonic rocks: LTRup Polaris Suite, EJgG Guichon Suite, EJYCM Copper Mountain Suite
SUBTERRANES: basement to Quesnellia |
| QNH |
Harper Ranch Upper Devonian to Triassic arc clastics, volcanics and
carbonate. |
DTRH Harper Ranch
| QNO |
Okanagan |
|
Carboniferous to
Permian oceanic volcanics and sediments.
OTRS Shoemaker, CPA Anarchist |
| CC |
Cache Creek |
|
Mississippian to
Upper Triassic oceanic volcanics and sediments, Upper Triassic island arc volcanics and
local accretionary prism melange. Included are radiolarian chert, argillite and basalt,
shallow water carbonate and alpine-type ultramafics. The terrane is bounded on the east by
the Teslin and Pinchi faults. Permian fusulinid and coral faunas of Tethyan affinity are
not found in coeval, co-latitudinal cratonal rocks suggesting an exotic origin.
MTRC Cache Creek, TRKU Kutcho
plutonic rocks: DTRuo oceanic ultramafics |
| ST |
Stikine |
|
Devonian to Permian arc volcanics and
platform carbonates form the basement to Stikinia. They are overlain by Triassic and Lower
Jurassic arc volcanics, volcaniclastics, and arc-derived clastics, which are intruded by
comagmatic plutonic rocks. Permian, Triassic and Jurassic faunas differ from
co-latitudinal cratonal rocks indicating northward terrane displacement.
DPA Asitka, TRS Stuhini, TRL Lewes River, JH Hazelton, JT Takwahoni
plutonic rocks: LTRup Polaris Suite, LTRdS Stikine Suite, TRJgK Klotassin Suite, EJqB
Black Lake, EJqCM Copper Mountain Suite, EJq unnamed plutons in Coast Mountains, EJqL Long
Lake Suite, EJqT Topley Suite, MJdgT Three Sisters Suite. |
| WM |
Windy McKinley |
|
Devonian oceanic
sediments and volcanics; Cretaceous blocks
DKWR White River |
TERRANES OF THE COAST BELT
| TU |
Taku |
|
Variably
metamorphosed upper Paleozoic and Triassic basalt, local acid volcanics, carbonate, pelite
and Permian crinoidal limestone. Jurassic to Cretaceous metamorphosed sediments and
volcanics are similar to the Gambier (Gravina-Nutzotin) Assemblage. The stratigraphic base
of the terrane is unknown and relationships with other terranes are obscured by intrusions
and metamorphism.
PKT Taku |
| CD |
Cadwallader |
|
Upper Triassic
island arc clastics and volcanics (regarded in part by some workers as Stikinia) overlain
by Jurassic arc clastics and volcanics, and Jura-Cretaceous easterly derived continental
margin clastic wedge of shale and siltstone in Tyaughton Trough.
TRC Cadwallader, JL Ladner, JKR Relay Mountain |
| MT |
Methow |
|
Upper Triassic
basalt overlain by Lower Jurassic arc clastics and volcanics, and Jurassic and Cretaceous
easterly derived clastic wedges shed from Quesnellia
JL Ladner, JKR Relay Mountain, KS Skeena |
| BR |
Bridge River |
|
Accretionary
prism and oceanic crust of Permian to Middle Jurassic age disrupted and variably
metamorphosed radiolarian chert, argillite, basalt, alpine-type ultramafics and minor
carbonate and diorite.
PJB Bridge River |
| HA |
Harrison |
|
Jurassic island
arc volcanics and clastics. Carbonate clasts in Toarcian conglomerate contain Permian
fossils similar to those in the Chilliwack Terrane
JHL Harrison Lake |
| CK |
Chilliwack |
|
Devonian to
Permian arc volcanics and clastics overlain by Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic arc
clastics. Permian fusilinid faunas resemble those in Quesnellia and Stikinia. The Yellow
Aster may in part by basement to the Chilliwack Terrane.
DPCH Chilliwack, TRJC Cultus
plutonic rocks: PPnV Vedder, COnY Yellow Aster. |
| SH |
Shuksan |
|
Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic
oceanic crust and sediments metamorphosed to greenschist and blueschist and Jurassic near
arc oceanic marginal basin crust and sediments |
| TRJSE Settler, JS Shuksan |
INSULAR SUPERTERRANE: terranes amalgamated by Late Jurassic to earliest
Cretaceous time and accreted to continental margin in the Cretaceous.
| AX |
Alexander |
|
Upper Proterozoic
to Triassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks in a variety of depositional settings (ocean
arc, back arc, platform, rift, trough, offshelf) and comagmatic intrusions.
PCW Wales, OSD Descon, ODD Donjek, ODK Kaskawulsh, OTRA Alexander, DC Cedar Cove, DK
Karheen, DPC Cannery, CI Iyoukeen, PH Halleck, PP Pybus, PTRA Alexander, TRH Hyd
plutonic rocks: COd in St. Elias, OSg, OSd, Sy and Sum in S.E. Alaska, PPgI Icefield
Ranges Suite. |
| WR |
Wrangell |
|
Silurian to
Permian arc volcanics, clastics and platform carbonates form the basement to Wrangellia;
they are overlain by Triassic oceanic rift tholeiitic basalt, carbonate and Jurassic arc
volcanics, and intruded by comagmatic plutons. Paleomagnetic data suggest displacement
from low latitudes.
DPS Sicker, PPS Skolai, TRK Karmutsen, JB Bonanza
plutonic rocks: DgS Saltspring, EJdW, EJnW Westcoast Complex, MJgV Vancouver Island Suite,
MJg Chichagof Island |
OUTER TERRANES: Mesozoic and Tertiary accretionary prisms
| CG |
Chugach |
|
Cretaceous
accretionary prism of greywacke, argillite, and melange of Triassic to Lower Cretaceous
blocks in a Lower Cretaceous matrix.
KV Valdez
|
| YA |
Yakutat |
|
Upper Cretaceous
turbidite and melange of Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous blocks in a Cretaceous matrix.
uKY Yakutat, pTM Metchosin, pTC Carmanah, nTY Yakataga |
| PR |
Pacific Rim |
|
Melange and
chert-volcanics assemblage on Upper Triassic calc-alkaline arc volcanics
JKPR Pacific Rim |
| CR |
Crescent |
|
Pull-apart basin
ridge-island Eocene volcanics cut by gabbro and diabase intrusions
pTM Metchosin
plutonic rocks: ETgC Catface Suite |
ROCKS EXCLUDED FROM TERRANE CLASSIFICATION:
METAMORPHIC ASSEMBLAGES
| m |
undivided metamorphic assemblages |
PLUTONIC ROCKS
| CPC |
All post-terrane accretion
intrusives |
POST-TERRANE ACCRETION OVERLAP ASSEMBLAGES
HIGHLIGHTED ON MAP:
| TRL |
Lewes River (on Cache Creek Terrane) |
| JBL |
Bowser Lake (on Stikine Terrane) |
| JI |
Inklin (on Cache Creek Terrane) |
| JT |
Takwahoni (on Cache Creek Terrane) |
| JKG |
Gambier (in Coast Belt) |
POST TERRANE ACCRETION OVERLAP ASSEMBLAGES
UNDIFFERENTIATED ON MAP
| JKT |
Cratonal overlap:
Related to the collision of the Intermontane Superterrane with Ancestral North America,
and with subsequent intraplate deformation.
JKK Kootenay, mKB Blairmore, mKS South Fork, uKS Smoky, uKT Trevor, KTB Brazeau, pTMC
Moose Channel, pTR Reindeer, nTB Beaufort, nTF Fraser, Q Quaternary |
Terrane
overlap:
Indicate latest times of assembly of various components of the superterranes and
the time of collision between the Insular and Intermontane superterranes.
JKR Relay Mountain, lKL Longarm, KS Skeena, mKS South Fork, uKH Honna, uKM Midnight Peak,
uKV Virginian Ridge, uKC Carmacks, KTN Nanaimo, pTA Amphitheatre, pTC Carmanah, pTK
Kamloops, pTS Sifton, nTA Alert Bay, nTC Chilcontin, nTF Fraser, nTp Pemberton, nTS
Skonun, TQA Anahim, TQE Edziza, TQG Garibaldi, TQW Wrangell, QC Clearwater, Q Quaternary. |
|