Archean Greenstone Belts

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of data and ideas relating to the origin, evolution, and significance of the world's greenstone belts, and includes contributions from over 100 experts. In the first of two parts, reviews are presented on broad topics relating to the geology of greenstone belts and their surroundings, covering mainly post-1980 research. These include: historical, sedimentologic, volcanic, structural, metamorphic, metallogenic, and thermal aspects; summaries of mafic/ultramafic magnetism, strain, fluids, geophysics and deep structures; relations with associated granitoids, tectonic evolution, and geochronology; and field relationships. The second part takes a more focused look at the geology of specific cratons and individual greenstone belts worldwide, including Archaean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic examples. Detailed geologic maps on large and small scales, extensive tabulations of data, and short written summaries of the salient features are included for all belts. The book will be a valuable reference tool for academic and industrial researchers, students, explorationists, and anyone interested in the evolution of Earth processes over geologic time.

The Abitibi greenstone belt of eastern Canada represents the world's largest Neoarchean terrane of supracrustal rocks. Straddling the border between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, the belt covers an area that is approximately 700 km from southeast to northwest and 350 km from north to south. The belt is comprised of several major east-trending successions of folded volcanic and sedimentary rocks, with intervening intrusions. The supracrustal rocks of the Abitibi greenstone belt are uniquely well preserved and have mostly been overprinted only at a low metamorphic grade, allowing the study of primary geological relationships.

A study on the Bellingwe Greenstone Belt, presenting the stratigraphy of the belt, its structure and tectonic setting, the sedimentology of what may be a rift basin, the geochemistry of the freshest Archaean komatiites yet found, and models of the evolution of the region.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of one of the oldest and best-exposed Archaean cratons on this planet. There is currently a renewed interest in the early Earth, and the Kaapvaal craton has long served as a model for early crustal evolution. This unique multidisciplinary resource features information on geology, tectonics, geochemistry, and geochronology. It offers a wealth of new data on various aspects of the craton as well as contributions on the various crustal units by international specialists.

Processes and Ore Deposits of Ultramafic-Mafic Magmas through Space and Time focuses on the fundamental processes that control the formation of ore deposits from ultramafic-mafic magmas, covering chromite, platinum-group element (PGE), Ni-sulfides and Ti-V-bearing magnetite. The exploration, exploitation and use of these magmatic ores are important aspects of geology and directly linked to the global economy. Magmatic ores form from ultramafic-mafic magmas and crystallize at high-temperature after emplacement into crustal magma chambers, and are genetically linked to the evolution of the parental magmas through space and time. This book features recent developments in the field of magmatic ore deposits, and is an essential resource for both industry professionals and those in academia. Elucidates the relationships between tectonic settings and magmatic ore mineralization Provides the links between magma generation in the mantle and ore mineralization at crustal levels Features the latest research on changing patterns in magmatic ore mineralization through time and their bearing on the chemical evolution of the Earth’s mantle