Advances in the U–Pb zircon geochronology of the Michipicoten greenstone belt, Superior Province, Ontario

The Michipicoten greenstone belt in the Superior Province in Ontario developed over a period of approximately 240 Ma, between 2900 and 2660 Ma. The belt is made up of supracrustal rocks consisting of mafic to felsic metavolcanic and associated metasedimentary rocks intruded and embayed by granitoids of various ages. Generally, the external granitic terrane, a mosaic of plutons of various ages, is younger than the greenstone belt and equivalent in age to the plutons in the belt. Three major volcanic cycles have been recognized, and the older internal plutonism is coeval with the volcanism.This study reports 10 new U–Pb concordia ages that enhance the existing geochronological framework of the area. The 2889 Ma age determined for the Judith volcanic tuff documents the existence of the oldest volcanic cycle. This age is close to that of the Murray–Algoma porphyry, dated in this study at 2881 Ma, and similar to a previously published age of 2888 Ma for the Regnery granite within the same area. These three ages establish coeval felsic volcanism and plutonism within the oldest volcanic cycle 1.The new ages for the Jubilee volcanic centre are 2746 Ma (volcanic flow) and 2742 Ma (porphyry intrusion). These ages agree with previously published cycle 2 felsic volcanic ages of 2744 and 2749 Ma and hence establish coeval felsic volcanism and plutonism for this volcanic cycle. The Goudreau felsic volcanic terrane yields ages of 2729 Ma at Goudreau and 2741 Ma at Alden, which probably represent different stratigraphic positions within the same cycle.At McCormick Lake the felsic volcanic crystal tuff is 2701 Ma and belongs to cycle 3 volcanism. U–Pb ages have been determined for three plutons: 2677 Ma for the internal Dickenson Lake syenite, 2662 Ma for the internal Lund Lake granodiorite, and 2686 Ma for the external Dubreuilville granodiorite. These ages fit into an established period of granitoid plutonism in the area.