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Geochemistry of the Sunnfjord Melange: sediment mixing from different sources during obduction of the Solund–Stavfjord Ophiolite Complex, Norwegian Caledonides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Einar Alsaker  and
Harald Furnes
Einar Alsaker
Affiliation:
Geologisk Institutt, Allegt. 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway
Harald Furnes
Affiliation:
Geologisk Institutt, Allegt. 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway
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Abstract

The Sunnfjord Melange is a strongly tectonized sedimentary assemblage occurring tectonostratigraphically below the Solund–Stavfjord Ophiolite Complex of Ashgill age, and upon continental margin deposits of Wenlock or older age. The Sunnfjord Melange, which probably started to form within an oceanic transform fault, developed further during obduction of the Solund–Stavfjord Ophiolite Complex. The Sunnfjord Melange is divided into two units, the lower Øyravatn Unit of predominantly fine grained calcareous quartz-bearing chlorite–muscovite schists, and the upper Markavatn Unit, mainly metagreywackes. Both units contain blocks of metabasalts, marble and meta-arkose. Serpentinite blocks are restricted to the Markavatn Unit. The appearance of serpentinite detritus is marked by much higher contents of Cr and Ni in the metasediments of the Markavatn Unit than in those of the Øyravatn Unit. The geochemistry of the metasediments from the Øyravatn Unit and the Markavatn Unit is compatible with mixing of detritus from continental and ophiolitic sources. Despite the strong and pervasive deformation of the Sunnfjord Melange, its geochemical composition from the lowest to the highest tectonostratigraphic levels reflects that of the inverse pseudostratigraphy of the Solund–Stavfjord Ophiolite Complex. Thus, only metabasalts of the Solund–Stavfjord Complex and continental meta-arkoses yielded detritus to the schists of the Øyravatn Unit. The compositions of the schists and metagreywackes of the Markavatn Unit, on the other hand, show that a multicomponent detritus derived from metabasalt and serpentinite of the Solund–Stavfjord Ophiolite Complex, mixed with the detritus from continental meta-arkoses.

Type
Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 131 , Issue 1 , January 1994 , pp. 105 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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