New constraints on location and timing of the Great Lakes tectonic zone, central Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA

Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
By: , and 

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Abstract

The Great Lakes tectonic zone (GLTZ) forms the boundary between the Wawa–Abitibi and Minnesota River Valley subprovinces within the Archean Superior Province. The GLTZ is concealed for all of its 1100 km length, except for a segment in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There, it is exposed as a northwest-striking mylonite zone along a 11 km segment, extending to the onlap of Paleozoic rocks to the east. Farther east, its location has been unknown. Here, we use aeromagnetic and gravity data to develop interpretations of the expression of the GLTZ and to define its extent under cover. Aeromagnetic gradients over the mylonite zone are interpreted to be produced by structurally juxtaposed rocks with varying magnetizations. Gravity data show a regional gradient along the GLTZ, produced by the juxtaposition of a dense greenstone belt on the north against lower-density gneisses and granites on the south. The GLTZ is interpreted to extend ∼55 km under cover to the east. The GLTZ is terminated on the east by the buried eastern arm of the ca. 1100 Ma Midcontinent Rift. An undeformed granitic dike that cuts the mylonitic foliation produces a U–Pb apatite age of 2523 ± 33 Ma, implying no major post-Archean shearing occurred, and is at odds with previous interpretations of major Proterozoic reactivation. A granite intrusion in the Minnesota River Valley subprovince produces a Pb–Pb zircon age of 2606.9 ± 3.6/7.4 Ma. This suggests that magmatism related to the Sacred Heart orogeny, previously known in Minnesota, extended to Michigan.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title New constraints on location and timing of the Great Lakes tectonic zone, central Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA
Series title Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
DOI 10.1139/cjes-2025-0021
Volume 62
Issue 9
Publication Date July 09, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher Canadian Science Publishing
Contributing office(s) Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center, Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Description 15 p.
First page 1459
Last page 1473
Country United States
State Michigan
Other Geospatial central Upper Peninsula
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