Late Archean convergent margin tectonics and gold mineralization: A new look at the Norseman-Wiluna Belt, Western Australia

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 1989 Late Archean convergent margin tectonics and gold mineralization: A new look at the Norseman-Wiluna Belt, Western Australia Mark E. Barley; Mark E. Barley 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Burkhard N. Eisenlohr; Burkhard N. Eisenlohr 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David I. Groves; David I. Groves 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Caroline S. Perring; Caroline S. Perring 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Julian R. Vearncombe Julian R. Vearncombe 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Mark E. Barley 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Burkhard N. Eisenlohr 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia David I. Groves 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Caroline S. Perring 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Julian R. Vearncombe 1Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Strategic Mineral Deposits, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Australia Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1989) 17 (9): 826–829. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0826:LACMTA>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Mark E. Barley, Burkhard N. Eisenlohr, David I. Groves, Caroline S. Perring, Julian R. Vearncombe; Late Archean convergent margin tectonics and gold mineralization: A new look at the Norseman-Wiluna Belt, Western Australia. Geology 1989;; 17 (9): 826–829. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0826:LACMTA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract On a world scale, the most important hydrothermal gold deposits occur either in Late Archean (ca. 2700 Ma) greenstone belts or at late Paleozoic to Quaternary convergent plate boundaries. In the latter environments, epithermal and porphyry-hosted deposits form during subduction-related magmatism in volcanic arcs, and deep-level meso- thermal deposits form during deformation in continental margin orogenic belts. The mesothermal deposits are similar to Archean gold deposits in greenstone belts such as the Norseman-Wiluna Belt in Western Australia. We here suggest that this similarity exists because the Norseman-Wiluna Belt is an orogenic belt with a tectonic history similar to that of younger mineralized convergent margins, such as the North American Cordillera. It is most likely that the Norseman-Wiluna Belt resulted from the interaction of lithospheric plates during the major period of continental growth and stabilization that occurred in the Late Archean, the distribution of gold mineralization being controlled by convergent margin tectonics. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.