Emplacement and reworking of Cretaceous, diamond-bearing, crater facies kimberlite of central Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 1997 Emplacement and reworking of Cretaceous, diamond-bearing, crater facies kimberlite of central Saskatchewan, Canada Dale A. Leckie; Dale A. Leckie 1Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, 3303-33 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar B. A. Kjarsgaard; B. A. Kjarsgaard 2Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John Bloch; John Bloch 3Scealu Modus, 2617 Cutler Avenue NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David McIntyre; David McIntyre 1Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, 3303-33 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David McNeil; David McNeil 1Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, 3303-33 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Laverne Stasiuk; Laverne Stasiuk 1Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, 3303-33 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Larry Heaman Larry Heaman 4Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1997) 109 (8): 1000–1020. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1997)109<1000:EAROCD>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 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 Dale A. Leckie, B. A. Kjarsgaard, John Bloch, David McIntyre, David McNeil, Laverne Stasiuk, Larry Heaman; Emplacement and reworking of Cretaceous, diamond-bearing, crater facies kimberlite of central Saskatchewan, Canada. GSA Bulletin 1997;; 109 (8): 1000–1020. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1997)109<1000:EAROCD>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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract In central Saskatchewan, Canada, kimberlites were emplaced into Cretaceous marine and nonmarine clastic sediments. Core recovered from one drill hole that intersects kimberlite (Smeaton FAC/UK core 169/8) was selected for an integrated study involving sedimentology, volcanology, mineralogy, geochemistry, palynology, micropaleontology, organic petrology, and radiometric age determination. Only crater facies kimberlite has been observed; there is no indication of the locations of feeder dikes. Four varieties of kimberlite occur, all originating from subaerial volcanism: (1) fluvial-reworked kimberlite; (2) diamondiferous kimberlite lapillistone air-fall deposits; (3) kimberlite olivine crystal-tuff air-fall deposits; and (4) diamondiferous marine wave-reworked kimberlite. Within the multiple primary eruptive phases of the kimberlite air-fall deposits, the volcanic style changed upward with time, from violent Strombolian to more explosive volcanism. The bulk of the volcanism formed conformable, air-fall deposits on terrestrial sediments of the Cantuar Formation, resulting in the development of positive-relief tephra cones. Subsequent marine transgression associated with the Westgate Formation partially beveled the top of the cone. The kimberlite air-fall deposits contain microdiamonds, 5 to 25 μm in diameter. The maximum temperature and vitrinite reflectance values of coaly matter in the kimberlites indicate that these deposits, although originally derived from magma at high temperatures, did not thermally affect entrained surficially derived clasts or the country rock during emplacement. The chemical content of intrakimberlite shale clasts is markedly different from the marine and nonmarine shales and indicates significant synemplacement and postemplacement fluid movement through the volcanic pile. At least two episodes of kimberlite volcanism occurred in the middle and late Albian (paleontologically assigned). A U-Pb perovskite radiometric age of 101.1 ± 2.2 Ma from a kimberlite lapillistone from the younger episode of volcanism is internally consistent with biostratigraphic studies that constrain the kimberlite volcanism as post–middle Albian and pre–late Albian to late Albian. 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.