A Targeted Investigation of the Upper Contact Unit of the Sudbury Igneous Complex in the North Range, Sudbury Impact Structure, Canada

The Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) represents the remnant of a crystalline impact melt sheet of the Sudbury impact structure; and is historically and presently a strategic exploration target sustaining the region's prolific mining camp. In order to better understand the SIC, it is critical to investigate the chilled upper contact of the SIC, which has historically received little recognition. Through field observations, whole rock geochemistry, petrography, and electron microprobe analysis, this study concludes that the SIC upper contact is in fact extensive across the North Range of the SIC. Additionally, the geochemistry of the SIC units, offset dykes, and upper contact unit (UCU) of the SIC presented here lead to the conclusion that the UCU roof rocks represent a more accurate proxy than the offset dykes for the initial composition of the SIC. Finally, this study indicates that the UCU lithology is no longer considered an intrusive melt of the basal Onaping Formation breccias.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Debono, Lindsay E

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Osinski, Gordon R.

• Sudbury Igneous Complex
• impact melt sheets
• geochemistry
• mineralogy
• impact cratering

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/28599

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/28599