The Yellow Dog peridotite and a possible buried igneous complex of lower Keweenawan age in the northern peninsula of Michigan

John S. Klasner; David W. Snider; W. F. Cannon; John F. Slack

The Yellow Dog peridotite and a possible buried igneous complex of lower Keweenawan age in the northern peninsula of Michigan

Michigan Geological Survey Report of Investigation 24

By: John S. Klasner, David W. Snider, W. F. Cannon, and John F. Slack

Links

Document: Report (pdf)
Superseded Publications:

The Yellow Dog peridotite and a possible buried igneous complex of Lower Keweenawan Age in the northern peninsula of Michigan(1977)

Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

Partly serpentinized peridotite of early Keweenawan age crops out in two places along a 20-kilometer-long zone of positive aeromagnetic anomalies in northern Marquette County, Michigan. Most of the area is mantled by Pleistocene drift with few bedrock exposures.

Petrographic and electron microprobe studies show that the peridotite was originally a plagioclase lherzolite containing 40 to 50 percent olivine (Fo8₀) and approximately 10 to 15 percent each of enstatite (En₇₈Wo₀₄Fs₁₈) and diopsidic augite (En₄₇Wo₄₂Fs₁₁). The plagioclase varies from 5 to 10 percent, and according to Morris (1977) is labradorite with a composition of An_57-65. Major oxide minerals (4 to 6 percent) are ilmenite and magnetite. Sulfides comprise 1 to 2 percent of the peridotite and are chiefly pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and chalcopyrite.

Ground magnetic, gravity, and very low frequency electro-magnetic (VLF-EM) surveys have refined the location and magnitude of anomalies previously known only from aeromagnetic studies. These surveys together with soil geochemical studies suggest that peridotite, and possibly other mafic rocks forming a differentiated igneous complex, may occur throughout a belt 20 kilometers long (east-west) and 1 to 2 kilometers wide (north-south).

Differentiated igneous complexes in many parts of the world are hosts for copper, nickel, chromium, or precious-metal deposits. The peridotite in the area of this study is anomalously rich in copper and sulfur compared to world-wide averages for peridotite. Positive electro-magnetic anomalies found near the peridotite outcrops may be caused by sulfide-rich zones in the igneous rocks and should be explored further for copper-nickel mineralization.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Report
Publication Subtype	State or Local Government Series
Title	The Yellow Dog peridotite and a possible buried igneous complex of lower Keweenawan age in the northern peninsula of Michigan
Series title	Michigan Geological Survey Report of Investigation
Series number	24
Year Published	1979
Language	English
Publisher	State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Publisher location	Lansing, MI
Contributing office(s)	Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center
Description	v, 31 p.
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page