Evolution of the Slocan Syncline in south-central British Columbia

Abstract

The Slocan Syncline, located in the center of the Kootenay Arc, south-central British Columbia, is outlined in its core by deformed Triassic sediments—the Slocan Group. These deformed sediments were originally deposited unconformably into a synform developed on the upward-facing limb of a recumbent, eastward-closing anticline, comprising Paleozoic and older rocks.The first phase of deformation resulted in the development of a recumbent anticline closing to the east. This anticline involved a sequence of rocks ranging in age from Windermere (late Precambrian—Horsethief Creek Group) up to Permian (Milford Group) and was originally developed along almost horizontal axes contained in an axial-plane having a shallow westerly dip. The core of this anticline contains granite gneiss, having a history pre-dating the deposition of the Horsethief Creek Group, which is in imbricate relation with the gneiss.Later, phase 2 deformation refolded this recumbent anticline into a synform and a westerly complementary antiform along shallow southeasterly axes contained within axial planes dipping southwesterly at about 45 degrees. Amphibolite-facies metamorphism (the "Shuswap Metamorphism") accompanied these phases of deformation and culminated in phase 2 time. Phase 1 and phase 2 deformation and metamorphism ate dated at post-Milford Group (Permian) and pre-Slocan Group (Triassic).Slocan Group (Triassic) sediments were deposited into the phase 2 synform, whose limbs consist of variable older rocks. A later non-metamorphic deformation, phase 3, along southeasterly striking axial planes dipping steeply to the northeast tightened the earlier phase 1 anticline and the phase 2 synform, and produced the Slocan Syncline. The Triassic sediments exhibit only phase 3 structures and are cut by the Nelson batholith dated at 171 × 106 years (Early Jurassic). Phase 3 deformation is then dated at post-Triassic and pre-Early Jurassic.Structural and stratigraphic evidence suggests that the phase 1 recumbent anticline herein described is but one of a set of nappes disposed structurally above and below the one presently described, and that the Kootenay Arc is an old structure perhaps resulting from interference of phase 1 and phase 2 deformations.