Geology, Baie Verte and parts of Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland and Labrador, NTS 12-H/16 and part of NTS 12-I/1

Abstract

Northwestern Baie Verte Peninsula (Newfoundland and Labrador, NTS 12-H/16 and part of 12-I/2) is underlain by Mesoproterozoic basement of the East Pond Metamorphic Suite; Neoproterozoic to Ordovician Laurentian continental margin rocks of the Fleur de Lys Supergroup; Cambrian dismembered ophiolite including Pacquet, Point Rousse, and Advocate complexes; submarine Ordovician ophiolite cover of the Snooks Arm Group; and Ordovician-Silurian, continental plutonic rocks of the Burlington plutonic suite and overlying Silurian Micmac Lake Group; King's Point volcanic complex; and Cape St. John Group and related plutons. Ten mines have operated in this area (two current, eight past-producing). The ophiolitic rocks host Cu-Au volcanogenic massive-sulphide (Terra Nova, Rambler Main, Big Rambler Pond, East, Ming, and Ming West mines) and asbestos deposits (Advocate mine). The Snooks Arm Group hosts three gold deposits (Goldenville, Stog'er Tight, and Pine Cove mines). Four phases of regional deformation affected this area including D1, best documented in the Birchy Complex, is related to ophiolite obduction; D2, regional, penetrative deformation was accompanied by greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism; D3, related to folds, commonly asymmetric; and D4, related to recumbent folding in the northeast and extensional and dextral faults and reactivation of faults.