Kinematic interpretation of mylonitic rocks in part of the Columbia River fault zone, Shuswap terrane, British Columbia

Abstract

Mylonitic rocks of the Columbia River fault zone have been examined in a 600 m thick section, 20 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia. At this locality coarse-grained granite with well-preserved igneous texture lies in the hanging wall of the fault zone. Adjacent to the boundary of the mylonite zone the granite is foliated and mineral segregation gives rise to well-defined compositional layering. The foliation (Sf) is defined by oriented mineral grains and flattened porphyroclasts. In areas of intense strain compositional layering (Sc) is parallel to Sf. At the boundary of the mylonite zone and in weakly deformed areas within the mylonite zone Sc and Sf are inclined at angles up to 30°. Sf is taken to be a plane of flattening, and Sc appears to parallel a plane of shear. After correction for effects of late-stage flexural slip folding the angular relationship of Sc to Sf may be used to determine sense of shear in the mylonitc zone; the hanging-wall rocks have been displaced toward the east relative to the footwall. Formation of mylonitic fabrics and associated displacement of the Selkirk allochthon eastward relative to the underlying Monashee Complex occurred after the Middle Jurassic peak of regional metamorphism and before brittle reactivation and uplift in the Tertiary.