Paleomagnetism of the Michael Gabbro and Possible Evidence of the Rotation of Makkovik Subprovince

Abstract

The Michael gabbro forms a belt of thick, predominantly southerly-dipping sheets which extends 200 km inland from the south-central coast of Labrador. The intrusions lie largely within the Makkovik subprovince, have a radioisotopic age of 1500 m.y., and are reversely magnetized with a paleomagnetic pole position of 163 °E, 10 °N. The paleomagnetic results indicate that most of the rocks internal to this belt have not been deformed since the intrusions acquired a stable remanent magnetization, presumably at the time of cooling 1500 m.y. ago. However, the Michael pole position differs significantly from those of rocks of similar age elsewhere in North America. This suggests rotation of the block containing the Michael intrusions relative to these other rocks. The Aillik dikes which also lie within the Makkovik sub-province have a radioisotopic age of about 1100 m.y. and a pole position consistent with that of rocks of similar age elsewhere in the Canadian Shield. The postulated Michael rotation must then have taken place between 1500 and 1100 m.y. ago.The rock at two of the most southerly sites sampled for paleomagnetic study proved to be magnetically unstable and the rock at a third such site, though stably magnetized has a magnetization significantly different from the main body of Michael gabbro intrusions. These three sites may indicate a post-consolidation thermal and tectonic event and their position may help define the Grenville Front in this region.