Stratigraphy of the intra-crater volcaniclastic deposits of the Victor Northwest kimberlite, northern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The Victor Northwest (VNW) kimberlite is one of several steep-sided pipes in the Victor kimberlite complex. In this paper detailed logging of ~ 4.2 km of drill core and petrographic studies of hundreds of samples and thin sections are used to reconstruct the intra-crater stratigraphy of the VNW kimberlite and to constrain the emplacement history of the pipe. The results show that the VNW pipe comprises numerous contrasting small-volume volcanic facies, including dark and competent kimberlite, sedimentary country rock breccias, pyroclastic kimberlite and resedimented volcaniclastic kimberlite. We interpret that the VNW pipe was formed by two separate eruption cycles. During the first eruption cycle, the main VNW crater is excavated and partly filled. The second eruption cycle excavates a smaller nested crater within the existing lithified pipe fill. Both eruption cycles can be subdivided into three comparable stages. The first stage in both cycles comprises a highly explosive eruption involving crater excavation and deposition of pyroclastic kimberlite. The eruption products contain abundant broken olivines, small angular country rock fragments and kimberlite ash. All these features indicate high degrees of fragmentation resulting from high eruption intensities. The high proportion of country rock fragments in these deposits suggests continuous pipe wall erosion. The second stage in both cycles is represented by dark and competent deposits, which have low country rock fragment abundances and mostly intact olivines. Based on contact relationships and textures within these units it is suggested that these rock types are formed by lower energy eruptions, during which no major pipe wall erosion took place. The eruption came to an end during the third and last stage. In both cycles, the uppermost deposits record resedimentation of kimberlite by water. Major pipe wall collapse results in the formation of voluminous sedimentary country rock breccia deposits that cap all previous deposits.