Tectonic Overview of the VerkhoyanskKolyma Orogenic Region

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Tectonic Overview of the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma
Orogenic Region
U.S.-Russia Joint Workshop on the Plate Tectonic
Evolution of NE Russia STANFORD UNIVERSITY,
DECEMBER 9-12, 2004
The Moma Range, Eastern Yakutia, August 1998
Andrei Prokopiev, Diamond and Precious Metal
Geology Institute, Yakutsk, Russian
Federation Jaime Toro, Dept. of Geology and
Geography, West Virginia University, USA
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Outline

• Review of the Verkhoyansk from N to S
• Kular-Nera Slate Belt
• Cratonal and Miogeoclinal Terranes
• Kolyma-Omolon, Okhotsk, Kotelnyi
• Island Arc Terranes and Ophiolites
• Plutonic Belts
• Paleomagnetic Review
• Cenozoic Tectonics
• Tectonic Reconstructions
• Outstanding Problems

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Geological map of the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma orogenic
region
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Middle Paleozoic grabens in the basement
(after Tretiakov, 2004)
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Main Tectonic Units of the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma
orogenic region
(after Parfenov et al., 2001)
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Schematic Cross Section
(after Parfenov et al., 2001)
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Structural scheme of the Verkhoyansk
fold-and-thrust belt
Verkhoyansk Ridge
(after Prokopiev, 2001)
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Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt West
Verkhoyansk sector
Late Paleozoic - Early Mesozoic passive
continental margin
(after Parfenov, 1991)
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Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt
Olenek sector
Kharaulakh segment
(after Prokopiev, 2001)
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Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt West
Verkhoyansk sector
Orulgan segment
Kuranakh segment
(after Prokopiev, 1998)
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Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt West
Verkhoyansk sector Baraya segment
Cross-section
(after Prokopiev, 1998)
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Priverkhoyansk foreland basin
Mesozoic structural stage
(after Prokopiev, 2001)
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Priverkhoyansk foreland basin
Ust-Vilyui gas condensate field

• Three Lower Jurassic sandstone reservoirs (180 m
  total) interbedded with siltstones.
• Gas production 2.5 million m3/day
• Condensate fraction 25 g/cm3

(after Safronov et al., 2001)
(after Gaiduk, Prokopiev, 1999)
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Main structures of the South-Verkhoyansk sector
of Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt
(after Prokopiev, 2001)
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Geological cross-section across the central part
of South Verkhoyansk
(unpublished data)
Fold and thrust (Belaya river)
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Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt South
Verkhoyansk sector
Geochemical composition and age of granitoids
Overlap and stitch assemblages
40Ar/39Ar dating 119 to 123 Ma
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Paleotectonic reconstructions across the South
Verkhoyansk and the Okhotsk terrane
(Prokopiev, Toro et al., 2003)
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Kular-Nera slate belt Strike-slip deformation
(after Parfenov et al., 2001)
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Kinematics of deformation in the Verkhoyansk
fold-and-thrust belt
150-130 Ma
130-70 Ma
(after Prokopiev, 1998)
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Kolyma-Omolon Superterrane (microcontinent)

• Cratonal Terranes
• Miogeoclinal Terranes
• Oceanic Terranes
• Island Arc Terranes
• Accretionary Wedge Terrane

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Omulevka miogeoclinal terrane
Structures of accretion deformations (after
Oxman, 2000, 2002)
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Munilkan oceanic (ophiolite) terrane
P-T-t evolution ophiolites and metamorphic rocks
(after Oxman, 2003, 2004)
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Omolon cratonal terrane
Stratigraphic columns
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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Pri-Kolyma miogeoclinal terrane
Stratigraphic columns
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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Island Arc Terranes

• Alazeya
• Khetachan
• Oloy

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Alazeya Is. Arc Terrane
Oloy Is. Arc Terrane
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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Polousnyy-Debin and Kenkelda accretionary wedge
terranes
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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A Pri-Kolyma, B - Beryozovka, C - Kenkel'da and
Alazeya terranes
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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The Ilin-Tas antilinorium and Zyryanka basin
(after Gaiduk, Prokopiev, 1999)
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Results of 40Ar/39Ar dating of granitoids of Main
and Northern batholith belts, transverse belts
Oloy magmatic arc
Uyandina - Yasachnaya magmatic arc
(after Layer et al., 2001 and unpublished data)
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Paleomagnetic data
(after Nokleberg et al., 1998 Tectonics,
geodynamics and metallogeny ..., 2001)
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Cenozoic tectonics
Uyandina and Irgichan pull-apart basins
The northern part of the Lower Aldan basin
(after Tectonics, geodynamics and metallogeny
..., 2001)
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Paleotectonic reconstructions
(after Sengor and Natalin, 1996)
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Paleotectonic reconstructions
L. Devonian to E. Carb.
L. Triassic to E. Jurassic
Carb. to E. Triassic
Aptian to Campanian
E. Cretaceous
M.-L. Jurassic
(after Parfenov, 2001)
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Paleotectonic reconstructions
(after Bondarenko, 2004)
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Outstanding Research Questionsin the Verkhoyansk
fold-and-thrust belt

• Late Proterozoic rift of North Asia Margin.
• Siberia-Laurentia Connection?
• Mid-Paleozoic Rift
• Conjugate margins ? links to outboard terranes
• Verkhoyansk clastic wedge, stratigraphic links to
  the Arctic
• Control on Mesozoic Structures
• Origin of the Baraya Salient
• Priverkhoyansk foreland subsidence

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Outstanding Research Questionsin the Verkhoyansk

• Mesozoic Shortening
• Deep structure
• Along-strike variation of structural style
• Regional kinematics
• Timing of deformation- thermochronology
• Driving mechanisms for deformation
• Collision/terrane accretion/subduction/strike-slip
  
• Origin of magmatic rocks
• Role of strike-slip deformation
• Tertiary-recent tectonics

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Outstanding Problems
The Growth of a Continent

• The available tectonic models of Northeast Asia
  are incomplete and contradict one another
• (Fujita, Newberry, 1982 Parfenov, Natalin,
  1986 Zonenshain et al., 1990 Bogdanov, Tilman,
  1992 Sokolov, 1992 Parfenov, 1991, 1994, 1995,
  1996 Sengor, Natalin, 1996 Nokleberg et al.,
  2000 Tectonics, 2001).
• Kinematics of accretion
• Effect of inhomogeneity of the craton boundaries
• Relationship between the Pz and superposed Mz
  tectonic events
• Definition of subduction and collisional
  structures

Goal ? A Coherent Tectonic Model
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Questions and Unsolved problems
Tectonic Evolution

• Problem of outlining an Early Paleozoic active
  continental margin along the eastern edge of the
  Siberian continent.

• Nature and age of paleo-oceanic basins east of
  the Siberian continent in the Late
  Paleozoic-Mesozoic (Oimyakon, South Anyui)

• Tectonic setting, age, and inner structure of
  ophiolites

• Tectonic setting and age of Early Paleozoic arc
  complexes of the Alazeya upland.

• Nature and age of metamorphic complexes at the
  basement of the Omulevka and Prikolyma terranes.

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Questions and Unsolved problems
Accretionary Tectonics

• Where is the accretionary wedge complex between
  the Verkhoyansk foldbelt and Kular-Nera terrane
  and the Kolyma-Omolon microcontinent?

• North ? collision with Kolyma-Omolon
  microcontinent
• South ? accretion along Okhotsk margin
• Can we distinguish structures and magmatism due
  to these two synchronous processes?

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Questions and Unsolved problems
Evolution of Sedimentary Basins
Setting and evolution of Late Pz and Mz basins
surrounding the Kolyma-Omolon microcontinent
(Polousnyy, Inyali-Debin synclinoria,
etc.). Rift? Accretionary Prisms? Syn
-collisional? Post-collisional?
Sedimentological and geochemical characterization
Links between basin evolution and
tectonic/magmatic events
Determination of source areas and links.
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Questions and Unsolved problems
Volcanic Arcs and Magmatic Belts

• Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic volcanism on passive
  and active continental margins.

• Geodynamic setting of the Main and Northern
  Granite Belts?

• Mantle plumes and their role in Late Mesozoic
  geodynamic events.

• In what direction did the subduction zone dip
  between N. Asia and Kolyma-Omolon?

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Questions and Unsolved problems
Role Extensional Tectonics

• Recognition of Proterozoic and Mid-Paleozoic rift
  events in the Kolyma region

• Are there metamorphic core complexes in the
  Okhotsk, Omolon, Omulevka and Prikolyma terranes?

• Mechanisms for large-scale extension in the
  Indigirka belt.

• Origin of the Indigirka lowlands?

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• Thank you!