RB 2016/00026 Stratigraphy and geochemistry of the 1745–1700 Ma Peter Pan Supersuite.
Published: 01 Mar 2017 Created: 25 Nov 2024 Revised: 07 Apr 2025

During the period 1745–1700 Ma, felsic and mafic rocks were intruded throughout the Gawler Craton, broadly coeval with the 1740–1690 Ma Kimban Orogeny. These rocks were previously considered part of the Lincoln Complex, a stratigraphic term...

During the period 1745–1700 Ma, felsic and mafic rocks were intruded throughout the Gawler Craton, broadly coeval with the 1740–1690 Ma Kimban Orogeny. These rocks were previously considered part of the Lincoln Complex, a stratigraphic term defined by Thomson (1980) to describe the igneous rocks intruding the Archean to Paleoproterozoic basement of the Eyre Peninsula during the later Paleoproterozoic. However, this term is now in disuse due to the fact that more recent U-Pb geochronology has revealed that units included within the Lincoln Complex range in age from the Mesoarchaean to the Paleoproterozoic, and the term thus grouped together units which are not genetically related. The term Peter Pan Supersuite has been defined to describe those parts of the Lincoln Complex which are synchronous with the Kimban Orogeny. The supersuite contains three suites: the Moola Suite (1745–1735 Ma), the Pinbong Suite (1735–1700 Ma) and the Moody Suite (1720–1700 Ma). The Moola Suite is best exposed on north-eastern Eyre Peninsula, but also occurs in the eastern Gawler Craton beneath the Stuart Shelf, the Peake and Denison Inliers and Yoolperlunna Inlier in the northern Gawler Craton, and the Fowler Domain in the western Gawler Craton. It contains unfoliated to weakly foliated mica-poor granites as well as diorite, dolerite and amphibolite. Granites of the Moola Suite are classified as magnesian, alkalic to calc-alkalic and metaluminous, and represent melts of heterogeneous crustal source regions, demonstrated by broad Sm-Nd isotopic signatures (Epsilon Nd(1740 Ma) = -17.1 to -2.4). The mafic rocks of the Moola Suite consist of two geochemical groups: a tholeiitic and LREE- depleted group and a calc-alkaline, LREE-enriched group. The depleted, tholeiitic mafic rocks are characterised by low [La/Yb]N ratios (1.4–3.6) and juvenile Sm-Nd signatures (Epsilon Nd(1740 Ma) = -1.2 to 0.4). In contrast, the enriched, calc-alkaline mafic rocks are characterised by high [La/Yb]N ratios (10.8–66.4) and evolved Sm-Nd signatures (Epsilon Nd(1740 Ma) =~-8.8). The Pinbong Suite is the most widespread suite in the Peter Pan Supersuite, occurring on central and southern Eyre Peninsula in the southern Gawler Craton, the Olympic Domain in the eastern Gawler Craton, Coober Pedy Ridge in the northern Gawler Craton and in the central Gawler Craton. It includes foliated to migmatitic biotite-rich granites, dolerites and gabbros. Granitic rocks are mostly peraluminous or metaluminous and largely magnesian and alkali-calcic, while the gabbroic rocks are metaluminous and enriched in alkalis. Pinbong Suite granites have Epsilon Nd(1730 Ma) values that range from -11.7 to -4.3. Two geochemical groups are also observed in the Pinbong Suite gabbros: tholeiitic and LREE-depleted ([La/Yb]N = 3–8) and calc-akaline, LREE-enriched ([La/Yb]N = 12.9–36.2). Less distinction, however, is observed in the Sm-Nd composition, with the tholeiitic and LREE-depleted gabbros displaying slightly more evolved Nd signatures (Epsilon Nd(1730 Ma) = -5.3 and -4.6) than the calc-akaline, LREE-enriched gabbros (Epsilon Nd(1730 Ma) = -3.8 and -3.4). Isotopic signatures of the Pinbong Suite gabbros suggest an enriched mantle source region. Comparable geochemical characteristics of the Moola Suite and the Pinbong Suite suggest similar crustal and mantle source regions were melting during their genesis. Signatures for the Moola and Pinbong Suite granites are consistent with granites generated in orogenic settings from a lower- to mid-crustal c. 2565–2410 Ma Sleaford Complex or c. 3150 Ma Cooyerdoo Granite source region. The geochemical characteristics of the mafic rocks of the Peter Pan Supersuite are indicative of extensional-related melting events caused by lithospheric extension or thinning. The mafic rocks represent a heterogeneous mantle source region that comprises an older, enriched lithospheric mantle reservoir, enriched in incompatible elements and relatively depleted in compatible elements, and a younger, juvenile mantle. The Moody Suite is restricted to the Tumby Bay area on central-eastern Eyre Peninsula, and includes unfoliated leucogranite, monzogranite and monzonite which commonly contains metasedimentary xenoliths derived from the Paleoproterozoic Hutchison Group country rock. The Moody Suite intrusives are ferroan, calc-alkalic to alkali-calcic and peraluminous, and have moderately evolved Sm-Nd isotopic signatures (Epsilon Nd(1700 Ma) = -10.2 to -4.5), consistent with derivation from the Hutchison Group. The geochemical signature of the Moody Suite is typical of A-type post-orogenic granites derived from continental crust or underplated crust that has been through a cycle of continent-continent collision.

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About this record

Record No d20011630
Topic Geoscientific Information
Type of Resource Document
Category Type
Document Type Departmental Publication - Geological Survey Geoscience Publication
Contributor DSD Resources and Energy Group. Geological Survey of South Australia;Regional Geology and Mapping Team
Sponsor
Tenement
Tenement Holder
Operator
Geological Province Gawler Craton
Mine Name
Stratigraphy
Commodity
Notes
Geographic Locality: Peter Pan Dam;Moola Homestead;Burkitt Hill;Corunna Station;Iron Knob - Yardea Road;Deuter Dam;Lake Gilles Paddock;Roopena Station;Wortham Dam;Gluepot Dam;Mindrow Dam;Mount Whyalla;Uno Station;Wade Dam;Iron Duke;Little Pinbong...

Geographic Locality: Peter Pan Dam;Moola Homestead;Burkitt Hill;Corunna Station;Iron Knob - Yardea Road;Deuter Dam;Lake Gilles Paddock;Roopena Station;Wortham Dam;Gluepot Dam;Mindrow Dam;Mount Whyalla;Uno Station;Wade Dam;Iron Duke;Little Pinbong Rockhole;Cleve Hills;Middle Camp Homestead;Colona Homestead Doc No: RB 2016/00026 Drillhole: DDH LED001;(229988);COL 43D;(137323)

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Language English
Metadata Standard ISO 19115-3

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Use constraints License
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Persistent identifier https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/d20011630
Citation Wade, C.E.;McAvaney, S.O. 2017. RB 2016/00026 Stratigraphy and geochemistry of the 1745–1700 Ma Peter Pan Supersuite. Departmental Publication - Geological Survey Geoscience Publication. Government of South Australia.
https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/d20011630

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Geographic Reference GDA2020 (EPSG:7844)
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