Concepts for diamond exploration in “on/off craton” areas—British Columbia, Canada

• Published in: Lithos Vol. 77; no. 1; pp. 749 - 764
• Main Author: Simandl, George J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2004
• Subjects: British Columbia; Craton; Diamond; Exploration; Rodinia; Subduction zone; Tectonic elements; Tectonic elements; Craton; Exploration; Diamond; Subduction zone; British Columbia; Rodinia
• ISSN: 0024-4937; 1872-6143
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2004.03.018

The tectonic setting of British Columbia (BC) differs from classic diamond-bearing intracratonic regions such as the Northwest Territories and South Africa. Nevertheless, several diamond occurrences have been reported in BC. It is also known that parts of the province are underlain by Proterozoic and possibly Archean basement. Because the continents of today are composites of fragments of ancient continents, it is possible that some of the regions underlain by old crystalline basement in eastern British Columbia were associated with a deep crustal keel. The keel may have predated the break-up of the early Neoproterozoic supercontinent called Rodinia and was preserved possibly until the Triassic. Some of these old continental fragments may have been displaced relative to their position of origin and dissociated from their keel, or the keel may have since been destroyed. Such fragments represent favourable exploration grounds in terms of the “Diamondiferous Mantle Root” model (DMR model) if they were intersected by kimberlites or lamproites prior to displacement or destruction of their underlying deep keel. Therefore, extrapolation of fragments of the diamond-bearing Precambrian basement from the Northwest Territories or Alberta to BC provides a sufficient reason for initiating reconnaissance indicator mineral surveys. The “Eclogite Subduction Zone” model (ES model) predicts formation of diamonds at lower pressure (i.e., depth) than required by the DMR model in convergent tectonic settings. Although not proven, this model is supported by thermal modeling of cold subduction zones and recent discoveries of diamonds in areas characterized by convergent tectonic settings. If the ES model is correct, then the parts of BC with a geological history similar to today's “cold” subduction zones, such as Honshu (Japan), or to continental collision zones, such as Kokchetav massif (Kazakhstan) and the Dabie–Sulu Terrane (east central China), may be diamondiferous. The terranes where geological evidences suggest an ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic event followed by rapid tectonic exhumation (which could have prevented complete resorption of diamonds on their journey to the surface) are worth investigating. If UHP rocks were intercepted at depth by syn- or post-subduction diamond elevators, such as kimberlites, lamproites, lamprophyres, nephelinites or other alkali volcanic rocks of deep-seated origin, the diamond potential of the area would be even higher.