Sweden: Lithotectonic Framework, Tectonic Evolution and Mineral Resources
The solid rock mass of Sweden forms a natural field laboratory revealing insight into the westward growth and reworking of one of the planet's ancient continental nuclei. Three major geological units are exposed in different parts of the country: the western part of the Fennoscandian Shield, mainly sedimentary rocks deposited on this crystalline rock mass and the Caledonide orogen. This volume synthesizes the tectonic evolution of Sweden over more than 2500 million years from the Neoarchean to the Neogene. Following an introduction describing the lithotectonic framework of the country and the organization of the volume, the tectonic evolution is addressed essentially chronologically. Different phases of intracratonic rifting, accretionary orogeny, continent–continent collisional orogeny and platformal sedimentation are identified. Sweden is one of Europe's major suppliers of metals, and the country's mineral resources are also presented in the context of the lithotectonic framework. Sweden: Lithotectonic Framework, Tectonic Evolution and Mineral Resources has been designed to interest a professional geoscientific audience and advanced students of Earth Sciences.
Chapter 11: Reworking of older (1.8 Ga) continental crust by Mesoproterozoic (1.5–1.4 Ga) orogeny, Blekinge–Bornholm orogen, southeastern Sweden
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Published:January 03, 2020
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CiteCitation
Carl-Henric Wahlgren, Michael B. Stephens, 2020. "Reworking of older (1.8 Ga) continental crust by Mesoproterozoic (1.5–1.4 Ga) orogeny, Blekinge–Bornholm orogen, southeastern Sweden", Sweden: Lithotectonic Framework, Tectonic Evolution and Mineral Resources, M. B. Stephens, J. Bergman Weihed
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Abstract
The Blekinge–Bornholm orogen in southeastern Sweden consists of calc-alkaline to alkali–calcic intrusive rocks, rhyolites and dacites (1.8 Ga) that were structurally reworked under amphibolite facies conditions, affected by migmatization at mid-crustal levels at c. 1.44 Ga and intruded at c. 1.47–1.43 Ga by ferroan alkali–calcic plutons. This Mesoproterozoic orogen is bordered westwards by the Sveconorwegian orogen and northwards, along the boundary with well-preserved 1.8 Ga magmatic rocks in the Svecokarelian orogen, by a stitching c. 1.45 Ga pluton and steeply dipping ductile zones with a south-side-up, dip-slip shear component. A variably developed gneissic fabric (S1) dips gently to moderately northwards and is affected by asymmetrical F2 folds with a southerly vergence. Ductile high-strain zones with top-to-the south shear sense are suggested to correspond at depth to anomalously reflective zones along seismic profile BABEL line A. Open folding of the gneissosity around gently, north-plunging fold axes (F3) completed the ductile deformational evolution. Uncertainty remains about the timing of the amphibolite facies ductile fabric and the D2 folding, which is either late-stage Svecokarelian (c. 1.77–1.75 Ga) or Hallandian (c. 1.47–1.43 Ga). Non-collisional, accretionary orogenic systems are suggested to have operated during both time periods, radical reorganization of the subduction trend accompanying the Mesoproterozoic event.