New Caledonia: Geology, Geodynamic Evolution and Mineral Resources
This memoir summarizes current knowledge on the geology of New Caledonia, its geodynamic evolution and mineral resources, based on published and unpublished information. It comprises ten research papers, each addressing a particular geological assemblage or topic. After an introductory chapter and a review of the published geodynamic models of evolution of the SW Pacific, Chapters 3-5 focus on the main geological assemblages of Grande Terre: the pre-Late Cretaceous basement terranes, the Late Cretaceous to Eocene cover, and the Eocene Subduction-Obduction Complex, one of the largest and best-preserved in the world. Chapter 6 is devoted to the Loyalty Islands and Ridge. Chapter 7 deals with the mostly terrestrial post-obduction units, including regolith. Chapter 8 deals with palaeobiogeography and discusses plausible scenarios of biotic evolution. Chapters 9 and 10 provide a comprehensive review of New Caledonia's mineral resources. The volume will be of interest to stratigraphers, sedimentologists, marine geologists, palaeontologists, palaeogeographers, igneous and metamorphic petrologists, geochemists, geochronologists, and specialists in tectonics, geodynamic evolution, regoliths, ophiolites and economic geology.
Chapter 1: Introduction to New Caledonia: geology, geodynamic evolution and mineral resources
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Published:June 16, 2020
- areal geology
- carbonate platforms
- Cenozoic
- cobalt ores
- geodynamics
- igneous rocks
- island arcs
- landform evolution
- Loyalty Islands
- Melanesia
- metal ores
- metamorphic rocks
- mineral deposits, genesis
- mineral resources
- nappes
- Neogene
- New Caledonia
- nickel ores
- Norfolk Ridge
- Oceania
- ophiolite
- Pacific Ocean
- peridotites
- Phanerozoic
- plutonic rocks
- South Pacific
- Southwest Pacific
- supergene processes
- tectonics
- terranes
- Tertiary
- ultramafic composition
- ultramafics
- uplifts
- volcaniclastics
- West Pacific
- West Pacific Ocean Islands
- Loyalty Basin
- Grande Terre
- New Caledonia Trough
- Loyalty Ridge
- volcanic arcs