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Background
Work along the Rivière aux Feuilles in Quebec (Percival and Card, 1994), and in three areas farther north (Percival et al., 1995, 1996, 1997) allowed Percival et al. (1992, 2001) to recognize a series of distinct geological and geophysical domains within the Minto Subprovince based on lithological, structural and aeromagnetic differences. Between 1997 and 2003, the work carried out by the Government of Québec under the Far North Program clarified the nature and boundaries of these areas. This work highlighted seven domains and two terranes within the Minto Subprovince.
The Bienville Domain corresponds to the Bienville Subprovince introduced by Card and Ciesielski (1986) and redefined by Ciesielski (1998). The boundary drawn between the latter and the Minto Subprovince varies according to the authors (Card and Ciesielski, 1986; Ciesielski, 2000; Card and Poulsen, 1998; Percival et al., 2001; Gosselin et al., 2002; Leclair, 2005). However, the extension of stratigraphic units and magnetic anomalies typical of the Minto subprovince into the Bienville Domain and the similarity of the ages obtained on both sides of this boundary led to considering the Bienville as a domain belonging to the Minto subprovince (Leclair, 2008). Geological and geophysical similarities between these two subprovinces and the possibility of sharing a common magmatic history had already been discussed (Card and Poulsen, 1998; Percival et al., 2001).
Description
The Bienville Domain is part of the Hudson Bay Terrane. It is located in the SW corner of the Minto Subprovince, where its northern part is characterized by NW-oriented curvilinear aeromagnetic anomalies. The Bienville Domain is restricted to the east by the Goudalie Domain, to the west by Hudson Bay, to the north by the Tikkerutuk Domain and to the south by the La Grande Subprovince.
Geology
Plutonic rocks of the Bienville Domain, like those of the Tikkerutuk Domain, are mostly Neoarchean. The northern half of the Bienville Domain is characterized by numerous granite and granodiorite intrusions (Desbergères Suite; 2720-2710 Ma). These intrusions cut pyroxene felsic intrusive rocks (Loups Marins Suite; 2735-2705 Ma) which are also typical of Tikkerutuk Domain. The boundary between the Bienville and Tikkerutuk domains corresponds to the Nastapoca deformation zone (Simard et al., 2004), north of which Desbergères Suite potassic intrusions are sparser. This is approximately the boundary proposed by Ciesielski (1998) between the Bienville and Minto subprovinces. To the south, the Bienville Domain marks the transition zone between the southern and northern parts of the Superior Province, more precisely where the E-W oriented regional structural grain turns northward. This area includes a large granodioritic complex (~2.71 Ga; Ciesielski, 2000; Goutier et al., 1999) that cuts volcano-plutonic sequences of the La Grande Subprovince. This complex also contains a large klippe of volcano-sedimentary rocks, well preserved in the Fagnant Lake area (Mercier and Ciesielski, 1983).
References
Publications available through Sigéom Examine
GOSSELIN, C., ROY, P., DAVID, J. 2002. GEOLOGIE DE LA REGION DU LAC BIENVILLE (33P). MRN. RG 2002-11, 40 pages and 1 plan.
GOUTIER, J., DION, C., DAVID, J., DION, D.J. 1999. GEOLOGIE DE LA REGION DE LA PASSE SHIMUSUMINU ET DU LAC VION (33F/11 ET 33F/12). MRN. RG 98-17, 43 pages and 2 plans.
LECLAIR, A. 2005. GEOLOGIE DU NORD-EST DE LA PROVINCE DU SUPERIEUR, QUEBEC. MRNF. DV 2004-04, 21 pages and 1 plan.
LECLAIR, A. 2008. CONTEXTE GÉOLOGIQUE RÉGIONAL DU NORD-EST DE LA PROVINCE DU SUPÉRIEUR. DANS : SYNTHESE DU NORD-EST DE LA PROVINCE DU SUPERIEUR. MRNF. MM 2008-02, 198 pages and 8 plans.
SIMARD, M., PARENT, M., THERIAULT, R., DAVID, J., LACOSTE, P., SHARMA, K.N.M. 2004. GEOLOGIE DE LA REGION DU LAC A L’EAU CLAIRE (34B ET 34C). MRNFP. RG 2003-08, 48 pages and 2 plans.
Other publications
Card, K.D., Ciesielski, A. 1986. Subdivisions of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield. Geoscience Canada; volume 13, pages 5-13.
Card, K.D., Poulsen, K.H. 1998. Geology and mineral deposits of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield. In Geology of the Precambrian Superior and Grenville Provinces and Precambrian Fossils in North America, S. Lucas and M.R. St-Onge (co-ordinators). Geological Survey of Canada, Geology of Canada Series 7, pages 15-204. doi.org/10.4095/210102
Ciesielski, A. 1998. Compilation géologique de la partie orientale de la province du Supérieur (Québec). Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3580, 1 sheet. doi:10.4095/209912
Ciesielski, A. 2000. Géologie et lithogéochimie de la partie occidentale de la sous-province de Bienville et des zones adjacentes dans l’est de la Province du Supérieur, Québec. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3550, 90 pages. doi:10.4095/211536
Mercier, E., Ciesielski, A. 1983. Un reliquat de zone volcano-sédimentaire dans la sous-province archéenne d’Ungava, Québec. In Current Researches, Part B. Geological Survey of Canada; Study 83-01B, 456 pages. doi:10.4095/109286
Percival, J.A., Card, K.D. 1994. Geology, Lac Minto-Rivière aux Feuilles, Québec. Geological Survey of Canada, « A » Series Map 1854A, 1994, 1 sheet. doi:10.4095/194490
Percival, J.A., Mortensen, J.K., Stern, R.A., Card, K.D., Bégin, N.J. 1992. Giant granulite terranes of northeastern Superior Province: the Ashuanipi complex and Minto block. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences; volume 29, pages 2287-2308. doi:10.1139/e92-179
Percival, J.A., Skulski, T., Card, K.D., Lin, S. 1995. Geology, Rivière Kogaluc-Lac Qalluviartuuq region (parts of 34J and 34-O), Quebec. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3112, 1 sheet. doi:10.4095/205269
Percival, J.A., Skulski, T., Nadeau, L. 1996. Geology, Lac Couture, Quebec. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3315, 1 sheet. doi:10.4095/208195
Percival, J.A., Skulski, T., Nadeau, L. 1997. Reconnaissance geology of the Pelican-Nantais Belt, northeastern Superior Province. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 3525, 1 sheet. doi:10.4095/209271
Percival, J.A., Stern, R.A., Skulski, T. 2001. Crustal growth through successive arc magmatism: reconnaissance U–Pb SHRIMP data from the northeastern Superior Province, Canada. Precambrian Research; volume 109, pages 203-238. doi:10.1016/S0301-9268(01)00148-6