Winnipegosis komatiite belt explained

The Winnipegosis komatiite belt is a 150km (90miles) long and 30km (20miles) wide greenstone belt located in the Lake Winnipegosis area of central Manitoba, Canada. It has no surface exposure and was identified based on geophysical signatures and drilling during mineral exploration by Cominco during the 1990s.^[1] The belt has an age of 1870 ± 7 million years and is predominantly composed of basaltic and komatiitic volcanic rocks with minor intrusive and sedimentary rocks.^{[2] [3]} The belt is considered part of the larger Circum-Superior Belt and was likely generated by a mantle plume.^[4]

Notes and References

1. McGregor, C. R. 2011. Open File OF2011-1: GIS compilation of relogged sub-Phanerozoic Precambrian exploration drillcore from the Thompson Nickel Belt, eastern Flin Flon Belt and Winnipegosis Komatiite Belt (parts of NTS 63B, C, F, G, J, K). Manitoba Geological Survey.
2. Hulbert, L., Stern, R., Kyser, T. K., Pearson, J., Lesher, M., & Grinenko, L. 1994. The Winnipegosis Komatiite Belt, central Manitoba. Page 21 of: Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 1994, Program and Abstracts. Manitoba Energy and Mines.
3. Waterton, P., Pearson, D. G., Kjarsgaard, B., Hulbert, L., Locock, A., Parman, S. W., & Davis, B. 2017. Age, Origin, and Thermal Evolution of the ultra-fresh ~1.9 Ga Winnipegosis Komatiites, Manitoba, Canada. Lithos, 268-271, 114-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2016.10.033
4. Baragar, W. R. A., & Scoates, R. F. J. 1981. The Circum-Superior Belt: A Proterozoic plate margin? Chap. 12, pages 297