During the Neoarchean ~2.5 Ga, Earth underwent a notable transition in tectonic processes. The rocks studied in this research offer a highly uncommon view into the transition period of tectonics as the Earth shifted from higher-temperature, ductile conditions to the colder, more brittle processes we observe in the modern day. The project employs multiple geologic methods to enhance our understanding of geodynamic history and crustal architecture during the cratonic assembly of the Superior Province in the Neoarchean era. Research examines a series of coeval magmatic units within the Vermilion and Shebandowan greenstone belts, located in northeastern Minnesota and western Ontario. These magmatic suites were formed during transitional tectonic styles and may have inherited crust and mantle conditions during their formation. Geochemical differences between these magmatic systems are described by compiling new and historic data with qualitative mineral descriptions from thin sections and hand samples. Major and trace element abundances were determined through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). In addition to addressing tectonic reconstructions of Neoarchean Earth, the resulting data can constrain gold-forming magmatic-hydrothermal intrusive systems.
