Strelna Metamorphics and related rocks

Unit symbol: PIPsm
Age range early Permian to Middle Pennsylvanian (315.2 to 252.2 Ma)
Lithology: Metamorphic
Group name: Strelna Metamorphics and related rocks
Variably metamorphosed, but largely lower greenschist-facies metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks that are generally considered a metamorphic equivalent of the Skolai and Mankomen Groups (Richter and others, 2006). Includes the Uranatina River metaplutonic complex of Winkler and others (1981) and the Dadina Schist of Carboniferous and possibly older age exposed near Mount Drum (Richter and others, 1994). Unit includes quartzofeldspathic and quartz-mica schist, which locally has compositional layering reflecting original bedding; greenstone derived from mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks; locally abundant marble interbeds; tectonically emplaced ultramafic rock; and marble lenses, as well as metachert and orthogneiss. Metamorphic grade generally increases to amphibolite facies near contacts with the Uranatina River metaplutonic complex. Tightly folded and pervasively faulted in most localities. Generally undated, the Strelna Metamorphic Complex is on trend with similar strata containing age-diagnostic conodonts in marble (Plafker and others, 1985). Uranatina metaplutonic complex is part of a 10-by-15-km tectonic inclusion in the McHugh Complex that consists of compositionally banded quartz gabbro, amphibolite, and hornblende-biotite dioritic and quartz dioritic orthogneiss. Foliation of the rocks is swirled or tightly folded in many places and large hornblende or hornblende-plagioclase pods have grown in the hinges of many folds. Unit yields Cretaceous and Jurassic cooling ages, as well as a Permian K/Ar age (267±8 Ma) on pegmatite (Winkler and others, 1981) and is known to contain, at least locally, Middle Pennsylvanian metagranodiorite (Plafker and others, 1989). Metamorphic grade of the Strelna Metamorphic Complex increases toward the Chitina Valley batholith and near plutons of the Saint Elias suite (unit KJse) (Richter and others, 2006). The northern part of this unit, locally mapped as the metamorphic complex of Gulkana River (W.J. Nokleberg, written commun., 1997), trends across the northern part of the Gulkana quadrangle and into the northeast part of the Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle. Also see description of the Skolai and Mankomen Groups, undivided (unit PIPms)

Source map information

Source map Winkler, G.R., Silberman, M.L., Grantz, Arthur, Miller, R.J., and MacKevett, E.M., Jr., 1981, Geologic map and summary geochronology of the Valdez quadrangle, southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-892-A, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000. and modifications by Winkler, 1997).
Symbol Jag
Unit name Uranatina River metaplutonic unit
Description Portion of tectonic inclusion 10 by 15 km in McHugh Complex consisting of layered quartz gabbro, amphibolite, and orthogneiss. This unit consists of compositionally banded very mafic amphibolite to hornblende-biotite dioritic and quartz dioritic gneiss. Contains lenses of pyroxenite as much as 2 m across. Foliation of the rocks is swirled or tightly folded in many places and large hornblende or hornblende-plagioclase pods have grown in the hinges of many folds. Most of unit is likely of Jurassic age but is known to contain at least locally Middle Pennsylvanian metagranodiorite.
Lithology Metamorphic

Correlated geologic units

Label JIPur
Description Uranatina Metaplutonic Complex, Layered quartz gabbro; Amphibolite and orthogneiss, Jurassic(?)
Geologic age Middle-Pennsylvanian to Cisuralian
Geologic setting Intrusive
Lithology Form Importance
Quartz-gabbro < Gabbroic < Plutonic < Igneous Indeterminate, major
Ultramafic < Plutonic < Igneous Indeterminate, major
Amphibolite < Metamorphic Indeterminate, major
Orthogneiss < Metaigneous < Metamorphic Indeterminate, major
Metasedimentary < Metamorphic Minor