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The late Llandovery (Silurian) - early Lochkovian (Devonian) climate of the tropical zone is tracked considering orogenesis, global glaciation events, and cratonic drift. Mineral and chemical compositions of clay fractions of Canadian (the Franklinian Basin) and Estonian (the Baltoscandian Basin) sedimentary rocks from different sides of the emerging Caledonides were studied, using clay as an index of climatic conditions of the provenance area. Illite is the main clay mineral, with addition of orthoclase, muscovite, and chlorite in both regions. Authigenic chert is present in some Canadian sections. The similarity of clay minerals and elemental composition in the two regions suggest common chemical weathering conditions. Nevertheless, the Al/Ti ratio of the <1 μm clay fraction, the proxy for climate's aridity-humidity and weathering intensity, reveals differences. The Franklinian Basin in Laurentia shows a shift of climate from humid to semi-humid in pace with the uplift of the Caledonides. The sub-meridional mountain chain in the east reduced the amount of rainfall and, therefore, caused drier climate than could have been expected from the low latitudinal position of the area. The material from the Baltoscandian Basin reveals semi-arid and arid climate for most of the Silurian. Although the southern part of the Fennoscandian Shield was situated in desert latitudes, the evidence from the provenance of clay suggests that the climate was not fully arid. In Baltoscandia, covariation between low Al/Ti of clay and negative shifts of δ13C of marine carbonates is recorded at some stratigraphical levels, suggesting a link between humid climatic episodes in mainland and waning of glaciers at the South Pole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanic rocks of the Jurassic Iskut River Formation (IRF) in northwestern British Columbia (Canada) host several volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits, including the exceptionally high-grade Eskay Creek Ag-Au-Cu-Pb-Zn deposit. The IRF comprises voluminous pillow basalt (>90%), minor rhyolite, and sedimentary rock of late Early to early Middle Jurassic age, filling a series of sub-basins along a 300 by 50 km north-trending belt. Two geochemically distinct types of tholeiitic basalts interfinger; both resemble back-arc basin basalts formed from the melting of asthenospheric and sub-arc mantle sources. Group 2 basalts are more enriched in light rare-earth elements, Ba, K, Sr, Th, and U, and have lower positive εNd values than group 1 basalts (+3.2 to +6.3 versus +6.9 to +8.4, respectively). The compositional differences between group 1 and group 2 basalts are interpreted to result from crustal contamination in group 2. Group 1 basalts are most common in the southern part of the IRF belt where they are closely associated with the Eskay Creek, Bonanza, and Hidden Creek (Anyox) VMS deposits. Group 2 basalts are most abundant in the northern half of the belt and are not associated with exploited mineral deposits. The lack of crustal contamination in group 1 basalts indicates that they formed from rapidly ascending magma in an advanced rift setting and were associated with high heat flow that drove hydrothermal circulation. Group 1 and group 2 basalts are reliably discriminated by Ta/Th <2.5 in the former and >2.5 in the latter. This geochemical criteria can therefore be used as an exploration tool to identify VMS permissive sub-basins and (or) stratigraphy in the IRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]