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Outcrops with conspicuous reddish to yellow-colored clinker, blackish paralava, and blends of both with a breccia-like appearance occur across the Canadian Arctic. We examined such rocks on Ellesmere Island, Banks Island, and the Mackenzie Delta area. These rocks are a product from natural combustion of bituminous shale and low-rank coal seams in Cretaceous and Paleogene host sedimentary rocks, respectively. The main mineral phases of clinker and silicate paralava samples are comprised of quartz + hematite [+ or -] feldspars [+ or -] cristobalite (or tridymite) [+ or -] cordierite-sekaninaite [+ or -] clinopyroxene [+ or -] sillimanite [+ or -] glass. Slag-like iron oxide paralava (74-95 wt.% total F[e.sub.2][O.sub.3]) consisting of hematite [+ or -] magnetite [+ or -] clinopyroxene occur in Paleogene host sedimentary rocks, rich in siderite concretions. The whole-rock geochemical composition of clinker and silicate paralava shows similarities for samples from the same outcrop. Regional and local specific elemental enrichments are mainly inherited from the sedimentary protoliths, which are characterized by volcanogenic input (Paleocene sedimentary rocks) or oxygen-depleted depositional conditions (Upper Cretaceous bituminous sedimentary rocks). Spontaneous combustion could take place when the organic-rich sedimentary rocks become exposed to atmospheric oxygen. This process has occurred at least since the Messinian stage (Miocene) on Ellesmere Island (6.1 [+ or -] 0.2 Ma; [.sup.40]Ar/[.sup.39]Ar incremental heating dating on whole-rock paralava) and continues until now. An active combustion process on scree from a coal seam and clastic Eureka Sound Group sedimentary rocks was observed on Ellesmere Island. Key words: spontaneous combustion, coal, bituminous shale, [.sup.40]Ar/[.sup.39]Ar dating, Ellesmere Island, Banks Island, Mackenzie Delta, Canada, Arctic, 1. Introduction The spontaneous combustion of coal and organic-rich mudstones in natural outcrops and also related to human mining activities, is a common and long-known phenomenon around the world. It [...]

A causal mechanism for the Volgian Isotopic Carbon Excursion (VOICE) remains enigmatic. Elemental geochemical profiles of the Deer Bay Formation, Sverdrup Basin, Arctic Canada that record the VOICE and contemporaneous strata are herein examined to provide insight into depositional environments during Late Jurassic‐Early Cretaceous time. Silver (Ag) and Cadmium (Cd) are enriched across the VOICE at localities on Axel Heiberg Island, and in Tithonian (∼Volgian) strata of Ellef Ringnes Island. Other redox‐sensitive trace elements do not exhibit spatially or temporally consistent patterns and indicate oxic conditions. A lack of relationship across the VOICE between Ag and the quality, quantity, and isotopic composition of organic matter suggests that the negative isotope excursion and interval of Ag enrichment are not merely functions of changes in organic matter source or amount, while a lack of spatially consistent change in geochemical indices of weathering similarly excludes climate change and/or sediment provenance as a driver. Therefore, in a ventilated setting and without marked changes in organic matter content, Ag enrichment may be due to hydrothermal activity. Contemporaneous Ag enrichment in strata from Svalbard suggests that a source of hot fluid sufficient to produce Ag‐rich seawater may have been related to rifting in the adjacent proto‐Amerasia Basin. Hydrothermal activity may also have been a widespread source of isotopically depleted carbon. This work develops new geochemical fingerprints that may be used to trace the spatial extent of hydrothermal events that do not leave an extinction pattern but may nonetheless have a far‐reaching influence on biogeochemical systems. Plain Language Summary: Silver (Ag) is enriched in marine sedimentary strata of Tithonian age, and in particular, across the Volgian Isotopic Carbon Excursion in Arctic Canada. However, other redox‐sensitive trace elements do not exhibit spatially or temporally consistent patterns, and collectively suggest oxygenated conditions near the seafloor during this time. Contemporaneous Ag enrichment in strata from Svalbard suggests that a source of hot fluid sufficient to produce Ag‐rich seawater may have been related to rifting in the adjacent proto‐Amerasia Basin. Hydrothermal activity may also have been a widespread source of isotopically depleted carbon. This work develops new geochemical fingerprints that may be used to trace the spatial extent of hydrothermal events that do not leave an extinction pattern but may nonetheless have a far‐reaching influence on biogeochemical systems. Key Points: Silver is enriched across the Volgian Isotopic Carbon Excursion (VOICE) in the Canadian ArcticOther redox‐sensitive trace elements do not exhibit spatially or temporally consistent patterns and indicate oxic conditionsRifting in the proto‐Amerasia Basin may have resulted in hydrothermal activity that caused the silver enrichment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data and interpretations on geological relationships of igneous rocks at Mokka Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, provide insight into the timing and nature of magmatism associated with the Sverdrup Basin and High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). Field relationships indicate that the igneous rocks, previously interpreted to be volcanic flows, are most likely an intrusive unit discordant to regional bedding. An intrusive origin helps resolve chronostratigraphic inconsistencies in previous work. The host rocks are palynologically constrained to be late Barremian to late Aptian in age and are interpreted to be Paterson Island or Walker Island member of the Isachsen Formation. If the igneous body is intrusive, it's previously reported Ar--Ar age (102.5 [+ or -] 2.6 Ma) is no longer in conflict with accepted stratigraphic interpretations and probably reflects the emplacement age of the intrusion. Lingering uncertainties in interpreting the normal and reverse magnetic polarities determined in the previous work remain, and both are considered viable. Although this uncertainty precludes definitive conclusions on the significance of paleomagnetic data at Mokka Fiord, examination of the stratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and geochronologic relationships there highlight potential for the study of excursions, or reversed magnetic polarity subchrons, in the Cretaceous Normal Superchron elsewhere in the HALIP.De nouvelles donnees et interpretations sur les relations geologiques de roches ignees dans le fjord Mokka (ile Axel Heiberg, Nunavut) fournissent de nouveaux renseignements sur la chronologie et la nature du magmatisme associe au bassin de Sverdrup et a la grande province ignee de l'Extreme Arctique (HALIP). Les relations de terrain indiquent que les roches ignees, interpretees precedemment comme etant des coulees volcaniques, constituent tres probablement une unite intrusive discordante par rapport au litage regional. Une origine intrusive aide a resoudre des incoherences chronostratigraphiques dans des travaux anterieurs. Il est determine, du point de vue palynologique, que les roches hotes sont d'age barremien tardif a aptien tardif et sont interpretees comme etant le membre de l'ile Paterson ou de l'ile Walker de la Formation d'Isachsen. Si le corps igne s'avere intrusif, son age Ar--Ar (102,5 [+ or -] 2,6 Ma) deja publie n'entre plus en conflit avec les interpretations stratigraphiques acceptees et reflete probablement l'age de mise en place de l'intrusion. Des incertitudes demeurent concernant l'interpretation des polarites magnetiques normales et inverses determinees dans les etudes anterieures, et les deux sont jugees viables. Si ces incertitudes empechent de tirer des conclusions definitives sur la signification de donnees paleomagnetiques au fjord Mokka, l'examen des relations stratigraphiques, paleomagnetiques et geochronologiques font ressortir un potentiel pour l'etude d'excursions, ou de sous-chrons de polarite magnetique inversee, dans le superchron normal du Cretace ailleurs dans l'HALIP. [Traduit par la Redaction], IntroductionCretaceous siliciclastic and igneous rocks of the Sverdrup Basin near the mouth of Mokka Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island (Fig. 1), were examined to clarify conflicting and apparently irreconcilable published data [...]

Radiolarians have proven to be exceptional tools in biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental studies despite their relatively low preservation potential in the sedimentary record. Reports of Upper Cretaceous radiolarians in high northern latitudes are scant, and their taxonomy is not often discussed in the few reports available in the literature. In this study, we describe one new genus and three new species of polycystine radiolarians from Upper Cretaceous strata of the northern mainland coast of Arctic Canada. The specimens were recovered from the Santonian–middle Campanian Smoking Hills Formation and the middle Campanian–Maastrichtian Mason River Formation and are assigned to the genus Canadasphaera n. gen. (Order Spumellaria) and the species Canadasphaera inuita n. sp., Kuppelella rusti n. sp., and Lithocampe? rara n. sp. The taxonomic notes provided in this study improve our understanding of Late Cretaceous radiolarians from high northern latitudes and serve as a foundation for future Cretaceous radiolarian research in Arctic regions. Canadasphaera: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C6B7B702-4B74-472D-8893-0A41B93A5066, date of registration: 19 April 2024 Canadasphaera inuita: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C30E555B-EE94-4680-87D1-5CE83E128461, date of registration: 19 April 2024 Kuppelella rusti: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:68ECB628-2E74-4748-ACA4-DD1A33B05837, date of registration: 19 April 2024 Lithocampe? rara: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:25E569B2-93A8-425F-BB7C-D29A0437763F, date of registration: 19 April 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]