Abstract: The Kluane Ranges, located in southwest Yukon, are underlain by Late Paleozoic to Late Triassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks assigned to Wrangellia. Bedrock mapping completed within the White River area indicates Wrangellian rocks underwent several phases of deformation between Late Triassic and Miocene time. Middle Triassic marine, fine-grained sedimentary rocks are preserved in grabens where they are overlain by basal conglomerates and breccias of the Nikolai formation. The grabens are related to uplift associated with the deposition of Nikolai formation flood basalts and intrusion of ultramafic bodies. Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous compression resulted in structural stacking of older rocks and northeast- and southwest-verging overturned folds. Latest (?) Cretaceous to Miocene dextral strike-slip along the Denali fault system led to the formation of steeply dipping faults, extensional and compressional basins and refolding of older regional scale folds. Reactivation of Jura-Cretaceous faults also occurred at this time. An enigmatic pre-Middle Triassic deformation event is believed to be preserved locally in rocks of the Hasen Creek Formation.

Authors: Israel, S., and Cobbett, R.

Keywords: Hasen Creek Formation, Nikolai formation, Structural Geology, Wrangellia

NTS Mapsheet(s): 115F, 115G, 115K

Citation: Israel, S., and Cobbett, R., 2008. Kluane Ranges bedrock geology, White River area (Parts of NTS 115F/9, 15 and 16; 115G/12 and 115K/1, 2). In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2007, Emond, D.S., Blackburn, L.R., Hill, R.P., and Weston, L.H. (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, p. 153-167.

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