Mistastin - Hypervelocity Impact Crater

Alternate Names Mistastin Lake
Local Language Kamestastin
Coordinates 55° 53' 10" N; 63° 17' 55" W
Notes
  1. N Labrador, 120 km N of Schefferville, Quebec.
Country Canada
Region Newfoundland/ Labrador
Date Confirmed 1969
Notes
  1. Confirmed by planar features in quartz and feldspar, and kinked biotite (Taylor and Dence, 1969).
Buried? No
Drilled? No
Target Type Crystalline
Notes
  1. Proterozoic anorthosite, granodiorite and quartz monzonite (Ogilvie et al., 1984).
Sub-Type Anorthosite, Granodiorite, Monzonite
Apparent Crater Diameter (km) 28 km
Age (Ma) 37.83 ± 0.05
Notes :
  1. 37.83 ± 0.05 Ma from U-Pb (CA-TIMS) dating of zircon in melt rocks (Sylvester et al., 2013). Previous 40Ar/39Ar provided an age of 38 ± 4 Ma (Mak et al. 1976).

Method :
  1. U-Pb
Impactor Type Iron
Notes
  1. Projectile may have been of iron composition (Wolf et al., 1980).

Advanced Data Fields

Notes

Erosion
6
  1. Deep erosion has exposed much of the crater floor and only remnants of the melt sheet remain. Isolated patches of fill and subfloor target rocks are preserved (Taylor and Dence, 1969).
Final Rim Diameter
Unknown
Apparent Rim Diameter
28 km
  1. Structure is defined by a ring of low hills 28 km in diameter (Grieve et al., 1988). Initial diameter estimate was 26 km (Taylor and Dence, 1969).
Rim Reliability Index
2
  1. A ring of low hills, 26 km in diameter, surrounds a depression, the centre of which is filled by Lake Mistastin. A horseshoe-shaped island (130 m above the lake level and 15 km in diameter) occupies the centre (Taylor and Dence, 1969). Horseshoe Island in the centre of Mistastin Lake appears to have very little erosion consistent with an estimate of 10 to 100 m erosion of melt rocks in the inner rim region of the structure (Marion, 2009). This suggests that the island is an original topographic high. Most of the island is shocked target rocks with one small outcrop of impact melt rocks, interpreted as a veneer (Singleton et al., 2011).
Crater Morphology
Complex
Central Uplift Diameter
3km
Central Uplift Height
130 m
Uplift Reliability Index
Structural Uplift
Unknown
Thickness of Seds
Target Age
Precambrian
Marine
No
Impactor Type
Iron
  1. Projectile may have been of iron composition (Wolf et al., 1980).
Other Shock Metamorphism
FRIGN zircon, reidite
  1. Shocked zircon (FRIGN zircon, reidite) Tolometti et al. (2022)
Shatter Cones
Yes
  1. Shatter cones are poorly developed (Taylor and Dence, 1969). Presence of shatter cones in anorthosite is reported by (Marion and Sylvester, 2010). Shatter cones are poorly developed (Grieve, 2006).
Planar Fractures
No
Planar Deformation Features
Yes
  1. PDF in quartz and feldspars (Taylor and Dence, 1969). "On the mainland, basement rocks display lower levels of recorded shock with planar deformation features in quartz" (Grieve, 2006).
Diaplectic Glass
Yes
  1. The basement rocks of the central island are shocked, with the development of makelynite and diaplectic quartz glass" (Grieve, 2006).
Coesite
No
Stisovite
No
Crater Fill
  1. (Grieve, 1975) (McCormick et al., 1989) (Grieve and Cintala, 1992) (Marion & Sylvester, 2010) (Hervé et al., 2015) (Pickersgill et al., 2015b) (Hill et al., 2020) (Mader and Osinski, 2018) reinterpreted melt-free to -poor polymict impact breccias overlain by impact melt-bearing breccias and/or melt rocks located within the rim of the original crater, but outside the initial transient cavity as proximal ejecta deposits.
Proximal Ejecta
LB, MB, M
Distal Ejecta
Dykes
LB, MB, M
Volume of Melt
20 km3
Depth of Melting

References

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K L Currie (1968) Mistastin Lake, Labrador: A new Canadian crater, Nature 220(5169), p. 776-777, Macmillan Journals, London, url

K L Currie, A Larochelle (1969) A paleomagnetic study of volcanic rocks from Mistastin Lake, Labrador, Canada, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 6(4), p. 309-315, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(69)90173-3

F C Taylor, Michael R Dence (1969) A probable meteorite origin for Mistastin Lake, Labrador, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences = Revue Canadienne des Sciences de la Terre 6(1), p. 39-45, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, url, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e69-004

Eddy K C Mak (1973) Ar40/Ar39 dating of shock metamorphosed rocks from the Mistastin Lake meteorite impact crater, url

Richard A F Grieve (1974) Impact melt at Mistastin Lake, Labrador, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 55(4), p. 336, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, url

M Marchand, J H Crocket (1974) The Mistastin Lake Pluton and meteorite crater, northern Labrador, Geological Association of Canada - Annual Meeting, p. 58-59, Geol. Assoc. Can.--Mineral. Assoc. Can., url

R A F Grieve (1975) Petrology and chemistry of the impact melt at Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Geological Society of America Bulletin 86(12), p. 1617-1629, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, url

E K Mak, D York, R A F Grieve, Michael R Dence (1975) Ar-40-Ar-39 dating of the Lake Mistastin meteorite crater, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 56(11), p. 912, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, url

M Marchand (1976) A geochemical and geochronologic investigation of meteorite impact melts at Mistastin Lake, Labrador and Sudbury, Ontario

E K Mak, D York, R A F Grieve, Michael R Dence (1976) The age of the Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Canada, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 31(3), p. 345-357, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(76)90116-3

M Marchand, J H Crocket (1977) Sr isotopes and trace element geochemistry of the impact melt and target rocks at the Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 41(10), p. 1487-1495, doi:10.1016/0016-7037(77)90253-8

R F Emslie, B Cousens, C Hamblin, J Bielecki (1980) The Mistastin Batholith, Labrador-Quebec; an Elsonian composite rapakivi suite, Paper - Geological Survey of Canada(80-1A), p. 95-100, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON, url

B Lambert, R A F Grieve (1983) Shocked experiments in shocked rocks from Lake Mistastin, Lunar and Planetary Institute 14, p. 415-416

H E Newsom, J J Hagerty, C W Shearer (2002) Mobile element reservoir mass balance on Mars: New SIMS and EMP data from Lonar and Mistastin Craters, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 33, p. Abstract 1577, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

H E Newsom, J J Hagerty (2003) Evidence for impact-induced hydrothermal alteration at the Lonar crater, India, and Mistastin lake, Canada, International Conference on Large Meteorite Impacts, p. 2-3

H E Newsom, M J Nelson, C K Shearer, F J M Reitmeijer, R Gakin, K Lee (2004) Major and Trace Element Variations in Impact Crater Clays From Chicxulub, Lonar, And Mistastin, Implacications for the Martian Soil, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 35, p. 1087, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

C L Marion, P J Sylvester, M Tubrett, M Shaffer (2007) Microbeam-based analytical approach to define melt composition and identify target rocks in impact melt sheets; an analogue study from the Mistastin Lake impact crater, Labrador, International Astronautical Federation - 58th International Astronautical Congress 32, p. 1185-1193, Geological Association of Canada, Waterloo, ON, url

C Marion, P J Sylvester, A Leitch (2007) Variable thickness of the impact melt sheet at Mistastin Lake crater, northern Labrador, Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America 39(6), p. 372, Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, url

G R Osinski, R A F Grieve, G S Collins, C Marion, P Sylvester (2008) The effect of target lithology on the products of impact melting, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 43(12), p. 1939-1954, url, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2008.tb00654.x

C L Marion, P J Sylvester (2010) Composition and heterogeneity of anorthositic impact melt at Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Planetary and Space Science 58(4), p. 552-573, Elsevier, url, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2009.09.018

M Mader, G R Osinski, C Marion, R Dammeier, B Shankar, P Sylvester (2010) Mistastin impact structure, Labrador: A geological analogue for lunar highland craters, Nördlingen 2010: The Ries Crater, the Moon, and the Future of Human Space Exploration, p. 20

R Dammeier (2011) Investigation of lunar meteorite NWA 3163 and comparisons with shocked anorthosites from the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, url

M M Mader, I Antonenko, G R Osinski, M Battler, M Beauchamp, A Chanou, L Cupelli, R Francis, C Marion, E McCullough, L Preston, T Unrau, B Shankar, D Veillette (2011) Optimizing lunar sample return: Lessons learned from a robotic precursor lunar analogue mission at the Mistastin impact structure, Labrador, Canada, The Importance of Solar System Sample Return Missions to the Future of Planetary Science 1611, p. 5038

M M Mader, G R Osinski (2011) Insight into lunar impact cratering processes based on field mapping of the Mistastin Lake Impact Structure, Labrador, AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, p. P43C-1698

M M Mader, G R Osinski, C L Marion (2011) Impact ejecta at the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 42, p. 2505, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

I Antonenko, M M Mader, G R Osinski, M Battler, M Beauchamp, L Cupelli, A Chanou, R Francis, C Marion, E McCullough, A Pickersgill, L Preston, B Shankar, T Unrau, D Veillette (2011) Issues of geo-focused situational awareness in robotic planetary missions: Lessons from an analogue mission at Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 42, p. 2576, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

A C Singleton, G R Osinski, R A F Grieve, C Shaver (2011) Characterization of impact melt-bearing impactite dykes from the central uplift of the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 42, p. 2250, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M M Mader, G R Osinski, I Antonenko, T Barfoot, M Battler, M Beauchamp, A Chanou, Edward A Cloutis, M C Daly, N Ghafoor, R a F Grieve, K Hodges, B L Jolliff, M Kerrigan, E Mccullough, J Moores, C Otto, A Pickersgill, L Preston, D Redman, H Sapers, B Shankar, A Singleton, P Sylvester, L L Tornabene, T Unrau, Kelsey E Young (2011) Use of robotic precursor mission for follow-on human exploration: Case study lunar analogue mission at the Mistastin lake impact structure, Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group 1646, p. 48

M Beauchamp, Gordon Richard Osinski, T Unrau, C Marion, M Mader, I Antonenko, T Barfoot (2011) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) investigations of the Mistastin lake impact structure: A Case for GPR on the moon, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, p. 5-6

A E Pickersgill, G R Osinski, M M Mader (2012) A formational model for an impact melt-bearing breccia dyke at the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 2473, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

A K Sounders, P J Sylvester, G R Osinski (2012) Effect of impact-related processes on the lead isotope systematics of anorthosites: A lunar analogue study at Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. 1909, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

B Shankar, I Antonenko, G R Osinski, M M Mader, L J Preston, M Battler, M Beauchamp, A Chanou, L Cupelli, R Francis, C Marion, E McCullough, A E Pickersgill, T Unrau, D Veillette (2012) Lunar analogue mission: Overview of the site selection process at Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 1143, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

A C Singleton, G R Osinski, R A F Grieve, C Shaver (2012) Characterization of glasses in impact breccia dykes at the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 2588, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M M Mader, E McCullough, M Beauchamp, J Clayton, C L Marion, J Moores, A E Pickersgill, L J Preston, B Shankar, G R Osinski (2012) Science data management during real-time geological lunar analogue missions to the Sudbury and Mistastin lake impact structures: Recommendations for future ground data systems, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 1842, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

J E Moores, R Francis, G R Osinski, M Mader, E McCullough, L J Preston, L L Tornabene (2012) Surface operations for mission control during analogue human lunar deployments to Mistastin and Barringer impact structures, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 1136, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

L L Tornabene, G R Osinski, M M Mader, A Chanou, R Francis, B L Jolliff, C Marion, E McCullough, A Pickersgill, H Sapers, K Souders, P Sylvester, Kelsey E Young, M R Zanetti (2012) Utility of remote sensing, robotic precursor data and a focused science hypothesis for a follow-on human exploration lunar analogue mission at the Mistastin Lake (Kamestastin) impact structure, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 43, p. Abstract 2390, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

A E Pickersgill, Roberta L Flemming, G R Osinski, A C Singleton (2013) Micro-X-ray diffraction patterns of shocked plagioclase from the Mistastin lake impact structure, Canada, Meteorics & Planetary Science 48(1, SI), p. A281, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY-BLACKWELL

P J Sylvester, J L Crowley, M Schmitz (2013) U/Pb zircon age of Mistastin Lake crater, Labrador, Canada - implications for high-precision dating of small impact melt sheets and the end Eocene extinction, Mineralogical Magazine 77(5), p. 2574-2623, Mineralogical Society, London, url, doi:10.1180/minmag.2013.077.5.26

A E Pickersgill, G R Osinski, Roberta L Flemming (2013) Shock metamorphism in plagioclase from the Mistastin lake impact structure, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 44, p. Abstract 2471, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

Kelsey E Young, K V Hodges, M C van Soest, G R Osinski (2013) Dating the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, using zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 44, p. Abstract 2426, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M M Mader, G R Osinski, L L Tornabene (2013) Structural geology of the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Canada, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 44, p. 2517, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX, url

M M Mader, G R Osinski (2013) Impact melt-bearing breccias of the Mistastin Lake impact structure: A unique planetary analogue for ground-truthing proximal ejecta emplacement, AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, p. P34C-01

A C Singleton, M J Ward, A R Woll, G R Osinski (2014) Characterization of impact glass clasts from the Mistastin impact structure using synchrotron radiation spectroscopy, Meteorics and Planetary Science 49(1, SI), p. A366, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY-BLACKWELL

G Hervé, Stuart A Gilder, C Marion, G Osinski, J Pohl, P Sylvester (2014) Rock magnetism and paleomagnetism of Mistastin lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts 16, p. 1035

M R Zanetti, A Wittmann, A Nemchin, P Carpenter, E P Vicenzi, B Jolliff (2014) Decomposition of zircon in Mistastin lake impact melt glass: An integrated SIMS, Hyperspectral-CL, Raman, and EPMA Study, Meteorics and Planetary Science 49(1, SI), p. A449, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY-BLACKWELL

G Hervé, Stuart A Gilder, C L Marion, G R Osinski, J Pohl, N Petersen, P J Sylvester (2015) Paleomagnetic and rock magnetic study of the Mistastin Lake impact structure (Labrador, Canada): Implications for geomagnetic perturbation and shock effects, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 417, p. 151-163, Elsevier B.V., url, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.02.011

A Morlok, H Hiesinger, J Helbert (2015) Mid-Infared studies of impact rocks: Melt from suevites of Mistastin and Mien impact craters, Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, p. 2196

M M Mader, G R Osinski (2018) Impactites of the Mistastin Lake impact structure: Insights into impact ejecta emplacement, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 53(12), p. 2492-2518, doi:10.1111/maps.13173

A C Singleton (2019) Characteristics of Impactites in the Central Uplift of the Mistastin Lake Impact Structure, Canada, url

P J A Hill, G R Osinski, Neil R Banerjee (2020) Through the impact glass: Insight into the evolution of melt at the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Meteoritics and Planetary Science 55(3), p. 591-621, doi:10.1111/maps.13457

T Xie, G R Osinski, S R Shieh (2020) Raman study of shock features in plagioclase feldspar from the Mistastin lake impact structure, Canada, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55(7), p. 1471-1490, doi:10.1111/maps.13523

G Tolometti, G R Osinski, C D Neish, R A F Grieve, T M Erickson (2020) Constraining the temperature of impact melt from the Mistastin lake impact structure using zircon crystal structures, Lunary and Planetary Science Conference, url