Circum-Superior Belt age of . Another volcanic series in the Marquette Range Supergroup, known as the Gunflint Formation, has an age of . Further geologic units that are related to the Gunflint Formation include the Badwater volcanics and the Kiernan sills. A number of origins have suggested for the Marquette Range Supergroup magmatism. This includes subsidence being driven ahead related to thrusting of the Penokean orogeny or a possible back-arc basin, and lateral flow through the Pickle Crow dikes transported magma from the Fox River Belt area through the Superior craton for placement in the Marquette Range Supergroup. This suggested long-range origin
Circum-Superior Belt remain undated, indicating the existence of magmatic rocks with the same age as those of the Circum-Superior Belt is probable. It contains two large copper-nickel mining districts; the nickel-bearing Thompson Belt at the northwestern portion of the Superior craton and the Cape Smith Belt at the northern portion of the Circum-Superior Belt. The Circum-Superior Belt was formed 1,884 to 1,864 million years ago when the Superior craton was surrounded by mountain building processes, including the Trans-Hudson, New Quebec and Penokean orogenies. The major Trans-Hudson orogeny had its appearance when the Superior craton collided with the Rae-Hearne craton 1,900 to 1,800