Genesis of the Weizigou Au Deposit, Heilongjiang Province, NE China: Constraints from LA-ICP-MS Trace Element Analysis of Magnetite, Pyrite and Pyrrhotite, Pyrite Re-Os Dating and S-Pb Isotopes

The Weizigou Au deposit in Heilongjiang Province, NE China, located in the southern Jiamusi Massif, shows similarities to IOCG deposits. To determine the mineralization age, sources of ore-forming materials and genetic type, pyrite Re-Os dating, S-Pb isotopic analysis, in situ sulfur analysis and LA-ICP-MS analysis of trace elements in magnetite, pyrite and pyrrhotite were conducted. Four pyrite samples yielded a Re-Os isochron age of 197 ± 11 Ma, implying the occurrence a metallogenic event in the Early Jurassic. The δ34S values of sulfides display a relatively narrow range from 4.70‰ to 12.83‰ (mainly 9.90‰ to 12.83‰), which may be accounted for the extensively exposed granitic gneiss and meta-gabbro, with δ34S values of 7.44‰ to 8.44‰ and 4.37‰ to 10.54‰, respectively. Sulfide lead isotopic compositions have 206Pb/204Pb = 18.605–20.136, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.637–15.710 and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.534–39.129, indicating that the lead was derived from a mixed source. Magnetite has the characteristics of a lower Ti content and higher Zn content, indicating that it should be of hydrothermal origin, which may be related to IOCG-type mineralization. Pyrite and pyrrhotite have a Co/Ni ratio greater than 1 and a lower As content, indicating that they are of magmatic hydrothermal origin. Integrating the above analysis results, we inferred that the Weizigou Au deposit experienced the IOCG-type mineralization in the Middle-Late Permian, associated with magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization in the Early Jurassic.

DIRECT Re-Os DATING OF MANGANESE CARBONATE ORES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FORMATION OF THE ORTOKARNASH MANGANESE DEPOSIT, NORTHWEST CHINA

Sedimentary manganese carbonate deposits, the major economic source of Mn globally, are the product of complex interactions that occur in the marine environment, including both biological Mn(II) oxidation and Mn(IV) reduction. Precise and accurate age constraints for Mn carbonate deposits have been difficult to obtain, hindering the understanding of possible correlations between Mn metallogenic and paleoenvironmental processes at regional to global scale. The involvement of organic matter during Mn carbonate mineralization, however, allows for the Re-Os system, an ideal geochronological tool for determining the depositional or alteration ages of organic-rich rocks, to be applied. Here we present the first Re-Os systematics of Mn carbonate ores from the giant Ortokarnash Mn deposit in the West Kunlun orogenic belt, Xinjiang, China. The use of the Re-Os geochronometer, along with petrographic, whole-rock total organic carbon, and major element analyses, allows for the depositional age and mineralizing processes to be directly constrained. The Mn carbonate ores with relatively homogeneous initial 187Os/188Os values yield a robust mineralization age of 320.3 ± 6.6 Ma (Model 1; Isoplot regression) or 321.8 ± 14.5 Ma (Monte Carlo simulation). This age correlates well with U-Pb ages of the youngest detrital zircon group from the footwall volcanic breccia-bearing limestone and a newly obtained Re-Os age from the hanging-wall marlstones. Enrichment of hydrogenous Re and Os in the Ortokarnash Mn carbonate ores is likely related to the variable redox environments during Mn carbonate mineralization, where Re tends to be preserved in the organic matter that persists following the diagenetic reduction of the Mn(IV) oxyhydroxides in suboxic or anoxic sediment pore water. Conversely, Os was likely absorbed by Mn(IV) oxyhydroxides in oxic seawater during Mn(II) oxidation. Elevated Osinitial(i) for the Mn carbonate ores relative to that of the coeval global seawater value suggests that an increased riverine flux may have been a contributing factor leading to Mn mineralization.

Gold Deposits in Chile

A review of gold and gold bearing base metals deposits in Chile, indicate the existence of at least six different type of ore deposits, most largely formed during the Cenozoic with predominance in the Miocene. Mesozoic deposits are common but less relevant regarding their size and gold content. These hydrothermal ore deposits are genetically associated with subduction related Andean arc magmatism. Due to its relationship with episodic magmatism migrating eastward, there is a tendency for the deposits to be in distinct, north-south trending, belts with a progressive west to east decrease in mineralization age. After analysing 82 cases in total, main gold concentration can be assigned to high-sulfidation epithermal and porphyry type deposits. Low-sulfidation epithermal, IOCG and mesothermal type appears as less relevant. Gold bearing copper deposits constitute an important part of Chile’s total gold production. Both IOCG type but especially porphyry copper deposits are and will remain as a substantial source to supplement the future output of the gold in the country. The 82 deposits with their tonnage and grade studied, represent a total gold content of 11,662 t equivalent to 375 Moz, excluding past production for those exploited. A number of probable gold bearing base metals high tonnage deposits (IOCG and porphyry copper) do not include their gold content in public format, hence the number delivered could be estimated conservative. Methodical geochronological, ore types and zonation studies are required to better appreciate this metallogenic setting widening current understanding and future exploration results.

Overview in situ U - Pb isotopic dating method on cassiterite. Application to determine for Sn - W mineralization age of the Lung Muoi deposit in the Pia Oac region, Cao Bang province

In recent years, the U - Pb isotopic dating method for cassiterite minerals has been used by many scientists around the world in the field of mining and mineral research. This paper presents an overview of the history, development and results achieved using this dating method in the field of mining and mineral research in the world. The LA - ICP - MS U - Pb isotopic dating method for cassiterite minerals was used at the Lung Muoi Sn - W deposit in Pia Oac region, Cao Bang province. The result of LA - ICP - MS U - Pb cassiterite isotopic dating shows the Sn - W mineralization in the Lung Muoi deposit crystallized at 88 Ma. The new age results in this paper are very consistent with the previously published results of the Pia Oac granite.

TIMS Pb-Pb geochronology of sulfides in the Fazenda Coqueiro VHMS deposit, São Francisco Craton, NE Brazil: timing and genesis constraints on the Zn-Pb mineralization

TIMS Pb-Pb geochronological data allow determination of the timing and genesis of the Fazenda Coqueiro volcanic‑hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) Zn-Pb deposit hosted in the Neoarchean Mundo Novo greenstone belt (MNGB), NE São Francisco Craton. The deposit is inserted in the Rhyacian-Orosirian Contendas-Jacobina lineament between Archean cratonic blocks. The basement of the deposit is composed of Paleoarchean metagranite and metarhyolite nuclei tectonically emplaced within the supracrustal rocks. The volcanic-sedimentary rocks comprise the ocean floor western metabasalt, calcsilicate rock, aluminous schist, metachert, banded iron formation, and tremolitite of the middle sequence and metasedimentary siliciclastic rocks of the uppermost sequence of the MNGB. The western metabasalt is hydrothermally altered, which resulted in the formation of two alteration zones. They consist of carbonate zone, proximal, hosting massive sulfides composed mainly of sphalerite and galena with minor chalcopyrite; and sericite-chlorite zone, distal, hosting mainly disseminated chalcopyrite. Pb-Pb galena, chalcopyrite and sphalerite data from the massive and disseminated zones in the Fazenda Coqueiro deposit yielded model ages of 2,804 ± 11.15, 2,794 ± 11.2, and 2,767 ± 11.1 Ma, respectively, with the Pb sourced from the upper crust, based on the uranogenic and thorogenic diagrams. The Pb-Pb isochron mineralization age of 2,747 ± 16 Ma obtained from chalcopyrite and sphalerite samples from the massive and disseminated zones suggests that the sulfides were coeval and do not record later metamorphic-hydrothermal events. Therefore, the Fazenda Coqueiro deposit would have formed from Neoarchean ocean floor volcanic-exhalative processes. The Rhyacian-Orosirian tectonic event compressed the deposit between Archean blocks along the Contendas-Jacobina lineament, preserving the sulfides from remobilization processes.

Re–Os dating of pyrite and mineral chemistry of magnetite from the Yamansu Fe deposit, Xinjiang, northwestern China

The Yamansu iron deposit, hosted in submarine volcanic rocks, is located in the Aqishan–Yamansu Fe–Cu metallogenic belt of eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang. New pyrite Re–Os and pyroxene diorite intrusion ages and the chemistry of magnetite constrain the origin of the deposit. The Yamansu orebodies display banded or lenticular forms and sharp contacts with marble and garnet skarn. Pyrite associated with magnetite from hydrothermal massive ores has a Re–Os isochron age of 320.3 ± 9.1 Ma, which is consistent with the Carboniferous age of volcanic rocks. However, the pyroxene diorite age (252.1 ± 3.7 Ma) is obviously younger than the mineralization age, implying no temporal relationship between mineralization and intrusion. Magnetite samples from different ores in the Yamansu deposit are suggested to have a magmatic–hydrothermal origin. The magmatic primary magnetite is rich in TiO2 and poor in SiO2, MgO, and CaO, similar to magnetite from Kiruna type deposits. The hydrothermal magnetite is rich in FeO, CaO, and SiO2 but poor in TiO2 and shows oscillatory zoning. Moreover, magmatic and hydrothermal magnetite samples show different characteristic normalized rare earth element and trace element patterns. A combination of ore fabrics, discrimination diagrams, and normalized patterns for magnetite samples can reflect the magmatic–hydrothermal process. The Yamansu iron deposit is spatially and temporally associated with Carboniferous volcanism, and we propose that the magmatic magnetite ores were derived from iron-rich melt through melt immiscibility. The residual iron-rich magma ascended and erupted along with hydrothermal activity; then moderate to large amounts of hydrothermal massive, banded, or disseminated magnetite formed with skarns.

Intrabasinal sediment recycling from detrital strontium isotope stratigraphy

Temporary storage of sediment between source and sink can hinder reconstruction of climate and/or tectonic signals from stratigraphy by mixing of sediment tracers with diagnostic geochemical or geochronological signatures. Constraining the occurrence and timing of intrabasinal sediment recycling has been challenging because widely used detrital geo-thermochronology applications do not record shallow burial and subsequent reworking. Here, we apply strontium isotope stratigraphy techniques to recycled marine shell material in slope deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Tres Pasos Formation, Magallanes Basin, Chile. Detrital 87Sr/86Sr ages from 94 samples show that the majority (>85%) of the shells are >1–12 m.y. older than independently constrained depositional ages. We interpret the gap between mineralization age (87Sr/86Sr age) and depositional age of host strata to represent the intrabasinal residence time of sediment storage at the million-year time scale. We also use specimen type to infer relative position of intrabasinal source material along the depositional profile, where oysters represent shallow-water (i.e., proximal) sources and inoceramids represent deeper-water (i.e., distal) sources. The combined use of detrital strontium isotope ages and specimen types from linked depositional segments provides an opportunity to identify and quantify sediment storage and recycling in ancient source-to-sink systems.