Metamorphic remobilization of Archean Au: Insights from the world-class Hemlo deposit, Canada

IF 3.2 2区地球科学 Q2 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Precambrian Research Pub Date : 2025-02-10 DOI:10.1016/j.precamres.2025.107710

O Nadeau , M.I. Leybourne , A Voinot , A Poirier

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Although most Archean orogenic Au deposits formed after the related metamorphic events, numerous deposits have formed prior to peak metamorphic conditions, and abundant research has focused on the remobilization of Au by metamorphic-hydrothermal fluids. At the Archean Hemlo Au deposit, Canada, most recent research agrees that Au mineralization first occurred prior to metamorphism and that Au was subsequently remobilized. Given that Li is mobile, relatively compatible in micas and clay minerals, and experiences isotopic fractionation primarily as a result of fluid-rock reactions, here, Li isotopic composition is analyzed using multiple collector ICP-MS and used to investigate Au remobilization during metamorphic-hydrothermal alteration. It is shown that bulk rock Li concentrations and isotopic compositions changed simultaneously with Au remobilization, as a result of the metamorphic recrystallization of biotite, chlorite, muscovite, and white mica. The concentration of Li increased from 2.6-58 ppm in hydrothermally-altered rocks, and δ⁷Li values decreased simultaneously, from + 10.5 to + 1.4 ‰. Interestingly, the δ⁷Li values correlate positively with Au and Li concentrations, indicating that the metamorphic-hydrothermal fluid remobilized Au as the rocks were fluxed with Li, and the biotite-chlorite-muscovite-white mica assemblages were recrystallized. In addition to bulk rock analyses, the concentration of Li-Au was measured in minerals using laser ablation ICP-MS, in order to investigate why bulk rock δ⁷Li values and Li concentrations are systematically correlated with Au concentrations. The presence of Au in K-feldspar is ascribed to primary mineralization and related K-feldspar alteration, whereas that in prograde and retrograde biotite, as well as in retrograde chlorite, muscovite, and white mica, must have resulted from the metamorphic-hydrothermal alteration and related Au remobilization. The decrease in Au counts and concentrations in minerals representing the sequence of recrystallization support bulk rock results suggesting that some Au was remobilized during metamorphism. Overall, these results highlight the strong potential of Li isotopes for Au exploration and metallogenic studies.

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来源期刊

Precambrian Research 地学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

28.90%

发文量

325

审稿时长

12 months

期刊介绍： Precambrian Research publishes studies on all aspects of the early stages of the composition, structure and evolution of the Earth and its planetary neighbours. With a focus on process-oriented and comparative studies, it covers, but is not restricted to, subjects such as: (1) Chemical, biological, biochemical and cosmochemical evolution; the origin of life; the evolution of the oceans and atmosphere; the early fossil record; palaeobiology; (2) Geochronology and isotope and elemental geochemistry; (3) Precambrian mineral deposits; (4) Geophysical aspects of the early Earth and Precambrian terrains; (5) Nature, formation and evolution of the Precambrian lithosphere and mantle including magmatic, depositional, metamorphic and tectonic processes. In addition, the editors particularly welcome integrated process-oriented studies that involve a combination of the above fields and comparative studies that demonstrate the effect of Precambrian evolution on Phanerozoic earth system processes. Regional and localised studies of Precambrian phenomena are considered appropriate only when the detail and quality allow illustration of a wider process, or when significant gaps in basic knowledge of a particular area can be filled.