Heat and Fluid Flow in Volcanic-Associated Massive Sulfide-Forming Hydrothermal Systems

Barrie, C. Tucker; Cathles, L. M.; Erendi, Alex; Schwaiger, Hans F.; Murray, C. G.

doi:10.5382/rev.08.09

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…High-temperature magmas in subvolcanic intrusive complexes at high levels in the crust proximal to VMS environments will result in hydrothermal systems that can run longer and more vigorously than those associated with lower temperature and deeper subvolcanic complexes ( Fig. 9; Cathles 1983; Barrie et al 1999). The results of this paper suggests that the Grass Lakes suite of intrusions were likely significant contributors to the heat budget and provided the thermal energy to form the hydrothermal systems that led to the formation of VMS deposits in the Kudz Ze Kayah unit (Kudz Ze Kayah and GP4F deposits; Fig.…”

Section: Implications For Vms Mineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Piercey¹,

Mortensen²,

Creaser³

2003

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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DevonianMississippian felsic rocks from the Finlayson Lake region have variable geochemical and Nd isotopic characteristics that provide insights into the tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the YukonTanana terrane (YTT), and the northern Cordillera. Late Devonian (~365360 Ma) calc-alkaline and tholeiitic arc felsic rocks in the mafic-dominated Fire Lake unit yield εNd350 = 4.8 and +0.1, respectively, and have 1.491.94 Ga depleted mantle model ages (TDM). DevonianMississippian (~360356 Ma) felsic volcanic (Kudz Ze Kayah unit, Wolverine succession) and intrusive rocks (Grass Lakes suite) associated with volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits have εNd350 = 7.8 to 9.5 with TDM = 1.592.25 Ga. A granitoid sample from the Early Mississippian (~350345 Ma) Simpson Range plutonic suite has εNd350 = 12.9 and TDM = 2.01 Ga, similar to previously reported values for this suite. The VMS-associated Grass Lakes suite of granitoids has higher high field strength element (HFSE) and rare-earth element (REE) contents, and higher Zr/Sc, Zr/TiO2, Nb/La, and Zr/La values relative to the Simpson Range plutonic suite; these geochemical features are similar to coeval VMS-associated felsic volcanic rocks in the Kudz Ze Kayah unit. The identification of similar HFSEREE-enriched felsic volcanic and subvolcanic intrusive rocks may aid in delineating prospective regions for VMS mineralization in the YTT and other continental-margin arc to back-arc environments. The geochemical and Nd isotopic data for these YTT felsic rocks suggest that they reflect episodic mid-Paleozoic arc (Fire Lake unit; Simpson Range plutonic suite) and back-arc magmatism (Kudz Ze Kudz unit; Wolverine succession) built upon a transitional basement with variable, but significant, influence from evolved (Proterozoic) crustal materials.

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Section: Implications For Vms Mineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Piercey¹,

Mortensen²,

Creaser³

2003

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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“…The massive sulfide deposits and iron formation layers are most common over the edges of the inferred LLIC, which is a modeled result of heat flow above the edges of subvolcanic intrusions (e.g. Barrie et al 1999b). Inferred synvolcanic faults were zones of focused paleo-heat and fluid flow over the edges and the center of the LLIC that controlled the location of massive sulfide deposits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This subvolcanic intrusion is 19 km long, 3 km thick and approximately 60 km 2 in area. Based on D r a f t heat and fluid modeling (Cathles 1983;Solomon et al 1987;Schiffman and Smith 1988;Paradis et al 1993;Hoy 1993;Cathles 1993;Yang et al 1996;Cathles et al 1997; Barrie et al 1999b; Barrie et al 1999a;Yang and Large 2001;Schardt et al 2005) and empirical data (Galley 2003) the drilled massive sulfide deposits are too far away (6-10 km) from this inferred paleo-heat source to have been favorable sites for base metal deposition. Thus, an interpretation of volcanic stratigraphy and synvolcanic fault geometry has important implications for future mineral exploration in the area.…”

Section: R a F Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic and chemical data from the Oaks Belt, Wabigoon subprovince, Minnesota: implications for Au-rich VMS deposit exploration

Hendrickson

2016

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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The Oaks Belt (OB) is a Neoarchean volcanic complex located in northwestern Minnesota, USA. It is part of the Wabigoon granite–greenstone terrane that hosts the world-class Rainy River gold deposit in nearby Ontario, Canada. Rocks in the OB form a north-dipping homocline in the fault-bounded pressure shadow of a sigma-shaped volcano-plutonic wedge that spans east–west for 220 km across the Minnesota, USA – Ontario, Canada border. Exploration drilling in the area delineated pyrrhotite–pyrite massive sulfide deposits, iron formation, chert, and semi-massive sphalerite mineralized zones. High-resolution aeromagnetic data indicate a large (∼60 km2) composite subvolcanic intrusion underlies these iron-rich strata in the OB. The position of this inferred intrusion elucidates the low base metal content of known massive sulfide deposits, as they were too far away (6–10 km) from a heat source to have been favorable sites for base metal deposition. The relative abundance of Au and Zn in the OB, alongside correlation coefficients between metals in massive sulfide deposits, iron formation, and chert, indicates the rocks were affected by a low-temperature hydrothermal system under relatively shallow water conditions (<1000 m). Negative correlation between Na2O and CaO in basalt, and their mutual moderate positive correlation with immobile corundum (Al2O3), implies alteration in the upper part of the volcanic pile did not result in substantial element mobility in most samples. Geochemical data from mafic and felsic volcanic rocks plot mainly in the calc-alkaline field. Thus, the OB is most prospective for hosting Au-rich VMS deposits and future exploration should focus on paleo-thermal corridors and favorable stratigraphic horizons near the newly inferred composite subvolcanic intrusion.

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“…Fossil submarine hydrothermal systems in Archean greenstone belts and other geologic terranes have been studied extensively because of their relationship with hydrothermal volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits (e.g. Barrie et al, 1999;Eastoe et al, 1987;Galley, 1993;Large, 1977;Riverin and Hodgson, 1980). The distribution of minerals and geochemical patterns in these regionalscale fossil systems are commonly complex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of the hydrothermal systems associated with Archean VMS-mineralization at Panorama, Western Australia, using hyperspectral, geochemical and geothermometric data

Ruitenbeek

Cudahy

Meer

et al. 2012

Ore Geology Reviews

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Heat and Fluid Flow in Volcanic-Associated Massive Sulfide-Forming Hydrothermal Systems

Cited by 13 publications

References 82 publications

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic and chemical data from the Oaks Belt, Wabigoon subprovince, Minnesota: implications for Au-rich VMS deposit exploration

Characterization of the hydrothermal systems associated with Archean VMS-mineralization at Panorama, Western Australia, using hyperspectral, geochemical and geothermometric data

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Heat and Fluid Flow in Volcanic-Associated Massive Sulfide-Forming Hydrothermal Systems

Cited by 13 publications

References 82 publications

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic and chemical data from the Oaks Belt, Wabigoon subprovince, Minnesota: implications for Au-rich VMS deposit exploration

Characterization of the hydrothermal systems associated with Archean VMS-mineralization at Panorama, Western Australia, using hyperspectral, geochemical and geothermometric data

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Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada

Neodymium isotope geochemistry of felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the YukonTanana Terrane in the Finlayson Lake Region, Yukon, Canada