Pb-bearing Cu-(Fe)-sulfides: Evidence for continuous hydrothermal activity in the northern Olympic Cu-Au Province, South Australia

Owen, Nicholas D.; Cook, Nigel J.; Ram, Rahul; Brugger, Joël; Maas, Roland; Schmandt, Danielle S.; Ciobanu, Cristiana L.

doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2023.107225

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…At Olympic Dam, an average present day heat flow of 125 mW/m 2 and steep temperature gradient of 83.1 (±5.5) • C/km was recorded [86], which is ~63% higher than the surrounding South Australian Heat Flow Anomaly. If this is considered alongside a (semi-)continual supply of radiogenic heat and the semi-continuous fluid flow, as argued by Owen et al [88], this may have allowed for long-lived rejuvenation of economic metals across the mineral system [85]. Evidence presented for secondary U enrichment at Olympic Dam [89] and the isotope systematics of carbonates [90] also indicate multiple stages of hydrothermal activity after 1 Ga.…”

Section: Were All Microstructures Obliterated By Coupled Dissolution ...mentioning

confidence: 80%

“…If accompanied by large fault displacements and associated tectonothermal events like emplacement of the Gairdner LIP [51], sudden transition between brittle to ductile regimes would be plausible and correlates with our observation of alternating ductile and brittle deformation microstructures in pyrite. The proposed waxing and waning, effectively semi-continuous fluid flow at Olympic Dam [88] would assist this, with even small changes in burial depth generating high-temperature metamorphic fluid systems [85].…”

Section: Were All Microstructures Obliterated By Coupled Dissolution ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coupled Microstructural EBSD and LA-ICP-MS Trace Element Mapping of Pyrite Constrains the Deformation History of Breccia-Hosted IOCG Ore Systems

King,

Cook,

Ciobanu

et al. 2024

Minerals

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Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) methods are used to investigate the presence of microstructures in pyrite from the giant breccia-hosted Olympic Dam iron–oxide copper gold (IOCG) deposit, South Australia. Results include the first evidence for ductile deformation in pyrite from a brecciated deposit. Two stages of ductile behavior are observed, although extensive replacement and recrystallization driven by coupled dissolution–reprecipitation reaction have prevented widespread preservation of the earlier event. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) element maps of pyrite confirm that many pyrite grains display compositional zoning with respect to As, Co, and Ni, but that the zoning is often irregular, patchy, or otherwise disrupted and are readily correlated with observed microstructures. The formation of ductile microstructures in pyrite requires temperatures above ~260 °C, which could potentially be related to heat from radioactive decay and fault displacements during tectonothermal events. Coupling EBSD methods with LA-ICP-MS element mapping allows a comprehensive characterization of pyrite textures and microstructures that are otherwise invisible to conventional reflected light or BSE imaging. Beyond providing new insights into ore genesis and superimposed events, the two techniques enable a detailed understanding of the grain-scale distribution of minor elements. Such information is pivotal for efforts intended to develop new ways to recover value components (precious and critical metals), as well as remove deleterious components of the ore using low-energy, low-waste ore processing methods.

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Section: Were All Microstructures Obliterated By Coupled Dissolution ...mentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Were All Microstructures Obliterated By Coupled Dissolution ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupled Microstructural EBSD and LA-ICP-MS Trace Element Mapping of Pyrite Constrains the Deformation History of Breccia-Hosted IOCG Ore Systems

King,

Cook,

Ciobanu

et al. 2024

Minerals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Pb-bearing Cu-(Fe)-sulfides: Evidence for continuous hydrothermal activity in the northern Olympic Cu-Au Province, South Australia

Cited by 1 publication

References 82 publications

Coupled Microstructural EBSD and LA-ICP-MS Trace Element Mapping of Pyrite Constrains the Deformation History of Breccia-Hosted IOCG Ore Systems

Coupled Microstructural EBSD and LA-ICP-MS Trace Element Mapping of Pyrite Constrains the Deformation History of Breccia-Hosted IOCG Ore Systems

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