HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS AND ORE DEPOSITS Hydrothermal mineral assemblages: what do they reveal about ore-forming processes ?

Roberto Perez Xavier Departamento de Geologia e Recursos Naturais Instituto de Geocincias - UNICAMP

SISTEMAS HIDROTERMAIS

Wyborn et al. (2005)

Sulphides, oxides and gangue minerais generally form assemblages in ore deposits what do they reveal about the ore-forming environment ??

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Assemblage 1

What do they reveal about the ore-forming environment ??

Py
Au

Py Au Au

Hm

Po

Assemblage 2

Assemblage 1 + 3

Assemblage (1) Py + Au = gives nothing! Assemblage (2) Py + Po + Au = reducing environment (3) Py + Hm + Au = oxidizing environment
O2 fugacity (or parcial pressure) - (O2) = variable that controls the OXIDATION POTENCIAL potential for Fe to occur in its oxidizing or reducing form 2Fe3O4 + 3SiO2 3Fe2SiO4 + O2
300 C
Seward (1982) e Brown (1986)

6Fe2O3

4Fe3O4 + O2

O2 buffers

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What do these ore assemblages reveal about the ore-forming environment ?

Assembage cpy + bn
Bn

Assembage cpy +py

cpy

Cpy - py

IOCG Sossego (Carajs) IOCG Salobo (Carajs)

What do these ore assemblages reveal about the oreforming environment ? Ore mineral assemblages provide insights on the redox conditions in the hydrothermal system Bornite (Cu5FeS4) + chalcosite (Cu2S) precipitate at higher T and more oxidizing (>O2) conditions than chalcopirita + pirita or pyrrhotite

Kesler (1984)

SISTEMA Fe - Cu - S

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cpy + bn indicate more oxidizing conditions than cpy + py, regardless pH

Note that the K Na Al silicates are pH buffers

250 C

SULPHIDATION STATES OF HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS

5CuFeS2 + S2(g) = 4FeS2 + Cu5FeS4

5CuFeS2 + 1/2 O2(g) + 2H+ = 3FeS2 + Cu5FeS4 + Fe2+ + H20(/)

Heald et al. (1987)

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SULPHIDATION STATES OF HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS Stability of sulphide assemblages as a function of S fugacity (S2) of the fluid
FeS + S 2 = FeS2 S2 buffers

5CuFeS2 + S2 = Cu5FeS4 + 4FeS2 cpy bn py 0,47FeAsS + 1,41CuFeS2 + S2 = 0,12Cu12As4S13 + 1,88FeS2 aspy cpy tennantite py

5CuFeS2 + S2 = Cu5FeS4 + 4FeS2 cpy bn py 0,67Cu12As4S13 + S2 = 2,67Cu3AsS4 tenantite enargite

aspy + cpy + S2 = tn + py

2po + S2 = 2py

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SULPHIDATION STATES OF HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS

IOCG Salobo (Carajs)

SULPHIDATION STATES OF HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS

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SULPHIDATION STATES OF HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS

NOT a function of the concentration of sulphides in an ore deposit

NOT a function of the concentration of sulphur in a sulphide assemblage e.g., Py (FeS2) contains more S than covelite (CuS), but its stability field extends to conditions of low S2 compared to covelite

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