Gold in the Brunswick No. 12 volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Bathurst Mining Camp, Canada: Evidence from bulk ore analysis and laser ablation ICP─MS data on sulfide phases

McClenaghan, Seán; Lentz, David R.; Martin, J. B.; Diegor, Wilfredo

doi:10.1007/s00126-009-0233-7

Cited by 35 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…These techniques remain bulk methods and so are limited in their ability to determine lattice bound trace constituents with confidence. Other studies such as Subba Rao and Naqvi (1997), McClenaghan et al (2009), Cook et al (2011) and Maydagán et al (2013) only measured chalcopyrite in a limited number of samples (maximum of four), as they primarily focused on characterizing the chemistry of complex phase assemblages. The different emphasis of such studies highlights the need for a more detailed investigation of a larger, more diverse sample suite, considering a wider range of potential trace elements, and utilizing an analytical technique with low minimum detection limits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trace elements in hydrothermal chalcopyrite

et al. 2018

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Concentration data are reported for 18 trace elements in chalcopyrite from a suite of 53 samples from 15 different ore deposits obtained by laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Chalcopyrite is demonstrated to host a wide range of trace elements including Mn, Co, Zn, Ga, Se, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl, Pb and Bi. The concentration of some of these elements can be high (hundreds to thousands of ppm) but most are typically tens to hundreds of ppm. The ability of chalcopyrite to host trace elements generally increases in the absence of other co-crystallizing sulfides. In deposits in which the sulfide assemblage recrystallized during syn-metamorphic deformation, the concentrations of Sn and Ga in chalcopyrite will generally increase in the presence of co-recrystallizing sphalerite and/or galena, suggesting that chalcopyrite is the preferred host at higher temperatures and/or pressures. Trace-element concentrations in chalcopyrite typically show little variation at the sample scale, yet there is potential for significant variation between samples from any individual deposit. The Zn:Cd ratio in chalcopyrite shows some evidence of a systematic variation across the dataset, which depends, at least in part, on temperature of crystallization. Under constant physiochemical conditions the Cd:Zn ratios in co-crystallizing chalcopyrite and sphalerite are typically approximately equal. Any distinct difference in the Cd:Zn ratios in the two minerals, and/or a non-constant Cd:Zn ratio in chalcopyrite, may be an indication of varying physiochemical conditions during crystallization.Chalcopyrite is generally a poor host for most elements considered harmful or unwanted in the smelting of Cu, suggesting it is rarely a significant contributor to the overall content of such elements in copper concentrates. The exceptions are Se and Hg which may be sufficiently enriched in chalcopyrite to exceed statutory limits and thus incur monetary penalties from a smelter.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reports of gallium, mercury and thallium in chalcopyrite are rare and concentrations are almost exclusively in the order of a few ppm (e.g. Maslennikov et al , 2009; McClenaghan et al , 2009; Cook et al , 2011). Revan et al (2014) did, however, report chalcopyrite containing up to hundreds of ppm Tl.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace elements in hydrothermal chalcopyrite

et al. 2018

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“…Banded iron formations (BIFs) are "chemical sediments" commonly referred as "exhalites" typically thin bedded or laminated, containing 15% or more iron, but not necessarily containing layers of chert and belong to Archean, Early Proterozoic and Neoproterozoic time (James, 1954;Ridler, 1971;Taner and Chemam, 2015), though the New Brunswick massive sulfide-iron formation is a Middle Ordovician BIF (McClenaghan et al, 2009). The Rapitan (710-635 Ma) and Ediacaran (635-540 Ma) BIFs have been investigated due to their unusual associations with glaciogenic sequences and diamictites (Holland, 1984;Bau and Möller, 1993;Beukes, 1993 Trendall, 2002;Huston and Logan, 2004;Klein and Ladeira, 2004;Holland, 2005;Frei et al, 2008;Pirajno, 2009;Narbonne et al, A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T…”

Section: Previous Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural, textural, geochemical and isotopic signatures of synglaciogenic Neoproterozoic banded iron formations (BIFs) at Bafq mining district (BMD), Central Iran: The possible Ediacaran missing link of BIFs in Tethyan metallogeny

Mohseni

Aftabi

2015

Ore Geology Reviews

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“…To our current knowledge, there are no data available in the literature on trace Au contents in pyrite, sphalerite and galena from shale-hosted, clastic-dominated deposits. Similarly, only few papers report LA-ICP-MS results on pyrite from VMS deposits [42][43][44], in spite of the important Au endowment of many deposits [36,37] and the need-to-know Au speciation for effective recovery. Average Au content in pyrite from different deposits of the Bathurs Mining Camp varies from 0.07 ppm in Key Anacon East Zone to 1.86 ppm in Louvicourt and always concentrates in As-rich pyrite [43].…”

Section: Au Distribution In Zn-pb Oresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gold in the Farallones Block of the Shale-Hosted, Clastic-Dominated Castellanos Zinc-Lead Deposit (Northwest Cuba)

et al. 2021

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The Zn-Pb ores of the Castellanos shale-hosted, clastic-dominated deposit in northwest Cuba average nearly 1 g/t Au, with local maximum concentrations up to 34 g/t Au. This deposit is stratiform with respect to the bedding in the host black shales and shows a bottom to top zoning of ore assemblages made up of a stockwork underlying the main orebody, a basal pyrite-rich zone and a disseminated to massive Zn-Pb ore zone capped by a discontinuous, thin barite-rich zone. Petrographic data and textural relations allow distinguishing five textural types of pyrite (framboidal Py I, colloform Py IIa, euhedral Py IIb, massive Py IIc and banded colloform Py III) successively formed during ore deposition. The main Zn-Pb ore formed after the crystallization of disseminated, sedimentary framboidal pyrite (Py I) in black shales by the superimposition of several crystallization events. The crystallization sequence of the main ore-forming stage evolved from the precipitation of colloform sphalerite and pyrite (Py IIa) with skeletal galena and interstitial dolomite-ankerite to similar ore assemblages but showing subhedral to euhedral crystal habits (Py IIb) and interstitial calcite-rich carbonates. This stage ended with the development of massive pyrite (Py IIc), mainly occurring at the base of the stratiform orebody. A late fracturing stage gave way to the development of a new generation of colloform banded pyrite (Py III) just preceding the crystallization of early barite. Au is mainly concentrated in pyrite showing variable contents in the different textural types of pyrite and a bottom to top enrichment trend. Minimum contents occur in massive pyrite (Py IIc) from the basal pyrite-rich zone (0.18 ppm Au average), increasing in pyrite IIa (from 0.29 to 2.86 ppm Au average) and in euhedral pyrite (Py IIb) (from 0.82 to 9.02 ppm Au average), reaching maxima in colloform banded pyrite (Py III) formed just before the crystallization of early barite at the top of the orebody. Au enrichment in pyrite correlates with that of Sb (0.08–4420 ppm), As (0.7–35,000 ppm), Ag (0.03–1560 ppm) and to a lesser extent Cu (3–25,000 ppm), Ni (0.02–1600 ppm) and Mn (0.6–5030 ppm). Au deposition should have taken place by oxidation and, probably cooling, of reduced (H2S-dominated) fluids buffered by organic matter-rich black shales of the host sedimentary sequence. The input of such reduced fluids in the ore-forming environment most probably occurred alternating with that of the main oxidized fluids which leached Zn and Pb from the large volume of sandstones and siltstones making up the enclosing sequence, thus being responsible for the precipitation of the majority Zn-Pb ore. Supply of Au-carrying reduced fluids might progressively increase over the course of ore formation, reaching a maximum at the beginning of the late fracturing stage. This evolution of Au supply is consistent with the early crystallization of barite since Ba can also only be transported at low temperature by highly reduced fluids. These results highlight the potential of medium-sized, shale-hosted, clastic-dominated deposits to contain economic (by product) Au amounts and show that ore-forming fluids can change from oxidized (SO42+ dominated) to reduced (H2S-dominated), and vice versa, throughout the evolutionary history of a single deposit.

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Gold in the Brunswick No. 12 volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Bathurst Mining Camp, Canada: Evidence from bulk ore analysis and laser ablation ICP─MS data on sulfide phases

Cited by 35 publications

References 66 publications

Trace elements in hydrothermal chalcopyrite

Trace elements in hydrothermal chalcopyrite

Structural, textural, geochemical and isotopic signatures of synglaciogenic Neoproterozoic banded iron formations (BIFs) at Bafq mining district (BMD), Central Iran: The possible Ediacaran missing link of BIFs in Tethyan metallogeny

Gold in the Farallones Block of the Shale-Hosted, Clastic-Dominated Castellanos Zinc-Lead Deposit (Northwest Cuba)

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