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The hydrothermal fluid of Archæan lode-gold deposits at different metamorphic grades: compositional constraints from ore and wallrock alteration assemblages

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Abstract

A low-salinity, mixed aqueous-carbonic fluid is common to all Archæan lode-gold deposits throughout the range of mineralising conditions from sub-greenschist to lower-granulite facies temperatures. Alteration assemblages and fluid-inclusion data give constraints on the fluid composition. Fluid XCO 2 is 0.1–0.3 in typical greenschist-facies (mesothermal) deposits. At higher temperatures, the assemblages are consistent with formation from a fluid of similar composition, but slightly higher or lower XCO 2 cannot be ruled out, and fluid-inclusion data indicate that CH4 may be an important component in ore fluids at these temperatures. Fluid pH is neutral or weakly alkaline at all conditions. A range of relative oxidation states of four orders of magnitude fO 2 is indicated at any temperature, with deposits more oxidising relative to QFM at lower temperature. Sulphur contents of the fluids vary from ≈ 10 to 10−3.5m∑S, with a trend towards lower sulphur contents at lower temperatures. The relative concentrations of major cations in solution are similar at all conditions with Na ≫ K ≥ Ca, although Ca may be less abundant at low temperatures. The broad similarities in ore-fluid composition at all temperatures give support to ‘crustal-continuum’ models, in which Archæan lode-gold mineralisation involved either a single fluid moving through the middle and upper crust, or derivation of ore fluids by similar processes at different crustal levels. Many of the compositional differences between high- and lowtemperature ore-fluids may be attributed to evolution of deep-sourced hydrothermal solutions as they rise along structurally-controlled conduits. The constancy of major ore-fluid component concentration (e.g. CO2, Cl, ± K) suggests fluid-buffering and high fluid-rock ratios along fluid pathways. Fluid-buffered conditions can also explain the ore-fluid fO 2-temperature relations; with equilibria between oxidised and reduced aqueous carbon or sulphur species controlling the oxidation state. In contrast, the concentrations of components present in lesser abundance in Archæan gold ore-fluids (e.g. S, Ca, H+) were probably controlled either by saturation of one or more mineral phases brought on by decreasing temperature, or were rock-buffered through fluid-rock reactions. Extrapolation to high temperatures of the K, Na and Ca contents of the gold-bearing fluids indicates that their composition is consistent with derivation from, or final equilibration with, rocks of intermediate-granitic composition, thus giving support to isotopic and geological arguments for ore-fluid source regions external to the greenstone belts. The fluid oxidation states are characteristic of a wide range of potential source rocks, including mantle-derived igneous rocks, calc-alkaline granitoids and magmas, and seaflooraltered metabasalts. Strongly oxidised magmatic sources or unusually oxidising source processes (e.g. CO2-streaming during granulitisation of the lower crust) are therefore not required in the genesis of Arch≸an lode-gold deposits.

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  1. Key Centre for Strategic Mineral Deposits, University of Western Australia, 6009, Nedlands, WA, Australia

    E. J. Mikucki & J. R. Ridley

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Mikucki, E.J., Ridley, J.R. The hydrothermal fluid of Archæan lode-gold deposits at different metamorphic grades: compositional constraints from ore and wallrock alteration assemblages. Mineral. Deposita 28, 469–481 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02431603

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