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The Lac Des Iles Palladium Deposit, Ontario, Canada. Part II. Halogen variations in apatite

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Abstract

Analysis of apatite from the Mine Block Intrusion (MBI) of the Lac des Iles Igneous Complex shows two pronounced trends in the halogens. Apatite from relatively fresh norite and melanorites from the Pd-sulfide zone contain up to 57 mol% chlorapatite endmember with significant hydroxyapatite component. In contrast, in altered rock (amphibolite and greenschist assemblages) the chlorapatite component is typically less than 10 mol% with wide variation in the F- and OH-endmember components. The latter trend is attributed to Cl loss to degassing and alteration, whereas the former is attributed to Cl enrichment in the ore-bearing rocks. It is suggested that the relatively H2O-rich and intermediate Cl content of the early igneous fluids degassed from the deeper levels of the MBI can explain the high Pd/Pt and Pd/Ir ratios of the deposit. A model is presented in which disseminated Pd-rich sulfides are initially introduced by a high-temperature magmatic fluid that also influenced crystallization to produce the gross modal variations of the igneous host rock. This high-temperature mineralization event was subsequently modified by the influx of late igneous and country fluids at amphibolite to greenschist conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The two Duke University authors would like to thank North American Palladium for their support of this project. This work was completed as part of a Duke University Senior Thesis by the senior author. It has been substantially improved by the efforts of two anonymous reviewers, whose efforts are very much appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Earth & Ocean Sciences, Duke University, Box 90227, Durham, NC, 27708, USA

    Paul Schisa & Alan Boudreau

  2. Metals Exploration Division, North American Palladium Ltd., 556 Tenth Ave., Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 2R2, Canada

    Lionnel Djon, Arnaud Tchalikian & John Corkery

Authors
  1. Paul Schisa
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  2. Alan Boudreau
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  3. Lionnel Djon
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  4. Arnaud Tchalikian
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  5. John Corkery
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan Boudreau.

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Editorial handling: C. Li and B. Lehmann

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Schisa, P., Boudreau, A., Djon, L. et al. The Lac Des Iles Palladium Deposit, Ontario, Canada. Part II. Halogen variations in apatite. Miner Deposita 50, 339–355 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-014-0541-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-014-0541-4

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