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Involvement of magmatic fluids at the Laloki and Federal Flag massive sulfide Cu–Zn–Au–Ag deposits, Astrolabe mineral district, Papua New Guinea: sulfur isotope evidence

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Abstract

We present the first sulfur (S) isotope data of sulfides, sulfates, pyrite in host mudstone, and bulk sulfur of gabbroic rocks from the Laloki and Federal Flag massive Cu–Zn–Au–Ag deposits in the Astrolabe mineral district, Papua New Guinea. Early-stage pyrite–marcasite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite from Laloki display wide range of δ34S values from −4.5 to +7.0 ‰ (n = 16). Late-stage pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite have restricted δ34S values of −1.9 to +4.7 ‰ (n = 16). The mineralizing stage these correspond to had moderately saline (5.9–8.4 NaCl eq. wt%) mineralizing fluids of possible magmatic origin. A single analysis of late-stage barite has a value of δ34S +17.9 ‰, which is likely similar to coexisting seawater sulfate. Pyrite from the foot-wall mudstone at Laloki has very light δ34S values of −36.1 to −33.8 ‰ (n = 2), which suggest an organic source for S. Pyrite–marcasite and chalcopyrite from Federal Flag show δ34S values of −2.4 to −1.9 ‰ (n = 2), consistent with a magmatic origin, either leached from intrusive magmatic rocks or derived from magmatic–hydrothermal fluids. The very narrow range and near-zero δ34S values (−1.0 to +0.6 ‰) of bulk gabbroic samples is consistent with mantle-derived magmatic S. Sulfur isotope characteristics of sulfides and sulfates are, however, very similar to base metal sulfide accumulations associated with modern volcanic arcs and sedimented mid-ocean ridges. The most reasonable interpretation is that the range of the sulfide and sulfate δ34S values from both Laloki and Federal Flag massive sulfide deposits is indicative of the complex interaction of magmatic fluids, seawater, gabbroic rocks, and mudstone.

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Acknowledgments

The research has been supported by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. Field work was made possible through funding from the Society of Resource Geology to S. K. Noku. We thanked Mackenzie Baloiloi (Earth Sciences Division, University of Papua New Guinea) and James Kur (Morobe Mining Joint Venture) who assisted during the field work. We are grateful to D. L. Huston for his invaluable comments on the earlier draft of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Petroleum Company Papua New Guinea, PO Box 143, Port Moresby, 121, NCD, Papua New Guinea

    Shadrach K. Noku

  2. Geoexmin Services, PO Box 412, University PO, 134, NCD, Papua New Guinea

    Joseph O. Espi

  3. The Hokkaido University Museum, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, N10 W8, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan

    Hiroharu Matsueda

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  1. Shadrach K. Noku
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Correspondence to Shadrach K. Noku.

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Noku, S.K., Espi, J.O. & Matsueda, H. Involvement of magmatic fluids at the Laloki and Federal Flag massive sulfide Cu–Zn–Au–Ag deposits, Astrolabe mineral district, Papua New Guinea: sulfur isotope evidence. Miner Deposita 50, 55–64 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-014-0563-y

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