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Auriferous volcanogenic massive sulfides in Paleoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary sequence of Aravalli Fold Belt in Dugocha Area, Udaipur District, Rajasthan, NW India

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Abstract

The Proterozoic rocks of the Aravalli and Delhi Fold Belts are known to host several massive sulfide deposits of economic importance. Author report here, auriferous massive sulfide mineralisation from Palaeoproterozoic carbonate dominated volcano-sedimentary sequence at Dugocha, NW India. Gold occurs in the association of Fe–As–Cu–Ni sulfides hosted in metavolcanic rock and dolomite. Tuffaceous exhalite is spatially associated with metavolcanic rock hosting Cu–Au bearing sulfide deposit in the study area. In metavolcanic, tourmaline occurs as disseminations. In tuffaceous exhalite, tourmaline occurs as in the form of >15% tourmaline-rich layers and as zoned tourmaline as discrete grains. Analytical data of tourmalines compares well with the composition of dravite. These Mg-rich tourmalines show a low Fe/Al ratio. Low Fe/Al ratio suggestive of exhalative origin and Mg-rich tourmaline are characteristics of massive sulfide deposits. The fluid inclusion data suggest high salinity aqueous phase and homogenisation temperature of ~150°C associated with sulfide deposition. The well-constrained δ34S values of +10.17 and +12.08 permil with an average of +11.2 permil compare well with those of fluids of Discovery Deep median trench of the Red Sea. The high isotopic composition is suggestive of mixing of reduced seawater with stripped-out sulfur from the magma chamber by hydrothermal fluids. These auriferous sulfides charged with high salinity aqueous phases were deposited in a volcanic environment. The mineralisation associated with metavolcanic in Dugocha formed during the first stage of the Aravalli rift at ~2 Ga is associated with volcanism and hydrothermal activity through the circulation of hot brines charged with high salinity.

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Acknowledgements

The author is thankful to the Additional Director General, Geological Survey of India, Western Region, Jaipur, for encouragement and accord approval to publish this manuscript. I am indebted to my teacher, who spared his valuable time for technical discussions during the writing of this manuscript. My sincere acknowledgements are due to my fellow geologists, Shri Aditya Paliwal and Shri Shishir Bharadwaj for their immense help during the thin section study and preparation of this manuscript. I acknowledge the team of officers of Petrology, Petrochemistry, and Ore Dressing (PPOD) Division, SR, GSI, Bangalore (erstwhile AMSE Wing) for analytical support.

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    Suresh Chander

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Chander, S. Auriferous volcanogenic massive sulfides in Paleoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary sequence of Aravalli Fold Belt in Dugocha Area, Udaipur District, Rajasthan, NW India. J Earth Syst Sci 131, 262 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-01998-8

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