gold, isotopes, mineral chemistry, hydrothermal solutions
Abstract
This study deals with the petrography of sulfídes and quartz veins, Pb isotopes, major and trace elements in galena, microthermometry and Raman spectrometry of fluid inclusions, with the objective of delineating temporal and spatial aspects of the fluid circulation patterns during the origin of the Onça gold deposit, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The Pb isotope and mineral chemistry data indicate variable sources for the Pb isotopes, major (S and Pb) and trace elements (Sb, Ag, Zn and Se), with increases or decreases of the contents during the growth of the galena crystals. The results suggest that the variation may be due to the contamination of the hydrothermal solution by mixing with components derived from supracrustal host rocks of Pontes e Lacerda metavolcanic-sedimentary sequence. The mineral chemistry and fluids inclusion studies suggest two possible sources for the hydrothermal solutions: (1) deep solutions that originated during the regional metamorphism represented by the Aguapeí metamorphic event where the solutions present aqueous-carbonic composition and Iow salinity. Geologic control of the mineralization is in agreement with this hypothesis because the ore bodies are syntectonic with foliation formed during the Aguapeí event; (2) high contents of base metais indicates a plutonic influence in the origin of the fluids. Geologic controls also are in agreement with this hypothesis because pegmatitic intrusion was synchronous with the mineralizations. The Pb isotope and fluid inclusion relations allows the conclusions that the compositions of the hydrothermal solutes were variable during the emplacement of the quartz veins and the growth of galena crystals. The earlier solutes had hydrocarbons and were more radiogenic, whereas the later solutes had base metais and were less radiogenic. The Onça deposit originated during a metamorphic event by the effect of hydrothermal solutions related to plutonism, and with an important contribution from the host rocks as recorded by the influence of isotope, major and trace element compositions on the growth of ore-forming minerais.
