Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Pb isotope systematics of pyrite: Implications for the age and genesis of lode gold deposits

Authors
Citation
Jh. Yang et Xh. Zhou, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Pb isotope systematics of pyrite: Implications for the age and genesis of lode gold deposits, GEOLOGY, 29(8), 2001, pp. 711-714
Citations number
25
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Earth Sciences
Journal title
GEOLOGY
ISSN journal
0091-7613 → ACNP
Volume
29
Issue
8
Year of publication
2001
Pages
711 - 714
Database
ISI
SICI code
0091-7613(200108)29:8<711:RSAPIS>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Lode gold deposits commonly consist of pyrite and lesser amounts of lead an d zinc sulfides accompanied by quartz and calcite. Their exact origin remai ns controversial mainly because of the scarcity of reliable geochronologica l data. Here we present direct Rb-Sr dating of pyrite from a lode gold depo sit and propose the method as a useful geochronological technique for gold mineralization for which age data are poor. A positive correlation between present-day Sr-87/Sr-86 and Rb-87/Sr-86 ratios of pyrite (FeS2) subsamples from the Linglong gold mine of China corresponds to an age of 122-123 Ma, w hich dates the age of gold mineralization. The Sr, Nd, and Ph isotopic comp ositions of pyrites and the associated rocks suggest that the hydrothermal fluids responsible for the pyrite and gold mineralization were probably der ived from a mixed source (i.e., degassing of mafic magmas and meteoric wate r that had leached the country rocks).