Wang, Yue, Zhu, Xiangkun, Tang, Chao, Mao, Jingwen, and Chang, Zhaoshan (2021) Discriminate between magmatic- and magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits using Fe isotopes. Ore Geology Reviews, 130. 103946.

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Abstract

Although discriminating high temperature mineral systems, for example, magmatic- vs magmatic-hydrothermal origin Fe deposits, is challenging, the emerging Fe isotope systematics have shown good potentials to provide crucial information on resolving the problem. Here, Fe isotopes of multiple types of samples from one iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposit and two skarn Fe deposits are measured, aiming to study their behaviors in high temperature magmatic and magmatic-hydrothermal environments. The primary observation of this study is that magnetite samples from high grade ores of magmatic origin IOA deposits has a heavier Fe isotopic signature relative to the associated igneous rocks, whereas a lighter Fe isotopic composition in magnetite samples from magmatic-hydrothermal origin skarn deposits relative to the causative intrusions. Another distinctive feature is that δ56Fe values of the causative intrusions in the magmatic origin IOA deposits are lighter than that of non-fertile intrusions, whereas the ore-associated intrusions of the magmatic-hydrothermal deposit are heavier in δ56Fe than that of non-fertile igneous rocks. The above two observed scenarios suggest that Fe isotope fractionation exists in both magmatic immiscibility and hydrothermal fluid exsolution processes. Magma immiscibility leads to heavy Fe isotope enrichment in immiscible Fe-rich melt phase, and resulting light Fe enrichment in Si-rich melt phase. Hydrothermal fluid exsolution results in lighter Fe isotope enrichment in the exsolved liquid phase, with a heavy Fe isotope enrichment in the residual magma. Fe isotopes behave in different ways in magmatic and magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization processes, which makes Fe isotopes an effective tool to discriminate mineral deposits of magmatic origin from those formed by magmatic-hydrothermal processes.

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