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New Isotopic data from davidites and sulfides in the bidjovagge gold-copper deposit, Finnmark, Northern Norway

Neue Isotopendaten von Davidit und Sulfiden aus der Bidjovagge Gold-Lagerstätte, Finnmark, N.-Norwegen

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Summary

The Bidjovagge gold-copper deposit (69°17'N, 22°29'E) occurs in the north-south trending Proterozoic Kautokeino greenstone belt. The greenstone belt consists of shallow marine sediments and mafic to ultramafic volcanites, which are intruded by diabase sills and granitoids. The sequence can be correlated with the 1930 to 2200 Ma Kiruna greenstone belt. Svecokarelian intrusions took place in two phases between 1880–1890 Ma and between 1860-1870 Ma.

The deposit occurs in the stratigraphically lower part of the belt along a north-south trending anticlinal structure on the border between greenschist and amphibolite grade metamorphism within the Baltic-Bothnia megashear zone. The deposit is related to shear zones and hosted by albitic felsite, a metasomatic rock formed along the contact with the diabase sills.

The only ore minerals of economic significance are native gold and chalcopyrite. Other common ore minerals are pyrite and pyrrhotite. Marcasite, magnetite, ilmenite, hematite, tellurides, rutile, sphalerite, galena, davidite and pentlandite occur in accessory amounts. A total of 10 samples of davidite, 14 sulfides and 4 samples of albitic felsite were analyzed for their isotopic compositions. Our best estimate for the age of the davidites (1885 ± 18 Ma) is based on the upper intersection of a U/Pb concordia diagram and is identified as the time of davidite (and gold) mineralization. This age is confirmed by a Sm/Nd date of 1886 ± 88 Ma on the same material. At 1339 ± 8 Ma, a metamorphic or metasomatic event disturbed the U/Pb system in some of the davidite samples and completely reset the U/Pb ratios in the albitic felsites. The sulfide minerals, containing trace U and Pb, were strongly disturbed during galena formation at about 500–550 Ma but apparently were initially formed at the same time as, or shortly after, the davidite. Based on an estimated time of formation of galena during the development of the early Paleozoic peneplain in the area, the Pb/Pb data are interpreted as a two-stage isochron with an initial age of 1876 ± 15 Ma.

The relation between the mineralization and shear zones, the correspondence between the age of the mineralization and the Svecokarelian orogeny and the initial ratios of the radiogenic isotopes of the ore forming solutions, all support a metamorphic/metasomatic origin for the gold and copper mineralization.

Zusammenfassung

Die Bidjovagge Gold-Kupfer-Lagerstätte (69°17'N, 22°29'E) liegt in dem N-S streichenden proterozoischen Kautokeino Grüngesteinsgürtel. Er besteht aus marinen Flachwassersedimenten, sowie mafischen und ultramafischen Vulkaniten, die von Diabas-Sills und von Granitoiden intrudiert werden. Diese Gesteinsabfolge kann mit dem 1930–2200 Ma alten Kiruna Grüngesteinsgürtel verglichen werden. Sveko-karelische Intrusionen erfolgten zweiphasig, zwischen 1880–1890 Ma und zwischen 1860 und 1870 Ma.

Die Lagerstätte liegt in den stratigraphisch tieferen Anteilen diese Grüngesteinsgürtel entlang einer N-S streichenden Antiklinalstruktur im Übergangsbereich zwischen der Grünschiefer und Amphibolitfazies innerhalb der baltisch-bothnischen Mega-Scherzone.

Sie ist an Scherzonen und an Albit-Felsite, einem metasomatisch am Kontakt mit den Diabas-Sills gebildeten Gestein, gebunden.

Gediegen Gold und Kupferkies sind die wirtschaftlich wichtigsten Erzminerale. Pyrit und Magnetkies sind häufig. Markasit, Magnetit, Ilmenit, Hämatit, Telluride, Rutil, Zinkblende, Bleiglanz, Davidit und Pentlandit kommen akzessorisch vor. 10 Proben von Davidit, 14 Sulfide und 4 Proben von den Albit-Felsiten wurden auf ihre Isotopenzusammensetzung hin untersucht.

Der obere Schnittpukt im U/Pb Concordiadiagramm ergab die beste Altersabschätzung für die Davidite (1885 ± 18 Ma). Dieses Alter wird als Zeitpunkt der Davidit (und Gold)-Mineralisation betrachtet. Ein Sm/Nd-Alter von 1886 ± 88 Ma bestätigt dieses. Ein metamorphes oder metasomatisches Ereignis, datiert mit 1339 ± 8 Ma störte das U/Pb System in einigen Daviditproben und führte zu einer vollständigen Reequilibrierung der U/Pb Verhältnisse in den Albit-Felsiten. Die Isotopenverhältnisse der Sulfide, die Spuren von U und Pb enthalten, wurden während der Bildung von Bleiglanz um etwa 500–550 Ma ebenfalls massiv gestört; die Sulfide wurden aber offensichtlich gleichzeitig, oder aber kurz nach Davidit, gebildet. Basierend auf einer Abschätzung des Bleiglanz-Bildungsalters im Zuge der Entwicklung einer altpaläozoischen Peneplain in diesem Gebiet, werden die Pb/Pb Daten als Zweistufen-Isochrone mit einem Ursprungsalter von 1876 ± 15 Ma interpretiert.

Die Bindung der Mineralisation an Scherzonen, die Übereinstimmung des Mineralisationsalters mit dem der Sveco-karelischen Orogenese und die Isotopeninitiale der erzbildenden Lösungen belegen einen metamorph/metasomatischen Ursprung der Gold-und Kupfervererzungen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    A. Bjørlykke

  2. Department of Physics, University of Alberta, T6G 2J1, Edmonton, Alberta, Cananda

    G. L. Cumming & D. Krstic

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  1. A. Bjørlykke
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  2. G. L. Cumming
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  3. D. Krstic
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Bjørlykke, A., Cumming, G.L. & Krstic, D. New Isotopic data from davidites and sulfides in the bidjovagge gold-copper deposit, Finnmark, Northern Norway. Mineralogy and Petrology 43, 1–21 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01164218

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