Differentiating between hydrothermal and diagenetic carbonates using rare earth element and yttrium (REE+Y) geochemistry: A case study from the Paleoproterozoic George Fisher massive sulphide Zn deposit

Cite as:

Rieger, Philip; Magnall, Joseph M.; Gleeson, Sarah A.; Oelze, Marcus; Wilke, Franziska D.H.; Lilly, Richard (2021): Differentiating between hydrothermal and diagenetic carbonates using rare earth element and yttrium (REE+Y) geochemistry: A case study from the Paleoproterozoic George Fisher massive sulphide Zn deposit. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005

Status

I N R E V I E W : Rieger, Philip; Magnall, Joseph M.; Gleeson, Sarah A.; Oelze, Marcus; Wilke, Franziska D.H.; Lilly, Richard (2021): Differentiating between hydrothermal and diagenetic carbonates using rare earth element and yttrium (REE+Y) geochemistry: A case study from the Paleoproterozoic George Fisher massive sulphide Zn deposit. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005

Abstract

Carbonate minerals are ubiquitous in most sediment-hosted mineral deposits. These deposits can contain a variety of carbonate types with complex paragenetic relationships. When normalized to chondritic values (CN), rare-earth elements and yttrium (REE+YCN) can be used to constrain fluid chemistry and fluid-rock interaction processes in both low- and high-temperature settings. Unlike other phases (e.g., pyrite), the application of in situ laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) data to the differentiation of pre-ore and hydrothermal carbonates remains relatively untested. To assess the potential applicability of carbonate in situ REE+Y data, we combined transmitted light and cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography with LA-ICP-MS analysis of carbonate mineral phases from (1) the Proterozoic George Fisher clastic dominated (CD-type) massive sulfide deposit and from (2) correlative, barren host rock lithologies (Urquhart Shale Formation).

The REE+YCN composition of pre-ore calcite suggests it formed during diagenesis from diagenetic pore fluids derived from ferruginous, anoxic seawater. Hydrothermal and hydrothermally altered calcite and dolomite from George Fisher is generally more LREE depleted than the pre-ore calcite, whole-rock REE concentrations, and shale reference values. We suggest this is the result of hydrothermal alteration by saline Cl--rich mineralizing fluids.

Furthermore, the presence of both positive and negative Eu/Eu* values in calcite and dolomite indicates that the mineralizing fluids were relatively hot (>250°C) and cooled below 200-250°C during ore formation. This study confirms the hypothesis that in situ REE+Y data can be used to differentiate between pre-ore and hydrothermal carbonate and provide important constraints on the conditions of ore formation.

Authors

Rieger, Philip;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany;Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Magnall, Joseph M.;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Gleeson, Sarah A.;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany;Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Oelze, Marcus;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Wilke, Franziska D.H.;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Lilly, Richard;Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

Contact

Rieger, Philip; GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany;

Contributors

Elemental Mapping by LA-ICP-MS (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Germany)

Keywords

rare earth elements, CD-type massive sulphide deposit, SEDEX massive sulphide deposit, hydrothermal alteration, hydrothermal ore formation, Proterozoic, sedimentary basin, Mount Isa, George Fisher, Carpentaria Province

GCMD Science Keywords

EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > MARINE GEOCHEMISTRY
In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Spectrometers/Radiometers > LA-ICP-MS

More Metadata

datacite: download xml
- resource (xsi:schemaLocation=http://datacite.org/schema/kernel-4 http://schema.datacite.org/meta/kernel-4.3/metadata.xsd)
  - identifier (identifierType=DOI): 10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005
  - creators
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Rieger, Philip
      - givenName: Philip
      - familyName: Rieger
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0001-7888-0077
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier=0000-0001-7888-0077 affiliationIdentifierScheme=ORCID): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
      - affiliation: Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Magnall, Joseph M.
      - givenName: Joseph M.
      - familyName: Magnall
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0002-7868-3038
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier=0000-0002-7868-3038 affiliationIdentifierScheme=ORCID): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Gleeson, Sarah A.
      - givenName: Sarah A.
      - familyName: Gleeson
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0002-5314-4281
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier=0000-0002-5314-4281 affiliationIdentifierScheme=ORCID): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
      - affiliation: Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Oelze, Marcus
      - givenName: Marcus
      - familyName: Oelze
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0002-3950-6629
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier=0000-0002-3950-6629 affiliationIdentifierScheme=ORCID): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Wilke, Franziska D.H.
      - givenName: Franziska D.H.
      - familyName: Wilke
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0002-3463-6176
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier=0000-0002-3463-6176 affiliationIdentifierScheme=ORCID): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
    - creator
      - creatorName (nameType=Personal): Lilly, Richard
      - givenName: Richard
      - familyName: Lilly
      - nameIdentifier (nameIdentifierScheme=ORCID): 0000-0001-9111-2056
      - affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  - titles
    - title: Differentiating between hydrothermal and diagenetic carbonates using rare earth element and yttrium (REE+Y) geochemistry: A case study from the Paleoproterozoic George Fisher massive sulphide Zn deposit
  - publisher: GFZ Data Services
  - publicationYear: 2021
  - subjects
    - subject: rare earth elements
    - subject: CD-type massive sulphide deposit
    - subject: SEDEX massive sulphide deposit
    - subject: hydrothermal alteration
    - subject: hydrothermal ore formation
    - subject: Proterozoic
    - subject: sedimentary basin
    - subject: Mount Isa
    - subject: George Fisher
    - subject: Carpentaria Province
    - subject (subjectScheme=NASA/GCMD Earth Science Keywords): EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > MARINE GEOCHEMISTRY
    - subject (subjectScheme=GCMD Instruments): In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Spectrometers/Radiometers > LA-ICP-MS
  - contributors
    - contributor (contributorType=HostingInstitution)
      - contributorName: Elemental Mapping by LA-ICP-MS (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Germany)
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier= affiliationIdentifierScheme=): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
    - contributor (contributorType=ContactPerson)
      - contributorName: Rieger, Philip
      - affiliation (affiliationIdentifier= affiliationIdentifierScheme=): GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
  - resourceType (resourceTypeGeneral=Dataset): Dataset
  - relatedIdentifiers
    - relatedIdentifier (relatedIdentifierType=DOI relationType=IsSupplementTo): 10.1007/s00126-021-01056-1
    - relatedIdentifier (relatedIdentifierType=DOI relationType=Cites): 10.1039/C1JA10172B
    - relatedIdentifier (relatedIdentifierType=DOI relationType=Cites): 10.1111/j.1751-908X.2007.00104.x
  - sizes:
  - formats:
  - rightsList
    - rights (rightsURI=http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): CC BY 4.0
  - descriptions
    - description (descriptionType=Abstract)
      - br:
      - br:
      - br:
      - br:
      - br:
  - geoLocations
    - geoLocation:
iso19115: download xml
- MD_Metadata (xsi:schemaLocation=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/gmd http://www.isotc211.org/2005/gmd/gmd.xsd)
  - fileIdentifier
    - CharacterString: 10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005
  - language
    - LanguageCode (codeList=http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/ codeListValue=eng): eng
  - characterSet
    - MD_CharacterSetCode (codeListValue=utf8 codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/codeList.xml#MD_CharacterSetCode):
  - hierarchyLevel
    - MD_ScopeCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#MD_ScopeCode codeListValue=dataset): dataset
  - hierarchyLevelName
    - CharacterString:
  - contact
    - CI_ResponsibleParty
      - organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
      - contactInfo
        CI_Contact
        address
        CI_Address
        electronicMailAddress
        CharacterString: datapub(_at_)gfz-potsdam.de
        onlineResource
        CI_OnlineResource
        linkage
        URL: http://www.gfz-potsdam.de
        name
        CharacterString: Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
        description
        CharacterString: Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
      - role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=pointOfContact): pointOfContact
  - dateStamp
    - Date: 2021-05-21
  - referenceSystemInfo
    - MD_ReferenceSystem
      - referenceSystemIdentifier
        RS_Identifier
        code
        CharacterString: urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG:4326
  - identificationInfo
    - MD_DataIdentification
      - citation
        CI_Citation
        title
        CharacterString: Differentiating between hydrothermal and diagenetic carbonates using rare earth element and yttrium (REE+Y) geochemistry: A case study from the Paleoproterozoic George Fisher massive sulphide Zn deposit
        date
        CI_Date
        date
        Date: 2021-05-21
        dateType
        CI_DateTypeCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_DateTypeCode codeListValue=revision): revision
        identifier
        MD_Identifier
        code
        CharacterString: doi:10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7888-0077)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Rieger, Philip
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7868-3038)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Magnall, Joseph M.
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5314-4281)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Gleeson, Sarah A.
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3950-6629)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Oelze, Marcus
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3463-6176)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Wilke, Franziska D.H.
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty (xlink:href=http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9111-2056)
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Lilly, Richard
        organisationName
        CharacterString: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=author): author
        citedResponsibleParty
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Elemental Mapping by LA-ICP-MS (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Germany)
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=originator): originator
        citedResponsibleParty
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ Data Services
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=publisher): publisher
      - abstract
        CharacterString: Carbonate minerals are ubiquitous in most sediment-hosted mineral deposits. These deposits can contain a variety of carbonate types with complex paragenetic relationships. When normalized to chondritic values (CN), rare-earth elements and yttrium (REE+YCN) can be used to constrain fluid chemistry and fluid-rock interaction processes in both low- and high-temperature settings. Unlike other phases (e.g., pyrite), the application of in situ laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) data to the differentiation of pre-ore and hydrothermal carbonates remains relatively untested. To assess the potential applicability of carbonate in situ REE+Y data, we combined transmitted light and cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography with LA-ICP-MS analysis of carbonate mineral phases from (1) the Proterozoic George Fisher clastic dominated (CD-type) massive sulfide deposit and from (2) correlative, barren host rock lithologies (Urquhart Shale Formation). The REE+YCN composition of pre-ore calcite suggests it formed during diagenesis from diagenetic pore fluids derived from ferruginous, anoxic seawater. Hydrothermal and hydrothermally altered calcite and dolomite from George Fisher is generally more LREE depleted than the pre-ore calcite, whole-rock REE concentrations, and shale reference values. We suggest this is the result of hydrothermal alteration by saline Cl--rich mineralizing fluids. Furthermore, the presence of both positive and negative Eu/Eu* values in calcite and dolomite indicates that the mineralizing fluids were relatively hot (>250°C) and cooled below 200-250°C during ore formation. This study confirms the hypothesis that in situ REE+Y data can be used to differentiate between pre-ore and hydrothermal carbonate and provide important constraints on the conditions of ore formation.
      - pointOfContact
        CI_ResponsibleParty
        individualName
        CharacterString: Rieger, Philip
        organisationName
        CharacterString: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
        contactInfo
        CI_Contact
        address
        CI_Address
        electronicMailAddress
        CharacterString: philip.rieger(_at_)gfz-potsdam.de
        role
        CI_RoleCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode codeListValue=pointOfContact): pointOfContact
      - descriptiveKeywords
        MD_Keywords
        keyword
        CharacterString: rare earth elements
        keyword
        CharacterString: CD-type massive sulphide deposit
        keyword
        CharacterString: SEDEX massive sulphide deposit
        keyword
        CharacterString: hydrothermal alteration
        keyword
        CharacterString: hydrothermal ore formation
        keyword
        CharacterString: Proterozoic
        keyword
        CharacterString: sedimentary basin
        keyword
        CharacterString: Mount Isa
        keyword
        CharacterString: George Fisher
        keyword
        CharacterString: Carpentaria Province
      - descriptiveKeywords
        MD_Keywords
        keyword
        CharacterString: EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > MARINE GEOCHEMISTRY
        thesaurusName
        CI_Citation
        title
        CharacterString: NASA/GCMD Earth Science Keywords
        date
        CI_Date
        date (gco:nilReason=missing):
        dateType
        CI_DateTypeCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_DateTypeCode codeListValue=publication): publication
      - descriptiveKeywords
        MD_Keywords
        keyword
        CharacterString: In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Spectrometers/Radiometers > LA-ICP-MS
        thesaurusName
        CI_Citation
        title
        CharacterString: GCMD Instruments
        date
        CI_Date
        date (gco:nilReason=missing):
        dateType
        CI_DateTypeCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_DateTypeCode codeListValue=publication): publication
      - resourceConstraints (xlink:href=http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
        MD_Constraints
        useLimitation
        CharacterString: CC BY 4.0
      - resourceConstraints
        MD_LegalConstraints
        accessConstraints
        MD_RestrictionCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/codeList.xml#MD_RestrictionCode codeListValue=otherRestrictions):
        otherConstraints
        CharacterString: CC BY 4.0
      - resourceConstraints
        MD_SecurityConstraints
        classification
        MD_ClassificationCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/codeList.xml#MD_ClassificationCode codeListValue=unclassified):
      - aggregationInfo
        MD_AggregateInformation
        aggregateDataSetIdentifier
        RS_Identifier
        code
        CharacterString: 10.1007/s00126-021-01056-1
        codeSpace
        CharacterString: DOI
        associationType
        DS_AssociationTypeCode (codeList=http://datacite.org/schema/kernel-4 codeListValue=IsSupplementTo): IsSupplementTo
      - aggregationInfo
        MD_AggregateInformation
        aggregateDataSetIdentifier
        RS_Identifier
        code
        CharacterString: 10.1039/C1JA10172B
        codeSpace
        CharacterString: DOI
        associationType
        DS_AssociationTypeCode (codeList=http://datacite.org/schema/kernel-4 codeListValue=Cites): Cites
      - aggregationInfo
        MD_AggregateInformation
        aggregateDataSetIdentifier
        RS_Identifier
        code
        CharacterString: 10.1111/j.1751-908X.2007.00104.x
        codeSpace
        CharacterString: DOI
        associationType
        DS_AssociationTypeCode (codeList=http://datacite.org/schema/kernel-4 codeListValue=Cites): Cites
      - language
        CharacterString: eng
      - characterSet
        MD_CharacterSetCode (codeListValue=utf8 codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/codeList.xml#MD_CharacterSetCode):
      - topicCategory
        MD_TopicCategoryCode: geoscientificInformation
      - extent
        EX_Extent
        geographicElement
        EX_GeographicBoundingBox
        westBoundLongitude
        Decimal: 139.404
        eastBoundLongitude
        Decimal: 139.404
        southBoundLatitude
        Decimal: -20.7393
        northBoundLatitude
        Decimal: -20.7393
  - distributionInfo
    - MD_Distribution
      - transferOptions
        MD_DigitalTransferOptions
        onLine
        CI_OnlineResource
        linkage
        URL: http://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.3.1.2020.005
        protocol
        CharacterString: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
        name
        CharacterString: Data Access - DOI
        description
        CharacterString: Data Access - DOI
        function
        CI_OnLineFunctionCode (codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_OnLineFunctionCode codeListValue=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_OnLineFunctionCode_information): information
  - dataQualityInfo
    - DQ_DataQuality
      - scope
        DQ_Scope
        level
        MD_ScopeCode (codeListValue=dataset codeList=http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/codeList.xml#MD_ScopeCode):
schema.org download