Economic Geology

Vol. 87, 1992, pp. 1496-1524

Mesothermal Gold Mineralization

in a Proterozoic Greenstone Belt:

Western Flin Flon Domain, Saskatchewan, Canada

KEVIN M. ANSDELL AND T. KUTIS KYSEB

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7NOWO

Abstract

The Flin Flon domain,Trans-Hudson orogen,Canada,is an exampleof a Proterozoic greenstone belt thathosts a largenumber of small mesothermal goldoccurrences. The greenstone belt consists of tholeiiticto calc-alkaline volcanic rocks(Amisk Group;' 1900-1880 Ma) unconformably overlain by molasse-type sedimentary rocks(MissiGroup;1850-1840 Ma). The supracrustal rocks are intruded by gabbroic to granitic rocks ranging in agefrom synvolcanic to late tectonic (1890-1835 Ma). Metamorphic gradevaries fromprehnite-pumpellyitefaciesto amphibolite facies,andpeakthermalconditions generally were attained locallyduringgranitoid intrusion. Manyof the shear zones andthe dominant regional foliation developed duringductiledeformation coevalwith peak metamorphism. Theseshear zoneswere reactivatedand mineralizedunder brittle-ductileconditions duringpostpeak metamorphic uplift. Mesothermal goldmineralization is hosted in quartzveinsthat developed at jogsor zones of competency contrasts alongbrittle-ductile shearzones,in all lithologiesin the region. Alterationenvelopes, which consist of quartz-carbonate-chloritekalbite-muscovite-pyrite, are usually less thana few meters wideandoverprintregional metamorphic assemblages. The veinsconsist of milky-colored quartzandmayalso contain tourmaline, ankerite, chlorite,and muscovite. Pyriteandarsenopyrite arethe dominant sulfides, andgoldgradeisproportional
to the modal abundance of sulfides.

The dominant fluidsassociated with gold mineralization were H20-CO2-NaC1 (0.6-14.7 wt % NaC1equiv)in composition, with generally uniformH20/CO phase ratiosin a given planeor zonebutvariable phase ratios between zones. Oxygen isotope mineral pairs indicate temperatureof mineralization of between360 and 420C, which, when combined with fluidinclusion density estimates, indicate that mostof the goldmineralization occurred at a pressure of about2 kbars. Rapidpressure release in dilatantzones with relatedphase separation andchange in fluidcomposition andproperties, andlocalfluid-wallrockinteraction, are the likely gold-precipitation mechanisms. The O, H, S, C, andSr isotope compositions of hydrothermal minerals in the shearzones indicatethat the mineralizing fluidsinteracted extensively with Proterozoic metamorphic andigneous rockssimilar in composition to thosepresently exposed at the surface, at high temperatures andat low water/rock ratios. The O andH isotope compositions arecompatible with formation of the fluidsfrom devolatilization reactions duringprograde metamorphism at depth.The O isotope composition of barrenquartzveins varies withthehost rocks indicatingthatthesefluids were eitherlocallyderivedor interacted extensively with the immediate
host rocks.

An Rb-Srisochron ageof 1760 _+ 9 Ma ontourmaline andmuscovite fromtheRiodeposit is similar to 4Ar/39rplateauages for muscovites fromthe premetamorphic LaurelLake depositin the Flin Flondomain. Thissuggests that fluidadvection through the Rio deposit was contemporaneous with the thermaleventthat affected LaurelLake muscovites. Theseages, alongwith an agefromthe TartanLakemesothermal deposit (1791 _ 4 Ma) in the Flin Flon domain, indicate that fluidflowrelatedto hydrothermal activityalongthe shear zones in the western Flin Flon domain occurred periodically overa periodof about30 Ma. TheseProterozoic goldoccurrences are similar to Archean mesothermal golddeposits in termsof geologic, structural, andtectonic setting, alteration andveinmineralogy, andfluid composition, pressure, andtemperature. However,the limitedextentof alteration, the low goldcontent, the isotopic systematics, andthe lack of either S-typegranites or mantle-derivedlamprophyres suggest thatthe shear zones hosting thewestern Flin Flondomain occurrences sampled limitedquantities of fluids and,thus,werenot transcrustal features capable of hosting giantgolddeposits.

0361-0128/92/1377/1496-2953.00

1496

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1497

stone belts,theLa Ronge andFlin Flondomains (Fig. 1), whichhosta large numberof goldoccurrences 1984).Goldhas beenmined intermitTin; geology, structure, geochemistry, timing, and (e.g.,Coorobe, deposits in the Flin tectonicsettingof mesothermal goldmineralization tently from shearzone-hosted has been the focus of intensive research over recent Flon domainsinceabout1930, although production onlytotal about30 metrictons(t) of years.Effortshave concentrated on understanding andreserves (19 t of Au) the genesis of the largeArchean golddeposits in the goldwith the majorityof that tonnage CanadianShield(Card et al., 1989, and references being derivedfrom the Nor-Acmemine, Manitoba 1984; Bailes et al., 1987). Thisstudyfotherein) andWesternAustralian Shield(Groves and (Coombe, on selected mesothermal goldoccurrences in Phillips,1987, andreferences therein),although in- cuses Flin Flondomain, Saskatchewan (Fig.2), formation derivedfromthe study of Proterozoic (Rye the western and Rye, 1974; Kyser et al., 1986; Ibrahim and which contain reserves of about 2.5 metric tons of characteristics of theseoccurKyser,1991), Paleozoic (Sandiford andKeays,1986; gold.The geologic will be described, in addition to fluidinclusion Kontaket al., 1990), Mesozoic (Bohlke andKistler, rences constraints on the composition andage 1986; Nesbittet al., 1986; Goldfarb et al., 1988), and andisotopic fluids. A briefcomparison will be Cenozoic (Curti, 1987) golddeposits hasplacedfur- of thevein-forming withArchean greenstone-hosted mesothermal ther constraints onthe development of anall-encom- made deposits to determine if thereareanysignificant passing modelfor the formation of mesothermal gold gold differences between these highly productive deposits. western The Trans-Hudson orogenin northernSaskatche- terranesand the relativelyunproductive wan and Manitobaincludes two Proterozoic green- Flin Flon greenstone belt.
Introduction
ow RAE PROVINCE
:BAY LAKE ATHABASCA

CREE LAKE ZONE

(HEARNE PROVINCE) 6 N

96w

ETER
REINDEER ZONE
KISSEYNEW

WATHAMAN
BATHOLITH

PHANEROZOIC
COVER

ROTI'ENSTON E

SUPERIOR PROVINCE
2oOw I

PHANEROZOIC

ew I

COVER

100 km

Figure 2

IsASK. LNn. OB ONTARIO

U.S.A.

FIc. 1. Simplified mapof thelithotectonic domains of the earlyProterozoic TransHudson orogen, and adjacent Archean Rae,Hearne, andSuperior provinces, northern Saskatchewan andManitoba (modified afterStauffer, 1984;Hoffman, 1988).TheReindeer zoneconsists ofjuvenile, arc-related early Proterozoicdomains, whereas the CreeLakezoneconsists of portions of the Hearneprovince thatunderwent thermotectonism duringthe TransHudson orogen. The boundaries betweendomains (thin solidline) generally conform to lithological, structural, or metamorphic changes andare sometimes defined by ductile shear zones (thicksolid line).Abbreviations: C-SBZ: Churchill-Superior boundary zone,NZ = NeedleFalls-Parker Lakeshear zone,STZ= Snowbird tectonic zone,SWZ= Sturgeon Weir shear zone, SZ: Stanley shear zone, TZ -- Tabbernor faultzone. Thelocation oftheregion isshown asa stippled box in theinset. These units areunconformably overlain by rocks oftheAthabasca basin andof thePhanerozoiccover. The location of Figure2, the areaof thisstudy, isoutlined.

1498

K.M.ANSDELL ANDT.K.KYSER
102o00 /

..................

KISSEYNEW

DOMAIN

..............

P5 ROSS LAKE
FAULT.

PHANERO Ordovician
dolomites

PROTEROZOIC

Black

.......

Diamond '
.......... .......... RalneWalke

'
..... Lake

-- Post-P3 ,, Pre-to syn-P3 porphyry Feldspar Boundary gabbro iorite, Pre-tectonlc : *...'../.:.**., ,:, ** Group Missi Group :r--:- Amlsk
intrusions

intrusions

Intrusions

Intrusions

Lake

',. ,;,;,;,;:;:;:;,;

zones

Shear
Lake anticline

P4 Embury

occurrences Gold

AMISK

LAKE

THAPAPUSKOI
LAKE

indetail elsewhere (Ansdell and Kyser, 1991a). Other gold occurrences are located inFigure 3.The intrusions ofknown age (Ansdell and Kyser, 1991b) are labeled initalics and the ages given inTable 1. Figure modified after Byers and Dahlstrom (1954), Byers etal.(1965), Coombe (1984), and Stauffer
(1984).P = deformation phase.

occurrences. Those referred tointhe text are named, except the Laurel Lake deposit, which isdescribed

FIe.2. Geologic map ofthewestern Flin Flon domain, showing thelocations ofepigenetic gold

Regional Geology the south by Ordovician dolomites (Fig. 1). This concentrates on the western part of the Flin The Flin Flon domainis one of the lithotectonic study in Saskatchewan; accordingly, thedeelements of the Reindeerzone, Trans-Hudson oro- Flondomain

of thegeology is specific to thisarea(Fig. gen(Fig.1),thatwere involved in major nappe em- scription 2). The absolute ages of rock types in the areaare placement and probable crustal thickening attendingsummarized in Table 1. collision between theArchean Superior, Hearne, and
Raeprovinces (Bickford et al., 1990).The exposed Supracrustal rocks FlinFlondomain isabout 250kmlong andabout 40 km wide,although thereis geophysical evidence to The oldest rocks in the domain, termedthe Amisk indicate that this domain extends southward for Group(Bruce, 1918),area sequence of tholeiitic to

hundreds of kilometersunderneath the Phanerozoic calc-alkaline volcanic andvolcaniclastic rocks, which cover(Greenet al., 1985). The Flin Flon domain is varyin composition frombasaltic to rhyolitic. Major bounded to theeast bytheArchean Superior prov- andtraceelement geochemistry indicate thatthevolince,to the northby amphiboliteandgranulite- canic rocks represent a complex mixture of midocean grade gneisses oftheProterozoic Kisseynew domain, ridge, intra-oceanic island-arc, and back-arcextruto thewest by theSturgeon Weir shear zoneandthe siverocks(Stauffer et al., 1975; Gaskarth and ParHanson Lake block, and isunconformably overlain to slow, 1987; Bailesand Syme,1989; Thom et al.,

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1499

T.s_1. Absolute Agesof Zirconsfrom VariousRockTypes

in the Western Flin Flon Domain

Rocktype
Volcanic rocks

Method
U-Pb

Age (Ma +__ 2a)

1886 +__ 2

Reference
1

Hudson orogen havesimilar ages (VanSchmus et al., 1987;Delaneyet al., 1988; Gordonet al., 1990), indicating a majorperiodof intrusive activity relatedto cratonization of this part of the North American shield(Hoffman, 1988). Deformation
All the rocks in the western Flin Flon domain have

AmiskGroup

U-Pb

1926_0
1854 +__ 13 to
2529 _+ 20

2
3

Sedimentary rocks
Missi Formation
Intrusive rocks

Pb-Pb

Cliff Lake
Annabel Lake

U-Pb
Pb-Pb

1874+32 -5
1860 +__ 6

1
4

Reynard Lake
Missi Island Boot Lake Phantom Lake

Pb-Pb
Pb-Pb Pb-Pb Pb-Pb

1853 +_ 8
1848 +__ 11 1842 +_ 13 1840 _+ 7

4
4 4 4

NeagleLake
Phantom Lake dike

Pb-Pb
Pb-Pb

1837 +_ 5
1834 + 13

4
4

References: I = Gordon et al. (1990), 2 = Syme et al. (1991), 3 = Ansdell et al. (1991), 4 = Ansdell andKyser(1991b)

been variablydeformed by up to five deformation events,althoughthe intensityof deformation observed in manyareas isa complex function of competency contrasts, metamorphic grade,and heterogeneousstrain. The morphology and orientationof structures developed duringtheseevents havebeen describedin detail by Stauffer and Mukherjee (1971), Bailes andSyme(1989), Wilcox(1990), and Fedorowich et al. (1991). The firsttwo phases of deformation, the pre-Missi (phase 1), andthe firstpostMissi (phase2), resultedin foldswith no apparent attendant axialplanarfoliation. The dominant penetrative foliation and north-south ductile shear zones

1990).Nd isotope systematics suggest thatthe magmaswere derivedby partial meltingof a relatively depletedmantle source(Chauvelet al., 1987) that wasslightlycontaminated by fluidsderivedby dehydration of subducting oceaniccrust (Thom et al., 1990). Unconformably overlying the Amisk Groupisa sequenceof coarseclasticfluvial sedimentary rocks,

developed duringthe third phaseof deformation

(phase 3). Theseshearzones were reactivated under brittle-ductile conditions duringthe development of the EmburyLake fold (phase 4) (Fedorowich et al., 1991).Locally, phase 3 foliation wasintensely folded during phase 4. The Ross Lakefaultsystem (phase 5) crosscuts the Ernbury Lakefoldandhasa dominantly
brittle character.

termed the Missi FormatiOn, which are interpreted as

alluvial fan and braided stream molasse deposits (Stauffer, 1990). A well-developed paleoregolith is presentin pre-Missirocksbelow the unconformity indicating extensive pre-Missisubaerial weathering. The youngest detritral zirconfrom Missimetasedimentaryrocksin the Flirt Flon basinhasan age of 1854 +_13 Ma (Table1). The Phantom Lakepluton, datedat 1840 +_ 7 Ma (Table 1), crosscuts oneof the Boundaryintrusions(Syme and Forester, 1977), which intrude Missi metasedimentary rocks.Missi Formationdeposition in the Flin Flon basinthus is limitedto between1854 and1840 Ma (Arisdell et al., 1991).

Metamorphism

Metamorphic gradein the westernFlin Flon domain increases from prehnite-pumpellyite grade in the FlirtFlon area(Bailes andSyme,1989; Digel and Gordon,1991), to amphibolite gradenorthwardto the contactwith the Kisseynew domain(Ashton et al., 1987), westward towardthe HansonLake block (Ashton,1990), and eastwardtoward SnowLake, Manitoba(Aggarwal and Nesbitt, 1987). Peak regional metamorphism is considered to be broadly coevalwith the development of foliation during phases 3 and 4. Isograds are offset by phase 5 fault Intrusive rocks zones(Bailesand Syme, 1989; Digel and Gordon, A wide varietyof intrusive bodies ranging in com- 1991). The regionalmetamorphic gradientin the position fromgabbroic to granitic, andranging in age FlirtFlonregion iscomplicated by amphibolite-grade from synvolcanic to posttectonic, crosscut thesesu- contact metamorphism aroundmanyof the plutons pracrustal rocks(Fig. 2). The plutons namedin Fig- (Longiaru, 1980;Digel andGordon,1991).Longiaru thatthe contact aureole around the ure 2 havebeendatedusing zircons andrangein age (1980) suggested from 1874 to 1834 Ma (Table1). The geochemistry ReynardLake pluton represents a local increase in andNd isotope compositions of these plutons suggest the thermal gradient during peak metamorphism, Digel and Gordon(1991) identifiedprehthat theyarevolcanic island-arc granitoids andwere whereas not derivedby partialmeltingof an older,morera- nite-pumpellyite veins thatcrosscut the contact aurediogenic source (Arisdell andKyser,1990).Granitoid oleof thePhantom Lakegranitedike,suggesting that plutons fromthe eastern FlirtFlon,La Ronge, Glen- low-graderegionalmetamorphism postdates the inhie Lake, and Hanson Lake domains in the Trans- trusionof thispluton.

1500

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

Gold Mineralization

tive to each other is difficult to constrain,the alter-

Thelocations of epigenetic goldoccurrences in the western Flin Flondomain areshown in Figures 2 and 3. Representative surface, underground, or drill core samples of veinsandalteration envelopes were collectedfromthe named goldoccurrences withthe objectiveof characterizing theirmineralogical andgeochemical characteristics. All havefeatures typicalof mesothermal golddeposits, withtheexception ofthe LaurelLake deposit(Fig. 2). This is a premetamorphicdeposit with elevated silverandbase metalcontentsreminiscent of an epithermal golddeposit and

ationhalosaroundthe quartzveinsoverprintpeak metamorphic minerals. This,andthe character of the quartzveins,suggests that veiningandalteration occurredduringbrittle-ductile deformation asthe regioncooled andwas uplifted afterpeakregional metamorphism. Fedorowich et al. (1991) showed thatthe mineralizedquartz veinsat Tartan Lake, Manitoba, developed coevally with reactivation of the earlier, ductileTartanLake shear zoneduringthe formation of the phase4 EraburyLake fold (Fig. 2). In many cases, mineralized quartzveinsare located at jogsin shear zones (e.g.,Rio)or at sites of competency conhasbeen described in detail elsewhere (Ansdell and trasts (e.g.,metasedimentary rock-marie dikecontact Kyser,1991a). at Graham)but canoccurin all lithologies in the reMineralized shear zones aregenerally oriented par- gion(e.g., marievolcanic rocks--Newcor;conglomallel to the mainphase3 ductileshearzones in the erates-Graham; diorite--Henning-Maloney;granof region(Fig.2). Goldmineralization is specifically as- ite--IMC-Cain B). The geologiccharacteristics referredto in thisstudyare summasociated with sulfides in tensional quartzveins,some the occurrences for theRio deposit, the largof whicharefoldedduringlaterductiledeformation. rizedin Table2, except Although the timingof all the goldoccurrences rela- est mesothermal goldoccurrence in the Saskatche-

Shear Zone I
)
......

Nofih

Henning-,

Maley 7%/,

PHANTOM LAKE

Phantom Lake
granite
granodiorit e
quartzmonzodiorile

McMillan

I
Phantom,

....:: Boot Lake

quartzcliorite
Gold

Boundary Amisk
Intrusions

Group

occurrences

Shear zones
contacts
Lithelogical

Fig. 3. Geologic mapofthePhantom Lakearea, showing thelocation of shear zones andgold occurrences which arepartofthis study (modified after Galley and Franklin, 1987; Thomas, 1989). Theages of
some of the rocks are summarized in Table 1.

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1501

1502

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

sented in the vicinityof the Rio deposit by anirregularly shapedmicrocline-porphyritic dike (Fig. 4A) havingan ageof 1834 _ 13 Ma (Ansdell andKyser, 1991b). The alteration relatedto goldmineralization Rio deposit overprints thisdike indicating that the goldmineralThe Riodeposit isoneof a number of deposits spa- izationpostdates the main magmatic eventsin the tiallyassociated withshear zones inthevicinity ofthe area. Intense alteration and deformation are concenBootLake-Phantom Lakeintrusive complex (Fig.3). tratedin anareaupto 60 mwidewherebasalts occur Gold mineralization is located within a zone of inon either sideof the fault, and there is a change in tensehydrothermal alteration andveiningalong the strikeof the Rio fault (Fig. 4A). The Rio fault dips Rio fault,a shearzoneexhibiting ductileandbrittle approximately 75 to the northwest. Threedifferent characteristics, whichcrosscuts all lithologies in the alteration and vein associations have been identified area (Pearson, 1984; Galley and Franklin, 1987; underground andhavebeennamed the AJ,WC, and Thomas, 1989). Published reserves are 220,000 tons PhantomLake granite dike zones(Fig. 4B). In all the goldgradeiscorreat 0.14 ozofAu/ton(Northern Miner, July18, 1988). threetypesof mineralization The Riofaulttransects a sequence of westerly fac- latedwith modalpyrite abundance; goldoccurs as in pyriteandalong pyritegrain boundaries ing, sporadically porphyritic, massive andpillowed inclusions basalts anddebris flows(Fig. 4A). Thisvolcanic se- (Pearson, 1984;Fig. 5A).The average composition of quence is in turn cutby diorites andgranodiorites of the nativegold is Au9Ag0Hg. AJ zonemineralization consists of a setof branchthe BootLakepluton. The youngest intrusion in the quartzveinsandassociated alterarea,the Phantom Lake granite(Fig. 3), is repre- ing anden echelon ationup to 2 m widethatstrikeapproximately northsouthand dip to the northwest at greaterthan or equalto 60 (Fig. 4B). The earliestveinsare ankerA itc-quartzstringers that havebeen foldedand boudinaged during laterductiledeformation. Laterveins granite Phantom Lake dyke parallel thefoliation andconsist of eithermassive but .. ........ .' granodiofite 13otLake irregularquartz-ankerite _+tourmaline_ chlorite_ . ;.:...::.....:::.. ".':.'....'..:..'..'...?...;(:.: ...... a.. ... ........... * ,:,,**,2,:.:, :':: ' pyriteveins(Fig. 5B) or banded veins with a similar Amisk Group mineralogy although with texturesindicative of a i..'..Basaltic crackand sealmechanism. Pyrite is irregularlydistributed within both of the later quartz vein types andgoldgradeiscorrelated with pyrite content. VisiLithological Shear contact zone ble hydrothermal alterationis associated with the quartz veins butisnotalways symmetrically disposed about them.The widthandintensity of alteration variesbutgenerally bothincrease proximal to veinintersections. The alterationclosest to a particularvein often hasa brecciated appearance and consists of quartz-ankerite-albite-pyrite-chlorite (Fig. 5C). This alteration isgenerally in sharp contact with an outer, WC ZONE ALTERATION N buff-colored zoneofankerite, quartz,chlorite andpyrite, whichis frequently cut by chlorite-ankerite-pyrite veinlets. Dark, apparently unaltered mafichost
wan portion of the Flin Flon domain,which is described in detail below.

diorite

20 m

workings

Underground
rx,,v. xx,x.

rocks between alteration zones consist of chlorite-

G' AMISK
AJ ZONE VEINS
AND ALTERATION

BASALTS '

andare , PHANTOM LAKE plagioclase-epidote-calcite-muscovite-pyrite .,i GRANITE DYKE commonly cutby calcite-quartz veinlets. Thisassemblagepostdates the greenschist facies assemblage of actinolite-epidote-chlorite-plagioclase-quartz _+biotite generally observed in metabasaltic rocksin the region (DigelandGordon, 1991),andthus, indicates that mineralization occurredafter peak metamorphism.

ZONE

Gold mineralization in the WC zone is associated F]c. 4. A. Surface geology at the Rio deposit (based on Pear- with lensoid bodies of intense alteration that trend son, 1984).B. Geologic planofthe215level,Riodeposit, showing maficvolcanic rocksand the three differentore associations, the WC, AJ, and Phantom about025; it overprints Lakegranite dike zones. the granite(Fig. 4B). The alterationmineralogy is

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD,FLIH FLONDOMAIN,CANADA

1503

/ Pyr
/

FIC.5. Photomicrographs of veins andalteration at theRiodeposit. A. Nativegoldalong pyritegrain boundaries, WC mineralization, 400' level.Scale bar = 0.2 ram.B. Quartz-pyrite-tourmaline-ankerite vein,AJraineralization, 135'level.Scale bar = 0.5 min.C. Alteration consisting of ankerite, albite,and quartz,AJ raineralization, 215' level. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.D. Quartz~pyrite-muscovite-ankerite vein cutting altered Phantom Lakegranite, 360'level.Scale bar = 0.5 mm.Ank= ankerite, Muse= muscovite, Pyr = pyrite,Qz = quartz, Tour = tourmaline.

simple andconsists of anup to a 20-m-wide zoneof fine-grained quartz, ankerite, albite, andpyrite, with irregularly developed quartz-pyrite veins. The Phantom Lake granitedike zoneconsists of tension-gash quartz veins hosted in a dike. The quartz veins trend approximately north-south and areconcentrated along the margins of the dikeor are parallel to theaxial plane ofminor folds. Theveins do not continueinto the surrounding marievolcanic rocks. Quartzis the dominant veinmineral, whereas pyrite, muscovite, andankerite,wherethey occur, areintergrown along theveinmargins (Fig.5D). The quartz exhibits evidence oflaterstrain, namely unduloseextinction andsubgrain development, andsporadically theveins areboudinaged andoffset by ohiorite-filled fractures implying thatdeformation and hy-

matiteandstilpnomelane. The mineralogy of a dike apparently unaffected by hydrothermal alteration is quartz - microcline - plagioclase - biotite- amphibole sphene-maguetite, and so the dominant mineralogical changes involvealbitization,sericitization, carbonatization, andpyritization. Changes in thechemical composition of the Phantom Lake granitedike duringhydrothermal alteration are evidentfromthe composition of alteredsamples fromthe Riodeposit

(Table3). Increases in Na andCa, anddecreases in K, Rb, Sr,andBain samples associated with goldmineralization arerelatedto the breakdown of the igneous feldspars andthe formation of hydrothermal albite, asevidenced by the petrographic relationships. Loss on ignitionalso increases, which is related to CO2 additionand precipitation of carbonate. Although drothermal alteration continued after the main thealteration halos in thePhantom Lakegranite dike periodof veinformation. Around the quartzveins, zoneare smallin size,the alteration mineralogy and changes aroundthe quartz veins are the hostgranite is bleached andconsists of quartz, geochemical to those seenaround othermesothermal albite,muscovite, carbonate, pyrite,andminorhe- verysimilar

1504

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

TABLE 3. Major andTraceElementCompositions of Samples

of Phantom Lake Granite Proximal to the Rio Mesothermal Gold Occurrence

Sample no.
SiO TiO AIO3 FeO3
MnO

449
67.9 0.36 15.6 2.57
0.04

179
64.9 0.67 16.1 3.91
0.04

3113
58.3 0.68 17.7 2.85
0.07

2094
50.4 0.54 14.5 5.95
0.12

MgO
CaO

1.19
1.58

1.47
2.68

1.31
3.98

2.66
7.37

NaO K20 PO5

L.O.I.

4.74 4.5 0.15

1.31

5.2 3.0 0.27

1.23

9.59 0.77 0.31

4.85

8.06 0.36 0.29

8.62

zone,samples 196-1-2-1to 5, Table 4). Differences betweenadjacentzonesor planesare marked,although the timerelationships between these regions are unclear. All quartzveinsare strained andsovolume changes and undetected leakagemay explain these variations in volume percent CO2.Two-phase aqueous inclusions generally occuralongsecondary planes (Fig.6D) andthese healed fractures aresometimesobserved offsetting earlierCO-bearing planes of secondary inclusions. However, there are some aqueous inclusions at the Newcordeposit thatappear to be early,because they are locatedawayfrom an
obvious healed fracture. Thermometric measurements were made on all inclusions that could be con-

Total
Cr

100.3
27

99.9
25

100.5
33

99.0
24

Rb

76

68

29

23

fidentlyclassified and were large enoughto permit easy observation of phase changes (Table4).

Sr
Zr

1,480
128

1,700
121

537
172

608
119

fallwithin therange -56.6to -57.8 C (Fig. 7AI,

indicating that theseinclusions containlessthan 10 molepercentCH4 equivin the carbonic phase (e.g., Swanenberg, 1979). However,someprimaryinclu-

Measurements of the melting point oof CO (Tmco)

Ba

1,680

1,620

241

104

Centerof Phantom Lakegranite 2Phantom Lakegranite dike,within10 m ofRiofault 3Apparently unaltered Phantom Lakegranitedike,Rio 300'
level

lowas-63.2C (Fig.7A), most likelydueto substanof eitherCH4or N. Asmost of theCO4Altered Phantom Lake granite dikeinPLGzone, Rio215'level tial amounts
Majorelements in weightpercent; traceelements in ppm

sions from theNewcor occurrence exhibit Tmco as

gold veins,e.g., the Oriental mesothermal gold de- should be a good approximation of the salinity of the posit,Alleghany, California (Bohlke, 1989). inclusion. Clathrate-melting temperatures (Tmlathrate) from primaryand pseudosecondary inclusions that Fluid Inclusions could be measured range from0.8to 10.1C(Table All the quartzveinsexamined exhibitevidence of 4, Fig. 7B). Fluid inclusions from the Henning-Maexhibit the greatestrange (0.8deformation (e.g., undulose extinction and subgrain loney occurrence development), and petrographic relationships be- 8.8C),whereas samples fromthe Rio andGraham tween fluid inclusions are complex.The inclusions deposits showmuchmorerestricted ranges. Saliniare 4.0 wt percentNaC1equivfor the typicallyare small,with the largest inclusions being tiescalculated 0.6 to 5.0 wt percent NaC1 equiv forthe 20 m in diameter, but mostare lessthan 10 m in Riodeposit, 2.4 to 14.7 wt percent NaC1 length.Althoughattempts were madeto classify in- Grahamoccurrence, and 12.5 wt percent clusions asprimary,pseudosecondary, or secondary equiv for Henning-Maloney, equiv forIMC-Cain B. OnlyoneoftheTmlthrt usingthe criteria outlinedby Roedder(1979), it is NaC1 obtained fromtheRiodeposit could be used to likely that early inclusions have undergone necking values salinity because the othersdid not melt in andrelatedvolumechanges, andleakage duringlater calculate of CO liquid andgas(Table4). Howdeformation. In thisstudy, it is assumed thatprimary the presence and pseudosecondary inclusions are considered to ever, theTmlthat data fromother fluidinclusions at areall greater than8.0C,andsothe provide information onsome oftheearlierfluids pass- theRiodeposit mustbe less thanabout6 wt percentNaC1 ingthrough the shear zonesystems although notnec- salinities 1979, fig. 1). essarily theactual fluidfromwhich thequartz precipi- equiv(Collins,
tated.

bearinginclusions have Tmc o closeto -56.6C indicating only minor amounts f either CH4or N2, thesalinities calculated using Tmc,athrate (Collins, 1979)

Primary, pseudosecondary, andmost of the secondary inclusions are CO2 bearingand can be divided into H20-CO-NaC1 (Fig. 6A and C) and CO inclusions(Fig. 6B). Inclusionsthat contain a carbonic fluidmayhavea thin film of wateraround the inclusionrim whichis difficultto discern optically.The volumepercentCO estimated for CO-bearing inclusions in all occurrences isusually constant withina given zoneor plane, withfewexceptions (e.g.,RioAJ

in primary and pseudosecondary inclusions range from -18.6 to 30.1C (Table4, Fig. 7C). Mostof theseinclusions homogenize to the liquidphase, althoughtwo exhibitedhomogenization to the vapor phase andthreeexhibited critical behavior. The widestrangeis shown by inclusions fromthe AJzoneat the Rio deposit, andone sample (196) hasa zonein

Thehomogenization temperatures ofCO(Thco)

whichfluidinclusions haveTmc o thatrange from -8.1 to +21.3C (Table 4). CO'-oearing inclusions

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1505

FIG.6. Photomicrographs ofrepresentative fluidinclusions. A. Primary CO2-H20 andCO2inclusions. AJ vein,Rio deposit, 215' level.Scale bar -- 75 ym. B. Primary, one-phase CO2inclusion. Monarch occurrence. Scale bar-- 75 ym.C. Two-phase CO-HOearlysecondary inclusions. Graham occurrence. Scale bar = 75 urn.D. Secondary aqueous inclusions. NorthShear Zoneoccurrence. Scale bar = 75 urn.

inclusions from other occurrences have at the Newcoroccurrence alsohave variablylow secondary

temperatures (Tin.) ranging from-12.2 o Thco (Fig.7C),andthis correlates withthehigher ice-melting concentrations of CH4 or No. in theseinclusions. to -0.2C(Fig.8B).Salinitle calculated from the

Mostoftheinclusions areCOo. richanddecrepitate equation of Potteret al. (1978) rangefrom 16.2 to priortobulkhomogenization. Decrepitation temper- 0.4 wt percentNaCI equiv. atures at the Rio deposit rangefrom 174 to 282C, All aqueous inclusions homogenize to the liquid whereas COo.-rich inclusions at the NorthShear Zone phaseat temperatures in the interval of 108 to deposit decrepitate above 400C(Table 4). Theonly 500C,although the rangeexhibited by inclusions in COo.-rich inclusions to homogenize arethose thatho- a givenplaneismuchmorerestricted (Table4). Howmogenize to thevapor phase (220-329C; Table4). ever,homogenization temperatures exhibited by priAlthough trapping temperatures cannot be inferred mary aqueous inclusions at Henning-Maloney and from thesemeasurements, their bulk compositions Newcor (284-500C) are generallyhigher than can still be determined usingthe techniquede- those observedin secondary aqueousinclusions scribed by Burruss (1981). The bulk densities and (108-330C; Fig. 8C). Thistemperature difference molefraction COo. andHo.O are variable(Table4), indicates that the secondary fluid inclusions record although mostprimaryandpseudosecondary inclu- lower temperaturefluids infiltratingthrough the sions havedensities ranging from0.80 to 1.01 g/co. sheared rocks,mostlikely duringuplift of the area Primary aqueousinclusions at Newcor have low aftergoldmineralization. eutecticmeltingtemperatures (Fig. 8A) as well as StableIsotopeGeochemistry low finalmelting temperatures (Fig. 8B),but no salinitiesare calculated because of the uncertainty in The $xsO values of quartzfromveins in the gold the actual composition of theseinclusions. Aqueous occurrences range from0.0 to 13.0permil,although

1506

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD,FLINFLONDOMAIN, CANADA

1507

1508

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

PROTEROZOICMESOTHERMALGOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1509

1111

iil

i,

ill

]1

1510

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

8

A
I RIO -AJ ZONE :.ij[] RIO -PLG ZONE ; NEWCOR ]HENNING-MALONEY ]NORTH SHEAR ZONE I IMC -CAIN B --"]GRAHAM I MONARCH m GOLDEN CROSS

48

10

Tm Clath(OC)

18

36

16

._

' 28

14

12 24
o

2o

.c_
16 Z

12
4 $

2
4

o ,
-24 -t6

,
-8 0 8 16 24 32

-64 -63 -62 -61 -60 -59 -58 -57 -56

Tm CO2

Th CO 2(oc)

FIC. 7. Microthermometric measurements from early (primaryandpseudosecondary) CO2-bearing fluid inclusions for auriferous veinsshown in Figures 2, 3, and 4. A. Meltingpointof CO2. B. Melting pointofclathrate. C. Homogenization temperature of CO. In all cases thereisnoobvious compositional difference between different zones or planes of inclusions froma given goldoccurrence.

the rangeof values seenin specific golddeposits is more restricted (e.g., Rio, 9.9-10.6%0; Graham, 11.3-12.2%0; Table5). Thesedataare comparable to thoseof other auriferous quartzvein samples from
the Flirt Flon domain,which have 180 valuesof be-

tween10.6 and 14.3 per mil (Kyseret al., 1986; Fedorowich et al. 1991) andfall withinthe rangeexhibited by quartzfrommesothermal golddeposits of all ages (Kerrich,1989).The 180 values of quartzfrom barrenveins(Fig. 9) rangefrom5.6 to 15.5 per mil and overlapthe data from auriferous quartz veins (Fig. 9), indicating that the oxygen isotope compositionof quartzis nota definitive exploration criterion in thisareaaswassuggested by Kyseret al. (1986). However,thereappears to be a relationship between the oxygenisotopecomposition of barren quartz veins,and the oxygenisotopecomposition of their hostrock (Fig. 9). Barrenveinshostedby intrusive rockshave lower quartz 180 valuesthan barren veins hosted by therelatively1SO-rich Missisedimentary rocks.Barren veinshostedby Amisk volcanic rocksusuallyhave intermediate 180 values(10.712.5%0) but rangeup to 15.5 per rail. Tourmaline and chloritefrom the AJ mineralizationattheRiodeposit have180values of 7.4 and3.8 per mil, respectively (Table5). Theseminerals arein texturalequilibrium with quartz and give quartztourmaline and quartz-chlorite oxygen isotope tem-

peratures of 400 _+30 and 395 _+30C, respectively, if equilibrium is assumed. Muscovite from a Phantom Lake granitedike zonevein hasan oxygen isotope composition of 7.5 per mil, whichyieldsan oxygen isotope equilibration temperature with coexistingquartzof 360 _+30C (Table5). Chloriteat the Graham deposit is in oxygen isotope equilibrium withcoexisting quartzat 420_+ 30C.These temperatures suggest thatveinformation at theRioandGraham deposits occurredat temperatures between
about 360 and 420C.

Thehydrogen isotope compositions of thehydrous phases discussed aboveare reportedin Table 5, as well asthe calculated oxygen andhydrogen isotope compositions of the fluidsin equilibrium with the vein minerals based on the temperatures calculated fromoxygen isotopes. The RioAJandPhantom Lake granite dikeveins formed froma fluidwith a 180 valueof between5.5 and6.2 per mil, anda D value of between -34 and-50 per mil (Fig. 10). The Grahamvein fluidis slightly enriched in 180,having a 180 valueof 8.6 per rail anda D valueof -37 per mil (Fig.10).All these values aretypical of fluids that
have become 180 rich as a result of extensive fluidrock interaction.

Pyrites fromtheRioandGraham deposits exhibit a restricted rangein sulfurisotope composition from 2.8 to 5.5 per mil (Table5). These values fallwithin

PROTEROZOICMESOTHERMALGOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1511

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

Te (oc)

-36

-32

-28

-24

-20

-16

-12

-8

-4

Tmlce(OC)
10"
8

PRIMARY INCLUSIONS
NEWCOR

)
'4

HENNING-MALONEY

all lithologies in the area.A maximum ageof 1834 _ 13 Ma for goldmineralization at the Rio deposit is provided by the ageof the Phantom Lakegranite and associated dikes(Ansdell and Kyser,1991b), which are the youngest rock unitsin the area. A Phantom Lake granitedikeis overprinted by hydrothermal alterationand gold mineralization at the Rio deposit. An approximate agefor goldmineralization at theRio deposit isprovided by anRb-Srmineral isochron constructedusingtourmaline(sample42) from an AJ zonevein(Fig.5C) andmuscovite (sample 428) from a Phantom Lakegranite dikezonevein(Fig.5F). The phases were deposited from hydrothermal fluidsof very similar temperatures andstable isotope compositions, implying that theywerebroadly contemporaneous, andyieldanageof 1760 _ 9 Ma andaninitial ?Sr/6Sr ratioof 0.7022 (Table6, Fig. 11A). An ageof about1760 Ma for the fluidsassociated with goldmineralization at the Rio deposit obtained

100

I 150

I 200

I 250

I 300

I 350

I 400

I 450

I 500

fromRb-Sr systematics issimilar to 4Ar/a9Ar plateau agesobtainedfrom muscovites associated with the LaurelLake Au-Agdeposit (Fig. 2); namely,1746 _
10 Ma for fine-grained muscovite in the alteration zone (Table 7, Fig. 11B) and 1753 _ 10 Ma for coarse-grained vein muscovite (Table 7, Fig. 11C). The LaurelLakedeposit predates peakregional metamorphism (Ansdell andKyser,1991a)andis cut by

Th(oc)

FIG. 8. Microthermometric measurements from all aqueous fluidinclusions. All inclusions are secondary, except those from theNewcor andHenning-Maloney occurrences asindicated. Symbols asin Figure 7, except fortheprimary inclusions. A. Eutectic melting temperature. B. Meltingpointof ice.C. Homogenization shear zones that are similar in orientation and relatemperature.

tive timingto those thathostmesothermal goldmineralization in the region. The oxygen andhydrogen isotope compositions of muscovite in mineralized veins therange of I to 6 per mil exhibited by mesothermal andalteration zones indicate at leastpartialpreservagolddeposits of all ages (Kerrich, 1989)andaresimi- tion of the original,premetamorphic stableisotope lar to the rangefrom0.4 to 3.1 per mil reported by signature (Ansdell andKyser,1991a),andsoanyreKyseret al. (1986) andFedorowich et al. (1991) for crystallization at LaurelLake probably did notoccur pyriteandchalcopyrite fromothermesothermal gold in the presence of a pervasive fluidphase but rather occurrences in the western Flin Flon domain. under relativelydry conditions. The plateauagesat Ankeritesfrom the Rio, Graham,Henning-Ma- LaurelLakearethuslikelyto represent the timingat loney,andRobinson Creekoccurrences exhibita re- which the muscovites cooledthroughtheir closure strictedrangein ]aC valuesof between-3.8 and temperaturefor Ar (about 350C, Dallmeyer and -7.3 per mil (Table5), whichis similar to the range Keppie, 1987) duringthe thermalevent associated exhibited by carbonates from Archeanmesothermal with fluidmovement alongthe regional shear zones. golddeposits (Kerrich,1989).The ]80 values ofthe Thus, the Rb-Sr isochron age of 1760 _ 9 Ma obankerites are morevariable(Table5) andquartz-an- tainedfrom the Rio depositrepresents the time of kerite oxygen isotope equilibration temperatures cal- mineralgrowthin veinsfroman auriferous fluidthat culatedusingthe fractionation factor of Matthews wasnearlycontemporaneous with the thermalevent andKatz(1977) arenotconcordant with those calcu- thataffects muscovite Ar-Arsystematics attheLaurel lated usingsilicate mineralpairs.Variable80 val- Lakedeposit. Fedorowich et al. (1991) also reported uesof carbonates are common in mesothermal gold an 4Ar/agAr plateauage of 1791 +_4 Ma obtained deposits andcanbe attributed to partialrecrystalliza- from hydrothermalmuscoviteat the Tartan Lake tionandreequilibration of oxygen isotopes in carbon- golddeposit, Manitoba. The TartanLakeandRio deatesduring later mineral-fluid interaction (Kyser et posits were both formedfrom similarhydrothermal al., 1986;Kerrich,1987). fluids with oxygenisotopeequilibrationtemperaturesof between360 and400C (Table5; FedoroTiming of Gold Mineralization wichet al., 1991). Together, theseages suggest that Mesothermal goldoccurrences in the westernFlin fluid flow and associated thermal affects related to Flon domain are hosted in shear zones which crosscut hydrothermal activityalongthe shearzonesin the

1512

K. M. ANSDELLAND T. K. KYSER

.%

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD,FLINFLONDOMAIN,CANADA

1513

1514
AMISK VOLCANIC ROCKS

K. M. ANSDELLAND T. K. KYSER

Basat'andesites

Rhyohtes

MISSI SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Conglomerate

INTRUSIVE ROCKS

Ullramafic

Granite

I
14

i
15

I
16

10

11

12

13

BARREN VEINS
6 i
HOST ROCKS

518 0 WR (permil)

:;B AMISK

VOLCANIC ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

.,.r INTRuSIvE
ROCKS

GOLD-BEARING QUARTZ VEINS

:"': RIO D GRAHAM M ARTAN LAKE I OTHER VEINS

2

I
5 6

I
7

I
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

I
16

(18 Oqtz (per mil)

FIc. 9. /5]sO values ofsupracrustal and intrusive whole rocks, and barren and gold-bearing quartz veins in the western Flin Flon domain. Datafromthisstudy, Kyseret al. (1986),Aggarwal andLongstaffe (1987),andFedorowich et al. (1991).Barren tension-gash veins, which areclassified onthebasis of their host rock, have b]So values ofbarren quartz thatcorrelate withtheb]sO values ofsurrounding host rock.

western Flin Flon domain occurred periodically over magmatic waters (fluidsexsolved from magmas) is a periodof tensof millions of years. considered unlikely in any of the westernFlin Flon domaingold occurrences, becauseall the observed Discussion of Results intrusive rocks in the regionpredategoldmineralizationby atleast40 m.y.andfluidproperties aredissimilar to well-documentedmagmatic hydrothermal Constraints onfluid and solute sources fluids. The partialoverlap between the isotopic comThe calculated oxygen andhydrogen isotope com- position of the fluidsin the Rio depositand typical positions of the fluidsin equilibrium with vein min- magmatic watermost likelyindicates thatthese fluids eralsat the Rio andGrahamoccurrences, at the tem- interacted at low water/rock ratios with igneous peratures calculated usingoxygenisotopemineral rocks. The highb180 valueofthe fluidinvolved in the pairs,are similarto thoseof fluidsthat haveformed Graham deposit may indicate greater interaction

from or interactedwith metamorphic or igneous with 1SO-rich sedimentary rocks of the Missi Group rocksat high temperatures and underconditions of whichhost the deposit. Low-latitude meteoric waters low water/rock ratios(Fig. 10). The involvement of withbDand blSo values ofabout -40 and-5 permil,

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

_wSEA Archcan

1515

ATER

mesothermal Au

deposit waters

-4O

-8O
Tartan Lake

,L ! Waters
Metamorphic

thatderived by laterhigh-temperature dissolution or desulfidation of magmatic sulfide minerals. Tourmaline iscommonly associated with mesothermalgoldmineralization, is resistant to retrograde alteration, andhasanextremely lowRb/Srratio,which
makesit an ideal indicatorof the strontiumisotope composition of the hydrothermal fluidandthe source of the strontium (e.g., King and Kerrich, 1989). A tourmaline sample fromtheRiodeposit has anRb/Sr ratioof 0.008 andan87Sr/86Sr ratioof 0.70791 +_ 36

(300 -600 o C)

Magmatic Waters

(Table 6). Thisissimilar to the87Sr/S6Sr isotope compositions of tourmalines from late veinsat the Laurel Lake deposit (Fig. 2; AnsdellandKyser,1991a)and

Lakedeposit, Flin Flondomain (Fedorowich et al., 1991);the Star fluids have interacted with crustal rocks similar to Lakedeposit, La Ronge domain (IbrahimandKyser,1991). The exposed in the Flin Flon areaunder isotopic compositions ofmeteoric waters, seawater, and values typ- thosepresently of lowwater/rock ratios. The temporal reicalof magmatic andmetamorphic waters areshown forreference conditions (Taylor,1974;Kyser,1987).The typicalrange of values exhibited lationship between known igneous activity in theFlin by Archcan lodegolddeposits istakenfromKerrich (1987). Flon area and gold mineralization indicatesthat a

to initialS7Sr/S6Sr ratios obtained fromAmisk Group volcanicrocks and granitoids(Mukherjee et al., 1971; Watters and Armstrong,1985); this implies -'0 6 ' 1) ' 2b ' 3b thatthe Srwaslikely derivedby leaching of Protero 0 H 20 (permil) zoic island-arc volcanic rocksand granitoids, similar isotope composition to thoseexFIc. 10. Calculated oxygen andhydrogen isotope compositions in ageandstrontium of waterinvolved in the formation of the Rio andGraham gold posedat surface. occurrences. The rangeof values calculated for otherTransHudIn summary, the isotopic compositions of O, H, C, sonorogenmesothermal golddeposits are alsoshown: the Tartan S, andSr in the hydrothermal fluidsindicatethat the

-120

magmatic source for the auriferous fluidsis unlikely.

Interaction between surface-derived waters and Flin

pic systematics are best explained by derivingthe extreme interaction between extraneous water and fluidsandsolutes by devolatilization anddissolution metamorphic or igneous rocks. Carbon andsulfurare reactions duringregional metamorphism ofrocks simsignificant components of the hydrothermal fluids, as ilar in age and composition to thosepresentlyexindicated by the highCO2content of earlyfluidin- posedon surface. clusions andby the ubiquitous presence of carbonconditions atesandsulfides in the veinsandsurrounding alter- Depositional ation halos. The i3C values of carbonates and the Oxygenisotopeequilibration temperatures have i34S values of pyritesfromoccurrences in the west- been calculated for quartzand chlorite,quartzand ern Flin Flon domain rangefrom -4.5 to -7.3 per muscovite,and quartz and tourmaline in textural mil and2.8 to 5.5 per mil, respectively. The carbon equilibrium,and provideestimates of the temperaisotope data alone cannot differentiate between a turesof formationof vein minerals(Table 5). These magmaticsourceor an averagecrustalsource,but minerals are in texturalequilibrium with pyrite and they do indicatethat the bulk of the carbonwasnot gold,indicating thatthe gold-bearing veins at the Rio derivedfrom a reducedcarbonreservoir(ilC be- deposit formedat temperatures betweenabout360 tween-15 and-35%0)or a source dominated by ma- and 400C; the veins at the Graham occurrence rine carbonates (ilCbetween -2 and+4%0) (Hoefs, formed atabout 420C.Fluidinclusion bulkhomoge1987; Ohmotoand Rye, 1979). The i4S valuesof nization temperatures cannotbe used to provide sulfides in the western Flin Flon domain are similar minimum vein formation temperatures,because to typical sulfides in igneous rocks (Ohmoto andRye, most of the earlyCO2-rich inclusions decrepitate be1979), although they cannot be usedto discriminate fore homogenization. The measured decrepitation between sulfurderived directly frommagmas and temperatures(Table 4), which are lower than the

respectively, couldevolveto the calculated isotopic compositions for the Rio and Grahamhydrothermal fluidsby interaction with typicalcrustal rocks, but onlyunderconditions of verylow water/rock ratios. Under theseconditions, the chemicaland isotopic compositions offluids derived directly frommetamorphic dehydration will becomesimilarto thosefrom

Flondomain rocks could produce the observed isotopic compositions; however,the percolationof surface-derived watersto depthsin excess of 15 km can
be discounted from field evidence for lithostatic fluid

pressures andwouldrequirea large,asyet unidentified, heat sourceto drive fluid convection.The isoto-

1516

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

lOOO

lOO
lO

1775

--

1750

A
0.85 428musc

1725
1700

1675
0

0.80 t Ag
0.75

.
I

Plateau age = 1746 :t10 Ma

267 Laurel Lake muscovite

I
20

I
40

I
60

I
80

'1
lOO

% 39Arcumulative release

'

In'dial Sr/Sr
3 4

0.65

Rb/80Sr

1800 --

297 Laurel Lake 7

1760

1740

I
0

I
40

I
0

I
100

% 39Ar cumulative release

Fie. 11. A. Rb-Srmineral isochron fortourmaline andmuscovite fromtheRiodeposit, whichprovides anestimate of the ageof mineralization andthe isotopic composition of the source of Srin the gold-bear-

inghydrothermal system. B.4Ar/39Ar apparent agespectra forfine-grained muscovite in altered quartzfeldspar porphyry at theLaurel LakeAu-Ag deposit (Ansdell andKyser, 1991a). C. 4Ar?gAr apparent agespectra forveinmuscovite fromtheLaurelLakedeposit. Isotopic data andcalculated ages forBandC
are from Table 7.

bulk homogenization temperatures, are alsolower granitedike zoneat the Rio deposit contain a visible thanthe calculated oxygen isotope equilibration tem- aqueous phase; accordingly, bulk densities havebeen peratures. calculated usingan estimated volumepercentCO. An estimate of the trappingpressure canbe made Precise volume measurement is difficult, so estiusing isochores determined fromthe fluidinclusions mated densities are subjectto a large uncertainty. andthe temperatures determined by oxygen isotope The constraints providedby the densities of the ingeothermometry (Fig. 12). CO2-richinclusions are clusions in conjunction with temperatures obtained prevalent in the AJveinsat the Rio deposit andat the from oxygen isotopes suggest a pressure of mineralGrahamoccurrence, and so isochores for pure CO2 ization of approximately 1.5 to 3 kbars (Fig. 12), are usedto limit the pressure conditions duringvein equivalent to a depthof about6 to 12 km assuming formation. Primaryinclusions in the Phantom Lake lithostatic pressure. The densityof CO in primary CO-rich fluid inclusions at the MonarchandGolden
Cross occurrences is similar to that seen at the Gra-

T/BL. 6. Rb-SrIsotope Datafor Tourmaline (tour) andMuscovite (musc) fromtheRioDeposit

Sample no. Rb (ppm) Sr (ppm) S7Rb/86Sr 87Sr/S6Sr

42 tour 428 musc 5.2 163.2 651.00 86.60 0.0233 5.5251 0.702791 0.842000 +_36 _+85

Samples are described in Table 4

hamoccurrence, suggesting thesethree occurrences formed at about the samedepth in the crust.The Henning-Maloney, North Shear Zone,andIMC-Cain B occurrences generallyhaveinclusions with lower densityCO than the adjacentRio and Newcor deposits (Table4, Fig. 7C) implying thatthe formeroccurrences mayhavedeveloped at a lowerfluidpressurethanthe latter deposits.

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLONDOMAIN,CANADA

1517

TABLE 7. 4Ar-a9Ar Analytical Datafor Incremental Heating Experiments Temperature (C)

4Ar?Arx I

a7Ar?gArl a6Ar/a9Arl aAr a (X100) (X100) 4Ar*/aAra (%)

40Ar.4 (%)

K/Ca

Apparent age 5 (Ma)

Sample 267, muscovite, LaurelLakealteration zone,90-50 gg, 0.0999 g, J = 0.012029

450 525 600 675 725 775 123.5 129.6 133.3 136.7 136.4 136.3 6.024 7.660 103.9 72.74 1.564 0.1851 5.453 1.816 0.9633 0.2525 0.0683 0.0380 107.4 124.2 130.6 136.0 136.1 136.2 0.38 0.39 1.01 86.94 95.84 97.90 9 7 0.5 0.7 30 300 1496 _ 20 1649 _ 10 1703 _ 8

2.98 4.39 5.75

99.48 99.83 99.90

1749 _ 8 1750 _ 16 1750 _ 14

825
875 925 975 1025 Fuse

135.6
136.7 135.6 135.4 136.3 138.5

0.0478
3.116 3.157 2.902 3.103 0.3048

0.0531
0.0445 0.0592 0.0969 0.0711 0.2037

135.4
136.6 135.4 135.1 136.1 137.8

11.27
12.18 21.22 19.87 16.52 4.03

99.87
99.89 99.85 99.77 99.83 99.55

1,000
20 20 20 20 200

1744 _ 16
1753 1744 1741 1750 1764 _ 12 _ 4 _ 8 _ 4 _ 10

Total gasage Plateau age(675-1025C)

1745 1746 _ 10

Sample 297, muscovite, LaurelLakevein,70-150 gm, 0.1123 g, J = 0.012168

500 600 675 750 800 840 870 900 930 960 142.8 145.2 138.0 135.9 135.0 135.0 134.8 135.0 134.7 134.8 0.8385 0.2416 2.921 0.2997 0.1745 1.4455 0.1584 0.4341 0.2785 0.1524 2.084 0.3942 0.0868 0.0672 0.0490 0.0660 0.0665 0.1182 0.0749 0.1098 136.6 144.0 137.8 135.7 134.8 134.7 134.6 134.6 134.4 134.5 0.70 1.64 4.09 6.36 9.13 12.90 9.15 4.91 12.10 12.02 95.67 99.18 99.80 99.84 99.87 99.84 99.84 99.72 99.82 99.74 60 200 20 200 300 40 300 100 200 300 1766 1827 1776 1759 1752 1751 1750 1750 1749 1749 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 4 4 6

990 1020
Fuse

135.8 135.7
136.3

0.0427 0.0019
0.2094

0.1700 0.1078
0.1690

135.2 135.4
135.8

8.54 9.00
9.48

99.61 99.75
99.61

1,000 >2,000
300

1755 1756
1760

4 4
4

Total gasage PlYeau age(750C-se)

1755 1750 10

i Corrected forlineblanks ofatmospheric Ar composition (1 X 10-14moles 4Ar forT < 1,200C and2 x 10-14 moles > 1,200C) and 37Ar decay gCorrection factors used (a6Ar?7Ar)ca = 2.70 x 10-4, (3Ar?7Ar)ca = 6.51 X 10-4, and(4Ar/agAr)x = 0.039 a Percent to total39Ar released by fraction 4 Percent of radiogenic 4Ar in eachfraction 5Corrected for errorin J value: , = 5.543 x 10-1; monitor used wasMMhb-Iamphibole standard withanageof 518.9Ma;errors
reportedat 2 level

Gold grade is generallycorrelatedwith sulfide giesin the westernFlin Flon domain, implyingthat content, although goldmayoccurasinclusions in sulo dilution, wall-rock sulfidation, oxidation, or lowering arenotimportant mechanisms for destafides,alonggrainboundaries, or in fractures, sug- temperature gesting thatinitialgolddeposition maybe relatedto bilizing reducedsulfur complexes. However, spoin HO-CO phase ratios andthebulk sulfide deposition. However, some of the goldmay radicvariations postdate sulfide deposition or represent remobiliza- fluid compositions and pressureand temperature tion of earlygoldduringcontinued deformation and conditions (Fig. 12) dosuggest thatphase separation fluid events. In low-salinity, high-temperature me- may have occurred,at leastintermittently,during sothermal goldsystems goldis transported asa re- the development of the gold occurrences. The unduced sulfurspecies (AuHS or Au(HS) -2) (Seward, mixingof CO and HO, and the lossof CO2to the wall rocks to formcarbonate, results in par1989;Romberger, 1991).The O, H, S,andC isotope adjacent compositions andtemperatures of the hydrothermal titioningof HS into the vaporphase, whichdestabifluids are uniform, there are no known substantial lizesanyAu-Scomplex, or in anincrease in pH in the compositional differences between earlyor lateCO2- aqueous fluid.Romberger (1986) suggests thatwith bearing fluidinclusions in anyof the occurrences ex- anincrease in pH, pyrite andgoldmaycoprecipitate amined, andgoldoccurrences arefoundin all litholo- asauriferous pyrite.Laterrecrystallization of thepy-

1518

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

Rio (AJ zone)

Rio(PLGZone)

\
2

(1991) obtained a temperature of 370 _ 40C for hydrothermal fluidsat the Tartan Lake gold occurrenceusing oxygen isotope geothermometry. Within analytical error,thetemperatures forthethreeoccurrences are similar.Thus,temperature variations are an unlikelyexplanation for the regional variations in the isotopic composition of quartzveins. The goldoccurrences are spatially associated with
shear zones which acted as fluid conduits. An end-

domain haveverylimitedalteration halos, suggesting that the vein fluidswere approximately in chemical equilibrium with the wall rock,whereas manyof the mesothermal goldoccurrences in the Flin Flon area havelarger,albeitlimited,alteration halos indicative of a fluid not in equilibrium with the immediate wall rock.However,the bxso values of quartzfromboth auriferous and nonauriferous veinsdo varywith the of their host rocks (Fig. 9), rite allowsthe formation of discrete gold grains as isotopiccomposition inclusions within pyrite and alsoalonggrainbound- which indicates that all fluids in the Flin Flon area
aries.

of 0.81 g/cc e calculated usingthe programof Nichollsand Crawford (1985). Solvi in the HO-COz-NaC1system (AHOsoCOs0, B-HO49.s-COs0-NaC0.) aretakenfromBowers and Helgeson (1983).Temperatures areconstrained using oxygen isotopegeothermometry, andbulk densities andcomposition of inclusions arefromTable4. Note thatthe HzO-COsolvus moves to higher temperatures withincreasing salinity. If thetemperature of mineralization is at a highertemperature thanthe solvus, thenno HzO-COzphase sepation should occur.

memberscenario is that the isotopic composition of the fluids passing alongthese shearzonesis controlled primarilyby the isotopic composition of the sourcearea, assuming low water/rockratiosin the source areaanda highwater/rockratio in the shear zones.Kerrich (1989) proposed this mechanism for fluids passing along the Destor-Porcupine andLarder " A B Lake breaksin the Abitibi belt, Canada, whichproducedquartzthat is not in isotopic equilibrium with 0 I I I I I I I the hostrocks.However,there is a generalcorrela100 200 300 400 500 tion betweenblSOvaluesof quartzveinsand host Temperature(oC) rocksin the Foothillsmetamorphic belt, California (Bohlke and Kistler, 1986), and Charters Towers, FIG. 12. Pressure-temperature conditions of mineralization at (Petersand Golding,1989), indicating the Rio (AJandPLGPhantom Lake granitezones) andGraham Queensland composition of the quartz veinsin occurrences. The COz isochores for densities of 0.75, 0.78, 0.90, that the isotopic and0.98 g/ccandthe COz-HzO-NaC1 isochore for a bulkdensity theseareasis dominantly controlledby interaction
with the host rock. Barren veins from the Flin Flon

must have interacted with rocks similar to those that

Controls ontheoxygen isotope composition of quartzveins In the westernFlin Flon domainthe oxygenisotopecompositions of mineralized quartzveinsrange from9.9 to 14.4 per mil (Fig.9), although the range of values seen in specific goldoccurrences or areas is muchmorerestricted (Table5). Thisvariation could be the resultof differences in the temperature of the quartz-depositing fluid from areato area,variations in the isotopic composition of the fluid asa resultof
interactions with source or conduit rocks of different

host the deposits.The relatively small alteration halos in mostof the Flin Flon occurrences alsoimply that only limited quantities of fluid permeatedthe
shear zones so that the rocks in the immediate envi-

rons of the shearzone controlledthe isotopicand chemical composition of the fluids.Suchlow effective water/rockratiosin the shearzonesmay have beena criticalfactorin determining why goldmineralization in the Flin Flon area is limited.

isotopic compositions, differentfluid/rockratios,or some combination of the above. A rangeof temperature of about 200C would be requiredif the regional variations aresolely the resultof differences in temperature,assuming a uniform bsO fluid. The equilibriumtemperatures calculatedusingoxygen isotope pairsare 365 to 400C for the Rio deposit and420Cfor the Graham deposit. Fedorowich et al.

Tectonic setting of goldmineralization Mesothermal goldandassociated hydrothermal alteration in the western Flin Flondomain postdates all observed intrusive events in the areaandoverprints peak regional metamorphicmineral assemblages (Fig. 13). Stableandradiogenic isotope systematics indicatethat the likely sourceof the hydrothermal fluids is through devolatilization reactionsduring metamorphism. Since the alteration andveining associatedwith gold mineralization postdates peak re-

PROTEROZ01C MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLON DOMAIN, CANADA

1900 1880 1860 1840 1820 1800 1780 1760 1740 1720 1700

1519
Ma

Amisk Group (1)

VOLCANISM

....... Cliff Lake (1)

--Neagle Lake (2)

AnnabelLake/Reynard Lake/MissiIsland(2)
PLUTONISM

--

Phantom Lake (2)

MOLASSE

Missi Formation, FlinF;on Basin (3)

SEDIMENTATION

P1 __ _-...p2 BuriaI
DEFORMATION
P3

Uplift
P4

Peak regional metamorphism

P5

Cooling

METAMORPHISM Peak thermal Low-grade

conditions in
low-grade
areas (2)

High-grade (1)

'

Ar-Ar

Laurel Lake area (4)

MESOTHERMAL GOLD
MINF RALIZATION

--

Tartan Lake Ar-Ar (5)

Rio Rb-Sr (4)

FIC. 13. Sequence of geologic eventsin the westernFlin Flon domain.Solidlinesrepresent precise ages; dashed linesrepresent imprecise ages or inferredageranges. The plutons are named in Figure2. References: (1) Gordon et al. (1990); (2) Ansdell andKyser(1991b);(3) Ansdell et al. (1991);(4) this study; (5) Fedorowich et al. (1991).

gionalmetamorphism in the westernFlirt Flon do- shear zonejogs.The gold-bearing quartzveins in the
main, the fluids must be derived from an external western Flin Flon domain, Saskatchewan, are

sourceundergoing progrademetamorphism at the surrounded by alteration envelopes, albeitsmall,of time of mineralization. England and Thompson carbonate, albite,pyrite,muscovite, quartz, andchlocon(1984) show that in a terrane undergoingcrustal rite, asa resultof interactionwith structurally H20-CO2hydrothermal fluids, at thickening, peak metamorphic conditions are trolled,low-salinity achieved later at greaterdepth.Thus,continued de- about 350 to 400C and 2 kbars. One major difference is that the amountof gold gassing of amphibolite andgranulite graderocks underlying thepresently exposed FlirtFlondomain may discovered in the western Flirt Flon domain is small be the source of the mineralizing fluids. Lewry et al. in comparison with giantArchcan deposits. The me(1990) andBickfordet al. (1990) speculate that the sothermal goldreserves total about2.5 metric tons
Flirt Flon domain was thrust over the Hanson Lake

for the westernFlin Flon domain,which is lessthan 1

FlirtFlon domain. Fyfe andKerrich(1984) andPhillips et al. (1987) attemptedto constrain the source volumerequiredto produce the Au andothersolutes Comparisons with Archcan Mesothermal in deposits of the Timmins andGoldenMile camps. Gold Deposits They estimated that 1,200 kma of rockat reasonable In general,mesothermal gold occurrences in the average crustalconcentrations of gold, and reasonwestern Flin Flon domainexhibitmanysimilarities able goldextraction and golddepositional efficienwiththegiant Archcan deposits. Theyareall spatially cieswouldbe enough to produce a giantgoldcamp. associated with shear zones within the brittle-ductile The westernFlin Flon domain(Fig. 2) hasan areal transition zone, and there are local constraintson the extent of about 1,200 km2 and so would be large locations of the deposits, e.g.,competency contrasts, enough to form at leastone largegolddeposit. The

blockalongthe Sturgeon Weir shearzone (Fig. 1), and soa possible source of metamorphic fluidsmay be from medium-grade devolatilizationreactions duringthermalequilibration of Proterozoic rocksin the HansonLake block after overthrusting by the Flin Flon domain.However,the structure and geologichistory of the underlying crustof the FlirtFlon domainis not knownat present.

percent of the goldproduction at the Timmins camp (1,700 t), Abitibi greenstone belt, andat the Golden Mile deposit(1200 t), Yilgarnblock,Australia.The Tartan Lakegolddeposit, western Manitoba (Fedorowichet al., 1991), adds onlya further5.4 metrictons
of Au to the above reserve estimate for the western

1520

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

implication from thesesimplecalculations is that a tween80 and240 m.y. afterpeakmetamorphism. A largemesothermal golddeposit mightbe present in multistage concentrating process maythusbe importhe western Flin Flon domain. However, this would tant in the development of giant mesothermal gold likelyrequirefocusing of most of the available miner- deposits. It ispossible thatthe smallgoldoccurrences alizingfluids into a single structural zoneratherthan in the western Flin Flon domain are similar to the less having themdissipated along a largenumber of shear spectacular quartzveinsin the internalportions of zones. the Abitibigreenstone belt wherefluidflowwasminThe giantArcheangold deposits, and manyPha- imal relative to that in the major terrane-bounding nerozoic analogues, are associated with crustal-scale shear zones. terraneboundary faults(KerrichandWyman,1990) Conclusions that represent structural zones activeduringthe latis a Proterozoic example of a ter stages of arc-continent, or continent-continent The Flin Flon domain belt, andasin several Archean examples, collision (Barleyet al., 1989; Hodgson andHamilton, greenstone world-renowned volcanogenic massive sulfide 1989). The spatial association of shoshonitic lampro- hosts e.g., Flin Flon, SnowLake. The western phyres andmesothermal goldis usedasevidence for deposits, also hosts a largenumber a morespecific tectonic setting, namelyobliquesub- partof the Flin Flondomain duction in a transpressive-collisional tectonic setting of mesothermal gold occurrences, all of which are at present but whichexhibitsome char(WymanandKerrich, 1988). The presence of man- subeconomic typicalof giantArchean mesothermal gold tle-derivedlamprophyric rocks;radiogenic isotope acteristics dataindicating thatmanydeposits musthavea solute deposits. The gold-bearing systems are associated with britsource thatincludes moreradiogenic, andthusolder, that developed rocksthan thoseexposed at surface(e.g., King and tle veinsin brittle-ductileshearzones Veinsfrequently deKerrich,1989; Groves andMcNaughton, 1991); and afterthe peakofmetamorphism. close to contacts betweenlithologies exhibitgeochronological evidence linkinghydrothermal ac- veloped or in areas whereshearzones tivity to magmaticand metamorphic eventsin the ing ductilitycontrasts consists domilower crustor subcreted crust,especially in the Abi- changeorientation.Vein mineralogy tibi belt (e.g.,Corfu, 1987), havebeenusedto em- nantly of quartz, pyrite, and ankerite,with minor albite,chlorite,andarsenopyrite, andis phasize the probable importance of a deepandheter- tourmaline, by variablydeveloped but spatially limogeneous sourcefor the gold in Archeandeposits surrounded envelopes of quartz,ankerite,albite, (e.g.,Colvine,1989;Fyonet al., 1989). In the west- ited alteration ern Flin Flon domain,the absence of lamprophyres pyrite,muscovite, andchlorite, the actual modal proassociated with the shearzones mayindicatethat the portions beinga functionof host-rock composition shearzonesare not trans-crustal features,and the iso- and alterationintensity.The presence of alteration topicdatapresented above suggest that the fluidand halos, albeit restricted in extent, indicates that the solutesare derived during the progrademetamor- mineralizing fluids usually werenotin chemical equiphisinof rockssimilarin age and composition to librium with the host rocks, whereas barren veins formedfrom fluidsthat were probablymorelocally thoseexposed on surface. The extent of alterationand relativelylow gold derived and more nearly in equilibriumwith the contents of the occurrences in the western Flin Flon surrounding rocks. Fluid inclusion dataindicatethat the mineralizing domain suggest thatthe fluidfluxthrough thesevein CO2-H20-NaC1in composisystems wasprobablysmallin relationto the giant fluidswere dominantly the abundance of CO2-richinclusions Archean deposits. Thismaybe anindication thatlim- tion, although ited quantities of fluids weresampled in the western is greater than that for typical Archeandeposits. Flin Flon domain relative to the Archean mesotherFluid inclusion salinities are variableandrangefrom of mal golddeposits. There is, at present,no indication 0.6 to 14.7 wt percentNaC1equiv.Temperatures by oxygenisotope that there wasmorethan one substantial hydrother- mineralizationare constrained pairs to about400C,whichwhenused with mal event affectingthe shearzonesin the western mineral Flin Flon domain. However, in the Abitibi belt, isochores basedon fluid inclusion densityestimates, that the pressure of mineralization wasapClaou-Long et al. (1989) suggested that goldwas suggest 2 kbars. Although HO-CO2phase ratios introduced shortly (10-20 m.y.)afterpeakmetamor- proximately there are areasin whichthe phismat about2680 Ma, whichwasthen upgraded are relativelyconstant, duringa later hydrothermal event relatedto intru- phaseratiosare variable,which may indicatethat wasoperating duringthedevelopsionof S-typecollisional granites at about2645 Ma fluidimmiscibilit in fluid chemistry, in par(FengandKerrich, 1991). Alternatively, Bell et al. mentof the veins.Changes in pH, duringphaseseparation (1989), Jemielitaet al. (1990), and Wong et al. ticular an increase interaction mayhaveresulted in (1991) suggest that hydrothermal activityand re- andlocalwall-rock lated transport and deposition of goldoccurred be- destabilization of gold-sulfur complexes.

PROTEROZOIC MESOTHERMAL GOLD, FLIN FLONDOMAIN,CANADA

15 21

The hydrothermal fluid wasprobably derivedby devolatilization during prograde metamorphism. Sulfur, carbon, andstrontium isotope analyses, though not equivocal, lend support to the derivation of solutesby leaching duringmetamorphism. The fluids andsolutes werelikelyderived byprograde metamorphismof rockssimilarin age and composition to thosethat presently hostthe goldoccurrences. Mesothermal gold mineralization in the western Flin Flondomain postdates 1834 ___ 13 Ma, the ageof the youngest intrusiverocksin the area. An Rb-Sr mineralisochron for the Rio deposit of 1760 ___ 9 Ma issimilar to 4Ar/S9Ar plateau ages forveinandalterationmuscovites fromthe LaurelLakeAu-Agdeposit of 1753 ___ 10 and 1746 ___ 10 Ma, respectively. The ageof about1760 Ma represents the time of muscovite andtourmaline growthfrom an auriferous fluid at the Riodeposit whichwasapproximately contem-

ing Research Counciloperating and infrastructure grants to TKK and R. Kerrich.KMA acknowledges receipt of a Universityof Saskatchewan graduate
scholarship. The manuscript hasbenefitedfrom early reviews

by P. Barton,R. Kerrich,J. Richards, D. O'Hanley, andJ. Fedorowich. August 19, 1991;February 10, 1992
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v. 96, p. 314-325. Aggarwal, P. K., andNesbitt,B. E., 1987, Pressure andtemperatureconditions ofmetamorphism in thevicinity ofthreemassive sulfide deposits, Flin Flon-Snow Lakebelt, Manitoba: Canadian Jour.EarthSci.,v. 24, p. 2305-2315. Ansdell, K. M., and Kyser,T. K., 1990, Temporalevolution of magmatism in a Proterozoic greenstone belt: Single-zircon Pbporaneous with the thermal event that affectedthe evaporation data from the Flin Flon domain,Canadalabs.I: Ar-Ar systematics of the muscovites at the Laurel Geol.Soc.AmericaProgram with Abstracts, v. 22, p. A262. andfluidhistory of theProterozoic Lakedeposit. An ageof 1791 ___ 3 Ma fromthe Tartan -- 1991a,The geochemistry LaurelLakeAu-Agdeposit, Flin Flongreenstone belt:Canadian Lake deposit,Manitoba(Fedorowich et al., 1991), Jour.EarthSci.,v. 28, p. 155-171. implies thatfluidflowalong the shear zones, andre- -- 1991b, Plutonism,deformationand metamorphism in the latedthermal effects, probably occurred periodically Proterozoic Flin Flongreenstone belt, Canada: Limitsontiming provided by the single-zircon Pb-evaporation technique: Geolovera periodof at least30 m.y. Although the shearzoneshosting the goldoccur- ogy, v. 19, p. 518-521. K. M., Kyser, T. K., Stauffer, M., andEdwards, G., 1991, rences wereactiveduringthe latter stages of the col- Ansdell,

lisional orogeny in the Flin Flon area,the lackof lambasin: Constraints on ageandprovenance: Saskatchewan Geol. prophyredikesand of isotopic evidence for a fluid Survey, Saskatchewan Energy MinesMisc.Rept.91-4, p. 157161. and solutesource areadistinctly differentfrom the K. E., 1990, Geology of the Snake Rapids area,Flin Flon rocksexposed at surface suggests that theseshear Ashton, domain(Parts of NTS 63L-9 and-10): Saskatchewan Geol.Surzonesdo not represent transcrustal structures. The vey,Saskatchewan Energy MinesMisc.Rept.90-4, p. 4-12. smallsizeof the mesothermal goldoccurrences thus Ashton, K. E., Wilcox,K. H., Wheatley,K. J., Paul,D., and de maybe a functionof the smallerrock and fluid volTombe,J., 1987, The boundary zonebetweenthe Flin Flon domain, Kisseynew gneisses andHanson Lakeblock,northern umesampled by eachshear zone,whencompared to Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Geol. Survey,Saskatchewan Enterrane-bounding faults, suchas the Larder Lake-

Detritalzircons fromMissimetasedimentary rocks, Flin Flon

Cadillac or Boulder-Lefroy faults, in Archean greenstone belts.

ergy Mines Misc. Rept. 87-4, p. 131-134.

Bailes, A. H., andSyme, E. C., 1989, Geology of the Flin FlonWhite Lakearea:Manitoba Dept. EnergyMines,Geol.Services
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Bailes, A. H., Syme, E. C., Galley, A. G., andSkirrow, R. G., 1987, Early Proterozoic volcanism, hydrothermal activity,and assoCAMECO and Vista Mines are thanked for allowciatedore deposits at Flin Flon andSnow Lake, Manitoba: Sasing access to manyof the gold occurrences. V. SokatoonGeol. Assoc.-Mineralog. Assoc. CanadaJt. Ann. Mtg., puck,D. Jiricka, F. McDougall, M. Koziol,K. Dies, May 19-24, 1987, Saskatoon, Field Trip 1 Guidebook, 95 p. B. N., Groves, D. I., Perring, C. S., and W. Coombe, K. Zazulak, andB. Hughes arethanked Barley,M. E., Eisenlohr, Vearncombe, J.R., 1989,LateArchean convergent margin tecfor logistical support andproviding muchuseful intonicsand gold mineralization: Evidence from the Norsemanformation in the field. Wilunabelt:Geology, v. 17, p. 826-829. Technical assistance at theUniversity of Saskatche-Bell,K., Anglin,C. D., andFranklin,J.M., 1989, Sm-NdandRb-Sr systematics of scheelites: Possible implications for the wan wasprovidedby Z. Szczepanik and B. Nova- isotope of vein-hosted golddeposits: Geology, v. 17, p. kovski(thin sections), R. George(electron micro- ageandgenesis

Acknowledgments

probe), D. Pezderic (stable isotopes), andA. Vuletich Bickford, M. E., Collerson, K. D., Lewry,J.F., VanSchmus, W. R., (radiogenic isotopes). The Ar-Ar analyses were andChiarenzelli,J., 1990, Proterozoic collisional tectonism in kindlyperformed by K. Foland at OhioState Univer- theTrans-Hudson orogen, Saskatchewan: Geology, v. 18, p. 14sity.
18.

5OO-5O4.

J., Pearlman, M. L., andProsser, H. C., 1952, ConverFinancial support for thisproject wasprovided by Bigeleisen, sionof hydrogenic materials to hydrogen for isotopic analysis: CAMECO andtheNatural Sciences andEngineering Anal.Chemistry, v. 24, p. 1356-1357. Research Council through a University-Industry Re- Blamart, D., Pichavant, M., andSheppard, S. M. F., 1989,Experiof the D/H isotopic fractionation between search Grant,andby NaturalScience andEngineer- mentaldetermination

1522

K. M. ANSDELL AND T. K. KYSER

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APPENDIX

AnalyticalTechniques
Microthermometric observations of fluid inclu-

28.6 per mil, respectively. Replicateanalyses indicatethatreproducibility at the 2 a confidence levelis Mineral separates were obtainedusingstandard _+0.2 per mil for sO, _+3.0 per mil for D, _+0.2 per crushing, sieving, magnetic separation, heavy liquid, mil for a4S, and_+0.1 per mil for aC. Tourmaline and muscovite from the Rio occurandhandpicking techniques; they were checked for purityoptically andby X-raydiffraction. Oxygen was rencewereleached in HC1priorto beingspiked and using anHF-HC104mixture. Rubidium and quantitatively removed from silicatemineralsepa- dissolved were separated by conventional cationexrates using the BrF5 technique of Clayton and strontium Mayeda(1963). Hydrogen andthe watercontent of change procedures, and the isotopic ratiosdeterMAT 261 multicollector mass hydrous minerals wereobtained using thetechniques minedon a Finnigan of Bigeleisen et al. (1952) and Kyser and O'Neil spectrometer run understaticconditions. Replicate (1984). SO wasobtainedfrom the sulfidemineral analyses of the NBS-987 Sr standard over the last 0.000027. separates using the technique of Rafter(1965). CO yearyieldeda meanvalueof 0.710238 _+ wasextracted fromankerite by reaction with HaPO 4 Ar-Ar isotope analyses were performed on musco(McCrea, 1950)at 50Cfor 2 days. Oxygen, hydro- vites fromanaltered quartz-feldspar porphyry, anda gen,sulfur,andcarbon isotope analyses were per- quartz-sulfide-muscovite vein at LaurelLake,using formed at the University of Saskatchewan, using con- irradiation, extraction, mass spectroscopic, andcorventional isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The re- rection procedures described by Foland et al. (1984). suitsare reportedin units of per mil relative to
size of the fluid inclusions decrease.

sions were conducted on doubly polished wafers of quartz ofbetween 100and500 #min thickness using a calibrated USGS-type gas-flow heating andcooling stage. CO2melting andCO2homogenization temperaturesare reproducible to _+0.1C, whereasother measurements are lessprecisewith the maximum errorbeing_+1.0C. Imprecision also increases asthe

Viennastandard meanocean water for O andH (VSMOW), Canyon Diablotroilite for S (CDT), and Peedeebelemnitefor C (PDB). Usingthesetech-

niques the80 value ofNBS-28 quartz is9.6permil,

the D valueof NBS-30biotite is -65 per mil, the a4S value of NBS-123 sphalerite is 16.7per mil,and
aC and 80 valuesof NBS-19 limestone are 1.9 and