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Sulphur Fe-Pb-Zn-Cu and Isotopes in Metamorphosed Precambrian

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Sulphur Fe-Pb-Zn-Cu and Isotopes in Metamorphosed Precambrian MINERALOGICAL MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 1983, VOL. 47, PP. 481-6 Sulphur isotopes in metamorphosed Precambrian Fe-Pb-Zn-Cu sulphides and baryte at Aggeneys and Gamsberg, South Africa K. VON GEHLEN Institut fiir Geochemie, Petrologic und Lagerstfittenkunde, University of Frankfurt, Senckenberg-Anlage28, D-6000 Frankfurt, FR Germany H. NIELSEN Stable Isotope Laboratory, Geochemisches Institut, University of G6ttingen, Goldschmidt-Str. 1, D-3400 G6ttingen, FR Germany I. CHUNNETT Black Mountain Mineral Development Company (Pty) Ltd., Private Bag XOl, Aggeneys, CP 8893, Rep. of South Africa AND A. ROZENDAAL O'okiep Copper Company Ltd., PO Box 17, Nababeep, CP 8265, Rep. of South Africa ABSTRACT. Sulphur isotope ratios in sulphides and west of Pofadder, NW Cape Province (fig. 1). They baryte from stratabound and stratiform orebodies in are stratiform deposits and belong to the highly a metavolcanic-sedimentary sequence in Namaqualand metamorphosed Proterozoic volcano-sedimentary were found, in part, to be extreme for Precambrian Bushmanland Sequence in the Namaqua Mobile sulphur. Black Mountain, Aggeneys, in the west gave an Belt. The aim of this sulphur isotope study has been average for the sulphides of 634S = + 8.9_+ 3.7 %0 (9 samples), an average for barytes of +20.6+4.3%0 to obtain information on the source of the sulphur (3 samples). Broken Hill, Aggeneys, in the centre gave and on the primary conditions of ore formation. an average for the sulphides of ~34S = +19.8+3.1%o The present paper deals with the first results (19 samples). Gamsberg, in the east, gave an average for obtained from a series of fifty-seven mineral samples, the sulphides of 634S = + 29.2 + 1.8 %o (24 samples), and which already permit some interesting conclusions. an average for barytes of + 35.4 • 0.2 %0 (2 samples). The Chadwick (1981) listed the ore reserves of the 634S values increase eastward. Their range is strongly on four deposits as follows (from west to east): Black the positive side and does not centre around zero. The Mountain, more than 80 million tons with 2.7 % Gamsberg barytes and most Gamsberg sulphides have Pb, 0.6 % Zn, 0.7 % Cu; Broken Hill, 38 million tons more positive 634S values than those reported for other Precambrian sulphides and sulphates. We interpret the with 6.35 % Pb, 2.87 % Zn, 0.45 % Cu, 85 g/t Ag; Big above sulphur isotope range as being mainly due to the Syncline (Aggeneys Mountain), about 100 million varying contributions of submarine-exhalative sulphide tons with 1.0% Pb, 2.5~ Zn; Gamsberg, 152.55 sulphur with 634S close to zero and bacterially(?)reduced million tons with 0.55 % Pb, 7.11% Zn. sulphate with strongly positive 6a4S, apparently from So far, only Broken Hill is in production. Its evaporites in the east. Metamorphism of amphibolite dominant economic constituent is galena, and facies grade has partly isotopically re-equilibrated the ore pyrrhotine is the most abundant iron sulphide. The minerals, as indicated by galena pyrrhotine and sulphide- massive sulphide ore varies from 5 to 55 % Pb, with baryte isotope temperatures from single specimens, but local zinc contents as high as 20% (Chadwick, has not destroyed the primary sulphur isotope range indicating pre-existing sulphate concentrations. 1981). Wilson (1981) gave the average of the well mineralized massive units within the Broken Hill IN the early 1970s, four major Pb-Zn-sulphide deposit as 0.98 % Cu, 22.3 % Pb, 3.8 % Zn, and deposits were discovered in the Bushmanland area 300 ppm Ag. Copyrioht the Mineralogical Society 482 K. VON GEHLEN ET AL. Pofodder S#r{ngbok 30 ~ S CAPE PROVINCE k~ 0 50 150 km cAP ~ i FIG. 1. Locations of Aggeneys and Gamsberg. Ruled: Namaqua Natal Mobile Belt (1-2 Ga), after Blignault (1981). SULPHUR ISOTOPE STUDIES 483 Previous work. The three sulphide orebodies in considered similar arid weathering conditions as the Aggeneys area, as well as that at Gamsberg probably also applicable to the formation of the some 15 km to the east, are accepted to be base metal deposits higher in the same sequence. stratiform and stratabound deposits and to form Ryan et al. (1982) suggested that the ores could part of the Aggeneys Ore Formation (Ryan et al., be assigned to an exhalative-sedimentary model 1982), equivalent to the Gams Iron Formation similar to the ferrugineous Red Sea deposits, and (Rozendaal, 1978) which again is part of the found many similarities between the Aggeneys Bushmanland Sequence. All rocks and the ore deposits and Broken Hill (NSW) in Australia formation in which the sulphides are associated (Stanton, 1976). with iron formations, amphibolites, quartzites, and Age of the deposits. According to Blignault (1981) baryte horizons, are highly metamorphosed and the field evidence points towards a 2.0 b.y. age for repeatedly complexly folded. the Aggeneys-type sediments, but an age of about First data on the deposits were published in an 1.3-1.4 b.y. cannot be discounted in view of possible excursion guide (GSSA, 1975). Stumpfl (1977) gave erroneous correlations and structural interpreta- a few additional details on the Aggeneys ore. The tions. Close to the deposits, Reid (1981) determined results of the investigation of the three Aggeneys Sm-Nd ages of (2.01+0.19) to (2.23+0.33)x 109 deposits were recently summarized by Ryan et al. years for basic amphibolites at Gamsberg; however, (1982) and Ryan (1982). lead isotope studies of Aggeneys and Gamsberg A series of studies has been undertaken on the sulphides by Ktppel (1980) suggested an age of Gamsberg deposit (Rozendaal, 1976, 1977, 1978, (1.25+0.2) x 10 9 years. The problem of the age of 1980, 1982). From silicate phase assemblages, the the Bushmanland metasedimentary sequence and maximum temperature during polyphase deforma- the ore deposits has, therefore, still to be resolved tion and metamorphism was deduced as 670 ~ (Barton, 1981). with a maximum pressure of 4.5 kbar. This rather Determination of sulphur isotope ratios. The low pressure for garnet-bearing rocks is easily sulphur isotope measurements were made at the explained by their high Mn contents. Stumpfl Stable Isotope Laboratory, Geochemisches Institut, (1979) found MnO concentrations from 5 to 40~ University of Gtttingen, using a FINNIGAN in garnet and other silicates--pyroxenes and MAT 251 mass spectrometer. A special problem in stilpnomelane--from the ore environment. He has many cases was the separation of pure mono- shown that at Gamsberg an intense manganese mineralic samples from the sulphide intergrowths halo around the ores has survived amphibolite- of the massive ore. Pyrrhotine was separated by facies metamorphism. Similar Mn haloes have been means of its magnetic properties, while in all other reported elsewhere e.g. from Tynagh (Russell, 1974); cases, hand-picking under a binocular microscope from Broken Hill, NSW (Stanton, 1976); and from was employed. In some cases involving intimate Meggen (Gwosdz and Krebs, 1977). intergrowths, composite samples of unseparated Rozendaal (1980) described the depositional sulphides were measured. environment for the Gamsberg deposit and Results. Average values for the sulphur isotope accompanying rocks as a relatively shallow, locally ratios (634S) shown in detail in fig. 2 are as follows: restricted basin, with the depositional conditions Black Mountain, Aggeneys, in the west, varying between oxidizing and reducing, resulting sulphides: 634S = + 8.9 ___3.7 ~0 (9 samples), in an almost cyclic deposition of oxide-carbonate- barytes: t~34S= + 20.6___4.3 %o (3 samples); sulphide facies in an iron formation. He considered Broken Hill, Aggeneys, in the centre, graphite in the ore zone as indicative of the sulphides ~34S = +19.8_3.1%o (19 samples); presence of abundant sulphate-reducing organic matter. Big Syncline, Aggeneys, in the centre, sulphides: t~34S = +12.8_+0.7%o (3 samples), Moore (1980) studied massive sillimanite- barytes: ~34S = + 30.2 _ 0.1%o (2 samples); corundum rocks which occur within the same thin, highly metamorphosed rock sequence as the Gamsberg, in the east, sulphides: ~34S = +29.2_1.8%o (24 samples), Aggeneys and Gamsberg orebodies. The sillimanite- barytes: 634S = + 35.4 + 0.2 %o (2 samples). rich rocks, already interpreted as metamorphic bauxites by Coetzee (1940), were found by Moore Surprisingly, the 634S values were mostly rather to originate from aluminous clays in a thin strongly positive, in contrast to most other Pre- continental sequence of red-bed arkoses and shales. cambrian sulphides and sulphates (Monster et al., To the east these rocks were in contact with 1979). However, the scatter of sulphide fi34S values evaporitic carbonate-rich beds within a playa within a single deposit was found to be rather small or shallow marine environment where a sabkha especially for Gamsberg. Sulphur isotope geo- process developed at the land-sea interface. Moore thermometry for a sulphide-baryte pair (from one 484 K. VON GEHLEN ET AL. -I0 /3 10 20 30 I I I I I I t I i I I I BLack Mountain ,~, [] 4a [] FL, I 1 IJ Broken HiLt m Big Synctine U Gamsber 9 -lb ' 6 ' lb ' z'o ' 3'o 634S (%o) above baseline: B galena r7 sphal.erite m chal.copyrite Ea unseparated sul.phides ~m pyrrhotine m pyrite below baseline: m bar~te FIG. 2. Sulphur isotope ratios obtained in this study for the Aggeneys-Gamsberg ores. Black Mountain specimen) gave a temperature there is a definite tendency for the range of sulphide of c. 700 ~ (A = 9.1%o), comparable with the (as well as baryte) 534S to increase from west (Black maximum temperature of amphibolite facies meta- Mountain) to east (Gamsberg). This tendency, morphism of 670 ~ (Rozendaal, 1978). Sulphide- which leads to fi34S averages at Gamsberg more pair geothermometry (within the same hand positive than any other Precambrian ones listed specimen in each case) led, in part, to further by Monster et al.
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