Interrogating the composition and genesis of argillite-hosted pyrite nodules at the LaRonde Penna gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit, Abitibi, Quebec: insights into metallogenic implications

Abstract

This study investigates pyrite nodules hosted in argillite horizons within (Zn-Ag-Au-Cu±Pb) massive sulphide ore of the 20N Zn zone at the LaRonde Penna Au-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit, Abitibi greenstone belt, Quebec. Two pyrite nodules are examined in detail: LA-001 and LA-002. These nodules are spherical and oblate spheroidal in shape and display similar textures, including a core (zone 1) composed of fine, equigranular grains with variable amounts of silicate-carbonate inclusions; a rim (zones 2a to c) that varies from inclusion-poor to -rich and consists of equigranular to radially oriented, acicular pyrite grains; and a thin layer of idiomorphic pyrite overgrowth that surrounds the nodules (zone 3). Sulphide inclusions in nodule LA-001 consist predominantly of sphalerite, whereas sulphide inclusions in nodule LA-002 include an assemblage of sphalerite, Zn-bearing stannite (Cu2(Fe,Zn)SnS4), and galena, all of which occur also in the surrounding massive sulphide ore. In nodule LA-002, sphalerite is intimately associated with stannite, and together they are preferentially concentrated along both the concentric zones of the inclusion-rich section of the rim (zone 2b) and within the radially bladed rim (zone 2c), parallel to blade elongation. Whereas textures are similar in the two nodules, compositional maps generated by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) reveal important distinctions in element distribution patterns for inclusion-partitioned elements (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Bi), which reflect the mineralogy and bulk abundances for lattice-bound elements (Ni, As, Au). Gold is mainly concentrated in the fine-grained cores, but in different amounts in LA-001 (average of 0.38 ppm Au; n = 6918) and LA-002 (average of 1.04 ppm Au; n = 10,539). Nickel and As values in LA-001 are respectively 10 and 3 times greater than in LA-002. In both nodules, Ni is enriched in the rim relative to the core. The pyrite nodules have in situ delta-34S values (secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses) that range from -0.8 to +5.0 per mille (average +2.1 per mille, n = 50), with the core showing slightly lighter values than the rim. Based on these results, the nodules (zones 1 and 2) are interpreted to have formed by diagenetic processes and the presence of stannite, sphalerite, and galena (enrichment in Zn, Sn, Cu, and Pb) is likely the expression of a previously hydrothermally enriched sediment rather than a direct hydrothermal contribution during crystal growth. While more work is needed, the composition of pyrite nodules could potentially be used as vectors toward syngenetic mineralization.