Monte Ollasteddu, a new gold discovery in the Variscan basement of Sardinia (Italy): first isotopic (40Ar−39Ar, Pb) and fluid inclusion data

Abstract

The Monte Ollasteddu deposit represents a major gold discovery in the Variscan basement of southeastern Sardinia. Gold occurs in late-Variscan extensional brittle structures hosted by meta-volcanic, and subordinately meta-sedimentary, rocks. The vein mineralogy is dominated by quartz; arsenopyrite is the main sulphide. Reconnaissance 40Ar–39Ar dating gives ages around ∼260 Ma on K-feldspar from mineralized veins, whereas metamorphic white mica from the host rock gives ages clustering at ∼307 Ma. The best age estimate for biotite from a nearby leucogranite body is 286.3±2.2 Ma. The Pb isotope signature of ore and gangue minerals is entirely consistent with literature data for Variscan deposits of Sardinia, and for European Variscan gold deposits. Fluid inclusion data point to the presence of both CO2-bearing and CO2-free fluids, with homogenization temperatures ranging from 220 to 415°C, with low-to-moderate salinities (0.4–6.2 wt% NaCl equivalent). Monte Ollasteddu shows several features similar to European Variscan gold deposits; however, the age of mineralization might post-date granitoid intrusion by as much as 30 Ma, being instead coeval with very late calc-alkaline basaltic dykes, marking the transition to a post-orogenic, pre-Tethyan geodynamic setting.