Ore Geology, RE–OS Isotope Geochemistry of the Au and Au-Sb Mineralizations, Kular–Nera Terrane, Northeast Asia: Implications for Time of Formation and Ore Genesis

Abstract

The paper presents the first results of investigation of the Re–Os isotope system of native gold from the Malo-Tarynskoe, Khangalas, Bazovskoe, and chalcopyrite from the Dvoinoe orogenic gold deposits and stibnite from the Maltan Au-Sb depositin the Kular–Nera terrane, Northeast Asia. The deposits are spatially related to NW-trending lithospheric-scale major brittle faults or controlled by subsidiary faults and fracture zones. Such zones served as pathways for fluids rising from below the crust, and they have a long tectonic and reactivation history. The Kular–Nera terrane consists of Upper Permian, Triassic, and Lower Jurassic clastic sedimentary-rock sequences, metamorphosed to initial stages of greenschist facies. Magmatism is manifested by Kimmeridgian–Berriasian S- and I-types granitoids and mafic dikes of the Tas–Kystabyt magmatic belt. Re concentration in gold varies from 0.168 to 6.997 ppb, and that of osmium – from 0.068 to 1.443 ppb. Chalcopyrite from the Dvoinoe deposit occurrence contains 0.1522 ppb Re and 0.499 ppb Os. Stibnite from the Maltan Au-Sb depositoccurrence contains 0. 236 ppb Re and 0.903 ppb Os. The Re–Os ages of gold from the Malo-Tarynskoe (147.8 ± 3.8 Ma) and Bazovskoe (147.2 ± 1.8 Ma) and Khangalas (137.1 ± 7.6 Ma) orogenic deposits and the Maltan Au-Sb deposits (69.7±1.9 Ma) are determined. Malo-Tarynskoe and Bazovskoe represent the earliest known orogenic gold mineralization in the Kular–Nera terrane. The data obtained permit us to correlate the initiation of orogenic gold-ore systems with the completion of the formation at the end of the Late Jurassic Uyandina–Yasachnaya volcanic belt, crystallization and subsequent cooling in the Late Jurassic–early Early Cretaceous of granitoid massifs of the Tas-Kystabyt magmatic belt, and subduction–accretionary events at the northeastern active continental margin of the Siberian craton. Maltan Au-Sb deposit is related to completion of the formation of the Albian-Late Cretaceous Okhotsk–Chukotka volcano-plutonic belt. Contrasting mantle and/or crustal sources of ore-forming material are established. The osmium initial isotopic ratio in gold 187Os/188Os = 0.2210-0.4275 and antimonite (0,2543-0,2976) is typical for the ore-forming material from the fertile mantle reservoir, and for chalcopyrite (3.1904) – from the crust.