Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Study of Calcite and Dolomite in the Disseminated Au‐Ag Telluride Bulawan Deposit, Negros Island, Philippines

Abstract

Abstract: The disseminated Au‐Ag telluride Bulawan deposit, Negros island, Philippines, is hosted by dacite porphyry breccia pipes which formed in a Middle Miocene dacite porphyry stock. Electrum and Au‐Ag tellurides occur mostly as grains intergrown with or filling voids between sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and tennantite. Calcite, quartz and rare dolomite are the principal gangue minerals. Four types of alteration were recognized in the deposit, namely; propylitic, K‐feldspar‐sericitic, sericitic and carbonate alteration. Carbonate alteration is correlatable to the gold deposition stage and occurs mostly along fault zones.The δ18O and δ13C compositions of calcite and dolomite in propylite zone and ore‐stage dacite porphyry breccia were determined. The δ18O values of calcite in propylitized andesite range from +12.2 to +14.7%, and their δ13C values range from ‐6.1 to ‐1.0%. The δ18O values of calcite and dolomite in sericite‐ and carbonate‐altered, mineralized dacite porphyry breccia and dacite porphyry rocks range from +15.1 to +23.1%, and the δ13C values of calcite and dolomite range from ‐3.9 to +0.9%. The δ18O and δ13C values of the hydrothermal fluids were estimated from inferred temperatures of formation on the basis of fluid inclusion microthermometry. The δ18O values of hydrothermal fluid for the propylitic alteration were calculated to be +8.5 ‐ +9.5%, assuming 375°C. On the other hand, the δ18O values of ore solutions for base metal and Au mineralization were computed to be +13.6 ‐ +14.6%, assuming 270°C. The hydrothermal fluids that formed the Bulawan deposit are dilute and 18O‐enriched fluids which reacted with 18O‐ and 13C‐rich wallrocks such as limestone.