Reintroduction of gold, other chalcophile elements and LILE during retrogression of depleted granulite, Tromøy, Norway

Abstract

Several metamorphic and magmatic events were associated with the Sveconorwegian orogeny (∼ 1.1 Ga) that affected the Bamble shear belt, south Norway. Among the most important were (1) granuliteto amphibolite-facies metamorphism of the entire belt; (2) intrusion of mafic dykes (“hyperites”), followed by their localized metamorphism to amphibolite; (3) intrusion of granitic sheets, which in granulite terrane caused rehydration and retrogression. Previous studies have shown that rocks from across the belt metamorphosed to amphibolite and granulite grade during event (1) are strongly depleted in Au, Sb and As; while some granulites are also depleted in Rb, Cu and S. Gold and chalcophile elements were also lost during (2) amphibolization of hyperites. This paper is concerned with event (3), at which time the granulites had been uplifted and cooled. H 2OCO 2 fluids, at least in part derived from the granitic magma, caused localized rehydration and retrogression of granulite. This was accompanied by the variable reintroduction of the same elements (Au, As, Sb, Cu, S and Rb) that had earlier been depleted. The nature of the reintroduction of Au and other elements has relevance to the origin of mesothermal gold deposits.