Sulfur Isotope Study on Hg and Sb Deposits in Japan

Abstract

Abstract. Sulfur isotope ratios of cinnabar from Hg deposits and stibnite, jamesonite and berthierite from Sb deposits in Japan are examined in order to understand metallogeneses of Hg and Sb deposits in Japanese island arcs. The studied Hg and Sb deposits include the Hg deposit at Yamato‐suigin (Honshu) and the Sb deposit at Ichinokawa (Shikoku) in the Southwest Japan arc. In addition, Hg deposits including Itomuka and Ryushoden in central Hokkaido and Hg and Sb mineralizations in Northeast Japan arc are examined.The δ34S values of cinnabar from the Hidaka‐Kitami district, central Hokkaido, including the Itomuka and Ryushoden deposits range widely, from ‐10 to +16 %o, the highest values encountered at the Samani deposit. The δ34S values of cinnabar from other areas in Japan range from ‐12 to +5 %o, having δ34S values higher than +2 %o from southwestern Hokkaido (Meiji deposit), Shikoku (Suii deposit) and Kyushu (Hasami and Yamagano deposits). On the other hand, the δ34S values of stibnite from all areas in Japan range from ‐14 to +5 %o, having positive δ34S values higher than +2 %o up to +5 %o from southwestern Hokkaido (Yakumo, Toyotomi and Teine deposits) and eastern‐central Honshu (Hachiman and Daikoku deposits).The variation in δ34S values of Hg and Sb deposits may reflect the variation in δ34S values of country rocks or variation in mixing ratio of sulfur extracted from the country rocks, sulfur derived from seawater sulfate, and sulfur derived from magmatic emanations. The relatively high δ34S values of cinnabar and stibnite higher than +2 %o from southwestern Hokkaido, eastern‐central Honshu and Kyushu are probably caused by contribution of volcanic emanation from arc magmas having positive σδ34S values, whereas the positive δ34S values of cinnabar higher than +2 %o from Suii deposit in Shikoku may be attributed to structurally substituted sulfate in limestone country rocks and/or sulfur derived from seawater sulfate. However, the wide range of the δ34S values of cinnabar from the Hidaka‐Kitami district, central Hokkaido, is difficult to explain at this moment. Other relatively low, negative δ34S values of cinnabar and stibnite, berthierite from other areas in Japan may be attributed to 1) incorporation of isotopically light sedimentary sulfur or sulfur derived from ilmenite‐series silicic magma, or 2) less contribution of volcanic emanation from arc magmas having positive σδ34S values.