Sulphur isotopic fractionation between sulphate and sulphide in hydrothermal ore deposits: disequilibrium vs equilibrium processes

Abstract

ABSTRACTCorrelative fractionation relationships of sulphur isotope data for coexisting sulphate and sulphide pairs from hydrothermal ore deposits on δ38S versus Δ34S diagrams are deciphered theoretically. Taking into account dissolved H2S and SO42‐ in hydrothermal fluids during precipitation of both sulphate and sulphide minerals, a 4‐species closed system is suggested for describing the conservation of mass among all sulphur‐bearing species on the δ‐Δ diagrams. The covariation in the δ34S values of both sulphate and sulphide is ascribed to isotopic exchange between oxidized and reduced sulphur species during mineral precipitation. The isotopic exchange could be a thermodynamic process due to simple cooling of high temperature fluids, which results in an equilibrium fractionation, or a kinetic process due to mixing of two sulphur reservoirs, which leads to a disequilibrium fractionation. The δ34S value of total sulphur in a hydrothermal system could change due to the precipitation of minerals, or due to the escape of H2S and/or SO42‐. Sulphur isotope data for anhydrite and pyrite pairs from the Luohe porphyrite iron deposit in the Yangtze River Valley is used to illustrate the mixing responsible for the disequilibrium fractionation.