Tectonophysics of hydrothermal ore formation: an example of the Antei Mo–U deposit, Transbaikalia

Abstract

The Antei deposit of the southeastern Transbaikalian region is one of the largest uranium mines in Russia. It is hosted by the Late Paleozoic granitic basement of the Streltsovskaya caldera and was formed as a result of Late Mesozoic tectonothermal activity. Vein and stockwork–disseminated molybdenum–uranium mineralization at this deposit is controlled by zones of intense hydrothermal alteration, cataclasis, brecciation, and intense fracturing along steeply dipping faults, which acted as conduits for mineralizing fluids and hosts to the ore bodies. The upper edge of the ore-bearing zone is located at a depth of 400 m, and its lower edge was intersected at a depth of 1300 m from the day surface. The conditions of ore localization were determined using structural–geological and petrophysical studies coupled with numerical modeling of the effects of gravitational body forces at purely elastic and postcritical elastoplastic deformational stages. The dynamics of the tectonic stress field in the rock massif was reconstructed using the results of mapping of morphogenetic and kinematic characteristics of fault and fracture systems, as well as data on petrography and mineralogy of rocks and vein-filling material. It was shown that the fault framework of the deposit was formed in four tectonic stages, three of which took place in the geologic past and one of which reflects recent geologic history. Each tectonic stage was characterized by different parameters of the tectonic stress–strain field, fault kinematics, and conditions of mineral formation. The following types of metasomatic rocks are recognized within the deposit: high-temperature K-feldspar rocks and albitites (formed during the Late Paleozoic as the primary structural elements of a granitic massif) and Late Mesozoic low-temperature preore (hydromicatized rocks), synore (hematite, albite, chlorite, and quartz) and postore (kaolinite–smectite) rocks. The following petrophysical parameters were determined for all rock types: density, effective porosity, wetand dry-rock shear (S-wave), and compressional (P-wave) velocity. Ultrasonic measurements were made to obtain the dynamic Young’s modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Poisson’s ratio. The results confirm that all studied lithologies (host granites, K-feldspathized rock with albitites and hydromicatized rocks) have drastically different petrophysical parameters. These values were used as the basis for tectonophysical modeling of Late Mesozoic synore deformation induced by gravitational forces. It was shown that the domains of most intense deformation are confined to the intersections of submeridional fluid-conducting faults with sublatitudinal K-feldspathized and albitized zones, which acted as concentrators of external induced stresses. The formation of enriched ore shoots at these structural nodes can be explained by the suction-pumping of oreforming fluids by pipe-like (tubular) conduits under oriented stress. The deformation of K-feldsparthic rocks and albitites under stresses exceeding the elastic limit raised their fracture permeability due to cataclasis and brecciation and created favorable conditions for circulation of mineralizing fluids and precipitation of minerals. The use of tectonophysical modeling for the reconstruction of paleotectonic and fluid flow conditions during formation of hydrothermal mineralization allows a more precise evaluation of ore potential in deep levels and flanks of ore deposits.