Abstract
The Nong Sua aplite-pergmatite complex contains two dominant styles of Sn-W-Ta-Nb mineralization. Cassiterite ± Nb-Ta-Ti oxide minerals are disseminated in the pegmatite, and cassiterite and wolframite are hosted by quartz-tourmaline veins which are contained solely within aplite. The orthomagmatic fluid at Nong Sua is preserved as primary fluid inclusions in the cores of magmatic garnet crystals that have high tin concentrations (garnet cores without fluid inclusions do not contain elevated tin concentrations). These fluid inclusions have a composition of 3 wt% NaCl eq. The low salinity suggests that, at vapor saturation, tin was partitioned in favour of the melt, which allowed cassiterite to initially crystallize directly from the melt. Primary, pseudosecondary, and secondary fluid inclusions in cassiterite, tourmaline, and quartz record three-component mixing of the orthomagmatic fluid with high salinity aqueous and with CO 2-rich fluids. The orthomagmatic water is interpreted to have had δ 18O value of +8.7 to +9.9 per mil and a δD value of −72 to −78 per mil from δ 18 O analyses of muscovite and quartz, and δD of muscovite. The δ 18 O composition of muscovite decreased from 10.1 to 8.0 per mil and δD increased from − 106 to − 85 per mil, from the magmatic to the hydrothermal stages of pegmatite evolution. These changes are consistent with an influx of metamorphic fluids or evolved meteoric waters. We consider that the saturation of the melt with vapor caused the pressure in the pegmatite to rise to approximately 3.8 kbar, at a temperature of 650°C. Fluid overpressure caused the aplite to fracture, and veins to form from fluids which migrated into the fracture-induced low pressure zones. This event can be modeled by an isothermal decompression to 2.7 kbar. Cassiterite deposition was probably controlled by increasing fO 2, whereas wolframite deposition resulted from the mixing of W-rich with Fe-Mn-rich fluids. In both cases decompression, cooling, and addition of volatiles may have also contributed to mineralization.
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