The use of fluorine as a pathfinder for volcanic-hosted massive sulfide ore deposits

Abstract

A multi-element geochemical study of the wall rocks of intermediate to felsic volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits was carried out to identify pathfinder elements which significantly enlarge the size of exploration targets. Drill core samples from the Crandon massive sulfide deposit in Wisconsin, and outcrop samples from the United Verde and Iron King deposits in Arizona, and from the Captains Flat, Mt. Costigan, and Wiseman Creek deposits in New South Wales, Australia were analyzed. Because anomalously high fluorine values have been described in several volcanic-hosted ore systems, fluorine was included in the study. All of the above deposits have patterns of fluorine enrichment around ore. Drill core samples from two noneconomic prospects within ten miles of the Crandon deposit contain background to only weakly anomalous fluorine values. At the large Crandon deposit (> 50 million tons of zinc, copper ore), fluorine enrichment extends approximately 320 m into the footwall rocks and at least 220 m into the hanging wall rocks. At the large United Verde deposit (> 50 million tons of copper, zinc ore), fluorine enrichment is recognizable in the footwall rocks at least 650 m from the ore. At the smaller Iron King deposit (five million tons production of zinc, lead, copper ore), fluorine enrichment extends for a distance of approximately 60 m into the footwall rocks. At the small deposits in New South Wales (< five million tons production of zinc, lead, copper ore), fluorine enrichment is easily recognizable, but with the samples collected, the limits of the anomalous patterns cannot be defined. Fluorine occurs in some hydrothermal systems unassociated with mineralization and is therefore not a specific signature of ore-forming processes. From the work completed, many massive sulfide deposits in volcanic rocks occur in hydrothermal systems which contain fluorine. On the basis of the data presented, if anomalously high fluorine values do exist in an exploration search area, the chances of finding a massive sulfide ore deposit are improved. Genetic models for volcanic-hosted massive sulfide ore deposits have concentrated on rock textures, alteration mineralogy, and geochemistry of the ore metals. From the data presented, fluorine should be considered as a component of massive sulfide systems in intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks, and should be considered as a possible complexing agent for the ore metals.