Tourmalinization related to Late Proterozoic-Early Palaeozoic lode gold mineralization in the Bin Yauri area, Nigeria

Abstract

Three types of tourmaline occurrence have been identified in the area of Bin Yauri, Nigeria, mesothermal lode-gold mineralization. These are: (1) stratabound tourmalinites in pelitic metasediments, (2) tourmaline in a hydrothermal alteration assemblage within hornfelsed wall rocks, (3) tourmaline in auriferous quartz and quartz-carbonate veins. Although the tourmaline occurrences are all within or close to the contact aureole of a granodiorite intrusion, geochemical characteristics of the tourmalines are broadly similar and reflect a common metasedimentary source. Two stages of tourmalinization are envisaged. The earlier (ca. 1100 Ma) involved syngenetic-diagenetic formation of tourmalinites, while the later (ca. 500 Ma) involved epigenetic (hydrothermal) tourmaline-gold mineralization, possibly derived by dehydration and devolatilization of metasedimentary sequences containing tourmaline-rich rocks or tourmalinites. Electron microprobe analyses indicate that the tourmalines are intermediate members of the schorl-dravite solid solution series. Plots involving FeO, MgO, and/or Al2O3 from these analyses are used to constrain the sources and processes of tourmalinization. Two metallogenic implications are derived from this study. One is that, although the tourmalinites are barren of gold and base metal mineralization, their occurrences nevertheless encourages exploration for syngenetic-exhalative massive sulphide deposits in the region. The other implication applies to the potential use of tourmaline in deciphering the physico-chemical conditions of gold-mineralizing fluids in the Bin Yauri area.