Unravelling magmatic-hydrothermal processes at Salobo and GT-46 IOCG deposits, Carajás mineral province, Brazil: Constraints from whole-rock geochemistry and trace elements in apatite

Abstract

The iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits of the northern portion of the Carajás Province, Amazonian Craton, Brazil, were primarily formed at the 2.5 Ga IOCG event. These deposits commonly exhibit wide Fe–K hydrothermal alteration halos (i.e., almandine-grunerite-biotite-magnetite) and display a temporal and spatial association with the 2.5 Ga granitic bodies, particularly in the GT-46 and in the world-class Salobo deposit. However, this association still lacks investigation concerning the metallogenic influence of the 2.5 Ga granitic bodies in the IOCG formation. Within these deposits, ca. 2.5 hydrothermally altered granites are recognized and include the Old Salobo, at the Salobo deposit, and G1 and G2, at the GT-46 deposit. Whole-rock geochemistry combined with petrography has pointed out that the G1 and Old Salobo are represented by granites to monzogranites, ferroan, metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with negative Eu anomaly. On the contrary, the G2 granite seems to represent a distinct body with granite composition, ferroan, metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with positive Eu anomaly. This granite exhibit pegmatitic textures, high Sr/Y ratios and listric-shaped normalized REE patterns, which suggest crystallization under high water contents. These granites primarily plots in the field of the volcanic arc granites, though some shifts towards to syn-collisional granites are observed. Effects of hydrothermal alteration are commonly seen in these granites both in textural aspects and geochemistry. Apatite mineral chemistry studies shows that magmatic signature in apatite is preserved in the G2 granite (G2core apatite), Old Salobo granite (OSA) and in the GT-46 ore zone (OZGT-A apatite), represented by enrichment in LREE and negative Eu anomaly. Hydrothermally altered apatite is recognized in the Old Salobo (OSB) and G2 granite (G2rim) and in the ore zone of GT-46 deposit and (OZGT-B) with depletion in LREE, which suggest that the same fluid might have affected both deposits. Truly hydrothermal apatite crystals from the Salobo and GT-46 ore zones shows high (Eu/Eu*)N values, indicative of high oxygen fugacity and alkaline fluids. Strong HREE depletion of the apatite grains from the central zone of the deposits suggest coeval almandine crystallization in the Fe–K alteration halos and evolved hydrothermal fluids. These results indicate that magmatic and hydrothermal process coexist in the IOCG deposits from the northern sector of Carajás Province. This might suggest that the 2.5 Ga IOCG deposits from the Carajás Province can have formed during the development of wide magmatic-hydrothermal systems.