Rhenium-osmium geochronology of arsenopyrite in Meguma group gold deposits, Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia, Canada: Evidence for multiple gold-mineralizing events

Economic Geology

Volumn 100, Issue 6, 2005, Pages 1229-1242

  Morelli, Ryan M ^a   Creaser, Robert A ^a   Selby, David ^b   Kontak, Daniel J ^c   Horne, Richard J ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA   (Canada)

^b DURHAM UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

^c NOVA SCOTIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARSENOPYRITE; BEDDING-CONCORDANT VEINS; ISOCHRON METHOD;

GOLD DEPOSITS; GRANITE; LANDFORMS; OSMIUM; RHENIUM; SHALE;

GEOCHRONOLOGY;

ARSENOPYRITE; GEOCHRONOLOGY; GOLD; METAMORPHISM; MINERALIZATION; RHENIUM-OSMIUM DATING;

CANADA; MEGUMA TERRANE; NORTH AMERICA;

EID: 33645792184     PISSN: 03610128     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2113/gsecongeo.100.6.1229     Document Type: Article

References (86)

1. Arne, D.C., Bierlein, F.P., Morgan, J.W., and Stein, H.J., 2001, Re-Os dating of sulfides associated with gold mineralization in central Victoria, Australia: Economic Geology, v. 96, p. 1455-1459.
2. Benn, K., Horne, R.J., Kontak, D.J., Pignotta, G., and Evans, N.G., 1997, Syntectonic emplacement of the South Mountain batholith, Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia: Magnetic fabric and structural analysis: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 109, p. 1279-1293.
3. Bierlein, F.P., and Crowe, D.E., 2000, Phanerozoic orogenic lode gold deposits: Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 13, p. 103-139.
4. Bierlein, F.P., and Maher, S., 2001, Orogenic disseminated gold in Phanerozoic fold belts - examples from Victoria, Australia, and elsewhere: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 18, p. 113-148.
5. Bierlein, F.P., and Smith, P.K., 2003, The Touquoy zone deposit: An example of "unusual" orogenic gold mineralization in the Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia, Canada: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 40, p. 447-466.
6. Bouyx, E., Blasie, J., Brice, D., Dégardin, J.M., Goujet, D., Gourvennec, R., Le Menn, J., Lardeux, H., Morzadec, P., and Paris, F., 1997, Biostratigrahie et paléobiogéographie du Siluro-Dévonien de la zone de Meguma (Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada): Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 34, p. 1295-1309.
7. Boyle, R.W., 1979, The geochemistry of gold and its deposits: Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 280, 584 p.
8. Chatterjee, A.K., Kontak, D.J., and Smith, P.K., 1992, Gold and tin metallogeny within the lower Paleozoic Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia, Canada: Isotopic constraints for source reservoirs [abs.]: Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, Keyworth, Nottingham, April, 1992, Proceedings.
9. Christie, A.B., Corner, N.G., Bierlein, F.P., Smith, P.K., Ryan, R.J., and Arne, D.C., 2001, Disseminated gold at Reefton, South Island, New Zealand, compared with similar occurrences in Victoria, Australia, and Nova Scotia, Canada: New Zealand Mining, v. 28, p. 14-24.
10. Clarke, D.B., Chatterjee, A.K., and Giles, P.S., 1993, Petrochemistry, tectonic history, and Sr-Nd systematics of the Liscomb Complex, Meguma lithotectonic zone, Nova Scotia: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 30, p. 449-464.
11. Clarke, D.B., MacDonald, M.A., and Tate, M.C., 1997, Late-Devonian mafic-felsic magmatism in the Meguma zone, Nova Scotia: Geological Society of America Memoir 191, p. 107-127.
12. 39Ar biotite ages for the Victory mine, Kambalda, Western Australia: Constraints on the age and P-T time conditions of mineralisation [abs.]: Greenstone gold and crustal evolution: Geological Survey of Canada, 1990 Nuna Conference, Greenstone Gold Deposits, Val d'Or Quebec, Abstracts, p. 144-145.
13. Cohen, A.S., Coe, A.L., Bartlett, J.M., and Hawkesworth, C.J., 1999, Presice Re-Os ages of organic-rich mudrocks and the Os isotope composition of Jurassic seawater: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 167, p, 159-173.
14. Creaser, R.A., Papanastassiou, D.A., and Wasserburg, G.J., 1991, Negative thermal ion mass spectrometry of osmium, rhenium, and iridium: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 55, p. 397-401.
15. Creaser, R.A., Sannigrahi, P., Chacko, T., and Selby, D., 2002, Further evaluation of the Re-Os geochronometer in organic-rich sediments: A test of hydrocarbon maturation effects in the Exshaw Formation, Western Canada sedimentary basin, Canada: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 66, p. 3441-3452.
16. Cumming, G.L., 1969, A recalculation of the age of the solar system: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 6, p. 719-735.
17. Eberz, G.W., Clarke, D.B., Chatterjee, A.K., and Giles, P.S., 1991, Chemical and isotopic composition of the lower crust beneath the Meguma lithotectonic zone, Nova Scotia: Evidence from granulite facies xenoliths: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 109, p. 69-88.
18. 39Ar results: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 13, p. 229-250.
19. Frei, R., Nägler, T.F., Schönberg, R., and Kramers, J.D., 1998, Re-Os, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and stepwise lead leaching isotope systematics in shear-zone hosted gold mineralization: Genetic tracing and age constraints of crustal hydrothermal activity: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 62, p. 1925-1936.
20. Goldfarb, R.J. Snee, L.W., Miller, L.D., and Newberry, J., 1991, Rapid dewatering of the crust deduced from ages of mesothermal gold deposits: Nature, v. 354, 296-298.
21. Goldfarb, R.J., Phillips, G.N., and Nokleberg, W.J., 1998, Tectonic setting of synorogenic gold deposits of the Pacific Rim: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 13, p. 185-218.
22. Goldfarb, R.J., Grove, D.I., and Gardoll, S., 2001, Orogenic gold and geologic time: A global synthesis: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 18, p. 1-75.
23. Graves, M.C., and Zentilli, M., 1982, A review of the geology of gold in Nova Scotia: Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Special Volume 24, p. 233-242.
24. Greenough, J.D., Krogh, T.E., Kamo, S.L., Owen, J.V., and Roffman, A., 1999, Precise U/Pb dating of Meguma basement xenoliths: New evidence for Avalonian underthrusting: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 36, p. 15-22.
25. Haeussler, P.J., Bradley, D., Goldfarb, R., Snee, L.W., and Taylor, C., 1995, Link between ridge subduction and gold mineralization in southern Alaska: Geology, v. 23, p. 995-998.
26. Hagemann, S.G., and Cassidy, K.F., 2000, Archean orogenic lode gold deposits: Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 13, p. 9-68.
27. Haynes, S.J., 1987, Classification of quartz veins in turbidite-hosted gold deposits, greenschist facies, eastern Nova Scotia: Canadian Institute of Mining Bulletin, v. 80, p. 37-51.
28. Henderson, J.R., and Henderson, M.N., 1990, Crack-seal texture in bedding-parallel, gold-bearing, columnar-quartz veins: Evidence of fossil water sills: Geological Survey of Canada Paper 90-8, p. 163-168.
29. Henderson J.R., Wright, T.O., and Henderson, M.N., 1986, A history of cleavage and folding: An example from the Goldenville Formation, Nova Scotia: Geological Society of America Bulletin v. 97, p. 1354-1366.
30. Henderson, J.R., Henderson, M.N., and Wright, T.O., 1990, Water-sill hypothesis for the origin of certain veins in the Meguma Group, Nova Scotia, Canada: Geology, v. 18, p. 654-657.
31. 39Ar ages from muscovite and whole rock samples, Meguma Supergroup, southern Nova Scotia: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 36, p. 23-32.
32. Hofstra, A.H., and Cline, J.S., 2000, Characteristics and models for Carlin-type gold deposits: Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 13, p. 163-220.
33. Horne, R.J., and Culshaw, N., 2001, Flexural-slip folding in the Meguma Group, Nova Scotia, Canada: Journal of Structural Geology, v. 23, p. 1631-1652.
34. Horne, R.J., and Jodrey, M., 2002, Geology of the Dufferin gold deposit (NTS 11D/16), Halifax County: Minerals and Energy Branch 2002-1, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Report of Activities 2001, p. 51-67.
35. Horne, R.J., MacDonald, M.A., Corey, M.C., and Ham, L.J., 1992, Structure and emplacement of the South Mountain batholith: Atlantic Geology, v. 28, p. 29-50.
36. Kaufmann, B., 2005, Two new Emsian (Early Devonian) U-Pb zircon ages from volcanic rocks of the Rhenish Massif (Germany): Implications for the Devonian time scale: Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 162, p. 363-371.
37. Keppie, J.D., 1976, Structural model for saddle reef and associated gold veins in the Meguma Group, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Department of Mines Paper 76-1, 34 p.
38. Keppie, J.D., and Dallmeyer, R.D., 1987, Dating transcurrent terrane accretion: An example from the Meguma and Avalon composite terranes in the northern Appalachians: Tectonics, v. 6, p. 831-847.
39. Keppie, J.D., and Krogh, T.E., 1999, U-Pb geochronology of Devonian granites in the Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia, Canada: Evidence for hotspot melting of a Neoproterozoic source: Journal of Geology, v. 107, p. 555-568.
40. Kirk, J., Ruiz, J., Chesley, J., Walshe, J., and England, G., 2002, A major Archean, gold- and crust-forming event in the Kaapval craton, South Africa: Science, v. 297, p. 1856-1858.
41. 39Ar dating of hydrothermal biotite from high-grade gold ore, Tangier gold deposit, Nova Scotia: Further evidence for 370 Ma gold metallogeny in the Meguma terrane: Economic Geology, v. 97, p. 619-628.
42. Kontak, D.J., and Jackson, S.J., 1999, Documentation of variable trace and rare-earth element abundances in carbonates from auriferous veins in Meguma lode gold deposits, Nova Scotia: Canadian Mineralogist, v. 37, p. 469-488.
43. Kontak, D.J. and Kerrich, 1997, An isotopic (C, O, Sr) study of vein quartz and carbonate from Meguma gold deposits, Nova Scotia, Canada: Economic Geology, v. 92, p. 161-180.
44. 39Ar dating of metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Liscomb Complex, Meguma terrane, southern Nova Scotia, Canada: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 31, p. 1643-1653.
45. Kontak, D.J., and Smith, P.K., 1989, Sulphur isotopic composition of sulfides from the Beaver Dam and other Meguma Group-hosted gold deposits, Nova Scotia: Implications for genetic models: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 26, p. 1617-1629.
46. Kontak, D.J., and Smith, P.K., 1993, An overview of Meguma gold deposits in the Meguma terrane of southern Nova Scotia: Exploration and Mining Geology, v. 2, p. 418-421.
47. Kontak, D.J., Smith, P.K., Kerrich, R., and Williams, P.F., 1990a, Integrated model for Meguma Group lode gold deposits, Nova Scotia, Canada: Geology, v. 18, p. 238-242.
48. 39Ar geochronological constraints on the timing of quartz vein formation in Meguma Group lode-gold deposits, Nova Scotia: Atlantic Geology, v. 26, p. 201-227.
49. 39Ar geochronology of the Beaver Dam gold deposit, Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia, Canada: Evidence for mineralization at 370 Ma: Economic Geology, v. 88, p. 139-170.
50. Kontak, D.J., Horne, R.J., and Smith, P.K., 1996, Hydrothermal characterization of the West Gore Au-Sb deposit, Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia: Economic Geology, v. 91, p. 1239-1262.
51. 39Ar dating of ribbon-textured veins and wall-rock material from Meguma lode gold deposits, Nova Scotia: Implications for timing and duration of vein formation in slate-belt hosted vein gold deposits: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 35, p. 746-761.
52. Kontak D.J., Horne, R.J., and Smith, P.K., 2001, Meguma gold deposits, Nova Scotia: Over-view of past work with implications for future work: The Gangue, Geological Association of Canada, Mineral Deposits Division Newsletter, v. 71, p. 1-9.
53. Kontak, D.J., Dunning, G., and Creaser, R.A., 2003, U-Pb and Re-Os dating of the South Mountain and Musquodoboit batholiths, Nova Scotia: Evidence for protracted magmatic-hydrothermal systems: [abs.]: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 38th Annual Meeting, v. 35, p. 80.
54. Kosler, J., Simonetti, A., Sylvester, P., Cox, R., Tubrett, M. N., and Wilton, D., 2003, Laser ablation ICP-MS measurements of Re/Os in molybdenites and implications for Re-Os geochronology: Canadian Mineralogist, v. 41, p. 307-320.
55. Lin, S., and Corfu, F., 2002, Structural setting and geochronology of auriferous quartz veins at the High Rock Island gold deposit, northwestern Superior province, Manitoba, Canada: Economic Geology, v. 97, p. 43-57.
56. Ludwig, K.R., 1980, Calculation of uncertainties of U-Pb isotope data: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 46, p. 212-220.
57. Ludwig, K.R., 2000, Isoplot/Ex version 2.2: A geochronological toolkit for Microsoft Excel: Berkeley, California, Berkeley Geochronology Center Special Publication 1a.
58. Malcolm, W., 1929, Gold fields of Nova Scotia: Department of Mines, Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 156, 253 p.
59. Mawer, C.K., 1987, Mechanics of formation of gold-bearing quartz veins, Nova Scotia, Canada: Tectonophysics, v. 135, p. 99-119.
60. McBride, D.E., 1978, Geology of the Ecum Secum area, Halifax, and Gysborough counties, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Department of Mines Paper 78-1, 12 p.
61. 39Ar method: Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics 9, 212 p.
62. 39Ar studies in the Meguma zone, Nova Scotia, Canada: Chemical Geology (Isotope Geoscience Section), v. 73, p. 153-167.
63. Okulitch, A.V., 2002, Geological time chart, 2002: Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3040 (National Earth Science Services).
64. Pettke, T., Diamond, L.W., and Villa, I.M., 1999, Mesothermal gold veins and metamorphic devolitilization in the northwestern Alps: the temporal link: Geology, v. 27, p. 641-644.
65. Ravizza, G., and Turekian, K.K., 1992, The osmium isotopic composition of organic-rich marine sediments: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 110, p. 1-6.
66. 39Ar stepwise outgassing method: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 40, p. 11-118.
67. Ruffman, A., and Greenough, J.D., 1990, The Weekend dykes, a newly recognized mafic dyke swarm on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 27, p. 644-648.
68. Ryan, R.J., and Smith, P.K., 1998, A review of the mesothermal gold deposits of the Meguma Group, Nova Scotia, Canada: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 13, p. 153-183.
69. Sangster, A.L., 1990, Metallogeny of the Meguma terrane, Nova Scotia: Geological Survey of Canada Paper 90-8, p. 115-162.
70. Sangster, A.L., 1991, Comment on "Integrated model for Meguma Group lode gold deposits, Nova Scotia, Canada:" Geology, v. 19, p. 764.
71. Schenk, P.E., 1970, Regional variation in the flysch-like Meguma Group (lower Paleozoic) of Nova Scotia, compared to recent sedimentation off the Scotian shelf: Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 7, p. 127-163.
72. Selby, D., and Creaser, R.A., 2001a, Re-Os geochronology and systematics in molybdenite from the Endako porphyry molybdenum deposit, Britis Columbia, Canada: Economic Geology, v. 96, p. 197-204.
73. Selby, D., and Creaser, R.A., 2001b, Late and Mid-Cretaceous mineralization in the northern Canadian Cordillera: Constraints from Re-Os molybdenite dates: Economic Geology, v. 96, p. 1461-1467.
74. Selby, D., and Creaser, R.A., 2003, Re-Os geochronology of organic rich sediments: An evaluation of organic matter analysis methods: Chemical Geology, v. 200, p. 225-240.
75. Selby, D., and Creaser, R.A., 2004, Macroscale NTIMS and microscale LA-MC-ICP-MS Re-Os isotopic analysis of molybdenite: Testing spatial restrictions for reliable Re-Os age determinations, and implications for the decoupling of Re and Os within molybdenite: Geochimica et Cosmochimica. Acta, v. 68, p. 3897-3908.
76. Selby, D., Creaser, R.A., Hart, C.J.R., Rombach, C.S., Thompson, J.F.H., Smith, M.S., Bakke, A.A., and Goldfarb, R.J., 2002, Absolute timing of sulfide and gold mineralization: A comparison of Re-Os molybdenite and Ar-Ar mica methods from the Tintina gold belt, Alaska: Geology, v. 30, p. 791-794.
77. Shirey, S.B., and Walker, R.J., 1995, Carius tube digestions for low-blank rhenium-osmium chemistry analysis: Analytical Chemistry, v. 67, p. 2136-2141.
78. Stein, H.J., Morgan, J.W., and Scherstén, A., 2000, Re-Os dating of low-level highly radiogenic (LLHR) sulfides: The Harnäs gold deposit, southwest Sweden, records continental-scale tectonic events: Economic Geology, v. 95, p. 1657-1671.
79. Stein H.J., Markey, R.J., Morgan, J.W., Hannah, J.L., and Scherstén, A., 2001, The remarkable Re-Os chronometer in molybdenite: How and why it works: Terra Nova, v. 13, p. 479-486.
80. Teufel, S., and Heinrich, W., 1997, Partial resetting of the U-Pb isotope system in monazite through hydrothermal experiments: An SEM and U-Pb isotope study: Chemical Geology, v. 137, p. 273-281.
81. Tucker, R.D., Bradley, D.C., VerStraeten, C.A., Harris, A.G., and McCutcheon, S.D., 1998, New U-Pb zircon ages and the duration and division of Devonian time: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 158, p. 175-186.
82. Vielreicher, N.M., Groves, D.I., Fletcher, I.R., McNaughton, N.J., and Rasmussen, B., 2003, Hydrothermal monazite and xenotime geochronology: A new direction for precise dating of orogenic gold mineralization: Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter 53, April 2003, p. 1, 10-16.
83. Völkening, J., Walczyk, T., and Heumann, K.G., 1991, Osmium isotope ratio determinations by negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (NTIMS): International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, v. 105, p. 147-159.
84. Williams, H., 1995, Introduction: Chapter 1 in Geology of the Appalachian-Caledonian Orogen in Canada and Greenland: Geological Survey of Canada, Geology of Canada 6, p. 1-19.
85. Williams, P.F., and Hy, C., 1990, Origin and deformational and metamorphic history of gold-bearing quartz veins on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia: Geological Survey of Canada Paper 80-8, p. 169-194.
86. Yeats, C.J., McNaughton, N.J., and Groves, D.I., 1996, SHRIMP U-Pb geochronological constraints on Archean volcanic-hosted massive sulfide and lode gold mineralization at Mount Gibson, Yilgarn craton, Western Australia: Economic Geology, v. 91, p. 1354-1371.