In orogenic gold systems, the source of the fluids and the processes leading to mobilization, transport, and deposition of gold remain debated. Most studies focus on endowed rather than on gold-poor orogenic systems to unravel the “key” parameters of gold mineralizing processes. Here, we present stable isotope (O, H) data from the Moly-Desgagné–Guercheville fault system (gold-free to low gold endowment) in the Chibougamau area, Abitibi greenstone belt, Canada. The gold-free Moly-Desgagné showing and nearby poorly endowed Hazeur showing and Monster Lake deposit share similar features typical of orogenic systems. The stable isotope compositions of tourmaline and quartz from the Moly-Desgagné–Guercheville fault system also display similar characteristics, such as (1) temperature of vein formation of 345 ± 86 °C (1σ); (2) fluid mixing between an upper crustal reservoir (low T – high δD – low δ18O) and a metamorphic water reservoir (high T – low δD – high δ18O); and (3) positive δDfluid values consistent with multiple boiling-condensation cycles related to fault-valve processes. These characteristics are similar to those from the gold-endowed Val-d’Or vein field. The difference in gold endowment between the Moly-Desgagné–Guercheville and Val-d’Or vein fields may be related to the nature of the fault system (i.e., terrane-bounding or “intragreenstone belt”) and the volume and (or) composition (i.e., gold, its ligands, CO2) of the fluid source rocks.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
May 31, 2022
Fluid sources and mineralizing processes in greenstone belts: a stable isotope (O, H) comparison between the weakly mineralized Moly-Desgagné–Guercheville system and Val-d’Or orogenic gold deposits, Canada
Marie A. Kieffer;
Marie A. Kieffer
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Christophe Scheffer;
Christophe Scheffer
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Benoît Quesnel;
Benoît Quesnel
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Pierre Bedeaux;
Pierre Bedeaux
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Georges Beaudoin;
Georges Beaudoin
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Lucie Mathieu;
Lucie Mathieu
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Damien Gaboury
Damien Gaboury
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Marie A. Kieffer
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Christophe Scheffer
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Benoît Quesnel
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Pierre Bedeaux
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Georges Beaudoin
b
Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Lucie Mathieu
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada
Damien Gaboury
a
Département des Sciences Appliquées, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaCorresponding author: Marie A. Kieffer (email: [email protected])
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Received:
20 Dec 2021
Accepted:
20 May 2022
Accepted Manuscript:
31 May 2022
First Online:
09 Nov 2022
Online ISSN: 1480-3313
Print ISSN: 0008-4077
The Author(s)
Permission for reuse (free in most cases) can be obtained from copyright.com.
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (2022) 59 (10): 722–743.
Article history
Received:
20 Dec 2021
Accepted:
20 May 2022
Accepted Manuscript:
31 May 2022
First Online:
09 Nov 2022
Citation
Marie A. Kieffer, Christophe Scheffer, Benoît Quesnel, Pierre Bedeaux, Georges Beaudoin, Lucie Mathieu, Damien Gaboury; Fluid sources and mineralizing processes in greenstone belts: a stable isotope (O, H) comparison between the weakly mineralized Moly-Desgagné–Guercheville system and Val-d’Or orogenic gold deposits, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 2022;; 59 (10): 722–743. doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2021-0162
Download citation file:
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Email alerts
Index Terms/Descriptors
- Abitibi Belt
- Abitibi County Quebec
- Canada
- Canadian Shield
- chemical composition
- Chibougamau Quebec
- D/H
- deformation
- Eastern Canada
- fault zones
- faults
- gold ores
- greenstone belts
- hydrogen
- hydrothermal conditions
- isotope ratios
- isotopes
- metal ores
- metamorphic belts
- mineral deposits, genesis
- mineralization
- North America
- O-18/O-16
- oxygen
- petrography
- Quebec
- stable isotopes
- Superior Province
- tectonics
- Val d'Or Quebec
- veins
- Monster Lake Deposit
- Moly-Desgagne-Guercheville fault zone
- Hazeur Deposit
Latitude & Longitude
Citing articles via
Related Articles
Fluid chemistry and evolution of hydrothermal fluids in an Archaean transcrustal fault zone network: the case of the Cadillac Tectonic Zone, Abitibi greenstone belt, Canada
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
Structural setting, textures, and timing of hydrothermal vein systems in the Val d’Or camp, Abitibi, Canada: implications for the evolution of transcrustal, second- and third-order fault zones and gold mineralization
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
Related Book Content
The Larder Lake-Cadillac Break and Its Gold Districts
Archean Base and Precious Metal Deposits, Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada
The LaRonde Penna Au-Rich Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit
Archean Base and Precious Metal Deposits, Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada
Chapter 2: Metallogeny of the Neoarchean Malartic Gold Camp, Québec, Canada
Geology of the World’s Major Gold Deposits and Provinces
Geology of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt
Archean Base and Precious Metal Deposits, Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada