Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits with advanced argillic alteration display characteristics typical of conventional VMS and high-sulfidation epithermal deposits. Unlike conventional VMS deposits, these “hybrid” VMS are interpreted to have formed through a magmatic fluid contribution to an evolved, seawater-dominated, hydrothermal system. The close spatial association of advanced argillic alteration assemblages with more typical chlorite–sericite assemblages in the same VMS deposit has implications for the controls on magmatic versus seawater convective systems that have not been previously addressed in the literature. The Neoarchean Onaman assemblage (ca. 2780–2769 Ma) in northwestern Ontario hosts a conventional base metal VMS system with chlorite–sericite alteration that is overprinted by argillic and advanced argillic alteration, now manifested as a metamorphosed zone of kyanite–chloritoid–calcite–Fe–chlorite, that is associated with a barren, pyritic VMS deposit. The change from typical to advanced argillic alteration occurred during, or immediately following, the deposition of a tonalite clast-bearing heterolithic breccia, which recorded the uplift and subaerial exposure of the larger volcanic edifice. We postulate that the reactivation of synvolcanic structures during uplift, concomitant localized subsidence, and magmatism enhanced cross-stratal permeability and allowed for a direct magmatic volatile input into, or overprint on, an evolved seawater-dominated hydrothermal system. Our results suggest that geodynamic regimes exert a strong local, and possibly regional, control on the style, timing, and fluid characteristics of VMS hydrothermal systems. The association of advanced argillic alteration with barren pyritic massive sulfide also suggests that magmatic volatile input alone is not sufficient to enrich VMS systems in gold. This interpretation is consistent with observations from other magmatic–hydrothermal systems such as porphyry and epithermal deposits.
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Research Article|
October 10, 2024
Relative timing and controls on advanced argillic and conventional alteration of the Neoarchean Onaman volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Ontario, Canada
Keaton R. Strongman;
(Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, CanadaCorresponding author: Keaton R. Strongman (email: [email protected])
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Harold L. Gibson;
Harold L. Gibson
(Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
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Avrom E. Howard;
Avrom E. Howard
(Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Writing – review & editing)
b
Nebu Consulting LLC, Williamsville, NY, USA
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Bruno Lafrance;
Bruno Lafrance
(Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing)
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
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Michael A. Hamilton
Michael A. Hamilton
(Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing)
c
Jack Satterly Geochronology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, 22 Ursula Franklin St., Toronto, ON M5S 3B1, Canada
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Keaton R. Strongman
Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Harold L. Gibson
Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Avrom E. Howard
Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Writing – review & editing
b
Nebu Consulting LLC, Williamsville, NY, USA
Bruno Lafrance
Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing
a
7728Metal Earth, Mineral Exploration Research Center, Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Michael A. Hamilton
Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing
c
Jack Satterly Geochronology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, 22 Ursula Franklin St., Toronto, ON M5S 3B1, CanadaCorresponding author: Keaton R. Strongman (email: [email protected])
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Received:
25 Apr 2024
Accepted:
14 Sep 2024
Accepted Manuscript:
10 Oct 2024
First Online:
09 Jan 2025
Online ISSN: 1480-3313
Print ISSN: 0008-4077
Funding
- Funder(s):Sage Gold Inc
The Authors
Permission for reuse (free in most cases) can be obtained from copyright.com.
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (2025) 62 (1): 41–65.
Article history
Received:
25 Apr 2024
Accepted:
14 Sep 2024
Accepted Manuscript:
10 Oct 2024
First Online:
09 Jan 2025
Citation
Keaton R. Strongman, Harold L. Gibson, Avrom E. Howard, Bruno Lafrance, Michael A. Hamilton; Relative timing and controls on advanced argillic and conventional alteration of the Neoarchean Onaman volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, Ontario, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 2024;; 62 (1): 41–65. doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2024-0067
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