Fluid sources and mineralizing processes in greenstone belts; a stable isotope (O, H) comparison between the weakly mineralized Moly-Desgagne-Guercheville system and Val-d'Or orogenic gold deposits, Canada

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-Desgagne-Guercheville fault system (gold-free to low gold endowment) in the Chibougamau area, Abitibi greenstone belt, Canada. The gold-free Moly-Desgagne 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-Desgagne-Guercheville fault system also display similar characteristics, such as (1) temperature of vein formation of 345 + or - 86 degrees C (1sigma ); (2) fluid mixing between an upper crustal reservoir (low T - high delta D - low delta (super 18) O) and a metamorphic water reservoir (high T - low delta D - high delta (super 18) O); and (3) positive delta D (sub fluid) 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-Desgagne-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, CO (sub 2) ) of the fluid source rocks.