Abstract The timing and extent of ocean oxygenation is controversial. Proterozoic sulphur isotope datasets often show marked fluctuations over small stratigraphic intervals, suggesting that oceanic sulphate concentrations were much lower than modern values. A large accumulation of Neoproterozoic sulphate (>8 million tonnes preserved), as stratiform barite rock, is located in the Grampian Highlands near Aberfeldy. Diagenetic/metamorphic alteration has caused pronounced δ 34 S variations near bed margins. This aside, barite throughout the deposits shows a narrow range in δ 34 S, mean 36±1.5‰. We infer that this is representative of contemporaneous seawater sulphate, and that δ 34 S seawater was constant during deposition of a stratigraphical thickness >250 m of mostly fine-grained clastic sediments. Uniformity of δ 34 S seawater during barite precipitation, even in thick (>10 m) beds and with the co-occurrence of abundant sulphides incorporating bacteriogenically reduced sulphur, implies no limit to availability of seawater sulphate during hydrothermal exhalative events. Our data, combined with previous δ 34 S research on Dalradian metasediments, suggest a stability, abundance and constancy of ocean sulphate in the Neoproterozoic. This contrasts with isotopic data using trace sulphate in limestones. It appears that, around the time of the Marinoan glaciation ( c. 635 Ma), the ocean, although stratified at least locally, comprised a substantial reservoir of sulphate-bearing oxygenated seawater.

Abstract The Neogene Central Slovakia Volcanic Field in the Carpathian arc contains various Au deposits, hosted by central zones of large andesite stratovolcanoes. Fluids involved in mineralization have been studied at three different types of deposit, mostly by fluid inclusion and stable isotope techniques. The Rozália mine in the Štiavnica stratovolcano hosts intermediate sulphidation-style Au–Ag epithermal mineralization in subhorizontal veins related to hydrothermal activity during an early stage of caldera collapse. Associated fluids of low salinity underwent extensive boiling at 280–330 °C on transition from suprahydrostatic towards hydrodynamic conditions at shallow depths ( c. 550 m) from fluids of mixed magmatic and meteoric origin. The Kremnica ore field hosts a large system of low sulphidation-style Au–Ag veins contemporaneous with rhyolite magmatism and situated on resurgent horst faults. Fluids were of low salinity, predominantly of meteoric origin, and showed gradual decrease in temperature along the system ( c. 270–140 °C) related to a decrease in erosion level from c. 500 to c. 50 m. The Biely Vrch Au-porphyry deposit in the Javorie stratovolcano is associated with quartz stockwork in diorite porphyry intrusion. The major type of ore-bearing fluid was high temperature magmatic vapour (720–<380 °C) accompanied by Fe-rich salt melt. Gold precipitated in a high-temperature but low-pressure subvolcanic environment. Supplementary material: Stable isotope data and fluid inclusion microthermometric data are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18752 .