Productivity of volcanic-hosted massive sulfide districts: New constraints from the d18O of quartz phenocrysts in cogenetic felsic rocks

A correlation has been established between Zn productivity of volcanic-hosted massive sulfide districts and d18O of quartz phenocrysts from cogenetic rhyolitic rocks. In highly productive districts, ores are associated with rhyolitic rocks, of possible S-type affinity, containing high d18O quartz ph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geology (Boulder) 1996-05, Vol.24 (5), p.459-462
Main Authors: Huston, David L, Taylor, Bruce E, Bleeker, Wouter, Watanabe, Donald H
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:A correlation has been established between Zn productivity of volcanic-hosted massive sulfide districts and d18O of quartz phenocrysts from cogenetic rhyolitic rocks. In highly productive districts, ores are associated with rhyolitic rocks, of possible S-type affinity, containing high d18O quartz phenocrysts. In less-productive districts, ores are associated with I-type rhyolitic rocks with low d18O phenocrysts. This correlation may be caused by (1) low-temperature isotopic alteration that produced 18O-rich overgrowths on phenocrysts, and (2) emplacement of transitional S-type intrusions at greater depths than I-type intrusions, resulting in larger hydrothermal cells and allowing leaching of more Zn. The latter hypothesis is favored.
ISSN:0091-7613
DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0459:POVHMS>2.3.CO;2