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. 2017 Oct 10;8(1):843.
doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00821-z.

Plume-subduction interaction forms large auriferous provinces

Santiago Tassara  1 , José M González-Jiménez  2   3 , Martin Reich  2 , Manuel E Schilling  4 , Diego Morata  2 , Graham Begg  5 , Edward Saunders  6   7 , William L Griffin  7 , Suzanne Y O'Reilly  7 , Michel Grégoire  8 , Fernando Barra  2 , Alexandre Corgne  4
Affiliations

Plume-subduction interaction forms large auriferous provinces

Santiago Tassara et al. Nat Commun. .

Abstract

Gold enrichment at the crustal or mantle source has been proposed as a key ingredient in the production of giant gold deposits and districts. However, the lithospheric-scale processes controlling gold endowment in a given metallogenic province remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence of native gold in the mantle beneath the Deseado Massif in Patagonia that links an enriched mantle source to the occurrence of a large auriferous province in the overlying crust. A precursor stage of mantle refertilisation by plume-derived melts generated a gold-rich mantle source during the Early Jurassic. The interplay of this enriched mantle domain and subduction-related fluids released during the Middle-Late Jurassic resulted in optimal conditions to produce the ore-forming magmas that generated the gold deposits. Our study highlights that refertilisation of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle is a key factor in forming large metallogenic provinces in the Earth's crust, thus providing an alternative view to current crust-related enrichment models.The lithospheric controls on giant gold deposits remain unclear. Here, the authors show evidence for native gold in the mantle from the Deseado Massif in Patagonia demonstrating that refertilisation of the lithospheric mantle is key in forming metallogenic provinces.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Simplified geological map of southern Patagonia Argentina. The dashed line delimits the Deseado Massif auriferous province. CA, Chon Aike volcanic sequences; NV, Neogene volcanism; OD, most relevant ore deposits and prospects; XL, location of different xenolith sites in the Deseado Massif and surroundings
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrograph and backscattered electron (BSE) images of Au particles in the Cerro Redondo mantle xenolith. a Plane polarised light image of the lherzolite sample showing the late metasomatic glass vein and the location of Au particles (golden diamonds and letters refer to BSE images). b–h Backscattered electron FE-SEM images of Au particles and their microstructural setting. b Detail of the glass vein showing its metasomatic assemblage and a composite sulfide grain containing a Au particle. c Magnification of the euhedral Au particle within chalcopyrite from the composite sulfide grain in b. d Planar array of Au particles within olivine. e Au particle enclosed within clinopyroxene. f Au particle within the glass of the metasomatic vein in contact with olivine. g Au particle within chalcopyrite and arrangement of Au nanoparticles enlarged in h. Afs, alkali feldspar; Ap, apatite; Arm, armalcolite; Ccp, chalcopyrite; Cpx, clinopyroxene; Mlr, millerite; Ol, olivine; Opx, orthopyroxene
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Lithospheric-scale processes involved in the precursor stage of formation of the Deseado Massif auriferous province. Stage A: plume activity during Early Jurassic related to the initial stages of Gondwana break-up induces metasomatic Au enrichment in the overlying SCLM and coeval partial melting. The inset shows the transfer of Au to the enriched domains and partial melting processes responsible for the early magmatic stages of the CA-SLIP. Stage B: onset of the subduction zone at the western margin of Gondwana provides fluids capable of scavenging Au from formerly enriched domains and generates calc-alkaline magmatism represented by the middle-late magmatic stages of the CA-SLIP that hosts the Au deposits. The inset shows the process of partial melting of enriched domains and Au transport to crustal levels; some portions of enriched lithosphere remain unmodified
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