Volcanogenic massive

sulfide (VMS) deposits

= VMS V olcanogenic M assive Sulfide
- , - , - Volcanic associated volcanic hosted volcano sedimentary
massive sulfides
( ; - Associated with volcanics mafic to felsic usually calc
) ( ) alkaline and sediments siliciclastics in different
proportions
Stratabound to stratiform tabular lenses accumulated in
( . . , , , , , , , ) massive sulfides e g Py Ccp Asp Po Sp Gn sulfosalts
: , , , , ( ), , , , , , , Polymetallic Cu Zn Pb Ag Au major Co Sn Se Mn Cd n
, , , , , , ( ) !i "e Ga Ge As Sb #g minor
( ) #ydrothermal origin hydrothermal fluids
+ = VMS S$%$& Massive sulfide deposits by hydrothermal
fluids
( ) 'f all ages Precambrian to Phanero(oic
)elated to major ocean closing and terrane accretion events
: ( Modern e*uivalents #ydrothermal vents on seafloor !lack
) Smoker
. . www whoi edu
General features
, !lack smoker on seafloor submersible Alvin
General features
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Additional phases
Pyrrhotite
!arite
Magnetite
Arsenopyrite
!ornite
Mackinawite
( ) Sulfosalts "ennantite etc
"ellurides
, Acanthite Argentite
Classifications
- #ost rock lithology
) - ( ) 0 #igh sulfidation bimodal felsic epithermal
( ) / Predominantly mafic volcanics tholeiitic basalts with minor sediments
ultramafics
- , Cu rich small
( ), - 'cean ridge ophiolites back arc rift
( - ) Predominantly mafic volcanics tholeiitic to calc alkaline basalts
with minor felsic volcanics and subordinate sediments
- Cu rich
( ) rifted primitive volcanic arc
/ , Mafic volcanics intrusives turbiditic sediments felsic volcanic absent
, Sedimented oceanic rift rifted continental margin
- ( ) Predominantly calc alkaline felsic volcanics rhyolite with minor mafic
/ volcanics felsic intrusives and subordinate sediments
- , #ighest Zn content on average barite
( ) Compositionally rifted volcanic arc
) ( - ) , Mafic Cyprus type
) - ( - ) 1 !imodal Mafic 2oranda type
) - ( - ) 3 Mafic Siliciclastic !esshi type
) - ( - ) / !imodal 4elsic 5uroko type
) - 6 !imodal Siliciclastic
([ - ] > [ ] ) Volcanics calc alkaline felsic tholeiitic mafic siliciclastic rocks
-/ - #ighest Pb lowest Cu content on average
Greatest tonnage and largest si(e on average
( ) rifted continental arc
- Characteristic similar to bimodal felsic group
, ( , ) !esides sulfides sulfosalts tetrahedrite stannite
( ) $pithermal conditions hybrids of VMS and epithermal deposits
- Shallow back arc
. ( ) Galley et al 1778


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- #ost rock lithology
) ( - ) , Mafic Cyprus type
) - ( - ) 1 !imodal Mafic 2oranda type
) - ( - ) 3 Mafic Siliciclastic !esshi type
) - ( - ) / !imodal 4elsic 5uroko type
) - 6 !imodal Siliciclastic

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Classifications
., ; , 4ranklin et al ,-., +arge ,--1
Classifications
!ase metal classification
(- ) Cu Zn
- Zn Cu
- - Zn Pb Cu
- ( ) Pb Zn S$%$&
9orld VMS
( modified after
, ) 4ranklin ,--0
Classifications
!ase metal classification
(- ) Cu Zn
- Zn Cu
- - Zn Pb Cu
- ( ) Pb Zn S$%$&
., Galley et al 1778
9orld VMS
( modified
after
, 4ranklin
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Canadian VMS
"ectonic setting
., Galley et al 1778
General model
, 4ranklin ,--3
Summary
9hat:
9here:
#ow and why:
, ( ) Polymetallic stratiform deposits associated with volcanic mafic to felsic
/ and or siliciclastic rocks in different proportions
Massive sulfide lense with mineral (onation
: "oday Spreading ridges and arc settings
: Geologic record Primitive to more compositionally mature volcanic arc
( ), ( ) , , fore to back arc rifted continental arcs shallow back arcs and
( , ) spreading ridges ophiolite minor
( ) Circulation of hot up to /77 C hydrothermal fluids within crust
nteraction with cold seawater and cold wall rock
- Precipitation of massive sulfides due to physico chemical processes
( . ., , , ) e g " p# redo< state