Processos metalogenéticos em ambientes de arco magmático tipo andino, caso de estudo: mineralizações da região dos Andes Patagônicos setentrionais do Chile / Metallogenic processes in andean volcanic arc setting, study case: mineralizations in the Chilean North-Patagonion Andes

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

In the Patagonian Andes region between 41 and 44° S extensive and continuous plutonic rocks of the North-Patagonian Batholith north segment are exposed. During their evolution most of the granitic rocks were emplaced in metamorphic rocks and other parts were emplaced in Late Jurassic-Berriasan volcanic rocks, Early Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks, Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks and Miocene sedimentary rocks. Part of this magmatic activity is associated with ore deposit genesis. The exposed plutonic rocks range mainly from diorites to granites and leucogranites, although the area is extensively dominated by intermediate to acid varieties. K-Ar determinations have allowed identification of extensive and voluminous plutonic events which describe two N-S oriented belts during the late Lower Cretaceous (ca. 120-100 Ma) and Miocene (ca. 20-7 Ma), discreet during the Upper Jurassic (ca. 155 Ma) and the Upper Cretaceous (ca. 95-70 Ma), restricted during the early Pliocene (ca. 5-3 Ma) and a probable plutonism in Eocene times (ca. 54-34 Ma), while Ar/Ar experiments confirm the late Lower Cretaceous (ca. 126-100 Ma) and Miocene (ca. 19-9 Ma) magmatic events. Conventional U-Pb determinations indicate the probable inheritance and loss of Pb, although they confirm the late Lower Cretaceous (ca. 129-114 Ma) and Miocene (ca. 22-13 Ma) magmatic events. In addition, the zircons conventional U-Pb determinations show the presence of pre-Andean Lower Devonian magmatic rocks (ca. 400 Ma) probably linked with rocks of the North- Patagonian Massif. Zircon U-Pb SHRIMP determinations indicate 110.0±9.6 Ma for a monzogranitic pluton and 126.3±6.7 Ma for a pyroxene dioritic stock, 8.4±0.3 Ma for a tonalitic pluton and 13.26±0.19 Ma for hornblende andesitic porphyry, and 385.9±7.4 Ma for a tectonized microdioritic body. These data indicate that the early plutonic activity is represented, in Mesozoic and Cenozoic belts, by basic to intermediate small bodies of shallow emplacement, and the SHRIMP U-Pb Devonian age confirms a magmatic event previously inferred by conventional U-Pb ages. The age distribution shows a complex pattern, which nevertheless allows, magmatic Cretaceous events to be located, preferably, to the E of the Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone, magmatic Miocene events located in and to the W of this structure, and magmatic Pliocene events located in the main branch of the Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone to be defined. The Miocene plutonic activity towards the trench is different to the defined pattern for the north-central Chilean Andes, where the magmatic arc migration to the E and the consequent age diminution in this same direction is verified. Nd and Sr isotopic compositions show low and positive Nd values together with Sr between -4 and +7 suggesting that the North-Patagonian Batholith in the studied segment, has been composed from mixing of mantle derived or mafic lithospheric material with melting of lower continental crust, as is shown by previous work in neighboring areas. The Pb isotopic compositions in feldspar, of the same dating samples by U-Pb conventional method, varied with the age, plutons with 206Pb/204Pb greater than 18.62 are Miocene, whereas those plutons with 206Pb/204Pb less than 18.57 are Cretaceous, with an inverse relation between Miocene plutons, which is attributed to varying interaction grade with the metamorphic basement. Metal base-mineralization with Au and Ag contains are hosted in Cretaceous volcanic rocks and restricted to the Lower Cretaceous magmatic belt and Au-As mineralization are hosted in Devonian microdiorite and Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and restricted to the Miocene magmatic belt. Also, in both belts Cu-Mo occurrences are reported in associated with monzogranites and tonalities, respectively. Metal base and precious mineralizations in the Las Juntas Prospect are related to silicicadularia and quartz-sericite alteration and deposition of pyrite, sphalerite, Ag-bearing and Bi-bearing galena, and chalcopyrite, and minor hematite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, bornite and chalcocite, in vein, veinlets and minor breccia bodies, and scarce dissemination. Ore grades are variable, but in mineralized Cu-veins the values reach up 15% Cu, and in Pb-Zn-Cu breccias the values reach up 32% Pb, 23% Zn and 0.28% Cu, 1.4 to 1,300 ppm Ag and 0.02 to 3.9 ppm Au. Fluid inclusion data indicate homogenization temperatures varying between 140 to 230 ºC, salinities ranging from 3 to 6 weight % NaCl equivalent, and metal base deposition during boiling and mixing events. Asmineralizations with gold contain in the Pichicolo Prospect are related to silicic and quartz-sericite alterations and deposition of arsenopyrite and pyrite, and minor pyrrotite, chalcopyrite and bornite, in veinlets, stockwork and dissemination. Grades vary between 0.02 to 2.0 ppm Au. Fluid inclusion data indicate homogenization temperatures varying between 180 to 270 ºC, salinities ranging from 3 to 5 weight % NaCl equivalent, and metallic deposition during boiling and mixing events. The mineralization, alteration and the chemical and physical fluid characteristics suggest for both studied prospects epithermal low-sulphidation features. Re-Os method in molybdenites hosted in monzogranitic and tonalitic plutons have been used to determine timing of Cu-Mo mineralizations. The obtained ages (ca. 119 and 9.1 to 8.2 Ma) suggest that the mineralization occurred in hydrothermal systems closely associated with late Lower Cretaceous and Miocene plutonic events, which confirm the interpretation about the existence of Lower Cretaceous and Miocene metallogenic belts proposed for the North-Patagonian Cordillera. Biotite of the monzogranitic host rock directly related with the Palena village molybdenite mineralization was dated by Ar/Ar in 114.7 Ma, and near of the occurrence in 114.2 Ma. Biotite of the tonalite host rock directly related with the Reloncaví estuary molybdenite mineralization was dated by Ar/Ar in 8.53 Ma and near of the occurrence in 8.64 Ma. The proximity, and superposition within the analytical error, between the Ar/Ar biotite ages, in both areas, suggests non extended hydrothermal alteration. Rb-Sr isochron age of 126±8 Ma obtained from hydrothermally alterated rocks in a polymetallic prospect is interpreted as the age of the hydrothermal event. Ar/Ar step-heating experiments in hydrothermal very fine grain sericite from Au-As mineralization shown Ar-redistribution by recoil effect and the integrated age of 142±2 Ma suggest that the association mineralization-Jurassic volcanic felsic magmatism should not be discarded. Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of the host and igneous-related mineralization rocks indicate that magmas are mainly mantle derived with variable little crustal contamination. Pb isotopic compositions of the ore minerals, host and igneous-related mineralization rocks in both prospect clusters near of the orogene curve within a plumbotectonic model. On 206Pb/204 versus 207Pb/204Pb plot, the ore minerals and the associated igneous units of the Las Juntas prospect are less radiogenic (206Pb/204Pb <18.6) that the Pichicolo prospect (206Pb/204Pb >18.6). This model is compatible with the absolute Cretaceous mineralization-age determined for the Las Juntas prospect and with the constraint Miocene mineralization-age for the Pichicolo prospect. The elongate trends of the ore minerals in the general clusters indicate mainly an orogenic model fit, suggesting variable mixing of lead from different sources, mainly from upper crust.

ASSUNTO(S)

metallogenesis geochronology geocronologia metalogenia centro-sul chile composição isotópica south-central chile isotopic composition

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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