THE PECHENGA NI-CU DEPOSITS, RUSSIA: DATA ON PGE AND AU DISTRIBUTION AND SULPHUR ISOTOPE COMPOSITIONS

Abstract

The Early Proterozoic Ni-Cu deposits of the Pechenga ore field, located in the northwestern part of Russia, are associated with gabbro-wehrlite intrusions which are cogenetic with ferropicritic volcanics. The total PGE content of the ores and Ni-bearing ultramafics varies widely, showing a positive correlation with sulphur content, and reaching 2-3 ppm in the massive and breccia ores. Barren intrusions and sulphide-free ultramafic lithologies of the ore-bearing intrusions, as well as ferropicritic volcanics, have low PGE contents and are depleted in noble metals relative to Ni and Cu. Accommodation of PGE in sulphides and PGE depletion in low-sulphur ultramafic rocks are consistent with a magmatic model, implying partitioning of PGE from silicate melt to sulphides and indicating sulphide saturation and separation of the immiscible sulphide liquid at an early stage of the magma's history, prior to ferropicrite eruption and gabbro-wehrlite emplacement. A juvenile sulphur source for a number of Ni-Cu ore deposits and prospects (Kaula, Kotselvaara, Kammikivi, Sputnik-Verkhnee, Yuzhnoe) and barren intrusions is indicated by uniform delta(34)S values, ranging from c.-1.0 to +2.5%. In contrast, ores associated with the large intrusive bodies (Pilgujarvi, Kierdzhipor), characterised by delta(34)S values ranging from c.1 to 7%, are contaminated by crustal sulphur from the host metasedimentary rocks. This contamination apparently occurred during magma ascent through the host sulphide-rich shales. Metamorphic hydrothermal alteration of the rocks led to remobilisation of the sulphide ores. Au was leached from massive and breccia ores and redeposited as native gold in zones of talc-carbonate alteration and stringer sulphides. Sedimentary sulphur from the host metasedimentary rocks has been introduced into the stringer zone Ni-Cu mineralisation and zones of talc-carbonate alteration by metamorphic fluids.