Geology, mineralization, and fluid inclusion characteristics of the Lermontovskoe reduced-type tungsten (±Cu, Au, Bi) skarn deposit, Sikhote-Alin, Russia

Abstract

The Lermontovskoe deposit (∼48 Kt WO3; average 2.6% WO3, 0.24% Cu, 0.23 g/t Au) is situated in a W-Sn-Au metallogenic belt that formed in a collisional tectonic environment. This tungsten skarn deposit has a W-Au-As-Bi-Te-Sb signature that suggests an affinity with reduced intrusion-related Au deposits. The deposit is associated with an intrusion that is part of the ilmenite-series, high-K peraluminous granitoid (granodiorite to granite) suite. These rocks formed via mantle magma-induced melting of crustal sources. The deposit comprises reduced-type, pyroxene-dominated prograde and retrograde skarns followed by hydrosilicate (amphibole-chlorite-pyrrhotite-scheelite-quartz) and phyllic (muscovite/sericite-carbonate-albite-quartz-scheelite-sulfide, with abundant apatite) alteration assemblages. Fluid inclusions from the skarn assemblages indicate high-temperature (>500 °C), high-pressure (1400–1500 bars) and high-salinity (53–60 wt% NaCl-equiv.) magmatic-hydrothermal fluids. They were post-dated by high-carbonic, methane-dominate, low-salinity fluid at the hydrosilicate alteration stage. These fluids boiled at 360–380 °C and 1300–1400 bars. The subsequent phyllic alteration started again with a high-temperature (>450 °C), high-pressure (1000–1100 bars) and high-salinity (42–47 wt% NaCl-equiv.) fluid, with further incursion of high-carbonic, methane-dominated, low-salinity fluid that boiled at 390–420 °C and 1150–1200 bars. The latest phyllic alteration included the lower-temperature (340–360 °C), lower pressure (370–400 bars) high-carbonic, methane-dominated (but with higher CO2 fraction), low-salinity fluid, and then the low-temperature (250–300 °C) H2O-CO2-CH4-NaCl fluid, with both fluids boiled at the deposit level. The high-salinity aqueous fluids are interpreted to have come from crystallizing granitoid magma, whereas the reduced high-carbonic fluids probably came from a deeper mafic magma source. Both of these fluids potentially contributed to the W-Au-As-Bi-Te-Sb metal budget. Decreasing temperatures coupled with high aCa2+ and fluid boiling promoted scheelite deposition at all post-skarn hydrothermal stages.