Abstract
In models for the genesis of the Noril’sk Pt-Cu-Ni ore deposits, much importance is attached to the processes of assimilation of host rocks by basaltic melts. This idea is based on unusual relations between the silicate and sulfide constituents of this type of ore deposits and also on the heavy sulfur isotopic composition of the sulfide ores. The reason for this unusual composition is thought to be the assimilation of anhydrite from the host rocks. However, no other factors able to influence this process have ever been analyzed in the literature. We were the first to thoroughly analyze the inner structure of contact aureoles of the intrusions hosted in various rocks: the Maslovsky intrusion in Early Triassic basalts of the Ivakinsky and Nadezhdinsky formations and the Talnakh intrusion in Devonian anhydrite-bearing carbonate-terrigenous rocks. The distributions of trace elements, the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio, and Sm and Nd isotopes indicate that host rocks were either not assimilated at all, or their effect is perceptible only within a very narrow (1 m) zone in the eastern apophyse in the southern portion of the Maslovsky intrusion. The Sr, Nd, and particularly, Pb isotopic composition indicate that the anhydrite could not be the source of isotopically heavy sulfur for sulfides at Noril’sk deposits. The ores of the Maslovsky and Talnakh intrusions have similar sulfur isotopic composition of their sulfides (the maximum δ34S values of these sulfides reach +10.8 and +14.2‰, respectively), in spite of the significant differences in the rocks hosting these intrusions. Our newly obtained data indicate that assimilation was insignificant and could not affect the origin of the ores.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arndt, N.T., Czamamanske, G.K., Walker, R.J., et al., Geochemistry and origin of the intrusive hosts of the Noril’sk-Talnakh Cu-Ni-PGE sulfide deposits, Econ. Geol., 2003, vol. 98, pp. 495–515.
Distler, V.V., Grokhovskaya, T.L., Evstigneeva, T.L. et al., Petrologiya magmaticheskogo sul’fidnogo rudoobrazovaniya (Petrology of the Magmatic Sulfide Ore Formation), Moscow: Nauka, 1988.
Dneprovskaya, M.B., Petrological-geochemical characteristics and layering mechanism of the Talnakh intrusion, Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Geolmin) Dissertation, Moscow: MGU, 1987.
Dneprovskaya, M.B., Frenkel’, M.Ya., and Yaroshevskii, A.A., Quantitative model of the layering formation of the Talnakh intrusion, in Postroenie modelei rudoobrazuyushchikh sistem (Development of the Models of the Ore-Forming Systems), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1987, pp. 96–106.
Dodin, D.A. and Batuev, B.N., Geology and petrology of differentiated intrusions and their metamorphic aureole, in Petrologiya i rudonosnost’ Talnakhskoi i Noril’skoi differentsirovannykh intruzii (Petrology and Ore Potential of the Talnakh and Noril’sk Differentiated Intrusions), Leningrad: Nedra, 1971, pp. 31–100.
Dyuzhikov, O.A., Distler, V.V., Strunin, B.M., et al., Geologiya i rudonosnost’ Noril’skogo raiona (Geology and Ore Potential of the Noril’sk Region), Moscow: Nedra, 1988.
Genkin, A.D., Distler, V.V., Gladyshev, G.D., et al., Sul’fidnye medno-nikelevye rudy noril’skikh mestorozhdenii (Sulfide Copper-Nickel Ores of the Noril’sk Deposits), Moscow: Nauka, 1981.
Geologicheskaya karta Noril’skogo rudnogo raiona masshtaba 1: 200000 (ob“yasnitel’naya zapiska) (Geological Map of the Noril’sk Region on a scale 1: 200000: Explanatory Note), Strunin, B.M., Ed., Moscow, 1994.
Godlevskii, M.N., Trappy i rudonosnye intruzii Noril’skogo raiona (Trap Basalts and Ore-Bearing Intrusions of the Noril’sk Region), Moscow: Gosgeoltekhizdat, 1959.
Godlevskii, M.N. and Grinenko, L.N., Some sulfur isotope data on the Noril’lsk deposits, Sov. Geol., 1963, no. 1, pp. 27–39.
Godovikov, A.A., Mineralogiya (Mineralogy), Moscow: Nedra, 1983.
Gorbachev, N.S. and Grinenko, L.N., Sulfur isotope ratios in sulfides of the Oktyabr’skii sulfide deposit, Noril’sk region, and problems of their genesis, Geokhimiya, 1973, no. 8, pp. 1127–1136.
Gosudarstvennaya geologicheskaya karta Rossiiskoi Federatsii. Masshtab 1: 1000000 (novaya versiya). List R-(45)-47 Noril’sk. Ob”yasnitel’naya zapiska (State Geological Map of the Russian Federation. Scale 1: 1000000 (New Series). Sheet R-(45)-47 Noril’sk. Explanatory Note), St. Petersburg: VSEGEI, 2000.
Grinenko, L.N., Sulfur isotope composition of some Cu-Ni deposits of the Siberian Platform, in Petrologiya trappov Sibirskoi platformy (Petrology of Trap Basalts of the Siberian Platform), Moscow: Nedra, 1967, pp. 221–230.
Grinenko, L.N., H2S-bearing gas reservoirs as sulfur source during sulfurization of magmas of economically ore intrusions of the Noril’sk region, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 1984, vol. 278, no. 3, pp. 730–732.
Grinenko, L.N., Sources of sulfur of the nickeliferous and barren gabbrodolerite intrusions of the northwest Siberian Platform, Int. Geol. Rev., 1985, vol. 27, pp. 695–708.
Hofmann, A.W., Chemical differentiation of the earth: the relationship between mantle, continental crust and oceanic crust, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1988, vol. 90, pp. 297–314.
Kamo, S.L., Czamanske, G.K., Amelin, Y., et al., Rapid eruption of Siberian flood-volcanic rocks and evidence for coincidence with the Permian-Triassic boundary and mass extinction at 251 Ma, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 2003, vol. 214, pp. 75–91.
Keays, R.R. and Lightfoot, P.C., Crustal sulfur is required to form magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits: evidence from chalcophile element signatures of Siberian and Deccan trap basalts, Miner. Deposita, 2010, no. 45, pp. 241–257.
Keays, R.R. and Lightfoot, P.C., Siderophile and chalcophile metal variations in Tertiary picrites and basalts from West Greenland with implications for the sulphide history of continental flood basalt magmas, Miner. Deposita, 2007, vol. 42, pp. 319–336.
Konnikov, E.G., Differentsirovannye giperbazit-bazitovye komplksy Zabaikal’ya. 1986 (Differentiated ultramaficmafic complexes of the Transbaikal Region), Novosibirsk: Nauka.
Konnikov, E.G., Kovyazin, S.V., Nekrasov, A.N., et al., Interaction of magmatic fluids and mantle magmas with lower crustal rocks: evidence from inclusions in the minerals of intrusions, Geochem. Int., 2005, vol. 43, no. 10, pp. 939–958.
Kovalenker, V.A., Gladyshev, G.D., and Nosik, L.P., Sulfur isotope composition of sulfides from the deposits of the Talnakh ore cluster in relation with their Se potential, Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Geol., 1974, no. 2, pp. 10–35.
Krivolutskaya, N.A. and Sobolev, A.V., Magmatic inclusions in olivines from intrusions of the Noril’sk Region, Northwestern Siberian Platform: Evidence for primary melts, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2001, vol. 381, no. 3, pp. 1047–1052.
Krivolutskaya, N.A., Ariskin, A.A., Sluzhenikin, S.F., et al., Geochemical thermometry of rocks of the Talnakh Intrusion: assessment of the melt composition and the crystallinity of the parental magma, Petrology, 2001, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 389–414.
Krivolutskaya, N.A. and Rudakova, A.V., Structure and geochemical characteristics of trap rocks from the Noril’sk Trough, northwestern Siberian Craton, Geochem. Int., 2009, vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 635–656.
Krivolutskaya, N.A., Formation of PGM-Cu-Ni deposits in the process of evolution of flood-basalt magmatism in the Noril’sk Region, Geol. Ore Dep., 2011, vol. 53, no. 4, pp. 309–339.
Krivolutskaya, N.A., Sobolev, A.V., Snisar, S.G., et al., Mineralogy, geochemistry and stratigraphy of the Maslovsky Pt-Cu-Ni sulfide deposit, Noril’sk Region, Russia: implications for relatioship of ore-bearing intrusions and lavas, Miner. Deposita, 2012, vol. 47, pp. 69–88.
Li, C., Naldrett, A.J. Shmitt, A.K., et al., Magmatic anhydrite-sulfide assemblages in plumbing system of the Siberian Traps, Geology, 2009, vol. 37, pp. 259–262.
Lightfoot, P.C., Howkesworth, C.J., Hergt, J., et al., Remobilisation of the continental lithosphere by a mantle plume: major-, trace-element, and Sr-, Nd-, and Pb-isotopic evidence from picritic and tholeiitic lavas of the Noril’sk district, Siberian trap, Russia, Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1993, vol. 114, pp. 171–188.
Likhachev, A.P. and Strizhov, V.P., Fractionation of sulfur isotopes, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 1977, vol. 236, no. 1, pp. 223–226.
Likhachev, A.P., Ore-bearing intrusions of the Noril’sk Region, in Proceedings of the Sudbury-Noril’sk Symposium, Ontario, Canada, 1994, Geol. Surv., 1994, sp. vol. 5, pp. 185–201.
Likhachev, A.P., Kharaelakh intrusion and its Pt-Cu-Ni ores, Rudy Met., 1996a, no. 3, pp. 48–62.
Likhachev, A.P., Dynamics of the emplacement of the Talnakh ore-bearing intrusion and related Pt-Cu-Ni deposits, Otechestvennaya Geol., 1996b, no. 8, pp. 20–26.
Likhachev, A.P., Platino-medno-nikelevye i platinovye mestorozhdeniya (Platinum-Copper-Nickel and Platinum Deposits), Moscow: Eslan, 2006.
Naldrett, A.J., A model for the Ni-Cu-PGE ores of the Noril’sk region and its application to other areas of flood basalts, Econ. Geol., 1992, vol. 87, pp. 1945–1962.
Naldrett, A.J., A history of our understanding of magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits, Can. Mineral., 2005, vol. 43, pp. 2069–2098.
Naldrett, A.J., Ore deposits related to flood basalts, Siberia, in New Developments in Magmatic Cu-Ni and PGE Deposits, Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 2009, pp. 141–179.
Polishchuk, Yu.M. and Yashchenko, I.G., Study of relation of oils properties with geothermal characteristics of oil provinces, Vestn. SVNTs DVO RAN, 2005, no. 3, pp. 26–34.
Polyanskii, O.P. and Reverdatto, V.V., Role of fluid in heatand-mass transfer during evolution of sedimentary basins with trap magmatism, in Flyuidy i geodinamika (Fluids and Geodynamics), Moscow: Nauka, 2006, pp. 219–243.
Rad’ko, V.A., Model of geodynamic differentiation of the intrusive traps of the northwestern Siberian Platform, Geol. Geofiz., 1991, no. 11, pp. 19–27.
Ripley, E.M., Lightfoot, P.C., Li, C., et al., Sulfur isotopic studies of continental flood basalts in the Noril’sk region: implications for the association between lavas and ore-bearing intrusion, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 2003, vol. 67, pp. 2805–2817.
Ripley, E.M., Li, C., Craig, H., et al., Micro-scale S isotope studies of the Kharaelakh intrusion, Noril’sk region, Siberia: constraints on the genesis of coexisting anhydrite and sulfide minerals, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 2010, vol. 74, pp. 634–644.
Ryabov, V.V., Shevko, A.Ya., and Gora, M.P., Magmaticheskie porody Noril’skogo raiona (Magmatic Rocks of the Noril’sk Region), Novosibirsk: Nonparel’, 2000.
Turovtsev, D.M., Kontaktovyi metamorfizm noril’skikh intruzii (Contact Metamorphism of the Noril’sk Intrusions), Moscow: Nauchnyi mir, 2002.
Vaulin, L.L. and Sukhanova, E.N., Oktyabr’skoe copper-nickel deposit, Okhr. Razvedka Nedr, 1970, no. 4, pp. 48–52.
Vortsepnev, V.V., Temperature, pressure, and geochemical conditions of the formation of the Talnakh copper-nickel deposit, Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Geolmin) Dissertation, Moscow: MGU, 1978.
Yashchenko, I.G., Cyclic changes of sulfur and paraffin contents depending on the age of oil-bearing rocks, Izv. Tomsk. Politekh. Univ., 2004, vol. 307, no. 3, pp. 54–59.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Original Russian Text © N.A. Krivolutskaya, A.A. Plechova, Yu.A. Kostitsyn, B.V. Belyatsky, I.A. Roshchina, N.M. Svirskaya, N.N. Kononkova, 2014, published in Petrologiya, 2014, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 147–170.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Krivolutskaya, N.A., Plechova, A.A., Kostitsyn, Y.A. et al. Geochemical aspects of the assimilation of host rocks by basaltic magmas during the formation of Noril’sk Cu-Ni ores. Petrology 22, 128–150 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0869591114020052
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0869591114020052