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Plume-subduction interaction forms large auriferous provinces

Author

Listed:
  • Santiago Tassara

    (Universidad de Chile)

  • José M. González-Jiménez

    (Universidad de Chile
    Universidad de Granada)

  • Martin Reich

    (Universidad de Chile)

  • Manuel E. Schilling

    (Universidad Austral de Chile)

  • Diego Morata

    (Universidad de Chile)

  • Graham Begg

    (Minerals Targeting International PL)

  • Edward Saunders

    (University of New England
    Macquarie University)

  • William L. Griffin

    (Macquarie University)

  • Suzanne Y. O’Reilly

    (Macquarie University)

  • Michel Grégoire

    (Toulouse University)

  • Fernando Barra

    (Universidad de Chile)

  • Alexandre Corgne

    (Universidad Austral de Chile)

Abstract

Gold enrichment at the crustal or mantle source has been proposed as a key ingredient in the production of giant gold deposits and districts. However, the lithospheric-scale processes controlling gold endowment in a given metallogenic province remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence of native gold in the mantle beneath the Deseado Massif in Patagonia that links an enriched mantle source to the occurrence of a large auriferous province in the overlying crust. A precursor stage of mantle refertilisation by plume-derived melts generated a gold-rich mantle source during the Early Jurassic. The interplay of this enriched mantle domain and subduction-related fluids released during the Middle-Late Jurassic resulted in optimal conditions to produce the ore-forming magmas that generated the gold deposits. Our study highlights that refertilisation of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle is a key factor in forming large metallogenic provinces in the Earth’s crust, thus providing an alternative view to current crust-related enrichment models.

Suggested Citation

  • Santiago Tassara & José M. González-Jiménez & Martin Reich & Manuel E. Schilling & Diego Morata & Graham Begg & Edward Saunders & William L. Griffin & Suzanne Y. O’Reilly & Michel Grégoire & Fernando , 2017. "Plume-subduction interaction forms large auriferous provinces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-00821-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00821-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Jia Chang & Andreas Audétat & Thomas Pettke, 2024. "The gold content of mafic to felsic potassic magmas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

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