Geochemical fingerprinting of volcanogenic massive sulfide systems using accessory minerals

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Sarah Anne Gleeson
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 521603367

Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are major sources of copper and zinc and contain significant amounts of gold, silver, lead, selenium, cadmium, bismuth, and tin. They account for 22% of the world's Zn production, 9.7% of Pb, and 6% of Cu, making them key exploration targets for the mineral industry and essential suppliers of technology metals for the low-carbon energy transition. Nevertheless, the discovery rate of mineral deposits is declining because most shallow high-grade deposits have already been discovered. Increasing the success of discovering concealed and deeply buried targets requires more effective tools to detect large-scale mineral systems and to allow explorers to vector from barren or weakly mineralized units to the economic cores of the systems. This project aims to evaluate the potential of accessory minerals as recorders of mineralizing processes and as pathfinders for mineralization in VMS districts that have undergone metamorphism and have a complex history. To this end, the goal is to compare mineralized, hydrothermally altered (proximal), and unaltered (distal) rocks within VMS provinces with complex geological histories. We will conduct petrographic studies and high-resolution imaging combined with microprobe, LA-ICP-MS analysis, stable isotopes, and geochronology. This will allow us to: (1) establish the paragenetic sequence and timing of formation of the minerals, (2) identify the chemical signatures of the phases of interest across the metallogenetic province, and (3) find potential correlations between different provinces. We further aim to use machine learning to process the datasets and to identify patterns and trends in the datasets that can be used for mineral exploration. With this work we want to generate new concepts around the genesis of the orebodies and associated driving mechanisms, which will, in turn, contribute to improving exploration strategies in Europe and beyond.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2238: Dynamics of Ore-Metals Enrichment - DOME
• International Connection: Canada, Portugal
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Mark Hannington, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Jorge Manuel De Sancho Relvas, Ph.D.