Research Article| June 01, 2015 HETEROGENEITY OF S ISOTOPE COMPOSITIONS RECORDED IN THE SUDBURY IGNEOUS COMPLEX, CANADA: SIGNIFICANCE TO FORMATION OF Ni-Cu SULFIDE ORES AND THE HOST ROCKS* Edward M. Ripley; Edward M. Ripley † 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 †Corresponding author: e-mail, ripley@indiana.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Peter C. Lightfoot; Peter C. Lightfoot 2Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 925 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eric C. Stifter; Eric C. Stifter 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ben Underwood; Ben Underwood 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Valentina Taranovic; Valentina Taranovic 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthew Dunlop, III; Matthew Dunlop, III 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kellie A. Donoghue Kellie A. Donoghue 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Edward M. Ripley † 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Peter C. Lightfoot 2Department of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 925 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6 Eric C. Stifter 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Ben Underwood 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Valentina Taranovic 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Matthew Dunlop, III 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Kellie A. Donoghue 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1005 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 †Corresponding author: e-mail, ripley@indiana.edu Publisher: Society of Economic Geologists Received: 21 Aug 2014 Accepted: 11 Dec 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1554-0774 Print ISSN: 0361-0128 © 2015 Society of Economic Geologists. Economic Geology (2015) 110 (4): 1125–1135. https://doi.org/10.2113/econgeo.110.4.1125 Article history Received: 21 Aug 2014 Accepted: 11 Dec 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Edward M. Ripley, Peter C. Lightfoot, Eric C. Stifter, Ben Underwood, Valentina Taranovic, Matthew Dunlop, Kellie A. Donoghue; HETEROGENEITY OF S ISOTOPE COMPOSITIONS RECORDED IN THE SUDBURY IGNEOUS COMPLEX, CANADA: SIGNIFICANCE TO FORMATION OF Ni-Cu SULFIDE ORES AND THE HOST ROCKS. Economic Geology 2015;; 110 (4): 1125–1135. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/econgeo.110.4.1125 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEconomic Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract Sulfur isotope ratios of sulfide ores and their host rocks, and the overlying main mass sequence of norites, quartz gabbros, and granophyres from the Sudbury Igneous Complex have been analyzed to establish the extent of isotopic heterogeneity of the Complex and the impact melt sheet from which it was produced. Noritic rocks located above the sublayer in the lower portion of the main mass of the Sudbury Igneous Complex are characterized by uniform sulfur isotope ratios with δ34S values of 2.59 ± 0.48‰. Rocks from the granophyric portion of the main mass are characterized by elevated and variable δ34S values from 4.4 to 14.1‰. The more 34S-enriched S in the granophyre was produced by secondary sulfide precipitation related to hydrothermal alteration systems developed in the upper altered granophyric part of the main mass as it cooled. Footwall and contact-style mineralization from the sublayer show variable δ34S values from 0.2 to 4.3‰. South Range mineralization is characterized by low ratios from 0.2 to 2.5‰. North and Northeast Range mineralization exhibits locally elevated but variable δ34S values; for example mineralization from Whistle mine varies from 3.1 to 4.3‰, whereas mineralization from Victor varies between 2.4 and 2.9‰. There is typically only a small difference in S isotope ratio of contact and proximal footwall mineralization. Country rocks in the area of the Sudbury Igneous Complex are also characterized by a wide range in δ34S values and the sulfur isotope homogeneity of the noritic rocks can be explained by mixing of sulfur from several potential sources. However, the variability present between deposits at the lower contact of the Complex requires that country rocks of locally variable sulfur isotope composition interacted with magma at the base of the cooling melt sheet. There is no evidence that deposit size correlates with δ34S value; variations between deposits may involve local S isotope exchange reactions between the country rock and the melt sheet as the melt digested the footwall. This study illustrates the application of S isotope data in constraining the scale of convective mixing and contamination in the largest known terrestrial melt sheet. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

10.2113/econgeo.110.4.1125

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