A Sb ± Au mineralizing peak at 360 Ma in the Variscan belt

Abstract

40Ar/39Ar absolute dating on tobelite (an ammonium-rich white mica) has been performed in order to provide geochronological constraints on the Sb ± Au mineralization and hydrothermalism at the Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux base metal-Sb ± Au occurrence (Variscan Central Armorican Domain, France). The results show that the Sb ± Au deposition occurred at ca. 360 Ma. Coupled with recent results obtained in neighboring areas, this occurrence seems to belong to a large-scale Early Carboniferous economic Sb ± Au mineralizing peak in the southeastern part of the Central Armorican Domain. The emplacement of a coeval widespread mafic magmatism in the region appears to represent a major trigger for this mineralizing system at shallow depths (less than 3 km). In the light of these new data, this Early Carboniferous mafic magmatic event must be considered for the overall understanding of the genesis of mineralizing systems at the scale of the whole Variscan belt. Finally, at Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux, evidence of an Early Permian hydrothermal event is also reported through LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of fluorapatite, arguing for the re-use and re-opening of Early Carboniferous mineralizing plumbing system by late (i.e. Permian) fluid flow pulses although no metal mobilization was associated with this event.