Auriferous Fluid Evolution and the Role of Carbonaceous Matter in a Saddle-Reef Gold Deposit: Dufferin Deposit, Meguma Terrane, Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

The metaturbidite-hosted, ∼380 Ma Dufferin gold deposit, Meguma terrane, northeastern Appalachian Orogen (Nova Scotia, Canada) is an orogenic gold deposit with mineralized saddle reef-type quartz veins hosted by metasandstones and black slates in a tightly folded anticline. Together with native gold inclusions, genetically related hydrothermal carbonaceous material (CM) in veins occurs as pyrobitumen in cavities and along fractures/grain boundaries proximal to vein contacts and wallrock fragments. Integrating several microanalytical methods we document the precipitation of gold via coupled fluid-fO₂ reduction (via interaction with CM) and pH increase. These changes in fluid chemistry destabilized gold bisulfide complexes, leading to efficient Au precipitation from a gold-undersaturated (0.045 ± 0.024 ppm Au; 1σ; n = 58 fluid inclusions) aqueous-carbonic fluid (H₂O-NaCl-CO₂ ± N₂ ± CH₄). The proposed mineralization mechanism is supported by: (a) a complementary decrease in Au and redox-sensitive semimetals (As, Sb), and increase in wall rock-derived elements (i.e., Mg, K, Ca, Sr, Fe) concentrations in fluid inclusions with time; (b) a corresponding decrease in the X_CO2, consistent with CO₂ removal via reduction/respeciation and late carbonate precipitation; and (c) gold embedding in, or on, the surface of CM inside mineralized cavities and fractures. Despite mineralizing fluids transporting low concentrations of Au far from saturation, precipitation of gold was locally evidently high where such fluids interacted with CM, contributing to the overall gold endowment of Meguma deposits. This work re-emphasizes CM as a potential prerequisite for efficient gold precipitation within the overall genetic model for similar orogenic metasedimentary settings globally where the presence and/or role of CM has been documented.