Economie Geology

Vol. 79, 1984, pp. 1660-1668

Sphalerite Geobarometry and Arsenopyrite Geothermometry Applied to

Metamorphosed Sulfide Ores in the Swedish Caledonides
K. SUNDBLAD, E. ZACHRISSON,
Geological Suroey ofSweden, Box 670, S-751 28 Uppsala, Sweden

S.-A. SMEDS,
Institute of Geology, University of Uppsala, Box 555, S- 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden

S. BERGLUND,
Department of Economie Geology, University of Lulea, S-951 87 Lulea, Sweden

AND C. ÂLINDER
Geological Suroey of Sweden, Box 670, S-751 28 Uppsala, Sweden

Ahstract
Metamorphosed massive sulfide deposits in the Swedish Caledonides were investigated
using sphalerite geobarometry and arsenopyrite geothermometry. The sphalerite investigations
yield pressure estimates of 3 to 5 kb for six deposits from host rocks of greenschist-lower
amphibolite facies. A bimodal FeS distribution is apparent for the chlorite-grade deposits
whereas the FeS distribution in biotite-grade deposits is unimodal. The arsenopyrite
geothermometry is apparently sensitive to high contents (>0.2 wt %) of either of the trace
elements Co and Ni, and possibly also of Sb. Temperature estimates for six deposits from
the chlorite zone of greenschist facies yield 371° ± 45°C, whereas one deposit from the
biotite zone gives a temperature of 422° ± 25°C. The pressure and temperature data
obtained for the deposits correspond excellently with the metamorphic grade of the host
rocks. Thus, sphalerite geobarometry and arsenopyrite geothermometry can be applied
successfully to metamorphosed sulfide orebodies if attention is paid to texturai relationships
and minor element distribution in the minerais investigated.

Introduction Caledonides. The current study adds results for

THE Swedish Caledonides are composed of late
Precambrian-Silurian rocks, metamorphosed under
various conditions prior to large-scale thrusting dur-
ing the Caledonian orogeny. Metamorphosed strata-
bound sulfide deposits occur at various levels in the
tectonostratigraphy. In certain of the se deposits,
pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite are
abundant.
The mineral assemblages pyrite-pyrrhotite-sphal-
erite and pyrite-pyrrhotite-arsenopyrite have been
shown experimentally by Scott and Barn es (1971)
and Kretschmar and Scott (1976), respectively, to
be useful for determining pressure and temperature
for the formation of each mineral assemblage. Thus,
assuming that metamorphic equilibrium has been
achieved, the composition of sphalerite and arseno-
pyrite in the various sulfide deposits should indicate
the metamorphic conditions that controlled growth
of these minerais during metamorphism.
Pressure estimates using the sphalerite geobaro-
meter were recently made by Hutchison and Scott
(1980) for three sulfide deposits in the Swedish
another six deposits. Furthermore, arsenopyrite was
investigated from one of these and from another six
deposits in order to estimate the metamorphic tem-
peratures.
Background Geology
The Scandinavian Caledonides consist of a number
of flat-lying thrust nappe units which were emplaced
on top of one another mainly toward the end stage
of Caledonian orogeny in Late Silurian to Early
Devonian times (Gee, 1975). The different nappe
units are composed of a variety of metamorphosed
sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks of late
Precambrian to Silurian age. Following the tecto-
nostratigraphical scheme presented by Stephens et
al. (in press) for the Caledonides of central-north
Scandinavia, the fold belt can be divided into six
major tectonostratigraphical units (Fig. 1). Meta-
morphism and polyphase deformation of the rock
sequences in these complexes took place prior to or
in connection with the nappe transport (Gee, 1975;
Stephens et al., in press), but evidence of earlier

0361-0128/84/3.53/1660-09$2 ..50 1660

 SULFIDE GEOBAROMETRY & GEOTHERMOMETRY, SWEDEN 1661

• + • • • • + • • + • • • • • • • • • + + ~ •
SCANOINAVIAN
+
• • ++.
•• + • • • • • + + •••• + + •••• + ••••
+.
+ •• + + •• + •• + •• + ••••• + +
CALEOONIDE--S
1/___._~,_'..00
+
+. ••• + •• + •• + + •• + + •• + + ••••
+ + + + •• + + + •••• + • • • • • • • • • +
•• + + • • • • • + +. + •• + +. + •• +. +.
Sca,e1nKm

INVESTIGATED DEPOSITS

13 R1 karbilcken
12 V. Storbacksdalen
11 Tjdter
K1ttelgruvan
BeitsetJenjunJe
Remdalen
StekenJokk
Gellvendkko
Sarkenjaure
Ankarvattnet
Jorpatjuolt
Bjërkvattnet
Vargtjilrnstoten

0 Sphalerite investigated
x Arsenopyr1te investigated

LEGEND

Helgeland Nappe Complex

and Beiarn Nappe

Rëdingsfjiillet Nappe Complex

Upper Këli Nappes and

equivalents south of the
Grong-Olden Culmination (GOC)
Lower and Middle Këli Nappes,
and equivalents south of the
Grong- Olden Culmination (G OC)

Seve Nappes

r::::-:1 Underlying nappes and, on the west

~!.!..!..!.!] coast of Norway, Caledonized
Precambrian crystalline rocks
Autochthonous basement and
D platformal cover

Ali boundaries shown are thrusts

0 10 20 30 40 50 km

FIG. 1. Geologie map of the central Scandinavian Caledonides showing the locations of investigated
deposits. Modified after Sundblad and Stephens (1983).

(possibly Ordovician) metamorphic episodes has been and Sjostrom, 1984). Metamorphic grade varies con-
reported at least for the upper three tectonic units siderably both within tectonic units and between
(Gee and Wilson, 197 4; Claesson, 1980; cf. Gee tectonic levels. N umerous sulfide deposits which
1662 SUNDBLAD ET AL.

have suffered the same metamorphic and deforma-
tional histories as recorded for their host rocks occur
at different levels in the tectonostratigraphy (Zach-
risson, 1980). In the Swedish Caledonides adequate
parageneses for sphalerite geobarometry and arse-
nopyrite geothermometry are known only from de-
posits in the Middle and Upper Koli nappes and
occasionally also the Seve nappes. This study has
therefore been restricted to these nappe units. A
summary of investigated deposits, their tectonostra-
tigraphical level, and host-rock characteristics is
presented in Table 1.
Analytical Methods
Polished sections of the ore samples were exam-
ined using standard reflected light microscope tech-
niques. The composition of sphalerite and arseno-
pyrite was determined at the Geological Survey of
Sweden, using an ARL-SEMQ electron microprobe.
An acceleration voltage of 15 kV was used for the
sphalerite and 20 kV for the arsenopyrite analyses,
sample current was 20 nA, and counting time for
each element analyzed was 20 seconds. Natural
sphalerite and arsenopyrite were used as standards.
As a further control on the sphalerite analyses,
synthetic sphalerites containing 5.0 and 20.0 mole
percent FeS, as produced and used by Hutchison
and Scott (1981), were analyzed. The results were
4.94 and 20.08 mol percent FeS, respectively, pro-
viding good confidence for reliability of results.
Sphalerite Geobarometry
The theory behind the sphalerite geobarometer
has developed successively in a number of studies
of the Fe-Zn-S system, e.g., by Kullerud (1953),
Barton and Toulmin (1966), Scott and Barnes (1971),
and Scott (1973). Application to metamorphosed
sulfide deposits has, however, often produced highly
variable results which corresponded to pressure
estimates much too high relative to the metamorphic
grade of surrounding rocks (Bristol, 197 4; Lusk et
al., 1975; Ringler, 1979; Sangameshwar and Mar-

TABLE 1. Geological Base Data for the Host Rocks of the lnvestigated Deposits

Type of investigation
Tectono-
stratigraphical Metamorphic This Hutchison and
Deposit unit Type of host rock grade Reference paper Scott, 1980

Rikarbacken Upper Koli Calcareous metasediment Chlorite Sandwall, 1981 T

V. Storbacksdalen Upper Koli Calcareous metasediment Chlorite Sandwall, 1981 T
Tjater Upper Koli Calcareous metasediment Chlorite Sandwall, 1981 T p

Kittelgruvan Middle Koli(?) Quartz keratophyre Biotite Stephens et al., P,T

(+ spessartine) 1979
Beitsetjenjunje Middle Koli Chlorite schist, quartz Ch lori te Stephens et al., T
keratophyre 1979
Remdalen Middle Koli Chlorite schist Chlorite Stephens et al., p
(+ biotite and 1979
gamet)
Stekenjokk Middle Koli Quartz keratophyre- Chlorite Zachrisson, 1971 p
graphitic phyllite
Gelvenakko Middle Koli Chlorite schist Chlorite Stephens et al., p
1979
Sarkenjaure Middle Koli Calcareous metasediment Chlorite Sundblad, 1981 T
Ankarvattnet Middle Koli Calcareous metasediment Chlorite Sundblad, 1981 T p

Jorpatjuolt Middle Koli Graphitic metasediment Chlorite Stephens et al., p

1979
Bjorkvattnet Middle Koli Mafic volcanics mixed with Chlorite Sjostrand, 1978 p
metasediments (+ biotite and
garn et)
Vargtjiirnstoten Seve nappes Graphitic metasediments Biotite Stephens et al., p
(+ garnet) 1979

Note that the garnets reported from the Remdalen, Bjorkvattnet, and Vargtjiirnstoten deposits have not been examined in detail,
which restricts their use as metamorphic mineral indicators; P = sphalerite geobarometry, T = arsenopyrite geothermometry
 SULFIDE GEOBAROMETRY & GEOTHERMOMETRY, SWEDEN
shall, 1980). In an attempt to overcome this discrep-
ancy, a detailed study was carried out by Hutchison
and Scott (1980) on three deposits from the Swedish
Caledonides and one deposit from the U. S. Appa-
lachians. This investigation showed that texturai
control on the sphalerite grains is of utmost impor-
tance for correct interpretation of metamorphic
pressure conditions. Their conclusion was that the
best pressure estimates would be expected for sphal-
erite encapsulated in pyrite porphyroblasts. Fur-
thermore, Hutchison and Scott (1981) recommended
against use of sphalerite grains with chalcopyrite
inclusions, since Cu appears to affect the equilibra-
tion of the sphalerite composition.
Hutchison and Scott (1980) found that sphalerites
encapsulated in pyrite porphyroblasts in the deposits
display bimodal distribution of FeS contents (Fig.
2). They suggested that the peak with the higher
mole percent FeS (lowest pressure) corresponds to
the major metamorphic event, responsible for the
growth of the pyrite porphyroblasts. The peak with
the lower mole percent FeS (highest pressure) was
presumed to reflect a later metamorphic event during
which the sphalerite inclusions came in contact with
hydrothermal solutions and reequilibrated to low-
temperature conditions.
In the current study, 185 analyses were made of
sphalerites from an additional six strata-bound sulfide
deposits in the Swedish Caledonides. Each analysis
represents an average of at least three spot analyses.
Results are shown in Figure 3. lt is evident that
there is a wide range of FeS contents in the sphal-
erites, even within individual deposits. For most of
the deposits, application of sphalerite geobarometry
without distinguishing differences in texture would
have led to a lower average FeS content (corre-
sponding to higher pressures) than is obtained when
only pyrite-encapsulated sphalerites are considered.
STEKENJOKK
5 6
sphalerite encapsulated
in pyrite
otherte)(tures
19 18 17 16 15 14
FIG. 2. FeS content (mole%) in sphalerite from Stekenjokk.
Modified after Hutchison and Scott (1980).
1663
Bimodal distributions of FeS contents are apparent
in pyrite-encapsulated sphalerites in the Gelvenâkko
and Jorpatjuolt deposits and possibly for the Bjork-
vattnet deposit. The FeS content in pyrite-encap-
sulated sphalerites of the Remdalen, Kittelgruvan,
and Vargtjarnstoten deposits is apparently concen-
trated in only one peak.
Application of the sphalerite geobarometer as-
sumes a metamorphic temperature in the range
300° to 600°C. Since all investigated deposits lie in
host rocks metamorphosed to greenschist-lowe; am-
phibolite facies, this requirement is fulfilled.
The FeS content in pyrite-encapsulated sphalerites
in the Gelvenâkko, Jorpatjuolt, and Bjorkvattnet
deposits ranges between 10 and 18 mole percent,
which corresponds to a pressure of 2 to 10 kb. The
average values are for Gelvenâkko, 14.5 mole per-
cent FeS; Jorpatjuolt, 15.5 mole percent FeS; and
Bjorkvattnet, 14.6 mole percent FeS; corresponding
to 5.0, 4.0, and 4.9 kb, respectively. If, however,
only the left peak is considered, as suggested by
Hutchison and Scott (1980), much lower pressures
are obtained, i.e., 3.9, 3.3, and 3.9 kb.
For the Remdalen, Kittelgruvan, and Vargtjarns-
toten deposits, a narrower range, between 13 and
18.5 mole percent FeS, is noted for the FeS content
in the pyrite-encapsulated sphalerites, which corre-
sponds to pressures between 2 and 6.5 kb. The
average values are for Remdalen, 15.7 mole percent
FeS (3.9 kb); Kittelgruvan, 16.6 mole percent FeS
(3.1 kb); and Vargtjarnstoten, 15.8 mole percent
FeS (3.9 kb). Data are summarized in Table 2.
Arsenopyrite Geothennometry
Although the theory behind arsenopyrite geo-
thermometry has been known for sorne time (Clark,
1960; Barton, 1969; Kretschmar, 1973; Kretschmar
and Scott, 1976), no application has been made
previously on deposits from the Swedish Caledon-
ides.
7 B 9 10 P lk bari In this investigation, 225 analyses of arsenopyrite
are reported from seven different Caledonian massive
sulfide deposits (Table 1). Fe, As, and S were deter-
mined in all analyses, and Co and Ni in all except
those from the Kittelgruvan deposit where these
elements were determined only occasionally. Sb was
analyzed in 60 percent of the material from Ankar-
vattnet and occasionally for Kittelgruvan.
Emphasis was placed on selecting arsenopyrite
grains in mutual contact with both pyrite and pyr-
rhotite, but because pyrrhotite often occurs only
sporadically in arsenopyrite-rich samples, such se-
lection of arsenopyrite grains was not always possible.
13 12 11 10 mole%FeS in sphalerite
It was, however, ensured that pyrrhotite occurred
within the same polished section as the analyzed
arsenopyrite grain. No significant differences in ar-
 1664 SUNDBLAD ET AL.

GELVENÂKKO JORPATJUOLT
9 10 p lk bar) 9 10 P lk bar)

sphalente encapsulated sphalerite encapsulated

1n pyrrte in pyrrte

19 " IT --;f-----1,....4....1.1•3-~12- ,1 ,- -1,- rO mole % FeS

rn sphalerite
19 10 mole% FeS
rn sphalente

other textures other textures

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 mole % FeS 19 18 17 11 10 mole% FeS

rn sphalerite rn sphalerrte

BJORKVATTNET REMDALEN
9 10 P lk bar) 9 10 Plk bar)

sphalerite encapsulated sphalerite encapsulated

in pyrrte in pyrrte

19 18
• •
13 12 11 10 mole% FeS
rn sphalerite
19 18 17 mole% FeS
in sphalerite

other textures other textures

10 mole% FeS 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 mole% FeS

in sphalerrte rn sphalerite

KITIELGRUVAN VARGTJARNSTOTEN
9 10 P lk bar) 9 10 P lk bar)

sphalerrte encapsulated sphalerite encapsulated

rn pynte rn pyrite

mole% FeS 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 10 mole% FeS

rn sphalerite in sphaleri te

other textures other textures

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 10 mole% FeS 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 10 mole% FeS

rn sphalerrte rn sphalerrte

FIG. 3. FeS content (mole %) in sphalerite from six investigated deposits in the Swedish
Caledonides.

senopyrite composition were found between arse- In general, the content of each of the elements
nopyrite-pyrrhotite pairs and arsenopyrite in isolated Co, Ni, and Sb was low ( <0.2 wt %), but in a few
grains. cases these elements occurred in higher concentra-
 SULFIDE GEOBAROMETRY & GEOTHERMOMETRY, SWEDEN 1665

TABLE 2. FeS Content in Pyrite-Encapsulated Sphalerites and Calculated Metamorphic Pressures

in Six Swedish Caledonides Massive Sulfide Deposits

FeS (wt %) p (kb)

whole whole FeS (wt %) p (kb)
population population left peak left peak

x (! x (! x (! x (!

Gelvemikko 14.5 1.5 5.0 1.5 15.7 0.4 3.9 0.4

Jorpatjuolt 15.6 1.3 4.0 1.1 16.4 0.6 3.3 0.5
Bjorkvattnet 14.6 1.7 4.9 1.5 15.8 0.6 3.9 0.6
Remdalen 15.7 1.1 3.9 0.9
Kittelgruvan 16.6 1.0 3.1 0.8
v argtj arnstoten 15.8 1.1 3.9 1.0

x = mean value and u = standard deviation

tions. The highest Co contents were in the Beit-
setjenjunje deposit, where in three of 34 analyses
Co exceeded 2 wt percent and in one other analysis
Co exceeded 1 wt percent. The As content of the
arsenopyrite in that deposit exhibits wide variation,
with from 29.5 to 34.3 at. percent As. The four
analyses with high Co contents turned out also to
have high As contents (33.2-34.3 at. % As). This
correlation between high minor element content
and high As content was examined further, and it
was found that of 19 analyses with >32 at. percent
As, 13 yielded Co contents > 0.20 wt percent and
another three had Ni contents > 0.20 wt percent.
Of the 15 analyses with less than 32 at. percent As,
ali had Co and Ni contents of <0.20 wt percent
(Fig. 4). This shows that high (>0.20 wt %) contents
of Co and Ni can affect the Fe-As-S system and
make it unreliable for geothermometric purposes.
Thirty-six analyses for Fe, As, S, Co, and Ni were
carried out on arsenopyrite from the Ankarvattnet
deposit (Fig. 5). In 21 of these Sb was also deter-
mined. Although a much smaller spread in As content
was found than in Beitsetjenjunje, similar results
from Ankarvattnet were obtained with regard to
high minor element contents. High contents of Co
were recorded in two cases (0.48 and 1.15 wt %) ,
both of which plot among the most As-rich analyses
in Figure 5. A high content of Sb (0.31 wt %) was
found in only one case. This analysis was also the
most As poor of ali analyses.
The minor element studies on arsenopyrite in the
Beitsetjenjunje and Ankarvattnet deposits clearly
show the importance of determining the Co, Ni, and
Sb contents before geothermometric evaluations are
made. This was first observed by Kretschmar (1973)
and Kretschmar and Scott (1976) who recommended
against using arsenopyrite grains with a total amount
of Co + Ni + Sb exceeding one percent for geother-
mometric purposes. The current investigation shows
that these elements can influence the equilibrium
already when the total Co+ Ni+ Sb is much lower

300 400 500 T'C

300 400 500 T'C

ANKARVATTNET
~ ~~ #0.20 wt% Sb
BEITSETJENJUNJE #0.20wt% Ni

[] ~0.20wt% Co [] ~0.20wt% Co

• <0.20wt% of each
trace element • <0.20 wt% of each
trace element

29 30 31 32 33 34 atomic %As 29 30 31 32 33 34 atomic% As

in arsenopyrite in arsenopyrite

FIG. 4. As content (at. %) in arsenopyrite from the Beitsetjen- FIG. 5. As content (at.%) in arsenopyrite from the Ankarvattnet
junje deposit. deposit.
1666 SUNDBLAD ET AL.

than 1 wt percent. Too high contents of Co and Ni 300 400 500 r ·c

will apparently lead to too high temperature figures.
Although based on a very limited number of analyses,
it appears conversely that high contents of Sb will
result in too low temperature estimates.
Thus, before applying the arsenopyrite analyses
to geothermometry, ali analyses with Co, Ni, or Sb
exceeding 0.2 wt percent were excluded. The ma-
terial was divided into two groups with respect to
metamorphic grade of the host rocks: Rikarbacken,
V. Storbacksdalen, Tjâter, Beitsetjenjunje, Sarken-
jaure, and Ankarvattnet represent the chlorite zone
of greenschist facies, whereas Kittelgruvan represents
BI OTITE ZONE
the biotite zone of greenschist facies. KITTELGRUVAN
The results are presented in Figures 6 and 7. The
two sets of analyses form distinct populations with 124 analyses

small standard deviations. An As content of 31.14

± O. 7 at. percent corresponding to a temperature
of 371° ± 45°C, is calculated for the deposits in
the chlorite zone, whereas the As content in the
Kittelgruvan biotite zone deposit is 31.95 ± 0.4 at.
percent, indicating a temperature of 422° ± 25°C.

Discussion
The results of the pressure determinations by
means of sphalerite geobarometry show the impor- 29 30 31 32 33 34 atomic% As
tance of having thorough texturai control on the in arsenopyrite

sphalerite grains in order to make correct interpre- FIG. 7. As content (at. %) in arsenopyrite from the Kittelgruvan
tations of the pressure. This control can be obtained, deposit (biotite-grade host rocks). Ali analyses with >0.2 wt
e.g., by using polished thin sections or by electron percent Co, Ni, or Sb have been omitted.
microscopy. This was clearly shown by Moles (1983)
who, through careful examination of sphalerite grains
in the Foss deposit, central Scottish Highlands, found
that internai texturai variations within the sphalerite
300 400 500 T ·c grains correspond to differences in the FeS content.
CHLORITE ZONE He concluded that metamorphic equilibrium may
RIKARBACKEN be preserved on a very detailed scale in local domains
V. STORBACKSDALEN
inside single sphalerite grains.
TJÂTER
BEITSETJENJUNJE A bimodal distribution of the FeS content in the
SARKENJAURE pyrite-encapsulated sphalerites is apparent for at
ANKARVATTNET
62 analyses
least the Gelvenâkko and Jorpatjuolt deposits, and
is possibly also the case for the Bjorkvattnet deposit,
whereas the other three deposits (Remdalen, Kittel-
gruvan, and Vargtjarnstoten) show no such tendency.
lt is possible that if an even more careful examination
of the microtextures had been made, information
could have ·been obtained which helped to interpret
this phenomenon of bimodality. lt is, in this connec-
Hon, of interest to note that the lower pressure
peaks in the three deposits with bimodal FeS distri-
bution lie very close to the pressure values obtained
atomic%As
for the three deposits with only one peak (Table 2).
in arsenopyrite Hutchison and Scott (1980) suggested that the two
FIG. 6. As content (at. %) in arsenopyrite from six deposits
peaks represent different metamorphic episodes. No
in chlorite-zone host rocks. Ali analyses with >0.2 wt percent positive evidence has been found in this investigation
Co, Ni, or Sb have been omitted. to indicate that the group of deposits which shows
 SULFIDE GEOBAROMETRY & GEOTHERMOMETRY, SWEDEN
bimodal FeS distribution has a different metamorphic
history from the deposits which show only one peak.
It is, however, observed that the five deposits that
show the most obvious bimodality, i.e., Stekenjokk,
Ankarvattnet, Tjâter, Gelvenâkko, and Jorpatjuolt,
lie in chlorite-grade host rocks with no trace of
biotite. In the host rocks for the other four deposits,
biotite is present in Kittelgruvan and Vargtjarnstoten
and occurs sporadically in Bjorkvattnet and Rem-
dalen. Effects of retrogression can therefore not be
excluded when discussing the bimodal FeS distri-
bution patterns.
ln spi te of these problems, pressures of 3 to 5 kb
can be evaluated for the various deposits investigated
in this study. The results lie about 1 kb lower than
Hutchison and Scott (1980) estimated for deposits
in stratigraphie sequences of similar metamorphic
grades. Accepting these discrepancies, sphalerite
geobarometry appears to be a useful method to
provide an approximate indication of metamorphic
pressure conditions. Furthermore, if the two modes
of FeS composition can be proved to correspond to
different metamorphic events, sphalerite will be a
most interesting mineral for understanding the
metamorphic history of sulfide deposits in polyphase-
deformed terrains.
Arsenopyrite geothermometry appears to be a
useful method for estimating metamorphic temper-
atures if enough attention is paid to the minor
element content. Distinct compositions characterize
both the chlorite-zone group of deposits and the
biotite-zone deposit. Independent T estimations of
the rock sequences of interest here are only known
in one case. J. Sillanpaa (pers. commun. 1983) has
determined the Si content in phengite in the calcar-
eous metasediments from the Ankarvattnet area and,
by using a pressure of 5 kb (Hutchison and Scott,
1980), reports a metamorphic temperature of 350°
to 400°C, in good agreement with the results pre-
sented in this paper.
If data on pressure obtained by means of sphalerite
geobarometry are combined with temperature esti-
mates from arsenopyrite geothermometry for the
two groups of deposits (chio rite zone and biotite
zone), their position in a standard P-T facies diagram
can be plotted. Pressure data have been taken from
this paper for Kittelgruvan, and from Hutchison and
Scott (1980) for Ankarvattnet and Tjâter, whereas
temperature data are th ose reported in this paper.
The results are shown in Figure 8. Ankarvattnet and
Tjâter (chlorite zone) plot in the lower part of the
greenschist facies field, whereas Kittelgruvan (biotite
zone) plots in the upper part of that field. Thus,
there is excellent agreement between the metamor-
phic grade of the host rocks to the deposits and the
results obtained from sphalerite geobarometry and
arsenopyrite geothermometry.
1667
14
12
10 Bluesch1st
.c
-"
4
Fac1es of contact
metamorphism
0
oL-~10~0--2~0~0--3~00~~4~00~~50~0--~60~0--~70~0--B~0~0~9~00~~1000
T, ·c
Fic. 8. P-T data obtained by sphalerite geobarometry and
arsenopyrite geothermometry (this paper, and Hutchison and
Scott, 1980) plotted in a standard metamorphic facies diagram
(modified after Turner, 1981). C = chlorite-zone deposits, B
= biotite-zone deposit, LAC = lawsonite-albite-chlorite, PP
= prehnite-pumpellytite, and PA = pumpellytite-actinolite.
Conclusions
Application of sphalerite geobarometry on six
deposits from host rocks of greenschist to lower
amphibolite facies, using pyrite-encapsulated sphal-
erite grains, yielded metamorphic pressures of 3 to
5 kb. Bimodal distribution of the FeS content in
sphalerite is apparent for at least the Gelvenâkko
and Jorpatjuolt deposits and possibly also the Bjork-
vattnet deposit. The other three deposits, Remdalen,
Kittelgruvan, and Vargtjarnstoten, show unimodal
FeS distribution which indicates pressures similar to
the lower pressure peak for the three deposits with
bimodal FeS distribution. It is probable that even
more careful texturai examination, using polished
thin sections, would provide useful information for
correct interpretation of the significance of the var-
ious peaks in the FeS diagrams.
Application of arsenopyrite geothermometry on
deposits from the chlorite and biotite zones of
greenchist facies shows that a high content (>0.2
wt %) of any of the minor elements Co, Ni, or Sb
will disturb the system. High contents of Co or Ni
appear to result in too high temperature determi-
nations whereas high contents of Sb appear to give
too low temperatures. Temperature determinations
on six deposits (Rikarbacken, V. Storbacksdalen,
Tjâter, Beitsetjenjunje, Sarkenjaure, and Ankarvatt-
net) from the chlorite zone give 371° ± 45°C,
whereas temperature determinations on the Kittel-
gruvan deposit, from the biotite zone, give 422°
± 25°C.
If the pressure and temperature data achieved by
these methods are plotted in a standard P-T facies
1668 SUNDBLAD ET AL.
diagram, there is excellent agreement with the
metamorphic fields for the host rocks.
Thus, although sphalerite geobarometry is not a
very precise method for pressure determination, it
is obvious that with detailed texturai information it
can provide fairly good estimates of metamorphic
pressure and may perhaps also be useful for providing
information on polyphase metamorphic events. Ar-
senopyrite geothermometry appears to be an accu-
rate method for determining metamorphic temper-
atures if enough attention is paid to the minor
element content. In combination, these two methods
are demonstrated to be valuable tools for under-
standing . metamorphic P-T conditions for sulfide
deposits.
Acknowledgments
This paper is a Swedish contribution tc IGCP
project 60, Correlation of Caledonian Stratabound
Sulphides (CCSS), and has been supported by the
Swedish N atural Science Research Council (NFR).
Thanks are due to S. D. Scott for supplying reference
material of synthetic sphalerite. L. Cherns corrected
the English.
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