The Orion property, northwestern British Columbia

Massive Sulphide Deposits

 V M S
Volcanic-associated massive sulfides

Volcanic-hosted massive sulfides

Volcanogenic massive sulfides

 Schematic VMS Cross Section

Volcanic A

tic se diment
Volcaniclas

Volcanic B
Cu-rich
stringer or
stockwork
 VMS Deposit
Host rocks:
- submarine volcanic successions, or
- mixed volcano-sedimentary successions

Alteration and mineralization  associated with

submarine hydrothermal events

Associated rocks:
- calk-alkaline basalt-andesite-dacite-rhyolite
- plus sedimentary rocks

Most deposits are hosted in thin volcaniclastic units

(<100m) between major volcanic formations
 VMS Deposit
Age of deposits: same as host succession
(i.e. deposits are syn-volcanic or syn-sedimentary)

Ore body: typically comprises massive sulfide (>80% sulfides)

Massive sulfide:
mainly pyrite (>50% of sulfide)
with subordinate sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena

Massive sulfide lenses commonly aligned parallel to volcanic

stratification (sub comformable / concordant)

Discordant disseminated and stockwork ore underlies the

massive lens-shaped ore
 VMS Deposit
Deposits include Cu-rich, Au-rich, Cu-Zn, and polymetallic
(Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au) types

Metal content and metal ratios vary considerably, but all

deposit types contain Zn > Pb

Metals typically vertically zoned within a single deposit,

from base towards top
Cu  Zn  Pb  Ag  Au  Ba
 VMS Deposit
Footwall rocks: intense hydrothermal alteration

Hanging wall rocks: weakly altered to unaltered

Formed on or just below the seafloor

 seafloor exhalation vs sub-seafloor replacement
Morphology of VMS Deposits:
• Mounds
• Stratiform sheets and lenses
• Cross cutting pipes
Modern Analogues

(Galley et al., 2007)

Black Smokers White Smokers
Chimney sampling in Solwara
VMS anatomy shows two main zones: massive lenses (form at or immediately
below the sea floor) and stockwork or disseminated ore (stringer zone)

Cross section of a typical Noranda-type depodit.

Typical shape includes a conical body of at least 60% pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhothite. Length
to thickness aspect ratio 3 -10 to 1. Upper contact is sharp, lower is transitional to stringer area
Global Distribution

(Galley et al., 2007)

Economic
Significance
There are over 800 known VMS
deposits worldwide

(Galley et al., 2007)

 Mineralogy and Textures

Generally VMS deposits have a simple mineralogy:

At least 50% sulphides by volume.
Pyrite usually constitutes 50-90 massive ore, accompanied by sphalerite,
chalcopyrite and galena.

Deep water formed deposits (e.g. Noranda) have only sphalerite and
chalcopyrite, those deposits formed in shallow waters have also galena

Gangue minerals include:

quartz, chlorite, sericite, and aluminosilicate minerals

Stringer zones mineralogy is very simple with chalcopyrite, pyrite,

pyrrothite, sphalerite and magnetite.

Cu/(Cu+Zn) ratio higher in lower part of the deposits

Typical Stringer Ore
Pyritic Stockwork
CLASSIFICATION of VMS DEPOSITS
Based on: Metals

• Cu - type (Cu-only, or Cu-Au)

• Zn - Cu type

• Zn - Pb – Cu – Ag - Au type (polymetallic type)

 Footwall sediment and altered zone-sulphide contact on ramp (from J. Walker)

Footwall chlorite alteration

outcrop (from J. Walker)
Example 2:
(Scotney dkk, 2005)