Sulfur Isotope Abundances and Base Metal Zoning in the Heath Steele B-1 Orebody, Newcastle, New Brunswick

Abstract

<p> S^32/S^34 ratios have been determined between some coexisting sulfides from the Heath Steele B-1 orebody and five other stratiform deposits in the Bathurst-Newcastle area, New Brunswick, and in crushed ore samples and pyrites from three across deposit profiles in the B-1 orebody. Zn, Cu, Pb and Ag abundances have been established across the orebody. Fractionations of S^32/S^34 ratios between coexisting sulfides have been determined in heating experiments at temperatures of 350 to 500°C and isotope effects measured in aqueous precipitation and exchange experiments at 25°C. S^32/S^34 fractionations between given coexisting sulfides from all the sulfide deposits are found to show only small variations. Isotope exchange is generally rapid in dry sulfide systems. Metal sulfides in aqueous solutions are slightly enriched in S^32 relative to the H2S with which they precipitate or communicate. It is concluded that the sulfide deposits have been regionally metamorphosed. The origins that have been proposed for the deposits so far are discussed and a model is suggested to explain the sulfur isotope and base metal abundances in the B-1 orebody.</p>