Item

Abstract

On Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard Archipelago, a set of small iron oxide-apatite (IOA) ore bodies have been discovered within a crustal shear zone, which deformed the polymetamorphosed Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks. The ores have various styles and grades of deformation and distinct mineral assemblages whose compositions record a multi-stage tectonothermal and metasomatic history. These IOA ore bodies can be subdivided into fluorapatite-bearing and predominant low-Th monazite in the upper section of the shear zone and F-Cl apatite-bearing and predominant high Th-monazite in the structurally lower higher-grade deformed part. The first stage of alteration for these ore bodies resulted in metasomatic alteration of the apatite and liberation of REE and P redeposited as monazite and xenotime. The transport of dissolved REE and P was likely enhanced by deformation. The second stage of alteration had a distinct impact on the individual ore bodies, which resulted in the Th-enrichment of a small subset of the monazite grains in the upper section of the shear zone. In the lower section of the shear zone most of the monazite was replaced by high Th monazite. Here the original fluorapatite is enriched in Cl, Mn, and Sr, most probably due to interaction with CaCl2-rich fluids enriched in Sr and Mn that was scavenged from the hosting metasediments and altered metagabbros. Contrasting textures, mineral assemblages, and the geochemistry of the ores from distinct localities reflect involvement of compositionally different fluids from the gabbroic rocks and surrounding metasedimentary rocks during the protracted tectonothermal evolution of Prins Karls Forland. Therefore, it is concluded that the IOA ore bodies most likely resulted due to the fractionation of Fe, P, Ca, and REE from hypersaline fluids associated with the gabbros. Once deposited, these IOA ore bodies were subsequently altered during at least one and perhaps two later metamorphic events.