Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies
The Bou Azzer polymetallic Co-Ni-As±Au±Ag veins in the Central Anti-Atlas (Morocco) are significant sulfide ores hosted by Neoproterozoic ophiolites and are associated with felsic intrusive and subvolcanic phases. We report new mineralogical and fluid inclusion data to better understand mineralizati...
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Wiley
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Geofluids |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5579902 |
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| author | Amina Wafik Basem Zoheir Fouad Benchekroun Rachid Benaouda Mohamed Ben Massoude Youssef Atif Amin Beiranvand Pour Shojaeddin Niroomand Amal El Arbaoui Abdelhak Karfal Lhou Maacha |
| author_facet | Amina Wafik Basem Zoheir Fouad Benchekroun Rachid Benaouda Mohamed Ben Massoude Youssef Atif Amin Beiranvand Pour Shojaeddin Niroomand Amal El Arbaoui Abdelhak Karfal Lhou Maacha |
| author_sort | Amina Wafik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Bou Azzer polymetallic Co-Ni-As±Au±Ag veins in the Central Anti-Atlas (Morocco) are significant sulfide ores hosted by Neoproterozoic ophiolites and are associated with felsic intrusive and subvolcanic phases. We report new mineralogical and fluid inclusion data to better understand mineralization’s formation processes and fluid evolution which are analyzed and merged with the existing published data. Gold-bearing sulfide-arsenide-quartz (±carbonate) veins in Bou Azzer exhibit mineralogical and fluid inclusion features similar to the epithermal and porphyry-style gold deposits. Modeling of widespread primary and pseudosecondary saline aqueous inclusions in the mineralized quartz veins suggests that circulating metalliferous brines, with estimated temperatures of ~275°C and pressures<550 bars and salinity<40%, precipitated sulfides in the veins. Gold was most likely transported as bisulfide complexes, and ore deposition was controlled by fluctuations in oxygen fugacity (ƒO2) upon fluid cooling. The systematic decrease in temperatures and salinities from an early prearsenide stage to a late paragenetic arsenide and sulfide stage was likely linked with extensive mixing with meteoric waters in a shallow hydrothermal environment. Available sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen stable isotope data for the Bou Azzer sulfide-arsenide-quartz veins indicate variable fluid sources, primarily magmatic and metamorphic fluids. The wide range of the estimated mineralization ages (from 680 Ma to 210 Ma) and the spatial association with major shear zones and felsic intrusive stocks imply a significant role of the regional tectonic activities or reflect complex and superimposed mineralization episodes, corresponding to orogenic events spanned the Pan-African cycle to the Atlasic orogenesis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8c8bd986180470b87abba4778bb07da |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1468-8123 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geofluids |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8c8bd986180470b87abba4778bb07da2025-08-20T03:22:49ZengWileyGeofluids1468-81232024-01-01202410.1155/2024/5579902Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion StudiesAmina Wafik0Basem Zoheir1Fouad Benchekroun2Rachid Benaouda3Mohamed Ben Massoude4Youssef Atif5Amin Beiranvand Pour6Shojaeddin Niroomand7Amal El Arbaoui8Abdelhak Karfal9Lhou Maacha10DLGR LaboratoryDepartment of GeologyLaboratory of Marine Geosciences and Soil SciencesCritical Metals for Enabling TechnologiesDLGR LaboratoryDLGR LaboratoryInstitute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS)School of GeologyFaculty of Sciences Dhar MahrazManagem GroupManagem GroupThe Bou Azzer polymetallic Co-Ni-As±Au±Ag veins in the Central Anti-Atlas (Morocco) are significant sulfide ores hosted by Neoproterozoic ophiolites and are associated with felsic intrusive and subvolcanic phases. We report new mineralogical and fluid inclusion data to better understand mineralization’s formation processes and fluid evolution which are analyzed and merged with the existing published data. Gold-bearing sulfide-arsenide-quartz (±carbonate) veins in Bou Azzer exhibit mineralogical and fluid inclusion features similar to the epithermal and porphyry-style gold deposits. Modeling of widespread primary and pseudosecondary saline aqueous inclusions in the mineralized quartz veins suggests that circulating metalliferous brines, with estimated temperatures of ~275°C and pressures<550 bars and salinity<40%, precipitated sulfides in the veins. Gold was most likely transported as bisulfide complexes, and ore deposition was controlled by fluctuations in oxygen fugacity (ƒO2) upon fluid cooling. The systematic decrease in temperatures and salinities from an early prearsenide stage to a late paragenetic arsenide and sulfide stage was likely linked with extensive mixing with meteoric waters in a shallow hydrothermal environment. Available sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen stable isotope data for the Bou Azzer sulfide-arsenide-quartz veins indicate variable fluid sources, primarily magmatic and metamorphic fluids. The wide range of the estimated mineralization ages (from 680 Ma to 210 Ma) and the spatial association with major shear zones and felsic intrusive stocks imply a significant role of the regional tectonic activities or reflect complex and superimposed mineralization episodes, corresponding to orogenic events spanned the Pan-African cycle to the Atlasic orogenesis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5579902 |
| spellingShingle | Amina Wafik Basem Zoheir Fouad Benchekroun Rachid Benaouda Mohamed Ben Massoude Youssef Atif Amin Beiranvand Pour Shojaeddin Niroomand Amal El Arbaoui Abdelhak Karfal Lhou Maacha Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies Geofluids |
| title | Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies |
| title_full | Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies |
| title_fullStr | Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies |
| title_short | Multistage Gold-Polymetallic Mineralization in the Bou Azzer District, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Insights from Ore Microscopic, Geochemical, and Fluid Inclusion Studies |
| title_sort | multistage gold polymetallic mineralization in the bou azzer district anti atlas morocco insights from ore microscopic geochemical and fluid inclusion studies |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5579902 |
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